Both CD4(+) and CD8(+) lymphocytes reduce the severity of tissue lesions in murine systemic candidiasis, and CD4(+) cells also demonstrate strain-specific immunopathological effects

The role of T lymphocytes in host responses to sublethal systemic infection with Candida albicans was evaluated by mAb depletion of CD4(+) and CD8(+) cells from BALB/c and CBA/CaH mice, which develop mild and severe tissue damage, respectively. Depletion of CD4(+) lymphocytes from BALB/c mice markedly increased tissue damage, but did not alter the course of infection. In CBA/CaH mice, depletion of CD4+ cells abrogated tissue destruction in both brain and kidney at day 4 after infection, and significantly decreased fungal colonization in the brain. However, the severity of tissue lesions increased relative to controls from day 8 onwards. A small increase in tissue damage was evident in both mouse strains after depletion of CD8(+) cells. There were no major differences between days 4 end 8 after infection in cDNA cytokine profiles of CD4(+) lymphocytes from either BALB/c or CBA/CaH mice. After passive transfer into infected syngeneic recipients, spleen cells from infected CBA/CaH mice markedly increased tissue damage when compared to controls, and also caused a significant increase in fungal colonization in the brain. A similar transfer in BALB/c mice increased the number of inflammatory cells in and around the lesions, but had no effect on the fungal burden in brain and kidney. The data demonstrate that both CD4(+) and CD8(+) lymphocytes contribute to the reduction of tissue damage after systemic infection with C. albicans, and that the development and expression of CD4(+) lymphocyte effector function is influenced by the genetic background of the mouse.

An outbreak of blood disease of banana in Irian Jaya, Indonesia

Blood disease of banana is substantiated by using the polymerase chain reaction for the first time from Irian Jaya, Indonesia.

Magnetic resonance imaging and diseases of the liver and biliary tract. Part 2. Magnetic resonance cholangiography and angiography and conclusions

Magnetic resonance cholangiography (MRC) relies on the strong T-2 signal from stationary liquids, in this case bile, to generate images. No contrast agents are required, and the failure rate and risk of serious complications is lower than with endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP). Data from MRC can be summated to produce an image much like the cholangiogram obtained by using ERCP. In addition, MRC and conventional MRI can provide information about the biliary and other anatomy above and below a biliary obstruction. This provides information for therapeutic intervention that is probably most useful for hilar and intrahepatic biliary obstruction. Magnetic resonance cholangiography appears to be similar to ERCP with respect to sensitivity and specificity in detecting lesions causing biliary obstruction, and in the diagnosis of choledocholithiasis. It is also suited to the assessment of biliary anatomy (including the assessment of surgical bile-duct injuries) and intrahepatic biliary pathology. However, ERCP can be therapeutic as well as diagnostic, and MRC should be limited to situations where intervention is unlikely, where intrahepatic or hilar pathology is suspected, to delineate the biliary anatomy prior to other interventions, or after failed or inadequate ERCP. Magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) relies on the properties of flowing liquids to generate images. It is particularly suited to assessment of the hepatic vasculature and appears as good as conventional angiography. It has been shown to be useful in delineating vascular anatomy prior to liver transplantation or insertion of a transjugular intrahepatic portasystemic shunt. Magnetic resonance angiography may also be useful in predicting subsequent variceal haemorrhage in patients with oesophageal varices. (C) 2000 Blackwell Science Asia Pty Ltd.

