Microbial

Med Clin (Barc), 1980 Feb 10, 74(3), 89 - 91
{Tuberculous pleural effusion and pleural effusion secondary to non-specific bacterial infection: biochemical differential diagnosis (author's transl)}; Cabrer B et al.; The authors study 14 different analytical parameters in the pleural fluid in order to recognize differential biological criteria, helping to establish an etiologic diagnosis in patients with suggestive clinical symptoms and biological data of an infectious process . In a group of 38 patients with bacterial exudative pleural effusion (22 of tuberculous origin and 16 secondary to non-specific bacterial infection), the following parameters were analyzed: total proteins, acid glucoprotein, X1, antytripsin, CDH, acid phosphatase, amylase, cholinest, copper, iron, pCO2, pO2 pH, glucose, and cholesterol . The results of amylase, copper, pCO2, pO2 and pH determinations in the pleural fluid show statistical significant differences between the tuberculous cases and the patients with non-specific infections . Lastly, the authors mention the minimal biological criteria necessary to confirm the tuberculous or non-specific bacterial etiology of a pleural fluid, stressing the value of the levels of cholinesterase, copper, pO2 and pH as differential data.

Arch Fr Pediatr, 1980 Feb, 37(2), 103 - 7
{Myelopathy complicating acute bacterial meningitis (author's transl)}; Bouygues D et al.; Four cases of acute bacterial meningitis complicated by medullary involvement are described . The complication presenting as a transverse myelitis occurred early and suddenly in the course of severe bacterial meningitis caused by different bacteria . Only two other comparable cases have been reported.

Clin Exp Immunol, 1980 Feb, 39(2), 510 - 8
Isolation of human spontaneous killer lymphocytes by bacterial adherence; Kleinman R et al.; Human lymphocyte subpopulations (B, T1, T2, T3, and T4 our denomination) have been identified previously by bacterial adherence and differences between them in mitogen responses and specific cytotoxic activity have been found . In this study another aspect has been investigated in order to find functions associated with these subpopulations, namely the spontaneous killing (SK) ability . Freshly isolated human peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) were separated into adherent and non-adherent cells following centrifugation against various bact:rial monolayers . The PBL and the resulting subpopulations of PBL were tested alone or in combination as effector cells in a 4 hr cytotoxicity assay against human lymphoblastoid cel- lines of B or T cell origin . The T3 + T4 cells or T4 cells alone showed a significantly higher SK activity against both B and T target cell lines when compared with unseparated PBL, T1 + T2, or T3 cells alone . Whe Fc portion of IgG, contain the lymphocytes responsible for SK activity and that SK cells can be purified by negative selection using bacterial adherence.

Biokhimiia, 1980 Feb, 45(2), 371 - 5
{Correlation between the distribution and inhibition constants of bacterial agmatinase inhibitors}; Khramov VA; A correlation between the distribution of chemical compounds in the water-non-polar solvent system and their inhibiting effect on bacterial agmatinase has been established . The correlation equation appears as lg(1/Ki)=algp0+C . The value of C is constant for homologous inhibitors but shows considerable variations upon a transition from the homologous row of alcohols to monoamines, diamines and guanidine alcanes . It is assumed that the value of C reflects the electrostatic interactions between the enzyme and ligand . Alternatively this value can be regarded as a factor of the ligand fitness into the enzyme active center . The correlation equations obtained for different homologous sequences allow to predict the inhibiting effect of still unknown homologues.

Biokhimiia, 1980 Feb, 45(2), 317 - 24
{Role of amino acid arginine residues of bacterial formate dehydrogenase}; Tishkov VI et al.; Inactivation of NAD-dependent formate dehydrogenase by butandione-2,3 has been studied . The inactivation is shown to be due to specific modification of the arginine residues . The enzyme activity is completely abolished by modification of 17 arginine residues per enzyme molecule . Native formate dehydrogenase contains 50 arginine residues . The dependences of the enzyme inactivation rate on butandione and substrate concentrations and the pH profile of the inactivation have been investigated . Coenzymes (but not formate) protect the enzyme against inactivation . The enzyme activity is completely retained upon formation of a binary E-NAD complex and a ternary E-NAD-azide complex . Protection of one arginine residue per enzyme subunit is observed under formation of a ternary enzyme--inhibitor complex . The fole of the arginine residue in coenzyme binding is discussed.

Gut, 1980 Feb, 21(2), 128 - 32
Ileal excretion and bacterial modification of bile acids and cholesterol in patients with continent ileostomy; Kay RM et al.; Bile acid (acidic sterol) and neutral steroid excretion were determined in 15 patients, five with conventional ileostomy, five with continent ileostomy, and five with continent ileostomy and an ileal resection . Acidic sterol losses were normal in conventional ileostomy patients and not significantly increased in those with continent ileostomy alone . Bile acid excretion rates were significantly increased in patients with a continent ileostomy and an ileal resection . Neutral steroid excretion was similar in all groups and not different from normal . Deoxycholic acid was not detected in ileal effluent of patients with conventional ileostomy and less than 2% of neutral steroid excreted was in the form of bacterial metabolites of cholesterol . The same was true of six of the 10 patients with continent ileostomies; in the other four patients at least 10% of acidic or neutral steroids were excreted as secondary bile acids or as a coprostanol . Modification of steroids was not related to ileal resection . Continent ileostomy was associated with a significant increase in percentage water content and a reduction in the pH of ileal effluent.

J Immunol, 1980 Feb, 124(2), 708 - 12
Cytotoxicity of human macrophages for tumor cells: enhancement by bacterial lipopolysaccharides (LPS); Cameron DJ et al.; Bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) stimulates human macrophages derived from peripheral blood monocytes to kill tumor cells in vitro . Maximum cytotoxicity was observed after 8 to 24 hr of incubation with LPS . However, if the macrophages are activated with LPS for 8 hr and then maintained in medium for an additional 16 hr before assay, their cytotoxic capacity is lost . In comparison to normal macrophages, LPS-activated macrophages were cytotoxic to the three malignant cell lines tested but had no effect on the three nonmalignant cell lines . Human macrophages can be made tumoricidal by the addition of greater than or equal to 10 microgram/ml LPS, and the effect is abolished in the presence of polymyxin B.

Can J Microbiol, 1980 Feb, 26(2), 175 - 8
Mechanisms of host defense and quantitative comparisons of bacterial populations in experimental peritonitis; Jennings MM et al.; A model for the quantitative study of bacterial levels in blood, ascitic fluid, and liver, induced by Escherichia coli in the rat, has been devised . Three experimental situations were then studied: non-fatal peritonitis, fatal peritonitis induced by bacteria rendered more virulent by serial passage through test animals, and fatal peritonitis using haemoglobin adjuvant with the more virulent strain . Results indicate that a variety of defense mechanisms are operant in the host animal . In the non-fatal peritonitis, clearance of free bacteria from the peritoneum is observed with a late rebound in local and systemic populations . These phenomena correlate well with in vitro studies of bacterial uptake by peritoneal macrophages . In fatal peritonitis without adjuvant, much larger numbers of bacteria seem to escape initial clearance in the peritoneum and proximal reticuloendothelial system with resultant overwhelming septicaemia . In fatal peritonitis with adjuvant, much less clearance of organisms from the peritoneum is observed, with resultant overgrowth of bacteria and host death . It thus seems that the initial host defenses center around peritoneal clearance of introduced organisms, and that processes which interfere with this clearance prove fatal.

Appl Environ Microbiol, 1980 Feb, 39(2), 281 - 4
Semielectronic turbidimeter for automated monitoring of bacterial growth in test tubes; Marcelis JH et al.; An automated turbidimeter for measuring bacterial growth in ordinary test tubes is described . The device records and prints adsorbance, expressed as Klett units, of 60 cultures every 15 min . Provision is made for either aerobic or anaerobic incubation . The device is adaptable to modification, depending upon local requirements and availability of computation facilities.

J Urol, 1980 Feb, 123(2), 184 - 7
In vitro bacterial adherence to vaginal cells of normal and cystitis-prone women; Parsons CL et al.; Using an in vitro assay system to quantitate the adherence of Escherichia coli to vaginal cells we found no statistically significant difference in mean bacterial adherence per cell in either infection-prone or normal women at either pH 6.4 or 4.0, which is that of the normal vaginal introitus . In addition, we found that the assay method used by previous investigators contained large sources of error, making it difficult to draw conclusions based upon the data obtained with this method.

J Exp Med, 1980 Feb 1, 151(2), 418 - 28
Low molecular weight iron-binding factor from mammalian tissue that potentiates bacterial growth; Jones RL et al.; A low molecular weight, iron-binding factor was isolated from horse liver . This host-associated iron transfer factor (HAITF) is capable of binding iron and stimulating bacterial growth by promoting iron uptake into bacteria . Also, when injected into infected animals, HAITF increases the virulence of bacterial infections . HAITF bioactivity is ubiquitous in animal tissues and present in serum . It is proposed that HAITF is a factor that inadvertently plays a role in the host-parasite competition for iron.

Blut, 1980 Feb, 40(2), 151 - 5
DNA-synthesizing T and non-T cells in bacterial infections; van der Woerd-de Lange JA et al.; The results of autoradiographic determination of DNA-synthesizing lymphocytes (3H-thymidine) in 10 patients with bacterial infections were compared with results in 10 normal patients and contrasted with 23 CLL patients in different stages {12} . In patients with infectious diseases the absolute number of T cells was lower and the mean values of S-phase T cells and S-phase non-T cells was higher than in normal persons . In contrast to the patients with infections, CLL patients in stage o--III have lower S-phase T cell values and higher S-phase non-T cell values . In stage IV, on the other hand, all DNA-synthesizing lymphocytes are increased.

Transplantation, 1980 Feb, 29(2), 143 - 8
Cimetidine-induced augmentation of human lymphocyte blastogenesis by mitogen, bacterial antigen, and alloantigen; Gifford RR Sr et al.; The effect of Cimetidine, a histamine-type 2 receptor antagonist, was evaluated on the in vitro proliferative response of normal human peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBLs) . Cimetidine (10(-3) to 10(-8) M) increased mitogen-induced blastogenesis by 22% (phytohemagglutinin (PHA) and by 27% (pokeweed) over nondrug-treated control values (P less than 005 for PHA and pokeweed) . Preincubation of PBLs with Cimetidine further augmented blastogenesis as much as 2- to 3-fold (P less than 0.005 for both mitogens) . Multiple testing of the same normal subject demonstrated consistent reproducibility of increased proliferation by Cimetidine . Similar statistically significant amplifications of the proliferative res-ponse were observed when bacterial antigen (streptokinase-streptodornase) or alloantigen was used to induce blastogenesis . Optimally effective concentrations of Cimetidine ranged from 10(-5) to 10(-7) M, which corresponds to expected clinical serum levels . These observations suggest that a histamine-type 2 receptor antagonist is capable of modulating the proliferative response of PBLs in the absence of exogenously added histamine . The immunoregulatory implication of this Cimetidine-induced proliferative augmentation is discussed in relation to clinical transplantation and cancer immunotherapy.

Scand J Rheumatol, 1980, 9(4), 216 - 20
Anaerobic bacterial coxitis and pseudocystic tumour in rheumatoid arthritis . A case report; Keller C et al.; When patients with rheumatoid arthritis develop rapidly growing tumours around the hip or elbow joint, the possibility should be considered that this condition could be pseudocystic with a low virulent infection . The present report describes such a case of anaerobic bacterial coxitis with rapidly growing tumour.

Chemotherapy, 1980, 26(6), 446 - 51
Bacterial flora in acute small bowel obstruction; Gupta S et al.; The bacterial flora has been studied by direct sampling techniques at various levels in 25 cases of acute small bowel obstruction . The presence of coliform bacteria in the distal ileum below the level of obstruction and progressive increase of bacterial counts from the jejunum towards the distal ileum above the obstruction suggest that ingestion may not be the only factor of bacterial growth in the small bowel in acute intestinal obstruction . Moreover, indirect peritoneal contamination in 8 cases of long-standing acute small bowel obstruction indicates that possibly a combination of multiple factors like ingestion of food, retrograde spread from the large bowel, lymphatic and/or hematogenous spread are responsible for bacterial dissemination in and around the obstructed bowel.

Eur J Cardiol, 1980, 11(4), 315 - 24
Echocardiographic diagnosis of subacute bacterial endocarditis; Perini GP et al.; The echocardiogram is able to diagnose on which valvular leaflet or cusp the bacterial vegetations are implanted; it is also able to recognize the type of lesion (destroying vegetations, prolapsing vegetations, etc.) . In our experience the echocardiographi findings were fully confirmed at surgical intervention in 12 of the 13 patients studied.

Acta Med Scand, 1980, 207(4), 305 - 7
Failure of excessive doses of ampicillin to prevent bacterial relapse in the treatment of acute pyelonephritis; Ode B et al.; In order to evaluate whether very high doses of ampicillin might be more effective than conventional therapy in eradicating bacteria in patients with acute pyelonephritis, 34 affected patients were randomly assigned into two treatment groups . One group was given ampicillin in a daily dose of 30 g for three days and 20 g for four days without further treatment . The other group was given ampicillin in moderate doses for one month . Out of 13 patients treated with excessive doses for one week, only three were completely cured whereas conventional therapy cured 9 out of 21 . Thus, excessive doses of ampicillin given for one week were not more effective but more expensive and possibly less beneficial than conventional therapy.

Jpn Heart J, 1980 Jan, 21(1), 141 - 8
Detection of flail aortic valve in bacterial endocarditis with real-time two-dimensional echocardiography . A case report; Orita Y et al.; This report describes a case with flail right and noncoronary cusps due to bacterial endocarditis, diagnosed with real-time two-dimensional echocardiography . Real-time two-dimensional phased array sector scanner demonstrated 2 cugdel-shaped lesions in the region of the left ventricular outflow tract through the aortic root, pendulating upward and downward floating along the blood stream . This study shows that the real-time two-dimensional echocardiography is a very useful noninvasive tool in the early diagnosis of flail aortic valve.

Appl Environ Microbiol, 1980 Jan, 39(1), 233 - 41
Adherent bacterial populations on the bovine rumen wall: distribution patterns of adherent bacteria; McCowan RP et al.; Fourteen tissue sites from the bovine reticulo-rumen were examined by scanning electron microscopy to determine the distribution patterns of bacterial populations adhering to the epithelium . Although diet variations did not appear to influence the total number of tissue-adherent bacteria present in adult Herefords, diet affected their distribution . It appeared that the distribution of the bacterial populations may be directly affected by the physical state of the digesta . The digesta may be mechanically removing adherent bacteria from the tissue surface by abrasive action . The total adherent population consisted of subpopulations with separate distribution patterns, and macropopulations of morphologically similar bacteria were occasionally observed at specific sites on the epithelial surface . Ureolytic organisms on the epithelium followed a distribution pattern considerably different from the general bacterial distribution.

Pediatrics, 1980 Jan, 65(1), 26 - 9
The association of kernicterus with bacterial infection in the newborn; Pearlman MA et al.; A total population of 29,395 neonates cared for in the six-year period from 1971 to 1976 was reviewed for evidence of autopsy-proven kernicterus . A total of 327 neonates died and 232 were autopsied . The only cases of kernicterus occurred in four near-term infants with antemortem proven sepsis . All four of these infants weighed more than 2,200 gm and were delivered after gestations of either 36 or 37 weeks . These cases of kernicterus occurred during a period when more aggressive management of hyperbilirubinemia in low-birth-weight infants had apparently eliminated immaturity as a predisposing factor in the development of kernicterus, uncovering bacterial infection as the major remaining etiologic co-factor.

Int Arch Allergy Appl Immunol, 1980, 61(3), 321 - 8
Impaired neutrophil locomotion during acute bacterial infections; Althaus D et al.; Neutrophils from patients with acute bacterial infections show a marked decrease in random as well as directional locomotion in vitro . The further analysis of the data suggests that defective directional locomotion is due to impaired locomotion and not to impaired chemotaxis . The defect disappeared almost completely with clinical recovery . There was no direct correlation between impaired directional neutrophil locomotion and the proportion of band forms in the neutrophil population . Plasma obtained from patients with acute bacterial infections showed no 'spontaneous' chemotactic activity and immune complex-induced cytotaxin formation was normal in vitro . Neutrophils from 2 patients with viral pneumonia showed normal locomotion.

Chemotherapy, 1980, 26(1), 72 - 9
Neomycin and the combination of neomycin and bacitracin in the prevention of bacterial infection in surgery of the colon and/or rectum; Montori A et al.; In two groups of patients submitted to surgery of the colon and/or rectum, treatment to prevent bacterial infections using a combination of 100 mg neomycin and 10,000 U bacitracin every 6 h for 48 h gave the same results as neomycin employed alone at a dosage of 500 mg every 6 h for 48 h . Results confirm the synergism of action between neomycin and bacitracin.

Dtsch Med Wochenschr, 1980 Jan, 105(3), 91 - 5
{Echocardiographic diagnosis of bacterial endocarditis (authors' transl)}; Fischer W et al.; Five cases of bacterial endocarditis are reported to illustrate typical findings in the echo-cardiogram . Serial echocardiograms provide a non-invasive method of determining localisationand extent of vegetations or lesions, as well as haemodynamic changes . This facilitates early consideration of possible surgical valve replacement.

Scott Med J, 1980 Jan, 25(1), 27 - 32
An evaluation of the 14C-glycocholic acid breath test in the diagnosis of bacterial colonisation of the jejunum; Watson WS et al.; In order to assess the performance of the 14C-glycocholic acid breath test as an indicator of bacterial colonisation of the jejunum, 145 combined breath tests and jejunal aspirate cultures were carried out on a total of 50 subjects who had an increased probability of being colonised . Ninety-one of the 145 cultures were positive while only 31 of the breath tests were positive . This poor performance of the breath test relative to the aspirate culture can be predicted with reasonable accuracy from known bile deconjugating capabilities of bacteria found in the small intestine.

Ann Thorac Surg, 1980 Jan, 29(1), 1 - 7
Surgical management of left ventricular-aortic discontinuity complicating bacterial endocarditis; Frantz PT et al.; Successful hemodynamic repair of left ventricular-aortic discontinuity complicating bacterial endocarditis in 2 patients was achieved using a composite valve-woven Dacron tube graft . The prosthetic valve was sutured without tension into the remaining aortic annulus, ventricular muscle, and base of the aortic leaflet of the mitral valve . Use of the composite graft allows adequate debridement of the abscess, restores ventricular-aortic continuity, excludes the abscess wall from systemic pressure, and does not require saphenous vein coronary bypass . Total exclusion of the aortic root, as described, is a lifesaving alternative repair in the care of desperately ill patients with this condition.

Environ Mutagen, 1980, 2(1), 75 - 83
I . Bacterial mutagenicity of particulates from Houston air; Preidecker BL; This study was designed to examine suspended air particulates from the Houston atmosphere, Airborne particulates were collected using either a hi-vol sampler (one stage from 0.01 to 25 micrometer) or an Anderson Cascade Impactor, the five stages of which roughly resemble the human respiratory tract . After organic extraction, the Ames assay was used to determine the mutagenic content of extracts, and the ability to induce prophage was assessed . Also DNA-repair-deficient cells were employed to see if the extracts caused DNA damage and what portion of the premutational lesions was repaired in normal cells . Results indicate that extracts of particulates from Houston air cause a significant number of mutations in bacteria and that the highest frequency of reversions is associated with the smallest particulates . An excision repair system is operative in bacteria which is able to assuage damage done to DNA by these extracts . The extracts did not cause prophage induction.

Infection, 1980, 8(4), 142 - 6
The Significance of the nitroblue-tetrazolium test in cerebrospinal fluid granulocytes in bacterial and abacterial meningitis; Kolmel HW et al.; The reaction of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) granulocytes in the nitroblue-tetrazolium test (NBT test) was evaluated . In a previous study, methodological problems were resolved, and the method developed by Park et al, was modified to suit the special conditions of the CSF . Thirty-eight CSF specimens from 26 patients were analysed . It appears that NBT test results with CSF granulocytes are significantly positive--according to the criteria developed by Park for blood granulocytes--when bacterial meningitis is present . If the cause of the pleocytosis is not bacterial in nature, then the test results are negative in most cases, provided that the CSF sample contains little or no blood . The NBT test in bloody CSF may produce positive results no matter what the cause of the pleocytosis . Our results suggest that the NBT test is a general, non-specific indicator of granulocyte stimulation . It reflects the ability of granulocytes to react to a stress situation of the organism . Bacterial infection results in a conspicuously large number of stimulated (i.e . NBT positive) granulocytes.

Langenbecks Arch Chir, 1980, 353(2), 121 - 7
{Route of infection of the biliary tract: experimental evidence for an enterohepaticobiliary bacterial cycle (author's transl)}; Hancke E et al.; Suspensions of Escherichia coli bacteria were injected into the colon of ten mongrel dogs . Primarily, the cystic duct and the distal choledochal duct had been ligated . Choledochal bile was continuously collected with a ductal catheter . The bacteria could be cultured from the portal vein blood, the liver, and the gallbladder wall 5 h after injection, but not from choledochal or gallbladder bile . Suspensions of tritiated Escherichia coli bacteria were injected into the portal vein of another 20 mongrel dogs . Now the bacteria could be cultured from the liver, the gallbladder wall, the choledochal and the gallbladder bile 10 min after injection . Elevated radioactivity counts could be found in the tissue and bile samples . In the liver and gallbladder wall, the tritiated bacteria could be seen in phagocytes and capillary ducts by autoradiography . We conclude that there is an enterohepaticobiliary bacterial cycle which could explain the pathogenesis of infections in biliary tract diseases.

J Supramol Struct, 1980, 14(3), 281 - 94
Catalytic activities associated with the enzymes II of the bacterial phosphotransferase system; Saier MH Jr; The phosphotransferase system (PTS) in Escherichia coli is a multifunctional, multicomponent enzyme system . Its primary functions deal with carbon source acquisition, while its secondary functions are concerned with the regulation of bacterial physiology . The primary functions of the system include 1) extracellular detection, 2) unidirectional and exchange transmembrane transport, and 3) phosphoenolpyruvate-dependent and sugar phosphate-dependent phosphorylation of the sugar substrates of the system . The secondary functions include 1) regulation of the activities of adenylate cyclase and various non-PTS permeases and 2) regulation of the induced synthesis of several PTS enzymes . Both the primary and secondary functions appear to be elicited by the binding of a sugar substrate to an Enzyme II complex . One of these integral transmembrane enzymes, the mannitol Enzyme II (IImtl), has been solubilized with detergent, purified to homogeneity, and reconstituted in an artificial membrane system . The molecular weight of this protein, IImtl, is 60,000 daltons . It possesses an extracellular sugar binding site and distinct intracellular combining sites for sugar phosphate and phospho-HPr . An essential sulfhydryl group and an antibody combining site are localized to the cytoplasmic surface of the enzyme, while a dextran combining site is localized to the external surface . Preliminary experiments suggest that the different functions of the Enzyme IImtl can be dissected by genetic and biochemical techniques . These studies emphasize the functional complexity of the PTS and its integral membrane protein constituents.

Arch Otorhinolaryngol, 1980, 229(3-4), 209 - 20
Inner ear damage induced by bacterial endotoxin; Nakai Y et al.; Repeated i.d . injection doses of endotoxin lipopolysaccharide of E . coli at certain time intervals were found to give rise to the following changes in the inner ear in mice: In the organ of Corti of the cochlea, there were noted degeneration and disappearance of the inner and outer hair cells of the lower turn, partly with a partial disappearance of nerve fibers in the osseous spiral lamina . Degenerative changes seen in the upper turn were of milder degree . The stria vascularis exhibited enlarged intercellular spaces, the appearance of lysosomes in the constituent cells, and degeneration thereof . Changes observed in the vestibular organ were varying degrees of degeneration of types I and II sensory cells of the crista ampullaris and macula as well as a partial disappearance of these cells . The dark cells were found to have undergone such changes as the formation of vacuoles of varying size and widened interspaces between infoldings, thus providing presumptive evidence of a change in the composition of the endolymph . These observations suggest the possibility that Shwartzman reaction might be another probable cause of inner ear deafness or equilibrium disturbances in actual clinical cases which are at present claimed to be of unknown etiology.

Arch Sci Med (Torino), 1980 Jan-Mar, 137(1), 23 - 8
{Experimental analysis of the immunizing and protective action of an association of total bacterial antigens}; Lampa E et al.; The A . by a series of experimental works have shown that an association of total bacteria antigens (SPRE) administered in the rabbit vai intramuscular route or by inhalation is able to cause the appearance of serum specific antibodies and to have a significant protective action.

Minerva Stomatol, 1980 Jan-Feb, 29(1), 39 - 44
{Protective effect against bacterial plaque accumulation of a mouthwash containing cetylpyridinium}; Gargiulo V et al.; A mouthwash containing 0.05% cetylpyridium led to a marked reduction in the accumulation of bacterial plaque in a double-blind cross-over trial on 40 subjects . The preparation is thus a sound mean for the prevention of caries and periodontal disease . Its tolerance and subjective satisfaction were excellent.

Respiration, 1980, 40(3), 142 - 9
Immunoglobulin production in man stimulated by an orally administered bacterial lysate; Puigdollers JM et al.; The concentrations of secretory immunoglobulins in the saliva, and of immunoglobulin in the serum, have been measured by the radial immunodiffusion method in 12 healthy volunteers, before and after oral administration of Broncho-Vaxom which is a lysate of bacteria that usually cause infection in the upper respiratory tract . The mean concentration of secretory IgA in the saliva was increased by over 100% after the 10-day administration of the product . This increase was statistically significant between the 20th and 33rd day after the beginning of the treatment (p < 0.05) . It fell to a normal level after a month in 4 subjects who received one treatment course only . In 8 subjects who received a second treatment course beginning 1 month after termination of the first course, the high concentration of IgAs in the saliva persisted for at least 3 months . A significant increase in the serum concentrations of IgG of about 50% and of IgM of at least 100% above the initial level was observed in the treated subjects in the time between day 35 and 5 months after the beginning of the experiment (p < 0.05).

Genetika, 1980, 16(5), 921 - 3
{New class of bacterial translation mutants}; Pozdniakov VN et al.; Two suppressor mutations of phage T4, which specifically suppress different opal mutations in the same phage T4 genome, have been obtained . One of these mutations possessed suppressor activity at 27 degrees C but not at 42 degrees C . It is shown that these suppressor mutations operate on the level of translation and probably localize in one of the genes determining the synthesis of phage T4 tRNA . Two strains of Escherichia coli B which were able to restrict this opal suppressor and did not affect amber or ochra suppressor activity of phage T4, were obtained . Possible mechanism of phage T4 opal suppressor activity and the nature of their restriction in bacterial mutants are discussed.

Folia Microbiol (Praha), 1980, 25(5), 381 - 7
Effective of Bacterial repair systems in near UV radiation-induced damage; Janovska E et al.; Inactivation of seven strains derived from Escherichia coli B differing in their capacity to repair damage to their DNA (exc, pol, rec) after irradiation with far (254 nm) and middle and near (300 to 380 and 320--400 nm) UV light was investigated . The same bacterial strains were also used as hosts for the UV-irradiated phage T7 . The damage induced in bacteria and the phage by the near UV radiation was repaired only to a lesser extent by the investigated repair mechanisms or was not repaired at all.

