Lip b 1 is a novel allergenic protein isolated from the booklouse, Liposcelis bostrychophila.

BACKGROUND: Booklice, belonging to the order Psocoptera, are small household insect pests that are distributed worldwide. Liposcelis bostrychophila, a common home-inhabiting species of booklouse, infests old books, sheets of paper, and stored food. Recent entomological and serological studies demonstrated that L. bostrychophila accounted for the majority of detectable insects in house dust and could be a potent inducer of respiratory allergy. Our recent proteomic analysis identified a potent allergenic protein from L. bostrychophila, designated Lip b 1, and determined its partial amino acid sequences. METHODS: Cloning of cDNAs for Lip b 1 was performed by large-scale transcriptome analysis (RNA-seq) and subsequent reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. The full-length amino acid sequences deduced from Lip b 1 cDNAs were bioinformatically analyzed. The recombinant proteins of glutathione S-transferase (GST)-fused Lip b 1 were analyzed by Western blot and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. RESULTS: Lip b 1 cDNAs encoding two types of 254-amino acid proteins were cloned. The clones shared 87% identity, and the deduced molecular weights and isoelectric points were consistent with those determined in our previous study. The two types of Lip b 1 proteins in the GST-fused form were similarly reactive with sera from allergic patients sensitized with L. bostrychophila. CONCLUSIONS: Lip b 1 is a novel protein possibly causing booklouse allergy.

[Morphological and clinical study of shoulder joint diseases by ultrasonography].

The usefulness of ultrasonography in the diagnosis of shoulder diseases was evaluated from both basic and clinical viewpoints. The Yokogawa Medical System U-SONIC RT2600 (7.5 MHz probe) was employed for the study. Four-directional scanning of shoulder joints using the water immersion method was performed, and the results were confirmed by surgery. The average thickness of the supraspinatus tendon in the control group was 5.6 mm, increasing with aging after the forties. In the groups with diseases, the ultrasonographic changes were detected to be mild in the rotator cuff at the site uncovered by the acromion and to be remarkable in the long head tendon of the biceps and the head of the humerus were detected, and similar changes were confirmed by surgery. The above results suggested that the changes in the rotator cuff or its surrounding tissues, undetectable by conventional examination, could be demonstrated by ultrasonography and that this method is clinically very useful for the diagnosis of shoulder diseases.

Clinicopathological studies on pulmonary hypoplasia in very low birth weight infants.

Seven VLBW infants with pulmonary hypoplasia (P.H.) were studied retrospectively and their necropsied lungs were analyzed morphologically and histometrically in an attempt to establish the clinical and pathological criteria of P.H. Clinically they had various features as follows; 1) causes with oligohydramnios due to amniotic fluid leakage, 2) bell-shaped chest and/or small lung radiographically, 3) severe respiratory distress immediately after birth, 4) frequent complications with air leaks, lethal within several hours after birth. Pathologically they showed a series of changes; 1) remarkably decreased LW: BW ratios, less than 0.015, 2) decreased number of alveoli per alveolar duct, less than 3 or 4 alveoli/duct compared with 6.5 of normal controls at 28 weeks' gestation, 3) immature duct system and increased interstitium which suggested delay in growth and structural maturation of the lungs. It is suggested that the tendency to develop pulmonary air leaks is not only due to high pressure ventilation but also to histological immaturity of the lungs.