Probability of axillary node involvement in patients with tubular carcinoma of the breast

The aim of this study was to investigate the frequency of axillary metastasis in women with tubular carcinoma (TC) of the breast. Women who underwent axillary dissection for TC in the Western Sydney area (1984-1995) were identified retrospectively through a search of computerized records. A centralized pathology review was performed and tumours were classified as pure tubular (22) or mixed tubular (nine), on the basis of the invasive component containing 90 per cent or more, or 75-90 per cent tubule formation respectively. A Medline search of the literature was undertaken to compile a collective series (20 studies with a total of 680 patients) to address the frequency of nodal involvement in TC. A quantitative meta-analysis was used to combine the results of these studies. The overall frequency of nodal metastasis was five of 31 (16 per cent); one of 22 pure tubular and four of nine mixed tumours (P = 0.019). None of the tumours with a diameter of 10 mm or less (n = 16) had nodal metastasis compared with five of 15 larger tumours (P = 0.018). The meta-analysis of 680 women showed an overall frequency of nodal metastasis in TC of 13.8 (95 per cent confidence interval 9.3-18.3) per cent. The frequency of nodal involvement was 6.6 (1.7-11.4) per cent in pure TC (n = 244) and 25.0 (12.5-37.6) per cent in mixed TC (n = 149). A case may be made for observing the clinically negative axilla in women with a small TC (10 mm or less in diameter).

Using biplots to interpret gene expression patterns in plants

Sum: Plant biologists in fields of ecology, evolution, genetics and breeding frequently use multivariate methods. This paper illustrates Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Gabriel's biplot as applied to microarray expression data from plant pathology experiments. Availability: An example program in the publicly distributed statistical language R is available from the web site (www.tpp.uq.edu.au) and by e-mail from the contact. Contact: scott.chapman@csiro.au.

Expression of RANTES and CCR1 in oral lichen planus and association with mast cell migration

Background: T lymphocytes and mast cells infiltrate the lamina propria in oral lichen planus (OLP). Chemokines and their receptors are involved in T cell and mast cell migration and accumulation during the inflammatory process. Methods: In the present study, we investigated the role of RANTES and its receptors in OLP using immunohistochemistry, RT-PCR and an in vitro chemotaxis assay. Results: RANTES and CCR1 were expressed on T cells and mast cells in OLP, while OLP lesional T cell supernatants stimulated CCR1 mRNA expression in a human leukemia mast cell line (HMC-1). TNF-alpha stimulated CCR1, CCR4 and CCR5 mRNA expression in the same cell line. OLP lesional T cell supernatants stimulated HMC-1 migration, which was partly inhibited by anti-RANTES antibody. Conclusions: The present study shows, for the first time, the distribution of RANTES and CCR1 in OLR It is hypothesized that RANTES and CCR1 may play important roles in mast cell trafficking and related events in OLP.

Production under uncertainty and choice under uncertainty in the emergence of generalized expected utility theory

This paper presents a personal view of the interaction between the analysis of choice under uncertainty and the analysis of production under uncertainty. Interest in the foundations of the theory of choice under uncertainty was stimulated by applications of expected utility theory such as the Sandmo model of production under uncertainty. This interest led to the development of generalized models including rank-dependent expected utility theory. In turn, the development of generalized expected utility models raised the question of whether such models could be used in the analysis of applied problems such as those involving production under uncertainty. Finally, the revival of the state-contingent approach led to the recognition of a fundamental duality between choice problems and production problems.

Screening for leprosy in immigrants: A decision analysis model

Almost all leprosy cases reported in industrialized countries occur amongst immigrants or refugees from developing countries where leprosy continues to be an important health issue. Screening for leprosy is an important question for governments in countries with immigration and refugee programmes. A decision analysis framework is used to evaluate leprosy screening. The analysis uses a set of criteria and parameters regarding leprosy screening, and available data to estimate the number of cases which would be detected by a leprosy screening programme of immigrants from countries with different leprosy prevalences, compared with a policy of waiting for immigrants who develop symptomatic clinical diseases to present for health care. In a cohort of 100,000 immigrants from high leprosy prevalence regions (3.6/10,000), screening would detect 32 of the 42 cases which would arise in the destination country over the 14 years after migration; from medium prevalence areas (0.7/10,000) 6.3 of the total 8.1 cases would be detected, and from low prevalence regions (0.2/10,600) 1.8 of 2.3 cases. Using Australian data, the migrant mix would produce 74 leprosy cases from 10 years intake; screening would detect 54, and 19 would be diagnosed subsequently after migration. Screening would only produce significant case-yield amongst immigrants from regions or social groups with high leprosy prevalence. Since the number of immigrants to Australia from countries of higher endemnicity is not large routine leprosy screening would have a small impact on case incidence.

