Probl Tuberk, 1989, (2), 50 - 1 {Effect of antitubercular preparations on the function of the ciliary epithelium of the respiratory tract mucosa}; Syrovatka IuA; The effect of various concentrations of streptomycin, isoniazid, rifampicin and ethambutol on the function of the siliated epithelium of the frog oral mucosa was studied (110 experiments with 50 frogs) . The level of inhibition of the siliated epithelium function depended on the properties of the drugs and their concentration in solution . More pronounced inhibition was induced by 15 per cent ethambutol solution and 10 per cent isoniazid solution . The least inhibition of the siliated epithelium function was observed with the use of 6.25 per cent streptomycin solution, 5 per cent isoniazid solution, 7.5 per cent ethambutol solution and 3.75 per cent rifampicin solution. Scand J Infect Dis, 1989, 21(3), 333 - 6 Brucellosis in a child complicated with multiple brain abscesses; Guvenc H et al.; A 4-year-old boy developed symptoms consistent with brucellosis and was treated with combined streptomycin and tetracycline . He had a high brucella agglutinin titer . However, he continued to have headache and papilledema . A brain CT revealed 6 large abscesses . Brucella melitensis was isolated from abscess material . The boy recovered completely after drainage therapy. Cell Mol Biol, 1989, 35(2), 129 - 36 An attempt to prevent or delay denervation changes in rat muscles; Schwartz J et al.; A number of drugs which are known to affect lysosomes and their enzyme activities were used in an attempt to inhibit or delay the onset of denervation changes in rat muscles . The following parameters were used: the occurrence of fibrillations in electromyographs; diameters of muscle fibers; acid phosphatase activity; acetylcholinesterase activity and distribution in end plates . Differences between denervated and non-denervated limbs were evaluated and compared in the different treatment groups . The various parameters were differently affected by the different drugs . Chloroquin, thiouracil and streptomycin appeared to be more effective than other treatments in the inhibition of denervation changes. Scand J Infect Dis, 1989, 21(1), 81 - 5 Treatment of tuberculous meningitis in adults with a combination of isoniazid, rifampicin and streptomycin: a prospective study; Doganay M et al.; 15 patients with tuberculous meningitis were treated with isoniazid, streptomycin and rifampicin and 14 with isoniazid, streptomycin and ethambutol for 12 months . Both groups received prednisolone at the beginning of treatment . The two groups were compared with regard to clinical improvement, presence of neurological sequelae and mortality . No difference in recovery rate between the groups was observed . 6 patients (21%) died (5 in group I and 1 in group II) . Residual sequelae developed in 9 cases (5 in group I and 4 in group II; 31%) . The difference between the groups was not significant . The regimen including rifampicin for tuberculous meningitis did not result in any superiority compared to standard therapy. Zhonghua Er Bi Yan Hou Ke Za Zhi, 1989, 24(2), 79 - 81, 127 {Experimental study of Rhizoma drynariae (Gusuibu) in the treatment of streptomycin ototoxicity}; Wang Z; According to Chinese traditional medical theory, kidney governs ear . Gusuibu is a kind of traditional Chinese drug which has nutritive effect to the kidney . The present study was intended to show whether Gusuibu could reduce streptomycin ototoxicity . Changes in cochlear hair cells, the Preyer's reflexes and auditory brain stem responses in guinea pigs were examined . Statistical analysis showed that hair cell loss in Gusuibu group was significantly milder then that in the control group; hearing threshold was also significantly different between these two groups . It was suggested that Gusuibu may have protective effect against streptomycin ototoxicity. Z Erkr Atmungsorgane, 1989, 173(1), 6 - 17 Overview and epidemiological assessment of the current global tuberculosis situation: with an emphasis on tuberculosis control in developing countries; Styblo K; This paper reviews the global epidemiological situation to tuberculosis, with an emphasis on the disappointing tuberculosis control achievements in developing countries over the last three decades . It is concluded tht in low prevalence developed countries it will take at least 35-40 years to eliminate tuberculosis because of endogenous exacerbation in subjects remotely infected . In developing countries most of the estimated 4 million new smear-positive and 4 million new smear-negative and extra-pulmonary cases with some 2-3 million deaths from tuberculosis occur each year . It is evident that a low cure rate is the most important reason for failure of tuberculosis control programmes in poor developing countries . Canetti stressed the urgent need to develop chemotherapeutic methods adapted to the conditions prevailing in developing countries . Based on a 9-year experience in IUATLD-assisted national tuberculosis programmes in 10 developing countries, it became apparent that the basic chemotherapeutic regimen consisting of Thiazina (combined tablet of isoniazid and thiacetazone) for 12 months supplemented by streptomycin for the first 2 months is not suitable for achieving a high cure rate in those countries . A high cure rate (90%) under routine conditions can be achieved with an inexpensive 8-month short-course regimen with a 2-month strictly supervised initial intensive phase with daily isoniazid, rifampicin, pyrazinamide and streptomycin, followed by 6 months of self-administered Thiazina daily . A substantial decrease in the risk of tuberculous infection in developing countries is essential, since we are facing their serious problems concerning tuberculosis with the increasing number of AIDS patients . BCG vaccination alone at least with the present type of vaccine, cannot substantially influence the epidemiological situation . It goes without saying that it should be applies to children to prevent tuberculosis whenever its use is justified for its purpose. Chemotherapy, 1989, 35(2), 146 - 52 Comparative trial of doxycycline plus streptomycin versus doxycycline plus rifampin for the therapy of human brucellosis; Colmenero Castillo JD et al.; Effectiveness and therapeutic value of the doxycycline plus streptomycin and doxycycline plus rifampin schedules of treatment of human brucellosis have been assessed by carrying out a prospective study on 111 patients randomly distributed into two groups . Patients in group A were treated with doxycycline plus streptomycin sulphate and those in group B with doxycycline plus rifampin . The temperature of all patients reverted to normal, and 54 patients from group A (91.6%) and 45 from group B (86.5%) achieved total recovery with a single therapeutic cycle . Two therapeutic failures and 3 relapses in group A (8.4%) and 7 relapses in group B (13.46%) were observed . The tolerance to both regimens was good . Although the combination doxycycline plus rifampin offers a more convenient oral administration, in the light of these results, until more extensive research is carried out, it should be considered as an alternative rather than a first choice in the treatment of human brucellosis. Med Cutan Ibero Lat Am, 1989, 17(1), 9 - 12 {Surgical treatment of mycetoma located in the face}; Orellano Ocampo F et al.; The first case described in Mexico, was studied by Cicero in 1900 and 1911 Ocaranza, in Sonora, reports some cases, pointing out that the first known case dates back to 1874 . In USA Gonzalez Ochoa identifies the causative agent of the cases he studied, as the same identified in USA, but he calls attention to the fact that it has already been described under the name of Actinomyces brasiliensis, finally, taxonomically it is included among the nocardias . In Mexico the micetoma is caused in 90% of the cases by Nocardia brasiliensis, and 8% by Streptomysis and other actinomycetos and only in 1.5% it is determined by true fungi . Until the observation of the present case, mycetomas had been reported located or scattered in different places of the human body, except the face . This case is observed in a 24 years old woman patient, of peasant extraction, who presents tumoration of the left hemiface, irregularly oval, 18 x 25 cm . of anfractous surface, with nodes and fistulas that secrete suppuration . The evolution is of seven years duration, and begins after a trauma . The mycologic and histopathologic study, confirms N . brasiliensis as the causative agent . X rays prove that the skull bones are not affected, but the mycosis cause anemia . Specific treatment for anemia is installed with trimetropryn and sulphametoxazol plus sulphone, for a period of six months . A change is made to streptomycin to a total of 40 g . and then this is replaced by isonizasyn, adding to both these drugs alphamatoxipyridazine, for a period of six months and in last months, riprampycin plus sulphone are given; always with bad results.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS) Am J Nephrol, 1989, 9(2), 155 - 61 Tuberculous peritonitis complicating long-term peritoneal dialysis . Report of 5 cases and review of the literature; Cheng IK et al.; The characteristics of 5 patients who developed tuberculous peritonitis while receiving long-term peritoneal dialysis (PD) are presented . There were 2 males and 3 females . 3 patients were on intermittent and 2 were on continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis when tuberculous peritonitis was first diagnosed . None of the patients had recently received immunosuppression therapy or were diabetics . The clinical presentations were similar to other forms of peritonitis complicating PD except for a more insidious onset . As extraperitoneal involvement and peritoneal lymphocytosis were rarely present, the diagnosis was mainly dependent on the direct demonstration of Mycobacterium tuberculosis with smear (1 patient) and culture (4 patients) . In 1 patient with a pleuroperitoneal communication, the diagnosis was made by pleural biopsy and a positive response to antituberculous therapy . All patients responded to treatment with a combination of three antituberculous drugs which included streptomycin, isoniazid, rifampicin and pyrazinamide . Two patients were transferred to hemodialysis . In 3 patients, peritoneal dialysis was continued . Peritoneal clearance and ultrafiltration capacity were unchanged for up to 16 months after treatment in 2 patients who continued peritoneal dialysis but was reduced by 30 and 50%, respectively, in the remaining patient . Only 1 patient died, but her death was not directly related to tuberculous peritonitis . It was concluded that with a high index of suspicion and early institution of treatment, tuberculous peritonitis complicating PD can be successfully treated with low mortality and without compromising the dialysis capacity of the peritoneal membrane. Microbiol Immunol, 1989, 33(12), 1001 - 11 Different correlations of drug susceptibilities to colonial morphology in Mycobacterium avium complex strains; Tsukamura M et al.; In Mycobacterium avium and Mycobacterium intracellulare complex strains isolated from patients who were not treated previously by any antituberculosis drugs or from fowls, the colonial morphology, smooth, domed, opaque (SmD) or smooth, flat, transparent (SmT) colonial forms, significantly correlated with susceptibilities to rifampicin, minocycline, streptomycin, kanamycin, enviomycin, ethambutol, and sulfadimethoxine, whereas it did not correlate with susceptibilities to isoniazid, cycloserine, and ethionamide . Strains with the SmT colonial morphology were more resistant to the former seven drugs than strains with the SmD colonial morphology . Since the susceptibilities to antituberculosis drugs with large molecules correlated with the colonial morphology, it has been suggested that a permeability barrier that allows passage of small molecules but prevents passage of large molecules exists in the strains with the SmT colonial morphology. Henry Ford Hosp Med J, 1989, 37(2), 73 - 5 Ulceroglandular tularemia: a typical case of relapse; Miller SD et al.; Tularemia is an infectious disease that continues to occur sporadically and in epidemics in the United States . It is characterized as an acute febrile illness with constitutional symptoms associated with skin, glandular, respiratory, or gastrointestinal involvement . Tularemia usually can be treated effectively with streptomycin . Relapse most often occurs when patients are treated with bacteriostatic agents such as chloramphenicol or tetracycline . We present a case of ulceroglandular tularemia distinguished by its relapse after initial streptomycin/doxycycline therapy and subsequent slow response to additional streptomycin. Vestn Akad Med Nauk SSSR, 1989, (7), 20 - 8 {Glucocorticoid receptors as targets for pharmacologic action}; Golikov PP et al.; Experimental data demonstrate the influence of certain drugs on the interaction of Type II and III glucocorticoid receptors of the liver cytosol and labelled natural and synthetic glucocorticoids . Preparations of the phenothiazine (aminazine, tizercine) and pyrazolone (amidopyrine, analginum) series and non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs (acetylsalicylic acid, sodium salicylate) exert a significant effect on the glucocorticoid-receptor interplay . Certain drugs (tizercine, analginum) have an anti-stress effect by lowering the level of Type II glucocorticoid receptors of liver cytosol and corticosterone concentration in the blood plasma of rats . The phenothiazine and no-spa derivatives inhibit the matrix activity of the thymocyte DNA in adrenalectomized rats . Pyracetam, caffeine, adrenaline, noradrenaline, verapamil, digoxin, and streptomycin do not influence the thymocyte DNA matrix activity in the presence of triamcinolone acetonide . Based on the literature data and original research findings, the problem of glucocorticoid receptors employment as targets for medication to control the glucocorticoid effect and stress is discussed. J Bacteriol, 1989 Jan, 171(1), 24 - 9 Genetic relationship of two highly studied Synechococcus strains designated Anacystis nidulans; Golden SS et al.; The cyanobacteria Synechococcus sp . strain PCC 7942 and Synechococcus sp . strain PCC 6301 are very closely related and both have been designated by the binomial Anacystis nidulans . The only established difference between the two strains is the superior transformation properties of strain PCC 7942 . Significant homology between the rRNA genes of these strains was demonstrated by the ability of an rRNA operon from strain PCC 6301, interrupted by a spectinomycin and streptomycin resistance marker, to transform strain PCC 7942 by recombining with and replacing an endogenous rRNA operon . Restriction fragment length polymorphism data indicated that the chromosomes of the two strains were conserved around the three psbA loci, the two rRNA operons, and the psbDI locus . However, multiple polymorphisms were detected downstream of the psbDII locus, identifying a DNA rearrangement such as an inversion, insertion, or deletion within the chromosome . Analysis of genome structure by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis of large NotI restriction fragments showed only two bands that were visibly shifted between the chromosomes of the two strains . These data support their very close genetic relationship and the feasibility of studying genes derived from strain PCC 6301 in the highly transformable PCC 7942 strain. Res Commun Chem Pathol Pharmacol, 1988 Dec, 62(3), 447 - 60 Synergistic toxicity of cyclosporin A and streptomycin in renal epithelial cell cultures; Walker RJ et al.; Cyclosporin A (CSA) nephrotoxicity was examined in two renal epithelial cell cultures, the LLC-PK1 cell line and the MDCK cell line . Acute changes in cell growth and cellular DNA and protein synthesis were investigated at 2 hours, 20 hours and 5 days . The potential synergistic interaction between streptomycin (a standard additive to most culture media) and CSA was examined . CSA produced significant alterations in cell function as early as 2 hours after exposure and this became more noticeable with increased exposure to CSA . Streptomycin potentiated the toxicity effects on cellular metabolism that was seen with CSA . The use of cell culture models to investigate CSA toxicity must avoid the use of potential agents which may have a synergistic effect on the development of toxicity. Biochimie, 1988 Dec, 70(12), 1715 - 8 High fidelity of guanine translation in a plasmid-directed in vitro system; Negre D et al.; The extent of misreading of individual bases in the first or second codon position has been measured in vitro in a simplified plasmid-directed coupled system in which natural messenger translation is restricted to the formation of the N-terminal di- or tripeptide . Experiments were performed under conditions of competition between cognate and noncognate tRNAs in the presence of streptomycin to maximize the frequency of reading errors . A striking lack of susceptibility to mistranslation of guanine, as compared to the other 3 bases, was observed. J Bacteriol, 1988 Dec, 170(12), 5913 - 5 Allele replacement in Escherichia coli by use of a selectable marker for resistance to spectinomycin: replacement of the lexA gene; Hill SA et al.; We replaced the Escherichia coli lexA gene by a segment of DNA coding for resistance to spectinomycin and streptomycin . The use of this segment expands the range of selectable markers usable for allele replacement . The availability of this null lexA mutation will facilitate genetic analysis of lexA and the SOS regulon. Acta Paediatr Scand, 1988 Nov, 77(6), 890 - 4 INH and streptomycin in Ethiopian children with tuberculosis and different nutritional status; Eriksson M et al.; The plasma concentration of INH and streptomycin was followed in 45 Ethiopian children with tuberculosis . The children were grouped according to their nutritional status as normal, underweight, marasm and kwashiorkor . INH was well absorbed in all nutritional groups to give therapeutically active plasma levels . When terminal half life (t1/2) of INH was calculated for individual patients there were more children in all nutritional groups with t1/2 greater than or equal to 2 hours than less than 2 hours, indicating a slow acetylation of INH . Streptomycin was well absorbed in all nutritional groups and therapeutic levels were obtained with 20 mg/kg i.m . After 30 mg/kg i.m . of streptomycin kwashiorkor children had an increased t1/2 of streptomycin indicating a decreased renal excretion of the drug in kwashiorkor . The clinical follow-up of the children indicated that serious tuberculosis could be successfully treated with INH and streptomycin in the doses used. Mol Gen Genet, 1988 Nov, 214(3), 456 - 9 Improved expression of streptomycin resistance in plants due to a deletion in the streptomycin phosphotransferase coding sequence; Maliga P et al.; Previous studies have shown that a chimeric streptomycin phosphotransferase (SPT) gene can function as a dominant marker for plant cell transformation . The SPT marker previously described by Jones and co-workers has a limited value since it conferred a useful level of resistance only to a fraction (10%) of Nicotiana plumbaginifolia transgenic lines . Expression of resistance was species specific: no such resistant transformants were found in N . tabacum . In this paper we describe an improved SPT construct that utilizes a mutant Tn5 SPT gene . The mutant gene, SPT*, encodes a protein with a two amino acid deletion close to its COOH-terminus . In N . tabacum cell culture the efficiency of transformation with the improved streptomycin resistance marker was comparable to kanamycin resistance . When the chimeric SPT* gene was introduced linked to a kanamycin resistance gene, streptomycin resistance was expressed in most of the transgenic N . tabacum lines. Nucleic Acids Res, 1988 Oct 25, 16(20), 9631 - 9 A mutation in the 530 loop of Escherichia coli 16S ribosomal RNA causes resistance to streptomycin; Melancon P et al.; Oligonucleotide-directed mutagenesis was used to introduce an A to C transversion at position 523 in the 16S ribosomal RNA gene of Escherichia coli rrnB operon cloned in plasmid pKK3535 . E . coli cells transformed with the mutated plasmid were resistant to streptomycin . The mutated ribosomes isolated from these cells were not stimulated by streptomycin to misread the message in a poly(U)-directed assay . They were also restrictive to the stimulation of misreading by other error-promoting related aminoglycoside antibiotics such as neomycin, kanamycin or gentamicin, which do not compete for the streptomycin binding site . The 530 loop where the mutation in the 16S rRNA is located has been mapped at the external surface of the 30S subunit, and is therefore distal from the streptomycin binding site at the subunit interface . Our results support the conclusion that the mutation at position 523 in the 16S rRNA does not interfere with the binding of streptomycin, but prevents the drug from inducing conformational changes in the 530 loop which account for its miscoding effect . Since this effect primarily results from a perturbation of the translational proofreading control, our results also provide evidence that the 530 loop of the 16S rRNA is involved in this accuracy control. Am Rev Respir Dis, 1988 Oct, 138(4), 878 - 81 Susceptibility of Mycobacterium avium complex to various two-drug combinations of antituberculosis agents; Ozenne G et al.; The drug susceptibility of two untypable strains of Mycobacterium avium complex were studied in 7H10 agar plates containing ethambutol (EMB), isoniazid (INH), rifampicin (RMP), ethionamide (ETH), and streptomycin (SM) alone and in two-drug combinations . The effective dose inhibiting 75% of the mycobacterial population (ED 75) was estimated by a regression analysis on the probit transformed inhibition percentages and plotted on an isobologram for each combination . No major discrepancies were found between strains . Five combinations (RMP plus INH, RMP plus EMB, EMB plus SM, INH plus EMB, and ETH plus INH) showed synergistic effect, whereas five other combinations (ETH plus EMB, ETH plus RMP, ETH plus SM, SM plus RMP, and SM plus INH) showed antagonistic effect . These in vitro results are not in combination with the known results of treatment of the M . avium diseases . We conclude that the effect of drug combinations against M . avium may be strain dependent and that it is important to determine this effect in vitro before setting up a treatment protocol. Laryngoscope, 1988 Oct, 98(10), 1040 - 3 Binaural cochlear implantation: comparison of 3M/House and Nucleus 22 devices with evidence of sensory integration; Balkany T et al.; Direct comparison of the efficacy of cochlear implant designs has been difficult for several reasons . There have been wide variations in patients implanted and many differences in testing protocols for each device . In most instances, even a single patient may have unequal degrees of pathology and duration of deafness in the two ears . Implantation of a 3M/House device in the left ear and a Nucleus 22 device in the right ear of a 55-year-old woman, deafened to a similar degree and simultaneously in both ears by streptomycin, allows an opportunity to compare function under presumably similar circumstances . The Nucleus 22 cochlear implant was superior in this case in providing speech discrimination . Perhaps of greater interest, however, is evidence of a binaural effect . Presumably, central integration of sensory stimuli presented through two dissimilar processing strategies resulted in enhanced function on certain measures. Am Rev Respir Dis, 1988 Oct, 138(4), 999 - 1001 Minimal inhibitory concentrations of isoniazid, rifampin, ethambutol, and streptomycin against Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains isolated before treatment of patients in Taiwan; Suo J et al.; Minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of isoniazid (INH), rifampin (RMP), ethambutol (EMB), and streptomycin (SM) for susceptible "wild" M . tuberculosis strains isolated from Taiwanese patients were within the limits previously reported for strains isolated in the United States . The highest agar-determined MICs (in 7H10 and 7H11 agar) corresponded well with the critical concentrations established for these media . The highest MICs found radiometrically in 7H12 broth were significantly lower than the critical concentrations proposed for this medium . On the basis of an evaluation of the highest broth-determined MICs found in this and in the previous study (1), we suggest that the following MICs, when determined radiometrically, should be used as breakpoints to classify the strain as "susceptible": for INH, 0.1 microgram/ml or less; for RMP, 0.5 microgram/ml or less; for EMB, 4.0 micrograms/ml or less; for SM, 2.0 micrograms/ml or less. Genetica, 1988 Sep 30, 77(2), 113 - 21 Parental age dependent changes as a source of genetic variation in Drosophila melanogaster; Marinkovic D et al.; It has been shown repeatedly that numerous cumulative changes occur in chromosomes of D . melanogaster, as an effect of ageing which, especially in the homozygous state, significantly affect different fitness components of their carriers . It appears that the observed age-affected events are produced by systematic and ontogenetically programmed changes in genetic loads at specific chromosomes, which are transferable to following generations . It has been suggested that such changes could be of mutational origin, and that they could be more frequent at gene loci which are epigenetically active during ontogenesis . It was demonstrated that a large sample of identical chromosomes behave quite differently in the homozygous state when obtained from aged compared to non-aged parents, producing a significant decrease in relative viability, length of preadult development, and longevity of their carriers, as well as in the frequency of recombinations of corresponding chromosomes . A specific treatment by streptomycin resulted in remarkably milder effects of ageing, which is in accordance with the statement of some authors that such a treatment may diminish the frequency of spontaneous recessive mutations in their carriers . Thus the observed age-affected changes could be an important source of developmental and evolutionary variation of living organisms. J Biol Chem, 1988 Sep 15, 263(26), 13103 - 11 The allosteric three-site model for the ribosomal elongation cycle . New insights into the inhibition mechanisms of aminoglycosides, thiostrepton, and viomycin; Hausner TP et al.; According to the allosteric three-site model for the ribosomal elongation cycle (Rheinberger, H.J . and Nierhaus, K.H . (1986) J . Biol . Chem . 