Quad Sclavo Diagn, 1984 Jun, 20(2), 181 - 6 {Concept of class in relation to first-generation cephalosporins}; De Toffoli A et al.; The authors consider differences in answer of the first generation cephalosporins against several strains of Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria, and suggest a revision of the "class" concept as regards sensitivity response of the above mentioned cephalosporins. J Clin Microbiol, 1984 Jun, 19(6), 818 - 25 Rapid, inexpensive method for specific detection of microbial beta-lactamases by detection of fluorescent end products; Chen KC et al.; A rapid method was developed for specific detection of microbial beta-lactamases which uses ampicillin and cephalexin as substrates . The end products (open beta-lactam ring forms) generated after separately incubating either substrate with beta-lactamase-producing organisms initially were separated from the unhydrolyzed substrates by high-voltage electrophoresis at pH 2.1 . The end products of both antibiotics were highly fluorescent and could be analyzed visually and semiquantitatively under a long-wave UV lamp . Application of 5 microliters of the same incubation mixture onto filter paper without subsequent electrophoretic separation also resulted in development of fluorescence after brief heating at 120 degrees C for 5 min . This spot test differentiates penicillinase activity from cephalosporinase activity and distinguishes between beta-lactamase and acylase activities, since the end products of acylase {the common side chain, D(-)-alpha-aminophenylacetic acid, and the intact beta-lactam nuclei, 6-aminopenicillanic acid and 7-aminodeacetoxycephalosporanic acid} are not fluorescent . This method was relatively rapid, inexpensive, and more sensitive than the chromogenic cephalosporin (nitrocefin) method when 21 strains of 7 gram-positive species and 77 strains of 29 gram-negative species of bacteria were tested. J Biochem (Tokyo), 1984 Jun, 95(6), 1559 - 67 Regulation of Mycobacterium smegmatis glutamine synthetase by adenylylation; Kimura K et al.; Glutamine synthetase from a Gram-positive acid-fast bacterium, Mycobacterium smegmatis, was purified to homogeneity from cells grown with glycerol-bouillon medium . Electron micrographs of the enzyme revealed a dodecameric arrangement of its subunits in two superimposed hexagonal rings, similar to the structure of glutamine synthetase of Escherichia coli . Disc electrophoresis in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulfate indicated a subunit molecular weight of 56,000 . The sedimentation coefficient of the native enzyme was estimated to be 19.4S by ultracentrifugation in a sucrose gradient . Like the E . coli enzyme, the glutamine synthetase from M . smegmatis is regulated by adenylylation/deadenylylation . This conclusion was based on studies of the effect of snake venom phosphodiesterase treatment on the catalytic and spectral properties of the isolated enzyme . The AMP released from the enzyme by the phosphodiesterase was identified by thin-layer chromatography . Despite the structural similarity of both enzymes, striking differences were found between the catalytic properties of M . smegmatis and E . coli glutamine synthetases . The divalent cation specificity of the M . smegmatis enzyme was not altered by adenylylation of the enzyme, and deadenylylation of the enzyme caused a significant increase in the specific activities for both biosynthetic and transfer reactions with either Mg2+ or Mn2+. Arch Microbiol, 1984 May, 138(1), 15 - 7 Isolation and partial characterization of plasmid DNA from Arthrobacter oxidans; Brandsch R et al.; A method for the extraction of the high molecular weight plasmid AO 1 from the gram-positive soil bacterium Arthrobacter oxidans is presented . Following digestion of this DNA with the restriction endonucleases AccI, Bam HI, Eco RI and Hind III, an average molecular mass of 157.8 kb was estimated . This value is in good agreement with the 160 kb size determined previously by electron microscopy (Brandsch et al . 1982) . Using the same method, no plasmid DNA was found in strains of the genus Arthrobacter which do not degrade nicotine, e.g., A . albidus, A . globiformis and A . auricans. Pathol Biol (Paris), 1984 May, 32(5), 338 - 42 {Can fosfomycin reduce the nephrotoxicity of aminoglycosides?}; Morin JP et al.; Fosfomycin is an active antibiotic on Gram positive and Gram negative bacteria with a low toxicity in animals . To treat severe infections, it is recommended to associate fosfomycin with gentamicin . Wistar rats were given one of the following regimens for eight days : 100, 500 or 1 000 mg/kg fosfomycin, 50 mg/kg gentamicin or dibekacin, association of 100, 500, or 1 000 mg/kg fosfomycin and 50 mg/kg gentamicin or dibekacin . Control rats were given a saline solution . No renal histological alterations were identified with fosfomycin 100 mg/kg . Tubular dilatation and brush border rarefaction were observed with fosfomycin 500 and 1 000 mg/kg . These abnormalities did not seem related to fosfomycin itself but rather to the sodium load induced by fosfomycin treatment . A decrease in alanine aminopeptidase activity was noted for all doses of fosfomycin . Renal concentrations of gentamicin and dibekacin were not decreased by concomitant administration of fosfomycin . Fosfomycin, 100 mg/kg, did not change the nephrotoxic potential of gentamicin or dibekacin . Fosfomycin, 500 mg/kg, protected the kidney from the action of gentamicin or dibekacin . This effect seemed to be more pronounced for dibekacin than for gentamicin . Fosfomycin, 1 000 mg/kg, did not induce a more protective effect against the nephrotoxicity of these two aminoglycosides . Thus, we observed that fosfomycin combined with gentamicin or dibekacin reduced the degree of proximal tubular cell alterations, induced less modifications in alanine aminopeptidase, less lysosomal alterations, and a minor modification in sphingomyelinase activity. Clin Exp Immunol, 1984 May, 56(2), 253 - 62 Analysis of in vitro polyclonal B cell differentiation responses to bacterial peptidoglycan and pokeweed mitogen in rheumatoid arthritis; Pardo I et al.; To gain insight into possible determinants of in vivo polyclonal B cell activation seen in rheumatoid arthritis (RA), we enumerated immunoglobulin secreting cells appearing in cultures of peripheral blood mononuclear cells that were stimulated with pokeweed mitogen (PWM) or a newly described polyclonal B cell activator, bacterial peptidoglycan . Peptidoglycan, the major constituent of the cell wall of gram positive bacteria, has properties which warrant its consideration in the pathogenesis of RA; including the ability to induce rheumatoid factor production as well as a RA like syndrome in experimental animals . RA patients as a group had similar immunoglobulin secreting cell responses in PWM stimulated cultures compared to arthritis controls and showed moderately depressed responses compared to healthy volunteers . However, their in vitro responses to peptidoglycan were markedly depressed when compared to those of both control groups . Of note, severely reduced peptidoglycan-induced responses were seen in 26 of 55 rheumatoid patients who demonstrated intact PWM-induced responses . These impaired responses to peptidoglycan were not due to (1) aberrant kinetic response; (2) shift in the dose-response pattern; (3) decreased cell survival in culture or (4) the inability of peptidoglycan to activate RA cells . Cell fractionation studies indicated that peptidoglycan reactive B cells were present in the blood of some patients but their reactivity was abrogated by suppressor T cells . These studies provide evidence of aberrant in vitro polyclonal B cell activation in patients with RA and provide a basis for further investigation of peptidoglycan as an immunopathogenetic agent in this disease. J Antibiot (Tokyo), 1984 Apr, 37(4), 303 - 8 Studies on a new antibiotic FR-900336 taxonomy, isolation and characterization; Hino M et al.; A new lipophilic antibiotic, FR-900336 was isolated from a culture of Streptomyces sioyaensis subsp . tanegashimaensis . FR-900336 is light yellow and has a molecular formula C30H30NO13C1 . The characterization by IR, UV, 1H NMR and 13C NMR spectra makes a quinone structure very probable . FR-900336 is active against Gram-positive bacteria and fungi. Biochimie, 1984 Apr, 66(4), 319 - 30 Polar lipids from the radiation resistant bacterium Deinococcus radiodurans: structural investigations on glucosaminyl and N-acetyl glucosaminyl lipids; Carbonneau MA et al.; Deinococcus radiodurans, although a gram-positive bacterium, has a complex cell wall with multiple layers and associates to this structural particularity, a quite unusual lipid composition for gram-positive bacteria . The conventional phospholipids (phosphatidyl ethanolamine, phosphatidyl choline, phosphatidyl glycerol...) are absent . Among the nine polar lipids detected in the R1 Anderson strain, three are glycolipids only one is a phospholipid, the other ones are glycophospholipids . One of the latter compounds contains one free amino group . Analysis by aminoacid autoanalyser enables to identify glucosamine in one glycolipid and in two glycophospholipids . Sugar analysis by gas-liquid chromatography after acid methanolysis and trifluoroacetylation, reveals the occurrence of N-acetyl glucosaminyl residues in one glycolipid and in one phospholipid . The following identification for the two lipids of D . radiodurans is proposed: phosphatidyl glucosaminyl glycerol and phosphatidyl N-acetyl glucosaminyl glycerol. Am J Med, 1984 Mar 30, 76(3A), 91 - 100 Synergy between acylureidopenicillins and immunoglobulin G in experimental animals; Dalhoff A; The interaction of a commercially available 7S modified immunoserumglobulin and beta-lactam antibiotics was studied in animal experiments (granuloma pouch model) as well as an ex vivo system (rat polyvinyl sponge model) . Infections of the pouches were caused by gram-negative rods and gram-positive cocci, respectively . Therapy of pouches being infected with beta-lactamase-producing strains with beta-lactam antibiotics and immunoserumglobulin was as effective as beta-lactam antibiotic monotherapy of beta-lactamase-negative strains . This synergistic effect between immunoserumglobulin and beta-lactam antibiotics against beta-lactamase-producing bacteria is due to inactivation of enzymic beta-lactamase activity by specific antibodies against beta-lactamases . Immune phagocytosis was studied by adopting the in vivo and ex vivo models, respectively . Immune phagocytosis was most effectively stimulated by immunoserumglobulin whereas a pepsin-degraded product or a preparation obtained by pH4 treatment caused only minor effects . Furthermore, immunoserumglobulin stimulated phagocytosis and intracellular killing of gram-negative bacteria even in the absence of specific antibodies against these strains . Analogous effects were obtained with spermidine and albumin . These results indicate that immunoserumglobulin may stimulate phagocytosis nonspecifically, too . Thus, immunoserumglobulin may play a dual role in host defense mechanisms; in addition immunoserumglobulin acts as a beta-lactamase inhibitor, thus protecting beta-lactam antibiotics from hydrolysis. Ann Surg, 1984 Jan, 199(1), 101 - 3 Necrotizing fasciitis . A serious sequela of omphalitis in the newborn; Lally KP et al.; We reviewed all cases of omphalitis seen at Childrens Hospital of Los Angeles from 1961 to 1981 . One hundred and forty patients were seen and, of these, eight had necrotizing fasciitis . All patients with necrotizing fasciitis acquired omphalitis at home, making the incidence of necrotizing fasciitis over 10% in patients with community acquired omphalitis . Most of the infants appeared relatively well on admission with no fever but had a marked leukocytosis . The disease rapidly spread to involve most of the abdominal wall over a period of several hours to days . Seven of the eight patients died (87.5%) . Five patients were operated upon but despite extensive resection of involved tissue, four died within 24 hours of surgery . A polymicrobial flora of both gram positive and gram negative bacteria was recovered in all patients cultured . The high incidence of necrotizing fasciitis following omphalitis in the newborn with its attendant morbidity and mortality mandates close observation of these infants with early surgical intervention if there is any question of the diagnosis. Scand J Urol Nephrol Suppl, 1984, 86, 59 - 64 Light and electron microscopic studies of anaerobic curved bacteria isolated from the vagina; Skarin A et al.; Twenty strains of anaerobic curved rods isolated from vaginal secretion were studied with light and transmission electron microscopy . Ten of the strains were of a short (approx . 1.5 microns) Gram-variable type, while ten were of a long (approx . 