Appl Environ Microbiol, 1990 Sep, 56(9), 2711 - 6 Enhanced thermal destruction of Listeria monocytogenes and Staphylococcus aureus by the lactoperoxidase system; Kamau DN et al.; The lactoperoxidase system (LPS) enhanced thermal destruction of Listeria monocytogenes and Staphylococcus aureus . After LPS activation, biphasic survival curves were observed for L . monocytogenes at 57.8 degrees C and for S . aureus at 55.2 degrees C . The data were consistent with a model that assumed two bacterial populations differing in heat sensitivity . The more heat-sensitive fractions (93% of the L . monocytogenes, 92% of the S . aureus) were killed almost instantly . For these biphasic survival curves, D values were based on the much smaller, less-heat-sensitive fractions . For L . monocytogenes, the D52.2 degrees C values were 30.2 min (untreated milk) and 10.7 min (LPS activated); corresponding D55.2 degrees C values were 8.2 and 1.6 min; corresponding D57.8 degrees C values were 2.3 and 0.5 min . For S . aureus, the D52.2 degrees C values were 33.3 min (untreated milk) and 2.2 min (LPS activated), and the corresponding D55.2 degrees C values were 7.6 and 1.1 min, respectively . The most rapid killing of L . monocytogenes occurred when samples were heated soon after activation of the LPS . Activation of the LPS followed by heating can increase the margin of safety with respect to milkborne pathogens. Arthritis Rheum, 1990 Sep, 33(9), 1340 - 6 In vitro secretion of human IgM rheumatoid factor . Evidence for distinct rheumatoid factor populations in health and disease; Dalal N et al.; The production of antibodies that react with the Fc fragment of IgG, i.e., rheumatoid factors (RF), is now regarded as a normal host immune response . It is not clear, however, if such putative physiologic RF are different from their counterparts which characterize pathologic states like rheumatoid arthritis (RA) . Using Staphylococcus aureus Cowan I as an in vitro stimulant of RF production, we now report that the IgM-RF secreted by blood mononuclear cells obtained from healthy newborn infants and healthy adults can be distinguished not only from classic monoclonal RF and polyclonal RA serum RF, but also from the RF secreted by blood mononuclear cells obtained from RA patients . Whereas the Fc-binding activity of all RF secreted in vitro was easily inhibited by aggregated human IgG, only the RF produced by the normal umbilical cord cells and the normal adult cells were inhibited by monomeric Fc(IgG) . The normal RF were also selectively inhibited by monomeric rabbit and guinea pig (Fc(IgG) . The RF secreted by umbilical cord blood cells utilized lambda and kappa light chains, with a disproportionate use of lambda light chains relative to the total IgM secreted . Together, these data provide evidence for distinct subsets of RF in health and in disease. J Cell Biol, 1990 Sep, 111(3), 1059 - 68 Paxillin: a new vinculin-binding protein present in focal adhesions; Turner CE et al.; The 68-kD protein (paxillin) is a cytoskeletal component that localizes to the focal adhesions at the ends of actin stress fibers in chicken embryo fibroblasts . It is also present in the focal adhesions of Madin-Darby bovine kidney (MDBK) epithelial cells but is absent, like talin, from the cell-cell adherens junctions of these cells . Paxillin purified from chicken gizzard smooth muscle migrates as a diffuse band on SDS-PAGE gels with a molecular mass of 65-70 kD . It is a protein of multiple isoforms with pIs ranging from 6.31 to 6.85 . Using purified paxillin, we have demonstrated a specific interaction in vitro with another focal adhesion protein, vinculin . Cleavage of vinculin with Staphylococcus aureus V8 protease results in the generation of two fragments of approximately 85 and 27 kD . Unlike talin, which binds to the large vinculin fragment, paxillin was found to bind to the small vinculin fragment, which represents the rod domain of the molecule . Together with the previous observation that paxillin is a major substrate of pp60src in Rous sarcoma virus-transformed cells (Glenney, J . R., and L . Zokas . 1989 . J . Cell Biol . 108:2401-2408), this interaction with vinculin suggests paxillin may be a key component in the control of focal adhesion organization. J Exp Med, 1990 Sep 1, 172(3), 981 - 4 Selective expansion of T cells expressing V beta 2 in toxic shock syndrome; Choi Y et al.; Infection with Staphylococcus aureus and the production of toxic shock syndrome toxin-1 (TSST-1) have been implicated in the pathogenesis of toxic shock syndrome . Previous in vitro studies have demonstrated that TSST-1 is a powerful but selective stimulator of human T cells, and that the majority of activated cells express the TCR V beta 2 gene segment . We therefore studied patients with toxic shock syndrome using a modification of the PCR to determine if expansion of V beta 2+ T cells is a marker of the in vivo disease process . Five of eight patients studied demonstrated markedly elevated levels of circulating V beta 2+ T cells, whereas none showed significantly elevated levels of T cells expressing other V beta gene segments . The results suggest that toxin-mediated T cell activation, which involves a large fraction of the human T cell repertoire, may be critical in the pathogenesis of this disease. Pediatr Med Chir, 1990 Sep-Oct, 12(5), 443 - 6 {Septic arthritis}; Lepore L et al.; Septic arthritis is a serious medical problem that should be promptly recognized and requires appropriate treatment to avoid permanent joint damage . The disease is caused by several different microorganisms but the most frequent in children and in adults is Staphylococcus aureus . Pathogenetic mechanism, general (antiblastic therapy, diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis) and local (intra-articular injections) promoting factors are discussed . Usefulness of laboratory and radiological investigations is debated . Finally indications for needle aspiration, adequate drainage as well as guide lines on general and local antibiotic therapy are reported. P N G Med J, 1990 Sep, 33(3), 229 - 33 The clinical spectrum of staphylococcal bacteraemia: a review of 101 Melanesian patients from Papua New Guinea; John R et al.; The clinical features of 101 Melanesian patients with Staphylococcus aureus bacteraemia observed during two 2-year periods (1977-1979 and 1985-1987) in a university teaching hospital in Papua New Guinea are reviewed . The age of the patients ranged from 12 to 70 years . There were 69 males and 32 females . Diabetes mellitus, found in 15 patients, was the most common predisposing factor . Most of the patients (87%) had community-acquired infection . Soft-tissue infection, pneumonia, arthritis, osteomyelitis, intravenous-site thrombophlebitis, cerebral abscess, endocarditis and cavernous sinus thrombosis were among the clinical entities observed . Soft tissues and lungs were the most common sites of primary and secondary foci of infection, respectively . All but 1 of the 101 blood isolates were resistant to penicillin G and none was resistant to methicillin . The overall case fatality rate was 24% . These data demonstrate that staphylococcal bacteraemia in adult Papua New Guineans is mostly community acquired and has a high mortality . Skin and soft tissues are the major primary foci of infection leading to staphylococcal bacteraemia. Bol Asoc Med P R, 1990 Sep, 82(9), 412 - 5 Prognostic factors in patients with IVDA and bacteremia; Arizmendi A et al.; The medical records of all the patients with bacteremia and recent use of illicit intravenous drugs admitted to Hospital Universitario Ramon Ruiz Arnau from January 1, 1988 to June 30, 1989 were reviewed . It consisted of 28 records, 21 of which were male patients and 7 females . The mortality rate among these patients was 46% . Staphylococcus aureus was the most common pathogen recovered from blood cultures . All the S . aureus were methicillin sensitive . The presence of clinical sepsis, a low Karnofsky performance status at the time of admission and multiorgan abnormalities were the most important prognostic factors that determined outcome in these patients. J Am Soc Nephrol, 1990 Sep, 1(3), 236 - 44 Parathyroid hormone inhibits B cell proliferation: implications in chronic renal failure; Alexiewicz JM et al.; B cell proliferation is impaired in patients with chronic renal failure, but the mechanisms underlying this defect are not known . Lymphocytes have receptors for parathyroid hormone, and it is possible that the state of secondary hyperparathyroidism of renal failure is responsible for the B cell defect . Our studies were designed to (a) examine T cell-independent B cell proliferation {3H)thymidine incorporation) induced by Staphylococcus aureus Cowan 1 after 5 days of culture, (b) evaluate the effect of parathyroid hormone on S . aureus Cowan I-induced B cell proliferation, and (c) investigate the mechanisms through which parathyroid hormone may exert its effect on B cell proliferation . Lymphocytes were obtained from 37 normal subjects and 21 dialysis patients . S . aureus Cowan I induced significant stimulation (P less than 0.01) of the proliferation of B cells from both groups, but the effect was smaller on B cells from dialysis patients (10.0 x 10(3) +/- 1.4 x 10(3) cpm) than on those from normal subjects (21.8 x 10(3) +/- 2.0 x 10(3) cpm) . Both the intact molecule of parathyroid hormone (1-84 PTH) and its amino-terminal fragment (1-34 PTH) caused significant inhibition of proliferation of B cells from normal subjects in a dose-dependent manner, with the effect being significantly greater (P less than 0.01) with an equimolar concentration of 1-84 PTH than that of 1-34 PTH . Inactivation of 1-84 PTH by oxidation abolished most of its inhibitory effect on B cell proliferation.