Dermatologica, 1980, 161(3), 187 - 90
Cutaneous pigmentation: a probable sign of spontaneous bacterial peritonitis; Pollack S et al.; A cirrhotic patient with ascites was apparently well managed with diuretics and salt and water restriction for 9 months . A spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP) developed and the patient finally died following septic shock . There were enough findings indicating that SBP in this case had been existing silently for some time . During this period the only apparent manifestation of this complication was a cutaneous pigmentation on the abdomen . It is suggested that pigmentation may be incuded among other presentations of this frequently silent process.

Pediatrics, 1980 Jan, 65(1), 94 - 7
Bacterial colonization of radial artery catheters; Adams JM et al.; In 147 radial artery catheterizations performed, blanching or embolization was noted in 10.8% of the patients . Only a single episode of catheter-related septicemia was observed (0.6%) Mean duration of catheterization was 48 +/- 6 hours . Of 110 catheters cultured 25.4% grew bacteria; most organisms cultured were nonpathogenic . Duration of catheterization and intravascular infusion did not alter the incidence of catheter colonization.

Exp Hematol, 1980 Jan, 8(1), 120 - 33
Diminished response of granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) in mice after sensitisation with bacterial cell-wall components; Staber FG; The secondary induction of serum granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) by structurally unrelated and chemically highly purified bacterial cell-wall components (BCWC) was studied . Homologous challenge of mice 7 days after treatment with lipid A, lipoprotein or murein failed to increase serum GM-CSF levels and the extent of the decreased responsiveness was dependent upon the dose used for the initial injection . Lipid A-induced decreased responsiveness took 48 hours to develop and remained fully expressed approximately up to day 7 following injection . Then responsiveness reappeared gradually and was virtually normal 4 weeks after injection . Lipoprotein-induced decreased responsiveness developed in a similar manner but peristed maximally over the whole 8 week period studied . The decreased responsiveness induced by the injection, 7 days previously of either lipid A or lipoprotein was not specific as cross-challenge also failed to elevated GM-CSF to normal levels . On the other hand, 7 weeks after priming the lipoprotein induced decreased responsiveness was found to be specific . Mixing experiments failed to show increased levels of GM-CSF inhibitors in the serum from mice injected 7 days previously with lipid A and decreased responsiveness could not be transferred with serum to normal recipients . Similarly the lowered GM-CSF response to lipoprotein could not be transferred wth serum collected 7 weeks after primary injection . Medium conditioned by spleens from mice injected with lipid A contained less detectable GM-CSF than medium conditioned by normal spleens, but a variety of other organs did not show this difference . Mixing experiments failed to show significant differences in GM-CSF inhibitory activity between the two types of spleen conditioned media.

Acta Chir Scand Suppl, 1980, 500, 19 - 21
Granulocyte-function in pancreatitis . Nitroblue tetrazolium-test related to clinical signs of bacterial infection and to hypertriglyceridemia; Broden G et al.; Out of 26 patients with acute pancreatitis, 8 had several signs of bacterial infection such as high nitroblue tetrazolium (NBT) reduction of granulocytes, fever, elevated ESR and leukocytosis with granulocytosis . 2 patients had a high NBT-value without all other clinical signs of infection and 6 had such signs without a high NBT-value . --An NBT-value lower than normal was found in 6 patients, 3 of whom also had other signs of infection . The level of serum lipids, determined in only 3 of the 6, demonstrated concomitant hypertriglyceridemia . Hyperlipidemia is known to decrease granulocyte activity and might have prevented a stimulation to increased NBT-reduction otherwise brought about by bacterial infection . Further, 3 of the 6 patients with low NBT-reductions suffered from a very severe type of pancreatitis and two of them developed pneumonia . --Bacterial infection may thus contribute to a severe clinical course of pancreatitis, especially in patients with hypertriglyceridemia in whom the granulocyte function is depressed.

Arch Exp Veterinarmed, 1980, 34(3), 317 - 24
{Lysozyme in sow's milk and its importance to bacterial population of the gastrointestinal tract in suckling piglets}; Schulze F et al.; The lysozyme level was found to reach its highest point on the second day from parturition, followed by strong decline to a much lower value which then remained constant up to the 30th day of lactation . The rise recorded from the period between farrowing and the second day after birth as well as the decline up to the fourth day and the constant level up to the 30th day from parturition were statistically secured . Lysozyme levels in the milk of sows with no previous lactation record was found to be lower with significance than those recordable from sows with something between six and nine previous lactations . The conclusion has been that lysozyme levels are strongly affected by both lactation time and number of lactations . Lysozyme concentrations in sow milk on the first and second days from parturition were betweeen 6.8 and 11.0 microgram/ml, depending on the number of previous lactations . Such high lysozyme levels in sow foremilk over the first three days of age as well as all findings so far gained on the structure of bacterial cell walls are likely to suggest that the above enzyme affects bacterial population of the gastro-intestinal tract of suckling.

J Oral Pathol, 1980 Jan, 9(1), 1 - 15
Bacterial endotoxin: a role in chronic inflammatory periodontal disease?
Daly CG, Seymour GJ, Kieser JB.
A review of current information was undertaken examining suggested roles for bacterial endotoxin in periodontal disease . Evidence for the presence of endotoxin in plaque, gingival crevicular fluid and periodontally involved cementum is discussed . The biological effects of endotoxin are numerous, and its abilities to induce tissue inflammation, resorb rat foetal bone, activate the complement pathway, stimulate macrophages and activate immune responses are examined in relation to the suggestion that endotoxin is an important factor in the pathogenesis of periodontal disease.

Biokhimiia, 1980 Jan, 45(1), 124 - 9
{Proteins of bacterial membranes . Purification of soluble ATPase from Acholeplasma laidlawii}; Kapitanov AB et al.; A purified preparation of ATPase (factor F1) from the Acholeplasma laidlawii was obtained . The purification procedure included extraction of the enzyme complex from the isolated membranes by ultrasonication, chromatography on DEAE-cellulose and gel filtration on Sepharose 6B . The specific activity of the ATPase was increased 30-fold as compared to the original activity . The Km value for ATP hydrolysis was 7,4 . 10(-4) M . ADP competitively inhibited the enzyme (Ki = 2,0 . 10(-4) M) . Ouabain (2,5 . 10(-4) M) and dicyclohexylcarbodiimide (1,0 . 10(-4) M) did not inhibit the ATPase activity . The enzyme was activated by Mg2+, but was inhibited by a combination of Na+ and K+ . The enzyme is cold-labile, but can be stabilized by storage in buffer solutions, containing methanol, glycerol or lecithin.

Boll Ist Sieroter Milan, 1980, 59(6), 655 - 61
Bacterial toxins and glucagon in liver cAMP regulation: a physiopathological role in liver diseases?
Scevola D, Barbarini G, Marone P, Casciarri I, Bernardi R, Magliulo E.
Alterations of the specific enzymes located in the cell membranes might promote changes of the cyclic nucleotides ratio which is regulatory in growth stimulation of hepatocytes . Bacterial toxins, hormones and drugs affecting cyclic nucleotides system can interfere with this process in liver diseases . The Authors have determined hepatic cAMP concentrations by means of cAMP radioimmunoassay, in vivo, in rats treated with cholera toxin (CT), E . coli endotoxin (LPS) and glucagon . CT (0.15 mg i.v./rat/4th hr) and glucagon (0.8 mg/i.v./10') (significantly p less than 0.01) increase liver cAMP from 1.72 n mol/g wet wt (controls) to 2.62 and 4.13 n mol/g wet/wt respectively . Serum transaminases levels were unmodified . LPS (1.5 mg/hg/i.v./3th hr) significantly (p less than 0.01) raises serum transaminase activity while liver cAMP was not affected . Kinetics study however show that LPS, at lower dosage (0.5 mg/hg i.v.) enhances liver cAMP before cytotoxicity is observed.

J Infect Dis, 1980 Jan, 141(1), 14 - 26
Chemiluminescence by polymorphonuclear leukocytes from patients with active bacterial infection; Barbour AG et al.; Polymorphonuclear leukocytes of 18 patients during 19 episodes of active bacterial infection produced increased chemiluminescence (mean +/- standard error {SE}, 56.3 +/- 4.4 X 10(3) cpm) when the production was compared to that of 29 uninfected controls (35.3 +/- 2.4 X 10(3) cpm; P less than 0.01) . Chemiluminescence production remained increased with persistent infection but fell to the levels of controls with appropriate therapy . Phagocytic uptake as determined with radiolabeled bacteria was increased, and chemotactic responsiveness was markedly enhanced in the patients (mean index +/- SE, 260 +/- 51) when these responses were compared with those of controls (77 +/- 18) . Chemiluminescence and chemotactic activity correlated in the patients with bacterial infection (r = 0.76), but one function did not appear to depend upon the intactness of the other . The ratio of cyclic guanosine 3',5'-phosphate to cyclic adenosine 3',5'-hosphate in the polymorphonuclear leukocytes of patients with infections (mean +/- SE, 0.102 +/- 0.0008) was also significantly higher than in controls (0.067 +/- 0.007) . These data indicate that the polymorphonuclear leukocytes of the majority of patients with active bacterial infection are in an activated state both functionally and metabolically.

Adv Exp Med Biol, 1980, 125, 137 - 46
Hydrolysis of gangliosides in micellar and liposomal dispersion by bacterial neuraminidases; Gatt S et al.; Aqueous dispersions of pure gangliosides contain micelles of these compounds . In this dispersion state, the rates of hydrolysis of the neuraminyl residues by bacterial neuraminidases are slowest . Incorporation of gangliosides into mixed dispersion with other lipids or into mixed micelles with bile salts considerably increases the reaction rates . The greatest reaction rates are obtained when di- or trisialogangliosides are incorporated into unilamellar vesicles of lecithin or sphingomyelin.

Microbiol Immunol, 1980, 24(11), 1043 - 51
Interferon and cytotoxic factor (cytotoxin) released in the blood of mice infected with Mycobacterium bovis BCG . III . Interferon and cytotoxin induced by the specific antigen as compared with those induced by bacterial lipopolysaccharide; Kato N et al.; The time course of development and decline of the ability of BCG-infected mice to produce interferon in the serum in response to the intravenous infection of purified protein derivative of tuberculin (PPD) was very similar to that of their systemic hypersensitivity to PPD . A cytotoxic factor (cytotoxin) was produced in parallel with interferon in the serum of BCG-infected mice after stimulation with PPD . The duration of the period in which cytotoxin-production responsiveness to PPD was definitely detectable was much shorter than that for interferon-production responsiveness although the periods for the maximum production of interferon and cytotoxin coincided . The kinetics of release of interferon in the serum of BCG-infected mice after stimulation with PPD did not parallel that of release of cytotoxin . The four kinds of activities, interferons and cytotoxins induced by PPD and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in the serum of BCG-infected mice, were compared for their stability to heating at 56 C and to treatment at pH 2 . The kinetics of inactivation of these four activities differed significantly, when the serum was either heated at 56 C or treated at pH 2 . Interferon produced in response to LPS could be neutralized by anti-L cell(NDV) interferon rabbit serum as easily as L cell (NDV) interferon, 16 times as much antiserum was required to neutralize the same amount of interferon in response to PPD, but cytotoxins induced by PPD and LPS were not neutralized at all by the antiserum . From these findings it is thought likely that interferons and cytotoxins induced by PPD and LPS in the serum of BCG-infected mice are different substances, although the antigenic relationship between cytotoxins induced by PPD and LPS remains unknown.

Vopr Virusol, 1980 Jan-Feb, (1), 63 - 7
{Antiviral activity of murine interferons produced by bacterial and animal cell translation of messenger RNA}; Mamontova TV et al.; Interferon was produced by E . Coli bacteria and animal cell messenger-RNA--interferon translation (mRNA--IF) . The activity of the interferon produced by simultaneous mRNA--IF translation in these two cellular systems was, approximately, similar . The interferons translated by bacteria and animal cells inhibited the cytopathic effect, reproduction and plaque-formation of vesicular stomatitis virus, and, to a greater extent, of mouse encephalomyocarditis virus . The virus titration was carried out by the dye-uptake method . The bacteria-translated interferon (BTIF) was more susceptible to the indicator-virus dose variation and had antiviral effect of shorter duration than the virus-induced and animal cell-translated interferon . The BTIF, probably, due to the action of bacterial proteolytic enzymes proved nonstable on storage.

Chir Forum Exp Klin Forsch . 1980;:61-5.
{Does i.v . gamma globulin counteract postoperative bacterial infections? (authors's transl)}; Duswald KH et al.; A prospective, randomized clinical study investigated the effectiveness of IV gamma-globulin (GG) against bacterial infections after surgical procedures . As a result of 20 g GG IV, given postoperatively, the average concentration decrease for IgG (25% - 30%) could be balanced as soon as the third postoperative day, the local infection rate was decreased in the low-risk group, and, with the occurrence of long-lasting local infections, the number of patients with simultaneous septic complications was lowered.

Acta Microbiol Pol, 1980, 29(1), 69 - 73
Assay of bacterial copper leaching from covellin at alkaline initial pH; Lejczak A et al.; Copper sulphide CuS was leached by bacteria . Beginning with an initial pH of 9.1, the bacteria acidified the environment and at the same time leached up to 5 g copper per liter . It is characteristic that the pH may sometimes stabilize at 4.0--5.0 and not fall below this value.

Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1980 Jan, (1), 64 - 8
{Construction and study of mathematical models of the dynamics of bacterial biomass growth taking into account the effect of interchangeable metabolic links}; Zheleztsova EN et al.; Systemic approach was used as a basis for developing mathematical models for the dynamics of the growth of bacterial biomass with regard to the intracellular substrate pool in case of ramification of metabolic links . The results obtained by calculations with the use of such model were compared with the experimental results of the batch cultivation of E coli M 17 . The mathematical models were shown to give a qualitatively correct description characterizing process of the growth of bacterial biomass under conditions of the limited supply of inorganic phosphorus and magnesium.

J Infect Dis, 1980 Jan, 141(1), 55 - 63
The primary role of lymphoreticular cells in the mediation of host responses to bacterial endotoxim; Michalek SM et al.; Mice that are unresponsive to lipopolysaccharide (LPS) (strain C3H/HeJ) can be rendered LPS-sensitive by the adoptive transfer of bone marrow cells from LPS-sensitive mice (strain C3H/HeN) . This model of adoptive transfer was used to evaluate the contribution of lymphoreticular cells to five effects of endotoxin on the host: immunogenicity, adjuvanticity, lethality, induction of interferon, and induction of colony-stimulated factor . C3H//HeJ mice became sensitive to each of these effects after adoptive transfer of bone marrow cells from C3H/HeN mice . The efficacy of transfer was directly proportional to the dose of X-irradiation and inversely proportional to the number of surviving host stem cells . The most effective dose of radiation was 850 rad, and C3H/HeN leads to C3H/HeJx chimeras prepared at this dose were as sensitive to LPS for each parameter tested as were the C3H/HeN donors except for a threefold greater resistance to lethality than LPS-responsive C3H/HeN mice . C3H/HeN mice could also be rendered unresponsive to LPS by the adoptive transfer of C3H/HeJ bone marrow cells . C3H/HeN chimeras were resistant to all of the effects of LPS studied except for the induction of colony-stimulating factor . These results demonstrate that lymphocytes and/or macrophages play a primary role in mediating a number of diverse and seemingly unrelated host responses to endotoxin.

Biochemistry, 1979 Dec 25, 18(26), 5940 - 5
Isolation and properties of bacterial luciferase-oxygenated flavin intermediate complexed with long-chain alcohols; Tu SC; Nonsubstrate long-chain aliphatic alcohols, carboxylic acids, and their methyl esters were found to complex reversibly with and stabilize an oxygenated flavin-luciferase intermediate, with alcohols being more effective in stabilizing the intermediate . Dissociation constants for the binding of alcohols to luciferase intermediate are in the order of K8 greater than K10 greater than K12 congruent to K14 where the subscripts represent the numbers of carbon atoms of various alcohols . Thermodynamic activation parameters for the decay of oxygenated flavin-luciferase intermediate complexed with alcohols or aldehydes were determined, and similarities were noted between alcohol and aldehyde complexes . Luciferase intermediate complexes formed with 1-decanol and 1-tetradecanol were isolated at 0 degrees C in neutral phosphate buffer, and both showed absorption properties characteristic of 4a-substituted dihydroflavins . The 1-tetradecanol-intermediate species contained one favin per luciferase molecule . Initially this complex was weakly fluorescent, but upon exposure to 370-nm light it was transformed to a highly fluorescent species . The latter shows a fluorescence excitation peak at 370 nm, and its fluorescence emission (lambda max 505 nm) and quantum yield (0.17) closely correspond to that of bioluminescence in vitro . Both the weakly and the highly fluorescent species exhibit full bioluminescence activities when reacted with decanal.

Nature, 1979 Dec 20-27, 282(5741), 875 - 8
X-ray crystallography of the binding of the bacterial cell wall trisaccharide NAM-NAG-NAM to lysozyme; Kelly JA et al.; Hen egg white lysozyme was the first enzyme whose structure was determined by X-ray crystallography . The proposed mechanism based on this structure involves the distortion of the saccharide residue (2-acetamido-2-deoxy-D-muramic acid, NAM) in the natural substrate (an alternating beta (1 leads to 4) linked oligomer of 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-D-glucose (NAG) and NAM residues) bound to site D in the binding cleft . The importance of substrate distortion has prompted numerous enzymatic, chemical, theoretical, and physical studies, but there is little direct crystallographic evidence on the conformation of a NAM residue bound at site D . We now present the X-ray structure of the non-hydrolysed trisaccharide NAM-NAG-NAM bound in subsites B, C, D . Our interpretation of the 2.5-A resolution difference map does not involve distortion of this residue in site D . Comparison with the structure of the delta-lactone derived from tetra N-acetylchitotetraose (NAG)3NAL) bound to lysozyme suggests we may be looking at a Michaelis complex.

Aust Vet J, 1979 Dec, 55(12), 592 - 3
Bacterial penetration in floor and nest box eggs from meat and layer birds; Smeltzer TI et al.; A method similar to that used by Board and Board (1967) was used to determine the numbers of eggs penetrated by bacteria on 3 poultry farms in south-east Queensland . Significant differences in the percentages of penetrated eggs between the eggs of layer birds (9.7%) and the eggs of meat birds (16.1%) and between nest eggs (10.5%) and floor eggs (15.3%) were detected . The distribution of the numbers of penetration points was similar for nest and floor eggs for both types of bird and was independent of shell surface area or thickness.

Arch Inst Pasteur Tunis, 1979 Dec, 56(4), 371 - 402
{Bacterial pollution in the coastal waters of the suburbs north and south of Tunis}; Chadli A et al.; The inshore waters of Northern and Southern suburbs of Tunis are chiefly polluted aroud urban cities . The pollution increases with temperature, men (touristes and bathers), the actions of wind and currentology.

P N G Med J, 1979 Dec, 22(4), 59 - 64
Studies of bacterial populations in the kitchens of the University of Papua New Guinea; Price TV; Washed cups, plates, forks, knives, spoons, utensils and table surfaces in the kitchens of the University of Papua New Guinea were assayed for total and coliform bacteria in 1976 and 1977 . The total bacterial count per item for crockery and cutlery exceeded the desired limit by five to 6400 times, whilst the count for utensils was also exceeded by over 100 times in both years . Coliform and E . coli . were detected in all samples . Improper hygiene by kitchen staff and a lack of sufficient hot water were mainly responsible for the high counts . Recommendations are given for catering establishments.

Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A, 1979 Dec, 76(12), 6115 - 9
DNA-directed in vitro synthesis of proteins involved in bacterial transcription and translation; Zarucki-Schulz T et al.; The in vitro synthesis of elongation factor (EF)-Tu (tufB), the beta beta' subunits of RNA polymerase, ribosomal proteins L10 and L12 directed by DNA from the transducing phage lambda rifd 18, EF-Tu (tufA), EF-G, and the alpha subunit of RNA polymerase directed by DNA from the transducing phage lambda fus3 has been investigated in a crude and a partially defined protein-synthesizing system . Proteins L10 and L12 are synthesized in the partially defined system almost as well as in the crude system . However, the synthesis of EF-Tu, EF-G, and the alpha and beta beta' subunits of RNA polymerase is far less efficient in the partially defined system . An active fraction that stimulates the synthesis of these latter proteins has been obtained by fractionation of a high-speed supernatant on DEAE-cellulose . Because previous studies showed that this fraction (1 M DEAE salt eluate) contains a protein, called L factor, that stimulates beta-galactosidase synthesis in vitro, L factor was tested for activity . Although L factor stimulates the synthesis of the beta beta' subunits, it has little or no effect on the in vitro synthesis of the other products studied . In the present experiments, the ratio of L12/L10 and of EF-Tu (tufA)/EF-G formed is 4-6 . These values are consistent with in vivo results.

Biochim Biophys Acta, 1979 Nov 8, 548(2), 309 - 27
Electron acceptors of bacterial photosynthetic reaction centers . II . H+ binding coupled to secondary electron transfer in the quinone acceptor complex; Wraight CA; The photoreduction of ubiquinone in the electron acceptor complex (QIQII) of photosynthetic reaction centers from Rhodopseudomonas sphaeroides, R26, was studied in a series of short, saturating flashes . The specific involvement of H+ in the reduction was revealed by the pH dependence of the electron transfer events and by net H+ binding during the formation of ubiquinol, which requires two turnovers of the photochemical act . On the first flash QII receives an electron via QI to form a stable ubisemiquinone anion (QII-); the second flash generates QI- . At low pH the two semiquinones rapidly disproportionate with the uptake of 2 H+, to produce QIIH2 . This yields out-of-phase binary oscillations for the formation of anionic semiquinone and for H+ uptake . Above pH 6 there is a progressive increase in H+ binding on the first flash and an equivalent decrease in binding on the second flash until, at about pH 9.5, the extent of H+ binding is the same on all flashes . The semiquinone oscillations, however, are undiminished up to pH 9 . It is suggested that a non-chromophoric, acid-base group undergoes a pK shift in response to the appearance of the anionic semiquinone and that this group is the site of protonation on the first flash . The acid-base group, which may be in the reaction center protein, appears to be subsequently involved in the protonation events leading to fully reduced ubiquinol . The other proton in the two electron reduction of ubiquinone is always taken up on the second flash and is bound directly to QII- . At pH values above 8.0, it is rate limiting for the disproportionation and the kinetics, which are diffusion controlled, are properly responsive to the prevailing pH . Below pH 8, however, a further step in the reaction mechanism was shown to be rate limiting for both H+ binding electron transfer following the second flash.

Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1979 Nov, (11), 33 - 8
{Effect of bacterial polysaccharide on the primary and secondary immunologic response following immunization with sheep erythrocytes}; Tumanian MA et al.; The effect of typhoid bacterial polysaccharide on the primary and secondary immune response to SRBS was studied . The polysaccharide was shown to have both stimulating and depressive effect on the population of antibody-producing cells . This effect depended on the time and the number of polysaccharide injections . Thus, a single polysaccharide injection made on the day preceding immunization resulted in the maximum stimulation in the system of IgM- and IgG-producing cells, while the maximum depression of these cells could be observed after 2 polysaccharide injections: on the day preceding immunization and on the day of immunization . In the secondary immune response considerable stimulation of the populations of antibody-producing cells was observed after polysaccharide injections made on days 2 and 3 after reimmunization.

J Clin Microbiol, 1979 Nov, 10(5), 650 - 6
Destruction of bacterial viruses in serum by heat and radiation under conditions that sustain the ability of serum to support growth of cells in suspended culture; Ward RL; Methods for inactivating bacterial viruses in serum were developed through the use of heat and ionizing radiation, and the effects of these treatments on the growth rates of cultured cells were tested . Viruses chosen for this study were the radiation-resistant bacteriphage f2 and heat-resistant phage T4 . The viabilities of these phages were reduced more than 2 and 4 orders of magnitude, respectively, by a treatment at 60 degrees C for 30 min followed by 420 krads of ionizing radiation . Simultaneous application of heat and radiation caused a considerably greater reduction in viability of both phages in serum, but also caused a significant decrease in the growth rates of L cells in medium supplemented with serum treated in this manner . Treatment of serum with these same doses but given in the sequential fashion of heat followed by radiation caused little or no change in the growth rates of L cells . Finally, it was found that simultaneous treatment of serum with these doses of heat and radiation had little effect on the growth rates of either HeLa or Chinese hamster cells.

Carbohydr Res, 1979 Nov, 76, 189 - 96
Conformational investigation on the bacterial polysaccharide xanthan; Milas M et al.; The conformation of xanthan has been investigated as a function of temperature, ionic strength, and polymer concentration . A reversible transition induced by temperature is demonstrated; the melting temperature (TM) is directly correlated to the total ionic-strength and is independent of the polymer concentration . Measurements of circular dichroism show that the polysaccharide exists in a combination of only two characteristic conformations (random and ordered), regardless of the temperature and the concentrations of salt and polymer . Hydrodynamic measurements show that the hydrodynamic volume of both conformations is almost constant over the range of temperature investigated . The mechanism proposed by Morris for melting is confirmed, and a multichain process is excluded . The birefringence stability of the concentrated solutions is discussed.

J Cardiovasc Surg (Torino), 1979 Nov-Dec, 20(6), 587 - 90
Acute bacterial endocarditis requiring emergency triple valve replacement and pace-maker implant; Bortolotti U et al.; A case of triple valve involvement in acute bacterial endocarditis is reported . Replacement of aortic, mitral, and tricuspid valves and permanent epicardial pacing were successfully accomplished.

Laryngoscope, 1979 Nov, 89(11), 1839 - 41
The effect of irradiation upon the bacterial flora in patients with head and neck cancer; Rice DH et al.; Twenty-two consecutive patients with cancer of the head and neck, who were to receive a full tumoricidal dose of irradiation to a field that included the oral cavity and pharynx, were studied to determine the effect of the irradiation on their local bacterial flora . Aerobic cultures were taken prior to, at the completion of, and one month after the completion of their irradiation . The percentage of patients with potentially pathogenic organisms increased dramatically as the effect of the irradiation increased . This change in the local flora has obvious implications concerning the increased incidence of postoperative wound infections in patients who have received prior irradiation.

Cancer, 1979 Nov, 44(5), 1665 - 70
Relationship between bacterial binding to lymphocytes and clinical features in chronic lymphocytic leukemia; Nelson R et al.; In previous studies we showed that spontaneous bacterial adherence can be used to identify human lymphocyte subpopulations and to demonstrate variable binding patterns in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) . In this study, 10 strains of bacteria of different genera and species were used in blood smears from 24 CLL patients to determine the percentages of lymphocytes that bind bacteria . From these percentages, binding indices were calculated . The symptoms and other laboratory tests were independently recorded and the stages determined . When the two sets of data were compared, relatively low binding indices were found in symptomatic patients or in Stages III and IV; relatively high binding indices were found in asymptomatic patients or in Stages I and II . We suggest that with progression of leukemia, lymphocytes with less "lectin" recognition potential are selected and escape any control mechanism of proliferation.

