Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1984 Sep, (9), 37 - 40 {Determination of bacterial endotoxin admixtures in inactivated influenza vaccines}; Shpiliuk GF et al.; The materials substantiating the possibility of using the method for the determination of the lethal effect of endotoxin on dactinomycin-treated mice are presented . This determination is made with a view to detecting the admixtures of endotoxins in whole-virion and subvirion inactivated influenza vaccines at different stages of their manufacture, as well as in the final product . The proposed test is highly sensitive, rather simple in its practical realization and can be used for evaluating the degree of the purification of influenza vaccines from endotoxins. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg, 1984 Sep, 88(3), 454 - 6 Subacute bacterial endocarditis causing disseminated intravascular coagulation: resolution after valve replacement; Stuart JJ et al.; The following report describes a case of culture-negative subacute bacterial endocarditis complicated by disseminated intravascular coagulation which failed to respond to therapy with antibiotics and heparin . The coagulopathy resolved within 24 hours after the affected heart valves were replaced with prosthetic valves. Cancer Res, 1984 Sep, 44(9), 3806 - 11 Comparison of the rates of repair of O6-alkylguanines in DNA by rat liver and bacterial O6-alkylguanine-DNA alkyltransferase; Pegg AE et al.; The rates of loss of O6-methylguanine and O6-ethylguanine from rat liver DNA were determined over a time period of 15 min to 4 hr after various doses (5 micrograms/kg to 2 mg/kg) of dimethylnitrosamine and diethylnitrosamine which produced total amounts of these adducts in the range of 300 to 16,000 molecules/cell . This amount is considerably less than the content of O6-alkylguanine-DNA alkyltransferase protein (approximately 60,000 molecules/hepatocyte), and during the time period studied, the adducts were found to be lost with pseudo-first order kinetics . The half-life for O6-methylguanine was 47 min . O6-Ethylguanine was removed 3.6 times more slowly with a half-life of 172 min . The ability of partially purified rat liver O6-alkylguanine-DNA alkyltransferase to remove O6-methylguanine and O6-ethylguanine from {3H}alkyl-labeled DNA substrates in vitro was measured, and it was found that O6-methylguanine was removed 3.4 times more rapidly than was O6-ethylguanine . These results are consistent with the hypothesis that most, if not all, of the repair of these adducts which occurs within the first 4 hr after treatment is due to the alkyltransferase protein . Diethylnitrosamine, which is slightly more potent as a carcinogen to rat liver, produced a total amount of O6-ethylguanine of 3.7 mumol/mol guanine/mg compared to O6-methylguanine (28 mumol/mol guanine/mg) given by dimethylnitrosamine . The slower rate of loss of the ethyl adduct is not sufficient to account for this difference, and the results, therefore, support the concept that other DNA adducts (possibly O-alkylpyrimidines) contribute to the initiation of tumors by diethylnitrosamine . Preliminary evidence that the rat liver alkyltransferase can also remove hydroxyethyl groups from DNA at a rate slower than removal of ethyl groups was also obtained . Bacterial O6-alkylguanine-DNA alkyltransferase was shown to remove methyl, ethyl, and hydroxyethyl groups from the O6 position of guanine in DNA using fluorescence detection to quantitate these adducts . The bacterial protein removed methyl groups very rapidly but was much slower than the rat liver protein on the larger adducts . These results suggest that the relative rates of repair of different alkyl groups may be species specific and must be determined experimentally in the cell of interest before conclusions concerning biological effects can be drawn. Plasmid, 1984 Sep, 12(2), 71 - 90 Control of replication of bacterial plasmids: genetics, molecular biology, and physiology of the plasmid R1 system; Nordstrom K et al.; Plasmids are autonomously replicating DNA molecules that are present in defined copy numbers in bacteria . This number may for some plasmids be very low (2-5 per average cell) . In order to be stably inherited, replication and partitioning of the plasmid have to be strictly controlled . Plasmids carry genetic information for both processes . In the present paper we summarize what is known about the replication control system of one low-copy-number plasmid, R1, belonging to the FII incompatibility group . We do so because the FII group seems to be one of the best understood examples with respect to genetics, molecular biology, and physiology of the replication control system . The paper is not a classical review, but rather an essay in which we discuss the aspects of replication control that we regard as being important. Science, 1984 Aug 3, 225(4661), 521 - 3 A model study of fecapentaenes: mutagens of bacterial origin with alkylating properties; Gupta I et al.; Fecapentaene-14 and -12 are directly acting mutagens that do not require metabolic activation . Their unusual structure suggests a possible mechanism of action . A carbocation that is formed by the addition of an electrophilic species (such as a proton) to the enol ether is most probably the reactive species . A series of model enol ethers with conjugated systems of various lengths was prepared, and a correlation between mutagenicity and increasing reactivity of derived carbocations was found . The glycerol moiety does not play a crucial role in the overall reactivity of the fecapentaenes. Br J Ophthalmol, 1984 Aug, 68(8), 520 - 3 Bacterial contamination of intraocular lens surgery; Vafidis GC et al.; One hundred sterile intraocular lenses were placed on the external eye of 50 patients during cataract surgery . Half of the specimens were cultured for bacteria, the other half were examined under the light microscope after fixing and staining . A bacterial contamination rate of 26% was recorded . This is significantly higher than that found in conjunctival swabs (6%) or irrigation specimens (8%) taken at the same time, and higher than that recorded in a group of control lenses (15.2%) exposed to operating theatre air alone . We propose that intraocular lenses contaminated with viable bacteria may be implanted into the eye and thereby account for some cases of postoperative uveitis in the pseudophakic eye. J Immunol, 1984 Aug, 133(2), 913 - 22 Stimulation of phagocytosis in bone marrow-derived mouse macrophages by bacterial lipopolysaccharide: correlation with biochemical and functional parameters; Cooper PH et al.; It has been shown that low concentrations of E . coli lipopolysaccharides (LPS) greatly and selectively stimulate phagocytosis and related functions in mouse bone marrow-derived macrophages . Culture in the presence of 50 ng/ml LPS induced on average a 10-fold enhancement of phagocytosis of IgG-coated sheep erythrocytes . Activation was in two stages--a small increase observed during the first 8 to 12 hr, and the major increase noted between 16 and 24 hr . Phagocytic activity remained at the maximal level for 24 hr and then declined progressively . Stimulation by LPS was dose-dependent; significant effects could be observed at 0.8 ng/ml and the maximum was reached at 10 ng/ml . LPS-treated cells also showed a markedly increased tendency to form colonies . All these effects could be prevented by the addition of 100 ng/ml polymyxin B together with LPS, indicating that the active principle is lipid A . The LPS-dependent increase in phagocytic activity is probably mediated by increased Fc receptor capacity because both parameters were influenced in parallel by the stimulus . Phagocytosis-related events, such as enhanced hexose monophosphate shunt activity, H2O2 formation, and nitroblue tetrazolium reduction were also stimulated by LPS . By contrast, pinocytosis was unaffected . Measurements of cell-associated enzyme activities showed that lactate dehydrogenase, acid phosphatase, and cathepsin D were significantly increased . Beta-glucuronidase, beta-galactosidase, alkaline phosphodiesterase, and aminopeptidase were unchanged and NAD nucleosidase was markedly decreased after LPS treatment . 5'-Nucleotidase and glucosamine uptake were undetectable both in control and LPS-stimulated cells . LPS treatment induced a significant increase in cell-associated protein, but did not result in cell proliferation or increased cell loss as shown by the DNA content that remained constant . LPS-induced changes were dependent on de novo protein synthesis; cycloheximide prevented enhancement of phagocytosis, Fc receptor capacity, and colony formation. Vestn Khir Im I I Grek, 1984 Aug, 133(8), 116 - 9 {Hemodynamic reactions to autologous blood transfusion in patients with heart defects and active bacterial endocarditis}; Singaevskii SB et al.; An analysis of changes of indices of integral rheography and blood composition in 34 patients before and after exfusion of 450-600 ml of blood has shown the safety of preparing such doses of autoblood for the substitution of blood loss 4-5 days before cardiosurgical operations. J Pharmacobiodyn, 1984 Aug, 7(8), 570 - 6 Studies on cis-trans isomerization of nitrofuran derivatives by bacterial nitroreductases; Koga N et al.; cis-trans Isomerization of 3-(5-nitro-2-furyl)-2-(2-furyl)-acrylamide(AF-2) using Escherichia coli B/r and its two 5-nitro-2-furaldehyde semicarbazone (nitrofurazone)-resistant mutants was investigated . The isomerizing activity was detected in all three strains and markedly increased with acquiring resistance to nitro-furazone in intact cells and cell free extracts . Two distinct isomerases, nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate(NADPH)-dependent one with high activity and NAD(P)H-dependent with low activity were separated by Sephadex G-100 and Sepharose 4B columns . Both enzyme activities agreed with the nitrofurazone-reducing activity due to O2-sensitive nitroreductase as reported previously . Another nitroreductase, O2-insensitive one, was unable to isomerize cis AF-2 to trans form . These results suggest that bacterial cis-trans isomerases are not O2-insensitive nitroreductase, but O2-sensitive ones. Appl Environ Microbiol, 1984 Aug, 48(2), 441 - 3 Improved bacterial recovery by membrane filters in the presence of food debris; Farber JM et al.; In the absence of food debris, m-FC agar counts of Escherichia coli on Oxoid Nuflow membrane filters (Oxoid Canada Inc., Nepean, Ontario, Canada) were lower than the corresponding surface plate counts . For seven food types tested, recovery of E . coli improved with increasing thickness of food debris on the membrane filter, and mats thicker than 0.5 micron protected the organism completely. Br J Exp Pathol, 1984 Aug, 65(4), 431 - 9 Effect of bacterial endotoxin on body temperature, plasma zinc and plasma concentrations of the acute-phase protein serum amyloid p component in mice; Poole S et al.; Bacterial endotoxin and lipid A evoked dose-dependent increases in body temperature and plasma SAP concentrations and dose-dependent falls in plasma zinc concentrations in mice . The respective sensitivities of the three variables to lipid A or to whole endotoxin had the relation SAP greater than Zinc much greater than body temperature; zinc and SAP responses were evoked by less than 1 ng lipid A/endotoxin . Pretreatment with indomethacin prevented only the temperature response to lipid A . Pretreatment with dexamethasone did not affect the temperature response but diminished the zinc response and enhanced the SAP response to lipid A. Neuropediatrics, 1984 Aug, 15(3), 136 - 8 Ventriculomegaly in childhood bacterial meningitis; Snyder RD; Sixty-seven of 125 children with bacterial meningitis had computerized tomography (CT) of the head . Ventriculomegaly was the most common abnormality on CT occurring in twenty-eight cases . Progressive enlargement of the ventricular system occurred without evidence of persistent increased intracranial pressure, although early in the illness increased intracranial pressure was usually present . Factors other than persistent increased pressure appear to cause ventriculomegaly in some cases . Ventricular enlargement on CT in the absence of clinical evidence of increased intracranial pressure may not be an indication for surgical intervention. Br J Surg, 1984 Aug, 71(8), 626 - 8 Intraperitoneal antiseptics in experimental bacterial peritonitis; Platt J et al.; A model of bacterial peritonitis, using mice infected with Escherichia coli, has been used to assess the protective effects of intraperitoneal treatment with antiseptics . Of the five antiseptics tested, only chlorhexidine gluconate had any protective effect, concentrations of 0.05 and 0.02 per cent reducing the mortality to 14 and 50 per cent respectively . The other antiseptics, taurolin, noxytiolin, povidone iodine and hypochlorite were all ineffective . Delayed treatment with chlorhexidine was not as effective as instillation immediately postinfection. Appl Environ Microbiol, 1984 Aug, 48(2), 433 - 4 Membrane filter staining method: bacterial plate counts in 24 H; Tse KM et al.; We describe a technique to stain bacterial colonies on membrane filters . The procedure yielded reliable and reproducible bacterial plate counts in 24 h . The procedure can be applied to treated and untreated water samples requiring prompt analysis. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A, 1984 Aug, 81(16), 5056 - 60 The role of a signaling protein in bacterial sensing: behavioral effects of increased gene expression; Clegg DO et al.; A recombinant DNA approach has been used to study intracellular signaling in the bacterial sensing system . The Escherichia coli cheY gene, whose function is unknown, has been subcloned behind the synthetic inducible tac promoter . The resulting plasmid directs the synthesis of the Y protein in response to isopropyl beta-D-thiogalactoside, independent of its usual operon control . When this construct was introduced into wild-type and mutant cells, the Y protein caused a clockwise rotational bias in the flagellar motors . This effect was observed even in heavily biased counterclockwise strains lacking most of the central chemotaxis processing genes . The results show that the Y protein has a direct influence on flagellar rotation not requiring other processing genes of the sensing system . The Y protein appears to bind directly to a part of the flagellar motor, probably the flaA gene product, and it is probably the key element in biasing the motor toward the clockwise rotational direction. J Pharmacol Exp Ther, 1984 Aug, 230(2), 292 - 4 Potentiation of paraquat lethality in mice by bacterial lipopolysaccharide pretreatment; Hollinger MA; Mice treated with Escherichia coli endotoxin (500 micrograms/kg i.p.) 24 and 1 hr before paraquat dichloride (50 mg/kg i.p.) had a 2-fold increase in 7-day cumulative mortality compared to those injected with buffered saline before paraquat . The duration of the prior exposure time to endotoxin appears to be an important determinant of the potentiating effect as more mice died after 24 than 1 hr pretreatment . The potentiating effect of endotoxin on paraquat-induced lethality is not due to increased uptake of the toxicant . Lung values of radioactivity from {14C}paraquat were not significantly different between endotoxin and buffered saline-treated mice . Despite the potentiating effect of endotoxin on paraquat-induced lethality, it appears that the lipopolysaccharide is able to provide some protection to the pulmonary capillary endothelium because pretreatment reverses an increase in serum angiotensin converting enzyme . Although not addressed in the present investigation, possible mechanisms for the potentiating effect of endotoxin on paraquat-induced lethality may involve superoxide anion generation, superoxide dismutase inhibition or both. Biochem Biophys Res Commun, 1984 Jul 31, 122(2), 485 - 91 Enzyme-activated inhibition of bacterial D-amino acid transaminase by beta-cyano-D-alanine; Ueno H et al.; beta-Cyano-D-alanine is an efficient suicide substrate (Ki = 10 microM) of D-amino acid transaminase . This apparent inactivation is temperature dependent: it is irreversible at 10 degrees C or below and becomes progressively reversible at higher temperatures . Since at higher temperatures the apparent reactivation process predominates over the inactivation reaction, the reactivation process is considered to be endothermic . The nature of this reversibility suggests the formation of a heat labile bond between the inhibitor molecule and a nucleophilic group on the enzyme. J Biol Chem, 1984 Jul 25, 259(14), 9149 - 57 Phospholipid-enriched bacterial chromatophores . A system suited to investigate the ubiquinone-mediated interactions of protein complexes in photosynthetic oxidoreduction processes; Casadio R et al.; Fusion of phospholipid vesicles with photosynthetic chromatophores from Rhodopseudomonas sphaeroides was induced by freezing and thawing . After sucrose density gradient sedimentation, bands containing closed vesicles characterized by different phospholipid to reaction center molar ratios could be isolated and analyzed morphologically and functionally by means of electron microscopy and fast spectroscopy, respectively . Analogously to data reported for phospholipid-enriched mitochondrial inner membranes (Schneider, H., Lemasters, J . J., and Hackenbrock, C . R . (1982) J . Biol . Chem . 257, 10793), the rate of photosynthetic electron transfer in phospholipid-enriched chromatophores decreased with increasing distance between integral membrane complexes . A fast cyclic electron transfer could be restored when the concentration of the ubiquinone pool within the lipid bilayer was reconstituted by additions of exogenous ubiquinone . These results suggest that cyclic electron transfer between reaction center and ubiquinol-cytochrome c2 oxidoreductase complexes in phospholipid-enriched chromatophores is limited by the lateral diffusion of the quinone molecules in the membrane plane . The observation that dilution of the quinone pool in the lipid bilayer affects the rate of photosynthetic electron transport contrasts with previously reported data which indicated that up to 80% of the quinone pool can be removed without altering the kinetic parameters of the overall process . These conflicting results can be reconciled by a model which assumes that the relative orientation of the protein complexes, possibly controlled by protein-protein interactions within the lipid bilayer, plays a key role in the effectiveness of the molecular collisions . According to a diffusion-limited mechanism, this would lead to a fast electron transfer during the photosynthetic reactions. J Mol Biol, 1984 Jul 5, 176(3), 349 - 67 Two-state model for bacterial chemoreceptor proteins . The role of multiple methylation; Asakura S et al.; To help understand the bacterial chemotactic response of excitation and adaptation, we propose a simple two-state model for receptor proteins (methyl-accepting chemotaxis proteins), in the light of evidence that they undergo multiple methylation in a preferred order . The model includes the following assumptions . (1) The receptor protein is in rapid equilibrium between two conformations, S and T, and the equilibrium shifts towards the T form as the number of methyl groups increases . (2) Attractants bind to the S form of the receptor, repellents bind to the T form, and both classes of ligand shift the S/T equilibrium according to the mass-action law . (3) The S form of the receptor accepts methyl groups one by one in a definite order, while the T form releases the methyl groups in the reverse order . Methylation and demethylation are slow reactions, and changes in the total number of methyl groups lag behind shifts in the S/T equilibrium . (4) The pattern of bacterial swimming at any moment is determined by the partition of the receptor between the two conformations, with tumbling frequency being a monotonically increasing function of the total T fraction of the receptor . This model shows that, if the receptor satisfies two sets of relationships imposed on its equilibrium and kinetic constants, it can maintain the steady-state total T fraction essentially constant over a broad range of ligand concentration, enabling cells to adapt to large changes in chemical environment . A stepwise change in ligand concentration leads to a rapid change in the total T fraction (excitation), followed by a slow relaxation process (adaptation) . Computer simulations have been made of the whole response process, employing a receptor with six methylation sites per molecule and assuming simple sets of parameters . The results are in general agreement with published data on receptor methylation, as well as with a variety of observations of bacterial chemoresponse . Multiple methylation of the receptor proves to be necessary for the cells to respond sensitively to environmental changes. Int J Cardiol, 1984 Jul, 6(1), 84 - 6 Bacterial endocarditis of the aortic valve associated with diaphragmatic sub-aortic stenosis--account of two operated cases; Vosa C et al.; We report two cases of subvalvular aortic stenosis associated with a postendocarditic aortic valvular insufficiency . Although the aortic valvular disease had been diagnosed preoperatively, only the direct intraoperative observation and the histological examination of the removed valve revealed evidence of the endocarditis . Because of the seriously altered condition of the valvular tissue, treatment in both cases consisted of implantation of a mechanical prosthesis . Follow-up revealed no evidence of septic relapse. Pediatrie, 1984 Jul-Aug, 39(5), 385 - 93 {Course of inflammatory and nutrition proteins in bacterial infections in newborn infants}; Sann L et al.; A study of 214 neonates (with 87 premature infants) reveals that C-reactive protein (CRP), orosomucoid and prealbumin are the most interesting proteins for the diagnosis of neonatal sepsis and for studying its follow-up . Orosomucoid is high in 85% of bacterial infections and CRP in 75% . Early type strep B infections give often false negative results . The evolution of CRP and of prealbumin corresponds to the effects of treatment and the evolution of orosomucoid is parallel to the healing of the patients . The ratio orosomucoid/prealbumin allows an earlier appreciation of the healing. Infection, 1984 Jul-Aug, 12(4), 256 - 7 Bacterial-mycotic liver abscess in a non-immunocompromised host; Niebel J et al.; We are presenting the case of a 70-year-old, formerly healthy patient . Seven weeks after abdominal surgery, a liver abscess was diagnosed by sonography and aspiration . Cultures revealed a mixed bacterial-fungal etiology . Treatment with irrigation (povidone iodine) and parenteral mezlocillin failed . Final cure was only achieved when long-term treatment with piperacillin and miconazole was initiated and abscess drainage removed. Bull Eur Physiopathol Respir, 1984 Jul-Aug, 20(4), 347 - 51 Effect of atropine on tracheal mucociliary clearance and bacterial counts; Whiteside ME et al.; The purpose of this study was to determine if atropine, which has been shown to alter mucosal function, prolongs the persistence of inhaled bacteria in the trachea . In conscious sheep, bacterial counts in the trachea were determined by quantitative sterile brush cultures obtained before and serially after a controlled inhalation challenge with an aerosolized solution containing P . hemolytica (10(8) CFU X ml-1) . The same animals were studied on two days, once without (control day) and once before and during intramuscular administration of 0.2 mg X kg-1 atropine sulfate at hourly intervals for up to 10 h (atropine day) . On the control and atropine days, bacterial counts were zero before, and between 5 X 10(5) and 1.6 X 10(7) CFU X ml-1 immediately after inhalation of P . hemolytica . During the first 2 h after challenge, there was a similar semilogarithmic decline in bacterial counts on the control and atropine days despite the fact that mean tracheal mucociliary transport velocity remained unchanged on the control day, and ranged between 32% and 62% of baseline (p less than 0.05) during the 6-10 h post-drug observation period on the atropine day . However, the time to achieve sterility on the control day was less than or equal to 8 h in all animals, and greater than or equal to 8 h on the atropine day . We conclude that atropine prolongs the persistence of viable bacteria in the trachea . This effect of atropine may be related to an impairment of mucociliary clearance or to other alterations in mucosal function. Arch Dis Child, 1984 Jul, 59(7), 653 - 6 Value of C reactive protein measurement in tuberculous, bacterial, and viral meningitis; de Beer FC et al.; The value of C reactive protein measurement in the differential diagnosis of meningitis was assessed in a population where tuberculous meningitis is prevalent . C reactive protein was measured serially with a sensitive radioimmunoassay in sera from 31 children with bacterial meningitis, 15 with tuberculous meningitis (6 with miliary tuberculosis), and 28 with viral meningitis . Concentrations of C reactive protein in patients with tuberculous meningitis lay between those of patients with bacterial and viral meningitis--a finding which detracts from the virtually absolute discrimination C reactive protein measurement allows between bacterial and viral meningitis . In all but two of the patients with tuberculous meningitis, C reactive protein concentrations fell rapidly after treatment began and became normal after 10 days . This fall did not, however, exclude the development of hydrocephalus as a complication . Measurement of C reactive protein remains a useful additional parameter in the diagnosis and management of the various types of meningitis. Postgrad Med J, 1984 Jul, 60(705), 464 - 6 Twice-daily cimetidine does not increase gastric bacterial flora; Bourne JT et al.; Thirty patients with peptic ulcer (20 duodenal, 10 gastric) underwent glucose-hydrogen (H2) breath tests before and after 6 weeks treatment with cimetidine, 400 mg twice daily . For the group as a whole, basal breath H2 and integrated H2 output over a 2.5 hr test period was unchanged by cimetidine treatment . We conclude that there was no evidence of significant gastric bacterial colonization following twice daily cimetidine treatment. Infect Immun, 1984 Jul, 45(1), 56 - 61 Influence of multiple genes on the magnitude of the antibody response to bacterial polysaccharide antigens; Baker PJ et al.; Studies conducted with F1 and F2 progeny of crosses between strains of inbred mice that differ greatly in their capacity to make an antibody response to type III pneumococcal polysaccharide, dextran B-1355, and lipopolysaccharide from Escherichia coli 0113 have shown that multiple genes influence the magnitude of the antibody response to these antigens . Other studies with hybrids derived from crosses between C3H/HeJ, CBA/N, and RIIIS/J mice have indicated that the genetic defects characteristic of these strains of mice are dissimilar and unlinked and that autosomal, as well as X-linked, genes control serum immunoglobulin M in unimmunized mice. Cell, 1984 Jul, 37(3), 1015 - 26 Repetitive extragenic palindromic sequences: a major component of the bacterial genome; Stern MJ et al.; We describe a remarkably conserved nucleotide sequence, the many copies of which may occupy up to 1% of the genomes of E . coli and S . typhimurium . This sequence, the REP (repetitive extragenic palindromic) sequence, is about 35 nucleotides long, includes an inverted repeat, and can occur singly or in multiple adjacent copies . A possible role for the REP sequences in regulation of gene expression has been thoroughly investigated . While the REP sequences do not appear to modulate differential gene expression within an operon, they can affect the expression of both upstream and downstream genes to a small extent, probably by affecting the rate of mRNA degradation . Possible roles for the REP sequence in mRNA degradation, chromosome structure, and recombination are discussed. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A, 1984 Jul, 81(13), 4046 - 50 Regulation of bacterial DNA supercoiling: plasmid linking numbers vary with growth temperature; Goldstein E et al.; The level of DNA supercoiling can be altered either by breaking-rejoining reactions that change the DNA linking number or by environmental changes that alter the helical pitch of DNA . In vitro, temperature changes alter helical pitch and, thus, supercoiling . We find that plasmids isolated from bacteria grown at different temperatures exhibit differences in DNA linking numbers . The differences in plasmid linking numbers offset the effect temperature is expected to have on supercoiling . These results are consistent with the hypothesis that fine control of DNA topology in bacterial cells is brought about by changes in linking number to maintain a constant value for supercoiling. J Invest Dermatol, 1984 Jul, 83(1 Suppl), 128s - 136s Purification, bacterial expression, and biological activities of the human interferons; Langer JA et al.; The structural and functional complexity of the human interferon system has become increasingly evident . More than eight different alpha (leukocyte) interferons are expressed in induced human cells in culture . Many of these have been purified by a combination of methods, including high-performance liquid chromatography . Moreover, at least 12 different human leukocyte interferons have been cloned, and several have been efficiently expressed in Escherichia coli and other organisms . The availability of purified species of leukocyte interferon, both natural and recombinant, has allowed structural work to be done, including amino acid sequence determinations, chemical modification studies, and the crystallization of one species . The purified material has also been used for the production of monoclonal antibodies with various specificities that are proving invaluable in rapid assays and purification techniques . Testing of the purified species for their relative potency in antiviral, antiproliferative, and immunomodulatory assays has begun to demonstrate the functional uniqueness and diversity of the purified alpha interferons . Hybrid interferon genes have been synthesized by splicing together parts of various cloned interferon genes . The resulting hybrid proteins have been valuable in establishing structure/function relationships . In several cases, the functional properties of the hybrid protein were novel and unpredicted from the properties of the parental molecules. J Biochem (Tokyo), 1984 Jul, 96(1), 223 - 8 Sequential expansion of antibody heterogeneity during the response to bacterial alpha-amylase; Nakashima S et al.; By analyzing antibody heterogeneity during the primary immune response to bacterial a-amylase (B alpha A) in high-responder F1 hybrid mice between C57BL/6 (B6) and C3H/He (C3) mice with the use of isoelectric focusing (IEF), it was shown that the maturation of the primary IgG antibody response consisted of at least two stages . The response of every mouse tested was initiated with the production of specific antibody focused as a limited set of bands in a narrow pH range, and the subsequent rise in antibody titer was associated with the sequential expansion of the spectra involving the appearance of new bands in the pH gradient adjacent to the initial bands . A further rise was accompanied only by intensified staining of the pre-existing bands . These two stages were distinguishable regardless of the antigen dose, although increasing the dose led to widely distributed spectra of focused antibodies and an early shift from the first stage to the second . The sequential expansion of spectra following the appearance of initial antibodies with limited isoelectric point (pI) values was not unique to the anti-BaA antibody response, because similar results were obtained with the antibody response to an immunologically unrelated antigen, Taka-amylase A (TAA) . Thus, the appearance of initial antibodies in a limited pH range, overlapping among all F1 hybrids tested, is not a direct reflection of similarity in the determinant specificities of these antibodies among different mice. J Invest Dermatol, 1984 Jul, 83(1 Suppl), 102s - 111s Bacterial synthesis of herpes simplex virus types 1 and 2 glycoprotein D antigens; Watson RJ et al.; We have used elements of the E . coli lactose (lac) operon to produce a collection of herpes simplex virus types 1 and 2 glycoprotein D (gD-1 and gD-2) antigens . Our approach employed recombinant DNA techniques to construct plasmids with various segments of the gD-1 and gD-2 coding sequences fused to the lacZ gene . Such hybrid genes were expressed in a regulated manner in E . coli by joining them to the lac promoter-operator region . Efficient translation of these hybrid genes was facilitated by incorporating a coding sequence specifying a short peptide leader (lambda cro) in the plasmid expression vectors resulting in synthesis of chimeric Cro-gD-beta-galactosidase proteins . In addition, insertion of synthetic translation terminators at the junction of gD and lacZ enabled us to produce specific truncated gD polypeptide sequences unfused to beta-galactosidase . The gD antigens produced in E . coli were not glycosylated and were generally recovered as dense insoluble aggregates . Proteins containing portions of gD-1 or gD-2 were analyzed by immunoprecipitation using anti-HSV rabbit serum and a number of monoclonal antibodies recognizing different epitopes of gD-1 . Initial animal studies were done with antigens that reacted with neutralizing antisera or monoclonal antibodies . When these bacterially produced proteins were injected into rabbits, antibodies were produced that specifically immunoprecipitated authentic gD polypeptides and neutralized the infectivity of both virus types . These studies suggest that gene fusion techniques can be used to produce immunogenic proteins in large quantity . These polypeptides are not only useful in analyses of gene structure and function, but also can provide novel diagnostic reagents and well-defined pure antigens for vaccine development. Allergy, 1984 Jul, 39(5), 371 - 7 Bacterial histamine release by immunological and non-immunological lectin-mediated reactions; Jensen C et al.; The mechanisms of bacteria-induced histamine release were examined in vitro in human leukocytes and rat mast cells . Three types of bacterial responders were found . In persons with IgE-bearing basophilocytes bacterial histamine release could be triggered by two different mechanisms, an IgE-dependent mechanism where removal of IgE abolished the release and a non-immunological mechanism where this was not the case . In responders with no IgE-bearing cells bacterial histamine release was caused by a non-immunological mechanism . The non-immunological mechanism was further substantiated by release in isolated mast cells from germ-free rats . These experiments suggest a direct interaction between bacteria and target cell, and experiments with multi-washed bacteria and bacteria cell wall preparations indicate the possibility of the bacteria wall interacting with the target cell . It is probable that the non-immunological mechanism depends on lectin-mediated reactions, since bacteria-induced histamine release was inhibited by lectin-binding sugars as is release caused by plant lectins. Infect Immun, 1984 Jul, 45(1), 113 - 7 Mechanism of bacterial resistance to complement-mediated killing: inserted C5b-9 correlates with killing for Escherichia coli O111B4 varying in O-antigen capsule and O-polysaccharide coverage of lipid A core oligosaccharide; Joiner KA et al.; The interaction of C3 and terminal complement components with three isogenic strains of Escherichia coli O111B4 varying in outer membrane and capsule composition was examined . Strains CL99 and 1-1, which possess O-antigen capsule and 74 to 77% coverage of lipid A core oligosaccharide, were sensitive to killing in pooled normal human serum (PNHS) or magnesium ethylene glycoltetraacetic acid PNHS in the presence but not the absence of antibody, although 1-1 contained 35% more lipopolysaccharide than CL99 and was slightly less sensitive to alternative pathway killing . In contrast, strain 1-2 lacks O-antigen capsule but contains 84% coverage and resists serum killing in the presence and absence of antibody in both PNHS and magnesium ethylene glycoltetraacetic acid PNHS . All three strains consumed C3 and C9 when incubated in PNHS, but consumption was most rapid with 1-2, which also bound the largest number of C3 molecules per CFU . Between 15 X 10(3) and 24 X 10(3) molecules of C9 per CFU bound to CL99 and 1-1 during incubation in 10% PNHS or 10% magnesium ethylene glycoltetraacetic acid PNHS, and binding was relatively stable . Binding and release of 3 X 10(3) to 8 X 10(3) molecules of C9 per CFU was observed for strain 1-2 . The majority of C9 bound to CL99 and 1-1 in the presence of antibody distributed with the outer membrane after lysis of the organisms in a French press, whereas only 16.1 to 20.1% of C9 was deposited on these organisms in the absence of antibody, and 31.5 to 39.8% of C9 on strain 1-2 with or without antibody sedimented with the outer membrane . Between 4.6 X 10(3) and 5.5 X 10(3) molecules of C9 per CFU remained bound in a salt- and trypsin-resistant form to the outer membrane of organisms that were killed, whereas fewer than 1.4 X 10(3) molecules of C9 per CFU were bound to the outer membrane of organisms not killed by serum . These results indicate that C5b-9 that is bound to the outer membrane of E . coli O111B4 in a form resistant to salt or protease elution correlates with bacterial killing. Clin Chem, 1984 Jul, 30(7), 1209 - 12 Citramalic acid in cerebrospinal fluid of patients with bacterial meningitis; Perlman S et al.; Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from uninfected patients and from patients with bacterial and viral meningitis was analyzed by gas-liquid chromatography, with use of a flame ionization detector, and by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry . The resulting profiles were consistent and reproducible . Hydroxy acids were the compounds found in greatest abundance in both normal and infected CSF . Control experiments to establish the sensitivity and efficiency of the extraction and derivatization methods are also presented . Constituents of CSF from patients with bacterial meningitis differed quantitatively and qualitatively from those of CSF from uninfected patients or patients with nonbacterial infections . CSF from seven of eight patients with bacterial meningitis contained citramalic acid, a compound not previously identified in either normal or infected CSF . The implications of these findings are discussed. Mikrobiologiia, 1984 Jul-Aug, 53(4), 556 - 8 {Role of carbohydrate-protein recognition in the process of Bdellovibrio attaching to bacterial host cells}; Chemeris NA et al.; The authors discuss the role of carbohydrates in the surface layer of the cell wall in the process of Bdellovibrio attachment to host-bacteria cells . The paper presents the results of inhibitory analysis using sugars conducted with two model systems as well as the data about the effectiveness of the interaction between parasite cells and host cells after the modification of their surface polysaccharide layer with concanavalin A and sodium periodate. Appl Environ Microbiol, 1984 Jul, 48(1), 10 - 6 Bacterial oxidation of the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons acenaphthene and acenaphthylene; Schocken MJ et al.; A Beijerinckia sp . and a mutant strain, Beijerinckia sp . strain B8/36, were shown to cooxidize the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons acenaphthene and acenaphthylene . Both organisms oxidized acenaphthene to the same spectrum of metabolites, which included 1-acenaphthenol, 1-acenaphthenone, 1,2-acenaphthenediol, acenaphthenequinone, and a compound that was tentatively identified as 1,2-dihydroxyacenaphthylene . In contrast, acenaphthylene was oxidized to acenaphthenequinone and the compound tentatively identified as 1,2-dihydroxyacenaphthylene by the wild-type strain of Beijerinckia . Both of these products were also formed when the organism was incubated with synthetic cis-1,2-acenaphthenediol . A metabolite identified as cis-1,2-acenaphthenediol was formed from acenaphthylene by the mutant Beijerinckia sp . strain B8/36 . Cell extracts prepared from the wild-type Beijerinckia strain contain a constitutive pyridine nucleotide-dependent dehydrogenase which can oxidize 1-acenaphthenol and 9-fluorenol . The results indicate that although acenaphthene and acenaphthylene are both oxidized to acenaphthenequinone, the pathways leading to the formation of this end product are different. Biochim Biophys Acta, 1984 Jun 26, 765(3), 301 - 8 On the role of Fe2+ in bacterial photosynthesis . The effect of biosynthetic substitution of Fe2+ by Mn2+ on the electron transfer step Q-1Q2----Q1Q-2 in reaction centers; Nam HK et al.; A test of the 'iron-wire' hypothesis for the role of Fe2+ in promoting the electron transfer between the primary (Q1) and secondary (Q2) quinones in bacterial reaction centers of Rhodopseudomonas sphaeroides strain R-26.1 has been conducted . Kinetics of this step, P+Q-1Q2----P+Q1Q-2, and of recombination with the oxidized donor, P+Q-1----PQ1 and P+Q-2----PQ2, were followed optically at 4 degrees C in normal iron-containing reaction centers and in reaction centers having 58% Mn2+, replacing Fe2+ . This significant replacement is accomplished biosynthetically by control of the growth conditions, and so should preserve the native interactions between the cofactors . There are no significant differences observed in the recombination kinetics of the two types of reaction centers . The electron transfer between the quinones was observed to show apparent biphasic kinetics with major components of approx . 