Biotechnol Bioeng, 1976 Oct, 18(10), 1425 - 32 Preparation and properties of bacterial chromatophores entrapped in polyacrylamide; Yang HS et al.; The immobilization of Rhodospirillum rubrum chromatophores was successfully performed by entrapping them in polyacrylamide . Their photophosphorylating activity was about 40% of native chromatophores . The temperature and pH optima for immobilized chromatophores were similar to the native photosynthetic apparatus and kinetic parameters showed that the rate of photophosphorylation in polyacrylamide particles was diffusion controlled . Light penetration of the gel particles was not a limiting parameter . Immobilization considerably increased the stability of the chromatophores towards denaturation. Biotechnol Bioeng, 1976 Oct, 18(10), 1413 - 23 Photosynthetic regeneration of ATP using bacterial chromatophores; Pace GW et al.; We have demonstrated the use of bacterial chromatophores for the continuous photosynthetic regeneration of ATP from ADP in an ultrafiltration reactor . Biphasic kinetics of the degradation of chromatophore activity are described . Using chromatophores in combination with the enzyme adenylate kinase, we have also demonstrated continuous regeneration of ATP from AMP. J Immunol, 1976 Oct, 117(4), 1238 - 42 Comparison of the pyrogenicity, Limulus activity mitogenicity and complement reactivity of several bacterial endotoxins and related compounds; Elin RJ et al.; The correlation of mitogenicity, complement activation, pyrogenicity and Limulus amebocyte lysate (LAL) gelation induced by 17 bacterial endotoxins (LPS), modified endotoxins, related compounds, and other B cell mitogens was examined . With the use of these compounds, a significant correlation was found between pyrogenicity and mitogenicity (r = 0.85, p is less than 0.0005), pyrogenicity and LAL reactivity (r = 0.84, p is less than 0.0005), and mitogenicity and LAL reactivity (r = 0.72, p is less than 0.0025) . In contrast, complement activation by these compounds did not correlate with mitogenicity, pyrogenicity or LAL reactivity (r = 0.09, p is greater than 0.4; r = -0.17, p is greater than 0.3; r = 0.17, p is greater than 0.3, respectively) . These results suggest that a specific chemical configuration may induce mitogenicity, pyrogenicity, and LAL reactivity which differs from that responsible for complement activation. J Bacteriol, 1976 Oct, 128(1), 382 - 9 Rapid micromethod for the purification of Escherichia coli ribonucleic acid polymerase and the preparation of bacterial extracts active in ribonucleic acid synthesis; Gross C et al.; A rapid micromethod is described for the preparation of nucleic acid-free extracts from Escherichia coli that involves precipitation with polyethylene glycol . Extracts can be prepared from growing cells in 75 min by three short, low-speed centrifugations . The extract did not inhibit added purified ribonucleic acid (RNA) polymerase, suggesting that major inhibitors of RNA synthesis had been removed . This extract should be ideal for assessing the properties of mutant RNA polymerases . The rapid chromatography of the extracts with step elution from deoxyribonucleic acid- and diethylaminoethyl-cellulose columns resulted in high yields of substantially pure RNA polymerase . We used this technique to purify 35S-labeled RNA polymerase . This system should find application for the purification of small quantities of other bacterial RNA polymerases that share the general chromatographic properties of E . coli RNA polymerase. J Bacteriol, 1976 Oct, 128(1), 363 - 71 Effect of 1,10-phenanthroline on bacterial conjugation in Escherichia coli K-12: inhibition of maturation from preliminary mates into effective mates; Ou JT et al.; The addition of 1 mM orthophenanthroline (OP) into a mating mixture drastically reduced the production of recombinants . Examination of the effect of OP on each step of conjugation showed that the effect on the following steps could not account for the up to 500-fold reduction of recombinant formation: (i) preliminary mate formation and (ii) deoxyribonucleic acid transfer and integration . Taking these results and additional experiments together, we conclude that OP inhibits the maturation of preliminary mates into effective mates . Kinetic experiments showed that there were two phases in the maturation of preliminary (OP-sensitive) mates into effective (OP-resistant) mates . The half-time (the time required to reach 50% OP-resistant mates) was 2.5 min for the first phase and 4 min for the second phase, with an overall half-time of 7.5 min . In contrast, only 3 min was required to reach 50% Zn2+-resistant mates . The difference in half-time suggests that there is an intermediate step involved to form an effective mate from a preliminary mate. Boll Ist Sieroter Milan, 1976 Sep 30, 55(4), 292 - 8 {Methods for identification of rhodochrous bacterial complex}; Mandler F et al.; Branching observation, color and emulsionability of colonies, growth on BHI-agar, Mc Conkey-agar, Sabouraud, Mannitol Salt-agar, galattosidase, degradation of polyethylene glicol in 7H-10 medium, drug sensitivity to antituberculous drugs and semi-synthetic penicillins are reactions able to differentiate the rhodochrous complex from pathogenic pigmented Mycobacteria and Nocardia . Numerical taxonomy performed among 14 strains belonging to rhodochrous complex and 17 strains of Nocardia revealed a distinct separation of the two species and the non omogeneity of rhodochrous complex. J Biol Chem, 1976 Sep 25, 251(18), 5472 - 7 Physical and chemical studies on bacterial superoxide dismutases . Purification and some anion binding properties of the iron-containing protein of Escherichia coli B; Slykhouse TO et al.; Highly purified iron superoxide dismutase was obtained from Escherichia coli B using a modification of the procedure of Yost and Jridovich (Yost, F . J., Jr., and Fridovich, I . (1973) J . Biol . Chem . 248, 4905-4908) . The protein contained 1.8 +/- 0.2 atoms of iron per 38,700 g of protein . We have found that cyanide does not bind to the Fe3+ ion of iron dismutase but fluoride and azide have moderately large binding constants . Optical and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) measurements suggested that 2 fluoride ions could associate with each iron atom with the first having an association constant of approximately 520 M-1 and the second with an estimated value of 24 M-1 . Activity measurements yielded an inhibition constant for fluoride of 30 M-1 . At room temperature only one azide binds to the Fe3+ (K = 760 M-1) and this does not interfere with superoxide dismutase activity . Upon freezing solutions of iron superoxide dismutase in the presence of excess azide their color changes from yellow to pink . Combined EPR and optical titrations with azide suggest the presence of two binding sites on Fe3+ with only the first being occupied at room temperature and the second binding azide only upon freezing the solution . The results suggest that each Fe3+ ion of this superoxide dismutase has two coordination positions available for interaction with solute molecules but only one is necessary for catalysis of the superoxide dismutation reaction . The EPR, optical, and circular dichroism spectra of the native protein and the various fluoride and azide complexes are presented. C R Acad Sci Hebd Seances Acad Sci D, 1976 Sep 13, 283(4), 435 - 8 {The mechanism is action of hydrogen peroxide on bacterial metabolism}; Mucchielli A et al.; Hydrogen peroxide oxidizes glutathione and lipoic, pyruvic and alpha-ketoglutaric acids in vitro . This work with Escherichia coli shows that the oxidative decarboxylation of pyruvic acid by the peroxide in vivo takes into account its toxicity. Med Klin, 1976 Sep 10, 71(37), 1497 - 9 {Clinical and experimental studies of DBED-Penicilline in bacterial airway-infections in children}; Gadeke R; Serum concentrations and therapeutic effects of DBED-Penicilline was checked in 22 resp . 26 children, 1-14 years of age . 15 min up to 2 hours and more following oral application of DBED-Penicilline a bactericide serum level was observed . The clinical effectiveness of orally administered DBED-Penicilline was proved in airway-infections of children . The flavor of the drug was well accepted. Biochim Biophys Acta, 1976 Sep 7, 443(3), 534 - 44 How does lysozyme penetrate through the bacterial outer membrane? Witholt B, Heerikhuizen HV, De Leij L. Lysozyme fails to penetrate through the outer membrane of stationary phase cells of Escherichia coli when it is simply added to suspensions of plasmolyzed cells . Lysozyme penetrates the outer membrane only when these cells are exposed to a mild osmotic shock in the presence of EDTA and lysozyme . In the presence of Mg2+, the outer membrane is stabilized sufficiently so that there is no lysozyme penetration during osmotic shock . If Mg2+ is added after an osmotic shock has been used to cause lysozyme to penetrate a destabilized outer membrane, the outer membrane is stabilized once again . In this case however, cells are converted to spheroplasts by the lysozyme which has gained access to the murein layer prior to the addition of Mg2+ . Mg2+ stabilizes the outer membranes of these spheroplasts sufficiently so that they remain immune to lysis even in the absence of osmotic stabilizers such as sucrose . These results are discussed in terms of current information on the structure of the murein layer and the outer membrane. Acta Paediatr Scand, 1976 Sep, 65(5), 609 - 15 Stool bacterial aerobic overgrowth in the small intestine of children with acute diarrhoea; Neto UF et al.; The aerobic flora of 2 groups of children (normal and with malnutrition) with acute diarrhoea was studied, by intubation of the upper and middle small intestine and by stool culture . All the 27 children studied presented bacterial concentrations of 10(5) germs/ml at one or both levels studied . In 9 cases enteropathogen bacteria e were isolated from stools, and in 6 of these they were also found in the small intestine . The results show the elevated incidence of overgrowth of the small intestinal aerobic flora in children with acute diarrhoea . This fact is mentioned as another etiological factor to be taken into consideration in this pathology. Tsitologiia, 1976 Sep, 18(9), 1125 - 7 {Intracellular membrane structures of Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus during development in the bacterial host cell}; Konovalova SM et al.; Electron microscope investigation of intracellular membrane structures of Bd . bacteriovorous during its intracellular growth and development has been carried out . Increased amount of membrane structures has been stated . Along with simply organized invaginations of plasmalemma, complicated membrane structures resembling mesosomes of grampositive bacteria are observed . Localization of these structures testifies to their involvement in the synthesis of exotoxins and exoenzymes. Appl Environ Microbiol, 1976 Sep, 32(3), 355 - 9 Subsampling technique for measuring growth of bacterial cultures under high hydrostatic pressure; Taylor CD et al.; A method is presented for measuring growth of bacteria under high hydrostatic pressure in subsamples taken without pressure change in the incubation vessel . Subsamples may be withdrawn rapidly (5 s) and are not subjected to shear forces . Vice versa, nutrient media, labeled substrates, etc., may be introduced into the culture while under pressure . Chemical fixation of subsamples for electron microscopy or adenosine 5'-triphosphate determinations under pressure is also possible without affecting the growing culture . Data are given of growth experiments demonstrating the feasibility of the method . Problems of oxygen depletion are discussed. Clin Chem, 1976 Sep, 22(9), 4159 - 64 Automatic quantitative radiometric assay of bacterial metabolism; Buddemeyer E et al.; In a two-compartment scintillation vial, suspensions of bacteria were cultured with 1 muCi of {U-14C} glucose and the released 14C02 was measured continuously, cumulatively, and automatically in a liquid-scintillation counter modified to maintain sample temperature at 37 degrees C . We could follow the metabolism of bacterial populations through their early phase of exponential growth with good precision . The data were obtained conveniently, with use of conventional reagents, glassware, and counting equipment . From analysis of the exponential portion of the curves for cumulative activity vs . time, we could measure cell replication rate precisely in units of time . The resulting values were demonstrably independent of some common experimental variables, including the number of bacteria in the inoculum and counting system sensitivity . Sensitivity of the bacteria to antibiotics was measured to within a few percent by noting the relative prolongation of replication time in the presence of those inhibitors . The digital data from the scintillation counter are susceptible to on- or off-line computer analysis, thus providing the prospect for a totally-automated analytical system . The method shows promise for the mechanized quantitative analysis of bacterial growth, and its inhibition. Biokhimiia, 1976 Sep, 41(9), 1539 - 47 {Chemiosmotic mechanism of transport of biological macromolecules through bacterial membranes}; Grinius LL; A general mechanism of the nucleic acids transport through bacterial membranes during genetic transformation, transfection, viral infection and bacterial conjugation, has