Staphylococcus

Ter Arkh, 1986, 58(4), 86 - 9
{Effectiveness of various programs of immunocorrective therapy in chronic infectious-inflammatory diseases}; Gordienko SM et al.; An immunological study of patients with chronic pneumonia, osteomyelitis, pyoderma and candidosis showed various changes in cellular immunity values within each nosological group of examined patients . The efficacy of levamisole therapy was higher in the group of patients where an increase in the number of E-rosette forming cells and NBT-test values by more than 10% was noted in vitro in the presence of 10 micrograms/ml of levamisole as opposed to patients with a less increase in these values or their decrease . Nonspecific immunotherapy (levamisole, prodigiosan) following specific immunotherapy (staphylococcal anatoxins and antiphagin or autovaccines) proved to be more effective in the treatment of patients with chronic infectious inflammatory diseases than the reverse sequence of immunotherapy courses.

J Dairy Sci, 1986 Jan, 69(1), 32 - 7
Bacterial cell counts in goat milk and their correlations with somatic cell counts, percent fat, and protein; Park YW et al.; Representative milk samples at morning and afternoon milking were collected periodically for 5 mo from 32 does in a Prairie View A&M University milking herd to test the concentrations of total bacterial, coliform, and staphylococcus counts and to determine the correlations among the bacterial cell counts, somatic cell counts, percent fat, and percent protein . Bacterial cell counts were assayed by microbiogical methods using different nutrient media for the three cell types . Somatic cell counts were determined by an automated fluorescent microscopic somatic cell counter . Percent fat and protein were analyzed by an automated dual beam infrared absorption analyzer . Mean counts for total bacterial, coliform, staphylococcus, and somatic cell were 2.54 X 10(4), .966 X 10(3), 3.32 X 10(3), and 9.08 X 10(5) cells/ml, respectively . The Nubian goats had higher counts in all three bacterial cell types than the Alpines, and the difference in staphylococcus counts between breeds was significant (P less than .05) . However, Alpine milk contained slightly higher somatic cell counts than the Nubians . None of the correlation coefficients (r) between somatic cell and bacterial cell counts was significant for the pooled data from the two breeds, but r between staphylococcus and somatic cell counts for Alpine breed was significant (P less than .05) . The r between somatic cell counts and percent fat or protein were significant (P less than .01) for combined or separated breed data . Bacterial cell counts could not explain high somatic cell counts in the goat milk with the present testing standards of cow milk.

Infection, 1986, 14 Suppl 2, S148 - 53
{Effect and tolerance of daily 2 X 1 g imipenem/cilastatin in general surgery}; Wenzel M et al.; The clinical efficacy, tolerability and safety of imipenem/cilastatin were studied in a open, prospective trial with 63 general surgical patients suffering from bacterial infections . According to study criteria, 48 of the patients were evaluable . Clinical cure was achieved in 47 of these 48 patients (97.9%) . The causative organisms were eliminated in 39 of the 47 patients cured . Clinical side-reactions were observed in 4.2% of the 63 patients treated . In 8.3% of these laboratory parameters were changed . 77 of the 78 microorganisms isolated before therapy were sensitive to imipenem (MICs 0.02-2.0 mg/l) . In one patient a coagulase-negative staphylococcus with an MIC of 16 mg/l was isolated after five days of therapy.

J Cell Biochem, 1986, 30(4), 281 - 9
Guanidine hydrochloride denaturation studies of mutant forms of staphylococcal nuclease; Shortle D; Several mutant forms of staphylococcal nuclease with one or two defined amino acid substitutions have been purified, and the effects of the altered amino acid sequence on the stability of the folded conformation have been analyzed by guanidine hydrochloride denaturation . Two nuc- mutations, which greatly reduced the level of enzyme activity accumulated in E coli colonies carrying a recombinant plasmid with the mutant nuc gene (ie, a NUC- phenotype), both result in protein unfolding at significantly lower guanidine hydrochloride concentrations than the wild-type protein, whereas three sup mutations isolated on the basis of their ability to suppress partially the NUC- phenotype of the above two mutations result in unfolding at significantly higher guanidine hydrochloride concentrations . Characterization of nuclease molecules with two different amino acid substitutions, either nuc- + sup pairs or sup + sup pairs, suggests that the effect of an amino acid substitution on the stability of the native conformation, as measured by the value of delta delta GD, may not be a constant, but rather a variable that is sensitive to the presence of other substitutions at distant sites in the same molecule . Surprisingly, the slopes of the log Kapp vs guanidine hydrochloride concentration plots vary by as much as 35% among the different proteins.

Tohoku J Exp Med, 1986 Jan, 148(1), 87 - 97
A cytotoxic substance (CTS-51) produced by human buffy coat cultures stimulated by staphylococcal enterotoxin B: further characterizations and combined action with interferon; Hirai N et al.; A recently recognized unique cytotoxic substance, CTS-51, was tested for the hear or acid stability, trypsin digestion and dialysis . Moreover, influences of elevated incubation temperatures or serum concentrations of medium on the cytotoxic activity of CTS-51, and the combination effects of CTS-51 and human leucocyte interferon (HuIFN-alpha (Le)) were investigated . The cytotoxic activity of CTS-51, which is promoted by a small molecule easily passable the dialysis membrane, was found to be very stable to heat (even at 100 degrees C for 30 min) or acid (pH 2.0 for 24 hr at 4 degrees C) treatments . The treatment with 0.75% trypsin for 1 hr did not diminish the CTS-51 activity . The susceptibility of Daudi lymphoma cells to the antiproliferative action of HuIFN-alpha (Le) was further potentiated by treating the cells with CTS-51 for 16 hr . On the other hand, the CTS-51 activity which was revealed to be prescribed by its concentration in the medium, was not potentiated at 39 degrees C when compared to that at 37 degrees C in contrast to HuIFN-alpha (Le) action, and was reduced according to the increase of the fetal calf serum concentration in the medium.

Exp Cell Biol, 1986, 54(1), 16 - 24
Use of donor-specific T-cell lines for monitoring of human allograft recipients . I . Demonstration of IgG binding to autologous TCL; Huber C et al.; Donor-specific and highly cytotoxic T-cell lines (TCL) as well as lectin-induced TCL were established from pretransplant lymphocytes of 6 cadaveric renal allograft recipients . These TCL were used in the 125I-staphylococcus protein A assay to detect IgG antibodies in pre- and posttransplant sera of these patients preferentially binding to autologous donor-specific TCL . Such antibodies were detected in pretransplant sera from 4 of these 6 allograft recipients . Antibody levels in these 4 patients and in 1 additional case who became positive after transplantation further increased during acute cellular rejection episodes . They disappeared after successful treatment but remained elevated until transplantectomy for treatment of irreversible rejection in 1 case . IgG antibodies binding to autologous lectin-induced TCL were detected in only 1 patient and exhibited a pattern clearly different from those binding to donor-reactive TCL . Although attempts to define the antigenic specificity of the autoantibodies binding to donor-specific TCL by genetical and biochemical means has remained unsuccessful so far, the demonstration of their relationship to in vivo expansion of donor-reactive immune cells deserves further attention.

JPEN J Parenter Enteral Nutr, 1986 Jan-Feb, 10(1), 58 - 62
Hickman catheter complications in marrow transplant recipients; Petersen FB et al.; The complications associated with the insertion and use of 95 single lumen and 312 double lumen Hickman right atrial catheters in 357 marrow transplant recipients were retrospectively analyzed . Three-hundred (84%) first inserted catheters were in place for a median of 93 days (range, 16-209) without complications and were removed electively . Thirty-nine (9.6%) of all catheters were removed for infections and 24 (5.9%) for mechanical complications . Ninety-five patients (26.6%) had 111 episodes of septicemia involving 128 separate organisms and 25 patients had 25 episodes of localized catheter infection with 26 separate organisms . The most frequently isolated organism was coagulase-negative staphylococcus . Twelve of 24 removals due to mechanical complications were caused by accidental pulling of the catheter by the patient.

Infect Immun, 1986 Jan, 51(1), 141 - 6
Plasmodium berghei malaria: effects of acute-phase serum and erythrocyte-bound immunoglobulins on erythrophagocytosis by rat peritoneal macrophages; Packer BJ et al.; Acute-phase serum (APS) collected from Plasmodium berghei-infected rats inhibited phagocytosis of trypsinized rat erythrocytes and of erythrocytes from P . berghei-infected rats . Macrophages (M phi) incubated with APS or heat-aggregated acute-phase serum (HAAPS) for 6 h, followed by 18 h incubation in serum-free medium, exhibited significantly higher levels of phagocytosis than M phi similarly cultured but with normal rat serum . When APS was present at the time of assay, it inhibited erythrophagocytosis by M phi which had been in culture for 0 or 24 h . M phi activation by HAAPS was inhibited by 2-deoxy-D-glucose, which suggests that activation by HAAPS is Fc-receptor mediated . Adsorption of APS with staphylococcal protein A abrogated the ability of APS to inhibit phagocytosis and that of HAAPS to effect M phi activation, suggesting that immune complexes are involved in both processes . Surface-bound immunoglobulins eluted from erythrocytes of P . berghei-infected rats promoted phagocytosis of trypsinized erythrocytes by HAAPS-activated M phi but not by resting M phi . These results indicate that the immunoglobulins which bind to infected or damaged erythrocytes during malarial infections promote erythrophagocytosis by activated M phi and that the immune complexes in serum from rats with acute malaria may inhibit erythrophagocytosis early in the infection but may, over time, induce changes in the M phi which later facilitate erythrophagocytosis.

Rheumatol Int, 1986, 6(3), 103 - 9
Properties and reactivity of immune complexes in rheumatoid synovial fluid; Mochan E et al.; Fractionation of immune complexes (IC) from rheumatoid synovial fluid revealed the presence of three different fractions of IC . The largest molecular weight form, fraction I (above 1000 Kdaltons) was predominately composed of IgG and IgM and contained both IgM-RF and IgG-RF . The other IC, fraction II (480 Kdaltons) and fraction III (330 Kdaltons), contained predominately IgG with some IgA and only significant amounts of IgG-RF . All three fractions of IC can bind Clq and stimulate human monocyte prostaglandin E (PGE) production . Fraction I IC bound Clq most readily while fraction III IC were the most effective stimulators of monocyte PGE production . IC stimulation of monocyte PGE production was inhibited by staphylococcus protein A suggesting mediation via activation of Fc receptors . It remains to be determined whether this IC reactivity has any pathologic significance.

Int J Biochem, 1986, 18(5), 485 - 8
NH2-terminal localization of that part of the staphylococcal enterotoxins polypeptide chain responsible for binding with membrane receptor and mitogenic effect; Ezepchuk YuV et al.; It is established that the part of the SEA and SEC2 polypeptide chain responsible for the binding of these toxin proteins with the membrane receptor on the surface of rabbit thymocytes and mitogenic effect is localised in the NH2-terminal region of the molecule . The SEC2 splits in two fragments T1 (17 kdalton) and T2 (12.5 kdalton) under limited proteolysis by trypsin in the presence of 2-ME . The amino acid terminal residues of SEA, SEC2 and their proteolytic fragments are also studied.

Ann Allergy, 1986 Jan, 56(1), 22 - 7
Assessment of IgE-mediated sensitivity during immunotherapy: comparison of the RAST with and without adsorption of IgG to titrated prick skin tests; Squire EN Jr et al.; The effect of specific IgG induced by allergy immunotherapy on specific IgE binding in the RAST was assessed by removal of the IgG with staphylococcus protein A bound to Sepharose . In sera from those patients with the highest titers of specific IgG, RAST binding was increased 8% following adsorption of the post-immunotherapy sera while in sera obtained from the same patients before immunotherapy adsorption increased binding only 3% . The effect of allergy immunotherapy on the titrated prick skin test was compared to the effect on the RAST to the same allergen . In nine patients who received the highest dose of grass extract, the area of the titrated prick skin tests was reduced following immunotherapy by 75% . Staphylococcus protein-A adsorption of sera from these patients drawn before immunotherapy resulted in an increase in RAST binding of 2.7% compared to an increase of 6% in sera obtained after immunotherapy, suggesting suppression of RAST binding of only 3% by specific IgG . It is concluded that RAST levels are affected less than prick skin tests by the immunologic response to allergy immunotherapy . Some interference in RAST binding is produced by specific IgG antibody in high titers, but for many critical purposes the degree of interference is not significant.

Exp Clin Immunogenet, 1986, 3(4), 208 - 18
Phenotypic similarity between T-cell antigen binding molecules; Cone RE et al.; T-cell antigen binding molecules (TABM) specific for trinitrophenol (TNP), oxazalone, azobenzenearsonate or sheep erythrocytes were purified by affinity to antigen, adsorption to monoclonal antibodies to antigen binding molecules or were synthesized by translation of immunopurified mRNA for TABM in vitro . These molecules and a T-cell line, BW5147, membrane protein bound by rabbit antibodies to TABM were radiolabeled by 125I, digested with Staphylococcus V8 protease, and peptides of the proteolytic digest were resolved by 2D-gel peptide mapping . Comparison of the peptide maps of these proteins and amino acid analysis of T-cell antigen binding molecules specific for TNP or sheep erythrocytes indicate similarities and distinctions suggesting variable and constant domains in these molecules.

Microbiol Immunol, 1986, 30(10), 1023 - 35
Use of protein A in the serum-in-agar diffusion method in immune electron microscopy for detection of virus particles in cell culture; Furui S; A modified technique using protein A in the serum-in-agar (SIA) method for immune electron microscopy (IEM) was presented . Grids coated with staphylococcal protein A were floated on samples mounted on agar containing 2% antiserum and incubated at 37 C, for 60 min . After washing and staining, the grids were observed in an electron microscope . The effects of protein A on virus detection were evaluated using poliovirus and bovine rotavirus infected cell culture fluids . The results showed that the technique using protein A (PA-SIA) had at least 10-fold higher sensitivity for virus detection than the original SIA . The optimal concentration of protein A was 1 to 10 micrograms/ml for coating the grids to trap virus particles . The PA-SIA method was also compared with immunosorbent electron microscopy (ISEM) . The former showed higher or at least the same sensitivity and some advantages in detecting antigen-antibody reaction than the latter method . These results indicate that our PA-SIA method may be superior to other IEM techniques presented previously for the detection and identification of viruses.

Prep Biochem, 1986, 16(3), 217 - 26
Partial purification and characterization of feline gamma-like interferon; Yasuda M et al.; Feline interferon (IFN) was produced from spleen cells stimulated by Staphylococcus enterotoxin A (SEA) . The IFN was purified by a three-step procedure using controlled pore glass adsorption chromatography, concanavalin A (ConA)-agarose column chromatography and gel filtration . The final product of these procedures which had activity of an IFN appeared as a single peak of activity with molecular weight of approximately 50,000 . It was sensitive to acid and heat, suggesting that the isolated material was a gamma IFN . The total recovery of feline gamma IFN was 8.2% . Specific activity was 2.95 X 10(4) unit/micrograms protein and was concentrated 2.8 X 10(4) times . This preparation of purified feline gamma IFN was destroyed completely by 0.1% sodium dodecyl sulfate within 20 min . As an inducer of feline gamma IFN, SEA appeared to produce a more uniform IFN product than did ConA . Further, the presence of 10% ethylene glycol in the sample applied to ConA-agarose column as well as its absence in the elution buffer was effective in reducing contaminating acid- and heat-resistant IFNs in the preparation.

Am J Pathol, 1986 Jan, 122(1), 169 - 76
Enhancement of endotoxin-induced isolated renal tubular cell injury by toxic shock syndrome toxin 1; Keane WF et al.; The pathogenesis of toxic shock syndrome (TSS) remains unknown . On the basis of experimental data, it has been hypothesized that staphylococcal TSS Toxin 1 (TSST-1) may interact synergistically with low levels of endotoxin and give rise to many of the clinical findings . We have demonstrated previously that lipid A, the biologically active component of lipopolysaccharide (LPS), or endotoxin, induces dose-dependent necrosis of isolated rat renal tubular cells (RTCs) . In the present studies, the authors investigated whether this injury could be augmented by TSST-1 . The viability of RTCs was assessed by vital dye exclusion . Incubation of freshly isolated rat RTCs with either 1 ng/ml of TSST-1 or 0.1 ng/ml LPS or lipid A had minimal cytotoxicity (less than 6%) . Exposure of RTCs to 1 ng/ml TSST-1 for 20 minutes, followed by washing, resulted in a significant enhancement of cytotoxicity when RTCs were exposed to 0.1 ng/ml LPS or lipid A . The sensitization of RTCs by TSST-1 to LPS- or lipid-A-induced injury was prevented by methylamine and chloroquine, two inhibitors of receptor-mediated endocytosis (RME) . Chelation of extracellular calcium by 2 mM EGTA also blocked the TSST-1-induced sensitization of RTCs to LPS or lipid A . Inhibition of RTC arachidonic acid metabolism by methylprednisolone, indomethacin, ibuprofen, and piriprost significantly inhibited RTC necrosis induced by TSST-1 and LPS or lipid A by 33-62% . Thiourea and deferoxamine, agents which ameliorate oxidant injury, also inhibited this synergistic injury by 34-67% . Thus, TSST-1 enhanced the cytotoxic effects of LPS/lipid A, and the sensitization of RTCs appeared to involve RME or TSST-1 . Oxidative metabolism of arachidonic acid and generation of reactive oxygen species appeared to participate in LPS/lipid-A-mediated RTC death.

Int Arch Allergy Appl Immunol, 1986, 79(1), 1 - 7
Augmentation of natural killer cytotoxicity by alpha or gamma natural and recombinant interferons and interferon inducers . Effect of monocytes; Platsoucas CD et al.; We investigated the effect of human peripheral blood monocytes on the augmentation of natural killer cytotoxicity by alpha or gamma natural and recombinant interferons (IFN) and certain interferon inducers . We observed that: (1) in the majority of the donors examined (75%) human peripheral blood monocytes do not affect natural killer cytotoxicity, determined by a 4-hour chromium-51 release assay, against target cells from hemopoietic human tumor cell lines . (2) Monocytes are not required and do not affect the augmentation of natural killer cytotoxicity by Escherichia coli-derived IFN-gamma, natural human IFN-gamma, E . Coli-derived IFN-alpha 2 or natural human IFN-alpha . E . Coli-derived IFN-gamma and natural human IFN-gamma have been reported to activate monocyte cytotoxicity determined in 72-hour assay . (3) Monocytes are not required for the augmentation of natural killer cytotoxicity against target cells from hemopoietic tumor cell lines by polyinosinic acid-polycytidylic acid or staphylococcal enterotoxin A.

Int J Biochem, 1986, 18(12), 1107 - 14
Formation of HCN and its chlorination to ClCN by stimulated human neutrophils--2 . Oxidation of thiocyanate as a source of HCN; Stelmaszynska T; Leucocytes challenged by Staphylococcus epidermidis or stimulated by phorbol myristate acetate (PMA) produce cyanide from thiocyanate . The amount of H14CN formed depends on KS14CN concentration and is enhanced by pretreatment of phagocytosed bacteria with penicillin or by adding amine-taurine to the medium of PMA-stimulated neutrophils . The reaction of taurine chloramine or chlorinated Staphylococcus epidermidis (containing N-Cl groups) with thiocyanate results in HCN formation . At higher concentration of chloramine cyanogen chloride is formed . Cyanide is chlorinated by PMA-stimulated neutrophils and this process is significantly enhanced by exogenous taurine and inhibited by 3-amino 1,2,4-triazole . It is conceivable that oxidation of thiocyanate to HCN and chlorination of HCN to ClCN is mediated by the chlorinating species (taurine chloramine) produced by stimulated neutrophils.

Cor Vasa, 1986, 28(4), 315 - 9
Myocardial changes in influenza virus and staphylococcus infection; Barlybaeva NA et al.; Experiments carried out on 134 newborn mice showed that influenza virus and staphylococcus infection and their combination induces local necrosis in the myocardium . Morphometric measurement has shown that the extent of necrotic changes amounted with the action of the influenza virus to 1.37%, with the action of staphylococcus to 1.4% and with their combined action to 1.8% . Electron microscopy revealed dystrophic changes in cardiomyocytes with subsequent intracellular regeneration.

Dermatologica, 1986, 173(6), 278 - 84
Exfoliative dermatitis . A prospective study of 80 patients; Sehgal VN et al.; A prospective study in 80 exfoliative dermatitis patients over a period of 5 years establishes 41.9 years as its mean age at onset . The disease affected both males and females, with a preponderance of the former . The clinical features were identical, irrespective of the etiology . The onset of the disease was usually insidious except in staphylococcal scalled skin syndrome and drug-induced erythroderma, where it was abrupt and florid . Microcytic hypochromic anemia, elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate, eosinophilia, low serum proteins and electrolytes were salient laboratory features . Histopathology was largely unrewarding; only in 12 patients, a good clinicohistologic correlation was present . Preexisting dermatoses, namely psoriasis, air-borne contact dermatitis, phytophotodermatitis, photosensitive and seborrheic dermatitis, and other dermatoses constituted the major etiology . Antituberculous drugs were responsible for a substantial proportion of drug-induced erythroderma . No lymphomas were found . This study outlines that some salient features of exfoliative dermatitis may show geographic variations.

Arch Virol, 1986, 91(3-4), 313 - 27
Morphology of staphylococcus bacteriophage P 1; Black BC et al.; The group D staphylococcal phage P 1 was examined in the electron microscope after preparation by a variety of procedures . The virion was found to have an icosahedral capsid attached to a long contractile tail structure, the viral tail could be seen in partially contracted configurations . Morphological variants in the length of the sheath and needle were frequently found.

Int Angiol, 1986 Jan-Mar, 5(1), 33 - 7
Pathogenesis of aortoenteric fistula . An experimental study; Ikonomopoulos DC et al.; The pathogenesis of aortoenteric fistulas was studied in the experimental laboratory . In 23 dogs patch of woven dacron was interposed in the anterior wall of the infrarenal abdominal aorta . In two groups (I and II), the serosa denuded duodenal wall was sutured to an opening of the proximal anastomosis--creating a pseudoaneurysm--, with induction of staphylococcal bacteremia, without (group I) and with simultaneous administration of methicillin (group II) pre and postoperatively . In the remaining two groups (III and IV), the serosa stripped duodenal wall, was simply attached to overlay the intact proximal anastomosis, with induction of staphylococcal bacteremia, without methicillin in group II and with administration of methicillin without bacteremia in group IV . Aortoduodenal fistulas developed in 100% of animals in group I, 80% in group II and 14% in group III . No aortoduodenal fistula was observed in group IV . We conclude that mechanical factors have the decisive role for the formation of aortoenteric fistulas, especially the development of a false aneurysm, which subsequently ruptures into the duodenum or the bowel.

Clin Exp Immunol, 1986 Jan, 63(1), 218 - 27
Immune defects in chronic renal impairment: evidence for defective regulation of lymphocyte response by macrophages from patients with chronic renal impairment on haemodialysis; Tsakolos ND et al.; Cellular mechanisms contributing to impaired lymphocyte proliferative responses in chronic renal impairment (CRI) were investigated using peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from 25 patients receiving haemodialysis . Impaired T cell proliferative responses to phytohaemagglutinin were demonstrated . The hyporeactive PBMC from patients with CRI suppressed the responses of PBMC from normals to a greater degree than did control PBMC . This immunosuppression was reversed significantly by depleting adherent monocytes (M phi) . To further determine if these impairments might be critically dependent on cell-cell contact, M phi from an additional 10 patients on haemodialysis were examined for ability to support B and T cell colony formation in semi-solid cultures stimulated by Staphylococcus protein A (SpA) . When compared to normal controls, significantly fewer B and T cell colonies were observed with M phi from CRI patients than when autologous M phi were used . Also, T cells from patients were significantly less effective than controls in supporting B cell colony growth . Decreased T and B cell colony responses in patients were not due to a primary abnormality of these cells, since allogeneic mixing experiments showed that B and T cells from patients were able to form a sufficient number of colonies when control M phi or T cells from normals were used as accessory and helper cells . These findings suggest that although M phi-mediated suppressor activity is an important mechanism contributing to impaired lymphocyte responsiveness in patients with chronic renal impairment on haemodialysis, additional or related abnormalities in M phi 'accessory' function may also exist.

Neurochirurgie, 1986, 32(4), 304 - 10
{Postoperative abscesses and empyemas . Apropos of 13 cases}; Rousseaux M et al.; 13 cases of severe intracranial postoperative infections, abscesses and/or empyema, are reported . These lesions, whose clinical diagnosis is often difficult, have benefited from C.T . scan . The diffusion of the infectious process in operatory focus, the frequency of Staphylococcal origin and the importance of high doses antibiotherapy must be underlined . This one is, of course, an indispensable complement to reintervention, but it may be utilized alone with success in selected cases, or insure the definitive cure when reintervention is partial.

Intensive Care Med, 1986, 12(1), 39 - 42
Benzodiazepine-opiate antagonism--a problem in intensive-care therapy; McDonald CF et al.; A 14-year-old previously fit schoolboy was admitted with staphylococcal pneumonia secondary to influenza A infection . His condition deteriorated as he developed adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS); during a stormy recovery exceptionally high doses of benzodiazepines and opiates were given in order to suppress voluntary breathing during a successful period of assisted ventilation . It is possible that benzodiazepine-opiate antagonism developed . Subsequent studies in laboratory mice indicate that the respiratory depressant effects of morphine can be antagonized by prior treatment with lorazepam.

Toxicon, 1986, 24(4), 403 - 11
Staphylococcal alpha-toxin: a structure-function study using a monoclonal antibody; Harshman S et al.; A monoclonal antibody (A-Tox-653.1) selected for its reactivity in a dot immunoblot assay with denatured staphylococcal alpha-toxin has been isolated and its capacity to block the hemolytic and lethal activities of alpha-toxin measured . In addition, 'reactivity with monomer, hexamer, 125I-monoiodinated and CNBr peptides of alpha-toxin was studied . In all cases the reactions of the monoclonal antibody were compared to those obtained with anti-alpha-toxin rabbit hyperimmune serum . We find that while both the monoclonal antibody and the rabbit antiserum react with all forms of alpha-toxin, only the rabbit antiserum blocks hemolytic or lethal activity . Further, the rabbit antiserum reacts with CNBr fragments IV, V ad VII, whereas the monoclonal antibody reacts only with the carboxy terminal CNBr peptide VII . We conclude that, in solution, the carboxy terminal segment of alpha-toxin is relatively free and reaction with the monoclonal antibody neither impedes its binding to the specific receptor on the membrane nor interferes with formation of the hexamer complex.

Clin Exp Immunol, 1986 Jan, 63(1), 32 - 40
Electrophoretic transfer blotting analysis of immune complexes in rheumatoid arthritis; Inman RD et al.; Immunochemical analysis of immune complexes (IC) derived from synovial fluid and serum of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) was undertaken . IC were isolated by differential polyethylene glycol precipitation and competitive binding to staphylococcal Protein A . Anti-IC antisera were raised in rabbits by immunization with purified IC . IC were characterized by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE), electrophoretic transfer to nitrocellulose sheets, reaction with either anti-IC antiserum or monospecific antiserum against putative components, then developed with 125I-Protein A and autoradiography . Synovial fluid IC from both RA and control inflammatory joint diseases contained immunoglobulin light chains, and mu and gamma heavy chains . IC from RA synovial fluid also contained alpha chain, and Clq . Cross-over studies of IC and antisera revealed cross-reactive antigens in IC of RA synovial fluid and that remained unidentified were of the following relative molecular masses: 26,000; 39,000; 40,000; and 43,000 . Studies using early and late serum samples to probe the blotted IC failed to disclose serological autoreactivity . This sensitive analytical technique provides a means for detailed description of the constituents of IC in inflammatory joint diseases.

Thromb Haemost, 1985 Dec 17, 54(4), 853 - 6
Anticoagulant properties of extracellular slime substance produced by Staphylococcus epidermidis; Bykowska K et al.; Slime produced by S . epidermidis strain KH 11 was extracted with phenol-saline . The saline phase was fractionated on a DEAE-Sepharose CL-6B column . The crude slime solution and its phenol-saline fraction were found to possess anticoagulant properties . They inhibited the coagulation of human plasma by thrombin, prolonged the activated partial thromboplastin time, but did not change the rate of plasma coagulation by reptilase . The anticoagulant effect of slime could be neutralized by rather high concentrations of protamine sulphate . In the presence of plasma, the staphylococcal slime also inhibited in a concentration dependent fashion the amidolytic activity of thrombin and factor Xa against synthetic chromogenic substrates . Both antithrombin III (AT III) and other plasma component(s), presumably heparin cofactor II, were required for the full expression of the slime effect . The anticoagulant action of slime was markedly less AT III dependent than that of heparin . The activity was resistant to heating (100 degrees C, 30 min) . Slime and its fractions were stronger inhibitors of thrombin than of factor Xa . Fraction IV separated by DEAE-Sepharose chromatography and particularly rich in galactose and glucuronic acid had the highest inhibitory potency . It is conceivable that slime component(s) similar to glycosaminoglycans from other sources can carry the anticoagulant activity.

Z Hautkr, 1985 Dec 15, 60(24), 1940 - 2, 1947-50
{Therapy and etiology of sebopsoriasis}; Doring HF; 9 patients suffering from psoriasis vulgaris associated with sebopsoriasis lesions as well as 21 patients showing sebopsoriasis only were treated with 1% bifonazole cream and gel . We found good and excellent results in 86% of the sebopsoriatic, but only in 40% of the psoriasis vulgaris lesions . These results were achieved independently of the galenic preparation . In some of the sebopsoriasis patients, typical lesions were brought about by intracutaneous injection of bacterial antigens like steptococcus viridans and staphylococcus albus; my be, this is a hint on the etiology.

Presse Med, 1985 Dec 7, 14(42), 2135 - 8
{Fosfomycin-cefotaxime combination in severe staphylococcal infections in newborn infants}; Gouyon JB et al.; Clinical and bacteriological effectiveness of the fosfomycin-cefotaxime combination is reported in four cases of serious staphylococcal infections in neonates (1 meningitis, 2 osteomyelitis, 1 superinfection of congenital varicella) . Owing to the strong synergistic effect of this combination on methicillin-resistant staphylococcal strains, the authors suggest that the fosfomycin-cefotaxime combination should be considered for anti-staphylococcal therapy in neonates with deep tissue and/or methicillin-resistant infections.

Zentralbl Bakteriol Mikrobiol Hyg {B}, 1985 Dec, 181(3-5), 345 - 63
{Determination of staphylococcal enterotoxins A, B, C and D in foods using sandwich ELISA with labeled antibody}; Windemann H et al.; The noncompetitive Sandwich-ELISA (polystyrene balls) with labelled antibody for staphylococcal enterotoxins (SE) A, B, C, and D according to Fey et al . (1984), which have recently been introduced commercially, was applied to analysis of foods . The effect of various food ingredients on the quantitative determination and recovery of SE was investigated . The unspecific effect of food components which, in some cases, caused false-positive results in the competitive ELISA was less frequent . Nevertheless, the differences in binding of unlabeled antigen between buffer and food were still observed . Using ELISA microtiter plates the effect of food components was less pronounced . Enterotoxin type A or a mixture of A and D were dominant in foods which were involved in food poisoning (about 150 samples) . In meat the recovery of SE added (1-10 ng/g) ranged from 30-60% . The assay sensitivity in buffer ranged from 0.1 ng/ml for enterotoxins A, B, C and D (5 ml sample) to 0.2 ng/ml for enterotoxins A-D (1 ml sample) using polystyrene balls and was 1 ng/ml for enterotoxins A-D using ELISA plates . In foods the detection limit was occasionally higher . The required sensitivity for enterotoxin A (maximum limit 1 ng/g) could mostly be reached . Because of the differences in antigen binding in buffer and in various food extracts the determination of the enterotoxin content in this range is laborious.

Zentralbl Bakteriol Mikrobiol Hyg {B}, 1985 Dec, 181(3-5), 320 - 44
{Determination of staphylococcal enterotoxins A, B and C in foods using ELISA with labeled antigen}; Windemann H et al.; The competitive ELISA (polystyrene balls) with labeled antigen according to Stiffler-Rosenberg and Fey (1978) was applied to the analysis of Staphylococcal enterotoxins (SE) A, B and C in food to see if the enterotoxin concentration corresponding to maximum limit for SEA and SEB (1 ng/g food and 10 ng/g food respectively) could be measured . The effect of various food ingredients on the quantitative determination of SE in single-step and two-step variants of competitive ELISA was investigated . Generally, the effect of food was the lowest in extracts of cheeses and the highest in extracts of meats and pasta products . All enterotoxins were equally affected . However, within the same type of food significant differences in binding of both labeled and unlabeled antigen were found . The effect of food components often depended on the assay variant; the extracts of cheese gave better results in the two-step and the extracts of pasta better results in the single-step ELISA . In some weak-positive extracts, false positive results could not be excluded . In the samples of cheese which were involved in food poisoning exclusively the enterotoxin type A was found (up to 30 ng/g) . The recovery of added SE (1-10 ng/g food) ranged from 50-70% in cheese and was about 70% in pasta foods . The assay sensitivity in buffer ranged from 0.2 ng/ml for enterotoxins A and B and 0.3 ng/ml for enterotoxin C (20 ml sample) to 0.5 ng/ml for A and B and 0.6 ng/ml for C (5 ml sample) to 1 ng/ml for A and B and 2 ng/ml for C (1 ml sample) . In food, especially in meat and pasta the detection limit was often higher . With some exceptions the required sensitivity for enterotoxin A (1 ng/g) could only be reached in cheese.