Immunology, 1979 Nov, 38(3), 497 - 502
The immune response of mice to bacterial antigens given by mouth; Stokes CR et al.; The secretory and systemic antibody responses to oral dead Escherichia coli were examined in A strain mice . The best responses were obtained in mice dosed with 1 x 10(10) bacteria . Orally immunized animals showed an enhanced response to subsequent parenteral immunization with somatic antigens . This effect could be passively transferred with serum . In contrast, the response to the capsular antigen K88 was reduced in the same animals.

Am J Surg, 1979 Nov, 138(5), 695 - 7
Burn wound biopsy bacterial quantitation: a statistical analysis; Volenec FJ et al.; Sequential paired punch biopsy samples were taken from three separate locations on each of four burn patients and were quantitated for the number of viable bacteria per gram of tissue . The range (log10 0.02 to log10 1.51) and the standard deviation (log10 0.67) were determined for each pair . The 95 per cent confidence interval based on any single observation, x, was determined to be x +/- 1.31 . It is concluded that the burn wound biopsy is a reliable procedure for quantitating organisms in a burn wound and that changes in sequential samples give an indication of the dynamics of infection in the burn patients.

J Prosthet Dent, 1979 Nov, 42(5), 521 - 6
Clinical progress of sealed and unsealed caries . Part I: Depth changes and bacterial counts; Mertz-Fairhurst EJ et al.; 1 . A method for measuring depth changes in carious lesions has been developed . 2 . A method for estimating bacterial viability in the study lesions has been developed . 3 . Sealed cavities showed little or no change in depth over a 1-year period . 4 . Open lesions showed a significant increase in depth as compared to sealed lesions . 5 . Elimination or marked decrease in viable organisms under the sealant occurred.

J Immunol, 1979 Nov, 123(5), 2304 - 10
Macrophage stimulation by bacterial lipopolysaccharides . III . Selective unresponsiveness of C3H/HeJ macrophages to the lipid A differentiation signal; Doe WF et al.; Peritoneal macrophages from the endotoxin-unresponsive C3H/HeJ substrain of mice were entirely refractory to activation in vitro by protein-free LPS, a defect that was not overcome by co-culture of spleen cells from the responder C3H/St substrain with LPS resistant C3H/HeJ macrophages . The defect in responsiveness appears confined to the lipid A activation signal since C3H/HeJ macrophages were fully activated after in vitro treatment by lipid A protein (LAP)--LPS complex, isolated LAP, and BCG . Moreover, after exposure to allogeneic tumor cells in vivo, C3H/HeJ macrophages were cytotoxic for tumor target cells in vitro . By contrast, macrophages from the responder C3H/St strain were fully activated by protein-free LPS to become cytolytic for tumor cells in vitro . C3H/HeJ macrophages, therefore, exhibit a highly selective defect characterized by unresponsiveness to the lipid A activation signal of protein-free LPS and resistance to the toxic effects of high concentrations of LPS that were lethal to the responder C3H/St strain.

Ann Immunol (Paris), 1979 Nov-Dec, 130(6), 901 - 17
{Increased catabolism of antigen and enhanced recruitment of antigen-sensitive cells by activation of macrophages with a bacterial phospholipid extract (EBP) (author's transl)}; Marchal G; Intravenous (IV) infection of a bacterial phospholipid extract (EBP) 24 H before IV immunization of mice with sheep red blood cells has modified the specific immune response . A decrease of the response evaluated by the number of rosette-forming cells was observed after the larger doses of EBP . This effect appeared secondarily to an increased catabolism of antigen . Infection of a medium sized dose of EBP directly into the portal vein induced a decreased response by enhancing antigen phogocytosis by liver macrophages . The same amount of EBP injected IV into a systemic vein increased the immune response . An enhanced phagocytosis by macrophages which do not act in the immune response appeared likely after the larger stimulation . Irradiated spleen cells when transferred into naive recipients showed a decreased immunogenicity when obtained from mice injected with antigen and previously treated by the larger doses of EBP . On the other hand, after treatment of mice with low of medium sized doses of EBP, the immune response was increased . Twice the number of rosette-forming cells was observed in treated mice on days 3, 4 and 5 after immunization . The number of B rosette-forming cells appeared higher than the T rosettes following this treatment . This effect appeared secondarily to an increased recruitment of precursor cells . Transfer into naive irradiated recipients of treated spleen cells mixed with antigen was without effect . On the contrary, an enhanced number of rosette-forming cells was detected after transfer of normal spleen cells into irradiated and EBP-treated recipients . This enhancement of response appeared to be produced by more efficient recruitment of precursor cells as demonstrated by an increased frequency of antibody-forming cells in an in vivo limiting dilution technique.

Vopr Virusol, 1979 Nov-Dec, (6), 638 - 42
{Physicochemical characteristics of the Penicillium-bacterial virus type 5 and its nucleic acid}; Gupalo ID et al.; Physico-chemical characteristics of PBV-5 virus and its nucleic acid were studied . Morphologically, the virus is a rectilinear polyhedron 270 A in diameter, without a process . The sedimentation constant of a virus particle is 117S, the buoyant density of the virus in cesium chloride density is 1.437 g/cm3 . As shown by qualitative reactions with orcinol and diphenylamine, the virus contains DNA . The viral DNA preparation in CsCl gradient solution showed the buoyant density 1.719 g/cm3 . Electron microscope examination of a PBV-5 DNA preparation showed the nucleic acid molecules to be single-stranded rings.

Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg, 1979 Nov-Dec, 87(6), 859 - 70
The role of bacterial enzymes in inducing inflammation in the middle ear cavity; Lowell SH et al.; Current knowledge of the pathophysiology of bacterial infections is elementary . Thie initial events leading to the invasion of host tissues are a matter of conjecture for many bacterial organisms . This is particularly true for pneumococci, the most frequent causative organisms of acute otitis media . Bacterial enzymes may account for the initial disruption of host tissues, and this study explored their role in the infectious process . As first step, pneumococcal cultures were analyzed, and significant levels of the enzymes lipase and hyaluronidase were demonstrated . Secondly, the presence of these enzymes in middle ear effusions was explored in an animal model of acute otitis media . The enzymes reached peak levels at seven days . The third and most important portion of the study examined the significance of these enzymes in producing inflammation and alterations in the middle ear cavity of normal experimental animals . This portion was a histologic comparison of temporal bone specimens and demonstrated that marked acute and chronic changes can be induced by placing solutions of these enzymes in the middle ear cavity . This study concludes that bacterial enzymes play an important role in the induction of acute otitis media.

Boll Soc Ital Biol Sper, 1979 Oct 30, 55(20), 2111 - 7
{Intestinal secretory IgA and bacterial antigens in oral administration}; Pitzurra L et al.; The proposed technique for purification and concentration of secretory IgA has been applied to intestinal wash fluids obtained by clisma from 15 patients under bacterial extracts treated (COLOPTENE-DEBAT) . The collected data show that the technique is suitable for routinary use and the bacterial extracts do increase the amount of IgA in the intestinal contents.

Biochemistry, 1979 Oct 16, 18(21), 4690 - 701
Suicide inactivation of bacterial cystathionine gamma-synthase and methionine gamma-lyase during processing of L-propargylglycine; Johnston M et al.; L-Propargylglycine, a naturally occurring gamma, delta-acetylenic alpha-amino acid, induces mechanism-based inactivation of two pyridoxal phosphate dependent enzymes of methionine metabolism: (1) cystathionine gamma-synthease, which catalyzes a gamma-replacement reaction in methionine biosynthesis, and (2) methionine gamma-lyase, which catalyzes a gamma-elimination reaction in methionine breakdown . Biphasic pseudo-first-order inactivation kinetics were observed for both enzymes . Complete inactivation is achieved with a minimum molar ratio ({propargylglycine}/{enzyme monomer}) of 4:1 for cystathionine gamma-synthase and of 8:1 for methionine gamma-lyase, consistent with a small number of turnovers per inactivation event . Partitioning ratios were determined directly from observed primary kinetic isotope effects . {alpha-2H}Propargylglycine displays kH/kD values of about 3 on inactivation half-times . {alpha-3H}-Propargylglycine gives release of tritium to solvent nominally stoichiometric with inactivation but, on correction for the calculated tritium isotope discrimination, partition ratios of four and six turnovers per monomer inactivated are indicated for cystathionine gamma-synthase and methionine gamma-lyase, respectively . The inactivation stoichiometry, using {alpha-14C}-propargylglycine, is four labels per tetramer of cystathionine gamma-synthase but usually only two labels per tetramer of methionine gamma-lyase (half-of-the-sites reactivity) . Two-dimensional urea isoelectrofocusing/NaDodSO4 electrophoresis suggests (1) that both native enzymes are alpha 2 beta 2 tetramers where the subunits are distinguishable by charge but not by size and (2) that, while each subunit of a cystathionine gamma-synthase tetramer becomes modified by propargylglycine, only one alpha and one beta subunit may be labeled in an inactive alpha 2 beta 2 tetramer of methionine gamma-lyase . Steady-state spectroscopic analyses during inactivation indicated that modified cystathionine gamma-synthase may reprotonate C2 of the enzyme--inactivator adduct, so that the cofactor is still in the pyridoxaldimine oxidation state . Fully inactivated methionine gamma-lyase has lambda max values at 460 and 495 nm, which may represent conjugated pyridoximine paraquinoid that does not reprotonate at C2 of the bound adduct . Either species could arise from Michael-type addition of an enzymic nucleophile to an electrophilic 3,4-allenic paraquinoid intermediate, generated initially by propargylic rearrangement upon a 4,5-acetylenic pyridoximine structure, as originally proposed for propargylglycine inactivation of gamma-cystathionase {Abeles, R., & Walsh, C . (1973) J . Am . Chem . Soc . 95, 6124} . It is reasonable that cystathionine gamma-synthase is the major in vivo target for this natural acetylenic toxin, the growth-inhibitory effects of which are reversed by methionine.

Arch Sci Med (Torino), 1979 Oct-Dec, 136(4), 571 - 6
{Methodological indications for the experimental study of the action of disinfectants on bacterial strains}; Finzi G et al.; The most commonly used techniques for the experimental study of the action of disinfectants with respect to bacterial strains (M.I.C . and B.M.C . determination, phenol coefficient, well test, agar diffusion through plates test, transporter test, contact by suspension test) are reviewed . The methods used personally in numerous experiments, the modified contact test, is then described in detail.

Clin Plast Surg, 1979 Oct, 6(4), 515 - 22
Bacterial control in the burn wound; Robson MC; The goal in the treatment of septic burn wounds, as in any infection, is to reestablish the normal balance between the bacteria and the host defense . This is readily done by controlling the numerical level of bacteria while expending all efforts to remove irreversibly damaged tissue and obtaining a closed wound by autograft with the patient's own skin as rapidly as possible.

Pediatr Radiol, 1979 Oct, 8(4), 223 - 4
99mTc-pyrophosphate imaging: bacterial endocarditis; Sty JR et al.; The authors describe a positive 99mTc-Pyrophosphate (99mTc-PYP) myocardial scan in a child with congenital cyanotic heart disease who developed bacterial endocarditis.

J Infect Dis, 1979 Oct, 140(4), 517 - 26
Altered neutrophil migration during bacterial infection associated with a serum modulator of cellular motility; Link AS Jr et al.; The motility of polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNLs) from 25 patients with bacterial infection was assessed by using the migration-under-agarose assay . A spectrum of responses was observed . Random and directional motility stimulated by C5a or pressed in parallel . These responses contrasted with those of normal PMNLs preincubated with either FMLP or C5a; preincubation with one chemotaxin inhibited a subsequent response to the same stimulus but did not inhibit the response to the other . The parallel responses of patient PMNLs to C5a and FMLP suggest that the altered motility reflects a perturbation independent of a specific chemotactic receptor . Heat-inactivated serum from patients with bacterial infection, when preincubated with normal PMNLs, resulted in significant enhancement of both random and directional migration . The data indicate that bacterial infection is associated with appearance of a modulator of neutrophil motility.

J Hyg (Lond), 1979 Oct, 83(2), 199 - 206
Studies on the effects of ionization on bacterial aerosols in a burns and plastic surgery unit; Makela P et al.; The effect of the ionization of the air on the decay of bacterial aerosols was studied in a Burns and Plastic Surgery Unit . Ions were generated by free corona needles . The air content of bacteria measured by settle plates was found to be smaller during the ionization period than during the controls period . The number of individual phage typed Staph . aureus strains was especially found to be lower during ionization . The opposite potential increased the disappearance of bacteria from the air . The size of skin particles carrying bacteria is not optimum, but the results obtained show that the ionization may have applications in controlling airborne infection.

AJR Am J Roentgenol, 1979 Oct, 133(4), 655 - 9
Epinephrine renal venography in acute bacterial infection of the kidney; Pingoud EG et al.; Epinephrine renal venography was performed in four cases of acute bacterial infection of the kidney . Selective renal arteriography was relatively nonspecific, while venography proved to be more helpful in excluding a malignancy . In cases of renal infection where the venous system of the kidney has not been occluded, epinephrine renal venography delineates the extent and nature of the process better than arteriography . Diffuse attenuation or smooth segmental narrowing of intrarenal veins, absence of irregularly encased veins, and veins draped around, as well as perforating, the abnormal region differentiated tumor from infection . An accurate diagnosis is important in view of the different therapeutic approach to these two entities.

J Clin Microbiol, 1979 Oct, 10(4), 519 - 24
Practical considerations in using counterimmunoelectrophoresis to identify the principal causative agents of bacterial meningitis; Finch CA et al.; Many clinical laboratories are currently using counterimmunoelectrophoresis (CIE) as an aid in the rapid diagnosis of bacterial meningitis . Because cross-reactions among causative agents have been reported, the present study was undertaken to explore the problems that might occur when reference and commercial antisera are used in CIE . Broth cultures of 35 bacterial strains were tested with 76 reference and commercial antisera by CIE . Some of the antisera tested failed to react with their homologous strains . Furthermore, several cross-reactions between genera, as well as within species, were noted . These findings suggest that precautions must be taken to insure that all materials used in CIE tests are of high quality . If properly performed and interpreted, CIE may be a valuable adjunct in the identification of organisms causing bacterial meningitis, but it is, nevertheless, a presumptive test and should not be used to replace the Gram stain and culture techniques.

Nature, 1979 Sep 20, 281(5728), 232 - 4
Macromolecular structural transitions in Pf1 filamentous bacterial virus; Nave C et al.; The filamentous bacterial virus Pf1 is a simple model for biological filaments . We have studied the structure of the virion and report here that the helix parameters of Pf1 change sharply with temperature at about 8 degrees C . Local interactions between protein subunits change by only a few tenths of an angstrom, but the changes are amplified between one end and the other of the virion to a rotation of 15 turns and a translation of 1,000 A . The limited nature of the phase transition is probably due to the constraints of 'knobs-into-holes' interaction between side chains of adjacent alpha-helical protein subunits . Treatment of the virion with ether causes a rearrangement of protein subunits into sheets, with the alpha-helices normal to the plane of the sheet . This phase transition suggests a model for virion assembly in the bacterial membrane.

Lancet, 1979 Sep 15, 2(8142), 559 - 60
Improving the long-term outlook in bacterial meningitis; Menkes JH; In bacterial and tuberculous meningitis the supply of glucose to the brain seems to be inadequate for its demands which are increased as a consequence of increased cerebral glycolysis . Treatment of patients with glucose infusions to restore cerebrospinal-fluid glucose to normal is therefore indicated.

Biochim Biophys Acta, 1979 Sep 11, 547(3), 484 - 501
The orientation of the primary donor in bacterial photosynthesis; Frank HA et al.; The triplet state EPR spectra of magnetically aligned whole cells of Rhodopseudomonas viridis and Rhodopseudomonas palustris display a marked dependence on the orientation of the static EPR field with respect to the alignment field direction . This observation implies that the primary donor species on which the triplets are localized are ordered within the membranes . We have developed a theoretical model for the system to enable calculation of the orientation of the magnetic axes of the primary donor species with respect to the membranes in which they reside . The triplet state spectra are generated by an ensemble of partially ordered magnetic systems and a computer simulation of the experimental results . The triplet orientation is very similar for the two organisms studied, where one axis lies predominantly in the plane of the membrane and the other two axes have approximately equal projections onto the normal to the membrane.

J Biol Chem, 1979 Sep 10, 254(17), 8308 - 17
Contribution of cyclic adenosine 3':5'-monophosphate to the regulation of bacterial glycogen synthesis in vivo . Effect of carbon source and cyclic adenosine 3':5'-monophosphate on the quantitative relationship between the rate of glycogen synthesis and the cellular concentrations of glucose 6-phosphate and fructose 1,6-diphosphate in Escherichia coli; Dietzler DN et al.; When either fructose, glycerol, or succinate served as a sole source of carbon and energy in nitrogen-starved cultures of Escherichia coli W4597(K) the values of the kinetic constants of the equation that expresses the relationship between glycogen synthesis and hexose phosphates were different from the values observed when glucose was the sole source of carbon and energy . Addition of glucose during either exponential growth or nitrogen starvation to a culture using one of the other carbon sources slowed the rate of glycogen synthesis and shifted the values of the constants toward the values observed in cultures using glucose alone . Addition of cyclic AMP (cyclic adenosine 3':5'-monophosphate) during exponential growth of a culture using glucose caused the values of the constants to be shifted toward the values observed in cultures using a carbon source other than glucose . In all of the metabolic conditions studied in this report the adenylate energy charge ((ATP + 1/2 ADP)/(ATP + ADP + AMP)) and the level of the rate-limiting enzyme of glycogen synthesis, ADP-glucose synthetase (glucose 1-phosphate adenylyltransferase, EC 2.7.7.27), were the same . The data presented here indicate that the difference we observed in the quantitative relationship for glycogen synthesis is the result of the different cellular levels of cyclic AMP in the cells using glucose and the cells using one of the other carbon sources . Since cyclic AMP does not affect the velocity of ADP-glucose synthetase in vitro, apparently a change in the cellular level of cyclic AMP causes a shift in the cellular level of a presently unknown (and previously undetected) effector of this enzyme . The shift in the level of this effector evidently alters the response of the enzyme in vivo to the substrate glucose 1-phosphate and the activator fructose 1,6-diphosphate.

Orig Life, 1979 Sep, 9(4), 299 - 311
Antiquity and evolutionary status of bacterial sulfate reduction: sulfur isotope evidence; Schidlowski M; The presently available sedimentary sulfur isotope record for the Precambrian seems to allow the following conclusions: (1) In the Early Archaean, sedimentary delta 34S patterns attributable to bacteriogenic sulfate reduction are generally absent . In particular, the delta 34S spread observed in the Isua banded iron formation (3.7 x 10(9) yr) is extremely narrow and coincides completely with the respective spreads yielded by contemporaneous rocks of assumed mantle derivation . Incipient minor differentiation of the isotope pattersn notably of Archaean sulfates may be accounted for by photosynthetic sulfur bacteria rather than by sulfate reducers . (2) Isotopic evidence of dissimilatory sulfate reduction is first observed in the upper Archaean of the Aldan Shield, Siberia (approximately 3.0 x 10(9) yr) and in the Michipicoten and Woman River banded iron formations of Canada (2.75 x 10(9) yr) . This narrows down the possible time of appearance of sulfate respirers to the interval 2.8--3.1 x 10(9) yr . (3) Various lines of evidence indicate that photosynthesis is older than sulfate respiration, the SO4(2-) Utilized by the first sulfate reducers deriving most probably from oxidation of reduced sulfur compounds by photosynthetic sulfur bacteria . Sulfate respiration must, in turn, have antedated oxygen respiration as O2-respiring multicellular eucaryotes appear late in the Precambrian . (4) With the bulk of sulfate in the Archaean oceans probably produced by photosynthetic sulfur bacteria, the accumulation of SO4(2-) in the ancient seas must have preceded the buildup of appreciable steady state levels of free oxygen . Hence, the occurrence of sulfate evaporites in Archaean sediments does not necessarily provide testimony of oxidation weathering on the ancient continents and, consequently, of the existence of an atmospheric oxygen reservoir.

Int J Dermatol, 1979 Sep, 18(7), 571 - 4
Effect of frequent sun exposure on bacterial colonization of skin; Gerber D et al.; The bacteria colonizing the surface of the skin of a group of frequent sunbathers and a group of infrequent sunbathers were surveyed . Frequent sunbathing does not greatly affect the total number of organisms on the skin, but does tend to increase the proportion of bacteria containing carotenoid pigments.

Chest, 1979 Sep, 76(3), 331 - 3
Echocardiographic features of mitral obstruction due to bacterial endocarditis; Alam M et al.; We describe a patient with mitral valvular obstruction due to vegetative endocarditis . The diagnosis was made before surgery by M-mode and two-dimensional echo-cardiograms, which revealed a mass of echoes obstructing the mitral orifice . This was confirmed subsequently at surgery . Both modes of echocardiography are of value in the noninvasive diagnosis of mitral valvular obstruction due to vegetative endocarditis, a condition which may be amenable to surgery for valvular replacement.

J Antibiot (Tokyo), 1979 Sep, 32(9), 935 - 42
Mechanism of action of monoketo-organomycin, cystaurimycin and their performic acid-oxidized modifications . I . Effects on bacterial growth and ribosomal peptidyl transferase activity; Imam GM et al.; The response of 15 bacterial cultures to the inhibitory effects of the above mentioned compounds was investigated . These varied considerably . Escherichia coli cultures resistant to the compounds tested showed that monoketo-organomycin and cystaurimycin inhibit bacterial growth by what appears to be the one and same mechanism which is not the same as that exhibited by their performic acid-oxidized modifications . This was confirmed by using cell free extracts of E . coli . In light of the puromycin reaction, using chloramphenicol and chlorotetracycline as control inhibitors, monoketo-organomycin and cystaurimycin were found to inhibit protein synthesis in vitro by inhibiting peptidyl transferase of ribosomes . In marked contrast, this enzyme was activated, as also was protein synthesis, by their performic acid-oxidized modifications . It was thus suggested that the growth inhibitory effects of the latter compounds might be due to their interference in other metabolic activities of the above test organism . The results obtained are discussed in light of the chemical similarities or differences existing between the compounds investigated.

Can Anaesth Soc J, 1979 Sep, 26(5), 415 - 9
Bacterial filters - are they necessary on anaesthetic machines?
Ping FC, Oulton JL, Smith JA, Skidmore AG, Jenkins LC.
At the Vancouver General Hospital the effectiveness of the system for decontamination of anaesthetic equipment was evaluated to determine the need for bacterial filters on anaesthetic machines . Two groups of patients were studied . Group I consisted of 33 patients, none of whom had clinical symptoms of respiratory tract disease . Group II consisted of 17 patients who had lower respiratory tract secretions . In the latter group 16 had chronic bronchitis and had cystic fibrosis . Of 550 bacterial cultures taken from the anaesthetic equipment immediately before and after anaesthesia in our 50 patients, only five yielded a growth of non-pathogenic bacteria . The results of this study indicate that bacterial colonization of anaesthetic equipment is of a low order and is adequately controlled by pasteurization even after use in patients with chronic lower respiratory tract disease . The use of bacterial filters does not appear justified if a strict regimen of cleaning and pasteurization is followed.

Am J Obstet Gynecol, 1979 Sep 1, 135(1), 14 - 21
Bacterial growth inhibition by amniotic fluid . VIII . Evaluation of a radiometric bioassay for rapid, in vitro demonstration of phosphate-sensitive bacterial growth inhibitor in amniotic fluid; Larsen B et al.; A radiometric bioassay based on the continuous monitoring of 14CO2 released from labeled glucose in the presence of amniotic fluid or amniotic fluid with added phosphate has been employed to detect the presence of a phosphate-sensitive bacterial inhibitor in amniotic fluid near term . The time required for detection of the inhibitory activity is approximately 12 hours, in contrast to approximately 36 hours required for a previously reported technique . Application of this radiometric bioassay to demonstrate bacterial growth inhibition by amniotic fluid and physicochemical properties of the inhibitory activity yielded results comparable to those obtained with the older method of plate counts of viable bacteria . By the new technique it was possible to demonstrate that the inhibitory activity was phosephate sensitive, heat stable, inactivated by metal chelation, removed by bentonite, and present in a low-molecular-weight fraction of amniotic fluid.

Radiology, 1979 Sep, 132(3), 553 - 61
Acute focal bacterial nephritis (acute lobar nephronia); Rosenfield AT et al.; Acute lobar nephronia (ALN) refers to a renal mass caused by acute focal infection without liquefaction . The radiological findings in 12 patients with 13 episodes of ALN are described . A characteristic combination of uroradiological findings is (a) a relatively sonolucent mass which disrupts corticomedullary definition on ultrasonography; (b) a solid-appearing mass on other uroradiological studies; and (c) a positive gallium image in the region of the mass, which may be associated with increased activity elsewhere in the same or opposite kidney . The angiographic finding of significant venous narrowing within the mass associated with only minor arteriographic abnormalities is characteristic of ALN as well.

Tsitol Genet, 1979 Sep-Oct, 13(5), 361 - 5
{Cytogenetic changes in the peripheral lymphocytes and immunity of typhoid fever patients and in chronic bacterial carriers}; Frolov AK; A study of the frequency of acrocentric chromosomes associations and chromosome aberrations in peripheral blood lymphocytes together with the immunologic indices permits a separate estimation of functional activity for the T- and B-lymphoid systems in patients with abdominal typhoid and in carriers.

Arthritis Rheum, 1979 Sep, 22(9), 969 - 77
Antigenic bacterial polysaccharide in rheumatoid synovial effusions; Bartholomew LE et al.; Phenol-water extracted rheumatoid synovial fluids and synovial fluid leukocytes contain an antigen immunologically identical to the Proprionibacterium group bacteria . The antigen was identified by counter-immunoelectrophoresis in 70% of rheumatoid synovial fluid leukocyte pellets and in 60% of rheumatoid synovial fluids . It was also present in 6% of nonrheumatoid fluids and in 22% of nonrheumatoid inflammatory fluid leukocytes . Antigen was not detectable in synovial samples before extraction . Synovial and bacterial antigens were further purified by proteolytic digestion and Sepharose 4B column chromatography . Biochemical and enzymatic studies of bacterial and synovial antigens were similar and consistent with a high molecular weight polysaccharide . Serum antibody to bacterial and synovial antigens was significantly less frequent in rheumatoid sera than in normal controls . The significance of demonstrating a bacterial polysaccharide primarily in rheumatoid synovial effusions is discussed.

Infect Immun, 1979 Sep, 25(3), 820 - 27
Inhibition of translocation of viable Escherichia coli from the gastrointestinal tract of mice by bacterial antagonism; Berg RD et al.; The incidence of translocation of viable Escherichia coli C25 from the gastrointestinal tract to the mesenteric lymph nodes was compared in gnotobiotic mice colonized with only E . coli C25 and in gnotobiotic mice colonized with E . coli C25 plus the whole cecal flora from specific pathogen-free mice . The population levels of E . coli C25 in the ilea and ceca of these mice also were compared . E . coli C25 maintained high population levels in the gastrointestinal tracts of the monoassociated gnotobiotes, and the incidence of translocation to the mesenteric lymph nodes was 100% . The gastrointestinal population levels of E . coli C25 were reduced drastically in the gnotobiotes associated with both E . coli C25 and a cecal flora with concomitant reduction in the incidence of translocation of E . coli C25 from 100 to 0% . A decrease in the numbers of viable E . coli C25 per mesenteric lymph node also accompanied the decrease in C . coli C25 population levels in the gastrointestinal tracts of these mice . Thus, high population levels of E . coli C25 in the gastrointestinal tracts of monoassociated gnotobiotic mice appear to promote translocation of viable E . coli C25 to the mesenteric lymph nodes . Bacterial antagonism of E . coli population levels in conventional mice, therefore, could be one mechanism whereby viable E . coli are confined to the gastrointestinal tract.