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS) Z Naturforsch {C}, 1990 Sep-Oct, 45(9-10), 1060 - 2 Thermal behaviour of lymphocyte membrane: ESR investigation; Mazzuca S et al.; The order parameter, S, of the plasma membrane of in toto human peripheral blood lymphocytes was obtained by electron spin resonance spectroscopy in the temperature range 25-41 degrees C . This membrane is completely in the liquid crystalline state above 31 degrees C . In presence of the antigen ETB from Staphylococcus aureus at the concentration of 4 micrograms/3 x 10(7) cells an overall decrease of the order parameter for this membrane is observed . The decrease of S is followed by an upwards shift at about 35 degrees C of the temperature of the liquid crystalline state. Infect Immun, 1990 Sep, 58(9), 3020 - 8 Mutants of staphylococcal toxic shock syndrome toxin 1: mitogenicity and recognition by a neutralizing monoclonal antibody; Blanco L et al.; Toxic shock syndrome toxin 1 (TSST-1), a 22-kilodalton protein made by strains of Staphylococcus aureus harboring the chromosomal toxin gene, may elicit toxic shock syndrome in humans . In vitro, TSST-1 induces T cells to proliferate and macrophages to secrete interleukin-1 . To conduct a structure-function analysis, point mutations on the TSST-1 gene were generated by site-directed mutagenesis to identify amino acids critical for activity of the toxin . Specific tyrosine and histidine residues were replaced by alanines . Wild-type and mutant TSST-1 gene constructs were expressed in Escherichia coli, and the products were tested for their mitogenic potential and reactivity with a TSST-1 neutralizing monoclonal antibody (MAb 8-5-7) . Four of the mutants were similar to the wild type; i.e., the mutant toxins stimulated murine T cells and reacted with MAb 8-5-7 equally as well as the wild type . Two mutants exhibited a decrease in mitogenic activity, but one of these retained the capacity to bind with MAb 8-5-7 while the other was no longer recognized by the same antibody . One double mutant demonstrated minimal mitogenic activity and did not react in enzyme-linked immunosorbent and immunoblot assays with MAb 8-5-7 . The data show that specific residues near the carboxy terminus of TSST-1 are essential for mitogenic activity and in forming the epitope recognized by neutralizing MAb 8-5-7. Lett Appl Microbiol, 1990 Sep, 11(3), 119 - 22 An improved amperometric immunosensor for the detection and enumeration of protein A-bearing Staphylococcus aureus; Mirhabibollahi B et al.; An amperometric immunosensor specific to the protein A of Staphylococcus aureus, was developed using the direct electrochemical detection of phenol produced by alkaline phosphatase from phenylphosphate . The immunosensor could detect protein A at 0.01 ng/ml and could reliably detect and quantify pure cultures of protein A-bearing Staph . aureus above 10(3) cfu/ml . A similar sensitivity of detection was obtained with samples of beef and milk. J Immunol Methods, 1990 Aug 28, 132(1), 119 - 26 Evaluation of CD5 and other differentiation antigens on human immunoglobulin-secreting cells using a combination of immunobead rosetting and reverse haemolytic plaque formation; Jones BM; This paper describes a new method, with high specificity and sensitivity, for evaluating cell surface markes such as differentiation antigens and cytokine receptors on immunoglobulin-secreting cells . Mononuclear cells, freshly derived from peripheral blood or following stimulation in vitro with pokeweed mitogen or Staphylococcus aureus Cowan I, are partially depleted of T cells and monocytes using immunomagnetic beads (Dynabeads) coated with anti-CD2 . The cells are incubated with Dynabeads coated with monoclonal antibody against the cell marker under investigation and then used in a protein A haemolytic plaque assay . Plaque-forming cells (PFC) with (marker-positive) and without (marker-negative) attached beads can be readily enumerated . Values are given for percentages of IgG-, IgA- and IgM-PFC bearing CD19, CD38, CD25 and CD5. J Biol Chem, 1990 Aug 25, 265(24), 14377 - 81 Staphylococcus aureus alpha-toxin attack on human platelets promotes assembly of the prothrombinase complex; Arvand M et al.; alpha-Toxin, the major cytolysin of Staphylococcus aureus, promotes blood coagulation by its attack on human platelets (Bhakdi S., Muhly, M., Mannhardt, U., Hugo, F., Klapettek, K., Mueller-Eckhardt, C., and Roka, L . (1988) J . Exp . Med . 168, 527-542) . In the present study we demonstrate that toxin attack on gel-filtered human platelets initiates the assembly of prothrombinase complexes at rates up to 10-fold of controls . Treatment of platelets with 0.1 microgram/ml alpha-toxin resulted in generation of 1.4 units of thrombin/10(8) platelets . A similar rate of thrombin generation was noted when platelets were subjected to three cycles of freezing and thawing . However, the alpha-toxin-induced prothrombinase activity was not due to platelet lysis, since less than 1% of total cellular lactate dehydrogenase was released by this alpha-toxin concentration . Two distinct and dissociable processes contributed to enhanced prothrombinase assembly . First, alpha-toxin promoted the exocytotic release of factor V from alpha-granules, which was accompanied by co-secretion of platelet factor 4 . This process was calcium-dependent . Second, toxin-treated platelets exhibited an enhanced capacity to bind external factor V(a), a phenomenon that was not linked to Ca2(+)-dependent factor V secretion . Assembly of prothrombinase complexes via these two