J Immunol, 1987 Jul 15, 139(2), 645 - 8 Cytotoxic effector function of B lymphoblasts; Bersani L et al.; EBV-transformed B lymphoblastoid cell lines and clones were cytotoxic in vitro against Actinomycin D-pretreated WEHI 164 sarcoma cells, a system in which mononuclear phagocytes were previously identified as effectors . Similarly, unlike resting B cells, normal B lymphoblasts stimulated for 72 hr with Staphylococcus aureus Cowan I and purified according to the expression of the B cell surface marker B1, demonstrated appreciable cytolytic activity . B lymphoblastoid cells and derived supernatants were cytotoxic for Actinomycin D-pretreated WEHI 164 cells, and killing was inhibited by an anti-lymphotoxin but not an anti-tumor necrosis factor antiserum . Thus, B lymphoblasts have cytotoxic potential, mediated by lymphotoxin or a lymphotoxin-like soluble product. J Immunol, 1987 Jul 15, 139(2), 422 - 8 The induction of lymphokine synthesis and cell growth in IL 3-dependent cell lines using antigen-antibody complexes; Le Gros GS et al.; Several IL 3-dependent murine bone marrow-derived cell lines can be stimulated to grow with antigen-antibody (Ag.Ab) complexes . The Ag.Ab complexes induced lymphokine gene expression and the synthesis of IL 2, GM-CSF, IL 3, and BSF-1 (IL 4) . The lymphokines produced by these IL 3-dependent cells appeared to stimulate their own growth, as both IL 3 and BSF-1 (IL 4) stimulated the growth of IL 3-dependent cells . Ag.Ab complexes also stimulate the growth of primary cultures of bone marrow cells that have been previously activated with IL 3 . Normal bone marrow, IL 2-, and GM-CSF-dependent bone marrow cell lines could bind Ag.Ab complexes, but binding did not result in the induction of lymphokine synthesis or cell growth . Hyperimmune serum from mice also stimulated lymphokine synthesis and cell growth in IL 3-dependent cells, and the stimulatory activity was removed by treatment with Staphylococcus aureus protein A, suggesting the presence of Ag.Ab complexes. Biochemistry, 1987 Jul 14, 26(14), 4511 - 6 Identification of two segments, separated by approximately 45 kilodaltons, of the myosin subfragment 1 heavy chain that can be cross-linked to the SH-1 thiol; Sutoh K et al.; The thiol-specific photoactivatable reagent 4-(2-iodoacetamido)benzophenone (BPIA) can be selectively incorporated into the SH-1 of myosin subfragment 1 (S1), and upon photolysis an intramolecular cross-link is formed between SH-1 and the N-terminal 25-kDa region of S1 . If a Mg2+-nucleotide is present during photolysis, cross-links can be formed either with the 25-kDa or with the central 50-kDa region {Lu, R . C., Moo, L., & Wong, A . G . (1986) Proc . Natl . Acad . Sci . U.S.A . 83, 6392-6396} . Heavy chains with these two types of intramolecular cross-links and un-cross-linked heavy chain have different mobility on sodium dodecyl sulfate (NaDodSO4)-polyacrylamide gels and therefore can be purified electrophoretically . Each type of heavy chain was cleaved with Staphylococcus aureus protease, chymotrypsin, or lysyl endopeptidase . The cleavage points were determined on the basis of the molecular weights of weights of peptides containing the N-terminus, which was identified with the use of an antibody . Locations of the cross-links were deduced by comparing the peptide maps of cross-linked and un-cross-linked heavy chains . The results indicate that the segment located about 12-16 kDa from the N-terminus of the heavy chain can be cross-linked to SH-1 via BPIA independently of the presence of a nucleotide, whereas the segment located 57-60 kDa from the N-terminus can be cross-linked to SH-1 only in the presence of a Mg2+-nucleotide . With use of the avidin-biotin system, it has been shown that SH-1 is located 13 nm from the head/rod junction {Sutoh, K., Yamamoto, K., & Wakabayashi, T . (1984) J . Mol . Biol . 178, 323-339} . Since BPIA spans less than 1 nm, our results show that two regions, separated by approximately 400 amino acid residues and located in the 25- and 50-kDa domains of S1, respectively, are also part of the head structure about 12-14 nm from the head/rod junction. Anal Biochem, 1987 Jul, 164(1), 84 - 9 Purification of alpha-toxin from Staphylococcus aureus and application to cell permeabilization; Lind I et al.; Crude alpha-toxin was produced by Staphylococcus aureus, strain Wood 46 . The amount of exotoxin was monitored during growth and all subsequent purification steps by determination of its hemolytic activity against rabbit erythrocytes . The culture supernatant was treated with ammonium sulfate (75% saturation) . The resulting precipitate was dialyzed and subjected to cation-exchange chromatography . The fractions containing the hemolytic activity were further purified by gel chromatography . The final product was enriched by a factor of 8.5 compared to the crude toxin . In sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis the purified toxin exhibited one major band . It caused the release of 86Rb+ and ATP from rat insulinoma (RIN A2) as well as pheochromocytoma cells (PC12) in culture, indicating efficient permeabilization of their plasma membranes for small molecules. Zentralbl Bakteriol Mikrobiol Hyg {A}, 1987 Jul, 265(3-4), 393 - 403 Modifying effects of pH and temperature on (14C)erythromycin uptake into Staphylococcus aureus--relation to antimicrobial activity; Dette GA et al.; The uptake of (14C)erythromycin into Staphylococcus aureus was investigated by use of a rapid centrifugation method . Erythromycin uptake was saturable with time and with increasing erythromycin concentrations (apparent uptake constant Km = 6.0 x 10(-7) moles/l) . Inhibitors of glycolysis, respiration and oxidative phosphorylation did not influence the uptake process but uptake was decreased by reducing temperature . Increases of erythromycin uptake, decreases of half life times of the uptake reaction and a log dose linked to enhancement of antimicrobial activity were seen with alkaline pH levels of the incubation medium . The experimental data conform well with the concept of non ionic diffusion . The high affinity of erythromycin to the intracellular ribosomal target site probably generates the driving force of uptake and the unionized antibiotic obviously represents the antimicrobially active molecular form. Mol Gen Mikrobiol Virusol, 1987 Jul, (7), 23 - 7 {Preparation and properties of the staphylococcal toxin causing the toxic shock syndrome}; Fan'kovskaia MK et al.; A method is proposed for isolation and purification of the staphylococcal toxin causing the toxic shock syndrome (TSS) . The method includes three steps: aggregation of protein from the cultural filtrate of Staphylococcus aureus strain 1169 in the presence of 0.025% sodium hexametaphosphate at pH 3.0; gel filtration of the concentrated material on the sephadex G75; ion-exchange chromatography on DEAE 32 cellulose . The proposed method permits to obtain the purified biologically active preparation of toxin with the yield about 40% . The obtained preparations are homogeneous in polyacrylamide electrophoresis and as analyzed by immunochemical methods . The mol mass of the isolated protein is 24 kD, it is not immunologically identical to staphylococcal toxins A-D and is lethal for New Zealand white rabbits and chinchilla rabbits . Interferon inducing activity of the protein is identical to the one of staphylococcal enterotoxin type A. J Gen Microbiol, 1987 Jul, 133 ( Pt 7), 1919 - 29 The cloning of chromosomal DNA associated with methicillin and other resistances in Staphylococcus aureus; Matthews PR et al.; Competitive hybridization was used to detect the deletion of chromosomal DNA accompanying the loss of resistance to methicillin (and concomitantly, to cadmium, mercury and tetracycline) from a clinical strain of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) . The method was also used to screen a partial plasmid library of chromosomal HindIII fragments from the MRSA strain . Eight recombinant plasmid clones were identified as containing DNA included in the deletion . These clones were used as probes to screen a phage library of the total DNA of the same MRSA strain, resulting in the isolation of overlapping recombinant phage clones carrying 24 kb of the deleted DNA . Two of the cloned HindIII fragments were associated closely with methicillin resistance, as shown by probing DNA from an independent methicillin-sensitive/resistant transduced strain pair and from two MRSA strains following growth in the presence of high concentrations of methicillin . The endonuclease map of the cloned DNA indicates the presence of four copies of a direct repeat less than 1 kb in size . The map is also consistent with the presence in the chromosome of sequences for mercury resistance (mer A mer B) and for tetracycline-resistance plasmid pT181. J Comp Pathol, 1987 Jul, 97(4), 481 - 5 The effects of tick-borne fever on some functions of polymorphonuclear cells of sheep; Woldehiwet Z; Peripheral leucocytes obtained from sheep experimentally infected with tick-borne fever had a significantly reduced capacity to phagocytose and kill Staphylococcus aureus in vitro . Infected neutrophils were also less able to attach to glass surfaces than normal neutrophils . The period of reduced phagocytic activity coincided with the period of parasitaemia and severe neutropenia. Postgrad Med J, 1987 Jul, 63(741), 585 - 6 Staphylococcus aureus endocarditis presenting as acute scrotal pain; Watanakunakorn C; A previously healthy 17 year old boy had Staphylococcus aureus endocarditis presenting as acute scrotal pain . There was no trauma or evidence of scrotal or epididymal infection . The pain subsided after therapy for endocarditis was started. Infect Control, 1987 Jul, 8(7), 284 - 8 The analysis of the impact of a mild, low-iodine, lotion soap on the reduction of nosocomial methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus: a new opportunity for surveillance by objectives; Onesko KM et al.; A significant unremitting increase in the incidence of nosocomial methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections in a 500-bed acute care community teaching hospital prompted reevaluation of the efficacy of the infection control measures used . A well-accepted, low-iodine, antimicrobial soap was used to replace a liquid natural handsoap in two areas with the highest incidence of MRSA--the intensive care unit, and a medical division . Over a two-year period, an analysis was made of the effect of soap replacement on nosocomial infections and pathogens . Soap changeover occurred at the midpoint of the two-year period . From year to year, the nosocomial MRSA rate decreased 80% (t test, P = 0.005) . Other pathogens that demonstrated a dramatic decrease included methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA), infections where no pathogens were isolated, and various gram-negative infections . Categories of nosocomial infections that decreased included surgical wound infections, primary bacteremias, and respiratory tract infections . The overall nosocomial infection rate of the two combined areas decreased 21.5%, representing a year-to-year savings of $109,500 . As a result, the decision was made to install the low-iodine handsoap permanently at all sinks within the hospital. Am J Vet Res, 1987 Jul, 48(7), 1114 - 9 Effects of dexamethasone, levamisole, and dexamethasone-levamisole combination on neutrophil function in female goats; Maddux JM et al.; Effects of dexamethasone, levamisole, or combined dexamethasone-levamisole administration on polymorphonuclear neutrophil (PMN) function in healthy, adult female goats were studied . Goats were assigned to treated (n = 6) and control (n = 6) groups . In experiment 1, treated goats were given levamisole (6 mg/kg of body weight, IM) . In experiment 2, treated goats were given 0.1 mg of dexamethasone/kg, IV, for 3 consecutive days, 1 mg of dexamethasone/kg, IV, for 6 consecutive days, and 6 mg of levamisole/kg, IM, with a 4th injection of 1 mg of dexamethasone/kg . All injections were administered 12 hours before blood collection . The PMN were evaluated for random migration and chemotaxis under agarose, ingestion of Staphylococcus aureus, cytochrome C reduction, iodination, and antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity . Levamisole alone did not alter the function of caprine PMN . Both doses of dexamethasone caused increased random migration and decreased cytochrome C reduction and iodination . Dexamethasone resulted in no changes in chemotaxis, S aureus ingestion, and antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity . Random migration and cytochrome C reduction returned toward base line in cells from dexamethasone and levamisole-treated goats . Although iodination activity in cells from dexamethasone-treated goats remained significantly (P less than 0.05) lower than those of controls after levamisole administration, a rebound toward base-line activity occurred. Am J Vet Res, 1987 Jul, 48(7), 1101 - 5 Posologic evaluation of clindamycin, using a canine model of posttraumatic osteomyelitis; Braden TD et al.; Posttraumatic osteomyelitis attributable to Staphylococcus aureus infection was experimentally induced in 30 dogs, after which the dogs were treated with clindamycin at various dosage regimens . Of the regimens evaluated, oral administration of 11 mg of clindamycin/kg of body weight twice daily for 28 days was the most effective treatment for the osteomyelitis. Diabetes Care, 1987 Jul-Aug, 10(4), 483 - 6 Factors affecting staphylococcal colonization among NIDDM outpatients; Lipsky BA et al.; Because colonization with Staphylococcus aureus probably predisposes to staphylococcal infections, we examined several factors that may be associated with staphylococcal carriage in outpatients with non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus and in nondiabetic controls . Nose and skin carrier rates for 59 diabetic patients were significantly greater (30.5%) than for 44 controls (11.4%) (P = .02), but rates did not differ significantly between diabetic patients who injected insulin (31.0%) and