Identification of a Cryptococcus neoformans gene that directs expression of the cryptic Saccharomyces cerevisiae mannitol dehydrogenase gene.

The Mtl gene from Cryptococcus neoformans, which confers the ability of Saccharomyces cerevisiae Sc4l YJO to grow on mannitol with substantial NAD-dependent mannitol dehydrogenase activity, was identified. Purifications and characterizations of this enzyme show that it is found in polyploid strain BB1, and the peptide sequence of the enzyme helped identify the saccharomyces gene encoding this mannitol dehydrogenase activity. On the other hand, the Mtl gene of C.

Cervical spine involvement in rheumatoid arthritis: prevalence and relationship with overall disease severity.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) affects the cervical spine in 20-90% of patients in Western countries. We report the prevalence of cervical spine involvement in RA and its relationship with duration of disease, seropositivity, hand joint erosions and symptoms and signs suggestive of cervical spine involvement. 100 patients with RA criteria were included.

Oxidative killing of Cryptococcus neoformans by human neutrophils. Evidence that fungal mannitol protects by scavenging reactive oxygen intermediates.

Polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMN) kill Cryptococcus neoformans (Cn) by oxidative mechanisms, but the roles of various reactive oxygen intermediates (ROIs) are not known. We used a mannitol low-producing Cn mutant (Cn MLP) and its wild-type parent (Cn H99) to examine the role of ROIs distal to H2O2 in PMN killing and to determine whether mannitol produced by Cn protects the fungus against ROIs. At PMN:Cn cell ratios of 1:1, 10:1, and 100:1, PMN killed significantly more Cn MLP than Cn H99 cells after 2 and 4 h (p less than 0.

Stress tolerance and pathogenic potential of a mannitol mutant of Cryptococcus neoformans.

Cryptococcus neoformans produces large amounts of the acyclic hexitol mannitol in culture and infected animals, but the functional and pathogenic significance of mannitol production by this fungus is not known. We exposed C. neoformans H99 (Cn H99) to UV irradiation (1 x LD50) and screened survivors for mannitol production.

Epididymal histoplasmosis diagnosed by isolation of Histoplasma capsulatum from semen.

An autochthonous case of epididymal histoplasmosis masquerading as tuberculosis in a 55-year-old male patient is reported from India. It was diagnosed by culture of Histoplasma capsulatum from semen and by demonstration of the fungus upon re-examination of epididymal biopsy sections previously misinterpreted as tuberculous granuloma. The patient's main complaints were painful epididymal swelling, occasional fever and cough.

Immunoreactive antigens of a candidate leprosy vaccine: Mycobacterium habana.

Mycobacterium habana (M. simiae serovar-1) is a candidate vaccine for mycobacterial infections on the basis of the protection shown by this strain. We prepared 3 fractions of M.

A study on performance of two serological assays for diagnosis of leprosy patients.

We compared 2 serological tests for the diagnosis of leprosy to test their performances. The tests include the serum antibody competition test (SACT) for the detection of antibodies to Mycobacterium leprae-specific epitope on 35 KDa protein molecule, and M. leprae gelatin particle agglutination assay (MLPA), for the detection of antiphenolic glycolipid-1 (PGL-1) antibodies.

Anal agenesis associated with rectal atresia.

The authors report an unusual case of anal agenesis associated with rectal atresia. Such an anomaly has been reported only once before. Coincidentally, this patient also had a rarely encountered skeletal anomaly--unilateral cleft foot.

Coordination of germ tube formation and surface antigen expression in Candida albicans.

If the determinants of shape and cell wall topography are independently regulated and induced in germ tube formation in Candida albicans, these processes may be separable in a non-germ tube forming strain. The expression of several preferentially expressed hyphal surface components in a parental, non-germ tube forming variant, and a germ tube forming revertant strain were examined by indirect immunofluorescence. The proportion of germ tubes expressing the determinants and the morphological localization of expression was similar.

Effects of mutations of Torpedo acetylcholine receptor alpha 1 subunit residues 184-200 on alpha-bungarotoxin binding in a recombinant fusion protein.

Residues between positions 184 and 200 of the Torpedo acetylcholine receptor alpha 1 subunit were changed by oligonucleotide-directed mutagenesis in a recombinant fusion protein containing residues 166-211. Amino acids were substituted with residues present in the snake alpha subunit, with an alanine, or with a functionally dissimilar residue. The competitive antagonist alpha-bungarotoxin bound to the fusion protein with high apparent affinity (IC50 = 3.

Dermatoglyphics in congenital profound sensorineural hearing loss: a disease marker?

