Schweiz Med Wochenschr, 1981 Sep 19, 111(38), 1382 - 6 {Toxic shock syndrome}; Stalder H et al.; Two young female patients are presented who answered to the criteria for diagnosis of toxic shock syndrome, which was first described in 1978 and reached an epidemic peak in 1979 and 1980 in the USA . The disease almost exclusively affects women using tampons during menstruation and is characterized by fever, hypotony, multisystem involvement and exanthema following by skin desquamation . The disease is closely associated with the isolation of S . aureus in the vagina or elsewhere and is probably caused by a staphylococcal toxin. Int J Cancer, 1981 Sep 15, 28(3), 277 - 84 Staphylococcal protein A enhances natural killing activity against lymphoid tumor cell lines; Patel PC et al.; Protein A (pA), was found to augment the natural killing (NK) activity of peripheral blood lymphocytes against Burkitt's lymphoma-derived Raji and Daudi cells . This pA-enhanced NK activity was determined using the 51Chromium release microcytotoxicity assay . It was found that the increased NK activity was dependent on the concentration of pA used . In addition, the pA-enhanced NK activity was dependent on the time of incubation of pA with the effector and target cell mixture . Pretreatment of effectors for 16 h or more dramatically increased the NK activity against a wide range of tumor targets of different origin and possessing either B, T or null cell surface characteristics . The presence of the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-genome in the target cells did not influence the pA-enhanced NK activity . Nylon-wool column-fractionated, non-adherent lymphocytes (enriched in NK cells) showed an increased NK activity in the presence of pA than unfractionated lymphocytes . Pretreatment of certain targets with pA rendered them more sensitive to NK lysis . Interferon production was readily detected in supernatants from cultures of pA-treated effectors or effector-target mixtures, but not in supernatants from pA-treated target cultures tested . Results of different physicochemical treatments indicate that the pA-induced interferon is of gamma type (type II) . Thus, the data presented suggest that the pA-induced enhancement of NK activity is most likely mediated by the pA-induced interferon. Bol Med Hosp Infant Mex, 1981 Sep-Oct, 38(5), 741 - 8 {Atypical bacterial forms in septicemia . (L-forms) . Preliminary report}; Larracilla Alegre J et al.; This paper refers to the presence of atypical bacterial forms in the blood culture of 40 children who evolved with septicemia . Bacterial growth appeared in 18 (45%) patients in ordinary cultures . With hypertonic culture media 26 (65%) patients showed positive results . In 13 cases the reverted bacteria coincided with those isolated in ordinary culture media . In 12 patients (30%) whose cultures in normal media were negative, abnormal atypical bacterial forms were identified . Gram-negative bacteria predominated and Staphylococcus epidermidis was observed to develop with a certain frequency. Zentralbl Bakteriol Mikrobiol Hyg {B}, 1981 Sep, 173(6), 471 - 7 Distribution of the different Staphylococcus species according to their meat or dairy origin; Delarras C et al.; 152 Micrococcaceae strains, originating from meat or dairy products, already classified by the "Single Linkage" technique according to their biochemical profiles, into 13 taxa of food origin, are identified using the G + C content and biochemical tests, to the species of Staphylococcus described by Kloos and Schleifer . -The strains originating from near meat or dairy products are mainly S . aureus coagulase negative and S . xylosus biotype 2, the strains from raw milk include more varied species and correspond to S . epidermidis, S . hominis, S . aureus coagulase positive: the Staphylococcus found in different cheeses are principally S . xylosus biotype 1 . - The API 20 Staph biochemical gallery enables the identification, in the Staphylococcus taxa (Schleifer) of most of the Staphylococcus strains isolated from meat or dairy products. J Clin Microbiol, 1981 Sep, 14(3), 322 - 5 Detection of cell-associated or soluble antigens of Legionella pneumophila serogroups 1 to 6, Legionella bozemanii, Legionella dumoffii, Legionella gormanii, and Legionella micdadei by staphylococcal coagglutination tests; Wilkinson HW et al.; Current methods used for the detection of whole-cell isolates of Legionella or for the detection of Legionella soluble antigens are technically impractical for many clinical laboratories . The purpose of this study was to explore practical alternatives . The results showed that whole cell isolates of Legionella pneumophila serogroups 1 to 6, Legionella bozemanii, Legionella dumoffii, Legionella gormanii, and Legionella micdadei were identified specifically by a simple slide agglutination test or slide coagglutination test in which the reagent antisera are first bound to staphylococcal protein A . Soluble antigens were also identified specifically by the slide coagglutination test and by a sandwich immunofluorescence assay . The latter test may be useful in detecting antigen in body fluids of patients with legionellosis or in environmental samples. Infect Immun, 1981 Sep, 33(3), 827 - 33 Specific receptor binding of staphylococcal enterotoxins by murine splenic lymphocytes; Buxser S et al.; We describe a reliable assay to measure the specific binding of 125I-labeled staphylococcal enterotoxin A (SEA) by murine spleen cells . Toxin binding by lymphocytes was specific in that it was inhibited by unlabeled SEA but not by unrelated proteins . The biological activity of SEA (T-lymphocyte mitogenesis) correlated with toxin binding to splenic lymphocytes . In the presence of high concentrations of {125I}SEA, specific binding increased rapidly and approached saturation after 2 h . Toxin binding was sensitive to temperature and pH and was directly proportional to the concentration of spleen cells in the incubation mixture . We estimated that there was a single class of toxin-binding sites, which had an apparent equilibrium dissociation constant (Kd) of 8 x 10(-7) M and numbered 3,600 sites per cell . SEA and the antigenically distinct compounds staphylococcal enterotoxins B and E in excess competitively inhibited binding of {125I}SEA to mouse spleen cells . Our data suggest a common class of binding sites for the three staphylococcal enterotoxins. Am J Clin Pathol, 1981 Sep, 76(3), 316 - 21 Interstitial nephritis caused by methicillin . Studies in a case complicating staphylococcal sepsis with acute glomerulonephritis; Silverstein RL et al.; A 16-year-old student was admitted with acute, oliguric renal failure complicating staphylococcal sepsis . During treatment with methicillin drug hypersensitivity was suspected, and antibiotic was changed to vancomycin; by day 19 hemodialysis was discontinued . Renal biopsy showed two pathologic processes: acute exudative glomerulonephritis and widespread tubulointerstitial nephritis . In addition to glomerular immunoglobulin and C'3 deposits, interstitial and focal tubular basement membrane deposits of IgG were seen . Antiserum to DPO (methicillin) haptens localized apparently to the same tubular sites, as did fluorescein-conjugated antibodies from the patient's serum . The data suggest that interstitial nephritis was caused by serum antibodies to methicillin which bound to sites in renal tubules to which methicillin also had fixed . The acute tubulointerstitial nephritis complicated acute oliguric glomerulonephritis of staphylococcal sepsis. Immunology, 1981 Sep, 44(1), 187 - 92 The adjuvant activity of fatty acid esters . The role of acyl chain length and degree of saturation; Bomford R; Water-in-oil emulsions of metabolizable fatty acid esters, with the non-toxic surfactant Pluronic L122 as emulsifying agent, potentiated the humoral response to bovine serum albumin and staphylococcal toxoid in the mouse . Adjuvant activity was increased by changing the chemical nature of the esters as follows: (i) using a series of ethyl esters, adjuvant activity appeared when the acyl chain length of the fatty acid component was 16 or greater; (ii) isobutyl and isopropyl esters of palmitic acid (C16:0) were superior to ethyl; (iii) the ethyl esters of oleic (C18:1) and linoleic (C18:2) acids were better than stearic (C18:0) . Since emulsions prepared with longer chain saturated esters are very viscous or solid at room temperature, and unsaturated esters are chemically reactive, emulsions were prepared with differing proportions of ethyl caprate (C10:0) and butyl stearate . At a ratio of 9:1 the emulsions possessed the low viscosity of ethyl caprate, but gained the adjuvant activity of butyl stearate . 125I-labelled BSA was retained in the footpad to a significantly greater extent than with a caprate emulsion, but reasons are given for believing that slow release of antigen is not the only mechanism of adjuvant activity . The ester emulsions caused more acute but less chronic local inflammation (footpad swelling) than Freund's incomplete adjuvant. Transfusion, 1981 Sep-Oct, 21(5), 483 - 92 A comparison of methods for detecting leukocyte antibodies in autoimmune neutropenia; McCullough J et al.; A six-month-old girl and an 18-month-old boy with autoimmune neutropenia due to anti-NA1 are described . The antibodies were detected by granulocyte microagglutination, and their disappearance in the girl coincided with a return of a normal neutrophil count . The autoantibodies in both patients also reacted in the granulocyte cytotoxicity (GC) assay, and in one patient, in the staphylococcal protein A (SPA) assay . However, neither the GC nor the SPA assays showed the anti-NA1 specificity found by agglutination, and the presence of GC and SPA antibodies did not coincide with neutropenia . These three leukocyte antibody techniques may detect different antibodies and have different clinical significances . This report provides additional evidence of the existence of autoimmune neutropenia and indicates that the clinical role of neutrophil antibodies detected by different serologic techniques is not yet established . Antibodies detected by granulocyte agglutination were clinically significant in these two patients with autoimmune neutropenia, while the results of testing with GC and SPA were not. Dis Colon Rectum, 1981 Sep, 24(6), 445 - 8 Pseudomembranous enterocolitis: a historical and clinical review; O'Connor TW; Pseudomembranous enterocolitis (PMEC) was first documented in 1893 . Since this initial description, confusion has reigned in the medical literature concerning its nature and differentiation from such entities as necrotizing enterocolitis and staphylococcal enterocolitis . Since the 1950s, volumes have been written on PMEC and its association with a multitude of different antibiotics . PMEC has generally been used as somewhat of a "wastebasket" designation, being applied to any postoperative patient who develops significant diarrhea while on broad-spectrum antibiotics . More recently, a resurgence of interest in PMEC has led to its recognition as a specific disease entity and to a greater understanding of its etiology . The current review traces the history of PMEC, distinguishes if from similar disease processes, and describes its clinical presentation, diagnosis, and management . PMEC is particularly distinguished from antibiotic-associated diarrhea and certain forms of antibiotic-associated colitis. J Immunol, 1981 Sep, 127(3), 1044 - 7 Induction of human immunoglobulin secretion . I . Synergistic effect of B cell mitogen Cowan I plus T cell mitogens or factors; Saiki O et al.; Synergistic effects of B cell mitogen Staphylococcus bacteria strain Cowan I (Cowan I) plus T cell mitogens in generating immunoglobulin-secreting cells (ISC) from human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (MNC) were investigated . ISC were assayed by reverse plaque-forming cells with protein A-coated red blood cells . Low concentrations of pokeweed mitogen (PWM) plus Cowan I gave superadditive effects on ISC induction, generating 3 to 10 times as many ISC as optimal amounts of either mitogen alone . The mitogens together and separately showed similar kinetics of ISC; synergy was observed at every day tested . Plaque-forming cells of IgM, IgG, and IgA classes all showed strong synergy, together routinely representing 20% of initial MNC . At day 7 of culture, over 80% of non-E-rosetting cells were ISC . Cell donors tested gave these strong responses even if they were low responders to either mitogen alone . Cowan I plus other T cell mitogens, PHA, Con A, and protein A, also provided good signals for B cell activation . Cowan I induced marked proliferation of purified B cells, but T cell-helper signals were required for differentiation to ISC . T cell-helper factor, induced by PWM or PHA, also showed synergistic effects with Cowan I in induction of ISC . Purified B cells did not respond to T cell-helper factor(s) alone to proliferate or differentiate to ISC . These results indicate that optimal ISC induction occurs with a B cell mitogen plus T cell signals acting synergistically. Jpn J Antibiot, 1981 Sep, 34(9), 1211 - 34 {Evaluation of the effect of a cephamycin antibiotic agent, cefmetazole, for the postoperative infections (author's transl)}; Heat-shock proteins of Drosophila are associated with nuclease-resistant et al.; Proteins produced in cultured Drosophila cells during the heat-shock response (HSPs) were recently shown by autoradiography to be confined in large measure to the cell nucleus . We report here that nuclear HSPs are not associated with nucleosomes solubilizes by treatment with staphylococcal nuclease at low ionic strength nor are HSPs released by extraction with high salt, which solubilized most of the remaining histones and DNA . Possible functions of nuclear HSPs are discussed. J Immunol, 1981 Sep, 127(3), 917 - 23 Structural studies of a human gamma 3 myeloma protein (Goe) that binds staph protein A; Recht B et al.; The partial amino acid sequence of the Fc region of an unusual monoclonal immunoglobulin molecule (Goe), which had the allotypic markers Gm (b0, b3, b5, s, t, v), rarely encountered in Caucasians, was determined . Protein Goe was previously shown to belong to the gamma 3 subclass by antigenic typing, to possess a gamma 3-like hinge region and a gamma 1-like carboxy-terminal octadecapeptide, and to bind to staphylococcal protein A . The sequence of protein Goe resembled that of gamma 3 molecules except for the presence of tyrosine at position 296, alanine at position 339, and histidine and tyrosine at positions 435 and 436 . It is of interest that histidine 435 appears to play an important role in binding to Staph protein A . Since tyrosine and phenylalanine at 296 and 300 are typical of G3m(g) molecules, whereas protein Goe is G3m(g-), this may correspond to the non-b1 allotypic marker . Of the numerous explanations to account for these findings, the most likely possibilities are that protein Goe is either a hybrid molecule or the product of a germ line gene representing the G3m s allotype, which is rare in Caucasians and common in Mongoloid populations . Support for the latter alternative is provided by the isolation from normal serum of a small amount of a protein having many of the properties of protein Goe. Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1981 Sep, 20(3), 359 - 65 Penicillin and tetracycline resistance plasmids in Staphylococcus epidermidis; Totten PA et al.; The genetic nature of penicillin (Pc) and tetracycline (Tc) resistance plasmids in Staphylococcus epidermidis were studied and compared with those in S . aureus . Of 10 S . epidermidis strains transduced for penicillin resistance, we could isolate Pc plasmids from only 3 . One of these plasmids also encoded for cadmium resistance and another encoded for resistance to ethidium bromide, traits also associated with S . aureus Pc plasmids . Endonuclease fingerprinting of the Pc plasmids from the two species revealed extensive heterogeneity . Two S . epidermidis strains were also transduced for tetracycline resistance . Both harbored plasmids indistinguishable from S . aureus Tc plasmids as judged by endonuclease fingerprinting . These data suggest that genetic exchange between S . aureus and S . epidermidis occurs in vivo. Blood, 1981 Sep, 58(3), 658 - 61 Leukotriene B4 is a potent and stereospecific stimulator of neutrophil chemotaxis and adherence; Palmblad J et al.; We studied the effects of leukotrienes on in vitro functions of neutrophil polymorphonuclear (PMN) granulocytes . Leukotriene B4 (LTB4) evoked a stimulated and directed migration of neutrophils under agarose with an optimum concentration of 10(-6)M, whereas two nonenzymatically formed isomers (compounds I and II) induced this response at 10(-5)M . Leukotriene C4 (LTC4) and 5-hydroxyeicosate-traenoic acid (5-HETE) did not affect this PMN migration . At the same optimum concentrations, LTB4 and compounds I and II augmented PMN adherence to nylon fibers . The chemotactic and adherence responses were of the same magnitude as with formal-Met-Leu-Phe (fMLP) at 10(-7)M . None of the leukotrienes influenced the spontaneous or phagocytosis-associated chemiluminescence or the ability to kill Staphylococcus aures . The cyclooxygenase inhibitor, indomethacin, inhibited only partly the fMLP-induced migration at high concentrations and stimulated migration at 2.5 x 10(-7)M, suggesting that arachidonic acid was then mainly metabolized by the lipoxygenase pathways . The lipoxygenase and cyclooxygenase inhibitor, eicosatetraynoic acid, inhibited both spontaneous and stimulated migration at greater or equal to 2.5 x 10(-5)M, but not at lower concentrations . Thus, since LTB4, and to a lesser degree compounds I and II, stimulated migration and adhesion, it is suggested that these mediators could be of importance for the emigration of neutrophils from blood vessels to areas of inflammation. Tsitologiia, 1981 Sep, 23(9), 1047 - 52 {Frequency of acrocentric chromosomal associations and their silver staining in human lymphocytes in immune reactions}; Frolov AK; Ag-staining of the nucleolar organizer regions of acrocentric chromosomes of T-lymphocytes did not change during the immune response in children with porotitis and in those being in contact with parotitis-suffering children, as well as in young adults previously immunized by staphylococcal anatoxin . This character displayed individual peculiarities . No differences in these age groups were detected . A positive correlation was found between the size of Ag-band and the ability of chromosomes to make associations . Ag-staining and participation of G-chromosomes in associations was higher than those markers in D-chromosomes. Klin Wochenschr, 1981 Aug 17, 59(16), 877 - 88 Neutropenia after penicillins: toxic or immune-mediated? Neftel KA, Walti M, Spengler H, von Felten A, Weitzman SA, Burgi H, de Weck AL. Eight patients treated with a total of 220-550 million U penicillin-G developed neutropenia . These cases have been compared with eight patients receiving a similar dose of pencillin-G with no adverse reactions and with eight untreated subjects . All penicillin-treated patients showed raised levels of anti-IgG antibodies and lymphocyte culture stimulation indices . These values were highest in the neutropenia group . Both of the two tests significantly discriminated the three groups . Antineutrophil antibodies could be detected in four of seven neutropenic patients with a staphylococcal-slide-assay while indirect immunofluorescence and microcytotoxicity tests failed to reveal these antibodies . The literature dealing with neutropenias induced by penicillin-G and its congeners is reviewed . We conclude that (1) penicillin-G in doses exceeding a total of 200 million U frequently induces neutropenia, (2) an immune-mediated pathogenesis a highly probable, (3) neutropenia after penicillins is different from two hither-to accepted types of this side effect, (4) sufficiently high amounts of penicillin-G intravenously always induce sensitization against this drug. Jpn J Antibiot, 1981 Aug, 34(8), 1178 - 84 A pharmacokinetic analysis of ampicillin in the cerebrospinal fluid of rabbits with staphylococcal meningitis; Morikawa Y; Pharmacokinetic differences between a bolus and a 60 minutes continuous intravenous administration of 100 mg/kg dose of ampicillin in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) were evaluated in the rabbits with experimental staphylococcal meningitis . The maximum concentrations in CSF were 19.3 micrograms/ml for bolus injection and 7.24 micrograms/ml for 60 minutes continuous infusion . Half-lives (T1/2) in CSF and CSF/serum ratios of T1/2 were 29.9 minutes and 1.3 minutes for bolus injection and 48.1 minutes and 1.9 minutes for 60 minutes continuous infusion, respectively . These findings indicate that extremely high concentrations of short duration in serum are required to elevate the concentrations in CSF and the maintenance of certain concentrations in serum are required to keep concentrations above the therapeutic concentrations in CSF . The mean penetration rate derived from the CSF/serum ratios of AUC were 11.1% for bolus injection and 5.5% for 60 minutes continuous infusion . Thus bolus injection is considered to be superior to 60 minutes continuous infusion pharmacokinetically . Bacterial meningitis is one of the diseases in which therapeutic concentrations of antibiotics are difficult to attain at the the site of infections . Therefore, when an intravenous ampicillin is going to be used in the treatment of bacterial meningitis, bolus injection is preferred to 60 minutes continuous infusion. Acta Pathol Microbiol Scand {B}, 1981 Aug, 89(4), 199 - 204 A polypeptide antigen from a strain of Staphylococcus simulans . 2 . Antigenic and biological properties; Osland A et al.; A purified polypeptide antigen from Staphylococcus simulans CCM 2705 produced one precipitation line by double diffusion in agar with rabbit antiserum against homologous whole bacteria . The purified antigen did not induce antibody production in rabbits . However, when the antigen was complexed with methylated bovine serum albumin, antibodies with specificity against the polypeptide were produced . The antigen did not sensitize normal or tanned erythrocytes for agglutination in antiserum . The polypeptide antigen induced a primary skin reaction and was toxic for mice . It also induced production of MIF as demonstrated by the migration inhibition test . The polypeptide was found to be a leukotaxigen . No difference between C4 normal and C4 deficient serum was noted . C5 was found to be necessary for the induction of chemotaxis. Acta Pathol Microbiol Scand {B}, 1981 Aug, 89(4), 193 - 7 A polypeptide antigen from a strain of Staphylococcus simulans . 1 . Purification and some chemical data; Osland A; A polypeptide antigen isolated from Staphylococcus simulans was shown mainly to contain alanine and aspartic acid in a molar ratio of 3:1 . The circular dichroism spectre showed only positive ellipticities, and oxidation by D-amino acid oxidase showed the presence of D-alanine . 65 per cent of the alanine was present as the D-isomer as estimated by gas-liquid chromatography . Analytical ultracentrifugation showed that the polymer sedimented as a homogeneous peak with an S20, W value of 2.8. Thorax, 1981 Aug, 36(8), 590 - 5 Surgical management of pericarditis in Zaria, Nigeria; Mabogunje OA et al.; Over eight years, 58 rural Nigerians with pericarditis were treated surgically in Zaria using basic surgical facilities . Eighteen patients had purulent pericarditis, associated with staphylococcal pneumonia in children, or pneumococcal pneumonia in adults . Treatment with antibiotics and prompt pericardiectomy appeared to be superior to drainage, since a quarter of those initially treated with surgical drainage developed early constriction and required pericardiectomy soon after . Thirteen patients had chronic pericardial effusions, of whom one had epicardial constriction and two had cardiomyopathy . Twenty-seven patients had chronic constrictive pericarditis but tuberculosis was confirmed histologically in three only . Echocardiographic findings remained unchanged in five patients evaluated before and after pericardiectomy . Eight of the 13 patients who died had already developed myocardial or hepatic insufficiency before operation, because of late presentation or diagnosis . Greater awareness of the significance of precordial pain in this rural population where ischaemic heart disease is rare would help in making an earlier diagnosis. Tsitologiia, 1981 Aug, 23(8), 901 - 6 {Structural study of the chromatin of the myxomycete Physarum polycephalum in the mitotic cycle}; Dolidze MG et al.; The chromatin structure of Physarum polycephalum was studied with electron microscope at different phases of its mitotic cycle . At the S-phase and during mitosis, the chromatin has a nucleosomal structure . At the early G2-phase the chromatin structure changes, long regions of non-beaded structure being found in the chromatin fibers . At the late G2-phase, the major part of chromatin loses its globular organization, with chromatin fibres without a pronounced subunit structure prevailing in the preparations . Biochemical data show that the amount of chromatin resistant to staphylococcal nuclease varies during the mitotic cycle . The amount of nuclease-resistant chromatin is equal to 80% at the S-phase, to decrease up to 50-60% by the early G2-phase . Successive changes of chromatin structure at different levels of its transcriptional activity are found . Lability of nucleosomes is shown to increase with the increase in the transcriptional activity of chromatin, thus leading presumably to the chromatin structural alterations during the mitotic cycle. Neurosurgery, 1981 Aug, 9(2), 142 - 4 Rationale for prophylactic antibiotics and neurosurgery; Savitz MH et al.; A program of antimicrobial prophylaxis for neurosurgical patients was implemented at three community hospitals after review of the previously recorded cases of postoperative sepsis and the antibiotic sensitivity of the prevailing pathogen, Staphylococcus . No primary wound infections occurred in a series of 1000 consecutive operations . The rational basis for prophylactic antibiotics is discussed. J Cell Biol, 1981 Aug, 90(2), 533 - 6 Sizing of protein A-colloidal gold probes for immunoelectron microscopy; Slot JW et al.; Gold particles in colloidal solutions often vary considerably in size . The finest sols (diameter less than 15 nm), especially, are very heterogeneous, as is indicated by coefficients of variance (CV) of 25-35% . We have complexed staphylococcal protein A with gold particles (PA/Au) and then fractionated the preparations by glycerol or sucrose gradient centrifugation into very homogeneous subfractions . In this way, PA/Au probes of almost any size between 4.5 and 15 nm could be prepared . The variation of the gold particles in these fractions resulted in CV's between 9 and 16% . The reactivity of the PA/Au complex was not affected by the gradient procedure, as was shown by single- and double-labeling immunocytochemistry of ultrathin cryosections of rat pancreatic tissue. Br J Surg, 1981 Aug, 68(8), 587 - 9 Ventilatory capacity after three methods of anaesthesia for inguinal hernia repair: a randomized controlled trial; Godfrey PJ et al.; One hundred consecutive male patients undergoing elective inguinal herniorrhaphy were randomized to receive general, epidural or local anaesthesia, and the patterns of ventilation were studied before and after operation . General anaesthesia caused more depression of FEV1 and FVC than the other two methods, but no important arterial hypoxia or clinical chest complications ensued . One patients suffered minor staphylococcal wound infection, and one died of massive pulmonary embolism on the eleventh day. J Clin Periodontol, 1981 Aug, 8(4), 295 - 310 Comparison of the in vivo and in vitro antibacterial properties of antiseptic mouthrinses containing chlorhexidine, alexidine, cetyl pyridinium chloride and hexetidine . Relevance to mode of action; Roberts WR et al.; A study was carried out to compare the antibacterial properties of four cationic antiseptics, three of which are available as commercial mouthrinse preparations . Minimum inhibitory concentrations for alexidine, cetyl pyridinium chloride, chlorhexidine gluconate and hexetidine against a range of standard test organisms, were determined by tube dilution . Similar values for Oxford staphylococcus were then obtained in Dubos medium to which protein