those who did not (30.0%) . Among the diabetic patients, staphylococcal colonization was not significantly correlated (P greater than .05) with recent antibiotic treatment, age, race, or clinical duration of diabetes but was inversely correlated (P less than .03) with glycemic control, as measured by fasting plasma glucose and glycosylated hemoglobin levels . Hospitalization in the previous year was also associated with staphylococcal colonization, and it was significantly more common among the diabetic patients than the controls; however, this did not account for the increased colonization rates observed . Our results in a well-characterized population confirm an increased rate of staphylococcal colonization among diabetic as compared with nondiabetic outpatients but demonstrate that neither injections of insulin nor various pertinent demographic factors explain this finding. Ann Otol Rhinol Laryngol, 1987 Jul-Aug, 96(4), 429 - 33 Microbiology of abscesses of the head and neck in children; Brook I; Specimens from 36 children with abscesses of the neck and 31 children with abscesses of the head were cultured for aerobic and anaerobic bacteria . Antimicrobial therapy was administered to 51 of the 67 patients (76%) prior to sample collection . In specimens obtained from neck infections, aerobic bacteria only were recovered in 24 (67%), anaerobic bacteria only in seven (19%), and mixed aerobic and anaerobic bacteria in five (14%) . In abscesses of the head, aerobic bacteria only were recovered in 11 (35%), anaerobic bacteria only in eight (26%), and mixed aerobic and anaerobic bacteria in 12 (39%) . Of a total of 52 isolates recovered from neck abscesses (1.4 per specimen), 34 were aerobes (0.9 per specimen), and 18 were anaerobes (0.5 per specimen) . Of a total of 62 isolates recovered from head abscesses (2.0 per specimen), 20 were aerobes (0.6 per specimen), and 42 were anaerobes (1.4 per specimen) . The most frequently recovered organism in neck infection was Staphylococcus aureus (20 isolates), and the most frequently recovered organism in head infection was Bacteroides sp (19 isolates) . beta-Lactamase activity was detected in 36 isolates recovered in 21 abscesses (46%) . Correlation between the predisposing conditions and the bacteria recovered showed a higher recovery of anaerobes in patients with dental infection or manipulation, tonsillitis, and fetal monitoring . Staphylococcus aureus was associated with trauma . This study demonstrated the importance of anaerobic bacteria in abscesses in the head and neck, especially in infections originating from sites where these organisms are the predominant flora. Scand J Immunol, 1987 Jul, 26(1), 79 - 84 The amino acid sequence of an amyloid fibril protein AA isolated from the horse; Sletten K et al.; The amino acid sequence of the amyloid fibril protein AA from horse was established from characterization of cyanogen bromide fragments, tryptic peptides, and a peptide derived from a digest with Staphylococcus aureus V8 proteinase . The protein was found to consist of 80 amino acid residues . Sequence homologies with protein AA from other species were very striking, and revealed an insertion of two amino acid residues between positions 72 and 73 . In position 44, two amino acid residues were found which provide further evidence for a polymorphism in the amyloid fibril protein AA. Immunology, 1987 Jul, 61(3), 311 - 6 Cyclosporin A inhibits mitogen-activated but not phorbol ester-activated locomotion of human lymphocytes; Wilkinson PC et al.; Human blood lymphocytes acquire locomotor capacity during 24 hr culture with mitogens such as monoclonal anti-CD3 antibodies, phytohaemagglutinin (PHA), or Staphylococcus aureus Cowan strain (SAC) . Activation of locomotor capacity by these agents is blocked by the presence of cyclosporin A (greater than or equal to 10 ng per ml), as measured by inhibition of the development of morphological polarization of the cells in culture and inhibition of their capacity to invade collagen gels . The response to OKT3 is inhibited by lower doses of cyclosporin than the responses to SAC or PHA . Phorbol myristate acetate (PMA) induces locomotion of lymphocytes in culture that is not inhibited by cyclosporin . Cyclosporin has no effect on the locomotion of lymphocytes that already possess locomotor capacity . Thus it neither inhibits immediate stimulus-induced polarization of lymphocytes direct from blood, nor reverses polarization of lymphocytes that have acquired motility in culture . These results suggest that cyclosporin prevents events, occurring during the G1 phase of growth, that are necessary for non-motile lymphocytes to acquire locomotor capacity, but has no effect on the locomotor mechanism itself in already motile cells. Immunology, 1987 Jul, 61(3), 303 - 9 IgA- and secretory IgA-opsonized S . aureus induce a respiratory burst and phagocytosis by polymorphonuclear leucocytes; Gorter A et al.; The aim of the present study was to investigate whether corpuscular immune complexes containing human IgA were able to interact with human polymorphonuclear leucocytes (PMN) . As a model for corpuscular IgA immune complexes (IgA IC), heat-killed Staphylococcus aureus (S . aureus) opsonized with either purified human serum IgA or purified secretory IgA (sIgA) isolated from human colostrum was used . In order to determine the capacity of IgA and sIgA to opsonize S . aureus the phagocytosis of these IgA IC by PMN was measured . S . aureus opsonized with IgA, sIgA, IgG, heat-inactivated serum or fresh serum was ingested by 23 +/- 8%; 28 +/- 9%; 39 +/- 7%; 31 +/- 10% and 78 +/- 10% of the PMN (S . aureus:PMN = 10:1, n = 4), respectively . These results were significantly different (P less than 0.05) from the percentage obtained with unopsonized S . aureus (9 +/- 3%), indicating that IgA and sIgA induce ingestion of S . aureus . The phagocytic index for PMN incubated with S . aureus opsonized with sIgA (231) was higher than for S . aureus opsonized with IgA (119), indicating a better uptake of S . aureus opsonized with sIgA in our system . Bacteria opsonized with either IgA or sIgA were also capable of triggering H2O2 release of PMN in a dose-dependent manner . The H2O2 release by PMN triggered with S . aureus opsonized with IgA could not be inhibited with a F(ab')2 anti-Fe gamma receptor monoclonal antibody, whereas the H2O2 release triggered with S . aureus opsonized with IgG was fully inhibited . Soluble heat-aggregated IgA (AIgA) also induced H2O2 release of PMN, suggesting that the IgA itself is essential for the induction of a respiratory burst. Plast Reconstr Surg, 1987 Jul, 80(1), 111 - 4 Toxic shock syndrome following breast and nasal surgery; Tobin G et al.; Toxic shock syndrome is a rapidly developing disease which may be lethal if not recognized and treated early . While this disease is usually associated with menstruating females, it is being seen in both male and female patients following clean, elective surgery . Toxic shock syndrome has been reported following surgical procedures which normally have a very low incidence of postoperative wound infections . Toxic shock syndrome is associated with Staphylococcus aureus bacteria which produce the toxic shock syndrome toxin 1 . Three patients with postoperative toxic shock syndrome, of varying degrees of severity, are presented . Prompt institution of resuscitative and therapeutic measures can prevent the potentially fatal outcome of this postoperative complication. J Infect Dis, 1987 Jul, 156(1), 122 - 9 Binding of toxic-shock-syndrome toxin-1 to human peripheral blood mononuclear cells; Poindexter NJ et al.; Toxic-shock-syndrome toxin-1 (TSST-1), produced by Staphylococcus aureus and associated with toxic shock syndrome, functions in vitro as both a lymphoproliferative and immunosuppressive protein for human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMs) . We analyzed TSST-1-target cell interactions by receptor-ligand binding analyses . In competitive binding experiments, 2 X 10(5) human PBMs or purified cell populations were incubated in the presence of small amounts of (5-50 ng) of 125I-labeled TSST-1 and increasing amounts of unlabeled TSST-1 (25-10,000 ng) . Data were analyzed by the method of Scatchard . Toxin-specific receptors were shown to exist on T lymphocytes within the PBM population . T4+ cells had 27.5 X 10(6) receptors per cell, and T8+ cells had 9 X 10(6) receptors per cell . T4+ and T8+ receptors had dissociation constants of 2.58 X 10(-8) M and 1.8 X 10(-8) M, respectively . These studies confirm earlier work showing that TSST-1 causes the functional activation of a population of T lymphocytes involved in suppression of immunoglobulin responses. Eur J Biochem, 1987 Jul 1, 166(1), 139 - 43 Pseudonajatoxin b: unusual amino acid sequence of a lethal neurotoxin from the venom of the Australian common brown snake, Pseudonaja textilis; Tyler MI et al.; The complete amino acid sequence of pseudonajatoxin b, a basic neurotoxin from the venom of the Australian common brown snake, Pseudonaja textilis, was determined by automated Edman analysis of the reduced carboxymethylated polypeptide and of peptides derived by digestion of it with Staphylococcus aureus V8 proteinase . Pseudonajatoxin b consists of a single polypeptide chain of 71 amino acids with Mr 7762 . The amino acid sequence showed considerable homology with postsynaptic long neurotoxins, but there were striking differences . Pseudonajatoxin b displayed relatively high lethality, LD50 15 micrograms/kg in mice. J Infect, 1987 Jul, 15(1), 33 - 7 Neutrophil cell function and migration inhibition studies in Nigerian patients with tropical pyomyositis; Idoko JA et al.; We investigated polymorphonuclear neutrophil (PMN) cell function and migration inhibition factor (MIF) in Nigerian patients with tropical pyomyositis (TP) and in healthy Nigerians as control subjects . The nitroblue tetrazolium (NBT) reduction test revealed that the ability of PMN to form formazan in patients was similar to that of the control subjects . This observation was taken to indicate that there may not be any metabolic defect in PMN of these patients . The MIF assay showed that the lymphocytes of the patients were significantly inefficient in responding in vitro to Staphylococcus aureus as compared with controls (S.D . 26 +/- 8 for patients, 53 +/- 10 for controls; P less than 0.01) . This observation suggested that lymphocytes, particularly T-cells, of the patients were probably not primed adequately against S . aureus during the course of infection in vivo . The implications of these findings as they relate to tropical pyomyositis are discussed. Ophthalmic Surg, 1987 Jul, 18(7), 538 - 41 Inhibition of pseudophakic endophthalmitis in a rabbit model; Elliott RD et al.; A clear lens extraction with insertion of a posterior chamber intraocular lens (PC-IOL) was performed in one eye of each of 20 rabbits . An intracameral injection of 50,000 organisms of gentamicin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus was given before completion of the surgical procedure . At the completion of surgery, a subconjunctival injection of either gentamicin (20 mg) or gentamicin vehicle was administered randomly, in a masked fashion, to the operative eye . Rabbits were observed daily for signs of endophthalmitis . Vitreous taps were performed on all operative eyes . Ninety percent (p = .001) of control eyes became clinically infected and 80% (p = .007) of control eyes grew S . aureus from their vitreous aspirate . None of the gentamicin-treated eyes became clinically or microbiologically infected with S . aureus. J Clin Microbiol, 1987 Jul, 25(7), 1258 - 61 Prevalence of thymidine-dependent Staphylococcus aureus in patients with cystic fibrosis; Gilligan PH et al.; During a 1-year period, the prevalence of thymidine-dependent (TD) Staphylococcus aureus in patients at two geographically distinct cystic fibrosis (CF) centers was determined . Of 200 CF patients who had their respiratory secretions cultured, 95 harbored S . aureus, and 20 (21%) had TD S . aureus as their predominant staphylococcal isolate . All 20 TD S . aureus-positive patients had received trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole for an average of 30.9 months . It was also observed that TD S . aureus exhibited aberrant colony morphologies or did not grow on media commonly used in CF centers for S . aureus isolation, suggesting that this organism could be missed by routine culture methods . In contrast, all 20 isolates had typical staphylococcal morphology on mannitol salt agar after 48 h of incubation . Mannitol salt agar is recommended for primary isolation of TD S . aureus. Arch Ophthalmol, 1987 Jul, 105(7), 925 - 8 Treatment of neonatal conjunctivitis; Sandstrom I; The effect of different treatment regimens on clinical and microbiologic cures of neonatal conjunctivitis was evaluated during a 32-day observation period . In 84 infants with mild to moderate conjunctivitis and no signs of dacryocystitis, clinical cures were achieved in more than 50% of the cases with lid hygiene only . Staphylococcus aureus was the most common organism (48%) isolated from these infants . Chlamydia trachomatis could not be isolated from eyes with mild to moderate conjunctivitis . Forty-four infants with severe conjunctivitis, with or without dacryocystitis, were randomly assigned to treatment with either topical chloramphenicol or oral erythromycin for 14 days . Chlamydia trachomatis was isolated from 19 (43%) of these infants . All infants with chlamydial conjunctivitis who were treated with 25 mg/kg of oral erythromycin ethylsuccinate twice daily for 14 days were clinically and microbiologically cured . In contrast, all treatment of chlamydial conjunctivitis with topical chloramphenicol failed clinically as well as microbiologically . Dacryocystitis was a common complication in neonatal conjunctivitis (17%) . The clinical failures in neonatal nonchlamydial conjunctivitis were associated with persistent obstruction of the nasolacrimal duct. J Antibiot (Tokyo), 1987 Jul, 40(7), 1006 - 15 Erythromycin series . XII . Antibacterial in vitro evaluation of 10-dihydro-10-deoxo-11-azaerythromycin A: synthesis and structure-activity relationship of its acyl derivatives; Djokic S et al.; Antibacterial in vitro evaluation of 10-dihydro-10-deoxo-11-azaerythromycin A (5), the new 15-membered semi-synthetic macrolide antibiotic with nitrogen as additional atom in the aglycone ring of erythromycin A (1), was reported . Although amine (5) and its 13,14-cyclic carbonate (14) were less active than 1 against erythromycin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus strains they showed advantageous properties against Gram-negative test organisms and clinical isolates . Also, a large number of acyl derivatives of 5 were synthesized and evaluated . N-11 monoacyl compounds exhibited 2 to 50 times lower in vitro antibacterial efficacy than the parent amine (5). Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A, 1987 Jul, 84(14), 4772 - 6 Chicken intestinal 28-kilodalton calbindin-D: complete amino acid sequence and structural considerations; Fullmer CS et al.; The complete primary structure of the cholecalciferol-induced chicken intestinal 28-kDa calbindin-D is reported . It is a single-chain polypeptide consisting of 261 amino acid residues (computed Mr = 30,042) and is blocked at the amino terminus . Tryptic digestion of the S-pyridylethylated protein followed by HPLC peptide mapping and automated sequence determination provided the bulk of the sequence information . Subsequent chymotryptic and Staphylococcus aureus V8 protease cleavages yielded the sequences of several additional regions as well as extensive overlapping of the tryptic peptides . The primary structure shows six homologous regions of sequence based on the EF-hand concept of calcium binding, four of which are predicted to actually bind calcium . Aside from these regions, there is no overall structural identity or apparent similarity with the mammalian calbindins (9 kDa), calmodulin, or troponin C . It is predicted that the secondary structure of 28-kDa calbindin-D is significantly different from the other proteins of this class, which bind four calcium atoms. Trop Geogr Med, 1987 Jul, 39(3), 260 - 4 Cardiovascular complications of tropical pyomyositis; Andy JJ et al.; Clinical observations are described in 13 cases of pyomyositis with various cardiovascular complications: (a) pyogenic pericarditis (10 cases) with tamponade in 7 and myopericarditis in 1 case, and (b) acute bacterial endocarditis (3 cases) . Blood cultures grew Staphylococcus aureus in all 3 with endocarditis and in 5 of 10 with pericarditis . These complications probably resulted from the bacteraemia which sometimes complicates pyomyositis . Enhanced susceptibility of cardiac muscles to infection in pyomyositis however remains another possibility. Rev Med Univ Navarra, 1987 Jul-Sep, 31(3), 149 - 52, 155-6, 159-61 {Non-tuberculous infections of the spine}; Beguiristain JL et al.; Non tuberculous spondylodiscitis of the rachis is an uncommon entity that affects boys and male adults with greater frequency . The zone with higher incidence of affection is the lumbar region . Usually the causal germ travels through the hematogenous via from an extrarachidial infectious area . Clinical manifestations begin with an acute segmentary rachialgia and paravertebral muscular contracture while presenting fever . In special cases of little boys or when having radiated pain, the presenting form could be confusing . There is always a vertebral rigidity when performing the physical exam and an increase of the globular sedimentation rate . A septic leukocytal formula is not always present . Between the onset of symptoms and the appearance of radiologic alterations (decrease in the height of the disc, erosion and vertebral destruction, reactive bone neo-formation) there is a variable two to eight weeks latency period . Scintigraphy with Tc99 and Ga67 and CAT scan are very important when facing definite diagnosis . To be able to reach a bacteriological diagnosis, we employ puncture-aspiration of the disc . The isolated germ in most cases is staphylococcus aureus . The most complex differential diagnosis is with tuberculous spondylodiscitis . The evolution is favorable if the treatment is initiated early and if it is adequate (antibiotic therapy and immobilization) . If this is not done, recurrences and chronicity of the infection can occur, as well as orthopaedic (Kyphosis) and neurological complications. Anal Biochem, 1987 Jul, 164(1), 5 - 11 Bacterial adherence on replicas of sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gels; Prakobphol A et al.; A method for determining which molecules in a complex mixture of proteins can function as bacterial receptors was devised . Salivary proteins were separated by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and transferred to nitrocellulose . Bacteria that were metabolically labeled with 3H or externally labeled with 125I were incubated on the nitrocellulose replicas . After 18 h at 4 degrees C, the unbound cells were removed by repeated washing of the replicas, and the bands to which the radiolabeled bacteria bound were visualized by autoradiography . By this technique, Fusobacterium nucleatum, which adheres via carbohydrate residues on receptor molecules, and Staphylococcus aureus, which recognizes the peptide portion of fibronectin, were shown to bind specifically to their respective receptors . These results suggest that this method can be useful for profiling bacterial binding to either the carbohydrate or the protein portions of molecules present in complex mixtures, such as those composing biological fluids or tissue substrates . Structural specificities, such as recognition sequences formed by certain oligosaccharides, could be further investigated by adding the appropriate simple sugars, as well as oligosaccharide inhibitors, to the incubation medium . The latter approach is particularly important since most glycoproteins carry multiple N- and O-linked carbohydrate substituents that could serve as bacterial receptors. Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1987 Jul, (7), 38 - 41 {Serological diagnosis of suppurative-septic diseases of staphylococcal etiology}; Deriabin PN et al.; The parallel examination of osteomyelitis patients by means of the passive hemagglutination (PHA) test with the use of antigenic erythrocyte diagnostic agents, prepared on the basis of hydrochloric acid extract from Staphylococcus aureus strain 209P and teichoic acid extract from S . aureus strain Wood 46 has revealed that these diagnostic agents are practically equal in their diagnostic effectiveness . In the examination of endocarditis patients measurement of the total antibody activity in the PHA test with diagnosticum on the basis of strain 209P has proved to be a more sensitive method, whereas in osteomyelitis patients the total IgG activity has been more accurately measured by ELISA . The treatment of sera with 2-mercaptoethanol essentially decreased the diagnostic effectiveness of the PHA test . The study has shown the diagnostic value of not only IgG but also of IgM antibody measurements. Zentralbl Bakteriol Mikrobiol Hyg {A}, 1987 Jul, 265(3-4), 323 - 9 Staphylococcus aureus producing toxic shock syndrome toxin 1 (TSST-1) in clinical specimens and vaginal swabs in Mannheim, West Germany; Dickgiesser N et al.; 624 Staphylococcus aureus strains from our clinical laboratory were screened for toxic shock syndrome toxin 1 (= TSST-1) production and 16.7% of the strains were found to be positive . TSST-1-positive strains were isolated from material which originated from males and females with the same frequency . The strains were found in swabs from the respiratory tract, the conjunctiva, in sputum and wounds . TSST-1-positive strains were more resistant to arsenate and cadmium ions than non-producers; their sensitivity to the antibiotics (when tested), was no different . The toxin-producing strains were lysed above all by the bacteriophages 29, 52, 80, 55, 75 and 83A . We isolated 19 S . aureus strains from 321 vaginal swabs: one of these strains was TSST-1-positive . Most of the strains were found in swabs from women using tampons . It has been concluded that the infection with TSST-1 positive S . aureus is either of subclinical course or that in most of the cases, the syndrome is of a less dramatic course than usually described . Quite certainly the syndrome is underdiagnosed in Germany. Infect Control, 1987 Jul, 8(7), 281 - 3 Recurrent pseudobacteremias traced to a radiometric blood culture device; Bradley SF et al.; Five clusters of pseudobacteremias over a seven-month period were traced to a BACTEC radiometric device . Four episodes were due to enterococcus and one involved Staphylococcus aureus . Each cluster began with multiple positive blood cultures from a patient with clinical evidence of bacteremia . On subsequent days each bottle in sequence yielded growth of the identical organism, as shown by phage typing and antibiograms . Cultures from patients believed to be infected with the organisms tested positive earlier (mean = 1.4 days) than those patients believed to be pseudobacteremic (mean = 4.8 days) . Investigation pointed toward the BACTEC device as the most likely source . Resin beads were found in the needle on several occasions and were shown to be transferred from bottle to bottle . We postulated that contaminated resin beads or liquid from a positive bottle remained in the needle above the portion that was heat-sterilized, contaminating the next bottle when it was sampled. J Gen Virol, 1987 Jul, 68 ( Pt 7), 2039 - 41 Inhibitory effect of a protease inhibitor, leupeptin, on the development of influenza pneumonia, mediated by concomitant bacteria; Tashiro M et al.; The protease inhibitor leupeptin prevented multiple step replication of an influenza virus (A/swine/1976/31, H1N1) mediated by staphylococcal proteases . It also suppressed virus replication and development of fatal pneumonia in mice co-infected with the virus and Staphylococcus aureus. AJR Am J Roentgenol, 1987 Jul, 149(1), 137 - 8 Seminal vesicle abscess after vasectomy: evaluation by transrectal sonography and CT; Zagoria RJ et al.; PIP: A case of staphylococcal seminal vesicle abscess after vasectomy was diagnosed by transrectal CT (computed axial tomography) and sonography . The patient was a 43-year old man who was transferred to Massachusetts General Hospital after being treated unsuccessfully at another hospital with gentamicin and carbenicillin for a pelvic infection . He had developed fever, hematuria, dysuria and purulent drainage from the scrotal incision site 3 weeks after vasectomy . A CT scan done at the previous institution showed a mass in the prostatic region . On admission a transrectal linear array sonogram delineated a 5 cm lesion in a enlarged left seminal vesicle . The lesion was drained of purulent material by transurethral endoscopy . Staphylococcus aureus was cultured from the exudate . A follow-up transrectal sonogram 2 months later was normal . Seminal vesicle infections are very rare, except when associated with prostatitis . Arch Mal Coeur Vaiss, 1987 Jul, 80(8), 1283 - 9 {Staphylococcus aureus endocarditis}; Witchitz S et al.; Among 409 cases of bacterial endocarditis (BE) observed from 1972 to 1985, 142 were caused by Staphylococcus aureus . Of these 142 cases, 59 affected native valves of the left heart (left BE), 47 affected native valves of the right heart (right BE) (including 36 drug-addicts), and 36 involved prosthetic valves (BEP) and were associated with mediastinitis in 11 cases . Symptoms were acute in 122 cases and subacute in 2 cases . 91 of the BE on native valves were primary (86%) . Cutaneous manifestations were present in 38 cases (27%) . Of the 67 patients who died (47%), 28/59 had left BE (47%), 7/47 had right BE (15%) (including 2 drug addicts) and 32/36 had BEP (86%); all differences were statistically significant . Complications consisted of: heart failure in 78 cases (55%), including 40 cases of left BE, 8 cases of right BE and 30 cases of BEP; systemic peripheral embolism in 29 cases (left BE 17, BEP 12) and neurological accidents in 58 cases (left BE 34, right BE 24) . Thirty of these accidents occurred before the 4th day (left BE 13, BEP 17) . Documented neurological accidents included cerebral haemorrhage (13 cases), cerebral infarction (14 cases) and cerebral abscess (4 cases); 4 of the 12 patients who underwent arteriography were found to have one or several aneurysms . Thirty-nine of these 58 patients died, death being directly due to a neurological cause in 20 cases (left BE 10, right BE 10).