mechanisms together accounts for the procoagulant action of S . aureus alpha-toxin. Biochim Biophys Acta, 1990 Aug 24, 1027(2), 185 - 90 Interaction of wasp venom mastoparan with biomembranes; Katsu T et al.; Mastoparan-induced changes in the K+ permeability of rat peritoneal mast cells, human erythrocytes, Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli were examined . Mastoparan did not efficiently increase the K+ permeability of cells except for S . aureus . The release of membrane phospholipids was also observed from S . aureus cells in the concentration range of the permeability enhancement . Mastoparan stimulated histamine release from mast cells, independently of a small efflux of K+ . Mastoparan became markedly effective to E . coli cells whose outer membrane structure was chemically disrupted beforehand, showing that the peptide can enhance the permeability of the cytoplasmic membranes of both Gram-positive and -negative bacteria . In experiments using liposomes, mastoparan increased the permeability of the liposomes composed of egg phosphatidylethanolamine and egg phosphatidylglycerol, which are the lipid constituents of the cytoplasmic membrane of E . coli cells, while it showed a weak activity to the liposomes composed of egg phosphatidylcholine and cholesterol . The latter result related closely to the fact that this peptide acted weakly on erythrocytes and mast cells in which acidic lipids constitute a minor portion . Mastoparan decreased the phase transition temperature of dipalmitoylphosphatidylglycerol liposomes, but it did not affect that of dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine liposomes . These results indicate that mastoparan penetrated into membranes mainly containing acidic phospholipids and disrupted the membrane structure to increase the permeability . The action of the wasp venom mastoparan was compared with that of a bee venom melittin. Ugeskr Laeger, 1990 Aug 20, 152(34), 2417 - 20 {The hyper IgE syndrome . Job's syndrome}; Drewes AM et al.; Since 1972, 150 cases of the hyper-IgE-syndrome have been reported . The clinical manifestations are rather homogeneous with recurrent subcutaneous infections and infections in the respiratory tract, mostly with juvenile onset . Laboratory tests show minor eosinophilia and elevated immunoglobulin E-levels are always seen, partly specific to Staphylococcus aureus . Also varying decreases of polymorphonuclear leucocyte-chemotactic response are seen . There is no specific treatment of the disorder, only treatment of current infections has proved valuable . A case history is presented. J Am Vet Med Assoc, 1990 Aug 15, 197(4), 465 - 70 Efficacy of intramammary treatment in unbred and primigravid dairy heifers; Trinidad P et al.; A total of 73 breeding-age and primigravid Jersey heifers in 4 herds was randomly allotted to treatment and control groups according to expected calving date . Thirty-five heifers were injected intramammarily with a nonlactating cow product containing penicillin/streptomycin . Thirty-eight heifers served as untreated controls . Of the 35 treated heifers, 34 (97.1%) were infected at time of treatment . In the untreated control group, all 38 heifers (100%) were infected at treatment time . At parturition, prevalence of intramammary infection in treated heifers decreased to 40%, whereas in the control group, prevalence remained about the same (97.4% of heifers) . Prevalence of Staphylococcus aureus mastitis in treated heifers was reduced from 17.1% to 2.9% after treatment . In the control group, prevalence of S aureus mastitis decreased from 26.3% to 15.8% . Heifers treated during the second trimester of pregnancy had the greatest reduction in prevalence of mastitis and in somatic cell count at parturition, compared with controls . Findings indicated that intramammary treatment during pregnancy in primigravid heifers was effective in reducing prevalence of mastitis and somatic cell counts at parturition. J Biol Chem, 1990 Aug 5, 265(22), 13263 - 7 Localization of thrombomodulin-binding site within human thrombin; Suzuki K et al.; A binding site for thrombomodulin on human thrombin (alpha-thrombin) was elucidated by identifying an epitope for a monoclonal antibody for thrombin (MT-6) which inhibited the activation of protein C by the thrombin-thrombomodulin complex by directly inhibiting the binding of thrombin to thrombomodulin . An 8.5-kDa fragment isolated by digestion of thrombin with Staphylococcus aureus V8 protease followed by reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and a peptide isolated by reversed-phase HPLC after reduction of the 8.5-kDa fragment, which was composed of three peptides linked by disulfide-bonds, bound directly to MT-6 and thrombomodulin . The amino acid sequence of the peptide coincided with the sequence of residues Thr-147 to Asp-175 of the B-chain of thrombin . A synthetic peptide corresponding to Thr-147 to Ser-158 of the B-chain inhibited the binding of thrombin to thrombomodulin . Elastase-digested thrombin, which was cleaved between Ala-150 and Asn-151, lost its binding affinity for both MT-6 and thrombomodulin . These findings indicate that the binding site for thrombomodulin is located within the sequence between Thr-147 and Ser-158 of the B-chain. Nature, 1990 Aug 2, 346(6283), 474 - 6 The alpha 1 domain of the HLA-DR molecule is essential for high-affinity binding of the toxic shock syndrome toxin-1; Karp DR et al.; Several exoproteins from the bacterium Staphylococcus aureus are highly potent polyclonal activators of T cells in the presence of cells bearing class II antigens of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) . These toxins, including the toxic shock syndrome toxin (TSST-1), act at nanomolar concentrations, bind directly to class II molecules, and do not require the processing typical of nominal antigen . Each toxin is capable of stimulating a subpopulation of peripheral T lymphocytes bearing particular V beta sequences as part of their alpha beta T-cell receptors . It is not known how these so-called 'superantigens' bind to class II and how this binding stimulates T cells . In this study, the different affinities of TSST-1 for human class II molecules DR and DP were exploited to define the region of a class II molecule necessary for high-affinity binding . Using chimaeric alpha- and beta-chains of DR and DP expressed at the surface of transfected murine fibroblasts and a binding assay with TSST-1, it was shown that the alpha 1 domain of DR is essential for high-affinity binding, and further that TSST-1 binding did not prevent subsequent binding of a DR-restricted antigenic peptide . This is compatible with a model of superantigen making external contacts with both class II and T cell receptor, and suggests that the V beta portion of the T-cell receptor interacts with the nonpolymorphic alpha-chain of DR. Nature, 1990 Aug 2, 346(6283), 471 - 3 Residues of the variable region of the T-cell-receptor beta-chain that interact with S . aureus toxin superantigens; Choi YW et al.; The alpha beta T-cell antigen receptor (TCR) recognizes antigenic peptides in the context of self major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecules . The specificity of recognition of MHC plus antigen is generally determined by a combination of the variable elements of alpha- and beta-chains of the TCR . Several types of antigen, however, have been identified that, when bound to MHC molecules, stimulate T cells bearing particular variable-region beta-chain (V beta) elements irrespective of the other variable components of the TCR . These have been termed 'superantigens', and here we are concerned with one type of superantigen, the toxins produced by Staphylococcus aureus . T cells have been found that bear closely related members of the same V beta family but respond differently to S . aureus toxins; in particular, cells bearing the human V beta 13.2 element respond to toxin SEC2, whereas cells bearing human V beta 13.1 do not . We have now defined the residues of the V beta element responsible for this difference, and find that they reside in a region thought to lie on the side of the TCR molecule, away from the conventional antigen/MHC-binding site . The evolutionary conservation of this site may be due to its having an important role in some function of the TCR other than the binding of conventional antigen plus MHC. Zentralbl Veterinarmed B, 1990 Aug, 37(6), 473 - 6 Distribution of immunoglobulin-bearing leukocytes in bovine mammary tissue infected chronically with Staphylococcus aureus; Sordillo LM et al.; Mammary parenchymal and test end tissues from cows with chronic Staphylococcus aureus mastitis were examined to determine the distribution of immunoglobulin (Ig) G1- and IgG2-bearing leukocytes . Leukocytes bearing IgG2 predominated in S . aureus infected quarters, with highest numbers observed at the Furstenberg's rosette followed by streak canal and parenchymal tissue areas . Significantly more IgG1- and IgG2-bearing leukocytes were observed at the Furstenberg's rosette and significantly more IgG2-bearing leukocytes were observed at the streak canal of S . aureus infected quarters compared to uninfected quarters . Receptors for cytophilic IgG on neutrophils and macrophages may increase efficiency of phagocytosis and improve the antimicrobial effectiveness of these cells in treat end tissues. Clin Nucl Med, 1990 Aug, 15(8), 585 - 6 Indium-111 leukocyte localization in infected prosthetic graft; Purnell GL et al.; Infective endocarditis can be difficult to prove, even in the face of strong clinical suspicion . A case in which standard methods of diagnosis failed to demonstrate endocarditis in a patient with recurrent Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia and porcine aortic valve is reported . An In-111 labelled leukocyte SPECT study demonstrated uptake in the aortic root and leaflets, and autopsy demonstrated vegetations on the leaflets . In-111 may prove useful in demonstrating endocarditis in patients with prosthetic valve infection. Clin Nucl Med, 1990 Aug, 15(8), 542 - 4 Tropical pyomyositis . Demonstration of extent and distribution of disease by gallium scintigraphy; Schiff RG et al.; Pyomyositis is a Staphylococcus aureus infection