Relevance of Polymerase Chain Reaction in Early Diagnosis of Leptospirosis.

Aim And Background: Leptospirosis is common in India, especially in the southern states. Mortality is high among untreated cases. Diagnosis of leptospirosis remains a challenge in India as polymerase chain reaction (PCR), which is more sensitive than Immunoglobulin M (IgM) is not widely available.

Successful bowel surgery at hemoglobin 2 g/dL without blood transfusion.

We were unable to find reports in the published medical literature of any cases of bowel surgery being successfully performed at such a low hemoglobin level, without blood transfusion or blood products pre or post-surgery, with the patient's uncomplicated recovery. This study is about such a case. A patient presenting with severe gastrointestinal bleeding was diagnosed with enteric fever and multiple ileal ulcers.

Isolation of dendritic cells from human blood for in vitro interaction studies with fungal antigens.

A method is described to generate dendritic cells (DCs) from human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). The procedure involves two major steps: (1) preparation of monocytes from human PBMCs and (2) in vitro differentiation of the monocytes into DCs by growth factors and cytokines. Cells obtained in this fashion are screened for the presence or absence of antigenic markers characteristic of DCs by flow cytometry.

Effects of a conditionally active v-ErbB and an EGF-R inhibitor on transformation of NIH-3T3 cells and abrogation of cytokine dependency of hematopoietic cells.

Epidermal growth factor (EGF) and its cognate receptor (EGF-R) are often dysregulated in human neoplasia. Moreover, EGF-R-transformed cell lines have constitutive EGF-R activity, which makes elucidation of its effects difficult to determine. In the following studies, the effects of a novel conditionally activated form of EGF-R, v-ErbB:ER, on the morphological transformation of NIH-3T3 cells and the abrogation of hematopoietic cell cytokine dependence were investigated.

Different genomic fragments encode for two human herpesvirus 6 early proteins that share a cross-reactive antigen.

A monoclonal antibody was previously described which precipitated two human herpesvirus 6 early proteins. The experiments reported in this paper were designed to determine the relationship of these two proteins. This was determined by probing enzymatically digested viral DNA with a cloned p41 cDNA construct and with a synthetic p38 oligonucleotide.

Identification and partial characterization of genes that are transactivated by different pathways in quiescent mouse cells stimulated with serum.

We have identified four cDNA clones, cl-1, cl-5, cl-15, and cl-16, that represent genes induced by serum in resting mouse 3T3 cells. Partial sequence analysis of the four cDNAs indicated that cl-15 corresponds to the mouse beta-actin gene. Comparison of the DNA sequences of the other three clones with the sequence data bank (Genbank) showed little homology to other known DNA sequences and thus represent novel genes.

Cell-cycle-specific and serum-dependent expression of gamma-actin mRNA in Swiss mouse 3T3 cells.

We isolated cDNA clones that represent genes whose expression is enhanced when resting Swiss mouse 3T3 cells are stimulated to proliferate with serum. Two clones (designated pME1 and pMR6) were analyzed further. A partial sequence analysis of the pME1 insert DNA indicated that it contained a 104-base-pair stretch with extensive homology to the 3' untranslated region of gamma actin.

Potentiation of thermal injury in mouse cells by interferon.

Mouse cells, when exposed to high temperature (43 degrees), shut off overall protein synthesis and continue to synthesize "heat shock proteins". Such heat shocked cells, upon reincubation at 37 degrees C, recover and proliferate. However, when mouse cells are pretreated with mouse interferon (IFN) and then exposed to 43 degrees, more than 99% of the cell population fail to recover.

In vitro binding of Candida albicans yeast cells to human fibronectin.

The binding of Candida albicans yeast cells to human fibronectin (Fn), a major glycoprotein of mammalian cells, was studied using an in vitro assay. Adherence was quantitated in microtiter dishes coated with Fn to which radiolabeled yeast cells were added. Under optimum conditions of the assay, i.

Interferon and sodium butyrate inhibit the stimulation of poly(ADP-ribose) synthetase in mouse cells stimulated to divide.

The activity of poly(ADP-ribose) synthetase, a chromatin-bound enzyme, increases when quiescent 3T3 cells are stimulated to proliferate. The elevation of enzymatic activity requires de novo RNA and protein synthesis. Interferon (IFN) or sodium butyrate, when added to quiescent cells at the time of stimulation, suppressed the rise of enzymatic activity as well as initiation of DNA synthesis in cells.