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS) J Clin Microbiol, 1987 Jul, 25(7), 1233 - 8 Ultrafiltration to reject human interleukin-1-inducing substances derived from bacterial cultures; Dinarello CA et al.; Interleukin-1 (IL-1), a polypeptide cytokine, is an important mediator of host responses to infection and injury . Picogram per milliliter concentrations of bacterial products (endo- or exotoxins) stimulate human monocytes to produce IL-1 in vitro . The design of this study was based on the clinical model of bacterial contamination of fluid intended to be directly injected into humans . Physiologic saline contaminated with bacterial toxins was passed through a hollow fiber ultrafilter, and the ultrafiltrates were tested for their ability to induce human IL-1 production . The ultrafiltrates were added directly to freshly obtained human blood mononuclear cells, and after 24 h of incubation the supernatant media were assayed for the presence of IL-1 . The results indicate that the IL-1-inducing material(s) present in bacterial cultures of gram-negative organisms is rejected by a factor of 100 to 100,000 by molecular size exclusion and by absorption; rejection is sustained for at least 32 liters of fluid; the rejection of Limulus-reactive material by the ultrafilter is greater for purified endotoxin than for native endotoxins derived from live bacterial cultures; and nonendotoxin IL-1-inducing toxins (molecular weight, 24,000) from Staphylococcus aureus are not rejected or absorbed . These results demonstrate that there is a considerable margin of safety with the ultrafiltration method and that it can be applied to clinical situations. Rev Infect Dis, 1987 Jul-Aug, 9 Suppl 4, S360 - 71 Role of fibronectin in infective endocarditis; Hamill RJ; It is now generally accepted that adherence of microorganisms to various components of cardiac valve surfaces is an important early event in the pathogenesis of infective endocarditis . Several lines of evidence suggest that fibronectin may have a role in this adherence process . Fibronectin is an important component of the extracellular matrix of endothelium and fibroblasts and is exposed when these tissues are injured . Fibronectin binds to platelets and fibrin and thereby contributes to the thrombogenicity of surfaces . Because the structure of fibronectin consists of multiple functional domains, fibronectin can bind simultaneously and specifically to microorganisms and various tissue elements such as collagen and cells and may facilitate the uptake of microorganisms by endothelial cells and fibroblasts . Subinhibitory concentrations of certain antibiotics interfere with the expression of bacterial fibronectin receptors and inhibit the binding of Staphylococcus aureus to collagen matrices; this interaction may have implications for antibiotic prophylaxis of infective endocarditis. Rev Infect Dis, 1987 Jul-Aug, 9 Suppl 4, S335 - 40 The staphylococcal fibronectin receptor: evidence for its importance in invasive infections; Proctor RA; Fibronectin binds specifically and irreversibly to Staphylococcus aureus . The expression of fibronectin-binding sites correlates with the invasiveness of the isolate . It has been suggested that the fibronectin receptor of S . aureus is either a protein or a carbohydrate that localizes at the surface of the bacterium, permitting interactions of the bacteria with the fibronectin of the host . Sites at which S . aureus typically initiates infection are rich in fibronectin, e.g., blood clots and subendothelium; the cells of the luminal surface of intact endothelium are among the few cell types that are relatively devoid of fibronectin . Removal of fibronectin receptors from S . aureus by mechanical means or by growing the bacteria in an antibiotic-containing medium decreases their ability to adhere . Thus, the fibronectin receptor appears to play a role in the initiation of S . aureus infections . These findings offer hope for the development of a vaccine that will prevent invasive disease-if the S . aureus fibronectin receptor(s) can be purified, proves to be immunogenic, and inhibits bacterial adherence to host tissues. Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1987 Jul, 31(7), 1002 - 5 Bactericidal activity and killing rate of serum in volunteers receiving teicoplanin alone or in combination with oral or intravenous rifampin; Van der Auwera P et al.; A total of 10 volunteers, in two groups of 5 each, received the following on separate days: group 1,200 mg of teicoplanin intravenously (i.v.), 600 mg of rifampin orally, or teicoplanin-rifampin; group 2,400 mg of teicoplanin i.v., 300 mg of rifampin i.v . in 60 min, or teicoplanin-rifampin . Blood samples were obtained before, at the end, and at 1 and 6 h after the administration of the antibiotics . Bactericidal activity in serum (SBA) was measured in microtiter plates against 20 clinical isolates (five strains each) of oxacillin-susceptible and-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis . The endpoint of the SBA corresponded to 99.9% killing . Killing rates were measured in serum obtained at 1 and 6 h . The concentrations of each antibiotic were measured by bioassay . The antibiotic concentrations in serum obtained at the peak and at 1 and 6 h after the end of administration were as follows: group 1, teicoplanin, 26, 15.6, and 8.4 mg/liter; rifampin, not determined, 8.3, and 3.8 mg/liter; group 2, teicoplanin, 66, 29.4, and 11.5 mg/liter; rifampin, 14.8, 3.8, and 1.2 mg/liter . Higher median SBAs were obtained after treatment with rifampin than after that with teicoplanin . No interaction was observed between rifampin and teicoplanin . This was confirmed by determination of the killing rate in serum . Teicoplanin killed more slowly than rifampin . The combination had the same killing rate as rifampin alone . Rifampin neither improved nor antagonized the bactericidal activity of teicoplanin, as determined by the SBAs or the rate of killing. Clin Exp Immunol, 1987 Jul, 69(1), 57 - 67 Activation of OKT4 suppressor cells in the autologous mixed lymphocyte reaction of patients with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis; Oen K et al.; Activation of suppressor cells by the autologous mixed lymphocyte reaction (AMLR) was studied in patients with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA) . Isolated OKT4 cells were used as responders and irradiated whole non-T cell preparations, non-adherent non-T cells (B and null cells), adherent non-T cells (monocytes), and B cells preactivated by Staphylococcus aureus Cowan I, as stimulators in the AMLR . Suppression was assessed by a reduction of pokeweed mitogen stimulated immunoglobulin synthesis by lymphocytes of healthy donors upon addition of AMLR-activated OKT4 cells . The results of this study suggest normal activation of OKT4 suppressor cells in the AMLR of patients with JRA. Ann Inst Pasteur Immunol, 1987 Jul-Aug, 138(4), 531 - 47 Thy-1 solubilization from mouse T cells by phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C: biochemical and antigenic characterization; Barbet J et al.; Membrane anchorage of mouse and rat Thy-1 antigens results from the post-translational attachment of a non-proteic tail terminated by a phosphatidylinositol group . In order to determine the biochemical and antigenic properties of the material released by phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C (PI-PLC), we studied, by one-(1-D) and two-dimensional (2-D) gel electrophoresis and by immunoprecipitation, the supernatant of surface-labelled mouse T cells treated with purified Staphylococcus aureus PI-PLC . The major protein released by this enzymatic treatment showed an apparent molecular weight (MW) and an isoelectric focusing (IEF) pattern identical to those of detergent-solubilized, immunoprecipitated Thy-1 . In addition, a sandwich radioimmunoassay (RIA) utilizing two Thy-1-specific monoclonal antibodies (mAb) was used to quantitate the amounts of PI-PLC-released and spontaneously shed Thy-1 . Considerable differences in susceptibility to enzymatic cleavage and in spontaneous shedding were observed for a variety of mouse T-cell populations, including thymocytes and hybridoma, helper and cytotoxic cloned T cells, even though time-course experiments demonstrated that excess enzyme was used . It might be useful to consider these differences in the cell biology of Thy-1 and the occurrence of other PI-linked proteins of the lymphocyte surface in terms of their implications in the transduction of activation signals. J Hosp Infect, 1987 Jul, 10(1), 91 - 4 Silicone oil as a reservoir for nosocomial infection; Simpson CN et al.; Two episodes of infection with epidemic methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (EMRSA) associated with silicone oil baths are described . In vitro studies indicated that certain organisms, including EMRSA, can survive in silicone oil for several days . We conclude that the oil acted as a reservoir for continuing infection in our patients . We suggest routine care of silicone oil baths in order to prevent cross infection. J Hosp Infect, 1987 Jul, 10(1), 4 - 9 Heat shocking as a useful adjunct to routine phage typing of Staphylococcus aureus; Davies HG et al.; The heat shock technique (heating a culture at 55 degrees C for 3 min immediately before phage typing) has been used in our laboratory as an adjunct to routine phage typing for 2 years . This has enabled phage typing patterns to be determined on isolates otherwise recorded as untypable . The method is easily performed and standardized . Phage patterns were found to be reproducible and adequate discrimination was achieved . We found the technique provided significant information which was not available by conventional typing. Avian Dis, 1987 Jul-Sep, 31(3), 654 - 7 Adenovirus infection associated with respiratory disease in commercial chickens; Dhillon AS et al.; The lesions and etiologic agents associated with 13 outbreaks of respiratory disease in commercial chickens were investigated . Adenoviruses were isolated from tracheal and lung tissues of affected chickens in all 13 outbreaks . Escherichia coli was isolated from the lung of an occasional bird . The tracheal specimens were consistently negative for Bordetella avium, but E . coli and occasionally Staphylococcus aureus were isolated . There was also serological evidence in one outbreak, and pathological evidence in another, of a concurrent infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV) infection of chickens affected with the disease . Gross and microscopic alterations in the tracheas and lungs of affected chickens were similar in all outbreaks and consisted of catarrhal tracheitis and occasionally multifocal pneumonia with mononuclear cell infiltrates . Hepatitis and splenitis with heterophil infiltrates occasionally were seen in birds with coliform septicemia . The tracheal and lung lesions in the present investigation were considered primarily of adenovirus etiology, complicated by secondary bacterial infection. Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1987 Jul, 31(7), 1093 - 9 Inhibition of peptidoglycan biosynthesis in gram-positive bacteria by LY146032; Allen NE et al.; LY146032, a cyclic lipopeptide antibiotic, is an inhibitor of cell wall peptidoglycan biosynthesis in gram-positive bacteria . Although LY146032 at relatively high concentrations inhibited the in vitro polymerization of UDP-linked sugar precursors, inhibition of cell wall formation in intact Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus megaterium cells did not lead to the accumulation of UDP-N-acetyl-muramyl (MurNAc)-peptide(s) . Experiments that measured formation of UDP-MurNAc-peptides revealed that LY146032 inhibited the formation of these nucleotide-linked intermediates . This antibiotic had a disruptive effect on membrane permeability as evidenced by the loss of intracellular potassium immediately after exposure to the drug . The lack of any major disruption of the phosphoenolpyruvate:sugar phosphotransferase system indicated that the membrane is not likely a lethal target for this antibiotic . The findings are consistent with a mechanism by which LY146032 inhibits the formation of precursor molecules utilized in peptidoglycan biosynthesis . The observed membrane effects likely result from transit of the inhibitor to its lethal target site. Am J Vet Res, 1987 Jul, 48(7), 1110 - 3 Evaluation of neutrophil function in female goats; Maddux JM et al.; Polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMN) were isolated from the blood of healthy adult female goats on each of 3 consecutive days . The PMN isolated were evaluated, using random migration, chemotaxis, Staphylococcus aureus ingestion, cytochrome C reduction, iodination, and antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity assays . Over the 3 days, mean values for each of the assays ranged as follows: area of random migration, 11.3 to 19.9 mm2; chemotactic index, 6.4 to 11; chemotactic difference, 2.8 to 4.2 mm; S aureus ingestion, 18.3% to 26.1% ingested; cytochrome C reduction, 2.7 to 3.2 nmoles of O2- produced/well; iodination, 19.4 to 25.1 nmoles of NaI/10(7) PMN/h; and antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity 59% to 90% 51Cr released . Significant (P less than 0.05) day-to-day variations were found for all assays . Parallel increases and decreases for all test results on a per day basis indicated a common denominator influencing cell functional status rather than variability inherent in the assays themselves . Alterations induced in the cells during the cell isolation procedure were considered a probable cause. Biochemistry, 1987 Jun 30, 26(13), 3827 - 36 Complete assignment of the aromatic proton magnetic resonance spectrum of the kringle 1 domain from human plasminogen: structure of the ligand-binding site; Motta A et al.; The kringle 1 domain of human plasminogen has been investigated by 1H NMR spectroscopy at 300 and 600 MHz on the basis of a fragment obtained via controlled proteolysis of the zymogen with Staphylococcus aureus V8 protease . The aromatic spectrum has been fully analyzed and all resonances assigned . The Tyr ring signals were identified by reference to the recently reported spectra of the plasminogen kringle 4 homologues from human, bovine, and porcine origin {Ramesh, V., Gyenes, M., Patthy, L., & Llinas, M . (1986) Eur . J . Biochem . 