as yeast, or food extract, or serum was added in doubling dilutions to 16% . Salivary bacterial counts after a single rinse with the antiseptics or water throughout the day were measured in 10 subjects together with the duration of any residual antiseptic activity in the saliva . All antiseptics were effective at low concentrations against the organisms tested but the minimum inhibitory concentration values for hexetidine were the highest . Food extract and serum markedly increased the minimum inhibitory concentration values of all antiseptics, although alexidine and hexetidine were the least affected in percentage terms . The activity of a 1% povidone iodine preparation, used for comparison, was almost completely vitiated . An immediate significant fall in salivary bacterial counts was produced by the cationic antiseptics . Return to pre-rinse levels was seen for hexetidine after 90 min, cetyl pyridinium chloride after 3 hours, alexidine after 5 hours and chlorhexidine gluconate after 7 hours . Residual salivary antibacterial activity remained to 90 min for cetyl pyridinium chloride, to 3 hours for hexetidine and alexidine and to 5 hours for chlorhexidine gluconate . The antibacterial properties measured, in particular the duration of effect in vivo, may be relevant to the anti-plaque activity of cationic antiseptics. J Microsc, 1981 Aug, 123(Pt 2), 215 - 26 Cell surface labelling with gold colloid particulates: the use of avidin and staphylococcal protein A-coated gold in conjunction with biotin and fc-bearing ligands; Tolson ND et al.; Procedures for preparing gold colloid particles stabilized with either avidin or protein A are described . Methods of using these general utility tracers for localizing biotinylated and fc bearing immunoglobulins are outlined and, as examples of the way in which these methods can be applied, procedures for identifying epidermal growth factor receptors and surface fibronectin on ovarian granulosa cells are described. Acta Pathol Microbiol Scand {B}, 1981 Aug, 89(4), 253 - 60 Cross-reactions between Staphylococcus epidermidis and 23 other bacterial species; Espersen F et al.; By quantitative immunoelectrophoretic methods, 43 antigens were found in a mixture of sonicated preparations of four Staphylococcus epidermidis strains, using corresponding rabbit antiserum . Two of the antigens were identified as cell wall teichoic acid and a peptidoglycan antigen, respectively . Using this antigen/antibody reference system, cross-reactions between S . epidermidis antigens and antigens from other bacterial species were investigated . Fourteen of the S . epidermidis antigens cross-reacted with antigens from all S . aureus strains investigated . Only few cross-reactions were found between S . epidermidis and bacteria not belonging to the Micrococcaceae . The antigenic relatedness, expressed as a matching coefficient, seems promising for taxonomic work. Ann Rheum Dis, 1981 Aug, 40(4), 409 - 13 Prevalence of anti-beta-2 microglobulin autoantibodies in sera of rheumatoid arthritis patients with extra-articular manifestations; Falus A et al.; The frequency and concentration of specific factors binding beta 2 microglobulin were investigated in sera and synovial fluids of patients and in sera of normal controls . High anti-beta 2 m activity was detected in the sera of adult RA patients, particularly in those of with extra-articular disease . Similarly, anti-beta 2 m was present in the synovial fluids of RA but not of osteoarthrosis patients . Both the binding of anti-beta 2 m activity to the Sepharose staphylococcal protein A and its elution position in the second 'IgG' peak after Sephadex G-200 gel filtration suggest the antibody nature of the activity . The possibility of differences not only in titre but also in the specificity of heterologous and homologous anti-beta 2 m antibodies are discussed. Cardiovasc Res, 1981 Jul, 15(7), 404 - 10 Selective bacterial adherance to cardiac endothelial cells in tissue culture; Peterson LR et al.; The adherence of 16 gram-positive bacterial isolates and eight gram-negative bacterial isolates to cardiac endothelial cells from rabbits, chickens, pigs and opossums was evaluated using a tissue culture system . A single coagulase-negative staphylococcus was significantly more adherent over cell cultures and controls than any other organism tested . Adherent bacteria were sticky to most surfaces tested . No differences in adherence were demonstrated between gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria when they were compared as groups. Bol Med Hosp Infant Mex, 1981 Jul-Aug, 38(4), 585 - 94 {The value of the staphylococcal clumping test in the diagnosis of disseminated intravascular coagulation in the infected infant}; Ortiz Mendez VM et al.; The staphylococcal clumping test for measurement of fibrin split products is a simple, rapid and trustworthy method in the diagnosis of disseminated intravascular coagulation . Three groups of patients were studied, a) with anatomicopathological findings of DIC, 26 cases; b) with predisposing factors for DIC, 50 cases and c) control group, 50 cases . The p value was less than 0.001 for the staphylococcal clumping test, equivalent to 100% trustworthiness in confirming the diagnosis of DIC. Lab Anim, 1981 Jul, 15(3), 263 - 5 Kidney disease in the rabbit: a histological survey; Hinton M; Histological lesions were observed in the kidneys of 77 (32.5%) of 237 rabbits which were either found dead or were killed because they were unwell, and in 19 (25%) of 75 apparently healthy adult rabbits . Lesions associated with an infectious process such as renal abscesses, staphylococcal nephritis, pyelonephritis and pyelitis were the principal finding in rabbits up to 5 months of age, while renal fibrosis, with or without dystrophic calcification, was the most common lesion observed in rabbits aged over 10 months . Spontaneous amyloidosis was seen in 2 rabbits. Am J Dis Child, 1981 Jul, 135(7), 650 - 2 Evaluation of modified gowning procedures in a neonatal intensive care unit; Agbayani M et al.; The effect of modified gowning techniques in a neonatal intensive care unit was evaluated . During alternate two-month intervals, no gowns were worn over street clothes in patient care areas by staff or visitors . Mortality and infections rates during these "modified" gowning intervals were the same as during the gowning periods . However, the incidence of necrotizing enterocolitis was significantly greater in the modified gowning periods (7/353) than in the gowning periods (1/371) . An expansion of this one-year study to include another year showed an even greater effect . The prevalence of bacteria at three anatomic sites (nares, umbilicus, and groin) on days 2, 4, 7, 10, 14, 21, and 28 of hospitalization was comparable between those studied during modified gowning and gowning intervals . Exceptions were the significantly increased prevalence of Staphylococcus epidermidis in the groin (days 21 and 28) during gowning and S aureus in the nares (day 28) during modified gowning periods. Plast Reconstr Surg, 1981 Jul, 68(1), 43 - 9 Capsules, infection, and intraluminal antibiotics; Burkhardt BR et al.; Staphylococcus epidermidis, a normal cutaneous inhabitant previously shown to be present in 67 percent of nipple secretions, has been cultured from 55 percent of surgical mammary pockets prior to implant insertion and from the interior of 71 percent of fibrous capsules explored at open capsulotomy . Cephalothin and gentamicin placed within the lumen of inflatable breast implants in vitro have been shown to diffuse outward through the silicone shell . The use of intraluminal cephalothin and gentamicin in vivo has significantly reduced our incidence of capsular contracture following both primary mammary augmentation and secondary open capsulotomy . The authors believe that the cause of fibrous capsular contracture may be a low-grade periprosthetic infection, and that the unique permeability characteristics of the silicone shell may permit sustained antimicrobial activity at the surface of the prosthesis. Plast Reconstr Surg, 1981 Jul, 68(1), 34 - 42 Does infection play a role in breast capsular contracture? Shah Z, Lehman JA Jr, Tan J. The formation of capsular contracture around silicone implants continues to be the most common complication of augmentation mammaplasty . To date, the etiologic factors in the formation of capsular contractures have remained inconclusive . In the present study, the role of subclinical infection with S . epidermidis as a cause of capsular contracture was evaluated in 16 rabbits using miniature silicone implants . All the implants on the side contaminated with varying concentrations of S . epidermidis developed breast capsular contractures . Using Baker's classification, they were graded III or IV, while the controls were all considered to be either grade I or II . Grossly, the capsules on the contaminated side were firm, fibrous, and 2 to 3 times thicker than the controls, and this was confirmed histologically using micrometry . Implants contaminated with 10(7) bacteria uniformly extruded . The present study seems to indicate that subclinical infection with Staphylococcus epidermidis may be one of the causes of capsular contracture around breast implants. J Histochem Cytochem, 1981 Jul, 29(7), 870 - 3 A rapid method for immunofluorescent staining of paraffin sections using iron-containing protein A microspheres; Widder KJ et al.; A method to rapidly perform immunofluorescence or light microscopic staining on formalin-fixed paraffin sections has been devised utilizing magnetic albumin microspheres containing Staphylococcal protein A . Because the protein A constituent of the microspheres has the property of binding the Fc portion of immunoglobulin G (IgG) class antibodies, the microspheres can be used to rapidly bind antigen-antibody complexes by the Fc portion of the antibody . Deparaffinized sections were stained with fluorescein isothiocyanate-conjugated antibody (IgG fractions) by standard techniques, after which the protein A microspheres were layered over the sections . Distinct fluorescence of sections was noted with the addition of the microspheres, whereas only autofluorescence was present with direct staining alone . The microspheres were also visualized by light microscopy by a subsequent Prussian blue reaction, staining the Fe3O4 within the microsphere matrix . This method represents a more rapid method for identifying antigens in tissues embedded in paraffin than has previously been reported. Am Rev Respir Dis, 1981 Jul, 124(1), 60 - 4 Immunodiagnosis of invasive pulmonary aspergillosis in rabbits . Fungal antigen detected by radioimmunoassay in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid; Andrews CP et al.; To improve antemortem diagnosis of invasive pulmonary aspergillosis, we used a radioimmunoassay to detect an Aspergillus fumigatus antigen in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and evaluated this technique in a model of disseminated aspergillosis . Antigen was detected in 91% of BALF samples obtained from 11 rabbits with major pulmonary aspergillosis . In an additional 10 rabbits with only minor pulmonary involvement, antigen was detected in 40% of concentrated lavage samples . In contrast, antigenlike activity was found in only 1 of 17 BALF samples from control animals with systemic candidiasis, in none of 9 control animals with staphylococcal pneumonia and in none of 10 normal control animals . Although antigen was present in the serum of 76% of animals infected with Aspergillus, 27% of those with major pulmonary involvement had antigen detected in BALF alone . We found that an extracellular microbial antigen can be detected in BALF and that this technique in the disseminated aspergillosis model is both sensitive and specific for invasive pulmonary disease. Muscle Nerve, 1981 Jul-Aug, 4(4), 289 - 95 Acquired canine myasthenia gravis: immunocytochemical localization of immune complexes at neuromuscular junctions; Pflugfelder CM et al.; In the acquired form of myasthenia gravis in dogs, there are circulating antibodies to acetylcholine receptors (AChRs) and a reduction in the number of AChRs in the postsynaptic membrane . In this study, immune complexes were localized at the neuromuscular junctions in biopsy samples from 10 myasthenic dogs by immunocytochemical means employing conjugates of staphylococcal protein A and horseradish peroxidase . Immune complexes were observed in approximately 70% of the neuromuscular junctions studied in both type 1 and type 2 myofibers . Thus, acquired canine myasthenia gravis appears to involve immune-mediated mechanisms that destroy AChRs in a manner similar to myasthenia gravis in humans . Protein A was also observed to bind principally to elastic fibers in small arteries and arterioles of some myasthenic and control dogs; however, the significance of that localization is unknown. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A, 1981 Jul, 78(7), 4611 - 5 Monoclonal antibodies against beta nerve growth factor and their effects on receptor binding and biological activity; Zimmermann A et al.; Two hybrid cell lines, MC beta-1 and MC beta-2, secreting monoclonal antibodies against mouse submaxillary gland beta nerve growth factor (beta NGF), were produced by interspecies hybridization of spleen cells from rats immunized with beta NGF and mouse myeloma cells . The antibodies secreted by the two hybridomas are of the IgG1 subclass and bind staphylococcal protein A . The equilibrium dissociation constant of the beta NGF--antibody complex was determined for the MC beta-1 antibodies in solid phase and in solution . On protein A-coated surfaces the Kd is 3 X 10(-10) M, 2 orders of magnitude lower than the Kd 2 X 10(-8) M obtained in solution . The antigenic site recognized by MC beta-1 antibodies is present on each protomer of the beta NGF dimer, and the binding affinity of the second antibody molecule is similar to that of the first . The MC beta-1 antibodies inhibit neurite outgrowth from sensory neurons . Because this inhibition directly correlates with the inhibition of binding to the higher affinity beta NGF receptors, it suggests that beta NGF complexed with two antibody molecules does not bind to the receptor and is biologically inactive. J Virol, 1981 Jul, 39(1), 207 - 18 Purification and translation of murine mammary tumor virus mRNA's; Dudley JP et al.; We have studied the functions of the intracellular RNAs of mouse mammary tumor virus (MMTV) by purification and translation in vitro . Two major size classes of MMTV RNA, 35S and 24S RNA, were isolated from MMTV-infected rat (XC) cells and cultured mammary tumor cells by preparative hybridization of whole cell or polyadenylated RNA to cloned MMTV DNA covalently bound to chemically activated paper disks (diazobenzyloxymethyl paper) . Genomic-length (35S) RNA was prepared free of 24S RNA by rate zonal sedimentation in sucrose gradients . Experiments using {3H}uridine-labeled cellular RNA indicated that the preparative annealing method was highly specific and capable of effecting a 300-fold enrichment for viral RNA; the recovered RNA appeared to be intact under denaturing conditions and directed synthesis of full-length gag and env polypeptides in vitro . The products of in vitro translation were identified by gel mobility, immunoprecipitation tests with antisera against gag and env products, and partial digestion with Staphylococcus V8 protease . The 35S RNA species directed synthesis of several gag-related polypeptides, including three previously reported in extracts of infected cells; 24S RNA directed synthesis of two polypeptides closely related to env proteins from infected cells . Therefore, 35S RNA includes mRNA's for gag and gag-pol, whereas 24S RNA is the mRNA for env . These results help establish the position of env on the physical map of the MMTV genome and bear upon the coding potential of the genome. Immunology, 1981 Jul, 43(3), 447 - 57 Antibody to myelin basic protein in extracts of multiple sclerosis brain; Bernard CC et al.; Autoimmunity to a neural antigen is a suspected cause of multiple sclerosis (MS), and a candidate autoantigen is myelin basic protein (MBP) . Accordingly, saline extracts of brain from patients with MS and other diseases were prepared and the content of immunoglobulin (Ig) determined . Antibody to MBP was measured with a highly-sensitive solid-phase radioimmunoassay using 125I-staphylococcal Protein A . Anti-MBP activity was detected in brain extracts of all eleven MS patients, and in seven out of the eight brain extracts from the patients with other diseases; however the level of anti-MBP activity was significantly higher in the MS extracts (P less than 0.01) . Analysis of the MS brain extracts after purification by affinity chromatography columns revealed that the anti-MBP activity was specifically mediated by IgG and resided in the IgG1, IgG2, and/or IgG4 subclasses. Cancer Res, 1981 Jul, 41(7), 2714 - 7 Common antigenic determinants on human melanoma, glioma, neuroblastoma, and sarcoma cells defined with monoclonal antibodies; Seeger RC et al.; Antigenic determinants that are common to melanomas, gliomas, neuroblastomas, and sarcomas but that are minimally or not detectably expressed by adult tissues were defined with monoclonal antibodies . Quantitative absorption of monoclonal antibody (Ab 165) with adult tissues followed by testing on antigen-positive UCLA-SO-M14 melanoma cells did not demonstrate antigenic determinant (Ag 165) in brain, lung, liver, kidney, intestine, adrenal, and muscle, Absorption of Ab 376 demonstrated Ag 376 in adult lung but minimal or no antigen in other tissues . Both antigens were associated with a variety of fetal tissues . Assessment of 28 human tumor cell lines with the 131I-staphylococcal Protein A-binding test demonstrated that Ab 165 reacted strongly with melanomas and gliomas and weakly with sarcomas . Ab 376 reacted strongly with melanomas, gliomas, neuroblastomas, and sarcomas . Neither of these antibodies reacted appreciably with carcinoma or teratoma cell lines . Absorption of Ab 165 and Ab 376 with noncultured tumors demonstrated that melanomas, sarcomas, and neuroblastomas can have greater quantities of these antigens in vivo than do normal adult tissues . Qualitative and quantitative antigenic heterogeneity within positive classes of tumors was demonstrated for both cultured and noncultured tumors . The differences in antigen expression in vivo between normal and neoplastic cells suggest potential value for these antibodies in immunodiagnosis and possibly immunotherapy. Med Clin (Barc), 1981 Jun 25, 77(2), 77 - 80 {Sweet's syndrome: report of two cases (author's transl)}; Miro Meda JM et al.; In 1964 Sweet described a new syndrome, characterized by the association of fever, neutrophilic leukocytosis, erythematous plaque affecting the extremities, neck and face, with histologically verified polymorphonuclear perivascular dermal infiltrates and a rapid response to corticosteroids . Although some 100 cases have since then been described the pathogenesis remains obscure . We present two cases which showed all criteria for Sweet's syndrome, in which the initial presentation of acute onset with fever, multiple skin lesions and especially the poor general state on one, made use at first think of an infectious process such as staphylococcal or gonococcal sepsis, in which case diagnosis must be differential . Only when the causal agent is known and an early skin biopsy is done can correct diagnosis and treatment be established. Biochemistry, 1981 Jun 23, 20(13), 3784 - 91 Amino acid sequence of p15 from avian myeloblastosis virus complex; Sauer RT et al.; The complete amino acid sequence of the p15 gag protein from avian myeloblastosis virus (AMV) complex has been determined by sequential Edman degradation of the intact molecule and of peptide fragments generated by limited tryptic cleavage, cleavage with staphylococcal protease, and cyanogen bromide cleavage . AMV p15 is a single-chain protein containing 124 amino acids . The charged amino acids tend to be clustered in the primary structure . p15 contains a single cysteine at position 113 which may be essential for the p15 associated proteolytic activity . However, p15 shows no appreciable sequence homology with papain or other classical thiol proteases. Nouv Presse Med, 1981 Jun 13, 10(26), 2171 - 4 {Acquired Willebrand factor deficiency associated with monoclonal IgG kappa gammapathy . Presence of an inhibitor of ristocetin co-factor (author's transl)}; Sitbon N et al.; An 85-year-old woman without personal history of haemorrhages was found to have qualitative and quantitative deficiency of Factor VIII persisting at least 6 months . Asymptomatic monoclonal IgG kappa gammopathy was also discovered in the same patient, together with a circulating inhibitor of ristocetin co-factor . The fact that the inhibitory effect was reduced after the patient's serum IgG's were bound to staphylococcal protein A suggests that the inhibitor belonged to that category of immunoglobulins, although the authors were unable to detect it after elution. Arq Neuropsiquiatr, 1981 Jun, 39(2), 192 - 202 {Spinal epidural abscesses: report of 5 cases}; Braga FM et al.; Five cases of acute spinal epidural abscess, all in male, two of them in children (6 and 7 years old) and the others in patients older than fifty years are reported . In four cases the pathology was related to skin infection and the staphylococcus was the main agent . All the patients had a severe infectious clinical picture, pain on the spine, radicular or spinal cord involvement or both . There was a delay in diagnosis showing that this pathology is still rather unknown . The cases were treated surgically . Two patients died, two had a complete recovery and the last one recovered with neurological deficit . The patients who died had impairment of the cervical cord and were operated on in very bad general and neurological conditions . Revision of literature was performed and the authors discussed the various aspects of this disease. J Clin Pathol, 1981 Jun, 34(6), 670 - 3 Trypsinised human O erythrocytes in the detection of rubella-specific IgM by sera fractionation on sucrose density gradient and absorption with staphylococcal protein A; Al-Nakib W; Detection of rubella virus-specific IgM employing trypsin-treated human group O erythrocytes was evaluated using the method of sera fractionation on sucrose density gradients (SDG) and that of sera absorption with staphylococcal protein A . The former method proved to be highly specific and sensitive in confirming or excluding rubella by demonstration of specific IgM . In contrast, the latter method provided comparable results in only 71.43% of specimens tested by both methods while false-positive or -negative IgM results were obtained in the remaining 28.57% of specimens . In view of these results, therefore, it is recommended that all those specimens found positive for specific IgM by the protein A method must be confirmed by another procedure, possibly that of specific IgM reduction with 2-mercaptoethanol. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci, 1981 Jun, 20(6), 751 - 7 Quantitative ocular bacteriology: a method for the enumeration and identification of bacteria from the skin-lash margin and conjunctiva; Cagle GD et al.; Type 1 Calgiswabs were used to collect bacterial specimens from the skin-lash margins and conjunctivae of normal volunteers . The swabs were held in a nonnutritive balanced salt solution during transportation to the laboratory . Alginate swabs were dissolved in a two-step procedure in TC Eagle's medium and 2.5% sodium hexametaphosphate solution . Aliquots of suspended bacteria from the dissolved swab were plated on blood agar . After incubation, bacterial colonies present were enumerated and identified . Cultures from both the skin-lash margin and conjunctiva show significant variation in the number and types of microorganisms isolated . Quantities of bacteria isolated from the lid margin were usually greater than from the conjunctiva . Staphylococcus epidermidis was the most prevalent bacterium isolated . The adsorption of bacteria onto alginate swabs from bacterial suspensions and the recovery of a red pigment-producing organism from the conjunctivae of rabbit eyes previously inoculated show that the method is sensitive and highly reproducible. Clin Exp Immunol, 1981 Jun, 44(3), 646 - 53 Human B cell function in normal individuals of various ages . 1 . In vitro enumeration of pokeweed-induced peripheral blood lymphocyte immunoglobulin-synthesizing cells and the comparison of the results with numbers of peripheral B and T cells, mitogen responses, and levels of serum immunoglobulins; Nagel JE et al.; The effect of age on the in vitro generation of immunoglobulin-secreting cells in pokeweed mitogen-stimulated cultures was examined using a staphylococcal protein A plaque assay . Although there was no statistically significant decrease with age in the numbers of plaque-forming cells, subjects whose cells failed to produce immunoglobulin were four times more common amongst individuals over 55 years of age . Simultaneously-measured T and B lymphocyte numbers . 3H-thymidine incorporation by mitogen-stimulated cultures, and serum immunoglobulins were comparable in both the young and the aged. Immunopharmacology, 1981 Jun, 3(2), 179 - 85 Effect of methylprednisolone on the production of neutrophil migration inhibition factor by T lymphocytes (NIF-T); Wong LG et al.; Glucocorticoids may suppress cell-mediated immunity by inhibiting lymphocyte mediator production or reducing the responsiveness of target cells to these mediators . Our laboratory recently described a newly recognized T-lymphocyte mediator, neutrophil migration inhibition factor from T-lymphocytes (NIF-T) . In this report we assessed the effect of glucocorticoids on NIF-T activity . Methylprednisolone (MP) at concentrations as low as 10-7 M inhibited NIF-T activity from peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) in response to staphylococcal protein A (SPA) and concanavalin A (Con A) . However, MP at concentrations as high as 10-4 M did not after the responsiveness of neutrophils to NIF-T . Therefore, the effect of MP on NIF-T activity was due to inhibition of mediator production . The effect of MP on NIF-T production was reversible in 24 hours . This finding is consistent with the clinical observation that alternate day therapy does not suppress cell-mediated immunity . Serum taken from a patient as early as one hour after oral administration of 100 mg of prednisone inhibited NIF-T production in vitro; serum obtained at 48 hr after prednisone had no measurable effect on NIF-T activity, In addition . MP inhibited NIF-T production by previously activated lymphocytes. Am J Hosp Pharm, 1981 Jun, 38(6), 861 - 3 Effect of antipyretics on the length of hospital stay of pediatric patients with bacterial infections; Munzenberger PJ et al.; Antipyretic use in pediatric patients with uncomplicated bacterial infections was characterized, and the effect of such therapy on the length of hospital stay of these patients was studied . Study patients were divided into six groups of 30 patients . Patients with pneumococcal pneumonia, staphylococcal cellulitis, or H . influenzae meningitis receiving at least two antipyretic doses were compared with their counterparts receiving one or no antipyretic doses . Of the total 299 antipyretic doses administered, 284 were acetaminophen . Patients with H . influenzae meningitis received a mean of 4.57 doses per patient, which was significantly greater than the other study groups (p less than 0.05) . In contrast, patients with staphylococcal cellulitis received the highest mean dose of 12.51 mg/kg of acetaminophen . There appeared to be a relationship between the admitting temperature and the mean length of hospital stay; higher admitting temperatures were correlated with increased length of stay . Analysis of covariance for the different study groups indicated no significant difference in length of hospital stay (p greater than 0.05). Eur J Immunol, 1981 Jun, 11(6), 509 - 16 Genetic control of the immune response to staphylococcal nuclease . XI . Effects of in vivo administration of anti-idiotypic antibodies; Sachs DH et al.; The effects of prior treatment with heterologous anti-idiotypic antibodies on the response to staphylococcal nuclease (Nase) have been examined . Previous studies have shown that 100% of A/J mice treated with Nase in completes Freund's adjuvant produce anti-Nase antibodies possessing a characteristic idiotype (Id) . Mice treated with anti-Id antibodies followed by Nase produced levels of Id equal to or greater than those of control animals treated with Nase alone . The appearance of Id in treated mice preceded the appearance of anti-Nase activity, and animals treated with anti-Id alone produced high levels of Id without detectable anti-Nase activity . Id expression in such animals could be detected using anti-Id reagents produced in several different species suggesting that it represented true idiotope expression rather than unrelated molecules reactive only with the anti-Id reagent used for initial treatment . Isolation of the nonantigen-binding Id-bearing molecules (Id') showed them to be immunoglobulins bearing the same idiotopes as do anti-Nase antibodies . However, quantitative comparisons of Id levels vs . amount of Id or Id'-bearing immunoglobulin suggested that the nonantigen-binding immunoglobulins bore fewer idiotopes per molecule than did anti-Nase antibodies . Evidence was also obtained for the production of some nonantigen-binding Id-bearing molecules during the normal immune response Nase . These findings are therefore consistent with the existence of a network of Id-anti-Id interactions in the immune response to Nase. Biull Eksp Biol Med, 1981 Jun, 91(6), 763 - 5 {Method of electron-autoradiographic study of nucleic acid biosynthesis in bacteria during phagocytosis}; Pal'tsyn AA et al.; Leukocytes from healthy men exposed to Staphylococcus epidermis were incubated with 3H-uridine and 3H-thymidine . The level of nucleic acid synthesis by phagocyted bacteria was examined by electron microscopic autoradiography . The method makes it possible to correlate bacterial and phagocyte functions with their ultrastructures. J Dermatol Surg Oncol, 1981 Jun, 7(6), 483 - 91 Microbial findings in cancers of the breast and in their metastases to the skin . Implications for etiology; Cantwell AR Jr et al.; In four cases of carcinoma of the breast, variably acid-fast coccoid forms were found in sections from their metastases to the skin and in one of these cases in sections of the primary carcinoma . In this one case, similar-appearing corcoid forms were observed within the sections of the primary malignancy . In this same case, Staphylococcus epidermidis was cultured and studied at once and as it aged for development of forms comparable to those found in the microscopic sections of the neoplastic process . The implications of the findings for etiology of carcinoma of the breast are discussed. Circulation, 1981 May, 63(5), 1104 - 9 Echocardiographic appearance of the Chiari network: differentiation from right-heart pathology; Werner JA et al.; As echocardiography is being used more often, its value and accuracy are becoming more fully appreciated . Coincident with wider application of this imaging technique is the potential for identifying normal anatomic variants and their possible erroneous interpretation as pathologic states . In this report we describe the M-mode and two-dimensional echocardiographic features of a congenital remnant known as the Chiari network . This structure can present as a highly mobile, highly reflectant echo target that can be seen in several locations in the right atrium . We report here an index case that could be well examined echocardiographically and that was a cause of considerable concern due to the presence of congestive heart failure and a history of staphylococcal endocarditis . The presence of the Chiari network was confirmed pathologically . Subsequently, we found similar echocardiographic findings in 19 of 1248 patients (1.5%) studied in our laboratory . This congenital remnant, which is found pathologically in 2-3% of normal hearts, could be confused with valve disruption, vegetation or other mass lesion, particularly when associated with a suggestive clinical situation. Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1981 May, (5), 87 - 9 {Experimental study of the protective activity of a complex staphylococcal antigen and toxoid when administered in combination}; Egorova NB et al.; The data obtained in the experimental study of the protective activity of an antigenic staphylococcal complex prepared by the method of aqueous extraction and staphylococcal toxoid (native and adsorbed) are presented . The study carried out on the model of septic staphylococcal infection in rabbits indicated that after immunization with the mixture of the above-mentioned preparations the survival time of the rabbits increased to a greater extent than after immunization with each of these preparations separately . This regularity was especially pronounced under the aggravated conditions of infection with the mixture of strains. J Pediatr Ophthalmol Strabismus, 1981 May-Jun, 18(3), 22 - 8 Phlyctenular keratoconjunctivitis; Beauchamp GR et al.; There is growing evidence that a variety of corneal disorders may be expressions of altered immune mechanisms . Phlyctenular keratoconjunctivitis is probably such a condition . Typically described as arising from hypersensitivity to tuberculin protein, other antigens clearly may participate, particularly staphylococcus products . When corneal involvement occurs, it need not be confined to the peripheral cornea . The symptoms of the process may be disproportionate to obvious findings and so exaggerated as to suggest a psychiatric disorder . Resultant visual deficits, if the disease is corneal, progressive, unrecognized, and untreated may be profound . Representative examples of this disease are cited . Immune mechanisms are reviewed . The importance of recognizing the characteristic sign and symptom complex is stressed . Appropriate diagnostic studies and treatment regimens are presented. Antibiotiki, 1981 May, 26(5), 370 - 4 {In vivo and in vitro antibiotic sensitivity changes}; Chudner VZ; Spontaneous changes in staphylococcal sensitivity to 7 antibiotics were studied during a year . 9 hospital strains of Staph . aureus were used . The strains were subculture-in vitro . One of the cultures was subcultured in vivo in 17 dogs with experimental chronic osteomyelitis . It was found that sensitivity of the same culture increased in vivo to 4 antibiotics and in vitro to 1 antibiotic . The increased sensitivity to all 7 antibiotics in vitro was recorded with respect to 4 strains, to 6 antibiotics with respect to 1 culture and to 3 and 4 antibiotics with respect to 2 strains . 4 strains manifested a decrease in sensitivity to 1--6 antibiotics . The causes of the changes found require further investigation. J Chir (Paris), 1981 May, 118(5), 331 - 7 {Chronic staphylococcal osteomyelitic abscess of the popliteal fossa . One case (author's transl)}; Fery A; Moulonguet and Rousset's chronic staphyloccalosteomyelitic abscess is one aspect of Ollier and Poncet's albuminous periostitis . This extra-osseous form of chronic osteomyelitis was observed in a typical clinical picture in a 45-year-old man, 18 years after an acute hematogenous osteomyelitis of the femur . Diagnosis was mainly based on clinical findings, no additional information being gained from currently available complementary investigations, puncture biopsy or after excision . Ultrasonography alone was able to distinguish the lesion from a soft tissue tumor . Complete recovery occurs after surgical excision of this affection, which is rare, but may become of topical interest following abusive use of antibiotics . A general review of the published literature completes this historically interesting observation. Br J Cancer, 1981 May, 43(5), 696 - 700 Human monoclonal antibodies to lung-cancer antigens; Sikora K et al.; Lymphocytes obtained from hilar and bronchial lymph nodes from 23 patients undergoing radical surgery for carcinoma of the bronchus were fused with established rat or mouse myeloma lines . 62% of the resultant hybrids were found to be secreting human Ig detected by a sensitive staphylococcal Protein A-coupled SRBC assay . Immunoglobulins synthesized by such hybrids were internally labelled with 3H-lysine and their antibody activity against a variety of membrane preparations determined . Nine monoclonal antibodies were found which bound to molecules on lung-cancer membranes and not on normal lung membranes from the same patient. Ann Plast Surg, 1981 May, 6(5), 393 - 5 A preliminary report on the use of Staphage Lysate for treatment of hidradenitis suppurativa; Kress DW et al.; Eight patients, 7 with hidradenitis suppurativa and 1 with chronic recurrent staphylococcal abscess, all of whom failed to respond to antibiotic therapy, conservative therapeutic measures, and surgery, were experimentally placed on Staphage Lysate . Treatment after appropriate skin testing consisted of subcutaneous infections of 0.1 ml and intranasal installation of 0.3 ml of Staphage Lysate . Treatments were weekly for twelve weeks, biweekly for six months, and then monthly . Complications, which occurred early, were minimal and involved rash, vertigo, malaise, chills, nausea, fever, and headache . Six of the 8 patients reported noticeable improvement in odor, consistency, and amount of drainage and considerable decreases in pain . Seven of the 8 patients reported improvement in the ability of lesions to drain spontaneously, and a decrease in the frequency of inflammatory nodules . All 8 patients reported that the inflammatory periods were definitely shorter . Early data suggests that Staphage Lysate is a useful adjuvant in the treatment of hidradenitis suppurativa. Ann Ophthalmol, 1981 May, 13(5), 629 - 31 Endophthalmitis after cataract extraction: a retrospective case study; Singh G; A 43-year-old man was diagnosed as a case of near-mature senile cataract, chronic simple glaucoma, and pterygium both eyes . Pterygium shaving and extracapsular cataract extraction were done together . Thick aftercataract was diagnosed with moderate iridocyclitis on fourth postoperative day . Treatment was started with atropine and steroids, but without any relief . A second operation of curette evacuation of aftercataract was done to rule out and treat the presumed lens induced uveitis, but the condition further deteriorated . In next four days the eye had to be evacuated . On culture material, Staphylococcus epidermidis (albus) growth was detected . Keeping in mind the possibility of postoperative endophthalmitis from the very beginning, doing vitreous aspiration, using lens matter for culture-sensitivity in early stages, and starting of intraocular antibiotics might have helped to save the eye. J Biochem (Tokyo), 1981 May, 89(5), 1565 - 72 Interaction of initiator Met-tRNArMet (Escherichia coli) and Gly-tRNAIGly (Staphylococcus epidermidis) with bacterial elongation factor Tu:GTP complex; Tanada S et al.; Jekowsky et al . reported recently that elongation factor Tu:GTP complex from Escherichia coli protected aminoacyl-tRNA from digestion by pancreatic RNase (I) . On the basis of their finding, we have developed the "RNase-resistance assay" for determination of the dissociation constant of aminoacyl-tRNA from aminoacyl-tRNA:EF-Tu:GTP complex . By the use of this sensitive assay, the dissociation constants were estimated to be 3.6 x 10(-7) M for Ala-tRNA1Ala (Torulopsis utilis), 7.9 x 10(-8) M for Phe-tRNAPhe (Escherichia coli), 8.1 x 10(-7) M for initiator Met-tRNAfMet (Escherichia coli), and 5.4 x 10(-6) M for Gly-tRNA1Gly (Staphylococcus epidermidis) participating in cell wall biosynthesis . Moreover, using a relatively large amount of EF-Tu:GTP, we have been able to detect the ternary complexes of initiator Met-tRNAfMet and Gly-tRNA1Gly with EF-Tu:GTP even by the method of gel filtration. Pathol Biol (Paris), 1981 May, 29(5), 285 - 91 {Radioimmunological assay for antithyroglobulin antibodies, with the use of staphylococcal protein A as separating agents (author's transl)}; Lefort G et al.; The staphylococcal cell wall protein A is known to bind specifically and rapidly to most of human immunoglobulin G . We have utilised this immunoadsorbent in a radio-immunoassay for antithyroglobulin antibodies (anti-Tg), to separate autoantibodies-125I thyroglobulin complexes from free 125I thyroglobulin (125I Tg) . There was no specific precipitation of 125I Tg in the presence of 95,6% of sera from normal subjects (N = 45) . In graves' disease, 56/65 hyperthyroid patients sera were positive, and so were 12/13 sera from patients with primary hypothyroidism . This assay showed a good correlation with the second antibody method, while much more rapid and slightly more sensitive . Compared with the new assay, the red cell agglutination test exhibited a high frequency of false negative results . This rapid, sensitive and inexpensive method provide an easy and reliable tool to screen sera acceptable for thyroglobulin measurement. Ann Otol Rhinol Laryngol Suppl, 1981 May-Jun, 90(3 Pt 3), 58 - 62 Antimicrobial therapy for chronic suppurative otitis media; Fairbanks DN; In chronic draining ear associated with a tympanic membrane perforation and/or cholesteatoma, the infection is that of bacterial contamination . Both aerobic and anaerobic organisms are found, notably Pseudomonas, Staphylococcus, and enteric organisms, particularly Bacteroides . The disease exists because of a structural defect in the middle ear cleft, which requires surgery as definitive treatment . Medical therapy is valuable as a temporary measure, in preoperative preparation, and in prevention and management of intracranial extension . Topical therapy with antibiotic ear drops is often helpful, but also important is local care with cleansing, drying, and antiseptic solutions or powders . Therapy is usually directed against the Pseudomonas organism with aminoglycosides and polymyxins, but Bacteroides fragilis now looms as an important pathogen in 13% of affected patients, requiring chloramphenicol . Since drugs directed against Bacteroides ae ineffective against Pseudomonas, and vice versa, there is no one agent we can rely upon for treatment of both . What we are all looking for, of course, is that brand new antibiotic the FDA hasn't released yet: "panaceamycin." It hasn't even been developed yet . None of the ones we have are a panacea; and until we get one, we will have to stick with what we have, exercise clinical judgment, and base our antibiotic selections on, if not proven culture results, then at least established microbial probabilities. Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg, 1981 May-Jun, 89(3 Pt 1), 381 - 5 Topical therapeutics for otitis media; Fairbanks DN; In chronic draining ear associated with a tympanic membrane perforation, cholesteatoma, or both, the infection is that of bacterial contamination . Both aerobic and anaerobic organisms are found, notably pseudomonas, staphylococcus, and enteric organisms, particularly bacteroides . The disease exists because of a structural defect in the middle ear cleft, which requires surgery as definitive treatment . Medical therapy is valuable as a temporary measure in preoperative preparation, and in prevention and management of intracranial extension . Topical therapy with antibiotic ear drops is often helpful, but also important is local care with cleansing, drying, and antiseptic solutions or powders . Therapy is usually directed toward the pseudomonas organisms with aminoglycoside-polymyxin combination otic drops . However, Bacteroides fragilis now looms as an important pathogen in 13% of affected patients . Chloramphenicol otic drops are indicated when such an infection is suspected or identified. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A, 1981 May, 78(5), 2898 - 902 Anti-Rho(D) IgG binds to band 3 glycoprotein of the human erythrocyte membrane; Victoria EJ et al.; Alkali-extracted erythrocyte ghost membranes from Rho(D)-positive and Rho(D)-negative donors were incubated with human immune anti-Rho(D) IgG and nonimmune IgG . After sensitization with IgG, the integral membrane proteins were solubilized in Brij 36T nonionic detergent and chromatographed by gel filtration . There was a distinct resolution of IgG into free and membrane-complexed forms . The IgG-complexed membrane proteins were isolated by the use of a staphylococcal protein A affinity support . The protein A-bound complexes were examined for polypeptide composition by gel electrophoresis after elution . Only Rho(D)-positive membrane proteins incubated with immune anti-Rho(D) IgG revealed intact band 3 . Control Rh-negative membrane proteins that had reacted with immune anti-Rho(D) IgG and the Rh-positive membranes that had reacted with nonimmune IgG showed only low molecular weight fragments of band 3 that bound nonspecifically to IgG . Arguments are presented supporting a band 3 localization for the Rh antigen. Rev Chir Oncol Radiol O R L Oftalmol Stomatol Chir, 1981 May-Jun, 30(3), 199 - 205 {Therapeutic management of fracture-induced osteitis}; Denischi A et al.; Fractural osteitis is considered to be exclusively of external origin, being due either to accidental wounds, or to operatory wounds . The infection is usually either with a single strain of germs, or with a small number of strains, most frequently a staphylococcus strain with a necrototizing effect on the bone structure . The prophylaxis has a determinant role, and the authors stress the organisatory measures, as well as the medical attitudes that should prevail in the face of an open fracture . In the case of closed fractures that have been infected as a result of surgery the necessity for an "early reintervention" is stressed . Late postoperative osteitis may develop in a consolidated focus, and is called osteitis of the repaired bone . It may also develop as an osteoarthritis or, and this is more serious, as a suppurated pseudarthrosis . The therapeutic attitude depends on the condition, and may consist in the removal of the osteosynthesis material, removal of the sequestered bone tissue, a so-called: "mis-a-plat" of the cavity with muscular tissue and application of septopal pearls, or a two-stage spongious graft according to Papineau, under protection of the external fixation when the necessity arises. J Infect Dis, 1981 May, 143(5), 693 - 9 A rapid radioimmunoassay using 125I-labeled staphylococcal protein A for antibody to varicella-zoster virus; Richman DD et al.; A sensitive radioimmunoassay for serum antibody to varicella-zoster virus is described; it uses 125I-labeled staphylococcal protein A and a specially designed immunofiltration apparatus . The assay accurately distinguishes between individuals who are susceptible and those who are immune to infection with varicella-zoster virus . In addition, it can detect passive antibody in recipients of varicella-zoster immune globulin . This radioimmunoassay also detects the heterologous antibody responses that occasionally occur in patients infected with herpes simplex virus, which also have been detected by other antibody assays . The particular advantages of this assay are the use of noninfectious reagents, the speed of execution (less than 3 hr), the requirement for only small quantities of serum (30 microliters), the objectivity of end-point determination, and the capability of screening large numbers of sera . Consequently, this radioimmunoassay is especially useful for the rapid identification of susceptible individuals, which is essential for the appropriate management of patients and hospital personnel after exposure to varicella. J Natl Cancer Inst, 1981 May, 66(5), 827 - 9 Analysis of human tumor cells for Ia-like antigens with monoclonal antibodies; Howe AJ et al.; Cultured and noncultured human solid tumors were analyzed for expression of Ia-like antigens with the use of two monoclonal antibodies and a rabbit antiserum against human Ia-like antigens . Of 27 tumor cells tested, 3 melanomas bound antibodies {e.g., 21,563 cpm 131I-labeled staphylococcal protein A ({131I}SpA) with monoclonal antibody Q5/6}, but 24 others (1 melanoma, 9 neuroblastomas, 1 medulloblastoma, 3 gliomas, 4 sarcomas, 2 colon carcinomas, 2 transitional cell carcinomas of the bladder, 1 teratoma, and 1 squamous cell carcinoma of the lung) did so minimally or not at all (0-427 cpm {131I}SpA with antibody Q5/6 . Monoclonal antibody Q5/6 was quantitatively absorbed with homogenates of 32 noncultured tumors to determine if Ia-like antigens were expressed by neoplastic cells in vivo . Ten milligrams (wet wt) each of 5 of 7 noncultured melanomas removed more than 83% (median, 85%) of the antibody . In contrast, 10 mg each of 10 neuroblastomas, 7 carcinomas, 4 sarcomas, and 4 Wilms' tumors removed less than 47% (median, 19%) of the antibody; even 100 mg of these tumors removed less than 68% (median, 44%) of the antibody. Infect Immun, 1981 May, 32(2), 508 - 12 Human B lymphocytes produce leukocyte interferon after interaction with foreign cells; Weigent DA et al.; Enriched human B-cell populations cocultivated with xenogeneic or allogeneic tumor cells produced 1,000 to 10,000 U of leukocyte interferon per ml . In contrast, cocultivation of enriched plastic-adherent or T-cell populations with xenogeneic or allogeneic cells produced only 10 to 30 U of interferon . The population of cells producing the interferon absorbed to nylon wool and not sheep erythrocytes . They showed a strong mitogenic response to the B-cell mitogen Escherichia coli lipopolysaccharide but not the T-cell mitogen staphylococcal enterotoxin A . In addition, treatment of this cell population with goat anti-human immunoglobulin M and complement depleted the cell population synthesizing the interferon . Together, these in vitro findings strongly suggest that the cells producing most of the interferon after interacting with foreign cells belong to the B-cell population . These results also suggest that the cells that produce most of the leukocyte interferon after interacting in vivo with tumors or other cells made foreign to the body by certain viruses most likely belong to the B-lymphocyte population. Br J Exp Pathol, 1981 Apr, 62(2), 142 - 5 Inflammatory reactions to staphylococcal protein A in mice; Kinsman OS et al.; To throw more light on the role of Protein A (a cell-wall component of most strains of S . aureus), in infection and inflammation, due to this organism the immediate inflammatory reaction has been studied in hairless and hairless/obese mice after s.c . injection of the protein into the footpad following various forms of immunization or pretreatment (described) . Non-immunized mice showed an inflammatory reaction to Protein A, as judged by swelling, reaching a peak 2 h after injection . This might have been due to a nonspecific interaction between certain mouse Igs and Protein A . When specific antibody levels were raised by prior immunization or infection, the swelling was greatly increased . No delayed reaction was seen at 24 or 48 h, nor was a positive patch test obtained . The difference in results seen in mice and other animals may be due partly to the fact that intradermal injections are not possible in the mouse, or because in the mouse, unlike other subjects which have been used, histamine does not play a part . Mice do not show anaphylactic shock and this may be a function of the class of murine Igs interacting with Protein A . Further studies on these factors are required. J Neurol Sci, 1981 Apr, 50(1), 63 - 79 Experimental allergic encephalomyelitis . Characterization of serum factors causing demyelination and swelling of myelin; Grundke-Iqbal I et al.; Serum factors in rabbits with white matter-induced experimental allergic encephalomyelitis (WM-EAE) were studied with respect to their role in demyelination in vitro in organotypic central nervous system (CNS) tissue cultures and in vivo in the myelinated retina of the rabbit eye . By absorption with staphylococcal protein A, IgG was quantitatively separated from the other serum proteins . No IgG was demonstrable in the absorbed IgG-depleted sera by Ouchterlony double diffusion, immunoelectrophoresis and SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis . Both the IgG-depleted WM-EAE sera and the IgG fractions had complement-dependent demyelinating activity on CNS cultures, and both contained immunoglobulin binding to myelin and oligodendroglia of the cultures, as demonstrated by an immunoperoxidase technique . However, only the purified IgG fractions in the absence of complement induced swelling of myelin and proliferation of oligodendroglial processes with redundant myelin in tissue cultures . The IgG-depleted complement-inactivated WM-EAE sera produced no morphological changes . In the rabbit eye model, antibody-dependent cell-mediated demyelination was observed only with the IgG fractions but not with the IgG-depleted EAE sera . No oligodendroglial proliferation occurred . These studies demonstrate for the first time that in CNS cultures, non-IgG immunoglobulins as well as IgG mediate complement-dependent demyelination and that these bind to myelin and oligodendrocytes, whereas only IgG causes myelin swelling and oligodendrocyte proliferation. Arch Ophthalmol, 1981 Apr, 99(4), 609 - 10 Photosensitivity to sulfisoxazole ointment; Flach A; A 35-year-old man demonstrated sulfisoxazole diolamine-induced photosensitivity during treatment for staphylococcal blepharitis . This reaction was easily avoided by applying the ointment at bedtime and covering the eyelids during sun-bathing while in therapy . A drug-induced photosensitivity reaction should be considered in cases of staphylococcal blepharitis resistant to or aggravated by eyelid-margin therapy with sulfonamides. Urology, 1981 Apr, 17(4), 303 - 9 Renal carbuncle: diagnosis and management; Fallon B et al.; Six cases of renal carbuncle are presented . Nonstaphylococcal carbuncles now greatly outnumber those of staphylococcal origin . Diagnostic modalities are discussed . No radiologic or laboratory investigation is specific, but the diagnosis should be suspected in most cases if adequate attention is given the patient's signs and symptoms . Surgical treatment is recommended. Infect Immun, 1981 Apr, 32(1), 98 - 104 Characterization of a bactericidal lipid developing within staphylococcal abscesses; Dye ES et al.; Extraction of staphylococcal abscesses by the Folch procedure revealed that all of the staphylocidal activity was present in the lipid fraction . Further separation of the lipids indicated that the bactericidal activity resided in the free fatty acid pool . Lipids similarly extracted from mesenteric or epididymal fat tissue, either before of after activation, did not possess comparable activity . Myristic, palmitic, palmitoleic, linoleic, and oleic acids, as well as lysolecithin, also failed to exhibit the properties of the fatty acid fraction obtained from abscess homogenates . These findings suggest the staphylocidal fatty acid is not a common host lipid. Am J Med, 1981 Apr, 70(4), 924 - 7 Hepatitis B infection in hospital personnel during an eight-year period; policies for screening and pregnancy in high risk areas; Pantelick EL et al.; From 1972 through 1979, acute hepatitis, type B, or asymptomatic hepatitis B surface (HBs) antigenemia developed in 34 employees at Yale-New Haven Hospital . The average yearly incidence of the infection was 1.2 cases per 1,000 employees . The incidence was highest in those administering venipunctures followed, respectively, by those in the emergency room, hemodialysis unit, housestaff, laboratory, general nursing, and support service personnel . Three cases were detected during eight years of routine screening of personnel; in 1972, one of these, a pregnant nurse working in the hemodialysis unit, was moved from that unit . Subsequently, seven personnel in the unit have been transferred during pregnancy . However, staphylococcal pneumonia was acquired by one of them on a medical floor, and another nurse, seeking work in oncology, was not hired while pregnant . Both cases resulted in administrative complaints . Currently, we screen personnel in the hemodialysis and venipuncture units quarterly for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and antibody (anti-HBs) (participation is optional for those in the emergency room and oncology) and strongly urge seronegative pregnant women to transfer from these areas. J Invest Dermatol, 1981 Apr, 76(4), 297 - 301 Percutaneous transport in relation to stratum corneum structure and lipid composition; Elias PM et al.; Despite the acknowledged importance of the stratum corneum in limiting water loss and in controlling skin permeability, the basis for these functions remains unknown . To pinpoint those factor(s) of importance for cutaneous barrier function, we correlated the thickness, number of cell layers, and lipid composition of leg vs . abdominal