Staphylococcus

Infect Control, 1980 May-Jun, 1(3), 153 - 6
Topical antibiotic ointments for staphylococcal nasal carriers: survey of current practices and comparison of bacitracin and vancomycin ointments; Bryan CS et al.; One measure used in the management of staphylococcal disease outbreaks in newborn nurseries is to obtain nasal cultures from nursery personnel and then treat nasal carriers with topical antibiotic ointments . Because recent infection control guide-surveyed current practices in larger hospitals in the U.S.A . Seventy-one percent of respondents indicated that they would obtain nasal cultures from personnel during a staphylococcal disease outbreak, and 40% indicated that they would prescribe topical antibiotic ointments for personnel with positive nasal cultures before the results of bacteriophage typing became known . Because little has been written about the efficacy of topical intranasal antibiotics within the past decade, we compared bacitracin ointment with a vancomycin ointment for treatment of the staphylococcal nasal carrier state . Both ointments reduced nasal carriage in the majority of instances . However, similar reduction was also observed in an untreated control group . The need for different approaches to the problem of nasal carriers is discussed.

J Gen Microbiol, 1980 May, 118(Pt 1), 143 - 57
Anaerobic glucose and serine metabolism in Staphylococcus epidermidis; Sivakanesan R et al.; Anaerobically grown Staphylococcus epidermidis fermented glucose with the production of lactate and trace amounts of acetate, formate and CO2 . Isotopic and inhibitor studies, assays for key enzymes of different metabolic pathways, and fermentation balances, all indicated that glucose was metabolized principally via glycolysis and to a very limited extent by the hexose monophosphate oxidative pathway . Serine fermentation proceeded via deamination and dismutation yielding NH3 and equimolar amounts of lactate, acetate and CO2; small amounts of formate arose by the operation of pyruvate-formate lyase . Incorporation of 0.5% (w/v) glucose in the growth medium depressed serine metabolism by repressing the activities of serine dehydratase and pyruvate dehydrogenase but, conversely, enhanced the activities of phosphofructokinase and lactate dehydrogenase . Glucose-grown organisms at various stages of anaerobic batch growth showed an inverse relationship between the rates of fermentation of serine and glucose . L-Lactate dehydrogenase activity in crude extracts depended on fructose 1,6-bisphosphate, and fructose 1,6-bisphosphate aldolase was found to be a class I aldolase . Despite the presence of ribokinase, D-ribose-5-phosphate isomerase, transaldolase and transketolase, the organisms utilized ribose only after growth aerobically in basal medium, and then at a slow rate after an initial lag period.

Pediatr Res, 1980 May, 14(5), 715 - 21
Ultrastructure and function of alveolar macrophages from cystic fibrosis patients; Thomassen MJ et al.; Alveolar macrophages were isolated from three cystic fibrosis patients, and the structure and function of these cells were compared to that of normal alveolar macrophages . The cystic fibrosis (CF) and normal alveolar macrophages were able to phagocytize Pseudomonas in the presence of normal serum, but cells from both sources had decreased phagocytosis of Pseudomonas in the presence of CF serum . Phagocytosis of Staphylococcus was not inhibited . Ultrastructural studies showed CF macrophages to be morphologically normal, however, in contrast to CF polymorphonuclear cells, they had not been heavily engaged in phagocytosis . The similarities between CF and normal macrophages suggest that the chronic pulmonary infection of CF may be due to an extrinsic factor in an altered lung environment rather than to any intrinsic cellular defect of the alveolar macrophage.

J Med Microbiol, 1980 May, 13(2), 223 - 30
The action of formaldehyde on staphylococcal delta haemolysin; Stearne LE et al.; Native staphylococcal delta haemolysin was poorly immunogenic in the mouse . After treatment with formaldehyde at pH 5 or pH 7.5, haemolytic activity was rapidly lost but antigenic reactivity retained and, at pH 5, immunogenicity was enhanced . Treatment of the haemolysin with formaldehyde at pH 9.5 reduced haemolytic activity by 97% but did not enhance immunogenicity . There was no evidence of polymerisation of formaldehyde-treated delta haemolysin, and the enhanced immunogenicity was considered to be partly due to a reduced affinity for phospholipids.

J Med Microbiol, 1980 May, 13(2), 213 - 21
Immunogenicity and molecular characterisation of staphylococcal delta haemolysin; Birkbeck TH et al.; In rabbit antisera to staphylococcal delta haemolysin the haemolysin-neutralising activity was associated with the IgG fraction as well as with the alpha and beta lipoproteins . On an equal-weight basis, the neutralising capacity of specific antibody was not significantly greater than that of serum alpha or beta lipoproteins . Anti-alpha haemolysin was not detected in any of the anti-delta-haemolysin antisera . Amino-acid analysis of delta haemolysin showed that lysine, aspartic acid, threonine and isoleucine were the predominant amino acids present; histidine, arginine, proline, cysteine and tyrosine were absent . The molecular weight of delta-haemolysin in phosphate-buffered saline was approximately 210 000.

J Infect Dis, 1980 May, 141(5), 637 - 43
Plasmid profiles in epidemiologic studies of infections by Staphylococcus epidermidis; Parisi JT et al.; Plasmid profiles of cultures of Staphylococcus epidermidis obtained by agarose gel electrophoresis were used, in conjunction with phage typing, biotyping, and antibiograms, in epidemiologic studies of infections in neonates and patients with cancer . In some cases, patients had cultures that were lysed by a single phage, belonged to the same biotype, and had identical antibiograms, but had distinctly different plasmid profiles . In other instances, almost identical plasmid profiles were observed in cultures lysed by a single phage, belonging to the same biotype, and with markedly different antibiograms . The plasmid profile technique was valuable in detecting distinct strains of S . epidermidis, and its use could be helpful in epidemiologic studies of infections by other organisms.

J Immunol, 1980 May, 124(5), 2436 - 41
Interferon enhances the expression of Fc gamma receptors; Fridman WH et al.; Murine T2D4 cells derived from a T cell hybrid line were incubated with partially purified or electrophoretically pure mouse interferon and tested for the expression of Fc gamma R as assessed by a) counting the number of cells forming rosettes with IgG-sensitized sheep erythrocytes, and b) incubating the cells with heat-aggregated rabbit IgG and then determining either the number of cells stained with fluorescein conjugated goat anti-rabbit IgG or the extent of labeling by using radioactive iodinated staphylococcus protein A . Although interferon induced a rapid increase in Fc gamma R expression on the Fc gamma R-positive T2D4 cells, it did not induce either Fc gamma R on the Fc gamma R negative BW5147 cells or Fc gamma R on either cell line . Human leukocyte interferon enhanced the expression of Fc gamma R on human Burkitt cells (Daudi) but did not affect the expression of Fc gamma R on mouse cells . We suggest that interferon may influence several effector functions of the immune system by modulating Fc receptor expression.

J Biol Chem, 1980 Apr 10, 255(7), 2878 - 85
Primary structure of a histidine-rich proteolytic fragment of human ceruloplasmin . I . Amino acid sequence of the cyanogen bromide peptides; Kingston IB et al.; A histidine-rich fragment, Cp F5, with a molecular weight of 18,650 was isolated from human ceruloplasmin . It consists of 159 amino acids and contains a possible copper-binding site . The sequence of the first 18 NH2-terminal residues of Cp F5 was determined by automated Edman degradation . Cp F5 was cleaved by cyanogen bromide to produce nine fragments of from 2 to 63 residues . The amino acid sequence of all of the cyanogen bromide fragments was investigated using automated and manual Edman degradation, the fragments being digested with trypsin, chymotrypsin, thermolysin, staphylococcal protease, and pepsin as appropriate . The results, in conjunction with the data on the tryptic peptides reported in the accompanying paper (Kingston, I.B., Kingston, B.L., and Putnam, F.L . (1980) J . Biol . Chem . 255, 2886-2896), establish the complete amino acid sequence of Cp F5.

Vestn Khir Im I I Grek, 1980 Apr, 124(4), 33 - 7
{Change in the immunological reactivity of patients with diffuse suppurative peritonitis under the influence of stimulating therapy}; Zaritskii GV; Immune reactivity was studied in 275 patients with diffuse purulent peritonitis of different etiology . It was established that among various methods of stimulating therapy the most pronounced effect of stimulation of the defence forces of the organism was produced by transfusion of blood, albumin and native plasma, passive and active immunization by means of administration of antistaphylococcic plasma, gammaglobulin and staphylococcic anatoxin, use of methyluracil and pentoxyl . The complex of curative measures used in order to stimulate the defense forces of the organism, to the author's mind, contributes to reducing the number of complications of infectious character, to better results of the treatment of patients with diffuse purulent peritonitis.

J Neurosurg, 1980 Apr, 52(4), 553 - 6
Diphtheroid infections of cerebrospinal fluid shunts . The changing pattern of shunt infection in Cleveland; Rekate HL et al.; In the process of trying to decrease infection rates, gentamicin has been used to irrigate shunt systems at the time of surgery . The infection rate did not change, but the epidemiology of infecting organisms changed from Staphylococcus epidermidis to diphtheroids . These indolent and sometimes asymptomatic infections can progress to cause systemic disease with nephritis, peritonitis, or blocked shunts, and are difficult to detect . Laboratory values of cerebrospinal fluid and blood may not be helpful, but prolonged culture incubation on anaerobic media will subsequently yield the organism . Systemic and intraventricular antibiotics may rid the system of diphtheroids and avoid morbidity of shunt revision if the infection is found before systemic disease occurs.

Antibiotiki, 1980 Apr, 25(4), 285 - 9
{Effect of streptomycin on experimental indices of immunity and nonspecific protection}; Beloklitskaia GF et al.; It was found that streptomycin administered to rabbits immunized with adsorbed staphylococcal anatoxin did not induce any decrease in the antitoxic antistaphylococcal immunity or suppress the activity of the nonspecific protection factors . The level of the antistaphyloccal immunity observed in the experiments provided the rabbit resistance to experimental staphylococcal infection and prevented its generalization.

Jpn J Antibiot, 1980 Apr, 33(4), 427 - 8
{Clinical experience with cefamandole in the field of obstetrics and gynecology (author's transl)}; Yamada F; Cefamandole, a new antibiotic with various characteristics was applied clinically in the field of obstetrics and gynecology, and following results were obtained . Cefamandole was administered to 8 cases with cystitis, 2 cases with pelvic infection . The organisms isolated were 5 cases of Escherichia coli, 4 cases of Staphylococcus epidermidis and one case of Klebsiella . Bacteria disappeared in all cases after 5-day treatment with cefamandole . No side effects of the drug were noticed throughout all cases . From the above mentioned clinical experience, cefamandole is considered to be a useful drug for clinical application.

Am Rev Respir Dis, 1980 Apr, 121(4), 723 - 33
Regulation of the release of alveolar macrophage-derived neutrophil chemotactic factor; Gadek JE et al.; In order to further clarify the physiologic role of the neutrophil-directed chemotactic factor derived from alveolar macrophages, we evaluated those stimuli that possess the potential to regulate the quantity and kinetics of its release in vitro . In short-term culture, particulate stimuli (Staphylococcus albus, Micropolyspora faeni, zymosan, and Sepharose 4B) as well as IgG-immune complexes induced normal guinea pig alveolar macrophages to release significant quantities of this chemotactic factor . In addition, serum opsonization of particulate stimuli resulted in significant augmentation of release of the chemotactic factor from alveolar macrophages responding to these particles . This serum augmentation was associated with the fixation of C3b to the particle surface via the alternative complement pathway . Purified C3b, by itself, was also capable of inducing release of this macrophage-derived mediator . Partial characterization of this chemotactic factor revealed that it was a material of low molecular weight (400 to 600 daltons), and that it was antigenically and physically distinct from C5a . These studies suggested that the induction of chemotactic factor release from alveolar macrophages responding to microorganisms, noninfectious particulates, antigen-complexed IgG, and C3b may contribute to the pathophysiologic events observed in those lung diseases characterized by an influx of neutrophils into the pulmonary parenchyma.

Clin Endocrinol (Oxf), 1980 Apr, 12(4), 375 - 8
Coxsackie B virus antibody responses in juvenile-onset diabetes mellitus; Ray CG et al.; A prospective serological study of patients with recently diagnosed juvenile-onset diabetes mellitus was carried out to determine neutralizing antibody responses to Coxsackie B viruses . The sera were tested with and without staphylococcal protein A absorption, to selectively ascertain whether specific IgM or IgG antibody predominated . Of eleven patients studied, ten had reciprocal antibody titres of sixteen or greater to at least one serotype . Three patients showed no reduction in titre in at least one serum sample after protein A absorption, suggesting a predominant IgM-specific primary response to a recent infection by a Coxsackie B virus . The findings support the possibility that at least some cases of juvenile-onset diabetes mellitus are closely related to Coxsackie B virus infections.

Biochim Biophys Acta, 1980 Mar 28, 607(1), 36 - 42
Replicative DNA synthesis and unscheduled DNA synthesis in permeable sarcoma cells studied by nuclease digestion; Seki S et al.; About 20% of DNA replicated in vitro in permeable mouse ascites sarcoma cells showed higher sensitivity to staphylococcal nuclease than the sensitivity of bulk DNA, and the remaining part showed the same nuclease sensitivity as that of parental chromatin DNA . The sensitivity of DNA replicated in permeable cells was higher than that of DNA newly replicated in vivo in intact cells, and close to that of DNA newly replicated in vivo in the presence of cycloheximide . Bleomycin-induced unscheduled DNA synthesis in permeable cells was highly sensitive to the nuclease . The results suggest that DNA replicated in vitro and parental nuclear protein form immature nucleosomes, probably in the same way as in vivo chromatin replication in the presence of protein synthesis inhibitors . It also appears that bleomycin-induced, unscheduled DNA synthesis occurs largely in the internucleosomal region.

Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1980 Mar, (3), 89 - 92
{Antibodies to staphylococcal autostrains in polypoid tissue of the human nasal mucosa}; Lebedev KA et al.; The immune response of the body to different clones of nasal staphylococcal population in polypous rhinosinusitis has been studied . The titers of antibodies to different staphylococcal clones were shown to differ considerably . The titers of antibodies to different clones in polypous tissue were found to be higher or lower than the respective titers in the general blood stream . Thus different immunologic conditions for the development of microorganisms could locally appear in the presence of intensive general immune reaction . This seems to be due to differences in the intensity of the production of antibodies to these microorganisms in the lymphoid tissue of the nasal mucosa.

Am J Vet Res, 1980 Mar, 41(3), 399 - 404
Modification of lethality induced by staphylococcal enterotoxin B in Dutch rabbits; Liu CT et al.; Intramuscular injection of staphylococcal enterotoxin B (SEB) at a dosage level of 50 microgram/kg of body weight caused death in Dutch rabbits . Lethality was not modified markedly by morphine pretreatment or by hyperthermia, thyrotoxicosis, propylthiouracil feeding, thyroparathyroidectomy, water deprivation, or fasting . The administration of acetylsalicylic acid to the SEB-inoculated rabbit also failed to protect the rabbits from the effect of SEB . Seemingly, the SEB molecular destruction was not markedly modified by alteration of cellular metabolism, and lethal effects of SEB remained unchanged in the morphine- or acetylsalicylic acid-treated rabbits . When SEB was given to six rabbits 3 days after total-body X-irradiation, fever persisted and three rabbits survived . An identical dose of SEB to nonirradiated rabbits produced fever initially, followed by hypothermia and death of all six rabbits.

Surg Neurol, 1980 Mar, 13(3), 224 - 6
Pyogenic psoas abscess secondary to infection of the lumbar disc space; Russell NA et al.; Two cases of staphylococcol psoas abscess are reported . These occurred many years after operations on lumbar discs, complicated by post-operative disc space infection . Clinical and radiological findings are reported . The features of psoas abscess and the management are discussed.

Pediatrics, 1980 Mar, 65(3), 484 - 6
Early diagnosis and management of cerebritis in a child; Liston TE et al.; A 3 1/2-year-old boy with primary staphylococcal septicemia presented with elevated cerebrospinal fluid protein and pleocytosis . Serial computerized tomography examinations revealed the development of an intracranial lesion suggestive of an early infectious process . All cultures of cerebrospinal fluid taken before and after antibiotic treatment revealed no growth . Although no focal neurological findings evolved, both clinical and radiologic abnormalities resolved with antibiotic therapy . Computerized tomography can provide a means to diagnose cerebritis and to evaluate therapeutic response.

Arch Surg . 1980 Mar;115(3):326.
Intra-abdominal abscess caused by Staphylococcus epidermidis; Ebright JR et al.; An immunologically compromised patient was found to have a postoperative intra-abdominal abscess from which Staphylococcus epidermidis was the sole isolate . Studies of the isolate in a rabbit and in mice showed no evidence for unusual virulence of the organism . The S epidermidis probably was introduced into the peritoneal cavity during surgery and, because of the patient's neutropenia, produced a serious infection within a few weeks . To our knowledge, this is the first case of a intra-abdominal abscess associated with S epidermidis to be described in the literature.

Eur J Biochem, 1980 Mar, 104(2), 423 - 31
Kinetics of nuclease digestion of Physarum polycephalum nuclei at different stages of the cell cycle; Jalouzot R et al.; The kinetics of nuclease digestion of Physarum polycephalum nuclei by staphylococcal nuclease and DNase I has been studied at different stages of the cell cycle . Significant differences in the digestion behaviour of nuclei from metaphase and interphase have been detected with DNase I but not with staphylococcal nuclease . Furthermore the structure of newly replicated DNA in S phase differs from the bulk in that it is more easily degraded to acid-soluble products by either staphylococcal nuclease or by DNAase I . At least four types of chromatin structure can be distinguished by our digestion kinetics experiments.

Thromb Haemost, 1980 Feb 29, 42(5), 1388 - 97
A simple rapid method for isolating soluble fibrin complexes from fibrinogen by treatment with thrombin and t-AMCHA; Hayashi S et al.; Using treatment with thrombin associated with trans-aminomethylcyclohexane carboxylic acid (t-AMCHA), a simple and rapid method for isolating soluble fibrin complexes (SFC) from fibrinogen in the plasma was developed . By this procedure, the recovery rates of SFC and early FDP (mainly X) increased according to the concentration of t-AMCHA, reaching a maximum at 286 mM t-AMCHA . On the other hand, the recovery rate of fibrinogen remained below 1.5% and that of late FDP was almost 100% at all concentrations of t-AMCHA . These results suggested that SFC and FDP could be isolated from fibrinogen by thrombin and t-AMCHA (286 MM) treatment . Moreover, it was possible to isolate SFC from FDP using gel filtration after treatment with thrombin and t-AMCHA . The SFC could be quantified by assay of the eluted fractions containing SFC by the staphylococcal clumping test.

Biochim Biophys Acta, 1980 Feb 27, 621(2), 233 - 40
The secondary structure of staphylococcal enterotoxins A, B and C; Middlebrook JL et al.; The circular dichroism (CD) of staphylococcal enterotoxins A, B and C was measured . The CD of enterotoxins B and C were almost identical from 250 to 320 nm, but differed from the CD of enterotoxin A . The spectrum of enterotoxin A in this wavelength region contained the same bands with respect to both location and sign, but with significant differences in intensity . The CD spectra of enterotoxins B and C were also much more alike from 190 to 250 nm . Although all three enterotoxins had a major negative extremum at 215--218 nm, its magnitude was equal in enterotoxins B and C, but was substantially decreased in enterotoxin A . The secondary structure of the enterotoxins contained little alpha-helix as analyzed with CD models . A secondary structure of entertoxin B compured from a scheme based on a joint prediction histogram of five separate methods, placed 29 residues in alpha-helices, 71 in beta-pleated sheets, 88 in beta-turns and 55 in aperiodic conformation.

N Z Med J, 1980 Feb 27, 91(654), 129 - 31
Deaths from influenza A, subtype H1N1, during the 1979 Auckland epidemic; Eason RJ et al.; We report seven cases of influenza-associated deaths in persons under twenty-two years of age, five of whom were previously fit and well, during an influenza A epidemic affecting Auckland city during the second quarter of 1979 . Despite intensive care in three of the patients, all followed a similar course of fatal hypoxaemia . The failure of appropriate therapy in those patients with staphylococcal superinfection was a further feature . Influenza A-subtype H1N1 was isolated from throat swabs and/or post-mortem lung in five of the cases . This subtype has not been responsible for epidemic influenza or influenzal outbreaks in New Zealand since the early 1950s . The isolates were most similar to the A/Brazil/11/78 strain which has not previously been isolated in New Zealand . The susceptibility of young people is attributed to lack of previous antigenic exposure in those born since the mid-1950s.

Lancet, 1980 Feb 16, 1(8164), 327 - 9
Cyclosporin A to prevent graft-versus-host disease in man after allogeneic bone-marrow transplantation; Powles RL et al.; Cyclosporin A has been used in conjunction with allogeneic bone-marrow transplantation in the treatment of 23 patients--21 with acute leukaemia, 1 with chronic granulocytic leukaemia, and 1 with aplastic anaemia . The drug was given twice daily from the day before transplant . At the start of the study cyclosporin prophylaxis was stopped in 3 patients within 44 days of transplantation because of non-specific rashes and/or deteriorating renal function . All 3 patients had acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) and died . Thereafter the drug was not stopped because of possible toxic manifestations, and 20 patients have been studied (median follow-up 7 months; maximum 13 months) . 2 patients have acquired GVHD; 1 patient died of acute GVHD and 1 has chronic mild disease . 3 other patients have died, 2 of recurrent leukaemia and a third of staphylococcal pneumonia with renal failure . Of the remaining patients, 1 has recurrent leukaemia and 1 has moderately severe renal failure . Several toxic effects of cyclosporin A have been observed but they are mostly reversible and no second malignant neoplasm has developed.

Int J Pediatr Otorhinolaryngol, 1980 Feb, 1(4), 301 - 8
Permeability of the middle ear to staphylococcal pyrogenic exotoxin in otitis media; Goycoolea MV et al.; Middle ear permeability after instillation of staphylococcal pyrogenic exotoxin was studied in each of 12 cats, 6 of them with otitis media induced by obstructing their eustachian tubes . This is the first report that there is passage of toxin to the perilymph, cerebrospinal fluid and blood not only in diseased ears, but also in normal controls, 25 min and 12 h after exposure of the middle ear cavity and round window membrane to toxin . The data suggest a pathophysiological explanation for the association of otitis media and sensorineural hearing loss and/or endolymphatic hydrops; potentially both entities can be caused by exotoxins . It also documents the extraordinary capabilities of movement of staphylococcal exotoxin.

Parasitology, 1980 Feb, 80(1), 83 - 94
Damage to surface membrane of Schistosoma mansoni by pristane (2, 6, 10, 14 tetramethyl pentadecane) and other hydrophobic compounds; Kusel JR et al.; Intraperitoneal injection of cercariae into pristane (2, 6, 10, 14 tetramethyl pentadecane)-primed Balb/c mice led to greatly diminished numbers of portal and peritoneal worms compared with untreated mice . Schistosomula taken from the peritoneal cavity of pristane-primed mice carried globules of pristane on their surfaces, were contracted and were permeable to Trypan blue . Pristane globules bound also to adult worms in vitro and in vivo causing rapid damage to the surface membrane . Hydrophobic compounds other than hydrocarbons either bound without causing gross damage, or did not bind to the adult worms . 51Cr release studies showed that pristane had no effect on the permeability of human erythrocytes, while causing significant release from both schistosomula and adult worms . The binding of hydrocarbon globules to a variety of other parasites did not occur . The binding of n-{1-14C}hexadecane to adult Schistosoma mansoni was significantly decreased by extraction of the parasite with organic solvents or treatment with staphylococcal delta toxin, which interacts with phospholipids in the membrane . Possible mechanisms of damage of the parasite by the hydrocarbons are discussed.

Infect Immun, 1980 Feb, 27(2), 431 - 4
Isolation of specific and common antibodies to staphylococcal enterotoxins B, C1, and C2; Lee AC et al.; Staphylococcal enterotoxins C1 and C2 elicit the production of antibodies in rabbits that give precipitin reactions with both toxins and gel diffusion plates . These enterotoxins also elicit the production of antibodies that are specific for each of the enterotoxins . Enterotoxin B elicits the production of antibodies in some rabbits that react with enterotoxins B, C1, and C2 in gel diffusion plates and in radioimmunoassay . Antibodies specific for enterotoxin B are produced also . Enterotoxin C1 elicits the production of antibodies that cross-react weakly with enterotoxin B, indicating that the antigenic sites involved in the cross-reactions are not identical in the two toxins . The antibodies have been isolated by affinity chromatography.

Immunology, 1980 Feb, 39(2), 231 - 7
Immune mechanisms against canine distemper . III . Role of complement lysis in the immunity and persistent infection of canine distemper virus; Ho CK et al.; Antibody-mediated complement lysis of Vero cells and canine macrophages infected with canine distemper virus (CDV) was demonstratee in an in vitro 51Cr release assay . This cytolytic activity was found to be highly efficient and was optimal under conditions which favoured the capping of redistribution of surface viral antigens . A prozone was observed in the presence of high antibody concentration and could not be eliminated by repeated washings . By tagging antibody-coated target cells with 125I-labelled staphylococcus protein A, it was found that the extent of protein A binding was parallel to the degree of cytotoxicity suggesting that the mechanism of this prozone effect was similar to that of a precipitation test.

Am J Vet Res, 1980 Feb, 41(2), 274 - 6
Isolation of Staphylococcus hyicus subsp hyicus from a pig with septic polyarthritis; Phillips WE Jr et al.; Staphylococcus hyicus subsp hyicus (coagulase-positive) was isolated in pure culture from the left coxafemoral and right shoulder joints of a 4-week-old pig with septic polyarthritis . Present taxonomic criteria and DNA-DNA hybridization studies with reference strains were utilized to identify the isolate . There were no clinical signs or generalized skin lesions of porcine exudative epidermitis noticed in this pig.

Arch Ophthalmol, 1980 Feb, 98(2), 274 - 6
Orbital abscess; Krohel GB et al.; A staphylococcal orbital abscess developed in a 55-year-old diabetic woman . Initial antibiotic therapy was apparently incomplete and resulted in an unusual clinical manifestation for an orbital infection . These unusual features included an insidious course of monocular visual loss and proptosis in the absence of fever, substantial orbital pain, and evidence of sinus disease; pancytopenia rather than leukocytosis was present . Surgical drainage followed by intravenous and oral antibiotic therapy resulted in marked clinical improvement, including a partial return of visual acuity . In the patient, however, a staphylococcal osteomyelitis of the shoulder and subsequent fatal septicemia developed several months later . Orbital infection continues to be a life-threatening condition, especially in debilitated patients.

Eur J Biochem, 1980 Feb, 103(3), 447 - 61
Complete amino-acid sequences of DNA-binding proteins HU-1 and HU-2 from Escherichia coli; Laine B et al.; The DNA-binding protein HU from Escherichia coli is a heterodimer constituted of two polypeptide chains termed HU-1 and HU-2, of 90 residues each . Their primary structures were established from structural data obtained from tryptic peptides of each monomer in addition to the structural data provided by the automated Edman degradation of the dimer and by peptides derived from cleavage of the dimer with trypsin, chymotrypsin, V8 staphylococcal protease and dilute acid . The results presented in this paper confirm the amino-terminal and carboxy-terminal sequences of the dimer HU reported previously {Laine et al . (1978) FEBS Lett . 89, 116--120} . The amino acid sequences of proteins HU-1 and HU-2 are identical to those of proteins NS-1 and NS-2 respectively, determined independently by Mende et al . {FEBS Lett . (1978) 96, 395--398} . The amino acid sequences of proteins HU-1 and HU-2 are closely related but differ by 28 residues . These proteins are characterized by their high content of hydrophobic residues represented mostly by alanine . In both proteins, half of the basic residues are scattered along the polypeptide chain and the remainder is found within two short sequences located in the carboxy-terminal part of the molecule . No sequence homology could be established between the proteins HU-1 and HU-2 and any one of the five histones from different eukaryotes.

J Natl Cancer Inst, 1980 Feb, 64(2), 365 - 72
Specificity of heteroantisera developed against purified populations of intact murine ovarian carcinoma cells; Bast RC Jr et al.; Antisera were raised in New Zealand White rabbits against purified populations of murine ovarian carcinoma (MOT) cells that were freed from contaminating host leukocytes and erythrocytes . In contrast to other antisera raised against this tumor, heteroantisera from rabbits immunized with purified tumor cell suspensions consistently retained antitumor activity after exhaustive absorption with syngeneic (C3HeB/FeJ) adult and fetal tissues . Absorbed antisera inhibited tumor growth in vivo and reacted with MOT cells in vitro as judged by indirect immunofluorescence, binding of staphylococcal protein A, and complement-mediated cytotoxicity . Appropriately absorbed antisera failed to bind to fetal tissues or to adult spleen, ovary, and kidney cells . Antisera with similar specificity could be obtained with the use of populations purified on a fluorescence-activated cell sorter or on discontinuous rabbit serum albumin gradients . Optimal titers against tumor were raised with multiple injections of 5 x 10(5) gradient-purified MOT cells.

