A comparison of body condition of the yellowstriped butterfish Labracoglossa argenteiventris in relation to parasitism by the cymothoid isopod Ceratothoa arimae.

Isopods of the genus Ceratothoa (Cymothoidae) are one of the largest invertebrates parasitic on a variety of fishes, which include commercially important species. Nevertheless, the parasitic effects on fish body condition have been studied only in a few Ceratothoa species, particularly those living in the Mediterranean and Australian waters. Findings from these previous studies suggest the hypothesis that effects of parasitism by Ceratothoa species are benign on native host condition in the wild. In this study, to test this hypothesis on another Ceratothoa-fish relationship in different region, we examined the effects of Ceratothoa arimae on the body condition of the yellowstriped butterfish, Labracoglossa argenteiventris, a commercial fish important to local fisheries particularly in the remote islands of Tokyo, Japan. Ceratothoa arimae was found in 8 out of 23 fish examined (prevalence: 34.8%). Although infected and uninfected fish were similar in standard length, the body condition index (relative weight) of infected fish was significantly lower than that of uninfected fish. The observed weight of infected fish was an average of 89.2% of the expected weight. These results are inconsistent with the hypothesis and suggest that the potential effects of Ceratothoa parasites need to be considered carefully in fishery management plan of host fish.

Spatial variation in the parasitic isopod load of the Japanese halfbeak in western Japan.

Cymothoid isopods (family Cymothoidae) are commonly found parasitizing diverse fishes, including commercial species. However, the effects of these parasites on host body condition are still poorly known. Here we investigated the spatial variation of the effects of parasite infection on host body condition, using the parasitic load of the cymothoid Mothocya parvostis on the Japanese halfbeak Hyporhamphus sajori at 4 sampling sites in western Japan. M. parvostis prevalence at each site (41.6-74.4%) was higher than that known for other fish host-cymothoid systems (usually less than 30%). The number of isopods in infected hosts, the reproductive status of female isopods (i.e. ovigerous/non-ovigerous), and the body size of female and male isopods relative to the size of their hosts were not significantly different among sites. However, at the site where human activity was most intense, M. parvostis infection had a significantly negative effect on host body condition. These results suggest that the effect of cymothoid infection on host body condition might be benign under natural conditions but becomes detrimental in habitats that are unsuitable for the host, such as highly human-impacted areas.

The influence of glucose load on metabolism during minor surgery using remifentanil-induced anesthesia.

BACKGROUND: During perioperative fasting, lipid metabolism gradually increases, resulting in free fatty acids (FFA) and/or ketone bodies. Suppression of surgical stress by remifentanil may allow the safe administration of glucose infusions, avoiding both hyperglycemia and ketogenesis. The effects of glucose infusion on glucose and lipid metabolism were therefore investigated in patients undergoing minor surgery with remifentanil anesthesia. METHODS: Thirty-four patients were randomized 1 : 1 to receive no glucose (0G group) or low-dose glucose (0.1 g/kg/h for 1 h followed by 0.05 g/kg/h for 1 h; LG group). The concentrations of glucose, adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), 3-methylhistidine (3-MH), insulin, cortisol, FFA, creatinine (Cr), and ketone bodies were measured before anesthetic induction, 1 and 2 h after glucose infusion, at the end of surgery, and the next morning. RESULTS: The concentrations of cortisol and ACTH decreased during surgery in both groups when compared with the concentrations before anesthesia and at the end of surgery (P < 0.05). Glucose and insulin concentrations were significantly higher in the LG than in the 0G group at 1 and 2 h after infusion. No patient experienced hyperglycemia. The concentrations of FFA and ketone bodies were lower in the LG than in the 0G group during surgery, but there were no significant between group differences in 3-MH/Cr. CONCLUSION: Infusion of low-dose glucose attenuated fat catabolism without causing hyperglycemia, indicating that infusion of low-dose glucose during remifentanil-induced anesthesia may be safe for patients.

Immunohistochemical detection of ubiquitin-positive intracytoplasmic eosinophilic inclusion bodies in diffuse alveolar damage.

AIMS: To clarify the relationship between ubiquitin-positive pneumocytes and intracytoplasmic eosinophilic inclusion bodies (IB) in patients who died of diffuse alveolar damage (DAD). METHODS AND RESULTS: Eighteen patients with DAD were studied, in whom hyaline membranes were present in one or more out of five sections from each lobe of the lungs and 15 patients with no DAD. Light microscopy revealed hyaline membrane in over 25% of lobes from 18 patients with DAD. The cytoplasm of pneumocytes from six of 18 cases of DAD contained IB. Immunohistochemically, all IBs were characteristically positive for both ubiquitin (Ub) and cytokeratin KL-1. Cytoplasmic granules were also Ub+ in four cases of DAD without IB. IB+ or Ub+ pneumocytes were undetectable in non-DAD patients. We evaluated DAD severity based on hyaline membrane formation; the mean score in DAD with IB (3.60; n = 6) was significantly higher than that in Ub- (2.92; n = 8). Ub+ pneumocytes were found with or without IB among those cases with high DAD scores. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that disordered proteolysis in the Ub-mediated proteasome system leads to the accumulation of abnormal ubiquitinated protein, which includes cytokeratin, in pneumocytes. This is the first report to suggest that Ub+ pneumocytes are associated with disease severity in patients with DAD.