3 microns) Gram-negative type . The former had one to four flagella and the latter between one and eight . The flagella originated from the concave aspect of the cells . Thin sections of both types of bacteria revealed an approximately 30 nm thick cell wall with no outer membrane, similar to that of most Gram-positive bacteria . An electron-dense zone in the middle of the cell wall, atypical of Gram-positive bacteria, was found, however . Amorphous and electron-translucent cytoplasmic inclusions, not membrane-enclosed, were detected . These inclusions stained metachromatically with Albert's stain. Clin Ther, 1984, 7(1), 69 - 72 Intravenous immune globulin therapy for antibody immunodeficiency; Savery F; High doses of intravenous immune globulin produced meaningful clinical responses in three patients with altered immune function . One patient had a history of repeated infection with gram-positive pneumococci, another patient had second-degree burns and previously undiagnosed chronic leukemia of unknown etiology, and the third patient had frequent infections of the intestinal tract with symptoms of malabsorption and gluten intolerance . All three of the cases are examples of antibody immunodeficiency . After receiving intravenous immune globulin, all three patients experienced complete remission of infection. J Antibiot (Tokyo), 1984 Jan, 37(1), 13 - 9 A macrocyclic antibiotic M-230B produced by Myxococcus xanthus . Isolation and characterization; Onishi N et al.; Myxococcus xanthus strain M516E produced at least three related antibiotics against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria . From physico-chemical properties, a main component was identical to myxovirescin A and a second component, designated M-230B was found to be an antibiotic which is closely related to myxovirescin A . The structure of M-230B was determined from its physico-chemical properties, especially from 13C NMR spectrum as compared with that of myxovirescin A . The addition of alcohol, such as isobutyl alcohol, to the culture medium markedly stimulated production of the antibiotics. Circ Shock, 1984, 14(4), 209 - 22 Protective effects and role of endotoxin in experimental septicemia; Urbaschek B et al.; An experimental model was used in mice in which septicemia develops following invasion of the animals' own intestinal flora after cecal ligation and puncture . Pretreatment with 1 microgram of endotoxin administered 24 hours before surgery significantly reduced the rate of lethality . Bacteria were counted and differentiated in cardiac blood at various times throughout a 48-hour period after induction of septicemia in mice, with and without pretreatment . Endotoxin levels and plasma-related interference of the Limulus-amebocyte-lysate (LAL)-endotoxin reaction also were determined as were hematologic and metabolic parameters . A shift from mixed gram-positive and gram-negative to predominantly gram-negative bacteria occurred in both groups . In pretreated mice, a reduction in aerobic bacterial counts and reduced hyperglycemia were seen in the initial phase; and a decrease in anaerobic and aerobic bacteria and in endotoxin levels were observed at the end of the experiment . This appears to be related to endotoxin-induced increased resistance against the consequences of intraabdominal sepsis . These studies also indicate that the measured amount of circulating endotoxin does not necessarily correlate to the severeness of infection . Individual differences in plasma-related interference with the LAL-endotoxin reaction also emphasize the requirement for sample-internal standardization in order to reliably quantify endotoxin in plasma. Annu Rev Microbiol, 1984, 38, 339 - 57 The structure and mode of action of glycopeptide antibiotics of the vancomycin group; Barna JC et al.; It has been shown that after more than two decades of work on the structure and mode of action of the vancomycin group of antibiotics we have quite a detailed picture of aspects of their binding in vitro . Our introduction has indicated that these antibiotics are of continuing practical importance, whether in clinical use or animal husbandry . It is clear, however, that if one desires to modify these compounds to produce more effective antibiotic agents, more work is required--particularly to understand better the role of the sugar moieties . Nevertheless, with our present knowledge of the structure and mode of action of the antibiotics we can be fairly confident that they represent a group of compounds specifically evolved to aid the survival of the producing organisms by killing or inactivating competing gram-positive bacteria. Cancer, 1983 Dec 15, 52(12), 2342 - 8 Occlusion and infection in Broviac catheters during intensive cancer therapy; Lazarus HM et al.; Before administration of intensive cytotoxic therapy, 90 central venous catheters were inserted into 80 patients with malignancies . Twenty-seven episodes of bacteremia and fungemia occurred during 96 treatment courses . The majority of these infections were due to gram-positive bacteria (45%) or fungi (22%), although gram-negative organisms accounted for 33% . Catheter occlusion occurred in patients receiving intravenous phenytoin, but blood products could be infused without difficulty . An increase in gram-positive bacteremias in patients with these catheters and drug-induced catheter occlusion must now be appreciated. J Antibiot (Tokyo), 1983 Dec, 36(12), 1651 - 8 The myxopyronins, new inhibitors of bacterial RNA synthesis from Myxococcus fulvus (Myxobacterales); Irschik H et al.; From the culture supernatant of the myxobacterium, Myxococcus fulvus strain Mx f50, an antibiotic activity was isolated which blocked growth of many Gram-positive and several Gram-negative bacteria, but not of yeasts and fungi . The activity consisted of two closely related compounds, myxopyronins A and B . The myxopyronins appear to be new antibiotics, and seem to specifically inhibit bacterial RNA polymerase. J Gen Microbiol, 1983 Dec, 129 ( Pt 12), 3565 - 73 A new channel-forming antibiotic from Streptomyces coelicolor A3(2) which requires calcium for its activity; Lakey JH et al.; A recently discovered antibiotic (CDA; calcium-dependent antibiotic) of Streptomyces coelicolor A3(2) was found to be effective against a wide range of Gram-positive bacteria only in the presence of calcium ions . Producer and non-producer strains were identified and several media tested for their ability to support antibiotic production . The action of calcium was not simulated by any of the other cations tested . The antibiotic was found to induce discrete conductance fluctuations in planar lipid bilayer consistent with a channel-forming action . The electrical potential difference caused by a concentration difference of various salts across the CDA-containing bilayer, showed the channel to be cation-selective but of a size that discriminated against tetramethyl ammonium and choline ions . The data indicate that the antibiotic activity of CDA is due to its action as a calcium-dependent ionophore. Ann Trop Paediatr, 1983 Dec, 3(4), 193 - 6 Use of buffy-coat smears in the diagnosis of septicaemia in children; Nkrumah FK et al.; Gram-stained buffy-coat smears from venous and capillary blood samples in 105 children suspected of septicaemia were examined for the presence of bacteria and the results compared with blood culture isolates . Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria were identified in 18 venous (44%) and 19 capillary (46%) buffy-coat preparations in 41 instances where bacterial organisms were isolated from the blood cultures . It is concluded that the examination of buffy-coat smears for bacteria in children suspected of septicaemia is a useful adjunct to blood cultures and, in areas where no facilities exist for culture of blood, may be a simple and rapid method of establishing the diagnosis of bacteraemia in suspected patients. Klin Wochenschr, 1983 Nov 2, 61(21), 1075 - 9 Overwhelming infection after splenectomy in spite of some spleen remaining and splenosis . A case report; Sass W et al.; A fatal case of overwhelming postsplenectomy pneumococcal sepsis is presented occurring in a 37-year-old female 11 years after removal of the spleen because of traumatic rupture . The patient died 11 h after admission to hospital and about 32 h after sudden onset of illness . At necropsy splenic tissue, splenosis, disseminated intravascular coagulation, and thrombi within the arterioles consisting of gram-positive cocci and adrenal hemorrhage were found . The clinical, laboratory, and postmortem findings are described . Reports had been published of 41 other cases of overwhelming postsplenectomy infection (OPSI) in patients aged 20 years or more, but only three of these cases of OPSI syndrome occurred in spite of remaining splenic tissue . The longest interval between extirpation of spleen and subsequent sepsis was 42 years, indicating a small but lifelong risk of severe infection in asplenic patients . In view of the literature, the role of spleen in infection defence, the splenic function in blood clearance, and the prevention of postsplenectomy infections by antibiotic prophylaxis, pneumococcal vaccine, and reimplantation of autochthonous splenic tissue or infrared contact coagulation are discussed. Clin Pharmacol Ther, 1983 Nov, 34(5), 631 - 7 Vancomycin kinetics during continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis; Bunke CM et al.; To establish therapeutic guidelines for vancomycin usage in patients receiving continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD), we studied single-dose kinetics of vancomycin in CAPD patients . Vancomycin was studied after a 10-mg/kg dose was given intravenously (VAN-IV) or intraperitoneally (VAN-IP) . VAN-IV provided a plasma concentration above 10 mg/l at 12 hr, with a t 1/2 of 81 hr . When VAN-IP was given, 65% was absorbed; peak plasma concentrations were only 6.3 mg/l, and t 1/2 was 66 hr . CAPD accounted for only 15% to 17% of total body clearance in both groups . The kinetic principle of superposition was used to predict plasma concentrations after repeated VAN-IP doses . A model with once-a-day dosing predicted that a loading dose of 30 mg/kg followed by 7 mg/kg would achieve steady-state plasma concentrations of 11 to 14.8 mg/l . Another model with vancomycin in each exchange predicted that a loading dose of 30 mg/kg followed by 1.5 mg/kg would provide plasma concentrations in excess of 10 mg/l at 180 hr . These data should be useful in vancomycin treatment of CAPD patients who have nonperitoneal gram-positive bacterial infections, as well as those who have peritonitis. J Clin Periodontol, 1983 Nov, 10(6), 609 - 17 Bacterial invasion of the periodontium; an important factor in the pathogenesis of periodontitis? Allenspach-Petrzilka GE, Guggenheim B. Tissue samples from 2 humans suffering from severe periodontitis were investigated by transmission electron microscopy . Confirming earlier observations in gnotobiotic rats, bacteria were found in various regions of gingival tissues . We observed bacteria invading the pocket epithelium, the underlying connective tissue, and microorganisms were also present deep in the connective tissue . The bacterial invasion of the periodontium was accompanied by different stages of tissue degradation . Various morphologically distinct types of Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria were evident . These microorganisms were found in the apical part of the periodontium . More coronally, a heavy infiltrate consisting predominantly of plasma cells was present . It is suggested that bacteria cannot invade regions of connective tissue protected by a massive cellular infiltrate . It seems that they rather circumvent this strong defense by penetrating more apically through the pocket epithelium while producing as camouflage leukochemophobic compounds which paralyze the chemotactically regulated mobile defense . It seems to us that bacterial invasion is a consistent feature of advanced periodontitis, leading to focal necrosis or microabscesses, and may well explain the cyclic nature of this disease. Farmaco {Sci}, 1983 Nov, 38(11), 877 - 83 Synthesis and biological activity of some di(nitrothienyl)- and di(acetylaminothienyl)sulfones; Ronsisvalle G et al.; Some new di(nitrothienyl)- and di(acetylaminothienyl)sulfones were synthesized . Compounds (I)-(VI) were active against several Gram-positive bacteria, in vitro . Di(5-acetylamino-2-thienyl)sulfone (VII) showed a mild antimalarial activity against a drug-sensitive strain of P . berghei in mice. Arch Ophthalmol, 1983 Nov, 101(11), 1749 - 52 Intrastromal noninflammatory bacterial colonization of a corneal graft; Gorovoy MS et al.; Progressive branching, needlelike stromal opacities were observed within a corneal transplant . Analysis of the corneal button by light microscopy and transmission electron microscopy disclosed a localized epithelial ingrowth into the stroma at a suture tract accompanied by intrastromal pockets of gram-positive cocci extending across the cornea . No inflammatory reaction was found in the areas of bacterial colonization . To our knowledge, noninflammatory bacterial colonization of the stroma of a corneal transplant has not been previously described. Hoppe Seylers Z Physiol Chem, 1983 Nov, 364(11), 1627 - 30 {Occurrence of pydixaminephosphate oxidase and pyridoxal kinase in Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria}; Pflug W et al.; Pyridoxamine-phosphate oxidase and pyridoxal kinase were detected in Gram-negative bacteria . In Gram-positive bacteria, generally only pyridoxal kinase is detectable. Transplantation, 1983 Nov, 36(5), 491 - 5 Infections after bone marrow transplantation using cyclosporine; Kay HE et al.; The incidence of infection in 86 consecutive patients having bone marrow transplantation for acute or chronic myeloid leukemia, in a protocol in which cyclosporine was the main immunosuppressant, was low . Severe bacterial infections were infrequent and mostly caused by gram-positive cocci but early bacterial infection was often associated with severe graft-versus-host disease . Fungal infections were prevented by nystatin and amphotericin thus avoiding the difficult combination of cyclosporine and ketaconazole . Viral infections were no more common than in other series but, in patients with mismatched grafts, they tended to be associated with neurological complications clinically diagnosed as encephalitis. J Bacteriol, 1983 Nov, 156(2), 837 - 45 Chemical mechanism of the Gram stain and synthesis of a new electron-opaque marker for electron microscopy which replaces the iodine mordant of the stain; Davies JA et al.; Crystal violet (hexamethyl-para-rosaniline chloride) interacts with aqueous KI-I2 during the Gram stain via a simple metathetical anion exchange to produce a chemical precipitate . There is an apparent 1:1 stoichiometry between anion (I-) and cation (hexamethyl-para-rosaniline+) during the reaction and, since the small chloride anion is replaced by the bulkier iodide, the complex formed becomes insoluble in water . It is this same precipitate which forms in the cellular substance of bacteria (both gram-positive and gram-negative types) and which initiates the Gram reaction . Potassium trichloro(eta 2-ethylene)-platinum(II), as an electronopaque marker for electron microscopy, was chemically synthesized, and it produced an anion in aqueous solution which was compatible with crystal violet for the Gram stain . It interacted with crystal violet in a similar manner as iodide to produce an insoluble complex which was chemically and physically analogous to the dye-iodide precipitate . This platinum anion therefore allows the Gram staining mechanism to be followed by electron microscopy. J Antibiot (Tokyo), 1983 Oct, 36(10), 1263 - 7 Pyrrolomycins C, D and E, new members of pyrrolomycins; Ezaki N et al.; Pyrrolomycins C, D and E, new members of pyrrolomycins produced by Actinosporangium vitaminophilum SF-2080, have been isolated by chromatography on a basic