J Med Microbiol, 1980 Feb, 13(1), 151 - 3
Neutralisation of immunologically distinct staphylococcal delta haemolysins by antibodies; Turner WH et al.; Antibodies against delta-haemolysin from Staphylococcus strain CN4108 (Newman) did not neutralise delta-haemolysin from the canine strain of S . aureus CN7450 to the same extent as delta-haemolysin prepared from S . aureus strain CN4108 . This is additional evidence for the immunological distinctness of delta-haemolysin from these two S . aureus strains of human and canine origin.

Aust N Z J Obstet Gynaecol, 1980 Feb, 20(1), 62 - 4
Pelvic actinomycosis following insertion of an intrauterine contraceptive device; Gudgeon CW et al.; PIP: 200 cases of pelvic actinomycosis have been recorded so far, including those which are IUD-related . This paper describes a case of Actinomycosis associated with IUD use . The patient was a 46-year old woman (para 3) who was seen complaining of a 2-week old lower abdominal and pelvic pain and a pelvic mass . She had an IUD inserted 10 weeks before but had it removed 2 weeks prior to referral due to pain and bleeding . Degenerating uterine fibroids was the initial diagnosis, and laparotomy was performed . Biopsy of a segment of the Fallopian tube revealed a lesion which clinically resembled an invasive carcinoma but pathological diagnosis revealed actinomycosis . Penicillin therapy (20 million units daily for 6 weeks and 4 g orally/day for 16 weeks) was instituted and the patient recovered uneventfully . Actinomycosis is a subacute or chronic, usually progressive disease, of orofacial, thoracic or abdominal tissues . Development of infection is associated with trauma, teeth extraction, perforation of hallow viscera, and foreign bodies . Initial diagnoses of this disease usually include tuberculosis, chronic staphylococcal infection, and malignant diseases . Treatment of choice is penicillin given in massive doses over a long period of time, 3 to 6 million units daily for 6 months as advocated by Fisher and Harvey (1956) . Antibiotics such as aueromycin (McVay et.al., 1951); chloramphenicol (Littman et.al., 1952); isoniazid (McVay and Sprunt, 1953); oxytetracycline (Lane et.al., 1953); lincomycin (Mahr et.al., 1970); and clindamycin (Rose and Rytel, 1972) have also been used successfully in the management of this disease .

Acta Pathol Microbiol Scand {B}, 1980 Feb, 88(1), 53 - 6
Antibodies in rabbits immunized with staphylococcal lipoteichoic acid; Aasjord P et al.; Fractionated rabbit antiserum to staphylococcal lipoteichoic acid (LTA) was tested for reaction with homologous antigen by precipitation in agar gel, countercurrent immunoelectrophoresis, immunoperoxidase technique and electron microscopy . The antibodies to LTA present in the rabbit antisera examined were found to be of the IgM class.

Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A, 1980 Feb, 77(2), 910 - 4
Actin nascent chains are substrates for cyclic AMP-dependent phosphorylation in vivo; Steinberg RA; Two-dimensional gel electrophoresis of extracts of S49 mouse lymphoma cells labeled with {35S}methionine in the presence of inducers or analogs of cyclic AMP reveals a protein that both affinity purification and peptide mapping show to be a form of nonmuscle actin . This actin species also exhibits cyclic AMP-dependent labeling with {32P}phosphate, and, after acid hydrolysis, 32P label is found associated with phosphoserine . Phosphorylated actin does not appear when cells prelabeled with {35S}methionine are treated with an inducer of cyclic AMP in the presence of emetine, an inhibitor of protein synthesis; this suggests that only the nascent form of actin is a substrate for cyclic AMP-dependent phosphorylation . As well as differing slightly in isoelectric points, beta and gamma actins are found to yield different partial proteolytic cleavage products with staphylococcal protease . This microheterogeneity in the major cellular actin component is repeated in both the metabolically labile delta/epsilon actin and phosphorylated actin, suggesting that these three forms of actin derive from the same two gene products.

Biochemistry, 1980 Jan 22, 19(2), 306 - 15
Primary structure of murine major histocompatibility complex alloantigens: amino acid sequence of the amino-terminal one hundred and seventy-three residues of the H-2Kb glycoprotein; Uehara H et al.; The amino-terminal 173 residues of the murine histocompatibility antigen H-2Kb have been assigned by using radiochemical methodology . The complete sequence of an 86 residue glycopeptide (CN-Ib), which is one of the five major CNBr fragments of Kb, was determined by analysis of peptides obtained from digests using thrombin and V8 staphylococcal protease . Complete sequences were obtained for the three large thrombic peptides, and these were aligned by using peptides from the V8 protease digest . Alignment of the CNBr fragments was carried out by using {35S}Met-labeled peptides from a tryptic digest of the papain-cleaved H-2Kb molecule . Positive identification was possible for all the common amino acids except Asp (Asp) which was indirectly assigned and which is designated in italics . The sequence obtained in our studies was Gly-Pro-His-Ser-Leu-Arg-Tyr-Phe-Val-Thr-Ala-Val-Ser-Arg-Pro-Gly-Leu-Gly-Glu-Pro-Arg-Tyr-Met-Glu-Val-Gly-Tyr-Val-Asp-Asp-Thr-Glu-Phe-Val-Arg-Phe-Asp-Ser-Asp-Ala-Glu-Asn-Pro-Arg-Tyr-Glu-Pro-Arg-Ala-Arg-Trp-Met-Glu-Gln-Glu-Gly-Pro-Glu-Tyr-Trp-Glu-Arg-Glu-Thr-Gln-Lys-Ala-Lys-Gly-Asn-Glu-Gln-Ser-Phe-Arg-Val-Asp-Leu-Arg-Thr-Leu-Leu-Gly-Tyr-Tyr-(Asn)-Gln-Ser-Lys-Gly-Gly-Ser-His-Thr-Ile-Gln-Val-Ile-Ser-Gly-Cys-Glu-Val-Gly-Ser-Asp-Gly-Arg-Leu-Leu-Arg-Gly-Tyr-Gln-Gln-Tyr-Ala-Tyr-Asp-Gly-Cys-Asp-Tyr-Ile-Ala-Leu-Asn-Glu-Asp-Leu-Lys-Thr-Trp-Thr-Ala-Ala-Asp-Met-Ala-Ala-Leu-Ile-Thr-Lys-His-Lys-Trp-Glu-Gln-Ala-Gly-Glu-Ala-Glu-Arg-Leu-Arg-Ala-Tyr-Leu-Glu-Gly-Thr-Cys-Val-Glu-Trp-Leu-Arg-Arg-Tyr-Leu-Lys . These data represent the longest reported amino acid sequence determined by utilizing radiochemical methodology and provide the first extensive information on the primary structure of murine histocompatibility antigens.

Nucleic Acids Res, 1980 Jan 11, 8(1), 197 - 214
DNase I sensitivity of ribosomal genes in isolated nucleosome core particles; Giri CP et al.; The level of chromatin structure at which DNase I recognizes conformational differences between inert and activated genes has been investigated . Bulk and ribosomal DNA's of Tetrahymena pyriformis were differentially labeled in vivo with {14C}- and {3H}-thymidine, respectively, utilizing a defined starvation-refeeding protocol . The 3H-labeled ribosomal genes were shown to be preferentially digested by DNase I in isolated nuclei . Staphylococcal nuclease digested the ribosomal genes more slowly than bulk DNA, probably owing to the higher GC content of rDNA . DNase I and staphylococcal nuclease digestions of purified nucleosomes and of nucleosome core particles isolated from dual-labeled, starved-refed nuclei were indistinguishable from those of intact nuclei . We conclude from these studies that DNase I recognizes an alteration in the internal nucleosome core structure of activated ribosomal genes.

Arch Orthop Trauma Surg, 1980, 96(3), 221 - 4
Some immunological aspects of staphylococcal haematogenous osteomyelitis; Eid AM et al.; Patients with primary (haematogenous) staphylococcal osteomyelitis have been suspected for being deficient in their immune response . Serum levels of the three major circulating immunoglobulins (IgG, IgA, and IgM) have been determined in 90 patients with this disease of varying duration and activity and in 100 control subjects . Of 270 measurements in the patient group, 80% fell within or below the normal (control) range . A small group of eight patients, however, were found to have sufficiently large increases in IgM levels to raise the mean value of the whole series to a statistically significnat level . Similarly IgA production was increased in chronic infection . These findings, on the whole, indicate that a majority of patients suffering from primary osteomyelitis may have depression of their normal immune response to infection.

Zentralbl Bakteriol A, 1980, 247(2), 170 - 6
{Protein-A-hemagglutination test, a reliable method for rapid identification of S . aureus (author's transl)}; Essers L et al.; 369 staphylococcal strains isolated from clinical material were examined for tubeagglutination with sensitized sheep red cells in a standardized assay to study its reliability for routine identification of S . aureus . Colonies isolated from blood agar plates correlated in 99.5% with the (optimized) coagulase reaction . The test is easily to perform and results can be read after 2 hours, whereas the reference methods coagulase, hyaluronidase and deoxyribonuclease took as much as 24 h . The reliability of these tests is discussed.

Arch Dermatol Res, 1980, 268(1), 1 - 7
Skin test and lymphocyte stimulation in delayed hypersensitivity against staphylococcal antigens . Relation to bacterial cell fractions; Meyer-Bloch JC et al.; Staphylococcal homogenate was fractionated into cell walls (CW), cell membranes (CM) (insoluble part left after removal of the cell wall fraction) and a soluble fraction . The capacity of these fractions to evoke delayed skin reactions and to stimulate lymph node and peripheral blood lymphocytes from guinea pigs sensitized with staphylococcal homogenate in Freund's complete adjuvant was tested 21 days after sensitization . Highest skin reactivity was observed with the cell wall fraction . In the lymphocyte stimulation test similar results were obtained with all three fractions . With peripheral blood lymphocytes higher stimulation indices were observed than with lymph node lymphocytes.

Folia Biol (Praha), 1980, 26(4), 261 - 6
Binding of non-mammalian immunoglobulins to staphylococcal protein A; Zikan J et al.; Immunoglobulins M of the chicken (about 3% of serum IgM), clawed toad (12%) and carp (13%) bind to the protein A-Sepharose . A monomeric immunoglobulin with four domain heavy chains from the chicken serum is also bound (30% of bound immunoglobulins) . The protein A-Sepharose can be utilized for isolation of IgM of the clawed toad and carp directly from the serum.

J Immunol Methods, 1980, 35(3-4), 249 - 58
Use of fluorescein conjugated staphylococcal protein-A as a labeling agent for porcine lymphocytes; Baxi PU et al.; Staphylococcal Protein-A conjugated to fluorescein (FPA) was compared to a fluorescein conjugated sheep immunoglobulin anti-pig IgG (FSAPG) as a labeling agent for surface IgG positive (sIg+) porcine lymphoid cells . At plateau concentration of the reagents, more lymphoid cells were labeled with FPA than with FSAPG . However, on a protein concentration basis, FPA was less sensitive than FSAPG . As a control, FPA proved to be a poor labeling agent for sIg+ bovine lymphoid cells when compared to FITC conjugated rabbit IgG anti-bovine IgG (FRABG) . Adsorptions of porcine lymphoid cells onto Protein-A Sepharose were performed in order to study the differential specificity of the Protein-A for sIg and for free immunoglobulins . The results of such absorptions showed that Protein-A Sepharose, whatever its affinity for Fab fragments from porcine immunoglobulins, could be used to enrich the sIg negative lymphoid cell populations in the pig.

Scand J Immunol, 1980, 11(4), 369 - 76
Characterization of human lymphocyte surface receptors for mitogenic and non-mitogenic substances; Skoog VT et al.; To compare the receptor patterns for mitogenic and non-mitogenic substances, surface glycoproteins of human lymphocytes were labelled with the lactoperioxidase-catalysed iodination technique and with a galactose oxidase-tritiated sodium borohydride technique . Labelled cells were detergent-solubilized, and the lysates were allowed to react with insolubilized purified mitogenic lectins, phytohaemagglutinin, leucoagglutinin and an insolubilized non-mitogenic lectin, oxidized leucoagglutinin . Lectin-reactive proteins were eluted with sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS) buffer . Cell membrane components reactive with anti-lymphocyte globulin (ALG) were retrieved by indirect immunoprecipitation with protein-A-bearing staphylococcus Cowan I strain (SaCI) . Lectin- and ALG-reactive proteins were analysed by SDS polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis . Iodinated glycoproteins regularly showed four major components with molecular weights of 120,000, 70,000, 60,000 and 43,000 daltons, respectively, on 7% gels . An additional broad peak in the molecular weight range 20,000--35,000 daltons was found on 10% gels . Tritiated glycoproteins also showed four major components with MW 120,000, 70,000, 60,000 AND 42,000, RESPECTIVely, which reacted with lectin and ALG . In addition, ALG reacted with some glycoproteins with MW between 150,000 and 230,000 daltons . On 10% gels additional lectin- and ALG-binding glycoproteins with MW around 30,000 daltons were found . The similarity in structures bound by mitogenic and non-mitogenic substances indicates that lymphocyte activation may depend on some property conferred by the mitogen.

Br J Dermatol, 1980 Jan, 102(1), 75 - 83
The experimental production of high-level intraepidermal splits; Skerrow CJ; The effects of trypsin at 37 degrees C and 4 degrees C on adhesion between keratinocytes in normal human epidermis were assessed by light and electron microscopy . The results provide evidence for the contribution of both extracellular and intracellular factors to keratinocyte adhesion and for changes in the nature of adhesion in the granular layer . Trypsinization at 4 degrees C produced a high-level intraepidermal split identical in location and intercellular route to that observed in the staphylococcal scalded skin syndrome.

Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1980 Jan, (1), 92 - 5
{Importance of sanitary-antiepidemic measures in preventing staphylococcal infections in maternity hospitals}; Kitel' VS et al.; The results of the realization of antistaphylococcal measures in maternity hospitals, carried out under the guidance and control of the sanitary and epidemiological service, are presented . The sanitary and epidemiological station registered each case of staphylococcal infection in nursing mothers and infants and investigated its epidemiological aspects . The exposure of the causes responsible for the disease allowed to take up the necessary antiepidemic measures in due direction, thus preventing the spread of hospital infections.

Vox Sang, 1980, 38(1), 12 - 8
Detection of quinidine-specific antibodies with platelet 125I-labeled staphylococcal protein A test; Kekomaki R et al.; Remarkably higher titers (80--160) of quinidine-specific antibodies were detected in the serum of 5 patients with suspected quinidine purpura, when 125I-labeled staphylococcal protein A was used as the marker of IgG bound onto platelets . During a follow-up of 3 of the patients, the antibody titers declined . The antibodies could be detected even when the final drug concentration was reduced from 0.3 to 0.003 mmol/l (i.e . therapeutic levels) . The reaction between serum and platelets was independent of the type of quinidine salt used . No cross-reactivity occurred with quinine . Heat inactivation of the serum did not decrease the quantity of specific antibodies detected on the platelets . The sedimentation behavior of antiplatelet activity in density gradient centrifugation resembled that of 7 S antibodies . When sedimentation was, however, effected on the drug-serum mixture, the reactivity of 7 S decreased.

Vestn Khir Im I I Grek, 1980 Jan, 124(1), 97 - 100
{Treatment of staphylococcal pneumonia in children}; Savitskii VI et al.; Semisynthetic antibiotics combined with heparin and proteolysis inhibitors were used for the complex treatment of 110 children with staphylococcal destruction of lungs . Eleven children died . No heparin and inhibitors of proteolytic enzymes were used in the treatment of 158 children . Of this group 25 children died.

Infection, 1980, 8(1), 8 - 12
The early serological detection of colonisation by Staphylococcus epidermidis of ventriculo-atrial shunts; Holt R; Simple quantitative serological tests demonstrating Staphylococcus epidermidis agglutinins and C-reactive protein were used for the early detection of ventriculo-atrial shunt colonization by this organism . Tests in normal children and adults in various age groups throughout life confirmed Bayston's ovservations that those tested attained a titre up to 1:160 TO S . epidermidis agglutinogen . In contrast, the titre in children with colonised shunts and in adults with S . epidermidis endocarditis, both conditions which are usually accompanied by bacteraemia, rose to much higher levels, sometimes up to 1:5120 . The routine combination of both tests has proven to be of considerable diagnostic value, particularly in early or recent colonisation.

J Immunol Methods, 1980, 32(2), 157 - 66
Mitogenic responses of canine peripheral blood lymphocytes to staphylococcal protein A; Betton GR et al.; In order to produce long term lymphoid cell cultures from canine lymphocytes of known histocompatibility antigen specificities, mitogenic responses to staphylococcal protein A (SpA) were examined and compared with those of phytohaemagglutinin (PHA) and concanavalin A (Con A) . SpA was found to be the strongest mitogen tested with significant responses to concentrations as low as 31 ng/ml . There was a decrease in responsiveness above optimal mitogen concentrations with SpA and PHA . Peak responses were observed at lower concentrations for longer incubation times . PHA showed a rapid fall off in thymidine uptake below optimal concentrations whereas the SpA dose-response curve was less steep and a shoulder or secondary peak of activity was observed at low SpA concentrations in some cases . Continuous SpA stimulation of lymphocyte cultures resulted in an initial period of cell proliferation followed usually by a second period of cell proliferation around week 7 of culture . To date, viable cell cultures have been maintained for up to 12 weeks in vitro . SpA lymphoblast cultures behave normally in microcytotoxicity tests for serologically defined DLA histocompatibility antigens and remain functional in natural killer (NK) and PHA induced cell mediated cytotoxic reactions against 51Cr-labelled tumour target cells but were not themselves susceptible as target cells for NK activity.

Infect Immun, 1980 Jan, 27(1), 280 - 2
Transduction of staphylococcal enterotoxin B synthesis: establishment of the toxin gene in a recombination-deficient mutant; Shafer WM et al.; Cotransduction of enterotoxin B synthesis into a recombination deficient mutant only occurred when the donor contained the pEntB plasmid . Enterotoxin B from chromosomal genotypes could not be established in such hosts . These data suggest that the entB gene is not capable of high-frequency translocation.

Ann Thorac Surg, 1980 Jan, 29(1), 74 - 5
Rifampin in the management of early prosthetic staphylococcus epidermidis endocarditis; George T et al.; Staphylococcus epidermidis endocarditis occurred four days following aortic valve replacement with a Bjork-Shiley prosthesis . Antimicrobial therapy, shown to be effective by in vitro and in vivo studies, failed to eradicate the infection . When rifampin was added to the existing antibiotic regimen, peak serum bactericidal activity increased, the patient defervesced, and blood cultures became negative.

Pediatrics, 1980 Jan, 65(1), 89 - 93
Acquired pulmonary artery aneurysm in an infant; Viart P et al.; An aneurysm of the left pulmonary artery developed in an infant during a staphylococcal generalized infection . The successful surgical treatment required a left pneumonectomy . In this report the causes of that rare lesion and the prognosis of pneumonectomy in infancy are reviewed.

Pediatr Radiol, 1980, 9(1), 41 - 2
Staphylococcal pelvic and rectal infection in a neonate; Hammond BL et al.; An infant with neonatal staphylococcal infection had evidence of pelvic inflammation, peritonitis and proctitis which resulted in narrowing of the rectosigmoid, uterectasis, pyelocaliectasis, and partial obstruction of the inferior vena cava . Appropriate treatment resulted in resolution of these findings.

Dermatologica, 1980, 160(2), 106 - 12
Repeated staphylococcal pyoderma in two siblings with defective neutrophil bacterial killing; Rebora A et al.; 2 children with undue susceptibility to skin infections and isolated defective neutrophil bacterial killing are described . Since the NBT-reducing capabilities of granulocytes were normal, a mild form of chronic granulomatous disease was excluded . Ascorbic acid was effective in delaying and eventually suppressing infectious episodes.

Clin Exp Obstet Gynecol, 1980, 7(2), 112 - 5
Modifications of the coagulation factors during normal and pathological pregnancies; Paternoster D et al.; Levels of fibrinogen and fibrin/fibrinogen degradation products (F.D.P.) have been mesurated respectively by thrombin time and by staphylococcus clumping test in 33 pregnant patients, recovered in the Obstetric and Gynaecological Clinic - University of Padua, during the ninth month of pregnancy . A control group of 16 normal pregnancies, a second group of 12 hypertensive patients, and a third group of 15 pregnancies who had given birth to rather small babies for date, were considered . A significative increase (p less than 0,001) of the F.D.P . values was found both in the pregnant women with hypertension and in those with foetal insufficiency respect to the control group . The fibrinogen levels did not vary in any of the three groups.

Ophthalmologica, 1980, 181(6), 320 - 5
Lacrimal lysozyme alterations in experimental protein deficiency; Ratnakar KS et al.; Protein deficiency increases the susceptibility of the host to infection . Depressed phagocytic function, fall in non-specific protective substances of the serum, and poor immune response have all been recorded in the literature . The malnourished population exhibit recurrent ocular infections . The role of local defence mechanisms, principally lysozyme, is not known hitherto . In the present report, protein-deprived weaning Wistar rats showed a significant reduction in lysozyme against Staphylococcus aftermentas.

Microbiol Immunol, 1980, 24(9), 871 - 8
The interactions of porcine and ovine, serum and colostral immunoglobulins with staphylococcal Protein A; Bennell MA et al.; The purpose of these studies was to determine the proportion of each immunoglobulin class/subclass in blood and colostrum of the pig and sheep, which would bind to staphylococcal Protein A . The concentrations of porcine IgG, IgM, and IgA were determined for serum and colostral whey from five sows . Similar measurements were made on two fractions produce by elution of the sample through a Protein A-Sepharose column: fraction 1, immunoglobulins which did not bind to Protein A, and fraction 2, immunoglobulins which bound to Protein A . The concentrations of ovine IgG1, IgG2, IgM, and IgA were measured for serum and colostral whey from six ewes, and again similar measurements were made after elution of each ovine sample through Protein A-Sepharose . All classes/subclasses of porcine and ovine serum and colostral immunoglobulins bound to Protein A to some extent . More than 90% of IgG from both porcine colostral whey and serum bound to Protein A . Ovine IgG1 from most ewes possessed a low affinity for Protein A whereas ovine IgG2 generally possessed a high affinity; 100% of the IgG2 in ovine colostral whey samples bound to Protein A . There was remarkable variation between individuals in the binding capacity of porcine IgM and each of the ovine immunoglobulins . For the ovine samples, in particular there were distinct differences between Protein A binding capacity of serum and colostral immunoglobulins of the same class/subclass.

J Dial, 1980, 4(4), 179 - 84
Vancomycin therapy for serious staphylococcal infections in chronic hemodialysis patients; Bierman MH et al.; Vancomycin therapy during 7 episodes of serious staphylococcal infections in chronic hemodialysis patients was monitored by a sensitive bioassay technique . One gm of vancomycin was given during dialysis at a mean dosage interval of 7 days for a mean duration of 48 days . Serum peak and trough vancomycin levels were monitored during therapy . Accumulation of vancomycin occurred in 1 patient on prolonged therapy; progressive rising through levels required a reduction in vancomycin dosage . Pre and post-dialysis vancomycin levels in one patient were unchanged . Vancomycin was effective in eradication of all staphylococcal infections and bacteremias . Three A-V shunt infections required surgical revision; 2 A-V fistula infections were salvaged with vancomycin therapy alone . We conclude that 1 gm vancomycin every 7 days is an effective regimen for serious staphylococcal infections in chronic hemodialysis patients . Monitoring of vancomycin levels insures maintenance of adequate levels and prevents toxic accumulation.

J Hyg Epidemiol Microbiol Immunol, 1980, 24(2), 219 - 26
Cellular component of the immune mechanism of maintaining chemical homoeostasis in the internal environment of the organism; Bykova AA et al.; In the study of obtained data on the part of immune mechanism in maintaining chemical homeostasis the authors found, by means of in vitro experiments, certain properties characterizing participation of the lymphatic apparatus of various rabbit and rat organs in the synthesis of antibodies against mediators, their metabolites, enzymes and hormons in comparison with effect of stimulators, {fytohemagglutinin, staphylococcal filtrate, xenogenic mixed lymphocytic cultures}, active and passive immunization of potential cell preparations for the production of specific autoantibodies . Formation of the mechanism is shown on ontogenesis . It was ascertained that pathologic processes {adjuvant arthritis, rejection reaction, immobilization stress, sepsis} essentially act upon conditions of the immune mechanism of chemical homeostasis.

J Hyg Epidemiol Microbiol Immunol, 1980, 24(2), 177 - 82
Detection of staphylococcal enterotoxigenicity . II . Field strains; Petras P et al.; The immunodiffusion micromethod was used to detect enterotoxin production in 5974 staphylococcal strains isolated during 1972-1978 from food, human milk and various specimens of clincial material . Of a total number of examined strain there were identified 3001 staphylococcal strains that produced the following enterotoxins or enterotoxin combinations: A, B, C, D, E, A + B, A + C, A + D, A + E, B + D, C + E and A + C + E.

Med Cutan Ibero Lat Am, 1980, 8(4-6), 81 - 4
{Folliculitis decalvans}; Muvdi F; The author describes the main clinical and pathological aspects of Folliculitis decalvans, rare dermatosis, probably related with Staphylococcus sensibilization of the follicle . Although in some cases Staphylococcus are present in the lesions, the treatment is disappointing . Tetracycline oral and topically, sodium sulfacetamide and fusidic acid are mentioned by Rook . Alopecia is always definitive.

Pharmazie, 1980, 35(11), 677 - 9
Studies of potential organo-fluorine antibacterial agents . Part 5: Synthesis and antibacterial activity of some new fluorine-containing indole-2,3-dione derivatives; Joshi KC et al.; A series of new 1-dialkylaminoacetyl-5/6-fluoroindole-2,3-diones and 3-arylhydrazino-5/6-fluoro-1-morpholinomethylindol-2-ones have been synthesized; the former by the reaction of different secondary amines with N-chloro-acetyl-5/6-fluoroindole-2,3-diones and the latter, by the condensation of substituted phenylhydrazines with 5/6-fluoro-1-morpholinomethylindole-2,3-diones . All synthesized compounds have been characterized by their IR, 1H-NMR and elemental analysis . These compounds have been screened for their antibacterial activity against the Gram positive bacterium Staphylococcus albus and the Gram negative bacterium Escherichia coli.

J Immunol Methods, 1980, 39(1-2), 111 - 20
Protein A-peroxidase conjugates for two-stage immunoenzyme staining of intracellular antigens in paraffin-embedded tissues; Falini B et al.; Staphylococcal protein A conjugated to horseradish peroxidase was employed in an indirect immuno-staining technique to identify intracellular antigens in paraffin-embedded tissues . The sections were incubated with specific antisera and the antigen-IgG complexes demonstrated with protein A-peroxidase conjugate . Immunoglobulins, lysozyme and insulin were satisfactorily detected by this technique . A comparison of this method with the PAP, "labelled antigen" and peroxidase-labelled antibody sandwich techniques was made.

J Immunol Methods, 1980, 32(2), 151 - 5
A solid-phase antibody binding-inhibition test, for the assay of Plasmodium berghei antigen and antibodies, using radioiodinated protein A; Avraham H et al.; Sonicated red blood cells (RBC) of rats infected with Plasmodium berghei (Pb) were used to coat plastic tubes with Pb antigens . The antigen-coated tubes were employed to detect Pb antigens and antibodies, with high efficiency . Anti-Pb antibodies were estimated by treating the tubes with rabbit or rat anti-Pb sera and assaying the bound Ig with radiolabeled Staphylococcus PrA . Pb antigens were detected by their capacity to inhibit the binding of the anti-Pb antibodies . Using a rabbit-Pb serum, sonicated, infected RBC (50% parasitemia) gave detectable inhibition up to 1 : 106 dilution.

Johns Hopkins Med J, 1980 Jan, 146(1), 13 - 5
Fatal Staphylococcus epidermidis sepsis following bone marrow transplantation; Bender JW et al.; Staphylococcus epidermidis septicemia and pneumonia developed in an 18-year-old male undergoing bone marrow transplantation . The organism was isolated from multiple blood cultures, sputum cultures, an indwelling catheter tip and post-mortem lung biopsy specimens . The bacterium was resistant to penicillin, erythromycin, clindamycin, chloramphenicol, vancomycin, gentamicin, cephalothin and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, but was sensitive to rifampin . The rapid demise of this patient, as well as the difficulty in achieving effective antibiotic therapy, illustrates the potential pathogenicity of this organism in immunosuppressed patients.

J Immunol Methods, 1980, 32(1), 51 - 8
A simple procedure to use whole serum as a source of either IgG- or IgM-specific antibody; Boyle MD et al.; Absorption of rabbit antiserum to Forssman antigen with immobilized staphylococcal Protein A or concanavalin A selectively removed IgG or IgM antibodies, respectively . This absorption procedure was more rapid than ion exchange chromatography on DEAE cellulose or molecular sieving on Sephadex G-200 and gave a better yield of functionally purer antibody . This absorption method gave antiserum suitable for the preparation of either IgM or IgG sensitized sheep erythrocytes and should be of value for the large-scale preparation of indicator cells required for the study of complement action and for detection of specific receptors on cell surfaces.

