Pasteurellaceae bacteria from the oral cavity of Tasmanian devils (Sarcophilus Harrisii) show high minimum inhibitory concentration values towards aminoglycosides and clindamycin.

UNLABELLED: Threatened by Devil Facial Tumor Disease, the Tasmanian devil populations are vulnerable and decreasing. Additionally, the devils' biting behaviour elevates their risk of acquiring bite wound infections caused by members of the bacterial Pasteurellaceae family that are natural inhabitants of the oral microbiota. In medical management of such bite wounds, antimicrobial susceptibility profiles are crucial. Prior to this investigation, no available data on minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) values existed. A total of 26 isolates obtained from the oral cavity of 26 healthy Tasmanian devils were tested for their antimicrobial susceptibility by broth micro dilution. Most prominently, high MIC values for clindamycin (≥4 µg ml(-1) ), gentamicin (≥8 µg ml(-1) ) and amikacin (≥32 µg ml(-1) ), were observed for 92, 77 and 73% of the strains tested respectively. This study may be used as a guideline for antimicrobial therapy against bite wound infections caused by Pasteurellaceae originating from the oral cavity of Tasmanian devils. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: Tasmanian devils' aggressive behaviour makes bite wounds in fellow devils and human caretakers a common entity. Pasteurellaceae bacteria are common inhabitants of the oral microbiota of Tasmanian devils and a likely cause of bite wound infections. Here, for the first time, we report antimicrobial sensitivity profiles from a broad collection of Pasteurellaceae isolates obtained from the oral cavity of Tasmanian devils. Low MIC values were observed for the majority of the 22 antimicrobial agents included, yet nearly all strains were tolerant to clindamycin and the aminoglycosides. The work can serve as a guide for clinicians involved in treatment of bite wounds inflicted by devils in animals and humans.

Slow-light dispersion engineering of photonic crystal waveguides using selective microfluidic infiltration.

We experimentally demonstrate dispersion engineering of slow light photonic crystal (PhC) waveguides using selective infiltration of the first two rows of air holes with high index ionic liquids. The infiltrated PhC waveguide exhibits a dispersion window of 3 nm with a nearly constant group velocity of ~c/80 that depends on the liquid physical properties. We investigate how the effective refractive index changes in time due to the dynamics of the liquids in the holes. This demonstration highlights the versatility, flexibility, and tunability offered by optofluidics in PhC circuits.

Molecular cloning and expression of an alternative hKLK3 transcript coding for a variant protein of prostate-specific antigen.

We report the molecular cloning of a full-length cDNA corresponding to a 2.1-kb hKLK3 mRNA. This mRNA results from the alternative splicing of intron 4, and its accumulation in prostatic LNCaP cells is stimulated by androgen. The cDNA encodes a prepro-prostate-specific antigen (PSA) variant containing 238 amino acids. The new protein, PSA-related protein 1 (PSA-RP1), differs from PSA at the COOH-terminal end and lacks the serine residue that is essential for catalytic activity. Prepro-PSA-RP1 was transiently expressed in COS1 cells fused to the V5 epitope of the paramyxovirus SV5. The recombinant fusion protein was detected in the spent medium by Western blot analysis using anti-V5 and anti-PSA antibodies. This indicates that PSA-RP1 is secreted and has PSA-like antigenic epitopes. A pro-PSA and a pro-PSA-RP1 having a mutated propeptide were overproduced in Escherichia coli fused to glutathione S-transferase. The recombinant PSA and PSA-RP1 were matured in vitro and identified by Western blot with molecular masses of 29 (PSA) and 27 (PSA-RP1) kDa. The data indicate that PSA-RP1, not complexed to serine protease inhibitors, could be present in biological fluids, thus contributing to the free PSA-immunoreactive fraction in serum.

Substrate specificity of two kallikrein family gene products isolated from the rat submaxillary gland.

Two proteinases which belong to the tissue kallikrein family were purified from rat submaxillary glands. These proteinases correspond to the products of the RSKG-7 and the rGK8 genes, as shown by the comparison of their partial amino-acid sequence with that deduced from nucleotide sequences. These two proteinases, kallikrein k7 and kallikrein k8, exhibit a marked preference for cleavage after arginyl residues. However, their overall specificities towards synthetic fluorogenic substrates differ significantly from each other and from that of true tissue kallikrein. Kallikrein k7 is strongly inhibited by soybean trypsin inhibitor, whereas kallikrein k8 is not. These data, demonstrating the individual specificity of these kallikrein-like proteinases, suggest that they could be involved in the processing of peptides other than kinins.