been developed . The uptake of nucleic acid occurs due to the symport with H+ ions down to an electrochemical potential gradient ("minus" inside) generated by respiration or ATP hydrolysis within recipient cells . The nucleic acid anions of non--lethal viruses are extruded from the negatively charged host cell cytoplasm by electrostatic repulsion . The difference of electrochemical potentials between the conjugating cells cytoplasms is considered as a driving force for the transport of DNA from the donor to the recipient cell. Mol Gen Genet, 1976 Aug 19, 147(2), 145 - 51 A proposal for a uniform nomenclature for the genetics of bacterial protein synthesis; Champney WS et al.; A new genetic nomenclature for the macromolecules involved in bacterial protein synthesis is proposed and explained . Genes for ribosomal proteins are designated rsp, rpl and rpm while genes for ribosomal RNAs are rrs and rrl . Protein synthesis factors and ribosome assembly and modification activities are also consistantly named. Mol Gen Genet, 1976 Aug 10, 147(1), 71 - 8 Regional replication of the bacterial chromosome induced by derepression of prophage lambda . II . Direction and origin; Hirai K et al.; We have demonstrated previously by DNA-DNA hybridization that induction of lambda phage with wild type O and P genes results in an increase of bacterial DNA in the chromosomal region adjacent to the left of the prophage; is a segment between gal and attlambda (gal DNA) (Imae and Fukasawa, 1970) . Evidence is presented in this report that such an increase of bacterial DNA is also seen in the region to the right of the prophage; a segment between bio and attlambda (bio DNA) . We postulate therefore that the bidirectional replication of lambda DNA extends beyond the prophage and copies the neighboring host DNA until the prophage is excised . The model is verified by making use of excision-defective lambda phages . The synthesis of gal DNA (or bio DNA) slows down to a halt within 40 min after the induction in the normal lysogens . The results are attributed to the prophage excision: (1) In lysogens for lambdaint, synthesis of the bacterial DNA continues for longer times . (2) The synthesis of the bacterial DNA slows down to a halt in lysogens for lambdaxis or lambdab2 as in the control . However lambda DNA synthesis also slows down in parallel so that the amount of the bacterial DNA relative to that of lambda DNA synthesized by a given time stays constant from 20 min to 80 min . During that time the relative amount of the bacterial DNA rapidly decreases in the normal lysogen. Mol Gen Genet, 1976 Aug 2, 146(3), 269 - 74 Cloning bacterial genes with plasmid gammadv; Mukai T et al.; recombinant molecules recovered from transformed E . coli cells consisted of a biologically functional bacterial DNA fragment and, excep J Gen Microbiol, 1976 Aug, 96(2), 207 - 12 An approach to numerical identification of bacterial species; Tsukamura M; The distribution of matching coefficients (M values) for strains of a species to their own 'hypothetical mean organism' (HMO) or to HMO patterns of other organisms was studied in 754 strains of 19 mycobacterial species, testing for 91 discriminating characters . The M values of strains of a species to the HMO of other species usually showed a normal distribution, and M values to their own HMO showed either a normal distribution of a binomial distribution, depending on the mean of M values . If the number of test characters was large, the binomial distribution usually resembled the normal distribution . After preparation of the HMO for every species and estimation of the mean of the M values (M) and the standard deviation (s), numerical identification could be carried out: if a test strain had an M value to the HMO of species chi that only fell within the range (M +/2s) for species chi, the strain would be identified as a member of that species. Fed Proc, 1976 Aug, 35(10), 2185 - 9 Selective advantages of various bacterial carbohydrate transport mechanisms; Andrews KJ et al.; At least four strategies have been developed by bacteria for capturing carbohydrates . They are typified by the transport mechanisms for glycerol, glucose, lactose, and galactose in Escherichia coli . Glycerol enters the cell by facilitated diffusion catalyzed by specific membrane protein . Once inside the cell, the substrate is trapped by phosphorylation mediated by an adenosine triphosphate (ATP)-dependent kinase . glucose is phosphorylated in transit by a membrane-associated phosphoenolpyruvate phosphotransferase system (PTS) . A specific component of this complex serves also for signal recognition to chemotaxis . Lactose is concentrated chemically unaltered by beta-galactoside permease driven by a proton motive force . Galactose is also pumped into the cell, but the process is energized by ATP or its equivalent . In addition, there is a periplasmic galactose-binding protein essential for both transport and chemotactic response . The relative functional merits of each kind of transport mechanism are discussed . Although many bacterial species possess both the concentrative mechanism and the PTS, some employ the former and others the latter for beta-galactoside utilization . The postulate that the PTS is more avid in scavenging while the concentrative permease system permits a broader range of substrate exploitation is supported by the growth responses of 12 bacterial strains to several beta-galactosides. J Bacteriol, 1976 Aug, 127(2), 982 - 7 Method for the isolation of the replication region of a bacterial replicon: construction of a mini-F'kn plasmid; Lovett MA et al.; A purified fragment of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) that determines resistance to kanamycin and is incapable of self-replication was used to select a self-replicating fragment from an EcoRI endonuclease digest of the sex factor F'lac . This F'lac fragment, exhibiting a molecular weight of 6 X 10(6), carries the genes essential for maintenance of the F replicon in Escherichia coli cells . The constructed mini-F'km plasmid also retains the incompatibility properties of the parent F'lac plasmid . Large amounts of the kanamycin resistance fragment of a molecular weight of 4.5 X 10(6) with an EcoRI-cleaved, self-replicating derivative of colicinogenic plasmid E1 that has a molecular weight of 2.2 X 10(6), The recombinant plasmid is able to replicate extensively in E . coli in medium containing chloramphenicol, and, therefore, large quantities of this plasmid DNA can be obtained . The substantial difference in size between the two fragments in the recombinant plasmid greatly facilitates their separation by preparative agarose gel electrophoresis. Invest Ophthalmol, 1976 Aug, 15(8), 648 - 51 The effects of aspirin and indomethacin on the ocular response to circulating bacterial endotoxin in the rabbit; Howes EL Jr et al.; A transient iridocyclitis is produced in rabbits by the intravenous injection of bacterial endotoxin . A major feature of this response is an altered vascular permeability which can be measured by the ocular accumulation of circulating 125I-labeled albumin . The present study was made to determine the effects of inhibitors of prostaglandin synthesis of the ocular response to an E . coli 055:B5 endotoxin . Aspirin pretreatment prevented the ocular response following the intravenous injection of 10 mug per kilogram of endotoxin, but had no effect following 100 mug per kilogram . Indomethacin pretreatment prevented an alteration in ocular vascular permeability 1 1/2 hours after the injection of 100 mug per kilogram of endotoxin and significantly reduced the alteration 4 hours after endotoxin . Thus inhibitors of prostaglandin synthesis can prevent the ocular response to circulating endotoxin depending on their relative potency and the amount of injected endotoxin . These results suggest that prostaglandins are important in the ocular response to circulating endotoxin in the rabbit. J Immunol, 1976 Aug, 117(2), 569 - 75 Analysis of the diversity of murine antibodies to dextran B1355 . I . Generation of a larger, pauci-clonal response by a bacterial vaccine; Hansburg D et al.; Mice immunized with a combination of dextran B1355 in adjuvant followed by three injections of 2 x 10(9) Escherichia coli B organisms produced an average of 14.5 mg/ml of anti-dextran antibodies . It was demonstrated that the stimulating effect of E . coli B was due to antigenic determinants cross-reactive with B1355 and not solely because of adjuvant properties of the organism . The anti-dextran antibodies were distributed among both 7S and 19S components . Isoelectric focusing of the 7S antibodies showed several spectrotypes of antibody, most of which were shared by the majority of the individual sera . The limited spectrotypic heterogeneity of the 7S antibodies was supported by idiotypic studies . Thus, a heterologous, anti-idiotypic serum, rabbit anti-M104, was prepared which distinguished between two closely related myeloma proteins, M104 and J558,with specificity for alpha-(1 leads to 3) dextran . This antiserum demonstrated that some, but not all, of the 7S and 19S anti-dextran antibodies possessed variable region determinants cross-reactive with M104. Science, 1976 Jul 30, 193(4251), 405 - 8 Mg2+, Ca2+-dependent adenosine triphosphatase as receptor for divalent cations in bacterial sensing; Zukin RS et al.; The Mg2+, Ca2+-dependent adenosine triphosphatase responsible for interconversion of the energized membrane state to adenosine triphosphate is the receptor for divalent metal ions in bacterial chemotaxis . The receptors controlling bacterial behavior show a common pattern of dual functions. N Engl J Med, 1976 Jul 15, 295(3), 135 - 9 Echocardiography in bacterial endocarditis; Wann LS et al.; We examined 129 standard M-mode echocardiograms obtained in 65 patients (16 to 73 years old) with bacterial endocarditis . Twenty of the 22 patients with vegetations recognizable by echocargiography died, or underwent cardiac operation (mean interval from admission 22 days, and range two to 120 days) . Vegetations were seen on the echocardiograms in 22 (aortic 10, mitral nine and tricuspid three, with anatomic confirmation in 19) . Of patients without vegetations on echocardiography none underwent emergency operation or died as a result of cardiac disease (mean follow-up period of 14 months, range of two to 38 months) . Other echocardiographic findings in those with vegetations included early mitral-valve closure (six), "flail" aortic leaflet (three), and "flail" mitral leaflet (three) . Echocardiography can provide a rapid, reliable noninvasive diagnosis of bacterial vegetations in certain patients with bacterial endocarditis and may identify patients with more severe disease who may require operative intervention. J Periodontol, 1976 Jul, 47(7), 419 - 22 Effects of two cetylpyridinium chloride-containing mouthwashes on bacterial plaque; Barnes GP et al.; The purpose of this single blind clinical study was to determine the effects of two commerical mouthwashes (one containing cetylpyridinium chloride and domiphen bromide and the other containing only cetlypridinium chloride) on existing plaque accumulations . A second purpose was to determine if a residual effect could be shown 2 weeks after cessation of using these mouthwashes . A total of 120 adult subjects, who had been divided into three groups, were initially in the study . For a period of 31 days, the subjects in Group A rinsed with a commercial mouthwash containing cetylpyridinium chloride and domiphen bromide; Group B rinsed with a commercial mouthwash containing only ceytlpyridinium chloride; and Group C served as controls and rinsed with colored flavored water . All subjects continued their normal home oral hygiene practices, except that mothwashes other than as assigned were forbidden . The subjects received three identical examinations to determine their plaque scores . The examinations were conducted the day preceding initiation; the day following cessation; and 15 days after cessation of the rinsing procedures . A total of 105 subjects received the first and second examinations, and 93 subjects received all three examinations . Based upon the data obtained, the daily use of each of the cetylpyridinium chloride mouthwashes tested, appears to be partially effective in reducing existing bacterial plaque accumulations . The cetylpyridinium chloride-domophen bromide product was slightly, but not significantly, more effective than the other commercial mouthwash . Neither commerical product demonstrated a significant residual effect 2 weeks after cessation of use. Mol Gen Genet, 1976 Jul 5, 146(1), 51 - 4 Role of the bacterial and phage recombination systems and of DNA replication in genetic recombination of UV-irradiated phage Lambda; Blanco M et al.; In this paper are studied in E . coli K12 the influence of the bacterial Rec and phage mu Red recombination systems on the rescue of the O plus gene from the prophage by a superinfecting O minus phage, UV irradiated or not . In the absence of UV irradiation the Red system produces more recombinants than does the Rec system, and its action requires DNA replication . The presence of UV lesions in the mu DNA facilitates the action of the Rec system, which is more efficient in this instance than the Red system and can act in the absence of DNA replication . In all cases, there is a cooperation between the two generalized recombination systems. Gastroenterology, 1976 Jul, 