In most vertebrates studied, males have more vasopressin (VP) cells in the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis, or homologous vasotocin cells in nonmammalian species, than females. Previous research excluded differential cell birth and migration as likely mechanisms underlying this difference, leaving just differential cell death and phenotypic differentiation of existing cells. To differentiate between these remaining possibilities, we compared VP cell number in wild-type mice vs. mice overexpressing the anti-cell death factor, Bcl-2. All animals were gonadectomized in adulthood and given testosterone capsules. Three weeks later, brains were processed for in situ hybridization to identify VP cells. Bcl-2 overexpression increased VP cell number in both sexes but did not reduce the sex difference. We repeated this experiment in mice with a null mutation of the pro-cell death gene, Bax, and obtained similar results; cell number was increased in Bax(-/-) mice of both sexes, but males had about 40% more VP cells, regardless of Bax gene status. Taken together, cell death is unlikely to account for the sex difference in VP cell number, leaving differentiation of cell phenotype as the most likely underlying mechanism. We also used immunocytochemistry to examine VP projections in Bcl-2-overexpressing mice. As expected, males showed denser VP-immunoreactive fibers than females in the lateral septum, a projection area of the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis. However, even though Bcl-2 overexpression increased VP cell number, it did not affect fiber density. Thus, a compensatory mechanism may control total septal innervation regardless of the number of contributing cells.

The effect of pyrantel pamoate, levamisole, mebendazole, thiabendazole and bephenium hydroxynaphthoate on various intestinal helminths were evaluated among the inhabitants of four villages in the Dezful area southwest of Iran. A total number of 328 persons, all infected simultaneously with Ascaris and hookworm (Ancylostoma duodenale) and 49.2% with Trichostrongylus spp., were randomly divided into six groups. One group was kept as the control and the other five were each treated with one compound. Follow-up examinations showed that all of the drugs used were highly effective on Ascaris, and the differences in the cure rate were not statistically significant except for bephenium hydroxynaphthoate which showed a lower cure rate. For hookworm, cure rates of 100, 90, and 85% were observed with levamisole, pyrantel pamoate and bephenium hydroxynaphthoate, respectively. Cure rates observed with mebendazole and thiabendazole were 35 and 51%, respectively. For Trichostrongylus, the highest cure rate was achieved with levamisole, followed by thiabendazole and mebendazole. While the percentage of people showing side-effects was rather low for all drugs, thiabendazole and bephenium hydroxynaphthoate produced a higher, and levamisole a lower, percentage of side effects.

Objective: To assess the epidemiological aspects of central nervous system (CNS) fungal infections at 2 tertiary care teaching hospitals. Patients and methods:We conducted a retrospective electronic medical record review of clinical, radiographic, laboratory, and microbiological data from patients at Mayo Clinic (Rochester, MN and Jacksonville, FL) with a proven or probable diagnosis of a CNS fungal infection from January 1, 2000 to December 31, 2014. Results:We identified 97 (91 proven, 6 probable) CNS fungal infections; 73 had fungal meningitis, 18 had a tissue diagnosis, and 6 had CNS imaging indicative of infection with positive fungal cultures from other organs. Most patients (67%) were male with a median age of 60 years; 64% were immunosuppressed, 29%of whom received prednisone ≥20 mg daily for ≥2 weeks. Cryptococcus spp was the most frequent infection identified (57%) and headache (47%) was the most common presenting symptom. Survival was significantly worse for patients with CNS aspergillosis compared to those with CNS Cryptococcus spp (hazard ratio, 10.92; P<0.001).Conclusion: CNS fungal infections have increased in frequency, particularly in patients requiring immunosuppression; most infections are caused by Cryptococcus spp. Aspergillus spp. CNS infections had 100% mortality. High-dose prednisone was the most common cause of immunosuppression, and headache was the most frequent symptom at presentation.

We describe a case of human infection with acquired in southeast Georgia. The patient presented with intermittent yet persistent nausea and vomiting for months. This case describes the need for extraction of worms on two occasions each followed by courses of albendazole treatment. infections with high worm burden may relapse after extraction of the worm and a 3-day short course of albendazole therapy. Longer courses of albendazole may be indicated in selected circumstances.

We present a 49-year-old female with one year of intermittent fevers, chills, night sweats, and significant weight loss. Liver and lung biopsy showed evidence of a granulomatous process. Blood and liver biopsy cultures yielded growth of presumed Mycobacterium interjectum, thought to be related to a disseminated long-term central venous catheter infection. She successfully received one year of combined antimicrobial therapy after catheter removal without recurrence of disease. M. interjectum has been previously described as a cause of lymphadenitis in healthy children and associated with pulmonary disease in adults, although other localized infections have been reported. This is the first case described of a disseminated M. interjectum infection with bacteremia, hepatic and pulmonary involvement associated with a long-term catheter infection.