Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A, 1975 Dec, 72(12), 4956 - 60 Primary charge separation in bacterial photosynthesis: oxidized chlorophylls and reduced pheophytin; Fajer J et al.; Bacteriopheophytin, the magnesium-free base of bacteriochlorophyll, undergoes reversible one-electron reduction in organic solvents to yield an anionic free radical with characteristic optical and electron spin resonance spectra . The reduction potential of bacteriopheophytin, E1/2 approximately --0.55 V against a normal hydrogen electrode, compared to E1/2 approximately --0.85 V for bacteriochlorophyll, renders it a likely electron acceptor in the primary charge separation of photosynthesis . Comparison of these data with picosecond optical changes recently observed upon pulsed laser excitation of bacterial reaction centers leads us to propose that bacteriopheophytin is indeed a transient electron acceptor and that the primary charge separation of bacterial photosynthesis occurs between the bacteriochlorophyll complex P870 and bacteriopheophytin to yield the radicals of the oxidized chlorophyll dimer cation and reduced pheophytin anion. Jpn J Microbiol, 1975 Dec, 19(6), 419 - 25 Effect of bacterial lipopolysaccharides on anti-trinitrophenyl antibody-producing cells . Nonspecific modification of the affinity at the cellular level; Saito T et al.; The effect of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) on anti-trinitrophenyl (TNP) direct plaque-forming cells (PFC) in the spleen of mice and the affinity of antibodies produced by these PFC were examined . Simultaneous injection of bacterial LPS and TNP-coupled sheep red blood cells(SRBC) induced an obvious increase in anti-TNP PFC numbers and heightened the antibody affinity at cellular levels . The higher the doses of LPS, the greater the effects . Concomitant injection of LPS in TNP-coupled homologous mouse red blood cells (MRBC) also elicited good anti-TNP PFC response and slightly heightened the affinity . Priming with LPS and SRBC together 7 days prior to immunization did not enhance the anti-TNP PFC response and it was difficult to alter the affinity . Preinjection with small amounts of TNP-MRBC or -rabbit red blood cells and LPS simultaneously did not induce any significant increase in anti-TNP PFC secondary response after reimmunization with TNP-SRBC, but obviously heightened the antibody affinity . Injection of LPS simultaneously with the secondary immunization was effective for both the anti-TNP PFC response and the alteration of antibody affinity . These results suggest that LPS affects the control mechanisms of anti-TNP antibody affinity via the non-thymus-derived helper cell function, and the adjuvant action and alteration of antibody affinity induced by LPS are regulated by different mechanisms. Med J Zambia, 1975 Dec-1976 Jan, 9(6), 150 - 7 Bacterial meningitis in infancy and childhood in Lusaka (One year prospective sturdy); Chintu C et al.; In approximately 10,000 admissions in a 12 months period, at University Teaching Hospital, Lusaka 85 cases of meningitis were recorded . The signs and symptoms in these patients do not greatly differ from other similar studies in Africa . The commonest organism isolated was pneumococcus . There was high mortality rate which was to a large extent due to parents not bringing their children to hospital early enough for medical treatment to be instituted . This is borne out by the fact that 50% of the children with meningitis died within the first 24 hours . The C.S.F . protein and peripheral white blood count may be of prognostic value . Spasticity, cranial nerve palsises hydrocephalus and subdural effusion were the commonest complications. Appl Microbiol, 1975 Dec, 30(6), 994 - 1002 Kinetics of a bacterial culture growth: validity of the affinity rule in biological systems; Marchand A et al.; The kinetic study of a process is usually performed by measuring a convenient intensive property, P, as a function of time . The "affinity rule" states that, when a given process takes place under different external constraints (e.g., different temperatures, pressures, pH values, etc.), the various P versus time curves are related by an affinity transformation parallel to the time axis: in other words the P versus log time curves are parallel and can be superimposed by translation . The validity of the rule has been extensively tested in chemical and physiochemical processes, but there is no evidence as yet that it extends to biological systems . The present paper shows that the rule is indeed valid for the kinetics of growth of an Escherichia coli culture at various temperatures and pH values . More extended experiments are necessary to prove or disprove the general validity of the rule in biological systems, but its practical interest is evident: whenever it is valid it will be possible, from a very small number of measurements, to predict the complete behavior of the system in a number of various external conditions Eur J Clin Invest, 1975 Nov 21, 5(6), 463 - 9 Endothelial injury induced by bacterial endotoxin: effect of complement depletion; Evensen SA et al.; The role of complement activation in the pathogenesis of endothelial injury caused by bacterial endotoxin was investigated in the rat . DNA synthesis in aortic endothelium was compared 48 hours after an intravenous injection of endotoxin (50 - 500 mug) in normal rats and in rats depleted of haemolytic complement by purified cobra venom factor . At the time of endotoxin administration the rats treated with cobra venom factor had less than 3% of the normal haemolytic complement level, their fibrinogen level was increased and clot retraction was impaired . Endotoxin stimulated endothelial DNA synthesis to the same degree in normal and in complement-depleted rats . Cobra venom factor alone did not stimulate endothelial DNA synthesis . The complement-depleted rats given 500 mug endotoxin were less thrombocytopenic than normal rats at the time of sacrifice, but the difference was not statistically significant . We conclude that the injurious effect endotoxin has on endothelium is not mediated by activation of late components of complement. C R Acad Sci Hebd Seances Acad Sci D, 1975 Nov 17, 281(20), 1545 - 7 {Effect of intratumoral injection of bacterial and viral neuraminidase in rats}; Binder P et al.; We studied the effect of neuraminidase injection in rat's tumor at different doses: 5,10,50,100, 500 U and we concluded that: There was no difference between the rats treated with 5,10,50 U and the controls . The y died 3 weeks after the injection . But the rats treated by 100 at 500 U of NA died quickley, in the week, of long metastases. Tumori, 1975 Nov-Dec, 61(6), 517 - 23 Value of the NBT test in the diagnosis of bacterial infection in untreated cancer patients and in those on radio- and/or chemotherapy; Jedrzejczak WW et al.; As the first step in the study, the results of the NBT test in 83 patients with various untreated neoplasms, including 20 lymphomas, without bacterial infections and in 35 neoplastic patients with this complications were compared with the results obtained in control groups . No significant differences in the results were found between the groups of neoplastic patients without or with bacterial infections and the controls . To evaluate the NBT test during radio- and/or chemotherapy, especially in neutropenia, 45 patients were NBT-monitored . During the study of 102 episodes of neutropenia 43 infections occurred and 30 were NBT-confirmed . In remaining 13 cases it was impossible to perform the test because of extremely low neutrophil count (below 500/mul) . All 20 infections in patients with normal neutrophil count were NBT-positive . These results confirm the usefulness of the test for infection screening in untreated with malignancies, as well as in patients receiving radio- and/or chemotherapy . However, the test can be taken only in patients without severe neutropenia. Ann Clin Lab Sci, 1975 Nov-Dec, 5(6), 452 - 5 Acute bacterial arthritis; Weiss DL; Analysis of 29 consecutive cases of acute bacterial arthritis requiring hospitalization reveals the importance of local and systemic immunologic states or conditions which reduce the efficacy of immune responses in the establishment of joint infections . The complications of trauma and surgery are considered as interfering with the normal local immune response. Am J Epidemiol, 1975 Nov, 102(5), 394 - 9 Undiagnosed bacterial meningitis in Vermont children; Fraser DW et al.; Community-acquired bacterial meningitis in Vermont children under 5 years of age was recognized less frequently in 1967-1970 in those towns with low total hospitalization rates than in towns with hospitalization rates above 15 admissions per 100 population . Using the towns with high hospitalization rates as a norm, it was found that towns with fewer recognized meningitis cases than expected had significantly greater rates of death from obscure causes in children 1-59 months of age in 1967-1970 . It is suggested that about 17 deaths in 1967-1970 in Vermont children 1-59 months of age were associated with the failure to recognize bacterial meningitis in children from towns with low rates of medical care utilization. Appl Microbiol, 1975 Nov, 30(5), 786 - 90 Method for collecting naturally occurring airborne bacterial spores for determining their thermal resistance; Puleo JR et al.; The ability to determine the thermal resistance of naturally occurring airborne bacterial spores associated with spacecraft and their assembly areas has been hindered by lack of an effective collecting system . Efforts to collect and concentrate spores with air samplers or from air filters have not been successful . A fallout method was developed for this purpose and tested . Sterile Teflon ribbons (7.6 by 183 cm) were exposed in pertinent spacecraft assembly areas and subsequently treated with dry heat . Thermal inactivation experiments were conducted at 125 and 113 C . Heating intervals ranged from 1 to 12 h at 125 C and 6, 12, 18, and 24 h at 113 C . Eight hours was the longest heating time yielding survivors at 125 C, whereas survivors were recovered at all of the heating intervals at 113 C . D125C values were calculated using the fractional-replicate-unit-negative technique of Pflug and Schmidt (1968) and ranged from 25 to 126 min . This variation indicated that the most probable number of survivors at each heating interval did not fall on a straight line passing through the initial spore population . However, the most-probable-number values taken alone formed a straight line suggesting logarithmic thermal destruction of a subpopulation of spores with a D125C value of 6.3 h. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A, 1975 Nov, 72(11), 4640 - 4 Role of methionine in bacterial chemotaxis: requirement for tumbling and involvement in information processing; Springer MS et al.; Chemotactic responses are mediated by modulation of the frequency of tumbling . Studies with methionine auxotrophs of wild-type Escherichia coli and four mutants which tumble continuously show that methionine or one of its metabolites is involved in the tumbling process . Following removal of methionine, the wild type and two mutants, after various periods of time, became unable to tumble . The presence of constant levels of chemical attractants considerably shortened these periods in the three strains and eliminated tumbling in another mutant . This effect of attractants considerably shortened these periods in the three strains and eliminated tumbling in another mutant . This effect of attractants implies that methionine or some derivative of methionine is also involved in transducing chemical stimuli to bacterial responses. Biochem J, 1975 Nov, 151(2), 459 - 62 An improved assay for bacterial methane mono-oxygenase: some properties of the enzyme from Methylomonas methanica; Colby J et al.; Extracts of Methylomonas methanica catalyse the O2-and NAD(P)H-dependent disappearance of bromomethane . The activity is unstable at 2 degrees C but is stable at --70 degrees C for several weeks . Bromomethane mono-oxygenase is particulate and is inhibited by metal-binding reagents, by compounds SKF 525A and Lilly 53325, by some metal ions and by acetylene . Evidence is presented that indicates that bromomethane mono-oxygenase is the enzyme responsible for methane oxidation in vivo. Arch Microbiol, 1975 Oct 27, 105(2), 173 - 7 Halococcus morrhuae: a sulfated heteropolysaccharide as the structural component of the bacterial cell wall; Steber J et al.; The qualitative and quantitative composition of purifed cell wall of Halococcus morrhuae CCM 859 was determined . Glucose, mannose, galactose; glucuronic and galacturonic acids; glucosamine, galactosamine, gulosaminuronic acid; acetate, glycine and sulfate are found as major constituents . The amino sugars are N-acetylated . It was not possible to fractionate the cell wall in chemically different polymers . Evidence is presented that the major cell wall polymer of this strain is a complex heterolgycan which seems, like the peptidoglycan of most bacteria, to be responsible for the rigidity and stability of the cell wall . In addition it could be proved that this heteroglycan is sulfated and therefore differs considerably from previously described bacterial cell wall polymers. C R Acad Sci Hebd Seances Acad Sci D, 1975 Oct 27, 281(17), 1281 - 2 {Increased non-specific resistance to induction of malaria by sporozoites of Plasmodium berghei yoëlii in mice pretreated with a bacterial phospholipid extract}; Michel JC; The injection of a bacterial phosphospholipid extract increases resistance of