of muscles reported primarily in tropical countries but seen with increasing frequency in temperate climates . Because of its rarity in the United States, the diagnosis may not be considered immediately, and involved muscles may break down and become abscessed . Diagnosis is most reliably made by the recovery of pus from a muscle aspirate . Ga-67 scan findings of an interesting case of pyomyositis involving many muscle groups in both upper and lower extremities is reported . Despite arthralgias and complicating adult respiratory distress syndrome, Ga-67 correctly localized the infection to muscles in the shoulders, upper thorax, buttocks, and thighs . A bone scan was negative, excluding the possibility of extension of the infection to bone. Neurosurgery, 1990 Aug, 27(2), 185 - 92 Changing concepts in spinal epidural abscess: a report of 29 cases; Del Curling O Jr et al.; A review of our recent experience with spinal epidural abscess (SEA) reveals several important changing concepts in diagnosis, etiology, management, and outcome . All cases of SEA seen by our service from August 1975 to July 1989 were reviewed retrospectively, and 29 patients were identified (19 men and 10 women, aged 13-78 years) . Abscesses were located in the lumbar (n = 21), thoracic (n = 7), and cervical (n = 1) epidural spaces . Gram-positive organisms were the infectious agent in 72% of the cases, and Staphylococcus aureus was the sole agent in 45%; other agents were Gram-negative aerobes (n = 5), a Gram-negative anaerobe (n = 1), Mycobacterium tuberculosis (n = 1), and Sporotrichum schenckii (n = 1), the last occurring in a young woman with acquired immune deficiency syndrome . Seventeen patients had concomitant extraspinal infections . Diagnosis was confirmed by myelography, computed tomography, or magnetic resonance imaging . All patients underwent operative decompression and debridement; 2 required a second procedure for persistent infection . The most common operative findings were pus and granulation tissue in the epidural space (52%); the preoperative course correlated poorly with operative findings . The wound was closed primarily in 84% of cases . Postoperative intravenous antibiotic courses for the bacterial abscesses ranged from 1.5 to 6 weeks (median, 2 weeks), followed by antibiotics given orally for 0 to 6 weeks . Two patients died perioperatively . Neurological outcome was good in 21 patients and fair in 6 (mean follow-up, 1.4 years) . Over the last 50 years the spectrum of organisms causing SEA has broadened, and the distinction between acute and chronic SEAs has minimal clinical significance.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS) Am J Med, 1990 Aug, 89(2), 137 - 41 Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia in patients with Hickman catheters; Dugdale DC et al.; PURPOSE: Determination of outcome and prognostic variables associated with Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia in patients with Hickman catheters . PATIENTS AND METHODS: At the University of Washington Medical Center, 37 patients with Hickman catheters and S . aureus bacteremia were studied by retrospective chart review . Clinical features associated with each episode of infection were determined, and the relationships among clinical features, therapy, and outcomes were explored . RESULTS: Only 18% of all Hickman catheter-associated S . aureus bacteremias and only 10% of those cases with exit site infections were cured without catheter removal . In seven of 41 episodes (17%), death or bacteremic relapse occurred . The best prognosis was found in infections with a low blood culture colony count (less than 1 colony/mL) . CONCLUSION: Hickman catheter-associated bacteremia due to S . aureus has a worse prognosis than other Hickman catheter-associated bacteremias . Early catheter removal should be considered except in cases with a remote, noncatheter focus of infection or in infections with no catheter-related physical signs and blood culture colony counts of less than 1/mL. Cell Immunol, 1990 Aug, 129(1), 95 - 103 Aggregated immunoglobulin and Fc fragment of IgG induce IL-6 release from human monocytes; Ling ZD et al.; The Fc fragment of immunoglobulin (Ig) has been shown to play an important role in the regulation of humoral immunity, cellular immunity, lymphocyte and monocyte activation, and immune mediator secretion . We wished to determine if Ig or Fc fragments would induce IL-6 production from monocytes . Incubation of monocytes purified from human peripheral blood mononuclear cells with aggregated Ig or Fc fragments of Ig induced interleukin-6 (IL-6) activity in the supernatants . Monomeric Ig taken from an intravenous preparation of Ig, from which all aggregated Ig are removed, would not induce IL-6 production from monocytes whereas as a heat-treated aliquot, presumably containing aggregates, did induce IL-6 . The supernatants were assayed according to their ability to induce growth in a murine hybridoma cell line B9, or enhance Ig secretion of B cells stimulated with Staphylococcus aureus Cowan 1 (SAC) . The IL-6 activity in the supernatants could be neutralized