A dermatoglyphic profile was carried out in 108 cases of congenital profound sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) with delayed development of speech and language (DDSL). Rolled finger prints and palmar patterns were obtained by the ink method and analysed by the Galton system. In the genetic group (Group A) triradii 6 was present whereas it was absent in the nongenetic (Group B) group and their controls (p < 0.

Analysis of circulating immune complexes from leprosy patients for Mycobacterium leprae antigens.

Circulating immune complexes (CICs) from 31 leprosy patients (16 tuberculoid, 15 lepromatous) and 12 healthy volunteers, precipitated by 3.5% polyethylene glycol, were individually subjected to SDS-PAGE and immunoblotting using a variety of monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies against Mycobacterium leprae. A common mycobacterial antigen of an apparent molecular size of 65 kDa was identified in CICs from about 40% of the patients.

Electrogustometry in oral submucous fibrosis. A study in 50 cases.

Taste sensation were evaluated in 50 cases of Oral Submucous Fibrosis. Ankyloglossia was present in 28% and ulceration of tongue in 6% of cases. None of the cases had subjective impairment of taste sensation.

Substitution of Torpedo acetylcholine receptor alpha 1-subunit residues with snake alpha 1- and rat nerve alpha 3-subunit residues in recombinant fusion proteins: effect on alpha-bungarotoxin binding.

A fusion protein consisting of the TrpE protein and residues 166-211 of the Torpedo acetylcholine receptor alpha 1 subunit was produced in Escherichia coli using a pATH10 expression vector. Residues in the Torpedo sequence were changed by means of oligonucleotide-directed mutagenesis to residues present in snake alpha 1 subunit and rat nerve alpha 3 subunit which do not bind alpha-bungarotoxin. The fusion protein of the Torpedo sequence bound 125I-alpha-bungarotoxin with high affinity (IC50 = 2.

Efficacy of seed-based media for the mould-yeast conversion of Blastomyces dermatitidis.

The efficacy of 20 seed-based media is reported for the in vitro mould-yeast conversion of Blastomyces dermatitidis, employing pharmamedia agar, peptone glucose agar, glucose agar and water agar as controls. The mould-yeast conversion varied significantly according to the culture medium, fungal strains and incubation period (p less than 0.01).

Association of mycobacterial-specific and Mycobacterium leprae specific antibody levels with clinical activity in tuberculoid leprosy: a comparative study of three serological enzyme-immunoassays.

The ELISAs for polyclonal antibodies against Mycobacterium leprae (ML-ELISA) and specific antibodies against epitopes on 35 kDa protein (SACT-ELISA) and phenolic glycolipid I (PG-ELISA) of M. leprae were evaluated comparatively in a group of 88 tuberculoid leprosy patients. The overall seropositivity rate with a battery of 3 tests (68%) was not significantly higher than that obtained with ML-ELISA alone (55%) for IgG class of antibodies.

On the value of sequential serology with a Mycobacterium leprae-specific antibody competition ELISA in monitoring leprosy chemotherapy.

The Mycobacterium leprae-specific antibody assays--a serum antibody competition test (SACT-ELISA) for the epitope on the 35-kDa protein, and an enzyme immunoassay for the disaccharide epitope of phenolic glycolipid-I (PGDS-ELISA)--were evaluated as tools for the serological monitoring of chemotherapy in 20 lepromatous and 6 tuberculoid leprosy patients. In addition to estimates for M. leprae-specific antibodies, assessments of the bacterial index (BI) and clinical activity of the disease were also carried out prospectively in these patients on two to four occasions over a period of 19 months.

Efficacy of brain heart infusion-egg albumen agar, yeast extract phosphate agar and peptone glucose agar media for isolation of Blastomyces dermatitidis from sputum.

The efficacy of brain heart infusion (BHI)-egg albumen agar, yeast extract phosphate agar and several modified peptone glucose agar media was evaluated for isolation of Blastomyces dermatitidis from sputum concomitantly seeded with the yeast form of the pathogen and Candida albicans. Based upon high per cent culture positivity of sputum, improved recovery (CFU/ml) of the seeded inoculum, faster growth rate of B. dermatitidis and low level of contamination, BHI-egg albumen agar, followed by yeast extract phosphate agar are recommended as the media of choice for the isolation of B.

Cottonseed extract versus pharmamedia for the in vitro mould-yeast conversion of Blastomyces dermatitidis.

A cottonseed medium, based on a 1% aqueous extract of seeds of any of the eight indigenously available varieties of cotton belonging to Gossypium hirsutum or Gossypium arboreum, was evaluated for the mould-yeast conversion of Blastomyces dermatitidis in vitro, and compared with pharmamedia agar as a control. The cottonseed agar was found to be as efficient as pharmamedia agar for the mould-yeast conversion of the 19 B. dermatitidis strains tested.