mice subsequently challenged with sporozoites of Plasmodium berghei yoelii . The pretreatment consisted of one injection of a suspension containing various amounts of phospholipid extract . It was e-fective when it shortly preceded the sporozoites inoculation . This resulted in total protection of a great number of animals against various amounts of sporozoites . There was a correlation between the dose of EBP injected and the degree of protection against various sporozoites. Biochemistry, 1975 Oct 21, 14(21), 4719 - 23 Fluorescence and bioluminescence of bacterial luciferase intermediates; Balny C et al.; An intermediate in the luciferase-catalyzed bioluminescent oxidation of FMNH2, isolated and purified by chromatography at -20degrees, was postulated to be an oxygenated reduced flavin-luciferase . Maintained and studied at -20 to -30degrees, this material exhibits a relatively weak fluorescence emission peaking about 505 nm when excited at 370 nm . It may comprise more than one species . Upon continued exposure to light at 370 nm, the intensity of this fluorescence increases, often by a factor of 5 or more, and its emission spectrum is blue shifted to a maximum at about 485 nm . Upon warming its fluorescence is lost and the fluorescence of flaving mononucleotide appears . If warming is carried out in the presence of a long chain aldehyde, bioluminescence occurs, with the appearance of a similar amount of flavine fluorescence . The bioluminescence yield is about the same with irradiated and nonirradiated samples . The bioluminescence emission spectrum corresponds exactly to the fluorescence emission spectrum of the intermediate formed by irradiation, implicating the latter as being structurally close to the emitting species in bioluminescence. J Biol Chem, 1975 Oct 10, 250(19), 7631 - 8 Biosynthesis of bacterial glycogen . Kinetic studies of a glucose-1-phosphate adenylyltransferase (EC 2.7.7.27) from a glycogen-deficient mutant of Escherichia coli B; Preiss J et al.; An Escherichia coli B mutant, SG14, accumulates glycogen at 28% the rate observed for the parent E . coli B strain . The glycogen accumulated in the mutant is similar to the glycogen isolated from the parent strain with respect to alpha- and beta-amylosis, chain length determination, and I2-complex absorption spectra . The SG14 mutant contains normal glycogen synthase and branching enzyme activity but has an ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase with altered kinetic and allosteric properties . The mutant enzyme has been partially purified and requires a 12-fold higher concentration of fructose-P2 or a 26 fold higher concentration of pyridoxal-P than the parent type enzyme for 50% of maximal allosteric activation . TPNH, an effective activator of the E . coli B enzyme, does not activate the SG14 ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase . Other studies show that for the SG14 enzyme the concentrations of ATP and Mg2+ in the synthesis direction and the concentrations of ADP-glucose and PPi in the pyrophosphorolysis direction required to give 50% of maximal activity are 3- to 6-fold higher than those observed for the parent E . coli B ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase . The Km for alpha-glucose-1-P at saturating to half-saturating concentrations of the activator, fructose-P2, are about the same for both enzymes . However, in the presence of no activator, the concentration of glucose-1-P required for half-maximal activity is about 1.8-fold higher for the SG14 enzyme . Thus SG14 ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase has lower affinity for its substrates than does the parent enzyme . Previously the SG14 enzyme had been shown to be less sensitive to inhibition by 5'-AMP than the E . coli B enzyme . This ensensitivity to inhibition renders the SG14 enzyme less responsive to energy charge than the E . coli B ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase . On the basis of the above results and taking into account the reported concentrations of fructose-P2, of pyridoxal-P, and of the adenine nucleotide pool and its energy charge in E . coli strains, it is concluded that furctose-P2 is the important physiological allosteric activator of E . coli ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase . Furthermore, the 1.7-fold increased rate of accumulation of glycogen observed when E . coli B or SG14 shifts from exponential phase to stationary phase of growth in nitrogen-limiting media can be accounted for by the 2.4-fold increase of the levels of the glycogen biosynthetic enzymes, glycogen synthase, and ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase . Thus both allosteric regulation of the ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase as well as the genetic regulation of the biosynthesis of the glycogen biosynthetic enzymes are involved in the regulation of glycogen accumulation in E . coli B. Jpn J Exp Med, 1975 Oct, 45(5), 383 - 92 Action of bacterial neutral protease on the dispersion of mammalian cells in tissue culture; Matsumura T et al.; The effect of a bacterial neutral protease on cultured cells was examined with special reference to its activity on the detachment of cells from glass surface, dissociation into single cells and to the inhibitory effect on cell proliferation . Fibroblasts of strains L-929 and CHO-K1, and epithelial cells of strains HeLa-S3, JTC-16 and RLC-10(2) were employed . Fibroblasts were detached and dissociated when this protease was added to MEM supplemented with fetal bovine serum . The epithelial cells were detached but were scarcely dissociated . Kinetic data were obtained concerning the dispersing characteristics of this bacterial neutral protease together with a few aspects on the difference between epithelial cells and fibroblasts in the nature of cell to cell, and cell to substrate interactions. Am J Hosp Pharm, 1975 Oct, 32(10), 1031 - 2 Filling vials aseptically while monitoring for bacterial contamination; Dirksen JW et al.; An aseptic system for prefilling radiopharmaceutical kit vials or syringes is described . The system combines ultrafiltration with a method for monitoring for bacterial contamination . It could be used in any vial or syringe prefilling operation and is not restricted to radiopharmaceuticals. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A, 1975 Oct, 72(10), 3939 - 43 Methylation of a membrane protein involved in bacterial chemotaxis; Kort EN et al.; A protein methylation reaction involved in chemotaxis of Escherichia coli has been identified . The involvement of this reaction in chemotaxis in indicated by four lines of evidence . (a) The methylation reaction is altered in several classes of generally nonchemotactic mutants and is coreverted with the chemotaxis defects . (b) The methylation level of the protein is affected by chemotactic stimuli . (c) The transferred methyl group is derived from methionine and is labile, in accord with the known fact that chemotaxis requires a continuous supply of methionine . (d) Methylation is abnormal in various mutants having defective or missing flagella. Tijdschr Diergeneeskd, 1975 Oct 1, 100(19), 1025 - 33 {Effect of the diluent on the aerobic bacterial count in raw minced meat and similar meats (author's transl)}; Smit MP; A report on the changes in the aerobic bacterial count in commercial minced meat, which appear when samples, decimally diluted with 0.85 per cent sodium chloride or with 0.85 per cent sodium chloride plus peptone (peptone physiological saline solution, p.ph.s.s.) are stored at room temperature for some time . When the higher dilutions (10(5) to 10(7) inclusive) were stored for periods of thirty minutes and more, significantly higher counts were recorded on using p.ph.s.s . and significantly lower counts were observed on using sodium chloride . Significantly higher counts were produced, however, when the two diluents were used following storage of the lowest dilution (10(1)) for a similar period . The dilutions have to be mixed again after each period of storage . The presence of "sublethally injured" bacteria in commercial minced meat is discussed . These bacteria may recover when a diluent having a sufficiently protective effect is used . Substances from the natural substrate are probably still active at the lowest dilution . A number of the injured bacteria which fail to multiply when the pour-plate method is used, will probably be able to produce colonies when the streak-plate method is adopted as more oxygen will be present in this case . Even when a rapid procedure is used in examining the samples (mixed agar method), the average number of colonies produced on using sodium chloride will be significantly smaller than that produced when p.ph.s.s . is used. J Bacteriol, 1975 Oct, 124(1), 225 - 31 Indirect selection of bacterial plasmids lacking identifiable phenotypic properties; Kretschmer FJ et al.; A procedure is described that uses an indicator plasmid (pSC201) to identify cells in a bacterial population that have been co-transformed with a second plasmid lacking detectable phenotypic properties . Under appropriate conditions of indirect selection, between 50 and 85% of transformants carrying the indicator plasmid also contain the nonselected plasmid . A temperature-sensitive mutation in the replication functions of the indicator plasmid enables its elimination from doubly transformed bacteria . Using this procedure, we have isolated bacteria that carry only the small cryptic plasmid . P15A, of the Escherichia coli strain 15 . This genetic element, which contains only 2,300 nucleotide pairs, is thus capable of functioning as a replicon independently of the two larger plasmids normally associated with it in E . coli 15 strains (Ikeda, Inuzuka, and Tomizawa, 1970). Arch Dermatol, 1975 Oct, 111(10), 1312 - 6 Bacterial skin infections in preschool and school children in coastal Tanzania; Masawe AE et al.; In coastal Tanzania, 1,855 preschool and school children were studied for pyoderma (superficial bacterial infections of the skin exclusive of secondarily infected scabies) and for scabies . The predisposing personal, socleoeconomic, and hygienic variables for both conditions were studied also . Pyoderma lesions and some secondarily infected scabies were cultured aerobically for bacterial isolates and the predisposing factors were determined by interviews, home visits, and physical examinations . Pyoderma was present in 6.9% and scabies in 16.6% of the children; both combined totalled 23.5% of the children . Both conditions were more common in rural than in urban environments, but scabies was most common in populations with poor socioeconomic and hygienic conditions . The predisposing factors included trauma, insect bites, hot and damp coastal weather, and poor socioeconomic and hygienic conditions. Z Psychosom Med Psychoanal, 1975 Oct-Dec, 21(4), 390 - 9 {Studies on the influence of psychological factors on the immune system: the result of infantile stimulation on the disease course in neonatal mice with bacterial infection}; Schlewinski E; NMRI mice of both sexes were, from the first to the tenth day of life, either stimulated by means of handling, or sensorically, or not stimulated at all (the control group) . On the tenth day of life, they were separated from their mothers, inoculated intraperitoneally with E.coli O 111 and subsequently subjected to a total deprivation of food and water . The handling-group animals died significantly (1% level) faster than did the sensorically stimulated and the non-treated control group animals . No significant differences could be found in the mortality rates of the last two mentioned groups . After subdividing the animals into five weight classes, a comparative analysis of the three groups showed that the differences in mortality were independent of body weight . The significance of these first animal experiment data on the influence of early experience on the course of infectious diseases in childhood is discussed. Biull Eksp Biol Med, 1975 Oct, 80(10), 65 - 6 {Cyclic 3',5'-adenosine monophosphate stimulation of chloramphenicol-acetyltransferase synthesis in bacterial cellular systems}; Boichenko MN et al.; A study was made of the effect of cyclic cyclic 3',5'-adenosinmonophosphate (c-AMP) on the production of chloramphenicol-acetyltranspherase (CAT) enzyme by whole bacterial cells in the strains of E . coli CSH-2/R222 and WZ-78/R222 (cya855) . It was shown that CAT synthesis in the E . coli WZ-78/R222 strain was two times less in comparison with the E . coli CSH-2/R222 strain . C-AMP only insignificantly increased the production of CAT by the E . coli CSH-2/R222 strain, but considerably influenced the production of this enzyme by the WZ-78/R222 strain. Immunology, 1975 Oct, 29(4), 611 - 9 Influence of molecular structure of the tolerogenicity of bacterial dextrans . III . Dissociation between tolerance and immunity to the alpha1--6- and alpha1--3-linked epitopes of dextran B1355; Howard JG et al.; Dextran B1355 induces a direct PFC response detectable with dextran B512-sensitized red cells which is directed towards an alpha1--6-linked glucose epitope . This response is distinguishable from the alpha1--3-linked specificity assayed by homologous sensitization in that: (a) it is totally suppressed in donors previously rendered tolerant of B512; (b) the PFC are sensitive to inhibition by B512 and isomaltohexaose . The alpha1--6 epitope of B1355 is less immunogenic in BALB/c mice than that with alpha1--3 linkage, inducing a lower amplitude of response and requiring a 100-fold greater minimal dose, while conversely, it is the more effective tolerogen . No alpha1--6-specific response develops in 50 per cent of mice given 10 mg of B1355 and all become totally unresponsive within 14 days . This tolerant state remains stable when spleen cells are transferred to irradiated recipients . By comparison, parallel depression of the alpha1--3 response is not great and rapidly lost by similar transfer . No correlation was observed between the levels of alpha1--6 suppression and alpha1--3 response induced by 10 mg of B1355 in individual mice . The dissociative aspects of the responses to these two epitopes present on the same molecule are discussed in relation to some current theories of B-cell tolerance induction . It is argued that the present findings are contrary to those models which attribute a causal role to mitogenic overstimulation or failure to generate an extrinsic 'second signal'. Immunology, 1975 Oct, 29(4), 599 - 610 Influence of molecular structure on the tolerogenicity of bacterial dextrans . II . The alpha1--3-linked epitope of dextran B1355; Howard JG et al.; Dextran B1355 is a branched glucose polymer containing 57 per cent alpha1--6, 35 per cent alpha1--3 and 8 per cent alpha1--2/1--4 linkages . Direct PFC responses to B1355 can be measured with sheep RBC sensitized with its O-stearoyl or palmitoyl derivative, and, as shown by inhibition analysis, are specific for an eptiope which is dependent on alpha1--3 linkages . B1355 is a potent immunogen in BALB/c mice producing peak PFC levels which approach 10(6) per spleen following an optimal dose of 1 mg . By contrast, the alpha-1--3-linked epitope of B1355 is feebly tolerogenic, for even 10 mg still induces a strong initial response . Mice given 1--10 mg sustain PFC levels 1--2 log10 above background for several months, but do not respond further to restimulation . Full recovery is attained by their spleen cells within 1 week of transfer into irradiated recipients . Deeper tolerance to this epitope was attained in vivo only when these larger doses of B1355 were injected during cyclophosphamide suppression . Two exceptions to this weak tolerogenicty were found . First, BALB/c spleen cells developed durable partial alpha1--3 tolerance following 2-hour incubation with B1355 in vitro . Second, CBA mice were fully tolerized by doses of 1 mg upwards . It is argued from these and other data in the accompanying papers that the relative resistance of BALB/c mice to induction of alpha1--3 tolerance is explicable neither as part of a more general phenomenon based on macrophage activity nor as due to an inadequate epitope density . A possible explanation based on features of the genetically determined high alpha1--3 responsiveness of BALB/c B cells is discussed. Immunology, 1975 Oct, 29(4), 585 - 97 Influence of molecular structure on the tolerogenicity of bacterial dextrans . I . The alpha1--6-linked epitope of dextran B512; Howard JG et al.; Native dextran B512 is a near-linear glucose polymer with 96 per cent alpha1--6 and 4 per cent alpha1--3 linkages and a molecular weight (mol . wt) of 8 X 10(7) . Sheep RBC sensitized with its O-stearoyl derivative (prepared by a modified method) have been used satisfactorily in direct PFC assays . B512 immunizes BALB/c mice optimally with doses of 1--10 mug and produces B-cell tolerance with 1 mg upwards . The specificity of the response determined by PFC inhibition analysis, is directed towards an alpha1--6-linked epitope . High dose tolerance is not preceded by immunity and is stable on cell transfer to irradiated recipients in which responsiveness becomes perceptible after 4--6 weeks . Progressive depolymerization of this polysaccharide reduces immunogenicity and tolerogenicity, both of which are extinguished when the mol . wt falls to 2 X 10(4) . Optimal immunization with B512 is succeeded by partial tolerance (previously characterized by analogous levan experiments as a B-cell exhaustion process) . The tolerance threshold dose of B512 is reduced 1000-fold during immunosuppression with cyclophosphamide . PFC inhibition studies supported the contention that tolerogenicity of polysaccharides is influenced by their overall binding capacities . A direct relationship between inhibitory and tolerogenic activities was found both with B512 fractions of varying mol . wt and with heterologous dextrans . The similarities between B512 and levan argue against the association of a highly branched structure with greater tolerogenicity . The effect of reducing the percentage of alpha1--6 linkages in dextrans suggests, however, that epitope density probably plays a contributory role in determining the outcome of interaction between polysaccharides and B cells. J Biol Chem, 1975 Sep 25, 250(18), 7288 - 93 The oxygenated bacterial luciferase-flavin intermediate . Reaction products via the light and dark pathways; Hastings JW et al.; The identity and stoichiometry of the reaction products of the oxygenated reduced flavin bacterial luciferase intermediate isolated by Sephadex chromatography at low temperature have been determined under two conditions, allowing the reaction to go to completion by warming either in the presence or absence of long chain aliphatic aldehyde . In the latter case, very little bioluminescence occurs, and 1 mol each of H2O2 and FMN is produced per mol of enzyme intermediate . In the presence of aldehyde, the formation of an aldehyde-enzyme intermediate complex can be detected by optical absorption spectroscopy at -30 degrees; upon warming, bioluminescence with high quantum yield occurs with the formation of 1 mol of FMN but no H2O2. Biochemistry, 1975 Sep 23, 14(19), 4310 - 6 Differential effects of 8-anilino-1-naphthalenesulfonate upon binding of oxidized and reduced flavines by bacterial luciferase; Tu S et al.; Upon binding to bacterial luciferase, both the absorption and the fluorescence excitatiom maxima of 8-anilino-1-naphthalensulfonate (ANS) shift from 353 to 370 nm while the fluorescence emission optimum shifts from 540 to 480 nm, and the fluorescence quantum yield increases from 0.003 to 0.39, indicating that the environment of the ANS binding site is hydrophobic . ANS binds to luciferase with dissociation constants of 1.9 X 10(-5) and 2.3 X 10(-5) M at 5 and 23 degrees, repsectively . As with both oxidized flavine mononucleotide (FMN) and reduced flavine mononucleotide (FMNH2), ANS also binds to luciferase with a stoichiometry of 1 site per dimeric luciferase molecule . ANS acts as a luciferase inhibitor, competitive with FMNH2, with an inhibitor constant of 2.3 X 10(-5) M at 23 degrees . However, the binding of ANS does not significantly displace FMN from binding to luciferase . Interactions of FMN and FMNH2 with luciferase are thus differentially regulated by the ANS binding. C R Acad Sci Hebd Seances Acad Sci D, 1975 Sep 22, 281(12), 843 - 6 {The effect of electromagnetic radiation of wavelength in the millimeter range on bacterial growth}; Berteaud AJ et al.; The study on the growth of E . coli cells under low power microwave irradiation the frequency of which can vary between 70 and 75 GHz, demonstrates that in the neighbourhood of 70.5 and 73 GHz a slowdown of growth is most frequently observed . On the contrary, the survival is not altered as long as the power of the irradiation is low . The irradiation does not induce lesions in DNA, whatever the frequency may be. Ghana Med J, 1975 Sep, 14(3), 245 - 6 A successful caesarean section after death from acute bacterial meningitis; Chew GL et al.; A case of post mortem Caesarean Section is presented with a successful outcome . The urgency of the operation to achieve the delivery of a live and healthy baby is stressed . The mother died of Acute bacterial meningitis. Minerva Med, 1975 Sep 1, 66(56), 2763 - 75 {Current status of the treatment of purulent bacterial meningitis}; Di Nola F; There are several stages in the management of purulent bacterial meningitis: anti-infective measures, respiratory resuscitation, treatment of mechanical neurological complications, sepsis and shock . The way in which ordinary antibiotics cross the blood-brain barrier is described, together with the anti-infective treatment of choice applicable to different aetiologies . A series of cases is presented . It is felt that, in spite of the positive influence exerted by antibiotics, the treatment of purulent bacterial meningitis is still a complex matter . In addition to careful selection of a drug against infection, rational use must be made of various forms of treatment to prevent respiratory infufficiency, neurological complications, sepsis and shock. J Virol, 1975 Sep, 16(3), 712 - 9 Study of the fine structure of adeno-associated virus DNA with bacterial restriction endonucleases; Berns KI et al.; A physical map of the adeno-associated virus type 2 genome has been constructed on the basis of the five fragments produced by the restriction endonucleases HindII + III from Hemophilus influenzae . There are three endo R-HindII cleavage sites and one endo R-HindIII site . Evidence has been obtained to support the existence of two nucleotide sequence permutations in adeno-associated virus DNA, the start points of which have been estimated to be separated by 1% of the genome . The three cleavage fragments produced by endo R-Eco RI have been ordered and oriented with respect to the endo R-HindII + III cleavage map. J Immunol, 1975 Sep, 115(3), 741 - 4 Sera and the in vitro induction of immune responses . I . Bacterial contamination and the generation of good fetal bovine sera; Shiigi SM et al.; More than 200 samples of pooled fetal bovine sera (FBS) were tested to determine their capacity to support primary immune responses by cultured mouse spleen cells . Less than 10% of the FBS samples were fully supportive; the majority of the samples were moderately to very deficient . Several lines of evidence suggest that bacterial contamination during the processing of sera plays a major role in determining which sera are supportive . Serum samples known to have been temporarily contamined during processing were strongly supportive . Samples of FBS which were likely never to have been contaminated were deficient . Bacteria from a specific lot of supportive serum converted a very deficient serum into one which was supportive . Several mechanicsms by which bacteria could effect sera are discussed. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A, 1975 Sep, 72(9), 3491 - 5 Primary acceptor in bacterial photosynthesis: obligatory role of ubiquinone in photoactive reaction centers of Rhodopseudomonas spheroides; Okamura MY et al.; Reaction centers were found to bind two ubiquinones, both of which could be removed by o-phenanthroline and the detergent lauryldimethylamine oxide . One ubiquinone was more easily removed than the other . The low-temperature light-induced optical and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) changes were eliminated and restored upon removal and readdition of ubiquinone and were quantitatively correlated with the amount of tightly bound ubiquinone . We, therefore, conclude that this ubiquinone plays an obligatory role in the primary photochemistry . The easily removed ubiquinone is thought to be the secondary electron acceptor . The low-temperature charge recombination kinetics, as well as the optical and EPR spectra, were the same for untreated reaction centers and for those reconstituted with ubiquinone . This indicates that extraction and reconstitution were accomplished without altering the conformation of the active site . Reaction centers reconstituted with other quinones also showed restored photochemical activity, although they exhibited changes in their low-temperature recombination kinetics and light-induced (g = 1.8) EPR signal is interpreted in terms of a magnetically coupled ubiquinone--Fe2+ acceptor complex . A possible role of iron is to facilitate electron transfer between the primary and secondary ubiquinones. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A, 1975 Sep, 72(9), 3374 - 6 Bacterial luciferase requires one reduced flavin for light emission; Becvar JE et al.; Recent reports revive a hypothesis that the bacterial bioluminescence reaction involves two reduced flavin mononucleotide molecules per enzyme turnover . A two-flavin mechanism requires that the two flavins bind simultaneously or sequentially to the same or different sites on luciferase during a catalytic cycle . Measurements using equilibrium techniques show that the luciferase dimer has only a single reduced flavin binding site . Quantum yield results demonstrate that bioluminescence requires only one reduced flavin per luciferase, ruling out mechanisms involving either two reduced flavins or one reduced flavin plus one oxidized flavin per catalytic cycle. J Dent Res, 1975 Sep-Oct, 54(5), 1064 - 8 Bacterial conditions of water in dental units; The SD et al.; Stagnant water in the boiler of a dental unit can cause a high bacterial density . A spiral unit is somewhat superior to a boiler in this respect . Normal unchlorinated tapwater is the main problem in achieving hygienic conditions in dental practice . The technical performance of the unit is only partly responsible for the water quality. Acta Pathol Microbiol Scand {A}, 1975 Sep, 83(5), 487 - 92 Bacterial antigen and acid phosphatase in macrophages in experimental pyelonephritis; Thomsen OF; Experimental retrograde E . coli pyelonephritis was produced in rats . The study covered the period from 6-24 hours up to 6 months . Macrophages in the renal tissue were studied using immunofluorescence staining for bacterial E . coli antigen and histochemical staining for aicd phosphatase . A comparison of sections stained according to the two methods showed that antigen-containing macrophages in nearly all cases yielded a positive reaction for acid phosphatase . On the other hand, in several kidneys acid phosphatase-positive macrophages occurred which in consecutive sections studied by immunofluorescence did not contain antigen . The possibility of using staining for acid phosphatase as a screening method for the detection of active, antigen-containing macrophages in human chronic pyelonephritis is discussed. Biochim Biophys Acta, 1975 Aug 13, 399(2), 460 - 7 Isolation of coliphage lambda ghosts able to adsorb onto bacterial cells; Konopa G et al.; We have examined three methods of lambda ghost production, starting with the {3H}leucine-labelled phage, purified by CsCl density gradient sedimentation . Ghosts obtained by the osmotic shock or by incubation in 5 M LiCl do not adsorb on bacteria . Ghosts obtained by the treatment with the chelating agent EDTA and purified by CsCl density gradient sedimentation possess well preserved adsorption properties and are virtually free of DNA and infectious phage particles. J Biol Chem, 1975 Aug 10, 250(15), 6160 - 7 Isolation of bacterial and phage proteins by homopolymer RNA-cellulose chromatography; Carmichael GG; Nucleic acid-free extracts of Escherichia coli have been analyzed by chromatography on columns of cellulose, to which poly(A), poly(U), or poly(C) have been attached by ultraviolet irradiation . Proteins are released from the columns by stepwise elution with increasingly higher concentrations of salt, followed by washing with urea to remove very tightly bound molecules . The pattern of protein elution is reproducibly different for each of the homopolymer RNA-cellulose columns used: some proteins bind very tightly to one column, but poorly to others . Analysis by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide slab gel electrophoresis, by immunological cross-reactivity in double diffusion tests, and by enzymological assays, has allowed the identification of a number of these proteins . The RNA polymerase core enzyme binds to poly(C)- and to poly(U)-cellulose columns, and can be purified to 20 to 30 percent homogeneity in a single step . Ribosomal protein S1 and the termination factor rho bind very tightly to poly(C)-cellulose, and both can be purified to homogeneity rapidly, in much higher yields than previously reported . Poly(A)-cellulose chromatography allows the isolation of large amounts of an 80,000 molecular weight protein having an as yet unassigned cellular function . The host factor required for RNA phage Qbeta RNA replication in vitro can also be obtained from poly(A)-cellulose, and chromatography of extracts of phage Qbeta-infected E . coli on RNA-cellulose columns results in very rapid isolation of the Qbeta replicase enzyme . Homopolymer RNA-cellulose chromatography thus appears to be a simple, general technique, useful for the efficient isolation of a variety of RNA-binding proteins. Surg Gynecol Obstet, 1975 Aug, 141(2), 195 - 8 The bacterial causation of postoperative osteitis pubis; Gilbert DN et al.; Five patients with a bacterial causation of postoperative osteitis pubis were treated during a three year period . In each patient, the bacterial cause was suggested by a known infectious process adjacent of the symphysis pubis . It is suggested that a bacterial causation be considered for the clinical and roentgenographic syndrome of osteitis pubis if a contigous infectious process is present. J Bacteriol, 1975 Aug, 123(2), 693 - 703 Regulation of bacterial cell division: temperature-sensitive mutants of Escherichia coli that are defective in septum formation; Walker JR et al.; Mutations ts2158 and ts1882, which confer temperature sensitivity of septum formation, map near leu in the region of min 2.0 to 2.1 on the Escherichia coli chromosome . These mutants stop division abruptly and grow as filaments at 42 C; when returned to 28 C, division resumes after about 30 min to produce short cells . The product of the gene defined by these mutations probably is required during all stages of septum formation rather than specifically for initiation of septation . Filaments that formed at 42 C contained incomplete constrictiions (septa) . When actively dividing filaments (i.e., those incubated at 28 C until division resumed) were shifted to 42 C a second time, division again stopped abruptly and incomplete constrictions persisted during the incubation at 42 C . Filaments that were subjected to 28 C incubation for a brief time (10, 20, or 30 min) before being shifted again to 42 C did not resume division as would be expected of a strain defective in initiating septation . Mutations ts 1882 and ts2158 and recessive to the ts+ allele, which is consistent with the interpretation that these mutations cause the loss of a function . They did not complement each other and presumably represent one cistron . Mutants carrying ts1882 and ts2158 mutations were compared with a mutant defective in the ftA allele, also known to map near leu. Thoraxchir Vask Chir, 1975 Aug, 23(4), 427 - 30 {Heart valve surgery in bacterial endocarditis (author's transl)}; Hetzer R et al.; Bacterial endocarditis was the cause of heart valve destruction in 23 patients . Additional 5 patients were reoperated because of an infected valve prothesis . 13 were operated upon during the inactive stage . Nevertheless infection recurred after operation at least in one patient . 10 patients underwent operation during the active stage, 6 of these with stable cardiac function, 4 in cardiogenic shock . Hospital mortality was 2/6 and 1/4 respectively . One patient died after three months of persisting infection . Three of five patients with infected valve prosthesis survived reoperation . An attempt is made to define the indication for valve surgery in bacterial endocarditis. Biochim Biophys Acta, 1975 Jul 27, 397(1), 153 - 63 Action of Arthrobacter ureafaciens inulinase II on several oligofructans and bacterial levans; Uchiyama T; 1 . Arthrobacter ureafaciens inulinase II which converts inulin to di-D-fructofuranose 1,2' : 2,3' dianhydride (difructose anhydride III) leaving a small amount of oligosaccharides, was investigated in order to characterize its mode of action . 2 . After the enzymatic reaction on the glucose-terminated inulin molecules had been completed, the oligosaccharides left in the enzyme digest were isolated, and identified to be the fructose-glucose oligosaccharides; O-beta-D-fructofuranosyl-(2 leads to 1)-O-beta-D-fructofuranosyl alpha-D-glucopyranoside (1-kestose), O-beta-D-fructofuranosyl-{(2 leads to 1)-O-beta-D-fructofuranosyl}2 alpha-D-glucopyranoside and O-beta-D-fructofuranosyl-{(2 leads to 1)-O-beta-D-fructofuranosyl}3 alpha-D-glucopyranoside . The difructose anhydride formation from the three fructose-glucose oligosaccharides in the separate reaction system with an increased substrate concentration was observed only with the latter two substrates, but not with the first one . 3 . The difructose anhydride formation with several (2 leads to 1)-beta-linked fructose oligosaccharides and bacterial (2 leads to 6)-beta-fructans was examined . The (2 leads to 1)-beta-linked fructose oligosaccharides were effective as substrates for the enzyme with the exception of inulobiose, but the (2 leads to 6)-beta-fructans remained unaffected . 4 . It was concluded that the enzyme attacks (2 leads to 1)-beta-linked fructan molecules from the nonreducing fructose ends and requires the presence of at least two adjacent (2 leads to 1)-beta-fructofuranosyl linkages. Br Poult Sci, 1975 Jul, 16(4), 351 - 61 Heat destruction of some bacterial strains attached to broiler skin; Notermans S et al.; 1 . Heat destruction of bacteria attached to the skin did not occur at a logarithmic rate provided the temperature was above 51 degrees C . 2 . It was concluded that the bacteria are protected by their location in the skin surface rather than by polymers produced during attachment . 3 . An analogous process is considered to take place during the scalding of broilers, since bacteria which survived were difficult to remove from the carcasses during further processing. J Exp Med, 1975 Jul 1, 142(1), 139 - 50 C1q deviation test for the detection of immune complexes, aggregates of IgG, and bacterial products in human serum; Sobel AT et al.; This report describes a new, rapid, sensitive, and quantitative method for the detection of immune complexes, endotoxins, and other complement activating materials in patients sera utilizing the ability of these substances to react with isolated C1q . The procedure is based on the inhibition of radiolabeled C1q binding to sensitized sheep erythrocytes by C1q-reactive substances in pathological sera . The C1q deviation test may be performed on 50 mu1 of serum, using 1 mug of radiolabeled C1q per sample . The procedure may be completed in 1.5-2 h, it is capable of detecting 5 mug of aggregated human IgG per ml of serum, and its coefficient of variation is 4.2% . Application of the test to the study of 193 sera from 43 patients with Dengue hemorrhagic fever showed a positive correlation between degree of C1q deviation and severity of disease. Can J Microbiol, 1975 Jul, 21(7), 0146 - 54 Multiple-variant design for the enrichment of photosynthetic bacterial populations; Jeffries TW et al.; A design for the simultaneous variation of acetate, sulfide, and sulfate concentrations in 11 related media is described . Selectivity of these media by a direct enumeration technique in solid culture was compared with that for enrichment in liquid culture . Variation of nutritional parameters resulted in the selection of Rhodospirillaceae at initial enrichment concentrations of 0.1 g or less of Na2S-9 H2O per litre and Chromatiaceae at 0.1 to 1.0 g of g of Na2S-9 H2O per litre . The survival of sulfate-reducing and coliform bacteria indicated interdependency of photosynthetic populations with the former and competition with the latter . Photosynthetic bacteria selectively cultivated in liquid enrichment were tentatively identified as Rhodopseudomonas capsulata, Rhodopseudomonas speroides . Chromatium warmingii, Chromatium okenii, Thiospirillum, and Rhabdomonas. J Urol, 1975 Jul, 114(1), 83 - 5 Semen cultures in the diagnosis of bacterial prostatitis; Mobley DF; The bacterial flora of semen from normal men has been studied . Positive cultures were obtained in 45 per cent of these individuals but only in smally colony counts of non-pathogenic bacteria . The seminal flora of patients with bacterial prostatitis was then studied . Excellent correlations have been noted between cultures of prostatic secretions and semen . Semen cultures will almost invariably be diagnostic in patients with bacterial prostatis . This technique has definite usefulness in selected patients in whom it is otherwise difficult to establish a diagnosis of bacterial prostatis. Infect Immun, 1975 Jul, 12(1), 134 - 6 Use of the K88 antigen for in vivo bacterial competition with porcine strains of enteropathogenic Escherichia coli; Davidson JN et al.; Infant mice were used to measure the amount of fluid accumulation (enterosorption) in the intestinal tract after oral inoculation of a porcine strain of enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (K88-+, Ent-+) . Significant reduction in the amount of fluid found in the intestinal tract was observed if the mice were first inoculated with a K88-possessing, non-enterotoxigenic strain of E . coli . The protection provided is thought to be due to specific competition for attachment sites on cells of the small intestine. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A, 1975 Jul, 72(7), 2748 - 52 On the question of the integration of exogenous bacterial DNA into plant DNA; Kleinhofs A et al.; Extensive studies with pea, tomato, and barley failed to confirm the evidence presented by previous investigators for integration or replication of exogenously applied bacterial DNA in these plants . Labeled DNA of buoyant density in CsCl intermediate between that of high density donor bacterial DNA and of plant DNA was never observed with axenic plants . Intermediate peaks, similar to those used as evidence for recombination by earlier investigators, were observed only when the plants were contaminated with bacteria . Plant DNA prepared by a published procedure {Ledoux, L . & Huart, R . (1969) J . Mol . Biol . 