Scand J Immunol, 1980, 12(2), 119 - 27
Some functional properties of the RNP nucleoplasmic antigen; Jonsson J et al.; The effect of nuclear stimulators and inhibitors on the nuclear contents of nucleoplasmic antigens (ENA) was studied by the indirect immunofluorescence technique . Human autoimmune sera, one reacting with RNase-A-sensitive and one with RNase-A-resistant components of ENA in the passive haemagglutination test, were used as indicators of the RNP and Sm antigens, respectively . Phytohaemagglutinin and concanavalin A both caused an accumulation of these antigens in normal blood lymphocytes . With pokeweed mitogen, staphylococcal protein A, or purified protein derivative the accumulation was apparently restricted to B cells, alpha-amanitine, 10 microgram/ml, prevented the mitogen-induced accumulation of RNP in normal human blood lymphocytes and reduced the contents of this antigen in several lymphoblastoid cell lines and in HeLa cells but did not significantly affect the contents of Sm antigen in any of these cell types . The experimental results suggest that the RNP and Sm nucleoplasmic antigens are normal rapid-phase reactants integrated in physiological nuclear mechanisms rather than inert structural constituents of the nuclear matrix or the products of a latent virus.

Acta Microbiol Acad Sci Hung, 1980, 27(1), 79 - 87
The adherence of Staphylococcus epidermidis to human tonsil lymphocytes; Nagy Z et al.; Attachment of various bacteria to human, peripheral blood and tonsil lymphocytes was investigated in vitro . About 20% of tonsil lymphocytes bound Staphylococcus epidermidis, whereas the binding of other strains was negligible . The influence on cytoadherence of human serum, immunoglobulins (human IgM, IgG, IgA, as well as their respective anti-Ig's), and carbohydrates (mono and polysaccharides) was measured . It was found that heterogenous surface structures of the lymphocytes participate in the attachment.

Infection, 1980, 8 Suppl 3, 248 - 54
{The Buckley syndrome: recurring, severe staphylococcal infections, eczema and hyperimmunoglobulinemia E . (author's transl)}; Daumling S et al.; Fifteen patients aged between three and 27 years were examined clinically and immunologically . Common to all patients were severe recurring cutaneous and pulmonary staphyloccal infections, chronic eczema, eosinophilia and an extremely elevated serum IgE level . Eight of the patients had in addition facial dysplasia characterised by coarse features, prognathism and poorly formed external ears . Marked osteoporosis, particularly of the vertebral bodies, was observed in eight patients . A constant defect of granulocyte chemotaxis was found in only three patients; fluctuating or constantly normal chemotaxis occurred in six patients . Polycloncal hypergammaglobulinemia was detected in 14 patients, elevated IgD in two patients, a partial T-cell defect in two patients and a history of lack of antibody response in one patient . Therapeutic trails anti-H2 receptor-antihistamines did not produce lasting or satisfactory clinical or immunological results in the pathogenetically unidentified disease.

Int Arch Allergy Appl Immunol, 1980, 62(1), 67 - 75
Effect of adult thymectomy on the development of 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene contact sensitivity and other T lymphocyte functions in patients with myasthenia gravis; Roupe G et al.; 1-Chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene (DNCB) contact sensitivity and other T lymphocyte functions were studied in thymectomized and non-thymectomized patients with myasthenia gravis . The ability to develop contact sensitivity was reduced in patients with myasthenia gravis and was further reduced after thymectomy . Memory lymphocyte function, as measured by skin tests with common microbial antigens, was intact . A positive phytohemagglutinin (PHA) skin test was found mainly in those patients who also developed contact sensitivity to DNCB . The number of rosette-forming T cells in the peripheral blood as well as mitogen stimulation with PHA was found to be normal in thymectomized as well as non-thymectomized patients . In the thymectomized group, mitogen stimulation with concanavalin A and staphylococcal protein A was also within the normal range, while increased stimulation was obtained with pokeweed mitogen (PWM) and purified protein derivative (PPD) . No alteration in mixed lymphocyte culture reactivity or immunoglobulin levels was obtained compared with healthy blood donors . On the basis of these results, it is concluded that non-thymectomized as well as thymectomized patients with myasthenia gravis may have a defective subpopulation of T cells possibly residing in the TH1-positive population . Furthermore, the increased lymphocyte stimulation obtained with PPD and PWM may indicate a reduction of suppressor cell activity after thymectomy.

Scand J Infect Dis Suppl, 1980, Suppl 24, 165 - 72
Physico-chemical properties of Staphylococcus epidermidis and Staphylococcus saprophyticus as studied by aqueous polymer two-phase systems; Colleen S et al.; The physico-chemical surface characteristics, i.e . charge, charge density and hydrophobic interaction liability, of two strains of Staphylococcus saprophyticus were studied by the partition in aqueous polymer two-phase systems and compared to that of three strains of Staphylococcus epidermidis . The two strains of S . saprophyticus, one with and one without sheep erythrocyte agglutinating ability, were found to be negatively charged at pH 7.2 and 5.5, but exhibited a charge reduction at the lower pH . The three strains of S . epidermidis were found to carry a lower charge and lost relatively more charge at pH reduction than did S . saprophyticus . All strains of both bacterial species had a poor hydrophobic interaction liability . Incubation of one strain of S . saprophyticus with specific immune serum did not influence on hydrophobicity, but reduced charge drastically . Charge reduction was found to be associated with an immune serum fraction containing IgG and IgA.

Int Arch Allergy Appl Immunol, 1980, 63(4), 470 - 2
In vivo suppression and enhancement of the murine homocytotropic antibody response by staphylococcal enterotoxin A; Chen SE et al.; Effects of staphylococcal enterotoxin A (SEA) on the mouse homocytotropic antibody (HCA) system were studied . Groups of BDF mice received 10 micrograms SEA either orally or intraperitoneally at 0, 24, 48 h before or after immunization with 100 micrograms ovalbumin in 1 mg A1(OH)3 gel . Primary and secondary HCA responses were determined by 48-hour passive cutaneous anaphylactic reactions in genetically hairless mice . It was found that effects of SEA on HCA responses were dependent on the time and route of SEA administration . In general, early administration (48 h before immunization) of SEA showed suppression, while later administration (either 24 h before or after immunization) of SEA demonstrated enhancement . A further delay of SEA administration (48 h after immunization) exerted suppressive effects except when it was given intraperitoneally in the anamnestic HCA experiments . The mouse HCA system proved to be a suitable in vivo correlate of in vitro plaque-forming cell responses modulated by SEA.

Vopr Virusol, 1980 Jan-Feb, (1), 95 - 7
{Morphologic and physico-chemical characteristics of staphylococcal bacteriophage SB-1 virions}; Chanishvili TG et al.; Virions of polyvalent staphylococcal bacteriophage SB-I have an octaedric head (800 X 700 A) and a long contractive process (1800 X 150 A) . The phage particle with a molecular weight of 150 X 10(6) daltons contains 48% double-stranded RNA and 52% protein . The proteinic component of the phage consists of 18 heterogeneic polypeptide chains.

J Invest Dermatol, 1980 Jan, 74(1), 36 - 9
Cytotaxin production by comedonal bacteria (Propionibacterium acnes, Propionibacterium granulosum and Staphylococcus epidermidis); Puhvel SM et al.; The potential role of different species of comedonal bacteria as chemotactic stimuli in the inflammatory phase of acne vulgaris was investigated by comparing 12 strains of Staphylococcus epidermidis, 11 strains of Propionibacterium acnes, and 5 strains of P . granulosum for production of cytotaxin in vitro . Results indicated that not only were there marked differences in cytotaxin production between different strains of the same species grown under identical growth conditons, but there were often significant differences in cytotaxin activity of the same strain grown in different media . This finding is discussed in relation to development of inflammation in quiescent comedones in acne vulgaris.

Trans Assoc Am Physicians, 1980, 93, 251 - 62
Immunoregulatory functions of cultured human T lymphocytes; Uchiyama T et al.; Twenty continuous cultures of human T cells (CTC) (15 from normal individuals and five from patients with T cell malignancy) growing in the presence of PHA-stimulated lymphocyte conditioned medium were studied for their ability to participate in the regulation of the in vitro immunoglobulin (Ig) production induced by five polyclonal activators, pokeweed mitogen (PWM), Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), Nocardia opaca water-soluble mitogen (NWSM), streptolysin O (SLO), and staphylococcl phage lysate (SPL) . The CTC did not produce significant amounts of Ig in the presence of any polyclonal activator . One out of 15 CTC examined showed helper activity of moderate degree when co-cultured with B cells rigorously depleted of T cells in PWM-driven Ig biosynthesis . Two of the other CTC helped minimally . Nine of 20 CTC examined (8 of 15 from normal individuals and 1 of 5 from patients with T cell malignancies) were found to have marked suppressor cell activity when co-cultured with normal lymphocytes in the PWM-induced Ig production system and four had moderate or variable suppressive effect . This suppression was apparently not due to simple "overgrowth" or nonspecific toxic effects of CTC because (1) the CTC did not proliferate when cultured without conditioned medium, (2) the CTC did not suppress Ig production when they were added 3 days after the beginning of the 12-day cultures, (3) the CTC did not show cytotoxic activity against normal T and B cells, and (4) the CTC did not inhibit tritiated thymidine incorporation into PWM- or EBV-stimulated lymphocytes when mixed with them at the onset of culture . Ig production induced by EBV or NWSM, which are relatively T cell-independent polyclonal activators, was suppressed significantly T cell-independent polyclonal activators, was suppressed significantly by only one out of nine and one out of six CTC examined, respectively . Four clones produced by a limiting dilution method from one suppressor CTC suppressed PWM-driven Ig synthesis as markedly as the uncloned suppressor CTC . Such CTC may be of considerable value in studies of the mechanisms involved in the regulation of immunoglobulin biosynthesis and in the preparation of antisera to T cell subsets.

Mol Gen Genet, 1980, 180(2), 391 - 8
Physical mapping of the BglI, BglII, PstI and EcoRI restriction fragments of staphylococcal phage phi 11 DNA; Bachi B; A cleavage map of the generalized transducing staphylococcal phage phi 11 DNA has been constructed by reciprocal double digestion . All three BglI, the six BglII, the three PstI, and 11 out of 15 EcoRI sites have been mapped . The map is circular, with a total length of 42 kb, and has been divided into 100 map units . The phage DNA is cyclically permuted and has a terminal redundancy of about 11 kb . The preferential starting point and direction for packaging DNA lies at map unit 79 and proceeds towards higher map units.

J Surg Oncol, 1980, 14(3), 219 - 25
Serological evaluation of human brain tumors using a microradioisotopic staphylococcal protein A assay; Cohen AM et al.; A microradioisotopic staphylococcal protein A assay was applied to the serological evaluation of preoperative sera from brain tumor patients . The assay was performed in Terasaki plates, and a stainless steel punch and multiholed die facilitated sample prearation . Using allogeneic astrocytoma target cells, 15/19 of the brain tumor patients' sera were reactive, compared to 1/21 controls 0/7 nonmalignant brain disease patients' sera were positive, and 5/20 sera from patients with epithelial malignancies . The brain tumor sera were not reactive against a rectal cancer cell line.

J Immunol Methods, 1980, 32(2), 167 - 76
Use of the periodate oxidation coupling method for the detection of antibody and antibody-producing cells specific for staphylococcal lipoteichoic acid; Beining PR et al.; The periodate oxidation and chromium chloride coupling methods were compared for their ability to sensitize indicator erythrocytes with staphylococcal lipoteichoic acid (LTA) for the detection of specific antibody . Erythrocytes, sensitized with periodiate-activated lipoteichoic acid, were found to be superior for use in both passive immune hemagglutination and hemolysis tests as well as in the technique of localized hemolysis-in-gel for the detection of specific antibody-producing cells against LTA.

Arch Toxicol Suppl, 1980, 4, 138 - 42
Effects of toxicants on T-cell subpopulations as determined by lymphokine activity; Archer DL et al.; Selective depletion of T1 and T2 lymphocyte subpopulations of mouse spleens was accomplished by injecting mice subcutaneously with 5 mg cortisone acetate (CA) or 0.1 ml antithymocyte serum (ATS), respectively . Selectively depleted and control spleen cells were cultured in vitro and were tested for their ability to produce the lymphokine immune interferon (IIF) in response to the following mitogens: staphylococcal enterotoxin A (SEA), concanavalin A (ConA), and phytohaemagglutinin-P (PHA) . The data indicate that SEA and PHA induce IIF from T1 and T2 cells respectively; ConA induces IIF from both T1 and T2 cells . Mice were also injected subcutaneously with 10 mg gallic acid (GA) and the pattern of mitogen-induction of IIF from GA-treated spleen cells was compared with that of CA- and ATS-treated spleen cells . GA pretreatment of mice, like CA pretreatment, resulted in a significant decrease in SEA-induced IIF; GA probably exerts its effect on T1 suppressor cells.

Vox Sang, 1980, 38(3), 147 - 55
IgG subclasses in human gamma-globulin preparations for intravenous use and their reactivity with staphylococcus protein A; Skvaril F et al.; In two of four non-enzymatically treated gamma-globulin preparations C Immunoglobulin Schura, Immunoglobulin SRK), the distribution of IgG subclasses was found to be close to that of normal human serum . In two other preparations (sulphonated and beta-propiolactone-treated) IgG3 was not detectable by means of appropriate antiserum . The IgG residual portion of plasmin-treated gamma-globulin was enriched in IgG2, while IgG3 was absent . In affinity chromatography on protein A Sepharose, IgG3 in the unbound and IgG1, IgG2 and IgG4 in the bound fractions were found in Immunoglobulins Schura and SRK . In the sulphonated preparation no IgG was found in the unbound fraction, while IgG1, IgG2 and IgG4 were eluted from the bound fraction . In beta-propiolactone-treated gamma-globulin IgG1, IgG2 and IgG4 were present in both fractions . The testing of reactivity of IgG subclasses with Staphylococcus protein A can supply important information about the state of the Fc part in immunoglobulin preparations.

J Immunol Methods, 1980, 34(2), 93 - 106
125I-labeled protein A as a general tracer in immunoassay: suitability of goat and sheep antibodies; Langone JJ; The immunoassay method in which 125I-labeled staphylococcal Protein A ({125I}PA) serves as a general tracer has been extended to include goat and sheep IgG antibodies . Goat and sheep IgG normally do not react significantly with PA . However, once IgG antibody is bound to immobilized antigen or hapten, binding of {125I}PA is enhanced markedly . Binding efficiencies of {125I}PA to immune complexed goat anti-human IgM, human IgE, methotrexate and sheep anti-IgE were determined and compared quantitatively to rabbit IgG with the corresponding specificity . Immunoassays were developed based on the inhibition of {125I}PA binding as a measure of antibody inhibition by fluid-phase homologous ligand . In terms of sensitivity and specificity, assays using goat and sheep antibodies were comparable to assays developed using rabbit IgG . Goat antibody to the monovalent hapten methotrexate behaved anomalously: for each concentration of IgG tested, there was an optimal amount of methotrexate beads that gave maximum binding of {125I}PA . In the other immune systems, for each antibody concentration maximum binding of tracer was a function only of the amount of immobilized antigen added . In contrast to the results obtained with solid-phase antigen, solutions containing antibody and amounts of antigen ranging from large antigen excess to antibody excess to antibody excess failed to react significantly with PA or {125I}PA.

Int J Cancer, 1979 Dec 15, 24(6), 773 - 9
Comparative tumor-inhibitory and anti-bacterial activity of soluble and particulate glucan; Di Luzio NR et al.; A soluble fraction of particulate glucan was prepared and evaluated for its anti-tumor and anti-bacterial activity . Thin-layer chromatographic analysis indicated that the soluble preparation was composed of a variety of polyglucoses . Intravenous administration of soluble or particulate glucan resulted in significant reductions in the growth of a syngeneic anaplastic mammary carcinoma and melanoma B16 . Survival data demonstrated that intravenous administration of soluble or particulate glucan prolonged survival of A/J and C57BL/6J mice with subcutaneous tumor implants . As regards to bacterial infections, soluble and particulate glucan decreased renal necrosis in S . aureus challenged mice as compared to control mice . Although the exact nature of the active soluble fraction(s) of glucan remains to be delineated, these studies demonstrate that a soluble glucan preparation exhibits significant anti-tumor and anti-staphylococcal activity . The active soluble fraction of particulate glucan may be preferable to particulate glucan in view of the inherent ease of parenteral administration.

Int J Cancer, 1979 Dec 15, 24(6), 762 - 9
An assay for estradiol preceptors using a staphylococcal protein-A--estradiol antibody adsorbent; Ronchi E et al.; Antiestradiol antisera were raised in rabbits by immunization with a steroid-protein conjugate Whole antisera and purified antiestradiol antibodies were reacted with heat-killed and formalin-fixed bacteria from the protein-A-bearing strain of Staphilococcus aureus (Cowan I, NCTC 8530) . The bacterial immunoadsorbent was used to estimate the estrogen-receptor proteins contained in several specimens from human breast carcinoma . Since the affinity constant for estradiol of antiestradiol antibodies is about 10(8) M-1 while those for breast estrogen-receptor complexes are about 10(9) to 10(10) M-1, it is possible to remove the free steroid from a reaction mixture containing tissue cytosol, radio-labelled estradiol, and the antiestradiol bacterial adsorbent by pelleting the bacteria at low-speed centrifugation . The radiolabelled estradiol molecules bound to their receptors remain in the supernatant and can be easily counted by liquid scintillation counting . The results obtained by this technique on specimens of human breast carcinomas compared more than satisfactorily with those obtained, on separated aliquots from the same specmens, by the dextran-coated charcoal method, according to the EORTC group (1973) . The versatility, specificity and stability of the antiestradiol bacterial immunoadsorbent recommend its use, rather than that of charcoal-coated dextran and other non-specific steroid adsorbents, in the mass screening of patients with breast carcinoma which could be amenable to hormonal therapy.

Trop Geogr Med, 1979 Dec, 31(4), 525 - 9
Staphylococcal pericarditis with pyopericardium; Bentley SJ et al.; Seven previously well patients with acute staphylococcal pericarditis and purulent pericardial effusion are described . All had a septicaemic illness in which worsening heart failure with signs of cardiac tamponade became the major problems of management . Tropical pyomyositis was probably the predisposing illness in four patients . This number of proven cases within an 18-month period suggests that staphylococcal pyopericardium is in a tropical environment probably commoner than realised.

J Infect Dis, 1979 Dec, 140(6), 837 - 43
Secretory immunity in influenza; Shvartsman YS et al.; The dynamics of secretory antibody formation, the duration of secretory antibody preservation, and changes in the concentration of secretory antibodies to antigens other than influenza virus were studied in 64 patients with influenza A, 105 patients with influenza B, and 23 persons who had had influenza A . Severe forms of influenza A were accompanied by antibody accumulation in sera and nasal secretions; in some cases of mild forms of this infection, this process was limited by the humoral immunity system . In the first days of severe forms, transudation of antibodies from sera to nasal secretions was noted . Secretory antibodies to influenza A virus were preserved at titers of greater than or equal to 1:4 for four to eight months in persons with mild forms of the disease and for more than eight months in those with severe influenza A complicated with pneumonia . Decreases in the titer of antibodies to agents other than influenza A virus, including influenza B virus, respiratory syncytial virus, adenovirus, and staphylococcus toxin, were demonstrated in association with rises in titers of antibody to influenza A virus . Among patients with influenza B, who were infected with a new influenza virus variant, the formation of circulating antibodies was more intensely stimulated than was the formation of secretory antibodies . No correlation between the level of IgA and the antibody titer in nasal secretions was found.

J Bacteriol, 1979 Dec, 140(3), 859 - 63
Presence and synthesis of cholesterol in stable staphylococcal L-forms; Hayami M et al.; The sterol which was present in two strains of a stable staphylococcal L-form was analyzed by gas-liquid chromatography and combined gas-liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry . The retention time of the sterol on gas-liquid chromatography was the same as that of authentic cholesterol . Analysis of the sterol by mass spectrometry showed a molecular ion at an m/e of 386 and the same patterns of major ions above an m/e of 145 as those of authentic cholesterol . As a result, the sterol in staphylococcal L-form was identified as cholesterol . A parent strain and its L-forms were cultured in medium containing {14C}acetate, and the synthesis of cholesterol was examined . In the L-forms, 0.52% of the total lipid radioactivity was found in cholesterol fraction, whereas no significant radioactivity was detected in the cholesterol fraction of the parent strain, indicating that staphylococcal L-forms have acquired the capacity to synthesize cholesterol.

Cell, 1979 Dec, 18(4), 1173 - 83
A phase relationship associates tRNA structural gene sequences with nucleosome cores; Wittig B et al.; DNA (760 bp) isolated from nucleosome tetramers of staphylococcal nuclease-digested chicken embryo chromatin was highly enriched for tRNA genes and subsequently cloned in E . coli chi 1776 . The location of genes coding for chicken embryo tRNALys, tRNAPhe and tRNAiMet within the cloned nucleosome tetramer DNA was determined using restriction endonucleases for which single cleavage sites could be predicted from the respective tRNA base sequence . All our tRNA genes reside nonrandomly at four locations on nucleosome tetramer DNA . The spacing between the tRNA gene locations is approximately 190 bp, similar to the DNA repeat length of chicken embryo chromatin . The four tRNA gene locations were also defined in noncloned nucleosome tetramer DNA highly enriched for tRNA genes . The majority of genes coding for tRNALys, tRNAPhe and tRNAiMet, respectively, are located in equal proportion 40-45, 230, 420 and 610 bp distant from the 5' end of the tRNA-identical strand . Thus the tRNA structural gene sequences all appear to begin about 20 bp "inside" the nucleosome core . As observed with nucleosomal DNA not enriched for tRNA genes, the phase relationship between tRNA genes and nucleosome location is maintained over a distance of 4-6 subsequent nucleosomes . A cloned molecule of nucleosomal DNA containing both a tRNALys gene and a tRNAiMet gene in the same polarity reveals that a phase adjustment might be necessary for the nucleosomes between these two tRNA genes in chicken embryo chromatin.

Arch Intern Med, 1979 Dec, 139(12), 1350 - 2
Endocarditis associated with porcine valve xenografts; Downham WH et al.; Review of porcine valve xenografts in 68 patients over a 32-month period disclosed seven episodes of endocarditis in six patients, an attack rate of 10% . Four patients died as a result of the infections . The presence of Staphylococcus epidermidis in every case was most striking as was the preponderance of methicillin sodium resistance . The clustering of cases within a restricted time period, and the absence of subsequent cases, suggests the strong possibility of a nosocomial occurrence.

Am J Ophthalmol, 1979 Dec, 88(6), 1052 - 5
Staphylococcal ophthalmia neonatorum and the staphylococcal scalded skin syndrome; Fox KR et al.; A 3-week-old infant had neonatal ophthalmia neonatorum, treated in a routine manner which rapidly developed into an advanced case of staphylococcal scalded skin syndrome . The infant had sudden onset of widespread erythematous and tender areas of skin with subsequent exfoliation of large surface areas . We emphasize the recognition of this syndrome and the understanding that it may rapidly become a serious consequence of staphylococcal ophthalmia neonatorum . We stress the need for initial microbiologic studies and early antibiotic therapy for ophthalmia neonatorum.

South Med J, 1979 Dec, 72(12), 1557 - 8, 1563
Comparison of staphylococcal and nonstaphylococcal endocarditis in narcotic addicts; Ogbuawa O et al.; In a 54-month retrospective review, we compared the clinical features of 26 narcotic addicts with staphylococcal endocarditis (group 1) and ten other addicts with nonstaphylococcal endocarditis (group 2) . The admission temperature and the respiratory rate of patients in group 1 were significantly higher (P less thn .05 and less than .02 respectively) than those of patients in group 2 . Group 1 also differed from group 2 in the following variables: (1) bilateral multiple pulmonary infiltrates in 46% vs none in group 2; (2) greater incidence of symptoms referable to the central nervous system (50% vs none in group 2); and (3) gastrointestinal symptoms of vomiting, diarrhea, or constipation in 62% vs 10% in group 2 . Serious cardiovascular, renal, and other complications were more frequent in staphylococcal endocarditis . Tricuspid regurgitation occurred with equal frequency in both groups and was of no value in differentiating staphylococcal from nonstaphylococcal endocarditis.

J Can Assoc Radiol, 1979 Dec, 30(4), 218 - 22
Native children's lung; Houston CS et al.; A high proportion of Cree and other North American Indian children have a chronic cough and many have bronchial wall thickening on radiographs, reminiscent of white children with asthma, mild cystic fibrosis, or immune deficiency . When compared to postmortem studies, radiographs underestimate the degree of bronchial wall thickening present . As compared to white children, Indian children in the first two years of life are more susceptible to recurrent bronchitis and pneumonia, are much more likely to develop pneumonia with rubeola and pertussis, and are more likely to develop chronic lung disease after adenovirus infections . Staphylococcal complications with pneumatocele formation are more common . A greater number acquire pneumonia while in hospital with other medical or surgical problems . Indian children with pneumonia recover more slowly, and some continue to deteriorate even after admission to hospital.

Chest, 1979 Dec, 76(6), 647 - 52
Complications of pulmonary artery catheterization in the care of critically ill patients . A prospective study; Elliott CG et al.; In order to evaluate the incidence and the significance of complications resulting from the use of flow--directed, balloon--tipped catheters to monitor critically ill patients, we made a prospective study of 116 pulmonary artery catheterizations . Indications for catheterization included shock, pulmonary edema, or hemodynamic instability following surgery . Arrhythmias, including premature atrial or ventricular depolarizations, ventricular tachycardia, and transient right--bundle branch block occurred during 90 of the 116 insertion procedures, but were unassociated with morbidity or mortality . In two cases (1.7 percent) staphylococcal bacteremia probably originated from the catheter . In addition, the pulmonary artery catheter led to two cases (1.7 percent) of subclavian vein thrombosis . Postmortem examinations revealed perforations of the pulmonic valve in one case . We conclude that although significant complications may result from pulmonary arterial catheterization and monitoring of critically ill patients, the incidence is low.

J Neurosurg, 1979 Dec, 51(6), 804 - 11
Long-term analysis of cerebrospinal fluid shunt infections . A 25-year experience; George R et al.; The authors have retrospectively analyzed 840 cerebrospinal fluid shunting procedures over a 25-year period to determine the relationships between infection rates and several possible influences on infection . Two-thirds of all shunt infections occurred within 1 month of surgery . The very young and very old had higher infection rates . Infections became less prevalent over the period of the study, and mortality from infection decreased from 35% to 6% . Successive shunts (revisions) were found to have progressively higher infection rates . Ventriculoatrial and ventriculoperitoneal silicone plastic shunts had similar infection rates (11.4% and 12.0%) . The uncontrolled use of prophylactic antibiotics had no effect on shunt infections . Staphylococcus epidermidis became gradually more prevalent over the period of the study, and eventually caused one-half of all infections . Where infection occurred in the presence of prophylaxis, the infectious organism was usually sensitive to the antibiotic being used . The surgeon was found to be the largest single factor in the incidence of shunt infections . A 25-fold variance in infection rates among surgeons could be related to individual experience and technique.

Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A, 1979 Dec, 76(12), 6326 - 30
Organization of spacer DNA in chromatin; Lohr D et al.; Detailed analysis of the DNA fragment patterns produced by DNase I digestion of yeast, HeLa, and chicken erythrocyte nuclei reveals surprising features of nucleosome phasing . First, the spacer regions in phased yeast chromatin must be of lengths (10m + 5) base pairs, where m = 0, 1, 2,....This feature is not seen in parallel studies of chicken erythrocyte chromatin . The 5-base pair increment in the yeast spacer imposes interesting restraints on the higher order structure of yeast chromatin . Second, we have been able to simulate the DNase I cutting patterns and get good agreement with the observed yeast patterns . Third, three different chromatins show a long range periodicity in the DNase I digest pattern, with a period half that of the staphylococcal nuclease repeat . These results suggest that the amount of chromatin observed in discrete extended-ladder bands is a minimum estimate of phasing and in fact phasing may be a more general feature.

Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1979 Dec, (12), 87 - 90
{State of the nonspecific humoral factors of the body's natural resistance in patients with suppurative and septic infections having various ABO system blood groups}; Romanov VA et al.; The results of surveying 140 patients with severe purulent and septic infections of staphylococcal etiology, when compared with the distribution of the blood groups (as classified according to the ABO system) in 180 healthy donors, revealed that generalized purulent infections occurred most frequently in patients with blood groups A (II) and AB (IV), and more seldom in patients with blood groups O (I) and B (III) . The average content of lysozyme, complement and normal antibodies to E . coli, as well as the average level of general bactericidal activity in the blood sera of the patients were considerably lower than in the blood sera of healthy donors; at the same time content of lysozyme, complement and normal antibodies in the blood sera of patients having different groups of blood did not reflect the degree of their predisposition or resistance to staphylococcal infections . The general bactericidal activity of the blood serum was found to correlate with the degree of predisposition or resistance to purulent septic infections of staphylococcal etiology to a greater extent than other characteristics.