alumina column . Three antibiotics have chlorinated pyrrole nuclei linked directly or via carbonyl function to the dichlorophenol moiety . Pyrrolomycins C and E are active against Gram-positive bacteria, while the spectrum of pyrrolomycin D is broad including Gram-positive, Gram-negative bacteria and fungi. J Antibiot (Tokyo), 1983 Oct, 36(10), 1275 - 8 Isolation and characterization of a novel polyether antibiotic of the pyrrolether class, antibiotic X-14885A; Westley JW et al.; Antibiotic X-14885A is a polyether antibiotic belonging to the class of these natural acid ionophores known as pyrrolethers . The structure of the antibiotic was elucidated by X-ray crystallographic analysis of the hydrated sodium salt, which crystallized as a tetramer containing four antibiotic and water molecules and four atoms of sodium . Antibiotic X-14885A differs from the most well-known member of the class, A-23187, in two respects: the aromatic N-methylamino group present in the latter is replaced by a phenolic hydroxyl, and one of the four aliphatic methyls is replaced by a proton . Antibiotic X-14885A is active against Gram-positive bacteria and the spirochete, Treponema hyodysenteriae. Infect Immun, 1983 Oct, 42(1), 318 - 25 Characterization of surfaces involved in adherence of Legionella pneumophila to Fischerella species; Bohach GA et al.; Legionella pneumophila adheres to the slime coat of Fischerella spp . This was shown by microscopic examination and by a decline in L . pneumophila CFU in samples removed from coincubation mixtures of both organisms . Binding of partially purified Fischerella slime by L . pneumophila was most efficient by young, less hydrophobic L . pneumophila cells than by older, more hydrophobic cells . Uptake of crystal violet and partitioning into hexadecane were used to measure hydrophobicity of L . pneumophila . Purified soluble Legionella antigen also bound to Fischerella slime, as shown by indirect immunofluorescence . Adherence was not specific for L . pneumophila, since a variety of gram-negative, gram-positive, and acid-fast bacteria also bound to Fischerella slime. Zentralbl Bakteriol Mikrobiol Hyg {B}, 1983 Oct, 178(3), 263 - 79 {Qualitative and quantitative determination of bacterial populations in aquatic habitats . 6 . Germ regrowth and drinking water}; Dott W; Regrowth of bacteria in the sphere of drinking water is dependent on time (stagnation of the water in the distribution system) and on the absence or inefficiency of disinfectants e.g . chlorine and chlorinedioxid . Traceable amounts of assimilable organic carbon are not a presupposition for the multiplication of the bacteria . Even in bidistilled water growth of bacteria could be observed . Under laboratory conditions it was shown that the number of bacteria increased to 10(4) per ml after a 4-days-incubation at 20 degrees C . In particular the multiplication is concerned with the autochton bacterial flora of the water e.g . pseudomonas species . As a result of the identification of the bacteria it was observed that the increase number of bacteria was accompanied by a decrease of individual species . After 6-days'-incubation of the water samples pseudomonas-species like P . fluorescens and P . cepacia were the predominating bacterial forms . The number of Gram-positive bacteria decreased significantly during incubation. Hand, 1983 Oct, 15(3), 335 - 40 Butcher's knife wounds, are they really so contaminated? de Boer A, van Saene HK, Smit MP. The aerobic flora found in wounds caused by butcher's knives was compared with the flora in similar wounds caused by other sharp objects . Gram-positive bacteria predominated in the wounds caused by butcher's knives while the other cuts were colonised predominantly by Gram-negative flora . Identically low concentrations of colonising bacteria were found in both groups . The qualitative analysis provided no bacteriological argument for treating a wound from a butcher's knife as being more infected and therefore produced no contraindication for the primary reconstruction of damaged structures (i.e., tendons and nerves) together with skin closure in this type of injury. Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1983 Oct, 24(4), 529 - 32 Pharmacokinetics of ceftriaxone in patients with renal failure and in those undergoing hemodialysis; Cohen D et al.; The pharmacokinetic parameters of ceftriaxone in eight patients with end-stage renal disease were determined during dialysis and during the interdialysis period . The mean half-life, clearance, and apparent volume of distribution during dialysis were 16 h, 722 ml/h, and 16.7 liters, respectively . During the interdialysis period, the half-life was 14 h, clearance was 739 ml/h, and volume of distributions was 14 liters . Individual variability in plasma concentrations occurred even in patients with apparently normal hepatic function . Based on these parameters, a dose of 1 g every 24 h would yield concentrations in excess of the concentrations needed to inhibit most gram-positive and gram-negative aerobic species. Antibiotiki, 1983 Oct, 28(10), 723 - 8 {New species of actinomycete Streptomyces variegatus sp . nov . synthesizing an antibiotic of the alpha-hydroxyketopentaene group}; Sveshnikova MA et al.; Stroptomyces strains INA T-511 and INA 3946 were isolated from 2 different soil samples . Both the strains produced an antibiotic of the group of alpha-hydroxyketopentaenes . The antibiotic was active against gram-positive bacteria, yeasts and fungi belonging to Penicillium . In addition, the strains produced a pigment antibiotic of the prodigiosin type and a pigment identified as ferroverdin . The study of the cultural and morphological features and the natural variation of the strains has shown that they belong to a new species, designated as Streptomyces variegatus sp . nov . Sveshnikova et Timuk. Antibiotiki, 1983 Sep, 28(9), 643 - 7 {Formation of an antibiotic of the siomycin group by a Streptomyces corchorusii 1401 culture}; Gauze GF et al.; Streptomycete 1401 inhibiting the growth of gram-positive organisms was isolated from a soil sample in the screening of new antibiotics . By its cultural and morphological properties the culture was classified as Str . corchorusii . An antibiotic complex was isolated from the mycelium of the culture . The main component of the complex was shown to belong to the antibiotics of the siomycin group. Can Med Assoc J, 1983 Sep 1, 129(5), 449 - 53 {Development of the risk of infection in the child with leukemia}; Lutz P et al.; Infection is the leading cause of illness and death in children with leukemia . The risk of infection may change over time as regimens of therapy are modified . A review of the hospital charts of 166 infants in whom leukemia had been diagnosed between 1976 and 1980 revealed an increased number of deep fungal infections (20 v . 3) during this period in comparison with the number between 1969 and 1976 in 164 patients treated at the same hospital whose leukemia was diagnosed between 1969 and 1975 . The 20 severe fungal infections between 1976 and 1980 were characterized by difficulty of diagnosis (a definite diagnosis having been made three times out of four only at autopsy), an important role of Candida but also of Aspergillus (the latter having been isolated almost as often as the former) and a grave prognosis (the mortality being very high {75%} and much above that for gram-positive septicemia {6%} and that for gram-negative septicemia {31%}) . This increase in frequency of fungal infections was concurrent with the introduction of phase-1 chemotherapy, which was often responsible for prolonged neutropenia . To reduce the risk of infection in children with leukemia it appears to be essential to improve diagnostic methods and approaches to therapy. J Antibiot (Tokyo), 1983 Sep, 36(9), 1150 - 6 The myxalamids, new antibiotics from Myxococcus xanthus (Myxobacterales) . I . Production, physico-chemical and biological properties, and mechanism of action; Gerth K et al.; From the cell mass and culture supernatant of Myxococcus xanthus strain Mx X12 an antibiotic activity against yeasts, molds and some Gram-positive bacteria could be extracted . It consisted of 4 biologically active compounds which were named myxalamid A, B, C and D . The main component, myxalamid B, was shown to block in beef heart submitochondrial particles the respiratory chain at the site of complex I, i.e . NADH: ubiquinone oxidoreductase . The myxalamids are new antibiotics. Yale J Biol Med, 1983 Sep-Dec, 56(5-6), 385 - 90 Lipid tracers of mycoplasma phylogeny; Langworthy TA; Comparison of the lipid composition between members of the Mycoplasmatales reveals a striking diversity of lipid structures, not only between the six genera but among species within the same genus . This is in contrast to nearly all other bacterial groups in which members of the same genus possess essentially the same lipids . There are in fact more similarities between lipids of a given species of mycoplasma and a genus of bacterium than there are between lipids of a given species of mycoplasma and a genus of bacterium than there are between mycoplasma species . Mycoplasmal lipids suggest that these organisms do not represent a phylogenetically related group at all, but are probably degenerative forms of bacteria, particularly gram-positive bacteria, which have lost the ability to synthesize a cell wall. J Antibiot (Tokyo), 1983 Sep, 36(9), 1129 - 35 Karabemycin, a new antimetabolite of glutamine produced by a strain of streptomycete; Omura S et al.; Karabemycin, a new peptide antibiotic, was isolated from the culture filtrate of Streptomyces sp . AM-6424, a soil isolate . The molecular formula of the antibiotic was determined as C15H24N4O6 on the basis of elemental analysis, FD-mass spectrum and 1H and 13C NMR . Acid hydrolysate of karabemycin contains one mol each of valine, alanine and an unknown amino acid . The antibiotic is active against Gram-positive and -negative bacteria on a synthetic medium . The inhibitory activity is reversed by L-glutamine and L-glutamic acid. Am J Med, 1983 Aug, 75(2), 345 - 8 Efficacy of intravenous vancomycin in the treatment of gram-positive peritonitis in long-term peritoneal dialysis; Krothapalli RK et al.; Peritonitis is the major complication of long-term peritoneal dialysis . Gram-positive bacteria are responsible for two thirds of the total number of peritonitis episodes . Conventional therapy consists of daily administration of antibiotics, either parenterally or intraperitoneally . Vancomycin, an antibiotic with a prolonged half-life in renal failure, has a wide spectrum of activity against gram-positive bacteria and diffuses readily across the peritoneal membrane . In the present study, 82 percent of gram-positive peritonitis episodes were cured following the intravenous administration of vancomycin at weekly intervals . This cure rate compares favorably with that obtained following conventional therapy of peritonitis . It is concluded that intravenous vancomycin is an effective treatment for gram-positive peritonitis in patients undergoing long-term peritoneal dialysis . This form of therapy is convenient, reduces hospitalization, minimizes cost, and avoids possible contamination of the peritoneal dialysate used during the intraperitoneal administration of antibiotics. Jpn J Antibiot, 1983 Aug, 36(8), 2017 - 28 {Clinical use of cefroxadine in dentistry and oral surgery}; Kikuta T et al.; Cefroxadine (CXD) is an orally administered synthesized cephalosporin antibiotic developed by Ciba-Geigy Limited (Switzerland) in 1972 . We have studied the clinical effectiveness of this drug in a total of 45 cases of various types of infections in the dentistry and the oral surgery . The studies resulted in showing 18 markedly effective cases, 19 effective cases, 5 slightly effective cases, 1 ineffective case, and 2 unknown cases showing an effective rate of 82.2% . Side effects manifested in 2 cases, of which 1 case was considered to be attributable to CXD, and the occurrence frequency of side effects was as low as 2.2% . In bacteriological test, there were many cases of mixed infections by Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, and these infections were those which are observed in high frequency in dentistry and oral surgery infections . As a result of an overall evaluation of CXD clinical effects, the drug considered to be an antibiotic which is highly useful in dentistry and oral surgery. Aust N Z J Med, 1983 Aug, 13(4), 343 - 7 Tuberculous peritonitis in chronic renal failure managed by continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis; McKerrow KJ et al.; Continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) is being increasingly used to treat chronic renal failure in New Zealand . Peritonitis due in particular to gram positive organisms remains the major complication . Three of 92 CAPD patients trained in the Wellington Renal Unit had tuberculous peritonitis, a previously rarely reported complication . Gram positive or Gram negative bacterial infections preceded or followed isolation of Mycobacterium tuberculosis . Differential peritoneal fluid leucocyte counts were not predictive of tuberculous infection and total leucocyte counts remained elevated in tuberculous patients treated for other concurrent bacterial peritonitides . Systemic toxicity was not encountered in these patients, symptoms being confined almost entirely to the peritoneum . CAPD was continued during treatment with anti-tuberculous therapy, in all three patients . However, peritoneal pain on dialysis fluid in-flow necessitated temporary hemodialysis management in two . Anti-tuberculous chemoprophylaxis may be prudent in the at-risk Polynesian patient with chronic renal failure who is being considered for CAPD management. Chem Biol Interact, 1983 Jul 15, 45(2), 223 - 34 Inhibition of glycosylation by corynetoxin, the causative agent of annual ryegrass toxicity: a comparison with tunicamycin; Jago MV et al.; The biological activities of corynetoxins, the causative agents of annual ryegrass toxicity, were compared with those of the closely related tunicamycins and found to be essentially identical . Both showed similar antibiotic activity against Newcastle disease virus and a range of gram-positive bacteria . In preparations of rat liver rough microsomes they also strongly inhibited the uridine diphospho-N-acetylglucosamine (UDP-GlcNAc):dolichol-P N-acetylglucosamine-1-phosphate (GlcNAc-1-P) transferase, an enzyme essential for N-glycosylation of glycoproteins . Pretreatment of rats with corynetoxins resulted in dose- and time-related reduction in the level of activity of this transferase in liver microsomal preparations . The implications of this reduction are discussed with reference to annual ryegrass toxicity, the only field disease known to be caused by tunicamycin-related compounds . Both corynetoxin and tunicamycin produced similar neurological effects and increased vascular permeability in nursling rats and they showed similar LD50-values of 137 and 132 micrograms/kg, respectively, in the nursling rats. Clin Nephrol, 1983 Jul, 20(1), 40 - 3 Serum and dialyzate concentrations of intraperitoneal cephalothin in patients undergoing continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis; Munch R et al.; The pharmacokinetics of cephalothin sodium were studied in seven patients with chronic renal failure undergoing continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis . 100 mg of cephalothin per liter dialyzate were administered intraperitoneally during nine dialysis cycles with 2 liters of dialysis fluid per cycle . Serum levels of the antibiotic, measured microbiologically during the first, fifth and ninth dwell time, revealed peak values of 3.5 +/- 1.7 mg/l, 5.6 +/- 2.2 mg/l and 5.3 +/- 2.5 mg/l, respectively . The mean concentration in the dialysis outflow was 23.6 +/- 15.6 mg/l (range: 2.0-78.7 mg/l) . Intraperitoneally administered cephalothin is well tolerated . Serum levels exceeded the minimal inhibitory concentrations of most gram positive bacteria causing peritonitis in these patients. Rev Infect Dis, 1983 Jul-Aug, 5 Suppl 3, S402 - 6 History of the development of rifampin; Sensi P; Rifampin was developed in the Dow-Lepetit Research Laboratories (Milan, Italy) as part of an extensive program of chemical modification of the rifamycins, the natural metabolites of Nocardia mediterranei . One peculiar fact was that all of the studies leading to highly active derivatives were performed on a molecule (rifamycin B) that was itself practically inactive . The first chemical modifications led to the discovery of rifamycin SV, which was introduced in some countries for the parenteral and topical treatment of infections due to gram-positive bacteria and infections of the biliary tract . Systematic structural modifications of most of the functional groups of the rifamycin molecule were performed with the objective of finding a derivative that was active when administered orally . The understanding of structure-activity relations in the rifamycins led to the synthesis of several hydrazones of 3-formylrifamycin SV . Among them, the hydrazone with N-amino-N'-methylpiperazine (rifampin) was the most active in the oral treatment of infections in animals and, after successful clinical trials, was introduced into therapeutic use in 1968 . In the intervening years, a large number of clinical and biologic studies have confirmed the important role of rifampin in therapy for tuberculosis and other selected infectious diseases. Infection, 1983 Jul-Aug, 11(4), 210 - 1 Studies on lamoxactam penetration into the aqueous humor of the human eye; Manthey KF et al.; Eighteen patients scheduled for surgical lens removal were assigned to six groups of three patients each . These patients received 25 mg/kg lamoxactam i . v . 30 to 180 min prior to surgery . In the course of the operation, aqueous humor was obtained and a serum sample taken to determine the antibiotic concentration . The mean peak serum level was 154.5 mg/l after 30 min; it was still 46.4 mg/l after 3 h . The lamoxactam concentrations in the aqueous humor increased slowly . Peak levels after 2 h were 4.2 mg/l . The ratio of aqueous humor level: serum level after 1 h was 4.7%, after 1.5 h 5.3% and after 2 h 6.9% . The ratio then remained constant up to the third hour . Aside from some gram-positive bacterial species and Pseudomonas species, all relevant microorganisms which cause eye infections are included in lamoxactam's spectrum of susceptibility. J Periodontol, 1983 Jul, 54(7), 408 - 19 Effect of factors other than pathologic status on responsiveness of peripheral blood mononuclear cells from patients with chronic periodontitis; Suzuki JB et al.; Studies were designed to assess factors other than pathologic status of the cell donor which affect the blastogenic responsiveness in vitro of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMs) from normal donors and patients with periodontitis . Cultures were established and activated using phytohemagglutinin-P (PHA) or homogenates of Actinomyces viscosus (AVIS), a gram-positive plaque microorganism, and Fusobacterium nucleatum (FUSO), a gram-negative plaque microorganism . Activation was assessed by measuring the incorporation of labeled precursor into DNA . The effects of incubation time, vessel shape, cell concentration, prostaglandin E2 and indomethacin on blastogenic responsiveness were studied . Blastogenic responsiveness became maximal after 5 to 8 days' activation with the bacterial substances, and after 3 days' activation with PHA . Radioactivity incorporated by cultures in microtest wells with flat, round and conical bottoms was 5.9, 7.8 and 10.6 X 10(3) cpm, respectively . Cultures of cells from all of the patients and normal subjects were activated by PHA, AVIS and FUSO, and cell concentration was a major determinant of the magnitude of the blastogenic response . Responsiveness of cultures from all patients and control subjects activated with AVIS and FUSO was inhibited significantly by prostaglandin E-2 (PGE2) at a concentration of 10 microM . Inhibition was generally 50% or greater . Indomethacin, an inhibitor of prostaglandin production, at a concentration of 0.5 micrograms/ml significantly enhanced responsiveness of AVIS- and FUSO-activated cultures from control donors and patients, indicating that prostaglandins are produced endogenously, and that they affect cell responsiveness . The effect of PGE2 and indomethacin on PHA-activated cultures was more variable and, where present, of a lesser magnitude than that observed for cultures activated with bacterial homogenates . In most cultures the effects were not statistically significant . Our data show that in studies of lymphocyte activation, the incubation time, culture-vessel shape, cell concentration and presence of endogenous inhibitors need to be taken into account. J Antimicrob Chemother, 1983 Jul, 12 Suppl A, 101 - 10 A randomized study of ceftazidime compared to ceftazidime and tobramycin for the treatment of infections in cancer patients; Fainstein V et al.; Three hundred and twenty-one febrile episodes in cancer patients were treated with ceftazidime alone or in combination with tobramycin . Patients were grouped according to their neutrophil count into neutropenic and non-neutropenic (less than 1000 and greater than 1000/mm3) respectively . Two hundred and seventy-five episodes were evaluated . The overall response rate in 83 episodes of infection treated with ceftazidime alone was 60 and 73% in those who received the combination . In those bacteriologically proven the response rate was 72% in both groups of the study . The overall response rate in septicaemia was 75% with ceftazidime alone and 85% with the combination . High response rates were obtained in Gram-negative bacillary septicaemias in both groups even in neutropenic patients treated with ceftazidime alone . Pneumonias in neutropenic patients responded equally well . However, patients with adequate neutrophil counts responded better to the combination than to single-agent therapy . The response rate for Gram-positive infections was 41% for ceftazidime alone and 57% for the combination, which was inferior to the results obtained for Gram-negative infections (P = 0.001) . The rates of superinfection and toxicity were very low . Ceftazidime is a useful antibiotic against Gram-negative infections in cancer patients . It should be combined with an agent active against Gram-positive pathogens in neutropenic patients. Transplantation, 1983 Jul, 36(1), 54 - 9 Transplantation for polycystic kidney disease; Sanfilippo FP et al.; During the 4-year period from June 1977 to May 1981, a total of 108 patients with polycystic kidney disease and 2440 nonpolycystic patients received cadaver renal allografts in the Southeastern Organ Procurement Foundation (SEOPF) Prospective Study . There were no significant differences between the groups with and without polycystic disease in terms of recipient blood group, history of splenectomy, or preformed antibody status . As a group, transplanted polycystic patients underwent native nephrectomy more often, had a better HLA match, received less antilymphocyte serum (ALS), and were slightly older than nonpolycystic patients . Although proportionately fewer polycystic patients received pretransplant transfusions than nonpolycystic patients (P = .002), transfusion was associated with a significant increase in graft survival in the polycystic group (P less than .05), as well as in the nonpolycystic group (P less than .0001) . Gene frequency analysis showed no HLA-A, or -B antigen linkage with polycystic disease . No significant differences existed between the polycystic and nonpolycystic groups in terms of overall graft and patient survival . However, transplanted polycystic patients died more frequently from bacterial sepsis (P less than .05), especially from gram-positive organisms (P = .01) . Pretransplant bilateral nephrectomy did not affect the incidence of sepsis . However, following graft failure, patients with bilateral native nephrectomy had a greater incidence of severe anemia (50% versus 39%) and death (58% versus 25%; P less than .05) than those with unilateral nephrectomy or no nephrectomy . Treatment with ALS did not significantly improve graft survival in those with polycystic disease . A strong positive correlation was found between patient death and treatment with ALS only in the polycystic group (P less than .01) . These findings indicate that the use of pretransplant bilateral native nephrectomy and posttransplant ALS should be judicious in the polycystic patient because they may be associated with increased morbidity and mortality. J Antibiot (Tokyo), 1983 Jul, 36(7), 761 - 9 Retrostatin, a new specific enzyme inhibitor against avian myeloblastosis virus reverse transcriptase; Nishio M et al.; A novel enzyme inhibitor against RNA-directed DNA polymerase of avian myeloblastosis virus was produced by an isolate of a new streptomycete for which the name Streptomyces retrostaticus is proposed . This enzyme inhibitor, which was named retrostatin, did not inhibit DNA-directed DNA polymerase of Escherichia coli and DNA-directed RNA polymerase of Ehrlich ascites tumor cells . Retrostatin was produced by the microorganism together with streptonigrin . These two substances were extracted from the culture broth with ethyl acetate at acidic pH . Retrostatin is an acidic pH indicator and the free acid was recovered as a red powder . Retrostatin had weak antibiotic activities against Gram-positive bacteria and yeasts. Eur J Biochem, 1983 Jul 1, 133(3), 523 - 30 Improved preparation of lipoteichoic acids; Fischer W et al.; A procedure is described for measuring the extraction of lipoteichoic acids from gram-positive bacteria in absolute terms . Virtually complete extraction was achieved from various bacteria by hot phenol/water if the cells were disrupted . Extraction of whole and delipidated cells and of the membrane fraction gave considerably lower yields . Most of the nucleic acids co-extracted from disrupted cells was removed by treatment with nucleases . Nuclease-resistant nucleic acid, protein, polysaccharide, and teichoic acid were separated from lipoteichoic acid by anionexchange chromatography on DEAE-Sephacel or hydrophobic interaction chromatography on octyl-Sepharose . Purified preparations were essentially free of polymeric contaminants, retained their alanine ester substitution, and were in the sodium salt form . Hydrophobic interaction chromatography also made it possible to recognize contamination of lipoteichoic acid with its deacylated and lyso-form, and to discriminate molecular species containing two and three, or two and four acyl groups. Biochem Biophys Res Commun, 1983 Jun 15, 113(2), 562 - 8 Activation of pro-phenoloxidase by bacterial cell walls or beta-1,3-glucans in plasma of the silkworm, Bombyx mori; Ashida M et al.; Silkworm hemolymph plasma contains pro-phenoloxidase and the activating system for the pro-enzyme . The latter was triggered by elicitors such as Gram-negative or Gram-positive bacterial cell wall, glucans with beta-1,3-glycosidic linkages and denatured lipophorin, which is one of silkworm plasma proteins, but not by lipopolysaccharide, dextram sulfate, kaolin or inulin . Calcium was required for the elicitors to activate the system . However, putative pro-PO activating enzyme, which activity is induced in plasma by the action of the elicitors, could activate pro-PO in the absence of the ion, suggesting that at least two reaction steps are involved in the activation reaction of pro-PO in plasma . The activating enzyme was completely inhibited in the presence of p-NPGB, an inhibitor for serine protease. J Pediatr, 1983 Jun, 102(6), 941 - 6 Pharmacokinetics of intravenously administered piperacillin in preadolescent children; Thirumoorthi MC et al.; We studied the pharmacokinetics of piperacillin in 37 preadolescent children (mean age 52 months, range 1 month to 11 years) after 50 mg/kg IV doses . Pharmacokinetic parameters were determined after the initial dose in 18 instances and after subsequent doses in 32 instances . There were no significant differences between the initial doses and the subsequent doses in the plasma piperacillin concentrations at comparable times, the elimination rate constants, the elimination-phase plasma half-lives, the total body clearances, the apparent volumes of distribution, or the areas under the concentration curves . At the end of a 30-minute infusion of the drug, the plasma concentration was 166.2 +/- 42.2 mg/L (mean +/- SD) and ranged from 91.6 to 268.3 mg/L . The mean half-life was 31.0 +/- 9.4 minutes . The half-life of piperacillin in children 1 to 6 months of age (47.2 minutes) was significantly longer than in older children (28.8 minutes) (P less than 0.05) . Likewise, the total body clearance of the drug in the younger age