170 microseconds and 1.5 ms at 4 degrees C and pH = 7.5 . There is no statistically significant difference observed between the two types of reaction centers . This major change in the electronic structure of the metal and the unaltered kinetics discount the likelihood of any direct orbital participation of the metal in the electron transfer between the quinones. Schweiz Med Wochenschr, 1984 Jun 23, 114(25), 890 - 2 {Asthma and bacterial infections}; Girard JP et al.; Known for many years, the relationship between bronchial asthma and bacteria are complex . Nevertheless they certainly are part of the several pathogenetic mechanisms of that disease . The recent discovery of specific IgE antibodies to several species of bacteria introduces new insights in the classification of these mechanisms . A careful consideration of the clinical symptoms remains a priority in analyzing the part played by bacteria in inducing bronchospasms . However, some laboratory procedures and especially the bronchial provocation tests with the specific antigen are of importance, bringing elements in accord with the immediate, late or delayed reaction . It is a basic requirement to have all these informations available to decide whether an hyposensitization therapy with bacterial extract is really needed . This will be done only in case of immediate type of reactions likely to be IgE mediated . Non specific polyvalent immunotherapy with a mixture of bacterial extract or derivates is sometimes indicated in cases of chronic infections of the upper and lower respiratory tract . Finally, some patients are reacting with an acute bronchospasm to minute doses of endotoxins . Therapy with bacterial extracts should be avoided in those patients. Schweiz Med Wochenschr, 1984 Jun 23, 114(25), 930 - 2 {Clinical and immunobiological action of an orally administered bacterial extract}; Losa GA et al.; The effect of a bacterial extract orally administered to 20 children with recurrent infections of the upper respiratory tract was investigated in a double-blind study . The composition of the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (T and B lymphocytes, monocytes) and some of their biochemical properties (5'-nucleotidase, beta-N-acetyl-glucosaminidase and non-specific esterase) were unaffected . In contrast, the allogeneic mixed lymphocyte reaction was significantly increased in patients treated with the bacterial extract . In the treated group the number of infectious episodes decreased significantly and the clinical response correlated positively with the mixed lymphocyte reaction . These findings suggest that the bacterial extract has the capacity to restore depressed immune functions by acting through the gut-associated lymphoid tissue. Nature . 1984 Jun 7-13;309(5968):483. US genetic regulations: bacterial field trial to go ahead; Budiansky S; KIE: The National Institutes of Health's Recombinant DNA Advisory Committee (RAC) has approved a commercial proposal by Advanced Genetic Sciences Inc . to field-test recombinant ice-nucleating bacteria . Its decision came two weeks after a federal judge halted a similar trial by researchers from the University of California at Berkeley, and barred RAC from approving other federally-funded research that would release genetically-engineered organisms into the environment . The ruling, which resulted from an action filed by activist Jeremy Rifkin, exempted privately-funded research . RAC will continue to review commercial proposals, which are submitted voluntarily and are not legally bound by the committee decisions . Br J Exp Pathol, 1984 Jun, 65(3), 319 - 25 Enhancement of the local inflammatory response to bacterial infection by muramyl dipeptide; Lamont PM et al.; The effect of the synthetic immuno-adjuvant compound, muramyl dipeptide (MDP), upon the local inflammatory response to experimental bacterial infection was assessed by histological examination . Within 24 h of the insertion of a bacteria-laden suture into the medial thigh musculature of mice treated with either MDP or placebo, an enhanced degree of polymorphonuclear leucocyte infiltration in the muscle around the suture was observed in the MDP-treated animals . The inflammatory response around a sterile suture was less intense in both treatment groups and specific correlation between the degree of local inflammation and the extent of bacteraemia developing in either group of animals was not noted . The extent of bacteraemia developing in either group of animals was not noted . The previously observed protection conferred by MDP against the local impact of bacterial challenge appears to be mediated in part by enhancement of the acute local inflammatory response. Am J Clin Pathol, 1984 Jun, 81(6), 779 - 82 Is C-reactive protein useful in the management of children with suspected bacterial meningitis? Benjamin DR, Opheim KE, Brewer L. C-reactive protein (CRP) was evaluated in both serum and cerebrospinal fluid in 119 patients to determine if either or both measurements were of clinical value in the diagnosis of bacterial meningitis . CSF C-reactive protein is too insensitive (sensitivity = 66%) to be useful, while serum CRP is too nonspecific for routine application . Serum CRP may have a role if used selectively in those patients with a low-grade CSF pleocytosis and a negative Gram's stain. Anal Biochem, 1984 Jun, 139(2), 510 - 5 A sensitive kinetic assay for glycerol using bacterial bioluminescence; Lavi JT; A kinetic assay method based on bacterial bioluminescence and the glycerol dehydrogenase (GDH) enzyme reaction has been developed for the determination of glycerol . The assay system involves the use of three coupled enzyme reactions in which the participating reactants are optimized to allow internal calibration by known amounts of glycerol . This bioluminescent assay method is also suitable for measuring GDH enzyme activity . The lower detection limit for glycerol is 500 pmol and for GDH, 0.001 mU, the assay being linear up to 300 nmol of glycerol and 3 mU of GDH . The percentage recovery of glycerol from serum was 95-100% . This assay method is rapid, sensitive, and reproducible. EMBO J, 1984 Jun, 3(6), 1311 - 4 Three-dimensional structure of fungal proteinase K reveals similarity to bacterial subtilisin; Pahler A et al.; The three-dimensional structure of the fungal serine protease proteinase K has been determined at 3.3 A resolution by single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis . The enzyme crystallizes in the tetragonal space group P4(3)2(1)2 with cell constants a = b = 68.3 A, c = 108.5 A . The asymmetric unit consists of one monomer of 27 000 daltons mol . wt., approximately 50% higher than the so far assumed value of 18 500 daltons . The main chain fold of proteinase K shows a high degree of tertiary homology with the corresponding bacterial subtilisin BPN' . Proteinase K is the second enzyme in this family of serine proteases to be studied by X-ray diffraction, thus confirming the existence of two unrelated families of serine proteases in pro-and eukaryotes. Med J Aust, 1984 May 26, 140(11), 650 - 2 Prophylaxis of bacterial endocarditis . Awareness of need; Sholler GF et al.; The parents or guardians of attenders at a paediatric cardiac clinic were surveyed over five months . Ninety-six patients who were at risk of bacterial endocarditis were identified . In 46% of these, the parents or guardians had insufficient knowledge to ensure that their children will receive prophylaxis at times of risk . A first language other than English, a lower level of education of the main family wage- earner , lack of exposure to previous dental extractions and non-cardiac operations, and a child aged less than five years--all correlated with poor knowledge of prophylaxis . Means of achieving greater awareness of need and efficacy of protection are suggested. Presse Med, 1984 May 26, 13(22), 1373 - 6 {Neonatal bacterial infections . Kinetic study of C-reactive protein and orosomucoid}; Alt R et al.; Changes in serum concentrations versus time of C reactive protein and orosomucoid were investigated in 134 neonates with either materno-foetal infection (group A, n = 111) or nosocomial infection (group B, n = 23) . Both proteins were significantly elevated in group A neonates, with mean +/- S.E.M . values of 0.029 +/- 0,003 g/l for C reactive protein (n = 111) and 0.56 +/- 0.003 g/l for orosomucoid (n = 37) . In cases with superinfection serum levels of both proteins rose before clinical symptoms developed . Changes in orosomucoid concentrations occurred a few hours after changes in C reactive protein concentrations . Monitoring C reactive protein and orosomucoid levels, in an excellent means of assessing the effectiveness of treatment and of deciding on its withdrawal when both proteins return to normal values. Eur J Biochem, 1984 May 15, 141(1), 205 - 10 Surface properties of bacterial sulfhydryl-activated cytolytic toxins . Interaction with monomolecular films of phosphatidylcholine and various sterols; Alouf JE et al.; Sulfhydryl-activated cytolysins are a group of bacterial protein toxins which, in the reduced state, lyse eukaryotic cells by disruption of the cytoplasmic membrane . Cell surface cholesterol is thought to be the target of the toxins . In the present work, the monolayer technique was used to investigate the interaction of four SH-activated toxins (streptolysin 0, alveolysin , perfringolysin 0, pneumolysin ) with various lipid films as a model for studying toxin-induced membrane disruption . A surface pressure increase up to very high values was elicited by reduced toxins (approximately equal to 10 nM) on films of cholesterol, other toxin-binding 3 beta-hydroxy-sterols, thiocholesterol and cholesterol-phosphatidylcholine mixtures suggesting deformation or penetration of the films . The surface-active potency of the toxins was of the same order as that of melittin and snake cardiotoxins at similar concentrations . No pressure increase was observed on films made of pure phosphatidylcholine, lanosterol and other sterols lacking the 3 beta-OH group . Optimal efficiency was at cholesterol/phosphatidylcholine molar ratio of 1 to 1 . The critical pressures for toxin interaction with phosphatidylcholine and cholesterol monolayers were 25 mN X m-1 and 45 mN X m-1 respectively . Toxin interaction with phosphatidylcholine {14C}-cholesterol films did not modify monolayer radioactivity, indicating no cholesterol desorption . No pressure increase was elicited by toxins inactivated by SH-group reagents, heating or neutralization with antibody . Toxin effect was dependent temperature and pH . The overall potency of the four toxins tested was streptolysin 0 greater than alveolysin approximately equal to perfringolysin 0 greater than pneumolysin . The monolayer system mimicked in several respects toxin interaction with eukaryotic cells. Nature, 1984 May 31-Jun 6, 309(5967), 470 - 2 Successive incorporation of force-generating units in the bacterial rotary motor; Block SM et al.; Mot mutants of Escherichia coli are paralysed: their flagella appear to be intact but do not rotate . The motA and motB gene products are found in the cytoplasmic membrane; they do not co-purify with flagellar basal bodies isolated in neutral detergents . Silverman et al . found that mot mutants could be ' resurrected ' through protein synthesis directed by lambda transducing phages carrying the wild-type genes . Here, we have studied this activation at the level of a single flagellar motor . Cells of a motB strain carrying plasmids in which transcription of the wild-type motB gene was controlled by the lac promoter were tethered to a glass surface by a single flagellum . These cells began to spin within several minutes after the addition of a lac inducer, and their rotational speed changed in a series of equally spaced steps . As many as 7 steps were seen in individual cells and, from the final speeds attained, as many as 16 steps could be inferred . These experiments show that each flagellar motor contains several independent force-generating units comprised, at least in part, of motB protein. Am J Med Sci, 1984 May-Jun, 287(3), 30 - 2 Heart block during bacterial endocarditis: a review of the literature and guidelines for surgical intervention; Dinubile MJ; The management of patients with bacterial endocarditis complicated by atrioventricular block is based on uncontrolled data, mostly from retrospective surgical and autopsy series . It is difficult to advance broad recommendations on the basis of such a biased population . Nevertheless, it is the firm opinion of many experienced clinicians that heart block developing as the result of aortic endocarditis signals myocardial abscess formation, and thereby is an indication for early surgery . I present a patient with aortic and mitral endocarditis