Isolation and characterization of syncytiotrophoblast plasma membrane from human placenta.

Human full-term syncytiotrophoblast plasma membranes isolated by mechanical procedures (sieving and ultrasonic disintegration), purified by phase centrifugation, form a single band of 1.052 +/- 0.002 g/ml density in percoll gradient. The purity of the preparation was assessed by electron microscopy, enzyme analysis and beta 2-microglobulin determination.

Rat plasma alpha 1-inhibitor3: a member of the alpha-macroglobulin family.

The overall mechanism of interaction with proteinases of alpha 1-inhibitor3, a plasma proteinase inhibitor so far specific to the rat, has been shown to be closely similar to that described for alpha-macroglobulins. This mechanism includes: (i) the cleavage of at least one susceptible peptidic bond which leads to structural changes in the molecule. (ii) The cleavage of a putative thiol ester bond in another site of the molecule which permits the covalent linkage of the enzyme. Moreover, fragmentation of alpha 1-inhibitor3 upon heating as observed for alpha-macroglobulin quarter subunits has been demonstrated. The question is raised of the presence of such a molecule in rat plasma in addition to two alpha-macroglobulin species, all of these proteinase inhibitors being antigenically unrelated.

Effect of human syncytiotrophoblast extract on in vitro proliferative responses.

The authors studied the effects of soluble syncytiotrophoblast extract (STE) on the proliferative responses of lymphocytes to different lectins (PHA and Con A) and to allogeneic cells in one-way mixed lymphocyte cultures. STE suppressed lymphocyte reactivity to lectins and to allogeneic cell cultures. The inhibitory effect was dose dependent. Increased concentrations of lectins failed to overcome the inhibitory effect of STE. Lymphocytes preincubated with STE for 18 hr, then washed and exposed to lectins still exhibited an inhibition of cellular proliferation. STE added to lymphocyte cultures at various times in the presence of both mitogens or of allogeneic cells continued to inhibit lymphoproliferative responses even when it was added after 43 hr of cell culture. Furthermore, STE was able to reduce the spontaneous proliferation of tumor cell lines K562 and LHN13 maintained in vitro culture prior to testing. In all cases, the inhibition observed was not due to lymphocytotoxicity or to tumor cell mortality. The inhibitory effect of STE on the proliferative responses of lymphocytes to stimulants may be due to a cytostatic effect that may represent a contributing factor in the nonrejection of the fetus by a competent immune system.

[Intraepiploic pancreatic autograft in dogs. Blood sugar changes as compared with a group of pancreatectomized dogs]. / Autogreffe pancréatique intraépiploïque chez le chien. Variations de la glycémie par rapport a un groupe d'animaux dépancréatés

The authors used the omentum to envelop thin pancreatic fragments (10 to 18 g. i.e. 1/3 to 1/2 of the canine pancreas). After control of the blood sugar, a total corporo-caudal pancreatectomy was carried out in 21 dogs within 1 to 5 months. Nine survivors from one week to 3 months, permitted them to control the course of the blood sugar with biopsies of the graft and the absence of residual pancreas in the duodeno-hepatic region at autopsy. Compared with a comparative series of 11 dogs which survived total pancreatectomy and required 8 to 22 units of long-acting insulin, the series with autotransplants within the omentum, showed a moderate increase in blood sugar (1,1 to 1,1 g/l). However, progressive or acute cachexia with digestive disorders, frequently fistula of the sub-cutaneous graft were observed. In spite of the progressive and attenuated character of the diabetes, the preservation of secreting endocrine pancreatic islets is only temporary as shown by the histological controls.

[Serological study of the neuraminidase activity of cholera filtrate and influenza virus]. / Serologicheskoe izuchenie neiraminidaznoi aktivnosti kholernogo fil'trata i virusa grippa

The capacity of homologous (influenza virus) and heterologous (V. cholerae) anti-neuraminidase antibody to neutralize the neuraminidase activity of influenza virus was studied. The lack of antigenic relationship between the enzyme of V. cholerae and that of influenza virus was established and differences in the antigenic structure of neuraminidase of influenza virus of both different types (A0, A1, A2) and within one type were demonstrated.

[Ability of influenza virus strains to induce interferon and their sensitivity to the action of exogenous interferon]. / Sposobnost' shtammov virusa griopa indutsirovat' interferon i ikh chuvstvitel'nost' k deistviiu ékzogennogo interferona.