159, 581-595} . In particular, Tyr74 was assigned on the basis of a proton Overhauser experiment showing cross-relaxation with the Trp-II (Trp62) indole ring, a connectivity previously observed in all the kringle 4 variants and that clearly represents a conserved feature of the kringle structure . Ligand binding was investigated by monitoring the effects of the antifibrinolytic drugs epsilon-aminohexanoic acid and p-benzylaminesulfonic acid (BASA) on the 1H NMR spectrum of kringle 1 . It is observed that although most aromatic resonances are perturbed by ligand presence, the chemical shift response is significantly more marked for Phe36, Trp62, and Tyr72 . Proton Overhauser experiments centered on aromatic transitions from these residues reveal efficient cross-relaxation with BASA, which indicates direct contacts between the hydrophobic side chain rings and the ligand hydrocarbon moiety at the binding site . A close interaction is also found between Tyr64 and Try72 which indicates that the residue 64 ring is positioned close to the binding site . Excellent overall agreement is found between the NMR data and the molecular folding of the prothrombin kringle 1 determined crystallographically {Park, C . H., & Tulinsky, A . (1986) Biochemistry 25, 3977-3982} . A structure is proposed here for the kringle 1 lysine-binding site which is based upon the NMR results, the X-ray structure, and computer graphics modeling . It is concluded that although features of the lysine-binding site are common to plasminogen kringles 1 and 4, in kringle 1 the binding site extends beyond the kringle inner loop as it encompasses residues Arg34 and Phe36 as well . Furthermore, it appears that in kringle 1 Arg34 and Asp55 are likely to play a direct role in the ligand-kringle 1 interaction by reinforcing the polarity of the cationic and anionic centers of the side chains of Arg71 and Asp57, which have been implicated to provide the electrostatic charges in kringle 4 that balance those of the ligand dipole at the binding site. J Chromatogr, 1987 Jun 26, 397, 207 - 12 High-performance liquid affinity chromatographic separation of mouse monoclonal antibodies with protein A silica; Ohlson S et al.; Protein A, a bacterial cell wall protein found in Staphylococcus aureus, has been widely used for the analysis of immunoglobulins . By attaching protein A to a microparticulate silica support, a rapid and efficient chromatographic sorbent has been created for the separation of monoclonal antibodies . Examples are given of rapid separations (within 10 min) of murine monoclonal antibodies, belonging to various IgG subclasses and including IgG1 . The monoclonal antibodies were isolated with a high purity and with 60-90% recovery of activity . The high-performance liquid affinity chromatography technique based on protein A provides a useful method for monitoring monoclonal antibodies in crude samples, such as ascites and cell culture supernatants. J Biol Chem, 1987 Jun 25, 262(18), 8610 - 20 Structural studies on equine glycoprotein hormones . Amino acid sequence of equine lutropin beta-subunit; Bousfield GR et al.; The amino acid sequence was determined for equine lutropin beta (eLH beta) . Large fragments were derived from reduced, carboxymethylated eLH beta by digestion with Staphylococcus aureus V8 protease, by cyanogen bromide cleavage, and by cleavage of acid-labile Asp-Pro bonds . The fragments were purified by gel filtration and high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) . The fragments were sequenced by automated Edman degradation to establish the primary structure of eLH beta . Some peptides were further digested with chymotrypsin and the resulting peptides purified by HPLC . In addition to sequencing by automated Edman degradation, these were also sequenced by the complementary 5-dimethylaminonaphthalene-1-sulfonyl-Edman procedure which enabled us to directly identify glycosylated amino acids . The eLH beta subunit is a glycoprotein of 149 amino acids containing both N- and O-linked oligosaccharides . It possesses a COOH-terminal extension similar to that seen in human chorionic gonadotropin . Carboxypeptidase Y digestions suggest that the COOH terminus is blocked by glycosylation . Interestingly, the amino acid sequence of eLH beta is identical to that of equine chorionic gonadotropin beta (Sugino, H., Bousfield, G . R., Moore, W . T., and Ward, D . N . (1987)J . Biol . Chem . 262, 8603-8609). J Biol Chem, 1987 Jun 25, 262(18), 8603 - 9 Structural studies on equine glycoprotein hormones . Amino acid sequence of equine chorionic gonadotropin beta-subunit; Sugino H et al.; The complete amino acid sequence of the beta-subunit of equine chorionic gonadotropin (eCG beta) has been established by both automated Edman and manual 5-dimethylaminonaphthalene-1-sulfonyl-Edman degradations . Specific fragments were produced by cleavage with Staphylococcus aureus V8 protease, trypsin, or dilute HCl . For the sequence analyses of the heavily glycosylated COOH-terminal portion, a chemical deglycosylation procedure with trifluoromethanesulfonic acid was employed . The peptide chain of eCG beta consists of 149 amino acid residues . Five or more oligosaccharide chains are attached to the protein, 1 unit linked by an N-glycosidic bond to asparagine at residue 13 and four or more units linked by O-glycosidic bonds to serine or threonine at residues in the COOH-terminal portion . The carbohydrate-bearing hydroxy amino acids have not yet been rigorously established . As compared to the beta-subunits of the pituitary gonadotropin hormones, lutropin, follitropin, and thyrotropin, eCG beta possesses a glycosylated COOH-terminal extension of about 30 amino acid residues, as does the human chorionic gonadotropin beta-subunit (hCG beta) . When the comparison is restricted inside the disulfide bond-containing core (residues 1-110), the beta-subunit of eCG is highly homologous to hCG beta (66%) . On the other hand, although the overall structural features closely resemble each other, much less homology exists in the COOH-terminal extensions of eCG beta and hCG beta. J Biol Chem, 1987 Jun 25, 262(18), 8443 - 6 A major factor VIII binding domain resides within the amino-terminal 272 amino acid residues of von Willebrand factor; Foster PA et al.; We have identified a Factor VIII (FVIII) binding domain residing within the amino-terminal 272 amino acid residues of the mature von Willebrand Factor (vWF) subunit . Two-dimensional crossed immunoelectrophoresis showed direct binding of purified human FVIII to purified human vWF . After proteolytic digestion of vWF with Staphylococcus aureus V8 protease (SP), FVIII binding was seen only with the amino-terminal SP fragment III and not with the carboxyl-terminal SP fragment II . A monoclonal anti-vWF antibody (C3) partially blocked FVIII binding to vWF and SP fragment III . FVIII also bound to vWF which had been adsorbed to polystyrene beads . This binding was inhibited in a dose-dependent manner by whole vWF, SP fragment III, and by monoclonal antibody C3 . Binding could not be inhibited by SP fragment I, which contains the middle portion of the vWF molecule, or by reduced and alkylated whole vWF . SP fragment II caused only minimal inhibition . Trypsin cleavage of SP fragment III produced a monomeric 35-kDa fragment containing the amino-terminal 272 amino acid residues of vWF . This fragment reacted with monoclonal antibody C3 and inhibited the binding of FVIII to vWF in a dose-dependent manner . These studies demonstrate that a major FVIII binding site resides within the amino-terminal 272 amino acid residues of vWF. N Z Med J, 1987 Jun 24, 100(826), 369 - 73 Outbreak of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infection in a New Zealand hospital; Jones MR et al.; During a 17 month period from March 1985 to July 1986, 30 patients and four members of staff became infected or colonised with a single strain of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) during an outbreak which originated at Wellington Hospital . Initially, crossinfection occurred within the intensive care unit but infected or colonised patients became distributed to 14 hospital wards and to five other hospitals within New Zealand . MRSA septicaemia contributed to the death of two patients . The source of the epidemic strain of MRSA has not been established with certainty, but may have been introduced by a staff nurse known to be a carrier when employed at an Australian hospital . The investigation, management and eventual control of this first outbreak in New Zealand are described. Biochemistry, 1987 Jun 16, 26(12), 3471 - 8 Amino acid sequence of guinea pig prostate kallikrein; Dunbar JC et al.; The primary structure of the major arginine esteropeptidase from guinea pig prostate has been deduced from automated Edman degradation of peptides generated by clostripain, cyanogen bromide, endoproteinase Lys-C, and Staphylococcus aureus V8 protease digestion of the protein . The esteropeptidase is a single polypeptide chain comprised of 239 amino acids and contains 2 apparent sites of carbohydrate attachment, Asn-78 and Asn-169 . Both occur in consensus sequences for N-linked glycosylation sites . The esteropeptidase exhibits approximately 35% homology with trypsin including conservation of the catalytic residues and the aspartic acid which confers specificity toward basic amino acids . The sequence identity, however, extends to greater than 60% with the kallikrein family of serine proteases . In addition to the overall homology, the guinea pig enzyme displays a number of features characteristic of kallikreins including 10 conserved half-cystine residues, a C-terminal proline, and the "kallikrein loop" . On the basis of this structural relatedness, the enzyme has been designed as guinea pig prostate kallikrein . In contrast to many of the kallikreins of other species and tissues, this enzyme does not contain any sites within the kallikrein loop sensitive to proteases that result in internal breaks in the polypeptide chain. J Biol Chem, 1987 Jun 15, 262(17), 8423 - 9 Evidence for a multiple subunit composition of plant NAD malic enzyme; Willeford KO et al.; Malate dehydrogenase (decarboxylating) (EC 1.1.1.39) was purified to near homogeneity from both a C3 plant, Solanum tuberosum, and a CAM plant, Crassula argentea . Sodium dodecyl sulfate-gel electrophoresis of both enzymes revealed an alpha,beta subunit composition with corresponding molecular mass assignments of 61,000 and 55,000 daltons . Isoelectric focusing under native conditions showed only one constituent malic enzyme form with an isoelectric point of 5.1 . No evidence of additional isoenzymes was found . Urea isoelectric focusing showed the alpha subunit to be more acidic than the beta subunit . Peptide mapping by limited proteolysis with Staphylococcus aureus V-8 protease, trypsin, and endoproteinase Arg-C eliminated the possibility that a precursor-product relationship may have existed between the two subunits and demonstrated that they each possess unique primary sequences . Further support for this conclusion was obtained when significant differences in the contents of glutamic acid, isoleucine, and arginine were revealed by amino acid analysis of the isolated subunits . There was no apparent activity associated with the separated subunits (as resolved by urea-DEAE chromatography), but activity could be found in a reconstituted system, thereby indicating an (alpha,beta)n protomeric configuration . This is the first case where malic enzyme has been conclusively shown to be constructed from nonidentical subunits . This phenomenon has been observed only for the NAD malic enzyme isolated from plants. J Immunol, 1987 Jun 15, 138(12), 4249 - 55 Subcellular localization of human monocyte interleukin 1: evidence for an inactive precursor molecule and a possible mechanism for IL 1 release; Bakouche O et al.; IL 1 activity, as assayed by the proliferation of responsive mouse thymocytes and a human astrocytoma cell line, was detected on the membrane of 1% paraformaldehyde-fixed activated human monocytes . Resting, unactivated monocytes did not display IL 1 activity . Maximum induction of membrane IL 1 was obtained from monocytes treated with polyclonal activators, such as LPS or Staphylococcus aureus, whereas adherence was a weak inducer of membrane IL 1 . Isolated cell compartments as plasma membranes, crude lysosomes, and crude cytosol from activated human monocytes expressed significant IL 1 activity, whereas the endoplasmic reticulum showed no IL 1 activity . Exposure to trypsin of either fixed, activated human monocytes or cell compartments from unfixed monocytes, revealed biologically active IL 1 in the membrane, crude lysosome, and crude cytosol, but not in the endoplasmic reticulum . The IL 1 activity in the purified cytosol, prepared by extraction with digitonin, was considerably increased by the trypsin treatment, whereas the increase in IL 1 activity within crude lysosomes and plasma membranes was less . The cell compartments from nonactivated monocytes did not express active IL 1 and trypsin treatment revealed no active IL 1, suggesting the absence of a pool of the trypsin-sensitive form of IL 1 . The data confirm the presence of membrane-bound IL 1 in activated human monocytes and indicate that an inactive precursor molecule can be found in the cytosol of such cells . Furthermore, the absence of IL 1 activity either in its active form or as the inactive precursor in the endoplasmic reticulum suggests that IL 1 is not a conventionally secreted protein . Because IL 1 was found in the cytosol as a precursor and in the lysosomal fractions in an active form, these data suggest that after the synthesis and processing of the cytosolic precursor, the 17-kda IL 1, is released via lysosomal vesicles. Biochem Biophys Res Commun, 1987 Jun 15, 145(2), 810 - 6 Localization of azidophencyclidine-binding site on the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor alpha-subunit; Mosckovitz R et al.; Nicotinic acetylcholine receptors in receptor-rich membranes from Torpedo californica and from T . marmorata electric tissue were photolabeled with the non-competitive inhibitor {3H}azidophencyclidine . The receptor subunits were separated on SDS-polyacrylamide gels and the alpha-subunits recovered from the gel, were subjected to Staphylococcus aureus V8 protease cleavage . The proteolytic fragments were resolved by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and were identified on protein blots by 125I-labeled alpha-bungarotoxin binding and by staining with concanavalin A . The site of specific azidophencyclidine labeling has been localized to the V8-18 kDa fragment which binds toxin . Labeling of the V8-18 kDa fragment was observed in the absence and in the presence of carbamylcholine . This was found for both the species of Torpedo used here. J Biol Chem, 1987 Jun 15, 262(17), 8383 - 9 A monoclonal antibody that inhibits cyclic AMP binding by the Escherichia coli cyclic AMP receptor protein; Li XM et al.; The monoclonal antibody (mAb) 64D1 was found to inhibit cAMP binding by the cAMP receptor protein (CRP) from Escherichia coli (Li, X.-M., and Krakow, J . S . (1985) J . Biol . Chem . 