71(1), 94 - 7 Jaundice in severe bacterial infection; Miller DJ et al.; Thirty patients are described who developed jaundice during the course of severe bacterial infection . Although the infecting organism was variable, as was the site of infection, the patients were generally ill and pyrexial . The group had a very high mortality rate (43%) . A positive blood culture was obtained in 11 patients . Biochemical abnormalities noted were those of an increased concentration of conjugated bilirubin in the serum with only a modest increase in alkaline phosphatase and transaminase levels . Serum cholesterol was found to be normal . The mean serum urea level was significantly elevated, as were creatine phosphokinase and lactic dehydrogenase . Most patients exhibited a neutrophil leukocytosis and an elevated sedimentation rate, and the mean hemoglobin level was low . Liver histology was studied in 13 patients . There was evidence of mild bile stasis in 5 and moderate bile stasis in 2 . Findings were otherwise nonspecific and were characterized by fatty change and/or inflammatory cells in the portal areas . There was no correlation between degree or duration of juandice and prognosis, although all patients who died remained jaundiced until death . It is suggested that this syndrome is not one of true cholestasis in that all biliary substances were not shown to be elevated in the serum, but that it is rather a selective defect in the excretion of conjugated bilirubin. G Batteriol Virol Immunol, 1976 Jul-Dec, 69(7-12), 260 - 4 {Verification of contamination with bacterial endotoxins in blood derivatives used in coagulative disorders: observations with the Limulus test}; Fumarola D et al.; The AA . expose the results of an investigation for an in vitro endotoxin assay by Limulus lysate test in blood products employed in coagulative area . The Limulus assay has been shown to be a simple, rapid, accurate and sensitive method of detecting bacterial endotoxin or endotoxin-like material in these biological products. G Batteriol Virol Immunol, 1976 Jul-Dec, 69(7-12), 229 - 33 {Possible contamination of preparation of transfer factor with bacterial endotoxins}; Fumarola D et al.; In order to detect the possible contamination with bacterial endotoxins of some preparations of Transfer Factor, Limulus amebocyte lysate test was performed . The results obtained (TF preparations positive with L.T . for endotoxin assay) call sur detection to evaluate very carefully the immunologic responses in vitro ad in vivo, with these biological products contaminate can induce . In fact, bacterial endotoxins with their multiple potent effect on biologic system, represent a contant possible surce of variability in experimental biology and pathology. Zentralbl Bakteriol {Orig B}, 1976 Jul, 162(1-2), 157 - 68 Initial reactions in the bacterial degradation of aromatic hydrocarbons; Gibson DT; Bacteria incorporate two atoms of molecular oxygen into aromatic hydrocarbons with the formation of cis dihydrodiols . The production of cis dihydrodiols has been demonstrated for substrates that range in size from benzene to benzo{a}pyrene . These results are in direct contrast to the mechanisms utilized by mammals, and possibly all eucaryotic organisms, for the oxidation of aromatic hydrocarbons . Thus, mammals incorporate one atom of molecular oxygen into these substrates to form arene oxides . Hydration of the latter compounds produces dihydrodiols that have a trans stereochemistry. Biophys J, 1976 Jul, 16(7), 779 - 89 Model for the chemotactic response of a bacterial population; Lapidus IR et al.; We present a mathematical model for the motion of a bacterial population in prescribed attractant or repellent gradients . The model is suggested by the observations of Mesibov et al . (1973, J . Gen . Physiol . 62:203) and Brown and Berg (1974, Proc . Natl . Acad . Sci . U.S.A . 71:1388) who found that the sensitivity of the chemotactic response depends on the concentration of attractant . Predictions of the theory are in general agreement with the experiments of Dahlquist et al . (1972, Nat . New Biol . 236:120) and of Mesibov et al . on populations of motile bacteria in fixed attractant gradients . Additional tests of the model are proposed. Radiology, 1976 Jul, 120(1), 135 - 8 Gallium-67 myocardial imaging for the detection of bacterial endocarditis; Wiseman J et al.; Eleven patients with a clinical diagnosis of bacterial endocarditis underwent scintillation scanning of the precordial region 2-7 days after the intravenous administration of 3 mCi of gallium-67 citrate . Seven had positive scans, 3 of which were confirmed by postmortem imaging at autopsy . Serial images revealed the scans to be frequently negative at 48 hours and positive from 3 to 8 days following injection . Uptake was not seen in the region of the myocardium 48 hours or longer after the injection of 15 patients without endocarditis used as controls. Biochem J, 1976 Jul 1, 157(1), 161 - 7 Isolation and properties of a small manganese-ion-stimulated bacterial alkaline phosphatase; Fitt PS et al.; 1 . An alkaline phosphatase was partially purified from extracts of Halobacterium cutirubrum . 2 . The enzyme has a mol.wt . of 15 500 and is therefore less than one-quarter of the size of other known bacterial alkaline phosphatases . 3 . It is stimulated up to ten-fold by Mn2+, but not by Ca2+ or Mg2+ . 4 . The activities with and without Mn2+ cannot be separated by gel filtration and have similar restricted substrate specificities . 5 . The only substrates for the enzyme that have so far been found are p-nitrophenyl phosphate, 5'-dATP, 5'-dTMP and 5'-dTTP. Chem Biol Interact, 1976 Jul, 14(1-2), 81 - 91 Effect of nitrofurazone on bacterial RNA and ribosome synthesis and on the function of ribosomes; Tu Y et al.; Exposure of E . coli B/r to nitrofurazone strongly inhibits the synthesis of all classes of RNA and both ribosomal sub-units . Polysome formation is likewise inhibited . However, in E . coli nfr-207 a mutant of B/r which lacks nitrofurazone-reductase I, the synthesis of RNA, ribosomal sub-units and formation of polysomes are not significantly affected . This result implies that a reduced metabolite of the drug rather than the drug itself is the active agent . The ability of ribosomes isolated from nitrofurazone-treated E . coli B/r to carry out poly-U directed polyphenylalanine synthesis was lower than that of ribosomes from untreated cells . 14C from labelled nitrofurazone was found to bind to ribosomal sub-units. Fed Proc, 1976 Jul, 35(9), 2037 - 43 A restriction endonuclease analysis of the bacterial plasmid controlling the ecoRI restriction and modification of DNA; Betlach M et al.; Genetic analyses of DNA restriction and modification mechanisms have been encumbered by the inability to rigorously select for mutant phenotypes associated with these systems . The application of restriction endonucleases has now proved to be a successful approach to the genetic analyses of small genomes that are recalcitrant to the more standard genetic techniques . Restriction endonucleases EcoRI and HindIII were used to analyze the structure of the plasmid genome responsible for the EcoRI restriction endonuclease and modification methylase . This plasmid in the original clinical isolate of Escherichia coli appears to be identical to the ColE 1 plasmid except for a 1.95 kilobase pair segment which contains these genes . A preliminary restriction map of this plasmid is presented. AJR Am J Roentgenol, 1976 Jul, 127(1), 155 - 65 Demonstration of purulent bacterial intracranial infections by computed tomography; Zimmerman RA et al.; Computed tomography is shown to be an important modality in both diagnosis and management of cerebral infections . Representative findings from CT scans of patients with purulent bacterial infection of the meninges, cerebrum, ventricles, and adjacent structures are presented . Material is taken from 2,645 CT scans done in a 1 year period at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania . It is hoped that the use of CT will lead to a decrease of morbidity and mortality in entities such as brain abscess and subdural empyema. Zentralbl Bakteriol {Orig B}, 1976 Jul, 162(1-2), 201 - 4 {Determination of the toxicity of industrial waste by means of a bacterial test (author's transl)}; Kramer FJ et al.; The decision on whether industrial waste should be deposited on general or special dumps depends upon the toxicity of the waste and thus upon the risk of ground-water pollution and the killing off of micro-organisms responsible for breaking down waste products . Since chemical analyses that are to provide information on toxicity are frequently very costly, an attempt was made to determine the toxicity of solid or semi-solid waste with the aid of a bacterial test . As in the perforated-plate test, here, too, the formation and size of inhibition zones were used to determine the toxicity after diffusion of substances contained in industrial waste . About 30 different types of industrial waste were examined with this method . For almost all substances a positive correlation of the (known) constituents of waste to the formation of inhibition zones was found to exist . The influence exercised by solubility and diffusibility and other problems are dealt with. Biochemistry, 1976 Jun 29, 15(13), 2754 - 8 Biosynthesis of bacterial menaquinones: the membrane-associated 1,4-dihydroxy-2-naphthoate octaprenyltransferase of Escherichia coli; Shineberg B et al.; It has been postulated that 1,4-dihydroxy-2-naphthoic acid is the naphthalenic intermediate in the biosynthesis of menaquinone (vitamin K2) in Escherichia coli to which the octaprenyl side chain is attached to from demethylmenaquinone . In the present work the presence of enzyme, 1,4-dihydroxy-2-naphthoate octaprenyltransferase, which catalyzes the conversion of 1,4-dihydroxy-2-naphthoate to demethylmenaquinone was demonstrated in cell extracts of E . coli . Demethylmenaquinone-9 was formed when the naphthoate was incubated with cell extracts and the synthetic substrate, solanesyl pyrophosphate, in the presence of Triton X-100 . Solanesyl monophosphate could not substitute for the pyrophosphate in the reaction . The prenylation of of 1,4-dihydroxy-2-naphthoate was also studied in a strain of E . coli which accumulates octaprenyl pyrophosphate, the natural precursor of the menaquinone side chain . The octaprenyltransferase was shown to be membrane bound and to require magnesium ions for optimal activity . A menA-mutant of E . coli was found to lack the octaprenyltransferase activity, suggesting that the menA gene is the structural gene for this enzyme . However, this strain had normal levels of 4-hydroxybenzoate octaprenyltransferase, the enzyme catalyzing the analogous prenylation reaction in ubiquinone biosynthesis, providing additional evidence that the two octaprenyltransferases are quite distinct. C R Acad Sci Hebd Seances Acad Sci D, 1976 Jun 21, 282(23), 2119 - 22 {Biochemical determination of B . thuringiensis thermostabile, exotoxin, using the inhibition of bacterial RNA polymerases}; de Barjac H et al.; This method can determine amounts of exotoxin near 1 mug . Used on the autoclaved filtrates of cultures of B . thuringiensis var . thuringiensis (serotype 1 type-strain), it shows an excretion rate of 250 to 300 mug per millilitre . The results on different exotoxin-producer strains give a perfect parallelism with the results obtained by bio-assays on Insects, but the biochemical method is more accurate and reproducible . This biochemical technique allows us, for the first time, to place the exotoxin excretion during the sporulation stage and not during the exponential growth. Experientia, 1976 Jun 15, 32(6), 735 - 6 Bacterial endotoxin and impaired fetal development; Coid CR; Small doses of E . coli endotoxin given to pregnant mice on the 13th day of pregnancy caused only a mild maternal illness but induced resorption of approximately half the number of fetuses in each mouse . The remaining live fetuses developed normally and showed no evidence of retarded growth or malformations . The weights of their placentas and maternal spleens increased significantly . Endotoxin given on the 6th day of pregnancy caused a small reduction in fetal weights. Experientia, 1976 Jun 15, 32(6), 677 - 83 Hydrosoluble immunostimulants of bacterial and synthetic origins; Jolles P; The role of whole Mycobacteria, mycobacterial cell walls and waxes D as immunostimulants was well established many years ago . More recently three different research groups have shown that hydrosoluble components from mycobacterial and other bacterial origins were as active as waxes D or cell walls and were free of many side-effects . Studies concerning the relationship between structure and activity were achieved which led to the description of a small biologically active fragment and to a first series of synthetic compounds. J Biol Chem, 1976 Jun 10, 251(11), 3338 - 45 Interaction of bacterial initiation factor 2 with initiator tRNA; Sundari RM et al.; Interaction of bacterial polypeptide chain initiation factor 2 (IF-2) with Escherichia coli formylmethionyl-tRNA in the absence of free Mg2+ renders the fMet-tRNA adsorable to nitrocellulose membrane filters . This reaction does not require GTP and is strongly inhibited by low concentration (1 mM) of Mg2+ in the reaction mixture . The structural requirements of the tRNA for binary complex formation have been studied using modified