group (71.7 ml/min/m2) was significantly lower than in the older children (130.8 ml/min/m2) (P less than 0.05) . The mean renal clearance of the drug was only 63% (range 39% to 85%) of the total body clearance, suggesting a variable but substantial nonrenal route of elimination . The intravenous administration of 50 mg/kg piperacillin every four hours results in adequate plasma concentrations for the treatment of most infections caused by gram-negative and gram-positive organisms. Mikrobiologiia, 1983 May-Jun, 52(3), 434 - 7 {Isolation of lipoteichoic acid from Streptomyces levoris}; Potekhina NV et al.; Lipoteichoic acid was isolated from Streptomyces levoris K-3056 by cold phenol extraction . Its hydrophilic moiety is represented by 1,3-poly(glycerophosphate) whereas the hydrophobic part contains fatty acids among which pentadecanoic, 14-methylpentadecanoic (isopalmitic), palmitic and heptadecanoic acids prevail . Lipoteichoic acid has been found in the Streptomyces genus for the first time . Its overall content in the cells of Streptomyces levoris K-3056 is comparable with that found in other Gram-positive bacteria. J Am Acad Dermatol, 1983 May, 8(5), 714 - 7 Disseminate intradermal bacterial colonization presenting as palpable purpura in lymphoblastic leukemia; Shelley WB et al.; A patient with acute lymphoblastic leukemia suddenly developed a disseminated monomorphic eruption of purpuric papules . The papules were initially thought to be lesions of vasculitis, leukemia cutis, or septic emboli . Histologic study, however, revealed large focal colonies of gram-positive cocci within the dermis . It is postulated that a bacteremia of antibiotic-resistant cocci led to dissemination of these organisms into a virtually defenseless skin . The patient's pancytopenia and consequent immune paralysis are viewed as accounting for this focal bacterial colonization and for the remarkable absence of clinical and histologic inflammatory response . Such hematogenous noninflammatory bacterial colonization of the skin must be added to the differential diagnosis of palpable purpura. Cancer, 1983 May 1, 51(9), 1587 - 92 Reduction in mortality from gram-negative sepsis in neutropenic patients receiving trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole therapy; Riben PD et al.; The causes of death were reviewed in 53 patients from two prospective randomized trials on the efficacy of trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole as prophylaxis of gram-negative bacillary infection in granulocytopenic patients . Twenty-nine deaths occurred in patients treated with TMP/SMX prophylaxis while 24 occurred in patients who served as controls in the first trial . The two groups were similar, with the exception that more patients in the TMP/SMX group had acute leukemia (82 versus 50%; P less than 0.02) . Microbiologically documented gram-negative rod infection preceeded death in 8/24 control patients as compared to 2/29 TMP/SMX recipients (P less than 0.02) . This decrease in gram-negative related deaths was most pronounced in the patients with acute leukemia . Fatal gram-negative rod infection occurred in 7/12 control leukemic patients as compared to 2/24 TMP/SMX treated patients . Despite the reduction in numbers of gram-negative rod-related deaths, infectious deaths accounted for 16/24 and 15/29 patients in control and TMP/SMX treated patients, respectively . Similar numbers of fungal, viral, and gram-positive bacterial infections occurred in each group . Fever with pulmonary infiltrates but without proven etilogic agents were included in the category of "clinically documented infections;" 6/7 patients with fever and undiagnosed pulmonary infiltrates were in the TMP/SMX group . Prophylactic administration or oral trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole reduces the frequency of fatal gram-negative rod infections in neutropenic patients. J Rheumatol, 1983 Apr, 10(2), 197 - 203 Modulation of phagocytosis and bactericidal activity of human polymorphonuclear and mononuclear phagocytes by antiarthritic agents; Pruzanski W et al.; The influence of 9 antiarthritic drugs on phagocytosis and intracellular bactericidal activity of human polymorphonuclear (PMN) and mononuclear phagocytes was investigated using gram-positive and -negative microorganisms and latex particles . With the exception of prednisone all the other agents suppressed phagocytosis and/or phagocytic index of PMN . Whereas naproxyn suppressed phagocytosis of all 3 particles used, other drugs had more pronounced inhibitory activity on phagocytosis of E . coli than of S . aureus or latex particles . Monocytes were less influenced by antiarthritic agents . Intracellular bactericidal activity was markedly suppressed by phenylbutazone, oxyphenbutazone, naproxyn and gold sodium thiomalate . In suboptimal conditions when serum was omitted from the assay, dual action of some drugs was observed . It may be concluded that antiarthritic agents may modulate phagocytosis and intracellular bactericidal activity . The modulation was most pronounced in conditions similar to those in vivo i.e., with added serum and when the cells were exposed to antiarthritic agents for longer time . It should be taken into consideration while assessing defense mechanisms and susceptibility to infection in rheumatic diseases. Antibiotiki, 1983 Apr, 28(4), 243 - 5 {Search for new antibiotics of the cyclosporin group}; Gauze GF et al.; A total of 160 fungal cultures belonging to Trichoderma were isolated from soil samples collected in various regions of the USSR . The cultures were tested for production of antibiotics of the cyclosporin group, having a narrow antifungal spectrum . It was found that 7 cultures produced substances having a selective inhibitory effect on Asp . niger and no activity against gram-positive and gram-negative organisms . An antibiotic substance close by its physicochemical properties to cyclosporins was isolated from T . viride 122. J Antibiot (Tokyo), 1983 Apr, 36(4), 355 - 61 Ravidomycin (AY-25,545), a new antitumor antibiotic; Sehgal SN et al.; A streptomycete was isolated from a Guatemala soil sample and found to inhibit Grampositive bacteria including mycobacteria . The antibiotic-producing microorganism was characterized, identified as a new species and named Streptomyces ravidus . The antibiotic principle was extracted with organic solvent from the mycelium, isolated in crystalline form and named ravidomycin . Ravidomycin is mainly active against Gram-positive bacteria including mycobacteria . It shows only weak activity against Gram-negative organisms and no activity against fungi . Ravidomycin exhibits potent antitumor activity against P388 lymphocytic leukemia, Colon 38 tumor and CD8F1 mammary tumor . Acute toxicity in mice is low. J Bacteriol, 1983 Apr, 154(1), 471 - 8 Primary structure of the peptidoglycan from the unicellular cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp . strain PCC 6714; Jurgens UJ et al.; A peptidoglycan fraction free of non-peptidoglycan components was isolated from the unicellular cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp . strain PCC 6714 . Hydrofluoric acid treatment (48%, 0 degrees C, 48 h) cleaved off from the peptidoglycan non-peptidoglycan glucosamine, mannosamine, and mannose . The purified peptidoglycan consists of N-acetyl muramic acid, N-acetyl glucosamine, L-alanine, D-alanine, D-glutamic acid, and meso-diaminopimelic acid in approximately equimolar amounts . At least partial amidation of carboxy groups in the peptide subunits is indicated . Peptide analyses and 2,4-dinitrophenyl studies of partial acid hydrolysates revealed the structure of the Synechocystis sp . strain PCC 6714 peptidoglycan to belong to the A1 gamma type (direct cross-linkage) of peptidoglycan classification . The degree of cross-linkage is about 56% and thus is in the range of that found in gram-positive bacteria . Some of the peptide units are present as tripeptides lacking the carboxy-terminal D-alanine. J Nat Prod, 1983 Mar-Apr, 46(2), 226 - 31 Revised structure of phaeantharine; Van Beek TA et al.; Revised structure 8 is proposed for the quaternary bisbenzylisoquinoline alkaloid phaeantharine, based on spectrometric data . Phaeantharine, which occurs in Phaeanthus ebracteolatus (fam . Anonaceae), has current interest as a potential insecticide . Phaeantharine also exhibits moderate activity against gram-positive bacteria. Am J Med Technol, 1983 Mar, 49(3), 177 - 8 Differentiation of gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria and yeasts using a modification of the "string" test; Agbonlahor DE et al.; Solutions of potassium hydroxide and sodium hydroxide with concentrations between 0.5% and 4% were found to produce mucoid and sticky suspensions when added in drops, using a bacteriological loop, to smears of 609 strains of gram-negative bacteria on glass slides . A total of 461 strains of gram-positive bacteria and yeasts did not produce any mucoid or "string" formation when treated with the same solutions . It was concluded that this modified test could aid in differentiating gram-positive from gram-negative organisms. Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1983 Mar, 23(3), 497 - 9 Comparative in vitro study of teichomycin A2; Fainstein V et al.; Teichomycin A2 was evaluated in vitro against clinical isolates, and its activity was compared with that of other antibiotics . This compound was very active against all organisms tested; its activity was comparable to that of vancomycin, and it was superior to several other antibiotics when tested against gram-positive cocci . Because of its in vitro activity, it deserves clinical evaluation. Prikl Biokhim Mikrobiol, 1983 Mar-Apr, 19(2), 182 - 92 {Modification of the lipid component of bacterial membranes by the introduction of lipotropic compounds into lyophilized cells}; Reshetniak VI et al.; In order to elucidate potentialities of modifying the lipid component of bacterial membranes, lyophilized cells of M . lysodeikticus, E . coli and other bacteria were treated by hydrophobic compounds dissolved in the organic solvent, with the latter subsequently removed by evaporation or freezedrying prior to cell rehydration . The data obtained by means of spin-probes, fluorescent spectroscopy, electron microscopy, photoreactive label and other methods suggest that following bacteria rehydration at least part of the substance occurs in the membrane structures . The amount of the substance involved in bacterial cells depends on the type of compound and on whether bacterial cells belong to gram-positive or gram-negative microorganisms: the substance content of the latter is greater than of the former. Lancet, 1983 Feb 5, 1(8319), 284 - 7 Efficacy of chloramphenicol in the treatment of neonatal and infantile meningitis: a study of 70 cases; Mulhall A et al.; The efficacy of chloramphenicol in the treatment of 21 neonates and 9 infants with proven meningitis and 37 neonates and 3 infants with suspected meningitis was evaluated from mortality and morbidity data, and by assay of the drug in serum and cerebrospinal fluid . Minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) were established for ten isolates . 25% of neonates and 50% of infants had subtherapeutic concentrations of chloramphenicol in serum or cerebrospinal fluid . Dosage was less than that currently recommended in over half of these subjects . Mild toxicity (reversible thrombocytopenia) was observed in only 1 of 20 babies being treated at the recommended dose . Toxic reactions, including the grey-baby syndrome, occurred in 10 babies receiving higher doses . In 4 cases, doses up to ten times that prescribed had been given, and death of 1 baby was attributable in part to chloramphenicol toxicity . 5 of 21 neonates and 1 of 9 infants with bacteriologically proven meningitis died, an overall mortality of 20% . Those infected with gram-negative bacteria had a higher mortality than those infected with gram-positive bacteria (p less than 0 . 05) . 21% of the survivors had neurological sequelae . Therapeutic concentrations of chloramphenicol will be achieved in serum and cerebrospinal fluid with daily doses of 25 mg/kg in preterm and term infants during the first week of life and 37 . 5-50 mg/kg for older term babies . The drug should be assayed at 48-hour intervals, to maintain concentrations in the therapeutic, non-toxic range . Dosage should be increased when the peak serum concentration falls below 20 mg/l and decreased when the trough serum concentration exceeds 15 mg/l or the peak concentration exceeds 30 mg/l. Arch Biochem Biophys, 1983 Feb 1, 220(2), 354 - 60 Citrate synthase of Tetrahymena pyriformis: evolutionary and regulatory aspects; Fabregat I et al.; Citrate synthase (EC 4.1.3.7) from Tetrahymena pyriformis has been purified 185-fold . The molecular weight of the native enzyme was determined to be 120,000 . The enzyme is labile at low ionic strength, but can be stabilized by KCl and glycerol . It is activated by KCl at low (below 60 mM) or high concentrations, and inhibited by divalent cations (Mn2+, Mg2+, Ca2+) . The Michaelis constants are 0.1 mM for oxalacetate and 0.01 mM for acetyl-CoA . The kinetics with oxalacetate exhibit negative cooperativity, with a nH = 0.66 . Among the metabolites tested, only ATP and GTP can inhibit the enzyme but Mg2+ relieves the ATP inhibition . Incubation with sulfhydryl reagents (DTNB) in the absence of its substrates results in a rapid inactivation of the enzyme . It is concluded that Tetrahymena citrate synthase is closer to the enzyme from Gram-positive bacteria than to those of eucaryotes. J Clin Microbiol, 1983 Feb, 17(2), 272 - 5 Comparison of tryptic soy broth with tryptic soy broth supplemented with sucrose in the septi-chek blood culture system; Pfaller MA et al.; The performance of tryptic soy broth (TSB) was compared with TSB supplemented with 10% sucrose (TSB-S) in the Septi-Chek blood culture system (Roche Diagnostics, Div . Hoffmann-La Roche Inc.) . A total of 2,292 sets of blood cultures were evaluated . Although slightly more isolates were recovered in the TSB bottle in comparison with the TSB-S bottle, there was no significant difference between the two medium formulations in the recovery of either gram-positive or gram-negative bacteria . Significantly more isolates of fungi were recovered in the TSB bottles . At least 94% of all isolates were detected by day 3 of incubation in both the TSB and TSB-S