J Dairy Sci, 1985 Dec, 68(12), 3323 - 8
Effect of chronic staphylococcal mastitis on mitogenic responses of bovine lymphocytes; Nonnecke BJ et al.; We compared mitogenic responses of milk and peripheral blood lymphocytes from nonmastitic (control) cows and cows with experimentally induced staphylococcal mastitis in one gland . Milk lymphocytes from infected glands were essentially unresponsive to Concanavalin A, phytohemagglutinin-P, and pokeweed mitogen . Proliferative responses of milk lymphocytes from uninfected glands of infected cows were not as depressed as those from infected glands but were significantly less than those of milk lymphocytes from control cows . Proliferative responses of peripheral blood lymphocytes from control and infected cows to Concanavalin A and phytohemagglutinin-P were similar; however, peripheral blood lymphocytes from infected cows responded in reduced fashion to pokeweed mitogen compared with peripheral blood lymphocytes from control animals . These observations demonstrate that in vitro lymphocyte blastogenesis is markedly depressed during infection, suggesting that in vivo lymphocyte function is compromised, possibly contributing to the chronicity of staphylococcal mastitis.

Arch Mal Coeur Vaiss, 1985 Dec, 78(13), 1955 - 8
{Pulmonary artery aneurysms in patent ductus arteriosus}; Touze JE et al.; Two cases of pulmonary artery aneurysm are reported in patients with persistent ductus arteriosus (PDA) . The first was a mycotic aneurysm complicating staphylococcal pneumonia; the other was a calcific aneurysm of the right pulmonary artery . The mycotic origin was confirmed in the first case . The aetiological roles of pulmonary hypertension and previous endocarditis are discussed in the second case . Based on these two observations, the authors analyse the aetiology and evolution of mycotic aneurysms and review the therapeutic problems posed by their association with PDA.

Zentralbl Bakteriol Mikrobiol Hyg {A}, 1985 Dec, 260(4), 436 - 42
Comparison of a coagglutination test with the GM1-ELISA and the Y-1 adrenal cell assay for the detection of heat-labile enterotoxin from Escherichia coli; Steinruck H et al.; A number of different assay methods has been developed for the detection of the heat-labile enterotoxin (LT) of ETEC strains isolated from humans and animals . In the present study 40 Escherichia coli strains were subject of a comparative study of the staphylococcal coagglutination (Coa-LT) test, the GM1-ELISA and the Y-1 adrenal cell test . All but two of 20 "LT-ST" or "LT-only" producing ETEC strains gave identical results in both the Coa-LT test and the bioassay . None of the 14 "ST only" producing ETEC strains gave false positive results . It is concluded that the Coa-LT test is a simple and rapid assay method for the routine diagnosis of LT producing ETEC strains.

J Antimicrob Chemother, 1985 Dec, 16(6), 789 - 97
CAPD peritonitis: a prospective randomized trial of oral versus intraperitoneal treatment with cephradine; Boeschoten EW et al.; In a prospective randomized clinical trial 84 peritonitis episodes were treated with cephradine, either orally or intraperitoneally . No difference in treatment outcome between both groups could be demonstrated . In episodes caused by susceptible micro-organisms a good response was seen in 82% in the oral and 82% in the intraperitoneal groups . These clinical findings were supported by the demonstration of adequate cephradine concentrations in serum and dialysate after oral as well as after intraperitoneal administration . Altogether cephradine was given orally or intraperitoneally in 88 episodes of peritonitis as drug of first choice . In 52 a complete cure was obtained, in 36 another antibiotic was subsequently needed as soon as bacterial susceptibility was known . No patient deteriorated appreciably during the delay between the start of cephradine and the switch to another antibiotic . Of the 36 episodes 14, caused by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus epidermidis, responded well initially to cephradine but relapsed later . Change to another antibiotic effected a complete recovery in all 14 cases . Of the remaining 22 episodes, 14 were cured by the other antibiotic, in eight the catheter had to be removed . Aminoglycosides could be avoided except for ten of the episodes . During peritonitis CAPD was continued, in 71% of the cases on an outpatient basis . Mortality due to peritonitis was absent . We conclude that oral cephradine can be used as drug of first choice in the initial treatment of CAPD peritonitis, because a good initial response was obtained in 66 (52 + 14) i.e . 75% of 88 episodes . However, complete cure by cephradine alone was achieved in only 60%.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

J Immunol, 1985 Dec, 135(6), 3772 - 6
Effects of diacetyl diamines on in vitro activation and proliferation of human B lymphocytes; Lacy J et al.; N,N'-Diacetylputrescine (tetramethylenebisacetamide {TMBA}) and its six carbon analog, hexamethylenebisacetamide (HMBA), inhibited the proliferative response of human B lymphocytes to anti-mu and formalinized Cowan I strain Staphylococcal aureus (SAC) stimulation . In contrast, B cell growth factor-stimulated proliferation of human B cells was minimally inhibited by TMBA or HMBA . The antiproliferative effect of these diamine derivatives was specific for anti-mu (or SAC) activation of normal B cells, because the proliferation of PHA-stimulated human T cells and transformed human B cells was not affected by the presence of TMBA or HMBA . The inhibitory effect of diacetyl diamines on anti-mu (or SAC)-induced B cell activation was dose dependent and persisted after removal of the diamine derivatives from the culture media . These studies show that diacetylated derivatives of polyamines modulate human B cell activation in vitro by specific abrogation of anti-mu or SAC activation.

Chemioterapia, 1985 Dec, 4(6), 436 - 8
Susceptibility of some Staphylococcus species to aminoglycosides; Geraci C et al.; The Staphylococcal strains, identified by "The Simplified Lyogroups System" were tested for their susceptibility to methicillin and some aminoglycosides . The results, besides showing a higher ratio of susceptibility against aminoglycosides in methicillin-susceptible (MS) strains, show a different trend within each lyogroup . A total of 1616 wild Staphylococcus strains were isolated in microbiological units in Catania, Messina, Rome and Genoa . The results show a high susceptibility to aminoglycosides, both in MS and methicillin-resistant (MR) groups but with different trends among lyogroups.

J Virol, 1985 Dec, 56(3), 904 - 11
Proteolytic cleavage of the E2 glycoprotein of murine coronavirus: activation of cell-fusing activity of virions by trypsin and separation of two different 90K cleavage fragments; Sturman LS et al.; In the murine coronavirus mouse hepatitis virus, a single glycoprotein, E2, is required both for attachment to cells and for cell fusion . Cell fusion induced by infection with mouse hepatitis virus strain A59 was inhibited by the addition of monospecific anti-E2 antibody after virus adsorption and penetration . Adsorption of concentrated coronavirions to uninfected cells did not cause cell fusion in the presence of cycloheximide . Thus, cell fusion was induced by E2 on the plasma membrane of infected 17 Cl 1 cells but not by E2 on virions grown in these cells . Trypsin treatment of virions purified from 17 Cl 1 cells quantitatively cleaved 180K E2 to 90K E2 and activated cell-fusing activity of the virions . This proteolytic cleavage yielded two different 90K species which were separable by sodium dodecyl sulfate-hydroxyapatite chromatography . One of the trypsin cleavage products, 90A, was acylated and may be associated with the lipid bilayer . The other, 90B, was not acylated and yielded different peptides than did 90A upon limited digestion with thermolysin or staphylococcal V8 protease . Thus, the cell-fusing activity of a coronavirus required proteolytic cleavage of the E2 glycoprotein, either by the addition of a protease to virions or by cellular proteases acting on E2, which was transported to the plasma membrane during virus maturation . There is a striking functional similarity between the E2 glycoprotein of coronavirus, which is a positive-strand RNA virus, and the hemagglutinin glycoprotein of negative-strand orthomyxoviruses, in that a single glycoprotein has both attachment and protease-activated cell-fusing activities.

Blood, 1985 Dec, 66(6), 1336 - 42
Transformed T lymphocytes infected by a novel isolate of human T cell leukemia virus type II; Chorba TL et al.; Human T cell leukemia virus type II (HTLV-II) has been isolated from a patient (Mo) with features of leukemic reticuloendotheliosis (LRE) and from a patient with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) . We have obtained another isolate of HTLV-II from a patient (CM) with severe hemophilia A, pancytopenia, and a 14-year history of staphylococcal and candidal infections but no evidence of T cell leukemia/lymphoma, AIDS, or LRE . Fresh mononuclear cells and cultured lymphocytes from CM express retroviral antigens indistinguishable by molecular criteria from HTLV-IIMo . Leukocyte cultures from CM yield hyperdiploid (48,XY, +2, +19) continuous lymphoid lines; human fetal cord blood lymphocytes (CBL) are transformed by cocultivation with these CM cell cultures but retain normal cytogenetic constitution . Electron microscopic examination of the CM cultures and transformed CBL reveals budding of extracellular viral particles, intracellular tubuloreticular structures, and viral particles contained within intracellular vesicles . CM cell cultures and the transformed CBL do not require exogenous interleukin 2, have T cell cytochemical features and mature T helper phenotypes, and exhibit minimal T helper and profound T suppressor activity on pokeweed mitogen-stimulated differentiation of normal B cells . These characteristics, which are similar to those observed with the first HTLV-II isolate, may represent properties of all HTLV-II-infected T cells.

Infect Immun, 1985 Dec, 50(3), 869 - 76
Skin reactivity of unsensitized monkeys upon challenge with staphylococcal enterotoxin B: a new approach for investigating the site of toxin action; Scheuber PH et al.; The correlation between skin tests and emetic responses in unsensitized monkeys was used to elucidate the cellular site of action of staphylococcal enterotoxin B (SEB) . Evidence is presented that SEB administered intradermally provoked immediate-type skin reactions associated with mild degranulation of cutaneous mast cells . The cytoplasma showed signs of synthetic and metabolic activity, with formation of vesicles and increased prominence of mitochondria . Carboxymethylation of histidine residues of SEB altered the molecule (cSEB) from more alkaline components to more acidic species with increased microheterogeneity . This modification caused a loss in toxicity and completely abrogated the skin-sensitizing activity without changing the immunological specificity . cSEB, however, could compete with SEB for binding sites on the target cell surface . Previously, compound 48/80-treated skin sites behaved refractively to challenge with SEB, indicating that mediators from cutaneous mast cells are required for SEB-induced skin reactions . Skin reactions as well as emetic responses challenged with SEB were completely inhibited by H2 receptor antagonists and calcium channel blockers but not by H1 antihistamine or competitive antagonists of serotonin . This new approach provides a model for investigating the mechanisms of SEB action.

J Occup Med, 1985 Dec, 27(12), 905 - 14
Industrial exposure to organophosphorus compounds . Studies of a group of workers with a decrease in esterase-staining monocytes; Emmett EA et al.; When an automated counting instrument using an esterase stain was employed, decreased monocyte counts were observed in a group of process workers exposed to organophosphate esters . Their monocyte counts were not found to be depressed with manual counting or with an automated counter using another staining method . The apparent depression was transient . In these workers and a comparison group, theoretical adverse consequences of decreased monocyte esterase and also possible changes in other esterases were explored . No anergy was seen with mumps or staphylococcal phage lysate hypersensitivity skin tests . Histology of the mumps reaction was similar in both groups . The depressed monocyte counts were significantly associated with a mild reduction in erythrocyte cell acetylcholinesterase, but no reduction was seen in plasma pseudocholinesterase or lymphocyte neurotoxic esterase.

J Exp Med, 1985 Dec 1, 162(6), 1811 - 24
IgG rheumatoid factors and staphylococcal protein A bind to a common molecular site on IgG; Nardella FA et al.; The antigenic determinant on the Fc region of human IgG for two IgG rheumatoid factors (IgG-RF) from patients with rheumatoid arthritis were investigated in detail . The RF did not interact with IgG fragments that contained the C gamma 2 or C gamma 3 region alone, but required the presence of both regions for binding . The RF binding to solid-phase IgG were poorly inhibited by the IgG3 subclass and strongly inhibited by staphylococcal protein A (SPA) (42 kD), and fragment D of SPA (7 kD), indicating that the binding site is most likely the same as the Ga antigenic determinant described for IgM-RF, and is in the same location as the site on IgG that binds SPA . pH titration studies of the RF binding to IgG indicated the involvement of histidine and lysine or tyrosine side chains . Chemical modification studies showed the histidines were involved on the Fc side of the interactions, and tyrosines were involved on both the antigenic and antibody sides of the interactions . Lysines were not involved . The above information, and the knowledge of the number and position in space of the amino acid residues involved in the C gamma 2-C gamma 3 interface region of IgG, the binding site for SPA, and the amino acid substitutions in IgG3 that account for its inability to bind protein A, allowed the identification of the site on IgG that bind IgG-RF . This binding site involves some of the same amino acid side chains, His 435, Tyr 436, and one or both His 433 and 310, and is in the same location as the site that binds SPA . The same site is likely to be a common antigenic determinant for other RF . Furthermore, the described molecular mimicry suggests a biological relationship between bacterial Fc-binding proteins and the production of RF in rheumatoid arthritis.

Infect Immun, 1985 Dec, 50(3), 860 - 8
Expression of human choriogonadotropin-like material in coagulase-negative Staphylococcus species; Acevedo HF et al.; We identified 101 coagulase-negative Staphylococcus strains obtained from different laboratories, the American Type Culture Collection, and our collection, isolated from 23 patients with overt cancer and 34 normal individuals through Kloos and Schleifer conventional methods and the Staph-Ident staphylococcal system (Analytab Products, Plainview, N.Y.) . In 40 strains, identity was further verified by DNA-DNA hybridization techniques . Identification revealed 39 S . epidermidis, 22 S . hominis, 8 S . haemolyticus, 9 S . capitis, 5 S . warneri, 5 S . cohnii, 8 S . saprophyticus, and 5 S . xylosus strains, all resident species found in humans . All bacteria were tested for the expression of human choriogonadotropin (hCG)-like material by the indirect fluorescein and peroxidase immunocytochemical labeling techniques by using specific antisera to the whole hormone, to its alpha and beta subunits, to the hCG beta COOH-terminal peptide, and to a monoclonal antibody to the hCG beta . The results demonstrated that the isolates from cancer patients were not unique bacteria, as has been postulated by others; the expression of immunoreactive hCG-like material is a strain, not a species, characteristic; not every bacterial strain isolated from a cancer patient is able to express the material; hCG-producing bacteria do not necessarily indicate the presence of active disease; 20% of the strains that we studied revealed a clonal variation of the expression of hCG-like material or its subunits or both as well as a variable expression of a single hCG epitope, an observation similar to that described for malignant cells; and a specific antiserum to the whole hormone with a high affinity and high sensitivity for immunocytochemistry can be a reliable reagent for screening purposes.

Br Med J (Clin Res Ed), 1985 Nov 30, 291(6508), 1554 - 5
Patients with suspected Lassa fever in London during 1984: problems in their management at St Thomas's Hospital; Tilzey AJ et al.; During 1984, 23 patients in whom a diagnosis of viral haemorrhagic fever was considered presented to the accident and emergency department at St Thomas's Hospital . There were no confirmed cases of viral haemorrhagic fever . Nine patients were transferred to Coppett's Wood Hospital, the nearest specially designated high security isolation unit . Malaria was the final diagnosis in 14, and in six this diagnosis was confirmed only after examining repeated smears at Coppett's Wood Hospital . Transferral of patients to such units is time consuming, expensive, and often unnecessary . Specially designated isolation units in district general hospitals and all teaching hospitals would simplify and improve the care not only of patients with a possible viral haemorrhagic fever but also patients with tuberculosis, multiply resistant staphylococcal infections, and viral infections that may be hazardous if transmitted to immunocompromised patients.

Eur J Biochem, 1985 Nov 15, 153(1), 13 - 28
Mitochondrial aldehyde dehydrogenase from human liver . Primary structure, differences in relation to the cytosolic enzyme, and functional correlations; Hempel J et al.; The 500-residue amino acid sequence of the subunit of mitochondrial human liver aldehyde dehydrogenase is reported . It is the first structure determined for this enzyme type from any species, and is based on peptides from treatments with trypsin, CNBr, staphylococcal Glu-specific protease, and hydroxylamine . The chain is not blocked (in contrast to that of the acetylated cytosolic enzyme form), but shows N-terminal processing heterogeneity over the first seven positions . Otherwise, no evidence for subunit microheterogeneities was obtained . The structure displays 68% positional identity with that of the corresponding cytosolic enzyme, and comparisons allow functional interpretations for several segments . A region with segments suggested to participate in coenzyme binding is the most highly conserved long segment of the entire structure (positions 194-274) . Cys-302, identified in the cytosolic enzyme in relation to the disulfiram reaction, is also present in the mitochondrial enzyme . A new model of the active site appears possible and involves a hydrophobic cleft . Near-total lack of conservation of the N-terminal segments may reflect a role of the N-terminal region in signaling the transport of the mitochondrial protein chains . Non-conservation of interior regions may reflect the differences between the two enzyme forms in subunit interactions, explaining the lack of heterotetrameric molecules . The presence of some internal repeat structures is also noted as well as apparently general features of differences between cytosolic and mitochondrial enzymes.

J Biol Chem, 1985 Nov 15, 260(26), 13976 - 83
Microsomal glutathione transferase . Primary structure; Morgenstern R et al.; The primary structure of rat liver microsomal glutathione transferase has been determined . The 14C-carboxymethylated protein was fragmented with CNBr and proteolytic enzymes . The basis of the analysis was information from sequenator degradations of the intact protein, the largest CNBr fragment, and a large COOH-terminal fragment derived from a digest with Glu-specific staphylococcal protease . Remaining, smaller fragments were analyzed with the manual dimethylaminoazobenzene isothiocyanate method . Pepsin and limited acid hydrolysis were used to obtain peptides to confirm and overlap hydrophobic structures in the COOH-terminal half of the protein where trypsin and chymotrypsin failed to give any cleavage . Combined, these data permit the deduction of a 154-residue amino acid sequence . No evidence for micro-heterogeneity was obtained . The NH2-terminal alanine residue has a free alpha-amino group and the cysteine residue involved in activation of the enzymatic activity by sulfhydryl reagents is at position 49 . The protein chain contains three regions with predictions for long beta strand secondary structures (positions 11-26, 103-120, and 131-145) . Predictions may be inaccurate in membrane-associated proteins, but two of these regions also affect the three most hydrophobic segments . Thus, residues 11-35 form a long, largely hydrophobic part interrupted by only one charged residue (Lys-25), and residues 81-97 and 114-126 constitute the most hydrophobic segments directly noticeable from the hydrophilicity curve of the protein chain . These special parts of the molecule are of interest in relation to membrane interactions.

Acta Paediatr Scand, 1985 Nov, 74(6), 874 - 80
Fusidic acid binding to serum albumin and interaction with binding of bilirubin; Brodersen R; Sodium fusidate, an antibiotic used in staphylococcal infections, is strongly bound to human serum albumin, competitively with bilirubin . It is given in molar amounts sufficient to occupy a considerable fraction of circulating albumin . In order to avoid a risk of bilirubin encephalopathy, induced by displacement of bilirubin, fusidate should be given with caution to newborn infants, particularly if patients are prematurely born, icteric or acidotic . Fusidate does not interfere with albumin binding of warfarin or diazepam.

Muscle Nerve, 1985 Nov-Dec, 8(9), 783 - 90
Fiber type-specific autoantibodies in a dog with eosinophilic myositis; Shelton GD et al.; Serum from a 2-year-old male Belgian sheepdog with eosinophilic myositis, which particularly affects the masticatory muscles, was tested for the presence of muscle-specific autoantibodies . Control type 2 temporalis muscle fibers were selectively stained following incubation with the patient's serum and staphylococcal protein A conjugated to horseradish peroxidase (SPA-HRPO) . Likewise, type 2 fibers in the patient's temporalis muscle were selectively stained with SPA-HRPO . The same staining procedures applied to limb muscle did not result in fiber staining . Proteins isolated from the temporalis and triceps brachii muscles of a normal dog were separated under denaturing conditions by one-dimensional sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis . The separated proteins were transferred onto nitrocellulose paper and incubated with either sera from the patient, normal dogs, or neuromuscular disease controls . Subsequent incubation with peroxidase-conjugated goat anti-dog IgG demonstrated antibodies to at least four proteins of the temporalis muscle (myosin heavy chain and three unidentified proteins) when incubated with the patient's serum but not with the controls . Under all conditions, antibodies to the proteins of the triceps brachii were not detected . These findings establish the presence of autoantibodies to specific temporalis muscle proteins that may initiate the myonecrosis and inflammatory response as well as limit the distribution of the response.

Monatsschr Kinderheilkd, 1985 Nov, 133(11), 847 - 9
{Hypertrophic osteoarthropathy in a patient with cystic fibrosis}; Schneider K et al.; An 11-year-old boy with cystic fibrosis additionally suffered from hypertrophic osteoarthropathy . Despite a mild pulmonary involvement the polyarthritis was surprisingly long-standing and resistant to antiinflammatory treatment . The arthropathy completely disappeared within two months after antibiotic therapy of the bronchopulmonary staphylococcus infection.

Pediatr Dermatol, 1985 Nov, 3(1), 54 - 8
Toxic epidermal necrolysis due to antiepileptic therapy in an 8-year-old boy; Muhar U et al.; Toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) has rarely been documented in children . We treated an 8-year-old boy who developed generalized blistering dermatosis after anticonvulsive therapy with diphenylhydantoin . The diagnosis was proved by exfoliative cytology, histology, and electron microscopy . The disease entity and its differentiation from staphylococcal scalded-skin syndrome and toxic shock syndrome are reviewed.

J Infect Dis, 1985 Nov, 152(5), 930 - 7
Opsonic defense to Staphylococcus epidermidis in the premature neonate; Fleer A et al.; The determinants of opsonic defense to Staphylococcus epidermidis were studied in 47 premature newborns . Opsonic activity for S . epidermidis in serum from premature newborns proved to be proportional to gestational age (r = .664, P less than .001) . The level of IgG antibodies to staphylococcal peptidoglycan in neonatal sera was similarly proportional to gestational age (r = .604, P less than .001) . However, all opsonic activity of premature neonatal serum proved to be heat labile, i.e., dependent on activation of complement . Thus, no heat-stable, IgG-dependent opsonic activity to S . epidermidis was detected in any of the preterm sera, despite the presence of IgG antibodies to peptidoglycan . Further studies with purified IgG isolated from paired sera from term neonates and their mothers revealed that at similar concentrations the opsonic activity to S . epidermidis of neonatal, transplacentally derived IgG was only 26% of the activity of maternal IgG, a finding that may explain the absence of heat-stable opsonic activity in preterm newborns.

Cell Immunol, 1985 Nov, 96(1), 175 - 83
Kinetics of IL-2 and interferon-gamma production, expression of IL-2 receptors, and cell proliferation in human mononuclear cells exposed to staphylococcal enterotoxin A; Carlsson R et al.; Staphylococcal Enterotoxin A (SEA) at picogram amounts induces high levels of interleukin 2 (IL-2) and interferon in human mononuclear cells . SEA is a stronger inducer of IL-2 than phytohemagglutinin, leukoagglutinin, and concanavalin A . The IL-2 induction is very rapid with maximal levels being reached after 18 to 24 hr . The IL-2 concentration decreases rapidly and almost no IL-2 activity can be detected in supernatants of cells cultured for 3 days or more . Maximal DNA synthesis is recorded 3 days after maximal IL-2 levels have been reached in the culture medium . The DNA synthesis shows a 24 hr delay as compared to the expression of the IL-2 receptor during the initiation phase . An increase in the level of IL-2 receptor expression is apparent as early as 12 hr after stimulation with SEA and maximal expression is reached 48 to 72 hr after stimulation . The percentage of cells expressing the IL-2 receptor is maximal at 96 hr after onset of culture but the surface concentration of the receptor is lower than at 72 hr . The decline in expression of the IL-2 receptor is accompanied by a decline in mean cell size and in DNA-synthesis . The concentration of the T-cell marker T11 increases in parallel with the growing expression of the IL-2 receptor . It remains increased over a longer period than the IL-2 receptor and is still significantly augmented after 10 days' exposure to SEA.

Cell Immunol, 1985 Nov, 96(1), 104 - 12
Histamine modulates the production of interferon-gamma and interleukin-2 by mitogen-activated human mononuclear blood cells; Carlsson R et al.; Histamine inhibited the production of interferon-gamma and interleukin 2 (IL-2) induced in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells by Staphylococcal Enterotoxin A (SEA) but had no effect on the expression of IL-2 receptors . The effects on lymphokine production were dose dependent with maximal inhibition occurring at histamine concentrations of 10(-4) to 10(-6) M . The H2-agonist 4-methylhistamine but not the H1-agonist 2-methylhistamine modulated lymphokine production in a similar manner as histamine . Histamine at concentrations of 10(-3) to 10(-8) M had no inhibitory effect directly on the activity of admixed IL-2 containing medium . The inhibitory effects of histamine could be reversed by the H2-antagonist cimetidine but not by the H1-antagonist diphenhydramine . This indicates that the inhibitory effects of histamine on lymphokine production are mediated through H2-receptors on mononuclear cells.

Appl Environ Microbiol, 1985 Nov, 50(5), 1322 - 4
Agar overlay method to measure adherence of Staphylococcus epidermidis to four plastic surfaces; Mackenzie AM et al.; The comparative adherence of seven strains of Staphylococcus epidermidis to plastic surfaces was measured by an agar overlay technique in which adherent organisms were counted by their ability to form colonies under an agar overlay . The degree of adherence to plastics decreased in the order polystyrene, polyvinyl chloride, Silastic, and polytetrafluoroethylene.

Transfusion, 1985 Nov-Dec, 25(6), 528 - 34
Binding of fluid phase C3b to nonsensitized bystander human red cells . A model for in vivo effects of complement activation on blood cells; Salama A et al.; There is evidence that activated complement fragments (C3b) can bind to human red cells (RBCs) serving as adsorbing surfaces, but not as antigens . This evidence prompted the present in vitro experiments . Using the standard antiglobulin test (AGT), the radioimmune antiglobulin test (RIAT), and the immune adherence test, we found that C3 can indeed be attached to "bystander" human RBCs if complement is activated either through the classical pathway (anti-A hemolysins plus blood group A1 RBCs) or the alternative pathway (activator surfaces, i.e., Escherichia coli bacteria, rabbit RBCs, or inulin) . On Scatchard plot analysis, between 24,000 and 44,000 radiolabeled anti-C3d molecules were bound per one adjacent "bystander" RBC, while untreated control RBCs, or RBCs preincubated with fresh compatible serum, bound only 200 to 300, and 600 to 800 molecules, respectively . Despite strong coating with C3 fragments, only "bystander" paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria, but not normal, RBCs were hemolyzed by complement activation, i.e., through E . coli at pH 8.0 . RBCs were not coated with C3 when complement was activated in the fluid phase by heat-aggregated IgG or a staphylococcal "decomplementation antigen." We conclude that the findings of our in vitro experiments accurately mimic some old, but as yet insufficiently understood, in vivo effects of complement activation on circulating blood cells.

J Histochem Cytochem, 1985 Nov, 33(11), 1176 - 9
Use of fluorescence flow cytometry to study the binding of various ligands to platelets; Dunstan RA; Fluorescence flow cytometry can be used to analyze the binding of different ligands to platelets . However careful choice of volume gates is essential in selecting the population of platelets for analysis . The use of fluorescein isothiocyanate conjugated to staphylococcal protein A or F(ab')2 fragments of immunoglobulin G anti-immunoglobulin offers no advantage in sensitivity or specificity in fluorescence studies of platelets and prefixation of washed platelets with paraformaldehyde has no effect on nonspecific fluorescence . The application of this technology to platelets facilitates quantitation of fluorescence intensity and may yield additional useful information.

J Bacteriol, 1985 Nov, 164(2), 925 - 8
Export defect adjacent to the processing site of staphylococcal nuclease is suppressed by a prlA mutation; Liss LR et al.; Plasmids have been constructed in which the Escherichia coli alkaline phosphatase promoter and signal sequence have been fused to the staphylococcal nuclease gene to promote the high-level expression and secretion of this gene product in E . coli . We determined that the first amino acid residue after the signal sequence can determine whether this protein was processed and exported to the periplasmic space . Fractionation and protease accessibility studies were used to show that the export-defective, nuclease precursor is internal to the cytoplasmic membrane barrier of the cell . Furthermore, this export defect was suppressed in a strain containing a prlA mutation . These findings are novel in that this region of the polypeptide chain has been implicated in processing but not export and that prlA mutations have not been previously known to suppress such defects.

Mol Cell Biol, 1985 Nov, 5(11), 3048 - 57
Simian virus 40 minichromosomes contain torsionally strained DNA molecules; Barsoum J et al.; Sundin and Varshavsky (J . Mol . Biol . 132:535-546, 1979) found that nearly two-thirds of simian virus 40 (SV40) minichromosomes obtained from nuclei of SV40-infected cells become singly nicked or cleaved across both strands after digestion with staphylococcal nuclease at 0 degrees C . The same treatment of SV40 DNA causes complete digestion rather than the limited cleavages produced in minichromosomal DNA . We have explored this novel behavior of the minichromosome and found that the nuclease sensitivity is dependent upon the topology of the DNA . Thus, if minichromosomes are pretreated with wheat germ DNA topoisomerase I, the minichromosomal DNA is completely resistant to subsequent digestion with staphylococcal nuclease at 0 degrees C . If the minichromosome-associated topoisomerase is removed, virtually all of the minichromosomes are cleaved to nicked or linear structures by the nuclease treatment . The cleavage sites are nonrandomly located; instead they occur at discrete loci throughout the SV40 genome . SV40 minichromosomal DNA is also cleaved to nicked circles and full-length linear fragments after treatment with the single strand-specific endonuclease S1; this cleavage is also inhibited by pretreatment with topoisomerase I . Thus, it may be that the nuclease sensitivity of minichromosomes is due to the transient or permanent unwinding of discrete regions of their DNA . Direct comparisons of the extent of negative supercoiling of native and topoisomerase-treated SV40 minichromosomes revealed that approximately two superhelical turns were removed by the topoisomerase treatment . The loss of these extra negative supercoils from the DNA probably accounts for the resistance of the topoisomerase-treated minichromosomes to the staphylococcal and S1 nucleases . These findings suggest that the DNA in SV40 intranuclear minichromosomes is torsionally strained . The functional significance of this finding is discussed.

J Biochem (Tokyo), 1985 Nov, 98(5), 1417 - 25
Dissociation of bovine cytochrome c1 subcomplex and the status of cysteine residues in the subunits; Mukai K et al.; Purified bovine heart two-band cytochrome c1 subcomplex was dissociated by treatment with p-chloromercuribenzoic acid (pCMB) into its heme subunit and a colorless subunit called hinge protein, which is essential for the formation of cytochrome c1-c complex . The subcomplex was found by titration to react with 4 mol of pCMB per mol of cytochrome c1 . The contents of mercury of the dissociated heme subunit and the hinge protein were 3 and 1 mol per mol of polypeptide, respectively . These results, together with the sequence analysis, indicated that the three cysteine residues in cytochrome c1 heme subunit not involved in heme-binding existed in free thiol form . One of the five cysteine residues in the hinge protein was in free form and four in two disulfide bonds . The dissociated hinge protein was digested with staphylococcal protease and the cysteine-containing peptides were separated by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) . The content of mercury and the result of performic acid oxidation of cystine peptides revealed that Cys-30 existed in free thiol form and two disulfide bridges were formed between Cys-24 and Cys-68 and between Cys-40 and Cys-54 . The conformation of the hinge protein was predicted to be composed largely of either two-alpha-helical or four-alpha-helical conformation with the amino (N)-terminal 20 residues being in a random structure.

J Virol, 1985 Nov, 56(2), 489 - 94
Specificity of Fc receptors induced by herpes simplex virus type 1: comparison of immunoglobulin G from different animal species; Johansson PJ et al.; Cells infected with herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) express a cell surface receptor able to bind the Fc portion of immunoglobulin G (IgG) . Of the four human IgG subclasses, the HSV-1 Fc receptor, like staphylococcal protein A, binds to all except IgG3 . In this paper, we describe the binding of a number of animal IgG and IgG subclass molecules to HSV-1-infected cells and compare this binding to that of protein A . Although only few representatives from each animal order were tested, we found that IgG from Carnivora and Rodentia did not bind or bound only slightly to the HSV-1 receptor, whereas IgG from Primates, Lagomorpha, and Artiodactyla bound well . This pattern was clearly different from the species spectrum of IgG binding of protein A . Differences between the two receptors were also found when animal IgG subclasses were tested . The pronounced differences in affinity for the HSV-1 Fc receptor between immunoglobulins from, for example, mouse and rabbit may influence the interpretation of animal studies with this virus.