Blood, 1979 Dec, 54(6), 1330 - 7
The use and limitation of labeled staphylococcal protein A for study of antineutrophil antibodies; McCallister JA et al.; Antineutrophil antibodies can be detected following their attachment to neutrophils by employing labeled staphylococcal protein A (SPA) . Radiolabeled SPA provides a sensitive means for identifying the presence of IgG restricted to subclasses IgG1, IgG2, and IgG4 that will specifically bind to neutrophils and that are found in the serum of patients with isoimmune and autoimmune neutropenia . However, SPA bound to the Fc region of IgG does not interfere with the attachment of IgG to the Fc domain of the neutrophil . Fluorescein-labeled SPA, in turn is useful in monitoring the functional consequences of antibody attachment to the surface of polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN) . Both heterologous and isoimmune antisera induced lateral movement of surface antigens into polar-capped pseudopodia . The formation of such pseudopodia may facilitate leukoagglutination and the subsequent removal of sensitized cells from the circulation.

J Reprod Immunol, 1979 Dec, 1(4), 219 - 27
Cord blood lymphocyte subpopulations and mitogenic activity in whole blood microculture; Griffin JF et al.; Comparative studies on cord and adult blood showed that cord blood contained at least twice as many lymphocytes as adult blood . Relatively, the percentage of T cells (E-RFC) was significantly lower in cord blood lymphocytes . The percentage of B cells (EAC-RFC and SmIg bearing cells), as well as the total number of T and B cells (mm(-3)), was significantly higher in cord blood . In vitro mitogen transformation of cord and adult lymphocytes in while blood, cultured for different times and diluted to contain equivalent numbers of lymphocytes per culture, showed significant qualitative and quantitative differences . Responses to the T cell mitogens phytohaemagglutinin (PHA) and concanavalin A (Con A) were examined from 3 to 6 days in culture . Cord blood lymphocytes were significantly more responsive when cultured for 3 to 4 days, similar to adult cells after 5 days, but significantly less responsive after 6 days in culture . The optimal levels of T cell mitogen responsiveness in cord cells (Day 4) were similar to adut cells (Day 6) . Spontaneous transformation of unstimulated lymphocytes and B cell mitogen transformation with pokeweed mitogen (PWM) and staphylococcal protein A (SpA) were all significantly higher in cord blood than in adult whole blood cultured for 5 days.

Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1979 Dec, (12), 83 - 6
{Characteristics of the mitogenic activity of different staphylococcal strains}; Iliushin VA et al.; The mitogens of human peripheral lymphocytes were detected in the metabolic products of 59 out of 71 S . aureus strains . The preparations of S . epidermidis were inactive . When stimulated with filtrates of various S . aureus strains, 72-hour lymphocyte cultures were found to have 0--46% of blasts . Two-year observation of a strain showed its stable mitogenic characteristics . The mitogenic properties of the preparations did not correlate with their coagulase, alpha-toxic, dermonecrotoxic, cytotoxic, enterotoxigenic, neutrophil-stimulating activity and the quantitative content of A protein.

Infect Immun, 1979 Dec, 26(3), 949 - 55
Induction of an inhibitor of interferon action in a mouse lymphokine preparation; Fleischmann WR Jr et al.; An inhibitor of interferon action was identified in mouse lymphokine preparations . The inhibito was first detected in the supernatant fluid of mouse spleen cells at 72 h after stimulation by staphylococcal enterotoxin A . Inhibitor was not detected in supernatant fluids from unstimulated cultures . This inhibitor blocks the antiviral activity of both immune and fibroblast interferons . The inhibitor was purified 1,000-fold by two-step column chromatography . The partially purified inhibitor blocked the antiviral activity of up to 400 U of interferon . The immunosuppressive effect of interferon was also blocked by the inhibitor, suggesting that the inhibitor may modulate the immunoregulatory function of interferon.

Am Rev Respir Dis, 1979 Dec, 120(6), 1239 - 44
Effects of Sendai virus infection on function of cultured mouse alveolar macrophages; Mills J; Cultured mouse alveolar macrophages supported the growth of Sendai virus (murine parainfluenza I virus), as measured by both a 10-fold increase in extracellular virus titers and development of viral antigens on most of the cells . Synthesis of virus continued for at least 1 month without cytopathic effects . Macrophage phagocytic activity for Candida, Staphylococcus epidermidis, and opsonized erythrocytes remained unaffected by the infection, and the ability of the cells to kill S . epidermidis and S . Aureus was also unchanged . The defects in alveolar macrophage function observed in Sendai-infected mouse lungs probably are not due to a direct effect of the virus on macrophage function.

Cancer, 1979 Dec, 44(6), 2244 - 8
Acquired myeloperoxidase deficiency and recurrent infections in a patient with acute myelomonocytic leukemia; Kitahara M et al.; Acquired myeloperoxidase deficiency has been reported in several hematological malignancies . The clinical course of a patient with acute myelomonocytic leukemia is described which was characterized by staphylococcal infections prior to therapy and again during a period of relapse . Neutropenia was not a feature of these two periods but in vitro studies revealed decreased bacterial killing capacity and decreased neutrophil myeloperoxidase activity . Infectious complications were not observed during drug-induced remission when bacterial killing capacity and myeloperoxidase activity were improved toward normal . These observations suggest that the myeloperoxidase deficient neutrophils were derived from leukemic progenitors.

Zhonghua Min Guo Wei Sheng Wu Xue Za Zhi, 1979 Dec, 12(4), 149 - 53
Detection of staphylococcal enterotoxin in foods; Lee CL; A method has been developed for the detection of staphylococcal enterotoxin A in the boiled rice extract . The procedure utilized was the batch adsorption of enterotoxin from the cell-free culture supernatant by CG-50 ion exchange resin at pH 5.6 . The enterotoxin was eluted by various concentrations of elution solution with different pH values . The lyophilized eluate was dissolved in Phosphate Buffer Saline (PBS) solution and analyzed with a quantitative double diffusion method . The desorption of enterotoxin from ion exchange resin appeared to be less effective by increasing the concentration of elution solution than by elevating the pH value of elution solution . The pH below 6.2 seemed to lose the ability to elute the enterotoxin from ion exchanger but enough to elimate non-specific extra proteins . The quantitative double diffusion method was able to detect enterotoxin in food with approximation in quantitation.

J Immunol, 1979 Dec, 123(6), 2673 - 81
The specificity of human autoantibodies that react with both cell nuclei and plasma membranes: the nuclear antigen is present on core mononucleosomes; Rekvig OP et al.; We have examined the nature of the nuclear antigen recognized by certain natural human antibodies that react specifically with both cell nuclei and plasma membranes from many species . Partial purification of these antibodies, called X-ANA, is achieved by binding to and rapid elution from the surface of viable human leukocytes . Chicken erythrocyte chromatin was solubilized by digestion with staphylococcal nuclease and fractionated into a 0.15 M NaCl soluble fraction that consisted of core mononucleosomes lacking H1/H5, and a 0.15 M NaCl insoluble fraction composed of polynucleosomes with H1/H5 present . No proteins other than histones were detected . Native and reconstituted mononucleosomes displaced IgG of the leukocyte eluates from nuclei of frozen mouse kidney sections and from the walls of plastic tubes coated with polynucleosomes . The reconstituted core mononucleosomes were 4- 10-fold less efficient inhibitors than native mononucleosomes . Trypsin digested mononucleosomes, free high m.w . DNA, and free histones displayed no or very weak inhibitory activity . The data indicate that X-ANA recognize a complex consisting of the core histones H2A, H2B, H3, H4, and DNA of 140 to 200 base pairs in length.

Biochemistry, 1979 Nov 27, 18(24), 5410 - 6
Amino acid sequence studies on the alpha chain of human fibrinogen . Overlapping sequences providing the complete sequence; Watt KW et al.; The complete amino acid sequence of the alpha chain of human fibrinogen has been determined . It contains 610 amino acid residues and has a calculated molecular weight of 66,124 . The chain has 10 methionines, and fragmentation with cyanogen bromide yields 11 peptides {Doolittle, R.F., Cassman, K.G., Cottrell, B.A., Friezner, S.J., Hucko, J.T., & Takagi, T . (1977) Biochemistry 16, 1703} . The arrangement of the 11 fragments was determined by the isolation of peptide overlaps from plasmic and staphylococcal protease digests of fibrinogen and/or alpha chains . In addition, certain of the cyanogen bromide fragments, preliminary reports of whose sequences have appeared previously, have been reexamined in order to resolve several discrepancies . The alpha chain is homologous with the beta and gamma chains of fibrinogen, although a large repetitive segment of unusual composition is absent from the latter two chains . The existence of this unusual segment divides the sequence of the alpha chain into three zones of about 200 residues each that are readily distinguishable on the basis of amino acid composition alone.

Biochemistry, 1979 Nov 27, 18(24), 5405 - 10
Amino acid sequence studies on the alpha chain of human fibrinogen . Exact location of cross-linking acceptor sites; Cottrell BA et al.; Human fibrinogen was clotted under conditions that promote latent factor XIII activity and in the presence of a radioactive substitute cross-linking donor ({14C}glycine ethyl ester) . The labeled fibrin was reduced and alkylated in the presence of 6 M guanidinium chloride . After dialysis and freeze-drying, the preparation was separated into its constituent polypeptide subunits by chromatography on (carboxymethyl)cellulose in the presence of 8 M urea . Under the incorporation conditions used, the radioactivity was limited to gamma chains (one donor molecule/chain) and alpha chains (two donor molecules/chain) . The labeled alpha chains were digested with cyanogen bromide and fractionated on Sephadex G-50 . All the radioactivity was found in a fragment previously designated H alpha CNI, the largest of the cyanogen bromide fragments in the alpha chain . The fragment was further fragmented by digestion with plasmin, trypsin, chymotrypsin, and/or staphylococcal protease . The incorporated radioactivity was found to reside in equal amounts at two different sites located 38 residues apart . These were determined to be positions 88 and 126 in H alpha CNI, which correspond to glutamine-328 and glutamine-366 in the alpha chain.

Biochemistry, 1979 Nov 27, 18(24), 5399 - 404
Amino acid sequence studies on the alpha chain of human fibrinogen . Complete sequence of the largest cyanogen bromide fragment; Strong DD et al.; The largest fragment produced by complete cyanogen bromide digestion of the alpha chain of human fibrinogen contains 236 residues and has a calculated molecular weight of 23,949 . The complete amino acid sequence of the fragment was determined by the isolation of peptides generated by plasmin, trypsin (including digestion of citraconylated material), staphylococcal protease, and chymotrypsin . In addition, some key subfragmentation was achieved by selective chemical cleavage at tryptophan residues . The fragment has an unusual amino acid composition, more than half of its residues being glycine, serine, threonine, and proline . There are very few nonpolar residues, although 7 of the alpha-chain's 10 tryptophans occur in this fragment . The fragment contains 2 cysteine residues located 30 residues apart which are connected by an intrachain disulfide bond in the native molecule . The tryptophans occur with a definite periodicity that highlights a series of 13-residue homology repeats . The fragment also contains the two principal alpha-chain cross-linking sites.

Nucleic Acids Res, 1979 Nov 24, 7(6), 1713 - 35
The similarity of DNA sequences remaining bound to scaffold upon nuclease treatment of interphase nuclei and metaphase chromosomes; Razin SV et al.; The fragments of DNA attached to protein skeleton of interphase nuclei or metaphase chromosomes were obtained . Both the method involving restriction endonuclease treatment/1,2/and a novel procedure based on mild staphylococcal nuclease digestion were used . In the latter case, DNA fragments remaining bound to nuclei or chromosomes are not enriched in satellite but only in abundant middle repetitive DNA . The shorter the fragments of attached DNA, the higher the content of middle repetitive DNA in the fraction . It has a slightly higher density in a CsCl gradient comparing to the main DNA . The yield of attached DNA, its distribution in a CsCl density gradient, and its renaturation properties are essentially the same for interphase and metaphase chromosomes . The average size of DNA loops was found to be equal to approximately 60 kb for both metaphase chromosomes and interphase nuclei . The conclusion has been drawn that the bulk of attachment sites of DNP fibrils to axial chromosomal structures remains unchanged during the cell cycle.

Nucleic Acids Res, 1979 Nov 24, 7(6), 1525 - 40
Subnucleosome particles containing high mobility group proteins HMG-E and HMG-G originate from transcriptionally active chromatin; Bakayev VV et al.; Subnucleosome particles SN2 and SN3 containing short DNA fragments and non-histone proteins of the high mobility group, HMG-G and HMG-E respectively, were purified from the chromatin preparations of mouse L cells partially digested with staphylococcal nuclease . Labeled DNAs prepared from these particles were hybridized to an excess of nuclear RNA . The binding of subnucleosomal DNA was about 3-fold higher comparing to total cellular DNA fragmented to the same size . Special control experiments showed that DNA.protein complexes present in subnucleosomes SN2 and SN3 preexisted in nontreated nuclei . The conclusion has been drawn that non-histone proteins HMG-G and HMG-E are associated with the DNA of transcriptionally active chromatin and are released by nuclease as subnucleosomes.

Nucleic Acids Res, 1979 Nov 10, 7(5), 1343 - 61
Distribution of DNA damage in chromatin and its relation to repair in human cells treated with 7-bromomethylbenz(a) anthracene; Oleson FB et al.; We have examined the relationship between the distribution of DNA damage and repair in chromatin from confluent human fibroblasts treated with the carcinogen 7-bromomethylbenz (a) anthracene . Analysis of staphylococcal nuclease (SN)4 digestion kinetics and gel electrophoresis revealed that more total damage occurs in nucleosome core DNA (approximately 80-85% of chromatin DNA) than in SN sensitive DNA (APPROXIMATELY15-20%) . Furthermore, over a 24 hr period, damage is removed at about the same rate from these two regions . In contrast, virtually all of the nucleotides incorporated during repair synthesis are initially SN sensitive even when measured at 12 hr after damage . With time many repair-incorporated nucleotides become SN resistant and coelectrophorese with nucleosome core DNA . To explain these data we propose a model whereby excision repair occurs in both linker and core DNA; however, in core DNA the repair process induces conformational changes resulting in temporarily increased SN sensitivity; subsequently, rearrangement occurs and results in the re-establishment of native or near-native nucleosome conformation and SN resistance.

Nucleic Acids Res, 1979 Nov 10, 7(5), 1263 - 81
Structure of plant nuclear and ribosomal DNA containing chromatin; Leber B et al.; Digestion of plant chromatin from Brassica pekinensis and Matthiola incana with staphylococcus nuclease leads to a DNA repeat of 175 plus or minus 8 and a core size of 140 base pairs . DNase I digestion results in multiples of 10 bases . Ribosomal RNN genes were studied as a model system for active plant chromatin because of their great redundancy and their high transcriptional activity in growing and differentiating tissues . The actively transcribed genes were identified by nascent RNA of ribosomal origin still attached to its matrix DNA . Hybridization techniques were used to demonstrate that even transcriptionally active gene sequences are present in nuclease generated chromatin subunits . Comparison of the DNase I kinetics of chromatin digestion with the amount of ribosomal RNA genes which is available for hybridization at the given times indicated that ribosomal RNA genes are digested, but not preferentially degraded by DNase I.

J Biol Chem, 1979 Nov 10, 254(21), 11148 - 53
Irreversible thiophosphorylation and activation of tension in functionally skinned rabbit ileum strips by {35S}ATP gamma S; Cassidy P et al.; Rabbit ileum strips were functionally skinned by exposure to staphylococcal alpha-toxin . Incubation of the strips in the ATP analog ATP gamma S or {35S}ATP gamma S in the presence of Ca2+ (but not in the absence of Ca2+) resulted in a maximal Ca2+-insensitive activated tension that persisted following removal of Ca2+ . Correlated with this tension was 35S-labeling of the 20,000-dalton myosin light chain, LC20, that persisted even after removal of Ca2+ . Tension in these strips partially relaxed when exposed to ATP (alpha,beta-methylene) . In contrast, alpha-toxin-treated strips exposed to ATP or {gamma-32P}ATP showed Ca2+-sensitive, reversible activated tension and reversible 32P-labeling of the LC20 . These results are consistent with a currently proposed model of Ca2+ control of smooth muscle contraction involving a myosin light chain kinase-phosphatase system.

Can J Microbiol, 1979 Nov, 25(11), 1219 - 26
The binding of fluorescein-labelled stapbylococcal alpha toxoid to erythrocytes; Barei GM et al.; Erythrocytes of different animal species have variable hemolytic sensitivity to staphylococcal alpha toxin . Specific and non-specific binding of toxin was measured using fluorescein-labelled toxoid . These studies indicate that toxoid binding to erythrocytes increases with concentration for all species tested . Scatchard plot analyses of 35 animals representing seven species indicate that rabbit, pig, cow, and chicken erythrocytes possess 125 980, 103 920, 82 500, and 41 200 receptors per cell, respectively . The number of receptors remains constant over a period of at least 10 days . No detectable receptors were found for human, rat, and guinea pig erythrocytes . A correlation coefficient of 0.992 exists between receptor number and hemolytic sensitivity for those species having receptors . Variation in hemolytic sensitivity is governed by receptor number and not by variation in the dissociation constant . A threshold sensitivity of 37 000 receptors per cell has been calculated . Since species lacking detectable receptors have considerable sensitivity to hemolysis, it is proposed that two binding mechanisms, specific and non-specific, exist which prepare erythrocytes for destruction.

Arch Intern Med, 1979 Nov, 139(11), 1255 - 8
Bacteremic infection in hemodialysis; Nsouli KA et al.; This is a retrospective study of 133 episodes of bacteremic infection in 112 hemodialysis patients . The frequency of bacteremic infection was 9.5% in patients with chronic renal failure and 10.9% in patients with acute renal failure . In patients with acute renal failure, pneumonia and intra-abdominal abscess were the most frequent sources of septicemia . Sepsis was usually due to Gram-negative organisms and mortality was high . In patients with chronic renal failure, infection of the shunt or fistula was the most common cause, was frequently due to Staphylococcus organism, and had a more favorable survival rate . Gram-negative septicemia from a nonaccess source in patients with chronic renal failure was associated with a higher mortality . Bacterial endocarditis and septic pulmonary emboli occurred in 3.6% of septic episodes and 0.35% of patients at risk and had very low mortality . A low threshold for obtaining blood cultures and early antibiotic treatment are believed to be important in the treatment of bacteremic infections in patients undergoing long-term hemodialysis.

Infect Immun, 1979 Nov, 26(2), 508 - 14
Relationships between adjuvant, immunosuppressive, and mitogenic activities of staphylococcal peptidoglycan; Dziarski R; Staphylococcal peptidoglycan (PG) possesses in vivo immunodulating activity and is a B-cell mitogen in mice . The effect of PG on in vitro immune response of mouse splenocytes to sheep erythrocytes (SRBC) was studied, as well as the relationships between in vivo and in vitro adjuvant, immunosuppressive, and mitogenic activities of PG in terms of dose response, time kinetics, and physical state . Particulate PG suppressed in vivo anti-SRBC response when injected in a large dose before or simultaneously with SRBC . A small dose of particulate PG given before or along with the antigen was immunostimulatory . Soluble PG was adjuvant active in both high and low doses when injected before or along with the antigen . Both PG preparations were adjuvant active for mouse splenocytes in vitro immunized with SRBC, but particulate PG was more active . Even high doses of particulate PG were not directly suppressive for the in vitro immune response . Particulate PG was also mitogenic for mouse splenocytes, and the maximum increase in {3H}thymidine incorporation was observed after 2 days of culture . Soluble PG was not mitogenic during the 5-day incubation period . These results indicate that the physical state of PG, its dose, and its time of application are important factors determining its immunomodulating and mitogenic activities, and that by changing them it is possible to dissociate the adjuvant, immunosuppressive, and mitogenic properties of PG.

J Virol, 1979 Nov, 32(2), 458 - 67
Polypeptides of the Epstein-Barr virus membrane antigen complex; Thorley-Lawson DA et al.; Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-associated membrane antigens have been purified from the plasma membranes of the producer cell line P3HR-1 NONO . The antigens were assayed with a specific rabbit anti-ebv antiserum using an 125I-labeled staphylococcal protein A binding assay . The antigens have been shown to be present on purified plasma membranes . Treatment of the plasma membranes with Triton X-100 allows the separation of two antigenically distinct classes of antigens, one soluble and one insoluble in the detergent . Immunoprecipitates of {125I5- and {35S}methionine-labeled, detergent-soluble antigens contained three major polypeptides of molecular weights of 350,000, 140,000, and 75,003 (on 7.5% sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis) and several minor components . These polypeptides were all specifically precipitated from four EBV-producer cell lines, P3HR-1, P3HR-1 NONO, B95-8, and 7744 . They could not be precipitated from producer cell lines treated with phosphonoacetic acid, which inhibits late viral functions, nor could they be precipitated from nonproducer cell lines . The 350,000 and 75,000 molecular weight polypeptides bound to Ricin and lentil lectin columns; however, most of the 140,000 molecular weight material did not . A component of molecular weight 220,000 (prominent only in P3HR-1 NONO) was probably a degradation product of the 350,000 molecular weight polypeptide.

Clin Orthop, 1979 Nov-Dec, (145), 230 - 6
Pediatric osteomyelitis: III . anaerobic microorganisms; Ogden JA et al.; Primary osteomyelitis consequent to obligate anaerobic microorganisms represents an infrequently encountered type of infection in pediatric patients . Unlike osteomyelitis caused by more common microorganisms such as Staphylococcus, children with osseous lesions due to anaerobic microorganisms are frequently minimally symptomatic and rarely present the classic signs of fulminant osteomyelitis . Radiographically, the lesions may mimic malignant osseous tumors . Fastidious microbiologic analysis of the material obtained at surgery is necessary to isolate obligate anaerobes . Basic treatment, comprising surgical drainage and appropriate antimicrobial agents, does not differ from that for osteomyelitis caused by aerobic or by facultative anaerobic microorganisms.

Biull Eksp Biol Med, 1979 Nov, 88(11), 585 - 7
{Differences in the properties of antibodies and natural antiglobulin-homoreactants revealed by the method of human IgG chemical modification}; Fishevskaia EV et al.; The naturally occurring antiglobulin factors - homoreactants, contained by human IgG preparations, are inactivated as a result of incubation in a solution of sodium rhodanide (3 - 5 M) and sodium desoxycholate (0.005M) . Staphylococcal antitoxin contained by the same human IgG preparations is resistant to the action of the reagents . The data obtained indicate the differences in the structure of homoreactants and antibodies.

Biochim Biophys Acta, 1979 Oct 11, 570(2), 388 - 96
Inhibitory effect of a lethal toxic fragment of staphylococcal alpha-toxin on cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase activity; Kato I; The effect of a lethal toxic fragment of staphylococcal alpha-toxin on the activity of adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate(cyclic AMP)-dependent protein kinase was examined . 1 . The lethal toxic fragment produced a dose-dependent decrease in both the binding of cyclic AMP to the regulatory subunit and phosphorylation activity of cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase obtained from rabbit skeletal muscles up to a plateau at a 50% inhibitory effect . The decrease in the activity of protein kinase observed with low doses of the lethal toxic fragment (0.1 microM) resulted from a competitive inhibition, probably by its interaction with the cyclic AMP-binding site in the regulatory subunit molecule . 2 . The effects of a lethal toxic fragment and epinephrine on the cyclic AMP level and protein kinase activity were investigated in the perfused rabbit heart slices . The lethal toxic fragment attenuated the stimulation of cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase activity ratio by epinephrine . 3 . It is suggested that the specific action of a lethal toxic fragment on the cellular membrane enzymes may be attributable to the inhibition of the cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase activity.

Nucleic Acids Res, 1979 Oct 10, 7(3), 781 - 92
Assembly of an active chromatin structure during replication; Weintraub H; MSB cells were pulse labeled with 3H-thymidine and the isolated nuclei digested with either staphylococcal nuclease (to about 40% acid solubility) or DNase I (to 15% acid solubility) . The purified, nuclease resistant single-copy DNA was then hybridized to nuclear RNA (nRNA) . The results of these experiments show that actively transcribed genes are assembled into nucleosome-like structures within 5-10 nucleosomes of the replication fork and that they also acquire a conformation characteristic of actively transcribed nucleosomes (ie, a DNase I sensitive structure) within 20 nucleosomes of the fork . Assuming DNA sequence specific interactions are required for establishing a DNase I sensitive conformation on active genes during each round of replication, our results indicate that a specific recognition event can occur very rapidly and very specifically in eukaryotic cells . The results are discussed in terms of the possible mechanisms responsible for propagating active, chromosomal conformations from mother cells to daughter cells.

Nature, 1979 Oct 4, 281(5730), 400 - 1
Superoxide involvement in the bactericidal effects of negative air ions on Staphylococcus albus; Kellogg EW 3rd et al.; The physical nature of small air ions is well established and it is recognized that they can produce a variety of biological effects . However, in only a few instances have any underlying biochemical changes been detected . Theoretically, one can consider the hydrated superoxide radical anion (O2) (H2O)n with n congruent to 4-8 as a likely candidate for a biologically active species of negative air ion . The chemical and biological reactivity of superoxide is high and includes a leading role in bacterial killing caused by radiation, in which superoxide dismutase (SOD), an enzyme that catalyses the reaction: O2 + O2 +2H leads to H2O2 +O2 protected markedly . Other studies have also demonstrated the bactericidal effect of O2 (refs 9-11) . Inasmuch as the bactericidal action of small negative air ions has been repeatedly confirmed, we decided to test for the involvement of O2 in this phenomenon by evaluating the protective effect of SOD . Our results show strong O2 involvement in negative air ion bacterial kill.

Mikrobiyol Bul, 1979 Oct, 13(4), 383 - 5
{Effects of S . aureus antigens in allergic dermatitis, immunological aspects, and the results of treatment (author's transl)}; Cicioglu R et al.; A case of S . aureus dermatitis of 4 years duration is discussed . The case was analysed immunologically by means of various Staphylococcal antigens including protein A which can sensitize human skin . The case was treated with Staphylococcal vaccine and drugs, combined with local corticosteroid application, and she recovered in a short time.

Cutis, 1979 Oct, 24(4), 437 - 40
Drug-induced toxic epidermal necrolysis in children . Report of two cases; Rosenthal AL et al.; Two cases of toxic epidermal necrolysis occurring in children are presented herein . In both, multiple drugs were administered before the onset of the skin eruption . Cultures for staphylococcus were negative . Histopathologic examination of the first case revealed separations at the dermal-epidermal junction . While more commonly due to staphylococcal exfoliatoxin, a drug must be ruled out as the cause of toxic epidermal necrolysis in children.

Am J Pathol, 1979 Oct, 97(1), 137 - 48
Prostaglandin biosynthesis in pulmonary macrophages; Hsueh W; Cultured rabbit alveolar macrophages, prelabeled with 14C-arachidonic acid (AA), released into the medium a trace amount of labeled prostaglandins (PG) as well as their precursor, AA . Phagocytosis of zymosan, heat-killed Staphylococcus, or bacille Calmette-Guerin (BCG) increased the AA and PG release to 2--2.5 times control values . The released PGs consisted of PGE2, D2, F2 alpha, and 6-keto F1 alpha . Phagocytosis of latex particles had no effect on PG release . Indomethacin inhibited release of PGs but did not affect AA release at low doses . Analysis of the cellular lipids showed that zymosan decreased the radioactive label in phosphatidylcholine (PC), but not in other phospholipids or neutral lipids, suggesting that PC is the main source of AA for PG synthesis in pulmonary macrophages . Cytochalasin B (CB) at phagocytosis-inhibiting doses or below, markedly increased PG synthesis by zymosan-treated macrophages . These data suggest that PG release is not dependent on engulfment of the particles . Phagocytosis of zymosan (but not latex) also resulted in the release of two lysosomal enzymes, acid phosphatase and beta-glucuronidase, which appeared temporally associated with the release of PGs (but not to phagocytosis) . Furthermore, CB augmented the zymosan-stimulated release of these enzymes at the same doses stimulating PG synthesis . However, indomethacin, at a dose completely inhibiting PG synthesis, failed to block lysosomal enzyme release . Thus, the coincidental release of PGs and lysosomal enzymes is not the result of a regulatory role of PGs in the release of lysosomal enzymes, but probably is the result of a common pathway of stimulation . (Am J Pathol 97:137--148, 1979).

J Lab Clin Med, 1979 Oct, 94(4), 639 - 48
A solid-phase radioimmunoassay for bound anti-platelet antibody: studies on 45 patients with autoimmune platelet disorders; Hymes K et al.; A highly sensitive, solid-phase radioimmunoassay has been developed for detecting platelet-bound immunoglobulin, which employs 125I-staphylococcal protein A . The assay detects platelet IgG at the picogram level, which is 10- to 50-fold more sensitive than currently available procedures . It is relatively simple and can be performed on frozen extracts from as little as 2 X 10(5) platelets . Washed platelets are frozen, thawed, sonicated, and centrifuged at 20,000 X g . The supernatant, which contains 7S IgG, is applied in serial dilution to the wells of a plastic microliter plate capable of adsorbing protein . Commercial rabbit anti-human IgG is added and then "sandwiched" to 125I-staphylococcal protein A . The wells are removed from the plate and assayed for radioactivity . Thirty-two of 35 thrombocytopenic patients (92%) with ATP had platelet IgG values greater than those of controls by 2 S.D . and averaged 150 +/- 145 (S.D.) ng/10(6) platelets; 11 healthy controls, 11.4 +/- 7.4 ng; five "thrombocytopenic" controls, 9.7 +/- 13 ng . The platelet count (X) correlated inversely with IgG/platelet (Y) according to the equation: Log Y = -0.66 log X + 4.8; r = -0.71, p less than 0.001 . Elevated platelet IgG levels were also found in 5 ATP patients in "apparent remission"; two of four had evidence for compensated thrombocytolysis (increased megathrombocytes) . Elevated platelet IgG levels were also found in six patients with thrombocytopenia secondary to lymphoproliferative disorders.