in whom first degree heart block developed and then disappeared over five days; she was successfully managed with medical therapy alone . This case illustrates that some patients with endocarditis and heart block will not require surgery . In this setting, I propose the following guidelines in selecting patients for operation: 1) the observed appearance or progression of heart block; 2) the presence of aortic valve involvement; 3) the persistence of heart block, despite at least one week of optimal antibiotics; and 4) the elimination of other potential causes of conduction abnormalities. Hepatology, 1984 May-Jun, 4(3), 447 - 50 Ascitic fluid analysis in the differentiation of spontaneous bacterial peritonitis from gastrointestinal tract perforation into ascitic fluid; Runyon BA et al.; A review of patients with bacterial peritonitis and ascites revealed six patients with gastrointestinal tract perforation into their ascitic fluid and 33 episodes of spontaneous bacterial peritonitis in 32 patients . Signs and symptoms were not helpful in differentiating the two groups; however, ascitic fluid analysis was found to be useful . All patients with perforation peritonitis fulfilled at least two of the following criteria: ascitic fluid total protein greater than 1 gm per dl, glucose less than 50 mg per dl and lactate dehydrogenase greater than 225 mU per ml . In only two episodes of spontaneous bacterial peritonitis were two of the criteria fulfilled. Eur J Respir Dis, 1984 May, 65(4), 266 - 71 Lung reactions during poultry handling related to dust and bacterial endotoxin levels; Thelin A et al.; Airborne dust and endotoxin levels on poultry farms, were determined for various working processes known to involve a heavy exposure . Forty-seven workers at different sites were studied by questionnaires for work-related symptoms . Lung function measurements were made before and after work . Dust levels exceeded the standard for organic dust, and endotoxin levels exceeded those known to cause respiratory and other symptoms . The average decrease in FEV1 over the working day(s) ranged from 0.07-0.19 litres . Upper airway irritation was present in one third of the workers, and about 10% complained of chest tightness . The effect may have been due to the high amounts of dust causing a general respiratory irritation as well as to the endotoxin. Arch Neurol, 1984 May, 41(5), 531 - 5 Cerebral arteritis and bacterial meningitis; Igarashi M et al.; Twelve cases of large- and medium-sized cerebral artery stenosis and/or occlusion associated with bacterial meningitis occurred . Neurological complication due to arterial involvement developed in seven patients on the third and fourth days of illness; in one patient, it developed on the fifth day, and in another it developed on the 14th day . In three cases, this could not be determined . Arterial stenosis is considered primarily to result from arterial spasm due to humoral factors that may be elaborated within the CSF or arterial wall, as in the cases of ruptured aneurysm; and secondarily, from to inflammatory involvement of major vessels at the base of the brain and from irritation by angiographic contrast material. Pediatrics, 1984 May, 73(5), 579 - 86 Early diagnosis and evolution of deafness in childhood bacterial meningitis: a study using brainstem auditory evoked potentials; Vienny H et al.; Fifty-one children with bacterial meningitis were studied prospectively using serial recordings of brainstem auditory evoked potential (BAEP) from the earliest phase of the disease, according to a standardized protocol . The objectives were to make an early diagnosis and follow the evolution of deafness in the course of meningitis and evaluate the prognostic value of BAEP . Thirty-five children (68.6%) always had normal recordings; 11 children (21.6%) had transient BAEP abnormalities (prolonged wave V latency or elevated threshold for wave I), and five children (9.8%) had persistent pathologic BAEP recordings from the first examination at 48 hours until discharge from the hospital and have a persistent deafness . All recordings that were normal or pathologic at discharge were confirmed by behavioral audiometry 3 months later . These results show the early occurrence of deafness in the course of meningitis with a crucial phase of possible recovery or worsening occurring during the first 2 weeks . There were no cases of "late" deafness or "late" recovery (there was sometimes slight improvement) occurring after discharge; thus BAEPs have a prognostic value . However, observation of a child with clinically proven selective high-frequency postmeningitic deficit but without a hearing handicap, a disorder that was diagnosed early with BAEP (which tests only the high frequencies), is a warning that this method alone is insufficient and that clinical auditory surveillance and conventional audiometry remain necessary. Am Rev Respir Dis, 1984 May, 129(5), 735 - 41 Proteinase inhibitory function in inflammatory lung disease . I . Acute bacterial pneumonia; Abrams WR et al.; This study examines the bronchial alveolar lavage (BAL) samples from a group of patients with acute bacterial pneumonia (n = 13) and makes a comparison with a control group (n = 5) . The proteinase inhibitory capacity was examined and found to be composed primarily of alpha 1-proteinase inhibitor (PI, alpha 1-antitrypsin) and, to a lesser extent, bronchial mucosal inhibitor . Although the average PI concentration was elevated approximately 5-fold in the pneumonia group, its inhibitory function against elastase was decreased 15-fold when compared with that in the control group . The pneumonia group showed an increased concentration of immunologically identified elastin-derived peptides . Some of the BAL fluid from patients with pneumonia showed elastolytic activity against amorphous insoluble lung elastin . The majority of the elastase appears to be of neutrophil origin . Bronchial mucosal inhibitor is shown to be a component of both normal and pneumonia BAL fluids by both immunologic quantitation and by its resistance to perchloric acid inactivation . Compared with those from control subjects, BAL samples from patients with acute bacterial pneumonia showed a decreased proteinase inhibitor function and both increased elastolytic activity and elastin-derived peptide concentration. Immunobiology, 1984 May, 166(4-5), 410 - 27 Role of bacterial lipopolysaccharide and lymphokine in the regulation of macrophage activation: correlates between secretion of plasminogen activator and tumor lysis; Jones CM et al.; The effects of bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and lymphokine (LK) upon the activation of murine C57BL/6 peritoneal macrophages (M phi) were studied . Enhancement of the secretion of plasminogen activator (PA) by lymphokine did not require, nor was significantly boosted by LPS . In contrast, lysis of tumor target cells required LPS in addition to lymphokine confirming prior studies (1-3) . Once macrophages were induced to secrete PA, LPS suppressed its release but did not directly interfere with fibrinolysis . These findings are consistent with the concept that induction of PA secretion may represent an earlier step in activation than the acquisition of cytolytic potential (4, 5) and that LPS is important both in the regulation of macrophage proteases and mediation of tumor cell lysis (2, 6). Biofizika, 1984 May-Jun, 29(3), 383 - 8 {Possible determination of the structural organization of bacterial and animal rhodopsins by the hydrophobicity of amino acid residues}; Tarakhovskii IuS; From a comparative analysis of the distribution of hydrophobicity in bacterial and animal (bovine) rhodopsins, the following peculiarities in the structure of these proteins have been assumed: 1) each of these proteins has 5 hydrophobic regions of equal length (20-28 residues) able to be arranged across the membrane and one region of doubled length . 2) The alpha-helix of the doubled-length regions (residues N 178-225 for bacterial rhodopsin and N 75-132 for the animal one) is characterized by pronounced amphipaticity and is capable of a retinal dependent movement in the membrane . The model of animal rhodopsin was suggested to have 13 phenylalanine residues forming a chain which "connects" 6 transmembrane segments and runs from one surface of the membrane to the opposite one. Microbiol Sci, 1984 May, 1(2), 33 - 6 Molecular biology of bacterial plant pathogens; Daniels MJ; It is now possible to apply a range of genetic and recombinant DNA techniques to several plant-pathogenic bacteria, and the rapid growth of this area of research is expected to revolutionize our understanding of plant diseases . Some promising research strategies are discussed in this paper. Gene, 1984 May, 28(2), 177 - 93 Effects of alterations in the translation control region on bacterial gene expression: use of cat gene constructs transcribed from the lac promoter as a model system; Schottel JL et al.; The region controlling translation of the cat gene, which codes for chloramphenicol acetyltransferase, has been varied structurally in a series of plasmids that place the gene under control of the lac promoter . These plasmid constructs have enabled study of the structural features that affect the efficiency of mRNA translation . Altering the potential for secondary structure formation within the translation control region caused a tenfold variation in the synthesis of CAT enzyme, whereas varying the distance between the Shine-Dalgarno sequence (SD) and the translation start codon from 7 to 13 bases did not significantly affect the yield of CAT . If the SD was situated in a region of mRNA that is capable of base pairing, the efficiency of translation was decreased; however, the translation start codon, AUG, can initiate translation efficiently even when located in a segment capable of duplex formation . Overlapping of the cat translation control region by translation initiated upstream markedly affected initiation of translation within the cat gene: out-to-frame overlapping translation reduced CAT production by 90%; in-frame overlapping translation prevented detectable initiation of protein synthesis at the cat gene translation start codon, and yielded only fusion proteins . The enzymatic activity of such proteins was influenced by the length of the adventitious peptide segment added to the amino-terminus of the CAT polypeptide. Radiat Res, 1984 May, 98(2), 284 - 92 An effect of elevated postirradiation pH on the yield of double-strand breaks in DNA from irradiated bacterial cells; Tilby MJ et al.; Exposure of DNA isolated from irradiated cells of Escherichia coli to a pH of 9.6 caused a marked increase in the yield of double-strand breaks (dsb) . The dsb were measured by sedimentation analysis of E . coli chromosomal DNA using neutral sucrose gradients . After incubation for 4 hr at 37 degrees C and pH 9.6 the dsb yields were 95% and 71% higher than when incubation was at pH 7.0 for irradiation under oxic and anoxic conditions, respectively . This effect was not apparent when dsb were induced enzymatically and it was linearly related to radiation dose . After oxic irradiation, the increase in dsb at pH 9.6 was consistent with first-order kinetics over greater than 2 half-lives (t1/2 = 1.6 hr at 37 degrees C) . The effect of elevated pH was largely additive to a previously reported increase in dsb yield caused by ethanol . It is proposed that the effects of elevated pH and of ethanol revealed the presence in intracellularly irradiated DNA of previously unidentified sites where both strands of the DNA were damaged as a result of single radiation events . The possible nature of the proposed sites and the relevance of these findings to the "neutral" elution technique are discussed. J Clin Pathol, 1984 May, 37(5), 587 - 91 Rectal organ culture as a model for the investigation of bacterial adhesion and invasion; Dickinson RJ et al.; A system was developed for the in vitro culture of human rectal mucosa . Its viability was proved by histological appearances and by metabolic studies . Biopsy samples were cultured in the presence of appropriate bacteria isolated from the faeces of patients with ulcerative colitis or with dysenteric illnesses . Attempts to show adhesion of bacteria to the mucosa or invasion of the cultured tissue failed . Problems with the use of this model are discussed. J Bacteriol, 1984 May, 158(2), 742 - 5 Bacterial plasmids that carry two functional centromere analogs are stable and are partitioned faithfully; Austin SJ; The par genes of unit-copy plasmids P1 and F promote equitable distribution of plasmid copies to daughter cells and can be considered to be functional analogs of eucaryotic centromeres . Composite plasmids were constructed which carry either two functional P1 par regions or one F and one P1 region . Unlike dicentric chromosomes, such plasmids are stably maintained. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A, 1984 May, 81(9), 2723 - 7 Two-dimensional S1 nuclease heteroduplex mapping: detection of rearrangements in bacterial genomes; Yee T et al.; A method of two-dimensional S1 nuclease heteroduplex mapping was developed to detect gene rearrangements and repeated sequences in total bacterial chromosomes . To detect DNA rearrangements between two variant bacterial strains, total chromosomal DNA preparations from the two strains are digested with four-base-recognizing restriction enzymes, mixed together, denatured, renatured, and separated on first-dimension polyacrylamide slab gels . Gel strips are cut out and soaked in a buffer containing S1 nuclease, which diffuses into the strips and digests the DNA fragments at single-stranded regions . The digested DNA is then electrophoresed in a second dimension perpendicular to the first dimension . DNA heteroduplexes that were digested by the S1 nuclease are resolved as distinct spots below a bright unresolved band of homoduplex . This report describes testing of this method on a model system consisting of two nearly isogeneic strains of Escherichia coli, and the application of this method in detecting DNA rearrangements associated with phase variation in Myxococcus xanthus. Anal Biochem, 1984 May 1, 138(2), 285 - 90 Inhibition of ribonuclease contamination in preparations of T4 RNA ligase, polynucleotide kinase, and bacterial alkaline phosphatase with bentonite; Tyulkina LG et al.; Commercial preparations of the enzymes used in the analysis of RNA primary structure (bacterial alkaline phosphatase, polynucleotide kinase, and RNA ligase) are virtually always more or less contaminated with RNases . This leads to degradation of initial RNAs in the course of labeling and formation of a set of spurious labeled fragments . We have shown that bentonite present in the incubation medium in a concentration of 0.04% selectively inhibits the contaminating RNases, not affecting the activities of bacterial alkaline phosphatase, polynucleotide kinase, and RNA ligase. Biochim Biophys Acta, 1984 Apr 26, 765(1), 48 - 57 Flash-induced electron transfer through mitochondrial QH2: cytochrome c oxidoreductase in the presence of bacterial reaction centres and cytochrome c . Analysis of subsequent processes and effect of inhibitors; Zhu QS et al.; In a system containing reaction centres isolated from Rhodopseudomonas sphaeroides mutant R26, and variable amounts of horse-heart cytochrome c and bovine-heart mitochondrial QH2: cytochrome c oxidoreductase in a medium containing 2 mM ascorbate and 0.1 microM phenazine methosulphate, electron transfer was induced by a single flash . Three distinct phases of electron transfer can be distinguished: the first event is the oxidation of cytochrome c, and this is followed by an equilibration between cytochrome c, cytochrome c1 and the Rieske {2Fe-2S} cluster . The actual rates of these processes depend on the concentrations of cytochrome c and the reductase . The slower third phase is the oxidation of ubiquinol, which can follow two pathways: one sensitive to antimycin and one sensitive to myxothiazole . The antimycin-sensitive pathway (t1/2 approximately equal to 10 ms) is an equilibration between the Q/QH2 couple and cytochrome b, but may also include a direct reduction of cytochrome b by the QB of the reaction centres . The myxothiazole-sensitive pathway is a coupled reduction of cytochrome b and the Rieske {2Fe-2S} cluster which rapidly equilibrates with cytochromes c1 and c . Both pathways are sensitive to 7-(n-heptadecyl)mercapto-6-hydroxy-5,8-quinoline quinone, but with different affinities . In the absence of inhibitors the initial reduction of cytochrome b (via both pathways) is followed by a net oxidation which is the resultant of a continuing reduction (together with the reduction of the Rieske {2Fe-2S} cluster) and an oxidation (via the antimycin-sensitive site) by quinone . The results are discussed in the light of linear and cyclic models proposed to explain electron transfer between cytochromes b and c . It is concluded that only the Q-cycle model fits the present experimental data. Biochem Pharmacol, 1984 Apr 15, 33(8), 1285 - 92 Are the decreases in hepatic cytochrome P-450 and other drug-metabolising enzymes caused by indomethacin in vivo mediated by intestinal bacterial endotoxins? 16,16-Dimethylprostaglandin F2 alpha prevents decreases in hepatic drug-metabolising enzymes due to exogenous endotoxin; Falzon M et al.; Administration of either indomethacin (8.5 mg/kg) or E . coli endotoxin (3.5 mg/kg) to rats caused significant decreases in a variety of drug-metabolising enzyme activities . Either agent markedly decreased biphenyl 4-hydroxylase by 72-80% and caused lesser decreases (21-64%) in cyt . P-450, aminopyrine N-demethylase, ethoxyresorufin O-deethylase (EROD), benzyloxyphenoxazone O-debenzylase (BPOD), cyt . b5, NADPH-cyt . c reductase, NADH-cyt . b5 reductase, epoxide hydrolase (EH) and glucuronyl transferase (GT) . The decreases in GT (21-22%) were significantly less than in cyt . P-450 (45-57%) . Sulphotransferase was not affected by either indomethacin or endotoxin . The overall pattern of relative decreases in the different enzymes was similar for either indomethacin or endotoxin . Four activities, however, were affected to a significantly greater extent by indomethacin than by endotoxin at 2-6 mg/kg: EROD, BPOD, cyt . b5 and EH . Additionally, hepatic glutathione was decreased by indomethacin but not by endotoxin . Indomethacin or endotoxin caused similar but not identical decreases in selected protein bands in the "cyt . P-450 region" of microsomal SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoretograms . Concomitant administration of 16,16-dimethylprostaglandin F2 alpha afforded significant (50-100%) protection against all the above-mentioned effects of indomethacin or endotoxin . The effects of indomethacin on cyt . P-450 were lessened by concomitant administration of a mixture of neomycin, polymyxin B and bacitracin . Throughout the study there was a close correlation between the extent of decrease in hepatic cyt . P-450 and the degree of intestinal ulceration caused by indomethacin . It was concluded that bacterial endotoxins liberated into the portal blood as a result of indomethacin-induced ulceration of the small intestine probably only partially mediated the effects of indomethacin on hepatic drug-metabolising enzymes . The protection afforded by 16,16-dimethylprostaglandin F2 alpha could have been due to both the prevention of ulceration and to a direct cytoprotective effect on the liver. Am J Vet Res, 1984 Apr, 45(4), 825 - 9 Selected physical and chemical characteristics of prostatic fluid collected by ejaculation from healthy dogs and from dogs with bacterial prostatitis; Branam JE et al.; Forty specimens of prostatic fluid, collected by ejaculation from 36 dogs with bacterial prostatitis, and 43 specimens of prostatic fluid collected by the same method from 42 healthy dogs were analyzed with respect to pH, specific gravity, cholesterol concentration, and zinc, copper, iron, calcium, and magnesium concentrations . Values from prostatic fluid of infected dogs were compared with values from prostatic fluid of healthy dogs, using a variety of statistical methods . In striking contrast to data obtained from human beings, prostatic fluid pH, specific gravity, or cholesterol zinc concentrations were not altered in dogs with bacterial prostatitis . Seemingly, these tests are not reliable in the diagnosis of bacterial prostatitis in dogs. Acta Pathol Microbiol Immunol Scand {B}, 1984 Apr, 92(2), 85 - 8 Value of pleural lactate in the differential diagnosis between empyema and non-bacterial pleural effusions; Bruun B et al.; Lactate concentrations in the pleural fluid of 50 patients were determined by the Monotest Lactate Kit . Lactate values were found higher in bacterial pleural infections than in cases of hydrothorax . Elevated levels were also found in most cases of histologically confirmed cases of pleural neoplasms and in some cases of non-bacterial pleuritis exsudativa . The highest levels were found in cases of empyema, but there was considerable overlapping between the groups . Pleural lactate thus appears to have little diagnostic value in the differential diagnosis between empyema and non-bacterial pleural effusions. Dev Med Child Neurol, 1984 Apr, 26(2), 227 - 30 Cortical blindness following bacterial meningitis: a case report with reassessment of prognosis and aetiology; Ackroyd RS; A case of cortical blindness is presented which developed during H . influenzae type B meningitis . Cortical blindness may appear late in the course of bacterial meningitis, during a period of clinical improvement, and recovery can be expected in 50 per cent of cases . In contrast, when the cause is ischaemic the onset of blindness is immediate and usually recovery is complete . Radiological evidence is presented for the pathological process in meningitis. Appl Environ Microbiol, 1984 Apr, 47(4), 715 - 23 Successive changes in the epimural bacterial community of young lambs as revealed by scanning electron microscopy; Mueller RE et al.; Scanning electron microscopy was used to determine the time of initial colonization of the rumen epithelium of young lambs and successive changes with time in the morphological composition of the epimural community . Tissue samples were obtained from two groups of lambs at 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10 weeks of age . Comparisons were made with the epimural communities observed at 12 well-distributed sites in the rumen of a mature wether . Epimural bacteria were already present on the epithelium at 1 week of age . The morphological composition of the epimural community changed with age, with the pattern of succession being similar in both groups of lambs . A total of 24 morphotypes were distinguished by scanning electron microscopy; 17 were rod shaped, 4 were cocci, 2 were spiral, and 1 was filamentous . These morphotypes were further subdivided into: (i) those persisting after their initial colonization in young lambs and present in the adult (7 morphotypes), (ii) those seen only in the adult (2 morphotypes), and (iii) those present only in young lambs (15 morphotypes) . The seven morphotypes present in both the lamb and the adult could be considered indigenous members of the epimural community . Several morphotypes appeared restricted in their colonization to certain regions of the papillae, suggesting the presence of microhabitats within the epithelial habitat . Two rod-shaped bacteria were repeatedly seen specifically attached to one another, suggesting an interspecific association. Infect Immun, 1984 Apr, 44(1), 199 - 203 Implications of Freter's model of bacterial colonization; McKay IC et al.; A recent mathematical model (Freter et al., Infect . Immun . 39:686-703, 1983) provided a plausible simulation of both the mouse gut and continuous-flow mixed cultures . We show here that in certain circumstances Freter's equations are soluble, giving simple formulae that can be applied to particular problems without resort to computers or numerical simulation. Clin Chem, 1984 Apr, 30(4), 521 - 3 Changes in fatty acids in phospholipids of the bronchoalveolar fluid in bacterial pneumonia and in adult respiratory distress syndrome; Baughman RP et al.; Fatty acids of the phospholipid fraction of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid from patients with bacterial pneumonia or with the adult respiratory distress syndrome were chromatographed and the patterns compared with those for a control group . In the control group, palmitic acid (16:0) was the predominant fatty acid, accounting for 58.0% (SD 8.25%) of the total fatty acid, a proportion significantly higher (p less than 0.001) than in the distress-syndrome group (42.1%, SD 4.88%) or the acute pneumonia group (32.1%, SD 1.73%) . There was a greater proportion of oleic acid (18:1) in the disease groups; thus the ratio of palmitic to oleic acid was useful in distinguishing these three groups . No patient with a palmitic/oleic acid ratio greater than 2.45 had evidence of parenchymal inflammation . Of those with a ratio less than 1.3, 89% had acute bacterial pneumonia. Neurology, 1984 Apr, 34(4), 500 - 4 Bacterial meningitis in infancy: effects on intracranial pressure and cerebral blood flow velocity; McMenamin JB et al.; The effects of acute bacterial meningitis on intracranial pressure (ICP) and cerebral blood flow velocity (CBFV) were studied in four older infants (mean age, 5.75 months) and in four newborns . ICP and CBFV were affected in the older infants, but not in the newborns . In the older infants, ICP was markedly elevated in the first 2 days of illness (mean peak ICP, 240 mm H2O) . With resolution of intracranial hypertension in the next few days, CBFV increased approximately 80% . In the newborns, there was no marked elevation of ICP or change in CBFV . Impaired cerebral perfusion, due to intracranial hypertension, is a potential cause of brain injury in older infants . Other mechanisms of brain injury may be more important in newborns. Infect Immun, 1984 Apr, 44(1), 182 - 7 Specific immunoglobulin A antibodies to a peptide subunit sequence of bacterial cell wall peptidoglycan; Franken N et al.; Immunoglobulin A (IgA) antibodies in human sera with binding specificity for the C-terminal R-D-Ala-D-Ala sequence of the precursor peptide from bacterial cell wall peptidoglycan were detected by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) . Specificity of the test system was proved by comparing the high binding of specific IgA to albumin-(D-Ala3) as an antigen with the failure to bind to albumin-(L-Ala3), by binding inhibition studies with L-Ala3, D-Ala3, or peptides with structural analogy to peptidoglycan peptide subunit peptides as inhibitors, and by excluding binding of peroxidase-labeled anti-human IgA to immunoglobulin classes others than IgA . Interference of rheumatoid factors of IgA class was excluded by an ELISA for assaying IgA-rheumatoid factor and by the fact that an IgA fraction essentially free of IgG and IgM was isolated from a serum reacting strongly positive in the ELISA for measuring specific IgA to the peptide subunit of peptidoglycan . This isolated IgA again exhibited binding specificity in the ELISA, thus corroborating the existence of specific IgA in human serum to the C-terminal R-D-Ala-D-Ala sequence of peptidoglycan precursor peptide . The existence of IgA antibodies with