261, 9133-9139), two types of A site (aminoacyl-tRNA site) occupation exist . First is the A site occupation after initiation (i-type), with only one site, the P site (peptidyl-tRNA site), being prefilled with a tRNA (initiator tRNA) . Second is the A site occupation after an elongation cycle (e-type), with two prefilled sites, namely the P and E sites containing peptidyl-tRNA and deacylated tRNA, respectively . The individual reactions of the elongation cycle were tested, including both types of A site occupation in the presence of various antibiotics . A test system was used allowing the functional studies to be made with quantitative tRNA binding at 6 mM Mg2+ . The following results were obtained: 1) thiostrepton (5 x 10(-6) M) induced a complete block of both EF-(elongation factor) G dependent and EF-G independent translocation, in agreement with older observations . The A-site occupation of the e-type was severely inhibited in contrast to that of the i-type . Thus, thiostrepton blocks the allosteric transitions in both directions, i.e . the transition from pre- to post-translocational state (translocation) and that from the post- to the pre-translocational state (A site occupation of the e-type) . In addition the ribosomal binding of EF-G.{3H} GMPPNP was inhibited by about 60% . 2) Similarly, viomycin (5 x 10(-5) M) appears to be an inhibitor of both allosteric transitions, since it strongly inhibited the e-type (but not the i-type) A site occupation in addition to translocation . 3) The aminoglycosides streptomycin, hygromycin B, neomycin, kanamycin, and gentamicin prevented A site occupation of the e-type (residual activity below 15%) . Neomycin and hygromycin, in addition, blocked the translocation reaction . Only marginal effects were observed with A site occupation of the i-type . It appears that the inhibition of the A site binding of the e-type (allosteric transition from the post- to the pretranslocational state) is the predominant effect of the misreading-inducing aminoglycosides. J Am Acad Dermatol, 1988 Sep, 19(3), 451 - 7 Cutaneous manifestations of human immunodeficiency virus in Lusaka, Zambia; Hira SK et al.; Of the 1124 human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients studied, one or more cutaneous lesions were found in 113 (98.3%) of the 115 patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) and in 541 (53.6%) of 1009 patients with AIDS-related complex (ARC) . Kaposi's sarcoma, multidermatomal, necrotic herpes zoster, and pruritic maculopapular rashes are common cutaneous manifestations of AIDS and its related complex (ARC) in Zambia . The maculopapular rash results from a lymphoplasmacytic angiitis in the dermis, possibly in response to the presence of HIV in the dermis . Candidiasis, severe genital herpes, extensive molluscum contagiosum, and tinea corporis were less frequent and usually refractory to treatment . Drug reactions are also frequent in Zambians with AIDS . In seven patients given streptomycin, thiacetazone, and rifampicin for treatment of pulmonary tuberculosis, Stevens-Johnson syndrome occurred shortly after therapy was begun, and two died despite high-dose prednisone and discontinuance of tuberculosis therapy . Extensive seborrheic dermatitis refractory to topical fluorinated corticosteroids is also an associated condition in AIDS patients who have pulmonary tuberculosisPIP: Cutaneous manifestations of AIDS and AIDS-related complex were studied in a population of 1124 HIV seropositive patients at a hospital in Lusaka, Zambia . 115 of the patients had AIDS, and 1009 had AIDS-related complex . Drug eruptions occurred in 22 patients; 2 died of Stevens-Johnson syndrome subsequent to drug therapy for tuberculosis . The most frequently seen cutaneous manifestations were candidiasis, Kaposi's sarcoma, herpes zoster, seborrheic dermatitis, herpes genitalis, and papular dermatoses . The pruritic maculopapular eruption occurred in crops, healed, and recurred . It was one of the most unique dermatologic manifestations of AIDS found in Africa . Seborrheic dermatitis occurred frequently in patients who also had pulmonary tuberculosis . Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1988 Aug, 32(8), 1208 - 12 Rapid susceptibility testing of Mycobacterium tuberculosis by bioluminescence assay of mycobacterial ATP; Nilsson LE et al.; Mycobacterial growth was monitored by bioluminescence assay of mycobacterial ATP . Cultures of Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv and of 25 clinical isolates of the same species were exposed to serial dilutions of ethambutol, isoniazid, rifampin, and streptomycin . A suppression of ATP, indicating growth inhibition, occurred for susceptible but not resistant strains within 5 to 7 days of incubation . Breakpoint concentrations between susceptibility and resistance were determined by comparing these results with those obtained by reference techniques . Full agreement was found in 99% of the assays with the resistance ratio method on Lowenstein-Jensen medium, and 98% of the assays were in full agreement with the radiometric system (BACTEC) . A main advantage of the bioluminescence method is its rapidity, with results available as fast as with the radiometric system but at a lower cost and without the need for radioactive culture medium . The method provides kinetic data concerning drug effects within available in vivo drug concentrations and has great potential for both rapid routine susceptibility testing and research applications in studies of drug effects on mycobacteria. J Antibiot (Tokyo), 1988 Aug, 41(8), 1116 - 23 Strain- and species-specific distribution of the streptomycin gene cluster and kan-related sequences in Streptomyces griseus; Hotta K et al.; The streptomycin (SM) gene cluster was investigated for its distribution in streptomycetes by Southern hybridization using nick-translated DNA probes, which were isolated from the SM-6-phosphotransferase (SPH) and amidinotransferase (ADT) regions of the SM gene cluster of Streptomyces griseus SS-1198 . Bgl II-digested genomic DNAs from SM-producing strains of S . griseus yielded the same size fragment (7.0 kb) which hybridized to both the SPH and ADT probes as expected from the restriction endonuclease cleavage map of the SM gene cluster . By contrast, no genomic DNA fragments from heterologous Streptomyces strains hybridized to the probes . Thus, only SM-producing strains of S . griseus possess the highly homologous SM gene cluster . Similarly, distribution of DNA sequences homologous to the kanamycin (KM)-resistance determinant (kan) from a KM-resistant regenerant of S . griseus SS-1198 protoplasts was also examined . Using the kan gene fragment as the probe it was revealed that the kan-related sequences are present in all the strains of S . griseus tested, irrespective of the type of antibiotics they produce . However, no hybridization to the kan gene probe (KAN) was observed with DNA digests derived from other Streptomyces species. J Bacteriol, 1988 Aug, 170(8), 3756 - 60 Is efficiency of suppressor tRNAs controlled at the level of ribosomal proofreading in vivo? Faxen M, Kirsebom LA, Isaksson LA. Ribosomal rpsD mutations did not stimulate nonsense suppressor tRNAs in a general manner according to their increased ribosomal ambiguity and decreased proofreading efficiency . Streptomycin, which stimulates error production by blocking proofreading in vitro, did not increase efficiency of suppressor tRNAs in strains with normal or streptomycin-resistant (rpsL) ribosomes . It did so only in combination with one rpsL mutation which is associated with streptomycin pseudodependence. Clin Pharm, 1988 Jul, 7(7), 545 - 51 Treatment of nontuberculous mycobacterial infections in pediatric patients; Levin RH et al.; Two cases of Mycobacterium avium-intracellulare complex (MAC) infections are described, and the diagnosis, clinical features, and management of MAC infections are reviewed . In case 1, a four-year-old boy was diagnosed as having both acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) and disseminated MAC infection . He was treated with a combination of isoniazid, ethambutol hydrochloride, rifabutin, and clofazimine . Results of susceptibility testing showed that the MAC was susceptible to rifabutin and ethambutol with intermediate susceptibility to isoniazid . The child developed severe adverse effects that necessitated the discontinuation of rifabutin therapy . Despite therapy, blood cultures remained positive for MAC . The child died of disseminated human immunodeficiency virus and MAC infection . In case 2, a 20-month-old girl was found to have a prevertebral retropharyngeal mass caused by MAC . The child did not have evidence of immunologic deficiency . She was treated with streptomycin, ethambutol, clofazimine, and rifabutin . Streptomycin was discontinued after three months . After seven months the mass decreased in size, allowing for surgical resection . Intraoperative cultures were negative for mycobacteria . Ethambutol, rifabutin, and clofazimine were continued for a total of 12 months, at which time the child was determined to be clinically and radiologically cured . Empiric multidrug antituberculous therapy should be initiated in patients with suspected disseminated nontuberculous mycobacterial infection because final isolation, identification, and susceptibility testing may take several weeks . Clofazimine and rifabutin, in combination with isoniazid and ethambutol, may be useful in the treatment of some MAC infections . At least four drugs are given, and regimens often consist of six drugs.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS) J Mol Biol, 1988 Jun 20, 201(4), 683 - 95 Interaction of ribosomal proteins S5, S6, S11, S12, S18 and S21 with 16 S rRNA; Stern S et al.; We have examined the effects of assembly of ribosomal proteins S5, S6, S11, S12, S18 and S21 on the reactivities of residues in 16 S rRNA towards chemical probes . The results show that S6, S18 and S11 interact with the 690-720 and 790 loop regions of 16 S rRNA in a highly co-operative manner, that is consistent with the previously defined assembly map relationships among these proteins . The results also indicate that these proteins, one of which (S18) has previously been implicated as a component of the ribosomal P-site, interact with residues near some of the recently defined P-site (class II tRNA protection) nucleotides in 16 S rRNA . In addition, assembly of protein S12 has been found to result in the protection of residues in both the 530 stem/loop and the 900 stem regions; the latter group is closely juxtaposed to a segment of 16 S rRNA recently shown to be protected from chemical probes by streptomycin . Interestingly, both S5 and S12 appear to protect, to differing degrees, a well-defined set of residues in the 900 stem/loop and 5'-terminal regions . These observations are discussed in terms of the effects of S5 and S12 on streptomycin binding, and in terms of the class III tRNA protection found in the 900 stem of 16 S rRNA . Altogether these results show that many of the small subunit proteins, which have previously been shown to be functionally important, appear to be associated with functionally implicated segments of 16 S rRNA. Tubercle, 1988 Jun, 69(2), 95 - 103 The management of tuberculosis in refugees along the Thai-Kampuchean border; Mastro TD et al.; The treatment of tuberculosis in refugees living in campus along the Thai-Kampuchean border has remained a controversial issue since the beginning of the Khmer relief operation in 1979 . During the 1984-85 dry season, war-related disruptions forced the evacuation of the 240,000 residents of 21 camps into evacuation sites in Thailand . Seven tuberculosis treatment programmes, using a fully supervised, daily protocol of isoniazid(H), rifampicin(R), pyrazinamide(Z) and streptomycin(S) 3 HRZS/HR, (6 months for pulmonary and 9 months for extrapulmonary tuberculosis), were able to continue operation, with acceptably low rates of default from therapy . During the 18 month period beginning in July 1984, 984 patients were started on treatment: 755 completed a full course while 86 defaulted . The programme design and organisation are described. No Shinkei Geka, 1988 May, 16(6), 791 - 5 {A case of calcified intracranial tuberculoma presenting unique MRI findings}; Kinjo T et al.; A 41-year-old male patient was admitted in our Ryukyu University Hospital complaining of parosmia . He had a history of miliary tuberculosis 21 years ago . Neurologically he showed left anosmia and hyperreflexia of the right upper extremity . Plain skull X-P and CT scan revealed a calcified mass, 25mm in diameter, at the left frontal base . In MRI, the mass showed isointensity using the T1 weighted inversion recovery sequence and heterogenously low intensity using the T2 weighted spin echo sequence . Surgery was performed by bifrontal craniotomy . Then the tumor was removed totally including two coexisting small tumors . Histologically, they consisted of calcified caseous tissue and thick collagen capsule, suggesting old calcified tuberculomas . Postoperative course was uneventful and did not result in meningitis . Antituberculous therapy of streptomycin, isoniazid and rifampin was given for 2 weeks, started on the operative day . MRI findings were presented in detail and the guideline of antituberculous therapy to the tuberculoma was discussed. Ann Clin Lab Sci, 1988 May-Jun, 18(3), 204 - 14 Cultured human proximal tubule cells as a model for aminoglycoside nephrotoxicity; Sens MA et al.; Despite numerous clinical and animal studies, the initial injury and pathogenesis of aminoglycoside nephrotoxicity remains unclear . To compliment and extend existing research avenues, a cell culture model system representative of the human proximal tubule (HPT) was tested to determine its applicability for use in studies assessing aminoglycoside-induced cellular toxicity . For this determination, the proximal tubule cell cultures were exposed to increasing concentrations of streptomycin and monitored for cell death and light and electron microscopic changes under both confluent (resting) and subconfluent (actively-dividing) culture conditions . Confluent cultures exposed to streptomycin were also assessed for possible alterations in transport activities by monitoring the electrical properties of the cells through Ussing chamber analysis . Both the confluent and subconfluent cultures demonstrated concentration-dependent toxicity to streptomycin . Ultrastructural analysis disclosed that both actively-dividing and stationary cultures contained "myeloid bodies" within the cytoplasm, consistent with those known to occur in vivo . In studies relating cell numbers to the dosage and time of exposure to streptomycin, the confluent cultures demonstrated and "insult-recovery" period at toxic, but sub-lethal, concentration, again correlating to the known in vivo experience with this class of antibiotics . The subconfluent cultures demonstrated increased resistance to the toxic effects of streptomycin, again mimicking the clinical experience with aminoglycoside toxicity . Chamber analysis, at a streptomycin dose well below the toxic level, indicated changes in the transport activities of these cultured cells . It is proposed that the use of cultured proximal tubule cells could be a useful model system to extend current research avenues assessing the mechanism of aminoglycoside nephrotoxicity. J Antibiot (Tokyo), 1988 May, 41(5), 675 - 83 Mode of action of deoxypheganomycin D on Mycobacterium smegmatis ATCC 607; Suzukake-Tsuchiya K et al.; Deoxypheganomycin D, a specific inhibitor of mycobacteria, inhibits the growth in vitro of Mycobacterium smegmatis ATCC 607 (M . 