bottles . Thus, the addition of sucrose to TSB did not result in greater total recovery or faster recovery of the isolates detected in this study. Adv Shock Res, 1983, 10, 143 - 8 Thromboxane synthetase inhibitors in septic shock; Short BL et al.; Thromboxane (TX) has been reported to cause mortality in endotoxin or septic shock . Cyclooxygenase inhibition improves survival in gram-negative or gram-positive shock . The exact level in the prostaglandin system of which the protection occurs is unknown . This study was designed to compare the effects of a cyclooxygenase inhibitor (indomethacin, IND) to a thromboxane synthetase inhibitor (IMI) on survival and on the production of Tx and prostacyclin (PGI2) in a clinically relevant rat gram-negative sepsis model . Three groups were studied: 1) control (N = 35) animals received E coli only; 2) IND (N = 35) treated animals received 3 mg/kg IP; 3) IMI (N = 35) treated animals received 30 mg/kg IP . All drugs were given 1 h after an IP injection of E coli (LD70) organisms . In this model only IND significantly improved survival . IND and IMI significantly blocked the production of Tx seen in septic shock . IND blocked PGI2 production whereas IMI increased the production . These results show that Tx may not be important in the irreversible stages of shock . Shunting prostaglandin production to PGI2 with thromboxane synthetase inhibitors needs to be considered when using this group of compounds . The mechanism of protection by IND remains unknown. Clin Invest Med, 1983, 6(4), 319 - 25 Plasma lysosomal enzymes in experimental and clinical endotoxemia; Godin DV et al.; Endotoxins, which are lipopolysaccharide complexes derived from the cell walls of gram-negative bacteria, have been implicated in the pathogenesis of gram-negative septic shock . One possible mechanism of endotoxin-induced damage may involve an action at cell surface membranes resulting in cell injury and lysosomal enzyme release . In our experiments, the administration of purified E . coli endotoxin (2 mg/kg intravenously) to guinea pigs produced elevations in the plasma activity of the lysosomal hydrolases glucosaminidase, acid phosphatase and Cathepsin D of approx . 2-, 3- and 4-fold, respectively, at 5 h following endotoxin injection . Animals haemorrhaged to produce sustained hypotension that was greater than the reduction in blood pressure seen with endotoxin treatment, exhibited an elevation only in plasma Cathepsin D activity that was, however, significantly lower than the increase associated with endotoxemia . The three lysosomal hydrolases were also measured in man, including a control group, patients with gram-negative septic shock, other shock, gram-positive and gram-negative septicaemia without shock . Plasma Cathepsin D activity was significantly elevated (26-fold above control) in the group with gram-negative septic shock as compared to all other groups . Patients in the gram-negative septic shock group and the other shock group both had significantly greater glucosaminidase activity than controls . Our results suggest that plasma Cathepsin D measurements may be of diagnostic and prognostic value in the clinical management of gram-negative septic shock. Adv Exp Med Biol, 1983, 166, 199 - 214 Immunomodulation by small molecular weight bacterial products; Friedman H; Microbial products are known immunomodulators . Endotoxins derived from gram negative bacteria both enhance and suppress a wide variety of immune responses in vivo and in vitro, depending upon dose, concentration, form, and time of exposure . Studies in this laboratory have shown that a small molecular weight polysaccharide derivative from endotoxin has strong immunomodulatory effects, both in vivo and in vitro, similar to intact LPS . Injection of PS into mice or addition to normal mouse spleen cell cultures results in enhanced responses similar to that observed with LPS as well as with lipoteichoic acid derived from gram positive bacteria . The immunomodulatory activity, both in vivo and in vitro, was related to development of soluble serum factors, most likely interleukins . Similar soluble mediators were observed in vivo since post endotoxin or post LTA serum, when added in small quantities to normal mouse spleen cell cultures, mediated enhanced antibody responses . Normal spleen cell cultures exposed to these materials also released soluble mediators into the supernatants which enhanced the antibody response of normal spleen cell cultures . These observations support the view that similar to larger molecular weight cell wall components, small molecular weight substances such as polysaccharide derivatives, despite lack of toxicity share related mechanisms of enhancing immune responses. Adv Myocardiol, 1983, 4, 227 - 32 Immunologic studies in infective endocarditis; Wahi PL et al.; Some immunologic changes in patients with infective endocarditis were measured during therapy with antibiotics . T cells and C3 levels were low in 29 and 59% of the subjects, respectively . The circulating immune complexes were high and showed a negative correlation with serum C3 levels . Teichoic acid antibodies with titer of above 5 were generally seen only in cases of bacteremia in which endothelial damage had taken place . The antibody was specific for gram-positive organisms because it was negative in gram-negative bacteremia . The antibody showed a fall during treatment and hence could be used to monitor efficacy of antibiotic therapy. Scand J Infect Dis Suppl, 1983, 39, 14 - 8 Clinical aspects on bacterial infections in the upper respiratory tract; Norrby R; Acute respiratory tract infections represent the major cause of morbidity in younger age groups . Most of these infections involve the upper respiratory tract . The frequency of respiratory tract infections vary not only with age, but also with season of the year and the epidemiological situation . Surveys of the incidence and aetiology of these infections must therefore cover large populations during relatively long periods of time . In the developed countries, the mortality in respiratory tract infections in patients below the age of 60 years is low, while it increases markedly in elderly patients, mainly due to involvement of the lower respiratory tract . Aetiologically, viral infections dominate but bacterial pathogens often cause pharyngitis/tonsillitis, otitis media and sinusitis . In longstanding cough in children, Branhamella catarrhalis has been found to be a pathogen of probably high significance . Other factors increasing the clinical importance of colonisation of the upper respiratory tract with potentially pathogenic bacterial species, are various immune defects, especially reduced IgA production, and granulocytopenia . In the latter case, Gram-negative bacteria seem to be more pathogenic than Gram-positive ones . The clinical differentiation between viral and bacterial upper respiratory tract infections is difficult and sometimes not possible . However, based on the knowledge that acute tracheitis, laryngitis and common cold are normally caused by viral agents, it seems reasonable not to use antibiotics for those patients. Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol, 1983 Jan, 55(1), 73 - 7 Effective surface sterilization of gutta-percha points; Linke HA et al.; A bacteriologic investigation was conducted to determine the sterilizing effectiveness of various germicidal endodontic irrigants on gutta-percha points . It was found that most effective in surface sterilization was a 5-minute treatment using sodium hypochlorite, Zephiran, and hydrogen peroxide in concentrations of 4.50 percent, 0.53 percent, and 3.00 percent, respectively . These agents were potent against gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria as well as endospore-forming microorganisms . Fungal spores were killed only by the first two but not by the latter germicidal agents . On the other hand, ethanol, chloroform, eugenol, betadine, and Gram's iodine solution were found not to be effective for surface sterilization. Microbios, 1983, 38(151), 27 - 32 Pigments with antibiotic activity from Myxococcus coralloides; Arias JM et al.; A strain of Myxococcus coralloides produces pigments with antibiotic activity . The pigments are non-diffusible and become detectable at the beginning of the autolytic phase . Red pigments produced by vegetatively growing cells were extracted by acetone treatment . The crude extract when chromatographed yielded several fractions, two of which were active against certain Gram-positive bacteria . Both fractions were partial purified in thin layer chromatography and can be differentiated according to colour, polarity and absorption spectrum . Production of active pigments is increased by nicotine and inhibited by diphenylamine . The pigments are also compared with the antibiotic produced by this bacterium. Radiat Environ Biophys, 1983, 22(2), 149 - 62 Electric field effects on bacteria and yeast cells; Hulsheger H et al.; Comparative studies were carried out describing the lethal effects of electric pulses on GRAM-negative bacteria, GRAM-positive bacteria, and yeast cells . Microorganisms are killed by the pulse treatment without visible morphological destruction . The observed survival rates are figured as functions of the field strength E and the treatment time t (pulse number X time constant) revealing three explicit parameters as sufficient to explain the kinetics of the results . These parameters are determined by the species of microorganism used and moreover depend on the physiological properties of the microbial population . GRAM-positive bacteria and yeasts were found to be less sensitive to electric pulse treatment than GRAM-negative bacteria, when low pulse numbers are applied . Treatment with high pulse numbers reveals survival rates below 1% for all microorganisms examined . Cells from the logarithmic growth phase are killed in markedly higher percentage than cells harvested from the stationary growth phase . The obtained results as well as further studies confirm the hypothesis of an electric induced selective damage of inner cell membranes. Adv Shock Res, 1983, 9, 125 - 32 Effect of age and splenectomy in murine endotoxemia; Karanfilian RG et al.; The protective role of the spleen in gram-positive infections, particularly in infancy and childhood, is well established . Since it is not known whether the spleen is protective in gram-negative sepsis, particularly in elderly individuals as compared to young subjects, the following study was undertaken . Splenectomized and nonsplenectomized Swiss Webster mice, 3 months old (young), or 12 months old (elderly) were utilized . Splenectomy was performed 4 weeks prior to administration of E coli endotoxin . Mortality in elderly nonsplenectomized mice was significantly greater than that of young nonsplenectomized mice . Prior splenectomy significantly increased the mortality in young mice at 48 h, whereas the mortality of E coli endotoxemia (ECE) in elderly mice was not altered by prior splenectomy . The spleen, therefore, appears to have a protective role for young mice but does not protect elderly mice with ECE . It is postulated that this loss of splenic protection reflects deteriorating splenic function with age. Arzneimittelforschung, 1983, 33(2), 269 - 72 Pharmacokinetics of Cefmenoxime in normal and impaired renal function; Hoffler D et al.; 7 beta-{2-(2-Aminothiazol-4-yl)-(Z)-2-methoxy-iminoacetamido}-3-{(1- methyl-1H-tetrazol-5-yl)thiomethyl}-ceph-3-em-4-carboxylic acid hemihydrochloride (Cefmenoxime), a new cephalosporin with a broad spectrum of activity against gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria, was investigated pharmacokinetically . 10 healthy volunteers and 20 patients with renal disease each received 2 g of the substance i.v . The plasma levels were monitored for 6 h in healthy volunteers and for 24 h in the patients with renal disease . The analysis of the data showed that the majority of the curves could be properly evaluated only with the aid of a two-compartment model . Therefore a simple half-life cannot be given . Cefmenoxime is eliminated more rapidly than cefoperazone, but more slowly than cefotaxime . The area under the serum level curves (AUC) increases when renal function is impaired . There is a mathematical correlation between the AUC and the renal function parameters, plasma creatinine and glomerular filtration rate . This gives the dose reduction factors, allowing the calculation of the doses with the same AUC on restricted renal function as that observed in healthy persons after normal doses . Dosage recommendations are given in the form of tables regarding the questions 1 . to what extent the dose may be reduced in impaired renal function without lowering the AUC and 2 . what is the highest safe dose. Drug Intell Clin Pharm, 1983 Jan, 17(1), 7 - 11 Cefoperazone (Cefobid, Pfizer); Lyon JA; Cefoperazone is a new beta-lactam antibiotic that possesses a broad spectrum of activity against gram-positive and gram-negative organisms . Cefoperazone differs from all previous cephalosporins in that it has exceptional activity against P . aeruginosa . The other distinguishing feature of cefoperazone is its high rate of biliary excretion, which will allow for treatment of biliary tract infections . Renal elimination accounts for only 20 percent of the agent's elimination; dosage modification is not necessary in decreased renal function . The clinical response rate of infections to cefoperazone is similar to that of moxalactam, cefotaxime, or the cephalosporins in general . The overall incidence of side effects was 14 percent in U.S . trials, with skin rash, fever, or urticaria occurring in 1 percent; phlebitis and injection-site pain in 2 percent; and diarrhea in 5 percent . As with the other third-generation cephalosporins, cefoperazone requires close scrutiny because of its expected high cost and the lack of comparative trials with standard antibiotic regimens. J Gen Microbiol, 1982 Dec, 128 (pt 12), 3061 - 5 Antibiotic activity of Xenorhabdus spp., bacteria symbiotically associated with insect pathogenic nematodes of the families Heterorhabditidae and Steinernematidae; Akhurst RJ; A wide range of micro-organisms, including yeasts, was found to be inhibited by the primary form of Xenorhabdus spp., but not by the secondary form . Only one Xenorhabdus strain, the symbiont of Neoaplectana glaseri, did not inhibit any of the micro-organisms tested; it