260, 4378-4383) . CRP is relatively resistant to attack by the Staphylococcus aureus V8 protease, chymotrypsin, trypsin, and subtilisin whereas both mAb 64D1-CRP and cAMP-CRP are attacked by these proteases yielding N-terminal core fragments . The fragment patterns resulting from proteolysis of mAb 64D1-CRP and cAMP-CRP differ indicating that the CRP in each complex is in a different conformation . The data presented indicate that the preferred conformation of the antigenic site for mAb 64D1 is present in unliganded CRP . Binding of mAb 64D1 to CRP is inhibited at high cAMP concentration . Formation of a stable cAMP-CRP-lac P+-RNA polymerase open promoter complex resistant to dissociation by mAb 64D1 occurs at a much lower cAMP concentration . The observed increase in resistance to mAb 64D1 may reflect a possible conformational change in CRP effected by contact with RNA polymerase in the open promoter complex. J Biol Chem, 1987 Jun 5, 262(16), 7537 - 45 Mass spectrometrically derived amino acid sequence of thioredoxin from Chlorobium, an evolutionarily prominent photosynthetic bacterium; Mathews WR et al.; The amino acid sequence of the thioredoxin isolated from the photosynthetic green sulfur bacterium Chlorobium thiosulfatophilum was determined chiefly by fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry combined with Edman degradation and tandem mass spectrometry . For this purpose, the protein was digested with trypsin, alpha-chymotrypsin, thermolysin, and Staphylococcus aureus protease or combinations thereof . Chemical cleavage with cyanogen bromide was also used alone or in combination with trypsin . The resulting sequence of 108 amino acids is as follows: Ala-Gly- Lys-Tyr-Phe-Glu-Ala-Thr-Asp-Lys-Asn-Phe-Gln- Thr-Glu-Xle-Xle-Asp-Ser-Asp-Lys-(Ala-Val)-Xle- Val-Asp-Phe-Trp-Ala-Ser-Trp-Cys-Gly-(Pro-Cys)- Met-Met-Xle-Gly-Pro-Val-Xle-Glu-Gln-Xle-Ala-Asp- Asp-Tyr-Glu-Gly-Lys-Ala-Xle-Xle-Ala-Lys-Xle-Asn- Val-Asp-Glu-Asn-Pro-Asn-Xle-Ala-Gly-Gln-Tyr-Gly- Xle-Arg-Ser-Xle-Pro-Thr-Met-Xle-Xle-Xle-Ly s- (Gly-Gly-Lys)-Val-Val-Asp-Gln-Met-Val-Gly-Ala- Xle-Pro-Lys-Asn-Met-Xle-Ala-Lys-Lys-Xle-Asp-Glu-His-Il e-Gly (where Xle represents leucine or isoleucine; sequences in parentheses are based on homology considerations) . It exhibits less than 53% homology with Escherichia coli thioredoxin. J Biol Chem, 1987 Jun 5, 262(16), 7546 - 51 Complete amino acid sequence of the collagenase from the insect Hypoderma lineatum; Lecroisey A et al.; The primary structure of the Hypoderma lineatum collagenase was determined . Chymotrypsin digestion and thermolysin fragmentation of the chymotryptic core gave 30 and 5 peptides, respectively, accounting for all the residues of the protein . These peptides were aligned with overlapping peptides derived from tryptic and Staphylococcus aureus V8 proteinase digests . Hypoderma collagenase is a serine proteinase composed of 230 amino acids (Mr 25,223) . It displays a high degree of sequential homology with the serine proteinases of the trypsin family, especially with another collagenolytic enzyme, the proteinase I of the crab Uca pugilator . The six half-cystinyl residues of Hypoderma collagenase correspond to 6 of the 10 half-cystinyl residues of chymotrypsin, and the residues forming the charge-relay system of the active site of chymotrypsin (His-57, Asp-102, and Ser-195) are found in corresponding regions . The prediction of the secondary structure of the collagenase is given. Med Care, 1987 Jun, 25(6), 481 - 8 Use of the appropriateness evaluation protocol for estimating the incremental costs associated with nosocomial infections; Wakefield DS et al.; Existing methods for estimating additional days of hospital stay due to nosocomial infections (NI) have a number of documented limitations . An alternative method described in this paper uses the Appropriateness Evaluation Protocol (AEP) to determine whether each day of acute inpatient care is appropriate based on the need for care of the NI, original cause of hospitalization (OC), or combined NI-OC requirements . Using this method to identify specific days of hospitalization due to Staphylococcus aureus nosocomial infection, we find: 1) length of stay is increased for only a minority of patients (38%); 2) an average of 20 additional days of stay occurred for patients with 1 or more days attributed to NI; and 3) an average of 52% of length of stay of patients with 1 or more days attributed to NI can be attributed to the NI . Application of the AEP-based method is a useful alternative for identifying additional days of stay due to NI. Zentralbl Bakteriol Mikrobiol Hyg {A}, 1987 Jun, 265(1-2), 243 - 52 Staphylococcus aureus strains of the 94/96 complex isolated in the German Democratic Republic: incidence and discrimination of strain clones; Witte W; The incidence of S . aureus with a phage pattern of 94/96 rose from 9% in 1979 to 18% in 1985 . The frequency of occurrence not only increased among isolates from inpatients and outpatients but also among those from healthy carriers . All of the 504 investigated strains of different origin exhibited a uniform pattern of biochemical characteristics . In each of 40 investigated strains, a plasmid with a molecular mass of 16 Md was found . Elimination experiments indicated that these plasmids determined resistance to penicillin and/or cadmium . Resistance to chloramphenicol was found to be determined by plasmids of 2.0 Md, resistance to oxytetracycline by plasmids of 2.7 Md . Clones could be discriminated by means of 7 experimental phages . The application of these phages for typing strains from infections in hospitals is demonstrated. J Biochem (Tokyo), 1987 Jun, 101(6), 1321 - 30 Primary structure of anti-lipopolysaccharide factor from American horseshoe crab, Limulus polyphemus; Muta T et al.; The complete amino acid sequence of anti-lipopolysaccharide (LPS) factor purified from the hemocytes lysate of the American horseshoe crab, Limulus polyphemus, was determined by characterization of the NH2-terminal sequence and the peptides generated after digestion of the protein with lysyl endopeptidase, clostripain, and Staphylococcus aureus V8 protease . Upon sequencing the peptides by the automated Edman method, the following primary structure was obtained: (Sequence: in text) . During the sequence analysis, two species of the protein, which differed from each other at one locus, were found and characterized . L . polyphemus anti-LPS factor was a basic protein consisting of a single polypeptide chain of 101 residues and a calculated molecular weight of 11,786 or 11,800 . The hydrophobic NH2-terminal sequence and the clustering of positive charges found in the disulfide loop yielded a typical amphipathic character of this protein . Moreover, L . polyphemus anti-LPS factor showed 83% sequence identity with the Tachypleus tridentatus protein, and the sequence similar to that observed in the EF-hand structure was found to contain in the COOH terminal portions of these proteins, although its function is unknown. Chemioterapia, 1987 Jun, 6(3), 225 - 7 Antibiotic resistance monitoring, with particular reference to methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus; Cooke EM et al.; Two surveys of antibiotic resistance in hospital pathogens are described . The first is a long-term, multi-center, laboratory based investigation in which antibiotic resistance data from laboratories with computerized reporting is collected . The difficulties of this type of investigation are discussed and some solutions suggested . In the second investigation reports of the isolation of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) were collected from microbiological laboratories on a nation-wide basis . The results were useful in monitoring the spread of the organism and in its control. Acta Pathol Microbiol Immunol Scand {B}, 1987 Jun, 95(3), 199 - 202 Post-antibiotic effect and killing activity of ciprofloxacin against Staphylococcus aureus; Fuursted K; The effect of ciprofloxacin on eight strains of Staphylococcus aureus were examined . A post-antibiotic effect was observed in all strains, varying between 1.65 and 2.75 hours, with concentration of ciprofloxacin at 5 times the Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) exposed for 1 hour . Killing-kinetic studies at 5 times the MIC showed a decrease in the numbers of organisms by approximately 2.1 log10 after 6 hours, independent of the growth phase . A significantly increased susceptibility of S . aureus to the bactericidal activity of ciprofloxacin during recovery from the PAE-phase was demonstrated. Acta Orthop Scand, 1987 Jun, 58(3), 256 - 9 Antibiotic penetration into the infected knee . A rabbit experiment; Frimodt-Moller N et al.; We investigated the diffusion of penicillin-G, cloxacillin, clindamycin, and netilmicin into synovial fluid and membrane in rabbits . Purulent arthritis was induced in the right knee of each rabbit by inoculation of Staphylococcus aureus phage type 3C, whereas sterile saline was injected into the left knee to serve as a control . Two days later, concentrations of antibiotics were determined in serum, synovial fluid, and membrane after an intramuscular single dose . All four drugs diffused readily into infected joints, whereas the corresponding concentrations in the normal joints were 2-3 times lower . Clindamycin showed the highest intraarticular penetration, cloxacillin the lowest . The lower penetration of cloxacillin corresponded to its higher protein binding in rabbit serum . Considering the sufficient local concentrations achieved, parenteral treatment obviates the need for local instillation of these antibiotics. J Rheumatol, 1987 Jun, 14(3), 616 - 20 Septic spondylodiscitis in ankylosing spondylitis; Lohr KM et al.; A patient with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) for 10 years suddenly developed localized midback pain after minimal activity . Although he sought immediate medical assistance, recognition of a septic spondylodiscitis was delayed 3 weeks . One day after admission, he developed fever and admitted to intravenous drug use . Staphylococcus aureus empyema and spondylodiscitis were subsequently diagnosed . Clinical differentiation of aseptic from septic spondylodiscitis cannot be ignored in patients with AS. Clin Rheumatol, 1987 Jun, 6(2), 293 - 5 Septic manubriosternal arthritis in a patient with Reiter's disease; Van Linthoudt D et al.; A man with a quiescent Reiter's disease presented with abrupt upper chest pain . This symptom resulted from a septic arthritis of the manubriosternal joint due to staphylococcus aureus cultured from the synovial fluid. Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1987 Jun, 31(6), 930 - 4 Quantitative effect of granulocytes on antibiotic treatment of experimental staphylococcal infection; Hoogeterp JJ et al.; The quantitative relation between granulocytopenia and antibiotic treatment was established for a short-term Staphylococcus aureus infection in the thighs of mice, using rifampin, benzylpenicillin, and erythromycin . Granulocytopenia was induced by total-body irradiation; the number of granulocytes decreased gradually during the first 5 days after irradiation to 10% of the number in normal mice . Experimental infections were established on each of the 5 days after irradiation . In animals not treated with antibiotics, the number of granulocytes in peripheral blood and the number of CFU at the site of infection exhibited a strong negative correlation . The influence of granulocytes on the effect of antibiotics on the number of CFU differed for the three antibiotics . For erythromycin the slope of the dose-effect relation was rather flat, but a decrease in the number of granulocytes caused a significant, nearly parallel, shift in the dose-effect relation, resulting in an increase in the number of CFU . For benzylpenicillin the slope of the dose-effect relation for normal mice was also flat, but as the number of granulocytes decreased the slope became significantly steeper, resulting in a diminishing influence of granulocytes at higher dosages . For rifampin the slope of the dose-effect relation, which was already steep for nonirradiated animals, increased significantly . Here too the effect of granulocytes decreased as the dose increased. Neurosurgery, 1987 Jun, 20(6), 859 - 67 Experimental spinal epidural abscess: a pathophysiological model in the rabbit; Feldenzer JA et al.; To define the pathophysiology of spinal cord dysfunction associated with spinal epidural abscess formation, we developed an experimental model . Spinal epidural abscesses were produced in rabbits by injecting Staphylococcus aureus into the posterior thoracolumbar epidural space under direct vision . Progressive neurological deficits were detected in 18 of 20 animals; severe paraparesis or paraplegia occurred in 75%, and sphincter dysfunction occurred in 55% . Clinical data, including the results of plain spine roentgenography, myelography, and biochemical and bacteriological examination of the cerebrospinal fluid, were recorded . Epidural abscesses with varying degrees of spinal cord compression were confirmed pathologically in 95% of the experimental group . Spinal cord white matter changes included vacuolization, loss of myelin, and axonal swelling . The gray matter of the spinal cords was relatively preserved . There was no microscopic evidence of thrombosis or vasculitis in the major blood vessels supplying the spinal cords . Histopathological changes detected in the spinal cords were more consistent with direct compression of neural tissue than with infarction . The progressive clinical course and the histopathological changes in the spinal cord after compression by abscess closely resembled those of experimental compression of the spinal cord by epidural neoplasm. Appl Environ Microbiol, 1987 Jun, 53(6), 1207 - 9 Synthesis of catalase in Staphylococcus aureus MF-31; Martin SE et al.; During the growth of Staphylococcus aureus MF-31, initial catalase activity dropped to a reduced level at the onset of exponential phase before increasing . When S . aureus was grown at 25, 32, or 37 degrees C, catalase activity was found to decrease by 80 to 90% within 