The Arabidopsis mutant iop1 exhibits induced over-expression of the plant defensin gene PDF1.2 and enhanced pathogen resistance

Jasmonate and ethylene are concomitantly involved in the induction of the Arabidopsis plant defensin gene PDF1.2. To define genes in the signal transduction pathway leading to the induction of PDF1.2, we screened for-mutants with induced over-expression of a beta-glucuronidase reporter, under the control of the PDF1.2 promoter. One mutant, iop1 (induced over-expressor of PDF1.2) produced small plants that showed induced over-expression of the pathogenesis-related genes PR-3, PR-4 and PR-1,2 (PDF1.2), combined with a down-regulated induction of PR-1 upon pathogen inoculation. The iop1 mutant showed enhanced resistance to a number of necrotrophic pathogens.

BEYOND SAMUELSON`S CHAPTER ON RAMSEY

Paul Anthony Samuelson proposed and practiced a program for the Whig history of economics. One such example is his account of Frank Ramsey`s contribution to optimal taxation in 1927. For him, and mainly for the public finance economists who rediscovered later Ramsey`s contribution, Ramsey was a genius ahead of his time who used a mathematics too advanced for his contemporaries and was thus rediscovered only in the 1970S, when economists became more mathematically literate. In such rediscovery, a memorandum that Samuelsom wrote in 1951 for the us Treasury became central. I examine Samuelson`s account and challenge it in some respects and explore the historical context of the emergence of the optimal taxation literature in the 1970S. Additional, I analyze the canonization of Ramsey in this field, stressing Samuelson`s role in this process as a professor who liked telling stories about economists, especially about Ramsey, to his graduate students.

Spatial aspects of trade liberalization in Colombia: A general equilibrium approach

This paper offers some preliminary steps in the marriage of some of the theoretical foundations of new economic geography with spatial computable general equilibrium models. Modelling the spatial economy of Colombia using the traditional assumptions of computable general equilibrium (CGE) models makes little sense when one territorial unit, Bogota, accounts for over one quarter of GDP and where transportation costs are high and accessibility low compared to European or North American standards. Hence, handling market imperfections becomes imperative as does the need to address internal spatial issues from the perspective of Colombia`s increasing involvement with external markets. The paper builds on the Centro de Estudios de Economia Regional (CEER) model, a spatial CGE model of the Colombian economy; non-constant returns and non-iceberg transportation costs are introduced and some simulation exercises carried out. The results confirm the asymmetric impacts that trade liberalization has on a spatial economy in which one region, Bogota, is able to more fully exploit scale economies vis--vis the rest of Colombia. The analysis also reveals the importance of different hypotheses on factor mobility and the role of price effects to better understand the consequences of trade opening in a developing economy.

Therapeutic administration of KM+ lectin protects mice against Paracoccidioides brasiliensis infection via interleukin-12 production in a Toll-like receptor 2-dependent mechanism

KM+ is a mannose-binding lectin from Artocarpus integrifolia that induces interleukin (IL)-12 production by macrophages and protective T helper I immune response against Leishmania major infection. in this study, we performed experiments to evaluate the therapeutic activity of jackfruit KM+ (jfKM(+)) and its recombinant counterpart (rKM(+)) in experimental paracoccidioidomycosis. To this end, jfKM(+) or rKM(+) was administered to BALB/c mice 10 days after infection with Paracoccidiodes brasiliensis. Thirty days postinfection, lungs from the KM+-treated mice contained significantly fewer colony-forming units and little to no organized granulomas compared to the controls. In addition, lung homogenates from the KM+-treated mice presented higher levels of nitric oxide, IL-12, interferon-gamma, and tumor necrosis factor-a, whereas higher levels of IL-4 and IL-10 were detected in the control group. With mice deficient in IL-12, Toll-like receptor (TLR) 2, TLR4, or TLR adaptor molecule MyD88, we demonstrated that KM+ led to protection against P. brasiliensis infection through IL-12 production, which was dependent on TLR2. These results demonstrated a beneficial effect of KM+ on the severity of P. brasiliensis infection and may expand its potential use as a novel immunotherapeutic molecule.