is suggested that this strain may not have been isolated in the primary form . Gram-positive bacteria were sensitive to all active isolates of Xenorhabdus; each of the yeasts and almost all of the Gram-negative bacteria were sensitive to some but not all Xenorhabdus isolates . Each Xenorhabdus isolate was sensitive to some other Xenorhabdus isolates . The antibiotic activity of X . nematophilus was unaffected by autoclaving but was lost after dialysis . Anaerobically incubated Xenorhabdus spp . did not exhibit antibiotic activity. J Gen Microbiol, 1982 Dec, 128 (pt 12), 2893 - 8 Incorporation of diaminopimelic acid into the old poles of Escherichia coli; Koch AL et al.; The surface stress theory of the ontogeny of the bacterial rod depends critically on whether the old poles continue to incorporate new material into the stress-bearing murein . If insertion of peptidoglycan continues, then seemingly the shape must become gradually rounder due to the surface stress resulting from the internal hydrostatic pressure . We have reanalysed our earlier experimental data by classifying grains with respect to distance from the nearest pole, and not from the cell centre as was done previously, and conclude that old poles do incorporate new diaminopimelic acid residues . This eliminates the model we have proposed for Gram-positive rods, which assumed diffuse growth on the cylindrical sides and that poles once formed would be rigid . The new results are consistent with another model (presented elsewhere) in which insertion of new murein occurs all over the surface, although not equally . This new model leads to elongation and division if the energetics of wall expansion is altered by the cell in a control region at a particular point of the cycle by the cell. Immunobiology, 1982 Dec, 163(5), 427 - 35 Mitogenic and suppressive activity of mycelia from gram-positive bacteria on murine and human lymphocytes; Maier BF et al.; Mycelia from several strains of Streptomyces were potent B-lymphocyte mitogens for spleen cells from 3 inbred mouse strains (BALB/c, C3H/HeJ, C3H/nu/nu), inducing lymphocyte proliferation and differentiation into immunoglobulin-secreting cells . Streptomyces mycelia were also mitogenic towards human peripheral blood lymphocytes, where maximal stimulation was found on days 5 to 7 . On the other hand, human lymphocytes incubated with the mycelia for 3 days, but not the supernatants of these cultures, strongly inhibited mixed leukocyte reactions . Irradiation experiments suggest the induction of both radioresistant and radiolabile suppressor-cell populations by the components. Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1982 Nov, 22(5), 805 - 9 Effect of 2-alkynoic acids on in vitro growth of bacterial and mammalian cells; Konthikamee W et al.; 3-Decynoyl-N-acetylcystamine is known to inhibit the in vitro growth of Escherichia coli but not of yeasts or mammalian cells . Neither the free acid nor the 2 positional isomer is active (L . R . Kass, J . Biol . Chem . 243:3223-3228, 1968) . Other studies have shown that 2-hexadecynoic acid is fungitoxic whereas most of the shorter chain isomers are inactive (H . Gershon and L . Shanks, Can J . Microbiol . 24:591-597, 1978) . Since these studies suggested that positional or chain length isomers of the acetylenic acids may selectively inhibit the growth of microorganisms, the effect of the alkynoic acids on the in vitro growth of gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria was evaluated . 2-Hexadecynoic acid was found to be the most active species . This acid was bacteriostatic for all gram-positive bacteria tested . The acid was readily taken up by the treated cells and incorporated into the phospholipid fraction . When added to the culture medium, 2-hexadecynoic acid inhibited the growth of HeLa cells, but when mixed with an equivalent amount of palmitic acid, growth inhibition was not observed. J Clin Microbiol, 1982 Nov, 16(5), 909 - 19 Rapid method for simultaneous detection of the arginine dihydrolase system and amino acid decarboxylases in microorganisms; Chen KC et al.; A specific procedure has been developed for the detection of the first two enzymes involved in the arginine dihydrolase system and the detection of the decarboxylases of arginine, glutamic acid, histidine, lysine, ornithine, phenylalanine, tryptophan, and tyrosine . A loopful of growth of each organism from dihydrolase-decarboxylase induction agar medium (or broth) was washed and incubated separately with 0.2-ml samples of three test media supplemented with different amino acids . Each spent test medium was dansylated, and the dansyl derivatives were separated by two-dimensional thin-layer chromatography on polyamide sheets . The end products (citrulline, ornithine, gamma-amino-n-butyric acid, and amines) produced during incubation were estimated by comparing the fluorescent intensities of end products from the spent test media and of the corresponding parent amino acids from test medium controls after thin-layer chromatography . The method is reproducible, requiring incubation of an organism in three test media for 1 h for simultaneous detection of the first two enzymes involved in the arginine dihydrolase system and of eight amino acid decarboxylases . This method has been successfully applied to gram-positive and gram-negative microorganisms and also to Mycoplasmatales . It could simplify and improve the accuracy of the corresponding biochemical tests performed in clinical laboratories for the identification and differentiation of microorganisms, and it may prove particularly useful for the differentiation of species of Pseudomonas and Mycoplasma. J Clin Microbiol, 1982 Nov, 16(5), 844 - 6 Achromopeptidase for lysis of anaerobic gram-positive cocci; Ezaki T et al.; Achromopeptidase, which has potent bacteriolytic activity for most of the gram-positive aerobic bacteria, was for the first time used for the lysis of anaerobic cocci . Most of the lysozyme-resistant gram-positive anaerobic cocci were lysed with this new enzyme . Peptococcus magnus was the only organism tested resistant to achromopeptidase . P . saccharolyticus was quite unusual because it was very sensitive to both achromopeptidase and lysozyme. J Antibiot (Tokyo), 1982 Nov, 35(11), 1448 - 53 An inhibitor of (Na+, K+)-ATPase produced by Streptomyces pseudovenezuelae MF722-02; purification and properties; Hori M et al.; A culture product of Streptomyces pseudovenezuelae MF722-02, with a molecular formula of C29H32N2O7, was isolated as yellow needles from culture broths and mycelia of the organism by means of a series of solvent extraction, column chromatography and crystallization . The antibiotic is active against some Gram-positive bacteria, inhibits growth in vitro of cells of mouse leukemia L-1210, prolongs the life span of mice inoculated with the leukemia cells, enhances deoxycholate-induced hemolysis in vitro and inhibits (Na+, K+)-ATPase in vitro. Rev Infect Dis, 1982 Nov-Dec, 4 Suppl, S683 - 7 Comparison of moxalactam with the combination of clindamycin and an aminoglycoside in the treatment of common surgical infections; Rambo WM et al.; The efficacy and safety of moxalactam were compared with those of a combination of clindamycin and an aminoglycoside in a randomized study of therapy for 60 patients with the following surgical infections: intraabdominal or pelvic infections (12 patients), abscesses (13 patients), and severe infections of extremities (35 patients) . These infections were equally distributed between the two treatment groups, except that, according to the randomization process, a majority of patients with intraabdominal infections received moxalactam therapy . Surgery was used as adjunctive therapy when necessary . One adverse reaction--fever and leukocytosis with eosinophilia--was due to continued administration of moxalactam . No significant adverse reaction was observed in the patients treated with the clindamycin-aminoglycoside combination . Although the number of isolated organisms resistant to the antibiotics was similar within each treatment regimen, an alarmingly high percentage of gram-positive cocci were intermediately sensitive to moxalactam in vitro . Even in the presence of resistant organisms, moxalactam therapy was as effective as the clindamycin-aminoglycoside therapy when surgical debridement or drainage was properly timed and executed. J Dairy Sci, 1982 Nov, 65(11), 2095 - 101 Effect of diet on amino and nucleic acids of rumen bacteria and protozoa; Arambel MJ et al.; Amino acid composition and nucleic acid content of pure cultures of rumen bacteria (17 species) were analyzed . Amino acid composition between gram-positive and -negative organisms was not different . The total nitrogen content of gram-negative bacteria (10.8%) was significantly higher than gram-positive organisms (9.9%) . Deoxyribonucleic acid-nitrogen: total nitrogen (mg/g) differed between gram-positive (8.8) and gram-negative (18.9) bacteria, but there was no significant difference in ratio of ribonucleic acid-nitrogen to total nitrogen . In a second experiment six rumen-fistulated cattle were fed either a high roughage (85% alfalfa hay plus 15% concentrate) or high concentrate diet (15% alfalfa hay and 85% concentrate) . Cattle were adapted 14 days and rumen contents sampled on 3 consecutive days . Nitrogen content was higher in protozoa from cattle fed low concentrate (8.4%) than in protozoa from cattle fed high concentrate (7.9%) but was similar in bacteria for both diets . Deoxyribonucleic acid nitrogen: total nitrogen (mg/g in bacteria decreased from 27.2 in cattle fed the low concentrate diet to 20.9 in those fed the high concentrate diet . Differences between sampling days were significant for both bacteria and protozoa for ratio of deoxyribonucleic acid-nitrogen to total nitrogen but were significant only in protozoa for ratio of ribonucleic acid nitrogen to total nitrogen . Ribonucleic acid may serve as a marker for estimating microbial production in the rumen if sources of variation are recognized and corrected adequately. J Antibiot (Tokyo), 1982 Oct, 35(10), 1271 - 9 New anthracycline antibiotics, auramycins and sulfurmycins . II . Isolation and characterization of 10 minor components (C approximately G); Hoshino T et al.; Following the discovery of new anthracycline antibiotics, auramycins A and B and sulfurmycins A and B, we found 10 minor analogues of auramycins and sulfurmycins, C, D, E, F and G, from the culture broth of a mutant strain of Streptomyces galilaeus OBB-111 and prepared 2 analogues as the chemical derivatives from auramycin G and sulfurmycin G . All analogues have a sugar moiety at C-7 position of the aglycones . These analogues exhibit activities against Gram-positive bacteria and P388 leukemia. J Antibiot (Tokyo), 1982 Oct, 35(10), 1345 - 50 Structural features of cytochalasins responsible for gram-positive bacterial inhibitions; Flashner M et al.; A study of the relative effectiveness of some eighteen natural and synthetically modified cytochalasins on the uptake of glucose by the Gram-positive bacterium Arthrobacter sialophilus showed that cytochalasins B, C or D and aspochalasins A, C or D were inactive natural congeners . The presence of an alpha,beta-unsaturated carbonyl group in the macrolide moiety of these compounds with appropriate bioisosteric placement, as exemplified by cytochalasin A and aspochalasin B, are requisite molecular features . The transmembrane inhibitory index of active compounds was enhanced by increasing their lipophilicity . Thiol adducts of CA were around 20% as active in solute uptake inhibition as was the free drug . Radioactive 7-O-acetyl CA and its thiol adduct were each rapidly taken up by A . sialophilus and remained firmly bound to cellular components even after denaturant manipulations . These findings provide strong evidence for a stable association between CA and presumptive macromolecular receptors in transport and related processes. Gann, 1982 Oct, 73(5), 825 - 32 Prolongation of the survival time of tumor-bearing mice treated with penicillins alone or in combination with living bacteria; Matsumoto T et al.; Relatively high doses (100 approximately 250 mg/kg) of penicillins such as sulbenicillin and ampicillin prolonged the survival time of C57BL/6 mice bearing EL-4 tumor when they were given 2 days after subcutaneous implantation of the tumor . This activity of penicillins was small but consistent under these conditions . These penicillins had little influence on lymphocytic functions or antibody production of normal and tumor-bearing mice . Therefore, the activity of penicillins to prolong the survival time of mice with a small tumor burden was assumed to be due to an enhanced host resistance elicited by certain indigenous bacterial flora susceptible to penicillins . This view was supported by the findings that artificial infection with gram-positive cocci in combination with treatment with penicillins considerably prolonged the survival time of mice with an early EL-4, while similar treatment did not improve the survival time of mice with growing tumors . Most gram-negative bacteria, which proliferated systemically and did not remain in the local region, were ineffective. Cutis, 1982 Oct, 30(4), 536 - 7, 541, 547 Effectiveness of cefoperazone in treating cutaneous infections; Marley WM et al.; Twenty-eight patients with severe cutaneous infections received cefoperazone, 2 grams intramuscularly twice a day for seven days . A wide range of gram-positive and gram-negative pathogens were isolated from admission cultures . All patients showed rapid clinical improvement . Two patients did not complete the full course of therapy because of intervening medical problems unrelated to the antibiotic . No significant side effects were noted . Relapses or reinfections occurred in two patients . In conclusions, cefoperazone is a safe and effective antibiotic for use in skin infections requiring parenteral therapy. Appl Environ Microbiol, 1982 Oct, 44(4), 992 - 3 Nonstaining (KOH) method for determination of gram reactions of marine bacteria; Buck JD; A rapid nonstaining (KOH) method for the determination of the Gram reactions of bacteria is described, and its application to marine isolates is discussed . All gram-positive and gram-negative results obtained by Gram staining were confirmed by the KOH method . Gram-variable bacteria produced equivocal results. Yale J Biol Med, 1982 Sep-Dec, 55(5-6), 453 - 61 Pelvic