1 h of inoculation . Two catalase-negative mutants and wild-type S . aureus MF-31 cells were exposed to exogenous 20 mM H2O2 for 15 min . For wild-type S . aureus, there was no effect from H2O2 until min 15, at which time a 10% decrease in CFU was observed . Both mutants showed increased sensitivity to the H2O2, with 56 and 71% reductions in the CFU for mutants C3 and C4, respectively, after a 15-min exposure . Cells of mutant and wild-type S . aureus were subjected to sublethal heating at 52 degrees C for 20 min . The lack of catalase activity in the mutants resulted in large decreases in enumeration. J Fam Pract, 1987 Jun, 24(6), 601 - 4 Comparison of topical antibiotic ointments, a wound protectant, and antiseptics for the treatment of human blister wounds contaminated with Staphylococcus aureus; Leyden JJ et al.; An open, randomized, human-model study was conducted to compare the effects of topical antibiotics, a wound protectant, and antiseptics on the rate of wound healing and bacterial growth using a modification of a method employing ammonium hydroxide-induced intradermal blisters inoculated with Staphylococcus aureus . Each volunteer in the study had six blister wounds (three per forearm) to which a triple antibiotic (neomycin, polymyxin B, bacitracin) ointment or one of four other test agents was applied twice a day . A control wound remained untreated . All wounds were covered with an occlusive dressing after treatment . The time to healing (100 percent epithelialization) was evaluated for each wound . Wounds were cultured for bacterial growth after two treatments . Contaminated blister wounds treated with the triple antibiotic ointment healed significantly faster (mean nine days) than wounds treated with any antiseptic and those receiving no treatment . Only the neomycin-polymyxin B-bacitracin combination effectively eliminated bacterial contamination of the wounds after two applications (within 16 to 24 hours after contamination with Staphylococcus aureus) . The overall clinical appearance and healing rates of wounds treated with the triple antibiotic were ranked superior to all treatments (and no treatment) except the other antibiotic ointment in the study. J Bacteriol, 1987 Jun, 169(6), 2869 - 71 Nucleotide sequence of the gene for the hole-forming toxin aerolysin of Aeromonas hydrophila; Howard SP et al.; The gene for the hole-forming toxin aerolysin from Aeromonas hydrophila was sequenced . Although most of the sequence seems unrelated to that of Staphylococcus aureus alpha-toxin, both proteins are very hydrophilic, and they each contain a nearly identical string of 10 amino acids. J Bacteriol, 1987 Jun, 169(6), 2601 - 10 A site-specific recombination function in Staphylococcus aureus plasmids; Gennaro ML et al.; All known small staphylococcal plasmids possess one or two recombination sites at which site-specific cointegrate formation occurs . One of these sites, RSA, is present on two small multicopy plasmids, pT181 and pE194; it consists of 24 base pairs of identity in the two plasmids, the "core," flanked by some 50 base pairs of decreasing homology . Here we show that recombination at RSA is recA independent and is mediated by a plasmid-encoded, trans-acting protein, Pre (plasmid recombination) . Pre-mediated recombination is site specific in that it occurs within the core sequence of RSA in a recA1 host . Recombination also occurs between two intramolecular RSA sites . Unlike site-specific recombination systems encoded by other plasmids, Pre-RSA is not involved in plasmid maintenance. J Bacteriol, 1987 Jun, 169(6), 2482 - 7 Structure of the Staphylococcus aureus cell wall determined by the freeze-substitution method; Umeda A et al.; The fine structure of the Staphylococcus aureus cell wall was determined by electron microscopy with the new technique of rapid freezing and substitution fixation . The surface of the cell wall was covered with a fuzzy coat which consisted of fine fibers or an electron-dense mass . Morphological examination of the cell wall, which was treated sequentially with sodium dodecyl sulfate, trypsin, and trichloroacetic acid, revealed that this coat was partially removed by trypsin digestion and was completely removed by trichloroacetic acid extraction but was not affected by sodium dodecyl sulfate treatment, suggesting that the fuzzy coat consists mostly of a complex of teichoic acids and proteins . This was confirmed by the application of the concanavalin A-ferritin technique for teichoic acid and antiferritin immunoglobulin G technique for protein A. Am Surg, 1987 Jun, 53(6), 342 - 6 Pyogenic splenic abscess in intravenous drug addiction; Nallathambi MN et al.; Among the surgical complications of intravenous drug addiction, pyogenic splenic abscess is considered to be a rare entity . A review of the literature reveals only 24 cases of splenic abscess secondary to this particular etiology . The authors report five patients with intravenous drug addiction who underwent splenectomy for pyogenic splenic abscess within 1 year . Fever and abdominal pain were the only constant physical signs . Three patients had associated infective endocarditis, and the other two patients sustained blunt trauma to the left side of the trunk weeks earlier . Computed tomography (CT) and ultrasound were diagnostic in all five patients preoperatively, and they were complementary when combined . Four of the five patients had Staphylococcus aureus septicemia at the time of splenectomy . Three patients recovered from their operations, and the other two, both with endocarditis, died postoperatively from causes unrelated to splenic abscess and splenectomy . A high index of suspicion is warranted in this susceptible group of patients with vague abdominal signs and persistent sepsis to rule out splenic suppuration . The noninvasive imaging methods, CT scan and ultrasound, facilitate early diagnosis in these patients. Dev Biol, 1987 Jun, 121(2), 478 - 88 On the macromolecular composition of the zona pellucida from porcine oocytes; Hedrick JL et al.; The chemical and immunological relation between the glycoprotein components of the pig oocyte zona pellucida resolved by two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis was investigated . After disulfide bond reduction, four microheterogeneous glycoprotein components with apparent molecular weights of 25K, 55K, 65K, and 90K were resolved . When disulfide bonds were left unreduced, two microheterogeneous glycoprotein components were resolved with apparent molecular weights of 55K and 90K . Actin was present, but as a contaminant of the zona pellucida rather than as a true component . The structural relation of these components was investigated using deglycosylation with trifluoromethane-sulfonic acid, limited proteolysis with Staphylococcus aureus V8 protease, amino acid and carbohydrate composition analyses, sequence analysis, and monoclonal antibodies . The 25K and 65K components comigrated with the 90K component when disulfide bonds were not reduced . When the intermolecular disulfide bonds crosslinking the two components were reduced, the 25K and 65K components behaved independently . The 25K and 65K components were derived from the 90K glycoprotein family by proteolysis . The 25K component originated from the C-terminal end, and the 65K component from the N-terminal end of the 90K glycoprotein . The 55K component was composed of two chemically and antigenically distinct glycoproteins, termed 55K alpha and 55K beta, that electrophoretically comigrated . The N-terminal amino acid of the 55K alpha family was blocked . The 55K beta family had an N-terminal amino acid sequence of Asp-Val-Pro-Thr-Ile-Gly-Leu-Ser-X-Ala-Pro-Thr . Thus, the two to four electrophoretic components of the zona pellucida observed on gel electrophoresis are derived from three glycoprotein families. Clin Exp Immunol, 1987 Jun, 68(3), 638 - 47 Study of the biological activities of toxic shock syndrome toxin-1: II . Induction of the proliferative response and the interleukin 2 production by T cells from human peripheral blood mononuclear cells stimulated with the toxin; Uchiyama T et al.; Toxic shock syndrome toxin-1 (TSST-1) is an exotoxin produced by Staphylococcus aureus isolated from patients with toxic shock syndrome . We investigated the proliferative response of human lymphocytes and their interleukin 2 (IL-2) production after stimulation with TSST-1 in vitro . Human cord blood mononuclear cells (HCBM) and human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (HPBM) could proliferate with TSST-1 stimulation . T cell-depleted HPBM showed only a marginal response to this toxin . A IL-2-like factor with a molecular weight of 15-18 kD was obtained from the supernatants of TSST-1-stimulated HPBM cultures . The factor was absorbed by CTLL-2 cells but not by T cell-depleted murine spleen cells, indicating that it is IL-2 . HPBM are very sensitive to TSST-1: a low concentration of TSST-1 (0.01 ng/ml in 36 h stimulation) and a short period of stimulation (8 h at 10 ng/ml of the toxin) were fully effective for HPBM to produce substantial amounts of IL-2 . Removal of T cells abrogated the TSST-1-induced IL-2 production by HPBM . Reconstituted cell cultures of nylon wool column-passed T cells and macrophages produced IL-2 by TSST-1 stimulation and, furthermore, the accessory activity of the macrophages could be partially replaced by a macrophage-derived factor containing interleukin 1 . These findings indicate that T cells require macrophages or IL-1 for TSST-1-induced production of IL-2 . The roles of lymphokines, including IL-2, in the development of this illness are discussed. Semin Respir Infect, 1987 Jun, 2(2), 122 - 9 Influenza pneumonia; Ruben FL et al.; Influenza A and B viruses exhibit frequent minor antigenic drift and type A viruses undergo a major antigenic shift every one to four decades, thus assuring that at least a portion of the population is always susceptible . Children and young adults have the highest incidence of influenza infection each winter, but the highest incidences of severe or complicated influenza illness leading to hospitalization or death are in infants, elderly persons (especially those in nursing homes), and persons of all ages with underlying heart or lung disease . Influenza viruses infect respiratory epithelial cells and can themselves cause diffuse pulmonary infiltrates and severe hypoxia, but concomitant or secondary bacterial pneumonia is a much more frequent complication of influenza . Although pneumococci predominate in these secondary pneumonias, the relative incidence of Staphylococcus aureus pneumonia also increases during influenza epidemics; empiric antibiotic therapy in this setting should be directed against both of these organisms . A variety of other bacteria can cause postinfluenzal pneumonia, especially in patients with alcoholism or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and broad antimicrobial coverage including gram-negative bacteria is justified in such patients when diagnostic studies provide no guidance . Early amantadine therapy of influenza-like illness during an influenza A epidemic will reduce the duration of symptoms and possibly reduce complications . Successful therapy of influenza virus pneumonia with ribavirin aerosol has been reported but not yet officially approved . Annual vaccination of persons at greatest risk for severe or complicated influenzal disease will reduce the morbidity and mortality due to this infection.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS) Pathol Biol (Paris), 1987 Jun, 35(5 Pt 2), 891 - 5 {Use of the MS2 automated system in the determination of the activity of 5 antiseptic drugs: quality control}; Vincent F et al.; The study of growth curves of Klebsiella pneumoniae and Staphylococcus aureus in presence of five antiseptics, established using a MS2 Abbott system is presented . From our results, the advantages of automation after the adaptation of the method for the determination of bactericidal properties are examined . This technique may be proposed for the quality control of such drugs. Pathol Biol (Paris), 1987 Jun, 35(5 Pt 2), 772 - 6 {Intraocular penetration of pefloxacin in man and rabbit . The aqueous humor and vitreous body}; Denis F et al.; Intraocular distribution of pefloxacin was evaluated in 64 patients undergoing ocular surgery and in 4 rabbits after experimental infection of one eye by Staphylococcus aureus . Patients were perfused during one hour either with 800 or 400 mg of pefloxacin . Samples (serum, aqueous humor, vitreous fluid) were collected 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 or 12 h after the end of antibiotic administration . Antibiotic levels were measured using a standard microbiological assay . The aqueous humor levels remained stables until 12 h, but were higher with a posology of 800 mg (mean level: 2.66 mg/l) than with a posology of 400 mg (mean level: 0.66 mg/l) . The ratio between vitreous and serum concentrations ranged from 8 at 12% with 400 mg and from 2 to 36% with perfusion of 800 mg . The efficacy of pefloxacin treatment is demonstrated in the experimental infection of rabbits eyes. Alcohol Clin Exp Res, 1987 Jun, 11(3), 261 - 4 Surfactant deficiency with decreased opsonic activity in a guinea pig model of alcoholism; Baughman RP et al.; Chronic alcoholism was induced in guinea pigs to quantitate the effect of alcohol on lung surfactant . Animals were studied after 6 weeks of treatment with either ethanol (ETH) or isocaloric dextrose saline (DEX) injections . The amount of surfactant retrieved by bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) was evaluated by measuring the quantity of phosphatidylcholine (PC) and disaturated phosphatidylcholine (DSPC) in the fluid . The amount of DSPC recovered from the ETH animals (40.9 +/- 10.4 micrograms/ml of BAL fluid, mean +/- SD) was significantly lower than from the DEX animals (82.7 +/- 18.6 micrograms/ml of BAL fluid, p less than 0.001) . This decrease in surfactant was associated with impairment of the opsonic activity from BAL fluid in the ETH versus DEX animals