A novel series of copolymers containing 2,5-dicyano-1,4-phenylene-vinylene--synthetic tuning of the HOMO and LUMO energy levels of conjugated polymers

A series of copolymers of 2,5-dicyano-1,4-phenylenevinylene and 2-methoxy-5-(2'-ethylhexyloxy)-1,4-phenylenevinylene were synthesized by Wittig reaction. The HOMO and LUMO energy levels of copolymers can be easily tuned by controlling the feed ratio of co-monomers.

Parvovirus B19 infection in a human immunodeficiency virus-infected patient with anemia

Anemia is generally attributed to zidovudine therapy in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients, although parvovirus B19 infection has been reported as a rare cause. We report on a 24-year-old homosexual man infected with HIV who presented with anemia. He had received aggressive daily antiretroviral therapy (zidovudine 600 mg, lamivudine 300 mg, and saquinavir 1,800 mg) for 2 years. At the time of admission, his CD4+ count was 10 x 10(6) cells/L. A bone marrow aspirate smear showed a marked decrease in erythropoiesis and immunocytochemical staining for parvovirus B19 was positive. Parvovirus B19 viral DNA was detected in the peripheral blood using a polymerase chain reaction-based assay. Serologic studies were positive for parvovirus B19 immunoglobulin (Ig)M antibodies, but negative for IgG antibodies. The patient was treated with packed red blood cell transfusion. Zidovudine was stopped and replaced with zalcitibine 2.25 mg daily after anemia occurred. He did not receive intravenous Ig therapy because of its cost. After discontinuation of zidovudine for 1 year, anemia persisted and the patient depended on regular blood transfusions to control the anemia. This case emphasizes that, in addition to drug-related causes, parvovirus B19 infection should be included in the differential diagnosis of chronic anemia in HIV-infected individuals.

An unusual site of chigger bite in a patient with scrub typhus

A 70-year-old female farmer was admitted to the hospital because of fever, headache, and diarrhea for 7 days. Hypotension, right-sided pleural effusion with respiratory distress and leukocytosis were noted. She was initially treated as systemic bacterial infection by i.v. administration of ampicillin/sulbactam and amikacin. Because fever persisted in spite of aggressive treatment, a repeat thorough physical examination was done. An eschar was found over the left-sided labium majus and an enlarged lymph node was noted over the left inguinal region. Under the impression of scrub typhus, minocycline was administered. The patient's clinical condition improved dramatically within 3 days. The diagnosis was later confirmed by a serologic test for Rickettsia tsutsugamushi.

Endemic burkholderia cepacia bacteraemia: clinical features and antimicrobial susceptibilities of isolates

Burkholderia cepacia has emerged as a nosocomial pathogen, causing numerous outbreaks, particularly among cystic fibrosis (CF) patients. Reports of clinical features of endemic B. cepacia bacteraemia in non-CF patients are rare. Twenty-five patients with B. cepacia bacteraemia were matched with 25 controls with nosocomial Escherichia coli bacteraemia at China Medical College Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan, over a period of 3 y. Case-patients included 16 men and 9 women, from 13 to 75 y. All had severe underlying diseases, most commonly malignancy (44%). Twenty-four patients (96%) had nosocomial infections. Five patients (20%) had polymicrobial bacteraemia. Our controls included 11 men and 14 women, age range 18-80 y. The most common underlying disease was malignancy (44%). Multivariate analysis revealed that indwelling central venous catheter was the significant risk factor predisposing to B. cepacia bacteraemia (p= 0.025). Eleven case-patients met the definition of catheter-related bloodstream infection. Fifteen patients (60%) received appropriate antimicrobial therapy after notification of positive blood cultures and susceptibility patterns. The overall case-fatality rate was 12% (3/25), only 1 of whom died of B. cepacia bacteraemia. There was no statistically significant difference in overall mortality rate between case-patients and controls. All isolates were susceptible to ceftazidime, piperacillin and minocycline and 84% of the isolates were susceptible to imipenem. B. cepacia should be considered a potential pathogen in hospitalized patients with severe underlying diseases, particularly those with indwelling central venous catheters.