607) bacteriostatically at concentrations as high as 7 X 10(-5) M . It shows no cross-resistance to paromomycin, capreomycin, viomycin, streptothricin, kanamycin and streptomycin . Deoxypheganomycin D at 2.8 X 10(-7) M where the cell growth of M . 607 is only partially inhibited does not significantly inhibit DNA, RNA or protein synthesis but leads to marked decrease (13% of control) in {14C}glycerol-derived radioactivity in cell-walls . In the presence of 7 X 10(-6) M deoxypheganomycin D, the influx of leucine but not thymidine is affected while the reverse is true with efflux . The data suggest that the effect of deoxypheganomycin D on M . 607 may be related to both the cell membrane and specific mycobacterial lipid like components of the cell-wall. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg, 1988 May, 95(5), 862 - 7 Brucella infective endocarditis . Successful combined medical and surgical therapy; al-Kasab S et al.; Five cases of Brucella infective endocarditis are described involving a native aortic valve, two native mitral valves, a mitral valve bioprosthesis, and a ventricular septal defect patch . The diagnosis of Brucella infective endocarditis was established from the clinical features, with a high Brucella serologic titer in each case . Blood and tissue cultures were positive in four of five patients . Two-dimensional echocardiograms demonstrated moderately large vegetations on the three affected native valves and the patch and also revealed the development of vegetation on the mitral bioprosthesis as the disease progressed . All the patients were successfully treated by combined surgical and medical therapy, the latter consisting of co-trimoxazole, tetracycline, and streptomycin/gentamicin for 6 weeks; the affected valves and the ventricular septal defect patch were all replaced . There were no operative deaths and there has been no recurrence of infection to date . One patient died suddenly of an unknown cause 1 year after the operation. Plasmid, 1988 May, 19(3), 175 - 88 A broad-host-range vector system for cloning and translational lacZ fusion analysis; Tai TN et al.; A broad-host-range vector system for studying translational fusions was constructed . The region that retains the origin of replication, nic, mob, and rep genes of the broad-host-range plasmid RSF1010 was isolated as either an HincII or a PstI-PvuII restriction fragment . These restriction fragments were ligated to tetracycline, kanamycin, or streptomycin/spectinomycin resistance genes to generate plasmids pUI501, pUI511, pUI504, and pUI506 . A functional lacZ gene lacking downstream lac operon sequences together with the lac promoter was constructed from plasmids pMC1871 and pUC18 . This lacZ gene was inserted into pUI501 and pUI511 to generate plasmids pUI502, pUI503, pUI512, and pUI513 . An oligodeoxynucleotide sequence that carries three unique blunt-end restriction sites was synthesized, annealed, and ligated in frame to the amino-terminal end of the lacZ gene in each of these plasmids . This multiple cloning sequence will allow translational fusions to the lacZ gene in all three reading frames . The stability of these plasmids and the expression of the lacZ gene in both Escherichia coli and Rhodobacter sphaeroides were studied. Trop Geogr Med, 1988 Apr, 40(2), 151 - 2 Probable transmission of brucellosis from breast milk to a newborn; Lubani M et al.; The first case of neonatal brucellosis is described . The baby was fed breast milk only when the mother became acutely ill with fever, arthralgia and malaise . At the same time the baby was febrile . Blood cultures grew Brucella melitensis in both mother and child . The brucella agglutination titre in the breast milk was 1:2560 . Both mother and child recovered during treatment with streptomycin. Chest, 1988 Apr, 93(4), 821 - 3 Comparison of antituberculosis drug regimens for lung disease caused by Mycobacterium avium complex; Tsukamura M et al.; A total of 123 patients with moderately advanced, cavitary lung disease caused by Mycobacterium avium complex untreated previously received different regimens of antituberculosis agents . The rate of sputum conversion (continuously negative cultures for six months or more) was compared among the regimens . It was shown that the regimens of rifampin + isoniazid + streptomycin and rifampin + isoniazid + enviomycin were superior to the regimens of streptomycin + isoniazid + p-aminosalicylate, isoniazid alone or isoniazid + p-aminosalicylate . This finding demonstrated that the regimens including rifampin, isoniazid and streptomycin or enviomycin were really effective in the initial treatment of lung disease caused by M avium complex. Biochim Biophys Acta, 1988 Mar 2, 953(1), 106 - 13 Purification and properties of aspartate transcarbamylase from Mycobacterium smegmatis; Masood R et al.; Aspartate transcarbamylase (carbamoyl-phosphate: L-aspartate carbamoyltransferase, EC 2.1.3.2) has been purified from Mycobacterium smegmatis TMC 1546 using streptomycin sulphate precipitation, ammonium sulphate precipitation, DE-52 chromatography, second ammonium sulphate precipitation, Sephadex G-200 gel filtration, and aspartate-linked CNBr-activated Sepharose 4B affinity chromatography in successive order . The enzyme was purified 231.6-fold, and the preparation was found to be homogeneous on column chromatography and polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis . The purified enzyme had a molecular weight of 246,000 and was composed of two asymmetrical subunits . The kinetic and regulatory properties of aspartate transcarbamylase from M . smegmatis were also studied . The enzyme was found to be an allosteric in nature with carbamyl phosphate showing positive cooperativity and UMP exhibiting a negative cooperativity . CTP was found to be the most potent inhibitor among nucleotides . Phosphate acted as a non-competitive product inhibitor with respect to aspartate . Succinate and maleate exerted a competitive inhibition when aspartate was the variable substrate. Tubercle, 1988 Mar, 69(1), 37 - 42 Primary antituberculosis drug resistance and acquired rifampicin resistance in Gujarat, India; Trivedi SS et al.; The prevalence of primary antituberculosis drug resistance in Gujarat, as studied between 1983 and 1986, was found to be significantly high, especially for isoniazid (13.9%) and streptomycin (7.4%) . Primary rifampicin and pyrazinamide resistance were not detected in any strain . The prevalence of rifampicin resistance among treatment failure and relapse cases of pulmonary tuberculosis increased significantly from 2.8% in 1980 to 37.3% in 1986 . In about 95% of the rifampicin resistant strains there was also resistance to isoniazid or streptomycin or both: resistance to isoniazid was detected in more than 90%. Tubercle, 1988 Mar, 69(1), 5 - 14 Controlled clinical trial of a regimen of two durations for the treatment of isoniazid resistant pulmonary tuberculosis; Babu Swai O et al.; Patients with pulmonary tuberculosis who were failures of primary chemotherapy with strains resistant to isoniazid or to isoniazid and streptomycin were allocated at random to receive a regimen of rifampicin and ethambutol for 6 (4RE) or 9 months (7RE), supplemented in both treatment series by streptomycin plus pyrazinamide for the first 2 months . The patients were treated in hospital for the first 2 months and thereafter treatment was supervised on a daily basis in the nearest health institution by an appointed member of staff or at home by responsible members of the community . A total of 306 patients was admitted and 226 patients remained for analysis at the end of chemotherapy, 179 with a strain resistant to isoniazid alone and 47 with a strain resistant to isoniazid and streptomycin . There were only two failures at the end of chemotherapy, one in the 6-month series who had resistance to both isoniazid and streptomycin pretreatment, and one in the 9-month series who had resistance to isoniazid alone . For the 144 patients with initial resistance to isoniazid alone assessed up to 30 months, the relapse rates were low in both series: 4% for the 72 patients in the 6-month series and 3% for the 72 patients in the 9-month series . However, for the 34 patients with resistance to both drugs, three of the 14 in the 6-month but none of 20 in the 9-month series relapsed. Sex Transm Dis, 1988 Jan-Mar, 15(1), 27 - 9 The treatment of donovanosis (granuloma inguinale); Latif AS et al.; Over a two-year period, 37 patients with genital ulcer disease attending a clinic for sexually transmitted diseases in Harare were found to have donovanosis . Of the 37 patients, 25 were male, and 12 were female; all presented with painless, indurated, granulating ulcers without lymph-node involvement . The lesions were more extensive in pregnant women . All patients responded well to either a combination of intramuscular streptomycin plus oral tetracycline given over 14 days, or a 14-day course of oral co-trimoxazole (trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole) . No metastatic lesions were found. Rev Infect Dis, 1988 Jan-Feb, 10(1), 211 - 7 The nature of human brucellosis in Kuwait: study of 379 cases; Mousa AR et al.; Three hundred seventy-nine Kuwaiti patients with brucellosis were admitted to Adan General Hospital, Kuwait, during the period 1984-1985 . Of these 231 were males and 148 were females . Diagnosis was based on symptoms and signs compatible with the disease and on the detection of significantly elevated antibody titer and/or positive blood culture . The primary means of exposure were the consumption of raw milk and contact with goats, sheep, or camels . Patients most frequently presented with fever (91%), chills (40%), sweats (39%), gastrointestinal symptoms (30%), headache (23%), respiratory symptoms (23%), and musculoskeletal symptoms (22%) . The major signs were osteoarticular involvement (37%), hepatosplenomegaly (27%), and lymphadenopathy (9%) . Different regimens of treatment were used, but the highest rate of cure was achieved with triple therapy--tetracycline, streptomycin, and rifampin. Gut, 1988 Jan, 29(1), 62 - 9 Response of tuberculous stricture to antituberculous treatment; Anand BS et al.; Tuberculous infection of the gastrointestinal tract results in a variety of histopathological lesions . Some patients develop intestinal strictures and present with subacute intestinal obstruction . The treatment is controversial and vary from a trial of antituberculous drugs to early surgery:the response to medical therapy is not clear . To examine this issue the present prospective therapeutic trial was carried out on 39 patients with symptoms of bowel obstruction and radiological evidence of intestinal stricture . All patients were treated with conventional antituberculous drugs (streptomycin, rifampicin, and isoniazid) under close supervision . Thirty four (87%) patients completed the trial, five were lost to follow up . Thirty one (91%) of these showed significant clinical improvement:26 became completely symptom free, while the remaining five complained of only vague abdominal discomfort . Only three (8%) patients failed to respond to treatment and were subjected to surgery . Barium series were repeated in 23 of 31 who completed the treatment; the remaining eight refused further investigations . Complete resolution of the radiological abnormality was seen in 16 (70%) patients . In the remaining seven (30%) the stricture persisted; in two of these the treatment was continued for another year and both showed substantial radiological improvement . It is concluded that most patients with tuberculous strictures respond well to medical treatment and surgery should be resorted to only if drug therapy fails. Eur J Clin Pharmacol, 1988, 33(6), 647 - 9 Pharmacokinetics of streptomycin in Ethiopian children with tuberculosis and of different nutritional status; Bolme P et al.; Fifty-six malnourished Ethiopian children with tuberculosis classified in four nutritional groups (normal, underweight, marasmus and kwashiorkor), were given streptomycin 20 or 30 mg.kg-1 i.m . The plasma concentration-time data revealed an increased apparent volume of distribution in children with kwashiorkor compared to normals . The total plasma clearance was low and did not differ between the nutritional groups . Thus, the half-life was prolonged only in kwashiorkor . The results could be explained by decreased protein binding