Nucleic Acids Res, 1979 Aug 10, 6(11), 3505 - 17
Construction of a recombinant bacterial plasmid containing DNA sequences for a mouse embryonic globin chain; Fantoni A et al.; Messenger RNAs for mouse embryonic globins were purified from yolk sac derived eyrthroid cells in mouse fetuses . Double stranded DNAs complementary to these messengers were synthesized and blunt end ligated to a EcoRI digested and DNA polymerase I repaired pBR322 plasmid . Of the ampicillin resistant transformants, one contained a plasmid with globin-specific cDNA . The inserted sequence is about 350 base pairs long . It contains one restriction site for EcoRI and one restriction site for HinfI about 170 and 80 base pairs from one end . The insert is not cleaved by HindIII, HindII, BamHI, PstI, SalI, AvaI, TaqI, HpaII, BglI . A mixture of purified messengers coding for alpha chains and for x, y and z embryonic chains was incubated with the recombinant plasmid and the hybridized messenger was translated in a mRNA depleted reticulocyte lysate protein synthesizing system . The product of translation was identified as a z chain by carboxymethylcellulose cromatography . The recombinant plasmid is named "pBR322-egz" after embryonic globin z.

Tohoku J Exp Med, 1979 Aug, 128(4), 325 - 31
A case report of the immunodysplasia syndrome and heavy chain disease associated with subacute bacterial endocarditis; Kuroyanagi T et al.; A 36-year-old man was admitted to Saitama Medical School Hospital, because of a remittent fever which had continued for approximately 6 months, hepatosplenomegaly and lymphadenopathy . He had direct Coombs' test positive auto-immune hemolytic anemia associted with subacute bacterial endocarditis (SBE) . The lymphnode demonstrated focal diffuse proliferation of immunoblasts and arborizing vessels with a few small germinal centers, which resembled histological features of the immunoblastic lymphadenopathy . The immunochemical analysis revealed the presence of free IgG Fc fragments in serum . From the above results the patient was diagnosed as immunodysplasia syndrome (IDS) and heavy chain disease (HCD) associated with SBE . It was suggested that the chronic antigenic stimulation due to SBE might have some role in the mechanism of the development of the IDS and HCD in our patient.

Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1979 Aug, (8), 98 - 103
{Seasonal problems of bacterial dysentery in the Dagestan ASSR}; Sultanov GV; During the period of 1959-1973 bacterial dysentery showed high morbidity rate in Daghestan in all seasons, this tendency existing both in urban and rural areas . The peculiarity of the monthly distribution of dysentery cases, observed all over the repulic, was the shift of the morbidity peak from August to September-October, and in some years even to November; this could be clearly observed from the analysis of the material as a whole and from the analysis of dysentery morbidity rates in rural and urban areas separately . This rise in dysentery morbidity rate in August--September might be due to the reassembling of children at various institutions after their mass return from summer resorts in the country, as well as to thhe influx of new children to creches and kindergartens . Moreover, as the period of August--September is the bathing and fruit-harvesting season in Daghestan, a rise in morbidity rate in these months was obviously caused by the unsatisfactory level of sanitation and hygiene due to an acute deficiency of water.

South Med J, 1979 Aug, 72(8), 977 - 80
Corticosteroids as adjunctive therapy for acute bacterial meningitis; Harbin GL et al.; Although anecdotal reports and the results of clinical trials suggest that corticosteroids may be efficacious in the treatment of acute bacterial meningitis, controlled and double-blind studies fail to support this view with the exception that corticosteroids may be of benefit for patients with pneumococcal meningitis . Corticosteroids may also be of benefit to patients with acute bacterial meningitis in the presence of life-threatening complications of increased intracranial pressure, such as coma, seizures, fluctuating blood pressure, or rapidly deteriorating mental status, but results of controlled or double-blind studies to substantiate this have not been reported . The possible advantages gained from the use of corticosteroids must be considered with regard to a significant detrimental effect in patients over 16 years of age.

Br J Pharmacol, 1979 Aug, 66(4), 565 - 72
Study on the possible entry of bacterial endotoxin and prostaglandin E2 into the central nervous system from the blood; Dascombe MJ et al.; 1 A study has been made of the possible entry of 51Cr-bacterial endotoxin and {5,6,8,11,12,14,15(n)-3H}-prostaglandin E2 ({3H5-PGE2) into the CNS of the anaesthetized cat . 2 No radioactivity was detected in perfusates of the preoptic-anterior hypothalamus or in the cerebrospinal fluid (c.s.f.) in vivo, or in brain tissue post mortem following intracarotid infusion of 51Cr-bacterial endotoxin . 3 Intracarotid administration of {3H}-PGE2 resulted in the entry of radioactivity into the CNS of endotoxin pretreated cats . Chromatographic analysis indicated the radioactivity in c.s.f . to be associated with PGE2 and a metabolite similar to 13, 14-dihydro-15-keto PGE2 . 4 Intracarotid administration of 13, 14-dihydro-15-keto {5,6,8,11,12,14(n)-3H}-PGE2 resulted in the presence of the compound in the CNS of the anaesthetized cat after pretreatment with bacterial endotoxin . 5 It is concluded that PGE2 and possibly 13,14-dihydro-15-keto PGE2 but not bacterial endotoxin may enter the CNS from the cerebral circulation to elicit the febrile response to bacterial endotoxin in cats.

J Neurol Sci, 1979 Aug, 42(3), 417 - 27
Correlation between the capacity of bacterial lipopolysaccharide to supress experimental allergic encephalomyelitis and its mitogenic activity for lymph node cells in guinea pigs; Nagasawa K et al.; Protection of guinea pigs from experimental allergic encephalomyelitis (EAE) was attempted using bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) from 4 sources . The ability of these LPS to induce DNA synthesis in guinea pig lymph node (LN) cells in vitro was also investigated . It was found that there existed a good correlation between the capacity of LPS to suppress EAE and their degree of mitogenic activities for LN cells . LPS from Escherichia coli 0111:B4 (Ec-LPS), which was most effective in suppressing EAE and also best inducer of DNA synthesis in LN cells, enhanced the proliferation of cells forming antibody to myelin basic protein (BP) in the regional LN . These results, in addition to the previous report, suggested that at the inductive phase the proliferation of B lymphocytes or their products, antibodies to BP, could inhibit formation of T lymphocytes sensitized to BP, resulting in suppression of EAE . Lipid A but not PS fraction of Ec-LPS showed a protective activity against EAE and a mitogenic activity for LN cells although less so than whole LPS . In addition, Lipid A appeared to exert its mitogenic effect mainly on B rather than on T lymphocytes.

Br J Exp Pathol, 1979 Aug, 60(4), 434 - 40
Effects of bacterial endotoxin and corticosteroids on plasma concentrations of alpha 2 macroglobulin, haptoglobin and fibrinogen in rats; Gordon AH et al.; Bacterial endotoxin injected into rats resulted in increased plasma concentration of alpha 2 macroglobulin, haptoglobin and fibrinogen . Cortisone acetate injected i.m . by itself was sufficient to increase the plasma concentration of haptoglobin by 54% and to a lesser extent the concentrations of the other two proteins . When cortisone acetate and/or cortisol succinate were injected simultaneously with varying doses of endotoxin, the effects of the corticosteroid differed for each plasma protein . Doubtless because of the effect of cortisone by itself the slope of the dose-response relationship for haptoglobin was greatly reduced . In contrast to this the slope for alpha 2 macroglobulin was reduced and that for fibrinogen was unaffected . These findings suggest that, if effects due to endogenous corticosteroids are to be avoided, increases in plasma fibrinogen will serve best as indicators of stimulation of the acute-phase response . Since, however, the relative increase of alpha 2 macroglobulin due to the lowest dose of endotoxin was much greater than that of fibrinogen, increases in concentration of the former protein represent the most sensitive indication of the acute-phase response . Consideration of the responses in individual rats has made possible division into those with more or less than average increases for all 3 plasma proteins and those showing irregular responses . Especially in the group which had received the lowest dose of endotoxin, a much larger number than would be expected on a random basis was found to respond regularly with either more or less than average increases for all 3 proteins.

Ann Allergy, 1979 Aug, 43(2), 115 - 9
Intradermal responses to common bacterial antigens: influences of sex and clinical condition; Moriearty PL et al.; Intradermal responses to antigens of 12 common bacteria were evaluated in 218 dermatologic and 155 respiratory patients . Women responded more frequently than men and respiratory patients responded significantly more frequently than dermatologic patients to certain antigens . Interpretation of interspecies associations of responses suggested that certain organisms may be key species in the development of bacterial hypersensitivity.

Experientia, 1979 Jul 15, 35(7), 865 - 6
Artifacts from agar-protein interaction simulating a bacterial growth in the haemocultures; Tedeschi GG et al.; Some morphological, histochemical and biochemical properties of the particles taking origin from the polysaccharide-proteins interaction in the presence of platelets and lymphocytes are described.

C R Seances Acad Sci D, 1979 Jul 9, 289(2), 221 - 4
{Enzymatic activity of peritoneal macrophages of Balb C mice after enteral or parenteral stimulation with bacterial extracts}; Ivanoff B et al.; A study of peritoneal macrophage activation has been conducted by simultaneous investigation in eleven enzymes in Balb/c Mice stimulated with bacterial extracts, by oral and parenteral route . The results showed important changes in Macrophage number and activity . On the other hand this activation depended upon the route of administration, antigen nature, and time interval between stimulation and peritoneal harvesting.

Infect Immun, 1979 Jul, 25(1), 48 - 53
Macrophage activation by bacterial cell walls and related synthetic compounds; Takada H et al.; Activation of peritoneal macrophages from guinea pigs by various bacterial cell walls, M-1 endo-N-acetylmuramidase enzymatically digested bacterial cell walls and synthetic muramyl dipeptides was studied in terms of stimulation of {14C} glucosamine incorporation . All test bacterial cell wall preparations significantly increased a {14C}glucosamine uptake by the macrophages . Some of the water-soluble M-1 enzyme digests also exerted stimulating effects on macrophages, although the activity of the digests was found to be weaker than those of original cell walls . Furthermore, an adjuvant-active synthetic MurNAc-L-Ala-D-isoGln (MDP) showed a weak but significant activity, whereas an adjuvant-inactive analog, MurNAc-L-Ala-L-iso-Gln, did not show a significant activity, at least with the dose of 100 microgram . Additional studies with 6-O-acyl derivatives of MDP revealed that 6-O-(2-tetradecylhexadecanoyl)-MDP and 6-O-(3-hydroxy-2-tetradecyl-octadecanoyl)-MDP exhibit stronger macrophage-stimulating effects than MDP . It can be concluded from the above findings that MDP is the essential structure responsible for stimulating the activity of cell walls on guinea pig peritoneal macrophages, but it requires a particle state, which results from an additive character of lipophilicity, to exert the activity fully and effectively.

Bol Med Hosp Infant Mex, 1979 Jul-Aug, 36(4), 735 - 42
{Cholestyramine in the treatment of acute bacterial diarrhea in infants}; Duffau Toro G et al.; 32 infants admitted to Hospital "Roberto del Rio" with infectious diarrhea and dehydration were assigned random to two groups, one of them receiving the usual therapeutic regimen of rehydration, refeeding and furazolidone and the other group the same treatment plus cholestyramine . The patients were studied with balance technique on days 1st, 3rd., and 5th . after admission, analyzing clinical progress, features of the stools, total digestive transit time, pH of the feces and the presence of reducing substances, volume of the stools, water excretion and sodium, potassium and chloride elimination in the feces . The patients receiving cholestyramine showed an earlier improvement in the appearance of the stools, less excretion of feces and water and diminished sodium and potassium elimination . Chloride excretion was similar in both groups . Cholestyramine tolerance was excellent . No side effects or complications were observed.

Pediatrics, 1979 Jul, 64(1), 60 - 4
Diagnosis of neonatal bacterial infection: hematologic and pathologic findings in fatal and nonfatal cases; Squire E et al.; Consecutive newborn autopsy cases were divided into infected and noninfected groups on the basis of pathologic findings and cultures, and were compared to a concomitant consecutive group of neonatal survivors with proven bacterial sepsis . Newborns dying with bacterial infection often demonstrated leukopenia, neutropenia, and thrombocytopenia, usually associated with normal bone marrow cell production . Those with nonfatal sepsis frequently had neutrophilia with an increase in absolute band counts . Of infected newborns 80% showed one or more hematologic abnormalities as did 43% of newborns dying without bacterial infection . Of newborns dying with bacterial infection 13% had no hematologic abnormality . Blood cultures were negative in 18% (seven) of the infants dying with bacterial infection . Abnormalities of the white blood cell, differential and platelet counts are not invariably specific for bacterial infection nor do normal values adequately exclude it . Blood cultures may be negative in newborns dying with significant foci of bacterial infection.

J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg, 1979 Jul, 78(1), 79 - 86
Aneurysm of left ventricle secondary to bacterial endocarditis; Sapsford RN et al.; Three cases are described of aneurysms of the area of fibrous continuity between the aortic and mitral valves, each associated with infective endocarditis of the aortic valve . In two cases surgical treatment was successful, one of these having been diagnosed by angiography prior to operation . The other case was discovered only at autopsy, but the histologic findings showed the lesion to be a true aneurysm . Although some cases have been successfully managed by operation, most have proved fata . These cases and the previous successes illustrate the potential value of urgent operation.

Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A, 1979 Jul, 76(7), 3348 - 52
Entrapment of a bacterial plasmid in phospholipid vesicles: potential for gene transfer; Fraley RT et al.; Entrapment of pBR322 DNA within liposomes was demonstrated by (i) its comigration with liposomes on Sepharose 4B columns, (ii) resistance of its biological activity to DNase digestion, and (iii) identification of plasmid DNA on agarose gels after lipid extraction . The biological activity of the liposome-entrapped plasmid was determined by transformation assays . The incubation of intact liposomes, containing entrapped pBR322, with competent Escherichia coli cells in the standard transformation mixture resulted in the appearance of tetracycline-resistant colonies at a frequency of 1% of the control frequency . Importantly, this frequency was unaffected by the addition of DNase to the incubation mixture, whereas transformation by free pBR322 DNA was totally eliminated after treatment with DNase.

Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A, 1979 Jul, 76(7), 3299 - 303
Molecular cloning and partial characterization of delta-crystallin cDNA sequences in a bacterial plasmid; Bhat SP et al.; Double-stranded cDNA synthesized from delta-crystallin mRNA isolated from lens fiber cells of 15-day-old embryonic chicken was cloned in Escherichia coli chi 1776 in the Pst I site of the plasmid pBR322 by using the oligo(dC) . oligo(dG) joining procedure . Twelve Amps Tetr transformants contained sequences complementary to purified delta-crystallin {32P}cDNA . One of the recombinant clones (p delta Cr-2) had an insert of 1241 +/- 240 base pairs, as judged by R-looping analysis with purified delta-crystallin mRNA . The inserted cDNA represents at least 69% of the delta-crystallin coding sequences . p delta Cr-2 was further characterized by restriction analysis, protection of delta-crystallin {3H}cDNA from digestion by S1 nuclease, and hybrid-mediated arrest of delta-crystallin mRNA translation in vitro . p delta Cr-2 provides an invaluable probe for additional analysis of the primary structure, gene organization, and regulated synthesis of delta-crystallin, the principal protein synthesized during lens differentiation in the chicken embryo.

J Biochem (Tokyo), 1979 Jul, 86(1), 27 - 34
Studies on bacterial chemotaxis . IV . Interaction of maltose receptor with a membrane-bound chemosensing component; Koiwai O et al.; Highly purified maltose receptor of Escherichia coli was bound to Sepharose 4B via a long spacer and affinity chromatography was performed to isolate the membrane-bound proteins having affinity for the maltose receptor . The experiments were carried out either in the presence of maltose or in the absence of maltose and the proteins absorbed on the mattix were identified by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis . The results showed that the maltose receptor interacted with the product of tar gene, one of the methyl-accepting chemotaxis proteins, only in the presence of maltose.

Chem Biol Interact, 1979 Jul, 26(2), 179 - 84
Effects in bacterial systems of Pt(II) complexes with antitumour activity; Tamaro M et al.; A series of alicyclic amine complexes of the cis-Pt(am)2Cl2 type, showed specific antitumour activity against various animal tumours . We have tested these compounds in a number of bacterial systems indicative of their interaction with bacterial DNA.

Immunology, 1979 Jul, 37(3), 643 - 51
Kinetics of B-lymphocytes stimulation by pokeweed Pa-1 mitogen and bacterial lipopolysaccharide; Yokoyama K et al.; The presence of two subpopulations in mouse B lymphocytes responding to pokeweed Pa-1 mitogen or bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in terms of DNA synthesis was demonstrated . The analysis of surface markers of these two subpopulations revealed that one of the subpopulations carried the complement receptor (CR+) and the other lacked the complement receptor (CR-) . The kinetics of stimulation by Pa-1 and LPS differed between these two subpopulations . CR+ -B cells exhibited the first peak of DNA synthesis 27 h after the addition of the mitogen, whereas CR- -B cells showed the first maximal response after 39 h . When the responses of CR+ -B cells 27 h and of CR- -B cells 39 h after various pulsed exposures to the mitogen were compared with those after continuous exposures to the mitogen, two successive 3 h exposures (0-3 and 12-15 h for CR+ -B cells; 0-3 and 21-24 h for CR- -B cells) yielded the same level of response as continuous exposure for 27 h (CR+ -B cells) or 39 h (CR- -B cells) . These results indicate that both B-cell subpopulations require two signals for maximal stimulation.

Tsitologiia, 1979 Jul, 21(7), 816 - 23
{Role of the systems of DNA dark repair in determining bacterial and phage sensitivity to ultraviolet radiation in an ecological long-wave range}; Janovska E et al.; A comparison has been made of sensitivity to far (254 nm), middle (300--315 nm) and near (315--400 nm) UV radiation of 12 strains of E . coli and 2 strains of B . subtilis differing in DNA dark repair (DR) capability . The mechanisms controlled by uvrA, uvrB, polA, recA, lon, and lexA genes are very effective in cells, irradiated by far and middle UV, but by 15--70% less effective in those irradiated by near UV . As the unirradiated bacteria poorly repair the near UV damaged phages (T7, lambda, SPPI), the low bacterial DR level after UV irradiation seems to be due to the unrepairable photoproduct formation in DNA.

Chem Biol Interact, 1979 Jul, 26(2), 185 - 96
The association of bacterial mutagenicity of hydrocarbon-derived 'bay-region' dihydrodiols with the Iball indices for carcinogenicity and with the extents of DNA-binding on mouse skin of the parent hydrocarbons; Bartsch H et al.; The mutagenic activities of benz{alpha}anthracene, 7-methylbenz{alpha}anthracene, 7,12-dimethylbenz{alpha}anthracene, 3-methylcholanthrene and benzo{alpha}pyrene, together with those of the trans-dihydrodiols derived from these hydrocarbons that would be expected to yield 'bay-region' vicinal diolepoxides on further metabolism have been examined in assays with S . typhimurium TA100 using post-mitochondrial supernatant fractions prepared from the livers of 3-methylcholanthrene-treated rats . Mutagenic activities obtained have been compared with: (a) the extents of reaction with DNA that occur in mouse skin following treatment with these hydrocarbons; (b) the carcinogenicities of the hydrocarbons expressed as Iball indices; (c) their activities as tumour-initiating agents on mouse skin . Close positive associations were found between the microsome-mediated mutagenicities of the dihydrodiols that could yield "bay-region" diol-epoxides and: (a) the extents of reaction with DNA in hydrocarbon-treated mouse skin; (b) the carcinogenic potencies of the parent hydrocarbons; although these correlations are not perfect, the mutagenic activities of the hydrocarbons themselves in microsome-mediated assays with S . typhimurium show no correlation with their extents of DNA binding on mouse skin and a poor correlation with their activities as initiating agents . These comparisons also indicated a statistically-significant positive correlation between carcinogenicity and the in vivo DNA binding on mouse skin treated with the hydrocarbons . Differences in the metabolic pathways by which polycyclic hydrocarbons are activated in vivo and in vitro are discussed in relation to the improved correlations found with the dihydrodiols.

Biokhimiia, 1979 Jul, 44(7), 1218 - 22
{Interaction between dialkylamines and bacterial agmatinase}; Khramov VA; It was demonstrated that aliphatic dialkylamines are more effective inhibitors of bacterial agmatinase than monoalkylamines and differ from the latter by the type of inhibition . The dependence of the inhibition constant on the hydrophobicity of the compounds tested was studied . The type of this dependence was found to be different for long- and short-radical dialkylamines, the correlation equation appearing as 1g(1/Ki) = 0,33 1gPo + (2,3 +/- 0,2) for the former compounds and as 1g(1/Ki) = 1,0 1gPo + (2,2 +/- 0,2) for the latter . The enzyme inhibition by the inhibitors tested was dependent on pH: e . g . with an increase in pH the inhibiting effect was decreased . It was assumed that the inhibitor sorption by agmatinase is of hydrophobic-ionic type and that the active site of the enzyme contains two hydrophobic zones separated by a nucleophylic group . The length of the hydrophoblic zones was estimated.

Quad Sclavo Diagn, 1979 Jun, 15 Suppl 1, 386 - 94
{A survey of Italian hospitals on the frequency of the resistance of bacterial strains (author's transl)}; Scardellato U et al.; The AA . delineate the limitations and practical difficulties encountered during a survey of the chemoantibiotic resistance of bacteria . Data was collected from 12 Italian Hospitals, and 5,702 bacterial strains were confronted with 8 chemoantibiotics . The AA . suggest a model trough which data could be collected and computerized so as to set a correct policy for the use of antibiotics in Hospitals.

Thorax, 1979 Jun, 34(3), 344 - 7
Relationship of bacterial and viral infections to exacerbations of asthma; Clarke CW; Fifty-one asthmatic patients were followed for up to 18 months . During this time 111 exacerbations of wheeze were recorded . Involvement by pathogenic respiratory bacteria and viruses was looked for directly by culture and indirectly by antibody studies . Proof of infection was found in only 12 (10.8%) of the 111 exacerbations . Only eight patients provided sputum samples . Potential bacterial pathogens were found in four . Viruses were isolated in four of 27 exacerbation specimens; significant rises in specific viral antibody titres occurred in three . Six patients developed precipitating antibody to respiratory bacteria over the study but only one in relation to an exacerbation . The study therefore indicated that the great majority of exacerbations of asthma in these patients were not due to respiratory tract infection.

Kardiologiia, 1979 Jun, 19(6), 34 - 8
{Disorders of myocardial contractile capacity in patients with an interatrial septal defect complicated by bacterial endocarditis}; Frantsev VI et al.; After performing 242 operations on patients with secondary atrial septal defects under conditions of moderate hypothermia, the authors studied the contractile capacity of the myocardium by means of long-term catheterization of the heart chambers in 56 patients . In 35 patients of this group intravital biopsy of the right ventricle was carried out . The bioptic material was subject to light and electron microscopy and histochemical examination . Considerable changes in intracardiac hemodynamics were revealed in patients with bacterial endocarditis . In such cases the diastole changes most sharply: the phase of isometric relaxation was prolonged, and there was a sharp rise in the maximum rate of intraventricular pressure decrease and in the relaxation index, which indicated to disorders of metabolic processes in the myocardium, conducive to the manifestation of myocardial insufficiency.

Am J Cardiol, 1979 Jun, 43(6), 1238 - 41
Fatal acute bacterial myocarditis after dentoalveolar abscess; Palank EA et al.; A 19 year old woman presented with chest pain after a dental extraction for a dentoalveolar abscess . Electrocardiographic and serum isoenzyme changes were consistent with acute anterior myocardial infarction . At autopsy bacteria were demonstrated, within the myocardium in the absence of a myocardial abscess or endocarditis . This case illustrates the occurrence of isolated acute bacterial myocarditis after a dental extraction.

Appl Environ Microbiol, 1979 Jun, 37(6), 1142 - 51
Comparison of bacterial populations of the pig cecum and colon based upon enumeration with specific energy sources; Allison MJ et al.; Concentrations of bacteria in the ceca and colons of pigs were measured by determinations of colony counts on rumen fluid-based media in anaerobic roll tubes . With our most complete medium (medium CCA), the mean colony count of cecal samples from 20 pigs was 2.37 X 10(10) +/- 1.0 X 10(10) (+/- standard deviation)/g (wet weight) . The mean number of bacteria attached to or associated with cecal epithelial tissues from three pigs on medium CCA was 2.67 X 10(7) +/- 0.81 X 10(7)/cm2 of tissue . The proportions of gut bacterial populations able to use various energy substrates were estimated on the basis of relative colony counts . The following substrates are listed in descending order of their capacity to support growth of cecal bacteria: glucose, starch, cellobiose, xylose, Trypticase, gastric mucin from swine, mannitol, glycerol, and lactate . The effect of diet upon this distribution was not examined . The relative proportions of bacteria from a given population that were able to grow on various selective media were used as population profiles . Comparisons of populations in this way indicated that differences could be detected between (i) populations from the cecum of littermate pigs, (ii) populations from the cecum and colon of the same pig, and (iii) populations in the lumen of the cecum as compared with populations associated with cecal mucosa.

Chirurg, 1979 Jun, 50(6), 370 - 4
{Effect of methylprednisolone on bacterial infection of the peritoneal cavity in the guinea pig}; Erichsen J et al.; There is clinical proof of the decisive therapeutic effect of bolus injection of corticosteroids in septic shock . Our own studies, in which sublethal doses of bacterial suspensions were introduced into the peritoneal cavity of guinea pigs, demonstrate that a simultaneously applied solution of methylprednisolone (MP) has no influence on the intraperitoneal number of bacteria . Even the rapid initial decrease of bacterial counts, which, according to our studies, can be inhibited by Liquoid and is, therefore, caused by complement, is not influenced by the addition of MP . There was no indication of a change of tissue reactions in gut or mesenterium . The therapeutic effect of corticosteroids seems to depend on its influence on peripheral vessels.

J Hyg (Lond), 1979 Jun, 82(3), 361 - 8
An instrument for measuring bacterial penetration through fabrics used for barrier clothing; Ransjo U et al.; A new instrument has been designed to measure the penetration by rubbing of bacteria from cloth contaminated in the nursing of burn patients through fabrics designed for barrier garments . Most fabrics tested dry reduced the transfer of bacteria from the source cloth to about 10%, irrespective of the results of air filter tests, which agrees with mock nursing results . When the fabrics were tested against a wet surface, the transfer of bacteria rapidly reached 100% if the fabrics had a high wettability, but was slower for fabrics with a low wettability . Through closely woven waterproofed cotton, transfer was 5--25%, but increased three- to four-fold after ten launderings, in line with the water absorption . Transfer through plastic-laminated material was less than 1% . The results suggest that barrier garments should be made either of plastic or of recently waterproofed closely woven cotton at points of contact between nurse and patient where the clothes may be wetted by bacteria-containing wound secretions.