fMet-tRNAfMet molecules and a series of N-blocked and normal aminoacyl-rRNAs . It has been observed that IF-2 will not blind either to free formylmethionine or to a short fMet-oligonucleotide, but will bind to any xRNA structure covalently attached to an N-blocked methionine group . The E . coli initiator and noninitiator methiionine tRNAs, which have many differences in primary structure, were found to bind identically . In addition, fMet-tRNAfMet molecules containing structural modidifications at 20 different sites had the same affinity for IF-2 as unmodified fMet-tRNAfMet . N-blocked eukaryotic initiator tRNAs were also found to bind strongly to the factor . Binary complex formation was readily reversible, f{14C}Met-tRNAfMet being competed out by addition of an equal amount of unlabeled fMet-tRNAfMet to the preformed complex . In contrast, deacylated tRNAfMet was a poor compeitor, a 30-fold excess being required for 50% inhibition of complex formation in the presence of limiting factor . Although tRNAs having an N-blocked methionine were found to have the greatest affinity for IF-2, specificity for the amino acid in binary complex formation was not absolute . Partial binding was observed with N-substituted tyrosine, valine, and phenylalanine tRNAs, and weak or no binding with N-subsituted lysine, alanine, and leucine tRNAs . In all cases, N-blocked derivatives had a higher affinity for IF-2 than the corresponding unsubstituted aminoacyl-tRNAs . These results indicate that IF-2 alone is not capable of distinguishing the nucleotide sequence of tRNAs and selects the initiator tRNA by recognizing the fMet moiety . The overall data suggest that the role of IF-2 in formation of the ribosomal initiation complex is to stablize the interaction of fMet-tRNAfMet with the ribosome at low Mg2+ concentrations by binding to both the ribosomal particle and the fMet group of the tRNA. J Biol Chem, 1976 Jun 10, 251(11), 3306 - 12 Mechanism of the irreversible inhibition of aspartate aminotransferase by the bacterial toxin L-2-amino-4-methoxy-trans-3-butenoic acid; Rando RR et al.; The naturally occurring toxin L-2-amino-4-methoxy-trans-3-butenoic (AMB) acid irreversibly inhibits pyridoxal phosphate-linked aspartate aminotransferase . The inhibitor is a substrate for the enzyme, and as such is converted into a highly reactive intermediate which chemically reacts with an active site residue, thus irreversibly inactivating the enzyme . Enzymological and model studies on AMB are presented which enable one to determine the precise mechanism of action of this toxin . The mechanism involves Schiff base formation between the enzyme and toxin followed by alpha-C--H bond cleavage and aldimine isomerization to generate a bifunctional Michael acceptor . This molecule alkylates an active site residue by an addition and elimination route. J Infect Dis, 1976 Jun, 133 Suppl, A30 - 6 Cellular basis of interferon formation and hyporeactivity after exposure to bacterial lipopolysaccharide; Ho M et al.; Endotoxin apparently induces interferon in only a few types of cell, yet it produces strong hyporesponsiveness to a large number of agents . After incubation for 24 hr with endotoxin in vitro, tissue cultures of thymus, spleen, mesenteric lymph nodes, and to a lesser extent, liver and lung produced interferon . Lymphoid tissues of bone marrow-derived (B-) cells (sacculus rotundus, appendix, and Peyer's patches) and kidney did not produce interferon . Adherent spleen cells produced more interferon than nonadherent cells . Purification of spleen cells on a bovine serum albumin gradient showed that light, DNA-synthesizing cells made interferon in response to endotoxin or polyriboinosinic-polyribocytidylic acid . Mouse spleen cells produced a "late" interferon 24-48 hr after exposure to endotoxin, which, in contrast to "early" interferon (produced at 0-24 hr) from spleen and other tissues, is stable at 56 C for 60 min . It is suggested that this late interferon represents a "B-cell" interferon . Hyporeactivity was produced in vitro by endotoxin only in tissues that make endotoxin-induced interferon, a fact consistent with the theory that the interferon-inducing mechanism must be initiated before hyporeactivity results . The fact that endotoxin has been found to act on a fairly large range of cells (i.e., macrophages, thymus-derived cells, and probably B-lymphocytes) explains its ability to produce broad hyporesponsiveness. J Gen Microbiol, 1976 Jun, 94(2), 257 - 69 Defined bacterial populations in the rumens of gnotobiotic lambs; Lysons RJ et al.; Five gnotobiotic lambs were fed on sterile diets until they were killed at 13 to 21 weeks of age . They were dosed orally with different combinations of 11 species of rumen bacteria . The biochemical reactions of each of the bacteria inoculated had been determined in pure culture in vitro, and they were chosen to perform the main reactions known to be associated with digestion in the normal mature rumen . Two of the bacteria could not be reisolated, but the remainder had established readily in the rumen, forming stable, mixed, defined populations . The total numbers of bacteria in the rumen, and the viable counts of most of the individual species were comparable to those of normal sheep . The concentration of volatile fatty acids was lower, however, and in four of the lambs there was a higher proportion of butyric acid and a lower proportion of propionic acid than in normal sheep . Cellulolytic, ureolytic, and methanogenic activities appeared to be taking place and lactate-utilizing bacteria appeared to reverse the accumulation of lactate which resulted from the activity of lactate-producing bacteria . Some of the bacteria also established at high levels in the caecum. J Gen Microbiol, 1976 Jun, 94(2), 281 - 9 Similarities between plasmids of the P-incompatibility group derived from different bacterial genera; Stanisich VA et al.; The properties of four P-group plasmids, R26, R527, R751 and R906, which differ in resistance phenotype or in the bacterial species in which they were first detected, have been compared with the prototype of this group, RPI . Two of the plasmids, R26 and R527, are new isolates which have been assigned to the P group because of their incompatibility with R751 . The properties studied include response to aeruginocin and to male and female sex-specific phages, interaction with prophage B3 and fertility inhibition by plasmid R38 . Strains harbouring these plasmids behaved similarly in all tests except those involving aeruginocin . This suggests that the locus for aeruginocin-insensitivity is one of the R-determinants whereas the genes controlling the remaining characteristics are closely linked to the transfer factor . These plasmids may therefore have a common ancestor and their differences in resistance phenotype may simply reflect recombination events which they have undergone subsequently . Their similarity is also seen in transduction experiments, since determinants from two of these plasmids can be 'rescued' by the P-group plasmid R18 if this is already present in the recipient cell and the host recombination system is functional. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg, 1976 Jun, 71(6), 880 - 3 Bacterial endocarditis in pregnancy: successful surgical correction; Nazarian M et al.; Bacterial endocarditis, an extremely rare and serious complication during pregnancy, is almost always fatal to the fetus . This paper describes successful aortic valve replacement in a woman who was 22 weeks' pregnant . She had acute bacterial endocarditis with aortic insufficiency and severe congestive heart failure . At term, she was delivered of a live infant . We believe this is the first case of a fetus surviving such a complication. Ann Clin Res, 1976 Jun, 8(3), 174 - 81 Bacterial, viral and auto antibodies in acute and chronic liver disease; Triger DR; There have been numerous reports of elevated antibody titres to a variety of bacteria and viruses in the sera of patients with acute and chronic liver disease . The results are reviewed in the light of the immunological function of the liver, notably its ability to sequester exogenous antigens and the loss of this property following liver damage . Non-organ specific auto-antibodies are also commonly found in most forms of acute and chronic liver disease, the pattern varying from one disorder to another . A possible hypothesis linking these phenomena is put forward. Infect Immun, 1976 Jun, 13(6), 1773 - 4 Bacterial competition as a means of preventing neonatal diarrhea in pigs; Davidson JN et al.; Baby pigs orally inoculated with a porcine strain of enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (K88+,Ent+) showed signs of depression, severe diarrhea, and, in some instances, death . Few, if any, signs of illness occurred if baby pigs were first inoculated with a K88 possessing non-enterotoxin-producing strain of E . coli. J Hyg (Lond), 1976 Jun, 76(3), 367 - 78 Bacterial dispersion in relation to operating room clothing; Whyte W et al.; The effect of operating clothing on the dispersal of bacterial particles from the wearers was studied in a dispersal chamber . A comparison was made of six gowns as well as four types of trousers . The gowns were of three basic types, namely a conventional cotton type, disposable types made of non-woven fabric and those of the total-body exhaust system (Charnley type) . The dispersal chamber could simulate conditions as expected both in down-flow unidirectional ultra-clean systems and in a conventional turbulent plenum-ventilated system . It was found that the disposable gowns would reduce the dispersal rate by about 30% in the simulated conventionally ventilated system and about 65% in the laminar flow system . The total-body exhaust system (Charnley) would reduce the count by 10-fold in the conventional ventilated system and by 66-fold in the laminar-flow system . The poor performance of the gowns in conventionally ventilated systems was caused by the dispersal of bacterial particles from underneath the gown (about 80%) . This was not reduced by the disposable gown and only partially by the Charnley type . This small drop would be further decreased in a conventionally ventilated operating-room as only scrubbed staff would wear the gown . In order to overcome this poor performance in conventionally ventilated operating-rooms impervious trousers would be required . Four types were studied and it was demonstrated that those made either from Ventile or non-woven fabric would reduce the bacterial dispersion fourfold . As these tests had been carried out in an artificial environment checks were carried out in the unidirectional-flow operating-room during total-hip arthroplasty . This was done by comparing conventional cotton gowns with non-woven gowns and total-body exhaust gowns . The results showed good correlation between the operating room and the chamber with the non-woven fabric gown but the total-body exhaust system did not perform as well in the operating room (12-fold compared to 66-fold) the difference being possibly due to the contribution from the patient . However, as this comparison was that which would be most open to influence from other variables confidence could be placed on the chamber test results . Values were also obtained for the total number of bacterial particles dispersed by persons during a standard exercise wearing different clothing . This count was dependent on the clothing worn but a median count of between 1000 and 1500 bacterial particles/min . would be expected when conventional clothing was worn, with a range of between 300 and 19,000 . This count could be reduced to about 100/min . if a total-body exhaust suit was worn (range 30-400). Acta Med Okayama, 1976 Jun, 30(3), 209 - 14 An extremely basic monoclonal IgG in an aged apoplectic patient with prolonged bacterial infection; Arima T et al.; A case with prolonged bacterial infection accompanied by an abnormal serum protein which migrated in the post-gamma region on electrophoresis is presented . The abnormal protein was identified as IgG with gamma-type light chain moiety . The patient suffered from prolonged pneumonia and cholecystitis, Bone marrow aspiration and skeletal x-rays did not indicate multiple myeloma. C R Acad Sci Hebd Seances Acad Sci D, 1976 May 17, 282(19), 1761 - 4 {Behavior of opticol isomers of tryptophan and of its structural analogs inhibiting bacterial growth in chromatography on high crystallinity cellulose}; Munier RL et al.; A chromatographic system (microcrystalline cellulose-netural, weakly acidic or alkaline solvent) highly efficient and specific for the separation of the optical isomers of tryptophan and of its structural analogs with indol nucleus is described. J Biol Chem, 1976 May 10, 251(9), 2541 - 9 Induced polypeptide synthesis during the development of bacterial bioluminescence; Michaliszyn GA et al.; The dramatic increase in bioluminescence observed during the later exponential growth of Beneckea harveyi is due to the induction of luciferase activity . The mechanism by which luciferase activity is induced and the possible existence of other induced proteins was investigated in a double-labelind experiment: {4,5-3H}leucine was incorporated into cellular proteins synthesized during the luminescence lag period in early growth; {14C}leucine was incorporated during the later period of luminescence induction . The protein of the cell-free extract were extensively fractionated and luciferase