Acinetobacter baumannii bloodstream infection: clinical features and antimicrobial susceptibilities of isolates

The number of nosocomial infections caused by Acinetobacter baumannii has increased in recent years. The purposes of this study are to discover the risk factors of transmission to prevent the nosocomial infection of A. baumannii. We retrospectively studied 36 patients with A. baumannii bacteremia at China Medical College Hospital from January 1996 to December 1997. There were 23 males and 13 females. All bacteremia were acquired nosocomially. Malignancy (n = 8) and intracranial hemorrhage (n = 6) were the most common underlying diseases. Only one patient on arterial line disclosed intraarterial catheter-related A. baumannii bacteremia and 3 patients had evidence of A. baumannii pneumonia. Twenty-one patients (58%) had central venous catheters in place at the onset of bacteremia, but none was proven to be catheter-related infection. There were 32 patients (89%) with unknown portal of entry. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that potential risk factors related to A. baumannii bacteremia were prior antimicrobial therapy (P < 0.05). The most common clinical features of A. baumannii bacteremia were, in descending order, fever, leukocytosis, thrombocytopenia and hypotension. Eleven patients (30.6%) died directly from A. baumannii bacteremia. All isolates were resistant to ampicillin, cephalothin, cefonicid and moxalactam. The most alarming evidence was that 19% of isolates showed resistance to imipenem. Our findings emphasized that A. baumannii bacteremia had the following characteristics: usually acquired nosocomially, unknown portal of entry, and high multiresistance, especially the increasing resistance rate to imipenem. Imipenem must be reserved as a last-line agent to treat A. baumannii infections, so we want to suggest that the treatment of choice for A. baumannii is gentamicin, amikacin or ceftazidime.

Primary Salmonella iliopsoas abscess: a case report

Primary iliopsoas abscesses are usually hematogenous or seeded via the lymphatic system from an occult focus. Staphylococcus aureus has been reported to be the predominant pathogen, whereas Salmonella sp has rarely been reported to be a major pathogen. We report the case of a 63-year-old woman who presented with a prolonged fever of two weeks' duration. On admission, physical examination revealed tenderness over the left lower abdomen and hip joint, with her thigh in constant flexion. Computerized tomography of the abdomen revealed an iliac fossa abscess. The drained pus culture yielded Salmonella group B. Percutaneous catheter drainage and appropriate antimicrobial therapy with ciprofloxacin eventually yielded good results. There was no evidence of other underlying diseases predisposing the patient to the formation of iliopsoas abscess. Salmonella infection should be considered in the diagnostic protocols of iliopsoas abscess in Taiwan, where salmonellosis is prevalent.

Characterization of a novel ADP-ribosylation factor-like protein (yARL3) in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

ADP-ribosylation factors (ARFs) are highly conserved, approximately 20-kDa guanine nucleotide-binding proteins that enhance the ADP-ribosyltransferase activity of cholera toxin and have an important role in vesicular transport. Several cDNAs for ARF-like proteins (ARLs) have been cloned from human, Drosophila, rat, and yeast, although the biological function(s) of ARLs is unknown. We have identified a yeast gene (yARL3) encoding a protein that is structurally related (>43% identical) to the mammalian ARF-like protein ARP. Biochemical studies of purified recombinant yARL3 protein revealed properties similar to those of ARF and ARL proteins, including the ability to bind and hydrolyze GTP. Like other ARLs, recombinant yARL3 did not stimulate cholera toxin-catalyzed auto-ADP-ribosylation. Anti-yARL3 antibodies did not cross-react with yARFs or yARL1. yARL3 was not essential for cell viability, but disruption of yARL3 resulted in cold-sensitive cell growth. At the nonpermissive temperature, processing of alkaline phosphatase and carboxypeptidase Y in arl3 mutant was slowed. yARL3 might be required for protein transport from endoplasmic reticulum to Golgi or from Golgi to vacuole at nonpermissive temperatures. On subcellular fractionation, unlike its mammalian homologue ARP, yARL3 was detected in the soluble fraction but not in the plasma membrane. Indirect immunofluorescence analysis revealed that yARL3 when overexpressed was associated in part with the endoplasmic reticulum-nuclear envelope. Thus, the structural and functional characteristics of yARL3 indicate that it may have a unique role(s) in vesicular trafficking.