Pacing Clin Electrophysiol, 1985 Nov, 8(6), 903 - 7
Late purulent pacemaker pocket infection caused by staphylococcus epidermidis: serious complications of in situ management; Ruiter JH et al.; The pathophysiology of late pacemaker pocket infection is poorly understood . We report three cases of late infection caused by Staphylococcus epidermidis . Despite initial local conservative management ultimate removal of the entire pacing system was required . In late pacemaker pocket infection we recommend initial removal of the entire pacing system and replacement on the contralateral side . When retrieval of the lead system requires open-heart surgery epicardial wires should be placed.

Pacing Clin Electrophysiol, 1985 Nov, 8(6), 897 - 9
Osteomyelitis of the first rib presenting as a cold abscess nine months after subclavian venous catheterization; Rosenfeld LE; Percutaneous subclavian catheterization has been associated with numerous complications including osteomyelitis of the clavicle and sternoclavicular joint . We report a case of staphylococcal aureus osteomyelitis of the first rib associated with subclavian vein catheterization performed for temporary right ventricular pacing . This case is unusual because of its involvement of the first rib, its late development, and its presentation as a cold chest wall mass.

Proc Soc Exp Biol Med, 1985 Nov, 180(2), 369 - 74
Rabbits immunized with mixtures of staphylococcal protein A and autologous IgG produce anti-human IgG antibodies; Portanova JP et al.; The results of this study provide evidence that protein A may render IgG immunogenic in the autologous host . Antibodies to human but not rabbit IgG were detected in sera of rabbits immunized with a mixture of autologous serum and protein A . Anti-human IgG antibodies appeared within 2 weeks at which time the antibodies were of the IgM class . Upon further immunization, both IgM and IgG antibodies were produced with the IgG class predominating . The antibodies elicited by a mixture of protein A with autologous IgG resembled those which arise in response to autologous IgG that has been denatured by physicochemical means, in that they react mainly with foreign species IgG and weakly, if at all, with IgG of rabbit origin.

Biochemistry, 1985 Oct 22, 24(22), 6044 - 9
Thermal denaturation of staphylococcal nuclease; Calderon RO et al.; The fully reversible thermal denaturation of staphylococcal nuclease in the absence and presence of Ca2+ and/or thymidine 3',5'-diphosphate (pdTp) from pH 4 to 8 has been studied by high-sensitivity differential scanning calorimetry . In the absence of ligands, the denaturation is accompanied by an enthalpy change of 4.25 cal g-1 and an increase in specific heat of 0.134 cal K-1 g-1, both of which are usual values for small globular proteins . The temperature (tm) of maximal excess specific heat is 53.4 degrees C . Each of the ligands, Ca2+ and pdTp, by itself has important effects on the unfolding of the protein which are enhanced when both ligands are present . Addition of saturating concentrations of these ligands raises the denaturational enthalpy to 5.74 cal g-1 in the case of Ca2+ and to 6.72 cal g-1 in the case of pdTp . The ligands raise the tm by as much as 11 degrees C depending on ligand concentration . From the variation of the denaturational enthalpies with ligand concentrations, binding constants at 53 degrees C equal to 950 M-1 and 1.4 X 10(4) M-1 are estimated for Ca2+ and pdTp, respectively, and from the enthalpies at ligand saturation, binding enthalpies at 53 degrees C of -15.0 and -19.3 kcal mol-1.

J Biol Chem, 1985 Oct 15, 260(23), 12730 - 4
Minimal requirements for exocytosis . A study using PC 12 cells permeabilized with staphylococcal alpha-toxin; Ahnert-Hilger G et al.; The membrane-permeabilizing effects of streptolysin O, staphylococcal alpha-toxin, and digitonin on cultured rat pheochromocytoma cells were studied . All three agents perturbed the plasma membrane, causing release of intracellular 86Rb+ and uptake of trypan blue . In addition, streptolysin O and digitonin also damaged the membranes of secretory vesicles, including a parallel release of dopamine . In contrast, the effects of alpha-toxin appeared to be strictly confined to the plasma membrane, and no dopamine release was observed with this agent . The exocytotic machinery, however, remained intact and could be triggered by subsequent introduction of micromolar concentrations of Ca2+ into the medium . Dopamine release was entirely Ca2+ specific and occurred independent of the presence or absence of other cations or anions including K+ glutamate, K+ acetate, or Na+ chloride . Ca2+-induced exocytosis did not require the presence of Mg2+-ATP in the medium . The process was insensitive to pH alterations in the range pH 6.6-7.2, and appeared optimal at an osmolarity of 300 mosm/kg . Toxin permeabilization seems to be an excellent method for studying the minimal requirements for exocytosis.

J Biol Chem, 1985 Oct 15, 260(23), 12815 - 21
Composition and peptide maps of cross-linked human choriogonadotropin-receptor complexes on porcine granulosa cells; Ji I et al.; Radioiodinated human choriogonadotropin was affinity-cross-linked with a cleavable (nondisulfide) homobifunctional reagent to the hormone receptor on porcine granulosa cells and the solubilized sample was electrophoresed . Cross-linked samples revealed four additional bands of slower electrophoretic mobility in addition to the hormone alpha, beta, and alpha beta dimer bands . The four bands corresponded to masses of 68, 74, 102, and 136 kDa whereas the alpha beta dimer band corresponded to 50 kDa . Formation of the four bands requires the 125I-hormone to bind specifically to the receptor with subsequent cross-linking . Binding can be prevented by excess of native hormone but not by follitropin . A monofunctional analog of the cross-linking reagent failed to produce the four bands . They were also produced by cross-linking Triton X-100-solubilized hormone-receptor complexes . Reagent concentration-dependent cross-linking revealed that their formation was sequential; smaller complexes formed first and then larger ones . When gels of the cross-linked sample were treated with reagents that cleave covalent cross-links and then electrophoresed in a second dimension gel, 18-, 24-, 28-, and 34-kDa components were released, in addition to the alpha and beta subunits of the native hormone . Simultaneous peptide mapping of the cross-linked complexes in the gel matrix with Staphylococcus V8 protease or papain revealed progressive proteolysis to generate terminal fragments of 30 or 27 kDa, respectively . These fragments were unique to and commonly present in the 74-, 102-, and 136-kDa hormone-receptor complexes but were not produced by proteolysis of the cross-linked human choriogonadotropin (hCG) alpha beta dimer or the hCG alpha subunit . Apparently, the radioactively labeled segment(s) of the alpha subunit of 125I-hCG was cross-linked to the 24-kDa component . The results demonstrate the protein nature of the receptor and suggest that 125I-hCG was initially cross-linked to the 24-kDa component to generate the 74-kDa complex, then the 28- and 34-kDa components were sequentially cross-linked to the 24-kDa component in the 74-kDa complex to generate the 102- and 134-kDa complexes.

Br Med J (Clin Res Ed), 1985 Oct 5, 291(6500), 949 - 50
Epidemic of prosthetic valve endocarditis caused by Staphylococcus epidermidis; van den Broek PJ et al.; In an epidemic of prosthetic valve endocarditis caused by Staphylococcus epidermidis the surgeon was found to be the source of contamination . The probable route was accidental puncture of gloves during operation . During the epidemiological investigation a second cluster of patients contaminated with Staph epidermidis during open heart surgery was found also related to one surgeon . This strain caused no detectable signs or symptoms of infection . Carriage of virulent staph epidermidis has rarely been recognised as a hazard but may have serious consequences.

Dtsch Med Wochenschr, 1985 Oct 4, 110(40), 1535 - 9
{Hyperimmunoglobulinemia E, recurring staphylococcal infections and a defect in granulocyte chemotaxis in adults . A variant of Job's syndrome}; Heim ME et al.; Two cases in adults with recurrent staphylococcal infections associated with abnormal granulocytic chemotaxis and hyperimmunoglobulinaemia E (Job's syndrome) are described . The pathophysiological mechanisms seems to consist of an abnormal IgE reaction against staphylococcal antigens causing secondary abnormality of granulocyte function . Abnormal cellular immune function was demonstrated in vitro and in vivo . Corticosteroid administration at first proved effective in both patients . One patient developed Hodgkin's disease of the mixed type in the course of the disease.

Acta Pathol Microbiol Immunol Scand {B}, 1985 Oct, 93(5), 341 - 6
Consumption of antibiotics in three clinical departments and antimicrobial susceptibility of clinically significant isolates of coagulase-negative Micrococcaceae; Hansen BG; A total of 67 clinically significant isolates of coagulase-negative Micrococcaceae originating from blood specimens from oncologic patients, from dialysate from patients on peritoneal dialysis, and from cerebrospinal fluid from neurosurgical patients with ventricular drainage devices were identified and classified 1) according to the scheme of Baird-Parker and 2) by means of a simplified Kloos and Schleifer nomenclature . All blood isolates were classified as Staphylococcus epidermidis biotype 1 (Baird-Parker), while approximately 20% of dialysate isolates and cerebrospinal fluid isolates fell into other staphylococcal biotypes or were classified as micrococci . Using the simplified Kloos and Schleifer nomenclature, five staphylococcal isolates (8%) (four from dialysate, one from cerebrospinal fluid) were classified as "Species other than S . epidermidis" . Isolates from blood exhibited a high frequency of resistance to the antibiotics tested, and 92% were found multiple-resistant (i.e . were resistant to three or more antibiotics) . Isolates from cerebrospinal fluid showed multiple-resistance in 28%, while isolates from dialysate formed an intermediate group, 42% being multiple-resistant . The frequency of multiple-resistance was found to be correlated to the total consumption of antibiotics in the three clinical departments.

Zentralbl Bakteriol Mikrobiol Hyg {A}, 1985 Oct, 260(2), 197 - 205
Interaction of the staphylococcin-like peptide Pep 5 with cell walls and isolated cell wall components of Gram-positive bacteria; Sahl HG et al.; Unlike bacteriocins of Gram-negative bacteria, the strongly basic staphylococcin-like peptide Pep 5 lacked specific receptor mediated binding to sensitive Gram-positive bacteria . Studies with whole cells, purified cell walls, teichoic acids, and lipoteichoic acids strongly suggested that it binds reversibly via electrostatic interaction to negatively charged groups . Thus, Pep 5 binding could be reversed by sufficiently high concentrations of monovalent (K+, 150-250 mM) and divalent (Ca2+, 15-30 mM) cations (Fig . 1, 2) and by low pH (pH 2), where Pep 5 binding groups are protonated . Cells of Staphylococcus cohnii 22 with a reduced teichoic acid content showed a reduced Pep 5 binding capacity (Fig . 3) . The results indicate that teichoic, teichuronic, and lipoteichoic acids are the unspecific cell wall binding sites for Pep 5.

Tsitologiia, 1985 Oct, 27(10), 1106 - 10
{Patterns in the occurrence and the submicroscopic organization of elongated metaphase chromosomes isolated from the cell}; Nasedkina TV et al.; Chinese hamster metaphase chromosomes were investigated under different conditions of isolation . Light microscopic study demonstrated different forms of stretched chromosomes, from those in which merely a small region is stretched to rope-like structures 20-25 microns long with diameter of about 0.4 micron . The ratio between the number of stretched and of compact chromosomes is dependent on the concentration of bivalent cations, on the pH and temperature of the isolation buffer . A study of the submicroscopic organization of stretched chromosomes revealed lengthwise fibrils that disappeared after the treatment with 0.6 NaCl and staphylococcal nuclease . Distinct aggregates were seen, whose array is maintaining the stretched chromosome structure . It is suggested that stretched chromosomes appear due to the existing in vivo lability of bonds between the main chromosome components involved in organization of chromatin fiber packing . It is proposed that the structure obtains rigidity in the course of isolation with bivalent cations.

J Invest Dermatol, 1985 Oct, 85(4), 289 - 94
Lamellar body-enriched fractions from neonatal mice: preparative techniques and partial characterization; Grayson S et al.; Several problems have frustrated the isolation of lamellar bodies (LB) from mammalian epidermis . We obtained pellets enriched in intact LB by utilizing the staphylococcal epidermolytic toxin to provide intact, outer epidermal sheets, by controlled homogenization in a cell disrupter, and by passage of homogenates through a graded series of nuclepore filters (Science 221:962, 1983) . Such preparations contained more intact LB than did fractions prepared by a variety of differential or sucrose/metrizamide discontinuous centrifugation methods . Initial characterization of the enzymatic content of this fraction revealed it to be enriched in certain hydrolytic enzymes (acid phosphatase, carboxypeptidase, cathepsin B, acid lipase, sphingomyelinase, and phospholipase A), but strikingly depleted in all sulfatases, beta-glucuronidase, and the non-lysosomal protease, plasminogen activator . Thus, LB show some properties of lysosomes, although certain characteristic lysosomal enzymes are strikingly absent . Lamellar body fractions contained 2-3 times more lipid per unit weight than did homogenates, and were enriched in phospholipids, free sterols, and glycosphingolipids, but not in other neutral lipids or ceramides . In summary, whereas some of the enzymes in LB could participate in the metabolism of LB lipid precursors to hydrophobic barrier constituents, others may attack intercellular constituents, ultimately resulting in desquamation . The lipid profile of these organelles suggests that they deliver precursors of permeability barrier lipids to intercellular domains.

Infect Immun, 1985 Oct, 50(1), 142 - 5
An early effect of the S component of staphylococcal leukocidin on methylation of phospholipid in various leukocytes; Noda M et al.; On incubation of rabbit polymorphonuclear leukocytes with the S component of staphylococcal leukocidin at 37 degrees C, the 3H-labeled methyl group of S-adenosyl{methyl-3H}methionine was rapidly incorporated into phospholipid . Subsequently, the methylated phosphatidylcholine was degraded by activated phospholipase A2 . Complete blockage of the methylation of phospholipid by a mixture of erythro-9-{2-hydroxy-3-nonyl}adenine, adenosine, and L-homocysteine thiolactone markedly inhibited the activation of phospholipase A2 by the S component . It also inhibited the binding of 125I-labeled F component to the cells, but not that of the labeled S component . These results suggest that methylation of phospholipid in the cell membranes by the S component results in activation of phospholipase A2, which induces the binding of the F component to the cells.

Clin Orthop, 1985 Oct, (199), 207 - 14
Infected total knee arthroplasties; Bliss DG et al.; Thirty infected total knee arthroplasties were investigated in 29 patients over an average interval of 42 months . Eleven infections began in the immediate perioperative period . Six developed from postoperative wound-healing problems . The remainder were late infections . Staphylococcus was found in 16 infections, gram-negative agents in five, mixed organisms in five, and other gram-positives in four . Sixteen knees were arthrodesed, six knees were treated by retention of the components, and two above-knee amputations and one resection arthroplasty were performed . Five patients had two-stage revisions to new components . Evidence of persistent infection was present in three arthrodeses, two retained arthroplasties, and one knee that was revised . Perioperative infections were associated with staphylococcal organisms and responded less favorably to conservative treatment . The failure of primary wound healing demands immediate measures to obtain skin coverage . Retention of the arthroplasty components is possible only in selected patients.

Acta Pathol Microbiol Immunol Scand {B}, 1985 Oct, 93(5), 371 - 6
Binding of human serum high density lipoprotein to Staphylococcus capitis; Osland A; Of twelve different staphylococcal species tested, Staphylococcus capitis and Staphylococcus warneri bound human serum high density lipoprotein (HDL) . The binding of HDL was observed with bacteria cultivated of brain-heart infusion broth agar, but not on nutrient broth agar . The factor mediating the binding of HDL seems to be a bacterial component and not a component of the growth medium . Studies on the binding of HDL to S . capitis showed that a subfraction of HDL was involved in the reaction . This subfraction constituted approximately 30% of the total purified serum HDL.

Ann Thorac Surg, 1985 Oct, 40(4), 388 - 92
Infectious complications and cost-effectiveness of open resuscitation in the surgical intensive care unit after cardiac surgery; McKowen RL et al.; From July, 1982, to May, 1984, 2,412 patients underwent cardiac surgery . Open resuscitation through a midline sternotomy was performed in the surgical intensive care unit (SICU) 88 times in 64 patients one minute to 10 days after admission . There were 49 initial survivors; 31 patients had primary closure in the SICU (Group 1), and 18 patients had delayed closure (Group 2) . In Group 1 there was 1 death . Wound infection developed in 2 of the 30 survivors--Escherichia coli in 1 and Staphylococcus epidermidis in 1 . The latter required subsequent debridement . In Group 2 there were 8 survivors and no wound infections . Fifteen patients could not be resuscitated because of ventricular arrhythmia (13%), asystole (33%), cardiogenic shock (47%), and tamponade (7%) . Only 2 of 38 patients, or 5%, experienced wound infections . This study demonstrates that open resuscitation in the SICU is a safe, rapid, and cost-effective procedure that will allow earlier intervention, diagnosis, and treatment . In no instance was death attributed to wound infection, and at our institution, this method resulted in cost savings of more than $1,000 per patient.

Blood, 1985 Oct, 66(4), 882 - 90
Characterization of patients with an increased susceptibility to bacterial infections and a genetic deficiency of leukocyte membrane complement receptor type 3 and the related membrane antigen LFA-1; Ross GD et al.; Three children from two unrelated families had a history of recurrent bacterial infections, and their neutrophils were shown to have deficient phagocytic and respiratory responses and possible deficiencies in chemotaxis or adherence . Their neutrophils were strikingly deficient in the ability to ingest or give a respiratory burst in response to unopsonized bakers' yeast or zymosan (Z) . Tests for neutrophil and monocyte CR1 (C3b/iC3b receptor) and CR3 (iC3b receptor) demonstrated rosettes with both EC3b and EC3bi . However, EC3bi were bound only to CR1, and not to CR3, because EC3bi rosettes were inhibited completely by anti-CR1 . Neutrophils, monocytes, and natural killer (NK) cells also did not fluorescence stain with monoclonal antibodies specific for the alpha-chain of CR3 (anti-Mac-1, anti-Mol, OKM1, and MN-41) . Quantitation of C receptors with 125I monoclonal anti-CR1 and anti-CR3 indicated that neutrophils from each patient expressed normal amounts of CR1 per cell but less than 10% of the normal amount of CR3 . Examination of neutrophils by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis demonstrated that a normal glycoprotein of approximately 165,000 daltons was missing . Immunoblotting of these gels indicated that the missing band was the alpha-chain of CR3 . Subsequent analysis of all three patients' cells also demonstrated a deficiency of LFA-1 alpha-chain and the common beta-chain that is shared by the CR3/LFA-1/p150,95 membrane antigen family . The deficiency of LFA-1 probably explained the absent NK cell function, as normal NK cell activity is inhibited by anti-LFA-1 but not by anti-CR3 . The reduced phagocytic and respiratory responses to Z were probably due to CR3 deficiency, because treatment of normal neutrophils with anti-CR3, but not anti-FLA-1, inhibits responses to Z by 80% to 90% . Ingestion of Staphylococcus epidermidis by normal neutrophils was shown to be partially inhibited by monoclonal antibodies to the alpha-chain of either CR3 or LFA-1, and monoclonal antibody to the common beta-chain inhibited ingestion by 75% . Thus, both CR3 and LFA-1 may have previously unrecognized functions as phagocyte receptors for bacteria . The absence of this type of nonimmune recognition of bacteria by these children's neutrophils may be one of the reasons for their increased susceptibility to bacterial infections.

Am J Clin Pathol, 1985 Oct, 84(4), 509 - 12
Increased detection of staphylococcal bacteremia using an anti-microbial removal device; Carlson LG et al.; During the period of August 16, 1981, through December 16, 1982, 15-mL blood culture specimens collected at the Seattle Veterans Administration Medical Center (SVAMC) were divided into two aliquots . The first 10-mL aliquot was inoculated directly into aerobic and anaerobic BACTEC (Johnston Laboratories, Towson, MD) vials (DIR); the remaining 5 mL was processed in an resin-containing Antimicrobial Removal Device (Marion Scientific, Kansas City, MO) before transfer to a second, identical set of aerobic and anaerobic vials (ARD) . The final volume of inoculated blood from the ARD specimen was half that of the DIR specimen . Both sets of vials were processed using the BACTEC radiometric detection system . One hundred fifty specimen pairs grew 161 significant pathogens; 43 isolates were recovered only from the ARD sample, 39 only from the DIR samples, and 79 from both . Of the 35 isolates recovered from patients receiving anti-microbial agents active against the isolated pathogens, 21 were recovered only from the ARD specimen and 5 only from the DIR specimen (P less than 0.005) . Of the 15 S . aureus strains isolated from patients on therapy, 12 were recovered only from the ARD specimen, 2 only from the DIR sample, and 1 from both samples (P less than 0.01) . Ten of the 32 isolates of S . aureus recovered from antibiotic-free patients were found only in the ARD specimen and three only in the DIR specimen (P = 0.05) . The ARD specimens recovered significantly more S . aureus from all patients regardless of antibiotic status.

Am J Clin Pathol, 1985 Oct, 84(4), 464 - 8
A comparison of immunofluorescent assays to detect anti-granulocyte antibodies; Lape ML et al.; Three immunofluorescent assays were compared to detect anti-granulocyte antibodies (AGA) in patients with immune disorders: the granulocyte immunofluorescence test (GIFT), the avidin-biotin coupling test (ABCT), and the modified staphylococcal protein A test (MSPAT) . The ABCT was more sensitive than both the GIFT and MSPAT for patient sera, but it also detected more positivity among random normal sera . Although less sensitive than the ABCT, the GIFT and MSPAT showed greater specificity and higher predictive values for positivity . When normal lymphocytes were run in parallel with normal granulocytes, 68% of positive AGA sera were nonreactive with lymphocytes, indicating the antibody specificity for granulocytes . Comparison of three direct and indirect immunofluorescent assays suggested a general co-existence of both cell-bound and circulating AGA . However, the direct test displayed minimal amounts of fluorescence for negative controls in contrast to the variable levels of fluorescence seen in normal sera for the indirect test.

Hautarzt, 1985 Oct, 36(10), 581 - 5
{Erythema scarlatiniforme desquamativum recidivans localisatum}; Landthaler M et al.; Two patients are reported who had the clinical picture of localized erythema scarlatiniforme desquamativum recidivans . The lesions were thought to be drug induced in a 56-year-old female patient . In the other 54-year-old male patient, staphylococcal infections may have caused the rash.

Blood, 1985 Oct, 66(4), 993 - 8
A longitudinal immunologic evaluation of hemophiliac patients; deShazo RD et al.; Over an average span of one year, we performed a prospective clinical and immunologic evaluation of 30 patients with hemophilia . No patient developed life-threatening opportunistic infection or malignancy; however, the immunologic abnormalities and lymphadenopathy initially present in nine patients (lymphadenopathy group) persisted . In addition, five patients, representing 24% of the initial group without lymphadenopathy, developed generalized lymphadenopathy (converter group) . One episode of idiopathic thrombocytopenia (ITP) and one episode of staphylococcal sepsis occurred in this "converter" group; one episode of ITP also occurred in the lymphadenopathy group . Sixteen patients remained asymptomatic . At the time of the follow-up evaluation, those differences in mononuclear cell (MNC) percentages and numbers noted initially among the three hemophiliac groups were no longer present . Natural killer cell function alone or in the presence of biologic response modifiers was not different among hemophiliac and control groups . Before developing lymphadenopathy, the converter group of patients had significantly better lymphocyte mitogenic function than did the other two groups of patients with hemophilia . However, lymphocyte mitogenic responses of all groups of patients with hemophilia significantly deteriorated over the course of the study . The abnormal mitogenic responses noted in these patients was explained in part by higher levels of spontaneous suppressor cell activity in mononuclear cell preparations from patients with hemophilia . We conclude that long-term immunologic studies of this patient population requires both quantitative and qualitative evaluations . Our data show that patients with hemophilia have progressive dysfunction of cell-mediated immunity.

Histochem J, 1985 Oct, 17(10), 1147 - 53
Lyophilization of protein-gold complexes; Baschong W et al.; Conditions for dialysis, freezing and lyophilization of protein-gold complexes were established . Lyophilized complexes formed by colloidal gold with staphylococcal protein A, with Helix pomatia lectin and with horseradish peroxidase retained their original staining properties when reconstituted after several months of storage.

FEBS Lett, 1985 Sep 2, 188(2), 336 - 40
beta-Granins: 21 kDa co-secreted peptides of the insulin granule closely related to adrenal medullary chromogranin A; Hutton JC et al.; Three closely related forms of a 21 kDa protein which is co-secreted with insulin have been purified and analysed . These differed in behaviour on ion-exchange chromatography but were indistinguishable by their susceptibility to staphylococcal V8 proteinase digestion, amino acid composition or N-terminal amino acid sequence . Their amino acid composition and N-terminal sequences were remarkably similar to adrenal medullary chromogranin A, a much larger protein (72 kDa) . Antibodies to chromogranin A also reacted strongly with the 21 kDa protein in isolated insulin granules . It is concluded that the 21 kDa proteins either represent a repeated domain within the chromogranin molecule or a closely related gene product . The name beta-granin is proposed for these proteins.

J Pediatr, 1985 Sep, 107(3), 352 - 7
Defective humoral immunity in pediatric acquired immune deficiency syndrome; Bernstein LJ et al.; Specific antibody production was assessed in six young children with the acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) . All patients were immunized with bacteriophage phi X 174, a T cell-dependent neoantigen . In addition, antibody responses to pneumococcal vaccine and tetanus toxoid, lymphocyte responses to mitogens, and serum immunoglobulin levels were determined . Polyclonal hypergammaglobulinemia was documented in three patients . Responses to bacteriophage phi X 174 were abnormal in all patients: primary responses were blunted, secondary responses were markedly decreased, and the class switch (IgM-IgG) was absent in five of six patients . Antibody formation to pneumococcal vaccine and tetanus toxoid was also diminished . Lymphocyte mitogenic responses to phytohemagglutinin, concanavalin A, pokeweed mitogen, and staphylococcal Cowan A were generally decreased . These findings confirm that pediatric patients with AIDS have significant abnormalities in humoral immunity . Dysfunction of both T cells and B cells plays a role in the resultant poor specific antibody production.

Cancer Res, 1985 Sep, 45(9), 4486 - 94
Staphylococcal Protein A column: correlation of mitogenicity of perfused plasma with clinical response; Bertram JH et al.; Eleven patients with advanced breast cancer and four with astrocytoma were treated with plasma perfused over columns containing staphylococcal Protein A (SPA) . Doses of 5 to 20 mg of SPA were bound to collodion charcoal particles, and this treatment resulted in partial remissions in one patient with astrocytoma and in two patients with breast cancer . Remission duration was 6 wk to 6 mo . Resolution of lymphadenopathy and a decrease in carcinoembryonic antigen were noted in an additional two breast cancer patients . Systemic reactions to infused plasma consisted of fever, chills, and rigors . In brain cancer patients, increased intracranial pressure was also noted . A mitogenic substance was generated in plasma of 11 patients after it was perfused over the SPA charcoal matrix . The mitogenic material induced lymphoproliferation comparable to concanavalin A and required the presence of SPA on the collodion charcoal but was not due to leakage of SPA from the column during plasma perfusion . Of considerable significance was that only patients whose column perfused plasma contained this mitogenic activity exhibited systemic reactions, and five of these patients obtained antitumor responses . This striking correlation implies that the mitogenic factor is an active component of SPA therapy . The ability to demonstrate mitogenicity in column perfused plasma might also be useful for selecting patients amenable to SPA therapy . These findings attest to the therapeutic value of this mode of treatment and provide an initial definition of a mediator of SPA antitumor activity.

Can J Surg, 1985 Sep, 28(5), 407 - 9
Intraoperative bacterial contamination of vascular grafts: a prospective study; Wooster DL et al.; The establishment of graft infection depends on host response, an appropriate field and bacterial contamination . Intraoperative bacterial contamination of prosthetic graft material was studied prospectively in 77 patients . Vascular reconstruction was indicated for abdominal aortic aneurysm (15%), claudication (42%), rest pain (25%) and ulceration or gangrene (18%) . In 78% of cases the procedure was elective . Staphylococcus epidermidis was isolated in 80% of cultures; mixed flora were more frequent in patients with rest pain (60%) and ulceration or gangrene (45%) than in those with aneurysms (22%) or claudication (16%) . Grafts became contaminated in 56% of cases using standard techniques; this was lowered to 35% when the surgeon changed gloves before preclotting the graft . There was no significant difference with respect to the surgeon who performed the operation, the indication for operation, primary versus secondary repair or the use of skin barriers . One patient (1.3%) had an established graft infection . It is concluded that the incidence of contamination is high but may be decreased by glove changing.

Vet Pathol, 1985 Sep, 22(5), 492 - 9
Gold-induced immune thrombocytopenia in the dog; Bloom JC et al.; In two seven-year studies with gold compounds in dogs of both sexes, thrombocytopenia was observed after 45 to 72 months of dosing in three of 14 and two of 14 dogs in high-dose groups that received 2.4 to 3.6 mg/kg of auranofin per day orally or 0.5 to 2.0 mg/kg of gold sodium thiomalate intramuscularly once every three days, respectively . An immune basis for the disorder was suggested by the apparent consumptive nature of the thrombocytopenia (increased bone marrow megakaryocytes and large peripheral blood platelets), the response to corticosteroid therapy and the demonstration of increased platelet-associated immunoglobulin . The latter was demonstrated with a solid phase radioimmunoassay and by electron microscopy using a staphylococcal protein A-colloidal gold conjugate . Platelet-associated immunoglobulin decreased as the platelet counts rose, and in one dog monitored over periods of steroid-induced remissions and subsequent relapses, the amount of platelet-associated immunoglobulin G correlated inversely with the platelet count (r = 0.82) . These findings suggest that the long-term administration of gold compounds in dogs is associated with a dose-dependent incidence of thrombocytopenia, which is immune-mediated and similar to that associated with parenteral chrysotherapy in man . The application of tests for platelet-associated immunoglobulin to canine patients with immune thrombocytopenia should be useful in the diagnosis of the disorder in clinical practice.

Blood, 1985 Sep, 66(3), 562 - 9
Comparison of inhibitory and binding characteristics of an antibody causing acquired von Willebrand syndrome: an assay for von Willebrand factor binding by antibody; Fricke WA et al.; An acquired inhibitor of von Willebrand factor (vWF) activity occurring in a patient with benign gammopathy and von Willebrand syndrome (vWS) has been partially characterized . The inhibitor-induced syndrome resulted in low to undetectable plasma levels of vWF/ristocetin, vWF/botrocetin, FVIIIR:Ag, and FVIII:C with a normal to slightly prolonged bleeding time . Platelet vWF was normal . Intensive and continuous infusion of a heat-treated factor VIII concentrate (Hemofil-T, Hyland, Glendale, Calif) elevated the FVIII:C plasma levels to about 100%, with an increase in FVIIIR:Ag levels to about 340% and vWF/ristocetin levels to about 40%, much lower than expected based on the dose of Hemofil-T and its content of vWF and FVIII:C activities . The inhibitor bound to staphylococcal protein A (SpA) with high affinity, indicating an IgG antibody (Ab) . An assay for the vWF-binding capacity was developed on the basis of absorption of the Ab from serially diluted plasma by SpA and removal of vWF and FVIII:C activities from normal plasma by the SpA-Ab complex . The Ab-binding site was on the vWF component of the factor VIII complex . The Ab was unable to bind isolated FVIII:C . The combined use of the new vWF-binding assay and a battery of tests for inhibition of vWF-dependent platelet aggregation with ristocetin (which detects high molecular weight vWF), with botrocetin (which detects high and low molecular weight vWF), and with platelet-aggregating factor (which detects high molecular weight vWF) provided a means of analysis of Ab effect on in vitro vWF function . Using these tests, a comparison was made of the effects of the vWS Ab with those of an Ab inhibitor occurring in homozygous von Willebrand's disease . The Ab of the vWS patient had weak inhibitory action on vWF/ristocetin without having an effect on vWF/botrocetin and platelet-aggregating factor, a high titer vWF-binding capacity, and no anamnestic response following concentrate therapy . These findings contrasted with those of the Ab occurring in inhibitor von Willebrand's disease in which vWF inhibitor and binding values were similar, with a strong anamnestic response . The findings indicate that the vWS Ab binds to an epitope on the molecular vWF in such a way that causes only limited inhibition of vWF/ristocetin function and no inhibition of vWF/botrocetin function, suggesting that these two functional domains are at separate sites.

J Immunol, 1985 Sep, 135(3), 2128 - 33
Induction of antibody responses to influenza virus in human lymphocyte cultures . I . Role of interleukin 2; Tan PL et al.; The in vitro T cell-dependent antibody response of human lymphocytes to influenza virus X31 was used to study the role of T cell-derived lymphokines in antigen-specific responses . Supernatant from cultures of phytohaemagglutinin-stimulated, pooled human tonsil cells (PHA-MLR) was capable of replacing T cells and inducing T-depleted tonsil cells to secrete influenza-specific antibody . The T cell-replacing activity of PHA-MLR supernatant co-purified with interleukin 2 (IL 2) on Ultrogel AcA54 gel filtration and reversed phase-high performance liquid chromatography . PHA-MLR supernatant and IL 2 also enhanced B cell proliferation induced by anti-mu or Staphylococcal aureus strain Cowan I (SAC) . A murine monoclonal antibody directed against the human IL 2 receptor (Mab 2A3) was used to completely block the enhancement of influenza-specific antibody production mediated by PHA-MLR supernatant, purified IL 2, and recombinant human IL 2 . Mab 2A3 did not affect the T-independent B cell proliferation induced by anti-mu or SAC, but abrogated the enhancing effect of the PHA-MLR supernatant and IL 2 in this culture system . Immunofluorescence studies failed to demonstrate binding of Mab 2A3 to B cells activated by the X31 influenza virus and IL 2, or by SAC . By using Mab 2A3 to mask out IL 2 effects in the influenza-specific culture system, no other B cell differentiating activities were revealed in supernatants from lymphocytic cultures stimulated with a variety of mitogens . Thus, our results indicate that the production of influenza-specific antibodies by T-depleted human lymphocyte cultures is absolutely dependent on the presence of both antigen and IL 2.

Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1985 Sep, 28(3), 421 - 4
Plasmid-mediated resistance to lincomycin by inactivation in Staphylococcus haemolyticus; Leclercq R et al.; Staphylococcus haemolyticus BM4610 was resistant to high levels of lincomycin and susceptible to macrolides, clindamycin, and streptogramins . This resistance phenotype, not previously reported for a human clinical isolate, was due to inactivation of the antibiotic . The gene conferring resistance to lincomycin in strain BM4610 was carried by a 2.5-kilobase plasmid, pIP855, which was cloned in Escherichia coli . Plasmid pIP855 caused inactivation of both lincomycin and clindamycin in S . haemolyticus and in E . coli but conferred detectable resistance to lincomycin only in S . haemolyticus and to clindamycin only in E . coli.

Exp Hematol, 1985 Sep, 13(8), 827 - 32
Different Ia antigen characterization between granulocyte progenitor cells (CFC-G) and monocyte-macrophage progenitor cells (CFC-M); Numata M et al.; Ia-like antigen-positive (Ia+) and -negative (Ia-) cell populations were separated from human cord blood cells and bone marrow mononuclear cells by a rosette technique with a combined use of staphylococcal protein-A-coated bovine red blood cells and the monoclonal OKIa 1 antibody, or by using a cell-sorting technique . Colony-forming units-granulocytes-monocytes-macrophages (GFU-GM) were assayed in a semisolid agar culture, and colony-forming cells-granulocytes (CFC-G) were differentiated from colony-forming cells-monocytes-macrophages (CFC-M) by double staining for esterase activity . The majority of CFC-G in cord blood was grown in the Ia+ fraction; Ia+ CFC-G/Ia- CFC-G = 1.62 +/- 0.34 (mean +/- SD), which was similar to the ratio in bone marrow (Ia+/Ia- = 1.80 +/- 0.37) . In contrast, the majority of CFC-M in cord blood was grown in the Ia- fraction; Ia+/Ia- for CFC-M = 0.50 +/- 0.09 . The predominance of CFC-G in the Ia+ fraction in contrast to predominance of CFC-M in the Ia- fraction was confirmed by using a cell-sorting technique . T-lymphocyte depletion and the culture supernatants of Ia+ and Ia- cells did not affect differentiation of CFC-G and CFC-M . These data suggest that there are potent differences in the expression of Ia-like antigens between CFC-G and CFC-M, indicating that the Ia+ progenitor cell population generates predominantly CFC-G, whereas the Ia- population generates mainly CFC-M during the maturation process in granulopoiesis.

Neurology, 1985 Sep, 35(9), 1274 - 8
Ommaya reservoirs in 387 cancer patients: a 15-year experience; Obbens EA et al.; We reviewed records of 387 patients with cancer who had Ommaya reservoirs placed between October 1967 and December 1982 . Complications of reservoir placement were reported in 27 patients, including intracranial hemorrhage (5 patients) and reservoir malfunction (15 patients) . In 15 of 19 patients with meningitis, the infection was linked to the reservoir . The organism most frequently implicated was Staphylococcus epidermidis . Seizures, leukoencephalopathy, and pericatheter necrosis were seen in 10 patients who had received intraventricular chemotherapy.

Southeast Asian J Trop Med Public Health, 1985 Sep, 16(3), 355 - 64
Antibodies against circumsporozoite proteins of Plasmodium falciparum induced by natural infection; Tapchaisri P et al.; Sera from 10 individuals who lived in a malaria endemic area, 10 patients with acute uncomplicated falciparum malaria and 10 patients with cerebral malaria and hyperimmune mouse serum were tested for their reactivities against Plasmodium falciparum sporozoite antigens by Western blot analysis using 125I-labeled staphylococcal protein A as the detecting reagent . These sera were shown by indirect immunofluorescence and/or circumsporozoite precipitation test to have antibodies reacting against the parasites . It was found that all serum antibodies from the three groups of individuals and the mouse serum reacted in a similar pattern with circumsporozoite (CS) proteins of P . falciparum . Ten sera from normal individuals were negative in all reactions . Monoclonal antibody (MAB) specific against CS proteins of the parasites showed that the proteins exhibited as four different molecular weight (MW) polypeptides, i.e., 67,000, 65,000, 60,000, and 58,000 daltons . These CS proteins of P . falciparum were found to be species and stage specific . Radioimmunoprecipitation using 35S-methionine-labeled parasites and sera of individuals from the various categories or MABs gave a similar result . Another protein antigen of P . falciparum sporozoites had a MW of 80,000 daltons . This antigen was not species specific, probably not membrane associated and was present in a minute quantity in the parasite's extract.

Antibiot Med Biotekhnol, 1985 Sep, 30(9), 665 - 8
{Antitoxic activity of interferon preparations}; Zueva VS et al.; The antitoxic activity of leucocytic injection interferon I and immune interferon was shown in experimental erythrocyte hemolysis in the presence of staphylococcus alpha-toxin . The antitoxic effect was directly proportional to the interferon concentration in the medium and inversely proportional to the toxin concentration . Neutralization of the antiviral activity of leucocytic interferon did not lower its antitoxic effect . The highly purified and concentrated preparation of leucocytic injection interferon I and recombinant interferon had no antitoxic effect.

Mol Cell Biochem, 1985 Sep, 68(1), 31 - 40
Genetic control of immune response to staphylococcal nuclease . XII: Analysis of nuclease antigenic determinants using anti-nuclease monoclonal antibodies; Devaux CA et al.; SJL mice, which are high responders to Staphylococcal nuclease (nuclease), were immunized and used to produce hybridoma cell lines secreting anti-nuclease monoclonal antibodies (mAb) . Ten stable clones were derived from a single fusion . Seven of these produced antibodies of the IgG1, kappa isotype and were more precisely characterized for antigenic specificity . Only one hybridoma cell line (54-10-4) produced anti-nuclease antibodies capable of inhibiting enzymatic activity of nuclease . Binding inhibition analyses strongly suggest that the other monoclonal antibodies, which failed to inhibit nuclease activity detect two different antigenic regions, or epitopes, of the molecule: epitope cluster 1 domain is defined by hybridomas 54-2-7, 54-5-2, 54-9-8, and 54-10-8; epitope cluster 2 by 54-5-1 and 54-1-9 . Because of its capacity to inhibit nuclease enzymatic activity mAb 54-10-4 was considered specific for a third epitope of the nuclease molecule called epitope 3 . Binding studies of these monoclonal antibodies were extended to peptide fragments of the nuclease molecule in order to examine possible cross-reactions with such fragments, as has previously been reported for antibodies purified from polyclonal antisera . Monoclonal antibodies specific for epitope cluster 1 on the native molecule also bound to the fragments 1-126 and 49-149 but failed to bind to fragment 99-149, suggesting that the corresponding epitope(s) is determined by amino acids localized between residues 49 and 99 . The epitope clusters 2 and 3 appeared to be expressed only on the native molecule . Monoclonal antibodies of different clusters exhibited very different migration patterns on isoelectric focusing while monoclonal antibodies of the same cluster were indistinguishable, which suggests that they may have originated from the same B cell precursor . Taken together these data suggest that this panel of monoclonal antibodies detects at least three distinct epitopes of the nuclease molecule, one of which could be involved in the determination of the enzymatic site.

Nucleic Acids Res, 1985 Aug 26, 13(16), 5895 - 906
Complete nucleotide sequence of the lipase gene from Staphylococcus hyicus cloned in Staphylococcus carnosus; Gotz F et al.; The lipase gene from Staphylococcus hyicus subsp . hyicus was cloned in Staphylococcus carnosus and Escherichia coli . In both host organisms the lipase gene is expressed and the enzyme is released to the medium . The cloned DNA insert is 2.5 kb in length and DNA sequencing has revealed the location of the gene, the ribosomal binding site and the presence of a typical signal sequence . The open reading frame comprises 1923 nucleotides and gives a preprotein of 641 amino acids with a predicted Mr of 71.382 . At the 3' end of the structural gene there are three consecutive stop codons and there is also a transcriptional termination signal.

Experientia, 1985 Aug 15, 41(8), 1063 - 4
Comparison of counterimmunoelectrophoresis (CIE), latex agglutination (LA) and staphylococcal coagglutination (COAG) in pneumococcal antigen detection in vitro; Rytel MW et al.; CIE was compared to agglutination assays employing commercial kits (Directigen, Phadebact), as well as our own LA and COAG reagents, in detection of pneumococcal capsular polysaccharide (PCP) antigens in vitro . Directigen provided the most sensitive assay . CIE was of comparable sensitivity except for PCP antigen types 7 and 14.

Cancer, 1985 Aug 15, 56(4), 777 - 81
Hypercalcemia in cats with feline-leukemia-virus-associated leukemia-lymphoma; Engelman RW et al.; Three cases of hypercalcemia were recognized among 11 cats presenting with leukemia-lymphoma for ex vivo immunoadsorption therapy using Staphylococcal Protein-A-coated filters . In addition, the initial mean serum calcium concentration of cats with leukemia-lymphoma was significantly higher (P less than 0.005) than that of healthy control cats or feline-leukemia-virus-infected cats without malignancy . During immunotherapy of the hypercalcemic cats, objective reduction in the extent of the malignancies was associated with a small reduction in the serum calcium concentrations . This response to treatment, the lack of skeletal metastasis, and the absence of renal and parathyroid pathologic findings imply that humorally mediated mechanisms may have been responsible for the production of the hypercalcemia.

Am J Med, 1985 Aug 9, 79(2A), 67 - 74
Treatment of skin, skin structure, bone, and joint infections with ceftazidime; Gentry LO; The collective experience with ceftazidime in the treatment of skin, soft tissue, bone, and joint infections is presented . Patients were treated with dosages ranging between 25 and 150 mg/kg per day for between five and 42 days . A total of 570 patients with skin and skin structure infections were treated with ceftazidime . Comparative studies, using either cefamandole or tobramycin plus ticarcillin as control drugs, included 239 patients . There were 600 evaluable patients in five categories of skin or skin structure infection: 252 patients had cellulitis, 107 had wound infections, 103 had abscesses, 90 had skin ulcers, and 48 had other miscellaneous infections . Bacteriologic etiologies were gram-negative rods in 303 episodes, gram-positive cocci in 241, anaerobes in 14 episodes, and miscellaneous other organisms in 48 episodes . Overall bacteriologic efficacy was 90 percent in ceftazidime-treated infections and 76 percent in control-treated infections . The clinical efficacy of ceftazidime against infections caused by the gram-positive cocci, particularly Staphylococcus species, was surprisingly good (85 percent) and similar to the efficacy achieved in the cefamandole-treated patients (85 percent) . The overall clinical efficacy for ceftazidime was 93 percent . One hundred thirty-four patients with bone or joint infections received ceftazidime . The dosages were similar, but the duration of treatment was the longest in this group . Ceftazidime treatment was compared with standard dosages of tobramycin and ticarcillin in 11 patients . Osteomyelitis was cured in 58 of the 101 patients who received ceftazidime . In five patients, osteomyelitis failed to respond: in two, a resistant Pseudomonas strain emerged; the other three failures were due to persistent bone sequestra . Thirty-eight patients showed improvement . Of those in the tobramycin and ticarcillin group, nine of 10 evaluable patients (90 percent) showed either cure or improvement . The one failure was due to a persistent sequestrum . Thirteen patients with septic arthritis and seven with bursitis were also treated with ceftazidime; the overall cure rate was 75 percent . Adverse reactions to ceftazidime were severe, and the drug was discontinued in 13 of 570 (2.3 percent) patients with skin or skin structure infections and in five of 134 (3.7 percent) patients with bone and joint infections . These data suggest that ceftazidime is effective as monotherapy in the treatment of skin, skin structure, bone, and joint infections, and that it may be more efficacious against staphylococcal infections than predicted from in vitro data.

Jpn J Antibiot, 1985 Aug, 38(8), 2360 - 6
{Fundamental and clinical studies of cefpiramide in the field of obstetrics and gynecology}; Ninomiya K et al.; Fundamental and clinical studies of cefpiramide (CPM, SM-1652) a new semisynthetic cephalosporin were carried out in the field of obstetrics and gynecology . The results were obtained as follows: In vitro antibacterial activity of CPM against recent 255 clinical isolates was compared with those of cefazolin (CEZ), cefmetazole (CMZ) and cefoperazone (CPZ) . CPM showed strong antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus, K . pneumoniae, Peptococcus and Peptostreptococcus . However the minimum inhibitory concentration of CPM was inferior to those of CEZ, CMZ and CPZ against E . coli . The transfer of CPM to the female genital organs was found to be good . Tissue levels over than 5 micrograms/g were maintained after 5 hours . CPM was administered to 10 patients with obstetrical and gynecological infections . Good responses were obtained in all of the cases . Neither adverse reactions nor abnormal laboratory findings were observed except 1 case with slight elevation of BUN.

Antibiot Med Biotekhnol, 1985 Aug, 30(8), 600 - 4
{Effect of mytilan--a polysaccharide from Crenomytilus grayanus--on local suppurative processes}; Krylova NF et al.; The study on the effect of mytilan on the local suppurative processes caused by administration of a virulent staphylococcal culture to the mouse pad showed that this polysaccharide isolated from Crenomytilus grayanus had a pronounced antiexudative and antinecrotic effect . The positive results of the experiments may be explained by stimulation of the phagocytic activity of polymorphonuclear leukocytes and macrophages by mytilan which results in acceleration of the reparative processes in local staphylococcal infection . Hence, nonspecific stimulation of the defense mechanisms in local suppurative infection by mytilan and its antiexudative and antinecrotic effect are promising for investigation of the possibility of the mytilan clinical use.

Am J Phys Anthropol, 1985 Aug, 67(4), 381 - 91
Atlanto-occipital fusion and spondylolisthesis in an Anasazi skeleton from Bright Angel Ruin, Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona; Merbs CF et al.; The skeleton of a middle-aged female showing an unusual pattern of congenital, traumatic, and degenerative pathology was recovered from a small Kayenta Anasazi site located near the confluence of Bright Angel Creek with the Colorado River in the Inner Gorge of Grand Canyon . The atlas is fused with the base of the skull and C2 is fused with C3 . The cervical region was subjected to hyperextension, perhaps through use of a tumpline, with resultant reduction of the neural canal to 8 mm, a condition that quite likely led to neurological problems . The skeleton also includes a depression fracture of the lateral condyle of the left tibia . Complete, bilateral spondylolysis of L5 led to an olisthesis of approximately 15 mm . The disc between L5 and S1 then ossified, most likely from staphylococcus bacteremia, making the olisthesis permanent and thereby creating a unique arachaeological specimen . Although spondylolysis is usually viewed as a stress fracture, the general pattern of pathology in this individual makes it necessary to consider an etiology of acute trauma.

J Rheumatol, 1985 Aug, 12(4), 803 - 4
Septic arthritis involving the manubriosternal joint; Gruber BL et al.; Infection of the manubriosternal joint is an exceedingly rare event . We report a case of a 38-year-old patient with systemic lupus erythematosus who developed staphylococcal septic arthritis of this joint after bacteremia . Pathogenic factors are discussed . Physicians should be aware of this unusual complication of staphylococcal bacteremia.

J Pediatr Surg, 1985 Aug, 20(4), 339 - 42
Psoas abscess in children; Schwaitzberg SD et al.; In children, psoas abscess does not head the list in the differential diagnosis of the child who presents with a limp or lower abdominal pain . Therefore, the road to this diagnosis can be long and complicated leading to numerous studies and specialty consultations . Over a 7-year period, seven psoas abscesses have been drained surgically . All were Staphylococcal though one was mixed . In each case, the original admitting diagnosis was that of septic arthritis of the hip . In general, this diagnosis was ruled out by negative hip aspirations and bone scans . Often, the severity of symptoms led to persistent evaluation with noninvasive tests such as gallium scan, intravenous pyelogram, or barium enema . Though these tests were often suggestive, a positive ultrasound or CT scan was the key studies diagnostic enough to warrant surgical exploration and drainage . During this time period, there have been no negative explorations for psoas abscess . Upon surgical drainage, all patients improved, with subsequent recovery of hip function . The child who presents with a limp or painful hip should be considered for ultrasonography or computerized tomography once hip pathology is ruled out . We feel that the results of other tests such as gallium scan, IVP, or barium enema are not sufficiently specific to indicate surgery.

Blood, 1985 Aug, 66(2), 306 - 11
Drug-dependent and non-drug-dependent antiplatelet antibody in drug-induced immunologic thrombocytopenic purpura; Lerner W et al.; The mechanism of drug-dependent immunologic thrombocytopenic purpura (DITP) was investigated by studying the sera of four patients with classic DITP (two with quinidine-, one with acetaminophen-, and one with phenazopyridine-dependent antiplatelet antibody) using a solid-phase radioimmunoassay with 125I-staphylococcal protein A . Two forms of antiplatelet antibody could be demonstrated: one that required drug to bind to platelets and one that bound to platelets in the absence of drug . Drug-dependent antiplatelet antibody required the simultaneous addition of drug and the Fc domain of the drug-dependent IgG molecule for binding to platelets . It did not require serum complement or factor VIII-related antigen for binding to platelets . Drug-dependent binding of antibody to platelets was saturation-dependent . Non-drug-dependent antiplatelet antibody of two patients (one with quinidine-induced thrombocytopenia and the other with acetaminophen-induced thrombocytopenia) reacted with autologous platelets as well as with homologous platelets, indicating that they were autoantibodies . Both autoantibodies had disappeared when their sera were tested 23 and 138 days, respectively, after withdrawal of their initial positive sera . Non-drug-dependent antiplatelet antibody binding could be demonstrated with the F(ab')2 fragment of the purified IgG of the serum of the second patient with quinidine DITP, who did not have detectable alloantibodies against HLA . None of the four patients with non-drug-dependent antiplatelet antibody had a past or present history of autoimmune thrombocytopenic purpura.

Br J Dermatol, 1985 Aug, 113(2), 179 - 83
The cutaneous reaction to staphylococcal protein A in normal subjects and patients with atopic dermatitis or psoriasis; White MI et al.; Intradermal testing with the staphylococcal cell wall component, protein A, in healthy volunteers and in patients with atopic dermatitis and psoriasis produced a range of responses but in all groups there was an immediate weal and flare response . There was marked individual variation in subsequent erythema, but the patients with atopic dermatitis had less erythema at 15 min and 24 h than normal or psoriatic individuals . The greatest erythematous reaction at 48 h was seen in patients with psoriasis.

Am J Hematol, 1985 Aug, 19(4), 395 - 9
A case of factor V inhibitor; Chong LL et al.; A 57-year-old married Chinese male without a family history of bleeding disorder was presented with severe hemorrhagic tendency and was subsequently found to be suffering from an acquired inhibitor against coagulation factor V . The prolonged prothrombin time and activated partial thromboplastin time could not be corrected by the addition of normal plasma . Subnormal value of factor V level was noted accompanied with an abnormal platelet factor III availability test . With specific antisera and staphylococcal protein A, the inhibitor was characterized as an IgG(lambda) antibody . The hemorrhagic tendency and abnormal laboratory data were corrected after treating the patient with platelet concentrate transfusion and cyclophosphamide.

Br J Ophthalmol, 1985 Aug, 69(8), 604 - 11
Microbial and immunological investigations of chronic non-ulcerative blepharitis and meibomianitis; Seal DV et al.; Concentrations of tear lysozyme, lactoferrin, ceruloplasmin, IgG, and IgA have been measured by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in patients with chronic non-ulcerative blepharitis and meibomianitis at the same time as the lid and conjunctivae were cultured for bacteria and fungi by a semiquantitative method . A group of normal controls aged 20 to 80 were similarly sampled, when strains of Staphylococcus epidermidis from their eyes and the patients' eyes were biotyped according to Baird-Parker's scheme . 5% of blepharitis cases had increased numbers of Staph . aureus present on the lids, compared with only a scanty growth obtained from 5% of normals . 7% of blepharitis cases had increased numbers of Staph . epidermidis type VI (coagulase-negative, mannitol-fermenting) present compared with a scanty growth obtained from 6% of normals . Isolation rates of other types of Staph . epidermidis did not differ from those in normals; no types were associated with meibomianitis . Tear protein profiles were normal in most patients, and there was no increase in tear IgA or IgG, which is expected with chronic infection . Overall our evidence suggests that in 88% of cases these lid conditions have an inflammatory aetiology not associated with infection . Staphylococcal isolates often found in the eye usually represent a normal commensal rather than pathogenic flora.

Br J Haematol, 1985 Aug, 60(4), 659 - 68
The red cell antigens A, B, D, U, Ge, Jk3 and Yta are not detected on human granulocytes; Gaidulis L et al.; We report the inability to detect the following red blood cell antigens on human granulocytes: A, B, D, U, Gerbich (Ge), JkaJkb (Jk3) and Cartwright (Yta) . To study each antigen, granulocytes were purified on density gradients, fixed in glutaraldehyde, and the uptake of specific antisera measured using two direct immunological techniques: 125I-staphylococcal protein A (125I-SPA) binding and avidin-biotin-complex (ABC) immunoperoxidase staining . Glutaraldehyde fixation was shown not to affect the antigenicity when the antisera were tested using red blood cells . Using three anti-A, three anti-B and three anti-A,B antisera, our 125I-SPA results of 47 tests with granulocytes from group A individuals and 39 tests with granulocytes from group B individuals indicate that A or B antigens are not expressed on human granulocytes . Tests using ABC were also negative with 37 and 36 granulocytes from group A or B individuals, respectively . In addition, no positive results using 125I-SPA were obtained with granulocytes from individuals having antigen positive red cells when tested with two anti-D (number of tests performed (n = 22), three anti-Ge (n = 22), three anti-U (n = 20), two anti-Jk3 (n = 17), and three anti-Yta (n = 25); control anti-NA1 or -NB1 antisera were invariably positive . Also, using these antisera, no positive results were obtained by ABC except with one anti-Yta antiserum which was positive with one of seven granulocytes tested . This anti-Yta was also positive with three of 10 granulocytes by 125I-SPA . This activity was shown to be due to a granulocyte-specific antibody; adsorption of the antiserum with human granulocytes removed all activity against granulocytes but did not reduce the activity against red cells . Thus, our results are in agreement with recent reports which demonstrated the absence of the A, B and D antigens on human granulocytes . However, we have been unable to confirm previous reports which indicated the presence of the U, Ge and Jk3 antigens on human granulocytes . Also, we have been unable to detect the Yta antigen on human granulocytes.

J Immunol, 1985 Aug, 135(2), 1276 - 80
Structural analysis of the myeloma-associated membrane antigen KMA; Goodnow CC et al.; kappa-Myeloma antigen (KMA) was immunoprecipitated from lactoperoxidase-radioiodinated HMy2 lymphoblastoid cells by using monoclonal antibody K-1-21 and was analyzed by SDS-PAGE . Under reducing conditions, two major subunits of Mr approximately 26,000 and Mr approximately 42,000, and minor components of Mr approximately 28,000, 31,000, and 36,000 were observed . The Mr approximately 26,000 subunit was identical to kappa-light chains from HMy2 surface IgG in apparent m.w., isoelectric point, and staphylococcal V-8 protease peptide map, but was not precipitated in association with Ig heavy chain . The Mr approximately 42,000 component was homologous to rabbit skeletal muscle actin by peptide mapping with staphylococcal V-8 protease . The cell surface origin of the immunoprecipitated antigen was confirmed by demonstrating lactoperoxidase dependence of iodination and complete removal from the cell surface after pronase treatment of viable cells . Thus, cell surface expression of KMA is the result of membrane association of non-heavy chain-linked kappa-light chains, possibly in noncovalent association with actin.

J Immunol, 1985 Aug, 135(2), 1232 - 8
Alternative mechanism of protein A-immunoglobulin interaction the VH-associated reactivity of a monoclonal human IgM; Vidal MA et al.; The immunoglobulin site(s) that mediates the alternative mechanism of interaction between immunoglobulins and staphylococcal protein A (SpA) was studied by using a monoclonal human IgM . Several IgM fragments were tested for their inhibitory effect in a competitive binding assay of 125I-IgM to SpA . Only those fragments containing Fab mu pieces showed some inhibitory activity . The reactivity of the Fab mu region was retained in some of its subfragments, such as Fv or the VH domain, unlike isolated light chains or VL domains . Furthermore, antibodies specific for the VH domain completely inhibited the SpA-IgM interaction . These results indicate that the alternative SpA-binding site of IgM is located in VH regions.

J Biochem (Tokyo), 1985 Aug, 98(2), 305 - 18
The complete amino acid sequence of coagulogen isolated from Southeast Asian horseshoe crab, Carcinoscorpius rotundicauda; Srimal S et al.; The complete amino acid sequence of coagulogen purified from the hemocytes of the horseshoe crab Carcinoscorpius rotundicauda was determined by characterization of the NH2-terminal sequence and the peptides generated after digestion of the protein with lysyl endopeptidase, Staphylococcal aureus protease V8 and trypsin . Upon sequencing the peptides by the automated Edman method, the following sequence was obtained: A D T N A P L C L C D E P G I L G R N Q L V T P E V K E K I E K A V E A V A E E S G V S G R G F S L F S H H P V F R E C G K Y E C R T V R P E H T R C Y N F P P F V H F T S E C P V S T R D C E P V F G Y T V A G E F R V I V Q A P R A G F R Q C V W Q H K C R Y G S N N C G F S G R C T Q Q R S V V R L V T Y N L E K D G F L C E S F R T C C G C P C R N Y Carcinoscorpius coagulogen consists of a single polypeptide chain with a total of 175 amino acid residues and a calculated molecular weight of 19,675 . The secondary structure calculated by the method of Chou and Fasman reveals the presence of an alpha-helix region in the peptide C segment (residue Nos . 19 to 46), which is released during the proteolytic conversion of coagulogen to coagulin gel . The beta-sheet structure and the 16 half-cystines found in the molecule appear to yield a compact protein stable to acid and heat . The amino acid sequences of coagulogen of four species of limulus have been compared and the interspecies evolutionary differences are discussed.

Genetics, 1985 Aug, 110(4), 539 - 55
Genetic analysis of staphylococcal nuclease: identification of three intragenic "global" suppressors of nuclease-minus mutations; Shortle D et al.; A collection of 77 unique missense mutations distributed across the gene encoding staphylococcal nuclease (nuc) has been assembled . These mutations were induced by random gap misrepair mutagenesis of the cloned gene and were identified in E . coli transformants expressing reduced levels of nuclease activity . Four nuc- mutations which alter amino acid residues at positions outside of the active site region of the enzyme were submitted to a second round of mutagenesis, and characterization of several independent NUC+ isolates lead to the identification of three second-site suppressor mutations within the protein-coding sequence of the nuc gene . On separation from the mutation originally suppressed and recombination with a number of other nuc- mutations, all three suppressors displayed the property of "global" suppression, i.e., phenotypic suppression of the nuclease-minus character of multiple different alleles . A simple and generally applicable strategy was used to obtain efficient homologous recombination between plasmids for purposes of mapping nuc- mutations, mapping second-site suppressors and constructing double mutant combinations from pairs of single mutations.

J Infect Dis, 1985 Aug, 152(2), 315 - 22
Parasite-monocyte interactions in human leishmaniasis: production of interleukin-1 in vitro; Crawford GD et al.; Leishmania are obligate intracellular protozoa that parasitize mononuclear phagocytes . Because mononuclear phagocytes are also the primary source of leukocytic pyrogen and of lymphocyte-activating factor, both considered properties of interleukin-1 (IL-1), we investigated in vitro production of leukocytic pyrogen and of lymphocyte-activating factor from human monocytes infected with Leishmania tropica . Despite parasitization of 95% of cells, 24- and 48-hr culture supernatants and cell lysates derived from L . tropica-infected monocytes did not contain IL-1 . Leishmania that were killed by freezing or by glutaraldehyde treatment similarly did not induce monocyte production of IL-1 . Of importance is the observation that human monocytes infected with L . tropica for 6 hr and then challenged with a potent IL-1 inducer (Staphylococcus epidermidis) produced significantly less IL-1 than did uninfected monocytes that were similarly challenged (P less than .001) . This difference was not affected by the addition of indomethacin to the cultures . In contrast, soluble immune complexes prepared with an excess of L . tropica antigen and rabbit antibody to L . tropica induced high levels of IL-1 production from normal monocytes . Neither antigen nor antibody alone incubated with monocytes led to significant production of IL-1, however . Thus, these studies suggest that despite leishmanial adherence to, entrance into, and replication within human monocytes there is little or no stimulation of IL-1 production . This may represent a parasite evasion mechanism that retards the development of protective immune responses in leishmaniasis.

Cell Immunol, 1985 Aug, 94(1), 133 - 46
Human B-lymphocyte colony responses: suboptimal colony responsiveness in aged humans associated with defective function of B cells and monocytes; Whisler RL et al.; The abilities of human B cells from young and aged subjects to form colonies in semisolid cultures stimulated with Staphylococcus protein A were investigated . Approximately three-fourths of aged adults had significantly diminished colony responses compared to young adults . In 55% of these aged adults, the in vitro blocking of monocyte prostaglandin synthesis lead to a 1.5-fold or greater augmentation of the depressed colony responses . Other experiments showed that the improvement with indomethacin could not be explained by the greater sensitivity of aged versus young B-cell colony precursors to prostaglandin suppression . However, indomethacin failed to improve the depressed colony responses of the remaining aged adults . This failure could not be attributed to deficient interleukin 1 production, detectable alterations in accessory cell subsets of monocytes, or the lack of potential colony precursors bearing sIgD/M . Instead, the B cells from these aged subjects demonstrated a substantial decrease in the capping of sIgD/M compared to the B cells of aged subjects which displayed improved colony responses with indomethacin and compared to the B cells from young adults . Thus, these data indicate that the diminished B-cell colony responses of aged humans represent aberrancies within both the B-cell and monocyte lineages which might coexist.

Br J Dermatol, 1985 Aug, 113(2), 229 - 35
Cytotoxic activity of Propionibacterium acnes and other skin organisms; Allaker RP et al.; Culture supernatants from four species of skin micro-organisms were tested against VERO (monkey kidney cells) and skin fibroblasts for cytotoxic activity . Cytotoxic activity was produced by the three species of Propionibacterium tested (P . acnes, P . avidum and P . granulosum), and this activity was highest when cultures were grown in the presence of glucose . In contrast, Staphylococcus epidermidis was devoid of cytotoxic activity whether grown in the presence of glucose or not . The agent responsible for the cytotoxic activity was heat stable, of low molecular weight and removable from supernatants by ether extraction . These properties, coupled with the finding that the levels of cytotoxicity are directly proportional to the concentrations of propionate measured in samples, suggests that propionate is the agent responsible for the cytotoxicity of the culture supernatants . Pure propionate and the salts of other carboxylic acids (CI to C5) were tested at the same concentrations and showed different degrees of cytotoxicity depending on their chain length . Propionate may have an important role in the aetiology of the disease acne vulgaris.

J Med Microbiol, 1985 Aug, 20(1), 11 - 6
The pathological and ecological significance of microorganisms colonizing acne vulgaris comedones; Leeming JP et al.; A microbiological survey has been undertaken of comedones isolated by micro-dissection from skin biopsies . Of closed comedones 10.7% and of open comedones 7.1% did not contain Pityrosporum spp., Propionibacterium spp . or Staphylococcus spp., the organisms most frequently associated with the pathogenesis of acne . Mature comedones were more frequently colonised than were young comedones . These results support the argument that the presence of microorganisms is not a prerequisite for comedo formation . Other pathological and ecological implications of these results are discussed.