Tunicamycin enhances the antiviral and anticellular activity of interferon.

The inhibitory effects of interferon on virus multiplication and cell growth are significantly enhanced by treatment with tunicamycin. Potentiation of antiviral activity was found only with enveloped viruses and not with nonbudding viruses. Changes in the plasma membrane of treated cells may account for this effect, since enveloped viruses bud from the cell surface as a terminal step.

Persistence of interferon action in mouse cells permeabilized with lysolecithin.

DNA synthesis, as measured by incorporation of [(3)H]TTP, was inhibited in Swiss mouse 3T3 cells treated with interferon and subsequently permeabilized with lysolecithin. The degree of inhibition observed was similar in intact or permeabilized cells. The interferon-induced antiviral state was retained in permeabilized cells.

Immunomodulatory activities of human leukocyte interferon in advanced cancer patients.

Natural killing and antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity of peripheral blood lymphocytes from 33 advanced cancer patients were monitored during the course of treatment with human leukocyte interferon in a phase I trial. Ten patients receiving 10 to 60 X 10(6) international units (IU)/m2 in a single injection showed augmentation of cytolytic activity above pretreatment values. The most typical response consisted of a decrease in activity at day 1 followed by a significant increase on day 3 with a return to baseline at day 7.

Potentiation of radiation injury by interferon.

Interferon (IFN) is being tested clinically in the treatment of a wide range of human malignancies. Patients undergoing cancer treatment may require radiotherapy in conjunction with IFN administration. This study examined the effect of purified preparations of IFN on the radiation response of mouse Swiss 3T3 cells in culture.

Platelet interactions with Candida albicans.

The interaction of human platelets and Candida albicans was studied. Platelet-rich plasma was obtained from freshly drawn blood or outdated platelet concentrates. From the platelet-rich plasma, a platelet extract was derived which stimulated germ tube formation by C.

Dissociation of interferon effects on murine leukemia virus and encephalomyocarditis virus replication in mouse cells.

Two subclones of Swiss mouse cells infected with Moloney murine leukemia virus (M-MuLV) were tested for their response to interferon (IFN). Whereas M-MuLV production in the two subclones was inhibited to the same extent, one of the subclones was significantly more sensitive to IFN when the antiviral effect was measured by replication of encephalomyocarditis (EMC) virus. The same subclone was also more sensitive to the anticellular activities of IFN.

Differential effect of interferon on DNA synthesis, 2-deoxyglucose uptake and ornithine decarboxylase activity in 3T3 cells stimulated by polypeptide growth factors and tumor promotors.

Quiescent 3T3 cells can be stimulated to enter S by defined factors. When used in combination, three polypeptide hormones (EGF, vasopressin, and insulin), or a tumor promotor and insulin, are very effective in stimulating DNA synthesis. Like serum, the defined factors also stimulate deoxyglucose uptake and induce the synthesis of ornithine decarboxylase during G1.

Sindbis virus RNA replication. II. Strand composition and metabolic fate of the multi-stranded RNA species.

Double-stranded RNA from SB virus-infected cells was denatured and analysed on agarose-methylmercuric hydroxide gels. Equimolar amounts of three single-stranded species with mol. wt.

Correlation between the growth inhibitory effects, partition coefficients and teratogenic effects of lipophilic acids.

The inhibition of cell duplication by many lipophilic acids was measured in Bacillus subtilis and in the following mammalian cell lines, the human epithelial-type cell lines HeLa, strain R and strain L-132, the human fibroblast cell line VA-13, and the rat glial cell line C. The results were correlated to the partition coefficient and the distribution coefficient (= apparent partition coefficient at pH 7.2) of the compounds, using octanol/water partition coefficients and pKa values either from the literature or measured for this work.

Sindbis virus RNA replication. I. Properties of the 38s RNA species.

Four species of single-stranded virus RNA (49S, 38S, 33S and 26S) were detected in chick embryo fibroblasts infected with Sindbis virus. The relative amounts of these RNAs were unaffected by the m.o.

Inhibitory effects of lipophilic acids and related compounds on bacteria and mammalian cells.

The inhibitory effect of lipophilic acids, antimicrobial food additives, and analgesics-antipyretics was examined at concentrations from 0.1 to 100 mM in bacteria (Bacillus subtilis and Escherichia coli) and mammalian cells (HeLa, human fibroblasts, and mouse neuroblastoma cells). Most compounds inhibit the growth of HeLa cells about as efficiently as that of B.