actinomycosis and usage of intrauterine contraceptive devices; Kelly J et al.; PIP: A case history is reported of a 29-year old patient who presented with a chronic illness characterized by lethargy, back pain, fever, and anemia . Evaluation disclosed the presence of a large pelvic mass which was confirmed as a tubo-ovarian abscess at surgery . Histological evaluation demonstrated involvement by Actinomyces species . The patient's illness is discussed as a complication of chronic IUD usage with reference to specific management for this emerging problem . Data from the National Fertility Study conducted in 1973 revealed that nearly 2 million married women in the US, ages 15-44, were using IUDs . Scott noted the serious potentially fatal complications associated with IUD use, including pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), uterine perforation, ectopic pregnancy, and spontaneous or septic abortion . The relative risk of PID among IUD users has been reported to be increased 2-12 fold over controls . The risk of infection appears to increase as the period of IUD use lengthens, but the risk associated with the use of copper IUDs may be slightly less than with plastic IUDs . Actinomycosis has traditionally been described in 3 anatomical regions, the cervicofacial, thoracic, and abdominal areas, but pelvic and genital disease has been recognized with increasing frequency over the past decade . The common denominator associated with the latter syndrome appears to be the concurrent presence of an IUD . The Actinomyces are gram positive, nonacid fast, anaerobic, obligate parasites which are classified somewhere between the true bacteria and the complete fungi . Actinomyces species are not generally considered part of the normal vaginal flora but rather are associated with the presence of a foreign body, most often an IUD . It is thought that the IUD causes the initial tissue injury which permits subsequent colonization by these organisms . It is not known whether orogenital contact is a means of transmission of Actinomyces to the lower genital tract of sexual partners . One might estimate that the overall rate of cytological detection of A . israelii in cervical smears of IUD users at about 10% . This incidence increases sharply in patients being evaluated for symptomatic pelvic infection . Conversely, in women with IUDs in place and Actinomyces demonstrable in cervical smears, PID is up to 4 times as common as in those who have negative smears . Antibiotic treatment should probably be dictated by the clinical setting . As a general guide, the threshold for treatment should be low, since the therapy is relatively benign and the extent to which colonization and tissue invasion may have occurred is unknown . J Bacteriol, 1982 Sep, 151(3), 1397 - 402 Occurrence of alpha-tocopherolquinone and alpha-tocopherolquinol in microorganisms; Hughes PE et al.; Both alpha-tocopherolquinol and alpha-tocopherolquinone were found in 56 of 93 strains of microorganisms examined . Organisms that contained these compounds included the single example of a eucaryotic alga, a Euglena, and a cyanobacterium (blue-green alga), 22 of 32 genera of bacteria, and 9 genera of yeasts . In the bacteria and yeasts the levels of quinone and hydroquinone were nearly equal and averaged about 3 nmol of each compound g-1 of packed cells . Included among the bacteria that contained these compounds were three examples from the newly proposed kingdom of Archaebacteriae . Those microorganisms that did not contain alpha-tocopherolquinol or alpha-tocopherolquinone tended to fall into two groups . One group consisted of gram-positive, anaerobic or facultative bacteria with a low content of guanine and cytosine, and the second group encompassed all of the filamentous microorganisms studied . No metabolic function is known for alpha-tocopherolquinol or its quinone other than as a cofactor in the biohydrogenation of unsaturated fatty acids that can be carried out by only a few organisms. Ophthalmology, 1982 Sep, 89(9), 1055 - 66 Endophthalmitis: current approaches; Rowsey JJ et al.; Seventy patients referred with a diagnosis of endophthalmitis underwent anterior chamber and vitreous taps with intracameral antibiotic injections . Fifty-four eyes were culture positive, 34 (63%) after previous intraocular surgery, 12 (22%) had sustained penetrating trauma, and 8 (15%) resulted from a metastatic infection . Of 61 total isolates, 48 (79%) were gram positive, 9 (15%) were gram negative, and 5 (8%) were fungi . Visual recovery after surgery was related to the relative virulence of the organisms isolated . Twenty-four (44%) eyes achieved 20/400 or better vision, but only seven (13%) obtained 20/40 or better vision . Patients with a markedly abnormal ERG operatively demonstrated poor visual acuity recovery, while patients with near normal ERG recovered better vision . The authors currently recommend vitrectomy in patients with endophthalmitis whenever the retina cannot be visualized. J Periodontol, 1982 Sep, 53(9), 578 - 86 Gingival crevice neutrophil function in periodontosis; Newman HN et al.; This study examined gingival crevicular polymorphonuclear leucocyte function in periodontosis patients . Cells were examined for viability, function and ultrastructure . Eighty percent or more of the cells in each sample were viable as assessed by the fluorescein diacetate technique, but the test organism, Candida guillermondiae, was not phagocytosed . Gingival crevicular fluid contained many lysing neutrophils and nonphagocytosed organisms . Recognizable polymorphs contained Gram-negative and Gram-positive organisms . On the basis of this and previous studies it is concluded that gingival crevice neutrophils from periodontosis sites show reduced phagocytic function compared with cells from normal or periodontitis-affected gingival crevices . It is possible that the behavior of neutrophils from gingival crevices may be irrelevant . Original changes by that stage may have obscured their capabilities. J Clin Microbiol, 1982 Sep, 16(3), 525 - 30 Clinical laboratory comparison of a slide blood culture system with a conventional broth system; Pfaller MA et al.; The recovery of bacteria and fungi from blood cultures was compared in conventional tryptic soy broth (TSB) bottles and in TSB bottles with an agarcoated slide attachment . A total of 2,662 sets of blood cultures, including 413 that were positive (15.5%), were evaluated . Significantly more gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria were recovered in the slide culture bottles than in conventional bottles (299 versus 253 isolates) . Growth of gram-positive organisms and fungi was detected in the slide culture bottles 24 to 48 h earlier than in the TSB bottles . In addition, 76% of the isolates in the slide culture system were detected on the agar slide . In comparison, only 40% of the isolates in the TSB bottles were detected initially by blind subculturing . The incidences of contamination were 2.7% (71 cultures) for the slide culture system and 1.5% (39 cultures) for the TSB bottles. Infect Immun, 1982 Sep, 37(3), 1191 - 9 Zinc and bacterial adherence; Sugarman B et al.; Zinc significantly enhances the ability of piliated Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria to attach to HeLa cells . This effect is related to the concentration of zinc and degree of bacterial piliation, and is not present with unpiliated organisms . Bacterial viability is not necessary for this effect, and sulfhydryl blockers decrease the response . These data suggest that zinc can bind to bacterial pili and augment bacterial adherence; in this manner, zinc may act as a virulence factor. J Antibiot (Tokyo), 1982 Aug, 35(8), 972 - 8 Prothracarcin, a novel antitumor antibiotic; Shimizu K et al.; A novel antibiotic, prothracarcin was isolated from the culture broth of Streptomyces umbrosus subsp . raffinophilus DO-62 . The antibiotic has the molecular formula of C14H14N2O and belongs to the pyrrolo {1,4}benzodiazepine antibiotics . Its structure has been elucidated by mass and NMR spectra . It is active against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria and experimental murine tumor sarcoma 180 and leukemia P388. Arthritis Rheum, 1982 Aug, 25(8), 947 - 53 Gas-liquid chromatographic analysis of synovial fluid . Succinic acid and lactic acid as markers for septic arthritis; Borenstein DG et al.; Nonvolatile short-chain fatty acids from 80 synovial fluids were quantified by gas-liquid chromatography . Succinic acid was detectable in all 23 septic synovial fluids infected with either gram-positive or gram-negative organisms and in only 5 of 57 nonseptic synovial fluids . Lactic acid was present in all of the effusions but was correlated with septic arthritis only when present in concentrations greater than 250 mg% . Neither short-chain fatty acid was more sensitive than high white blood cell counts (greater than 50,000 mm3) or depressed glucose concentration (less than 40 mg/dl) in diagnosing septic arthritis before antibiotic therapy; however, the detection of succinic acid was helpful in identifying patients with septic arthritis who had been given antibiotic treatment before arthrocentesis . Thus, gas-liquid chromatography, a rapid and sensitive method for the detection of short-chain fatty acids, may complement the currently available methods used to diagnose septic arthritis. Arch Intern Med, 1982 Aug, 142(8), 1456 - 9 Bacteremias and fungemias in oncologic patients with central venous catheters: changing spectrum of infection; Lowder JN et al.; Ninety central venous catheters were inserted into 80 patients undergoing therapy for malignant neoplasms . Bacteremia and fungemia occurred in 18 of 41 treatment courses in patients with acute leukemia and in nine of 55 treatment courses in patients with solid tumors and lymphomas . Although gram-negative organisms accounted for nine (33%) cases of infection, the majority of disseminated infections were caused by gram-positive organisms (12 {45%} cases) or fungi (six {22%} cases) . Central venous catheters may be helpful in the treatment of patients undergoing intensive therapy with cytotoxic agents, but the shift in-spectrum of infection to gram-positive bacteremias in patients with these catheters compared with patients treated using peripheral vein access must be appreciated. Am J Pathol, 1982 Aug, 108(2), 196 - 205 Acute and chronic graft-versus-host disease in dogs given hemopoietic grafts from DLA-nonidentical littermates . Two distinct syndromes; Atkinson K et al.; We recognized two distinct clinical and histologic syndromes of acute and chronic graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) in irradiation chimeric dogs given hemopoietic grafts from DLA-nonidentical littermate donors . Clinically acute GVHD developed, with a median onset of 13 days after the transplant, and was characterized by skin erythema, jaundice, diarrhea, and gram-negative infections; the median survival of these dogs was 29.5 days . Chronic GVHD developed a median of 124 days after the transplant and was characterized by generalized skin ulcerations, massive ascites, and gram-positive infections; the median survival of these dogs was 150 days . Chronic GVHD could be distinguished histologically from acute GVHD by epidermal atrophy and dermal fibrosis and by bile duct proliferation, bridging, piecemeal necrosis, and portal fibrosis in the liver . Questions related to GVHD in man can be investigated in this model of acute and chronic GVHD in a large outbred species. Monatsschr Kinderheilkd, 1982 Jul, 130(7), 567 - 9 {Spontaneous bacterial peritonitis in cirrhosis of the liver caused by alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency (author's transl)}; Bosch C et al.; A three year old child with cirrhosis of the liver and ascites caused by alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency, developed severe abdominal pain with diarrhea and fever . Spontaneous bacterial peritonitis was diagnosed by demonstrating a purulent ascitic fluid with gram-positive cocci in the smear which were identified as pneumococci in the bacterial culture . The peritonitis subsided under antibiotic treatment without complications . Spontaneous bacterial peritonitis in children with cirrhosis of the liver is mentioned in the literature, but up to now, however, only three cases were reported in detail . In order to establish the diagnosis, abdominal tap should be tried rather than explorative laparotomy, the demonstration of gram-positive cocci is diagnostic of spontaneous bacterial peritonitis . With early antibiotic therapy, prognosis of the disease is favourable . Newborns and children with nephrotic syndrome, however, are particularly at risk. J Antibiot (Tokyo), 1982 May, 35(5), 622 - 8 A selective isolation procedure for Pseudomonas bacteria; Wakisaka Y et al.; A selective isolation medium was devised for Pseudomonas bacteria . An antibiotic mixture which contained 10 micrograms per ml of cerexin A, 10 micrograms per ml of nalidixic acid and 30 micrograms per ml of cycloheximide was used . With the antibiotic medium, 58 strains of bacteria presumed to be Pseudomonas which were subdivided into 18 taxonomically different groups were isolated from 3 soil samples with 9% of contaminants . With this method, it was possible to isolate a Pseudomonas bacterium from a sample containing about 400 times as many other Gram-positive and -negative bacteria. Crit Care Med, 1982 May, 10(5), 308 - 10 Complement activation in septic shock due to gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria; Leon C et al.; Whole serum complement (CH50) and C3, C4, and C3PA plasma values were studied in 48 patients: 9 with nonseptic shock; 20 with sepsis; 14 with septic shock caused by gram-negative bacteria; 5 with septic shock caused by gram-positive bacteria . All were compared with a control group of 25 healthy individuals . Determinations were made upon admission and again 48 and 96 h later . No significant differences in complement values were found between the patients with nonseptic shock and the control group . In the patients with sepsis, decreased CH50 (p less than 0.001) and increased C3PA (p less than 0.02) values were observed, while C3 and C4 remained unaltered . In the patients with septic shock, markedly decreased levels of CH50, C3, and C4 were seen (p less than 0.001, and p less than 0.001, and p less than 0.001, respectively) without changes in C3PA levels