Am J Vet Res, 1985 Aug, 46(8), 1740 - 4
Impaired function of bovine alveolar macrophages infected with parainfluenza-3 virus; Liggitt D et al.; Bovine alveolar macrophages (BAM) were harvested from nonsedated cattle, adhered to glass or plastic surfaces, and infected with parainfluenza-3 (PI-3) virus at a multiplicity of infection of 10 . Control and PI-3 virus-infected BAM were compared at 24-hour intervals up to 168 hours for their ability to phagocytize antibody-coated sheep erythrocytes (EAC) and latex particles, to kill Staphylococcus epidermidis, and to alter intracellular acid phosphatase concentrations . The effect of antiviral serum on phagocytic functions of virus-infected cells was also evaluated . Compared with noninfected controls, alveolar macrophages infected with PI-3 virus were 15.3% less adherent to the glass or plastic surfaces at postinoculation hour (PIH) 72 and were 64.0% less adherent at PIH 168 . Significant differences (P less than 0.05) between the numbers of control and infected BAM phagocytizing EAC were observed at PIH 24 through 72, with final values differing by approximately 50% . Similar changes were observed in the phagocytic efficiencies of individual cells . The PI-3 virus-infected BAM that were exposed to antiserum or to immunoglobulins against PI-3 virus had approximately a 2-fold greater inhibition in EAC phagocytosis than did infected BAM exposed to serum without PI-3 activity . Significant differences in latex particle phagocytosis were not observed between infected and control BAM . Compared with control BAM, the PI-3 virus-infected BAM contained significantly lower concentrations of acid phosphatase from PIH 48 through 96; at PIH 96, acid phosphatase concentrations were 4-fold less in infected than in control BAM.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

J Rheumatol, 1985 Aug, 12(4), 680 - 4
Interaction between fibronectin, rheumatoid factor and aggregated gamma globulins; Ferraccioli G et al.; Fibronectin (Fn) was detected in 12/14 2.5% polyethylene glycol precipitates of rheumatoid serum positive for rheumatoid factor (RF) . This association led to an investigation of the capacity of Fn to interact with IgM RF and heat aggregated human IgG . Our data suggest that Fn can interact directly with both of these substances at a site in the Fc fragment of the immunoglobulin molecule . The exact cite of the interaction is still to be defined but evidence indicates that it is probably distinct from sites binding staphylococcal protein A and complement.

J Biol Chem, 1985 Jul 25, 260(15), 9047 - 56
Nerve growth factor and other agents mediate phosphorylation and activation of tyrosine hydroxylase . A convergence of multiple kinase activities; McTigue M et al.; A rapid phosphorylation of tyrosine hydroxylase occurs in the PC12 nerve-like clonal cell line in response to nerve growth factor (NGF), epidermal growth factor (EGF), dibutyryl-cAMP, cholera toxin, phorbol- 12-myristate-13-acetate (PMA), or potassium depolarization in the presence of calcium ions . Complete tryptic digestion and two-dimensional peptide mapping reveals four available sites of phosphorylation in the enzyme . Phosphoamino acid analysis demonstrates that serine is the amino acid residue phosphorylated in each peptide . Specific phosphorylation of each of the four sites is achieved by different subsets of the above agents . One peptide site is phosphorylated in response to EGF alone . A second site is phosphorylated only in response to NGF, cholera toxin or dibutyryl-cAMP . A third site is phosphorylated only in response to potassium depolarization and requires the presence of extracellular Ca2+ . The fourth site is the only site phosphorylated in response to PMA . These data indicate that at least 4 distinct kinase systems can act to phosphorylate tyrosine hydroxylase in PC12 cells . The PMA-stimulated peptide site is also phosphorylated in response to every one of the other agents . Further proteolytic digestions and phosphopeptide mapping of this common peptide, using Staphylococcus V8 protease and thermolysin, did not generate different phosphopeptides resulting from the different agents . These data suggest that the phosphorylation of this common peptide in response to all of the agents may be mediated by a common kinase, and, hence, that tyrosine hydroxylase phosphorylation by some agents may be mediated by two kinases . Although phosphopeptide maps of tyrosine hydroxylase resulting from cAMP elevation or NGF are qualitatively similar, quantitative differences exist, suggesting differential regulation of the same kinases by these agents . Tyrosine hydroxylase was found to be activated 2--4-fold in response to each phosphorylating agent . Thus, NGF and EGF present novel, natural means of regulating the activation state of tyrosine hydroxylase in responsive neurons.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

S Afr Med J, 1985 Jul 20, 68(2), 82 - 6
Clinical evaluation of a '3-in-1' intravenous nutrient solution; O'Keefe SJ et al.; Eighty-five consecutive general hospital patients requiring total parenteral nutrition (TPN) were prospectively studied in order to evaluate the safety and efficacy of a '3-in-1' nutrient mixture . All formulas were individualized to estimated requirements (average composition nitrogen 14 g, glucose 350 g, fat 50 g), mixed in the hospital pharmacy, contained within 3-litre EVA plastic bags, and given to the patients as a continuous 24-hour infusion . The average duration of TPN was 19 days per patient (range 8 - 84 days) . Judging by nitrogen balance and plasma protein concentrations, the system was effective in maintaining or improving nutritional status in patients in a relatively stable condition but not in those who were critically ill (e.g . those in an intensive care unit) . Development of magnesium and iron deficiencies was common during the period of TPN (25% of patients developing magnesium deficiency and 40% developing iron deficiency) despite daily supplementation with commercial trace element mixtures, but these states were easily corrected by high-dose administration . 'Creaming' of less than 5 mm on the surface of the emulsion was common, whereas that of more than 10 mm was rare (12 bags) and invariably associated with excessive addition of polyvalent cation or glucose . Deposition of lipid on the internal surface of the catheter was a common problem after 2 weeks' continuous administration . Temporary problems with faulty bag connections resulted in excessive catheter sepsis (14%) due to Staphylococcus epidermidis . Mild reversible disturbances in liver function occurred in one-third of the patients . The system appears safe and effective for the management of most patients requiring long-term TPN.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

J Immunol Methods, 1985 Jul 16, 81(1), 65 - 71
Polyclonal induction of immunoglobulin synthesis by feline leukocytes as identified in a reverse hemolytic plaque assay; Engelman RW et al.; Optimal conditions of culture and assay for identification of feline immunoglobulin-secreting mononuclear cells were determined for the staphylococcal protein A-reverse hemolytic plaque assay (SpA-RHPA) . Hemolytic plaques were most distinct and numerous when peripheral blood mononuclear cells were stimulated with 6.9 micrograms/ml pokeweed mitogen for 7 days . Immunoglobulin-secreting cells were identified morphologically within a zone of hemolysis utilizing a 1:5 dilution of rabbit anti-cat IgG and a 1:30 dilution of guinea pig complement as developing reagents . The SpA-RHPA system should contribute to an understanding of normal feline T- and B-lymphocyte interactions and will likely aid in the identification and understanding of immune cell dysfunctions associated with chronic feline leukemia virus infection.

Infection, 1985 Jul-Aug, 13(4), 190 - 2
Influence of fosfomycin and tobramycin on vancomycin-induced nephrotoxicity; Marre R et al.; Since combinations of fosfomycin and vancomycin or tobramycin and vancomycin could be of advantage in the therapy of staphylococcal infections, we studied renal tolerance of both combinations . The experimental animal was the rat and the parameters of nephrotoxicity were cyturia and enzymuria . The experiments showed that fosfomycin at dosages of 50 and 250 mg/kg protected against nephrotoxicity caused by vancomycin (dose: 50 mg/kg), whereas the administration of both tobramycin (dose: 2.5 mg/kg) and vancomycin (dose: 50 mg/kg) resulted in an increase of cyturia and enzymuria . However, repeated dosing of vancomycin (single dose: 50 mg/kg) led to renal accumulation when combined with fosfomycin (single dose: 250 mg/kg); renal vancomycin concentrations were lower . This study suggests similarities in the renal handling of vancomycin and aminoglycosides and demonstrates the possibility of reducing drug-associated nephrotoxicity.

Anal Biochem, 1985 Jul, 148(1), 54 - 8
In situ immunological determination of basic carbohydrate structures of gangliosides on thin-layer plates; Saito M et al.; An immunological method for the determination of the basic carbohydrate structure of gangliosides by using a thin-layer chromatographic immunostaining technique was developed . After high-performance thin-layer chromatography of gangliosides, the chromatogram is treated with a 0.4% polyisobutylmethacrylate solution . Arthrobacter ureafaciens neuraminidase is then applied to the separated gangliosides in situ on the chromatographic plate . This procedure will remove both external and internal sialic acid residues from the core oligosaccharide backbone . The resulting glycolipid products are then incubated with anti-Gg4 serum and 125I-staphylococcal protein A, successively, and exposed to an X-ray film . Through a highly specific binding, the anti-Gg4 antibody detects only those gangliosides having the oligosaccharide backbone of Gg4.

Reg Anaesth, 1985 Jul, 8(3), 60 - 2
{A case of transverse spinal cord syndrome following contamination of a peridural catheter}; Konig HJ et al.; Two weeks after removal of a peridural catheter a transverse lesion of the cord with paraplegia developed . At operation a paravertebral abscess, osteomyelitis of the lamina L2 and L3, and epidural abscess, a phlegmonous duritis and myelitis of the conus-cauda region by transmigration was found . The catheter had been in position for four days . The infection was caused by staphylococcus epidermidis . After laminectomy L2 and L3 as well as local and systemic application of antibiotics, according to the results of sensitivity tests, neurological deficits disappeared nearly completely.

Microbiologica, 1985 Jul, 8(3), 255 - 61
Calorimetric analysis of phagocytosis of staphylococcal protein-A/IgG complexes; Eftimiadi C et al.; We have analyzed calorimetrically the phagocytosis of the pseudoimmunecomplexes formed by staphylococcal protein A in presence of serum . Strong thermal effects were recorded during phagocytosis . They appear to be the sum of two distinct heat contributions . We have previously shown that these are the expression of two different non-mitochondrial O2 reduction pathways operating during the metabolic "burst" (Eftimiadi and Rialdi, 1982) . Experiments carried out at different protein A/IgG ratios produced quantitatively and qualitatively different power-time curves . The data reported here indicate that although the immunoglobulins are essential for the triggering complex to form, the presence of complement is necessary to obtain maximal granulocytic metabolic activation.

J Infect, 1985 Jul, 11(1), 41 - 50
Role of granulocytes and monocytes in the prevention and therapy of experimental Staphylococcus epidermidis endocarditis in rabbits; Meddens MJ et al.; Rabbits with endocarditis caused by Staphylococcus epidermidis were studied to determine the parts played by granulocytes and monocytes in the prevention or outcome of therapy with cloxacillin . Both monocytes and granulocytes influenced prophylaxis with cloxacillin . The amount of cloxacillin needed to prevent infection in 50% of the rabbits was significantly less in control rabbits than in those selectively depleted of monocytes, as it was also in rabbits selectively depleted of monocytes compared with those that had both granulocytopenia and monocytopenia . Granulocytes strongly potentiated the effect of cloxacillin during prophylaxis, whereas the contribution of monocytes was merely additive . Monocytes also contributed to the effect of therapy with cloxacillin, partially via a cloxacillin-independent mechanism and partially by potentiation of the effect of cloxacillin . Granulocytes did not appear to affect cloxacillin therapy . Results of this study suggest that currently used regimens for prophylaxis and treatment of S . epidermidis endocarditis may need to be adjusted for neutropenic patients.

Arch Dermatol, 1985 Jul, 121(7), 921 - 3
Eosinophilic pustular folliculitis (Ofuji's disease) with response to dapsone therapy; Steffen C; A 50-year-old man had eosinophilic pustular folliculitis (Ofuji's disease) characterized by follicular pustular papules on the face, confluent vesicles on the fingers, and a papulopustular area on the upper portion of the back . Extensive examinations and cultures of both pustular material and tissue revealed no organisms, except Staphylococcus epidermidis . The disease responded to dapsone therapy.

J Infect Dis, 1985 Jul, 152(1), 50 - 8
Instability of antibiotic resistance in a strain of Staphylococcus epidermidis isolated from an outbreak of prosthetic valve endocarditis; Mickelsen PA et al.; Plasmid profiles, phage typing, antibiograms, and biotyping were used to characterize Staphylococcus epidermidis isolated from multiple cultures of blood of four patients with prosthetic valve endocarditis . Epidemiological evidence implicated a common source for these infections . Of 20 clinically significant isolates, 14 exhibited variations from the prototype pattern of multiple resistance to five antibiotics . All isolates tested appeared to be the same strain by phage typing . Of 18 isolates available for plasmid analysis, 10 contained six plasmids of identical size, whereas eight differed from the prototype profile in the loss of one to three plasmids . Loss of resistance to gentamicin, chloramphenicol, erythromycin, and clindamycin but not to methicillin was associated with the loss of specific plasmids . Because antibiotic resistance in this strain of S . epidermidis was unstable, the use of antibiograms alone was not a reliable means of evaluating the relatedness of these multiple isolates.

J Antimicrob Chemother, 1985 Jul, 16 Suppl A, 195 - 7
Comparative evaluation of macrolides, lincosamides and streptogramins in staphylococcal infections; Modai J; A number of factors must be taken into consideration when comparing the relative efficacy of macrolides-lincosamides-streptogramins (MLS) in staphylococcal infections: these include their antibacterial activity, their pharmacokinetic characteristics, their tolerance, and the results achieved in clinical practice.

Am J Vet Res, 1985 Jul, 46(7), 1522 - 5
Comparison of coagulase test methods for identification of Staphylococcus intermedius from dogs; Cox HU et al.; Staphylococcus intermedius isolates from dogs were tested for coagulase activity by 6 commercial methods and by conventional methods, using rabbit and dog plasma . When compared with the conventional tube method using rabbit plasma, none of the 6 commercial methods was suitable for identification of S intermedius, although the 6 tests performed well using strains of S aureus . Use of rabbit plasma identified more S intermedius isolates than did use of dog plasma.

J Clin Microbiol, 1985 Jul, 22(1), 26 - 31
Competitive, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for toxic shock syndrome toxin 1; Parsonnet J et al.; We developed a competitive, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for the quantitation of toxic shock syndrome toxin 1 (TSST-1) . Polyvalent immunoglobulin G from immunized rabbits was used as the capture antibody, and alkaline phosphatase conjugated to purified toxin served as the indicator enzyme . A standard curve was generated with each experiment, from which the concentration of toxin in culture supernatants was extrapolated . The assay was useful for determining toxin concentrations of 0.03 to 0.5 micrograms/ml, which is a substantial, practical improvement over immunodiffusion methods . Staphylococcal enterotoxins A through E were not significantly cross-reactive in the assay, and staphylococcal protein A did not interfere with quantitation of TSST-1 . By testing a variety of staphylococcal strains, we found 100% concordance between toxin determinations made with our assay and those made by the investigators from whom the strains were obtained . The competitive, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay is a highly reproducible, inexpensive means of determining TSST-1 concentrations and may have broad applicability in the field of toxic shock research.

Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1985 Jul, (7), 103 - 6
{Staphylococcal infection in guinea pigs sensitized with a commercial staphylococcal allergen}; Pashutin SB et al.; Guinea pigs, previously injected with commercial staphylococcal allergen to induce delayed hypersensitivity, were infected by the intramuscular injection of S . aureus in a nonlethal dose . For control, the animals receiving only S . aureus were used . The dynamic study of the degree of septicemia and some lymphocytic characteristics in the animals was made . The study revealed that delayed hypersensitivity did not aggravate the course of the main disease; on the contrary, it rendered protection against the subsequent infection . Increased resistance to infection was manifested by a decrease in the degree of septicemia, determined from the decreased number of colony-forming units of S . aureus in the splenic tissue as assessed by inoculation into agar, as well as from a higher level of the activation of lymphocytes as assessed by rosette formation.

J Infect, 1985 Jul, 11(1), 35 - 9
Prosthetic valve endocarditis due to methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus epidermidis and Micrococcus species successfully treated with rifampicin combined with other antibiotics; Colebunders R et al.; Two patients with prosthetic valve endocarditis due to methicillin-resistant Gram-positive cocci (Staphylococcus epidermidis and Micrococcus spp.) are described . They were successfully treated with rifampicin combined first with an aminoglycoside and later with co-trimoxazole or co-trimoxazole plus vancomycin . The addition of rifampicin to these antibiotics resulted in enhanced serum bactericidal activity . High doses of rifampicin (1200-1800 mg) for 7-8 weeks did not cause any serious side-effect . Surgery was not required . During surveillance for more than 2 years endocarditis did not recur.

Am J Vet Res, 1985 Jul, 46(7), 1526 - 8
Detection of beta-lactamase produced by Staphylococcus intermedius; Hoskins JD et al.; One iodometric, 2 chromogenic, and 3 acidometric methods were compared for the detection of beta-lactamase produced by Staphylococcus intermedius (n = 105) isolated from dogs . Of 575 tests performed, using the 6 methods evaluated, 316 (55.0%) were positive for beta-lactamase production . The iodometric method was the reference method . With the exception of a high correlation (r = 0.962) between 1 acidometric method and 1 chromogenic method, the 5 commercial methods had correlation coefficients less than 0.900 when comparisons were made among them . The 6 methods were in agreement for 69 (65.7%) of the isolates . Based on the findings of this study, an inexpensive, laboratory-prepared, paper strip iodometric method was as reliable as 5 commercial methods for beta-lactamase detection and is recommended for routine use in clinical laboratories.

J Immunol, 1985 Jul, 135(1), 172 - 9
Differential abilities of human peripheral blood monocytes quantitatively or qualitatively differing in HLA-DR and HLA-DS expression to support B cell activation in liquid and semisolid cultures; Whisler RL et al.; The present investigation was performed to determine whether the activation of human B cells by Staphylococcal protein A (SpA) in liquid and semi-solid cultures might be dependent on distinct subsets of peripheral blood mononuclear-phagocytes (M phi) defined by the expression of HLA-DR and HLA-DS determinants . Highly pure HLA-DR- M phi functioned as effectively as HLA-DR+ MO in supporting B cell liquid proliferative responses when SpA was continuously present in cultures . However, HLA-DR+ M phi were two to three times more effective than HLA-DR- M phi in promoting B cell proliferative responses when either M phi or B cells were pulsed with SpA and were then cultured without supplemental SpA . Similarly, B cell activation in semisolid cultures was crucially dependent on HLA-DR+ M phi because colony responses were reduced fivefold in the presence of M phi expressing low/intermediate HLA-DR levels compared to M phi-containing cells with high HLA-DR levels . HLA-DS- M phi isolated by two different techniques were more effective than HLA-DS+ M phi in supporting both liquid proliferative and colony responses of B cells . Flow microcytofluorometry analysis of the dual expression of HLA-DR and HLA-DS on highly pure HLA-DR- M phi and HLA-DR+ M phi revealed that both HLA-DR- and HLA-DR+ M phi expressed low levels of HLA-DS . Importantly, the expression of HLA-DS on HLA-DR- M phi was bimodal, with an HLA-DR-, DS+ subset and an HLA-DR-, DS-subset being present . Other experiments supported the conclusions that the differential abilities of the HLA-DR-, -DS-defined subsets of M phi to support B cell activation did not represent M phi suppressive effects or differences in IL 1 production . Collectively, these results indicate that B cell activation can be directly supported by M phi whose predominant phenotype is HLA-DR+, -DS- . Thus, the accessory cell pathway of B cell activation described here is distinct from the pathway known to be required for T cell responsiveness, and could serve to provide early alternative or ancillary signals for triggering B cells.

J Clin Invest, 1985 Jul, 76(1), 332 - 40
Studies of the pathogenesis of angioimmunoblastic lymphadenopathy; Honda M et al.; We studied the immune functions of two patients with angioimmunoblastic lymphadenopathy (AILD) in an attempt to determine whether the B cells were primarily hyperactive or, rather, if T cell abnormalities might underlie the B cell hyperactivity observed in these patients . We found that the B cells of the AILD patients did not proliferate spontaneously, nor were they induced to proliferate excessively by fresh normal T cells . In contrast, AILD T cells induced both autologous and allogeneic B cells to proliferate and to differentiate into Ig secreting cells . Spontaneous culture supernates of T cells obtained from each patient induced substantial proliferation of B cells (B cell-activating activity) as well as proliferation in a standard costimulatory assay (B cell growth factor activity) . The culture supernate of a T cell line, which was established from one patient, showed both activities . The T cell line supernate also induced Ig production by staphylococcal A Cowan-activated B cells . None of these properties of AILD T cells was found among 10 normal controls . The addition of AILD T cells to autologous or allogeneic B cells in the presence of pokeweed mitogen (PWM) led to marked suppression of both proliferation and Ig production . This was true even in the presence of fresh normal T cells . Pretreatment studies showed that suppressor cells were induced by the interaction of AILD T cells with PWM-activated B cells . The present study suggests that the B cell hyperactivity observed in AILD patients might in part be due to excessive T cell effects on B cells . In addition, our results may help clarify the paradoxical impaired responsiveness to in vitro stimulation with PWM by active B cells from patients with autoimmune diseases.

J Antimicrob Chemother, 1985 Jul, 16(1), 67 - 73
Uptake of ciprofloxacin by human neutrophils; Easmon CS et al.; Ciprofloxacin was concentrated within human neutrophils to between four and seven times the extracellular concentration . Uptake was rapid and dependent on temperature, but not pH . The elution of ciprofloxacin from cells was equally rapid when the extracellular concentration was reduced . Intracellular ciprofloxacin was biologically active . It produced a significant reduction in viable counts of intracellular Staphylococcus, aureus in the presence of extracellular concentrations as low as 0.5 mg/l . The prior ingestion of Staph . aureus by neutrophils appeared to have no effect on ciprofloxacin uptake.

S Afr Med J, 1985 Jun 29, 67(26), 1053 - 5
{Infection of artificial vascular prostheses . Case reports}; du Toit DF et al.; Four patients with prosthetic graft infection are presented . In 3 patients infection occurred in a Dacron aortobifemoral graft . In all 4 patients the infection originated at the femoral anastomoses . In 2 patients the entire aortofemoral graft was removed; one patient died of septicaemia and the other required an above-knee amputation . In 1 patient partial removal of the graft limb proved successful after a femorofemoral bypass using an autogenous venous graft . Above-knee amputation was performed in a further patient after removal of an infected axillofemoral graft . Staphylococcus was consistently isolated from the infected grafts in all the patients.

Biochemistry, 1985 Jun 18, 24(13), 3219 - 26
Multiple conformational states of repair patches in chromatin during DNA excision repair; Hunting DJ et al.; In mammalian cells, newly synthesized DNA repair patches are highly sensitive to digestion by staphylococcal nuclease (SN), but with time, they acquire approximately the same nuclease resistance as the DNA in bulk chromatin . We refer to the process which restores native SN sensitivity to repaired DNA as chromatin rearrangement . We find that during repair of ultraviolet damage in human fibroblasts, repair patch synthesis and ligation occur at approximately the same rate, with ligation delayed by about 4 min, but that chromatin rearrangement is only 75% as rapid . Thus, repair-incorporated nucleotides can exist in at least three distinct states: unligated/unrearranged, ligated/unrearranged, and ligated/rearranged . Inhibition of repair patch synthesis by aphidicolin or hydroxyurea results in inhibition of both patch ligation and chromatin rearrangement, confirming that repair patch completion and/or ligation are prerequisites for rearrangement . We also analyze the kinetics of SN digestion of repair-incorporated nucleotides at various extents of rearrangement and find the data to be consistent with the existence of two or more forms of unrearranged repair patch which have different sensitivities to digestion by SN . These data indicate that the chromatin rearrangement which restores native SN sensitivity to repaired DNA is a multistep process . The multiple forms of unrearranged chromatin with different SN sensitivities may include the unligated/unrearranged and ligated/unrearranged states . If so, the differences in SN sensitivity must arise from differences in chromatin structure, because SN does not differentiate between ligated and unligated repair patches in naked DNA.

Am J Dermatopathol, 1985 Jun, 7(3), 231 - 9
The evolution of perforating folliculitis in patients with chronic renal failure; Hurwitz RM; The evolution of perforating folliculitis in six patients with chronic renal failure was investigated with special attention to clinical and histopathologic changes in early, evolving, and mature lesions . Different and distinct histologic features at each stage were found . The earliest lesions, follicular pustules, evolved into perforating folliculitis that eventuated in prurigo nodularis . A combined treatment consisting of an anti-staphylococcal antibiotic by mouth, phototherapy, and application of a topical corticosteroid lotion proved helpful in controlling the generalized pruritus and the evolution of the lesions in these cases.

Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1985 Jun, (6), 87 - 90
{Erythrocyte reagents for detecting antibodies to species-specific staphylococcal antigens}; Deriabin PN et al.; Antigenic species-specifics (S . aureus and S . epidermidis) erythrocyte diagnosticums have been obtained with the use of different loading methods . The cross reaction of passive hemagglutination with homologous and heterologous sera have demonstrated that conjugation with amidole ensures the maximum effectiveness and species specificity of diagnosticums in comparison with other conjugation methods.

J Antimicrob Chemother, 1985 Jun, 15(6), 751 - 8
Vancomycin and netilmicin as first line treatment of peritonitis in CAPD patients; Brauner L et al.; The first line treatment of peritonitis in patients on continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) in our hospital was recently altered from a combination of gentamicin and clindamycin, given as continuous peritoneal lavage, to one of vancomycin and netilmicin given in peritoneal dialysis fluid with prolonged dwell time (4-6 h) . The change was prompted by the emergence of multiply resistant Staphylococcus epidermidis among CAPD patients and nursing staff . In 9 of 19 episodes of peritonitis treated with gentamicin/clindamycin, the infecting organism could still be isolated from peritoneal fluid 5-15 days after commencement of therapy . All of 35 culture verified episodes treated with vancomycin/netilmicin were cleared bacteriologically within 3 days (P less than 0.0005) . The vancomycin and netilmicin serum levels achieved were 6.5-37.0 mg/l and 1.0-8.1 mg/l, respectively . Apart from an asthmatic reaction, possibly triggered by vancomycin, no side effects were seen . However, audiometry was not performed regularly and the possible effect of netilmicin on the residual renal function was not systematically investigated.

Anaesthesia, 1985 Jun, 40(6), 523 - 8
Contamination of internal jugular cannulae; Clayton DG et al.; 137 internal jugular vein cannulae from 113 patients undergoing open heart surgery were cultured using standard broth culture and a semiquantitative culture technique . 60 of the cannulae were placed using an aseptic technique and 77 using a standard non sterile technique . Significant contamination was found in 18.3% of the cannulae in the aseptic group and 15.6% in the standard group . The contaminating organism was Staphylococcus epidermidis in 87.1% of cases . No advantage in using an aseptic technique of cannula insertion was demonstrated . It was concluded that the major source of contamination was elsewhere.

Scand J Gastroenterol, 1985 Jun, 20(5), 647 - 50
Incidence and prevalence of primary biliary cirrhosis in a defined population in Sweden; Lofgren J et al.; The incidence and prevalence of antimitochondrial antibody-positive primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) has been studied within a defined area in Sweden served by one hospital . During the period 1976-1983 the yearly incidence of PBC was 1.4/10(5) inhabitants, and on 31 December 1983 the prevalence was 12.8/10(5) inhabitants . The prevalence is the highest reported so far . At the time of diagnosis half of the patients were clinically asymptomatic . Two of the patients also had celiac disease with osteomalacia responding to a gluten-free diet . Gallstone disease occurred in 30% of the patients . Four patients died--two of liver-related complications, one of colonic carcinoma, and one of staphylococcal septicemia and endocarditis . One further patient, who is still alive, developed hypernephroma . Our results indicate that PBC is a fairly benign disease in most patients, with a slow progress during which they lead a fairly normal life.

Biull Eksp Biol Med, 1985 Jun, 99(6), 719 - 20
{Changes in the immunological indices after splenectomy and the reimplantation of splenic fragments in an experiment}; Durdyev MD et al.; Splenectomized guinea-pigs underwent autotransplantation of splenic fragments into the greater omentum or mesentery of small intestine . Twenty-five to thirty days after operation the animals were infected with S . aureus and then were examined over time before and after infection at different times . Measurements were taken of T lymphocytes, B lymphocytes, lymphocytes with staphylococcal receptors, as well as of the content of neutrophils with IgG Fc-fragment and complement receptors . It was established that in guinea-pigs subjected to splenectomy followed by autotransplantation of decapsulated splenic fragments, the experimental generalized staphylococcal infection took a milder course, which was manifested by an increase in the above immunologic characteristics as compared to animals undergoing splenectomy alone.

Am J Med, 1985 Jun, 78(6 Pt 1), 971 - 7
Complement-activating antineutrophil antibody in systemic lupus erythematosus; Rustagi PK et al.; Serum samples from 18 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) were tested for neutrophil C3-fixing ability and neutrophil-binding lgG by the binding of radioiodinated monoclonal anti-C3 antibody and staphylococcal protein A to paraformaldehyde-fixed allogeneic neutrophils sensitized with serum . Serum from patients with SLE resulted in the binding of significantly greater amounts of lgG to neutrophils than normal serum, but this lgG binding did not correlate with the degree of neutropenia . In contrast, serum samples from 10 neutropenic patients with SLE resulted in the binding of significantly greater amounts of C3 to neutrophils when compared with serum samples from eight non-neutropenic patients with SLE . Fixation of C3 to neutrophils by serum from patients with SLE appeared to be due to the binding of complement-activating monomeric antineutrophil lgG autoantibody . A significant negative correlation (r = -0.78) between the neutrophil count and the C3-fixing ability of serum from patients with SLE suggested that antineutrophil antibody-mediated activation of complement may be important in the pathophysiology of neutropenia in SLE.

Surg Neurol, 1985 Jun, 23(6), 605 - 8
Intracranial hematoma with subsequent brain abscess after carotid endarterectomy; Biller J et al.; A 62-year-old man developed an infected left carotid endarterectomy with false aneurysm formation and subsequent bacteremia after staged carotid endarterectomies . He was found to have a right frontal lobe hemorrhage that developed into a staphylococcal brain abscess . We postulate there was bacterial seeding of the hematoma resulting in brain abscess formation.

Arch Ophthalmol, 1985 Jun, 103(6), 802 - 4
Contamination of corneal tissue from infected donors; Chittum ME et al.; Thirty-two corneas with scleral rims were cultured from the eyes of 17 cadavers that harbored systemic infection at the time of death . Twelve (71%) of 17 cadavers demonstrated corneal contamination from one or both corneas . Eleven (92%) of 12 donors with positive postmortem blood cultures had positive corneal cultures from at least one eye . Six of these 12 had the same organism isolated from both the blood and corneal tissue . Bacterial corneal cultures were negative in the five donors with negative postmortem blood cultures . Control cultures were obtained from 19 eyes of ten donors without evidence of infection at death . Four (21%) of 19 control eyes yielded Staphylococcus epidermidis . There was a significantly higher incidence of corneal contamination in donors who died with systemic infections . Eye banks should continue to screen donors carefully for documented or suspected sepsis in an effort to reduce the incidence of postkeratoplasty infections.

Biochimie, 1985 Jun, 67(6), 607 - 13
The complete amino acid sequence of cytoplasmic aspartyl-tRNA synthetase from Saccharomyces cerevisiae; Amiri I et al.; The crystallizable cytoplasmic aspartyl-tRNA synthetase from Saccharomyces cerevisiae is a dimer made up of identical subunits (Mr 63 000) . Its primary structure was established using peptide sequences from four different digests of the native and citraconylated enzyme with trypsin, cyanogen bromide and staphylococcal protease . The oligonucleotide sequence of the structural gene was used as a template for the final alignment of the various peptides in the correct order.

Pathol Biol (Paris), 1985 Jun, 33(6), 684 - 6
{Value of the aminoglycoside-fosfomycin combination . Apropos of a case of bacterial endocarditis}; de Boutin JL et al.; The authors report a case of Staphylococcus epidermidis prosthetic valve endocarditis . After two unsuccessful treatments, the association Gentamicin-Fosfomycin provided adequate serum bactericidal titers and had a good efficacy.

Exp Cell Res, 1985 Jun, 158(2), 477 - 83
Assignment of the structural gene for subunit M1 of human ribonucleotide reductase to the short arm of chromosome 11; Engstrom Y et al.; By using a species-specific monoclonal antibody that recognizes subunit M1 of ribonucleotide reductase from human but not hamster origin, we have been able to assign the structural gene for the human protein M1 to the short arm of chromosome 11 . Protein extracts from a panel of human-Chinese hamster somatic cell hybrids were subjected to electrophoresis in sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) denaturating polyacrylamide gels, and then transferred and coupled covalently to diazobenzyloxymethyl paper . These were screened for human protein M1 by incubation with the mouse monoclonal anti-M1 antibody AD 203, followed by rabbit anti-mouse IgG, 125I-labelled Staphylococcus protein A and finally autoradiography . In all tested hybrids the detection of human protein M1 was correlated with the presence of chromosome 11, specifically with the short arm of this chromosome . This region also contains the human genes for insulin, insulin-like growth factor II, and the c-Harvey-ras 1 oncogene.

Biochem Biophys Res Commun, 1985 May 31, 129(1), 187 - 92
Induction of histidine decarboxylase activity in the spleen of mice treated with staphylococcal enterotoxin A and demonstration of its non-mast cell origin; Kawaguchi-Nagata K et al.; Histidine decarboxylase (HDC) activity increased 13-, 7-, and 2-fold in the spleen, lung and liver, respectively, but not in other tissues of C57BL/6 mice injected i.v . with 50 micrograms/kg of Staphylococcal enterotoxin A (SEA) . But even in the spleen, increase in the histamine level was only 1.5 times that of untreated mice . In genetically mast cell-deficient WBB6F1 - W/Wv mice HDC activity in the spleen increased to the same extent as in wild type WBB6F1 - +/+ mice on SEA treatment, but the histamine level in the spleen also increased 20-fold, whereas it increased only 1.4-fold in +/+ mice . These results suggest that the increases in HDC and histamine resulted from interaction of SEA with non-mast cells in tissues.