Biophys J, 1979 Jun, 26(3), 489 - 98
On the mechanism of magnetic field effects in bacterial photosynthesis; Haberkorn R et al.; The recently discovered magnetic field effects in bacterial photosynthesis are discussed by solving a simple model exactly . Analytic expressions are given that permit one to study the influence of the rates of the primary electron transfer reactions and the exchange interaction on the yield of excited triplet states.

J Immunol, 1979 Jun, 122(6), 2304 - 8
Genetic and biochemical evidence for the involvement of a bacterial component in the mitogenic properties of polyribonucleotides on murine B lymphocytes; Kelly K et al.; The mitogenic response of C3H/HeJ mice to the B cell mitogens, poly C and poly I, is approximately one-half the response measured in various LPS-responder strains . C3H/HeJ mice respond normally to poly I:C, the heteroduplex polymer . The low responder phenotype of C3H/HeJ mice to poly C and poly I is shown by an analysis of (C3H/HeJ x C57BL/6J-By-Ps)F1 X C3H/HeJ backcross progeny to result from a gene locus that is closely linked or identical to the defective LPS response locus expressed by the C3H/HeJ strain . The entire mitogenic activity in poly C preparations and most of the mitogenic activity in poly I preparations is insensitive to ribonuclease degradation . Hot aqueous phenol extraction of the polynucleotides separates the majority of the mitogenic activity that is soluble in the combined interface and phenol phase fraction from the aqueous soluble polynucleotides . The ribonuclease-insensitive, phenolsoluble contaminant elicits a reduced response in C3H/HeJ mice as compared to an LPS responder strain . We conclude that 1) poly C has no inherent mitogenic activity; 2) poly I preparations contain both ribonucleasesensitive and insensitive mitogenic activities; 3) the ribonuclease-resistant mitogenic activity in polynucleotide preparations has properties unlike those of LPS or lipid A; and 4) the product of LPS response gene has an effect upon the mitogenic stimulation of spleen cells by the contaminant.

J Dent Educ, 1979 Jun, 43(7), 356 - 7
Bacterial polysaccharide synthesis: an experiment for the dental biochemistry laboratory; Helleiner CW et al.; A simple experiment is described for demonstrating the formation of a high molecular-weight polysaccharide from sucrose by a bacterial enzyme . The polysaccharide confers high viscosity on solutions . Dental students are encouraged to consider this as a component of the system leading to the formation of dental plaque and the initiation of carious lesions.

Br J Cancer, 1979 Jun, 39(6), 705 - 10
Effect of lipophilicity of nitroimidazoles on radiosensitization of hypoxic bacterial cells in vitro; Anderson RF et al.; The effect of radiosensitization of hypoxic bacterial cells by 9 nitroimidazoles was measured in the bacterial strains E . coli AB 1157 and S . lactis 712 . Seven of these compounds were similar to misonidazole in their redox properties, but differed widely in their lipophilicites . The dependence of sensitization enhancement on reduction potential was similar to that reported in mammalian cells . The efficiency of sensitization was similar for compounds of low lipophilicity, but increased if the octanol: water partition coefficients of the compounds were higher than about 3.5 . With one compound, otherwise similar to misonidazole, the increased lipophilicity led to about one order of magnitude lower concentration achieving the same degree of radiosensitization.

Mol Gen Genet, 1979 May 23, 173(1), 23 - 30
Tn10 mediated integration of the plasmid R100.1 into the bacterial chromosome: inverse transposition; Chandler M et al.; Upon integration into the bacterial chromosome the drug resistance plasmid R100.1 often loses its tetracycline resistance character . We have analyzed an Hfr strain formed by such an integration and an R-prime plasmid derived from it . We find that integration took place within the Tn10 transposon, that the two IS10 sequences were retained, but that at least 80% of the transposon segment located between them, and carrying the tetracycline resistance genes, had been lost . We suggest that integration of R100.1 was mediated by an inverse transposition using the IS10 sequences.

Z Erkr Atmungsorgane, 1979 May, 153(2), 232 - 9
{Development of an experimental animal model of aerogenic immunization with bacterial antigens (author's transl)}; Petzoldt K; Gnotobiotic piglets once aerogenically vaccinated with a avirulent strain, B10, of live Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae (E.r.) showed no signs of illness when exposed to 100 LD50 of the highly virulent E.r.-strain FFA two weeks later . Mice vaccinated in the same manner were not fully protected . Various serological assays provided no indication for an actual protection mechanism against the challenge infection . On the other hand preliminary evaluation of the reactivity of lymphoid cells from various organs showed remarkable differences in the response to the vaccinating antigen and to various mitogens between vaccinated and non vaccinated piglets . Developmental phases of the model system and its advantages and disadvantages are presented.

Can J Microbiol, 1979 May, 25(5), 640 - 1
{Effect of the saccharide chain length of bacterial lipopolysacchrides on the stimulation of immune system}; Lallier R et al.; Three lipopolysaccharides (LPS) of different chain length were used as adjuvant . The one of shortest chain length is the most effective in enhancing antibody titer in rats against sheep red blood cells, suggesting that lipid A and KDO were responsible for the stimulatory effect of LPS.

Biokhimiia, 1979 May, 44(5), 931 - 9
{Lateral heterogeneity of bacterial membranes}; Zinov'eva ME et al.; Isolated membranes of M . lysodeikticus were rapidly frozen and disrupted in a Hughes press . After disruption the fragments were centrifuged at 144000 g for 1 hour and part of the supernatant just above the pellet was subjected to isopycnic centrifugation in a continuous sucrose density gradient . It was found that the material tested was a mixture of fragments differing in their buoyant densities . These fragments also differed in their protein/lipid ratios, cytochrome content and dehydrogenase activities calculated per protein and lipid as well as in proportion of the respiratory chain enzymes . The results obtained are indicative of lateral heterogeneity of the bacterial membrane and the existence of areas in the membrane having high concentration of the respiratory chain enzymes . The latter may suggest that the system of substrate oxidation is segregated in the membrane . It is assumed that there exists in the membrane an exchange of components between different electron-transporting chains operated due to their lateral diffusion.

Obstet Gynecol, 1979 May, 53(5), 550 - 2
Patterns of bacterial colonization of human milk; Eidelman AI et al.; Bacterial studies on breast milk collected by an electric suction pump from 44 postpartum mothers were conducted . All samples had bacterial growth, while 84% had organisms identical to those cultured from the mother's nipple . Colony counts varied greatly, with a median of 8700 and mean of nearly 20,000 . In 30% of the milk samples, potentially pathogenic organisms were recovered . The significance of these results and collection techniques that might modify these results are discussed.

Pathol Biol (Paris), 1979 May, 27(5), 269 - 73
{Protection of mice with bacterial phospholipids against the lethal effect of Frog Virus 3 (FV 3) (author's transl)}; Anton M et al.; A bacterial phospholipid extract (EBP) inoculated intraveinously at a dose of 1 mg/25 g body weight 30 hours before infection protects mice against the lethal effect of Frog Virus 3 (FV 3) . The anti-FV 3 resistance produced by EBP requires protein synthesis during the period of pretreatment . The treatment with the bacterial extract has no effect on the inhibition of the macromolecular synthesis of the liver (RNA and DNA) which is observed at the beginning of the infection . However 48 hours after FV 3 infection, there is a notable stimulation of DNA synthesis which probably corresponds to liver regeneration.

J Immunol, 1979 May, 122(5), 2096 - 102
IgM rheumatoid factors in mice injected with bacterial lipopolysaccharides; Izui S et al.; Bacterial lipopolysaccharides (LPS) induced the formation of IgM rheumatoid factors (RF) in several strains of mice including athymic C57BL/6 nude mice, but not in the LPS-resistant C3H/HeJ mice . The RF induced by LPS reacted not only with murine IgG but also with IgG from cows, goats, guinea pigs, and humans . The kinetics of this RF response to injection of LPS were similar to those of antibody response against DNA and a hapten, dinitrophenyl (DNP), and to those of total IgM production . In addition, the RF activity of individual serum samples correlated significantly with levels of anti-DNA and anti-DNP antibodies and of IgM . Therefore, it is concluded that the induction of RF results from polyclonal antibody synthesis by B cells stimulated with LPS . This observation suggests that LPS or LPS-like substances may help to generate RF in patients with rheumatoid arthritis or with some infectious diseases.

J Biochem (Tokyo), 1979 May, 85(5), 1331 - 8
Studies on bacterial chemotaxis . III . Effect of methyl esters on the chemotactic response of Escherichia coli; Ohba M et al.; The methylation-demethylation reaction of methyl-accepting chemotaxis protein (MCP) is tightly coupled to the appearance of the chemotactic response in Escherichia coli . The bacteria might therefore show a unique response upon the addition of a compound containing a methyl group . We selected methyl N-methyl anthranilate (NMMA) and its analogs for examination . When NMMA was added to a suspension of E . coli (wild type), the bacteria tumbled as it does in the presence of a repellent . NMMA caused tumbling of wild-type bacteria for at least 20 min, while a conventional repellent makes the bacteria tumble for at most one min . The effect of NMMA requires functional MCP, cheA gene product, cheB gene product, and possibly cheX gene product . A positive signal of NMMA (i.e . sudden dilution) was detected by cheZ mutants with much higher sensitivity than that of a conventional repellent, indole, while both signals were rather poorly but equally detected by cheB mutants . These results suggest that the drug is related to the function of cheB gene product, a possible demethylating enzyme of MCP.

J Biochem (Tokyo), 1979 May, 85(5), 1213 - 23
Studies on bacterial chemotaxis . II . Effect of cheB and cheZ mutations on the methylation of methyl-accepting chemotaxis protein of Escherichia coli; Hayashi H et al.; Radioactive proteins from chemotactic mutants of Escherichia coli with continuous tumbling phenotype (cheB and cheZ) and their otherwise isogenic parent were compared by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis . The system was capable of separating non-methylated methyl-accepting chemotaxis protein (MCP) from its methylated equivalent . The analysis of proteins from the envelope fraction of the bacteria showed that the cheB mutants contained a larger portion of methylated MCP than did the parent . However, the change of MCP methylation level was small, if any, in cheZ strains . The results suggest that the product of cheB gene and the product of cheZ gene are not functional complementary . The product of cheB gene functions in controlling the level of methylation at the stationary state of the organisms . In addition to known MCP species, a new MCP of about 43,000 daltons was found . This MCP appears to be involved in transducing signals of some sugars.

Z Lebensm Unters Forsch, 1979 Apr 30, 168(4), 286 - 8
The use of a digital oscillator densimeter for the determination of reaction rates of bacterial proteases; El-Saied HM; A digital oscillator densimeter technique for measuring the density of casein solutions at different concentrations, temperatures and pH values was used . The technique was also used to compare the rates of protease-catalysed reactions of two bacterial proteases using casein as a substrate . Enzyme activities using reaction rates of proteases determined by this method were compared with a standard method for protease activity.

Biochem J, 1979 Apr 15, 180(1), 175 - 85
Bacterial and fungal oxidation of dibenzofuran; Cerniglia CE et al.; Cunninghamella elegans and a mutant strain (B8/36) of Beijerinckia both oxidized dibenzofuran to 2,3-dihydroxy-2,3-dihydrodibenzofuran . The bacterial metabolite was extremely unstable and, in the presence of acid, was rapidly converted into a mixture of 2- and 3-hydroxydibenzofuran . In contrast, the 2,3-dihydroxy-2,3-dihydrodibenzofuran formed by C . elegans was stable and only yielded 2- and 3-hydroxydibenzofuran when heated under acidic conditions . The results suggest that Beijerinckia B8/36 and C . elegans form the respective cis- and trans-isomers of 2,3-dihydroxy-2,3-dihydrodibenzofuran . C . elegans also oxidized dibenzofuran to 2- and 3-hydroxydibenzofuran under conditions that would not lead to the dehydration of the trans-dihydrodiol . These observations implicate the initial formation of dibenzofuran- 2,3-epoxide in the fungal oxidation of dibenzofuran . Beijerinckia B8/36 also produced a second unstable dihydrodiol that was tentatively identified as cis-1,2-dihydroxy-1,2-dihydrodibenzofuran . This compound gave 2-hydroxydibenzofuran as the major dehydration product and the cis relative stereochemistry was suggested by the isolation and characterization of an isopropylidine derivative . A preparation of cis-naphthalene dihydrodiol dehydrogenase and cell extracts of the parent strain of Beijerinckia oxidized both bacterial dihydrodiols to catechols . Cell extracts prepared from C . elegans catalysed an analogous oxidation of trans-2,3-dihydroxy-2,3-dihydrodibenzofuran to 2,3-dihydroxydibenzofuran . The latter product was also isolated and identified from culture filtrates . The results suggest that bacteria and fungi utilize different mechanisms to initiate the oxidation of dibenzofuran.

Experientia, 1979 Apr 15, 35(4), 494 - 5
Degradation of bacterial lipopolysaccharide by gut juice os the snail Helix pomatia; Saddler JN et al.; Lipopolysaccharides from several bacteria were selectively degarded by gut juice of the snail Helix pomatia with extensive loss of anticomplementary activity and changes in the electrophoretic pattern in polyacrylamide gels . The gut juice had little effect on ketodeoxyoctonate content or immunodominant sugars . The lipid A moiety of the lipopolysaccharide appeared to be the main site of attack.

Med Klin, 1979 Apr 6, 74(14), 516 - 9
{Non bacterial thyreoiditis, diagnosis and differential diagnosis (author's transl)}; Emrich D et al.; Retrospective analysis of signs, symptoms, and laboratory data (BSR, thyroid scan, thyroxine, triiodothyronine, TRH-test and antibodies against thyroglobulin) was performed on 68 individuals . Diagnosis of subacute and of chronic thyreoiditis was proven in 26 patients and 21 patients respectively by cytological examination . It was excluded by the same procedure in 21 patients, in whom there were some indications of these two kinds of thyroiditis . The following mosaic of clinical and laboratory parameters showed a sensitivity of 0.73 at specificity of 0.95 for diagnosis and exclusion of the two diseases: spontaneous pain, pain by palpation, fever, elevated BSR, thyroid scan, free thyroxine index, and TRH-test.

J Immunol, 1979 Apr, 122(4), 1421 - 6
Synergy between T cell-replacing factor and bacterial lipopolysaccharides (LPS) in the primary antibody response in vitro: a model for lipopolysaccharide adjuvant action; Jacobs DM; Unfractionated spleen cells, B cells from normal mice, and nu/nu spleen cells respond to the addition of bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and T-cell-replacing factor (TRF) by production of plaque-forming cells (PFC) in excess of the number expected from the addition of LPS and TRF separately . This synergistic activity is dependent on the presence of the antigen, SRBC . Supernatants of both allogeneic spleen cell mixtures and spleen cells cultured with Con A are effective and synergize best at concentrations suboptimal for their ability to act as TRF alone . Culture supernatants of unstimulated normal or fractionated cell populations are ineffective . Synergy is not dependent on the presence of macrophages in the cultures . Purified LPS free from active contaminants, as well as commercially available LPS, show synergy with TRF . Synergy was seen when TRF was added at initiation of culture or 24 hr later . It is suggested that synergy is the equivalent of LPS adjuvant activity, that the role of T cells in LPS adjuvanticity is that of a conventional cooperating cell, and the LPS acts as an adjuvant by inducing B cells to become more sensitive to T cell helper factors.

Johns Hopkins Med J, 1979 Apr, 144(4), 121 - 6
The behavior of bacteria: on the mechanism of sensory transduction in bacterial chemotaxis; Adler J; The mechanism of bacterial chemotaxis is beginning to be understood . At the receptor end, we have considerable knowledge about the molecular properies of chemoreceptors . At the effector end, we know that flagella rotate and that the direction of rotation is determined by attractants and repellents, although we do not yet know the molecular features of the motor and the gear shift . Between the receptors and the effectors is a system for integrating the sensory information and transmitting a message to the flagella . This system, sensory transduction, somehow involves methylation of membrane proteins and probably a change in membrane potential, but further details of how the mechanism works remain to be elucidated.

Lab Anim, 1979 Apr, 13(2), 135 - 8
Bacterial growth in ampholytic disinfectant solutions; Kellett BS; Large numbers of live bacteria were isolated from solutions of 2 ampholytic disinfectants supplied from a built-in predosing system . They were resistant to and proliferated in these disinfectants . Bacteria were eradicated by employing a 3rd type of ampholytic disinfectant in the system.

Lab Anim Sci, 1979 Apr, 29(2), 229 - 33
A comparison of bacterial flora isolated by transtracheal aspiration and pharyngeal swabs in Macaca fascicularis; Stills HF Jr et al.; The pulmonary flora of 30 monkeys (Macaca fascicularis) was sampled by the transtracheal aspiration technique and the pharyngeal swab method, and the results were compared . The transtracheal aspiration technique yielded lower numbers of bacteria in both aerobic and anaerobic cultures . The bacteria isolated by transtracheal aspiration were predominately pure culture, thereby lowering the possibility of contamination from commensal flora . Bordetella bronchiseptica was isolated from 23.3% of the monkeys by transtracheal aspiration, but this organism was not isolated when samples were collected with pharyngeal swabs.

J Oral Pathol, 1979 Apr, 8(2), 65 - 80
Histopathologic and bacterial evaluation of conventional and new copper amalgams; Heys DR et al.; In vivo pulpal responses in monkeys and in vitro bacterial inhibition studies were completed on new copper amalgams, Sybraloy, Dispersalloy, Tytin and a conventional Spheraloy amalgam . Amalgams were placed in cavities lined with ZOE and in unlined cavities . Silicate and ZOE were used as controls . A total of 165 adult monkey teeth were evaluated at 3 days, 5 and 8 weeks . At 3 days the pulpal responses elicited by the copper amalgams appeared similar to conventional Spheraloy, all showing a slight to moderate response . At 5 weeks the majority of amalgams exhibited a slight pulpar response with a tubular reparative dentin under each restoration . The 8 week pulpal response showed a reduction of the inflammatory response characterized by a tubular reparative dentin with a uniform zone of predentin . Lined ZOE controls exhibited a slight response while silicate showed a moderate response with some persistent chronic inflammation . In vitro bacterial tests revealed that the various amalgams had little to no inhibitory effect on the three serotypes of S . mutans that are most prominent in humans.

J Urol, 1979 Apr, 121(4), 437 - 41
A re-appraisal of treatment in chronic bacterial prostatitis; Fair WR et al.; The pH of normal human expressed prostatic secretion in 136 samples from 93 men was 7.28 +/- 0.04 . In 41 samples from 14 patients with documented chronic bacterial prostatitis the alkalinity of prostatic fluid was increased 10-fold (1 pH unit) and was 8.32 +/- 0.07 . We believe these studies account for the failure of trimethoprim to eradicate human bacterial prostatitis effectively despite the experimental data documenting diffusion and concentration of trimethoprim in the acidic prostatic fluid of the normal dog . The factors governing drug diffusion into the prostate and the influence of pH on the concentration of trimethoprim in the expressed prostatic secretion are discussed.

Arch Ostet Ginecol, 1979 Mar-Jul, 84(3-4), 111 - 6
{Cervical bacterial flora in 40 women using intrauterine devices (IUD)}; Balbi C et al.; PIP: 40 women in apparent good health between the ages of 22 and 35 were divided into 2 groups . The 1st had copper IUDs inserted; the 2nd group received inert IUDs, all at the end of their menstrual period . Cervical smears of the trans-cul type to control the cervical flora were taken immediately before IUD insertion, and then after 7, 30, and 60 days . They were prohibited from using any vaginal medicine with germicidal effects . The samples were then examined in cultures and conditions allowing the growth of either aerobic or anerobic germs . The conclusion was that there is a change in purity of the bacterial flora in all women 7 days after IUD insertion until the 30th day, whereas at the 3rd control (day 60), a return to normalcy was observed . Signs of rejection of a foreign body were not observed in any woman, nor did any accidental pregnancies occur . (author's modified)

Z Kardiol, 1979 Mar, 68(3), 177 - 9
{Benzylpenicillin-induced leucopenia in subacute bacterial endocarditis (author's transl)}; Korting HC et al.; In the high-dose benzylpenicillin treatment of subacute bacterial endocarditis leucopenia can develop in rare cases . Often it is paralleled by anemia, sometimes also by a decrease in the number of platelets . Myalgia, gastric discomfort, or a sore threat deserve interest as premonitory symptoms . In every case this treatment inevitably needs through hematologic control.

Immunology, 1979 Mar, 36(3), 579 - 88
Synthetic peptide chemotactic factors for neutrophils: the range of active peptides, their efficacy and inhibitory activity, and susceptibility of the cellular response to enzymes and bacterial toxins; Wilkinson PC; The chemotactic activity for neutrophil leucocytes of twenty-six peptides of varied sequence, of which the majority were N-formylated, was assessed by determining the concentration at which each was maximally active and the efficacy of each peptide at that concentration . These two measures of activity did not correlate with one another . Many formylated peptides with a wide variety of sequences were active . Of these, the formyl-methionyl peptides had highest efficacy, but many other peptides were active at concentrations as low as the formyl-methionyl tripeptides . Unrelated peptides, viz formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine, acetyl-tri-alanine, formyl-tri--phenyla-lanine, cross-inhibit the cells' response to one another, and this inhibition is reversible . Inhibition is prevented if the cells are incubated throughout the experiment in levamisole or A23187 . These experiments suggest that the leucocyte peptide receptor is capable of binding many ligands, and that activation of a response is not solely a function of binding affinity . They exclude a strict steric specificity for binding . Chemotactic responses to formylated peptides were shown to be reduced in cells pretreated with perfringolysin, a bacterial cholesterol-binding toxin, and with phospholipase C . Trypsin and pronase also reduced these responses when used at 500 micrograms per 10(6) cells but not at lower doses.

Am J Clin Pathol, 1979 Mar, 71(3), 319 - 25
Effects of bacterial contamination of reagent water on selected laboratory tests; Batjer JD et al.; The effects of three widely spaced levels of bacterial contamination of reagent water on several chemistry, radioimmunoassay, and coagulation procedures were studied . These included determinations of lactate dehydrogenase, creatine kinase, aspartate transaminase, alkaline phosphatase, blood urea nitrogen, total protein, thyroid-stimulating hormone, digoxin, thrombin time, activated partial thromboplastin time, and prothrombin time . Statistical analyses included calculations of means and coefficients of variation, and analysis of variance, as well as correlation coefficients for test results versus logarithm of bacterial contamination . Statistically and clinically significant differences occurred together only for an elevated level of creatine kinase.

J Urol, 1979 Mar, 121(3), 292 - 4
Prostatic secretion leukocyte studies in non-bacterial prostatitis (prostatosis); Anderson RU et al.; Non-bacterial prostatitis is a common affliction among men and lacks objective criteria for clear identification . We studied 43 consecutive patients and 20 normal controls for the presence of bacteria and quantitation of prostatic secretion leukocytes . Significantly greater numbers of macrophages per volume of prostatic secretion were found in the patients . Multiple observations of such increased leukocyte proliferation could be used to establish true prostatic inflammation.

Zhonghua Min Guo Wei Sheng Wu Xue Za Zhi, 1979 Mar, 12(1), 27 - 31
On the pathogenicity of Entamoeba histolytica . Part I: The role of bacterial associate on the modification of virulence of E . histolytica; Huang SW et al.; Of the 3 strains of Escherichia coli used, only Milner A strain was found capable of modifying the virulence of Entamoeba histolytica . None out of twenty-four hamsters inoculated with either 5 X 10(5) of axenically-cultured E . histolytica of NIH: 200 strain, or 1 X 10(7) of Esch . coli (A, B or C strains), was found to have amebic liver abscess . Whereas one out of six hamsters inoculated with the same number of amebae preincubated for 12 hrs with Esch . coli of Milner A strain was found to have abscess . The role of bacterial associate seems to be nothing but provides a more suitable environment for amebae, thus enable them to survive longer and endow them more time to adapt themselves to the given new environment . From liver abscess E . histolytica was recovered and successfully reaxenized . These amebae were capable of producing liver abscess, therefore the virulence seemed to be inheritable.

J Clin Microbiol, 1979 Mar, 9(3), 351 - 7
Decreased cerebrospinal fluid cyclic adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate in bacterial meningitis; Weitzman S et al.; The concentration of cyclic adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate (cAMP) in 16 cerebrospinal fluid samples from eight patients with bacterial meningitis due to several different organisms was determined . An age- and sex-matched control group of 12 patients with a variety of acute, noninfectious systemic and neurological diseases was also examined . To quantitate the amount of cAMP, a new, improved radioimmunoassay was used with the ability to measure 2.5 X 10(-15) mol of cAMP . The mean concentration of cAMP in the cerebrospinal fluid from patients with meningitis was 0.05 nM, and from patients in the control group it was 1.18 nM . The difference between these two values is statistically significant . The decreased cAMP concentration in the cerebrospinal fluid from patients with bacterial meningitis did not seem to be secondary to metabolism by bacteria or leukocytes, increased enzymatic degradation within the cerebrospinal fluid, or an artifact introduced by the collection and storage procedure . Since the concentration of cAMP in the cerebrospinal fluid is normally found to be within narrow limits and probably reflects intracellular cAMP levels, the results described in this study suggest that interference with cAMP metabolism in central nervous system tissue occurs in bacterial meningitis . This finding seems to be independent of the causative organism and might explain the pathogenesis of selected, neurological manifestations of this disease.

Infect Immun, 1979 Mar, 23(3), 660 - 4
Polymyxin B sulfate modification of bacterial endotoxin: effects on the development of endotoxin shock in dogs; From AH et al.; The effects of endotoxin (lipopolysaccharide {LPS}) on the pathogenesis of canine endotoxin shock were compared with those of LPS which had interacted with polymyxin B sulfate prior to administration . Both LPS and polymyxin B-modified LPS caused comparable early decreases in aortic blood pressure, leukocyte and platelet numbers, and serum complement levels . However, in dogs receiving polymyxin B-modified LPS the late hypotensive phase was significantly ameliorated and lethality was significantly decreased . These data indicate that polymyxin B-modified LPS, though significantly less lethal than unmodified LPS, was capable of major interactions with several components of the humoral defense system, and support the concept that such interactions are not determinative in the pathogenesis of canine endotoxin shock.

Biochim Biophys Acta, 1979 Feb 26, 572(2), 211 - 7
A sensitive bioassay for lipase using bacterial bioluminescence; Ulitzur S; A new bioassay for lipase utilizes a dim mutant of luminous bacteria which emit light upon the addition of long chain fatty acids, especially myristic acid . The luminescence response is proportional to the amount of added myristic acid over a 100-fold range, down to 10 nM . Trimyristin was used as a substrate for lipase and the hydrolyzed myristic acid was determined by the response of the luminous bacteria either on a continuous basis in the same reaction mixture or alternatively, when the hydrolytic stage is done separately followed by the independent detecting system . Using these procedures it is possible to assay lipase activity at rate corresponding to a release of as low as 10 pmol myristic acid per min.