J Exp Med, 1979 Oct 1, 150(4), 987 - 1000
A hemolytic plaque assay for activated murine T cells; Primi D et al.; In an earlier report, it was shown that murine spleen cells cultured with concanavalin A (Con A) released into the culture supernatants helper and suppressor substances for antibody production . The present communication describes the production of rabbit antisera against culture supernates from Con A-activated spleen cells and their use in a plaque assay for mitogen-activated T cells . The plaque assay, utilizing SRBC to which Staphylococcal protein A had been coupled, the developing anti-supernatant antiserum and guinea pig complement, readily detected secreting T cells . The T-cell nature of the plaque-forming cells (PFC) was established principally by the following: (a) the majority of lymphocytes in the centers of plaques were Thy-1-positive by fluroescence; (b) spleen cells depleted of B cells by incubation in plastic dishes coated with rabbit anti-mouse Ig antibody gave greatly enriched PFC responses; (c) anti-Thy-1 and anti-Lyt-2.2 treatment of spleen cells almost completely depleted PFC; (d) T-cell mitogens (Con A and phytohemagglutinin) but not B-cell mitogens (lipopolysaccharides) induced PFC responses; (e) T cells maintained in culture for 10 d with Con A and T-cell growth factor yielded PFC . Kinetic and dose response studies showed that high doses of mitogen induced rapidly appearing T-PFC and the responses peaked at day 1--2 of culture . Lower doses of mitogen-induced PFC required longer periods of incubation for detection, indicating that cell activation and secretion may be different dose-dependent activities of mitogens . Another noteworthy finding was that the antiserum reacted with surface antigens of T-PFC, indicating that secreted products are expressed on the membranes of T cells, offering the possibility of isolating populations of cells with specific secretory potential . Although the precise nature of the T-cell products detected by the antiserum used in this assay are unresolved, 10% of the target-cell-adherent population from spleen cells of BALB/c mice sensitized to L929 cells formed plaques . This suggests that the antiserum has significant activity against the products of cytotoxic T cells, a finding which accords with the activity of anti-Lyt-2.2 serum against mitogen-induced T-PFC . The method clearly offers new possibilities for the analysis of T cells and their products and should provide an important approach to the clonal analysis of lymphokine production.

Cell, 1979 Oct, 18(2), 439 - 49
The asymmetric segregation of parental nucleosomes during chrosome replication; Seidman MM et al.; SV40 DNA replicated in the presence of cycloheximide was more sensitive to staphylococcal nuclease digestion and had a lower superhelical density than viral DNA replicated in the absence of this drug . These data indicate that fewer nucleosomes are associated with progeny SV40 DNA molecules after DNA replication in the absence of protein synthesis and that these nucleosomes are derived from the parental histones . We designed an experiment to determine whether these parental SV40 nucleosomes segregate to the leading side of the replication form where DNA synthesis is continuous, the lagging side of the fork where DNA synthesis is discontinuous or randomly to both sides of the fork . The results indicate that the parental histones distributed themselves asymmetrically, preferentially (80-90%) segregating with the leading side of both SV40 DNA replication forks during bidirectional replication in the absence of protein synthesis . In the case of SV40, the same parental DNA strands are the templates for the leading side of DNA replication at both forks as well as the templates for the informational or coding strand of early and late viral mRNA synthesis . Based on this correspondence, we designed an experiment to test whether chicken cells growing in culture and replicating their DNA in the absence of protein synthesis segregated their parental histones asymmetrically to the progeny DNA strand that also coded for stable nuclear RNA transcripts . The results of these experiments indicate that, like SV40, parental cellular histones segregate asymmetrically and are preferentially associated with those DNA template strands that code for stable nuclear RNA species detected by hybridization to single-copy DNA.

Am J Med, 1979 Oct, 67(4), 603 - 7
Serologic diagnosis of access device-related staphylococcal bacteremia; Wheat LJ et al.; Staphylococcal bacteremia occurs frequently in patients undergoing long-term hemodialysis (dialysis patients) . Although such bacteremia is frequently uncomplicated, it may be associated with endocarditis, metastatic infection or suppuration at the access site requiring excision of the access device for control of the infection (complicated bacteremia) . To distinguish patients with uncomplicated bacteremia from those with complications, we measured staphylococcal teichoic acid antibodies by agar-gel diffusion and immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies by radioimmunoassay in 18 patients with staphylococcal bacteremia undergoing long-term hemodialysis . Although teichoic acid antibodies were not detected in five patients with uncomplicated bacteremia, they were observed in only three of 13 patients with complicated bacteremia . IgG staphylococcal antibodies were present in 10 of 13 patients with complicated bacteremia compared to none of five patients with uncomplicated bacteremia compared to none of five patients with uncomplicated bacteremia (p less than 0.05) . Thus, radioimmunoassay was spuerior to agar-gel diffusion in identifying dialysis patients with complicated bacteremia . In patients with increased concentrations of IgG staphylococcal antibodies by radioimmunoassay, the diagnosis of endocarditis, metastatic infection and suppuration at the access site should be considered . Prolonged antibiotic therapy and/or operative removal of the access device may be necessary.

Infect Immun, 1979 Oct, 26(1), 36 - 41
Large-scale production and physicochemical characterization of human immune interferon; Langford MP et al.; Large-scale production of crude high-titered (10(2.3) to 10(4) U/ml) human immune interferon (type II) was carried out in roller bottle cultures of human peripheral lymphocytes by using the T-cell mitogen staphylococcal enterotoxin A . Over 99% of human immune interferon was destroyed by pH 2 or heat at 56 degrees C for 1 h . The interferon was not neutralized by antibody to human leukocyte interferon . The kinetics of development of the antiviral state were slow for immune interferon relative to those for leukocyte interferon . Ultrogel AcA 54 chromatography of crude or the concentrated interferon resulted in two peaks of activity, a major one (87% of recovered activity) with a molecular weight of 40,000 to 46,000 and a minor peak of molecular weight 65,000 to 70,000 . The column elution buffer consisting of 18% ethylene glycol and 1 M NaCl in phosphate-buffered saline resulted in at least 100% recovery of added interferon . The data suggest, then, that the interferon produced under large-scale conditions was immune (type II) . The efficiency of the production was comparable to that described for large-scale production of human leukocyte interferon . Our large-scale production system for human immune interferon offers a feasible approach to preparation of large quantities of purified immune interferon for structure studies, antibody production, and clinical application.

Boll Ist Sieroter Milan, 1979 Sep 30, 58(4), 295 - 9
{Preferential staphylococcal colonizing site in the upper airway}; Cavallero F et al.; 150 healthy individuals and 162 tonsillopathic patients were investigated for the presence of Staphylococcus species in the upper respiratory tract . S . epidermidis was isolated from the throat in a very small percentage of all the people examined . A great number of healthy individuals (40%) and of patients (70%) were colonized by S . aureus either in the nose or in the throat; 30% of the carriers harboured S . aureus exclusively in the tonsils and in the pharynx.

Boll Ist Sieroter Milan, 1979 Sep 30, 58(4), 285 - 9
{Staphylococcal adherence to oral mucosal cells}; Canepa C et al.; The ability of Staphylococcus to adhere to human oral epithelial cells was studied . S . aureus and S . epidermidis showed remarkable attachment to cheek mucosal cells, comparable to adherence to nasal mucosal cells observed by other Authors . The same bacteria lowered consistently their ability to adhere when were previously cultured in human saliva.

Vopr Pitan, 1979 Sep-Oct, (5), 37 - 40
{Use of propiono-acidophilus milk in the complex treatment of intestinal dysbacteriosis in infants with staphylococcal infections and sepsis}; Korneva VV et al.; Antistaphylococcal properties of the new lactic acid mixture propionic acidophilic milk (PAM) against the microbe isolated from feces of children suffering from staphylococcal sepsis were comparatively studied by the dilution and diffusion methods . PAM was found to have more pronounced antimicrobial properties against pathogenic staphylococcus than acidophilic milk and kefir . It is recommended to include PAM into the diet of children with intestinal dysbacteriosis.

J Cell Biol, 1979 Sep, 82(3), 742 - 54
Regional differentiation of the sperm surface as studied with 125I-diiodofluorescein isothiocyanate, an impermeant reagent that allows isolation of the labeled components; Gabel CA et al.; The regional differentiation of the sperm surface has been studied with the aid of a novel covalent labeling technique that permits concurrent cytological, biochemical, and immunological analyses . For these studies isothiocyanate derivatives of fluorescein (FITC) and diiodofluorescein (IFC) were employed: the latter can be prepared with radioiodine to high specific activity (125IFC) and is an impermeant reagent for the erythrocyte surface . Sperm of sea urchin (Strongylocentrotus purpuratus), medaka )Oryzias latipes), and golden hamster bind the fluorescent chromophores with a nonuniform distribution, most of the fluorescence being associated with the midpiece . The radioactive derivative 125IFC permits an analysis of the proteins that are responsible for most of the binding . Additionally, 125 IFC-labeled sperm are capable of fertilizing eggs, as assessed by autoradiography . That IFC labels the surface of the sperm was inferred from the following: (a) the labeling of the surfaces of other cells by fluorescein isothiocyanate and its derivatives; (b) the agglutination of labeled sperm by antibodies directed against IFC; (c) the use of peroxidase-dependent immunocytochemical reaction using anti-IFC antibodies, with analysis by electron microscopy; and (d) extraction of labeled sea urchin sperm with Triton X-100 under conditions that preferentially solubilize the plasma membrane . The antiserum directed against IFC was used to isolate the labeled surface components from Triton X-100 extracts of whole sperm, by immunoprecipitation, with Staphylococcus-A protein serving as a coprecipitant . The results support previous data showing that the sperm surface is a heterogeneous mosaic of restricted domains, one notable zone being the midpiece, where common molecular properties may be shared by sperm with distinctly different morphologies . In addition, IFC-mediated covalent alteration of specific cell surface proteins may be used to label, to identify, and, with the use of anti-IFC antibodies, to isolate such proteins from other cellular constituents.

Vestn Khir Im I I Grek, 1979 Sep, 123(9), 101 - 4
{Role of hospital infection in the occurrence of suppurative complications in children with the use of compression-distraction osteosynthesis}; Bochagova DI et al.; The authors have performed clinico-bacteriological investigations in 100 patients . Compressional-distractional osteosynthesis was used to correct deformities of the extremities . In 56 children purulent-inflammatory complications were observed . The main pathogenic agent of purulent complications was staphylococcus . The same phagotypes of staphylococcus were isolated from the skin around the wire, rhinopharynx of the children and medical personnel as well as the air of the hospital rooms.

Arch Intern Med, 1979 Sep, 139(9), 1026 - 31
Serious staphylococcal infections with strains tolerant to bactericidal antibiotics; Denny AE et al.; The clinical response in 20 cases of serious staphylococcal infection was compared with the in vitro resistance or "tolerance" of the infecting Staphylococcus to killing by antibiotics used in treatment . Cases were divided into two groups: (1) patients who initially received nonbactericidal antibiotics (ten cases), and (2) patients who initially received bactericidal antibiotics with or without nonbactericidal antibiotics . Mortality due to uncontrolled staphylococcal infection was 40% (4/10) in group 1 as compared with no mortality (1/10) in group0) in group 1 as compared with no mortality (0/10) in group 2 . The duration of positive cultures after start of therapy in group 1 (mean, 6.1 days) was significantly longer than that in group 2 (mean, 1.3 days) . The duration of fever after start of therapy in group 1 was not significantly different when compared with group 2.

J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg, 1979 Sep, 78(3), 402 - 12
Patch enlargement of the aortic valve ring by extending the aortic incision into the anterior mitral leaflet . New operative technique; Manouguian S et al.; This communication describes a new surgical procedure of enlarging the narrow aortic valve ring by extending the aortic incision through the fibrous origin of the aortic leaflet of the mitral valve into this leaflet . A fusiform patch is sutured to the V-shaped defect in the aortic leaflet of the mitral valve and in the aortic anulus . This procedure permits the replacement of the aortic valve by a suitable prosthesis . Between June of 1976 and February of 1978, eight patients underwent this surgical procedure . At the time of operation the patients were between 8 and 50 years old . The estimated enlargement of the aortic root ranged from 10 to 25 mm . The operative technique is described, peculiarities of this method are discussed, and the results are reported . Six to 27 months following operation, the clinical condition of six patients is good . Four patients show no impairment of mitral valve function . In one case, preoperatively diagnosed mitral incompetence persists . In another patient the pericardial patch broke from the aortic leaflet of the mitral valve, so that the valve had to be replaced on the fourth postoperative day . One patient died of myocardial necrosis because of insufficient myocardial protection during operation . One child with acute aortic insufficiency caused by staphylococcal endocarditis and congestive heart failure died of septicemia 3 months postoperatively . Mitral incompetence was not detectable in this child.

Rev Cubana Med Trop, 1979 Sep-Dec, 31(3), 169 - 75
{Bacteria studies on 32 patients with acute inflammatory pneumopathies}; Penichet Montoto M et al.; Thirty two patients admitted to the "Gral . Calixto Garcia" Hospital for infectious pneumonopathies acquired outside and within hospital were studied . Each patient underwent 8 blood cultures in order to determine most frequent causal agents in our environment thus enabling the institution of an adequate antibiotic therapy . Grampositive germs, specifically staphylococcus, prevailed in extra hospitalary bronchopneumonopathies and gramnegative germs, specially Klebiella, prevailed in the case of intra-hospitalary infections . The negative effect of the antimicrobial therapy prior to sample obtention on the results of bacterial examinations is stressed.

Ann Clin Lab Sci, 1979 Sep-Oct, 9(5), 374 - 80
Inhibition of bacterial growth by granulocytes measured by an automated technique; Morse EE et al.; Granulocytes, collected by several methods, were assayed for antibacterial activity utilizing a technique originally developed for automated antibiotic susceptibility testing . The granulocytes were incubated with either Escherichia coli or Staphylococcus for one hour at 37 degrees C and were then separated from the suspension by gentle centrifugation at 170 g . The bacteria remaining in the supernatant broth were incubated in culture medium (eugonic broth) and their growth density was compared with diluted controls (without granulocytes) by measurement in an Autobac I (an automated nephelometer) . Measurements of the density of growth at 30 minute intervals showed a marked delay in the development of density suggesting only small numbers of organisms remained after incubation with granulocytes . Once density was measurable, the rate of growth appeared similar to controls . After 2.5 hours in the Atuobac I, the density of growth was used to determine the inhibitory effect of granulocytes . The density of growth was inversely related to the concentration of granulocytes present during the preincubation phase . Filtered granulocytes showed significantly lower inhibitory effect than centrifuged granulocytes . This rapid, inexpensive method of determining microbial growth appears to be adaptable as a measure of granulocyte function.

Antibiotiki, 1979 Sep, 24(9), 673 - 8
{Effect of prodigiozan and pyrimidine derivatives on the effectiveness of the antibiotic therapy of experimental infections}; Bakirov AB; The effect of prodigiozan and pyrimidine derivatives, such as methyluracyl, oxymetacyl and 2-methyl-4-amino-6-hydroxypyrimidine on the efficiency of antibiotic therapy of experimental infections caused by Staph . aures and E . Coli under conditions of immune depression due to levomycetin, prednisolone, 6-mercaptopurine and ionizing radiation was studied . The effect of prodigiozan on the efficiency of the antibiotic treatment of staphylococcal infection in the presence of the immune depression due to 6-mercatopurine, levomycetin and prednisolone was higher than that of pyrimidines . The combined use of prodigiozan and pyrimidines usually was not more effective than the use of every drug alone . The efficiency of the drugs in radiation disease was the same . After prednisolone administration prodigiozan increased the host resistance to the infection without the antibiotic use.

Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1979 Sep, 16(3), 314 - 21
Antibiotic activity in vitro against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus epidermidis and therapy of an experimental infection; Lowy FD et al.; Staphylococcus epidermidis is a major pathogen in early prosthetic valve endocarditis and cerebrospinal fluid shunt infections . Approximately 10 to 15% of hospital isolates are methicillin resistant . Ten clinically significant isolates of the latter were collected for antibiotic studies in vitro and in an experimental infection in animals . Time-kill studies of five strains showed gentamicin to be the single most effective antibiotic; however, dwarf colony variants emerged as survivors with two of these strains when challenged with gentamicin alone . The addition of a second antibiotic to gentamicin did not significantly improve the bactericidal rate but prevented the emergence of variant strains . A blood culture isolate of methicillin-resistant S . epidermidis combined with 5% hog gastric mucin was used to establish an experimental intraperitoneal infection in mice . Neither methicillin nor nafcillin treatment reduced mortality below that of untreated animals . Cephalothin treatment delayed early mortality but did not diminish overall mortality . Gentamicin was the most effective single antibiotic, and gentamicin in combination with vancomycin was the most effective regimen overall . The combination of rifampin plus vancomycin was as effective as gentamicin alone . The combinations of cephalothin or nafcillin with gentamicin and cephalothin with vancomycin demonstrated antagonism . The antagonism was not due to multiple injections or drug-drug inactivation.

Biochemistry, 1979 Aug 21, 18(17), 3780 - 6
Protected nucleotide sequences in nuclear ribonucleoprotein; Augenlicht LH; The rapidly labeled nuclear ribonucleic acid in human carcinoma cells which is protected by protein from digestion by staphylococcal nuclease (EC 3.1.4.7) has been investigated . A simple and discrete sequence specificity was not found, but the protected RNA fragments are rich in G + C and were shown by fingerprinting to comprise a nonrandom subset of all heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleic acid (hnRNA) sequences enriched in the sequences AGC, GGC, AGGC, and GAGC . There was no detectable enrichment for dougble-stranded RNA in the protected fraction . These data provide the first evidence that the association of any protein with hnRNA is nonrandom with respect to nucleotide sequence.

Am J Vet Res, 1979 Aug, 40(8), 1173 - 6
Pharmacokinetic evaluation and mammary excretion of tamethicillin in the healthy goat; Lazaro A et al.; We evaluated the pharmacokinetics and the mammary excretion of a new beta-lactam antibiotic derivative, the diethylaminoethyl ester of methicillin, commonly known as tamethicillin . Tamethicillin is a hydrolyzable weak basic ester (pro-drug) that is converted to methicillin in the body . Its pharmacokinetic profile compares favorably with that of methicillin . In this sense, tamethicillin had five times greater distribution volume than methicillin, and both its slow phase half-time (t 1/2) and elimination half-time (t 1/2 Kel) were clearly greater . In addition, our experimental studies on mammary excretion in the goat have demonstrated a better selectivity for the udder of tamethicillin as compared with methicillin . Results of 2 years of field experience show that tamethicillin can be considered a useful alternative for the treatment of mastitis in livestock, especially in mastitis due to beta-lactamase-producing Staphylococcus.

Arch Surg, 1979 Aug, 114(8), 937 - 8
Is there postdefecation bacteremia?
Slavin S, Goldwyn RM.
An investigation was done to determine the incidence of postdefecation bacteremia . A study of 82 healthy volunteers was done . Among 164 predefecation cultures, only one (0.6%) from an anaerobic flask was positive for microorganism, which was identified as Staphylococcus epidermidis . In only two of 328 (0.6%) postdefecation cultures did microorganisms grow, which were shown to be Propionibacterium acnes . The results of this study suggest that either bacteremia after defecation does not occur or is a rare event in healthy individuals.

J Neurosurg, 1979 Aug, 51(2), 245 - 6
Vancomycin treatment of cerebrospinal fluid shunt infections . Report of two cases; Visconti EB et al.; The successful use of vancomycin is reported in two children with shunt infections due to Staphylococcus epidermidis which failed to respond to shunt removal . The previously reported experience with this drug is reviewed . The use of vancomycin should be considered in cases of shunt infections due to susceptible microorganisms and refractory to other therapeutic measures.

Circulation, 1979 Aug, 60(2 Pt 2), 77 - 81
Surgery in active infective endocarditis; Young JB et al.; Controversy persists concerning the role of early surgical intervention in severe infective endocarditis (IE) . We therefore reviewed 163 episodes of well-documented IE in which 32 cardiac operations were performed during the active phase of IE . Congestive heart failure (CHF) was the principal indication for surgery in 88% (28/32); systemic emboli, 1/32; and persisting sepsis, 3/32 . Staphylococcus and enterococcus were the most common infecting organisms in the operative group (44% and 16% respectively) . Surgical mortality (11/32,37%) did not differ (p greater than 0.05) from medical mortality (26/131,20%) . All 11 operative deaths occurred in patients moribund prior to surgery, including three with preoperative cardiac arrest . Surgical patients undergoing preoperative cardiac catheterization demonstrated marked CHF: a mean left ventricular end-diastolic pressure of 25.3 mm Hg . The mean cardiac index in 8/11 surgical deaths was lower (p less than 0.05) vs surgical survivors: 2.21/min/m2 vs . 3.21/min/m2 . Postoperative complications were rare in the 21 surgical survivors . There were no episodes of continued infection, prosthetic dehiscence, or advanced heart block; only one paravalvular leak; and one systemic embolus . These findings emphasize the high medical and surgical mortality in patients with IE, suggest that delayed operative intervention may be a major causative factor resulting in a high surgical mortality, and justify an aggressive surgical approach in patients with valve dysfunction and heart failure . These data indicate that survivors of surgical intervention during active IE have eradication of infection and few postoperative complications.

J Histochem Cytochem, 1979 Aug, 27(8), 1209 - 14
Identification of immunoreactive sites in bovine parathyroid cells to antibodies raised against the NH2-terminal sequence of parathyroid hormone; Limacher W et al.; The NH2-terminal sequence of bovine parathyroid hormone (1-84) was localized with different immunocytochemical methods on the light and electron microscopic level in bovine parathyroid glands and in isolated bovine parathyroid parenchymal cells . The peroxidase labeled staphylococcal protein A and the peroxidase anti-peroxidase method were found to be advantageous for light and electron microscopic localization, respectively . Reaction product was found light microscopically in the cytoplasma of the parenchymal cells and electron microscopically largely over the secretion granules of the parenchymal cells . The immunoreactive sites were subsequently identified to represent only intact parathyroid hormone (1-84) by gel electrophoresis derived enzyme linked immunosorbent assay.

J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg, 1979 Aug, 78(2), 298 - 300
The infected pacemaker pocket; Jara FM et al.; Between January, 1963, and September, 1978, a total of 1,789 pacemakers were implanted at Henry Ford Hospital . Infection at the site of implantation developed in 19 instances for an incidence of 1.06 percent . The most common organism cultured was Staphylococcus epidermidis, and conservative treatment was successful with these patients . In all patients with organisms other than Staphylococcus epidermidis, reimplantation of a new unit in a new, clean site was required.

J Clin Microbiol, 1979 Aug, 10(2), 138 - 40
Teichoic acid antibody determination by agar-gel diffusion: effect of using dilute antigen preparations; Wheat LJ et al.; Because the reported frequency of teichoic acid precipitins in controls and various patient groups has varied considerably among laboratories, we studied the effect of using various concentrations of staphylococcal extracts in agar-gel diffusion tests for teichoic acid antibodies . Of 25 normal sera, only 1 was positive against an undiluted extract, but 4 were positive against a 16-fold-diluted extract . Of nine sera from patients with staphylococcal bacteremia, two were positive at a higher titer against the diluted extract . A false-positive serum against the undiluted extract had a twofold titer increase against the diluted extract . Because human immune serum globulin is generally used as a positive teichoic acid antibody control, the variability of five different lots was studied . Three lots ahd teichoic acid antibody titers of 1:4, whereas one each had titers of 1:2 and 1:8 . Based on this study, we feel that staphylococcal extracts should not be diluted . If immune serum globulins are used to determine the adequacy of ultrasonic extracts, newly acquired globulin lots should be standarized against an ultrasonic extract of proven sensitivity and specificity.

Clin Exp Immunol, 1979 Aug, 37(2), 228 - 38
Longitudinal study of circulating immune complexes in a patient with Staphylococcus albus-induced shunt nephritis; Harkiss GD et al.; The direct measurement and partial characterization of circulating immune complexes has been performed in a longitudinal study of a patient with Staphylococcus albus-induced shunt nephritis . The high levels of immune complexes were associated with cryoglobulinaemia and hypocomplementaemia . The activation of complement was found to be via the classical pathway, but the functioning of the alternative pathway may have been impaired in vivo due to very low levels of C3 . The host response to the infection was also characterized by the production of a marked macroglobulinaemia, high titres of rheumatoid factor and a typical acute phase increase in the C-reactive protein level . Immune complex levels were persistently elevated many months after the removal of the focus of the infection . A possible explanation for this surprising finding may lie in the nature of the antigens in the immune complexes . It was found that the immune complexes contained both antibodies to and antigens from Staphlococcus albus . In particular, glycerol teichoic acid and staphylococcal nuclease were identified as components of the immune complexes present during the acute phase . Glycerol teichoic acid was also identified in the immune complexes found later although other Staphylococcus albus antigens as yet unidentified were also present and persisted in the circulation for several months.

J Parasitol, 1979 Aug, 65(4), 497 - 506
Isolation and characterization of surface antigens from Schistosoma mansoni . II . Antigenicity of radiolabeled proteins from adult worms; Hayunga EG et al.; Adult Schistosoma mansoni were radiolabeled in vitro with 125I Bolton-Hunter reagent . Surface membrane antigens were solubilized with non-ionic detergent, then reacted with infection or normal serum . The antigen-antibody complexes were then precipitated with staphylococcal protein A immunoadsorbent, eluted with urea and SDS, and fractionated by SDS-PAGE . The results indicated the presence of 6 to 8 tegument antigens, depending on the type of antisera used . Human antisera to S . japonicum and S . haematobium reacted with some but not all of the antigens identified with human S . mansoni infection serum; this implies the presence of species-specific tegument antigens . The molecular weights of the radiolabeled antigens ranged from 10,000 to 100,000 . A large (greater than 100,000) molecular weight glycoprotein and an uncharacterized lipid fraction appeared to be precipitated nonspecifically . Immunoprecipitation methods with anti-mouse IgG and anti-mouse whole serum failed to detect the presence of hostlike antigens in the labeled extracts . Several of the labeled proteins from S . mansoni were found to react with serum from patients infected with either S . haematobium or with S . japonicum.

Biokhimiia, 1979 Jul, 44(7), 1256 - 63
{Effect of UV-light on the structure of soluble deoxyribonucleoprotein-200 A}; Kolomiitseva GIa et al.; The effects of UV-light (253,7 nm) on the structure of DNP and its protein and nucleic components were studied . The formation of protein-DNA covalent bonds in DNP-200 A at low ionic strength was confirmed . Under certain irradiation conditions more than 80% of protein may be linked to the DNA; all histone fractions were linked to the same extent and at the same rates . The local denaturation of DNA in the region of photo-induced thymine-thymine dimers and other photoadducts dramatically changed the rate and specificity of the effects of staphylococcal nuclease, which directly affected the composition and size of the fragments formed . A possible application of UV-irradiated DNP for various structural investigations is discussed.

Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1979 Jul, (7), 80 - 4
{Effect of an autovaccine on the course of an experimental staphylococcal infection}; Piatkova AK; The effect of autovaccine on the state of cellular immunity in mice with staphylococcal infection was studied . The maximum decrease of staphylococcal dissemination in internal organs, espeically in the lungs, as well as an increase in the intensity of phagocytosis by peritoneal macrophages were observed after the administration of the vaccine by the method of inhalation . The intranasal administration of the vaccine also proved to be more effective than subcutaneous injection . The cumulation of immune response was more pronounced after the aerosol administration of autovaccine, especially in cases of pathological processes in the respiratory organs.

Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1979 Jul, (7), 76 - 80
{Antibacterial and antiviral activity of the polychloroethyl- and beta,beta-dichlorovinylamides of carboxylic acids}; Lidina PV et al.; A number of compounds having antiviral and antibacterial (antistaphylococcal) activity was found in the beta,beta-dichlorvinyl- and alpha-chlor(alpha-oxy)-beta,beta,beta-trichlorethylamide series of carboxylic acids . The antistaphylococcal activity of the compounds under study was found to depend, to a certain extent, ontheir chemical structure, whereas no such dependence was established in respect of their antiviral activity . In the treatment of combined influenza-staphylococcal infection a decrease in antistaphylococcal effect was observed, while antiviral activity remained stable.