in plasma and decreased renal clearance by glomerular filtration. Exp Brain Res, 1988, 69(2), 260 - 71 Streptomycin in the chick embryo: post-hatching vestibular behavior and morphology; Kenyon RV et al.; Developing chick embryos were exposed to streptomycin injected on days 5 through 13 of the 21 day developmental period . Histological and behavioral abnormalities were found almost exclusively in chicks exposed after day 7 . The nature of the behavioral deficits included abnormal head posture, head tremor, and inability to compensate for applied vestibular stimuli . Head movement measurements showed that the head tremor had frequencies of oscillations from 10-35 Hz . The amplitude of the tremor was a large as 10 degrees . Histology showed damage to the secretory dark cells of the membranous labyrinth in those chicks that showed behavior changes . Even with increased dosages chicks exposed prior to day 7 rarely showed abnormal vestibular behavior but instead experienced increased mortality . Further tests examining tissue levels of streptomycin showed little or no streptomycin in embryos until day 10 . These results are discussed in terms of their utility as an alternative model to surgical manipulation of the vestibular system in developing embryos . Behavioral consequences are compared to other work with drugs and to the effects of weightlessness and unusual environments on vestibular orientation and behavior. Microbiol Immunol, 1988, 32(6), 641 - 4 Mechanism of streptomycin resistance in Leptospira biflexa strain Urawa; Fukunaga M et al.; The mechanism of streptomycin resistance of Leptospira biflexa was investigated . A streptomycin-resistance mutant of Leptospira showed cross-resistance to dihydrostreptomycin but not to other antibiotics . Enzymatic inactivation of the drug could not be demonstrated in this mutant . Protein synthesis on the ribosomes from the mutant was insensitive to streptomycin . These results suggest that ribosomal resistance is the reason for streptomycin resistance in Leptospira biflexa. Folia Microbiol (Praha), 1988, 33(4), 314 - 22 Effect of elevated temperature on genotoxicity of chemotherapeuticals toward Euglena gracilis; Macor M et al.; A collection of 20 compounds was tested for their ability to induce a permanent loss of chloroplasts from Euglena gracilis cells under conditions increasing the sensitivity of the flagellate to genotoxic compounds, viz . in the resting medium and at an elevated temperature . Streptomycin, dihydrostreptomycin, gentamicin, kanamycin and partially chloramphenicol exhibited mutagenic effects . Eight antibiotics eliminated chloroplasts only from growing cultures and seven antibiotics did not induce the mutation at all. J Antibiot (Tokyo), 1988 Jan, 41(1), 94 - 103 Mechanism of increased kanamycin-resistance generated by protoplast regeneration of Streptomyces griseus . I . Cloning of a gene segment directing a high level of an aminoglycoside 3-N-acetyltransferase activity; Hotta K et al.; The genetic and biochemical basis of a 200-fold increase in kanamycin (KM)-resistance shown in Streptomyces griseus SS-1198PR generated by protoplast regeneration was investigated . A 15-kb Bcl I-DNA segment responsible for the KM-resistance was cloned into pIJ61 with Streptomyces lividans TK21 as host . The KM-resistance segment was then subcloned into pIJ702 as a 1.8-kb BamH I-Bgl II fragment with a BamH I site essential for the KM-resistance . Both S . lividans TK21 containing the cloned segments and S . griseus SS-1198PR showed multiple resistance to KM, dibekacin and gentamicin C complex . Cell free extracts from these strains inactivated the antibiotics in the presence of acetyl CoA in agreement with their resistance pattern . The structure of the inactivated KM-A was determined as 3-N-acetyl-KM-A indicating acetylation by an aminoglycoside acetyltransferase, AAC(3) . The substrate range of the enzyme was unique and was designated AAC(3)-V . No genetic linkage was found between the cloned 15 kb Bcl I segment and the separately cloned streptomycin resistance gene (str) segment (3.8 kb Sph I fragment) . The str genes cloned from both the parent (SS-1198) and the strain SS-1198PR were identical in their size, restriction site and function . In addition, these strains showed no significant difference in the total DNA digestion pattern . These results indicate that protoplast regeneration may cause a critical change in a specific region of DNA resulting in a high activity of an AAC(3) with a novel substrate range. Rev Pneumol Clin, 1988, 44(6), 278 - 85 {Interactions of antitubercular drugs}; Hugues FC et al.; Antituberculous drugs are never used alone but are often given concomitantly with drugs prescribed for other diseases . We have therefore reviewed the potential interactions of antituberculous drugs between themselves and with other drugs . Rifampicin being a potent enzyme inducer will decrease the plasma levels of a wide range of drugs . This in turn will decrease the effectiveness of these drugs if they are unmetabolized and active, or increase drug toxicity if the metabolites are toxic . Within the first category are the oral contraceptives, steroids, oral antidiabetics, oral anticoagulants and digitalis . Within the second category is thought to be isoniazid on account of its hepatotoxicity . In contrast, isoniazid (INH) is an enzyme inhibitor . Drugs with hepatic metabolism will tend to accumulate, although this seems clinically relevant only with antiepileptic drugs, diazepam, triazolam and oral anticoagulants (with high INH doses) . Many other cases of drug interaction have been described, but they seem to be rare and may not be clinically relevant . INH and rifampicin do not seem to modify each other's metabolism consistently, but it may be wise to check the serum INH levels during coadministration . As said above, rifampicin does increase the hepatotoxicity of INH . INH also inhibits monoamine oxidase and will interact with other MAOI, as well as with fish, cheese or wine with high histamine or tyramine contents . The only interaction found with ethambutol is with diazepam: it increases its clearance and free fraction . Obviously, streptomycin potentiates the ototoxicity of other amino-glycosides, such as capreomycin, kanamycin or viomycin, so that combining them is strictly contra-indicated.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS) Q J Med, 1988 Jan, 66(249), 39 - 54 Human brucellosis in Kuwait: a prospective study of 400 cases; Lulu AR et al.; The clinical pattern of 400 cases of brucellosis in Kuwait is presented . The disease was acute in 77 per cent, sub-acute in 12.5 per cent and chronic in 10.5 per cent of cases . Raw milk was the major source of infection . The major features on presentation, irrespective of the course of the disease, were fever, sweating, headache, rigors, arthralgia, myalgia, and low back pain . Hepatosplenomegaly was present in 41 per cent of cases and in 32 per cent neither liver nor spleen were palpable . The haematologic findings were not specific and hepatic dysfunction (shown by liver enzyme abnormalities) was common . Skeletal (26 per cent) and genital (8.5 per cent) changes and neurobrucellosis (7 per cent) were the major complications . The ELISA was the most sensitive and reliable diagnostic test especially in relation to chronic brucellosis and neurobrucellosis . ELISA allowed the determination of brucella-specific immunoglobulins (Ig)G, IgM and IgA in the CSF, and provided profiles of Ig, in sera, which were different in patients with chronic (elevated IgG and IgA) from those with acute (elevated IgM alone or IgG, IgM and IgA) brucellosis . Treatment with tetracycline, doxycycline or rifampicin gave a cure rate of over 91 per cent in acute and subacute brucellosis . Co-trimoxazole was associated with a relapse rate of 50 per cent . Two drug combinations of streptomycin and tetracycline, streptomycin and rifampicin or streptomycin and doxycycline were effective, but one of five patients with chronic brucellosis relapsed . A combination of streptomycin, tetracycline and rifampicin with or without steroids was used successfully in neurobrucellosis, septicaemic shock and subacute bacterial endocarditis. Chemotherapy, 1988, 34(1), 56 - 60 Antimycobacterial drugs and the production of reactive oxidants by polymorphonuclear leucocytes in vitro; Zeis BM; The effect of five antimycobacterial drugs isoniazid, rifampicin, streptomycin, pyrazinamide and ethambutol on the generation of reactive oxidants by polymorphonuclear leucocytes was investigated in vitro, using N-formyl-L-methionyl-L-leucyl-phenylalanine (FMLP) activated and spontaneous luminol-enhanced chemiluminescence and myeloperoxidase-mediated iodination . Streptomycin, pyrazinamide and ethambutol had no effect on the assays at the concentrations investigated . Isoniazid as concentrations of 1.25 and 5 micrograms/ml and rifampicin at 100 micrograms/ml significantly inhibited iodination . Rifampicin also caused dose-dependent inhibition of chemiluminescence which was partly due to its light-absorbing activities . It is concluded that isoniazid, and to a lesser extent, rifampicin at therapeutic concentrations possess anti-oxidative properties. Lancet, 1987 Dec 19, 2(8573), 1418 - 22 Controlled trial of prednisolone as adjuvant in treatment of tuberculous constrictive pericarditis in Transkei; Strang JI et al.; In Transkei, 143 patients with active tuberculous constrictive pericarditis without significant pericardial effusion all received the same daily 6-month antituberculosis regimen of streptomycin, isoniazid, rifampicin, and pyrazinamide for 14 weeks followed by isoniazid and rifampicin . They were randomly allocated to receive in addition either prednisolone or placebo for the first 11 weeks; the comparison was double-blind throughout treatment and follow-up . In the 114 patients assessable up to 24 months, improvement was significantly more rapid in the prednisolone group, as shown by the rate of fall in the mean pulse rate and the rate at which jugular venous pressure and level of physical activity became normal . During follow-up, 2 (4%) of the 53 prednisolone and 7 (11%) of the 61 placebo patients died from pericarditis, and 11 (21%) and 18 (30%), respectively, required pericardiectomy . By 24 months 50 (94%) prednisolone and 52 (85%) placebo patients had a favourable status . 3 patients (1 prednisolone, 2 placebo) were normally active but were classified as not having achieved a favourable status . It is recommended that, in the absence of a specific contraindication, antituberculosis chemotherapy should be initially supplemented by steroids. Can J Microbiol, 1987 Dec, 33(12), 1064 - 8 Proficiency testing of conventional drug susceptibility tests of Mycobacterium tuberculosis; Laszlo A et al.; Proficiency testing of indirect drug susceptibility tests of Mycobacterium tuberculosis was begun in 1985 by the Laboratory Centre for Disease Control (LCDC) with the participation of Provincial Public Health Laboratories in Canada . Comparable sets of 60 cultures of Mycobacterium tuberculosis representing 30 strains were distributed by LCDC to the participating laboratories to be tested for drug susceptibility against isoniazid, streptomycin, rifampin, and ethambutol using conventional methodologies . Intralaboratory agreement values determined by comparing results obtained on sets of duplicate cultures were high and were found to vary little from drug to drug and from laboratory to laboratory . Interlaboratory agreement was determined by comparing results reported by participating laboratories to those obtained by the Reference Laboratory . Agreement percentages were found to be lower for drug-resistant cultures than for drug-susceptible cultures . The reliability of drug susceptibility testing results was higher for isoniazid and rifampin, than for ethambutol and streptomycin . This study shows that the higher subsidiary drug concentrations do not compare well with main drug concentrations, especially in the case of streptomycin and ethambutol . The significance of the higher subsidiary concentrations in in vitro susceptibility testing is therefore in need of clarification . The proficiency testing results obtained in this study compare favorably with those reported in other developed countries despite the fact that a variety of testing procedures are used throughout the country. Mol Gen Mikrobiol Virusol, 1987 Dec, (12), 3 - 11 {Comparative analysis of the structure of incompatibility plasmids N, P and W}; Dobritsa AP et al.; Evolutionary relationships of the IncN plasmid R15 and other broad host range plasmids (IncN plasmids N3 and R46, IncP plasmids RP4 and R906, IncW plasmids Sa and R388) were studied by Southern blot hybridization technique . The IncN plasmids were shown to harbour homologous determinants for replication and conjugation . No homology was found between the rep and tra genes in R15 and in the IncW and IncP plasmids, respectively . The second rep region of the N3 plasmid is distinctive from the corresponding determinants in the IncN plasmids . Homology was demonstrated for the plasmid genes that mediate restriction and modification in R15 and N3, mercury resistance in R15 and R906, sulfanilamide resistance in R15, N3, R46, Sa, R388, and R906, streptomycin resistance in R15, R46 and Sa . The latter genes are different from the R906 SmR gene . In addition to the three known mobile elements in the plasmid R15, the fourth one (IS46) that is a part of the transposon Tn2353 was identified in this study . Besides, the third copy of this insertion sequence was found in the N3 plasmid. Brain Res, 1987 Nov 3, 425(1), 120 - 7 Specific antagonism of excitotoxic action of 'uncommon' amino acids assayed in organotypic mouse cortical cultures; Ross SM et al.; Beta-N-Methylamino-L-alanine (BMAA) and beta-N-oxalylamino-L-alanine (BOAA) are chemically related excitant amino acids present in the seeds of Cycas circinalis and Lathyrus sativus, respectively . Consumption of these seeds has been linked to Guam amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (BMAA) and lathyrism (BOAA) (a form of primary lateral sclerosis) . We report that the acute neuronotoxic actions of these amino acids are blocked selectively by specific glutamate receptor antagonists . Administration of BOAA and BMAA to neonatal mouse cortex explants (EC100 = 28 microM and 1.6 mM, respectively) rapidly induces postsynaptic vacuolation (PSV) and neuronal degeneration characterized by dark/shrunken (D/S) cells . BOAA-mediated neuronotoxic effects are attenuated in a concentration-dependent manner by cis-2,3-piperidine dicarboxylic acid (PDA), an antagonist of quisqualate (QA)-preferring and kainate (KA)-preferring glutamate receptors . PDA maximally protected against BOAA-induced PSV by 84% at 1 mM and D/S cells by 80% at 0.5 mM . BMAA-induced cellular changes were antagonized selectively in a concentration-dependent manner by 2-amino-7-phosphono-heptanoic acid (AP7), an N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) glutamate-receptor antagonist . AP7 maximally protected against BMAA-induced PSV and D/S by 88% at 1.0 and 0.5 mM, respectively . These protective actions were selective and specific since AP7 failed to attenuate BOAA-induced alterations, and PDA was ineffective in ameliorating BMAA-induced changes . Other glutamate receptor antagonists (glutamic diethyl ester and streptomycin) failed to protect the explants from the destructive action of either toxin . Taken collectively, our data indicate that the acute neuronotoxic actions of BOAA and BMAA (or a metabolite) operate through different glutamate receptor species.