by a polyclonal rabbit anti-human IL-6 antiserum in both assays of IL-6 activity . Exposure of T-enriched or B-enriched lymphocyte subpopulations to Fc fragments did not induce the release of any IL-6 after 12 hr of incubation, but small amounts of IL-6 were produced by B-enriched cells after 60 hr of exposure to Fc fragments . Hence Fc fragments and aggregated Ig induce peripheral blood monocytes to rapidly secrete large quantities of interleukin-6. Jpn J Antibiot, 1990 Aug, 43(8), 1381 - 91 {Clinical evaluation of cefuzonam of severe infections in leukemia and related disorders}; Tsuda S et al.; Cefuzonam (CZON) which has a broad spectrum on both Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus was evaluated in severe infections associated with hematological disorders . Sixty five patients were treated with CZON . Among them, 56 patients were evaluable for effectiveness . Nine patients were not evaluable because 3 patients were treated with combination of other antibiotics such as ceftizoxime, norfloxacin, ofloxacin, 1 patient was subjected to additional therapy of G-CSF and gamma-globulin, 4 were the patients with other disease than hematologic disorder (3 malignant mesotheliomas, 1 ovarian cancer), and the remaining one was prophylactically treated . Excellent responses were observed in 21 (37.5%) patients, good responses in 11 (19.6%) patients, with an overall efficacy rate of 57.1% . The efficacy rate in septic patients was 80% (4/5), and that in patient whose peripheral granulocytes were continuously below 100/microliters was 60% (3/5) . Three patients who suffered from malignant mesothelioma, one patient who suffered from ovarian cancer, one patient who was treated prophylactically were included in the final evaluation of side effects . Side effects were observed in 2 patients (2/61, 3.3%) . In a patient of 7 years, mild liver disfunction (GOT/GPT, 46/55) was found in 10 days after CZON treatment was started . In a patient of 65 years, mild appetite loss was identified in 2 days after CZON administration was begun . The liver disfunction was improved soon after the cessation of the treatment . The mild appetite loss disappeared while the treatment was continued . These results showed that CZON was an effective and safe antibiotic for the treatment of severe infections in patients with hematological disorders. Curr Eye Res, 1990 Aug, 9(8), 781 - 6 Partial amino acid sequence determination of bovine corneal protein 54 K (BCP 54) Cooper DL, Baptist EW, Enghild J, Lee H, Isola N, Klintworth GK. The most abundant soluble protein of bovine cornea, BCP 54 (Bovine Corneal Protein, molecular weight 54 kD) was isolated and digested under both limited and complete digestion conditions with Staphylococcus aureus V8 protease . The fragments resulting from limited digestion were separated by one-dimensional sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, transferred to a polyvinylidene difluoride membrane, visualized by Coomassie Blue staining, cut out, and submitted to N-terminal protein sequence analysis . Complete digestion fragments were separated on a Vydac C18 reverse-phase HPLC, collected, and concentrated prior to sequencing . Using this method, we obtained amino acid sequence data from three internal V8 protease derived fragments of BCP 54 and a number of HPLC fragments . Comparison of these amino acid sequences, corresponding to 30% of the BCP 54 molecule, to those sequences contained within release 22 of the National Biomedical Research Foundation Protein Identification Resource revealed no extended sequence similarity of known proteins to BCP54. Antibiot Khimioter, 1990 Aug, 35(8), 17 - 20 {Effect of dioxidine on extracellular proteins and enzymes in Staphylococcus aureus}; Fadeeva NI et al.; Dioxidine++-induced changes were shown to occur in the protein composition of the cells of Staphylococcus aureus . The most significant damages were observed in the composition of exoproteins . Dioxidine++ had a specific inhibitory effect on intracellular nuclease, which was accompanied by a decrease in virulence and disorders in the toxin formation. Antonie Van Leeuwenhoek, 1990 Aug, 58(2), 79 - 86 Basic features of the staphylococcal heat shock response; Qoronfleh MW et al.; The major heat shock proteins of Staphylococcus aureus had apparent Mrs of 84,000, 76,000, and 60,000, and other prominent proteins of Mrs 66,000, 51,000, 43,000 and 24,000 were also induced . Staphylococcus epidermidis showed a similar response . These proteins were also induced by CdCl2, ethanol and apparently osmotic stress (1.71 M NaCl or 2.25 M sucrose) . Most of the proteins sedimented with the membrane fraction, but the Mr 60,000 protein remained in the cytoplasm. J Comp Pathol, 1990 Aug, 103(2), 183 - 9 In vitro replication of Bovid herpesvirus-1 in macrophages derived from peripheral blood leucocytes of calves; Woldehiwet Z et al.; Macrophages derived from peripheral blood leucocytes of calves from 1 to 100 days of age supported the replication of Bovid herpesvirus-1 (BHV-1) without apparent cytopathic effects . The replication of the virus was abortive, replication being