Serratia marcescens bacteremia: clinical features and antimicrobial susceptibilities of the isolates

From July 1996 to June 1997, 22 adult patients with Serratia marcescens bacteremia were retrospectively studied at China Medical College Hospital. All patients had severe underlying disease, most commonly diabetes mellitus. Eighteen (82%) patients had nosocomial infection. Clinical syndromes included primary bacteremia (68%), pneumonia (14%), urinary tract infection (9%), suppurative thrombophlebitis (5%) and surgical wound infection (5%). Twelve patients had central venous catheters in place at the onset of bacteremia, but only one case met the definition of catheter-related infection. In 14 (64%) patients, portal of entry of S. marcescens infection was unknown. Five (23%) patients had concurrent polymicrobial bacteremia. The overall mortality rate was 50% (11/22). Seven (32%) of the 22 patients died of S. marcescens bacteremia. All isolates were resistant to ampicillin and cephalothin and susceptible to imipenem. Ninety-five percent of strains were susceptible to moxalactam, 68% to amikacin, 55% to ceftazidime, 45% to aztreonam, 32% to ceftriaxone, 27% to gentamicin, 18% to cefoperazone and cefotaxime, and 9% to piperacillin. MICs of various antibiotics demonstrated that ciprofloxacin and imipenem had good activities against S. marcescens, with MIC90 of 0.19 microg/mL and 1.0 microg/mL, respectively. Due to increasing multidrug resistance, choosing appropriate antimicrobial agents such as moxalactam, imipenem, and ciprofloxacin should be highly recommended for the treatment of S. marcescens infections.

Absence of an analgesic effect of qigong "external qi" in rats

The analgesic effect of "external Qi" emitted from the Qigong practitioner was investigated in rats. In behavioral experiments, the rat's tail-flick and head-movement threshold measurements were used to determine if the "external Qi" had analgesic effect. The results were negative. In electrophysiological study, the "external Qi" shows no significant changes in the pain-related evoked cortical potentials to tooth-pulp stimulation. Thus the results of this study are different from those reported by other investigators. It is proposed that this research be repeated and extended.

Clinical and microbiologic characteristics of Ochrobactrum anthropi bacteremia

Ochrobactrum anthropi is an oxidase-positive, nonfermenting, gram-negative bacillus that is an emerging pathogen in immunocompromised patients, particularly in those with indwelling central venous catheters. Reports of clinical manifestation of O. anthropi bacteremia are rare. Herein, we report the clinical and microbiologic characteristics of O. anthropi bacteremia in 15 patients. There were eight males and seven females, whose ages ranged from 1 month to 84 years (mean, 34 years). Ten infections were community acquired. All patients had severe underlying disease and manifested primary O. anthropi bacteremia with no obvious focus. Only three patients had central venous catheters in place at the onset of bacteremia, but none of these showed evidence of catheter-related infection. The mean duration of fever was 4 days (range 0-11) and the mean white blood cell count was 13 x 10(9)/L (range 5.5-28 x 10(9)). All O. anthropi isolates tested were resistant to ampicillin, cephalothin, cefonicid, amoxicillin/clavulanic acid, piperacillin, aztreonam, and ceftazidime, and all were susceptible to gentamicin, amikacin, imipenem, ceftriaxone, and cefoperazone. Most were also susceptible to cefotaxime and moxalactam. Monotherapy with an aminoglycoside or an appropriate beta-lactam (such as cefotaxime or ceftriaxone) yielded good clinical response. None of the 15 patients died directly from O. anthropi bacteremia. Our findings indicate that O. anthropi is often community acquired and can be pathogenic in critically ill or immunocompromised patients with or without indwelling catheters. Although O. anthropi can produce clinically significant infections, the organism seems to be of relatively low virulence.