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS) Thorax, 1987 Nov, 42(11), 838 - 42 Combined versus single antituberculosis drugs on the in vitro sensitivity patterns of non-tuberculous mycobacteria; Banks J et al.; Drug sensitivity tests were performed for ethambutol, rifampicin, streptomycin, and isoniazid both alone and in paired combinations, on 16 strains of Mycobacterium avium intracellulare, seven strains of Mycobacterium xenopi, and eight strains of Mycobacterium malmoense . Most strains were resistant to the individual drugs, but all strains of M malmoense, 86% of M xenopi, and 31% of M avium intracellulare were completely suppressed by the lowest concentrations of ethambutol and rifampicin when the two drugs were combined in vitro . Streptomycin combined with ethambutol or with rifampicin in the lowest combined concentrations suppressed 50% and 62% respectively of strains of M malmoense . All strains of M xenopi were suppressed by the lowest combined concentrations of streptomycin with rifampicin . Combinations with isoniazid were less effective . It is postulated that similar effects in vivo might account for the satisfactory clinical response seen in patients with disease caused by these mycobacteria who have received treatment with combinations of standard antituberculosis drugs despite in vitro resistance to the individual agents. J Gen Microbiol, 1987 Nov, 133 ( Pt 11), 3151 - 8 The synthesis of heat-shock proteins after a decrease in translational capacity in Escherichia coli; Schnier J; Various conditions which decrease translational capacity and enhance the synthesis of ribosomal components were analysed with respect to the synthesis of heat-shock proteins in Escherichia coli: (a) deprivation of streptomycin from a streptomycin-dependent mutant, (b) addition of tetracycline to a partially tetracycline-resistant strain, and (c) nutritional shift-up conditions . In all cases, the rate of synthesis of the heat-shock proteins DnaK, GroEL and C62.5 decreased while the synthesis of ribosomal components increased . Thus inhibition of ribosome formation or a decrease in translational capacity do not induce the stress proteins, but have the opposite effect. Plasmid, 1987 Nov, 18(3), 246 - 9 Relationships among the streptothricin resistance transposons Tn1825 and Tn1826 and the trimethoprim resistance transposon Tn7; Tietze E et al.; The streptothricin resistance transposons Tn1825 and Tn1826 are closely related, based on physical and genetic characteristics, to the trimethoprim resistance transposon Tn7 . These transposons may be considered to be members of a transposon family sharing in common the transposition functions and a basic streptomycin/spectinomycin resistance determinant but differing from one another with respect to particular additional resistance genes inserted to the left of the aadA gene. Nucleic Acids Res, 1987 Oct 12, 15(19), 8041 - 56 Gene cluster for streptomycin biosynthesis in Streptomyces griseus: nucleotide sequence of three genes and analysis of transcriptional activity; Distler J et al.; Three streptomycin (SM) production genes from Streptomyces griseus clustered around aphD, the major resistance gene, have been sequenced: strB, coding for an aminocyclitol amidinotransferase, ORF5 (strR), a putative regulatory gene, and ORF1 (strD), possibly coding for a hexose nucleotidylating enzyme . Three promoters and at least five, partially overlapping, transcripts have been identified by S1 mapping and Northern blot experiments . aphD, the resistance gene, is transcribed from two promoters . One of them, located inside the strR gene, seems to be constitutive and the other is switched on later in the growth phase . The late transcripts cover the resistance gene (aphD) and a regulatory gene (strR) which controls the expression of strB. Eur J Clin Microbiol, 1987 Oct, 6(5), 530 - 5 Synergistic effects of antimycobacterial drug combinations on Mycobacterium avium complex determined radiometrically in liquid medium; Hoffner SE et al.; A technique to determine the effects of combining antimycobacterial drugs in liquid medium employing the radiometric growth readings in the Bactec system was tested using 20 Mycobacterium avium complex strains . Ten of the strains had been isolated from children with lymphadenopathy and ten from adults with pulmonary disease . All isolates were resistant to streptomycin, rifampicin, isoniazid and ethambutol when tested with a conventional resistant ratio technique on Lowenstein-Jensen medium . Synergistic interactions were shown for the two-drug combinations streptomycin + ethambutol and ethambutol + rifampicin against all 20 strains . Good efficacy was also found for all three-drug combinations containing ethambutol . Thus, although most isolates of the Mycobacterium avium complex are resistant to first-line antituberculous drugs when tested individually, they are susceptible in vitro to certain combinations of these drugs . This rapid radiometric assay is an efficient means for detecting such synergy. Zentralbl Bakteriol Mikrobiol Hyg {A}, 1987 Oct, 266(3-4), 359 - 69 Comparison of ribosomes and ribosomal proteins of sensitive and resistant mycobacteria; Medow I et al.; Ribosomal proteins from Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37 Rv were analyzed by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and 73 proteins were separated . The 30S subunit consists of 26 proteins, the 50S subunit of 41 proteins, 6 proteins of the ribosomes could not be shown in the subunits . The molecular weights for the proteins of the 30S subunit are 9100-43500, and for the proteins of the 50S subunit 8000-46000 . The sedimentation coefficient have values of 28.8S and 47.7S . It was demonstrated that streptomycin-resistant cells in comparison to sensitive cells have two additional 30S proteins . Moreover, the protein L34 has changed its position . Kanamycin- and capreomycin-resistant cells have also two additional proteins, but viomycin shows no changes. Vet Microbiol, 1987 Oct, 15(1-2), 97 - 104 Probable transmission between animals of a plasmid encoding aminoglycoside 3-N-acetyltransferase IV and dihydrofolate reductase I; Chaslus-Dancla E et al.; Ten aminoglycoside-resistant Escherichia coli isolated from the faeces of healthy or diarrhoeic animals reared in the same herd were studied . These strains were resistant to high levels of apramycin and low levels of gentamicin . They were also resistant to streptomycin, tetracycline, trimethoprim and some to ampicillin, chloramphenicol, kanamycin or nalidixic acid . Two strains, isolated from a calf and a lamb, respectively, belonged to the same biotype . All the transconjugants resistant to gentamicin-apramycin were also resistant to streptomycin, tetracycline and trimethoprim . In all cases, these resistances were encoded by plasmids of 100 kb . Analysis of these plasmids by agarose gel electrophoresis after digestion by EcoRI or BamHI revealed their similarity . Hybridization with a 500-bp HpaI insert of plasmid pFE872 was observed with DNA from field strains and their transconjugants, demonstrating the presence on the 100-kb plasmids of the gene coding for a dihydrofolate reductase I . A single plasmid, designated pIP1831, could be observed in identical or different strains isolated from calves or lambs, suggesting the transmission of strains and plasmids between animals of different species. Fortschr Neurol Psychiatr, 1987 Oct, 55(10), 291 - 3 {Primary chronic neurobrucellosis}; Omasits M et al.; Brucellosis involving the nervous system usually shows meningomyelitis and/or radiculoneuritis and can by their clinical appearance not be differentiated from other chronic proliferative diseases of the nervous system . Sporadic cases can only be suspected on clinical grounds if a previous exposition is known . The cerebrospinal fluid showing a proliferative or granulomatous cytological picture is strongly suggestive of the diagnosis, which is confirmed by two rising titer values in the complement binding reaction for Brucella-specific antigen . The agglutination method of Widal is not reliable due to blocking incomplete antibodies . A 46 year-old man developed a transverse myelitis within several months accompanied by fluctuating meningeal signs, segmental irritation and transient cranial nerve palsies . No involvement of other organs and no general symptoms of infectious diseases were seen throughout the clinical course . Most importantly, starting treatment as early as possible is decisive for the outcome using a combination of streptomycin, sulfonamides, gentamycin, rifampicin and tetracyclines. Biochemistry, 1987 Sep 22, 26(19), 6227 - 32 Cross-linking of streptomycin to the 16S ribosomal RNA of Escherichia coli; Gravel M et al.; {3H}Dihydrostreptomycin was cross-linked to the 30S ribosomal subunit from Escherichia coli with the bifunctional reagent nitrogen mustard . The cross-linking primarily involved the 16S RNA . To localize the site of cross-linking of streptomycin to the 16S RNA, we hybridized RNA labeled with streptomycin to restriction fragments of the 16S RNA gene . Labeled RNA hybridized to DNA fragments corresponding to bases 892-917 and bases 1394-1415 . These two segments of the ribosomal RNA must be juxtaposed in the ribosome, since there is a single binding site for streptomycin . This region has been implicated both in the decoding site and in the binding of initiation factor IF-3, indicating its functional importance. Ukr Biokhim Zh, 1987 Sep-Oct, 59(5), 90 - 3 {Changes in the fatty acid composition of pulmonary surfactant phospholipids after administration of antitubercular agents}; Protsiuk RG et al.; The prolonged inhalations of streptomycin sulphate and isoniazid in experiments on rats decrease the content of unsaturated fatty acids and increase that of saturated ones in the phospholipids composition of lungs surfactants. Am Rev Respir Dis, 1987 Aug, 136(2), 325 - 8 The influence of epidemiologic factors on drug resistance rates in tuberculosis; Barnes PF; We evaluated the relationship between drug resistance rates and various epidemiologic factors in 376 hospitalized adults with culture-proved tuberculosis, studying 356 cases prospectively, 20 retrospectively . The patient was interviewed in 332 cases . Patients born in the United States, Canada, or Europe were considered to belong to Group I . Group II consisted of patients born in Latin America, Asia, or Africa and was subdivided into II(a), immigrants living in the United States for more than 10 yr, and II(b), those living here less than 10 yr . Of the 70 patients who had received antituberculosis therapy in the past, resistance rates in Group II (n = 31) to isoniazid (INH), streptomycin (SM), and rifampin (RIF) were extremely high: 39, 29, and 19%, respectively . Nineteen percent showed resistance to both INH and RIF . In Group I (n = 39), INH, SM, and RIF resistance rates were 8, 5, and 8%, respectively . Of 283 patients who gave no history of prior antituberculosis therapy, those in Groups I and II(a) (n = 170) rarely showed INH or RIF resistance . Among recent immigrants from Latin America or Asia {Group II(b), n = 113}, 11.5% showed INH or RIF resistance and 14% harbored organisms resistant to SM . Thus, the 3 variables that are most helpful in estimating the likelihood of drug resistance are a history of prior antituberculosis therapy, country of origin, and duration of residence in the United States. J Bacteriol, 1987 Aug, 169(8), 3608 - 16 Metabolic initiation of differentiation and secondary metabolism by Streptomyces griseus: significance of the stringent response (ppGpp) and GTP content in relation to A factor; Ochi K; I investigated the significance of the intracellular accumulation of guanosine 5'-diphosphate 3'-diphosphate (ppGpp) and of the coordinated decrease in the GTP pool for initiating morphological