stratum corneum samples with penetration of 3H-water and 14C-salicylic acid across the same tissue sample . Viable upper epidermal sheets were obtained by incubating fresh autopsy or amputation full-thickness skin with staphylococcal exfoliatin . Each sheet was divided into 3 portions . The first piece was mounted in a diffusion cell for penetration studies . The second stratum corneum sample was frozen sectioned, stained with the fluorochrome, ANS, and measured with a micrometer eyepiece . The 3rd piece was pooled with other leg (n = 6) and abdomen (n = 15) specimens for determination of lipid weight percent . In all cases, leg stratum corneum was congruent to 2 times more permeable than abdominal stratum corneum to water and slightly more permeable to salicylic acid, as well . Penetration of both substances correlated inversely with lipid weight % of leg (mean = 3.0%) vs . abdomen (mean = 6.8%), but neither the penetration of water nor of salicylic acid was influenced by the number of cell layers or the thickness of the stratum corneum . We conclude that: differences in the thickness and the number of cell layers in the stratum corneum are insufficient to account for differences in percutaneous transport across leg and abdomen, and that total lipid concentration may be the critical factor governing skin permeability. Clin Exp Immunol, 1981 Apr, 44(1), 63 - 7 Immunological evaluation of asymptomatic carriers of hepatitis B virus; Levo Y et al.; The immune system of 69 asymptomatic HBsAg carriers with normal liver function tests was evaluated . B cell function, as documented by serum immunoglobulin levels, number of mouse rosette-forming lymphocytes and lymphocyte reactivity to staphylococcal protein A, was intact . On the other hand, T cell function was markedly impaired . This was manifested by a significant decrease in E rosette-forming lymphocytes, an increase in stable rosette-forming cells and decreased reactivity to phytohaemagglutinin and concanavalin A . These data rule out the possibility that the immunological aberrations associated with hepatitis B infection are secondary to liver injury . The abnormal immune state either precedes the viral infection, thus predisposing to the acquisition of a carrier state or, alternatively, is a direct result of the infection. Biochem J, 1981 Apr 1, 195(1), 317 - 27 Electrophoretic analysis of proteins from single bovine muscle fibres; Young OA et al.; A number of single fibres were isolated by dissection of four bovine masseter (ma) muscles, three rectus abdominis (ra) muscles and eight sternomandibularis (sm) muscles . By histochemical criteria these muscles contain respectively, solely slow fibres (often called type I), predominantly fast fibres (type II), and a mixture of fast and slow . The fibres were analysed by conventional sodium dodecyl sulphate/polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis and the gels stained with Coomassie Blue . Irrespective of the muscle, every fibre could be classed into one of two broad groups based on the mobility of proteins in the range 135000-170000 daltons . When zones containing myosin heavy chain were cut from the single-fibre gel tracks and 'mapped' {Cleveland, Fischer, Kirschner & Laemmli (1977) J . Biol . Chem . 252, 1102-1106} with Staphylococcus proteinase, it was found that one group always contained fast myosin heavy chain, whereas the second group always contained the slow form . Moreover, a relatively fast-migrating alpha-tropomyosin was associated with the fast myosin group and a slow-migrating form with the slow myosin group . All fibres also contained beta-tropomyosin; the coexistence of alpha- and beta-tropomyosin is at variance with evidence that alpha-tropomyosin is restricted to fast fibres {Dhoot & Perry (1979) Nature (London) 278, 714-718} . Fast fibres containing the expected fast light chains and troponins I and C fast were identified in the three ra muscles, but in only four sm muscles . In three other sm muscles, all the fast fibres contained two troponins I and an additional myosin light chain that was more typical of myosin light chain 1 slow . The remaining sm muscle contained a fast fibre type that was similar to the first type, except that its myosin light chain 1 was more typical of the slow polymorph . Troponin T was bimorphic in all fast fibres from a ra muscles and in at least some fast fibres from one sm muscle . Peptide 'mapping' revealed two forms of fast myosin heavy chain distributed among fast fibres . Each form was associated with certain other proteins . Slow myosin heavy chain was unvarying in three slow fibre types identified . Troponin I polymorphs were the principal indicator of slow fibre types . The myofibrillar polymorphs identified presumably contribute to contraction properties, but beyond cud chewing involving ma muscle, nothing is known of the conditions that gave rise to the variable fibre composites in sm and ra muscles. Biull Eksp Biol Med, 1981 Apr, 91(4), 449 - 51 {Effect of administration of ampiox and guanosine triphosphate on the concentration of cyclic nucleotides in the muscle tissue of a zone of inflammation}; Nosova IM et al.; Experiments on rabbits with infiltrates induced by intracutaneous injection of staphylococcal culture were made to examine the content of cyclic nucleotides in the adjacent muscle tissue under the effect of administering ampiox alone or combined with guanosine triphosphate (GTP) . Combined injection of ampiox and GTP to the infected animals produced a considerable elevation in the content of cAMP (more than 2 1/2-fold) and in the cAMP/cGMP ratio along with a beneficial therapeutic effect . The possible mechanisms of action of the agents administered are discussed. J Immunol, 1981 Apr, 126(4), 1620 - 3 Antibody to staphylococcal enterotoxin A-induced human immune interferon (IFN gamma); Langford MP et al.; Antiserum to human gamma interferon (IFN gamma) was produced in rabbits immunized with partially purified (10(4.8) to 10(6.2) antiviral U/mg protein) staphylococcal enterotoxin A-induced IFN gamma . Staphylococcal enterotoxins, phytohemagglutinin M, concanavalin A, and pokeweed mitogen-induced antiviral activity in human leukocyte cultures was neutralized to undetectable levels by the antiserum . However, human leukocyte interferon (IFN alpha), human fibroblast interferon (IFN beta), and mouse interferons were not neutralized by the antiserum . After determining the antiserum was specific for IFN gamma and did not neutralize other known types of interferon, it was used with antibody to human IFN alpha to demonstrate the type(s) of interferon stimulated by some new inducers and antigens . Galactose oxidase- and calcium ionophore-induced interferons were neutralized to undetectable levels by the antiserum to IFN gamma . Interferon produced in leukocyte cultures from tuberculin-negative individuals stimulated with tuberculin-purified protein derivative or old tuberculin was IFN alpha, whereas interferon from tuberculin-positive individuals was a combination of alpha and gamma IFN . In addition, the antiserum neutralized the anticellular and natural killer cell enhancement activities of IFN gamma preparations . The specificity of this antiserum for IFN gamma indicates that it is an additional, powerful tool for identifying and classifying known and new interferons produced in vitro or in vivo and for investigating the role(s) of IFN gamma during the course of infectious, neoplastic, and autoimmune diseases. J Biol Chem, 1981 Mar 25, 256(6), 2863 - 72 Primary structure of murine major histocompatibility complex alloantigens . Amino acid sequence of the NH2-terminal ninety-eight residues of the H-2Db glycoprotein; Maloy WL et al.; The NH2-terminal 98 amino acid residues of the murine histocompatibility antigen H-2Db have been assigned using radiochemical methodology . This represents the first extensive, continuous sequence information for a histocompatibility antigen encoded by the H-2D locus and allows comparison with the recently determined amino acid sequence of the H-2Kb molecule . The amino acid sequence was obtained from the sequences of three CNBr peptides, CN-E, CN-D, and CN-B, which comprise residues 1-5, 6-52, and 53-98, respectively . The amino acid sequence of CN-E was determined directly while the sequences of CN-D and CN-B were determined by NH2-terminal sequence analyses and sequence determinations of peptides produced by thrombin, staphylococcal V8 protease, and trypsin cleavage . Alignment of the CNBr peptides was accomplished by NH2-terminal sequence analysis of the H-2Db papain fragment (CN-E to CN-D) and by analyzing peptides from a tryptic digest of the intact H-2Db molecule . Positive identification was possible for all amino acids except Asp and Asn-86 which were indirectly assigned (in italics) . The sequence obtained was Gly-Pro-His-Ser-Met-Arg-Tyr-Phe-Glu-Thr-Ala-Val-Ser-Arg-Pro-Gly-Leu-Glu-Glu-Pro -Arg-Tyr-Ile-Ser-Val-Gly-Tyr-Val-Asp-Asn-Lys-Glu-Phe-Val-Arg-Phe-Asp-Ser-Asp-Ala-Glu-Asn-Pro-Arg-Tyr-Glu-Pro-Arg-Ala-Pro-Trp-Met-Glu-Gln-Glu-Gly-Pro-Glu-Tyr-T rp-Glu-Arg-Glu-Thr-Gln-Lys-Ala-Lys-Gly-Gln-Glu-Gln-Trp-Phe-Arg-Val-Ser-Leu-Arg-Asn-Leu-Leu-Gly-Tyr-Tyr-Asn-Gln-Ser-Ala-Gly-Gly-Ser-His-Thr-Leu-Gln-Gln-Met. J Biol Chem, 1981 Mar 25, 256(6), 3024 - 9 The amino acid sequence of residues 1-104 of CTL-1, a bovine H1 histone; Liao LW et al.; The amino acid sequence of the first 104 residues of calf thymus H1 histone subfraction (CTL-1), one of the H1 histones from bovine thymus, was determined by use of peptides derived from chymotryptic and staphylococcus protease digestion . The first 35 residues differ from the corresponding regions of a rabbit thymus H1 (RTL-3) and trout H1 by 30 and 39%, respectively, while in the region between residues 36 and 104 CTL-1 differs from the rabbit histone by only 4% and from the trout histone by only 16% . Although the differences between CTL-1 and sea urchin H1 are much greater, it is still evident that the sequence between residue 36 and residue 104 has been conserved much more than that between residues 1 and 35. J Biol Chem, 1981 Mar 10, 256(5), 2480 - 3 Removal of histone H1 from intact nuclei alters the digestion of nucleosome core DNA by staphylococcal nuclease; Smerdon MJ et al.; We have examined the gel profiles of staphylococcal nuclease digests of intact nuclei following different extents of removal of histone H1 by low pH . It was found that the submonomer fragment pattern (i.e . fragments less than 140 base pairs (bp) changed dramatically following removal of H1 . The most striking feature of this change was a marked increase in the relative intensity of a band migrating at 102 +/- 4 bp when about 20-50% of the nuclear DNA is rendered acid soluble . All other submonomer bands decreased in relative intensity . There was no evidence for an approximately 100-bp repeat pattern accompanying the enhanced generation of the 102-bp fragment following H1 removal . This result, along with the comparisons of gel profiles for different extents of digestion, suggests that removal of histone H1 from nuclei results in an increased susceptibility of the DNA to staphylococcal nuclease at one or both ends of many of the core particles and that a strong block to further digestion occurs within these core particles resulting in the formation of a relatively stable 102-bp fragment. Med Clin (Barc), 1981 Mar 10, 76(5), 206 - 10 {Severe medical sequelae in heroin addicts}; Ortega Carnicer J et al.; Disease secondary to heroin abuse constitutes a rarity in Spain . While there had been no previous cases in earlier years four young heroin addicts were admitted to the Hospital "1st de Octubre" for severe medical complications of their addiction within the last twelve months . Two patients were admitted in deep coma due to drug overdose, being cardiac arrhythmias and pulmonary edema the main associated complications . Cardiac rhythm disturbances are due to a heightened vagal tone, either secondary to inhibition of acetylcholine hydrolysis or to hypoxia, hypercapnia, and acidosis, factors that diminish cholinesterase activity and act synergistically to increase vagal tone . Pulmonary edema secondary to heroin overdose is non-cardiogenic and probably due to hypoxia added to the local action of heroin on the alveolocapillary membrane . The goal of therapy in such cases is to obtain an appropriate alveolar ventilation, the use of continuous positive pressure ventilation being required when there is pulmonary edema . The third patient had staphylococcal pneumonia with multiple abscess formation secondary to venous septic embolization originated peripherally where the drug was injected . Finally, the fourth patient was admitted because of a clinical and biochemical picture of HBsAg negative acute viral hepatitis, having suffered a similar clinical picture three years previously. Ann Ophthalmol, 1981 Mar, 13(3), 329 - 34 Conjunctivitis in the newborn: observations on incidence, cause, and prophylaxis; Stenson S et al.; One hundred seventy-one cases of neonatal conjunctivitis seen at Bellevue Hospital during the period 1950--1976 were reviewed . An overall incidence of 3.0 cases per 1,000 live births was found . A comparison of the rates of neonatal conjunctivitis with silver nitrate and tetracycline prophylaxis revealed a 100% increase in the rate overall, as well as the rate of gonococcal conjunctivitis with tetracycline . Using conjunctival cultures and cytology, a diagnosis could be established in 73% of the cases, with 41% being bacterial and 32% chlamydial . Staphylococcus was the single most common organism recovered; gonococcus was relatively rare. Infect Immun, 1981 Mar, 31(3), 929 - 34 Staphylococcal enterotoxins fail to disrupt membrane integrity or synthetic functions of Henle 407 intestinal cells; Buxser S et al.; The potential cytotoxic activity of purified staphylococcal enterotoxins for mammalian cells was evaluated . The effects of staphylococcal enterotoxins A (SEA) and B (SEB) on cell membrane integrity as measured by leakage of labeled cytoplasmic constituents ({3H}uridine), amino acid transport (lysine and aminoisobutyric acid), and macromolecular synthesis (protein, ribonucleic acid, and deoxyribonucleic acid) was evaluated for a human intestinal epithelial cell (Henle 407) . No evidence of cytotoxicity by any of these