Maitake mushroom (Grifola frondosa) MD-fraction containing beta-1,6 glucan with beta-1,3 branched chains has previously exhibited strong anticancer activity by increasing immune-competent cell activity.1,2 In this non-random case series, a combination of MD-fraction and whole maitake powder was investigated to determine its effectiveness for 22- to 57-year-old cancer patients in stages II-IV. C...

The immunization induced in CBA mice by allogenic transplantation of sarcoma J was evaluated through the rejection rate of a subsequent isologous tumour graft. Female animals appear to be significantly much more competent at various stages of sarcoma growth as after their definite cure by radiation or surgery. A difference of response according to the sex is also present with regard to the auto...

Herein, murine prostate cancer cell lines, generated via selective transduction with a single oncogene (c-Myc, Ha-Ras, and v-Src), showed oncogene-specific prostate cancer molecular signatures that were recapitulated in human prostate cancer and developed lung metastasis in immune-competent mice. Interrogation of two independent retrospective cohorts of patient samples using the oncogene signat...

Fungal endocarditis is a rare entity which has a poor outcome. Our case reports an atypical presentation of similar pathology now presenting with femoral artery ischemia in an immune competent individual. A 62-year Asian male presented with sudden onset of right sided lumbar pain. Initial clinical exam was consistent with right sided renal colic. Intravenous analgesia did not relieve the pain. ...

Cryptococcus neoformans, the etiological agent of cryptococcosis, is an occasional opportunistic fungal pathogen of immune competent individuals. However, it is a relatively frequent cause of life-threatening meningoencephalitis and pulmonary infections in immunosuppressed hosts and is a leading mycological cause of morbidity and mortality among patients with AIDS in most parts of the world. Th...

Fibroblasts have shown to be an immune competent cell type in mammals. However, little is known about the immunological functions of this cell-type in lower vertebrates. A rainbow trout hypodermal fibroblast cell-line (RTHDF) was shown to be responsive to PAMPs and DAMPs after stimulation with LPS from E. coli, supernatant and debris from sonicated RTHDF cells. LPS was overall the strongest ind...

background: hepatitis c (hcv) is a worldwide problem without an effective vaccine with more than 170 million chronically infected people worldwide. dna vaccines expressing antigenic portions of the virus with adjutants have recently been developed as a novel vaccination technology. objectives: in the present study, a dna vaccine expressing hcv core protein was developed with il12 as a genetic a...

Cutaneous lesions of the human sexually transmitted genital ulcer disease chancroid are characterized by the presence of intraepidermal pustules, keratinocyte cytopathology, and epidermal and dermal erosion. These lesions are replete with neutrophils, macrophages, and CD4(+) T cells and contain very low numbers of cells of Haemophilus ducreyi, the bacterial agent of chancroid. We examined lesio...

Cunninghamella bertholletiae is an opportunistic fungal organism found in soil and is a rare cause of human disease. The few reported cases of C. bertholletiae have involved immune compromised hosts. We report a case of C. bertholletiae in an otherwise healthy patient presenting with persistent high-grade fever and pulmonary infiltration resistant to antibiotics. The organism is isolated throug...