specificity for bacterial peptidoglycan was further proved by preadsorption of serum to peptidoglycans and subsequent measurement of specific IgA in the ELISA . Screening of human sera for IgA antibodies with specificity for R-D-Ala-D-Ala peptides revealed that specific antibodies directed against this sequence of bacterial cell wall peptidoglycan may be detected in several human sera. Mutat Res, 1984 Apr, 130(2), 97 - 106 RK bacterial test for independently measuring chemical toxicity and mutagenicity: short-term forward selection assay; Hayes S et al.; A short-term bacterial assay system for determining the mutagenic potential of environmental substances was developed and validated . Genotoxic activity was demonstrated for selected substances from 10 categories of chemical agents . The RK test results were obtained with one Escherichia coli assay strain that was transiently exposed to, and then removed from the test substance prior to the selection step for mutant cells . The RK test employs a hitherto unused short-term assay technique for selecting forward mutations in the wild-type selector strain cells . The cells of the selector strain are killed upon shifting to 42 degrees C as a consequence of thermal derepression and subsequent expression of the replication genes from an integrated 10-kilobase fragment of phage lambda . Cells that acquire mutations in the responsible killing genes are detected by their colony-forming ability at 42 degrees C . A substance is determined to be genotoxic if it is capable of increasing the forward mutation frequency for appearance of these mutant cells . Toxicity of the agent is independently evaluated by examining its effect on the viability of the selector strain at 30 degrees C, when the viral replication genes remain repressed . The flexible assay protocol enables determination of the effect of pH on mutagenic activity, the requirement for metabolic activation, and assays of nearly insoluble or highly toxic substances. Mutat Res, 1984 Apr, 126(2), 127 - 37 Survival and mutagenesis of bacterial plasmids with localized carcinogen adducts; Chakrabarti S et al.; Restriction fragments from nonessential gene regions in bacterial plasmids were covalently modified with benzo{a}pyrene-7,8-dihydrodiol-9,10-oxide (BPDE) and ligated to the remaining unmodified fragment to construct the plasmid with a localized patch of BPDE adducts . These preparations were introduced into appropriate strains of E . coli and the effect of the carcinogen adducts on plasmid survival and mutagenesis determined . Survival as a function of adduct concentration of randomly modified plasmids was the same as that of plasmids with localized adducts in both repair-proficient and -deficient strains, indicating that the simple presence of the carcinogen is the main factor in plasmid mortality . The results of these and other experiments indicate that plasmid survival is a function of the adduct/plasmid molecule ratio not the adduct/nucleotide ratio . Plasmids with mutations produced in the region (tetracycline resistance) containing the localized adducts were selected and the nature of the mutations determined by direct sequence analysis . The mutations included frameshifts, transitions, and transversions. Infect Immun, 1984 Apr, 44(1), 91 - 6 Toxic interactions of benzyl alcohol with bacterial endotoxin; Cebula TA et al.; Acute toxic interactions of intravenously administered benzyl alcohol and Escherichia coli O55:B5 (Boivin preparation) endotoxin were examined in rodents . Lethality studies in male CD-1 mice demonstrated that these agents were more toxic when administered in combination than when either was administered alone . Prophylactic treatment with diazepam (5 mg/kg intraperitoneally) protected against lethality induced by either the combination or the endotoxin yet offered little, if any, protection against the lethal effects of benzyl alcohol . Similar treatments with naloxone (5 mg/kg intraperitoneally) failed to protect against either endotoxin-induced or benzyl alcohol-induced lethality, but they significantly protected against the lethal effects of the combination . Although hexobarbital-induced sleeping time was prolonged in endotoxin-treated mice (but was normal in benzyl alcohol-treated mice), a more protracted effect on sleeping time was observed in mice treated with both benzyl alcohol and endotoxin . Moreover, male Wistar rats treated with benzyl alcohol (40 mg) showed no evidence of hepatic lesions, but rats treated in combination with sublethal doses of the alcohol (40 mg) and the endotoxin (0.4 mg) developed hepatic lesions which were severe than those observed in rats treated with endotoxin (0.4 mg) alone . A correlation between altered blood chemistry values and severity of hepatic lesions was demonstrated . These data show in vivo toxic interactions between benzyl alcohol and bacterial endotoxin . In addition, our results indicate that the toxic effects induced by the benzyl alcohol-endotoxin combination are due to an enhancement of the lethal properties of bacterial endotoxin. Cell, 1984 Apr, 36(4), 1067 - 72 Bacterial leader peptidase, a membrane protein without a leader peptide, uses the same export pathway as pre-secretory proteins; Wolfe PB et al.; Leader peptidase typifies a group of proteins of the plasma membrane of E . coli which span the membrane and are synthesized without a cleaved amino-terminal leader (signal) sequence . The membrane assembly properties of these proteins have not been previously reported . We find that the membrane electrochemical potential is necessary for the insertion of a large domain of leader peptidase across the membrane . In the absence of potential, the peptidase accumulates inside the cell in tight association with the plasma membrane . Upon restoration of the potential, accumulated peptidase inserts across the membrane, indicating that this insertion is not mechanistically coupled to polypeptide chain growth . The normal, trans-bilayer peptidase and that which accumulates in the absence of potential have different conformations, as shown by the relative resistance of the trans-bilayer enzyme to digestion by trypsin or chymotrypsin in cell lysates . Membrane insertion is accompanied by this conformational change . This assembly reaction has several features predicted by the hypothesis of membrane-triggered folding. Acta Pathol Microbiol Immunol Scand {B}, 1984 Apr, 92(2), 127 - 33 Hydrophobicity of cultured mammalian cells and some effects of bacterial phospholipases C; Malmqvist T et al.; Eucaryotic cell surface hydrophobicity was measured as a partition of palmitic acid between the cell surface and the surrounding buffer . The method was found to be independent of cell mass or amount of palmitic acid within a large interval . An estimation of cell stability could also be obtained . The effects of Ca and Mg ions on cell hydrophobicity and stability of mouse myeloma (SP2/O) cells and of Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells were determined . This system permits measurement of changes in cell hydrophobicity caused by various additives, e.g . ions, purified bacterial products, antibiotics or cytostatics . Studies were made on these eucaryotic cells treated with purified bacterial phospholipases C from S . aureus and C . perfringens . These enzymes were found to increase the eucaryotic cell membrane hydrophobicity . This finding might indicate that bacterial phospholipases C facilitate bacterial colonization at the start of an infection. Cell, 1984 Apr, 36(4), 1081 - 8 Bacterial chromosome segregation: evidence for DNA gyrase involvement in decatenation; Steck TR et al.; Nucleoids isolated from a temperature-sensitive gyrB mutant of E . coli, incubated at restrictive temperatures, exhibit increased sedimentation rates and an abnormal doublet or dumbbell-shaped morphology . Shifting cells from restrictive to permissive temperature prior to nucleoid isolation leads to decreases in the percentage of doublet nucleoids and in nucleoid sedimentation rates . When nucleoids isolated from mutant cells exposed to restrictive temperature are incubated with purified gyrase, the percentage of doublet nucleoids decreases as the total number of nucleoids increases . These results, together with the demonstrated ability of gyrase to decatenate small circular DNA molecules in vitro, suggest that gyrase participates in bacterial chromosome segregation through its decatenating activity. Microbiologica, 1984 Apr, 7(2), 159 - 70 The selective staining mechanism of phosphatase producing colonies in the diphosphatephenolphthalein-methyl green method for the detection of bacterial phosphatase activity; Satta G et al.; The aim of this study was to explain, in a novel method for the testing of bacterial phosphatase activity (MGP), the mechanism by which, in the presence of a phosphatase substrate and a stain, the phosphatase positive colonies become intensely pigmented while the others remain unstained (Satta et al., 1979) . The experiments here described indicate that the products of the phosphatase reaction form, with the stains, high pigmented insoluble complexes that precipitate at the site where the reaction has occurred . Since, in most bacteria, phosphatase are membrane bound, in the presence of phosphatase substrates and stains, intensely stained precipitates are formed on his bacterial component . Such precipitates make the cells become stained and cause the intense pigmentation of the phosphatase positive colonies. J Immunol, 1984 Apr, 132(4), 1679 - 86 The immune response to bacterial dextrans . IV . Antibody idiotypes; Ivars F et al.; Anti-idiotypic antisera (a-Id) were prepared in SJL mice against the dextran B512 (Dex)-specific hybridoma antibody D.16.6 (mu, kappa) of C57BL/6 origin . Such a-Id were specific for the D.16.6 antibody, but the idiotypic determinants recognized were not hapten modifiable . The a-Id were used in radioimmunoassays (RIA) to study the genetic control of the expression of the D.16.6 idiotype (Id) in a variety of mouse strains . It was found that all mouse strains tested expressed this Id as a component of the normal background immunoglobulin (Ig) in their sera . Only in mice of the IgCHb haplotype, however, was the Id found in association with Dex-specific antibodies . Furthermore, even in IgCHb mouse strains, not all individuals expressed Id-positive anti-Dex antibodies . Because the D.16.6 Id is a "recurrent" natural Id, but a "non-dominant" Id in the Dex response of IgCHb mouse strains, these observations contradict our previous suggestions on the selection of "dominant" Id from the pool of "naturally" produced Ig. Mol Biol Evol, 1984 Apr, 1(3), 260 - 8 The relationship between codon boundaries and multiple reading-frame preferences: coding organization of bacterial insertion sequences; Galas DJ et al.; Theoretical considerations have shown that the five possible overlapping reading-frame configurations differ significantly in their coding flexibility and thus in their information content (Siegel and Fitch 1980; Smith and Waterman 1980) . Contrary to expectation, the overlapping frame configuration allowing the greatest coding flexibility is rarely seen, whereas one of the most constraining is common . We point out here that this overlapping reading-frame paradox and an observed but unexplained preference in coding regions for a pyrimidine-purine at codon boundaries (Shepherd 1981; Jones and Kafatos 1982; Smith et al . 1983) are intimately linked . The codon boundary preference, which may be related to translation efficiency or accuracy, places constraints on the evolution of overlapping coding regions . These considerations may help identify actual coding regions in DNA sequences . We have analyzed five sequenced (enteric) bacterial insertion sequences for codon boundary incidences and reading-frame configurations and find that they are consistent with these proposed constraints. FEBS Lett, 1984 Mar 26, 168(2), 217 - 21 NAD-dependent, PQQ-containing methanol dehydrogenase: a bacterial dehydrogenase in a multienzyme complex; Duine JA et al.; Cell-free extracts of methanol-grown Nocardia sp . 