Curr Probl Surg, 1979 Jul, 16(7), 1 - 56
Primary postoperative wound infection due to Staphylococcus pyogenes; Smith G; Using S . pyogenes as a tracer organism, an examination of the importance of air-borne infection of clean wounds in the modern, plenum-ventilated operating room has been made . It appears that, for most surgical procedures, additional ultra-clean air installations are not necessary . It has been shown that even if the air is sterile, the skin remains a possible source of infection . This is especially so as far as the patient's skin is concerned . It will remain so, since the skin cannot be sterilized . Indeed, until the ecology of the skin is better understood, rigorous efforts directed toward its disinfection may compromise its inherent defense mechanisms and its protective bacterial flora . It will be argued by some that operating rooms with ultraclean air should be afforded for certain specialized procedures in sugery; for example, those in which prosthetic materials are being implanted or in which the patient's immune mechanisms are depressed . Although not disagreeing with this, I wish to note that the only controlled trial on this aspect of surgery that exists to date shows no advantage for patients randomly apportioned to have hip arthroplasty, either in an isolator or in the same modern operating room but without the isolator . From this experience, I believe that any further trial of this nature, if it is to be controlled to a similar high level, will require very large numbers of patients to show even a marginal advantage for ultraclean air or isolator installations over the modern, plenum-ventilated and meticulously managed operating suite . The verdict on the need to install ultraclean air plant for operating rooms must, therefore, be couched in the third alternative that exists under Scots Law-- "not proved." I suggest the money could be better spent on devising methods to keep skin pathogens out of surgical wounds . Perhaps more urgently, there is a need to discover how to increase the defense mechanisms of the wound milieu to implanted harmful bacteria . There is also a pressing need to improve the ward environment with the aim of diminishing secondary infections of surgical wounds.

Radiology, 1979 Jul, 132(1), 71 - 8
Hyperimmunoglobulinemia E syndrome: radiographic observations; Merten DF et al.; Susceptibility to recurrent staphylococcal cutaneous and respiratory infections beginning in infancy associated with extreme hyperimmunoglobulinemia E is a recently described primary immunodeficiency syndrome . Other clinical features include depressed cellular immunity and deficient antibody formation . Recurrent pneumonia and cyst formation with variable persistence and expansion characterized the radiographic couse in 11 patients . Five cysts resolved with continuous antistaphylococcal therapy; 2 were resected without recurrence; and 4 persisted after surgery and/or antibiotics (2--8 years) . The cysts had dense, necrotic surfaces with fibrous walls, eosinophilic and other inflammatory cell infiltrates, and frequent, persistent, bronchial connections . Sinusitis (9/9) and mastoiditis (3/4) were also observed radiographically.

Can J Surg, 1979 Jul, 22(4), 326 - 30
Septic arthritis in childhood; Wiley JJ et al.; In the first 4 years (1974 to 1978) of operation of the Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario, in Ottawa, 50 children were treated for septic arthritis . The neonatal group (birth to 6 months) of three patients had the most severe involvement and the worst prognosis . The early childhood group (6 months to 4 years) of 15 patients was characterized by sepsis due to Hemophilus influenzae . The 32 older children (4 to 16 years), more susceptible to staphylococcal infections, commonly presented with atypical and unusual symptoms . The erythrocyte sedimentation rate was the most reliable laboratory investigation . Positive joint cultures were obtained in 66% of patients . Arthrotomy with drainage was the most reliable form of treatment, particularly in cases of hip joint sepsis . Six patients have substantial residual joint damage with some degree of permanent disability . Early diagnosis of the condition and rapid removal of pus are mandatory for the survival of the joint.

Vopr Virusol, 1979 Jul-Aug, (4), 363 - 8
{Experimental myocardiopathy caused by the herpesvirus}; Babaiants AA et al.; Mice weighing 18--20 g were inoculated with herpes simplex virus type I . The rate of pathological changes in the myocardium was found to depend on the route of virus inoculation and the time of heart examinations in the infected animals . The development of myocardiopathies was not determined by the virus dose used in the test . An immunosuppressant drug, imurane, reduced the rate of heart affections . Pathomorphological changes in the heart were of parenchymatous-interstitial nature, with the leading role of lesions of myocardium muscle cells proper and secondary development of microcirculation disorders . The rate of heart lesions increased when herpes and influenza viruses were given to mice simultaneously; staphylococcus toxin had the same effect.

Lab Invest, 1979 Jul, 41(1), 63 - 71
Electron and immunoelectron microscopic study on liver tissues of marmosets infected with hepatitis A virus; Huang SN et al.; Electron and immunoelectron microscopic studies were carried out on liver tissues from three marmosets, experimentally infected with hepatitis A virus and sacrificed during the acute phase of illness . Ultrastructurally, the liver cells demonstrated marked cisternal dilation of endoplasmic reticulum and vesicular transformation and contortion of endoplasmic reticulum profiles . Clusters of virus-like particles of 24 to 27 nm . in diameter, both "solid" and "empty" forms, were found in membrane-bound cytoplasmic vesicles . In one animal, the virus-like particles were significantly smaller, measuring 17 to 22 nm . in size, and almost all were solid forms embedded in an amorphous matrix . Clusters of virus-like particles were found in the bile canaliculi of liver cell cords and in lysosomal structures of monocytes or Kupffer cells in the hepatic sinusoids . The latter correlated with the immunofluorescent microscopic finding . Indirect immunoferritin staining was carried out on fresh and formalin-fixed liver tissues, using convalescent phase serum from patients recovered from hepatitis A virus infection as the primary antibody, and the ferritin-labeled rabbit anti-human IgG or ferritin-labeled staphylococcal protein A as the secondary antibody . Specific stainings were observed with the virus-like particles, indicating that the particles were probably antigenically related to hepatitis A virus . Our findings are in agreement with the immunofluorescent and immunoelectron microscopic studies reported by others and support the concept that hepatitis A virus is produced in the liver . The infection seems to produce cytopathic effect especially to the endoplasmic reticulum organelle of hepatocytes.

J Immunol, 1979 Jul, 123(1), 138 - 42
The effects of mitogens on the expression of Epstein-Barr virus antigens in human lymphoid cell lines; Tovey MG et al.; Treatment of human lymphoblastoid cells with either phytohemagglutinin (PHA), concanavalin A, Staphylococcus protein A, or polyinosinic acid-polycytidylic acid, in combination with 5-iodo-2' deoxyuridine (IUdR) markedly increased the expression of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) early antigen (EA) relative to IUdR alone . Such treatment did not, however, modify the production of virus capsid antigen in any of the lymphoid cell lines tested . The effect of PHA on EA induction in Raji cells was not accompanied by changes in the incorporation of labeled precursors into cellular DNA, or in the intracellular concentration of either adenosine 3'5' cyclic monophosphate or guanosine 3'5' cyclic monophosphate . However, those mitogens that stimulated EA expression in Raji cells also increased the fluorescence polarization of 1,6 diphenyl 1,3,5-hexatriene-labeled Raji cells . The possible role of cell surface changes in the mitogen activation of latent EBV in human lymphoblastoid cells is discussed.

Vestn Khir Im I I Grek, 1979 Jul, 123(7), 9 - 13
{Importance of immunotherapy in the management of patients with acute staphylococcal lactation mastitis}; Kutushev FKh et al.; Failure of antibiotic therapy against the background of sharply decreased defensive forces of the organism in the postpartum period made it necessary to perform a comparative clinical evaluation of the effect of homologous and heterologous gamma globulins . It has been established that treatment with these drugs results in normalization of clinical and immunological signs which are retained till the complete recovery of patients.

Appl Environ Microbiol, 1979 Jul, 38(1), 39 - 42
Magnesium and iron addition to casein hydrolysate medium for production of staphylococcal enterotoxins A, B, and C; Morita TN et al.; From comparisons of 4% N-Z Amine NAK made with distilled water, naturally hard water, and synthetic salt solutions, it appeared that magnesium and, to a lesser extent, iron were limiting factors in the production of staphylococcal enterotoxins B and C but not A . Maximum enterotoxin production with NAK medium was achieved by the addition of 5 mg of Mg2/ per liter (for a total of 9 mg of Mg2+ per liter) and 0.5 mg of Fe2+ per liter . Higher levels of magnesium were not inhibitory . Supplementing NAK with commonly used complex components, which added Mg2+ above the 9-mg/liter level, did not result in maximum yields of enterotoxin . Variability in the ability of different lots of NAK to support enterotoxin production may be minimized by supplementing NAK medium with magnesium and iron.

Aust J Biol Sci, 1979 Jun, 32(3), 277 - 94
Myoglobin of the shark Heterodontus portusjacksoni: isolation and amino acid sequence; Fisher WK et al.; Myoglobin isolated from red muscle of the shark H . portusjacksoni was purified by ion-exchange chromatography on sulfopropyl-Sephadex and gel-filtration . Amino acid analysis and sequence determination showed 148 amino acid residues . The amino terminal residue is acetylated as shown by mass spectrographic analysis of N-terminal peptides . There is a deletion of four residues at the amino terminal end as well as one residue in the CD interhelical area relative to other myoglobins . The complete amino acid sequence has been determined following digestion with trypsin, chymotrypsin, pepsin and staphylococcal protease . Sequences of the purified peptides were determined by the dansyl-Edman procedure . The amino acid sequence showed approximately 85 differences from mammalian, monotreme and bird myoglobins . The date of divergence of the shark H . portusjacksoni from these other orders was estimated at 450 +/- 16 million years, based on the number of amino acid differences between species and allowing for multiple mutations during the evolutionary period . This estimate agrees well with similar estimates made using alpha- and beta-globin sequences, in contrast to widely differing estimates of dates of divergence for monotremes using the same three globin chains . Compared with myoglobins from species previously studied, there are many more differences in amino acid sequences, and in many positions residues are found that are more characteristic of alpha- and beta-globins, suggesting a conservation of residues over a long period of evolutionary time . There are fewer stabilizing hydrogen bonds and salt-linkages than in other myoglobins.

Can J Microbiol, 1979 Jun, 25(6), 686 - 92
Immunologic evidence that staphylococcal alpha toxin is oriented on membranes; Lo CY et al.; Antibodies to staphylococcal alpha toxin were separated into two distinct populations . One population prevented binding of alpha toxin onto erythrocyte membranes . The other population neutralized after the toxin was bound onto erythrocytes and thereby brought about an indirect hemagglutination reaction . The data suggest that alpha toxin has a membrane-binding region.

Biochem J, 1979 Jun 1, 179(3), 631 - 42
Amino acid sequence of the N-terminal non-collagenous segment of dermatosparactic sheep procollagen type I; Rohde H et al.; The non-collagenous N-terminal segment of type I procollagen from dermatosparactic sheep skin was isolated in the form of the peptide Col 1 from a collagenase digest of the protein . The peptide has a blocked N-terminus, which was identified as pyrrolid-2-one-5-carboxylic acid . Appropriate overlapping fragments were prepared from reduced and alkylated peptide Col 1 by cleavage with trypsin at lysine, arginine and S-aminoethyl-cysteine residues and by cleavage with staphylococcal proteinase at glutamate residues . Amino acid sequence analysis of these fragments by Edman degradation and mass spectrometry established the whole sequence of peptide Col 1 except for a peptide junction (7--8) and a single Asx residue (44), and demonstrated that peptide Col 1 consists of 98 amino acid residues . The N-terminal portion of peptide Col 1 (86 residues) shows an irregular distribution of glycine, whereas the C-terminal portion (12 residues) possesses the triplet structure Gly-Xy and is apparently derived from the precursor-specific collagenous domain of procollagen . The central region of the peptide contains ten cysteine residues located between positions 18 and 73 and shows alternating polar and hydrophobic sequence elements . The regions adjacent to the cysteine-rich portion have a hydrophilic nature and are abundant in glutamic acid . The data are consistent with previous physicochemical and immunological evidence that distinct regions at the N- and C-termini of the non-collagenous domain possess a less rigid conformation than does the central portion of the molecule.

Biokhimiia, 1979 Jun, 44(6), 1010 - 9
{Analysis of brain chromatin subunit composition using different endonucleases}; Miul'berg AA et al.; A comparison of the processes of chromatin digestion in brain and liver nuclei by Ca, Mg-dependent and staphylococcal endonucleases demonstrates a similarity of the subunit composition of chromatin from both tissues and reveals the same type of linked DNA regions . However, a formation of low molecular weight DNP fragments during hydrolysis and the DNA spectra of soluble and insoluble DNP fragments suggest that brain chromatin contains these fragments alongside with the regions, which are specific for this particular tissue, predominate in it and are resistant to staphylococcal and, particularly, to Ca, Mg-dependent endonucleases . This is paralleled with a non-histone protein enrichment of different brain chromatin fractions and an expansion of the electrophoretic monomer band towards the fragment with a greater molecular weight . It may be assumed that brain nucleosomes are characterized by a higher size heterogeneity of linked DNA, part of which are mostly covered by non-histone proteins, and/or are characterized by a greater set variety.

Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1979 Jun, (6), 31 - 4
{Quantitative indices of the activity and the electrophoretic characteristics of staphylococcal catalase}; Degteva GK et al.; The average levels of activity of intracellular and extracellular catalase were determined . The activity of intracellular catalase was shown to be significantly higher than that of extracellular catalase, the average level of activity of extracellular catalase being higher in S . aureus than in S . epidermidis . In most of the strains one zone of extracellular catalase and two molecular forms of intracellular catalase were revealed by means of polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis.

J Urol, 1979 Jun, 121(6), 724 - 7
Staphylococcal protein A assay for detection of antibody directed at renal cancer cells; Leblanc PA et al.; Sera from 27 patients with renal cancer, 14 patients with transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder and 21 normal controls were tested against 2 renal cancer lines (CAKI-1 and CAKI-2) by the iodinated protein A assay . All sera tested against CAKI-2 were absorbed first with AB+ substance because CAKI-2 was found to have cell surface A antigen . Sera from 16 of 27 patients with renal cell carcinoma, 3 of 14 patients with transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder and 2 of 21 normal controls were reactive with CAKI-1 . Sera from 11 of 27 patients with renal cell carcinoma, 2 of 14 patients with transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder and 3 of 21 normal controls were reactive with CAKI-2 . There is a positive correlation between the number of counts obtained by the renal patients' sera tested against CAKI-1 and CAKI-2.

Am J Cardiol, 1979 Jun, 43(6), 1123 - 36
Infection of glutaraldehyde-preserved porcine valve heterografts; Ferrans VJ et al.; Gross, histologic and ultrastructural changes associated with bacterial infection are described in four porcine valve heterografts that had been in place in patients for 6 days to 28 months . In one patient, culture of the aortic tissue tag included in the heterograft container grew Mycobacterium chelonei; however, examination of the heterograft, recovered at necropsy 6 days after implantation, revealed small colonies of bacteria that differed morphologically from mycobacteria . A second heterograft was the site of staphylococcal infection associated with extensive destruction of collagen in the leaflets . Similar destruction was observed in a third heterograft, which was found to have organisms on ultrastructural study even though bacterial cultures of the valve were negative . The fourth heterograft, from a patient who died of coronary embolism secondary to dislodgment of vegetative material, contained structures resembling lysed bacteria . Observations in these 4 patients and review of published reports of infection involving 43 other patients with porcine valve heterografts indicates that infection in these valves: (1) develops in the fibrin layer that covers the cusps, (2) can involve the collagen in the leaflets, and (3) is uncommonly (three patients) associated with valve ring abscesses.

Zhonghua Min Guo Wei Sheng Wu Xue Za Zhi, 1979 Jun, 12(2), 65 - 9
{Studies on staphylococcal enterotoxin B . III . Purification with absorbents}; Chen CP et al.; The biological and immunological activities of Staphylococcal enterotoxin B are stable in pH 2.0 approximately 11.0, and also resistant to proteolytic enzyme (trypsin, pepsin) digestion for 3 approximate 4 hours . Therefore, the toxin could be purified with trypsin digest and then absorbed on kaolin and Kieselgel, followed by eluting the different pH buffer solutions . Further purifications was chromatographied on CM-Sephadex column.

Acta Pathol Microbiol Scand {C}, 1979 Jun, 87C(3), 177 - 83
Isolation of enzymatically derived fragments of porcine IgG and an examination of their reactivity against staphylococcal protein A; Endresen C; Papain digestion of porcine IgG in the absence of cysteine resulted in a rather poor yield of fragments (less than 5 per cent) . In the presence of cysteine, 70 to 80 per cent of the IgG was degradated in 4 h . Fragments with molecular weight of about 100,000 and 50,000 were separated by gel filtration . The minor fraction (mol . wt . 100,000) most probably consisted of F(c)2 fragments . Fab/c fragments with both Fc and Fab determinants, and also probably some F(ab)2-like fragments . The F(c)2 fragments appeared to be a dimer of Fc stabilized by disulphide bonds . The second main fraction (mol . wt . 50,000) contained Fc and Fab fragments . Mild reduction of the Fc fragments resulted in Fc subfragments of different sizes, thus indicating that papain cleavages had occurred on different spots in the Fc chain . Non-reduced Fc fragments therefore seem to consist of several Fc subfragments stabilized by disulphide bonds . The protein A reactivity of the isolated Fc fragments were rather low compared to the reactivity of intact IgG, respectively 5--15 and 90 per cent . In addition, protein A reactive Fab fragments were isolated from normal porcine IgG.

Acta Pathol Microbiol Scand {B}, 1979 Jun, 87B(3), 165 - 9
Immunochemical analysis of the teichoic acid from Staphylococcus hyicus; Osland A et al.; The wall teichoic acid of Staphylococcus hyicus has been isolated and characterized . The teichoic acid is a glycerol phosphate polymer with glycosidically linked N-acetylglucosamine . Interaction with concanavalin A and susceptibility to alpha- but not to beta-N-acetylglucosaminidase showed that the sugar is in the alpha-configuration.

Nouv Presse Med, 1979 May 5, 8(20), 1671 - 3
{Bacterial endocarditis due to Staphylococcus epidermidis . Two cases (author's transl)}; Bernadet P et al.; Bacterial endocarditis due to Staphylococcus epermidis is rare and severe . In a first patient, a 58-year-old-man, it developed 40 days after the insertion of a double prosthesis (mitral and aortic) . Cure was obtained by medical treatment using a combination of vancomycin and gentamicin, followed by pristinamycin and tobramycin . The second patient, a 50-year-old-woman, suffering from cirrhogenic hepatitis and treated with corticosteroids . Staphylococcus epidermidis endocarditis developed without any portal of entry being discovered . After the failure of various antibiotic combinations (even though bactericidal in vitro), a mitral Starr valve was inserted which resulted in cure . None of the patients showed any sign of valvular mutilations or disinsertion of prosthesis.

Arch Dermatol Res, 1979 May 4, 264(3), 287 - 91
Action of staphylococcal epidermolysin: further observations on its species specificity; Fritsch PO et al.; Sensitivity to epidermolysin was tested in a number of species of the families of mice (muridae) and hamsters (cricetidae) and in hedgehogs . None of the animals proved sensitive except mus musculus (house mouse) and mesocricetus auratus (golden hamster).

Eur J Biochem, 1979 May 2, 96(1), 193 - 204
The complete amino-acid sequence of the sweet protein thaumatin I; Iyengar RB et al.; The primary structure of the sweet-tasting protein thaumatin has been elucidated . The protein consists of a single polypeptide chain of 207 residues . The sequence of the N-terminal part of the chain was determined by sequenator analysis . As the protein contains only one methionine residue, it was possible to deduce the N-terminal sequence of the C-terminal cyanogen bromide fragment by automatic sequencing of the cyanogen-bromide-cleaved, succinylated protein . To arrive at the sequence of the whole protein tryptic and Staphylococcus protease peptides, together with chymotryptic peptides and a 2-(2-nitrophenylsulfenyl)-3-methyl-3'-bromoindolenine (BNPS-skatole) fragment were also sequenced . Comparing the amino acid sequence of thaumatin with that of the other sweet-tasting protein, monellin, we have located five sets of identical tripeptides . Since immunological cross-reactivity of thaumatin antibodies with monellin has recently been described, one or more of these tripeptides might be part of a common antibody recombination site and possibly be involved in the interaction with the sweet-taste receptor.

Res Vet Sci, 1979 May, 26(3), 356 - 8
Staphylococcus hyicus in cattle; Devriese LA et al.; Staphylococcus hyicus (subsp hyicus) was found to be a frequently occurring inhabitant of the skin of cattle . Significant numbers of this bacterium were found to be present in mange lesions of cattle between one and three years old . Experimental inoculations revealed that S hyicus had a pathogenic effect on the superficially scarified skin of young cattle.

Am J Gastroenterol, 1979 May, 71(5), 465 - 8
Low incidence of bacteremia following endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP); Siegel JH et al.; Fifty patients (29 females) undergoing ERCP were studied prospectively for the occurrence of bacteremia associated with this endoscopic procedure . Each patient had blood samples drawn for aerobic and anaerobic cultures before endoscopy, after entering the duodenum, 5 and 15 minutes after cannulation of the papilla of Vater . Subcultures were made at 24 and 48 hours for a total of 1,200 cultures . No positive cultures were obtained in 48 patients . One patient developed a Staphylococcus epidermidis bacteremia during the procedure . The cleansing technic for the instruments consisted of alcohol and water only . Prophylactic antiobiotics were not administered . In contrast to other gastrointestinal procedures, our results suggest that bacteremia is an uncommon occurrence in ERCP despite the longer duration of the procedure and instrumentation of a sterile duct system.

Arch Dermatol, 1979 May, 115(5), 589 - 90
Staphylococcal scalded skin syndrome in an adult with Hodgkin's disease; Ridgway HB et al.; An elderly man with Hodgkin's disease who was receiving multiple drug chemotherapy became septic and a wide spread bullous eruption developed . Intraepidermal cleavage on skin biopsy supported a diagnosis of the staphylococcal scalded skin syndrome (SSSS) type of toxic epidermal necrolysis . Blood cultures confirmed a staphylococcal septicemia . Occurrence of this syndrome in an adult is unusual . A review of the literature on SSSS indicates an increased mortality when adults are compared with children with this syndrome.

Can J Surg, 1979 May, 22(3), 250 - 3
Formation of abdominal cyst secondary to ventriculoperitoneal shunting; Ekong CE et al.; The formation of an abdominal cyst is an uncommon complication of ventriculoperitoneal shunts . Three cases are presented in this paper and 21 previously reported cases and reviewed . The authors believe that decreased absorptive power of the peritoneum as a result of adhesions from previous multiple abdominal procedures or infection (particularly by Staphylococcus epidermidis), or both, is of etiologic significance . The patients presented with abdominal swelling and tenderness due to a malfunctioning shunt . Early diagnosis is possible by roentgenography of the abdomen and radioisotope scanning of the shunt . Paracentesis with conversion of the shunt to a ventriculoatrial or ventriculocisternal type is the treatment of choice.

Br J Haematol, 1979 May, 42(1), 21 - 33
Hairy-cell leukaemia: a B-lymphocytic disorder; Jansen J et al.; Fifteen cases of histologically proven hairy-cell leukaemia (HCL) were studied with immunofluorescence, rosette, and phagocytosis techniques . Unfixed hairy cells (HC) bound all kinds of labelled antiserum; but after fixation with formaldehyde a much more selective binding was observed . In two cases no surface-bound Ig was detected; four cases showed gamma and in nine cases two or three heavy chains were found, alpha and delta being the most frequent . Few cases were clearly positive for mu . The picture was invariably monoclonal with respect to light chains . Cytoplasmic Ig was present in only 3/15 cases; it was always IgM . HC did not form E-rosettes or react with a fluorescent anti-T cell antiserum . No EAIgMC-rosettes were formed . All cases showed Fc receptors, which were detected with EAIgG-rosettes (13/13) or with antigen-antibody complexes (6/6) . The density of Fc receptors varied widely . Incubation with latex particles resulted in cell-associated particles in 16-63% of the HC; with Staphylococcus epidermidis, the percentage was 2-36 . After enzyme treatment (lysostaphin), however, no ingested bacteria were found, which suggests that HC are essentially non-phagocytic . At least 13 cases were therefore classified as B-cell malignancies.

Biochim Biophys Acta, 1979 Apr 25, 577(2), 464 - 74
Complete amino acid sequence of the myoglobin from the Pacific sei whale, Balaenoptera borealis; Jones BN et al.; The complete amino acid sequence of the major component myoglobin from Pacific sei whale, Balaenoptera borealis, was determined by specific cleavage of the protein to obtain large peptides which are readily degraded by the automatic sequencer . The acetimidated apomyoglobin was selectively cleaved at its two methionyl residues with cyanogen bromide and at its three arginyl residues by trypsin . From the sequence analysis of four of these peptides and the apomyoglobin, over 75% of the covalent structure of the protein was obtained . The remainder of the primary structure was determined by the sequence analysis of peptides that resulted from further digestion of the amino-terminal and central cyanogen bromide fragments . The amino-terminal fragment was specifically cleaved at its two tryptophanyl residues with N-chlorosuccinimide and the central cyanogen bromide fragment was cleaved at its glutamyl residues with staphylococcal protease and at its single tyrosyl residue with N-bromosuccinimide . The primary structure of this myoglobin proved identical with that from the gray whale but differs from that of the finback whale at four positions, from that of the minke whale at three positions and from the myoglobin of the humpback whale at one position . The above sequence identities and differences reflect the close taxonomic relationship of these five species of Cetacea.

Biochim Biophys Acta, 1979 Apr 25, 577(2), 454 - 63
Complete amino acid sequence of the myoglobin from the Pacific spotted dolphin, Stenella attenuata graffmani; Jones BN et al.; The complete amino acid sequence of the major component myoglobin from the Pacific spotted dolphin, Stenella attenuata graffmani, was determined by the automated Edman degradation of several large peptides obtained by specific cleavage of the protein . The acetimidated apomyoglobin was selectively cleaved at its two methionyl residues with cyanogen bromide and at its three arginyl residues by trypsin . By subjecting four of these peptides and the apomyoglobin to automated Edman degradation, over 80% of the primary structure of the protein was obtained . The remainder of the covalent structure was determined by the sequence analysis of peptides that resulted from further digestion of the central cyanogen bromide fragment . This fragment was cleaved at its glutamyl residues with staphylococcal protease and its lysyl residues with trypsin . The action of trypsin was restricted to the lysyl residues by chemical modification of the single arginyl residue of the fragment with 1,2-cyclohexanedione . The primary structure of this myoglobin proved to be identical with that from the Atlantic bottlenosed dolphin and Pacific common dolphin but differs from the myoglobins of the killer whale and pilot whale at two positions . The above sequence identities and differences reflect the close taxonomic relationship of these five species of Cetacea.

Scand J Haematol, 1979 Apr 4, 22(4), 317 - 26
Effects of serum and cations on the selective release of granular proteins from human netrophils during phagocytosis; Venge P et al.; The extracellular release from human neutrophils of the primary (azurophil) granule constituents, myeloperoxidase (MPO), chymotrypsin-like cationic protein (CCP), collagenase and lysozyme, and the secondary (specific) granule constituents, lactoferrin and lysozyme, was measured during ingestion of staphylococcus protein-A-IgG complexes . In buffer, lactoferrin release was consistently higher than that of the other protein . In serum, lactoferrin release increased concomitantly with ingestion, whereas the rate of lysozyme and especially of MPO release were stimulated to a higher degree than ingestion . Magnesium (0.5--2 mM) was more potent than calcium (0.5--2 mM) in promoting release but these cations worked synergistically . Zinc (0.5--4 mM) was found to be a potent and selective inhibitor of collagenase release . Manganese (0.25--4 mM), which inhibited the ingestion of SpA-IgG complexes, also inhibited release of CCP, collagenase, lysozyme and MPO, but actually stimulated lactoferrin release . The data suggests that lactoferrin and lysozyme may be confined to distinct granule populations or else released in a different fashion from the granules . When the effects on release of primary granule proteins are concerned it is suggested that the dissociation of binding of various agents to an anionic granule matrix may be affected differently by various cations.

J Fr Ophtalmol, 1979 Apr, 2(4), 253 - 8
{Silicone sponges rejection (author's transl)}; Forest A et al.; Out of 633 retinal tears or detachments treated by cryocoagulation and Lincoff sponges without scleral dissection, our rate of sponge rejection is 8 per cent (51 out of 633) . Out of these 51 rejections we have 4 spontaneous expulsions and 45 surgical removals . In 2 cases we could preserve the buckle by medical treatment . The most pre-eminent causes are in decreasing frequency: --the peroperative sponge infection, mostly by staphylococcus epidermidis, --the existence of an anterior positioned sponge, more than a quadrant long, factor of bad mechanical tolerance, --several operations . The rate of anatomical success is of 86% in this group of 51 patients (80% if we only number successes at six months) . We have had 8 recurrences after sponge removals (15%) . Recurrences are due to sponge infection; they are mainly due to the reopening of the primitive lesions (6 times out of 8) . Only 5 recurrences have been cured (62,5%) . This result seems, however, better than the one reached by authors using scleral dissection techniques; according to us this is due to the relatively rare severe vitreous reactions when episcleral sponges' infection occurs.

Nucleic Acids Res, 1979 Apr, 6(4), 1387 - 415
Cromatin and core particles formed from the inner histones and synthetic polydeoxyribonucleotides of defined sequence; Simpson RT et al.; Chicken erythrocyte inner histones (H2A, H2B, H3 and H4) were associated with the two complementary homopolymeric polydeoxyribonucleotides and the two alternating copolymeric polydeoxyribonucleotides . No evidence for formation of chromatin-like structures was obtained for the complexes with poly(dG) . poly(dC) or poly(dA) . poly(dT) . Both poly (dGdC) . poly(dGdC) and poly(dAdT) . poly(dAdT) could be folded by histones to yield material digested by DNAase I to multiples of about 10 and by staphylococcal nuclease to 146 bp core particles . Due to the lack of sequence heterogeniety in the complex of histones with poly(dAdT) . poly(dAdT), core particles with remarkable fine structural detail are obtained . The internal organization of DNA in the AT-containing and GC-containing core particles appears not to be identical.