using a standard assay of bacterial (Staphylococcus aureus) killing with normal polymorphonuclear leukocytes and BAL fluid as an opsonin . We conclude that in the guinea pig model of alcoholism, surfactant deficiency occurs and has physiologic importance in reduced bacterial killing. Zentralbl Bakteriol Mikrobiol Hyg {B}, 1987 Jun, 184(3-4), 262 - 8 Microbial contamination of a hexetidine mouth wash; Abdelaziz AA et al.; Twenty different bottles of a mouth wash containing 0.05% hexetidine as an active ingredient were examined for their microbiral contents . The results showed that all the tested bottles were contaminated with bacteria . Nine out of the twenty bottles contained more than 10(4) CFU/ml . Staphylococcus aureus was detected in one bottle, while Pseudomonas species were found in four bottles . Fungi were detected in 10 bottles, a fungal count of more than 100 fungus/ml were found in 12 out of the 19 . Yeasts were detected in 16 bottles, Candida species were the most predominant with a rate of 11 out of the 16, while Saccharomyces species were found in 5 out of the 16 . C . albicans, a definite oral pathogen, was found in 3 bottles. Gastroenterol Jpn, 1987 Jun, 22(3), 337 - 43 Proliferation and immunoglobulin synthesis of peripheral blood mononuclear cells from patients with chronic liver disease stimulated by Staphylococcus aureus Cowan 1 and interleukin 2; Kakumu S et al.; Proliferation and IgG synthesis of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) in response to stimulation with recombinant interleukin 2 (IL-2) and Staphylococcus aureus Cowan 1 (SAC) were evaluated in 32 patients with chronic persistent hepatitis (CPH), chronic active hepatitis (CAH) and liver cirrhosis (LC) . Eleven patients had serum HBe antigen, 10 presented with HBe antibody and 11 had non-A, non-B hepatitis . IgG synthesis of PBMC induced with the two stimuli was significantly decreased in patients with CAH and LC when compared with that of controls . However, the generated amounts of IgG were not associated with the HB virus carrier state . B cells and T4+ cells were responsible for the diminished IgG synthesis in patients with CAH and LC when assessed by coculture experiments . On the other hand, proliferative response of PBMC to IL-2 and SAC were similar in controls and patient groups . These findings indicate that IgG production level of PBMC stimulated with IL-2 and SAC can reflect the severity of the underlying disease in chronic hepatitis patients. Eur J Immunol, 1987 Jun, 17(6), 791 - 5 B cell differentiation and interleukin 2 (IL2): corticosteroids interact with monocytes to enhance the effect of IL2; Emilie D et al.; Upon in vitro activation by Staphylococcus aureus Cowan I strain (SAC) human peripheral blood B cells produce only marginal amounts of Ig when cultured in the presence of interleukin 2 (IL2; 10 U/ml) . This response is only moderately increased by the addition of monocytes or of IL1 . In the presence of dexamethasone (DM; 10(-7)-10(-8) M) microgram amounts of both IgM and IgG are produced in co-cultures of B cells and monocytes . This response is not modified by inhibitors of cyclooxygenase and is specifically inhibited by a monoclonal antibody interfering with the binding of IL2 to its receptor . This enhancing effect of DM is not observed in the absence of monocytes even if IL1 is added to the cultures . Moreover, monocytes pretreated with DM stimulate the response of B cells cultures in the absence of DM . Enhancement of Ig production by DM and monocytes could be demonstrated with B cells obtained from a patient suffering from a hyperlymphocytic form of B cell type chronic lymphocytic leukemia, and in this case only IgM was produced . Importantly, DM fully inhibited the IL2-dependent proliferation of these monoclonal B cells . Thus, physiological concentrations of DM can modulate monocytic function to enhance the differentiative effect of IL2. J Immunol, 1987 Jun 1, 138(11), 3836 - 43 IgE-enhancing activity directly and selectively affects activated B cells: evidence for a human IgE differentiation factor; Sherr EH et al.; T cells from highly atopic individuals spontaneously secrete in vitro a factor that specifically induces IgE synthesis from normal human B cells . We investigated the effects of such T cell supernatants derived from atopic individuals (TCSN-A) on functionally distinct B cell subsets to determine at what developmental stage B cells become responsive to this IgE-enhancing activity . B cells from normal and allergic donors were separated into subsets of small resting and large activated cells by density centrifugation or unit gravity sedimentation . When stimulated by TCSN-A, large activated B cells made more IgE than small resting B cells . The difference was as much as 3300% in comparing these subsets from allergic donors . Similarly, resting B cells stimulated by Staphylococcus aureus Cowan I (SAC) made 52 to 125% more IgE in response to TCSN-A than unstimulated small resting B cells . However, IgE production from large B cells, already activated in vivo, was not enhanced by the addition of SAC . Notably, the IgE level synthesized by in vivo large activated B cells from allergic persons was markedly greater than that seen with similar cells from normal donors, whereas resting B cells purified from allergic and normal donors produced comparable levels of IgE in response to TCSN-A . These results suggest that this enhancing activity functions as an IgE differentiation factor for activated B cells . This was further confirmed by the effects of TCSN-A on the IgM- and IgE-secreting EBV-transformed human B cell line K1D5 . TCSN-A specifically enhanced IgE synthesis from these cells; TCSN from normal donors, IL 2, IFN-gamma, and BCGF did not . These results confirm that this activity functions as an IgE-specific differentiation factor, directly influencing activated B cells to synthesize IgE. Biochem J, 1987 Jun 1, 244(2), 465 - 9 Renal dipeptidase is one of the membrane proteins released by phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C; Hooper NM et al.; Renal dipeptidase (dehydropeptidase-I, EC 3.4.13.11) was released from pig kidney membrane preparations by treatment with phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C from Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus thuringiensis and a phospholipase C preparation from Bacillus cereus to a similar extent as alkaline phosphatase . Endopeptidase-24.11 and aminopeptidase N were not released by this treatment . After treatment of the membrane fraction with the S . aureus phospholipase C the dipeptidase was converted from an amphipathic to a hydrophilic form, as deduced from phase-separation experiments in Triton X-114 . It is concluded that renal dipeptidase is anchored to the microvillar membrane by covalently attached phosphatidylinositol. Ann Trop Paediatr, 1987 Jun, 7(2), 109 - 12 Management of Empyema thoracis in children--a study of 65 cases; Beg MH et al.; Sixty-five cases of pleural empyema (50 boys and 15 girls) were seen between January 1983 and June 1986 . Fifty-three of these 65 children were below 10 years of age . Pulmonary infection was the commonest underlying cause . Cough with or without expectoration (98%) and fever (95%) were the commonest symptoms followed by breathlessness (85%) and chest pain (83%) . Staphylococcus aureus was isolated from pus and blood in 61% and 18% of cases, respectively, while pseudomonas was grown in 8% and 3% . Most of the children (88%) were treated with antibiotics and tube thoracostomy drainage . Decortication was needed in 12% of cases . There were four deaths in this study . The overall success rate was 94%. Biochim Biophys Acta, 1987 May 29, 899(2), 159 - 70 Structure-activity relationship of gramicidin S analogues on membrane permeability; Katsu T et al.; The previous study of the action of gramicidin S on bacteria (Katsu, T., Kobayashi, H . and Fujita, Y . (1986) Biochim . Biophys . Acta 860, 608-619) prompted us to investigate further the structure-activity relationship of the gramicidin S analogues on membrane permeability . Two types of the gramicidin S analogues were used in the present study: (1) cyclo(-X-D-Leu-D-Lys-D-Leu-L-Pro-)2, where X = Gly, D-Leu and D-cyclohexylalanine (D-cHxAla); (2) N,N'-diacetyl derivative of gramicidin S (diacetyl-gramicidin S) which lacks a cationic moiety of gramicidin S . All the analogues have a beta-sheet conformation as gramicidin S . The following cellular systems were used: Staphylococcus aureus as Gram-positive bacteria, Escherichia coli as Gram-negative bacteria, human erythrocytes, rat liver mitochondria and artificial liposomal membranes . It was found that gramicidin S and one of the type 1 analogues having X = D-cHxAla induced the efflux of K+ through the cytoplasmic membrane of all types of the cells . In addition, these two peptides had the ability to lower the phase transition temperature of dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine . Accordingly, it was concluded that, if peptides can expand greatly the membrane structure of neutral lipids which constitute main parts of the biological membrane, they can stimulate the permeability of cells without any selectivity . The action of the type 2 peptide, diacetyl-gramicidin S, was strongly cell dependent . Although this peptide stimulated the efflux of K+ from mitochondria, it did not do so efficiently, if at all, from S . aureus, E . coli and erythrocytes . In experiments using liposomes, diacetyl-gramicidin S increased markedly the permeability of liposomes composed of egg phosphatidylcholine . The presence of egg phosphatidylethanolamine or cholesterol reduced its activity . These results on liposomes explained well the low sensitivity of diacetyl-gramicidin S against E . coli and erythrocytes in terms of lipid constituents of the membranes . The mechanism of action of diacetyl-gramicidin S was discussed from the formation of a boundary lipid induced by this peptide. Biochim Biophys Acta, 1987 May 27, 913(1), 51 - 9 Isolation and sequencing of alpha-tubulin peptides from myxamoebae of the slime mould Physarum polycephalum; Singhofer-Wowra M et al.; Starting from only 5.9 mg of alpha-tubulin from myxamoebae of the slime mould Physarum polycephalum, we have isolated and sequenced peptides that account for 96% of the complete sequence . The peptides were generated by digestion of alpha-tubulin with trypsin, Staphylococcus aureus protease and cyanogen bromide . They were then separated according to size on a TSK G2000 SW column using a 10 mM ammonium acetate buffer at pH 6.8 . In addition to good peptide separations, a time-consuming desalting step with subsequent loss of material was unnecessary because the relatively small amount of ammonium acetate could be removed by lyophilization . High resolution of peptides from the TSK fractions was achieved on C4 or C18 reverse-phase columns by eluting with a gradient of acetonitrile in 50 mM ammonium acetate (pH 6.8) and in 0.1% trifluoroacetic acid, respectively . The peptides were then sequenced using a gas phase sequencer. J Biol Chem, 1987 May 15, 262(14), 6699 - 703 The primary structure of pig liver thioltransferase; Gan ZR et al.; The complete amino acid sequence of pig liver thioltransferase has been determined . The homogeneous protein was cleaved by trypsin, chymotrypsin, Staphylococcus aureus V8 protease, and cyanogen bromide . The resulting peptides were purified by reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography and ion-exchange fast protein liquid chromatography . Sequencing of the fragments was achieved with either automated Edman degradation or fast atom bombardment-mass spectrometry . Pig liver thioltransferase is a single polypeptide with 105 amino acid residues and an acetylated glutamine N terminus . The protein has 2 cysteine pairs with sequences of -Cys-Pro-Phe-Cys- and -Cys-Ile-Gly-Gly-Cys-, the first pair of which (Cys22 and Cys25) is located at the potential active site of the enzyme . The sequence of pig liver thioltransferase displays close homology (82%) with calf thymus glutaredoxin, suggesting that they belong to the same evolutionary family. Biochem J, 1987 May 15, 244(1), 117 - 21 Proteolysis and deglycosylation of human C1 inhibitor . Effect on functional properties; Reboul A et al.; The effects of proteolysis and deglycosylation on C1 inhibitor (C1Inh) were tested with respect to both its ability to form complexes with C1s and its capacity to block C1 autoactivation . Limited proteolysis of C1Inh by Staphylococcus aureus V8 proteinase, proline-specific endopeptidase or elastase generated a major high-Mr (approximately 86,000) fragment . In contrast with the fragment produced by elastase, which was inactive, the fragments resulting from V8 proteinase and proline-specific endopeptidase treatment retained activity . Deglycosylation with N-glycanase or O-glycanase, or both, had no major effect on the functional activity of C1Inh. J Am Vet Med Assoc, 1987 May 15, 190(10), 1284 - 7 Benefits and costs of a control program for an epizootic of Staphylococcus aureus mastitis; Goodger WJ et al.; In response to an epizootic of Staphylococcus aureus mastitis, the owner of a 2,000-cow dairy instituted a treatment, prevention, and control program (hereafter, "intervention program") consisting of teat dipping, bacteriologic culturing of milk from all fresh cows and from cows with clinical signs of infection, and culling cows found to be infected . The program was highly beneficial, yielding $2.40 in direct benefits for every $1 invested. J Biol Chem, 1987 May 15, 262(14), 6447 - 9 A single polypeptide acts both as the beta subunit of prolyl 4-hydroxylase and as a protein disulfide-isomerase; Koivu J et al.; A single polypeptide is shown to act both as the beta subunit of the proline hydroxylase (EC 1.14.11.2) and as a protein disulfide-isomerase (EC 5.3.4.1) . When isolated from chick embryos or rat liver, the beta subunit of prolyl 4-hydroxylase and the enzyme protein disulfide-isomerase have identical molecular weights and peptide maps as produced by digestion with Staphylococcus a