43, 243-262} was found to be contaminated with unidentified impurities . Such DNA was partially protected from the action of DNase and produced aberrant banding patterns in CsCl after shearing . Much of the published evidence for integration of foreign DNA in plants is based upon experiments with plant DNA prepared by this procedure . We conclude that contamination is the likely explanation for what has been interpreted as evidence for integration. Mutat Res, 1975 Jul, 29(1), 35 - 51 Uptake of bacterial DNA by Chlamydomonas reinhardi; Lurquin PF et al.; Escherichia coli {3H}DNA supplied to vegetative cultures of wild-type (mt+) and CW15 (mt+;mutant lacking the cell wall) Chlamydomonas reinhardi could bind to the cell wall of the wild-type and to the cell membrane of CW15 mutant cells . The extent of this binding decreased with time and was to a large degree (over 90%) DNA-ase-sensitive . Nevertheless, about 0.01% of the bacterial DNA remained irreversibly associated with the cells when they reached stationary phase . The irreversible binding of the donor bacterial DNA to Chlamydomonas cells could be increased by treatment of the cultures with polycations such as DEAE-dextran, poly-L-lysine and poly-L-ornithine . Although the CW15 cells rapidly degraded bacterial DNA in the culture medium wild-type cells showed only a small effect on the molecular weight of the donor DNA . The acid-insoluble radioactivity irreversibly bound to WT (+) cells consisted mainly of oligonucleotides with a small proportion present as less depolymerized donor DNA . No radioactivity, however, was found to be associated with the recipient high molecular weight Chlamydomonas DNA . No labeled donor DNA could be recognized in the cells given bacterial {3H}DNA in early stationary phase . Instead, radioactivity found in Chlamydomonas DNA corresponded to reutilization of {3H}thymine derivatives released as a result of {3H}DNA degradation . No evidence for the integration of detectable amounts of donor DNA sequences into the host cell DNA was obtained. J Immunol, 1975 Jul, 115(1), 268 - 71 Mitogenic effect of bacterial peptidoglycans possessing adjuvant activity; Damais C et al.; Two purified peptides extracted from E . coli or B . megaterium strongly stimulated the spleen lymphocytes of rabbits and of normal or nude mice . Both preparations can substitute for Mycobacteria in Freund's complete adjuvant . The peptidoglycan extracted from M . lysodeikticus by a similar procedure which lacks adjuvant activity, did not induce blast transformation . However, the monomere of the E . coli peptidoglycan was devoid of mitogenicity although it has also a marked adjuvant activity. J Immunol, 1975 Jul, 115(1), 106 - 11 Long-lasting in vitro immune response to a distinct antigenic determinant of a bacterial protein . Cyclic changes of antibody titer and affinity; Macario AJ et al.; Long-lasting (60 days or more) antibody responses in vitro by rabbit lymph node fragments to a distinct determinant of Escherichia coli beta-D-galactosidase were obtained by supplementing culture medium with fetal calf and horse serum . Antibodies released in the supernatant were removed every 3rd to 5th day together with the spent medium, without pooling to minimize intermixing of molecules synthesized far apart in time . Antibody titer, association constant, and heterogeneity index were measured in medium samples collected throughout the response in order to draw profiles of their changes under conditions whereby a limited number of clones synthesize antibodies in a closed system without connection to antigen depots, central lymphoid organs, and circulating cell and antibody pools . It was found that antibody affinity changes cyclically and that such cycles may be repeated . Cycles are composed of an ascendant limb with a gradual increase in affinity and a parallel diminution of heterogeneity . A descendant limb follows with the opposite modifications . High affinity antibodies predominate at the peak of the cycles, whereas low affinity molecules take over at the end of the cycles until the next ascendant limb begins; these persist after the last cycle has waned. Biochim Biophys Acta, 1975 Jun 26, 393(2), 563 - 70 State and reactivity of tryptophyl residues in two bacterial proteases from Sorangium sp; Leskovac V; The state and reactivity of tryptophyl residues in two proteolytic enzymes from Sorangium sp . were investigated by means of the following methods: spectrophotometric oxidation of tryptophans with N-bromosuccinimide, 2-hydroxy-5-nitrobenzyl bromide, and H2O2 in dioxane, optical rotatory dispersion, ultraviolet difference spectrophotometry, solvent perturbation and viscosity measurements . Out of two tryptophyl residues/molecule of alpha-lytic protease, one appears to be completely buried, while the other seems to be exposed . None of these two residues seem to be responsible for the activity of the enzyme . The beta-lytic protease undergoes an irreversible conformational transition between pH 5.0 and 3.5 . Out of total four tryptophyl residues/molecule, only one is fully exposed at neutral pH . The other three are gradually exposed in the pH transition region . The degree of exposure and the dimensions of "cavities" shielding tryptophyl residues were estimated . The tryptophyl residues of of beta-lytic protease do not seem to participate in substrate binding or the active site; they are rather one of the determinants of the conformational state of the enzyme. Mol Gen Genet, 1975 Jun 19, 138(3), 213 - 23 The fate of a bacterial plasmid in mammalian cells; Goebel W et al.; When hamster cells are infected with the bacterial plasmid colicinogenic factor E1 (ColE1), as much as 5-8% of the input plasmid radioactivity is found in the recipient cell, mainly in the nuclear fraction . Density shift experiments with bromodeoxyuridine labeled ColE1 DNA indicate that part of the input DNA may be replicated in the nucleus . ColE1 specific RNA but no colicin E1, can be detected during the first two generations after the uptake of ColE1 DNA . However, extrachromosomal ColE1 DNA is unstable in the mammalian cells and is degraded to acid soluble fragments after a few generations. Ann Intern Med, 1975 Jun, 82(6), 766 - 71 Familial neutrophil chemotaxis defect, recurrent bacterial infections, mucocutaneous candidiasis, and hyperimmunoglobulinemia E; Van Scoy RE et al.; A 20-year old women and her infant daughter had recurrent bacterial infections and chronic mucocutaneous candidiasis and were found to have extreme hyperimmunoglobulinemia E, defective neutrophil chemotaxis, and diminished lymphocyte responses to Candida antigen . Studies of members of the mother's family showed mild increases of IgE and mildly depressed chemotactic activity of neutrophils in a brother, the father, and the paternal grandfather . The recurrent bacterial infections in these two patients can be explained by the defective neutrophil chemotaxis . It is not known whether the mucocutaneous candidiasis is related to the neutrophil chemotaxis with the lymphocyte defect being secondary to the Candida infection or, alternatively, the Candida infection being secondary to the lymphocyte defect . Furthermore, the family data suggest a familial pattern of hyperimmunoglobulinemia E and defective neutrophil motility. Gastroenterology, 1975 Jun, 68(6), 1602 - 7 Gallbladder and liver infarction occurring as a complication of acute bacterial endocarditis; Henrich WL et al.; A case of acute bacterial endocarditis is presented in which gallbladder infarction and areas of hepatic infarction were documented . Selective angiography showed findings consistent with emboli to the gallbladder and hepatic circulations. Am J Cardiol, 1975 Jun, 35(6), 912 - 7 Bacterial endocarditis with ruptured sinus of Valsalva and aorticocardiac fistula; Conde CA et al.; A case is presented of bacterial endocarditis with a ruptured sinus of Valsalva and formation of an aorticocardiac fistula from the right coronary sinus into the right atrium and right ventricle . The pathologic, clinical and surgical aspects of bacterial endocarditis complicated by a ruptured sinus of Valsalva and an aorticocardiac fistula are analyzed . This complication of bacterial endocarditis is still uncommon, but alertness to its diagnosis makes possible early and successful surgical treatment. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A, 1975 Jun, 72(6), 2399 - 403 An intercistronic region and ribosome-binding site in bacterial messenger RNA; Platt T et al.; A messenger RNA fragment about 220 nucleotides long has been isolated from 32-P-labeled tryptophan operon mRNA of Escherichia coli . When point mutations at the end of trpB and the beginning of trpA were introduced, the resulting nucleotide changes were found; hence the mRNA fragment must include the trpB-trpA intercistronic region . Most of the nucleotide sequences can be assigned to specific locations in the structural genes, based on the amino-acid sequences of the trpB and trpA proteins . In vitro, ribosomes bind to this piece of mRNA and protect from nuclease attack a region about 40 nucleotides long, containing a central AUG codon . The triplet codons to the 3' side of this AUG correspond to the first seven amino acids of the trpA protein; the codons to the 5' side correspond to the last six amino acids of the trpB protein . Translation of trpB is terminated by single UGA codon, which overlaps the trpA AUG initiation codon: UGAUG . Thus the untranslated "intercistronic" region consists of only two nucleotides . The RNA sequence spanning this region undoubtedly fulfills two functions, specifying ribosome recognition signals as well as encoding amino-acid sequences. Ann Immunol (Paris), 1975 Jun-Jul, 126C(4), 453 - 9 Effect of stimulation with bacterial lipopolysaccharide on the surface-charge of mouse B-lymphocytes; Dumont F; Nude spleen (B) cells were cultivated in vitro in a serum-free medium, without or with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and their surface-charge was measured by cell electrophoresis . In the absence of LPS, surface-charge did not vary significantly with time, whereas, in the presence of LPS a biphasic modification was observed . Thus, after 4 hours of culture with LPS, surface-charge was diminished by 14% . Subsequently, when DNA synthesis and blast formation were activated, it increased by up to 19-23% over control value, whether LPS was present continuously in the medium or had been eliminated by washing after 4 hours of incubation. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A, 1975 Jun, 72(6), 2251 - 5 Picosecond detection of an intermediate in the photochemical reaction of bacterial photosynthesis; Rockley MG et al.; Preparations of photosynthetic reaction centers from Rhodopseudomonas sphaeroides were excited with flashes lasting approximately 8 psec . Immediately after the excitation, there appeared a transient state which was characterized by new absorption bands near 500 and 680 nm, by a bleaching of bands near 540, 600, 760, and 870 nm, and by a blue shift of a band near 800 nm . The transient state decayed with an exponential decay time,t, of 246 plus or minus 16 psec after the flash . As the transient state decayed, the radical cation of the reaction center bacteriochlorophyll complex appeared . This indicates that the transient state is an intermediate in the photooxidation of the bacteriochlorophyll . The absorpiton spectrum of the transient state shows the state to be identical with a state (P-F) which has been detected previously in reaction centers that are prevented from completing the photooxidation, because of chemical reduction of the electron acceptor . Analysis of the spectrum suggests that the formation of P-F involves electron transfer from one bacteriochlorophyll molecule to another within the reaction center, or possibly from bacteriochlorophyll to the bacteriopheophytin of the complex . The initial absorbance changes after flash excitation also include a bleaching of an absorption band at 800 nm . The bleaching decays with tau approximately equal to 30 pse . The bleaching appers not to be a secondary effect, but rather to revael another early step in the primary photochemical reaction. Poult Sci, 1975 May, 54(3), 909 - 11 The effect of heat exposure and bacterial endotoxin on plasma zinc concentration and the body temperature in the broiler; Peterson RA et al.; The effect of heat exposure and bacterial endotoxins on plasma zinc levels and mean rectal temperature of 8 week old broilers and investigated . Broilers exposed for 2 hours to 35-35 degrees C . had higher (P less than 0.01) mean rectal temperatures (42.8 vs 41.7 degrees C.) than sham treated broilers maintained at 22-24 degrees C . Likewise, endotoxin (E . coli, 500 mug./kg) treated broilers also had mean rectal temperatures significantly higher (P less than 0.01, 42.4 vs 41.7 degrees C.) than sham treated broilers . Plasma zinc levels in the bacterial endotoxin treated broilers were lower (P less than 0.05) than in the sham treated (173 vs 220, and 219 mug/kg./100 ml . plasma, respectively) . In contrast, the plasma zinc concentration was not significantly depressed in the broilers exposed to heat for 2 hours . In summary, either endotoxin or heat exposure resulted in increased body temperature, however only the response to endotoxin resulted in a significant depression of plasma zinc concentration. Urology, 1975 May, 5(5), 638 - 9 Bacterial effect on sperm motility; del Porto GB et al.; Human semen containing normal number of sperm was exposed to concentrations of Escherichia coli varying from 500 to 10-8 colonies per cubic centimeter . A significant decrease in motility was abserved at 10-6 colonies per cubic centimeter. Biochemistry, 1975 May 6, 14(9), 1975 - 80 Photoexcited bacterial luminescence . Spectral properties and mechanistic implication of a reduced flavine-like prosthetic group associated with photoexcitable luciferase; Tu SC et al.; A prosthetic group, designated B, has been isolated from bacterial photoexcitable luciferase and found to possess spectral and photochemical properties characteristic of substituted reduced flavines . Its fluorescence when bound to luciferase has an excitation maximum at 375 nm, correlating well with the absorption spectrum, and an emission peaking at 495 nm . However, free B is nonfluorescent in aqueous solution at ambient temperature . Both free and luciferase-bound B show similar negative circular dichroism in the region 330-475 nm with troughs at 375 and 380 nm, respectively . In the luciferase reaction initiated by FMNH2, B is an inhibitor competitive with FMNH2 . Irradiation of photoexcitable luciferase converts B to FMN, the latter identified spectrally, enzymatically, and chromatographically . These findings lead to the suggestion that B is a substituted FMNH2 . The luciferase-bound B resembles but is not identical with the normal flavine intermediate