Antibiotiki, 1979 Apr, 24(4), 263 - 7
{Characteristics of hospital strains of Staphylococcus}; Voropaeva SD et al.; Some properties of hospital staphylococcal strains isolated from the patients with purulent postnatal mastitis were studied . It was found that all the strains of the phage type 80.81 widely distributed in the obstetric hospitals were polylysogenic and polyresistant to antibiotics . The resistance markers in most of the isolates were located on the plasmids . Elimination of the plasmids carrying the antibiotics resistance markers resulted in a simultaneous change in the strain lysogenic spectrum while the phage type and fermentative properties, such as production of plasmocoagulase, DNAase and lecithinase did not change . The capacity for hemotoxin production was lost simultaneously with antibiotic resistance in 1 out of 17 cultures tested.

Ann Neurol, 1979 Apr, 5(4), 322 - 6
Substances which modulate leukocyte migration are present in CSF during meningitis; Wyler DJ et al.; We studied the effects on in vitro leukocyte migration of cerebrospinal fluid from 14 patients with and 7 patients without meningitis . Meningitic CSF, but not control CSF, contained activity that was chemotactic for peripheral blood leukocytes . In an unusual case of staphylococcal meningitis associated with a blunted CSF pleocytosis and a poor clinical response to antibiotics, an inhibitor of leukocyte chemotaxis was identified in the CSF . This inhibitor may have diminished local leukocyte accumulation in vivo and thereby adversely affected host defense mechanisms and clinical outcome . No inhibitors were found in other CSF samples tested . Soluble mediators present in CSF may modulate the local accumulation of leukocytes and therefore affect host defenses in meningitis.

J Infect Dis, 1979 Apr, 139(4), 452 - 7
Synergy of vancomycin plus cefazolin or cephalothin against methicillin-resistance Staphylococcus epidermidis; Siebert WT et al.; The in vitro activity of cephalothin, cefazolin, and vancomycin against 25 isolates of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus epidermidis was determined by means of a broth dilution technique with two sizes of inoculum . The size of the inoculum had a marked effect on the minimal inhibitory concentrations and the minimal bactericidal concentrations of all three antibiotics . With a small inoculum, 100% of the isolates were inhibited by 3.12 micrograms of vancomycin/ml, 76% by 12.5 micrograms of cephalothin/ml, and 64% by 12.5 micrograms of cefazolin/ml . With a large inoculum 100% of the isolates were inhibited by 200 micrograms of vancomycin/ml, 40% by 12.5 micrograms of cephalothin/ml, and 12% by 12.5 micrograms of cefazolin/ml . As determined by a tube dilution checkerboard technique for both sizes of inoculum, the combination of vancomycin plus cephalothin was synergistic against methicillin-resistant S . epidermidis in 45 of 50 cases, and the combination of vancomycin plus cefazolin was synergistic in 39 or 50 cases . These data from in vitro studies suggest that these antibiotic combinations should be evaluated clinically in patients with severe infections caused by methicillin-resistant S . epidermidis.

Arch Dermatol . 1979 Apr;115(4):458.
Transient neonatal pustular melanosis; Wyre HW Jr et al.; A black male infant had congenital lesions that consisted of pigmented macules, many of which had a peripheral collarette of scale, and vesicopustules . The appearance of this patient fit the clinical syndrome of transient neonatal pustular melanosis, a newly described vesicopustular disease of the newborn . Differential diagnosis in this patient included the following conditions: erythema toxicum neonatorum, staphylococcal pyoderma, and herpes simplex.

Arch Dermatol, 1979 Apr, 115(4), 449 - 52
Hypodermitis sclerodermiformis and unusual acid-fast bacteria; Cantwell AR Jr et al.; We described two patients with localized, chronic, painful, scleroderma-like lesions of the lower part of the leg associated with venous stasis . This type of lesion has been termed "hypodermitis sclerodermiformis," and we review the literature pertinent to this entity . In addition, skin biopsy material was studied for the presence of acid-fast microbes . In both cases, Fite-Faraco-stained tissue sections contained many acid-fast coccoid and giant microbial forms suggestive of transitional L forms . Culture of the lesion in both cases was positive for Staphylococcus epidermidis . Until the cause is fully clarified, the search for acid-fast bacteria appears warranted in formed of pseudoscleroderma such as hypodermitis sclerodermiformis.

Ann Intern Med, 1979 Apr, 90(4), 548 - 51
Macroscopic pathology of the lungs in Legionnaires' disease; Winn WC Jr et al.; We used the whole lung section technique to review the macroscopic pathology in 12 patients who died with Legionnaires' disease . None of these patients had been treated with erythromycin . Consolidation was evenly distributed throughout all lobes without a consistent segmental distribution . The smallest lesions were around bronchioles or bounded by lobular septa . In most cases there was confluent involvement of multiple lobules . Extensive consolidation made distinction between a lobar and confluent lobular distribution difficult . Abscesses were present in two cases and nodular infiltrates in two others . In five additional patients, Legionnaires' disease had been treated with erythromycin . Four had a clinical response to treatment, and the fifth had diffuse staphylococcal pneumonia as the predominant lesion . Because the lungs of all five patients contained bacteria other than the Legionnaires' disease bacterium at the time of autopsy, it was difficult to ascertain the role of Legionnaires' disease bacterium in the pathology.

J Hyg (Lond), 1979 Apr, 82(2), 237 - 48
A laboratory model for the investigation of contact transfer of micro-organisms; Marples RR et al.; The model was based on grasping a fabric-covered bottle contaminated with a strain of Staphylococcus saprophyticus, then grasping a sterile fabric-covered bottle and counting the organisms transferred . When the donor fabric was moist 10% of the available cells passed onto the hands, but this fell to 0.05% when the inoculum dried . Transfer from wet hands to the fabric amounted to 85%, but in the complete model only 0.06% of the available cells were transferred . The model was used to assess simple methods of degerming the hands . Washing the hands reduced transfer by 95%, while washing in 70% alcohol reduced transfer by 99.99% . Lesser procedures investigated included applying 0.2 ml of 80% ethanol to the hands, which reduced transfer by 93%.

Anat Rec, 1979 Apr, 193(4), 927 - 38
Intraepidermal cell surface fine structure: preservation and examination at high resolution; Lempert TE et al.; Morphological and functional studies on cell surfaces have been limited largely to cultured cells because of injury wrought to cells of solid tissues by commonly employed mechanical, enzymatic, or chelator dispersal methods . By using the staphylococcal epidermolytic toxin we avoided this problem; the toxin cleaves the intercellular spaces of human and mouse squamous epithelia without ultrastructural evidence of cytotoxicity . We studied the cell surface topography of neonatal mouse epidermis obtained two hours after injection of highly purified epidermolytic toxin . Immediately after sacrifice intraepithelial surfaces were exposed while the animals were immersed in fixative . Specimens were either freeze-fractured or embedded for transmission electron microscopy, or were critical-point-dried prior to platinum/carbon replication for transmission and scanning electron microscopy . Replicas could be prepared for transmission electron microscopy only if they were first stabilized with parloidion and then cleaned with both bleach and 40% chromate . By using these four complementary morphological methods (freeze-fracture, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy of surface replicas, and standard thin sections), we could positively identify external membrane structures . The convoluted surface was studded by tenuous microvilli, scattered 15-20 nm particles, and hemispherical desmosomal mounds . Desmosomal plaques displayed randomly arrayed 15-20 nm globular particles comparable in distribution and density to particles observed in freeze-fractured desmosomes, and suggesting that desmosomal integral membrane particles span the external leaflet of the plasma membrane.

J Clin Invest, 1979 Apr, 63(4), 772 - 84
Requirement of extracellular complement and immunoglobulin for intracellular killing of micro-organisms by human monocytes; Leijh PC et al.; The role of serum factors in the intracellular killing of bacteria by monocytes was studied on the basis of an assay independent of phagocytosis . After 3 min of phagocytosis of preopsonized bacteria and removal of noningested bacteria, the monocytes containing bacteria are reincubated for various periods and the number of unkilled bacteria is determined by a microbiological method after lysis of the cells . Evidence that this assay measures the killing of ingested bacteria was provided by scanning electron microscopy, lysostaphin treatment, and the effect on the rate of intracellular killing of inactivated serum lacking specific opsonic activity . Intracellular killing of Staphylococcus aureaus, S . epidermidis, and Escherichia coli by human monocytes does not occur or is low in the absence of serum, and maximal killing is only reached when fresh serum is present; intermediate values are obtained in the presence of heat-inactivated serum . These findings indicate that complement stimulates intracellular killing . Isolated heterogeneous immunoglobulin (Ig)G, pFc fragments of heterogeneous IgG, and both IgG1 and IgG3 stimulate intracellular killing of S . aureaus by monocytes to the same degree as heat-inactivated serum . Sphingomyelinase, which decreases the number of Fc receptors, and neuraminidase, which increases these receptors, respectively, decreased and increased the intracellular killing, whereas anti-monocyte serum completely abolished the stimulation of intracellular killing by inactivated serum . These results prove that interaction of the Fc receptor with the Fc part of IgG is required for the intracellular killing . Inhibition of the activation of complement components via the alternative pathway gave a considerable reduction in the intracellular killing of S . aureaus; impairment of the activation via the classical pathway had no effect . The addition of complement components to heat-inactivated serum showed that intracellular killing is maximal only when C3b is generated . Reduction of the number of C3b receptors in the membrane by trypsin or pronase decreased intracellular killing in the presence of fresh serum; anti-monocyte serum completely abolished the stimulation of intracellular killing by fresh serum . These results lead to the conclusion that intracellular killing is also dependent on the interaction between C3b and its receptor in the membrane.

Am J Dis Child, 1979 Apr, 133(4), 411 - 2
Perirectal abscess in childhood . A review of 29 cases; Krieger RW et al.; A total of 29 cases of perirectal abscess at Milwaukee Children's Hospital between 1965 and 1975 were retrospectively reviewed . One fourth of these children had a serious underlying chronic disease . Staphylococcus aureaus was the organism that grew most frequently from pus obtained from the abscesses, accounting for 52% of the isolates . Therapy included incision and drainage alone and incision and drainage plus parenteral and/or oral antibiotic treatment . One patient, a child with leukemia, died of this infection . Complications, primarily fistulain-ano or recurrent abscess, occurred in 42% of the survivors.

Infect Immun, 1979 Apr, 24(1), 286 - 8
Inhibition of adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate-dependent protein kinase by staphylococcal alpha-toxin; Kato I et al.; Staphylococcal alpha-toxin inhibited the activity of cyclic adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate-dependent protein kinase by competitive inhibition, probably by its interaction with a cyclic adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate-binding site in the protein kinase molecule.

Can J Microbiol, 1979 Apr, 25(4), 508 - 11
Transduction of penicillinase production in Staphylococcus epidermidis and nature of the genetic determinant; Olson WC Jr et al.; Four strains of Staphylococcus epidermidis from clinical sources were capable of serving as donors for the transduction of either penicillinase production, ethidium bromide resistance, or tetracycline resistance . Three typing phages served as transducing phages and, depending upon the combination of transducing phage, donor strain, and recipient strain, the rates of transduction ranged between 10(-5) and 10(-9) . In one strain, cotransduction of penicillinase production and ethidium bromide resistance was observed . Although ultraviolet irradiation kinetics indicated that both the tetracycline resistance and the penicillin resistance determinants were located on plasmids, only resistance to tetracycline could be eliminated by growth in the presence of curing agents or at elevated temperature . However, evidence was obtained by agarose gel electrophoretic studies that both the tetracycline resistance and the penicillin resistance determinants are located on separate plasmids in this organism.

J Immunol, 1979 Apr, 122(4), 1285 - 9
Cross-reactions between tryptic polypeptides of staphylococcal enterotoxins B and C; Spero L et al.; The strong cross-reactions demonstrated for staphylococcal enterotoxins B (SEB) and C1 (SEC1) by measurement of antigen-binding capacity were reflected in well defined polypeptides obtained by limited tryptic digestion from SEB and SEC1 . Two antigenic determinants on each enterotoxin were capable of reacting with heterologous antibody, one on the first 57 amino acids and one on the last 150 residues of the polypeptide backbone . The larger, carboxyl terminal polypeptides bound efficiently to homologous antiserum but about two orders of magnitude less efficiently to heterologous antibody . The amino terminal peptides showed only weak homologous binding but nearly comparable heterologous binding . It is proposed that the determinant on the amino terminal polypeptides is largely responsible for the strong reciprocal binding of the intact enterotoxins and that their low antigen-binding capacity is due to a random or a structurally distorted conformation in solution.

Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1979 Apr, (4), 36 - 9
{Role of macrophages in the immune response to soluble protein antigen and in staphylococcal infection}; Gurevich PS et al.; In experiments on rabbits immunized with soluble protein antigen immune reactions were found to be accompanied by the production of lipofuscin in macrophages . This process was the morphological manifestation of the digestion of antigen by macrophages which thus acquired the ability to migrate in the organ and to form lymphoid follicules in the medullary zone of lymph nodes . The newly formed follicules seem to be the basis of pronounced specific immune response . In staphylococcal bacteriemia the phagocytic activity of macrophages was delayed, thus causing disturbances in lipofuscin production; as a result, the subsequent phases of immune response also lagged somewhat behind in time.

Vestn Khir Im I I Grek, 1979 Apr, 122(4), 46 - 50
{Heterologous antistaphylococcal gamma-globulin in the treatment of staphylococcal sepsis}; Shubik IuG et al.; The first experience with the immunotherapy of staphylococcal sepsis with heterologous anti-staphylococcal gamma-globulin (cozym) with a high antitoxin titer--above 200 A . E./ml--is generalized in the article . The results of the anti-staphylococcal gamma-globulin use in 19 patients are analysed . A comparative evaluation of the drug related to the donor preparation is set forth . The advantages of heterologous anti-staphylococcal gamma-globulin are grounded.

Eur J Biochem, 1979 Mar 15, 95(1), 193 - 202
The complete amino-acid sequence of a trout-testis non-histone protein, H6, localized in a subset of nucleosomes and its similarity to calf-thymus non-histone proteins HMG-14 and HMG-17; Watson DC et al.; The complete amino acid sequence of a basic non-histone protein, H6, isolated from the chromatin of rainbow trout (Salmo gairdnerii) testis cells, has been determined . Protein H6, first described by D . T . Wigle and G . H . Dixon {J . Biol . Chem . 246, 5636--5644 (1971)} was extracted with 5% trichloracetic acid and purified by ion-exchange chromatography on carboxymethyl-cellulose (CM-52) . Sequence analysis was performed by automatic Edman degradation of the amino terminus of the intact protein and a series of large fragments derived by cleavage with chymotrypsin, staphylococcal protease and with mild acid to cleave at aspartic acid residues . Protein H6 possesses 69 residues and shows considerable similarities to the 89-residue calf thymus HMG-17 protein previously sequenced {Walker, J . M., Hastings, J . R . B . & Johns, E . W . (1977) Eur . J . Biochem . 76, 461--468} . B . Levy W . and G . H . Dixon {Proc . Natl Acad . Sci . U.S.A . 74, 2810--2814 (1977)} have shown that H6 is selectively solubilized when trout testis nuclei (or chromatin) are digested with DNase I under conditions which preferentially hydrolyze that portion of DNA enriched in transcribed sequences {Levy, W . B . & Dixon, G . H . (1977) Nucleic Acids Res . 4, 883--898} . Recently H6 has been located as a stoichiometric component of a distinct subset of trout testis nucleosomes that are complexed with a core nucleosome comprising 140 base pairs of DNA and the inner histones H2A, H2B, H3 and H4 {Levy, W . B., Connor, W . & Dixon, G . H . (1979) J . Biol . Chem., in the press}.

Can Med Assoc J, 1979 Mar 3, 120(5), 557 - 61
{Shunt glomerulonephritis: clinical and histopathological manifestations}; Caron C et al.; In patients with cerebrospinal fluid internal shunts, immune complex glomerulonephritis sometimes develops . Of two new cases the first was classic, while the second was in an adult who had had a ventriculoatril shunt for 8 years; furthermore, the patient had acute renal failure and is the first to have been reported to have Peptococcus septicemia . Shunt glomerulonephritis is characterized by the following: (a) its occurrence following, most often, Staphylococcus albus infection in a patient who usually has a ventriculoatrial shunt; (b) transitory improvement of the symptoms by antibiotherapy only; and (c) full recovery if the prosthesis is removed . Laboratory studies show a low serum concentration of the C3 component of complement, the presence of cryoglobulins and a positive rheumatoid factor test . These abnormalities are reversible with removal of the prosthesis . Optical microscopy of a renal biopsy specimen in the two cases showed cellular proliferation of the glomerular tuft, electron microscopy demonstrated subepithelial deposits and immunofluorescent studies revealed intramembranous and intramesangial immune complexes . These features are similar to those observed in experimental nephritis induced in animals by foreign protein.

J Bacteriol, 1979 Mar, 137(3), 1158 - 64
Relationship between lysostaphin endopeptidase production and cell wall composition in Staphylococcus staphylolyticus; Robinson JM et al.; Mutants of Staphylococcus staphylolyticus incapable of producing an extracellular staphylolytic glycylglycine endopeptidase were isolated and found to have cells in the population susceptible to lysis by this enzyme, as did the wild-type organism under conditions in which the endopeptidase was not produced . These results suggest that cultures of this organism normally contain a heterogeneous population of cells with regard to cell wall composition and susceptibility to the enzyme . Production of the endopeptidase appears to act as a selective pressure which removes the susceptible cells in the population as the enzyme appears in the medium . A comparison of the peptidoglycan of the wild-type organism grown under conditions in which the endopeptidase was produced with that of this organism grown under nonproducing conditions and with those of endopeptidase-less mutants showed that in the presence of the endopeptidase the cell population had peptidoglycan with shorter peptide cross bridges and a greater percentage of serine in these cross bridges than was found in cells grown in the absence of the enzyme . The inability of the endopeptidase to hydrolyze glycylserine and serylglycine peptide bonds suggests that at least part of the resistance this organism has to the endopeptidase is due to relative amounts of serine found in the peptide cross bridges of some cells in the population.

Clin Nephrol, 1979 Mar, 11(3), 129 - 32
Peritoneal clearance and total body elimination of vancomycin during chronic intermittent peritoneal dialysis; Ayus JC et al.; Vancomycin is a useful antimicrobial agent in patients undergoing chronic hemodialysis treatment; its efficacy in chronic peritoneal dialysis (CPD) has not been established . Serum (VS) and peritoneal fluid (VPF) vancomycin concentrations were measured in two CPD patients with staphylococcal peritonitis . Half-life of VS agreed with the half-life of VPF in each patient, and the VS/VPF ratio was 1.27 in both patients . Distribution volumes were 37.2 and 58.7 l, values approximating total body water in these patients . VS and VPF persisted in the therapeutic range (greater than 5 microgram/ml) for more than 16 days . In one patient, mean peritoneal clearacne was 9.8 ml/min, and overall drug clearance averaged 2.3 ml/min; in the other patient, overall clearance was 2.1 ml/min . These results indicate that therapeutic vancomycin levels can be maintained for more than 16 days with a single 1 g intravenous dose in patients receiving intermittent CPD, as is the case for hemodialysis patients . Because of this, parenteral vancomycin is useful in the treatment of staphylococcal peritonitis in CPD patients.

Am J Dis Child, 1979 Mar, 133(3), 263 - 5
Primary suppurative myositis in children; Sirinavin S et al.; Primary suppurative myositis is rare in the United States when compared with the incidence of disease in the tropics . Clinically, it may mimic many of the more common diseases, such as hematoma, osteomyelitis, arthritis, or appendiceal abscess . It usually has a benign course, with complete recovery after appropriate treatment . Prolonged morbidity and an increased mortality may result from unfamiliarity with this entity . Six children had primary suppurative myositis; one died as a result of perforation of a psoas abscess into the dural sac causing staphylococcal meningitis.

J Invest Dermatol, 1979 Mar, 72(3), 133 - 7
Interactions of Trichophyton mentagrophytes and micrococci on skin culture; Bibel DJ et al.; Scanning electron microscopy was used to search for local or limited synthesis of antibiotics by a strain of Trichophyton mentagrophytes . Micrococcus luteus, which was susceptible to penicillin and to the dermatophyte when both were cultured on agar media, displayed morphological alterations of flattened walls, invagination, enlargement, and collapse in skin cultures with the fungus . Penicillinase did not neutralize these effects . A control strain of Staphylococcus spp with poor sensitivity to penicillin was resistant to the dermatophyte in all test systems . T . mentagrophytes showed positive tropism to the bacteria . Regional variation in fungal germination and antibiotic production, the limited yield of antibiotics, and the pattern of dermatophyte growth and alteration of bacterial morphology demonstrated the significant influence of microenvironment on antibiosis.

Eur J Pediatr, 1979 Mar 1, 130(3), 181 - 7
Defective neutrophil chemotaxis and bactericidal power in a child with hyperimmunoglobulinemia E; Patrone F et al.; An 11-year-old boy with a life-long history of atopic-like dermatitis and recurrent staphylococcal abscesses was found to have defective neutrophil chemotaxis, impaired-T-lymphocyte functions, hyperimmunoglobulinemia E, and delayed neutrophil bactericidal power . This latter defect has never been found in such patients . The patient's mother revealed a panhypogammaglobulinemia, while his sister and maternal grandmother who had repeated infections were immunologically normal.

J Immunol, 1979 Mar, 122(3), 842 - 6
Genetic control of the immune response to staphylococcal nuclease . IX . Recombination between genes determining BALB/c antinuclease idiotypes and the heavy chain allotype locus; Pisetsky DS et al.; The genetic linkage relationship of two antinuclease idiotypes produced by the BALB/c strain was investigated in the backcross (BALB/c x CB.20) X CB.20 . These two idiotypes were detected by Lewis rat anti-idiotypic antisera prepared against affinity-purified A/J and SJL antinuclease antibodies, termed the A/J and SJL idiotypes, respectively . Both idiotypes were found to be linked to the IgCHa immunoglobulin heavy chain allotype locus . There was, however, a high frequency of recombination observed between both markers and the IgCHa locus, with eight of 83 backcross animals recombinant for the A/J idiotype and five of 83 recombinant for the SJL idiotype . All such recombinant animals were IgCHb/b homozygotes that had gained one or both idiotypes . These results are consistent with a genetic map of VHr region genes in the BALB/c strain in which genes determining the SJL idiotype are closer to the IgCHa allotype locus than are genes determining the A/J idiotype . This high frequency of recombination may indicate that the chromosome segment containing VH region genes is very large or that it has structural features that promote recombination.

Transfusion, 1979 Mar-Apr, 19(2), 192 - 6
Properties of neutrophils collected by discontinuous-flow centrifugation leukapheresis employing hydroxyethyl starch; Strauss RG et al.; The properties of neutrophils, collected by discontinuous-flow centrifugation leukapheresis in the presence of hydroxyethyl starch and citrate were studied in an attempt to insure that cells harvested in this fashion are suitable for transfusion . Neutrophils obtained from leukocyte units prepared for transfusion by leukapheresis were found to perform similarly to those isolated from the venous blood of corresponding donors prior to the pheresis procedures when assessed by morphology, viability, hexose monophosphate shunt activity, superoxide anion generation, nitroblue tetrazolium dye reduction, chemiluminescence, adherence to nylon fibers, random mobility, chemotaxis and staphylococcal killing . The results compared favorably with values previously established for healthy control subjects . Neutrophils prepared in this manner should serve as a satisfactory blood component.

Med Clin (Barc), 1979 Feb 25, 72(4), 139 - 44
{Necrotizing angiitis of small vessels . A clinical study of 25 patients with skin biopsy (author's transl)}; Miquel-Collell C et al.; Necrotizing angiitis or vasculitis exhibits a wide clinical spectrum characterized by many different cutaneous manifestations . Diagnosis must be confirmed by histopathology . We studied in retrospect 25 patients whose conditions had been diagnosed by skin biopsy . Histologic examination revealed infiltration by polynuclear cells and fibrinoid necrosis of the walls of the blood vessels in the skin . The great variety of clinical manifestations and etiologies stands out in a review of the records of these patients . Necrotizing angiitis has been found associated with mixed cryoglobulinemia; administration of drugs, milliary tuberculosis, bacterial meningitis, rickettsiosis, staphylococcal sepsis, pharyngotonsillitis, and rheumatoid arthritis . Necrotizing angiitis is a group of diseases with a great variety of clinical manifestations, ranging from benign to fatal . The various entities described to date have been more like different clinical forms of the same disease that distinct conditions . In cases of necrotizing angiitis caused by basically immunological mechanisms, the walls of the blood vessels may be impaired in varying diffuse degrees . The prognosis of the disease depends on the intensity of the inflammation and its repercussions on the parenchymas of different organs . The kidney is the most susceptible organ in this case . Treatment should be directed toward the avoidance of predisposing and etiologic factors, detection of the immunological reaction, requiring careful and individual attention in every case.

Med J Aust, 1979 Feb 24, 1(4), 136 - 7
Acute glomerulonephritis in an adult with infected ventriculoatrial shunt; Halmagyi GM et al.; A case of acute glomerulonephritis occurring during Staphylococcus albus infection of a ventriculoatrial shunt is described . It is the first case in which renal biopsy was repeated after clinical cure by shunt removal . This indicates that isolated haematuria and some histopathological changes may persist for at least a year.

Mol Cell Biochem, 1979 Feb 9, 23(3), 143 - 52
Action of staphylococcal alpha-toxin on membranes: some recent advances; Harshman S; Recent developments in the area of Staphylococcal alpha-toxin studies are presented which modify the concepts previously held with respect to both biological and physical properties of alpha-toxin . New data concerning the nature of the binding site for alpha-toxin on rabbit erythrocyte membranes and a model to explain the various observed complexes of alpha-toxin and membrane receptor are discussed . Finally, evidence suggesting that Staphylococcal alpha-toxin is a potent demyelinating agent is presented.

Mol Cell Biochem, 1979 Feb 9, 23(3), 131 - 41
Staphylococcal nuclease reviewed: a prototypic study in contemporary enzymology . IV . The nuclease as a model for protein folding; Tucker PW et al.; This is the last in a series of four articles in which the chemical, enzymological and crystallographic work on Ribonucleate (deoxyribonucleate)-3'-nucleotidohydrolase, EC 3.1.4.4 (staphylococcal nuclease, micrococcal nuclease) will be reviewed and correlated . This article discusses the use of the nuclease as a model system for the study of the mechanisms and energetics of the folding-unfolding reaction in proteins and for the study of the interrelationships between amino acid sequence and three-dimensional structure.

J Infect Dis, 1979 Feb, 139(2), 209 - 10
Levels of exfoliatin antitoxin in pooled human serum globulin; Kapral FA; The potential value of human serum globulin for treatment of patients with the staphylococcal scalded-skin syndrome was determined by measuring the exfoliatin antitoxin content of globulin pools . Of 16 lots tested, only four had detectable antitoxin activity, and in these the levels were minimal . These findings suggest that pooled serum globulin is not a practical source of exfoliatin antitoxin.

Ann Rheum Dis, 1979 Feb, 38(1), 18 - 22
Vertebral sclerosis in adults; Russell AS et al.; Narrowing of the intervertebral disc space with sclerosis of the adjacent vertebral bodies may occur as a consequence of infection, neoplasia, trauma, or rheumatic disease . Some patients have been described with backache and these radiological appearances without any primary cause being apparent . The lesions were almost always of 1 or, at most, 2 vertebrae and most frequently involved the inferior margin of L4 . We describe 3 patients with far more extensive vertebral involvement and present the clinical, radiological, scintiscan, and histological findings . The only patient we have seen with the better known, isolated L4/5 lesion was shown on biopsy to have staphylococcal osteomyelitis . For this reason we would still recommend a biopsy of all such sclerotic vertebral lesions if they occur in the absence of other rheumatic disease.

J Biochem (Tokyo), 1979 Feb, 85(2), 615 - 24
Human spleen histone H2B . Isolation and amino acid sequence; Ohe Y et al.; The amino acid sequences of human histones have been investigated for studies of histone evolution . The whole histone was prepared from human spleen and was separated into 3 fractions, H4+H3+H2A, H2B, and H1, by our technique of CM-cellulose chromatography . The H2B fraction was further purified by Bio-Gel P-60 chromatography . For sequence determination, the H2B molecule was first split into 4 major fragments I to IV, by limited chymotryptic digestion at pH 5.0 and 15 degrees C, followed by Sephadex G-50 chromatography . Fragments I and III were then digested with trypsin, yielding 18 and 16 peptides, respectively, on column and paper chromatographies . Sequence analyses of these tryptic peptides, as well as chymotryptic fragments II and IV, showed no differences from the corresponding parts of calf thymus H2B sequence, making it possible to locate fragments I to IV at residues 1--40, 41--42, 43--121 and 122--125 of the total sequence . The only new findings were microheterogeneities at residues 39 (75% valine and 25% isoleucine) and 124 (70% serine and 30% alanine) . The sequence of the most basic cluster at residues 27--24, -Lys-Lys-Arg-Lys-Arg-Ser-Arg-Lys-, was confirmed with a peptide obtained from fragment I by staphylococcal protease digestion . Thus, it is concluded that the H2B sequence of lower mammals was conserved during the evolutionary process leading to man.