criteria could be detected for cell monolayers incubated with SEA for periods of between 30 min and 24 h . Purified staphylococcal hemolysins (alpha- and delta-toxins) were shown to exert cytotoxicity by the leakage and amino acid uptake assays . In efforts to detect synergistic effects between enterotoxin and the staphylococcal cytotoxins, membrane functions were evaluated after sequential or combined treatment with enterotoxin and alpha-toxin or with enterotoxin and delta-toxin . In no instance could a contribution to cytotoxicity by the staphylococcal enterotoxin be detected . That the assays were sufficiently sensitive to detect synergistic effects was shown by the greater than additive effects achieved with a combination of alpha- and delta-toxins . The data, contrary to previous reports, showed that staphylococcal enterotoxins did not behave as bacterial cytotoxins. J Gerontol, 1981 Mar, 36(2), 136 - 41 A comparison of surface antigens of senescent and presenescent human fibroblasts; Moley J et al.; In order to test if there is an alteration in major surface proteins in human fibroblasts as they become senescent in vitro, activity of specific antisera against presenescent and senescent cells was measured . Two strains of human foreskin fibroblasts were grown into senescence by serial transfers . One strain (HF-J) became senescent after 49 population doublings while the second (HF-4) became senescent after 62 . Antibodies were made against these cells while in the presenescent (phase II) and senescent (phase III) stages . Antibody binding to presenescent and senescent cells was measured before and after preabsorption with heterologous cells (e.g., presenescent HF-4 cell stimulated antisera was absorbed with senescent HF-4 cells, etc.) . Two assays were used to measure antibody binding: complement mediated cell lysis and the binding of radiolabeled staphylococcal protein A . The amount of protein A binding after treatment with specific antisera was found to be the same for both senescent and presenescent cells . Likewise no difference in complement mediated cell lysis titers were observed . These results are consistent with the conclusion that senescent and presenescent cells do not differ in major cell surface antigens. J Infect Dis, 1981 Mar, 143(3), 447 - 59 Recurrent infection in glycogenosis type Ib: abnormal neutrophil motility related to impaired redistribution of adhesion sites; Anderson DC et al.; Neutrophil function was investigated in a male child with glycogenosis type Ib who demonstrated susceptibility to staphylococcal infections and neutropenia . Random motility and directed migration of the patient's neutrophils in vitro were profoundly diminished . The patient's neutrophils stimulated in suspension with chemotactic factors (CFs) generated chemiluminescence that was comparable to or greater than that generated by neutrophils from controls, but the patient's neutrophils failed to assume a normal bipolar configuration in response to chemotactic stimuli . They also failed to demonstrate enhanced adherence after a single exposure to CFs or decreased adherence after sequential exposures to increasing concentrations of CFs . Unlike neutrophils from controls, the patient's neutrophils failed to redistribute surface adhesion sites from lamellipodia (anterior pole) to uropods (tail) after sequential CF stimuli . These findings indicate a functional link between CF-induced configurational changes and altered adhesiveness of neutrophils under conditions of directed locomotion and suggest that a redistribution of surface adhesion sites is related to the mechanism of neutrophil locomotion. Biochem J, 1981 Mar 1, 193(3), 875 - 85 Isolation and characterization of calmodulin from an insulin-secreting tumour; Hutton JC et al.; A major protein constituent of a rat islet cell tumour that exhibited Ca2+-dependent changes in electrophoretic mobility has been purified to homogeneity and compared in its physicochemical and biological properties with bovine brain and rat brain calmodulin (synonymous with phosphodiesterase activator protein, calcium-dependent regulator, troponin C-like protein and modulator protein) . The protein, like these calmodulins, contained trimethyl-lysine, exhibited a blocked N-terminus and had an identical amino-acid composition and molecular weight on sodium dodecyl sulphate/polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis . Peptide "maps' prepared after digestion of the three proteins with trypsin, papain or Staphylococcus V-8 proteinase were virtually superimposable . Ca2+ altered the electrophoretic mobilities the enhanced the native protein fluorescence in an equivalent manner with all three proteins . Equilibrium dialysis experiments demonstrated in each case the binding of 4g-atoms of calcium/mol of protein; the binding sites were equivalent and showed Kd 0.8 microM . Tumour and brain proteins were equipotent as Ca2+-dependent activators of partially purified rat brain cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase, and in this action were inhibited in an identical manner by trifluoperazine . The proteins also exhibited the common property of Ca2+-dependent binding to troponin I, histone H2B and myelin basic protein . The estimated tumour content of calmodulin was 450 mg/kg fresh wt., a value similar to that reported in islets of Langerhans . These results further document the validity of the islet cell tumour as an experimental model of Ca2+-mediated molecular events associated with insulin secretion . They also suggest that brain calmodulin may be substituted for endogenous calmodulin in experimental investigations into the mechanism of insulin secretion. Infect Immun, 1981 Mar, 31(3), 1044 - 53 Immunogenic glycoproteins of laboratory and vaccine strains of Varicella-Zoster virus; Grose C et al.; High-titered antisera were prepared in guinea pigs and rabbits against two strains of varicella-zoster virus (VZV): VZV-32, a low-passage laboratory strain, and VZV-Oka, a vaccine strain attenuated by passage in both human and guinea pig embryo cells . When the animal VZV-immune sera, as well as a human zoster serum, were used to precipitate radiolabeled glycoproteins from VZV-infected cells and the immune precipitates were analyzed by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and fluorography, it was observed that cell cultures infected with either strain had similar electrophoretic profiles containing major glycoproteins of approximate molecular weights 62,000, 98,000, and 118,000 . A prominent high-molecular-weight (approximately 150,000) nonglycosylated polypeptide was identified in both strains also . These determinants were demonstrable by both indirect (staphylococcal protein A-antibody adsorbent) and direct immunoprecipitation, as long as VZV-immune sera with an antibody titer greater than or equal to 1:128 were used . Further analysis of individual caviid VZV antisera demonstrated some heterogeneity which appeared to be related to the method of immunization rather than the level of virus-specific antibody . VZV extracts emulsified with complete Freund adjuvant elicited an antibody response to all major immunogenic viral glycoproteins, whereas guinea pigs inoculated with virus alone during the primary immunization initially produced VZV antibody which failed to precipitate the highest-molecular-weight glycoprotein (gp118) . Thus, Freund-type adjuvants promoted the maturation of the humoral immune response after VZV immunization in outbred guinea pigs. Cell, 1981 Mar, 23(3), 721 - 9 Mapping the topography of DNA wrapped around gyrase by nucleolytic and chemical probing of complexes of unique DNA sequences; Kirkegaard K et al.; Complexes between DNA gyrase and DNA fragments of unique sequences were used to probe the topography of the DNA with nucleases and dimethyl sulfate . The results indicate that the flanking regions, each 50 bp in size, of a 145--155 bp DNA segment resistant to staphylococcal nuclease contain groups of pancreatic DNAase I-susceptible sites that are spaced 10--11 nucleotides apart . Pairs of adjacent DNAase I-sensitive sites on complementary strands are typically staggered by 2--4 bp . The binding of DNA to gyrase confers no protection against alkylation of the DNA by dimethyl sulfate . These properties of the gyrase-DNA complex are reminiscent of those of the nucleosome, and the common underlying structural feature appears to be wrapping of the DNA around a protein core . The gyrase-DNA complex differs from the nucleosome, however, in that it must possess features necessary for the catalysis of DNA chain breakage and the modulation of the DNA-enzyme interaction by ATP . We present evidence that the breakage and rejoining of the DNA by gyrase occur within a central region of the staphylococcal nuclease-resistant DNA segment . The relation of this observation to the mechanism of DNA supercoiling by gyrase is discussed . Addition of ATP or its beta, gamma-imido analog has essentially no effect on the patterns of susceptibilities to DNAase I, implying that the DNA-enzyme contacts mapped by the nuclease ae little affected by ATP-induced conformational changes. J Biol Chem, 1981 Feb 25, 256(4), 1754 - 62 Primary structure of the bacteriophage T4 DNA helix-destabilizing protein; Williams KR et al.; The amino acid sequence of the single-stranded DNA-binding protein encoded by gene 32 of bacteriophage T4 has been determined by manual and automated sequencing of peptides derived from cyanogen bromide cleavage and digestion with trypsin, chymotrypsin, and staphylococcal protease . Tryptic digestion of citraconylated or succinylated gene 32 protein yields five peptides containing 4, 27, 42, 65, and 163 residues, respectively, which can be separated by Sephadex chromatography . Each of these tryptic peptides was subjected to automated sequencing and, if necessary, more extensive cleavage . The gene 32 protein contains 301 amino acids and has a molecular weight of 33,487 . Based on its primary structure, the gene 32 protein is predicted to contain 36% alpha helix, 18% beta sheet, and 46% random coil . The native protein can be specifically cleaved at lysine 21 and 253 by limited trypsin digestion . Previous studies have shown that the "B" region (residues 1 to 21) is essential for cooperative binding to single-stranded DNA . The "A" region (residues 254 to 301) has been implicated in controlling the helix-destabilizing "activity" of gene 32 protein and in interacting with other T4 DNA replication proteins . The "A" region has a net charge of -10 and, in addition, contains two unusual stretches of 4 serine residues separated by glycine 284 . The region between positions 72 and 116 contains 6 of the 8 tyrosine residues in the protein and may be important for DNA binding. J Biol Chem, 1981 Feb 10, 256(3), 1191 - 8 Multiple structural features are responsible for the nuclease sensitivity of the active ovalbumin gene; Senear AW et al.; The ovalbumin gene in chick oviduct nuclei or nucleosomes is digested preferentially by either DNase I or staphylococcal nuclease . Staphylococcal nuclease preferentially cuts between and within core particles of the oviduct ovalbumin gene; thus, the ovalbumin gene is more quickly degraded to mononucleosomes and the DNA within these monomers is digested to a nonhybridizable size significantly faster than the chicken globin gene . Mono- and oligonucleosomes generated by partial staphylococcal nuclease digestion at 0 degrees C, but not at 37 degrees C, retain equal sensitivity to DNase I . Most of this sensitivity persists when histone H1 and most of the non-histone chromosomal proteins are removed with 0.6 M NaCl . On the basis of these observations, we propose that nuclease sensitivity of the oviduct ovalbumin gene is due to covalent modifications of the core histones and that this sensitivity is amplified by interaction of other chromosomal proteins with these modified histones. Am J Med, 1981 Feb, 70(2), 240 - 6 Cerebrospinal fluid antibodies to neuronal cells: association with neuropsychiatric manifestations of systemic lupus erythematosus; Bluestein HG et al.; The validity of the hypothesis that some of the neuropsychiatric manifestations of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) are mediated by the direct effects of antibody binding to neuronal cell membranes is dependent on the demonstration of antineuronal activity within the central nervous system of patients with active central nervous system disease . Using a radiolabelled staphylococcal protein A assay, we tested cerebrospinal fluid from 27 patients with SLE and central nervous system manifestations, and cerebrospinal fluid from 18 additional patients with SLE but free of central nervous system disease for antibody reactive with the cultured human neuronal cell line SK-N-SH . Cerebrospinal fluid from 20 of 27 patients with active lupus central nervous system disease had increased immunoglobulin G (IgG) antineuronal activity compared with cerebrospinal fluid from two of 18 patients with SLE without central nervous system disease . Ninety percent of the patients with psychosis, organic brain syndrome or generalized seizures had increased IgG antineuronal activity as compared with only 25 percent of the patients who presented with hemiparesis or with chorea/hemiballismus . Antineuronal activity per microgram of IgG was concentrated eightfold in the cerebrospinal fluid of patients with active central nervous system disease as compared with the serum activity . Patients with or without active central nervous system disease did not differ significantly in the amount of serum antineuronal binding activity . The results are consistent with the hypothesis that the more diffuse central nervous system manifestations of SLE are a direct result of the interaction of antibody with neuronal cell membranes. Chest, 1981 Feb, 79(2), 173 - 5 Hematogenous staphylococcal pneumonia secondary to soft tissue infection; Naraqi S et al.; Staphylococcal pneumonia is rare, has a high mortality and morbidity rate, and occurs commonly during influenza epidemics (airborne) or during the course of right sided bacterial endocarditis in drug addicts (blood borne) . In recent years, much emphasis has been given to the staphylococcal infections in intravenous drug abusers . This report describes ten patients with stap