A continuing high incidence of subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE) in the Eastern Highlands of Papua New Guinea.

The aims of this descriptive study were to confirm the high incidence of subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE) previously reported from Papua New Guinea (PNG) and to relate SSPE to previous measles vaccination and measles illness. From February 1997 to April 1999 we diagnosed a total of 55 patients with SSPE at Goroka Base General Hospital in Eastern Highlands Province (EHP) of PNG. The diagnosis was based on high cerebrospinal fluid and serum measles virus antibody titres with progressive neurological disorder and myoclonic jerks. Of these 55 patients 42 were from EHP, including 32 whose onset was in the 2-year period 1997-1998. The annual incidence of SSPE in EHP in these 2 years was 98 per million population under 20 years of age, the highest ever reported. This incidence was more than ten times higher than the highest incidence in the prevaccine era reported from elsewhere. The mean age of onset of SSPE was 7.7 years (range 2.8-14.8 years) and the interval between measles and the onset of SSPE, where known, had a mean of 5.9 years and a range of 2.5-11.1 years. Among the SSPE patients 19 had a documented history of measles vaccination. Eight of these 19 also had documentation of previous measles illness; of these, seven were vaccinated after the development of measles and one was vaccinated 20 days before measles illness. Two non-SSPE children received vaccination twice which was documented and subsequently developed measles which was also substantiated by documentation. Two patients with SSPE yielded amplified nucleotide sequences of measles virus that were different from any of the vaccine strains. We found no evidence to implicate measles vaccination in the development of SSPE.

[Chronic Cryptococcal meningitis with CSF oligoclonal IgG band in a patient with Claude syndrome].

We described a 61-year-old man who was diagnosed as having chronic cryptococcal meningitis, while he was hospitalized with Claude syndrome. The patient was admitted because of acute onset of gait disturbance. He had a tendency to fall down to his left side since he awoke in the morning of August 12, 1995. On admission, he was mentally alert, showing a right oculomotor nerve palsy, gaze-evoked horizontal nystagmus in the left eye on the left lateral gaze, and incoordination of the left upper and lower extremities. In addition, he fell to the left side on standing up with feet together and with eyes closed. He had mild wild-based gait with a tendency to fall down to the left on tandem gait. Babinski sign was present on the left side. He did not have fever, nor meningeal signs, nor sensory abnormalities. X-ray films of the chest showed multiple nodular shadows consistent with pneumoconiosis. Cranial X-ray computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging revealed a small lesion in the paramedian area of the midbrain on the right, consistent with an infarct. Cerebral arteriography revealed a stenosis in the proximal portion of the right posterior cerebral artery. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) showed a moderate mononuclear cell predominant pleocytosis, a moderate elevation of total protein, slightly reduced glucose values. Although the culture and India ink preparation of CSF were negative for cryptococcus in repeated studies, its antigen was positive both in the serum and CSF. In addition, the CSF showed an oligoclonal IgG band which was predominantly K type. After the antigen of Cryptococcus neoformans was added to the CSF in vitro, the oligoclonal IgG band was absorbed completely. The patient was treated with fluconazole (FLCZ), which did not cause any improvement of the CSF abnormalities, so that FLCZ was replaced by 5-flucytosine (5-FC). Since the CSF abnormalities moderately improved with 5-FC, he was discharged on December 21, 1995. After the 5-FC was discontinued, the CSF results slowly worsened over several months without any signs and symptoms of meningitis. He was hospitalized again on October 28, 1996 for treatment with both 5-FC and amphotericin B. Although the CSF abnormalities improved markedly, the meningitis was not cured. After he was discharged on February 1, 1997, he was treated with both 5-FC and FLCZ. Although his CSF abnormalities worsened mildly, he remained afebrile without meningeal signs and symptoms and led an ordinary life. In our patient it remained undetermined whether the Claude syndrome was caused by arteriosclerotic infarction, or vasculitis due to cryptococcal meningitis, or both. Asymptomatic chronic cryptococcal meningitis as observed in our patients is unusual. In addition, this is the second case after Porter et al (1977) that the oligoclonal IgG band in CSF proved to be related to cryptococcal infection.