Ann Microbiol (Paris), 1979 Feb-Mar, 130(2), 257 - 68
{Micromethod for rabies antibody detection by immunoenzymatic assay with Staphylococcus protein A (author's transl)}; Atanasiu P et al.; The rabies virus and its glycoprotein are used as antigens in a microimmunoenzymatic assay (IEA) . Human rabies antibodies are detected and titrated using anti-human antibodies and staphylococcus protein A conjugated to peroxidase . Several mammal antirabies sera are tested by this method with protein A . The results are compared to those obtained by seroneutralization in mice, which is the standard method for rabies antibody detection.

J Med Microbiol, 1979 Feb, 12(1), 71 - 82
Intergeneric and intrageneric inhibition between strains of Propionibacterium acnes and micrococcaceae, particularly Staphylococcus epidermidis, isolated from normal skin and acne lesions; Holland KT et al.; Two hundred and forty-one strains or resident skin bacteria comprising 93 isolates of Propionob acterium acnes and 148 of Micrococcaceae derived from 36 acne patients and 8 control subjects were screened for their ability to inhibit 32 indicator strains, including 20 strains of P . acnes and 12 strains of Staphylococcus epidermidis derived from patients with all grades of acne and from normal skin . Fifty-three strains (22%) showed some activity against at least one indicator strain . Both broad- and narrow-spectrum inhibition was detected . Inhibitory isolates of P . acnes outnumbered inhibitory Micrococcaceae by four to one . There was a low frequency of inhibition of S . epidermidis by Micrococcaceae (2.7%) and by P . acnes (1.1%) and a higher frequency of inhibition of P . acnes by Micrococcaceae (9.5%) and by P . acnes (40.8%) . Furthermore, 81.8% of the subjects sampled possessed strains inhibitory to P . acnes . The significance of this finding is, as yet, unknown . No difference in the prevalence of active strains in normal (20%) and acne (22.5%) skin was detected . These findings suggest that the possession of inhibitory strains and conversely the possession of sensitive strains does not predispose to acne.

Mol Cell Biochem, 1979 Jan 26, 23(2), 67 - 86
Staphylococcal nuclease reviewed: a prototypic study in contemporary enzymology . III . Correlation of the three-dimensional structure with the mechanisms of enzymatic action; Tucker PW et al.; This is the third in a series of four articles in which the chemical, enzymological and crystallographic work on Ribonucleate (deoxribonucleate)-3'-nucleotidohydrolase, EC 3.1.4.4 (staphylococcal nuclease, micrococcal nuclease) will be reviewed and correlated . This article describes the structure of the nuclease and of a nuclease-inhibitor complex as determined by x-ray crystallography . The crystal structures are correlated with some of the known chemical and enzymological properties of the enzyme, and the three areas combined to propose a mechanism of action.

Brain Res, 1979 Jan 19, 160(3), 489 - 503
Multiple sclerosis: immunochemical studies on the demyelinating serum factor; Grundke-Iqbal I et al.; Sera from patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) frequently produce demyelination of central nervous system tissue cultures . The nature of the factors responsible for demyelination is not as yet clearly established . However, several authors previously reported, in in vivo and in vitro models, demyelinating activity in IgG fractions isolated from sera and cerebrospinal fluid of MS patients14,42,48 . We found the demyelinating activity of MS sera to be extremely labile to conventional biochemical treatments . Therefore, we isolated IgG from MS sera by absorption with staphylococcal protein A . Protein A binds specifically IgG1 . IgG2 and IgG4 . With this method we were able to remove most of the IgG, leaving only a small percentage, most probably IgG3, in the sera . Isolated IgG fractions from several sera of MS patients in the presence of human complement actively demyelinated central nervous system tissue cultures . Although a small, but significant, decrease in demyelinating activity could be observed in most of the sera absorbed in most of the sera absorbed with protein A, the majority of the demyelinating activity could not be removed by this treatment . From these studies, it appears that at least the majority of demyelinating activity in MS sera is not associated with IgG1, IgG2 or IgG4 . If IgG is responsible for demyelination, IgG3 will most likely be the active factor.

Sem Hop, 1979 Jan 18-25, 55(3-4), 130 - 6
{Laparoscopy in black African immigrants . Apropos of 60 cases}; Pieron R et al.; Authors give results about 60 laparoscopies in negro immigrants . If one excepts isolated cases of liver cirrhosis, hepatoma, staphylococcic liver abscess, lymphosarcoma or schistosomiasis of the peritoneum and twelve normal laparoscopies, the most frequent diagnosis in this peculiar group is peritoneal and/or liver tuberculosis (21 cases) . Endoscopic aspects of hepato-splenic schistosomiasis are summarized . Interest of liver and/or peritoneal biopsies is underlined . Problem of liver granulomatosis may be ambiguous between schistosomiasis and tuberculosis.

Mol Gen Genet, 1979 Jan 16, 169(1), 107 - 12
Construction and some properties of packageable plasmid F; Hayakawa Y et al.; A derivative of plasmid F which is packageable in lambda phage coat was constructed using techniques of in vitro recombination . This plasmid is composed of three DNA fragments generated by restriction enzyme EcoRI: a miniF fragment (fragment f5 of F'lac) which is able to replicate autonomously, a DNA fragment from Staphylococcus plasmid that carries the beta-lactamase gene, and a portion of guaA (B) transducing lambda phage DNA carrying lambda cohesive ends (cos site) along with almost all the late genes but devoid of all those genes and sites that are needed for replication, regulation, and recombination . The hybrid plasmid has a molecular weight of 2.7 x 10(7) daltons, about 84% size of lambda phage genome, and can be packaged in lambda coat when helper phage replicates in the plasmid-carrier cell . The packaged plasmid and the helper lambda phage particles are separated by CsCl density gradient centrifugation . The replication characteristics of the recombinant plasmid are all those of F including the copy number, incompatibility, and curing with acidine orange . The packaged plasmid is injected into an F- cell and establishes a plasmid state with normal efficiency . In F+ or Hfr cells, the resident F factor hinders this process.

Mol Cell Biochem, 1979 Jan 15, 23(1), 3 - 16
Staphylococcal nuclease reviewed: a prototypic study in contemporary enzymology . II . Solution studies of the nucleotide binding site and the effects of nucleotide binding; Tucker PW et al.; This is the second of a series of four articles in which the chemical, enzymological and crystallographic work on Ribonucleate (deoxyribonucleate)-3'-nucleotidohydrolase, EC 3.1.4.4 . (staphylococcal nuclease, micrococcal nuclease) will be reviewed and correlated . This article discusses studies in solution delineating the extent of the binding site of the enzyme and identifying some of the particular amino acid residues that form this site . In addition, the effects of the very potent inhibitory combination of thymidine-3',5'-diphosphate and Ca2+ on the conformation of the enzyme and its physical, chemical and enzymological properties will be reviewed.

Biochemistry, 1979 Jan 9, 18(1), 68 - 76
Amino acid sequence of the beta chain of human fibrinogen; Watt KW et al.; The beta chain of human fibrinogen contains 461 amino acid residues, 15 of which are methionines . The calculated molecular weight, independent of a single carbohydrate cluster, is 52 230 . In this regard, we have isolated and characterized all 16 cyanogen bromide fragments . In one case (CNI), we have concentrated on a disputed portion of a previously reported fragment . The arrangement of the cyanogen bromide peptides was deduced by the use of overlap fragments obtained from the tryptic digestion of modified and unmodified beta-chains and from digestions with staphylococcal protease, as well as by considerations involving the plasmic digestion products of fibrinogen . In one case two adjacent fragments were aligned by homology with the corresponding segments of the gamma chain . The homology of the beta chain with the gamma chain is especially strong over the course of the carboxy-terminal two-thirds of the sequence . Neither of these chains appears to be homologous with the alpha chain in these regions . With a few minor exceptions, the sequence reported in this article is in agreement with data reported by other groups in Stockholm and Munich.

J Immunol Methods, 1979, 25(3), 247 - 54
The use of staphylococcal protein A in the mixed agglutination test; Portanova JP et al.; A mixed agglutination (MA) test employing staphylococcal protein A (SpA) instead of an antiglobulin reagent has been developed for the detection of IgG antibodies bound to cell-surface antigens . In the SpA MA test, a single indicator system may be used for the detection of IgG antibodies from several mammalian species . The sensitivity of this test compares favorably with that of the conventional MA test in the detection of most mammalian IgG . The main advantage of the conventional SpA MA test is its usefulness in the study of antigens on cells because of adherence of antibody-coated indicator erythrocytes.

Can J Microbiol, 1979 Jan, 25(1), 44 - 6
Effect of non-fat dry milk on recovery of staphylococcal thermonuclease from foods; Park CE et al.; Modification of the method of Tatini et al . (1976) by addition of non-fat dry milk (NFDM) to food samples and subsequent acid precipitation at pH 3.8 enhanced the recovery of staphylococcal thermonuclease (TNase) from most of 37 foods tested . The modified TNase assay method allowed detection of 10 ng (0.002 units) of the enzyme per gram of each of the following foods: ground beef, boiled egg products, whey powder, fruit-containing yogurt, dressings and spreads, potato and egg salads, and pastas, all of which gave false-negative results without NFDM.

J Urol, 1979 Jan, 121(1), 84 - 5
Leaking mycotic aneurysm of renal artery in a child; Rabinowitz R et al.; A case of staphylococcal endocarditis, complicated by a leaking mycotic aneurysm of the right artery in a boy is presented . An emergency nephrectomy was lifesaving . The clinical course and pathology are discussed and the literature is reviewed.

G Ital Cardiol, 1979, 9(8), 886 - 8
{Removal of an endocavitary electrode with cardiopulmonary bypass for septicemia associated with right atrial thrombosis . Report of a case (author's transl)}; Frugoni C et al.; A case of staphylococcus epidermidis endocarditis associated with a right atrial thrombosis around a pacemaker electrode is presented . Stuce the antibiotic therapy had proved uneffective, the electrode had to be removed with cardiopulmonary bypass; the infection was subsequently eliminated . When a foreign body cannot be removed by closed techniques, open heart surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass may be necessary.

Mod Probl Ophthalmol, 1979, 20, 154 - 6
Other advances in chorio-retinal surgery . A comparative study of sponge infections; Kreissig I et al.; During a period of seven years out of 900 explant operations done in New York 31 sponges had to be removed . In Bonn during the same period a comparable 27 explants out of 1000 operations had to be removed . Clinical infection occurred as early as one week and as late as seven years after the operation . The infection of the sponge manifested as: fistula, granuloma or a subconjunctival haemorrhagic mass . 2/3 of the infections were due to staphylococcus epidermis which acts as a pathogen in the presence of a foreign body . Bonn's requirement of a sterile conjunctiva preoperatively and the use of prophylactic antibiotics postoperatively did not significantly reduce the rate of infection.

Pathol Annu, 1979, 14 Pt 2, 357 - 82
Cystic fibrosis in adults: an autopsy study; Vawter GF et al.; An annotated catalog of clinical and pathologic observations in an adult population with CF has been presented . The spectrum of disease is broad, and the diagnosis usually requires the demonstration of abnormalities in multiple systems . Tissues of each germ layer have been found involved in CF . Correlation of clinical and pathologic observations suggests that manifestations are essentially episodic and focal . In this population, the most characteristic abnormalities recognized by the pathologist are focal biliary cirrhosis, distinctive obstructive lesions of the male genital tract, prolonged staphylococcal or pseudomonas colonization of respiratory secretions, and obstructive bronchopulmonary disease . Some form of pancreatic atrophy is usually present.

Arzneimittelforschung, 1979, 29(12a), 1932 - 4
Studies on the antibacterial activity of two new acylureidopenicillins, mezlocillin and azlocillin; Soares LA et al.; The antimicrobial activity of 6-{(R)-2{3-methylsulfonyl-2-oxo-imidazolidine-1-carboxamido}-2-phenylacetamido}-penicillanic acid sodium salt (mezlocillin, Baypen) and 6-{(R)-2-(2-oxo-imidazolidine-1-carboxamido)-2-phenylacetamido-a1-penicillanic acid sodium salt (azlocillin, Securopen) was measured against 545 clinical isolates, including gram-negative rods, gram-positive cocci and Bacteroides . Mezlocillin was more effective than azlocillin against the majority of the strains studied, but azlocillin was more effective against Pseudomonas strains . The minimal bactericidal concentration was equal to the minimal inhibitory concentration for the strains tested, but it was twice or four-fold as high for Staphylococcus.

Acta Chir Scand, 1979, 145(7), 431 - 4
Effect of suture materials on bacterial survival in infected wounds . An experimental study; Osterberg B et al.; A non-capilllary and a capillary suture material were compared as regards the course of Staphylococcus areus infection at the site of implantation . The materials were implanted in the muscle of the rat, and bacterial counts were made at intervals over 41 days . The number of bacteria recovered at the implantation site during the test period decreased steadily and was significantly lower for the non-capillary than for the capillary materials . In the latter case the bacterial counts did not fall far below the initial value at inoculation . The number of bacteria isolated from the suture thread in relation to the total number from the thread and the surrounding muscle was significantly greater for the capillary material . The difference in the results for the two types of suture materials might be ascribed to differences in the extent to which the bacteria are exposed to the body's defence mechanism; in the case of the capillary suture material the bacteria would tend to be protected through their enclosure in the interstices of the material.

Microbiol Immunol, 1979, 23(5), 329 - 38
Mode of cell separation and arrangement of Staphylococcus; Amako K et al.; The process of cell separation and arrangement of Staphylococcus was investigated using a scanning electron microscope . After two cycles of cell division, the Staphylococcal cells cultured on an agar medium were generally observed to be arranged in three morphological types: linear, square, and crooked arrangements . Results of the examination of cell surface structure revealed that separations had occurred in these clustered cells following two patterns . One type of second separation occurred parallel to the transversal axis of the preceding pair of the parental cells (X-type) and the other occurred tangential to it (Y-type) . In the former type, the four daughter cells were usually arranged tetragonally after the separations, and in the latter type they were arranged either linearly or crookedly depending on the direction of the second separation . The final pattern of the cell arrangement was thus determined by the type of septal wall formation and the direction of cell separation . After several cycles of cell divisions, the cells were finally arranged in an irregular grape-like cluster, even though the cross walls were formed regularly at the rectangular face of the preceding cross walls.

J Immunol Methods, 1979, 30(2), 179 - 93
Cell separation with staphylococcal protein A immunoadsorbent surfaces; Bundesen PG et al.; An 'indirect" cell separation technique was developed using protein A, in which each specific antiserum was first reacted with the cells to be processed . Separation was then achieved on antibody/protein A immunoadsorbent surfaces, where the final antibody coupled to the protein A was one which was directed against the specific antisera previously reacted with the cells . Only small volumes of specific antisera were required to effect separation either on a small or large scale with excellent specificity, cell viability and total cell recoveries . Theoretically, the technique would function with any Ig class of specific antisera from any species and would not be restricted to mammalian protein A binding IgG specific antisera, allowing considerable expansion in the number of antisera able to be utilized.

J Immunol Methods, 1979, 29(3), 263 - 70
A simple solid-phase radioimmunoassay for the measurement of IgG secreted in vitro by human lymphocytes; Romagnani S et al.; A radioimmunoassay is described for measuring IgG, based on the ability of immunoglobulins of this class to inhibit the binding of radioiodinated staphylococcal protein A to IgG linked to a solid phase . The solid phase is represented by ox erythrocytes coated with anti-ox erythrocyte rabbit IgG, a reagent used for detecting cells equipped with receptors for the Fc fragment of IgG . By this assay the IgG secreted in vitro by human peripheral blood lymphocytes stimulated with PWM and those present in samples of very diluted human sera were measured . It was found that the assay is a very rapid, simple and reproducible procedure for the detection of IgG immunoglobulin at the nanogram level.

J Immunol Methods, 1979, 29(3), 227 - 36
Measurement of immunoglobulin binding to synovial fibroblast monolayers: comparison of staphylococcal protein A binding to cytotoxic assay methods; Gruhn WB et al.; We have studied the binding of rabbit antibody to cultured synovial fibroblasts by 3 methods: complement mediated cell lysis, 125I-labeled staphylococcal protein A ({125I}PrA) and antibody dependent cell mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC) . The relative sensitivities of these 3 methods is 1 : 33 : 3300 respectively . The {125I}PrA binding method is shown to quantitatively detect cell bound IgG with a molar stoichiometry of approximately 1 : 1, protein A (PrA) to IgG if PrA is present in excess.

Dermatologica, 1979, 159(5), 383 - 5
{Delayed hypersensitivity against staphylococcal antigens in guinea pigs (author's transl)}; Meyer JC et al.; Delayed type hypersensitivity against staphylococcal antigens could be induced in guinea pigs by injecting the animals with a staphylococcal homogenate in Freund's adjuvant in all four foot pads and the nuchal skin . Maximal skin reactivity, tested intracutaneously, was observed 21 days after sensitization . Highest stimulation of lymph node cells and peripheral blood lymphocytes was also obtained 21 days after sensitization . When comparing cell walls, cell materials (nonsoluble material obtained after the separation of the cell wall fraction) and soluble fraction (obtained after sedimentation of all nonsoluble material, the strongest skin test reactions occurred after testing intracutaneously with the cell wall fraction.

Zentralbl Chir, 1979, 104(10), 648 - 51
{Prophylaxis and treatment of infectious complications in burns (author's transl)}; Murazjan PI et al.; To lower infectious complications and the mortality rate due to septicaemia in burned patients more knowledge should be acquired to increase the natural resistance of the organism of the burned . This can be done by administering Staphylococcal-Anatoxin, Antistaphylococcal-Plasma, Antipyocyaneus-Serum and convalescent-Serum.

J Immunol Methods, 1979, 28(3-4), 255 - 66
Tritium (3H) radiolabeling of protein A and antibody to high specific activity: application to cell surface antigen radioimmunoassays; Wilder RL et al.; Staphylococcal protein A and several different immunoglobulins have been radiolabeled to high specific activities (greater than 10(6) cpm/microgram) by reductive methylation with tritiated (3H) sodium borohydride . The proteins retain excellent functional and antigenic properties . The utility of these reagents in a variety of assays for cell surface antigens is illustrated . The results indicate that this radiolabeling procedure may become the method of choice for many cell surface and solution immunoassays.

J Immunol Methods, 1979, 28(1-2), 41 - 9
A new method for measuring antibody using radiolabeled protein A1 in a solid-phase radioimmunoassay; Marier R et al.; A micro solid-phase radioimmunoassay was developed which utilizes radiolabeled staphylococcal Protein A ({125I}Protein A) in place of radiolabeled anti-immunoglobulin ({125I}anti-IgG) for the measurement of antibody . For the assay, antigen is adsorbed to the wells of a microtiter plate followed by dilutions of serum and {125I}-Protein A in subsequent steps . We found that this assay can be used to measure antibody (Ab) against a variety of antigens in human and rabbit but not goat immune serum . Binding of {125I}Protein A and {125I}anti-IgG to human and rabbit IgG was comparable . It was possible to quantify this amount of Ab in human serum by reference to immune rabbit serum . The sensitivity of this assay for rabbit antibody was 1 ng/ml.

Scand J Immunol, 1979, 9(6), 527 - 35
Effect of normal human serum on the binding of specific antibodies and platelet-unrelated immune complexes to human platelets; Kekomaki R et al.; Radiolabelled staphylococcal protein A was used to quantitate the binding of IgG on stored human platelets from human sera containing specific antibodies reactive with platelets and rabbit serum containing immune complexes (IC) . Normal human serum (NHS) inhibited the binding of IC onto platelets and to various extents also the binding of specific antibodies . The attachment of inhibitors to platelets seemed to be reversible . The considerable difference in the inhibitory capacities of IgG-deficient sera and monomeric IgG indicates that IgG is the major inhibitory component of NHS . The binding of IgG from NHS onto platelets evidently hampers the detection of weak platelet antibodies even with the most sensitive tests . Purified Clq, known to modify the reactions of IC with fresh platelets did not alter the binding of IC onto stored platelets . A monoclonal, antiglobulin-active rheumatoid factor of IgM class displayed only moderate inhibition . Therefore, the application of RF or Clq for the differentiation of the binding induced by IC or antibodies is not useful in this assay system . The heterogeneity of immunologic receptors of platelets provides an explanation of the inhibitory inefficiency of Clq.

Biochimie, 1979, 61(3), 393 - 404
{Characterization of histones and chromatin of the hepatopancreas in Palaemon serratus (Crustacea Natantia)}; Sellos D et al.; The chromatin of shrimp hepatopancreas has been extracted from isolated nuclei and characterized . Nuclei were prepared in the presence of Cu++ and phenyl methyl sulfonyl fluoride in order to inhibit the nuclease and protease activities throughout the different purification steps . The purified nuclei are heterogenous in size and show a density of 1,367 g/ml determined on saccharose - glucose gradients . After washing in 0,14 M NaCl and then in 10(-2) M Tris-HCL, pH = 7,6, the nuclei were disrupted in water . The solubilized chromatin was precipitated in 0,15 M.NaCl . This chromatin is characterized by a high level of RNA (RNA/DNA = 0,38) and of non histone proteins (NHP/DNA = 0,6) . The denaturation curve showed only one Tm at 69 degrees in 2.10(-4) M.EDTA . When the chromatin was extracted in the presence of staphylococcal nuclease, the Tm reached 80 degrees C . The kinetics of the digestion by the staphylococcal nuclease have been studied and show that 10 per cent of hydrolysis occurs within the first minute . The repeat length of DNA as determined with the polymers of higher order is 189 +/- 5 base pairs . The existence of nucleosomes was confirmed by electron microscopy . The superstructure of chromatin was not completely destroyed after solubilisation with a Potter . The histones were studied by gel electrophoresis after differential staining . The most important feature consists in the presence of two H1, two H2A and two H4 . The acetylation levels of the histones were followed after injection of 14C-acetate in vivo . The subfraction H1, 0 was acetylated . Only one H3 was present and the two H2A fractions showed the same level of acetylation . H2B migrated faster than the H2A fractions like in Echinoderms . The two H4 fractions corresponded to two differently acetylated forms . Shrimp hepatopancreas histones were fractionated by molecular sieving on Biogel P 100 and characterized according to their electrophoretic properties as well as their amino-acid content . The amino-acid compositions of the different histone fractions were nearer to Echinoderm and Sipunculid histones, than Calf thymus homologue histones . All the fractions show a weaker basicity . The H3 fraction was the only one showing a lesser variability when compared to Calf thymus H3 . The non histone proteins were extracted in 10(-2) M Tris-HCL, pH = 8 and 0.1 per cent SDS . A series of 50 proteins was detected . 80 per cent of the total amount of protein was localized in a molecular weight range comprised between 40 000 and 80 000 daltons . These proteins were compared to the histones and total proteins of sonicated chromatin solubilized by SDS in order to detect proteasic effects.

Nucleic Acids Res, 1979 Jan, 6(1), 219 - 30
Analysis of the attachment of replicating DNA to a nuclear matrix in mammalian interphase nuclei; Dijkwel PA et al.; The attachment of replicating DNA to a rapidly sedimenting nuclear structure was investigated by digestion with various nucleases . When DNA was gradually removed by DNase I, pulse label incorporated during either 1 min or during 1 hour in the presence of arabinosylcytosine, remained preferentially attached to the nuclear structure . Single strand specific digestion by nuclease S1 or staphylococcal nuclease at low concentrations caused a release of about 30% of the pulse label, without significantly affecting the attachment of randomly labelled DNA . The released material had a low sedimentation coefficient and contained most of the Okasaki fragments . The remaining pulse label was less accessible to further digestion by double strand specific nuclease activity than the bulk DNA . The results suggest that an attachment of the replication fork to the nuclear structure occurs at sites behind but close to the branch point.

Eur Urol, 1979, 5(2), 81 - 5
Paranephric abscess: a changing concept; Laval KU et al.; The aetiology of the paranephric abscess has been greatly modified since the introductiion of antibiotics . Its frequency has decreased but its prognosis has not been improved . 20 cases of paranephric abscess have been studied retrospectively . Its main cause is no longer the haematogenic staphylococcus infection but primary kidney infection . The disease is difficult to diagnose as the evolution is slow and the symptoms unspecific . The main symptoms are: abdominal pain, feeling of physical prostation, subfebrility, acute pain in the flank and significant increase in blood sedimentation rate . The infection is due in most cases to a silent kidney or a kidney stone with pyonephrosis . Accompaying diabetes mellitus was often observed.

Ann Plast Surg, 1979 Jan, 2(1), 5 - 15
Total prosthetic replacement of the temporomandibular joint; Kiehn CL et al.; Twenty-seven patients have been operated on for total replacement of the temporomandibular joint because of ankylosis due to trauma, arthritis, neoplasm, infection, or pain . One prosthesis had to be taken out because of gross infection due to Staphylococcus albus, 2 more were removed for pain and dislocation of the prosthesis, and 1 was removed because of erosion through the skin . The remaining 23 had no complications.

Int Orthop, 1979, 3(3), 165 - 76
{Chronic osteomyelitis: open excision and grafting after saucerization (author's transl)}; Papineau LJ et al.; From January 1960 to January 1974, 180 cases of chronic osteomyelitis were treated by the same surgeon in the infection unit of Notre-Dame Hospital in Montreal . Of these cases, 71.4% were treated by saucerization, followed by secondary closure or by skin grafting . In ten cases (5.4%) the limb was amputated . However, in 39 cases two similar techniques of open excision and grafting were used . The infection was mostly traumatic in origin and a staphylococcus was cultured in 75% of cases . The organism was sensitive to cloxacillin and dicloxacillin in the majority of cases . Since 50% of these 39 cases were referred for amputation, the results were much betts . Two late recurrences were recently seen and treated, one 17 years and one 4 years after the initial treatment.

Scan Electron Microsc, 1979, (3), 629 - 36
Scanning immunoelectron microscopy for the identification and mapping of two or more antigens on cell surfaces; Hoyer LC et al.; This study demonstrates the feasibility of using scanning electron microscopy for the identification and mapping of two or more antigens on cell surfaces . Three types of cells: human type B red cells, tumor cells and their associated virus, and guinea pig hepatocarcinoma cells were immunolabeled with ferritin or gold conjugated to IgG fractions of antigen-specific antisera . Gold particles, 300-500 A in diameter, were conjugated to an IgG fraction either directly or indirectly using Staphylococcal protein A . Gold particles of this size can be distinguished from ferritin label using a high resolution scanning microscope . Correlative light, transmission electron microscopy, and scanning electron microscopy studies, as well as x-ray diffraction analysis and the study of stereo micrographs, were performed to visualize the simultaneous immunolabeling by ferritin and gold of two antigens on the guinea pig hepatocarcinoma cell.

Arch Virol, 1979, 60(2), 123 - 30
IgM fluorescence antibodies in sera of pregnant women exposed to rubella; Jankowski MA et al.; A high per cent of false positive results for rubella virus IgM antibodies determined by immune fluorescence were detected in sera of pregnant women . After absorption with Staphylococcus suspension, Cowan 1 strain, and aggregates of human immunoglobulins, the false positive reactions due to IgM antiimmunoglobulin were eliminated.

J Int Med Res, 1979, 7(3), 179 - 86
Clinical use of rifampicin in combination for non-mycobacterial infections: a survey of published evidence; Nessi R et al.; The literature on the clinical use of rifampicin in combination for the treatment of non-mycobacterial diseases is reviewed . From the published evidence, the most promising associations are, for staphylococcal infections, gentamicin, erythromycin, kanamycin and fusidic acid . In the field of Gram-negative infections, Psuedomonas-induced sepsis in particular, data are not so impressive but promising results have been obtained with the associated use of rifampicin and gentamicin or colistin . Some systemic fungal diseases may be successfully treated with rifampicin in combination with amphotericin-B . Although only few reports are available on this subject, the importance of such an application is stressed in view of the severity of these diseases and of the lack of appropriate treatments.

Nucleic Acids Res, 1979, 6(5), 1909 - 27
Comparison on the structure and transcriptional capability of growing phase and stationary yeast chromatin: a model for reversible gene activation; Lohr D et al.; We have compared the structure of intra-nuclear and isolated chromatin from logarithmically growing yeast cells to chromatin from cells which had entered the stationary phase and ceased growing . Both chromatins show a similar nucleosomal repeat pattern, 160 bp repeat size, with staphylococcal nuclease and similar variability in repeat sizes within the genome . DNase I produces the same ladder (less than 120 b) and a quite similar extended ladder (120-300 b) which shows that both chromatins have phased nucleosomes . However, the rate of DNase I digestion of growing phase is greater than in stationary . Functionally speaking, growing phase nuclei are 5-20 times as active in the rate of endogenous transcription (all three polymerases are involved) . The transcriptional and DNase I susceptibility differences noted in nuclei are maintained in sucrose gradient isolated oligonucleosomes and mononucleosomes from the two states.

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