239 only show significant dye-linked methanol-oxidizing activity when NAD+ is added to the assay mixture . This activity resides in a multienzyme complex which could be resolved into 3 components, namely the methanol dehydrogenase, NAD-dependent aldehyde dehydrogenase and NADH dehydrogenase . In its dissociated form, the methanol dehydrogenase no longer shows dye reduction and although rises in the absorbance values around 340 nm are seen on addition of methanol plus NAD+ to the enzyme, this is not due to NADH production . However, dye reduction (NAD dependent) could be restored on incubating methanol dehydrogenase with the corresponding NADH dehydrogenase, obtained from the enzyme complex . It is concluded that this novel methanol dehydrogenase transfers the reducing equivalents, derived from methanol, directly to its associated NADH dehydrogenase via a mechanism in which NAD+ and PQQ are involved. J Theor Biol, 1984 Mar 7, 107(1), 85 - 114 Structural studies on the bacterial cell wall peptidoglycan pseudomurein . I . Conformational energy calculations on the glycan strands in C1 conformation and comparison with murein; Leps B et al.; Conformational energy calculations have been used to explore the conformations which may be realized for the sugar moiety of murein and pseudomurein . For the building blocks of the pseudomurein sugar strands, i.e . for the monosaccharides beta-D-N-acetylglucosamine (NAG) and alpha-L-N-acetyltalosaminuronic acid (NAT), both in C1 ring conformation, as well as for their 1,3 and 1,4 linked disaccharides, the favoured conformations were obtained . The helical parameters of sugar strands of both linkage types, which describe the regular structure of the corresponding polysaccharides, poly-(1,3-NAT-NAG) and poly-(1,4-NAT-NAG), were calculated . Both types of polysaccharides poly-(NAG-NAT) considered in this study favoured extended conformations, which in the case of 1,3 linked polymers showed less gain of length per saccharide unit compared to 1,4 linked poly-(NAG-NAT) residues . For a 1,3 linked sugar moiety of pseudomurein every pair of neighbouring peptides attached to glycan chain pointed in favoured conformations approximately to opposite sides of the strands, whereas in a 1,4 linked poly-(NAG-NAT) the peptides protruded approximately to the same side of the glycan moiety . A comparison between pseudomurein and murein revealed that the sugar moieties of both peptidoglycans have similar features in respect to their overall structure, i.e . both favoured more or less extended structures . In contrast to these data the shapes of the resulting polysaccharide moieties were remarkably different . In poly-(1,3-NAG-NAT) the glycan chains possessed a zig-zag-like arrangement, whereas for glycan chains of the murein type relatively flat structures were preferred . These remaining differences in the conformational arrangement between both peptidoglycans depend strongly on the C1 chair conformation of NAT . It is, therefore, attractive to speculate about an hypothetical pseudomurein sugar chain configuration comprising beta-L-N-acetyltalosaminuronic acid in its 1C conformation. J Neurol Sci, 1984 Mar, 63(3), 339 - 44 C-reactive protein in serum and cerebrospinal fluid in various neurological disorders . Apparent local consumption during bacterial meningitis; Sindic CJ et al.; The level of C-reactive protein (CRP) was determined in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) by particle counting immunoassay . In non-neurological patients (N = 24), CRP was detectable only in 10 samples at concentrations ranging from 1.5 to 37 micrograms/l . The multiple sclerosis group did not differ from the controls . The highest CRP levels were found in viral and bacterial, including tuberculous, infections of the nervous system, with overlapping results for the various types of infections . However, in serum, the levels of CRP were much higher in pyogenic than in viral meningitis . We compared the CSF CRP/serum CRP ratio to the same ratio for albumin and found a significant correlation between the two ratios in viral, but not in bacterial, infections . These results suggest a local consumption of CRP during bacterial meningitis. J Can Assoc Radiol, 1984 Mar, 35(1), 52 - 5 The ultrasonographic diagnosis of bacterial ventriculitis in infancy: a technical note; Brown BS et al.; High resolution real-time ultrasound equipment used for clinical cerebral ultrasonography in neonates and infants can provide a measure of blood cell counts in varying dilutions . In the study described, the threshold of visualization of leukocytes was in the range of 500 cells/mm3 and for erythrocytes 10,000 cells/mm3 . The size, configuration, and nucleus of the leukocyte, compared with the erythrocyte, may explain this difference . Bacteria alone were not visualized up to a count of 5 X 10(8) per mm3 . Specimens of fluid-containing cells or bacteria show changes visible to the naked eye which can be confirmed ultrasonographically . However, the threshold for visualization is lower with the naked eye than with the ultrasonograph . J Can Assoc Radiol, 1984 Mar, 35(1), 47 - 51 The ultrasonographic diagnosis of bacterial meningitis and ventriculitis in infancy: six case reports; Brown BS et al.; Five infants with meningitis and ventriculitis, and a sixth patient with meningitis only are reported . In one hydrocephalic infant, infection of the central nervous system (CNS) was not suspected until cerebral ultrasonography revealed features of ventriculitis . It appears that in non-communicating hydrocephalus managed with a ventriculo-peritoneal (VP) shunt, infection may involve predominantly the "sequestered ventricles" rather than the spinal meninges . In four infants, bacterial meningitis had been proven but ventriculitis was not diagnosed until cerebral ultrasonography was performed . In a sixth neonate, E coli Kl meningitis was diagnosed and treated very early and cerebral ultrasonography showed involvement of the surface of the brain, but not the ventricles . The ultrasonographic features of bacterial ventriculitis and meningitis in infancy are: Increased echogenicity of the ventricular fluid, either in a fine homogeneous pattern, or with strand-like material and coarse particles . Increased echogenicity of the ependymal lining of the ventricles . Loss of definition of the surface of the choroid plexuses . Hydrocephalus, which may be progressive, with or without loculation of fluid . Abnormally wide and prominent cerebral sulci as a sign of meningitis . With treatment, the ventricular fluid became normal in a few days . The other abnormalities resolved more slowly . Hydrocephalus and fluid loculation were slowest to resolve . Ultrasonography has the potential for recognition of other complications such as subdural fluid collections and cerebral abscess. South Med J, 1984 Mar, 77(3), 396 - 9 Bacterial pseudomycosis (botryomycosis) in an otherwise normal child; Green EG et al.; We report what we believe to be the first case in the modern literature of botryomycosis occurring in an otherwise normal 22-month-old child . The term bacterial pseudomycosis is more descriptive of the true nature of the condition and more meaningful to the clinician. J Histochem Cytochem, 1984 Mar, 32(3), 299 - 304 Immunohistochemical and biochemical demonstration of the change in glycolipid composition of the intestinal epithelial cell surface in mice in relation to epithelial cell differentiation and bacterial association; Umesaki Y; We have previously demonstrated the appearance of fucosyl asialo-GM1 (FGA1) in the small-intestinal epithelial cells of germ-free mice via the induction of GDP-fucose: asialo-GM1 (GA1) alpha(1 leads to 2) fucosyltransferase (FT) after the conventionalization of these animals (Umesaki Y, Sakata T, Yajima T: Biochem Biophys Res Commun 105:439, 1982) . The present study, based on this earlier work, demonstrates the changes in the glycolipid antigens of the small-intestinal epithelial-cell membrane as shown immunohistochemically with specific antibodies raised against asialo GM1 (GA1) and FGA1 . In germ-free mice, GA1 was localized both in the villus cells and in the crypt cells . In the process of conventionalization, FGA1 appeared in the villus cells while the GA1 content of these cells was decreased . Four to 5 days after the conventionalization procedure, the fluorescence produced by anti-FGA1 was strongest in the villus cells, while that produced by anti-GA1 was detected only in the crypt cells . At this same time the FT activity of the small-intestinal mucosa was highest, with most of the GA1 apparently being converted into FGA1, as shown in the paper cited above . Thereafter, the GA1 content of both the villus and crypt cells again increased greatly . On the other hand, the fluorescence produced with anti-FGA1 decreased, and could no longer be detected 14 days after conventionalization . The activity of FT, measured biochemically in epithelial cells differentially isolated from the villus tip to the crypt, was greater in the villus than in the crypt region . This confirmed the intense staining with anti-FGA1 that was seen in villus cells . The fluorescence produced by the two anti-glycolipid antibodies used in the study distributed not only in the microvillus membrane but also to some extent in the basolateral membrane . The localization of the respective glycolipids contrasted with that of the glycoprotein sucrase--isomaltase enzyme complex, the fluorescence of which was exclusively confined to the microvillus-membrane side of the villus cells. Neurology, 1984 Mar, 34(3), 269 - 75 Bacterial infections of the CNS in neutropenic patients; Lukes SA et al.; In neutropenic patients, fever and mental status changes are frequently the only overt clinical manifestations of bacterial infections of the CNS . Prominent headache and meningeal signs are exceptional . CNS infections may occur even in patients receiving large doses of broad-spectrum antibiotics . CSF culture and Gram's stain are required to establish or exclude the diagnosis and are often positive, even in patients receiving antibiotics for other indications . The CSF cell counts and chemistries are helpful if abnormal, but, when normal, provide no assurance that infection is not present . The CSF glucose can be lowered in the absence of pleocytosis, but a low CSF glucose is neither sensitive (27% in this series) nor specific . Lumbar puncture is hazardous in many neutropenic patients because of simultaneous thrombocytopenia; lumbar puncture should be performed by an experienced physician after platelet transfusions . The outcome of CNS infection depends on the underlying clinical disorder and on bone marrow recovery . The use of third-generation cephalosporins, new semisynthetic penicillins, and intrathecal administration of aminoglycosides may improve outcome. Jpn J Surg, 1984 Mar, 14(2), 163 - 6 Antitumor effects of bacterial lipopolysaccharide and tumor necrosis factor in mice; Moriya N et al.; The effects of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) against tumor growth and on cellular immunity were studied in comparison with those of tumor necrosis factor (TNF) . LPS and TNF, which were administered into mice with tumors, induced hemorrhagic necrosis within 48 hours after the initiation of the treatment . LPS and TNF significantly inhibited the tumor growth, as compared with findings in the controls . There was no significant difference in inhibitory effect on tumor growth between mice treated with LPS or TNF once or twice . Both LPS and TNF prevented the decrease of delayed type hypersensitivity in the tumor bearing mice. Diabetes Care, 1984 Mar-Apr, 7(2), 121 - 7 Traditional insulin-use practices and the incidence of bacterial contamination and infection; Borders LM et al.; While complex procedures are usually recommended to prevent infection at insulin injection sites, adherence to these procedures is imperfect and their value incompletely established . Among 254 adult insulin users in two clinic populations, the reported prevalence of complete performance of four traditional insulin-use practices (handwashing, vial prep, skin prep, discarding of plastic syringes after one use) was 29%, and none of the individual practices considered was performed regularly by more than two-thirds of the subjects . Even so, there was no infection at 2828 injection sites, and there was no significant bacterial contamination of insulin or syringes . These findings fail to support the view that traditional practices provide protection to insulin users against infection or bacterial growth in insulin or syringes . The authors suggest that modification of traditional teaching methods would do no harm, and that benefits could include financial savings, improved client success with self-care, and enhanced health care provider credibility. Ann Microbiol (Paris), 1984 Mar-Apr, 135A(2), 271 - 95 {Oscillations in population densities of the bacterial prey-predator couple Escherichia coli-Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus: experimental study and theoretical model}; Dulos E et al.; Oscillations in population densities in the bacterial predator-prey Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus-Escherichia coli system were investigated both experimentally and theoretically . Experimental conditions for observing (damped) oscillations were first determined in a closed system and then used in an open system, i.e . in a chemostat, when an adequate flux of nutritive medium was added . The experimentally observed oscillations were always unstable with poorly reproducible amplitude and period . A theoretical model was used in order to explain this behaviour . It was first presented and satisfactorily tested for the same bacterial couple operating in a closed system, and allowed an experimental determination of its kinetic parameters . When adapted to open system conditions, it yielded computer-simulations which showed oscillations of the population densities in good agreement with those experimentally observed . It also showed that stable oscillations were not possible, the only "focus" in the predator-prey-density plane being an unstable one with no surrounding limit cycle. J Hosp Infect, 1984 Mar, 5(1), 70 - 5 Bacterial contamination of the blood compartment originating from the dialysate in haemodialysers; Kolmos HJ; Micro-organisms originating from the dialysate compartment invaded the blood compartment of ' Rhodial RP6 ' haemodialysers in 16 out of 639 dialyses investigated (2.5 per cent) . Analysis of the data suggested that the probable access of bacteria to the blood compartment was by way of minor defects in the dialysis membrane . The patients experienced no obvious symptoms or signs of sepsis which could be ascribed to the presence of micro-organisms in the blood compartment. J Hosp Infect, 1984 Mar, 5(1), 50 - 5 Studies on the mode of bacterial contamination of an operating theatre corridor floor; Nagai I et al.; Bacterial contamination of the floor of a corridor leading into an operating theatre suite was studied in relation to the site chosen for changing footwear . Recovery of bacteria showed a peak at the site of exchange of footwear, and decreased with increasing distance from the site . When the site of exchange was moved further aw