Course and management of renal subcapsular abscess in a 63-year-old diabetic woman

Renal subcapsular abscess is a very rare disease that is defined by a suppurative process localized to a space between the renal capsule and the renal parenchyma. The course and management of subcapsular abscesses have received less attention than those of renal and perirenal abscesses. We describe a 63-year-old diabetic woman who presented with intermittent fever of 1 month's duration. She was initially treated for suspected acute pyelonephritis then referred to our hospital because of poor clinical response to cefazolin plus gentamicin. Computed tomography of the abdomen revealed a huge subcapsular abscess with displacement and compression of the left renal parenchyma. A percutaneous catheter was inserted and left in place for 8 days; a total of approximately 850 mL of pus was drained. Culture of the pus yielded Klebsiella pneumoniae and Enterobacter cloacae. A 2-week course of moxalactam was administered on the basis of the results of in vitro antibiotic susceptibility testing. The distorted renal parenchyma appeared normal at sonographic follow-up examination 3 weeks after hospitalization. The course and management of this rare entity are presented as a reminder to physicians that renal subcapsular abscess could manifest as fever of unknown origin in a diabetic patient. A high degree of clinical suspicion is required for early diagnosis and treatment in order to achieve a satisfactory outcome.

Characterization of an ADP-ribosylation factor-like 1 protein in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

ADP-ribosylation factors (ARFs) are highly conserved approximately 20-kDa guanine nucleotide-binding proteins that enhance the ADP-ribosyltransferase activity of cholera toxin and are believed to participate in vesicular transport in both exocytic and endocytic pathways. Several ARF-like proteins (ARLs) have been cloned from Drosophila, rat, and human; however, the biological functions of ARLs are unknown. We have identified a yeast gene (ARL1) encoding a protein that is structurally related (>60% identical) to human, rat, and Drosophila ARL1. Biochemical analyses of purified recombinant yeast ARL1 (yARL1) protein revealed properties similar to those ARF and ARL1 proteins, including the ability to bind and hydrolyze GTP. Like other ARLs, recombinant yARL1 protein did not stimulate cholera toxin-catalyzed auto-ADP-ribosylation. yARL1 was not recognized by antibodies against mammalian ARLs or yeast ARFs. Anti-yARL1 antibodies did not cross-react with yeast ARFs, but did react with human ARLs. On subcellular fractionation, yARL1, similar to yARF1, was localized to the soluble fraction. The amino terminus of yARL1, like that of ARF, was myristoylated. Unlike Drosophila Arl1, yeast ARL1 was not essential for cell viability. Like rat ARL1, yARL1 might be associated in part with the Golgi complex. However, yARL1 was not required for endoplasmic reticulum-to-Golgi protein transport, and it may offer an opportunity to define an ARL function in another kind of vesicular trafficking, such as the regulated secretory pathway.

Agrobacterium radiobacter bacteremia in a patient with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Agrobacterium radiobacter is a gram-negative bacillus, which is recognized as an emerging opportunistic human pathogen. To our knowledge, there have been only 25 cases of A. radiobacter bacteremia reported. In most of these, A. radiobacter was associated with long-term indwelling plastic central venous catheters. We describe a 78-year-old man who had a history of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease with long-term use of a corticosteroid. He was admitted to the China Medical College Hospital with pneumonia caused by Serratia marcescens. His general condition gradually improved after initiation of appropriate treatment. Unfortunately, he developed A. radiobacter bacteremia while hospitalized in the medical intensive care unit. With the onset of this infection, the patient had a high fever, leukocytosis, raised C-reactive protein level, and positive blood cultures for A. radiobacter. A central venous catheter-related infection was suspected because of redness and localized tenderness at the catheter site. The patient gradually recovered after removal of the catheter and appropriate antimicrobial treatment with latamoxef 1.5 g intravenously every 8 hours for 10 days.