Breast cancer in Western Australia: clinical practice and clinical guidelines

Objectives: To review changes in patterns of care for women with early invasive breast cancer in Western Australia from 1989 to 1999, and compare management with recommendations in the 1995 National Health and Medical Research Council guidelines. Design and setting: Population-based surveys of all cases listed in the Western Australian Cancer Registry and Western Australian Hospital Morbidity Data System. Main outcome measures: Congruence of care with guidelines. Results: Data were available for 1649 women with early invasive breast cancer (categories pT1 or pT2; pN0 or pN1; and M0). In 1999, 96% had a preoperative diagnosis by fine-needle aspiration or core biopsy (compared with 66% in 1989), with a synoptic pathology report on 95%. Breast-conserving surgery was used for 66% of women with mammographically detected tumours (v 35% in 1989) and 46% of those with clinically detected tumours (v 28% in 1989), with radiotherapy to the conserved breast in 90% of these cases (83% in 1989). Adjuvant chemotherapy was given to 92% of premenopausal women with node-positive disease and 63% with poor-prognosis node-negative tumours (v 78% and 14%, respectively, in 1989). Among postmenopausal women with receptor-positive tumours, tamoxifen was prescribed for 91% of those with positive nodes (85% in 1989) and 79% of those with negative nodes (30% in 1989). Among postmenopausal women with receptor-negative tumours, chemotherapy was prescribed for 70% with positive nodes (v 33%) and 58% with negative nodes (v none). Conclusions: Patterns of management of women with early invasive breast cancer in Western Australia during the 1990s changed significantly in all respects toward those recommended in the 1995 guidelines.

XAS characterization of the RuO(2)-Ta(2)O(5) system local (crystal) structure

The influence of the preparation method on the structural properties of the RuO(2)-Ta(2)O(5) system was investigated. Both thin films on Ti substrates and powder samples of nominal composition Ti/RuO(2)-Ta(2)O(5) (Ru:Ta = 100:0, 90:10, 80:20, 30:70, and 0:100 at.%) were prepared through thermal decomposition of polymeric precursors (DPP). The thin films and powder samples were investigated using X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS). XANES analyses showed that Ru and Ta are present in the Ru(IV) and Ta(V) oxidation states. EXAFS signals of all the samples were analyzed, to obtain the average bond length (r), coordination number, and the Debye-Waller factor (sigma(2)) for each Ru-O, Ru-Ru, Ta-O nearest-neighbor. The first shell Ru-O distance was found at 1.91-1.92 angstrom with coordination number of 1.8-2.1, and at 2.01-2.02 angstrom with coordination number of 3.9-4.1. The Ta-O distance obtained for all the samples and in both modes (transmission and fluorescence) had significantly different values from the theoretical ones. The results revealed that the local structure around both the Ru and Ta sites are similar, and that they consist of distorted M-O(6) octahedra (where M = Ru or Ta). (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Gas-phase dissociation of 1,4-naphthoquinone derivative anions by electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry

Gas-phase dissociation pathways of deprotonated 1,4-naphthoquinone (NQ) derivatives have been investigated by electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (ESI-MS/MS). The major decomposition routes have been elucidated on the basis of quantum chemical calculations at the B3LYP/6-31+G(d,p) level. Deprotonation sites have been indicated by analysis of natural charges and gas-phase acidity. NQ anions underwent an interesting reaction under collision-induced dissociation conditions, which resulted in the radical elimination of the lateral chain, in contrast with the even-electron rule. Possible pathways have been suggested, and their mechanisms have been elucidated on the basis of Gibbs energy and enthalpy values for the anions previously described at each pathway. Copyright (C) 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.