Investigation of 112 influenza A (H1N1 and H3N2) virus strains isolated in different years demonstrated their different interferon-inducing activity. The detection of strain differences in the process of interferon production is very important for the study of influenza infection pathogenicity. Of special importance are the studies of influenza virus strain sensitivity to the effect of exogenous interferon. Overcoming of resistance to interferon is important for effective influenza control. The experiments done by the authors confirm that interferon is a factor of natural immunity. When exogenous interferon is given to an infected host, it interacts with interferon induced by the infectious process. The therapeutic-prophylactic effect of interferon was clearly manifest with increasing age.

[Interferonogenic capacity of strains influenza B virus and their sensitivity to exogenous interferon]. / Interferonogennaia sposobnost' shtammov virusa grippa B i ikh chuvstvitel'nost' k ékzogennomu interferonu

This study is a continuation of the investgation of the influence of endogenous and exogenous interferon on influenza infection. Influenza B virus strains, both laboratory and fresh isolates, were found to be poor interferon inducers in contrast to influenza A virus strains. The study also showed that influenza B virus strains not only induced endogenous interferon poorly but were also resistant to exogenous interferon. This evidence points to marked differences of the investigated influenza B virus strains not only induced endogenous interferon poorly but were also resistant to exogenous interferon. This evidence points to marked differences of the investigated influenza B virus strains from influenza A virus strains which further indicates their peculiar nature.

[Conditions for the development of a leiomyosarcoma in an experiment on mice]. / Izuchenie uslovii razvitiia leimiosarkomy v éksperimente na myshakh.

A protective effect of homologous serum interferon on leiomyosarcoma of connective tissue in mice was established. The total amount of interferon used per mouse was 32000 64000 units/ml. The per cent of protection was 61 against 26 of natural protection in control.

[Antiviral action of swine leukocyte interferon in mouse experiments]. / Antivirusnoe deistvie svinogo leikotsitarnogo interferona v éksperimentakh na myshakh.

Swine leukocytes had previously been found to produce interferon which has an antiviral effect not only in swine cells but also in human cells. Preliminary experiments in tissue cultures showed the culture of primarily trypsinized mouse embryo fibroblasts to be as sensitive to swine interferon as human diploid cells. The experiment studying the antiviral effect of swine leukocyte interferon in the animals demonstrated it to protect mice against the pathogenic A/Aishi/68 (H3N2) strain; with a reduction of virus doses to 10 the protective effect of swine interferon increased 2-fold as compared with the experiments using 100-1000 virus doses. Inhibition of virus reproduction in lung tissues of experimental mice inoculated with A/Moscow/23/78 (H1N1), A/Wisconsin/19/67 (Hsw1N1) and A/Aishi/68 (H3N2) strains as compared with the controls. The experimental results suggest that the swine interferon produces the antiviral effect both in tissue culture and experimental animals.

[Experimental myocardiopathy caused by the herpesvirus]. / Eksperimental'naia miokardiopatiia, vyzvannaia virusom gerpesa.

Mice weighing 18--20 g were inoculated with herpes simplex virus type I. The rate of pathological changes in the myocardium was found to depend on the route of virus inoculation and the time of heart examinations in the infected animals. The development of myocardiopathies was not determined by the virus dose used in the test. An immunosuppressant drug, imurane, reduced the rate of heart affections. Pathomorphological changes in the heart were of parenchymatous-interstitial nature, with the leading role of lesions of myocardium muscle cells proper and secondary development of microcirculation disorders. The rate of heart lesions increased when herpes and influenza viruses were given to mice simultaneously; staphylococcus toxin had the same effect.

[Antitumor effect of a tumor-cell neuraminidase vaccine]. / Protivoopukholevyi éffekt neiraminidaznoi vaktsiny opukholevykh kletok.

The effect of neuraminidase vaccine of CBA mouse sarcoma cells caused by simian adenovirus SA7 (C8) on growth parameters of transplanted sarcoma in a syngeneic system was studied. Inoculation of the vaccine was found to inhibit tumor growth. This effect was more marked in a group of animals given tumor cells after preliminary vaccination. There was no correlation between tumor growth parameters and cytotoxic activity of spleen cells assesses in the cytotoxicity test by 51Cr release in the groups of vaccinated and control animals. It is concluded that the treatment of tumor cells with neuraminidase increases their immunogenicity. The cytotoxic activity of spleen cells in vaccinated animals appears earlier and persists longer.