JAMA, 1985 May 17, 253(19), 2867 - 8
Prosthetic valve endocarditis caused by Staphylococcus epidermidis . Development of rifampin resistance during vancomycin and rifampin therapy; Chamovitz B et al.; Development of rifampin-resistant Staphylococcus epidermidis was documented in three patients receiving vancomycin and rifampin therapy for prosthetic valve endocarditis . The minimum inhibitory concentrations and minimum bactericidal concentrations of rifampin for the original three isolates were 0.4 micrograms/mL or less . Organisms cultured during relapse or prosthetic valve replacement had minimum inhibitory concentrations of rifampin that were 12.5, 50, and greater than 100 micrograms/mL, respectively . Surgical intervention was necessary in all patients . One died, and one required a second prosthetic valve placement . The patients were treated with vancomycin plus aminoglycoside following identification of rifampin resistance . These observations suggest that vancomycin and rifampin may not be adequate therapy for prosthetic valve endocarditis caused by S epidermidis.

Nucleic Acids Res, 1985 May 10, 13(9), 3101 - 10
Up-promoter mutations in the lpp gene of Escherichia coli; Inouye S et al.; The promoter of the gene for the major outer membrane lipoprotein, the most abundant protein in Escherichia coli, is considered to be one of the strongest promoters in E . coli . The nucleotide sequences of the -10 and the -35 regions of the lpp promoter were altered in a step-wise manner to conform to their respective consensus sequences by synthetic oligonucleotide-directed site-specific mutagenesis . The mutated promoters were then fused to the lacZ gene to measure promoter activity . The beta-galactosidase activity increased approximately 1.9 and 2.4 fold when the -10 region (AATACT) was altered to TATACT(P1) and TATAAT (consensus sequence; P2), respectively . Similarly, it increased approximately 1.2 and 4.2 fold, when the -35 region (TTCTCA) was altered to TTCACA(R1) and TTGACA (consensus sequence; R2), respectively . When the mutations at the -10 and -35 regions were combined, the overall improvement of the promoter activity for R2-P1 was 4.0 fold over that of the wild-type promoter, while it was only 2.5 fold for R2-P2 . These results indicate that substantial improvement of the promoter activity can be achieved by changing either of the two key regions to their respective consensus sequences . However, the complete conformity to consensus sequences at both regions does not necessarily result in the highest activity . With use of the improved lpp promoter in an expression cloning vehicle pIN-III-ompA, staphylococcal nuclease A was produced at a level of approximately 47% of the total cellular protein.

J Immunol Methods, 1985 May 10, 79(1), 133 - 41
Enzyme-linked immunosorbent determination of autoantibodies to zona pellucida as a possible cause of infertility in women; Singh J et al.; An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for determination of antibodies against the zona pellucida was developed and compared with the already available indirect immunofluorescence (IIF) technique . Sera from 100 women with explained and unexplained infertility were screened for the presence of autoantibodies to the zona pellucida by ELISA and IIF techniques . Porcine/goat zonae immobilized on activated microtitre plates or solubilized zona pellucida antigens adsorbed on poly-L-lysine-coated microtitre plates were used as a solid phase in an ELISA . Assay of anti-zona pellucida antibodies in xenogeneic and allogeneic sera was performed by incubation of test samples with the solid phase against human serum supplied by WHO as a reference positive control, followed by incubation with staphylococcal protein A conjugated to horseradish peroxidase . The ELISA was effectively used to screen the production of monoclonal antibodies from mouse myeloma X mouse splenocyte hybridomas . The sensitivity of the ELISA was more than 2500-fold greater than that of the IIF technique . Significantly high titres of autoantibodies to zona pellucida were found in patients with unexplained infertility as compared with patients with a known cause of infertility, and their normal counterparts.

Prikl Biokhim Mikrobiol, 1985 May-Jun, 21(3), 382 - 90
{Action of benzohydrothiochromylium salts on bacterial membranes}; Kutsemako RT et al.; Cultivation of Staphylococcus 209-P and Micrococcus lysodeikticus cells on media containing new antibacterial preparations--iodide and trifluoroacetate derivatives of benzohydrothiochromylium resulted in a remarkable lesion of the membrane respiratory apparatus, i.e . the amounts of membrane polypeptides, the specific concentration of cytochromes, the activities of reductases and oxidases--NADH, malate and lactate decreased . Profound changes in the cell cytology were observed.

Eur Heart J, 1985 May, 6(5), 380 - 90
Duration of symptoms and the effects of a more aggressive surgical policy: two factors affecting prognosis of infective endocarditis; Nihoyannopoulos P et al.; One hundred and six patients were analysed in order to assess the effect of a more aggressive surgical policy in relation to the delays in diagnosis of infective endocarditis . The average duration of symptoms before diagnosis was 9.7 weeks, even though the patients had sought medical advice at a relatively early stage of their illness (2.2 weeks) . Three of the 29 (10.3%) patients who were treated surgically died and all three were operated upon five weeks or later after diagnosis . Seventy-seven patients did not have surgery and 15 died (19.5%) . The outcome of surgical treatment for prosthetic valve endocarditis was no worse than for native valve endocarditis . The mortality of prosthetic valve endocarditis including early infections was 32% with medical but only 10% with surgical management compared with 14.5% and 10.5% in native valve endocarditis . Endocarditis cannot always be prevented but earlier diagnosis would reduce mortality and prevent complications . When medical treatment is failing then surgery should be considered early and urgently particularly in staphylococcal infection or when large mobile vegetations are recognized; surgery is mandatory in fungal endocarditis . Earlier diagnosis would greatly reduce the current high incidence of surgery, but that depends on a much heightened index of suspicion amongst both general practitioners and hospital physicians.

Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1985 May, (5), 42 - 6
{Automatic analysis of the spectra of extracellular proteins based on their autocorrelation characteristics}; Degteva GK et al.; Hardware and software for the automatic comparison of densitograms, based on the evaluation of their autocorrelation characteristics, can be used for establishing the characteristics of circulating staphylococcal populations and for their epidemiological marking.

J Infect, 1985 May, 10(3), 233 - 9
Staphylococcal bacteraemia in Zimbabwe 1983; Mukonyora M et al.; We have reviewed 107 cases of staphylococcal bacteraemia in order to assess the current clinical spectrum of serious staphylococcal sepsis in Zimbabwe, where staphylococcal bacteraemia is common . Infection was hospital-acquired in 35 cases and community-acquired in 72 cases . The mortality rate was 28% . Most patients were young, with predisposing conditions such as prematurity, protein-caloric malnutrition and measles . The length of the prodromal illness tended to be short and a primary site of infection, usually the lungs or skin, was obvious in 66% of patients . In 30% there was evidence of metastatic spread, usually to meninges, bone, joint and muscle, but endocarditis was uncommon . Metastatic infection was rare when infection was acquired in hospital . Death appeared to be associated with measles, protein-caloric malnutrition, acquisition of infection in hospital, absence of an obvious focus of infection and with inappropriate antibiotic therapy . Aggressive treatment with antibiotics intravenously was the rule . A combination of penicillin and an aminoglycoside was favoured until the nature of the infecting organism was established . Of those patients who died, 38% had received less than 72 h antibiotic therapy . Multiple antibiotic resistance is now widespread in Zimbabwe.

Postgrad Med J, 1985 May, 61(715), 435 - 8
Adrenal insufficiency and bilateral adrenal enlargement: demonstration by computed tomography; Wheatley T et al.; A patient presented with fever, malaise and a staphylococcal wound infection occurring 3 weeks after severe haemorrhage from a lacerated brachial artery . There were no clinical features to suggest Addison's disease but abdominal computed tomography to exclude abdominal sepsis showed bilateral adrenal gland enlargement with preservation of adrenal shape . This was consistent with resolving adrenal haemorrhage or infarction and endocrinological investigations confirmed primary adrenal failure.

Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1985 May, 27(5), 836 - 40
Structural similarities of the staphylococcin-like peptide Pep-5 to the peptide antibiotic nisin; Sahl HG et al.; The staphylococcin-like peptide Pep-5 was shown to be a complex mixture of closely related and strongly basic peptides . Five peptides were purified by high-pressure liquid chromatography on reversed-phase and gel filtration columns and further characterized by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and amino acid analysis . Four peptides have molecular weights of ca . 3,500, whereas one is of double size . All contain the thioether amino acid lanthionine and a large number of lysine residues per molecule . The amino terminus of the main active peptide is blocked; the carboxy-terminal end is formed by a lysine residue . The data obtained for Pep-5 suggest striking structural similarities to the peptide antibiotics nisin and subtilin.

Appl Environ Microbiol, 1985 May, 49(5), 1335 - 7
Simple screening method for identification of nonpleiotropic mutants for exoenzyme production; Rose KE et al.; A differential medium that distinguishes between pleiotropic and nonpleiotropic mutants for exoenzyme production has been developed for Staphylococcus simulans biovar staphylolyticus . The medium will facilitate genetic analysis of exoenzyme production by this organism . Generally useful strategies for increasing the sensitivity of indicator plates for detection of exoenzyme activities are presented.

Transfusion, 1985 May-Jun, 25(3), 238 - 41
Neutrophil collection using modified fluid gelatin . Effect on in vitro and in vivo neutrophil function; Price TH et al.; Modified fluid gelatin (MFG) is a possible alternative to hydroxyethyl starch (HES) for use as a red cell sedimenting agent in neutrophil collection procedures . Since the efficacy of neutrophil transfusion therapy depends upon the integrity of the infused cells, we examined the in vitro and in vivo function of neutrophils collecting using MFG . Neutrophils were collected from 17 normal subjects by continuous flow centrifugation using MFG in place of HES . In vitro measurement of neutrophil function included dye exclusion, phagocytosis, candidacidal activity, staphylococcal killing, chemotaxis, and random migration . For in vivo studies, neutrophils were labeled with 3H-diisopropylfluorophosphate, reinfused into the donor, and blood kinetics and skin chamber accumulation of the labeled cells were measured . In vivo results were compared with results from previous studies using neutrophils collected with HES or by phlebotomy . MFG neutrophils were normal by all in vitro functional criteria and localized normally at an in vivo inflammatory site . Intravascular survival (T 1/2 = 3.3 +/- 0.9 hours) was significantly shorter than normal (T 1/2 = 7.3 +/- 2.3 hours) but was identical to that of cells collected using HES . Thus, on the basis of neutrophil functional capabilities, MFG appears to be an acceptable alternative to HES in collection of neutrophils for transfusion.

Pediatr Infect Dis, 1985 May-Jun, 4(3), 262 - 4
Methicillin-induced neutropenia; Mallouh AA; During a 14-month period 68 patients were treated with methicillin for presumed or proved staphylococcal infection . Neutropenia, defined as a total neutrophil count less than 1500/cu mm3, developed in 23 patients (35%) . Eosinophilia (eosinophil count more than 700/mm3) developed in 27 patients (40%), including 11 of the neutropenic patients . The epinephrine stimulation test in five patients resulted in a mean increase of 70% in the number of circulating neutrophils while the hydrocortisone stimulation test led to a mean increase of 800 neutrophils/mm3 . Bone marrow examination in six patients showed maturation delay of the myeloid series . Neutropenia resolved within 3 to 7 days of discontinuation of methicillin therapy in all patients.

Eur J Immunol, 1985 May, 15(5), 442 - 7
Mycoplasma infection of cell lines can simulate the expression of Fc receptors by binding of the carbohydrate moiety of antibodies; Lemke H et al.; During the production of Fc receptor (FcR)-bearing hybridomas it was observed with a particular monoclonal anti-sheep red blood cell antibody (anti-SRBC 1/5, IgG1) that the contamination with Mycoplasma arginini of in vitro cultured cell lines leads to an apparent FcR activity . This property did not correspond with the serological typing since other antibodies of the same isotype could not support FcR rosette formation . Another mycoplasma strain M . orale lacked this property . Analysis of the binding reaction revealed that M . arginini contains a lectin which binds the carbohydrate moiety of the anti-SRBC 1/5 antibody, i.e . anti-SRBC 1/5 synthesized under the influence of tunicamycin or deglycosylated by NaIO4 oxidation did not support rosette formation . These data suggest that binding of antibodies to certain mycoplasma strains may be a pathogenic factor during mycoplasma infections by masking the microorganisms with the host's own defense molecules . The experiments with M . arginini-infected cell lines gain immunological importance since we obtained identical results with staphylococcal protein A, as another bacteriological FcR, and cell lines expressing intrinsic membrane FcR . Although it is an open question whether the glycoconjugates are directly bound by the FcR or else by influencing the three-dimensional structure of the antibodies, it seems possible that FcR in general may be lectins.

Chest, 1985 May, 87(5), 668 - 70
Echocardiographic findings after tricuspid valvectomy; Friedman G et al.; Resection of the tricuspid valve without prosthetic replacement has successfully been performed in patients with tricuspid valvular endocarditis . Using M-mode, two-dimensional, and Doppler echocardiograms, we studied four patients who underwent tricuspid valvectomy . All patients had previous history of intravenous drug abuse and staphylococcal endocarditis with tricuspid valvular involvement . In all patients, M-mode and two-dimensional echocardiograms showed that the tricuspid valve was absent . The right ventricle was dilated, and the interventricular septum had paradoxical motion in each patient . In each patient the right atrium was dilated, and with each ventricular systole, it expanded and its short axis increased by 20 to 33 percent . This caused shift of the interatrial septum toward the left atrium, with compression of its cavity . Doppler echocardiographic studies showed retrograde flow during systole in the right atrium, inferior vena cava, and hepatic vein . Echocardiographic findings in patients with tricuspid valvectomy correlate with the pathophysiologic findings of this condition.

Vopr Virusol, 1985 May-Jun, 30(3), 343 - 7
{Neutralizing antibodies to human gamma-interferon}; Aspetov RD et al.; Spleen lymphocytes from normal subjects who suddenly died were used as cells producing gamma-interferon . One spleen yielded (3-8) X 10(8) viable cells which made it possible to prepare from 3 to 81 of splenocyte suspension culture . Staphylococcal enterotoxin A (SEA) and B (SEB) were used as gamma-interferon inducers . Stimulation of splenocyte suspension culture with SEA and SEB resulted in production of gamma-interferon with an average activity of 640-2560 units/ml . A partially purified interferon preparation with an activity of 2 X 10(4) units/ml was obtained by sorption of gamma-interferon on porous glass CPG-200-240 followed by elution with a buffer containing 50% ethylene glycol and Sephadex G-25 gel chromatography . As a result of 11 successive intramuscular immunizations of rabbits at 2-week intervals with a partially purified and concentrated preparation of gamma-interferon with Freund's complete adjuvant, blood serum was obtained which was capable of neutralizing 32 units of gamma-interferon up to a dilution of 1:128 . The serum was highly specific: it showed no specific interaction with antigenic determinants of either natural alpha- and beta- or plasmid alpha-F and alpha-F/D human interferons.

Jpn J Antibiot, 1985 May, 38(5), 1236 - 40
{Bacteriological study of cefminox in the field of obstetrics and gynecology}; Ninomiya K et al.; Cefminox (CMNX, MT-141), a new cephem antibiotic, was determined of its antibacterial activity against 304 clinical isolates with following results . CMNX was inferior to CEZ or CMZ in the activity against 78 isolates of Staphylococcus sp., but it was superior to these antibiotics in the activity against 104 isolates of E . coli . Against 53 isolates of Bacteroides sp., CMNX showed higher activity than CEZ or CMZ . In the activity against 69 isolates of Peptococcus sp . and Peptostreptococcus sp., CMNX was almost equal to CEZ.

Jpn J Cancer Res, 1985 May, 76(5), 378 - 85
A cytotoxic substance (CTS-51) produced by human buffy coat cultures stimulated by staphylococcal enterotoxin B: specificity to malignant cells and kinetics of action; Hirai N et al.; A unique cytotoxic substance (CTS-51), which is rather specific to malignant cell cultures in vitro, was found to be produced together with human immune interferon and interleukin-2 in buffy coat cultures stimulated with staphylococcal enterotoxin B . CTS-51, which is stable at 100 degrees and has a molecular weight of 8,000-10,000, was found to have biological properties distinct from those of known cytotoxic cytokines . CTS-51 was able to kill four human malignant cell lines at concentrations that did not affect normal or non-malignant cell lines . The mode of CTS-51 action was found to be cytotoxic rather than cytostatic . Several kinetic studies showed that the cell killing activity seemed to be dose-dependent, and the appearance of the activity required about 24 hr . The minimum effective exposure time of the target cells to CTS-51 also seemed to be dose-dependent.

J Bacteriol, 1985 May, 162(2), 833 - 6
Influence of the staphylococcinlike peptide Pep 5 on membrane potential of bacterial cells and cytoplasmic membrane vesicles; Sahl HG; The staphylococcinlike peptide Pep 5 rapidly abolished the membrane potential of bacterial cells; active transport of amino acids by cytoplasmic membrane vesicles was inhibited and preaccumulated amino acids were released upon the addition of Pep 5 . Artificial asolectin vesicles were not impaired by the peptide . It is concluded that the cytoplasmic membrane is the primary target of Pep 5.

Clin Orthop, 1985 May, (195), 194 - 6
Brucella osteomyelitis of a closed femur fracture; Abrahams MA et al.; A 19-year-old man incurred a closed femoral fracture complicated by hematogenous dissemination of Brucella osteomyelitis . Repeated limited incision and drainage were ineffective in eradicating infection . Wide debridement, delayed wound closure, and vigorous antimicrobial therapy with streptomycin and tetracycline, along with cephalosporin for secondary staphylococcal infection, were necessary measures before the infection was eradicated . A constant awareness of brucella musculoskeletal infection is advisable when caring for patients frequently exposed to all kinds of livestock, including domesticated and wild animals.

Am J Vet Res, 1985 May, 46(5), 1098 - 103
Effect of in vitro inoculation of bovine respiratory syncytial virus on bovine pulmonary alveolar macrophage function; Trigo E et al.; Viruses may predispose the respiratory tract to the development of secondary bacterial pneumonia by impairing functions of alveolar macrophages . The effects of bovine respiratory syncytial virus (BRSV) on selected functions of bovine pulmonary alveolar macrophages (PAM) were examined in vitro . Alveolar macrophages were obtained from nonsedated cattle, using a polypropylene tube passed intranasally into the lung . The PAM lavaged from the lung were allowed to adhere to glass coverslips or plastic tissue culture plates, and were exposed to BRSV for 2 hours . Control and BRSV-inoculated PAM were compared at intervals over a 72-hour period for their abilities to phagocytize and kill Staphylococcus epidermidis, rosette with and phagocytize antibody-coated sheep RBC (SRBC), phagocytize latex particles, and influence lysosomal enzyme activity . Challenge exposure with BRSV did not affect the ability of PAM to adhere and did not affect cell viability . There were numerical differences between control and BRSV-inoculated cell populations in phagocytosis and killing of S epidermidis, but these were not significant (P greater than 0.05) . There was less than 5% difference in the abilities of control and BRSV-challenged PAM to phagocytize latex beads . When Fc-receptor-mediated phagocytosis of antibody-coated SRBC was compared with controls, BRSV-challenged PAM had significantly (P less than 0.05) impaired phagocytic function, which was maximal 72 hours after BRSV inoculation; the phagocytic impairment occurred in spite of normal Fc-receptor function, as determined by rosetting with antibody-coated SRBC.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

J Chir (Paris), 1985 May, 122(5), 327 - 33
{Unusual cause of digestive hemorrhage in chronic hemodialysis patients: splenic aneurysm with arteriovenous fistula}; Bourdais A et al.; A 45 years old woman, hemodialysed since 1981, with an history of Staphylococcal septicemia in may 1983, is admitted in emergency room in may 1984 for massive gastro intestinal bleeding . After oesogastro fibroscopy suspecting duodenal ulcer, because continuous and recurrent bleeding, a laparotomy find only symptoms of portal hypertension (ascites, venous dilatation on abdominal oesophagus and stomach) . The ligation of this venous dilatations stop temporarily the gastro intestinal bleeding . But recurrence of this bleeding conduct to a celiac angiography discovering a splenic aneurysm with arterio venous fistula . The surgical treatment of this aneurysm can stop the gastro intestinal bleeding . Histopathologic observation of this aneurysm can suspect an infectious origin.

Vopr Pitan, 1985 May-Jun, (3), 28 - 33
{Cellular and humoral immunity of volunteers consuming diets with various protein levels}; Voitko NE et al.; Eight male volunteers were examined for the functions of T and B lymphocytes (blast transformation reaction, leukocyte migration inhibition test, lymphocyte cytotoxicity, suppressor activity, measurement of IgG, IgM, IgA, IgD and IgE in blood serum, and concentration of natural staphylococcal antibodies) in the background of varying protein supply of the body . Reduction of the protein quota (5 to 9 g/day according to nitrogen) in the diet led to inhibition of the activity of immunocompetent cells.

J Immunol, 1985 May, 134(5), 3049 - 55
Subsets of human large granular lymphocytes (LGL) exhibit accessory cell functions; Scala G et al.; The present study shows that human large granular lymphocytes (LGL) depleted of OKT3 (T lymphocytes) and Leu-M1-positive (monocytes) cells exhibit accessory cell function for the T lymphoproliferative responses to the soluble stimulants Staphylococcus protein A (SpA) or Streptolysin O (SLO), as well as to surface antigens in the autologous and allogeneic mixed leukocyte reaction (MLR) . Fractionation of LGL into subsets according to their reactivity with alpha OKT11, alpha DR, and alpha OKM1 MoAb led to the identification of the subset(s) of LGL with OKT11+, DR+, OKM1+ phenotype as the antigen-presenting cell (APC), whereas the DR-, OKM1- subset(s) of LGL was completely ineffective . Furthermore, virtually all the natural killer (NK) activity of LGL was associated with OKT11+ and OKM1+, DR+ LGL that exerted the observed APC function, suggesting that NK-active cells may also act as effective APC for T lymphocyte activation . These results indicate that human LGL with NK activity may exert other noncytotoxic functions and may play a major role in immunoregulation.

Virology, 1985 May, 143(1), 45 - 54
Studies on human parainfluenza virus 3: characterization of the structural proteins and in vitro synthesized proteins coded by mRNAs isolated from infected cells; Sanchez A et al.; The structural proteins of human parainfluenza virus 3, a member of the paramyxovirus family, were characterized by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of radiolabeled virus . The purified virion contains at least eight structural proteins, with estimated molecular weights of 251K, 90K, 71K, 68K, 65K, 51K, 35K, and 21K, respectively . Three of the polypeptides (71K, 65K, and 51K) were identified as glycoproteins based on their incorporation of {3H}glucosamine . Disruption of the virus by Triton X-100 in the presence of increasing salt concentrations indicated that the polypeptides of molecular weights 251K, 90K, 68K, and 21K were components of the nucleocapsid . In parainfluenza virus 3 infected BS-C-1 cells, seven virus structural polypeptides were identified . Six structural proteins (90K, 71K, 68K, 51K, 35K, and 21K) were detected in the cell lysate at 7 hr after infection, while at 10 hr an additional polypeptide (251K) was also observed . At least two nonstructural polypeptides of molecular weights 30K and 25K were also detected in infected cells . mRNAs isolated from virus-infected cells were translated in a cell-free protein-synthesizing system . The in vitro translation products were identical to the authentic virion polypeptides as determined by partial digestion with staphylococcal V8 protease.

Vopr Virusol, 1985 May-Jun, 30(3), 350 - 4
{Patterns in the biosynthesis and action of human gamma-interferon}; Korobko IV et al.; The highest yields of gamma-interferon activity were obtained by using a fraction of mononuclears recovered from freshly collected donor blood in ficoll-verografin density gradient without using hemolysis . Unification of mononuclears from individual donors into a common pool stimulated interferon production . Staphylococcal enterotoxins A and B, concanavalin A, and lentyl-lectin were found to be the most effective inducers . Immobilization of inducers on neutral carriers reduced their effectiveness . Upon induction with lectin the synthesis was complete within 24 hours, and with enterotoxin in 3 days . In the latter instance the synthesis dynamics was of a two-phase nature . Gamma-interferon produced the antiviral condition later (in 10 hours) than alpha-interferon.

Virology, 1985 Apr 30, 142(2), 406 - 10
Ultrastructural localization of L and NS enzyme subunits on vesicular stomatitis virus RNPs using gold sphere-staphylococcal protein A-monospecific IgG conjugates; Harmon SA et al.; Colloidal gold spheres were coated with staphylococcal protein A and were used to determine the location of NS and L proteins on vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) ribonucleoprotein (RNP) complexes using monospecific anti-NS and anti-L IgG preparations . Conjugates using either anti-NS or anti-L demonstrated that these enzyme subunits were uniformly distributed along the entire length of the RNP complex . Under saturating conditions of IgG concentrations, it was observed that there were at least 60-70 molecules of NS protein and 30-35 molecules of L protein labeled per RNP complex.

Infect Immun, 1985 Apr, 48(1), 114 - 8
Susceptibility to staphylococcal alpha-toxin of Friend virus-infected murine erythroblasts during differentiation; Harshman S et al.; Splenic erythroblasts obtained from BALB/c mice infected with the anemia strain of Friend virus were compared with "matured" cells and adult erythrocytes for their sensitivity to staphylococcal alpha-toxin . Matured cells were obtained by treating erythroblasts in culture with erythropoietin for 48 h . Sensitivity to staphylococcal alpha-toxin, measured both by release of 86Rb and by cell lysis, failed to demonstrate significant differences among the cell types . Since maturation of erythroblasts to matured cells or erythrocytes is associated with synthesis of band 3, hemoglobin, and spectrin and the loss of transferrin receptors, we conclude that none of these compounds serves as the specific receptor for staphylococcal alpha-toxin in BALB/c mice.

Scand J Immunol, 1985 Apr, 21(4), 315 - 20
Impaired gamma interferon production by cells from patients with lymphoproliferative disorders of mature T and NK cells; Pandolfi F et al.; We investigated interferon (IFN) production by peripheral blood mononuclear cells from four patients with chronic OKT4 T-lymphocytic leukaemia and three patients with abnormal expansions of granular lymphocytes . No spontaneous production of IFN-gamma was found in supernatants of cultures from both patients and normal controls . However, whereas the enzyme galactose oxidase or staphylococcal enterotoxin B was able to induce IFN-gamma production by normal cells, no production could be obtained in the cells under study . The possibility that this lack of production might have been attributed to an excess of N-acetylneuraminic acid masking galactose residues or to a defect of monocyte accessory cells was ruled out either by pre-treating the cells with neuraminidase or by adding normal adherent cells to the cultures, both of which resulted in a lack of production . On the contrary, the calcium ionophore A23187 (considered to act as a second specific step, following oxidation of galactose residues, toward genetic derepression of IFN-gamma) induced considerable IFN-gamma production in all the three tested patients . It can be concluded that, although in rare cases, as previously reported by other authors, cells from patients with T or NK lymphoproliferative disorders may spontaneously produce IFN-gamma, this is not a general mechanism that underlies the disease . In fact, in all our cases a defect of IFN-gamma production was found . This defect seems due to an alteration at the membrane level of the galactose-containing glycoproteins and can be restored by induction with a calcium ionophore.

Int J Dermatol, 1985 Apr, 24(3), 183 - 7
Evaluation of immune-enhancing effects of ibuprofen in an immunodeficiency model; Jorizzo JL et al.; Three children and one adult with chronic mucocutaneous candidosis with documented deficient cellular immunity to Candida antigen were evaluated as a model to study the specific cellular immune-enhancing potential of the prostaglandin synthetase inhibitor ibuprofen . Oral ibuprofen failed to have any consistent effect during sequential 4-week on and off cycles on the following parameters: delayed hypersensitivity skin testing; lymphocyte transformation to Candida antigen; T-cell subsets as determined by monoclonal antibody techniques; production of human immune interferon in response to staphylococcal enterotoxin A (SEA) . Two patients showed a trend toward enhanced lymphocyte transformation to PHA while taking ibuprofen . In two patients who were studied 8-10 weeks after discontinuation of oral ketoconazole therapy, clinical recurrence of CMC was not prevented by oral ibuprofen therapy.

Blood, 1985 Apr, 65(4), 869 - 76
Antibody stimulation of hemopoietic progenitor cells; Crapper RM et al.; Antisera were raised by immunizing rabbits with cloned lines of murine hemopoietic progenitor cells (P cells) that depended on the presence of a specific hemopoietic growth factor, persisting cell-stimulating factor (PSF), for their growth and survival . The unabsorbed antiserum was inhibitory, but after absorption with murine spleen cells and the mastocytoma, P815, significant stimulation of both P cell growth and thymidine incorporation was evident . IgG antibodies isolated from the antiserum by staphylococcal protein A chromatography or further purified by diethylaminoethyl anion exchange chromatography, ammonium sulphate precipitation, and gel filtration using Sephacryl S-300 were responsible for the stimulation . The absorbed antiserum promoted the survival of normal murine bone marrow cells in liquid culture over a four-day period, and the inclusion of IgG antibodies in agar cultures of normal bone marrow promoted the in vitro survival, over a 48-hour period, of cells capable of subsequently generating, in the presence of a source of PSF, colonies of neutrophils, macrophages, and megakaryocytes . It is postulated that the antibodies act by stimulating the PSF receptor on both the factor-dependent cell lines and normal myeloid progenitor cells.

Dev Med Child Neurol, 1985 Apr, 27(2), 170 - 5
Use of interferon in the management of patients with subacute sclerosing panencephalitis; Bye A et al.; Six patients (five male, one female) with subacute sclerosing panencephalitis were treated with purified lymphoblastoid interferon, using a combination of intravenous and lumbar intrathecal routes . The first symptoms of the disorder occurred between seven and 16 years of age, and the length of the illness before treatment varied from 1 1/2 to 12 months . All six patients were in the first clinical stage of the disorder . After a limited period of follow-up there has been no clinical improvement . Nil or low levels of interferon were found in CSF two hours after intravenous injection, but CSF levels of interferon were maintained for at least 24 hours after intrathecal injections . Side-effects of interferon included pyrexial reactions, especially after high-dose intravenous therapy (six), lethargy (four), a transient rise in blood pressure (two) and a reduction in platelet count (six) . Staphylococcus epidermidis was grown from the CSF of one patient.

AJR Am J Roentgenol, 1985 Apr, 144(4), 671 - 4
Intervertebral disk-space infection after chymopapain injection; Deeb ZL et al.; Four patients who had received chymopapain injections for treatment of herniated lumbar disks were evaluated by computed tomography (CT) because of persistent low back pain and suspicion of infection . Irregularity of the vertebral end-plate and a mottled appearance of the vertebral bodies suggested the diagnosis of disk-space infection in all four cases . CT-guided biopsy of the disk space was performed in each case, and bacterial cultures demonstrated staphylococcal infections, which were treated accordingly . Diskitis secondary to chymopapain injection is rare because of the precautions that are usually taken . No antibiotics are used routinely with such injections, although systemic antibiotics have been used in diabetics for prophylaxis.

J Biochem (Tokyo), 1985 Apr, 97(4), 1155 - 61
Amino acid sequence of acylphosphatase from rabbit skeletal muscle; Kizaki T et al.; The complete amino acid sequence of acylphosphatase from rabbit skeletal muscle has been elucidated by automatic Edman degradation of peptides obtained from staphylococcal protease and trypsin digestions . The enzyme consisted of a single polypeptide chain of 98 amino acid residues, lacking only histidine . Its amino (N)-terminus was blocked by an acetyl group . The presented sequence of rabbit muscle enzyme was compared with those of equine and porcine muscle enzymes . There were four unique replacements, i.e., Arg-4, Asp-28, Arg-31, and Glu-56 in the sequences of both equine and porcine muscle enzymes were replaced by Gly, Gly, Lys, and Asp, respectively, in that of rabbit muscle enzyme . Extensive structural homology was observed among the three enzymes.

J Bacteriol, 1985 Apr, 162(1), 406 - 12
Construction and application of a promoter-probe plasmid that allows chromogenic identification in Streptomyces lividans; Horinouchi S et al.; We cloned a Streptomyces coelicolor A3(2) DNA fragment which directed synthesis of a brown pigment, presumably a shunt product in the actinorhodin biosynthetic pathway, on the plasmid vector pIJ41 in Streptomyces lividans . The pigment production was observed only when the DNA fragment was inserted downstream from a functional promoter sequence . By subcloning the fragment together with in vitro manipulation, a promoter-probe plasmid vector (pARC1) with a unique BamHI cloning site was constructed that allows chromogenic identification of transcriptional control signals in Streptomyces lividans based on the expression of the cloned pigment gene(s) . The Escherichia coli tac (trp-lac hybrid) promoter, consisting of 92 base pairs and a promoter region including the leader sequence of erythromycin resistance gene (ermC) on staphylococcal plasmid pE194, when ligated in the correct orientation in the BamHI site of pARC1, promoted expression of the cloned pigment gene(s) in Streptomyces lividans, whereas the Saccharomyces cerevisiae GAL7 promoter did not . In the case of the ermC, induction of the pigment production by the addition of either erythromycin or lincomycin, but not virginiamycin, was observed . The system was also shown to be useful and convenient in isolating transcriptional control signals of Streptomyces chromosomal DNA and estimating their activities.