and physiological differentiation of Streptomyces griseus, a streptomycin-producing strain . In solid cultures, aerial mycelium formation was severely suppressed by the presence of excess nutrients . However, decoyinine, a specific inhibitor of GMP synthetase, enabled the cells to develop aerial mycelia in the suppressed cultures at concentrations which only partially inhibited growth . A factor (2S-isocapryloyl-3S-hydroxymethyl-gamma-butyrolactone) added exogenously had no such effect . Decoyinine was also effective in initiating the formation of submerged spores in liquid culture . The ability to produce streptomycin did not increase but decreased drastically on the addition of decoyinine . This sharp decrease in streptomycin production was accompanied by a decrease in intracellular accumulation of ppGpp . A relaxed (rel) mutant was found among 25 thiopeptin-resistant isolates which developed spontaneously . The rel mutant had a severely reduced ability to accumulate ppGpp during a nutritional shift-down and also during postexponential growth and showed a less extensive decrease in the GTP pool than that in the rel+ parental strain . The rel mutant failed to induce the enzymes amidinotransferase and streptomycin kinase, which are essential for the biosynthesis of streptomycin . The abilities to form aerial mycelia and submerged spores were still retained, but the amounts were less, and for both the onset of development was markedly delayed . The decreased ability to produced submerged spores was largely restored by the addition of decoyinine . This was accompanied by an extensive GTP pool decrease . The rel mutant produced A factor normally, indicating that synthesis of A factor is controlled neither by ppGpp nor by GTP . Conversely, a mutant defective in A-factor synthesis accumulated as much ppGpp as did the parental strain . It was concluded that morphological differentiation of S . griseus results from a decrease in the pool of GTP, whereas physiological differentiation results from a more direct function of the rel gene product (ppGpp) . It is also suggested that A factor may render the cell sensitive to receive and respond to the specified signal molecules, presumably ppGpp (for physiological differentiation) or GTP (for morphological differentiation). J Bacteriol, 1987 Aug, 169(8), 3400 - 8 Isolation and characterization of a new globomycin-resistant dnaE mutant of Escherichia coli; Sakka K et al.; We isolated a globomycin-resistant, temperature-sensitive mutant of Escherichia coli K-12 strain AB1157 . The mutation mapped in dnaE, the structural gene for the alpha-subunit of DNA polymerase III . The in vivo processing of lipid-modified prolipoprotein was more resistant to globomycin in the mutant strain 307 than in its parent . The prolipoprotein signal peptidase activity was also increased twofold in the mutant, and there was a threefold increase in the activity of isoleucyl-tRNA synthetase . The results suggest that a mutation in dnaE may affect the expression of the ileS-lsp operon in E . coli . In addition, strain 307 showed a reduced level of streptomycin resistance compared with its parental strain AB1157 (rpsL31) . Strain 307 was killed by streptomycin at a concentration of 200 micrograms/ml, which did not affect the rate of bulk protein synthesis in this mutant . A second mutation which was involved in the reduced streptomycin resistance in strain 307 was identified and found to be closely linked to or within the rpsD (ramA, ribosomal ambiguity) gene . Both dnaE and rpsD were required for the reduced streptomycin resistance in strain 307. J Pharm Pharmacol, 1987 Aug, 39(8), 577 - 82 A comparative investigation of glycinebetaine and dimethylsulphoxide as liposome cryoprotectants; Higgins J et al.; The release of streptomycin from lecithin liposomes following a freeze-thaw cycle was used to measure the cryoprotective activities of glycinebetaine and dimethylsulphoxide (DMSO) . At concentrations between 4 and 8% w/v in the external solution, glycinebetaine was superior to DMSO at freezing rates faster than 50 degrees C min-1 . At lower rates their activities were similar, and drug loss ranged between 10 and 20% depending upon freezing rate and cryoprotectant concentration . The pattern of streptomycin loss when the concentrations of cryoprotectants inside and outside the liposome were varied indicated that glycinebetaine, in contrast to DMSO, does not diffuse across the liposome membrane . The activity of glycinebetaine was not impaired by the presence in the membrane of cholesterol or charged lipids. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A, 1987 Aug, 84(15), 5163 - 6 Active transport of messenger ribonucleoprotein particles in a reconstituted cell-free system; French BT et al.; The ability of a reconstituted cell-free system to transport mRNA as a ribonucleoprotein particle has been examined . Poly(A) messenger ribonucleoproteins (mRNPs), UV cross-linked after release from isolated liver nuclei in a cell-free system, exhibited a buoyant density of 1.33 g/cm3 in cesium sulfate and 1.47 g/cm3 in cesium chloride, values identical to those of poly(A) mRNP isolated directly from liver polysomes . Furthermore, the in vivo and in vitro transported mRNP showed a similar degree of resistance to RNase digestion and had sedimentation coefficients approximately 2.5 times that of the isolated mRNA . Release of both total mRNA and alpha 2 mu-globulin mRNA was proportional to the concentration of a specific cytoplasmic protein . Removal of the transport proteins from the cytosol with streptomycin sulfate provided a basal system incapable of supporting the active transport of alpha 2 mu-globulin mRNA . Hybridization of released RNA with a recombinant probe specific for intron 6 of alpha 2 mu-globulin showed that intron sequences were retained within the nucleus under optimal alpha 2 mu-globulin mRNA transport conditions and that the transported alpha 2 mu-globulin mRNA was of mature size. Postgrad Med J, 1987 Jul, 63(741), 539 - 42 Abdominal tuberculosis in East Birmingham--a 16 year study; Sharp JF et al.; Abdominal tuberculosis, although rare, occurs mainly in immigrants from the Indian subcontinent . Such people comprise 13.5% of our local population and contributed 90% of a series of 72 patients presenting in the last 16 years; a local disease incidence of 1:6000 for Asian immigrants . Men and women were equally affected, but on average women were much younger . Diagnosis was made from one month to 10 years after immigration . No clinical feature was diagnostic, but abdominal pain, night sweats and weight loss occurred in more than half the patients . The erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) was elevated in 95% and no patient tested had a negative Mantoux test . In 20 patients diagnosis was by clinical suspicion and response to therapeutic trial . In 52, including 39 who had a laparotomy, histological and culture material was obtained but these patients fared no better . Only one organism was resistant (to streptomycin) and rapid response to chemotherapy was the rule . Successful outcome was not related to the type of presentation, operative findings or specific chemotherapeutic agents . We would suggest that in Asians presenting with difficult-to-diagnose abdominal symptoms accompanied by malaise, raised ESR and a positive Mantoux test, a therapeutic trial of anti-tuberculous therapy should precede diagnostic laparotomy. Rev Infect Dis, 1987 Jul-Aug, 9(4), 810 - 22 Brucellar meningitis; Bouza E et al.; Neurobrucellosis develops in less than 5% of cases of systemic brucellosis; however, most patients with neurobrucellosis have meningeal involvement . Seven new cases of brucellar meningitis and 17 cases from the Spanish- and English-language medical literature are analyzed in terms of epidemiologic data, clinical manifestations, laboratory results for cerebrospinal fluid and serum, treatment, and course of the disease . Brucellar meningitis mimics other neurologic and non-neurologic conditions, and its diagnosis is only suggested in the presence of adequate epidemiologic information . Isolation of Brucella from the cerebrospinal fluid is uncommon . Treatment is accomplished with the combination of tetracycline or doxycycline and streptomycin, rifampin, or both . Mean length of therapy in the seven new cases was 8.5 months . Brucellar meningitis has a better prognosis than other forms of chronic meningitis, and mortality is low for reasons that are not clear; however, the incidence of minor sequelae is high. Mol Gen Genet, 1987 Jul, 208(3), 373 - 6 Effects of miaA on translation and growth rates; Diaz I et al.; We have measured the growth rates and elongation rates for different proteins in wild-type, miaA, rpsL, and miaA, rpsL double mutants of Escherichia coli in the presence as well as the absence of streptomycin . The data show that while miaA and rpsL mutants inhibit elongation rates to equivalent levels, miaA inhibits the growth rate twice as effectively as does rpsL . The double mutant is more effectively inhibited than either single mutant and Sm repairs in part the growth rate as well as protein elongation rates . The data suggest that the conditional streptomycin-dependent phenotype of the double mutant cannot be due simply to the depressed polypeptide elongation rates of the double mutant. J Bacteriol, 1987 Jun, 169(6), 2548 - 54 Bradyrhizobium japonicum mutants defective in nitrogen fixation and molybdenum metabolism; Maier RJ et al.; Bradyrhizobium japonicum JH mutants deficient in molybdenum metabolism into the enzymes nitrogenase and nitrate reductase were isolated by using the vector pSUP1011, which carries transposon Tn5 (streptomycin and kanamycin resistance) . Mutants in Mo metabolism were obtained at a frequency of 3.6 X 10(-3) (per Kan Strr colony) . The mutants were detected by their poor ability to grow in nitrate-containing medium without added Mo . One of the mutant types required 10(5) times more molybdate than the wild type to obtain maximal nitrogen fixation activity . Double-reciprocal plots of Mo uptake versus concentration indicated that the wild-type strain had a high- and a lower-affinity component for Mo binding . Mutant strains JH-90 and JH-119 lacked the high-affinity Mo uptake component and were also clearly deficient in Mo accumulation into a nonexchangeable form . Nitrogenase activity as well as Mo uptake ability could be restored in strains JH-90 and JH-119 by the addition of the sterile supernatant fraction of the wild type . Therefore, mutant strains JH-90 and JH-119 appeared to be deficient in an extracellular Mo-binding factor produced by the wild type . Mutant strains JH-14 and JH-143 had Mo uptake kinetics like those of the wild type (both high- and low-affinity binding for Mo) and appeared to be deficient in intracellular Mo metabolism processes . The addition of the wild-type supernatant did not restore Mo uptake or nitrogenase activity in these strains. Mol Gen Genet, 1987 Jun, 208(1-2), 195 - 203 Characterisation of the hydroxystreptomycin phosphotransferase gene (sph) of Streptomyces glaucescens: nucleotide sequence and promoter analysis; Vogtli M et al.; The nucleotide sequence of a 1384 bp fragment containing the coding and promoter sequences of the streptomycin phosphotransferase gene (sph) of the hydroxystreptomycin-producing Streptomyces glaucescens was determined . Evidence for an ATG as translation start codon for sph was derived from a comparison with the amino-terminal amino acid sequence of an aminoglycoside phosphotransferase (aphD gene product) of S . griseus, exhibiting a high degree of amino acid homology to the deduced amino acid sequence of the S . glaucescens sph gene product . Transcriptional start and termination sites for the sph gene were identified by primer extension and/or nuclease S1 mapping experiments . The promoter region of the sph gene appears to be complex since tandemly arranged promoters (orfIp1, orfIp2) initiating transcription of a likely coding region (ORFI) in the opposite direction overlap sph promoter sequences . The presumptive sphp and orfIp1 promoters show considerable sequence similarities in the -10 region to Escherichia coli consensus promoter sequences but no homology to E . coli or Streptomyces -35 regions. J Biol Chem, 1987 May 5, 262(13), 6149 - 54 Drug-induced Ca2+ release from isolated sarcoplasmic reticulum . III . Block of Ca2+-induced Ca2+ release by organic polyamines; Palade P; Calcium ions that have been preloaded into isolated SR subfractions in the presence of ATP and pyrophosphate may be released upon addition of a large number of diverse pharmacologic substances in a manner that is effectively blocked by ruthenium red and other organic polyamines . Effective blocking substances include certain antibiotics (neomycin, gentamicin, streptomycin, clindamycin, kanamycin, and tobramycin), naturally occurring polyamines (spermine and spermidine), and a number of basic polypeptides and proteins (polylysine, polyarginine, certain histones, and protamine) . These agents have only one feature in common: the presence of several amino groups . Ruthenium red, neomycin, spermine, and protamine all appear to act by blocking SR Ca2+ channels since unidirectional 45Ca2+ efflux from the vesicles is strongly inhibited by these agents . Functions ascribable to the SR Ca2+ pump are largely unaffected by these agents . Since inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate is ineffective at inducing Ca2+ release under these conditions, we conclude that these polyamines may directly block SR Ca2+ channels at very low concentrations by a mechanism unrelated to effects on inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate production. Rev Infect