Tubo-ovarian abscess caused by multidrug resistant Bacteroides gracilis

Bacteroides gracilis infections are very rare and have always been reported to have a polymicrobial etiology. The majority of these infections occur in the head and neck areas, the pleuropulmonary system, and the abdominal cavity. We report a case of tubo-ovarian abscess caused by B. gracilis. A literature search revealed no previous reports. Our patient, a 29-year-old woman, experienced fever and lower abdominal pain caused by a tubo-ovarian abscess. Her treatment consisted of surgical drainage and prolonged intravenous antibiotic therapy. Initial therapy with cefotaxime and metronidazole failed and she remained febrile after the laparotomy. Her clinical condition improved slowly after initiation of imipenem therapy. Culture of a pus specimen obtained during surgery yielded B. gracilis, which was resistant to imipenem but susceptible to clindamycin. Combination therapy with imipenem and clindamycin was then administered and she recovered completely. Clindamycin was subsequently prescribed for long-term bacterial suppression. The potential difficulties in treating B. gracilis infections were a major clinical concern in the treatment of this patient.

A cytogenetic study of 514 Chinese couples with recurrent spontaneous abortion

OBJECTIVE

To study the role of chromosomal aberration in the causation of recurrent spontaneous abortion (RSA) in Chinese population.

METHODS

A total of 514 Chinese couples with 2 or more spontaneous abortions at less than 24 weeks of gestation were included. For each proband, a minimum of 13 metaphases were analyzed by G-banding. Additional cells (usually 50-100 cells) were screened when mosaicism was suspected. Chi 2 test was used to compare the number and frequency of couples with and without balanced translocation with respect to whether liveborn was present or absent. Chi 2 test for trend was used to show whether a correlation existed between the occurrence of balanced translocation and the number of spontaneous abortions at ascertainment.

RESULTS

The overall incidence of chromosome anomaly was 51 out of 514 (9.92%). Chi 2 test for trend analysis showed that the chance of one member of a couple being a balanced carrier increased with the number of spontaneous abortions. The chance of finding translocation in couples with liveborn was higher than that in couples without liveborn, but the difference was not statistically significant. We also found that pericentric inversion 9 did not play an important role in the causation of recurrent abortion.

CONCLUSIONS

Cytogenetic analysis is indicated in couples with 2 or more spontaneous abortions and the chance of finding chromosomal aberration increases with the number of abortions at the time of ascertainment.

[Chemical constituents of Artemisia dalailamae Kraschen]

Five compounds were isolated from Artemisia dalailamae. They were identified as taraxeryl acetate, isofraxidin, scopoletin, scopolin and kumatakenin.

Preparative slab electrofocusing of methane monooxygenase from a type I methanotroph Methylomonas GYJ3

The isolation and purification of methane monooxygenase from a type I methanotroph Methylomonas GYJ3 to near homogeneity is reported. The isoelectric focusing in flat-bed granulated gels has resolved the methane monooxygenase into three protein components. The specific activity of the enzyme is 198.4 n mol per min per mg protein, degree of purification 4.13-fold. Recovery of the focused proteins is high and elution simple. Several purification steps may be omitted from the previously published scheme by other techniques.

[Household survey of diarrhoeal disease control in P.R. china]

126,965 population, including 10,987 children less than 5 years in 20 provinces were visited, and 7,681 cases due to diarrhoea, including 1 800 cases less than 5 years were found during the survey in Aug 1988. According to the calculating methods recommended by WHO, the morbidity is 0.70 episodes/person/per year in China, 1.90 episodes/per child/per year in children less than 5 years. The highest morbidity, 2.44 episodes/per child/per year, is in the age group from 6 months to 2 years. 37.86% of all cases went to health facilities, among them 62.24% were treated in village health facilities. 63.36% of all cases received treatment. The use rate of ORT was 14.24%, including 1.98% of using ORS and 12.26% of using home fluids. The use rate of antibiotics was 55.16%. The use rate of traditional medicine was 8.07%. From Sep 1987 to Aug 1988, there were 605 deaths in 102,470 population. The death rate was 5.9 per 1,000 population. With 15 deaths due to diarrhoea, the mortality of diarrhoea was 0.002% 76.18% of 1,247 children under 7 months were breast-fed, and 19.49% of them were partially breast-fed, and 4.33% of them were bottle-fed. The result of the survey indicates that diarrhoeal disease is a major constraints to people's health and social development, and the character of high morbidity and low mortality determines that the strategy of diarrhoeal diseases Control will be prevention, and the situation of low ORT use rate and abuse of antibiotics should be improved, and it should be emphasized to train health workers of village facilities.