J Biol Chem, 1979 Feb 10, 254(3), 591 - 4
The transfer of a bacterial transmembrane function to eukaryotic cells; Lo TC; This communication reports our preliminary studies on the reconstitution of the bacterial dicarboxylate transport system into rat myoblasts and mouse L-cells . Purified dicarboxylate membrane transport components (SBP 1 and SBP 2) from Escherichia coli K12 were added to rat myoblasts and mouse L-cells . These components were readily incorporated into the cell membranes . The rat myoblasts, as well as the mouse L-cells, were unable to transport succinate by themselves, or in the presence of either one of the transport components . However, when both components were added to the cells, the latter acquired the ability to transport succinate . There was a direct relationship between the amount of transport components added and the rate of succinate uptake . The newly acquired dicarboxylate transport system exhibited similar substrate affinity and specificity as the E . coli dicarboxylate transport system . The above findings suggest that it is possible to transfer a bacterial transmembrane function into eukaryotic cell membrane, and that these proteins can function normally in a foreign environment.

Biochim Biophys Acta, 1979 Feb 8, 545(2), 365 - 75
Light-induced pH changes in sub-bacterial particles of Halobacterium halobium . Effects of ionophores; Garty H et al.; The kinetics of light-induced acidification and of the subsequent dark-induced alkalization in suspensions of sub-bacterial particles of Halobacterium halobium may be expressed as the sum of two exponentials, indicating two processes (Eisenbach, M., Bakker, E.P., Korenstein, R . and Caplan, S.R . (1976) FEBS Lett . 71, 228--232) . We studied the effects of carbonyl cyanide p-trifluoromethyoxy phenyl-hydrazone, nigericin, gramicidin D, valinomycin, and monactin on the extents and the rate constants of the two processes . The various ionophores affected the two processes differently and in general the slower process was more sensitive to their presence . Valinomycin and monactin had relatively minor effects, apparently due to the high ionic strength of the suspension . When an artificial membrane potential was created in the dark, the light-induced acidification was preceded by a transient alkalization as is usually observed in intact cells . These results are discussed in the light of a suggested model accounting for the two processes (Caplan, S.R., Eisenbach, M., Cooper, S., Garty, H., Klemperer, G . and Bakker, E.P . (1977) in Bioenergetics of Membranes (Packer, L., Papageorgiou, G.C . and Trebst, A., eds.), pp . 101--114, Elsevier/North-Holland Biomedical Press, Amsterdam), taking into account the different selectivities of the ionophores applied.

J Hyg (Lond), 1979 Feb, 82(1), 7 - 14
A garment for use in the operating theatre: the effect upon bacterial shedding; Dankert J et al.; In operating theatres the air is mainly contaminated with bacteria shed from the human skin . The emission of bacteria can be prevented by wearing clothing of impervious material, while normal cotton clothing does not decrease the shedding of bacteria . In this study shedding of viable bacteria from 20 test-persons wearing an operating theatre suit, composed of 65% polyester and 35% cotton (Diolen), was investigated in a test-chamber and compared with that when normal clothing was worn . The use of this operating-theatre suit resulted in a significant reduction (50--75%) in the number of bacteria-carrying particles in the air of the test-chamber and in an operating room when everyone present wore this suit . A combination of the suit with knee-high boots showed a further reduction in the dispersal of colony forming units . The dispersion from female subjects wearing an operating-theatre frock was significantly higher than when wearing an operating-theatre suit.

Biokhimiia, 1979 Feb, 44(2), 207 - 13
{Investigation of essential SH-groups of bacterial formate dehydrogenase}; Popov VO et al.; Modification of two SH-groups in the molecule of formate dehydrogenase by dithiobisnitrobenzoate or to dacetamide results in the enzyme inactivation . Coenzymes, but not the substrate, protect the enzyme against the inactivation . NAD in the presence of potassium azide completely preserves the enzyme activity . Two SH-groups per enzyme molecule are protected from modification . The Km values for partially inactivated formate dehydrogenase remain constant for both substrates . The enzyme with modified SH-groups does not bind conezymes . The pH-dependence of the inactivation rate reveals the ionizable group with pK 9.6 (25 degrees C) . The involvement of essential SH-groups in coenzyme binding is discussed.

Nucleic Acids Res, 1979 Feb, 6(2), 487 - 506
Characterisation of bacterial clones containing DNA sequences derived from Xenopus laevis vitellogenin mRNA; Smith DF et al.; A 1700 nucleotide DNA sequence derived from Xenopus vitellogenin mRNA has been cloned in the bacterial plasmid pBR322 . The identity of the cloned sequence was verified in two ways . Firstly, the plasmid DNA was shown to hybridise to an RNA of the correct size (6,700 nucleotides) . This was shown by in situ hybridisation to electrophoretically separated RNA and also by the formation of "R-loops" with purified vitellogenin mRNA . Then, using a novel procedure in which plasmid DNA covalently bound to diazotised paper is used to select complementary mRNA sequences, the cloned sequence was shown to hybridise to an mRNA which directed the synthesis of vitellogenin when translated in a reticulocyte lysate cell-free system.

Can J Microbiol, 1979 Feb, 25(2), 124 - 9
Degradation of bacterial lipopolysaccharide by the slime mould Physarum polycephalum; Saddler JN et al.; A strain of the acellular slime mould Physarum polycephalum degraded lipopolysaccharides (LPS) from a variety of bacteria . The anticomplementary (AC) activity of LPS was greatly reduced, as was the content of lauric, myristic, and palmitic acids, and the ability to sensitize erythrocytes to agglutination by antibody . These results indicate that Physarum has enzymes which reduce the lipid A moiety of LPS . In contrast, 2-keto-3-deoxy-D-manno-actanoic acid (KDO), immunodominant sugars, and beta-hydroxymyristic acid were scarcely affected . Both supernates and plasmodial extracts of Physarum had LPS-degradative activity and were able to attack both purified LPS and LPS in killed bacteria.

Eur J Biochem, 1979 Feb 1, 93(3), 527 - 33
Peptidyl transferase of bacterial ribosome: resistance to proteinase K; Bernabeu C et al.; 70-S ribosomes and 50-S ribosomal subunits from Escherichia coli D10 were treated with proteinase K for increasing periods of time . Peptidyl transferase activity and sparsomycin-induced binding of (U)C-A-C-C-A-{3H}Leu-Ac were tested in the treated particles, the binding of the substrate being more sensitive to the protease than peptide bond formation . Comparison of the amounts of proteins present in the treated particles with the residual activity indicates that only proteins L3 and L14 are released at a similar rate to that at which peptidyl transferase activity is lost . Proteins related to this ribosomal activity by other techniques are lost at a faster rate than the activity itself . In addition, the results indicate that sparsomycin stimulates the binding of the substrate by a different mechanism from that which inhibits peptide bond formation.

Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1979 Feb, (2), 33 - 6
{Transfer of a bacterial gene using phage lambda transfecting DNA}; Likhacheva NA et al.; A new amber mutation of phage with the gene coding synthesis of beta-galactosidase was received by recombination . With the help of transfection DNA isolated from this phage the transfer of the gene coding the beta-galactosidase synthesis to the recipient phage-resistant E . coli cell was realized . The suggested model can be used for the gene transfer to the recipient phage-resistant cells or other species of bacteria with transfection DNA.

Biochim Biophys Acta, 1979 Jan 12, 566(1), 128 - 37
Peptide inhibitors of angiotensin I-converting enzyme in digests of gelatin by bacterial collagenase; Oshima G et al.; Peptide inhibitors of angiotensin I-converting enzyme (peptidyldipeptide hydrolase, EC 3.4.15.1) were produced by digesting gelatin with bacterial collagenase . The inhibitors were isolated from the digests with a combination of alcohol fractionation, treatment with Amberlite CG-50 column, gel filtration through Sephadex G-25, and Dowex 50 column and paper chromatography . Nine peptide fractions were purified to apparent homogeneity judging by thin-layer and ion-exchange column chromatography, and amino acid composition . Amino acid sequences of the peptides were determined: 2 were found to be mixtures of peptides and the sequence of another was only partially determined . Six of the peptides were potent inhibitors of the converting enzyme, while the other three were less active . 6 peptides were substrates for the enzyme . The enzyme released a dipeptide, Ala-Hyp from one peptide and was strongly inhibited by this dipeptide . The remainder of the parent peptides was a less effective inhibitor.

Med Clin (Barc), 1979 Jan 10, 72(1), 21 - 3
{Mycotic aneurysm of the femoral artery after bacterial endocarditis . Surgical treatment (author's transl)}; Amado Tobia JB et al.; The reported case consists in a 45-year-old patient with a mitral disease, who presented a bacterial endocarditis after a dental extraction, in the course of which he developed a mycotic aneurysm of the right superficial femoral artery; surgical treatment of this lesion was successful . One year later he was reoperated in relation with the progression of his previous mitral disease, and a Bjork-Shilley prosthesis was implanted . At the present time, 2 years and a half after the last operation the patient is free of symptoms . The clinical data, exploratory studies, the results which were obtained, and the surgical procedure applied are discussed . The rarity of this complication, the localization of the mycotic aneurysm, the surgical valve heart replacement, the pathologic findings of the resected valve and the satisfactory evolution of the patient are also pointed out.

J Biol Chem, 1979 Jan 10, 254(1), 127 - 36
Biosynthesis of bacterial glycogen . The nature of the binding of substrates and effectors to ADP-glucose synthase; Haugen TH et al.; Kinetic studies with ADP-glucose synthase show that 1,6-hexanediol bisphosphate (1,6-hexanediol-P2) is an effective activator that causes the enzyme to have a higher apparent affinity for ATP- and ADP-glucose than when fructose-1,6-P2 is the activator . Furthermore, in the presence of 1,6-hexanediol-P2, substrate saturation curves are hyperbolic shaped rather than sigmoidal shaped . CrATP behaves like a nonreactive analogue of ATP . Kinetic studies show that it is competitive with ATP . CrATP is not a competitive inhibitor of ADP-glucose . However, the combined addition of CrATP and glucose-1-P inhibits the enzyme competitively when ADP-glucose is the substrate . In binding experiments, CrATP, ATP, and fructose-P2 appear to bind to only half of the expected sites in the tetrameric enzyme, while ADP-glucose, the activators, pyridoxal-P and 1,6-hexanediol-P2, and the inhibitor, AMP, bind to four sites/tetrameric enzyme . Fructose-P2 inhibits 1,6-hexanediol-P2 binding, suggesting competition for the same sites . Glucose-1-P does not bind to the enzyme unless MgCl2 and CrATP are present and binds to four sites/tetrameric enzyme . Alternatively, CrATP in the presence of glucose-1-P binds to four sites/tetrameric enzyme . Thus, there are binding sites for the substrates, activators, and inhibitor located on each subunit and the binding sites can interact homotropically and heterotropically . ATP and fructose-P2 binding is synergistic showing heterotropic cooperativity . ATP and fructose-P2 must also be present together to effectively inhibit AMP binding . A mechanism is proposed which explains some of the kinetic and binding properties in terms of an asymmetry in the distribution of the conformational states of the four identical subunits.

Mol Gen Genet, 1979 Jan 5, 168(1), 55 - 9
Polyethylene-glycol induced fusion of bacterial protoplasts: direct selection of recombinants; Fodor K et al.; Direct selection for recombinants by supplemented minimal media from polyethylene-glycol (PEG)-induced fusion of protoplasts of polyauxotrophic strains of B . megaterium revealed striking physiological influences on the yield of recombinants . Cytoplasmic state of the protoplasts to be fused, rather than genetic events, determined the number of colonies obtained on the selection media . It is suggested that the physiological effects primarily influenced the ability of the fused protoplasts to revert to bacillary form.

Eur J Biochem, 1979 Jan 2, 93(1), 103 - 12
Phase behaviour of cord factor and related bacterial glycolipid toxins . A monolayer study; Durand E et al.; C-6 esters of methyl alpha-D-glucoside and C-6, C-6' 'diesters of alpha, alpha'-D-trehalose with C18 and C32 threo and erythro mycolic acids (from chemical source) and of C80-erythro-mycolic acid (from natural source) have been synthesized . Esters of a C32 deoxy analogue were prepared as well . Throughout a monolayer study at the air-water interface, these glycolipids are shown to form well organized phases in which the two hydrocarbon chains of mycoloyl residues must be in interaction . Compression isotherms of C32 esters suggested a transition between liquid-expanded and liquid-condensed states . Latent heats Qc and entropy changes delta S associated with these phase transitions as well as the critical temperature at which they occur have been measured . Within the monolayer, the molecular packing of these glycolipids depends on the presence of the hydroxyl group of mycoloyl residues and on its stereochemistry . In particular intermolecular hydrogen bonds between these groups are postulated in the case of the bis(C32-erythro-mycoloyl)-trehalose . On the other hand, short chain C18 esters form fluid phases (t greater than 10 degrees C) whereas very long chain C80 mycoloyl esters of trehalose exist in a condensed state (t = 20 degrees C) . These glycolipids were found to interact strongly with dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine and egg yolk lecithins (3-sn-phosphatidylcholine) . Their phase behaviours are discussed in connection with hypotheses concerning the way they can interact with mitochondrial membranes.

Am J Dis Child, 1979 Jan, 133(1), 25 - 7
WBC count and differential . Value in predicting bacterial diseases in children; Morens DM; To assess published criteria for distinguishing between bacterial and non-bacterial infections by examination of the WBC count and differential, we reviewed 328 consecutive inpatient admissions to a pediatric communicable diseases service . In our experience, the WBC count and differential could not differentiate between bacterial and nonbacterial disease.

Ann Surg, 1979 Jan, 189(1), 68 - 74
Moist bacterial strike-through of surgical materials: confirmatory tests; Laufman H et al.; New tests consisting of modifications of the inverted Mason jar test confirm our previously reported studies which showed that woven and nonwoven surgical materials vary greatly in their ability to serve as barriers against moist bacterial strike-through . Among the woven materials, only tightly woven Pima cloth or materials treated with Quarpel waterproofing process or with polythene layer lamination was invariably resistant . However, tight-woven Pima cloth, which had been treated with Quarpel became permeable after 100 washing-sterilizing cycles . Of the nonwoven materials, single-layer nonwoven materials tended to unevenly permeable to moist bacterial strike-through . Only the front and sleeves of nonwoven gowns reinforced with polyethelene layer were invariably resistant to moist contamination.

Mikrobiyol Bul, 1979 Jan, 13(1), 143 - 52
{The effect of parasites on enteric bacterial flora}; Uraz G et al.; In this paper, the intestinal bacterial flora is described and the functions of permanent bacterial flora and its individual members is discussed . The pertinent publications about the factors which effects the bacterial flora and specially relations between intestinal parasites and bacterial flora is reviewed . Among these parasites giardia, amoebae, B . coli and Ascaris may change bacterial population by causing malabsorption syndromes . Some drugs used in treatment of parasitic infestations may have harmful effects on normal intestinal bacterial flora . In parasitic diseases the probable floral changes could be looked for and taken into the consideration for a successful treatment of the patients.

Parasite Immunol, 1979 Winter, 1(4), 289 - 94
Increased hepatotoxicity of bacterial lipopolysaccharide in mice infected with Schistosoma mansoni; Ferluga J et al.; Mice infected with Schistosoma mansoni were highly sensitive to the lethal effects of bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) . The hyper-reactive state of LPS coincided with the development around the parasite eggs of multiple granulomas in the liver . Elevated aspartate transaminase levels in blood and severe hypoglycaemia in LPS-challenged animals indicated extensive liver parenchymal cell damage . There was also a complete depletion of glycogen in hepatocytes of these animals . From this work and studies on other hepatitis models, it is suggested that individuals affected with granulomatous disorders may be at risk because of everyday exposure to LPS from the gut.

Microbios, 1979, 26(104), 73 - 84
Factors affecting adhesion of bacterial to a tooth in vitro; Pourdjabbar F et al.; The initial adhesion of oral bacteria to a tooth in vitro was examined . The organisms were grown in broth with and without sucrose, and suspensions made either in broth or a modified Ringer's solution . The tooth used was either dry or coated with natural or synthetic saliva . Adhesion was determined by counting organisms removed from the tooth surface by simple washing or by sonication . It was found that the firmest bonding occurred when a dry tooth was immersed in a suspension of bacteria in Ringer's solution; the prior growth of the organisms in the presence of sucrose did not affect adhesion . It was concluded that instantaneous irreversible adhesion of bacteria to a tooth occurs without the need for active metabolism, and that this process is inhibited by the presence of competing organic substances which probably produce a surface-conditioning film.

Acta Otolaryngol, 1979, 88(5-6), 438 - 42
Bacterial adherence to epithelial cells in the nasopharynx in children; Lundberg C et al.; The presence of attached bacteria to epithelial cells from the nasopharyngeal surface of the soft palate, from the adenoid surface and from the secretions covering the adenoid was studied in 10 children undergoing adenoidectomy . Large numbers of bacteria were seen to attach to mature normal squamous epithelial cells from the soft palate and in the secretions, whereas attachment to adenoid epithelial cells was rare . Using differential interference contrast microscopy, bacteria-carrying epithelial cells were seen to have their surface covered by microridges characteristic of normal mature squamous epithelial cells . Sections of adenoid tissue showed bacterial infiltration of adenoid tissue to be virtually nonexistent in the patient group.

Ann Med Interne (Paris), 1979, 130(8-9), 415 - 8
{A comparative study of three procedures used for studying bronchopulmonary bacterial flora (author's transl)}; Dautzenberg B et al.; Three methods of taking samples of bronchopulmonary secretions; transtracheal aspiration (TT), sputum collection, and fibro-aspiration, were compared in 43 patients with severe pneumopathies . There was no significant difference in the number of times a pure or dominant germ was isolated by using the three procedures in these 43 cases . In contrast, however, there was a significantly lower number of polymorphous flora and more sterile samples observed when using TT than with the other two methods . When antibiotics are given 1 to 7 days before taking the samples, there is a significant reduction in the number of cultures having a germ in the pure state.

Allergol Immunopathol (Madr), 1979 Jan-Feb, 7(1), 47 - 54
Bacterial immunotherapy in bronchial asthma; Oehling A et al.; In the treatment of bronchospastic states, primary bacterial bronchial asthma and asthmatic bronchitis, one of the most controversial aspects is the use of bacterial vaccines . In general, the treatment of these conditions is symptomatic, neglecting for the most part the existing bacterial allergy . At present, as a result of great advances in the immunotherapy of these disorders, the importance of an allergic response to bacteria in the etiology of these bronchopathies is beyond doubt . The subjects were 120 patients, 59 women and 51 men, with ages ranging from 7 to 73 years . Of this group, 21 were children less than 12 years old and all had a diagnosis of bronchial asthma or asthmatic bronchitis, with or without paranasal sinusitis, and exclusively of bacterial etiology . In order to study and evaluate the effectiveness of immunotherapy, a questionnaire, reproduced in fig . 1 was sent to the patients three years after the beginning of treatment . For this study, only the answers to this questionnaire were considered . Examination of the results shows that in bronchial disorders with bacterial allergy, treatment with bacterial vaccine achieves a 75% success rate . In the small group of children studied (a larger group is currently under investigation), the results are even more satisfactory, reaching 90.47% . It is noteworthy that the immediate reaction to the skin test was positive (++ to ++++) in 83.32% of the cases . Of the greatest importance also is the associated paranasal sinusitis in 83% of the cases, part of a sinobronchopulmonary syndrome which contributes substantially to this state of bacterial allergy . Significant side effects were found in 52.6% of the patients and consisted mainly of slight catarrhal symptoms, apparent at the beginning of treatment . At present, we have no doubt whatsoever that immunotherapy is much more valuable than prolonged symptomatic therapy in the treatment of primary bacterial bronchial asthma.

Chir Forum Exp Klin Forsch . 1979;:61-5.
{Effects of bacterial peritonitis on the low-pressure system in man}; Eisele R et al.; The effective compliance (C) of the "low-pressure system" has been measured in ten patients with bacterial peritonitis by means of plotting pressure and volume on the first postoperative day (deltaV = 500 ml/10 min) . The value of C is decreased in one group of patients, while it increases to as much as five times that of "normal patients" in the other . The cause might be a summation effect of hypovolemia, blood volume shift from intra- to extrathoracic space, and endotoxin reaction on the tone of vascular smooth muscle . The augmentation of the intravascular volume results in an increase of portal venous pressure, which is less than central venous pressure . Splanchnic pooling through increased vascular resistance does not appear.

Childs Brain, 1979, 5(4), 398 - 407
The physiopathogenetic basis for the angiographic diagnosis of bacterial infections of the brain and its coverings in children . II . Cerebritis and brain abscess; Raimondi AJ et al.; Most of the small (50--60 micrometers) vessels nourish exclusively the cerebral cortex, whereas larger caliber (80--150 micrometers) arteries penetrate the entirety of the cortical layer to enter the underlying white matter . A single layer of nonfenestrated endothelial cells, surrounded by a continuous layer of basement membrane (which in places splits to envelope a pericyte), and perivascular glial cells attached to the outer surface of this basement membrane, with no pericapillary space, represent the anatomical structure of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) . Concentrated electrolyte solutions and increases in mean arterial pressure may reopen the BBB . Water-soluble contrast media used in cerebral angiography are hypertonic solutions of iodinated salts . In cerebritis, one observes a very typical angiographic picture: 'laminar' staining of the gyri . The intervening sulci appear as negative images . In brain abscess, one may note angiographic evidence of a space-occupying lesion, a capsular stain in the granulation tissue surrounding the abscess, 'halo' formation and 'pooling' of contrast media in the sulci, and 'laminar' staining of the gyri.

Am J Vet Res, 1979 Jan, 40(1), 101 - 2
Bacterial isolates associated with epididymitis in rams from Idaho and eastern Oregon flocks; DeLong WJ et al.; Testicles from 47 rams with palpable lesions of epididymitis were subjected to bacterial culture . Of the testicles examined by culture technique, 49% were positive for bacterial growth . The 2 most frequent isolates were Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans (23.4% of the testicular pairs) and Brucella ovis (14.9% of the testicular pairs) . Heretofore A actinomycetem-comitans has not been reported as a cause of epididymitis in rams.

Jpn Circ J, 1979 Jan, 43(1), 59 - 65
Acute aortic regurgitation with congestive heart failure due to bacterial endocarditis: diagnosed by echocardiogram and treated successfully by surgery (a case report); Shimada T et al.; A 23-year-old Japanese male with no evidence of previous heart disease was presented with bicuspid aortic valve and a life threatening acute aortic regurgitation due to subacute bacterial endocarditis . By echocardiographic techniques, a precise diagnosis was made based on the following findings: 1) premature mitral valve closure, 2) snowfall-like echoes between the systolic aortic cusps, 3) eccentricity of a diastolic aortic valvular echo . The echocardiographic diagnosis was confirmed on surgery, in which aortic valve replacement was performed with satisfactory postoperative results.

Childs Brain, 1979, 5(1), 1 - 13
The physiopathogenetic basis for the angiographic diagnosis of bacterial infections of the brain and its coverings in children . I . Leptomeningitis; Raimondi AJ et al.; This is a descriptive analysis of the angiographic characteristics of leptomeningeal infections in 36 children and a correlation of these angiographic observations with anatomopathologic changes . Vascular, meningeal and parenchymal changes are described and discussed . In the normal situation, tracer protein particles injected into the subarachnoid space perfuse easily through the extracellular spaces but stop at the outer continuous arachnoidal layer . The parenchymal layer, pia-arachnoid, on the other hand, consists of a uni or pluricellular layer which is regularly crossed by tracer particles . Though the internal carotid, vertebral and basilar arteries have some anatomical characteristics: thinner tunica media and adventitia, the absence of vasa vasorum and the presence of a fluid cushion (CSF) in which they are bathed . The most striking angiographic observation in leptomeningitis is the transmural extravasation of the contrast meding 'halo' formation . Long after the cerebral circulation time, one may identify contrast media 'pooling' within the cisterns and sulci.

Zentralbl Chir, 1979, 104(5), 310 - 6
{Alteration of serum enzyme activity after trauma and/or bacterial infection (author's transl)}; Vara-Thorbeck R et al.; Our clinical and experimental study is based on the evaluation of the changes in enzymatic activity produced by surgical, traumatic and infectious agression . To this end we have evaluated the activity of the transaminase (GOT-GPT), malic dehydrogenase (MDH), lactic dehydrogenase (LDH) and creatine phosphokinase (CPK) . The details of our study are based on a total of 175 patients and 82 animals (dogs) . Our results show that the highest rate of enzymatic activity was in proportion to the seriousness of the wound (lesion) produced . The clinical course-index developed from the activity of CPK and MDH allows us to evaluate and predetermine the course which our patients and our animals were to follow.

J Clin Pathol, 1979 Jan, 32(1), 26 - 30
Neutrophil cytochemistry in bacterial infection; Mackie PH et al.; A new cytochemical technique, sensitive to altered lysosomal membrane permeability of blood neutrophils, has been evaluated as a screening test for bacterial infection . This technique, for the lysosomal enzymes acid phosphatase and chloroacetate esterase, was compared with the neutrophil alkaline phosphatase and nitroblue tetrazolium tests . The mean score for each method was significantly higher in infected patients than in normal controls . There was, however, considerable overlap of individual scores between infected patients and ill, but uninfected, patients . This overlap limits the diagnostic value of existing cytochemical screening methods.

UCLA Forum Med Sci, 1979, (21), 245 - 66
Structural and evolution of chloroplast- and bacterial-type ferredoxins; Matsubara H et al.; Comparisons have been made between amino acid sequences of 26 chloroplast-type ferredoxins and 16 bacterial-type ferredoxins . Their structural characteristics are described and related to a three-dimensional structure of a chloroplast-type ferredoxin . Aspects of molecular evolution of these ferredoxins are presented together with a phylogenetic tree including both chloroplast- and bacterial-type ferredoxins.

Adv Exp Med Biol, 1979, 121B, 51 - 64
Effects of bacterial products on granulopoiesis; Urbaschek R; Methylated endotoxin and Freeman-type polysaccharide each stimulate granulopoiesis and the production of CSF in mice . These same preparations also protect pretreated mice from lethal X-irradiation . The role of CSF in stimulating granulopoiesis in vivo was shown by the ability of anti-CSF to reduce the number of CFUc in endotoxin-treated mice . C3H/HeJ low responder mice cannot be protected against lethal X-irradiation by pretreatment with endotoxin and they fail to produce CSF in response to phenol water extracted endotoxin and the Freeman-type polysaccharide, but do respond to trichloroacetic acid endotoxin with elevated serum CF levels.

Vet Med Nauki, 1979, 16(5), 41 - 7
{Use of the pyruvate test for determining the bacterial activity in milk}; Slavchev G; Comparative studies were carried out on the pyruvate and reductase tests applied in milk of varying hygienic properties . It was established that: just after milking the pyruvate and reductase tests have a low correlation with bacterial infestation of milk; in milk cooled at 3--5 degrees C for a longer period (72 h) the pyruvate test has a good correlation with bacterial infestation of milk; following storage of milk at temperature above 10 degrees C the reductase test with methylene blue is better correlated with bacterial infestation of milk; the pyruvate-test is appropriate for evaluation of bacterial activity in milk cooled at low temperature and transported every second day; the reductase test is appropriate evaluation of bacterial activity in not well cooled milk which is transported one a day.