Dis, 1987 May-Jun, 9(3), 531 - 43 Osteoarticular complications of brucellosis: a study of 169 cases; Mousa AR et al.; Of 452 patients with brucellosis, 169 (111 male and 58 female) had osteoarticular complications . Brucella melitensis was isolated from the blood in 7.7% of the cases . Fever, chills, arthralgia, backache, high levels of C-reactive protein, positive rheumatoid factor, and splenomegaly were more frequent in osteoarticular brucellosis than in nonosteoarticular disease . Arthritis occurred in the hip joint in 90 cases (53%), knees in 61 (36%), sacroiliacs in 33 (20%), ankles in 25 (15%), elbows in nine (5.3%), shoulders in eight (5%), wrists in six (3.5%), and sternoclavicular arthritis occurred in three cases (1.8%) . Spondylitis occurred in 10 cases (6%), osteomyelitis in four (2.4%), and tendinitis or bursitis in two (1.2%) . Treatment with tetracycline or trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (TMP-SMZ) alone (four to eight weeks) or in combination with streptomycin (two to four weeks) resulted in a relapse rate of 16.6% . No relapses occurred in seven patients treated with repeated four- to six-weeks courses of rifampin plus tetracycline or TMP-SMZ plus streptomycin. J Antibiot (Tokyo), 1987 May, 40(5), 685 - 91 Biological activity of nitroguaiacol ether derivatives of streptomycin; Abad JP et al.; The correlation between the "in vivo" and "in vitro" inhibitory properties of six nitroguaiacol ether derivatives of streptomycin is studied . The differential activity of the derivatives is more closely related to differences in efficiency in the transport of the drugs than to their capacity to inhibit poly(U) directed polyphenylalanine synthesis . The results obtained are discussed in relation to the characteristics of the different derivatives. J Pharmacol Exp Ther, 1987 May, 241(2), 686 - 94 Potentiation of aminoglycoside-induced neuromuscular blockade by protons in vitro and in vivo; Talbot PA; pH-dependent effects of 100 microM streptomycin and various aminoglycosides were examined at frog (Rana pipiens pipiens) sciatic sartorii in vitro by using the intracellular microelectrode recording technique . pH-dependent effects of streptomycin were also examined on indirectly elicited (nerve-stimulated) and directly elicited sartorius muscle twitches in vitro . Furthermore, in vivo effects of systemic pH alterations on neomycin-induced mortality were examined in Sprague-Dawley rats . There was a direct correlation between aminoglycoside potency and the number of basic groups per drug molecule (r = 0.95) . At pH 7.2 and 9.0, the effect of pH on aminoglycoside potency correlated inversely with the pKa of the aminoglycoside (r = -0.98) . At 0.7 and 2.2 pH units below 7.2, however, aminoglycoside-induced inhibitions of quantal content, end-plate potential amplitude and the indirectly elicited muscle twitch were potentiated by a pH-dependent mechanism that was independent of the pKa of the aminoglycoside . At these pH values, qualitatively similar drug effects were not observed on miniature end-plate potential amplitude and frequency or the directly elicited muscle twitch . Potentiation of aminoglycoside action was observed on mortality of rats, however, when the pH was 0.1 pH unit below 7.4 . Thus, potentiation of aminoglycoside-induced neuromuscular blockade by protons in vitro and in vivo was demonstrated and appears to involve the pH-dependent activity of a prejunctional membrane component that regulates voltage-dependent, Ca++-mediated transmitter release. J Gen Microbiol, 1987 May, 133 ( Pt 5), 1289 - 96 The nucleotide sequence of a streptomycin streptomycin phosphotransferase (streptomycin kinase) {corrected} gene from a streptomycin producer; Shinkawa H et al.; The nucleotide sequence of the DNA fragment containing the streptomycin phosphotransferase (streptomycin kinase) {corrected} gene from the streptomycin-producer Streptomyces griseus strain HUT 6037 was determined . Analysis of the sequence revealed an open reading frame which could encode 325 amino acid residues . A biased codon usage pattern, reflecting the high G + C composition (approximately 74%) of Streptomyces DNA, was observed in the gene. Anal Biochem, 1987 Apr, 162(1), 219 - 23 Fluorometric determination of streptomycin in serum by high-performance liquid chromatography using mobile phase containing fluorogenic reagent; Kubo H et al.; A new postcolumn derivatization method for the fluorometric determination of streptomycin in serum by high-performance liquid chromatography is described . The serum was treated with 3.5% perchloric acid to precipitate proteins and the supernatant was directly injected into the chromatograph . Streptomycin was separated by reversed-phase, ion-pair chromatography with a mobile phase containing ninhydrin as a fluorogenic reagent, octanesulfonate, and 1,2-ethanedisulfonate as counterions, and was detected by fluorescence using continuous-flow, postcolumn derivatization in an alkaline stream with ninhydrin in the mobile phase . This method is sensitive to 1.0 microgram/ml using only 100 microliter of serum . Comparison with a fluorescence polarization immunoassay gave a good correlation coefficient of 0.976. Mikrobiyol Bul, 1987 Apr, 21(2), 110 - 6 {Brucellosis: clinical and laboratory findings and treatment in 40 patients}; Colak H; Forty patients with brucellosis were hospitalized and clinical and laboratory findings of patients were recorded, treatment regimens were discussed . Twenty-five of the patients were males and 15 of the patients were females . Leukopenia 21.62%, anemia 27.02% and ESR elevation 83.87% were found . Fever and exhaustion were present all of the patients . Arthralgia, nonproductive cough, gastrointestinal symptoms, headache and night sweating were the other common symptoms . Hepatomegaly, splenomegaly, hepatosplenomegaly and ronchus were imported physical examination findings . First choice treatment solution was tetracycline-streptomycin combination and this combination succeed 89.19 in percent . Relapses were treated with rifampicin. Mol Gen Genet, 1987 Apr, 207(1), 15 - 23 Transposon-induced symbiotic mutants of Bradyrhizobium japonicum: isolation of two gene regions essential for nodulation; So JS et al.; Two strains of the soybean endosymbiont Bradyrhizobium japonicum, USDA 110 and 61 A101 C, were mutagenized with transposon Tn5 . After plant infection tests of a total of 6,926 kanamycin and streptomycin resistant transconjugants, 25 mutants were identified that are defective in nodule formation (Nod-) or nitrogen fixation (Fix-) . Seven Nod- mutants were isolated from strain USDA110 and from strain 61 A101 C, 4 Nod- mutants and 14 Fix- mutants were identified . Subsequent auxotrophic tests on these symbiotically defective mutants identified 4 His- Nod- mutants of USDA110 . Genomic Southern analysis of the 25 mutants revealed that each of them carried a single copy of Tn5 integrated in the genome . Three 61 A101 C Fix- mutants were found to have vector DNA co-integrated along with Tn5 in the genome . Two independent DNA regions flanking Tn5 were cloned from the three non-auxotrophic Nod- mutants and one His-Nod- mutant of USDA110 . Homogenotization of the cloned fragments into wild-type strain USDA110 and subsequent nodulation assay of the resulting homogenotes confirmed that the Tn5 insertion was responsible for the Nod- phenotype . Partial EcoR1 restriction enzyme maps around the Tn5 insertion sites were generated . Hybridization of these cloned regions to the previously cloned nod regions of R . meliloti and nif and nod regions of B . japonicum USDA110 showed no homology, suggesting that these regions represent new symbiotic clusters of B . japonicum. Br J Ophthalmol, 1987 Mar, 71(3), 192 - 6 Use of contrast sensitivity measurement in the detection of subclinical ethambutol toxic optic neuropathy; Salmon JF et al.; Contrast sensitivity was measured by means of Arden grating plates in 100 patients on medication for pulmonary tuberculosis . The scores were abnormal in 38.2% of the patients whose therapy included ethambutol for three months, and 36.7% of the patients on similar treatment for six months . In comparison with age matched groups of patients on a regimen where streptomycin replaced ethambutol a statistically significant number of the patients on ethambutol had abnormal scores . This study suggests that Arden contrast sensitivity plates would be effective in detecting subclinical toxic optic neuropathy due to ethambutol and therefore could be used for routine monitoring of ocular function of patients on ethambutol . Loss of contrast sensitivity may explain why some patients on ethambutol with normal visual acuity and colour perception may still complain of visual disturbance. Mutat Res, 1987 Mar, 183(2), 169 - 75 General characteristics, molecular and genetic analysis of two new UV-sensitive mutants of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii; Vlcek D et al.; Two new UV-sensitive mutants of Chlamydomonas, UVS10 and UVS11, were isolated . Both behave as single nuclear mutations . UVS10 was mapped to linkage group I . UVS11 is a separate, unlinked mutation but has not yet been located to a specific linkage group . Both mutants are proficient in the excision of pyrimidine dimers from nuclear DNA . The survival of UV-irradiated UVS11 is increased when plated in the presence of 1.5 mM caffeine, similar to wild-type . Caffeine has no effect on the survival of UV-irradiated UVS10 . UV-irradiated UVS11 frequently divides at least once before dying, in contrast to UVS10 or wild-type . UVS11 also exhibits a much increased frequency of mutation to streptomycin resistance after UV irradiation. Q J Med, 1987 Mar, 62(239), 249 - 58 Treatment of tuberculous meningitis: role of short-course chemotherapy; Phuapradit P et al.; Twenty-eight adult patients admitted consecutively with tuberculous meningitis were treated with pyrazinamide, isoniazid, rifampicin and streptomycin daily during the first two months, followed by isoniazid and rifampicin daily for seven months with intensive management of the complications during the active stage of the meningitis . Twenty-two patients completed the course of treatment and recovered with minimal morbidity in three patients . Two patients died in a vegetative state from other causes seven and nine months after the start of treatment . No evidence of recurrence of meningitis was observed in the 21 patients who were regularly observed for 12 to 29 months after completing treatment . Four patients dropped out during the early stage of treatment . Intensive chemotherapy of tuberculous meningitis with this regimen before the development of serious neurological damage can shorten the duration of treatment to nine months with a favourable outcome. Early Hum Dev, 1987 Mar, 15(2), 61 - 74 Teratology of the antituberculosis drugs; Holdiness MR; The teratogenic effects of twelve antituberculosis drugs in animal models and man are reviewed . A number of congenital malformations have been associated with the use of these agents; however, for the most part, the birth defect rate is not above that expected for the normal population . Isoniazid and ethambutol are considered the safest for maternal use . Although rifampicin appears to be more problematic, if the disease is severe or extensive, it may be added, preferably after the first trimester . Streptomycin and kanamycin are associated with eighth cranial nerve damage and should be avoided if possible during cyesis . At least five of these compounds have documented evidence of transplacental passage . In consideration of the number of drugs that are available for treatment, routine therapeutic abortions in pregnant females with tuberculosis is not medically indicated. Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg, 1987 Mar, 96(3), 256 - 9 Streptomycin treatment in Menière's disease; Moretz WH Jr et al.; Streptomycin treatment in Meniere's disease has traditionally been used for control of vertigo in patients with severe bilateral involvement or unilateral involvement in the only hearing ear . Guidelines for use that have worked at the Shea Clinic are presented . In addition, a special case is discussed in which this form of therapy has been used for treatment of fluctuant hearing loss in a patient with Meniere's disease. Nucleic Acids Res, 1987 Feb 25, 15(4), 1819 - 33 Nucleotide sequence of the streptomycinphosphotransferase and amidinotransferase genes from Streptomyces griseus; Tohyama H et al.; Genes for streptomycin phosphotransferase and inosamine-P-amidinotransferase from a streptomycin-producing Streptomyces griseus were cloned on a 3.8kb BamHI-SphI fragment in S . lividans using the multicopy cloning vector pIJ702 . The nucleotide sequence of this 3.8kb fragment was determined and the coding sequences for the two genes were identified by comparison with the amino-terminal sequences of the two enzymes purified from S . lividans clones. Neurochem Res, 1987 Feb, 12(2), 179 - 88 Translational regulation in rat brain hemispheres; Tewari S et al.; Present studies on the sensitivity of the transcription process in rat cerebral hemispheres showed that the relative abundance and translation of free and bound poly (A)+ mRNAs in a reticulocyte mRNA-dependent system were reduced following 1 h and 4 h of ethanol or pentobarbital administration with free being affected to a greater extent than the bound poly (A)+ mRNAs . In addition, the energy-dependent nucleocytoplasmic transport of in vivo {3H}labeled nuclear RNA to surrogate cytoplasm was modified in response to ethanol exposure . The translocation of the labeled nuclear RNA fraction occurred only to the microsomal/ribosomal fractions of the cytoplasm, was stimulated by cyclic cAMP and abolish