was purified to homogeneity . Analysis of the radioactivity incorporated into the alpha and beta subunits of luciferase showed a dramatic but equal decrease in the 3H/14C ratio for both subunits . This result proves that the synthesis of the alpha and beta chains of luciferase is subject to similar controls and that the regulatory mechanism is operative at the level of gene transcription, or translation at the time of bioluminescence induction, or both . Several additional polypeptides have been found which also show a marked decrease in their 3H/14C ratio indicating that their synthesis is induced during the same period as luciferase . In addition, one polypeptide that is synthesized specifically in the bioluminescence lag period was also detected . The function and role of these new polypeptides with respect to the bioluminescent system is presently under investigation. Mol Gen Genet, 1976 May 7, 145(2), 155 - 8 A method for the deletion of restriction sites in bacterial plasmid deoxyribonucleic acid; Covey C et al.; A general method has been developed for the deletion of restriction endonuclease sites in bacterial plasmid DNA . The procedure involves partial digestion of the covalently closed circular plasmid DNA with an appropriate restriction endonuclease under conditions which allow accumulation of unit-length linear DNA molecules, a controlled digestion of the exposed 5' ends with the lambda 5'-exonuclease, and in vivo recircularization of the resulting linear DNA in a bacterial host cell . The method has been used for the deletion of one of the two EcoRI sites in the plasmid pML2 (colE1-Km) . Two of the resulting plasmids, pCR1 and pCR11, have a single EcoRI cleavage site, but retain genetic determinants specifying resistance to colicin E1 and kanamycin, and thus may be useful as vectors for the cloning and amplification of DNA in bacteria. Can J Microbiol, 1976 May, 22(5), 764 - 9 Release of bacterial alkaline phosphatase in the rumen of cattle fed a feedlot bloat-provoking diet or a hay diet; Cheng KJ et al.; Alkaline phosphatase (APase) was present in the bovine rumen in both cell-free and cell-associated states and levels of the enzyme varied with dietary regime . Reaction product deposition showed that the enzyme was associated with the mixed bacterial population . No enzyme was observed to be associated with protozoa . Trace activity of APase was also detected in the saliva . The presence of large amounts of APase in cell-free rumen fluid of cattle fed fine concentrate feed is believed to be due, in part, to the breakage of bacterial cells that occurs in the rumen. Am J Cardiol, 1976 May, 37(6), 920 - 2 Acute coronary embolism complicating bacterial endocarditis: operative treatment; Pfeifer JF et al.; A patient with bacterial endocarditis and no previous history of angina substained an acute anterolateral myocardial infarction while awaiting surgery . Selective coronary arteriography revealed a filling defect in the left anterior descending coronary artery with limited flow beyond the area of occlusion . A calcific embolus from the infected aortic valve was removed at the time of valve replacement, and the patient had an uneventful immediate postoperative course . Late postoperatively paravalvular aortic regurgitation recurred before and after a second repair. Circulation, 1976 May, 53(5), 911 - 4 Cord-like aortic valve vegetation in bacterial endocarditis . Demonstration by cardiac ultrasonography . Report of a case; Yoshikawa J et al.; The ultrasonic features in a case of bacterial endocarditis in which a highly mobile, cord-like vegetation, attached to the noncoronary cusp of the aortic valve, are reported . The echocardiogram demonstrated abnormal echo patterns in the left ventricular outflow tract in diastrole which were continuous with similar echoes in the aortic root . While these findings did not differ from the previously reported manifestations in cases of flailing aortic valve leaflets, the cardiac ultrasonogram distinguished this vegetative growth . Cardiac ultrasonography revealed a cord-like characteristic, showed the movement of the entire growth into the left ventricular outflow tract in diastole and into the aorta in systole, and allowed estimation of the size of the vegetation . We conclude that cardiac ultrasonography can help in differentiating aortic valve leaflet flail and vegetations in endocarditis. Cesk Patol, 1976 May, 12(2), 78 - 82 {Septic complications and atypical bacterial endocarditis in patients under hemodialysis}; Janda J et al.; In series of 68 patients who had been subjected to haemodialysis during life, septic complications were found in 16.2% . Bacterial endocarditis was observed in 8 of them . In 7 there occurred in abscess-like colliquation in the calcified attachment of the mitral valve . Lesioning by friction and an accelerated development of dystrophic valvular lesions are regarded the probable main etiopathogenic factors. Biull Eksp Biol Med, 1976 May, 81(5), 575 - 6 {Role of the adenyl cyclase system in achieving the immunogenesis-stimulating action of bacterial lipopolysaccharides--pyrogenal and endogenous serum pyrogen}; Dzheksenbaev OSh et al.; Experiments were conducted on rabbits immunized intraperitoneally with corpuscular typhoid vaccine; the number of antibody-forming cells in the spleen proved to increase after tha administration of bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS)--pyropeneal, and endogenous serum pyrogen (EPS) together with theopylline . The data obtained indicated that the adenylcyclase system played a certain role in the mechanism of the stimulating action of LPS and EPS. Am J Med Sci, 1976 May-Jun, 271(3), 335 - 41 Hospital-associated bacterial meningitis; Hodges GR et al.; Eighteen of 349 cases (5.2 per cent) of bacterial meningitis seen between 1949 and 1973 were hospital-associated (developed after admission to the hospital) . The patients were adults, usually males, and developed symptoms and signs of meningitis from 2 to 23 days (mean, 10.1 days) after hospital admission . The diagnosis of bacterial meningitis was made from less than 1 day to 15 days (mean, 4.8 days) after the onset of symptoms . Fourteen of the 18 patients had received antibiotics during the week prior to developing meningitis . Nine (50 per cent) had a chronic, noninfection, underlying illness . Diagnostic or surgical procedures involving the neuraxis or adjacent structures preceded the development of meningitis in 10 of the 18 patients (56 per cent) . Only 6 of the 18 patients survived their infection . Prompt recognition, diagnosis, and therapy of hospital-associated meningitis in high-risk patients may reduce the significant mortality. Infect Immun, 1976 May, 13(5), 1378 - 81 Inhibition by zinc of hemolysis induced by bacterial and other cytolytic agents; Avigad LS et al.; Zinc, cupric, and cadmium ions, in that order of effectiveness, inhibited lysis of washed, rabbit erythrocytes by the toxic bacterial product aerolysin . Hemolysis induced by a variety of other lytic agents was also inhibited by Zn2+ in approximately the same concentration as that, 0.33 mM, needed to inhibit aerolysin-induced hemolysis . Zinc ions did not inhibit osmotic lysis . Inhibition requires the continues presence of Zn2+ and apparently involves a readily reversible binding of Zn2+ to the cell surface, which, it is postulated is accompanied by a reversible alteration in the state of the lipid bilayer. J Exp Med, 1976 May 1, 143(5), 1220 - 38 Antigen-initiated B-lymphocyte differentiation . VIII . Sedimentation velocity and buoyant density characterization of virgin antibody-forming cell progenitors in the adoptive immune response of unprimed CBA mice to 4-hydroxy-3-iodo-5-nitrophenylacetic acid-polymerized bacterial flagellin antigen; Fidler JM et al.; The characteristics of antibody-forming cell (AFC) progenitors lacking previous contact with specific antigen (virgin AFC progenitors) has been studied using sedimentation velocity and buoyant density separation for the investigation of physically distinct B-cell subpopulations . Functional characterization of isolated subsets was made using a quantitative adoptive immune assay for the IgM AFC progenitors responding to the antigen 4-hydroxy-3-iodo-5-nitrophenylacetic acid conjugated polymerized bacterial flagellin . Extensive heterogeneity is present among B lymphocytes, only some subpopulations of which exhibit AFC progenitor function . In the spleen of adult conventional CBA mice, atypically fast sedimenting cells of low buoyant density are active, while typical small B lymphocytes do not appear to be progenitors of IgM AFC . Spleen of adult specific pathogen-free (SPF), germfree, and athymic nude mice give similar results, although a minor population of typical slowly sedimenting dense cells are active in the latter two sources . Adult conventional bone marrow cells are as physically and functionally heterogeneous as splenic B cells, and although a significant proportion of AFC progenitor activity is found among dense, slowly sedimenting cells, most of the activity is among low density, faster sedimenting cells . In contrast to this situation in adult animals, where most of the unprimed AFC progenitors are large, atypical B cells, the spleens of neonatal mice provide a site where virgin AFC progenitors with the physical properties of typical small B lymphocytes are found . While being present in conventional and SPF neonatal spleens, these virgin cells are predominant in 7-day-old germfree mouse spleen . These findings suggest that the newborn virgin B cell is a typical small lymphocyte . However, few cells of this type are found in the adult animal . The unprimed AFC-progenitor population in the adult consists of large, fast sedimenting, low buoyant density, adherent cells, the physical properties of which are characteristic of activated B lymphocytes . It is suggested that these atypical cells are derived from the small newborn virgin B cell by the nonspecific effects of environmental antigenic stimuli. Can J Microbiol, 1976 May, 22(5), 619 - 29 Arrangement of morphological subunits in bacterial spinae; Easterbrook KB et al.; The filament, that is helically arranged to form the bacterial spina, is composed of morphological subunits (oligomers) about 5.6 nm in width and 11 nm in length . The oligomers are asymmetrical in that the inner surface is grooved . Image analysis of negative-stained spinae ribbons indicates that the oligomers are paired, possibly beaded structures, the arrangement of which is easily distorted during preparation . In intact spinae, the oligomer orientation may be normal to the filament axis, but in collapsed freeze-etched spinae, the oligomers are inclined at a constant angle of about 72 degrees to the filament axis. Mol Gen Genet, 1976 Apr 23, 145(1), 53 - 64 A bacterial RNA polymerase mutant that renders lambda growth independent of the N and cro functions at 42 degrees C; Lecocq J et al.; We describe a bacterial RNA polymerase mutation, rif 501, which confers rifampicin resistance and thermosensitivity to E . coli K 12 . The purified RNA polymerase enzyme from rif 501 bacteria shows increased heatsensitivity in vitro at 51 degrees C . However, in vivo, at 42 degrees C the non-permissive temperature, mutant bacteria continue to grow and to synthesize RNA for 90 min . On a lawn of the mutant bacteria, at 40-41 degrees C, phage lambda forms clear plaques (LycA phenotype); this is probably due to an enhancement of cro function; we surmise that at 42 degrees C the transcription originating from the pR (but not from the pL) promoter on the lamdba genome becomes N-independent and less sensitive to the absence of the cro product . We discuss the possibility that both the N and cro proteins of phage lambda interact directly with the bacterial RNA polymerase . These observations indicate that the loss of viability of the rif 501 mutant at the restrictive temperature is not a consequence of an immediate inactivation of RNA polymerase; rather we feel it is due to a modification of the activity of RNA polymerase, leading to a disruption of the cellular regulation. Tijdschr Diergeneeskd, 1976 Apr 1, 101(7), 355 - 64 {Hygiene in the rearing of piglets . A study of the effect of hygiene and the bacterial content of drinking-water and feed of baby pigs on a number of health and performance characteristics on pig-breeding farms (author's transl)}; Hutschemaekers LW et al.; The effect of hygiene on health characteristics and performance was studied on 143 farms . In addition to subjective evaluations, the bacterial counts in the drink-water and feed were adopted as criteria of hygiene . In from 6 to 27 per cent of the cases, variations in bacterial counts were associated with variations in hygiene . Bacterial counts on a single farm varied markedly . Hygiene is to a large extent determined by the attendant . On the farms, including those on which hygiene is adequate, there is a marked increase in the number of bacteria present in the drinking-water and feed of the baby pigs . The state of hygiene of the drinking water and feed is highly unsatisfactory on a large number of farms . Of all litters, 15.08 per cent developed scouring in the first week of life, 21.69 per cent showed scouring during the third week and scouring was observed in 2.24 per cent of the weaned piglets . Correlations between the various aspects hygiene are high . Improvements in farm and drinking-water hygiene are associated with a more rapid growth of the piglets . The incidence of scouring during the third week is lower on those farms on which hygiene is satisfactory . The present study showed that there was no relationship between hygiene and litter size . Early supplementary feeding does not produce any improvement in growth of the piglets . The incidence of scouring in the third week increases and growth decreases as the bacterial count in the drinking-water increases . Clean drinking-water should be available to the animals. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A, 1976 Apr, 73(4), 995 - 9 Simple synthesis of a 4a-hydroperoxy adduct of a 1,5-dihydroflavine: preliminary studies of a model for bacterial luciferase; Kemal C et al.; The solution chemistry of N(5)-alkyl flavinium cations and radical species formed by their le- reduction are discussed . Previously unknown, the 4a-flavine hydroperoxides are established to be formed on reaction of N(5)-alkyl flavinium cations with H2O2 or on reaction of N(5)-alkyl-1, 5-dihydroflavines with 3O2 . The stability of the 4a-flavine hydroperoxide species is exemplified in the isolation and characterization of 4a-hydroperoxy-N(5)-ethyl-3-methyl-lumiflavine . 4a-Flavine hydroperoxide compounds are shown to be stronger oxidants than H2O2, and to undergo a chemiluminescent reaction in the presence of an aldehyde . Preliminary observations on the chemiluminescent reaction of 4a-flavine hydroperoxides + RCHO are provided, and these are compared to those in the literature dealing with the bioluminescence of bacterial luciferase in the presence of 3O2 and RCHO. HNO, 1976 Apr, 24(4), 119 - 21 {Bacterial airborne dispersal during the drilling of infected bone (author's transl)}; Paulsen K; The hazards of infection by bacterial airborne dispersal secondary to drilling bone in the surgical treatment of infection of the air spaces of the skull were assessed experimentally . This included estimation of the furthest distance that the cooling fluid, using coloured water, and the bone chips of a dry petrous temporal bone can be thrown, and the spread of the fine dust produced by the drilling using a staph . albus suspension as the rinsing fluid . The drops and bone chips were flung to a distance of about 90 cm in the working area around a cutting burr rotating at 80 000 r.p.m . The fine dust thrown off by cutting and diamond burrs and the infected fluid mist stays suspended in the air for hours and can be carried across the whole room by air currents . The surgeon and operating theatre personnel are therefore always at risk of infection . Preventive measures are discussed. Am J Surg, 1976 Apr, 131(4), 447 - 51 Pulmonary bacterial defense . Effect of the burn wound on transfer of alveolar macrophage activation in rats by parabiosis; Harmon JW et al.; The alveolar macrophage was studied in parabiotic rats using an inbred strain . Parabiotic pairs were sutured together at five weeks of age . Rats were subjected to a full thickness cutaneous burn of 20 per cent of the body surface area at seven weeks of age, and alveolar macrophages were washed from the lungs at six days post burn . The number of alveolar macrophages, their per cent of activation, and their ability to phagocytize and kill P aeruginosa in vitro were significantly increased at six days post burn in the burned controls and in both the burned and unburned members of the parabiotic pairs . No change in the alveolar macrophages was found in either unburned parabiotic pairs or in those which were sham-burned . These results indicate that a humoral or cellular agent produced either within the cutaneous burn wound or elsewhere as a response to the injury, traverses the parabiotic cross circulation to stimulate the alveolar macrophages. Health Lab Sci, 1976 Apr, 13(2), 159 - 66 Mycoplasma and L-forms: occurrence in bacterial cultures; Madoff S; The mycoplasma and the L-forms of bacteria have been associated since the time of their discovery . Their similar biological properties have raised questions concerning their common origin . Observations made over a number of years have shown the appearance of mycoplasma in L-form cultures of several bacterial species . The origin of these mycoplasma cultures remains unknown . Recent research suggests the possibility of phylogenetic relationships between mycoplasma and bacteria or their derived L-forms. Nature, 1976 Mar 18, 260(5548), 221 - 5 Bacterial cloning of plasmids carrying copies of rabbit globin messenger RNA; Rabbitts TH; DNA copies of rabbit globin mRNA have been inserted into the plasmid mini-ColEl . After addition of poly(dT) tails, the plasmid was used to prime the copying of mRNA by reverse transcriptase . Mini-ColEl carrying globin sequences were denatured and annealed with mini-ColEl tailed with poly(dA) . Functional plasmids containing the synthesised globin sequences were isolated by transfection in E . coli. Circulation, 1976 Mar, 53(3), 474 - 82 Spectrum of echocardiographic findings in bacterial endocarditis; Roy P et al.; Forty-seven echocardiograms were obtained in 32 patients with bacterial endocarditis . Preexistent abnormalities were found in 14 patients . In five of them thought to have bacterial endocarditis on normal valves, echocardiography showed mitral stenosis (one), bicuspid aortic valve (two), and prolapse of mitral valve (two) . Definite vegetations were seen in 22 patients--on the aortic valve in seven, the mitral valve in 12, and both valves in three . Ten patients had milder changes suggestive but not diagnostic of vegetations . In 12 patients, surgery confirmed the echocardiographic findings . Fourteen had systemic embolic episodes and all had echocardiographic evidence of vegetations . Abnormalities secondary to bacterial endocarditis, other than vegetations, were common . Twenty-one patients had left ventricular volume overload . Ten had a flail posterior leaflet of the mitral valve, three of which were confirmed surgically . Eight had abnormal coarsely fluttering echoes in the left ventricular outflow tract consistent with a prolapsing aortic valve or underlying aortic vegetations; four were confirmed by surgery . Five had signs of severe aortic regurgitation of recent onset (premature mitral valve closure) and all had confirmation by surgery . Echocardiographic abnormalities persisted after successful medical treatment . We conclude that echocardiography is helpful in patients with bacterial endocarditis . It permits recognition of unsuspected preexistent lesions and the characteristic vegetations, as well as the extent and nature of valvular damage secondary to bacterial endocarditis . However, echocardiography does not differentiate between active and healed lesions. J Pediatr, 1976 Mar, 88(3), 424 - 6 Persistent pleocytosis in bacterial meningitis; Chartrand SA et al.; Persistent pleocytosis of greater than 60 white blood cells/mm3 was commonly seen in children adequately treated for bacterial meningitis . It occurred in 13 of 21 (62%) children with Hemophilus influenzae meningitis and in 2 of 9 (22%) with pneumococcal meningitis . Pleocytosis alone cannot be used as an indication of prolonging therapy; significance of persistent pleocytosis is not known. Gastroenterology, 1976 Mar, 70(3), 418 - 21 Spontaneous bacterial peritonitis induced by intraarterial vasopressin therapy; Bar-Meir S et al.; Two patients developed spontaneous bacterial peritonitis after infusions of vasopressin into the superior mesenteric or gastroduodenal arteries for upper gastrointestinal hemorrhage . The peritonitis in these patients differed from the typical picture in which a single aerobic organism is responsible, by the presence of multiple organisms, some of which were anaerobic . These findings suggest that the arterial vasoconstriction decreased the integrity of the intestinal mucosal barrier and permitted the transmural migration of enteric organisms from the lumen of the bowel into the ascites-filled peritoneal cavity. Ann Sclavo, 1976 Mar-Apr, 18(2), 198 - 206 {Qualitative and quantitative researches into bacterial flora of respiratory apparatus (author's transl)}; Torelli PC et al.; The first group of data illustrated in this research concern the isolation's frequencies of bacterial strains from 7000 samples of respiratory materials examinated in two years, 1973 and 1974, by two different techniques . Significant differences were observed in the isolation's percentage of various bacterial strains; these differences, at least partly, can be attributed at the different techniques employed in two years . The second group of data is represented by results of bacterial quantitation performed in 100 samples of purulent sputum, with respectives clinical notes unknown . Potentially pathogenous strains in pure culture and at a concentration of 10(7) or higher were isolated only in 16 samples of sputum in the other samples normal bacterial flora was isolated alone or associated with potentially pathogenous strains. Ann Sclavo, 1976 Mar-Apr, 18(2), 194 - 7 {Comparative analysis between qualitative and quantitative features of orofaringeal and tracheo-bronchial bacterial flora in normal subject (author's transl)}; Nozzoli F et al.; In 28 subjects surely without tracheo-bronchial phlogosis it had been observed that the trachea and the bronchi are mostly sterile, only rarely there is a normal bacterial flora . In the mouth and in the pharynx there is instead, almost always, normal bacterial flora and only exceptionally potentially pathogenous strains at a concentration inferior to 10(7). Am J Vet Res, 1976 Mar, 37(3), 299 - 301 Effects of age and cold on pulmonary bacterial clearance in the young pig; Curtis SE et al.; Young pigs (1, 6, 18, or 26 days of age) were exposed to an aerosol of a nonpathogenic strain of Escherichia coli and then held for a 3-hour clearance period in either a thermoneutral (32 C environmental temperature at 1 or 6 days of age, 24 C at 18 or 26 days of age) or a cold (6 C) environment . Pigs were then killed and pulmonary bacterial clearance was determined . There appeared to be an age dependent improvement in the capability of the pig to clear its lungs of the bacterial load . Cold appeared to inhibit pulmonary bacterial clearance, but this inhibitory effect became progressively less as the pigs became older . In a supplementary experiment conducted to assess the effect of age-within-litter (2 and 14 days of age) on pulmonary bacterial clearance, it was confirmed that young pigs were less able to clear nonpathogenic E coli from the lungs. Gastroenterology, 1976 Mar, 70(3), 416 - 7 Spontaneous bacterial empyema in cirrhosis; Flaum MA; Spontaneous bacterial peritonitis in decompensated cirrhotic patients develops when bacteria invade preexising ascites . It is probable that other transudates such as pleural effusions can be afected in a similar manner . This paper describes a cirrhotic patient with long-standing pleural effusion in whom Escherichia coli caused a spontaneous bacterial empyema . The ascitic fluid was sterile. Mol Biol (Mosk), 1976 Mar-Apr, 10(2), 452 - 9 {Kinetic patterns of bacterial hydrogenase inactivation}; Toai CH et al.; Kinetics of inactivation of hydrogenases is exemplified with the enzyme from Chloropseudomonas ethylica . The effect of gaseous phase, temperature, pH on the inactivation kinetics has been studied . Inactivation of the hydrogenase during incubation of an enzyme solution in air has been studied . Analysis of the kinetic data allowed the conclusion to be made that inactivation involves two forms of the enzyme which differ in their activity and resistance to inactivating actions . Stabilities of the mean time of operation of hydrogenases from Chloropseudomonas ethylica and Thiocapsa roseopersicina are compared . The mechanism of inactivation of hydrogenases from the two sources were found to be similar in many ways. Exp Hematol, 1976 Mar, 4(2), 90 - 6 Mitigation of graft-versus-host disease in mice by treatment of donors with bacterial endotoxin; Rose WC et al.; Treatment of DBA/2 (H-2d) mice with bacterial endotoxin prior to transplantation of their spleen and lymph node cells into immunosuppressed AKR (H-2k) mice prevented acute mortality from graft-versus-host (GVH) disease . AKR mice that received immunocompetent cells from untreated DBA/2 mice had a median survival time (MST) of 13 days . In contrast, AKR mice that received immunocompetent cells from endotoxin-treated DBA/2 donors had an MST of 54 days . Endotoxin treatment of AKR recipients was not essential for preventing mortality from acute GVH disease . Chimerism was proved by demonstrating that the lymphoid cells of long-term surviving AKR mice had the characteristics of DBA/2 lymphoid cells as measured by their response in mixed leukocyte culture (MLC) tests . Spleen cells from endotoxin-treated DBA/2 mice were able to stimulate, and to be stimulated by, AKR spleen cells in MLC assays . Furthermore, spleen cells from endotoxin-treated DBA/2 mice did not suppress the responses of DBA/2 or AKR spleen cells in 'three-party' MLC tests. Mol Gen Genet, 1976 Feb 27, 144(1), 83 - 6 Dependence of transfection efficiency of calcium treated Escherichia coli cells on bacterial genotype and form of Lambda DNA; Drabkina LE et al.; The transfecting activity of linear lambda DNA is 100 times higher in calcium treated E . coli K12 (lambda i434) than in non-lysogenic strains: the levels of transfection are 1-2.10(7) and 1-2.10(5) infective centers per 1 mug of lambda DNA respectively . The high efficiency of lysogenic cells transfection is not due to the spontaneously liberated "helper" phage . Evidently, it is called forth by transfecting DNA-prophage recombination or/and by inhibition of nuclease activity in lysogenic cells . Both ring forms lambda DNA (supercoiled and open circles) show very low infectivity, if any, in calcinated cells. Biochemistry, 1976 Feb 24, 15(4), 849 - 57 Biosynthesis of bacterial glycogen . Purification and properties of the Escherichia coli B ADPglucose:1,4-alpha-D-glucan 4-alpha-glucosyltransferase; Fox J et al.; The Escherichia coli B glycogen synthase has been purified to apparent homogeneity with the use of a 4-aminobutyl-Sepharose column . Two fractions of the enzyme were obtained: glycogen synthase I with a specific activity of 380 mumol mg-1 and devoid of branching enzyme activity and glycogen synthase II having a specific activity of 505 mumol mg-1 and containing branching enzyme activity which was 0.1% of the activity observed for the glycogen synthase . Only one protein band was found in disc gel electrophoresis for each glycogen synthase fraction and they were coincident with glycogen synthase activity . One major protein band and one very faint protein band which hardly moved into the gel were observed in sodium dodecyl sulfate gel electrophoresis of the glycogen synthase fractions . The subunit molecular weight of the major protein band in sodium dodecyl sulfate gel electrophoresis of both glycogen synthase fractions was determined to be 49 000 +/- 2 000 . The molecular weights of the native enzymes were determined by sucrose density gradient ultracentrifugation . Glycogen synthase I had a molecular weight of 93 000 while glycogen synthase II had a molecular weight of 200 000 . On standing at 4 degrees C or at -85 degrees C both enzymes transform into species having molecular weights of 98 000, 135 000, and 185 000 . Thus active forms of the E . coli B glycogen synthase can exist as dimers, trimers, and tetramers of the subunit . The enzyme was shown to catalyze transfer of glucose from ADPglucose to maltose and to higher oligosaccharides of the maltodextrin series but not to glucose . 1,5-Gluconolactone was shown to be a potent inhibitor of the glycogen synthase reaction . The glycogen synthase reaction was shown to be reversible . Formation of labeled ADPglucose occurred from either {14C}ADP or {14C}glycogen . The ratio of ADP to ADPglucose at equilibrium at 37 degrees C was determined and was found to vary threefold in the pH range of 5.27-6.82 . From these data the ratio of ADP2- to ADPglucose at equilibrium was determined to be 45.8 +/- 4.5 . Assuming that deltaF degrees of the hydrolysis of the alpha-1,4-glucosidic linkage is -4.0 kcal the deltaF degrees of hydrolysis of the glucosidic linkage in ADPglucose is -6.3 kcal. Biochim Biophys Acta, 1976 Feb 18, 425(1), 63 - 75 The 5' ends of bacterial RNA . II . The triphosphate-terminated ends of primary gene transcripts; Konrad M et al.; Bacterial RNA, Pulse labeled with 32Pi, was digested with pancreatic RNAase . Oligonucleotides containing a triphosphate group at the 5'-hydroxyl, and therefore derived from the original beginning ends of the RNA transcripts, were purified by hydroxyapatite chromatography and analyzed by two-dimensional paper electrophoresis . A broad diversity of species was found, although the distribution among these species was not completely uniform . Possible methods of utilizing these methods in combination with in vitro synthetic techniques are discussed. Experientia, 1976 Feb 15, 32(2), 251 - 3 Monolayer cultures of normal adult rat adrenocortical cells: steroidogenic responses to nucleotides, bacterial toxins and antimicrotubular agents; O'Hare MJ; Monolayer cultures of normal rat adrenocortical cells were treated with agents which stimulate steroidogenesis by Y-1 adrenal tumour cells . Choleragen was active, whereas cyclic nucleotides other than cyclic AMP, bacterial endotoxins and antimicrotubular agents were inactive. Biotechnol Bioeng, 1976 Feb, 18(2), 239 - 52 Protozoan feeding and bacterial wall growth; Bonomi A et al.; Monod's model is often assumed to describe the kinetics of feeding of a protozoan population on a bacterial population in a chemostat . An earlier study (J . L . Jost et al., J . Bacteriol., 113, 84 (1973)) of the feeding of Tetrahymena pyriformis on either Escherichia coli or Azotobacter vinelandii found that this model correctly predicted the occurrence of sustained oscillations of population densities but made predictions of minimum bacterial population densities that were much smaller than those observed . The earlier study removed the discrepancy between the model and data by replacing Monod's model with a different model . It is shown in the present study that the discrepancy can be explained equally as well if Monod's model for the feed relation is retained and if, in addition, growth of bacteria on the chemostat walls is allowed for in the model equations. Can J Microbiol, 1976 Feb, 22(2), 295 - 300 Death rates of bacterial spores: mathematical models; Han YW et al.; The concave survivor curves produced as a result of spore heterogeneity were analyzed to determine whether they were caused by inmate characteristics of the spores or by the acquisition of heat resistance during the heating process . Mathematical models developed for the two hypotheses revealed that the concave survivor curve (on semi-log paper) caused by innate heterogeneity is parabolic and that caused by acquired heat resistance is exponential . The mathematical models were applied to several published survivor curves of different organisms, and heat resistance parameters and the cause of curvilinearity were determined . For the cases studied, the cause of curvilinearity appears to be acquisition of heat resistance rather than innate heterogeneity of spore population. Ann Microbiol (Paris), 1976 Feb-Mar, 127A(2), 223 - 35 {A comparative study of different methods of determining the Tm of bacterial DNA (AUTHOR'S TRANSL)}; Ferragut C et al.; Melting point curves of DNA are used to calculate average GC content . Four methods of Tm determination are described and are used in the case of all DNA samples studied . The results presented confirme that thermal denaturation curves are asymetrical, and this limits the use of "normal probability paper" and "regression lines" methods . Best reproductibility is obtained by a study of the function (see article) followed by a linear interpolation of the median . This approach yields at the same time interesting information about bacterial DNA . The graphic determination of Tm appears to be the method for choice for routine analysis. Immunology, 1976 Feb, 30(2), 241 - 8 Separation of the mitogenic and antigenic responses to bacterial lipopolysaccharide; Poe WJ et al.; An attempt was made to separate the antigenic and mitogenic properties of E . coli bacteria and bacterial lipopolysaccharide antigen inhibited the mitogenic response by the cultures but did not inhibit the induction of anti-LPS antibody or polyclonal antibody synthesis to SRBC . Dextran sulphate, acting as a B-cell mitogen, increased the mitogenic response in spleen cell cultures incubated with bacteria, but did not affect the production of anti-LPS antibody . Mild alkaline hydrolysis (0-1 N NaOH at 56 degrees) of LPS destroyed the mitogenic properties of the molecule, leaving the antigenic properties qualitatively intact . Harsher conditions of base hydrolysis destroyed both the mitogenic and antigenic properties of LPS, as determined by antigenicity in murine spleen cell cultures and haemagglutination inhibition tests. J Immunol, 1976 Feb, 116(2), 469 - 74 The effects of age on the immune response to type III pneumococcal polysaccharide (SIII) and bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in BALB/c, SJL/J, and C3H mice; Smith AM; Type III pneumococcal polysaccharide (SIII) and bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) were used to evaluate B cell and T cell regulatory functions in BALB/c, SJL/J, and C3H mice of various ages . It was found that the BALB/c and C3H mice could mount high level plaque-forming cell (PFC) responses to SIII at various ages through 110 weeks whereas the levels of the SJL/J PFC responses had begun to decline by the age of 42 weeks through the age of 80 weeks . BALB/c mice were also capable of producing strong PFC responses to LPS at various ages through 110 weeks whereas the comparable SJL/J PFC responses to LPS had declined by 80 weeks of age . By using anti-lymphocyte serum (ALS) and low-dose paralysis to SIII, it was shown that suppressor T cell activity was apparently greater in young BALB/c mice than in older BALB/c mice . It was also found that paralysis to SIII in BALB/c mice was easier to achieve at an early age . SJL/J mice were found to have the necessary B cell activity to respond to SIII through 80 weeks of age and the PFC responses could be greatly enhanced by ALS . Implications of the roles of regulatory T cells in aging are discussed. Nouv Presse Med, 1976 Jan 24, 5(4), 200 - 2 {Bacterial adjuvants in cell mediated immunity . Recent data}; Nauciel C et al.; Only some bacterial adjuvants are able to stimulate cell-mediated immunity . It has been shown recently that this property is due to a cell-wall component, the peptidoglycan . The relevance of these findings to tumor immunity has been discussed. Infect Immun, 1976 Jan, 13(1), 78 - 83 Effect of viral and bacterial pneumonias on cell-mediated immunity in humans; Kauffman CA et al.; Cell-mediated immunity (CMI) was assessed during infection and after convalescence in 12 patients with influenza pneumonia and 10 patients with bacterial pneumonia . The patients with influenza pneumonia had a marked impairment of skin test reactivity, and their lymphocytes showed a diminished response to phytohemagglutinin and streptokinase-streptodornase stimulation in vitro . Suppression of CMI was related to the severity of the pneumonia . Patients with bacterial pneumonia showed as great a suppression of the response to phytohemagglutinin and streptokinase-streptodornase as the patients with viral pneumonia . All parameters of CMI returned to normal in both groups after convalescence . The depression of CMI could not be related to a decrease in the number of thymus-derived lymphocytes or to serum-suppressive factors in these patients. J Infect Dis, 1976 Jan, 133(1), 63 - 71 Recurrent bacterial infections in four siblings with neutropenia, eosinophilia, hyperimmunoglobulinemia A, and defective neutrophil chemotaxis; Bjorksten B et al.; Four siblings with recurrent bacterial infections, neutrophil chemotactic defect, neutropenia, and eosinophilia were studied . During periods of infection the peripheral neutrophil count increased to normal, while the eosinophilia disappeared . In addition, these children had high levels of serum IgA and poor antibody responses to tetanus and polio vaccinations . A defect in cell-mediated immunity was demonstrated by an absent or weak reactivity to various skin test antigens and by abnormal lymph node histology . Thus these siblings had an unusual combination of defective inflammatory response and immunologic abnormalities. J Exp Med, 1976 Jan 1, 143(1), 143 - 50 Immunologic properties of bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) . III . Genetic linkage between the in vitro mitogenic and in vivo adjuvant properties of LPS; Skidmore BJ et al.; The mechanism was investigated underlying the activity of bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) as an adjuvant of antibody formation as assessed by its capacity to modulate the induction of tolerance in mice to the antigen human Ig G (HGG) into a state of immunity to HGG . The adjuvant activity of LPS was found to be closely correlated with its ability to function as a B-cell mitogen . This correlation was revealed by an analysis of the genetic control of the mitogenic and adjuvant properties of LPS utilizing the refractory state inherent in the C3H/HeJ mouse strain to these activities of LPS . Thus, mice that were the progeny of a backcross between the nonresponder C3H/JeJ parent and the responder (C3H/HeJ X CWB) F1 hybrid were individually typed for responsiveness to LPS, as an adjuvant and as a B-cell mitogen . It was found that LPS interfered with tolerance induction to HGG in vivo only in those backcross progeny whose spleen cells were also capable of responding mitogenically to LPS in vitro, demonstrating that the adjuvant and B-cell mitogenic properties of LPS are genetically linked . In contrast, these properties were observed to segregate independently from either H-2 or heavy chain allotype loci, and were not sex linked . These results are compatible with the concepts that, in this system, (a) the cellular site of action of LPS as an adjuvant is confined to B cells, and (b) the subcellular mode of action of LPS as an adjuvant may involve the delivery of a "signal" to B cells which is a stimulus for mitogenesis. Clin Neurol Neurosurg, 1976, 79(3), 222 - 7 Cerebral bacterial aneurysms in subacute bacterial endocarditis; Gasteren JH; Bacterial aneurysms are aneurysms which develop on a vascular wall weakened as a result of a bacterial infection . They can develop anywhere . This paper describes a female patient with subacute bacterial endocarditis and multiple cerebral aneurysms . Conservative treatment followed. Biull Eksp Biol Med, 1976, 82(11), 1314 - 7 {Effect of cytostatic drugs on fever development following administration of bacterial pyrogen}; Sorokin AV et al.; A study was made of the development of pyretic reaction to the administration of a bacterial lipopolysaccharide (pyrogenal) after preliminary treatment of rabbits with actinomycin D and cortisone . Such treatment failed to change the reactivity of thermoregulating centres to the endogenous pyrogen . Intravenous injection of bacterial pyrogen was followed by marked shortening of pyretic reaction; the reaction was markedly inhibited in response to its intracysternal administration . An important role played by polymorphonuclear leukocytes in the formation of endogenous pyrogens in the mechanism of pyrexia induced by bacterial pyrogens was shown in this work. Acta Med Scand . 