Scand J Immunol, 1979, 10(6), 555 - 61
Bacterial lipopolysaccharides bind selectively to lymphocytes from lipopolysaccharide high-responder mouse strains; Nygren H et al.; Three different concentrations of horseradish peroxidase-labelled lipopolysaccharide (LPS-HRP) were added in vitro to spleen cells from the LPS high-responder strain C3H/Tif and to cells from the low-responder strain C3H/HeJ . After being washed and fixed the cells were exposed to the substrate and prepared for electron microscopy . After addition of 7 and 0.7 microgram/ml of labelled LPS only lymphocytes from the high-responder strain were labelled . About 5-10% of the cells from C3H/Tif bound LPS, which is in accordance with the known frequency of B cells possessing the genetically determined LPS receptor . At the highest dose of labelled LPS (70 microgram/ml) a large proportion of lymphocytes from the low-responder strain also bound LPS . Erythrocytes from both strains bound LPS at all concentrations . It is concluded that LPS-HRP allows the detection at the cellular level of LPS binding to the genetically controlled membrane receptor for LPS.

Soc Gen Physiol Ser, 1979, 33, 123 - 37
On the mechanism of sensory transduction in bacterial chemotaxis; Adler J et al.; Sensory transduction in bacterial chemotaxis is beginning to be understood at the molecular level . At the receptor end, we have some considerable knowledge about the molecular properties of chemoreceptors . At the effector end, we know that flagella rotate and that the direction of rotation is determined by attractants and repellents, although we do not yet know the molecular features of the motor and the gear shift . Between the receptors and the effectors is a system for integrating the sensory transduction, which somewhow involves methylation of membrane proteins and possibly a change in membrane potential, but further details of how the mechanism works remain to be elucidated . It seems to us likely that the facts and concepts learned from a study of sensory transduction in bacteria can be applied to answering questions about transduction mechanisms in eukaryotic cells . Examples include the following: How do sensory stimuli produce their effects in sensory receptor cells? How do neurotransmitters act at receptors of postsynaptic cells to produce the variety of effects possible (changes in membrane potential, in secretion, in contraction, etc.)? How do hormones interact with their receptors to bring about various responses?

Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A, 1979 Jan, 76(1), 251 - 5
Kinetics of initiation of bacterial protein synthesis; Blumberg BM et al.; The 30S initiation complex, formed with the 30S ribosomal subunit, mRNA, and fMet-tRNA, has been shown by kinetic analysis with limiting concentrations of Escherichia coli ribosomes to be an obligatory intermediate in the formation of the 70S initiation complex . The formation of the 70S initiation complex began with an induction period and was proportional to the concentration of the 30S complex, which rapidly rose to a peak . The entire time course of the sequential pseudo-first-order, second-order reaction was reproduced accurately by the overall rate expression, in which we used rate constants that were determined by carrying out 30S and 70S complex formation separately . By using limiting concentrations of mRNA, we showed that phage MS2 RNA contained no specific signal that enhanced its rate of 30S complex formation with E . coli ribosomes and initiation factors; the pseudo-first-order rate constants obtained with poly(A3C9G1U1), poly(C15G1U4), and poly(G1U3) were 12-45 times higher than that with MS2 RNA . The observation that the rate constants for binding of fMet-tRNA and AcPhe-tRNA with a given synthetic RNA were comparable indicated that the initiator codon is recognized only indirectly through the initiator tRNA.

Minerva Stomatol, 1979 Jan-Mar, 28(1), 23 - 6
{Comparative evaluation of the accumulation of bacterial plaque on human enamel and on the surfaces of various materials used for esthetic fillings}; Picarelli A et al.; Accumulation of the bacterial plaque on materials used for cosmetic fillings was comparatively evaluated against that on the dental enamel of males and females aged 40-50 yr using the index of Loe & Sillness . Significantly greater accumulation was noted on filling materials.

Contrib Microbiol Immunol, 1979, 6, 137 - 45
The exploitation of lambda tra transducing phages in the study of bacterial conjugation; Willetts N et al.; A set of lambda tra transducing phages have been isolated from an abnormal lysogen in which the lambda prophage was inserted into the traB gene of Flac, and characterised both genetically and physicochemically . The phages were used in several ways to facilitate studies of bacterial conjugation: (a) they aided the identification and mapping of four new transfer genes, traU, traN, traV and traW: (b) they gave information about the location and orientation of the promoters for traM, traJ and traI: (c) a more precise physical map of the transfer region was developed from the lengths of the tra segments that they carried, and (d) the molecular weights of the traM and traJ proteins synthesised by a lambda ptraMJALEK phage were determined.

Arzneimittelforschung, 1979, 29(2), 172 - 3
A new and rapid system for the determination of enzymatic activity of bacterial collagenases; Siebeneick HU; Collagenase activity is assayed using N-CBZ-Gly-Pro-Gly-Pro-Ala as substrate in an autoanalyzer II system . The liberation of the tripeptide is monitored after the reaction with trinitrobenzenesulfonic acid . The new system shows a considerably improved precision when compared to existing methods and allows about ten times as many samples to be analyzed per day . This is of importance for laboratories where large amounts of activity determinations have to be performed.

Acta Med Austriaca, 1979, 6(5), 192 - 4
{The hemolytic syndrome in subacute bacterial endocarditis}; Seewann HL; Long lasting subacute bacterial endocarditis often presents with marked anemia . Infective mechanisms and hemolysis are considered as most important pathophysiological mechanisms . Pronounced hemolytic anemia, thrombocytopenia and edema observed in two cases are possible misleading symptoms in the diagnosis of subacute bacterial endocarditis.

Mol Gen Genet, 1979, 177(1), 91 - 4
W reactivation is inefficient in repair of the bacterial chromosome; Salaj-Smic E et al.; UV-inducible "SOS" processes associated with W reactivation of phage lambda were studied for their effect on repair of lambda prophage integrated in the bacterial chromosome . For this purpose, lambda c1857 ind red-lysogens were used . These lysogens, although non-inducible by UV light, can be induced by raising the temperature from 30 degrees to 42 degrees . If the W reactivation processes are involved in repair of the bacterial DNA, when the lysogens are incubated at 30 degrees after UV exposure W reactivation should be fully expressed and should also exert an effect on the bacterial chromosome and the prophage inside it . When heat-induction is delayed until the time at which W reactivation reaches its maximum, a considerable increase in phage survival might then be expected . The results presented in this report show, however, that the delayed induction had only a small effect on the survival of prophage in the wild-type strain (possibly attributable to excision repair) and no detectable effect on prophage in a uvrA strain . From these results we conclude that W reactivation is largely irrelevant to the repair of UV-damaged bacterial DNA.

Mikrobiologiia, 1979 Jan-Feb, 48(1), 137 - 41
{Bacterial overgrowth of slides and electron microscopic grids in the surface film of water and ooze deposits}; Romanenko VI; Distinct bacterial growth can be discerned in the surface water film on semisubmerged slides in the laboratory conditions . The thickness of growth depends on the content of organic substances in water . The growth is found also in natural brine if the content of salts is 127--230 g per litre . A great variety of aqueous bacteria is seen, by means of electron microscopy, on electron-microscopic nets submerged in the surface water layer . New bacterial forms have been found in natural brine . Many creeping bacteria cover slides at the water-ooze interface.

Acta Haematol, 1979, 62(3), 159 - 66
Bacterial infections and thrombocytopenia in chronic idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura; Veenhoven WA et al.; A bacterial infection was considered to be responsible for provoking or containing episodes of thrombocytopenia in 5 patients with chronic idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) . In 3 patients the course of the disease was continuous and in 2 of them remission was attained after eradication of the infection . In the other 2 patients the course was intermittent and a number of relapses was provoked by the infection . The possible causal connection of chronic ITP and bacterial infections is briefly discussed.

Immunol Commun, 1979, 8(3), 347 - 64
A solid-phase radioimmunoassay for bacterial lipopolysaccharide; Gutowski JA et al.; A radioimmunoassay for E . coli 055:B5 lipopolysaccharide (LPS) is described . The LPS was derivatised by two new methods and subsequently radiolabeled with 125I to a specific activity of 2-4 mCi/mg without apparent loss in its biophysical, immunological or biological activities . Using antibody-coated polystyrene tubes, a solid-phase radioimmunoassay was developed with a sensitivity of 10-500 ng/ml of LPS.

J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry, 1979 Jan, 42(1), 63 - 9
Cerebral abscesses produced by bacterial implantation and septic embolisation in primates; Wood JH et al.; The degree of brain abscess encapsulation is positively related to surgical mortality and methods to enhance capsule wall formation, therefore, have therapeutic relevance . Two primate models are described which may be useful in the investigation of encapsulation of traumatic and metastatic brain abscesses . Direct intracerebral inoculation induces abscesses displaying more prominent inflammatory responses and encapsulation than does septic embolisation, despite similar abscess age and size . Cerebral ischaemia surrounding metastatic suppurative foci may retard capsule wall formation.

Arch Invest Med (Mex), 1979, 10(3), 111 - 9
{Assessment of five laboratory tests for differential diagnosis in bacterial and viral meningoencephalitides}; Juarez Aragon G et al.; The usefulness of five different laboratory tests for differential diagnosis in bacterial and viral meningoencephalitides was assessed . The clinical manifestations and cytochemical alterations of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) were used as criteria for diagnostic selection . The causal agent was identified by means of CSF cultures in 47.8 per cent of bacterial meningoencephalitis cases; Gram stain was postive in CSF smear in 34.8 per cent and protein electrophoresis in CSF did not show significant differences when compared to cases of bacterial or viral etiology and the control group . PH and CSF lactate determinations allowed diagnosis of all cases of bacterial meningoencephalitis and was not modified in those cases where this disease was of a viral origin . We suggest to add these determinations to the initial cytochemical study of CSF in all cases where meningoencephalitis is suspected.

Cardiovasc Dis, 1978 Dec, 5(4), 337 - 346
ECHOCARDIOGRAPHIC FINDINGS IN BACTERIAL ENDOCARDITIS; Ibrahim MM et al.; Fifteen echocardiographic recordings in nine patients with bacterial endocarditis revealed vegetations in six cases . The vegetations appeared as uneven, irregular thickening of a valve, a mass of shaggy, dense echoes attached to a leaflet or cusp, or a mass of irregular dense echoes in the cavity or outflow tract of the left ventricle . Such findings were seen only on the echocardiograms of very sick patients with severe valvular lesions . Three patients had flail mitral valves . Echocardiography was not helpful in differentiating between active and healed lesions . Problems in the identification and differential diagnosis of vegetations shown on echocardiograms are discussed.

Arch Surg . 1978 Dec;113(12):1477.
All pustular nodules are not bacterial; Everett ED et al.; A case of lymphocutaneous sporotrichosis was thought to represent bacterial pyoderma . Lack of recognition led to excessive costs and a delay in the institution of specific therapy . The differential and an approach to diagnosis of pus-containing nodules are discussed.

South Med J, 1978 Dec, 71(12), 1526 - 9
Blood chemistry abnormalities in bacterial endocarditis of narcotic addicts; Ogbuawa O et al.; We recently treated two narcotic addicts with bacterial endocarditis who developed the syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone secretion (SIADH) . This prompted a retrospective review of blood chemistry studies in all narcotic addicts admitted to our hospital over a 30-month period because of a clinical suspicion of bacterial endocarditis . Patients with culture-positive endocarditis (group 1) had significantly lower plasma osmolality, sodium, calcium and albumin values (P less than .02, .001, .005, and .005 respectively) than addicts without endocarditis (group 2) . More than 90% of those in group 1 had hyponatremia, and 48% had plasma hypoosmolality . These findings may be of value in the initial evaluation of ill narcotic addicts for hospitalization.

Med J Zambia, 1978 Dec-Jan, 11(6), 163 - 5
Bacterial liver abscess--a diagnostic problem; Gill GV et al.; Two cases of bacterial liver abscess presented to a hospital during an 18 month period . Both involved male caucasians who had been resident in Zambia for many years . The cases are recorded with a review of the recent literature . The difficulty in diagnosis and importance of adequate surgical drainage are stressed.

Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A, 1978 Dec, 75(12), 5846 - 50
Construction of a recombinant bacterial plasmid containing a chick pro-alpha2 collagen gene sequence; Sobel ME et al.; A recombinant plasmid containing chick pro-alpha2 collagen gene sequences has been constructed and cloned in Escherichia coli . Using partially purified collagen mRNA as template, we synthesized double-stranded DNA by the successive action of reverse transcriptase (RNA-directed DNA nucleotidyltransferase) from avian myeloblastosis virus and the Klenow A fragment of E . coli DNA polymerase I . From this complex mixture of double-stranded DNAs, a specific 200-base-pair restriction fragment was generated by cleavage with the restriction endonucleases BamHI and EcoRI . These enzymes also make unique cuts in the plasmid vector pBR322 . The restriction fragment was inserted into pBR322 via these BamHI and EcoRI sites and cloned in E . coli chi1776 . The cloned recombinant plasmid was shown to contain pro-alpha2 collagen DNA by its specific hybridization to chick pro-alpha2 collagen mRNA, as assayed in an in vitro translation system . Thus, a clone containing pro-alpha2 collagen DNA was constructed without first obtaining highly purified collagen mRNA.

Cell, 1978 Dec, 15(4), 1231 - 40
Failure of sensory adaptation in bacterial mutants that are defective in a protein methylation reaction; Goy MF et al.; Chemotactic bacteria, such as E . coli, detect changes in the chemical composition of the environment . Addition of an attractant or repellent leads to an immediate response, characterized by a change in the swimming behavior of the cells--a process known as sensory excitation . However, the response gradually disappears with time, despite the continued presence of the chemical--a process known as sensory adaptation . We report here the behavior of a class of nonchemotactic mutants (cheX) that can carry out sensory excitation but are defective in the process of sensory adaptation . These mutants are also defective in the ability to carry out a protein methylation reaction which has previously been implicated in the adaptation process (Goy, Springer and Adler, 1977) . The results presented here establish a firm relationship between the methylation reaction and sensory adaptation.

J Immunol, 1978 Dec, 121(6), 2340 - 6
Modulation of immune response by bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS): multifocal effects of LPS-induced suppression of the primary antibody response to a T-dependent antigen; Uchiyama T et al.; Spleen cells from mice injected with 2 to 50 microgram bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) have a reduced capacity to make an antibody response in vitro to trinitrophenylated sheep erythrocytes (TNP-SRBC) when tested 1 to 7 days later . Recovery is gradual, and these cells are full functional 2 weeks after in vivo LPS treatment . Unresponsiveness resides in the nonadherent splenic cell populations, and can be shown to have a suppressive cell component, which is irradiation sensitive and has somme characteristics of a thymus-derived lymphocyte (T cell) . In addition, neither bone marrow-derived lymphocytes (B cells) nor T cells in the spleens of LPS-treated mice are functionally normal in their abilities to cooperate during an antibody response in vitro . LPS-B cells cooperated poorly with nylon wool-enriched T cells from normal mice but cooperated well with irradiated carrier-primed T cells or nylon wool-purified splenic T cells from carrier-primed mice . LPS-T cells have a reduced capacity to interact with normal B cells and appear to contain a suppressor cell component . These results indicate that the effects of exposure of immunocompetent cells to LPS are multifocal and can include suppression as well as stimulation of antibody formation.

J Immunol, 1978 Dec, 121(6), 2347 - 51
Modulation of immune response by bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS): cellular basis of stimulatory and inhibitory effects of LPS on the in vitro IgM antibody response to a T-dependent antigen; Uchiyama T et al.; The role of thymus-derived lymphocytes (T cells) in LPS modulation of T cell-dependent antibody responses has been investigated . We have assessed the effect of LPS on the primary anti-TNP response to TNP-SRBC of cultures of whole spleen cells or T cell-depleted spleen cells that were supplemented with various subpopulations of carrier-primed (SRBC) spleen cells . The TNP-PFC response was enhanced in the presence of irradiated SRBC-primed spleen cells by addition of 0.16 to 20 microgram/ml LPS, but inhibition was observed when irradiation of primed cells was omitted . Enhancement but no inhibition occurred when added primed cells were first passed through a nylon wool column . LPS-mediated enhancement was dependent on a T cell in the primed population . These results suggest that LPS modulation of antibody synthesis is dependent on two populations of antigen-specific cells that have opposing effects on B cell responses to a T-dependent antigen: a helper cell that is irradiation resistant, nonadherent to nylon wool, and sensitive to anti-T cell serum, and a suppressor cell that is irradiation sensitive and adherent to nylon wool.

Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A, 1978 Dec, 75(12), 6021 - 5
Construction of bacterial plasmids that contain the nucleotide sequence for bovine corticotropin-beta-lipotropin precursor; Nakanishi S et al.; mRNA that encodes the common peptide precursor for the hormones corticotropin and beta-lipotropin was purified from the neurointermediate lobe of bovine pituitaries, and double-stranded cDNA species synthesized from this template were cloned in Escherichia coli X1776 by inserting them into the Pst I endonuclease cleavage site of the pBR322 plasmid using poly(dG)poly(dC) homopolymeric extensions . Certain of the cloned cDNA inserts contain nucleotides corresponding to the complete amino acid sequence of bovine corticotropin and a coding sequence that corresponds to at least the first portion of bovine beta-lipotropin . The nucleotide sequences coding for corticotropin and beta-lipotropin are separated on the cDNA by a 6-base-pair sequence encoding lysine and arginine, indicating that the carboxyl terminus of corticotropin is connected on the precursor peptide with the amino terminus of beta-lipotropin by these two amino acids . In addition, the cloned cDNA insert is characterized by an unusually high C+G nucleotide base content as well as by a number of DNA sequence duplications.

Arch Inst Pasteur Tunis, 1978 Dec, 55(4), 507 - 14
{Correlation between the presence of a bacterial symbiont in oocytes of Parcellio dilatatus petiti, and the sterility of the cross: P.d . petiti male x P.d . dilatatus female}; Legrand JJ et al.; A symbiotic bacteroid matroclinously transmitted is present in the ovocytes and the follicular cells of the sub-species Porcellio dilatatus petiti of the Saint-Honorat island, as well as in all hybrid females born from a petiti mother . It is absent in the Porfellio dilatatus dilatatus females (population of Poitiers) and this seems to cause the lithality in the periblastula stage -- as a result of abnormal anaphases--of practically all the embryos of the crossing : male petiti x female dilatatus.

Arch Ophthalmol, 1978 Dec, 96(12), 2277 - 80
Prevention of surface bacterial contamination of donor corneas; Goldman KN et al.; A simple method has been developed to reduce contamination in postmortem donor human eyes in anticipation of corneal transplantation . In vivo investigation of albino rabbits demonstrates that vigorous saline solution irrigation is extremely effective in decreasing the surface bacterial counts of the postmortem eye . In vitro and in vivo studies show that Neosporin kills bacteria at room temperature and further show that a tenfold increase in the thimerosal concentration of the Neosporin will kill fungus . Postmortem eyes contaminated by pathogenic organisms can be effectively cleaned by a combination of saline solution irrigation and the new Neosporin-thimerosal solution . No substantial damage of the donor tissue was noted by scanning electron microscopy . Human eyes cultured before this procedure were all contaminated, but after cleansing and immersion, no bacterial or fungal growth occurred.

Sem Hop, 1978 Nov 18-25, 54(41-42), 1269 - 71
{The pulmonary aspiration-washing: new treatment of severe bacterial pneumopathies (author's transl)}; Bonnaud F et al.; Over the last few years, the apparition of severe broncho-pulmonary suppurations in relation with an often poly-immune bacterial flora presents intricate therapeutic problems . The use of broncho-fibroscopy to enable several focussed cycles of broncho-pulmonary aspiration-washing perfusion, gave us interesting results.

Lancet, 1978 Nov 18, 2(8099), 1063 - 5
Colonic bacterial activity, biliary cholesterol saturation, and pathogenesis of gallstones; Low-Beer TS et al.; The relation between colonic bacterial metabolites in bile and saturation of bile with cholesterol was investigated . Eleven healthy men ingested metronidazole (2 g daily) for 10 days to inhibit anaerobic bacterial activity . Bile composition was determined in fasting samples aspirated from the duodenum before metronidazole was given, at the end of 10 days on metronidazole, and a month after the drug was discontinued . Bile cholesterol saturation fell in ten of the eleven subjects from a mean of 1.00 to 0.83 and rose in all eleven after the drug was stopped . At the same time the proportion of deoxycholate in bile acid decreased from a mean of 24% to 7%, returning to 22% of the total a month after metronidazole had been stopped, and the proportion of chenodeoxycholate changed significantly from 33% to 46% and back to 33% . There was little change in cholate concentrations . Deoxycholate is formed exclusively by bacterial action in the colon . Its administration increases cholesterol saturation of bile, while chenodeoxycholate reduces it . These results suggest that colonic function is important in regulating bile composition . Dietary measures which reduce the return of newly formed deoxycholate from the colon to the bile reduce cholesterol saturation and so are likely to reduce the risk of gallstones.

Mol Gen Genet, 1978 Nov 16, 167(1), 83 - 93
Regional replication of the bacterial chromosome induced by derepression of prophage lambda . IV . Escape synthesis of gal operon in phage 82; Fukasawa T et al.; Derepression of prophage lambda in E . coli strain K12 results in constitutive synthesis of the enzymes directed by the nearby bacterial operon, gal (escape synthesis) . Phage 82 fails to cause escape synthesis despite that it lysogenizes the strain K12 at the site identical to that of lambda on the host chromosome . The reason for the observed difference between 82 and lambda is studied in the light of the recent finding that escape synthesis in lambda-lysogen is closely associated to phage-promoted replication of bacterial chromosome contiguous to the prophage including gal operon (escape replication) . Excision-defective mutants from 82, 82int or 82xis, do initiate escape synthesis, suggest that the prophage 82 is normally excised too quickly after induction to allow sufficient escape replication . In support of this, much more DNA hybridizable to bacterial DNA contained in lambdagal accumulates after induction if 82int than after induction of 82 . Studies with various hybrid phages between 82 and lambda have suggested: 1 . The occurrence of gal escape synthesis depends on the nature of the region between b2 and N in the lambda map . 2 . Regions of the 82 genome on both sides of the attachment site contribute independently to prevent gal escape synthesis . Implications of these results are discussed with regard to the factors involved in the prophage excision.

J Biol Chem, 1978 Nov 10, 253(21), 7638 - 45
Biosynthesis of bacterial glycogen . Isolation and characterization of the pyridoxal-P allosteric activator site and the ADP-glucose-protected pyridoxal-P binding site of Escherichia coli B ADP-glucose synthase; Parsons TF et al.; {3H}Pyridoxal-P can be covalently incorporated into Escherichia coli B mutant strain AC70R1 ADP-glucose synthase by reduction with NaBH4 . Two distinct lysine residues can be modified by the allosteric activator pyridoxal-P . Incorporation of {3H}pyridoxal-P in the presence of substrate ADP-glucose + MgCl2 prevents pyridoxylation of an ADP-glucose-protected site and allows modification of the allosteric activator site . Incorporation of {3H}pyridoxal-P in the presence of the allosteric effector, 1,6-hexanediol-P2, protects against pyridoxylation of the allosteric activator site and allows modification of the ADP-glucose-protected site . The activator site CNBr {3H}pyridoxyl-P peptide was purified to homogeneity in the presence of urea by Sephadex G-50 and CM-cellulose chromatography . The peptide consists of 59 residues, with a molecular weight of 6750 . The NH2-terminal of the peptide has a 16-residue sequence overlap with the previously determined NH2-terminal sequence of the native enzyme . The activator site pyridoxyl-P lysine is identified as residue 38 of the native enzyme's NH2 terminus . The ADP-glucose-protected site CNBr {3H}pyridoxyl peptide was purified to homogeneity by Sephadex G-50 and DEAE-cellulose chromatography . The peptide consists of 21 residues, with a molecular weight of 2460 . The sequence of this peptide has been elucidated.

Mol Biol (Mosk), 1978 Nov-Dec, 12(6), 1246 - 55
{Charge separation in bacterial photosynthetic reaction centers}; Kukhtin VV et al.; The physical aspects of the primary charge separation process in bacterial photosynthesis are discussed . The donor-acceptor model of electron tranfer through proteins is used . The kinetics of the processes of the photosynthetic reaction centers are considered and their energetic scheme is constructed by means of the nonequilibrium density matrix method . It is shown that the theory is in good agreement with experiment if one takes into account the influence of vibrational sublevels of states which take part in transitions.

Chest, 1978 Nov, 74(5), 576 - 8
Cross-sectional echocardiographic detection of aortic ring abscess in bacterial endocarditis; Mardelli TJ et al.; The diagnosis of aortic ring abscess by cross-sectional echocardiography has not been reported . In this paper, a case of bacterial endocarditis of the aortic valve extending to the aortic ring and the mitral valve is reported . The role of cross-sectional echocardiography in defining the anatomic distortion of the aortic valve in bacterial endocarditis and its complications is emphasized . This study would indicate that early diagnosis of aortic ring abscess is feasible by cross-sectional echocardiography.

Appl Environ Microbiol, 1978 Nov, 36(5), 776 - 9
Use of an internal standard in monitoring the bacterial degradation of crude oil; Mrsny RJ et al.; Hexachloroethane is nonvolatile, insoluble in water, and apparently not toxic to or metabolized by bacteria . Its addition to cultures growing at the expense of crude oil thus provides an internal standard against which the rate of degradation of individual crude oil components can be conveniently and reproducibly measured.

Infect Immun, 1978 Nov, 22(2), 382 - 6
Role of bacterial products in periodontitis: humoral immune response to Eikenella corrodens; Johnson DA et al.; Eikenella corrodens can induce periodontitis-like disease in gnotobiotic rats . Some components of this bacterial cell elicit measurable humoral immune response during the development of the disease, but in this system endotoxin is not among the efficient immunogens . Because no humoral immune response could be seen to the endotoxin of Eikenella corrodens it is assumed that this endotoxin can act uncontrolled in monoinfected rats . Accordingly, the lack of protective humoral immune response to pathogenic components of Eikenella corrodens may be the major factor permitting the development of the disease described here . The possibility that both cell-mediated immunity and uncontrolled endotoxic action are parts of the pathomechanism of the disease is supported by our observations.

Zentralbl Bakteriol {Orig A}, 1978 Nov, 242(1), 12 - 6
Behaviour of S . paratyphi A in mice immunized with homologous and heterologous bacterial proteins; Eylan E et al.; Mice immunized with proteins from S . typhimurium and from S . paratyphi C resisted the toxicity of a concentration of S . paratyphi A which killed the controls; this is in contrast to the results found in mice immunized with the same amount of proteins from the homologous S . paratyphi A . For the neutralization of the S . paratyphi A toxicity a higher quantity of homologous proteins was necessary in the immunizations . It is assumed that either S . paratyphi A synthesizes--on artificial media--a small amount of proteins responsible for the induction of neutralizing antibodies or that it is an intrinsic weak immunogen . In the sera of mice in which sufficient neutralizing antibodies were induced, the proteins of S . paratyphi A cross-reacted in agar-gel, with the proteins from S . typhimurium and from S . paratyphi C.