J Wildl Dis, 1985 Apr, 21(2), 144 - 8
Comparative sensitivities of diagnostic procedures used to detect bacterial kidney disease in salmonid fishes; Cipriano RC et al.; Kidney and spleen homogenates from each of 60 coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) and steelhead trout (Salmo gairdneri) were examined for detection of Renibacterium salmoninarum . The proportions of positives differed widely with the detection procedures used: in coho salmon, 5% were positive by the Gram-stain procedure, 10% by the direct fluorescent antibody test, 48% by bacteriological isolation, 65% by staphylococcal coagglutination, and 73% by counterimmunoelectrophoresis; in steelhead trout, 3% were positive by Gram-stain, 8.3% by fluorescent antibody, 17% by bacteriological isolation, and 67% by counterimmunoelectrophoresis . Renibacterium salmoninarum was not detected in either coho salmon or steelhead trout by immunodiffusion analysis.

Biochim Biophys Acta, 1985 Mar 29, 839(1), 71 - 82
Thermal denaturation of rat pulmonary and testicular angiotensin-converting enzyme isozymes . Effects of chelators and CoCl2; Velletri PA et al.; In an attempt to assess the biochemical consequences resulting from structural differences between rat pulmonary and testicular angiotensin-converting enzyme, the thermal stability of crude and purified preparations of each enzyme was compared . Structural heterology was verified by molecular weight determinations and by peptide mapping after limited proteolysis with Staphylococcus V8 proteinase . Thermal stability was monitored by changes in catalytic activity following incubations at 55 degrees C in the presence of chelators and CoCl2 . Purified pulmonary angiotensin-converting enzyme was more sensitive to inhibition by the chelators EDTA and 1,10-phenanthroline and by the site-directed inhibitor captopril than was the testicular isozyme . Although the pulmonary holoenzyme was unaffected by cobalt, the testicular holoenzyme was inhibited by cobalt in a concentration-dependent manner . Crude pulmonary angiotensin-converting enzyme was significantly more resistant to thermal denaturation than its crude testicular counterpart . The differences in the thermal lability of each isozyme were still present in purified preparations, although the purified enzymes appeared to be more thermally stable than their crude counterparts . Both chelators and cobalt markedly potentiated the thermal denaturation of each isozyme . These data suggest that the structural heterology of the pulmonary and testicular isozymes may affect the interaction of zinc with the respective enzymes and that zinc may contribute to the structural integrity and thermal stability of angiotensin-converting enzyme in each tissue.

J Immunol Methods, 1985 Mar 18, 77(2), 219 - 28
A radioimmunoassay for detection of circulating antibodies reacting with the hepatic asialoglycoprotein receptor protein; McFarlane BM et al.; To determine whether circulating antibodies against the liver-specific membrane lipoprotein complex (LSP), which occur in a number of liver disorders, are directed at the hepatic asialoglycoprotein receptor protein (hepatic lectin)--recently shown to be a constituent of LSP--a radioimmunoassay for anti-hepatic lectin antibodies was developed based on the use of protein A in situ on staphylococcal cells to precipitate 125I-labelled rabbit hepatic lectin/anti-lectin immune complexes . The assay was used to test sera from 30 patients (15 anti-LSP-positive and 15 anti-LSP-negative) with autoimmune chronic active hepatitis (CAH), hepatitis B virus-positive CAH or primary biliary cirrhosis . Anti-lectin antibodies (at titres of 1:200 to 1:1600) were found in all 15 anti-LSP-positive sera and were not detected in the 15 anti-LSP-negative patients . Hepatic lectin is a highly purifiable, liver-specific, hepatocellular surface component and the anti-lectin assay (which proved sensitive, reliable and easy to perform) will permit further exploration of the role of autoimmune mechanisms in the pathogenesis of various liver diseases.

Science, 1985 Mar 15, 227(4692), 1368 - 70
Suppression of gamma interferon production by inactivated feline leukemia virus; Engelman RW et al.; Supernatants from cultures of normal feline lymphocytes stimulated with Staphylococcus enterotoxin A showed antiviral activity, characterized as a gamma-like interferon . With the addition of inactivated feline leukemia virus, markedly less interferon was produced . The reduction in interferon production was not attributable to lowered lymphocyte viability or reduced mitogenic properties of Staphylococcus enterotoxin A and appears to be a direct retroviral effect . This finding may reflect clinically relevant events that may contribute to the development of the feline or human states of acquired immunodeficiency.

Biochemistry, 1985 Mar 12, 24(6), 1424 - 8
Distribution of 5-methyldeoxycytidine in products of staphylococcal nuclease digestion of nuclei and purified DNA; Barr FG et al.; We have compared the distribution of 5-methyldeoxycytidine (m5dC) between staphylococcal nuclease (SN) sensitive and resistant regions of human diploid fibroblast chromatin to the corresponding distribution in purified DNA . After SN digestion of fibroblast nuclei or purified DNA, nuclease-resistant products were separated from sensitive products by perchloric acid or ethanol precipitation; the radioactively labeled nucleosides were then fractionated by high-performance liquid chromatography and quantitated . Our results indicate that m5dC is preferentially associated with SN-resistant regions of both chromatin and purified DNA . The magnitudes of these preferences in fibroblast chromatin and DNA are similar; we find that the enrichment of m5dC content in SN-resistant fractions of nuclei and DNA relative to the corresponding sensitive fractions is approximately 2-3-fold . Therefore, highly methylated regions of DNA have an intrinsic resistance to digestion by SN that is of sufficient magnitude to explain the high degree of nuclease resistance of chromatin containing highly methylated DNA.

Mol Immunol, 1985 Mar, 22(3), 245 - 50
Some theoretical considerations regarding the effects of steric hindrance and intrinsic global coupling on the flexibility of Fc-anchored immunoglobulins; Hanson DC; Nanosecond fluorescence depolarization studies reported in the accompanying companion paper showed that the long rotational correlation time, phi L, increased somewhat when rabbit IgG anti-dansyl antibodies were anchored in staphylococcal protein A (SpA) soluble complexes . The increases in phi L upon anchoring IgG probably resulted from "global coupling" effects caused by: increased steric hindrance of the antibody segments in the SpA complexes and intrinsic structural constraints already present in the monomeric IgG . Global coupling results from a restriction in the angular range of a flexible segment and is manifest when flexible motions alone cannot depolarize all of the fluorescence, so that the slower global tumbling of the entire particle is also required . Such effects cannot be resolved directly from experimental anisotropy data, however, because only a single long correlation time, phi L, is well defined over the limited time range of most fluorophores . In this paper, estimates of the anisotropy contributions from flexible and global motions of the IgG-SpA complexes are determined by contrasting theoretical and measured decays . For this analysis it was assumed that each of the experimental phi L-values is a weighted composite of the rotational correlation time associated with the less restricted flexible motions of the Fab arms, phi F, and the correlation time associated with global tumbling of the entire particle, phi G . A general two-exponential expression was used to relate phi F and phi G to phi L . This approach was meaningful because phi G-values of the various SpA complexes had been calculated from hydrodynamic measurements . The theoretical decays clearly show that, even if phi G is much longer than phi F, these two rotational motions still cannot be resolved over the experimentally accessible time range . Families of emission anisotropy decay curves for IgG antibodies with different amounts of intrinsic global coupling and for anchored antibodies with different amounts of steric hindrance were simulated by varying the preexponential weighting factors of the flexible and global terms . By comparing the calculated curves with the measured decays, it is evident that the rabbit IgG anti-dansyl antibodies do not have much intrinsic global coupling, but rather they are highly flexible . The curves also indicate that even for the exceptionally compact IgG4-SpA2 17-S complex, which showed the most steric hindrance in electron micrographs, the appropriate phi G weighting factor is only 0.28 . Thus, as supposed earlier, the anchored antibodies exhibit considerable segmental flexibility . In closing, the above concepts are used to examine the results of

Mol Immunol, 1985 Mar, 22(3), 237 - 44
Rotational dynamics of immunoglobulin G antibodies anchored in protein A soluble complexes; Hanson DC et al.; The rotational dynamics of rabbit IgG anti-dansyl antibodies anchored in staphylococcal protein A (SpA) soluble complexes were studied by both steady-state and nanosecond fluorescence spectroscopy . To aid in the interpretation of the anisotropy data, the results of recently reported hydrodynamic and electron microscopic studies of IgG-SpA complexes were used to calculate global tumbling times of the various complexes and to estimate the steric hindrance of the antibody Fab segments . The anisotropy decays, fitted to the sum of two exponentials, indicated that the Fab arms of antibodies bound to SpA by their Fc regions exhibit considerable flexibility . For the different IgG-SpA mixtures examined, changes in the IgG preexponential anisotropy weighting factors, fS and fL, and the short rotational correlation time, phi S, were relatively small . On the other hand, the long rotational correlation time, phi L, increased systematically when the percentage of larger IgG-SpA complexes in a mixture was increased . The greatest restriction of Fab flexibility was observed for antibodies anchored in the exceptionally compact IgG4-SpA2 complexes . Available electron microscopic data suggest that increases in phi L correlate with increased steric hindrance of the antibody segments . Both native and hinge-disulfide-cleaved IgG experienced similar percentage increases in phi L when bound in SpA complexes . In agreement with our earlier interpretation, the results of this study provide rather striking evidence that phi L mainly represents flexible motions of the Fab segments and not global tumbling: the phi L-values of IgG bound in the various SpA complexes ranged from 101 to 162 nsec, whereas the calculated global tumbling times of the different complexes ranged from about 300 to 3000 nsec.

Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1985 Mar, (3), 16 - 9
{Sensitizing and protective activity of a staphylococcal vaccine made of water-soluble antigens, depending on the method and schedule of administration}; Efremova VN et al.; An experiment on guinea pigs immunized with staphylococcal vaccine prepared from water-soluble antigens revealed that the degree of developing sensitization and specific resistance was essentially determined by the method and schedule of the administration of the preparation . The intranasal administration of the vaccine induced a lesser degree of sensitization in comparison with its subcutaneous injection . The optimum response to the administration of the vaccine (a low sensitization level and a high degree of protection from infection) was observed in the animals immunized first intranasally and then by subcutaneous injection . The subcutaneous injection of the preparation in combination with its subsequent intranasal application induced a more pronounced degree of sensitization and a lesser degree of protection from infection.

Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1985 Mar, (3), 13 - 6
{Role of lysosomes during the development of a fibroblast staphylococcal infection}; Dzhidzheishvili LSh et al.; The study of staphylococcal infection in chick embryo fibroblasts, carried out by electron-histochemical and morphometric methods, has revealed the presence of correlation between the degree of fibroblast destruction and the permeability of lysosomal membranes . The development of bacterial infection, depending on the presence of homologous bacteriophages in the medium, has also been studied.

Diagn Microbiol Infect Dis, 1985 Mar, 3(2), 119 - 24
Staphylococcus epidermidis arthritis following catheter-induced bacteremia in a neutropenic patient; Hutton JP et al.; Sepsis due to methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus epidermidis occurred in a neutropenic man during management with a Hickman-Broviac catheter . Despite catheter removal and 10 days of i.v . cefazolin therapy, he developed septic arthritis 6 weeks later in a nonprosthetic hip joint . S . epidermidis was isolated from the joint and found to have plasmid and phage susceptibility patterns identical to the previous blood isolate . This case is the first to document a metastatic infection from catheter-associated S . epidermidis bacteremia . It suggests that cephalosporins may not be optimal in such infections despite in vitro sensitivity . Vancomycin appears to be the drug of choice for S . epidermidis bacteremia in the neutropenic population.

Arch Intern Med, 1985 Mar, 145(3), 556 - 7
Septoplasty complicated by staphylococcal spinal osteomyelitis; Cohen BJ et al.; Surgery for correction of anatomic abnormalities of the nasal septum is usually free of major infectious complications . A case of staphylococcal spinal osteomyelitis as a consequence of bacteremia induced by nasal septoplasty is reported and the questions raised by this occurrence are discussed.

Exp Cell Res, 1985 Mar, 157(1), 207 - 17
Characterization of DNA-protein complexes from the mitochondria of Xenopus laevis oocytes; Barat M et al.; Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA)-protein complexes (nucleoids) from Xenopus laevis oocytes were purified either on rate-zonal sucrose or isopyknic metrizamide gradients . From electron microscopic studies and staphylococcal nuclease digestion experiments mtDNA appears to be packaged into regular beaded structures . Protein electrophoretic analysis and M banding results show that mtDNA is associated with the membrane structures and also with few specific proteins including one acid-soluble polypeptide of 28 kD.

Can J Surg, 1985 Mar, 28(2), 143 - 6
Catheterization of the umbilical artery in neonates: surgical implications; Stringel G et al.; Catheterization of the umbilical artery is a common procedure in neonatal intensive care units . The authors studied the records of 100 consecutive newborns who underwent this procedure to review the indications for and complications of umbilical artery catheterization and to discuss preventive measures and alternative techniques . Only polyvinylchloride barium-impregnated catheters were used (nos . 3.5 and 5.0 French) . The commonest indications were respiratory distress syndrome, asphyxia and congenital heart disease . Of the 100 infants, 75 weighed less than 2500 g . Ampicillin and calcium were the commonest medications infused (70 and 65 babies respectively) . There were three major complications, two of which were gangrene of the lower extremity . Amputation of the foot was necessary in one and amputation of the toes in the other . The third complication was the development of gluteal necrosis . In all three cases, catheter placement was low and the infusion was ampicillin . In two of the babies, calcium was also administered . Minor complications were seen in 32 cases, with vascular spasm in the lower limb being the most common . All catheter tips were cultured; there was bacterial colonization in 13%, Staphylococcus epidermidis being the commonest organism . Proven necrotizing enterocolitis was seen in eight infants and was suspected in eight others . Blanching is a serious sign and was seen in the three infants with major complications . The infusion should be stopped immediately . When necrotizing enterocolitis is suspected, the catheter should be removed.

Vopr Virusol, 1985 Mar-Apr, 30(2), 196 - 8
{Production of gamma and alpha interferons by human blood leukocytes in sequential induction}; Orlova TG et al.; A schedule for human gamma and alpha interferon production by successive administration, at 2-3-day intervals, of the proper inducers (phytohemagglutinin and Newcastle disease virus (NDV), or staphylococcal enterotoxin A and NDV) into the same suspensions of peripheral blood leukocytes has been proposed . The schedule may be used in laboratory practice and manufacture.

Infect Immun, 1985 Mar, 47(3), 767 - 73
Stimulation by staphylococcal enterotoxin A of nonspecific resistance of mice to microbial infection; Otani T et al.; The effects of staphylococcal enterotoxins A, B, and C2 (SEA, SEB, and SEC2) on the resistance of mice to microbial infections were studied . SEA stimulated the resistance strongly, whereas SEB and SEC2 had no such effect . Treatment with SEA increased the number of peripheral blood polymorphonuclear leukocytes significantly within 4 h, and these polymorphonuclear leukocytes exhibited a higher chemiluminescence response than those of the controls . Furthermore, a significant increase in spleen weight was also observed in mice treated with SEA, and histologically that increase was characterized by a proliferation of lymphoblast-like cells which were stained with antibody to mouse Thy-1 but not with antibody to mouse immunoglobulin G by indirect immunofluorescence . As expected from the above findings, the treatment of nude mice (nu/nu) with SEA failed to protect them against Escherichia coli infections, whereas treatment of heterozygous (nu/+) controls afforded such protection . This was in part supported by the fact that the chemiluminescence response of peripheral blood polymorphonuclear leukocytes was increased significantly by treatment with SEA in nu/+mice but not in nu/nu mice.

Blood, 1985 Mar, 65(3), 719 - 24
Comparison of bleeding tendency, factor XI coagulant activity, and factor XI antigen in 25 factor XI-deficient kindreds; Ragni MV et al.; The relationship of clinical bleeding tendency and factor XI antigen (XI:Ag) in factor XI deficiency was studied in 78 members of 25 factor XI-deficient kindreds . Factor XI:Ag was measured in a competitive radioimmunoassay, using monospecific, heterologous anti-factor XI antibody . 125I-labeled factor XI, and staphylococcal protein A as the precipitating agent . Deficiency of factor XI clotting activity (XI:C), less than 0.62 U/mL, occurred in 48 individuals, 22 of whom experienced postoperative or posttraumatic bleeding: Their mean factor XI:C was 0.21 +/- 0.04 U/mL (SEM), and factor XI:Ag was 0.23 +/- 0.04 U/mL . The remaining 26 had no clinical bleeding, many despite surgical challenge: Their mean factor XI:C was 0.30 +/- 0.04 U/mL, and factor XI:Ag was 0.34 +/- 0.05 U/mL . In all, 13 kindreds had between 1 and 11 members with bleeding; the other 12 had none with deficient hemostasis . Two heterozygous factor XI-deficient individuals appeared to be positive for cross-reacting material (CRM+) . The slope of the regression line for factor XI:C and factor XI:Ag data points in the 78 individuals tested did not differ from control, and all points fell within 95% confidence limits derived from control . In conclusion, bleeding tendency appears to be consistent within a given kindred and is not determined exclusively by factor XI:C or factor XI:Ag levels.

Mol Gen Mikrobiol Virusol, 1985 Mar, (3), 34 - 7
{Isolation and characteristics of staphylococcal alpha-toxin}; Noskov AN et al.; A method for isolation of staphylococcal alpha-toxin preparations has been elaborated . Characteristics of the toxin isolated by the method are as follows: mol . mass = 35 Kd; HU = 0.1 microgram; DnD= 0.1 microgram; LD50 = 2 micrograms . It is for the first time that alpha-toxin was fragmented by papain and digested by alpha, gamma-chemotrypsin . The papain fragments (18.5 and 15 Kd) retained lethal activity but lost hemolytic and dermonecrotic activities . Alpha, gamma-chemotryptic digested fragments (18 and 15 Kd) retained hemolytic and lethal effects, but lost their dermonecrotic activity.

Am J Surg, 1985 Mar, 149(3), 339 - 42
Surgical aspects of the Tenckhoff peritoneal dialysis catheter . A 7 year experience; Bullmaster JR et al.; The experience with CAPD using the Tenckhoff catheter in 115 patients over a 7 year period has been reviewed . The general indications for CAPD in the patient with chronic renal failure are the mental and physical ability of the patient or his relatives to perform CAPD . In our series, diabetes mellitus has been a relative indication for CAPD, because diabetic patients often have vascular disease severe enough to make long-term hemodialysis difficult . The general contraindications are abdominal problems such as hernias, abdominal wall infections, inflammatory bowel disease, adhesions, and gastrointestinal stomas . Other contraindications are lumbar disk disease and respiratory insufficiency . The surgical principles of catheter insertion have been described . Complications associated with the Tenckhoff catheter were either mechanical (intraabdominal organ injury, incisional hernia, catheter leakage, catheter occlusion, or catheter dislodgement), or infectious (peritonitis or abdominal wall infection) . The single most common organism isolated from effluent dialysate in 65 patients with peritonitis was Staphylococcus epidermidis in six patients (9.2 percent), and in 20 patients (30.8 percent), no organism could be isolated . For those patients who had peritonitis, the average frequency was at 8.9 months of CAPD . There were only three deaths (3 percent) directly related to the Tenckhoff catheter and these were due to peritonitis and sepsis . Only 22 (19 percent) of the 115 patients in this series had to discontinue CAPD because of its ineffectiveness or the patient's or relative's inability to perform CAPD.

J Clin Immunol, 1985 Mar, 5(2), 122 - 9
Rescue of IgM, IgG, and IgA production in common varied immunodeficiency by T cell-independent stimulation with Epstein-Barr virus; Jeong G et al.; We previously defined three categories of B-cell defects in common varied immunodeficiency (CVI): failure to produce IgG and IgA in response to T cell-dependent (TD) stimulation by Staphylococcus bacteria (Sac) plus pokeweed mitogen or B-cell inducing factor (BIF), failure to produce any immunoglobulin, and failure of Sac-induced proliferation and differentiation . The present study includes the responses of 22 CVI patients to T cell-independent (TI) stimulation by Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) . In the majority of patients, EBV-stimulated B cells showed normal proliferation and IgM production . In addition, IgG and IgA production was in the range of that for EBV-stimulated normal cells in many patients . Among 11 patients with no TD production of immunoglobulin of any isotype, two showed normal IgM secretion in response to EBV and five others had significant but subnormal responses . Four patients never had humoral responses despite repeated testing and removal of potentially suppressing T cells and monocytes . Concanavalin A stimulation of the T cells from all the patients tested resulted in the production of B-cell inducing factor at higher levels than for normal donor T cells, as assayed on normal Sac-stimulated B cells . These results show that many cases of B-cell defects in CVI patients involving TD production of IgM, switching to TD production of IgG and IgA, and mitogen responses to Sac are not absolute defects . The B cells will respond normally to some stimuli.

Immunology, 1985 Mar, 54(3), 565 - 72
Binding site and subclass specificity of the herpes simplex virus type 1-induced Fc receptor; Wiger D et al.; Immunoglobulin Fc-binding activity was detected by indirect immunofluorescence employing fluorochrome conjugated F(ab')2 antibody fragments on acetone-fixed cell cultures infected with herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) . Using this method the Fc receptor-like activity seemed to be restricted to the IgG class of human immunoglobulins . While IgG1, IgG2, and IgG4 myeloma proteins bind to this putative Fc gamma receptor at a concentration of 0.002 mg/ml, IgG3 myeloma proteins were without activity at 0.1 mg/ml . The binding activity was associated with the Fc fragments of IgG, while the pFc' fragments of IgG appeared to be unable to bind in this assay system . The reactivity and specificity of the HSV-1 Fc receptor was independent of both the type of tissue culture cells used and the strain of HSV-1 inducing the Fc receptor-like activity . The HSV-1-induced Fc receptor has a similar specificity for human immunoglobulin class and subclasses as staphylococcal Protein A . However, these two Fc receptors exhibit at least one striking difference . The IgG3 G3m(st) protein which binds to Protein A does not bind to HSV-1-induced Fc receptor . A possible reaction site for the HSV-1 Fc receptor on IgG could be at or near Asp 276.

J Immunol, 1985 Mar, 134(3), 1676 - 81
Antigen presentation by EBV-B cells to resting and activated T cells: role of interleukin 1; Chu ET et al.; We have previously demonstrated that Epstein Barr virus-transformed human B lymphocytes (EBV-B cells) present antigen to activated T cells (lines and clones) in a MHC-restricted manner . In the present study, using EBV-nonimmune donors, we demonstrate that EBV-B cells are unable to trigger tetanus toxoid (TT) antigen-specific proliferation in autologous highly purified resting T cells . EBV-B cells from these same individuals were able to present TT to autologous TT-specific activated T cell blasts (Tbl) . The inability of EBV-B cells to present TT to resting T cells was not caused by defective antigen processing by EBV-B cells . Thus, paraformaldehyde treatment of antigen-pulsed EBV-B cells did not impair their ability to trigger proliferation of antigen-specific Tbl, and EBV-B cells pulsed with antigen in the presence of autologous TT-specific T cell blasts did not present antigen to resting T cells . Furthermore, antigen-specific proliferation of resting T cells triggered by monocytes was enhanced rather than suppressed by EBV-B cells . The addition of partially purified human IL 1 allowed EBV-B cells to present TT antigen to resting T cells, suggesting that failure to secrete IL 1 contributed to the failure of EBV-B cells to present antigen . IL 1 could not be detected in supernatants of EBV-B cells stimulated with Staphylococcus epidermidis, concanavalin A, and TT antigen in the presence or absence of up to 5% autologous T cells . The differential capacity of EBV-B cells to present antigen to resting T cells vs activated T cells correlated with the T cell requirement for IL 1, because a rabbit antibody to human IL 1 inhibited the monocyte-supported proliferation of resting T cells but not that of activated T cells . These results suggest that the inability of EBV-B cells to present antigen to resting T cells is related to their inability to secrete detectable IL 1.

J Hosp Infect, 1985 Mar, 6 Suppl A, 73 - 80
A comparison of the effect of povidone-iodine and 60% n-propanol on the resident flora using a new test method; Hartmann AA; The efficacy and safety of povidone-iodine (PVP-I) and 60% v/v% n-propanol on the forehead of patient's were examined using a newly developed method . Significantly higher reduction factors (RFs) of the total resident flora were obtained using PVP-I immediately after and 3-6 h after application (1.4, 1.4, 1.4) than with isopropanol (0.6, 0.6, 0.8) using the detergent scrub method . No significant difference was found using the cyanoacrylate method . Propionibacter spp . showed similar results . With Staphylococcus epidermidis, RFs of 1.8 were obtained with both bath agents using the detergent scrub method, but using the cyanoacrylate method significantly higher RFs were obtained with isopropanol immediately and 3 h after application (1.3, 1.3) than with PVP-I (0.4, 0.5) . This phenomenon seems to be due to the limit of complete elimination of the resident bacterial counts in vivo.

J Hosp Infect, 1985 Mar, 6 Suppl A, 177 - 84
Experimental and preliminary clinical experience with absorbable calcium phosphate granules containing an antibiotic or antiseptic for the local treatment of osteomyelitis; Eitenmuller J et al.; Experimental studies on dogs with staphylococcal osteomyelitis showed that it is possible to reduce florid bone suppuration by the use of hydroxyapatite granules containing an antibiotic or antiseptic . In our series the use of flucloxacillin hydroxyapatite granules was superior to other treatment methods . Twelve patients were treated with thorough sequestrectomy, reliable wound closure and suitable stabilization supplemented with an implant of antibiotic or antiseptic hydroxyapatite granules, and an autologous spongiosa graft for large bone cavities or for discontinuity between the bone ends . The results of this preliminary study showed the treatment to be effective.

Diabetes, 1985 Mar, 34(3), 300 - 5
Assay for islet cell antibodies . Protein A--monoclonal antibody method; Srikanta S et al.; Assays for islet cell antibodies (ICA) are finding increasing application in clinical diabetology . We have developed a new islet cell antibody assay system (ICA-pA), whose salient features include: (1) utilization of fluorescein-conjugated staphylococcal protein A as a standard second-step reagent, the advantages of this approach being improved "signal" (islet)/"noise" (acini) ratio due to reduction of interfering background acinar pancreatic staining, and facilitation of assay standardization provided by the use of a chemically pure conjugated protein A reagent; (2) monoclonal antibody counterstaining with rhodamine-conjugated BISL-32 for the rapid identification of islets in pancreatic sections; and (3) quantitation of circulating serum ICA by microimmunofluorometric techniques.

Biochim Biophys Acta, 1985 Feb 20, 824(2), 163 - 73
Chromatin dynamics . Fast and slow modes of nucleosome movement revealed through psoralen binding and repair; Cleaver JE; Psoralen adducts, when formed in DNA at low frequencies that permit extensive survival of normal and repair-deficient cells, are found in both linker and core regions of nucleosomes, but are slightly enriched in the linker sites . The relative frequencies of adducts obtained with 5-methylisopsoralen and angelicin, which form only monoadducts, and 8-methoxypsoralen and trimethylpsoralen, which form monoadducts and cross-links, represent an enrichment in linker DNA that is approx . 2-3-fold higher per nucleotide than in core DNA . 5-Methylisopsoralen monoadducts, which are initially in linker DNA, become randomized during 12 h of growth . This suggests a slow lateral movement of nucleosomes with respect to DNA and implies that linker and core regions of DNA are not permanent assignments . Randomization of 5-methylisopsoralen adducts is independent of the synthesis of DNA, RNA, protein, or poly(ADP-ribose) and is also independent of DNA repair . Excision repair of these adducts, in contrast, causes rapid local changes in nucleosome conformation and an initial increase in staphylococcal nuclease sensitivity that reverts to the sensitivity of bulk chromatin in less than 1 h . Chromatin, therefore, can undergo at least two distinct dynamic changes under physiological conditions: a slow randomization of the nucleosomes with respect to DNA, and a rapid but transient local rearrangement to facilitate repair.

Mol Biochem Parasitol, 1985 Feb, 14(2), 141 - 9
Evidence that the major surface proteins of three Leishmania species are structurally related; Etges RJ et al.; Promastigotes of Leishmania major LRC-L137, L . donovani LEM 75, and L . tropica LRC-L32 were surface radioiodinated . The proteins of the parasites were analysed by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and labeled molecules were revealed by fluorography . A single major iodinated protein of Mr 63 000 (p63) was identified in each of the three species . These proteins were partially purified by phase separation in Triton X-114 solution, demonstrating that the p63 of each of the three species is the most abundant integral membrane protein in the promastigote . Peptide maps were obtained by partial proteolysis with N-chlorosuccinimide or Staphylococcus V8 protease followed by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis . The maps of L . major and L . donovani were identical, but only partially homologous to the maps of L . tropica p63 . Finally, immunological crossreactivity among the three p63s was demonstrated with the serum of a mouse immunized with purified L . major p63, and the serum of a dog naturally infected with L . donovani . The data show that the major surface proteins found on promastigotes of three Old World Leishmania species are structurally related.

J Virol Methods, 1985 Feb, 10(2), 127 - 34
Plaque identification of strand-forming canine distemper virus by staphylococcal protein A-mediated reverse passive haemadsorption; Johnson GC et al.; The R252 neurotropic isolate of canine distemper virus (CDV) produces cytopathic effects (CPE) dominated by strand formation rather than by the formation of multinucleate giant cells . The lack of well-defined CPE and consequent rapid spread of infection throughout the cell monolayer has hindered plaque purification of this virus by conventional methods . However, the use of an immunological detection system which utilizes binding of hyperimmune dog serum to virus-infected cells, followed by the identification of those sites by staphylococcal Protein A-coupled sheep red blood cells (reverse passive haemadsorption) allowed infected foci in cell monolayers to be detected as early as 4 days after infection, coincident with the appearance of the first immunofluorescently identified viral foci . Foci of haemadsorption were specific to sites of CDV infection as demonstrated by blocking experiments . Material recovered from the plaques was successful in infecting Vero cells . Thus, immunologically mediated adsorption of Protein A coupled red blood cells can be used to identify and isolate foci of viral infection which exhibit minimal or no viral CPE without destroying viral replicative ability.

Isr J Med Sci, 1985 Feb, 21(2), 133 - 8
Subclinical rubella in pregnancy--occurrence and outcome; Fogel A et al.; Between the years 1972 and 1979, 40,589 pregnant women were tested for rubella antibodies following suspected illness or exposure, using hemagglutination-inhibition (HI), complement fixation and staphylococcal absorption for determination of specific immunoglobulin M (IgM) . Recent primary infection was confirmed by antibody rise in paired sera and/or the presence of specific IgM . Reinfection was differentiated from primary asymptomatic rubella by absence of specific IgM . Determination of neutralizing antibodies was also useful in confirming reinfections . Clinical rubella was confirmed in 1,448 patients (3.6%) . In 154 cases asymptomatic rubella infection was detected; 98 had primary infection and 56 experienced reinfection . In a selected group of 2,200 women exposed to confirmed rubella, 6.8% had clinical rubella, 3.8% asymptomatic infection, and in 7.1% the results were doubtful . Reinfection was detected in 12.4% of 265 women with initially low HI titers . The prospective follow-up on pregnancy outcome was available in 87 women with asymptomatic infection . Seven cases of congenital rubella were detected in the group of primary infections, while all 25 children born following reinfection were healthy.

Arch Mal Coeur Vaiss, 1985 Feb, 78(2), 271 - 4
{Biventricular thrombosis in nephrotic syndrome with hypercoagulability and hypereosinophilia}; Danchin N et al.; A case of double right and left intraventricular thrombosis diagnosed by 2D echocardiography is reported in a 20 year old man with nephrotic syndrome with eosinophilia and hypercoagulability, admitted as an emergency for a staphylococcal septicaemia in shock and anuria . Anticoagulation with heparin did not prevent two episodes of pulmonary embolism . Complete dissolution of the thrombi was obtained by peripheral administration of fibrinolytic therapy (urokinase and plasminogen) . The authors discuss the differential diagnosis of echocardiographic appearances of biventricular masses and possible causes of these thrombi are suggested.

Immunopharmacology, 1985 Feb, 9(1), 33 - 8
Effect of methotrexate on the immune response in children with acute lymphatic leukaemia; O'Meara A et al.; Lymphocyte count, lymphocyte subpopulations identified by monoclonal antibodies and mitogen stimulation assays with phytohaemagglutinin, concanavalin A, pokeweed mitogen and staphylococcal protein A, were used to quantitate the effect of methotrexate on the immune response in children with acute lymphatic leukaemia on maintenance therapy . Methotrexate exerted a profound but apparently short-term effect on these parameters as it is prescribed in current maintenance schedules for childhood acute lymphatic leukaemia . A significant drop in lymphocyte count, affecting all subpopulations, was observed 4 h after oral or intramuscular administration of methotrexate which had reverted to pre-methotrexate values one week after the drug was given . Lymphocyte function was markedly affected, with a major decrease in mitogen responsiveness 1 h after methotrexate and a reversion to pre-methotrexate values by 48 h . A selectivity of suppressor T cells to methotrexate is proposed as being responsible for early recovery . Scheduling of methotrexate in current maintenance programmes would therefore appear to allow adequate time for recovery of immunoresponsiveness between doses.

