Vascular rejection post heart transplantation is associated with positive flow cytometric cross-matching

28 isolates of canine parvovirus type-2 (CPV-2) were obtained from dogs with hemorrhagic gastroenteritis in Italy. The antigenic structure of CPV-2 isolates was characterized, using four discriminating monoclonal antibodies. In addition, four vaccinal strains were examined. Similar to reports from Australia and the United Kingdom, a much higher prevalence of CPV-2a (25/28 isolates) was observed than the other variant type, CPV-2b (3/28 isolates). DNA fragments (2.2 kbp) of representative strains of CPV-2, CPV-2a and CPV-2b were amplified by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and the products were digested by the restriction enzymes (RE) RsaI, HpaII, HindIII and PvuII. The RvaI enzyme allows the differentiation of CPV-2 from CPV-2a and CPV-2b.     

Acquired autoimmune thrombocytopenia post-bone marrow transplantation for severe combined immunodeficiency

Children with severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) have profoundly diminished humoral and cellular immunity resulting in death during infancy unless immune reconstitution occurs by bone marrow transplantation (BMT). Thrombocytopenia post-bone marrow transplantation can be seen in relation to infection, graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) and rarely, as an autoimmune phenomenon due to immune dysregulation. We report two cases of severe AITP following BMT for SCID. Both cases developed large intracerebral hemorrhages from which one died. Autoimmune thrombocytopenia in this setting can be life-threatening and we recommend early and active intervention.     

Immune recognition of viral antigens

The response exhibited by the immune system to viral and other foreign antigens consists of antibody-mediated and T cell-mediated immunity. Structural and molecular biological studies have shown that the antibody response is tailored to provide exquisite specificity by generating binding pockets that are complementary in shape as well as in charge to the antigen. On the other hand, the cellular response uses T-cell receptors (TCRs) and the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) antigens. Structural information on the TCRs is not yet available, but the crystal structures of several MHC class I molecules have shown how one MHC molecule can bind many different peptide sequences that share only the common anchor residue positions that determine allele specificity. MHC class I interactions with the peptide backbone at the N and C termini explain the high specificity of the binding groove for peptide ligands and suggest a universal mode of recognition for peptides to MHC class I molecules. Peptide-MHC class II interactions are less well understood, although recent structural work has shown important differences in the binding clefts of MHC class I and II that lead to longer peptides being bound to class II molecules. Detailed analysis at the molecular level has indicated that conformational changes in both antibodies and MHC molecules occur upon antigen binding.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

A comparable study of image approximations to the reaction field

The recently developed high-order accurate multiple image approximation to the reaction field for a charge inside a dielectric sphere [J. Comput. Phys. 223 (2007) 846-864] is compared favorably to other commonly employed reaction field schemes. These methods are of particular interest because they are useful in the study of biological macromolecules by the Monte Carlo and Molecular Dynamics methods.     

Direct and GTP-dependent interaction of ADP ribosylation factor 1 with coatomer subunit beta

A site-directed photocrosslink approach was used to elucidate components that interact directly with ADP- ribosylation factor (ARF)-GTP during coat assembly. Two ARF mutants were generated that contain a photolabile amino acid at positions distant to each other within the ARF molecule. Here we show that one of the two positions specifically interacts with coatomer subunit beta both on Golgi membranes and in isolated coat protein complex type I (COPI)-coated vesicles. Thus, a direct and GTP-dependent interaction of coatomer via beta-coat protein complex (COP) with ARF is involved in the coating of COPI-coated vesicles. These data implicate a bivalent interaction of the complex with the donor membrane during vesicle formation.     

Aorto-left atrial fistula in prosthetic aortic endocarditis

Aortic valve endocarditis commonly leads to the formation of a root abscess, but fistulae are uncommon. The echocardiographic findings in a patient with Streptococcus viridans endocarditis of a prosthetic aortic valve associated with a fistula between the aorta and the left atrium are presented. The diagnosis was made by transthoracic echocardiography, although the transesophageal study gave higher resolution views and allowed a more confident exclusion of mitral valve involvement.     

Antipneumococcal activities of levofloxacin and clarithromycin as determined by agar dilution, microdilution, E-test, and disk diffusion methodologies

The activities of levofloxacin and clarithromycin against 199 penicillin- and macrolide-susceptible and -resistant pneumococci were tested by agar and microdilution methods in air and by disk diffusion and E-test methods in air and CO2. For levofloxacin, >/=99. 0% of strains were susceptible at /=17 mm, regardless of incubation in air or CO2. Although zone sizes were smaller and E-test MICs were higher for clarithromycin in CO2 than those in air, category differences were minor, and susceptibility rates for clarithromycin were similar to those obtained by agar and microdilution in air (range, 76.9 to 80.9% by all methods). For clarithromycin, adjustment of breakpoints based upon distribution of results resulted in susceptibility rates which were similar by all methods (75.8 to 76.9% susceptible, 0 to 1.5% intermediate, 22.6 to 23.1% resistant). Minor discrepancies were obtained with levofloxacin for one strain (0.5%) by microdilution and two strains (1.0%) by disk diffusion in CO2. For clarithromycin, minor discrepancies were found in three strains (1.5%) by microdilution, seven strains (3.5%) by agar dilution, four strains (2.0%) by E-test in air, six strains (3.0%) by disk diffusion in air, and five strains (2.5%) by disk diffusion in CO2. Major discrepancies occurred with levofloxacin in one strain (0.5%) by microdilution but were not found with clarithromycin. Very major discrepancies were not seen with levofloxacin, but occurred with clarithromycin in five strains (2.5%) by microdilution, three strains (1.5%) by agar dilution, two strains (1.0%) by E-test in air, eight strains (4.0%) by disk diffusion in air, and one strain (0.5%) by disk diffusion in CO2.