obtainable by reacting luciferase with reduced flavine mononucleotide and oxygen . It is hypothesized that B is a false intermediate of the bacterial bioluminescence reaction, and a mechanism for the photoexcited bioluminescence reaction is suggested. Biokhimiia, 1975 May-Jun, 40(3), 531 - 7 {Chromatographic separation of ribonucleic acids from bacterial and animal cells on MAB columns}; Shirobokov VP et al.; Practicable and efficient method of the chromatographic separation of ribonucleic acids from animal and bacterial cells on columns with MAB-methylated albumin adsorbed on bentonite basis is developed . Distinct separation of transport and ribosomal RNAs was obtained on MAB columns . Ribosomal RNA from bacterial cells was, in its turn, separated in two fractions . Effect of pH, elution rate and temperature on the efficiency of the fractionation is studied . The method proposed is shown to have a number of advantages as compared with well-known method of RNA fractionation on MAK columns . The essence of the method described is irreversible inactivation of RNAse by AMB, which is confirmed in the series of special experiments. Appl Microbiol, 1975 May, 29(5), 680 - 4 Interaction of lead and bacterial lipids; Tornabene TG et al.; Studies on the interaction of lead with lipid components indicate that individual lipids do not provide specific stable binding sites for lead, but that natural membrane lipid mixtures may simply provide an environment suitable for nucleation of lead. Clin Orthop, 1975 May, (108), 158 - 60 Bacterial contamination of the surgical knife; Ritter MA et al.; Two hundred and eight skin knives and 374 deep knives were evaluated in 153 clean orthopedic cases with and without a horizontal wall-less laminar air-flow system . There was no statistical difference in contamination frequency between the skin and the deep knives with and without the laminar air-flow . However, the knife blades were found to be contaminated less than laminar air-flow was used than when it was not (P less than 0.005) . No correlation could be made between the cultures of the wound edges and the depth of the wound with the contaminated knife blades. Phys Ther, 1975 May, 55(5), 482 - 6 Reduction of skin bacterial load with use of the therapeutic whirlpool; Niederhuber SS et al.; Effects of immersion time, water temperature, and three whirlpool treatment techniques on the reduction of bacterial load on the plantar surface of feet were examined . When cultures were taken before and after treatment, water temperature was found not to be a significant factor when removal of bacteria is the primary objective in a vascularly uncompromised limb . Maximum reduction of bacterial count in water at 37.7 degrees Celsius appeared to be obtained after immersion about twenty minutes . Although agitation of the water was significantly better than either spraying or soaking the foot, agitation followed by spraying was significantly better than any single technique in removing bacteria. Circulation, 1975 May, 51(5), 832 - 5 Echocardiography manifestations of flail aortic valve leaflets in bacterial endocarditis; Wray TM; This report describes the echocardiographic features seen in a case of bacterial endocarditis in which the aortic valve leaflets had been partially destroyed . The endocardiogram demonstrated unusual, disorganized echo patterns in the outflow tract of the left ventricle near the anterior leaflet of the mitral valve in diastole . These were shown to be continuous with similar disorganized echo patterns demonstrated in the aortic root in diastole . These echocardiographic abnormalities were no longer present after aortic valve replacement. Klin Padiatr, 1975 May, 187(3), 189 - 97 {Symptomatology, differential diagnosis and treatment of bacterial meningitis of newborns and infants (author's transl)}; Steinhoff M et al.; Bacterial meningitis in our hospital too shows its maximal frequence with 30.5% in the first month of life, 25.2% of these cases being newborns . The frequent difficulties of diagnosis in this period of life are demonstrated . Predisposing factors and possible complications of meningitis are named . The principles of modern therapy are summarized. Mikrobiologiia, 1975 May-Jun, 44(3), 505 - 10 {Bacterial uptake of organic matter in waters of different degrees of pollution}; Fursenko MV; The assimilation of organic matter by bacteria has been shown to be more intensive in polluted waters . The maximal rate of glucose assimilation depended on the number of bacteria and appeared to be two times higher in polluted water and more than hundred times higher in estremely polluted water in comparison with clean water . The equation for the dependence of the maximal assimilation rate on the total number of bacteria in the natural populations is suggested. J Immunol, 1975 May, 114(5), 1462 - 8 Genetic control of responses to bacterial lipopolysaccharides in mice . II . A gene that influences a membrane component involved in the activation of bone marrow-derived lymphocytes by lipipolysaccharides; Watson J et al.; C3H/HeJ mice contain a defect in a single autosomal locus which is not linked to the H-2 histocompatibility or the heavy chain allotype loci that restrict immune, mitogenic, and polyclonal responses to bacterial lipopolysaccharides (LPS) . Adult thymectomized C3H/HeJ mice that have been irradiated and reconstituted with C3HeB/FeJ bone marrow cells respond well to LPS . Cell-mixing experiments using C3H/HEJ-C3HeB/FeJ spleen cultures show that the failure of C3H/HeJ spleen cells to support responses to LPS is not due to nonspecific or LPS-induced suppressive events, or the lack of accessory cell types . C3H/HeJ and C3HeB/FeJ spleen cells bind LPS and respond to other B cell mitogens equally well . We suggest that the B lymphocytes of C3H/HeJ mice have a defect in a membrane component that is activated via interaction with LPS, and initiates the intracellular events that lead to cell proliferation. Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1975 May, (5), 127 - 32 {Immunological polyfunctionality of proteins and its meaning for the analysis of an allergen-active bacterial substrate}; Maianskii AN; It was shown with the aid of immunosorption of an allergen-active substrate of E . coli 020: K84 (No . 2-rII) that protein substances taking part in the phenomenon of cell hypersensitivity were active in the humoral immunity reactions . The allergenic and immunochemical activity served as functions of the same molecules of bacterial proteins, this substantiating the use of immunochemical analysis for the study of an allergen-active bacterial substrate . By protein denaturing it is possible to obtain immunochemical inert allergen-active preparations capable of detecting the cell hypersensitivity to crude bacterial proteins . The problem of immunological polyfunctionality of proteins is discussed from the aspect of nonhomogeneity of their antigenic determinant groups. J Biol Chem, 1975 Apr 25, 250(8), 2763 - 8 Bacterial luciferase . Binding of oxidized flavin mononucleotide; Baldwin TO et al.; Bacterial luciferase catalyzes a bioluminescent oxidation of reduced flavin mononucleotide; the products include a photon and oxidized FMN . The experiments reported here show that luciferase binds oxidized flavin mononucleotide in a 1:1 molar ratio with an apparent dissociation constant of 1.2 times 10-4 M at 3 degrees in 0.05 M 2,2-bis(hydroxymethyl)-2,2'2"-nitriloethanol (bis-tris), pH 7.0 . Analysis of the binding at temperatures between 3 and 30 degrees indicates an enthalpy of binding (delta H a) of minus 10.0 kcal per mol . The absorption spectrum of luciferase-bound FMN shows considerable alteration relative to that of free flavin . There is one major peak at 366 nm, and the 445-nm band is resolved into two distinct peaks at 434 and 458 nm; this spectrum is indicative of binding in a nonpolar environment . The circular dichroism spectrum of FMN bound to luciferase has structure which correlates well with the optical absorption spectrum of the bound flavin . The detail in the spectra of the bound FMN probably reflects the resolution of vibrational structure which is blurred in polar environments . The optical activity shown by the CD spectrum presumably results from binding in an electronically asymmetric fashion . Although FMN free in solution is highly fluorescent, FMN bound to luciferase is nonfluorescent, thus indicating that the emitting species is not an excited state of product FMN located in the same site in which luciferase binds oxidized FMN. Biochim Biophys Acta, 1975 Apr 14, 387(1), 129 - 34 Electron transport in an in vitro-reconstituted bacterial photophosphorylating system; Garcia GF et al.; Photooxidation of endogenous cytochrome(s) c, photoreduction of endogenous chrome(s) b and photobleaching of bacteriochlorophyll have been demonstrated in an in vitro reconstituted system, previously demonstrated to support photophosphorylation . The kinetic responses of these redox reactions to substrate and antimycin A in these particle are characteristic of electron transport processes and stronglysupport the contention that all, or a part of, the oxidative phosphorylation electron transport pathway can be coupled to reaction center, photopigment complex in a manner which supports photophosphorylation . In addition, a succinate-supported light dependent reduction of NAD+ was found. Nature, 1975 Apr 3, 254(5499), 389 - 92 Bacterial behaviour; Berg HC; Bacteria swim by rotating their flagella . They back up or choose new directions at random by changing the direction of the rotation . The probability of such changes is biased by sensory reception . The bias depends on the way in which the intensity ofthe stimulus changes with time, so that the bacteria tend to swim up a gradient of attractant and down a gradient of repellent chemicals. Biochim Biophys Acta, 1975 Apr 2, 383(4), 399 - 409 The 5'-termini of bacterial RNA . I . The monophosphorylated termini; Cook JL et al.; A two-dimensional fingerprint technique is described which separated oligonucleotides by length and number of phosphates present at the termini . The diversity of terminal nucleotide sequences was found to be quite restricted in bacterial 4-5 S RNA: in the strain used here the predominant dinucleotide species was pG-C, and the only trinucleotides produced were pG-G-Up and pG-G-Cp . Examination of total pulse-labeled RNA revealed the same restricted set of terminal trinucleotides. Ann Med Interne (Paris), 1975 Apr, 126(4), 241 - 50 {Prolonged anuria during bacterial endocarditis}; Baglin A et al.; The authors report a case of anuria which lasted 3 months in a patient with sub-acute streptoccocal endocarditis . The investigations led to the discovery, at the level of the kidneys, of arterial aneurysms, renal infarction and diffuse endo-capillary proliferative glomerulonephritis, with deposits of complement and immunoglobulin and finally, interstitial nephritis, perhaps of metastatic origin, which was probably the lesion responsible for the renal failure . Renal function progressively improved and hemodialysis was stopped at the 6th month after correction of the mitral and aortic valve disease. Jpn J Microbiol, 1975 Apr, 19(2), 141 - 8 Nonspecific elicitation of antibody-forming cells in the mouse spleen by bacterial lipopolysaccharide; Nakano M et al.; Mechanisms of nonspecific elicitation of anti-sheep erythrocyte (SRBC) hemolytic antibody plaqueforming cells (PFC) in mouse spleens with an injection of bacterial endotoxin (lipopolysaccharide (LPS)) were studied in comparison with the genesis of naturally occurring "background" PFC in normal mouse spleens and of rapidly arising PFC in mouse spleens after immunization with SRBC . The cytokinetic pattern of anti-SRBC PFC response after an injection of LPS was quite different from that of the response elicited after immunization with SRBC . In addition, even though LPS nonspecifically elicited anti-SRBC PFC response in mice, LPS could not confer any immunological memory on mouse immunocytess for a "secondary-type" anti-SRBC PFC response to restimulation with LPS or SRBC . The administration of rabbit anti-mouse thymocyte immunoglobulin or anti-SRBC antiserum in mice markedly suppressed the PFC response after immunization with SRBC, but did not do so after stimulation with LPS . Neonatally thymectomized mice could still respond to stimulation with LPS, producing anti-SRBC PFC in their spleens . Injections of actinomycin D or cyclophosphamide into mice resulted in obvious reductions of the PFC responses elicited by either LPS or SRBC . However, injections of these immunosuppressive antisera or drugs did not affect the number of anti-SRBC PFC in normal mouse spleens . These results suggest that the genesis of anti-SRBC PFC developed under different conditions, i.e., background PFC, LPS-stimulated PFC, and antigen-stimulated PFC, are quite different from each other, and that the nonspecific elicitation of anti-SRBC PFC by LPS does not require the helper function of T lymphocytes . No obvious difference, however, was observed in the time of ontogenic maturation among these three different anti-SRBC PFC in the mouse spleens judging from when they were first manifested after birth. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A, 1975 Apr, 72(4), 1373 - 7 Site specific recA--independent recombination between bacterial plasmids: involvement of palindromes at the recombinational loci; Kopecko DJ et al.; A recA-independent recombinational event is described which results in insertion of an entire plasmid genome at a unique site of another plasmid, and coincident excision of a precisely defined DNA segment originally present at the point of the insertion . The resulting recombinant molecules subsequently can undergo site-specific translocation of their component segments or inversion of their original DNA sequence orientation . The events observed entail nonreciprocal exchange of genetic material, and involve a discrete nucleotide sequences that is duplicated in rotationally symmetrical reverse orientation on plasmid DNA (i.e., inverted repeat; palindrome). J Bacteriol, 1975 Apr, 122(1), 89 - 92 Variation of ribosomal proteins with bacterial growth rate; Milne AN et al.; The composition of ribosomal proteins has been examined as a function of the growth rate of Escherichia coli cells . Seven sets of cultural conditions, utilizing different combinations of carbon and nitrogen sources, were employed to provide a 36-fold spread in growth rate . The cellular content of most of the ribosomal proteins in ribosomes decreased to a similar extent in the very slow-growing cultures . Major exceptions were proteins S6 and L12, which exhibited a much more pronounced decrease , and S21, which exhibited an increase . None of the proteins remained invariant with growth rate. J Bacteriol, 1975 Apr, 122(1), 199 - 205 Tryptophan photoproduct(s): sensitized induction of strand breaks (or alkali-labile bonds) in bacterial deoxyribonucleic acid during near-ultraviolet irradiation; Yoakum GH; Long-wavelength ultraviolet light (300 to 400 nm) converts L-tryptophan to a photoproduct that is toxic for bacterial cells in dark conditions . We now report that similar photoproducts of l-tryptophan sensitize bacterial deoxyribonucleic acid to 365-nm radiation, increasing the yield of deoxyribonucleic acid strand breaks (or alkali-labile bonds) by approximately 11.5-fold . Evidence is also presented which indicates that thse sensitized deoxyribonucleic acid lesions contribute to lethality for Escherichia coli irradiated with 365-nm ultraviolet light in suspensions of tryptophan photoproducts. Ann R Coll Surg Engl, 1975 Apr, 56(4), 212 - 7 Immunity in acute bacterial infections; Glynn AA; A brief survey of the ways in which humoral and cellular immune responses deal with bacteria and their products shows that a variety of effector mechanisms is involved . Their efficiency varies, partly in relation to the kind of bacterial attack with which they have to deal . Some bacterial factors though not crudely toxic can interfere with specific host defences. Nature, 1975 Mar 6, 254(5495), 34 - 8 Determinant of cistron specificity in bacterial ribosomes; Shine J et al.; The sequence of the 3'-terminus of 16S RNA from different bacteria has been determined . Complementarity relationships between this sequence and a purine-rich tract in the ribosome binding site of different bacterial mRNAs suggest that the 3'-end of 16S RNA determines the intrinsic capacity of ribosomes to translate a particular cistron. Tohoku J Exp Med, 1975 Mar, 115(3), 199 - 211 Reovirus-like particles in jejunal mucosa of a Japanese infant with acute infectious non-bacterial gastroenteritis; Suzuki H et al.; In a two-month old Japanese boy with acute infectious non-bacterial gastroenteritis, reovirus-like particles were detected by electron microscopy in columnar epithelial cells, goblet cells and cells which infiltrated in the lamina propria of the upper jejunum which had been taken by peroral biopsy 90 hr after the onset of the illness. Arch Environ Health, 1975 Mar, 30(3), 137 - 40 Bacterial contamination of organic dusts: effects on pulmonary cell reactions; Rylander R et al.; The influence of water extracts from different organic dusts on the number of free lung cells was studied in short-term exposure experiments . A large increase in the number of leukocytes was found 24 hours after exposure to extracts from cotton and hay . The number of macrophages was not affected . The increase was greater when the dusts were incubated at 37 C and 100% relative humidity prior to the preparation of the extract . This procedure caused an increase in the number of bacteria . When different bacterial species were studied endotoxin-producing strains were found to cause the largest effect. Ann Intern Med, 1975 Mar, 82(3), 329 - 35 Echography and phonography of acute aortic regurgitation in bacterial endocarditis; DeMaria AN et al.; Since management of acute aortic regurgitation in bacterial endocarditis is enhanced by early recognition, echocardiography and phonocardiography were evaluated in three such cases documented by catheterization and surgery without positive blood cultures and compared to echophonograms of 34 patients with aortic regurgitation of other origins . Endocarditis manifested distinctive, thickened, irregular aortic leaflet echoes with normal systolic excursion and mitral echopreclosure with anterior leaflet fluttering . Mitral preclosure resulted in mid- or end-diastolic crescendo murmur accompanied by soft first heart sound . Aortic echograms in nonendocarditis showed either widened root, diminished leaflet excursion, absence of irregular valvular thickening, or normal leaflets, all without mitral preclosure . This study shows specific echophonographic findings of aortic regurgitation due to endocarditis that enable diagnosis of this condition in the absence of positive blood cultures. Can J Microbiol, 1975 Mar, 21(3), 377 - 85 The structure of anaerobic bacterial communities in the hypolimnia of several Michigan lakes; Caldwell DE et al.; The structure of bacterial communities, the distribution of sulfide and oxygen, bacteriochlorophyll concentrations, and the temperature profile were determined for the anaerobic hypolimnia of two lakes in southern Michigan . Information from these studies, plus qualitative observations of two other lakes and two ponds over a 4-year period were used to correlate the spatial distribution of the populations, cell size, arrangement of photosynthetic vesicles or lamellae, presence of gas vacuoles or flagella, sulfur deposition, and environmental factors . On the basis of these results, three communities designated as A, B, and C were defined . The upper (A) community consisted of sequentially layered purple sulfur bacteria including two or more of the following genera: Thiopedia, Thiospirillum, Thiocystis, or Chromatium . The middle (B) community consisted of sequential layers of green bacteria from one or more of the following genera: Pelodictyon, Clathrochloris, Chlorochromatium, or Prosthecochloris . The lowest (C)community contained previously unreported gas-vacuolate colorless bacteria 0 to 0.7 m above the sediment . Microstratification (0.1- to 0.2-m layers) of populations was observed within the A and B communities. Appl Microbiol, 1975 Mar, 29(3), 388 - 92 Bacterial flora of the hemolymph of the blue crab, Callinectes sapidus: most probable numbers; Tubiash HS et al.; The hemolymph of 290 freshly collected blue crabs from Chincoteague Bay, Va., was sampled over a 15-month period from August 1968 through November 1969 and most probable numbers of bacteria were determined by tube dilution . The hemolymph of 18% of all crabs sampled was found to be sterile, with 16% sterility in summer and 23% in winter samples . Despite individual variations, male crabs as a group had a higher bacterial hemolymph burden than females, and among both sexes summer counts were higher than winter . The hemolymph of crabs with missing appendages had significantly higher counts than uninjuried crabs . The annual mean hemolymph most probable numbers per ml was 2,756 for males, 1,300 for females, and 1,876 for both sexes . The higher bacterial levels found in the hemolymph of male crabs may, in part, be explained by the fact that males, which predominated in the summer samples, had a higher incidence of injury and missing appendages than did females. Gastroenterology, 1975 Mar, 68(3), 425 - 30 Structure of the gastric mucosa in acute infectious bacterial gastroenteritis; Widerlite L et al.; It is now well documented that a characteristic mucosal lesion of the proximal small intestine is present in acute nonbacterial gastroenteritis . To determine whether a gastric mucosal lesion also accompanies this illness, stool filtrate containing Norwalk agent was given orally to 15 volunteers after base line biopsies of gastric fundal and/or antral mucosa had been obtained . Gastric fundal and/or antral biopsies were then obtained serially between 24 and 168 hr after administration of the inoculum . Nine volunteers developed symptoms of gastroenteritis . gastric biopsies from those with normal base line fundal and/or antral biopsies remained normal during and after clinical illness . Those volunteers who had mild to moderate gastritis in their base line biopsies showed persistence but no progression of the lesion during illness . In 4 of the volunteers who became ill, intestinal biopsies were available and showed the typical gastroenteritis lesion . These results indicate that acute infectious nonbacterial gastroenteritis induced by Norwalk agent is not associated with histologically detectable gastric mucosal lesion. Tubercle, 1975 Mar, 56(1), 45 - 53 The relationship between length of incubation, bacterial growth and tuberculin yield of a strain of Mycobacterium tuberculosis; Lesslie IW et al.; The relationship was studied between length of incubation in a liquid synthetic medium, amount of bacterial growth, pH of the culture filtrate and tuberculin yield of a single strain, DT, of Mycobacterium tuberculosis . No sinple relationship was found between the total crop of bacteria and the tuberculoprotein content of the culture filtrate . On the other hand, protein release and the pH of the culture filtrate were closely related . In each of two trials the bacterial crop increased rapidly during the early period of incubation, although maximum growth was not reached until 9 and 13 weeks respectively . The pH of the culture filtrate reached its maximum at a value of more than 9-0 after 5 weeks incubation and then fell until the 10th week; a second rise occurred until the 13th week when the pH dropped again and levelled off slightly on the alkaline side of neutrality . The rate of increase in tuberculin yield was most rapid during the first 7 weeks of incubation . After this, the rate of increase slowed down but the yield was still rising after 18 weeks . It is concluded that for the large-scale production of mammalian tuberculin by the method used in these trials, it is profitable to incubate production cultures for 14 weeks or longer. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A, 1975 Mar, 72(3), 979 - 83 Detection of carcinogens as mutagens: bacterial tester strains with R factor plasmids; McCann J et al.; We described previously a simple test on petri plates for detecting chemical carcinogens as mutagens, using an especially sensitive set of bacterial strains to detect mutagenic acitivty and a mammalian liver extract for carcinogen activity . We now extend the utility of the method by introducing two new bacterial strains which can detect with great sensitivity many carcinogens which we did not detect before or detected with less sensitivity . Among these carcinogens are aflatoxin B-1, sterigmatocystin, benzyl chloride, benzo{a}-pyrene, 7,12-dimethylbenzanthracene, 1'-acetoxysafrole, and the nitrofuran food additive furylfuramide (AF-2) . The new strains TA100 and TA98 contain an R factor plasmid, pKM101, in our standard tester strains TA1535 and TA1538 . The R factor increases mutagenesis with certain mutagens, but not others . We present evidence that the mutagens that become more effective work through an error-prone recombinational repair. Am Heart J, 1975 Mar, 89(3), 359 - 65 Bacterial endocarditis in idiopathic hypertrophic subaortic stenosis; Wang K et al.; Bacterial endocarditis complicating idiopathic hypertrophic subaortic stenosis (IHSS) is uncommon but endocarditis may be the first clinical manifestation of IHSS . In this report of such a case, the aortic and the mitral valves were the sites of the bacterial infection . Many chordae tendineae to the mitral valve were ruptured from the extension of the infectious process . The endothelial lesions, which served as the seat for the bacterial infection on the anterior mitral leaflet, likely resulted from its abutting action against the septal prominence . Damage to the aortic valve leaflet may have resulted from abnormal valve motion caused by IHSS and created an environment conducive to endocarditis . This patient developed aortic insufficiency during the course of bacterial endocarditis, suggesting that the occasional association of aortic insufficiency in patients with IHSS may be secondary to healed endocarditis of the aortic valve. Br Med J, 1975 Feb 22, 1(5955), 438 - 40 Can colonic bacterial metabolites predispose to cholesterol gall stones? Low-Beer TS, Pomare EW. The cholesterol content of biliary lipids increased significantly when 16 healthy volunteers ingested deoxycholic acid (DC) for two weeks in a daily dose of 100-150 mg . Serum cholesterol also fell significantly to 88% of the baseline levels . Since DC is formed in the colon we suggest that populations in whom there is a high colonic absorption of bacterially metabolized cholate--that is, DC--have an increased predisposition to cholesterol gall stones. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A, 1975 Feb, 72(2), 710 - 3 Quantitation of the sensory response in bacterial chemotaxis; Spudich JL et al.; A quantitative assay for the stimulus-response relationship in bacterial chemotaxis has been developed by measurement of tumble frequency . Application of the assay has shown an additive relationship between changes in receptor occupancy and recovery times . Tumble suppression is related to the change in receptor occupancy and not to its rate of change . The results can be explained in terms of varying levels of a tumble regulator. Biochemistry, 1975 Feb 11, 14(3), 621 - 4 The action of bacterial cytidine deaminase on 5,6-dihydrocytidine; Evans BE et al.; Cytidine deaminase from Escherichia coli was found to catalyze the hydrolytic deamination of 5,6-dihydrocytidine, at a rate slightly lower than its rate of action on the normal substrate . The results suggest that nucleophilic addition by the enzyme at the 5,6 position of the substrate is not an essential part of catalysis, unless the active site is so flexible that deamination can occur with addition in one case (cytidine) and without addition in another case (5,6-dihydrocytidine) . 3,4,5,6-Tetrahydrouridine bears a close structural resemblance to a hypothetical "tetrahedral" intermediate formed by direct water addition to 5,6-dihydrocytidine . The hydrolytic activity of the enzyme toward 5,6-dihydrocytidine and its potent inhibition by 3,4,5,6-tetrahydrouridine are presumably related by the ability of the active site to stabilize structures of this kind by tight binding . Cytidine deaminase shows no detectable activity as a catalyst for the dehydration of 6-hydroxy-5,6-dihydrouridine. Z Orthop Ihre Grenzgeb, 1975 Feb, 113(1), 29 - 40 {Measurement of aerial bacterial in operation theaters}; Weidmann E; The numbers of aerial bacteria in the conventionally aerated theaters of the department Balgrist show the chances of contamination . The required low values of 30-70 bacterial/m-3 of air almost always been exceeded during operation, even though the surgical team was well trained . Comparative measurements in the operation-box with vertical air flow, introduced in 1972, showed germ-figures smaller than 1/m-3 close to the wound, independently from whether surgeon and first assistant worked with breath-suction and helmet or without . The number of wounds contaminated at the end of the operation by germs of any source fell from 50 per cent to 5 per cent which is probably the reason for the fall of post-operative infection . Experience so far shows that one can count on reduction of, particularly of early, infection . Since the patient-material changed -there were far more cases at risk- it is impossible to compare present rates of infection with earlier ones. Am J Dis Child, 1975 Feb, 129(2), 183 - 6 Bacterial endocarditis in children under 2 years of age; Johnson DH et al.; The risk of bacterial endocarditis in infants with bacterial sepsis was assessed by review of clinical and autopsy records (1930 to 1972) . There were 12 cases of bacterial endocarditis among 847 patients (1.4%) dying with bacterial sepis; a single survivor was noted during the entire period . Of the 12 autopsy patients, six had underlying congenital heart disease (CHD) . Among 61 patients with bacterial sepsis associated with CHD, six acquired bacterial endocarditis (10%), whereas in 786 infants with sepsis but without underlying heart disease, only six developed bacterial endocarditis (0.8%) (P less than .01) . There is a high mortality in infants with bacterial endocarditis, and an increased risk of it in infants with sepsis and CHD. J Immunol, 1975 Feb, 114(2 pt 2), 738 - 41 Suppression and enhancement of the T cell-dependent production of antibody to SRBC in vitro by bacterial lipopolysaccharide; Hoffmann MK et al.; LPS induced the production of antibody to sheep red blood cells (SRBC) in cultures of spleen cells from normal and T cell-depleted mice, and addition of SRBC to the cultures enchanced this T cell-independent response very little . By contrast, the T cell-dependent production of antibody to SRBC in vitro was suppressed when lipopolysaccharide (LPS) was added at the time when the spleen cells were cultured . Later addition of LPS to spleen cell cultures caused enhancement of antibody production, but only when LPS had not been added before . Addition of T cells that had been primed with SRBC in vivo did not reverse the LPS-induced suppression of antibody production . The data are interpreted to mean that either B cells are rendered incapable of receiving T cell signals in the presence of LPS or that LPS interferes with the appropriate association of cellular components which cooperate in the immune response to SRBC. Clin Pediatr (Phila), 1975 Feb, 14(2), 191 - 200 Some important pitfalls in the diagnosis and treatment of bacterial meningitis in children; Johnsen SD; Some of the common errors and problems of the physician who cares for the child with bacterial meningitis are: 1) misdiagnosis; 2) inappropriate handling of cerebrospinal fluid; 3) inadequate assessment of therapeutic responses; 4) inappropriate drug therapy; 5) improper treatment of seizures; 6) inadequate care of increased intracranial pressure; 7) inappropriate evaluation of persistent fever; 8) inappropriate fluid therapy; 9) inadequate investigation of persistent neurologic deficit; 10) overvigorous treatment of subdural effusion; 11) inadequate assessment of neurologic or psychologic impairment; and 12) inadequate consideration of possible underlying defects. Carbohydr Res, 1975 Feb, 39(2), 295 - 302 The fine structure of the branched alpha-D-glucan from the blue-green alga Anacystis nidulans: comparison with other bacterial glycogens and phytoglycogen; Weber M et al.; The fine structure of the glycogen from the blue-green alga Anacystis nidulans has been examined . After selective hydrolysis of all (1 yields 6)-alpha-D linkages by a bacterial isoamylase, the resulting mixture of linear chains was subjected to gel permeation chromatography . For purposes of comparison, the glycogens from Escherichia coli and Arthrobacter sp., amylopectin, phytoglycogen from sweet corn, and shell-fish glycogen were treated similarly . The profiles of the unit chains of A nidulans glycogen and phytoglycogen were closely similar . There was no close resemblance in the size distribution of unit chains for A . nidulans glycogen, other bacterial glycogens, and amylopectin. Appl Microbiol, 1975 Feb, 29(2), 141 - 4 Continuous monitoring of pH and Eh in bacterial plaque grown on a tooth in an artificial mouth; Russell C et al.; Apparatus which enables the simultaneous continuous monitoring of pH and Eh of bacterial dental plaque as it develops on a tooth surface in an artificial mouth is described . Details of the electrodes used, monitoring equipment, and culture conditions are given . Preliminary results are given showing the Eh and pH values of plaque produced in vitro to be in close agreement with readings reported for plaque in vivo . The effect of the incorporation of 1 per cent sucrose in the medium on these parameters is reported and a distinct inverse relationship between pH and Eh recorded. Ann Microbiol (Paris), 1975 Feb-Mar, 126(2), 161 - 74 {Bacterial cytostimulation by specific antibodies (author's transl)}; Schirmann-Marotel J; Antibodies bound to the surface of Escherichia coli cells stimulate the rate of growth of these bacteria in proportion to their quantity . This "cytostimulation" of the bacteria is confirmed by (1) the increase in optical density, (2) colony counts and (3) increase in the beta-galactosidase activity of a constitutive strain . This action can be amplified by overlaying the antibodies bound to the bacteria, with anti-antibodies . The cytostimulation is accompanied by an increase of the ratio in phosphatidylglycerol to diphosphatidyl-glycerol in the bacteria. J Immunol, 1975 Feb, 114(2 pt 2), 770 - 5 Immunologic properties of bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS): correlation between the mitogenic, adjuvant, and immunogenic activities; Skidmore BJ et al.; Bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) was demonstrated to have the capacity in mice to enhance the response to soluble bovine serum albumin (BSA) and to interfere with the induction of tolerance to human gamma-globulin (HGG) . These adjuvant activities were shown to occur under conditions in which LPS could also function as a B cell mitogen . This positive correlation was established by utilizing two experimental situations in which LPS was non-mitogenic for spleen cells . Thus, on the one hand, it was found that LPS did not function as an adjuvant in C3H/HeJ mice, a unique strain whose spleen cells were also unresponsive to LPS-induced mitogenesis . On the other hand, in strains which did respond to LPS mitogenically, LPS failed to function as an adjuvant when it was chemically altered to reduce its in vitro mitogenic activity . A correlation was also observed between mitogenesis and the capacity of LPS to function as a specific immunogen i mice . In contrast to the sustained and prolonged plaque-forming cell response that was observed in mice whose spleen cells were also responsive to LPS-induced mitogenesis, the response was relatively transient in the C3H/HeJ strain . These results are discussed in view of the possible in vivo modes of action of LPS. Biochemistry, 1975 Jan 28, 14(2), 399 - 406 Biosynthesis of bacterial menaquinones . Menaquinone mutants of Escherichia coli; Young IG; The isolation of six menaquinone mutants of Escherichia coli is described . It was shown that the mutants fall into two genetic classes . The first class carries mutations in a gene designated menA, which was located at minute 78 on the E . coli chromosome by cotransduction with the glpK and metB genes . The second class carries mutations in a gene designated menB . It was shown that this gene was not cotransducible with the menA gene . The biosynthesis of menaquinone in E . coli was studied using a variety of mutants blocked in aromatic biosynthesis together with the two classes of menaquinone mutants . It was demonstrated that chorismate is the branch point compound leading to menaquinone, and that 2-succinylbenzoic acid and 1,4-dihydroxy-2-naphthoic acid can serve as menaquinoone precursors in E . coli . It was also shown that menA- and menB- strains accumulate 1,4-dihydroxy-2-naphthoic acid and 2-succinylbenzoic acid, respectively, in their culture supernatants . The accumulation of the two compounds by the mutants together with their activity as menaquinone precursors provide strong evidence that they ar true intermediates in menaquinone biosynthesis . A pathway is proposed for the biosynthesis of bacterial menaquinones in which each intermediate has been adequately characterized. Klin Wochenschr, 1975 Jan 15, 53(2), 49 - 57 {Biological activity of bacterial peptidoglycan (mucopeptide) (author's transl)}; Heymer B; A brief survey on the ultrastructure, the chemical composition and the immunological properties of bacterial cell wall peptidoglycan (mucopeptide) is presented . This paper deals with the various recently discovered biological activities of peptidoglycan . These could be divided into three different groups, namely: 1 . Endotoxin-like properties: pyrogenicity, induction of the local Shwartzman reaction, increase in non-specific resistance to bacterial infection, release of 5-hydroxytryptamine from rabbit platelets, complement activation,gelation of amebocyte lysate . 2 . Inflammatory reactions of skin and internal organs, aggressin activity (virulence factor), inhibition of phagocytosis of bacteria by granulocytes and macrophages, inhibition of growth of cell cultures, cytotoxity to granulocytes and macrophages . 3 . Potentiation of humoral and cellular immune responses (adjuvant), enhancement of tumor defense in experimental animals . The potential mechanisms of action of peptidoglycan are discussed and attention is focused on the implications of the various peptidoglycan activities for medicine. Biochim Biophys Acta, 1975 Jan 6, 378(1), 22 - 34 Relationships between non-extractable DNA and the bacterial growth cycle; Salser JS et al.; Escherichia coli DNA has been fractionated into extractable and non-extractable DNA after deproteinization of detergent-lysed cell preparations with chloroform-isoamyl alcohol . The former was extracted with dilut buffered saline whereas the latter remained in the interphase layer associated with residual cellular debris from which almost 40 percent could be released by incubating with pronase . About 20-25 percent more amino acid residues were bound to the pronase-released DNA than to the extractable DNA, but the relative distribution of the residues in the two DNA samples was virtually identical . The specific activities and the relative amounts of denser (1.709g-cm-3) and lighter (on the surface of CsCl gradients) DNA fractions from E . coli, grown in the presence of labeled thymidine, indicated that these two corresponded to extractable and non-extractable DNA, respectively . The relative amounts of the two fractions varied with the growth phase primarily as a function of the growth rate . Age and metabolic state of cells in the culture or those used as inocula could modify this relative distribution . When growth rate was maximal, the ratio of the two remained at about 1 . During lag phase when no appreciable net synthesis of DNA could be detected, there was a rapid and preferential incorporation of labeled thymidine into non-extractable DNA . A disproportionate increase in the fraction of the total DNA which was extractable, was also abserved but only when stationary phase cultures were used as inocula . Complete equilibration of the label in the two DNA fractions was attained only after cultures had reached mid-log phase of growth . Similar results were obtained when prelabeled cells were used . These data have be