Clin Exp Immunol, 1985 Feb, 59(2), 405 - 13
Deficient immune interferon production in tuberculosis; Onwubalili JK et al.; Production of interferon (IFN)-alpha and -gamma by peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) were studied in 28 patients with active tuberculosis and 28 healthy control subjects matched for age, sex, ethnic origin and diet . No significant differences were found between patients and matched controls in mean titres of IFN-alpha induced by Newcastle disease virus, IFN-gamma induced by staphylococcal enterotoxin A with tetrahydrophorbyl acetate, and IFN-gamma induced by purified protein derivative (PPD) . However, a subset of nine out of 25 tuberculosis patients tested produced low titres (less than 100 u/ml) of IFN-gamma in response to PBMC stimulation with PPD . In comparison to other patients, this group was characterized by lower IFN-alpha and IFN-gamma responses to virus and mitogens respectively, relative anergy to tuberculin skin testing, depressed in vitro PBMC proliferative responses to PPD, and neutrophil leucocytosis . In all nine patients effective chemotherapy restored cutaneous reactivity, PBMC proliferative responses, neutrophil counts and IFN-alpha responses to virus by 6 months, and also IFN-gamma responses to PPD in one patient re-tested.

FEBS Lett, 1985 Jan 28, 180(2), 234 - 8
Identification of the peptide bond cleaved during activation of human C1r; Arlaud GJ et al.; CNBr cleavage of unreduced proenzyme C1r yielded fragment CP2b, isolated by gel filtration and high-pressure gel permeation chromatography . This fragment (approximately Mr 55 000) comprised at least 4 disulphide-linked peptides, which were separated by gel filtration after reduction and alkylation . Peptide CP2bRA4, overlapping the A- and B-chain regions in proenzyme C1r was digested by V8 staphylococcal protease, and the digest separated by reversed-phase HPLC . N-terminal sequence analysis of peptide CP2bRA4SP9 established that C1r activation involves the cleavage of a single Arg-Ile bond, located in the sequence: .. . Gln-Arg-Gln-Arg-Ile-Ile-Gly-Gly .. . .

J Biol Chem, 1985 Jan 25, 260(2), 726 - 30
Isolation and characterization of phosphofructokinase C from rabbit brain; Foe LG et al.; Phosphofructokinase from rabbit brain consists of hybrids of the A, B, and C isozymes . Phosphofructokinase C was isolated from a purified mixture of such hybrids in a 2-step procedure . In the first step, phosphofructokinase B was removed by chromatography on DEAE-Sephadex . In the second step, subunits of phosphofructokinases A and C were separated by dissociation at pH 5.0 followed by chromatography on carboxymethylcellulose . The separated isozymes were then reassociated by neutralization . Phosphofructokinase C was structurally distinct from phosphofructokinases A (obtained from muscle or brain) and B (obtained from liver) as shown by one-dimensional chymotryptic and staphylococcal V8 protease fingerprints of all three isozymes . In addition, phosphofructokinase C cross-reacted weakly or not at all with antisera raised against phosphofructokinase B or phosphofructokinase A . Phosphofructokinase C was also kinetically distinct from the A and B isozymes . The C isozyme was more sensitive than the A isozyme but less sensitive than the B isozyme to inhibition by ATP, was less sensitive than the A isozyme but more sensitive than the B isozyme to inhibition by citrate, and was less sensitive than either of the other two isozymes to activation by inorganic phosphate, AMP, and fructose 2,6-bisphosphate . The self-association properties of phosphofructokinase C differed from those of the A and B isozymes in that at pH 8.0, the C isozyme did not form oligomers larger than a tetramer under conditions where the other two isozymes did . Thus the properties of phosphofructokinase C are in general quite distinct from those of the other two phosphofructokinase isozymes.

Dtsch Med Wochenschr, 1985 Jan 18, 110(3), 97 - 104
{Non-puerperal mastitis . Etiology, clinical aspects and therapy}; Peters F et al.; Non-puerperal mastitis was diagnosed in 79 patients (aged 12-77 years) over the years 1974-1984 . Malignant neoplasm was not present . Bacterial infection in the region of the areola was the most frequent finding (40%), followed by abacterial inflammation without involvement of the nipples (29%) . The other cases, bacterial or nonbacterial, occurred at different sites . The histological picture or clinical features of an increased secretory activity of the mammary gland (galactorrhoea, mastodynia) in addition to the mastitis was noted in 54 women . Causative organisms were proven in 53% of cases: Staph . aureus (41%) and coagulase-negative staphylococcus (41%), or anaerobic organisms (11%) . Physical measures, antibiotics and bromocriptine were used as treatment . At the onset of treatment abscesses were already present or developed in 34 instances . In 28 cases one to six recurrences set in after the end of the treatment period . In 22 patients treated with bromocriptine prophylactically there were only two recurrences . In the majority of patients an increased alveolar secretion was important in the pathogenesis of the bacterial or abacterial inflammation . Prolactin-lowering treatment seems reasonable by itself in cases of abacterial mastitis, or in combination with antibiotics in bacterial mastitis . Recurrences can be prevented by long-term lowering of the peripheral prolactin level.

J Biol Chem, 1985 Jan 10, 260(1), 337 - 43
Complete amino acid sequence of the ubiquinone binding protein (QP-C), a protein similar to the 14,000-dalton subunit of the yeast ubiquinol-cytochrome c reductase complex; Wakabayashi S et al.; The amino acid sequence of the ubiquinone binding protein (QP-C) in the cytochrome bc1 region of the mitochondrial electron transfer chain was determined by analysis of peptides obtained by cyanogen bromide cleavage and staphylococcal protease digestion of succinylated derivatives . It was found to consist of 110 amino acid residues and its amino terminus to be blocked by an acetyl group, as determined by mass spectrometry of the amino-terminal peptide and a comparison with peptides chemically synthesized on high-performance liquid chromatography . The molecular weight of this ubiquinone binding protein including the acetyl group was calculated to be 13,389 . The predicted secondary structure of QP-C has alpha-helical content of about 50% and QP-C was classified as an "all-alpha" or "alpha + beta" protein . This is the first report describing the amino acid sequence of the ubiquinone binding protein . A comparison of this sequence with that of the 14-kDa subunit of the yeast ubiquinol-cytochrome c reductase complex from the nucleotide sequence showed these two sequences to be quite similar.

Toxicon, 1985, 23(5), 801 - 6
Disruption of myelin sheaths in mouse brain in vitro and in vivo by staphylococcal alpha-toxin; Harshman S et al.; In recent studies we have demonstrated that staphylococcal alpha-toxin can specifically bind to rabbit vagus nerves and cause disruption of myelin sheaths in this peripheral nerve in vitro . We report here that staphylococcal alpha-toxin, incubated in vitro with brain slices or injected intracerebrally into mice, can induce disruption of myelin sheaths in central nervous tissue . Intracerebral injection of alpha-toxin is followed by a characteristic and reproducible syndrome involving ataxia followed by a severe contraction of the limbs on the side contralateral to the injection and a maximal extension of the opposing limbs . At 1.1 micrograms of toxin injected, death occurs within 20 min . Histopathologic examination reveals extensive demyelination with minimal involvement of the axons . It is possible that staphylococcal alpha-toxin may play a role in the etiology of multiple sclerosis.

Ter Arkh, 1985, 57(12), 20 - 2
{Humoral factors of general and local immunity in diabetes mellitus}; Velikov VK et al.; Considerable changes in the humoral factors of the general and local immunity were revealed during examination of 53 patients . A raised IgA and IgM level and a lowered titer of normal antibodies to antitoxins of diphtheria and tetanus and to staphylococcus antigen were revealed in the patients' blood . The content for IgG, lysozyme and normal antibodies to the antigens of dysentery and whooping cough was normal . A significant rise of the level of IgA, IgG, titers of normal antibodies and a decrease in the lysozyme activity were observed in the saliva.

Neurochirurgie, 1985, 31(5), 390 - 4
{Infection of the valves of CSF shunts . Results of local and general antibiotic treatment in 6 cases}; Roualdes G et al.; Infection of six cerebro-spinal fluid shunts in six patients were treated with daily intrashunt injections of antibiotics plus combination of intravenous or oral systemic antibiotic therapy . Three organisms were involved in the shunt infection: staphylococcus epidermidis in five, staphylococcus capitis and micrococcus varians . One patient had mixed shunt infection with micrococcus varians and staphylococcus epidermidis . All six patients received daily intrashunt injections of vancomycin and oral rifampin with a combination of trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole (three patients), or intravenous fosfomycin (two patients), or intravenous vancomycin (one patient) . Four of six cases were considered cured of their infection without shunt surgery . Their hydrocephalus will be well controlled during antibiotic therapy . Surgery was necessary for two patients with associated shunt malfunction, one of them was considered a treatment failure of antibiotic therapy.

Scand J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg, 1985, 19(3), 231 - 5
Pacemaker infections . A 2-year follow-up of antibiotic prophylaxis; Bluhm GL; To evaluate the long-term effect of systemic antibiotic prophylaxis at pacemaker surgery, an analysis was made of infections in 272 patients submitted to 303 consecutive pacemaker operations . The follow-up time was 24-33 months . Antibiotic prophylaxis had been given in all cases . The overall infection rate was 4.0%: The incidence after new implant was 3.8%, generator replacement 2.4%, electrode replacement 15% and early reoperation 4.2%, with the only statistically significant difference between electrode replacement and generator replacement . The interval between operation and appearance of infection was 3 days to 18 months . The causal microorganisms were methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus epidermidis in four patients, methicillin-sensitive S . epidermis in one patient and methicillin-sensitive S . aureus in three . An anaerobic gram-positive coccus was cultured in one patient and a nonenteric gram-negative rod in another . Five infections were cured by antibiotic treatment alone, but in seven cases surgery was also needed . The incidence of infection was significantly increased when potential predisposing factors--diabetes mellitus, postoperative hematoma and use of a temporary electrode--were present.

Ann Rech Vet, 1985, 16(3), 263 - 9
{Interpretation of the cell concentration of cow's milk for the diagnosis of mammary infection}; Serieys F; The potential utilisation of monthly cell counts per cow to determine their infection status was studied for 30 months on 62 cows from an experimental herd, and by simulation, on different herd models with defined epidemiological characteristics . During this period, the cows of the experimental herd were regularly submitted to bacteriological tests for intramammary infections and individual cell counts . The cows which were not chronically infected by a major pathogen were characterised by cell counts of less than 300 000 cells/ml throughout lactation . The chronically infected cows were characterised by at least two peaks over 300 000 with at least one beyond 800 000, but cell counts could be, at other time intervals, below 300 000 cells/ml . Provided that at least two monthly cell counts were available for each cow, it was possible to discriminate strongly the cows not chronically infected and the cows chronically infected by a major pathogen which are reservoirs of infection . The percentage of correct classifications varied between 74 and 87% in relation with the chosen threshold and the infection status of the herd in which this threshold was used . With the same threshold, there were higher percentages of false negative diagnosis in a herd model where staphylococcal like long-term infections were prevalent and of false positive when there was a high incidence of clinical short-term infections . Monthly cell counts per cow did not correctly reveal short-term clinical infections which are particularly prevalent in herds affected mainly by environmental mastitis . The precision and practical importance of this individual diagnosis was discussed for different herd models.

Postgrad Med J, 1985, 61 Suppl 1, 45 - 8
The toxic shock syndrome revisited; Kass EH; The association between toxic shock syndrome and the staphylococcal toxin TSST-1 is not entirely consistent . In vitro, the elaboration of the toxin occurs only under aerobic conditions, whereas the environment of the vagina is largely anaerobic . So far, moreover, the materials of which tampons are composed seem not especially to favour the growth of the causative micro-organisms . Further, the relationship between the disease and tampon absorbability is not entirely established . Nevertheless, the effect of particular fibres cannot be discounted.

Chir Pediatr, 1985, 26(2), 92 - 4
{Surgical pulmonary biopsy in children}; Gauthier F et al.; During the last 2 years an open lung biopsy was performed in 16 children aged from 2 to 14 years . Fourteen of these had a chemotherapeutic induced immunodeficiency and a radiological picture of diffuse pulmonary infiltrate . A definite diagnosis was established in 11 cases: 5 pneumocystis carinii pneumonitis, 2 CMV infections, 2 pneumocalcinosis, 1 neoplastic pulmonary lymphangitis and 1 staphylococcal infection . Three had a non-specific interstitial pneumonitis . In this series there was no post-operative death and the single complication was a wound infection . The tracheal tube could be removed within the hours following the intervention in 14 of the 16 children . The review of the recent literature suggests that the open lung biopsy is a safe and accurate way for the diagnosis of pulmonary infiltrates in pediatric immunocompromised patients . It is however a very invasive procedure and it is expectable that in the next year the bronchoalveolar lavage with a fiberoptic flexible bronchoscope will be systematically attempted prior to the open biopsy.

Dev Comp Immunol, 1985 Winter, 9(1), 119 - 30
Ontogenic development of proliferative and polyclonal antibody and autoantibody responses to staphylococcal peptidoglycan, protein A and cell walls in mice; Dziarski R; In the spleens of newborn mice, polyclonal IgM, IgG and IgA responses were low to protein A, cell walls (CW) and PWM, intermediate to peptidoglycan (PG), and high to LPS . Small, not significant increases in Ig responses to LPS (which occurred during the first 2 wks) were observed, whereas, the responses to PG, protein A, CW and PWM continued to increase for 8 wks, and the increases were high and significant . In most cases, there was no change in the dose response and kinetics patterns (characteristic for each stimulant) during ontogeny . Ontogenic development of autoantibody-secreting cells was different from the development of cells secreting all Ig and anti-SRBC antibodies . The increases in the numbers of cells secreting IgM anti-DNA and IgM anti-bromelin-treated mouse RBC antibodies in response to LPS and PG during postnatal development were larger than the increases of all IgM-secreting cells . In contrast, the increases of IgM anti-DNA secreting cells in response to protein A and PWM were smaller than the increases of all IgM-secreting cells . The frequencies of cells secreting anti-DNA antibodies in LPS- and PG-stimulated cultures were low in newborns and continued to increase until 8 wks of age, but they were high and did not change throughout ontogeny in protein A-stimulated cultures . Changes in the frequencies of anti-RBC antibody-secreting cells were less distinct and mostly insignificant . Postnatal changes in mitogenic responses were smaller and not correlated with the development of polyclonal Ig responses . Our data indicate different modes of ontogenic development of the ability of cells to produce polyclonal Ig, autoantibodies and heteroantibodies, and to synthesize DNA, in response to different stimulants.

Microbiol Immunol, 1985, 29(5), 413 - 9
A staphylococcal coagglutination test for detecting and serogrouping Legionella pneumophila; Yoh M et al.; For detection of Legionella pneumophila and determination of its serogroup, the modified staphylococcal coagglutination test was studied in detail . Cross-reactions in serum-agglutination tests were observed among serogroups, but immunoglobulin-coated staphylococcal cells could detect L . pneumophila with high sensitivity (a cell concentration with an absorbance of 0.008 at 660 nm could be detected) and serogroups could be determined without cross-reactions . Moreover the coexistence of other bacteria did not affect the results of the test . These results suggest that the staphylococcal coagglutination test is useful for detection and identification of Legionella, especially in environmental samples, and for serogrouping of isolates of L . pneumophila from clinical specimens.

Drugs, 1985, 29 Suppl 5, 221 - 6
Therapeutic results and tissue concentrations of temocillin in surgical patients; Wittke RR et al.; Temocillin, a new beta-lactamase-stable penicillin, was administered in a dosage of 2g twice daily to 25 biliary surgery patients in whom potential septic complications were a concern . Clinical efficacy was assessed as 'very good' in 23 patients . In one patient there was a disorder of wound healing and in another a staphylococcal bronchial pneumonia developed postoperatively . Temocillin was tolerated very well, and no side effects were observed . 12 hours after administration of temocillin 2g intravenously to surgical patients the mean serum concentration was 22.44 (+/- 10.26) mg/L . The median half-life was 3.86 hours (+/- 1.84) hours . Mean concentrations of 12.44 and 38.59 mg/L were measured up to the twelfth hour in the wound secretions and peritoneal secretions, respectively . In skin, fat, fascia, muscle and gallbladder wall, temocillin concentrations greater than the inhibitory concentrations of most Gram-negative bacteria were demonstrated after 1 and 2 hours.

Toxicon, 1985, 23(2), 325 - 30
Staphylococcal alpha toxin induced changes in the electroencephalogram of the rat; Lipman JJ et al.; Staphylococcal alpha-toxin at 1 microgram and 10 micrograms was injected into the right lateral ventricle of the brain of conscious, unrestrained rats . Clinical behavior and changes in EEG patterns were monitored . Clinical behavior attributed to alpha-toxin intoxication consisted of intermittent periods of stretching, tremors, convulsions and 'barrel rolling' . The EEG patterns, selected from recordings obtained during quiescent periods of behavior, demonstrate focal spiking, with and without recruitment, slow waves, spindling and complex spikes . We conclude that the central nervous system is a critical target for the lethal action of alpha-toxin.

Scand J Plast Reconstr Surg, 1985, 19(1), 87 - 9
Bacteria in the female breast; Ransjo U et al.; Subclinical infection may play a role in capsular formation around silicone breast implants . To assess the possibility of antibiotic prophylaxis for prevention of capsular formation, knowledge of bacteria present in the female breast tissue and the resistance pattern of these bacteria is needed . Samples were taken from 25 patients (49 breasts) peroperatively during reduction mammaplasty with an impression pad method . The samples were placed in agar plates and incubated both aerobically and anaerobically . In more than 90% of the samples bacteria were found . The species of bacteria found were mainly Staphylococcus epidermidis and propionibacteria . These bacteria were sensitive to penicillin G and/or isoxapenicillin . It remains to be shown that prophylactic antibiotic treatment will decrease capsular formation following augmentation mammaplasty.

Ter Arkh, 1985, 57(3), 29 - 33
{Clinico-immunological parallels in chronic bronchitis and the role of endobronchial immunostimulation in preventing recurrences}; Androsov VV et al.; The authors have demonstrated high efficacy of endobronchial immunostimulation with staphylococcal anatoxin in preventing exacerbations of chronic bronchitis in industrial workers . Prognostic criteria of the screening of the patients for prophylaxis have been developed.

Nephron, 1985, 40(1), 79 - 82
Pharmacokinetics of intraperitoneal cefotaxime treatment of peritonitis in patients on continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis; Petersen J et al.; The pharmacokinetics of intraperitoneal cefotaxime as the sole therapy in patients on continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis with peritonitis have been examined . The mean plasma concentrations achieved following 1 h of peritoneal instillation of 500 mg of cefotaxime were 5.0 +/- 1.6 micrograms ml-1 . The average plasma concentration over 24 h was 6.9 +/- 0.4 micrograms ml-1 and was no different from that found following a further 9-11 days of successful treatment of the peritonitis . However, the mean dialysate effluent concentration of cefotaxime was increased following the resolution of the peritonitis, 165 +/- 22.7 mg per cycle on day 10 or 12 compared with 50.4 +/- 7.3 mg per cycle on day 1, suggesting enhanced peritoneal cefotaxime absorption during acute peritonitis . Nevertheless, during both periods, adequate concentrations of cefotaxime were achieved in dialysate to treat local complications, but plasma levels may be inadequate to treat systemic complications due to Staphylococcus albus.

Nephron, 1985, 40(1), 29 - 37
Chronic peritoneal dialysis: mechanical and infectious complications; Swartz RD; The present report summarizes the mechanical and infectious complications attributable to the devices and procedures used for chronic peritoneal dialysis (PD), comparing the type and frequency of such complications in contemporaneous groups of patients undergoing continuous ambulatory PD (CAPD) or intermittent PD (IPD) . Mechanical complications related directly to the catheter and its placement proved to be equally frequent during CAPD and IPD . On the other hand, mechanical complications related to increased intraperitoneal pressure were more frequent during CAPD . In most instances mechanical complication can be managed without permanent interruption of chronic PD . Peritonitis occurs more frequently during CAPD (1.6 episodes per patient-year) than during IPD (0.4 episodes per patient-year), with a tendency to more frequent peritonitis among diabetics, children, patients with white blood cell abnormalities, patients with catheter cuff or tunnel inflammation, and during the 1st month of treatment . Medical therapy eradicates peritonitis and allows continuation of chronic PD with retention of the catheter in more than 90% of episodes, although special problems may be encountered with fungal, pseudomonal, and some coagulase-positive staphylococcal infections.

Nephron, 1985, 40(1), 111 - 7
Shunt nephritis: histological dynamics following removal of the shunt . Case report and review of the literature; Wakabayashi Y et al.; Diffuse crescentic glomerulonephritis was observed in a 40-year-old male patient who had a ventriculoatrial shunt implanted after a traffic accident 10 years previously . Immediately after treatment with immunosuppressants and plasma pheresis, signs of meningitis and septicemia developed . The responsible organism isolated was Staphylococcus albus . After the shunt was removed, clinical signs and renal function improved, associated with normalization of hypocomplementemia and disappearance of cryoglobulin and circulating immune complexes . Repeat renal biopsy performed 5 months after the removal of the shunt revealed mild mesangial proliferative and sclerotic glomerulonephritis with fibrous crescents . No apparent deposits observed in the initial biopsy were found on ultrastructural and immunofluorescent examinations . The reported cases with serial renal biopsies before and after the removal of the shunt were reviewed.

Scand J Infect Dis, 1985, 17(1), 55 - 8
Treatment and prevention of recurrent staphylococcal furunculosis: clinical and bacteriological follow-up; Hedstrom SA; Various therapeutic and preventive methods were evaluated in 80 patients with recurrent staphylococcal furunculosis . The most appropriate treatment was peroral antibiotics for 10-14 days, mainly flucloxacillin twice daily . Fusidic acid ointment was used for prevention of relapses . Patients and healthy family members who carried the patient strain applied the ointment in nares twice daily every 4th week during 4-15 months . The method had a permanent effect in 80% . Implantation of strain 502 A was less effective when evaluated during a 2-3 yr period . 40-80 patients were checked up to 8 yr after their last furuncle . Three still had furuncles, in 2 of these cases the original strain was found in nares . 37 patients, now healthy after a mean observation time of 4.5 yr, showed either new nasal strains or negative cultures . A significantly lower frequency of phage group II strains in nares was noted in comparison to the previous findings during active furunculosis.

Scand J Infect Dis, 1985, 17(1), 37 - 46
Prediction of staphylococcal etiology among patients with septicemia with or without endocarditis by multivariate statistical methods; Julander I et al.; Multivariate statistical methods, multiple regression (RA) and automatic interaction detector analysis (AID) were used to study the possibility of an early prediction of staphylococcal etiology in 249 of 851 patients with verified septicemia or endocarditis . The variables included pertinent symptoms and signs and laboratory data available soon after admission . 10 of the 70 variables initially studied showed simple, or in various combinations, a statistically significant partial correlation to staphylococcal etiology in the AID . The highest predictive value with a high probability for staphylococcal etiology was recorded for combinations of the variables: i.v . narcotic addiction and septic pulmonary embolism; non-addiction, wound infection, and hospitalization within 4 weeks; non-addiction, absence of skin infection, presence of foreign body, and age less than 60 yr . Staphylococcal etiology was contradicted by the absence of i.v . narcotic addiction, skin infection, foreign body, septic skin manifestation, surgical procedure within 4 weeks, joint symptom and a C-reactive protein less than or equal to 10 mm . Thus, a prediction of etiology may be valuable in choosing therapy before definite confirmation by positive blood cultures or when blood cultures remain sterile.

Chromosoma, 1985, 91(2), 137 - 44
Protein composition of the chromosomal scaffold and interphase nuclear matrix; Pieck AC et al.; Residual protein structures were prepared from isolated chromosomes and interphase nuclei of in vitro cultured bovine liver cells and the protein compositions were analysed . Chromosomes with minimal cytoplasmic contamination were obtained by a simple procedure using a pH 8 isolation medium containing Triton X-100 and polyamines, and residual protein-DNA complexes were prepared by extraction with 2 M NaCl . Residual protein structures were also obtained by digesting isolated chromosomes with staphylococcal nuclease . Protein compositions of both structures as obtained by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis were essentially the same . Residual protein structures were prepared from isolated nuclei by the same procedures . The major nuclear matrix proteins, i.e., the lamins A, B, and C, were not found in the chromosomes and chromosome scaffolds . On the other hand, the residual chromosome structures contained two major polypeptides of 37 and 83 kilodalton relative molecular weights that were absent from the nuclear matrix preparations . A few polypeptides with the same or very similar electrophoretic mobilities were found in the residual structures of both the nuclei and the chromosomes.

Vox Sang, 1985, 48(4), 239 - 45
A two-stage immunoradiometric assay with 125I-staphylococcal protein A for the detection of antibodies and complement on human blood cells; Salama A et al.; A sensitive two-stage immunoradiometric assay (IRMA) using unlabeled specific antiglobulin sera followed by binding of radiolabeled staphylococcal protein A has been developed for detection of human IgG, IgM, IgA and complement C3 on human blood cells . In an experimental model system, purified human immunoglobulins (Ig) were coupled onto red blood cells, platelets, and leukocytes . The Ig-coated red blood cells were analyzed in parallel by three methods: the radioimmune antiglobulin test with radiolabeled anti-Ig; the radiolabeled staphyloccal protein A test, and the IRMA . Of the three methods evaluated, the latter was found to be sensitive and the easiest to perform . The applicability of the IRMA was established by investigating a group of 14 selected patients with autoimmune warm type hemolytic anemia . We observed that the IRMA detected cell-bound antibodies (IgG and/or IgM) in several cases where conventional assays yielded negative results.

Radiobiologiia, 1985 Jan-Feb, 25(1), 43 - 6
{Quantitative assessments of synergism}; Lystsov VN et al.; The basic approaches to the assessment of the biological effects of combinations of different agents are briefly discussed . The situations of additivity, synergism and antagonism are defined with hetero- and isoaddition being taken into consideration . The practical application of the methods is illustrated by the analysis of the experimental data on the staphylococcus survival after the combined effect of gamma-irradiation and hydrogen peroxide or incubation at elevated temperature.

Am J Med, 1985 Jan, 78(1), 49 - 53
Infectious peritonitis in patients receiving intraperitoneal chemotherapy; Kaplan RA et al.; A total of 32 episodes of infectious peritonitis developed in 90 patients receiving intraperitoneal chemotherapy . Staphylococcus epidermidis was the organism most commonly cultured, accounting for 65 percent of isolates . Result of initial gram stain was positive in 35 percent of cases . The development of fever and abdominal pain as well as rising peripheral and peritoneal fluid white blood cell counts was helpful in the making of a diagnosis of infectious peritonitis . Seventy-five percent of patients were cured with antibiotic therapy alone whereas one quarter also required removal of the semi-permanent catheter . Patients treated with intraperitoneal chemotherapy delivered by dialysis exchange over several days exhibited significantly more episodes of infection than patients treated by a single-drug instillation each month . Although the development of bacterial peritonitis remains a problem during intracavitary chemotherapy, the use of subcutaneous ports and meticulous sterile technique during catheter manipulation will hopefully decrease the risk of occurrence of this potentially avoidable complication.

Infect Immun, 1985 Jan, 47(1), 37 - 40
Effect of calcium ions on staphylococcal alpha-toxin-induced hemolysis of rabbit erythrocytes; Harshman S et al.; Calcium in millimolar concentrations protected rabbit erythrocytes from hemolysis caused by staphylococcal alpha-toxin . This effect was maximal at 30 mM CaCl2 and required the continued presence of calcium . The protection was not absolute and could be overcome by increased concentrations of alpha-toxin . Calcium did not block the binding of alpha-toxin to erythrocytes but inhibited the alpha-toxin-induced release of small ions from the cell as measured by 86Rb release . The transient removal of calcium was sufficient to abrogate its protective effect, suggesting that its action involves a reversible alteration in the state of the membrane . The three steps of the alpha-toxin-induced hemolytic sequence are: (i) binding to specific receptors, (ii) formation of transmembrane pores, and (iii) cell lysis . We concluded that calcium acted at step ii by impeding the lateral movement of alpha-toxin necessary to form the transmembrane hexamer pores.

J Neurochem, 1985 Jan, 44(1), 278 - 90
GABA-modulin: a synaptosomal basic protein that differs from small myelin basic protein of rat brain; Vaccarino F et al.; GABA-modulin, a basic protein that allosterically inhibits the high-affinity binding of GABA to its recognition sites, has been extracted and purified from the synaptosomal fraction of rat brain where it represents approximately 0.5% of the total synaptosomal proteins . GABA-modulin has characteristics in common to the class of highly basic proteins isolated from myelin, in particular to the rat small myelin basic protein (SMBP) . However, GABA-modulin is located selectively in synaptosomes, whereas the SMBP is located in myelin . Moreover, synaptosomal GABA-modulin is different from SMBP in amino acid composition (it contains more Glx and Lys and fewer Arg residues) and in apparent molecular weight (17,000 and 15,000 for GABA-modulin and SMBP, respectively) . Synaptosomal GABA-modulin fails to bind {3H}muscimol per se but noncompetitively inhibits (IC30 approximately 0.5 microM) the binding of {3H}muscimol to purified synaptic membranes . Cyanogen bromide treatment generated a 13,000 MW major fragment from both SMBP and GABA-modulin . These two fragments were compared and showed differences in amino acid composition and sequence . Moreover, the peptide maps generated from GABA-modulin and SMBP by trypsin and staphylococcal V8 protease digestion are different . The high concentration of GABA-modulin in synaptosomal membranes, its high potency in the inhibition of GABA binding, and its neuronal specificity suggest that GABA-modulin plays an important role in neuronal membrane function linked to the modulation of GABA and perhaps other neurotransmitter receptors.

Comp Immunol Microbiol Infect Dis, 1985, 8(1), 1 - 8
Interaction of bovine immunoglobulin gamma 2 (IgG2) with staphylococcal protein A: evidence for IgG2a and IgG2b sub-subclasses in the bovine; Lawman MJ et al.; The reactivity of bovine IgG with protein A is confusing with respect to which of the bovine IgG class and subclasses are reactive . We have, therefore, re-examined the interaction of bovine immunoglobulins with protein A . The results presented in this paper indicated that at pH 8.0 protein A binds only immunoglobulin of the IgG2 subclass . The bound IgG2 can be readily recovered from an immobilized protein A column at pH 5.0 . Furthermore, the antigenic IgG2 eluted demonstrated two charged species which could readily be separated by ion-exchange chromatography . These results indicate that IgG2 in the bovine exists in two sub-subclasses, IgG2a and IgG2b . The two sub-subclasses of IgG2 could be rapidly isolated with a good yield in two-steps namely protein A affinity chromatography followed by ion exchange chromatography.

Chemotherapy, 1985, 31(5), 389 - 94
Synergism between gentamicin and mitomycin C in staphylococcal infections in mice; Jacobs JY et al.; Mitomycin C, an antineoplastic antibiotic, and gentamicin showed a dose-related protective effect in mice against a lethal staphylococcal infection when used singly . A combination of these two drugs was shown to be synergistic in the mouse model . A specific logistic regression analysis method confirmed that a synergistic bactericidal effect was obtained with the combination.

Acta Neuropathol (Berl), 1985, 68(1), 80 - 2
Myxoid meningioma: histochemistry and electron microscopy; Harrison JD et al.; Two meningiomas were investigated that consisted largely of myxoid tissue . Staining with Alcian blue and incubation with staphylococcal, Streptomyces or testicular hyaluronidase revealed that the matrix of the myxoid tissue contained hyaluronic acid and chondroitin sulphate . Special fixation was used for ultrastructural preservation of the myxoid matrix, and its ultrastructural appearance was that of these glycosaminoglycans . The previous appellations of microcystic or vacuolated meningioma applied to this type of meningioma relate apparently to poor preservation of myxoid tissue.

Am J Physiol, 1985 Jan, 248(1 Pt 1), C127 - 34
Staphylococcal alpha-toxin-induced PGI2 production in endothelial cells: role of calcium; Suttorp N et al.; Studies in erythrocytes indicate that staphylococcal alpha-toxin generates discrete transmembrane channels with an effective diameter of 2-3 nm . In cultured, confluent, pig pulmonary arterial endothelial cells we studied the triggering of the arachidonic acid cascade and its dependence on calcium influx, possibly through toxin-created pores . In endothelial cells alpha-toxin time dependently (5-30 min) and dose dependently (0.1-8 micrograms/ml) stimulated the release of radiolabeled arachidonic acid and prostacyclin (PGI2) production in similar amounts as the calcium ionophore A23187 (10 microM) . Preincubation of alpha-toxin with neutralizing antibodies abolished the effect . The toxin response was strictly dose dependent on extracellular calcium but not on magnesium . The toxin effect was accompanied by an up to 10-fold increased passive permeability of pulmonary arterial endothelial cells for 45Ca . Interference with calcium-calmodulin function (trifluoperazine, W7) dose dependently reduced production of PGI2, but blockers of physiological calcium channels (verapamil, nimodipine, nisoldipine, and diltiazem) did not . In contrast to the effect of the ionophore A23187, the toxin effect was accompanied by a release of potassium, but in neither system was there a release of lactate dehydrogenase . In addition, alpha-toxin but not ionophore-exposed endothelial cells showed an increased passive influx of small radiolabeled markers (45Ca and {3H}sucrose) but not of large markers {( 3H}inulin and {3H}dextran) . These data are consistent with the concept that alpha-toxin triggers the arachidonic acid cascade in pulmonary arterial endothelial cells by calcium influx and suggest that this calcium influx may proceed through toxin-created transmembrane channels.

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