1976;200(5):UNKNOWN. Immediate and long-term results of emergency aortic valve replacement in acute bacterial endocarditis; Alstrup P et al.; A surgically treated material comprising 18 patinets with heart failure from aortic insufficiency during acute endocarditis has been reviewed . At the time of operation the mean duration of heart failure was 3 weeks and duration of endocarditis 9 weeks . Blood culture was positive in half of the patients, 39% had predisposing valve disease, 14 (78%) had a preoperative heart catheterization . The peroperatively measured regurgitation averaged 55% . All 18 patients had an artifical valve implanted, and the mean observation time for 13 long-term survivors was 3 1/3 years . There were 3 postoperative and 2 late deaths . A long-term survival rate of 73% strongly supports early surgical treatment in patients with aortic insufficiency and heart failure during acute endocarditis. Microbios, 1976, 15(59), 27 - 36 Studies on transformation in Naegleria gruberi: effects of ions and bacterial suspensions; Jeffery S et al.; The presence of electolytes inhibited the transformation of Naegleria gruberi from amoeba to flagellate, the molarity required varying with the salt used, namely 80 mM NaCl, 90 mM KCl, 50 mM CaCl2 or 60 mM MgCl2 . Non-electrolytes also prevented this transformation at 250 mM for either sucrose or glucose, and this is known to be an osmotic effect . That the effect of ionic solutions was different was demonstrated by varying the time at which the environemnt was changed from distilled water to salt solution . Experiments with suspensions of either living or heat-killed bacteria in distilled water, together with the supernatants obtained when bacteria were removed by centrifugation, showed that the inhibition of transformation which occurred in bacterial suspensions was not due to any factors produced by the bacteria and present in solution . It appeared that this inhibition was brought about by the physical presence of the bacteria, either living or heat-killed, and some possible interpretations of this 'contact' phenomenon are discussed. Z Gastroenterol, 1976 Jan, 14(1), 30 - 40 {Rat jejunal xylose and galactose absorption dependent on the intestinal bacterial flora and after cytostatics administration}; Bohmer R et al.; The influence of the bacterial flora of the intestine and of cytostatic drugs on the intestinal xylose and glucose absorption in the rat is studied by a perfusion technique in vivo . Conventional, germfree and decontaminated animals show no different xylose absorption rates while the galactose absorption is decreased in germfree and decontaminated animals compared to conventional rats . Three days after a single injection of cytostatic drugs the xylose absorption is diminished in conventional and decontaminated animals compared to untreated rats . In germfree rats no effect of cytostatics on the xylose absorption can be proved . The galactose absorption is unchanged after cytostatics in conventional and decontaminated animals, but increased in germfree rats. Gene, 1976, 1(1), 65 - 79 In situ immunoassays for gene translation products in phage plaques and bacterial colonies; Skalka A et al.; A series of simple, in situ immunoassays have been developed which can be used in screening for translation products of genes cloned in vitro recombination experiments with either phage or plasmid vectors . Antigen-antibody complex formation occurring within a vector-phage plaque can be used to detect the production of a specific protein from an amplified gene . Immunoassays of colonies lysed in situ either by lambda prophage induction or by biochemical means afford a much higher level of sensitivity than the plaque assay probably adequate to detect the production of a few molecules of protein per cell. Vet Med Nauki, 1976, 13(6), 85 - 92 {Chemical and immunologic study of the bacterial wall of Brucella abortus 99}; Tsankova K et al.; The investigations were carried out through the CFT serologic activity of some of the Brucella abortus 99 cell components . It was found that only 0.6 per cent of the weight of the bacterial walls could be extracted by means of physiologic saline . The extracts proved to be serologically active and specific for these Brucella organisms only . The wall of Brucella abortus 99 and its peptidoglucan were shown to be rich in lysine, leucine, glitamic acid, and valine, and poor in methionine, histidine, treonine, and, generally, in sulfur-containing amino acids . The presence of higher content of lysine and glutamic acid explained the higher resistance of the bacterial walls of Brucella abortus 99 as compared to that of M . Lysodiecticus . The wall of Br . abortus 99 contains high amounts of phosphatidil acids - 16.4 per cent of the total amount of lipids . The biologic importance of the results obtained is briefly discussed. Can J Microbiol, 1976 Jan, 22(1), 29 - 34 Improved techniques for the preparation of bacterial lipopolysaccharides; Johnson KG et al.; Liopolysaccharides were prepared from six organisms by the use of two cell-disruption procedures before conventional phenol-water extraction . Disruption of cells by grinding with glass beads or by digestion with hen egg white lysozyme before phenol extraction facilitated rapid purification and greater yields of lipopolysaccharide . Pretreatment of cells with lysozyme in the presence of ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid was the most efficient method in terms of lipopolysaccharide yield and ease of preparation . Increase in lipopolysaccharide yield achieved by use of the lysozyme method, compared with the conventional phenol extraction, varied from 1.7- to 12.4-fold . Preparations were designated as pure according to several criteria and were judged not to have undergone changes as a result of prephenol extraction procedures. Boll Ist Sieroter Milan, 1976, 55(6), 560 - 7 Leukocyte inhibiting factor (LIF) production from human lymphocytes stimulated by bacterial lipopolysaccharides; Jirillo E et al.; Leukocyte inhibiting factor (LIF) release from lymphocytes cultures stimulated by bacterial lipopolysaccharides (LPS) has been investigated . Human lymphocytes cultured in the presence of E, coli or S . enteritidis LPS were able to release in the supernatants a substance with the following properties: a) same elution pattern of Bovine Serum Albumin (MW 69000) when filtered on Sephadex G-100; b) it migrates on disc electrophoresis a an albumin; c) not dialyzable; d) not cytotoxic; e) inhibition of polymorphonuclear cells migration in agarose plates; f) heat stability at 56 degrees C for 30' . This substance could be likely identified as LIF. J Hyg Epidemiol Microbiol Immunol, 1976, 21(3), 284 - 91 Identification and study of species specificity of antiphage lipopolysaccharides found in the preparations of bacterial DNA; Zerov UP et al.; A method of isolation of the antiphage agent found in the preparations of bacterial DNA was developed . Chemical analysis of the preparations has shown that according to their qualitative and quantitative composition they are identical to the lipopolysaccharide of the bacterial membrane . On the basis of data on the antiphage activity of the D-LPS from E . coli B and E . coli K12 and on the basis of presumed analogy between the inactivation of the phage by the D-LPS preparations and the phage -- cell interaction it is believed that different parts of the LPS serve as receptors for the phages T7 and T4: O-specific polysaccharide for T4 and core LPS for T7 . On the basis of data on the activity of D-LPS of two species of the genus Aerobacter against the phage T7 it is presumed that Aerobacer and Escherichia are related according to the structure of their core LPS. Genetika, 1976, 12(9), 61 - 70 {Mechanism of genetic recombination during bacterial recombination . VI . Single-stranded conjugation}; Bresler SE et al.; The mutation BT43 in the dnaB gene inhibits conjugational DNA synthesis in the recipient cell at 42 degrees C . Since only one DNA strand is transferred from the donor to the recipient in these conditions, this single strand is integrated into the recipient chromosone . This is characterized by a high increase of recombination frequency per length unit, an effect well known in the case of transformation . This peculiar genetic process is proposed to be called "single stranded conjugation" . It is more efficient in recipient cells recB-recC-sbcB-lacking two main degrading enzymes, exonucleases I and V . The proof of single strandedness was given by means of clonal analysis in a special experiment . The transfer of the selected marker into the thermosensitive recipient took place at 37 degrees C and the transfer of the non-selected marker -- at 42 degrees C . Thhe progeny of one merozygote must be mixed i.e . consist of cells with both alleles of the non-selected marker . This was confirmed by experimental data. Cancer Treat Rep, 1976 Jan, 60(1), 9 - 15 Detection of bacterial endotoxin in antitumor agents; Siegel SE et al.; The Limulus amebocyte lysate assay was used to detect the presence of bacterial endotoxin in a variety of chemotherapeutic agents currently in use . Results were quantitated using a standard Escherichia coli endotoxin curve . Relative concentrations of endotoxin ranging from 0.1 to 63 ng/ml were detected in individual lots of L-asparaginase, 5-azacytidine, bleomycin, DTIC, actinomycin D, adriamycin, and vinblastine diluted to normal concentrations for injection . When multiple lots of a given drug were tested, at least one lot produced a negative assay, indicating less than 0.1 ng/ml of endotoxin in 50% of these drugs . All lots of cytosine arabinoside, cyclophosphamide, daunorubicin, vincristine, and streptozotocin tested had less than 0.1 ng/ml of endotoxin . Inactivation kinetics of the Limulus-positive drug material in dilute alkali solutions were identical to those of E . coli endotoxin . The Limulus lysate test is a rapid and specific method for the detection of small amounts of bacterial endotoxin contaminating parenteral preparations of antitumor agents. J Hyg Epidemiol Microbiol Immunol, 1976, 21(3), 284 - 91 Identification and study of species specificity of antiphage lipopolysaccharides found in the preparations of bacterial DNA; Zerov YP et al.; A method of isolation of the antiphage agent found in the preparations of bacterial DNA was developed . Chemical analysis of the preparations has shown that according to their qualitative and quantitative composition they are identical to the lipopolysaccharide of the bacterial membrane . On the basis of data on the antiphage activity of the D-LPS from E . coli B and E . coli K12 and on the basis of presumed analogy between the inactivation of the phage by the D-LPS preparations and the phage--cell interaction it is believed that different parts of the LPS serve as receptors for the phages T7 and T4: O-specific polysaccharide for T4 and core LPS for T7 . On the basis of data on the activity of D-LPS of two species of the genus Aerobacter against the phage T7 it is presumed that Aerobacer and Escherichia are related according to the structure of their core LPS. Folia Biol (Praha), 1976, 22(5), 366 - 7 A method of orientation of embedded bacterial colonies prepared for ultrathin sections; Bonnova E et al.; The described method of embedding of bacterial colonies into media used for electron microscopy allows the precise orientation of the material for the preparation of ultrathin sections . The colonies are covered by a strip of agar joined to the agar-layer with the cultivated colonies by means of a heated razor-blade . This method is especially useful for ultrastructural studies of L-colonies. Acta Obstet Gynecol Scand, 1976, 55(4), 317 - 20 Cervical bacterial flora in women fitted with a copper-releasing intra-uterine contraceptive device (IUD); Salmi T et al.; PIP: 85 women were examined for cervical bacterial flora before, and at 3 and 6 months after, insertion of either a Copper T (TCu-200) or Lippes loop D IUD . Bacterial flora increased slightly in diversity and abundance after insertion of an IUD in more than 25% of the subjects . However, there was no difference in effect between the TCu-200 and Lippes loop D devices . Z Allg Mikrobiol, 1976, 16(3), 179 - 86 Bacterial leaching of waste uranium materials; Barbic FF et al.; The effect of ferrobacteria and thiobacteria on the leaching of waste uranium materials from which 70-80% of uranium was previously leached by classical chemical hydrometallurgical procedure has been investigated . The bacteria used are found in the ore and the mine water of Zletovska River locality, Yugoslavia . Parameters of biological leaching were examined in the