Mol Gen Genet, 1978 Oct 25, 166(1), 45 - 51
A spectrofluorimetric study of the interaction between virginiamycin S and bacterial ribosomes; Parfait R et al.; Virginiamycin S (VS, a type B component of the synergistin group of antibiotics) is fluorescent in solution: the fluorescence intensity is proportional to VS concentration . The intensity of VS fluorescence was found to increase upon addition of 50S ribosomal subunits, and this variation (deltaI 416 nm) to be proportional to the concentration of 50S subunits . This new technique was, then, used to measure the binding reaction of VS to ribosomes . Similar patterns of linkage were obtained for ribosomes and large subunits, whereas very little fixation to 30S particles was detected . The binding reaction was virtually instantaneous at any temperature, and, for saturating VS, was not influenced by Mg++ concentration in the range 1 to 20 mM, nor by the replacement of 100 mM K+ with NH+4 . The association constant of VS TO 50S particles was found to be KA=2.5 X 10(6)M-1, and from the Scatchard plot a v value of 0.9 was calculated, which points to a stoichiometric reaction leading to 1 mole VS bound per mole of 50S particles . Upon fixation of virginiamycin M (VM, a type A component of the synergistin group of antibiotics), the delta I of the VS-ribosome complex was increased, and a KA=15 x 10(6)M-1 was recorded for the association constant of VS to 50S particles . Such sixfold increase in the affinity of ribosomes for VS may account for the synergistic effect of the 2 virginiamycin components in sensitive bacteria.

Mol Gen Genet, 1978 Oct 24, 165(3), 247 - 56
A transducing lambda phage carrying grpE, a bacterial gene necessary for lambda DNA replication, and two ribosomal protein genes, rpsP (S16) and rplS (L19); Saito H et al.; A grpE mutation of Escherichia coli K12, which blocks DNA replication of the phage lambda (Saito and Uchida, 1977), was mapped at 56 min on the standard genetic map . A transducing lambda phage, lambdagrpE22, carrying the wild type allele of the grpE gene was constructed in vitro . Structures of lambdagrpE22 and its viable deletion derivatives were determined by electron microscopic analyses of appropriate heteroduplexes . Proteins coded by the bacterial DNA incorporated into the transducing phages were detected by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis . The results showed that the product of the grpE gene is a weakly acidic protein of molecular weight 24,000 . Structural genes for two ribosomal proteins, rplS (L19) and rpsP (S16) were also shown to be carried by lambdagrpE22.

Nouv Presse Med, 1978 Oct 14, 7(35), 3125 - 8, 3133
{Hypocomplementaemic leucocytoclasic vasculitis . (Mac Duffie's syndrome) . One case with bacterial lymphadenitis (author's transl)}; Alcalay M et al.; Mac Duffie's syndrome includes a hypocomplementaemic allergic vasculitis with essentially cutaneous and articular manifestations . Its pathogenesis, still incompletely elucidated, involves the precipitation of immune complexes in the walls of the all vessels . The problem remains as to whether the alteration in the complement system is merely a reflection of this formation of immune complexes, or if it is primary, favourising the chronic infections which produce such complexes . The significance of the presence of low molecular weight precipitins reacting with C1g in the serum of a number of patients remains uncertain . The case reported, with its new clinical features, does not provide an answer to these questions but emphasises the possible role of chronic infections in the origin of this syndrome.

J Lab Clin Med, 1978 Oct, 92(4), 577 - 84
Chemotaxis of human polymorphonuclears in vitro . V . Role of the nonsegmented neutrophils and of the experimental conditions in the impairment of chemotaxis observed during bacterial infections; Frei PC et al.; Chemotaxis of human leukocytes was studied in vitro with a microfilter having pores of 3 micrometer used as a substrate for the gradient . Under these conditions, nonsegmented neutrophils did not reach the compartment filled with the attractant, but a significant proportion of them did so when filters with larger pores were substituted . When leukocytes from infected patients were tested with the usual 3 micrometer pore filters, chemotaxis was reduced (as previously shown), but less markedly and less frequently in simultaneous experiments with larger pores . In experiments performed under agarose layers instead of filters, nonsegmented neutrophils responded normally to chemoattraction, again suggesting that their impaired migration in filter experiments was a matter of pore size . When leukocytes from infected patients were assayed under agarose, no impairment occurred; on the contrary, a slight increase in both chemotaxis and random motility was observed . It was therefore concluded that some published cases of impaired neutrophil chemotaxis in infection might be due to technical bias related to pore size.

J Gen Virol, 1978 Oct, 41(1), 189 - 92
The ocr gene function of bacterial viruses T3 and T7 prevents host-controlled modification; Kruger DH et al.; On pre-infection of the host Escherichia coli B with u.v.-inactivated T3 or T7 phage able to express their early genes (like 0.3), B-specific modification of superinfecting, successfully multiplying viruses does not take place . The ocr gene function (gene 0.3) of T3 and T7 not only prevents host-specific DNA restriction but also modification, probably by inhibiting the same late step in the interaction between the restriction enzyme and DNA.

J Infect Dis, 1978 Oct, 138(4), 473 - 9
Filtration and immunoprecipitation in the elimination of DNA polymerase activity associated with bacterial contamination of sera positive for hepatitis B e antigen and its corresponding antibody; Perrillo RP et al.; Samples of serum inoculated with Escherichia coli and serum that became contaminated with bacteria after exposure to a laboratory atmosphere demonstrated elevated DNA polymerase activity . The levels of activity were well within the range of values found in hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg)-positive samples . The bacterial polymerase activity was markedly reduced by a single passage of serum samples through a 0.22-micron Millipore filter prior to analysis . Repeated filtration did not result in a substantial further decrease in polymerase activity . In sera that were heavily contamined with E . coli, however, filtration was not successful in reducing bacteria-associated polymerase activity to a base-line uncontaminated level . In such instances double antibody immunoprecipitation proved effective in elimination of bacterial activity . When bacterial contamination of serum samples is a possibility, specimens should be subjected to either Millipore filtration or immunoprecipitation prior to analysis, particularly when correlation of DNA polymerase activity with HBeAg and its corresponding antibody is attempted.

Fertil Steril, 1978 Oct, 30(4), 436 - 8
The effect of temperature on sperm motility . II . Is bacterial growth a factor?
Appell RA, Evans PR.
The previous demonstration that sperm kept at body temperature (37 degrees C) had a marked deterioration in motility accompanied by an overgrowth of bacteria in the semen and a concomitant decrease in pH led to this study to test the hypothesis that the decrease in motility was caused by the bacteria or by bacterial alteration of seminal pH . Semen specimens from fertile prevasectomy patients with and without added antibiotics were maintained at 20 degrees C and 37 degrees C and evaluated at 3, 12, and 18 hours after collection . There was still a significant deterioration in spermatozoal motility in the samples kept at 37 degrees C even when bacterial growth and change in pH were prevented by buffered antibiotics . Although the decrease in spermatozoal motility at body temperature may in part be attributed to bacterial growth or the products of bacterial metabolism, clearly another factor is present related to time and temperature and independent of the presence of bacteria.

Experientia, 1978 Sep 15, 34(9), 1227 - 8
Superiority of human complement for assaying bacterial lipopolysaccharides by their anticomplementary activity; Saddler JN et al.; In assaying bacterial lipopolysaccharides (LPS) for anticomplementary activity, human complement (C) allowed detection of approximately 200 times smaller amounts of LPS than guinea-pigs C . Pig C was slightly inferior to human.

J Biol Chem, 1978 Sep 10, 253(17), 6197 - 202
Biosynthesis of bacterial glycogen . Incorporation of pyridoxal phosphate into the allosteric activator site and an ADP-glucose-protected pyridoxal phosphate binding site of Escherichia coli B ADP-glucose synthase; Parsons TF et al.; {3H}Pyridoxal-P can be covalently incorporated into Escherichia coli B mutant strain AC70R1 ADP-glucose synthase by reduction with NaBH4 . Two distinct lysine residues can be modified by the allosteric activator pyridoxal-P . Incorporation of {3H}pyridoxal-P in the presence of substrate ADP-glucose + MgCl2 prevents pyridoxylation of an ADP-glucose-protected site and allows modification of the allosteric activator site . Incorporation of {3H}pyridoxal-P in the presence of allosteric effectors fructose-P2, 5'-AMP, or hexanediol-1,6-P2, protects against pyridoxylation of the allosteric activator site, and allows modification of the ADP-glucose-protected site . Incorporation of pyridoxal-P into the allosteric activator site results in modified enzyme of high activity form, even in the absence of fructose-P2 . This modified enzyme, when assayed in the absence of fructose-P2, exhibits activation kinetics similar to nonpyridoxylated enzyme assayed in the presence of fructose-P2 and is still inhibited by 5'-AMP . These data suggest that the allosteric activator site of pyridoxylation is the fructose-P2 binding site, and is distinct from the inhibitor 5'-AMP binding site . Incorporation of pyridoxal-P into the ADP-glucose-protected site results in a decrease in enzyme activity . This pyridoxylated lysine could be involved with the binding of thesubstrates ADP-glucose, alpha-glucose-1-P, or PPi, or participate in the catalytic mechanism of the enzyme.

Biochim Biophys Acta, 1978 Sep 7, 503(3), 509 - 23
Redox potentials of the photosynthetic bacterial cytochromes c2 and the structural bases for variability; Pettigrew GW et al.; The cytochromes c2 of the Rhodospirillaceae show a much greater variation in redox potential and its pH dependence than the mitochondrial cytochromes c that have been studied . It is proposed that the range of redox potential for cytochromes c2 functioning as the immediate electron donor to photo-oxidised bacteriochlorophyll may be 345-395 mV at pH 5 . Closely related cytochromes c2 with different redox potentials show patterns of amino acid substitution which are consistent with changes in hydrophobicity near the haem being at least a partial determinant of redox potential . More distantly related cytochromes are difficult to compare because of the large number of amino acid substitutions and the probability that there are subtle changes in overall peptide chain folding . The redox potential versus pH curves can be analysed in terms of either one ionisation in the oxidised form or two in the oxidised form and one in the reduced . The pK in the oxidised form at higher pH values can be correlated with the pK for the disappearance or shift of the near infrared absorption band located near 695 nm . The structural bases of these ionisations are not known but the possible involvement of the haem propionate residues is discussed.

Quad Sclavo Diagn, 1978 Sep, 15(3), 311 - 5
{Research on the eventual cross-reactivity of anti-Wr(a) with various viral, bacterial and mycotic antigenes (author's transl)}; Garelli S et al.; Among the sera of 1011 blood donors, they have been collected 34 anti-Wr(a) antibodies . By IgG antiglobulin test, the titer was 1/8 or more in 21 sera . After absorption on viral, bacterial and mycotic antigens, the sera were still reactive with Wr(a) + red blood cells . These results show that no tested antigen is cross-reactive with Wr(a) antigen . However, the AA . suggest that the research of a widley diffused antigen, cross-reactive with Wr(a) + red blood cells, is a valuable approach to the problem of IgG anti-Wr(a) antibodies in normal, never transfused blood donors.

Appl Environ Microbiol, 1978 Sep, 36(3), 473 - 9
Thermal resistance of naturally occurring airborne bacterial spores; Puleo JR et al.; Simulation of a heat process used in the terminal dry-heat decontamination of the Viking spacecraft is reported . Naturally occurring airborne bacterial spores were collected on Teflon ribbons in selected spacecraft assembly areas and subsequently subjected to dry heat . Thermal inactivation experiments were conducted at 105, 111.7, 120, 125, 130, and 135 degrees C with a moisture level of 1.2 mg of water per liter . Heat survivors were recovered at temperatures of 135 degrees C when a 30-h heating cycle was employed . Survivors were recovered from all cycles studied and randomly selected for identification . The naturally occurring spore population was reduced an average of 2.2 to 4.4 log cycles from 105 to 135 degrees C . Heating cycles of 5 and 15 h at temperature were compared with the standard 30-h cycle at 111.7, 120, and 125 degrees C . No significant differences in inactivation (alpha = 0.05) were observed between 111.7 and 120 degrees C . The 30-h cycle differs from the 5-and 15-h cycles at 125 degrees C . Thus, the heating cycle can be reduced if a small fraction (about 10-3 to 10-4) of very resistant spores can be tolerated.

Poult Sci, 1978 Sep, 57(5), 1408 - 16
A scanning electron microscope study of the caecal tonsil: the identification of a bacterial attachment to the villi of the caecal tonsil and the possible presence of lymphatics in the caecal tonsil; Glick B et al.; A scanning electron microscope (SEM) was used to compare the proximal region (PR) and distal region (DR) of the caecum . The caecal tonsil (CT) occupied the initial 4-10 mm of the PR . Villi were present in the PR and absent from the DR . Segmented structures were attached to the surface of PR . Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) revealed these structures to be bacteria . No difference in surface morphology could be discerned between the CT and the remainder of the PR . Lymphatic vessels were observed in the CT by employing TEM.

Tijdschr Diergeneeskd, 1978 Sep 1, 103(17), 894 - 8
{Tissue antigens and bacterial infection (author's transl)}; de Leeuw B et al.; Rejection of tissue- and organ-grafts is due to the existence of tissue- or transplantation-antigens which are present in principle on every nucleated body-cell . These tissue antigens represent the phenotypical expression of a complex system of genes which are localized on an autosomal chromosome: the histocompatibility system . These systems may usually be compared with bloodgroup systems . Besides the successful use of tissue typing in transplantation, it became apparent that histocompatibility systems may have another function . Among others, tissue typing may be correlated with resistance to and susceptibility to particular diseases . However, it is not clear so far whether tissue antigens play a role themselves or only serve as genetic markers in this regulation of the immune response . The two possibilities are introduced, together with some instances . Finally, on the basis of possible veterinary and economic importance, studies on histocompatibility systems in pets and farm animals are reviewed, a number of possible uses being suggested.

Chest, 1978 Sep, 74(3), 312 - 4
Aneurysm of sinus of Valsalva: cause of dynamic coronary constriction after aortic valvular replacement and bacterial endocarditis; Feldman RL et al.; A patient who had endocarditis on a prosthetic aortic valve and who had undergone two aortic valvular replacements developed classic angina pectoris . Cardiac catheterization revealed an aneurysm of the left sinus of Valsalva, which constricted a proximal segment of the left circumflex coronary artery during systole . This type of dynamic coronary arterial narrowing has not been previously described secondary to an aneurysm of a sinus of Valsalva and may be responsible for this patient's manifestations of ischemia.

Invest Urol, 1978 Sep, 16(2), 154 - 62
Chronic pyelonephritis . Electron microscopic study . II . Persistence of variant bacterial forms; Smith TW Jr et al.; Ascending nonobstructive pyelonephritis was produced in nonhuman primates by ureteral catheterization which delivered Escherichia coli (04:H1) to the renal pelvis while creating intrarenal reflux . Female rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta) were immunosuppressed by cyclophosphamide before infection and weekly thereafter and compared to those with infection only . Kidney tissue was examined by electron microscopy in an effort to compare the development of the infection in the two groups of monkeys, i.e., immunocompetent and immunosuppressed . Reorganization of bacterial cytoplasm into small dense bodies (averaging 250 A in diameter) was seen in two of the suppressed animals . These particles were within bacteria that were either free in the medullary interstitium or in macrophages . Clusters of electron-dense bodies of the same size and morphology were also seen within subendothelial spaces of glomerular capillaries . Protoplast-like forms were observed within the medullary interstitium . One cell wall-less form contained particles (as previously described) within a large peripheral vesical . Gross pyelonephritic scarring occurred in all immunosuppressed animals . This study has shown morphologically that classical bacterial organisms placed into the intact kidneys of partially immunoincompetent nonhuman primates will cause pyelonephritis and continue to exist for 18 days . These observations of the futile efforts by suppressed populations of leukocytes to clear intrarenal bacteria raise interesting questions about the host-paradise relationship in chronic renal infection.

Postgrad Med, 1978 Sep, 64(3), 80 - 3, 86-7, 90-2
Bacterial culture specimens . Categories, collection, and interpretation; Lipsky BA et al.; An approach to the collection and interpretation of bacterial cultures based on specimen category is presented . The sensitivity and specificity of cultures of material taken from deep closed body areas (category 1), deep communicating body areas (category 2), and superficial body surfaces (category 3) are considered.

Bull Tokyo Med Dent Univ, 1978 Sep, 25(3), 147 - 55
Efficiency of bacterial filtration in various commercial air filters for hospital air conditioning; Furuhashi M; Filtration efficiency of high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters is said to be over 99.97% of removal rate against the mist of thermogenerating-type of dioctyl phthalate with average particles diameter of 0.3 micrometer, as tested by the U.S . Military Standard 282 (1956) . Filtration of bacterial aerosols through commercial air filters was tested to examine the efficiency of bacterial filtration with eight kinds of air filters . Percentage of bacterial filtration efficiency (% BFE) of three kinds of HEPA filters showed 100% BFE, while NBS-95 and NBS-85 showed over 99% BFE . BFE of NBS-75 air filter was 91.75%.

Appl Environ Microbiol, 1978 Aug, 36(2), 384 - 5
Detection of bacterial nitrite production from nitrate by a nitrate-starch-iodide agar medium; Reisner GS; A medium consisting of nitrate agar (Difco), modified by the addition of 1% starch and 1% KI, was used to detect the production of nitrite by a number of different bacterial species.

Acta Pathol Microbiol Scand {B}, 1978 Aug, 86(4), 215 - 21
Experimental endocarditis in rabbits . I . Technique and spontaneous course of non-bacterial thrombotic endocarditis; Gutschik E et al.; Insertion of a polyethylene catheter into the heart was used for regular establishment of sterile endocarditis in 52 rabbits . The catheter was inserted with the aid of guide wire, and distance marking on the catheter was used to obtain precise positioning, so that the catheter was retained with the curved distal end inside the left ventricle of the heart . The results showed that the catheterization procedure could be carried out with a high degree of accuracy . Uniform localization of the vegetations was obtained, these reaching a suitable size of development in all rabbits after insertion of the catheter for 3 days . Histological examination of the sterile vegetation showed that catheter withdrawal at this time would still permit the regular development of an infection . After withdrawal of the catheter, the sterile vegetations rapidly decreased in size and disappeared almost completely by 10 days . Sterile endocarditis in rabbits induced by a catheter for a period of 3 days proved to be a harmless and self-limiting disease . The model presented seems to be suitable for futher investigations on experimental bacterial endocarditis.

Can J Microbiol, 1978 Aug, 24(8), 998 - 1003
Investigations into the kinetics and stoichiometry of bacterial oxidation of covellite (CuS) using a polarographic oxygen probe; Rickard PA et al.; "Oxygraph" apparatus was used to measure quantitatively the kinetics of oxidation of synthetic covellite (CuS) in the presence and absence of Thiobacillus species . The expected stoichiometric relationship between oxygen consumed and cupric sulphate produced was verified by atomic absorption assays of cupric ion and sulphate ion . Thiobacillus cultures markedly increased the oxidation rate . The dependence of each oxygen-uptake rate on oxygen concentration was also measured . Sterile controls and some bacterial cultures showed first-order kinetics while other cultures showed zero-order kinetics . Addition of biological inhibitors to reacting slurries revealed that cultures showing first-order kinetics did not oxidize CuS itself but merely oxidized elemental sulphur formed by non-enzymic oxidation of CuS . Cultures showing zero-order kinetics oxidized CuS in a way that resulted in all oxygen reduction being enzymic . This mechanism possibly involves the cyclic oxidation and reduction of soluble iron.

Can J Microbiol, 1978 Aug, 24(8), 939 - 46
Estimation of bacterial production in fresh waters by the simultaneous measurement of {35S}sulphate and d-{3H}glucose uptake in the dark; Campbell PG et al.; Sulphate uptake in the dark by phytoplankton constitutes a severe limitation to the determination of bacterial heterotrophic production from sulphate-uptake rates . Consequently a modification to the 35S-method has been developed involving size fractionation to separate the algae from the bacteria . Both the whole water sample and the algae-free filtrate are incubated in the dark with trace quantities of {3H}glucose, whereas the filtrate alone is incubated with 35SO4 . The experimental determined ratio (whole sample glucose assimilation: filtrate glucose assimilation) is used to correct the measured sulphate uptake (filtrate) and yields an estimate of bacterial sulphate uptake in the whole sample . A potential filtration artefact has been demonstrated in the 35SO4 uptake methodology . Excision of the outer edge of the membrane filter and counting of the inner wetted circle alone eliminated this problem and significantly improved the analytical performance of the method: coefficient of variation approximately 5%, detection limit approximately 2 ng S l-1 h-1 . The modified {35SO4}-{3H}-glucose method was applied to samples from an English chalk stream: bacterial sulphate uptake was higher during the spring diatom maximum (10.6 ng S l-1h-1) than 3 weeks later when detritus dominated the seston (4.9 ng S l-1h-1) . We estimate the corresponding rates of formation of particulate (bacterial) carbon to be 0.53 and 0.24 microgram C l-1h-1 respectively.

J Invest Dermatol, 1978 Aug, 71(2), 152 - 3
Individual differences in the bacterial flora of the skin of the forehead: Peptococcus saccharolyticus; Evans CA et al.; Peptococcus saccharolyticus was a numerically important constituent of the bacterial flora of the forehead of 20% of 40 subjects . 16 of these subjects were studied over periods of 12 to 54 mo . It was consistently absent from 12 subjects, was present on every test of 3 subjects, and constituted 96 to 100% of the total flora on 1 subject tested 8 times in a 16-month period . On the forehead of one subject, Peptococcus saccharolyticus was recovered in only 1 of 5 tests.

J Bacteriol, 1978 Aug, 135(2), 422 - 8
Bacterial xanthine oxidase from Arthrobacter S-2; Woolfolk CA et al.; Arthrobacter S-2, originally isolated by enrichment on xanthine, produced high levels of xanthine oxidase activity, requiring as little as a 20-fold purification to approach homogeneity with some preparations . Molecular oxygen, ferricyanide, and 2,6-dichlorophenol-indophenol served as electron acceptors, but nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide did not . The enzyme was relatively specific when compared with previously studied xanthine-oxidizing enzymes, but at least one purine was observed to be oxidized at each of the three positions of the purine ring that have been subject to oxidation by this type of enzyme . The enzyme had a relatively high Km for xanthine (1.3 X 10(-4) M), and substrate inhibition was not observed with this compound, in contrast to the enzyme from cow's milk . In fact, an opposite effect was observed, and double-reciprocal plots with xanthine as the variable substrate showed a concave downward deviation at high concentrations . At 2.5 mM xanthine the enzyme had a specific activity approximately 50 times that of the most active preparations of the milk enzyme . The spectrum of the Arthrobacter enzyme resembled that of milk xanthine oxidase, suggesting a similarity of the prosthetic centers of the two enzymes . The bacterial enzyme was relatively small and may be dimeric, with approximate native and subunit molecular weights of 146,000 and 79,000, respectively.

Br J Anaesth, 1978 Aug, 50(8), 811 - 4
Bacterial contamination of anaesthetic gases; Nielsen H et al.; The bacterial content of oxygen and nitrous oxide immediately before and after passing through clean and used breathing systems (circuits) was measured using a specially constructed agar chamber (Bourdillon's slit sampler) . The content per litre of oxygen from the outlet of the anaesthetic machine was 4.0 X 10-2, and 2.9 X 10-2 for nitrous oxide, corresponding to 3.5 X 10-2 for a 50% mixture of the gases . After passing through cleaned circuits, the bacterial pollution of the gas mixture had increased by 30%, but more than elevenfold after passing through used circuits . The content from cleaned circuits was less than that measured previously in the air of hospital wards and operating theatres, whereas gases from used circuits were polluted to approximately the same extent . It is concluded that used circuits may increase the risk of cross-infection . The cleaning method employed by us (dish-washer--hot airy drying) appeared to be acceptable.

J Urol, 1978 Aug, 120(2), 184 - 5
Trimethoprium-sulfamethoxazole and minocycline- hydrochloride in the treatment of culture-proved bacterial prostatitis; Paulson DF et al.; Trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, 2 tablets twice daily for 90 days, or minocycline-hydrochloride, 100 mg . twice daily for 14 days, was given to 15 and 14 men, respectively, with culture-proved bacterial prostatitis . Given as prescribed both agents seemed equally effective in controlling symptomatic recurrence during the 12 months after cessation of therapy.

Radiology, 1978 Aug, 128(2), 289 - 93
Hilar and mediastinal adenopathy caused by bacterial abscess of the lung; Rohlfing BM et al.; Enlargement of hilar and mediastinal lymph nodes commonly accompanies a lung abcess . Of 27 patients with lung abscesses, 14 had hilar or mediastinal adenopathy or both . The problem resolved promptly with clearing of the abcesses and was absent on clinical and radiographic follow-up.

J Exp Med, 1978 Aug 1, 148(2), 544 - 56
Macrophage stimulation by bacterial lipopolysaccharides . I . Cytolytic effect on tumor target cells; Doe WF et al.; Bacterial lipopolysaccharides (LPS) stimulate mouse peritoneal macrophages to kill tumor cells in vitro . Lysis is confined to tumor cells where it is nonspecific; both allogeneic and syngeneic cells being susceptible . Stimulation by LPS appears to be due to direct interaction between LPS and macrophages and does not involve participation by lymphocytes . After exposure to LPS, a latent period must elapse before macrophages can lyse tumor cells . The cytolytic mechanism requires contact between target cells and viable effector cells which maintain their lytic capacity for a sustained period and can kill on repeated occasions . The generation of a macrophage cytolytic effect by LPS is critically dependent upon the absolute number of macrophages which must be sufficient to produce confluent monolayers . These findings indicate that LPS stimulation of macrophages in vitro represents a valuable model system for the study of the mechanisms of macrophage stimulation and of the mediation of tumor cell death.

Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A, 1978 Aug, 75(8), 3727 - 31
A bacterial clone synthesizing proinsulin; Villa-Komaroff L et al.; We have cloned double-stranded cDNA copies of a rat preproinsulin messenger RNA in Escherichia coli chi1776, using the unique Pst endonuclease site of plasmid pBR322 that lies in the region encoding amino acids 181-182 of penicillinase . This site was reconstructed by inserting the cDNA with an oligo(dG)-oligo(dC) joining procedure . One of the clones expresses a fused protein bearing both insulin and penicillinase antigenic determinants . The DNA sequence of this plasmid shows that the insulin region is read in phase; a stretch of six glycine residues connects the alanine at position 182 of penicillinase to the fourth amino acid, glutamine, of rat proinsulin.

Biophys J, 1978 Aug, 23(2), 207 - 17
Picosecond dynamics of primary electron-transfer processes in bacterial photosynthesis; Peters K et al.; The primary electron transfer processes in Rhodopseudomonas sphaeroides R-26 were studied as a function of temperature by means of picosecond spectroscopy . The first chemical step of the bacterial photosynthesis involves an electron transfer from the excited state of a bacteriochlorophyll a dimer, (BChl)2, to a bacteriopheophytin (BPh) to form the radical ion pair (BChl)2+ . BPh-. . The upper limit for the formation time of this ion-pair was found to be 10 ps, at temperatures in the range 300-4.2 degree K . Similarly, the second chemical step, involving electron transfer from BPh- . to an ubiquinone-iron complex (QFe), was found to have a lifetime of approximately 150 ps, also independent of temperature in the same range . We interpret the absence of temperature dependence as indicating that process 2 proceeds via a tunneling mechanism . Utilizing our results in conjunction with electron tunneling theories, we calculate the distance between BPh- . and Q(Fe) to be 9--13 A . Our results also imply a closer proximity between (BChl)2 and BPh.

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