restricted to limited numbers of passages . The abilities of macrophages to support replication of BHV-1 were similar for calves from 1 day to 100 days of age (P greater than 0.05) . The replication of BHV-1 in macrophages did not significantly affect the capacity of macrophages to phagocytose and kill Staphylococcus aureus (P greater than 0.05). J La State Med Soc, 1990 Aug, 142(8), 31 - 5 The role of bacterial cultures from bronchoscopy washings in AIDS related patients; Valainis GT et al.; The clinical significance of bronchoscopy washing cultures for bacteria had been questioned before the era of the acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS), and the procedure was felt to be misleading more than helpful . Little has been mentioned of its utility in AIDS patients undergoing fiberoptic bronchoscopy . The correlation of these cultures was retrospectively reviewed for 30 bronchoscopies performed in 26 patients with advanced AIDS related illnesses . Normal respiratory flora was the most common finding in 14/28 (50%) of the cultures submitted, followed by Staphylococcus aureus in 7/28 (25%) . Correlating chest radiographs with culture results revealed that in only five cases were cultures definitely or possibly relevant . All five had radiographic changes compatible with bacterial processes, and clinical findings suggestive of disease . The routine submission of bronchoscopy washings for bacterial culture in patients with HIV associated disease should be discouraged without clinical and radiologic correlation. J Dairy Sci, 1990 Aug, 73(8), 2103 - 11 Effects of preventing periparturient hypocalcemia in cows by parathyroid hormone administration on hematology, conglutinin, immunoglobulin, and shedding of Staphylococcus aureus in milk; Kehrli ME Jr et al.; The effects of hypocalcemia at parturition on concentrations of serum immunoglobulin and conglutinin, number of bacteria shed into milk, and leukograms of dairy cows were investigated from -4 wk prepartum to 4 wk postpartum . Ten healthy multiparous Holstein cows were fed a high calcium diet to induce hypocalcemia at parturition . Five cows received intramuscular parathyroid hormone to prevent hypocalcemia at parturition . All cows experienced a leukopenia (attributable to an absolute and relative neutropenia) during the 1st wk after calving, decreased serum conglutinin activity during the first 3 wk postpartum, and decreased concentration of serum IgG1 during the 3 wk before calving . At parturition, a large increase in organisms was found in foremilk (1000 to 10,000 times more than prepartum values) . Neither the hematological changes nor the decreased immunoglobulin concentration was influenced by hypocalcemia or the development of milk fever . This implies that the degree of hypocalcemia observed did not have a large or irreversible influence on bacterial infection, hematological, or humoral immunity changes in periparturient cows. Int J Food Microbiol, 1990 Aug, 11(1), 1 - 19 Temperature limits of growth, TNase and enterotoxin production of Staphylococcus aureus strains isolated from foods; Schmitt M et al.; For 77 strains of Staphylococcus aureus freshly isolated from different foods, growth, enterotoxin and TNase production were determined in intervals of 1.5 degrees C +/- 0.5 degrees C by cultivating them in a temperature-gradient incubator between 5 and 50 degrees C for up to 7 days . All the strains were coagulase, DNase and lysostaphin positive but only 58% formed one or two enterotoxins type SEA, SEB or SEE . All strains grew within 7 days in brain heart infusion and had lower and upper temperature limits for growth and TNase production of between 6.5 and 12.5 degrees C, and 39.5 and 48.5 degrees C respectively . The lower and upper temperature limits for production of enterotoxins were between 14 and 38 degrees C, and between 35 and 44 degrees C respectively . Enterotoxin forming isolates either showed narrow (3 to 4 degrees C) or wide (10 to 20 degrees C) ranges of enterotoxin production, irrespective of their temperature range of growth and TNase production . None of the 12 specific physiological attributes used for differentiation could be correlated to toxin type or the temperature requirement of the toxin production . No correlation between the origin and the physiological characters could be detected. Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1990 Aug, 34(8), 1577 - 83 Cloning of SHV-2, OHIO-1, and OXA-6 beta-lactamases and cloning and sequencing of SHV-1 beta-lactamase; Mercier J et al.; Molecular cloning of DNA fragments permitted the isolation of structural genes coding for SHV-1, SHV-2, OHIO-1, and OXA-6 beta-lactamases . DNA probes were constructed for SHV-1, and under conditions of high stringency, hybridization was observed only between SHV-1 and SHV-2 . Oligonucleotide typing with a 15-mer SHV-1 probe was capable of discriminating between SHV-1 and SHV-2 but not OHIO-1 . The nucleotide sequence of the SHV-1 beta-lactamase gene from plasmid R974 has been determined . The structural gene encodes a polypeptide product which differs by 9 residues from the p453 (SHV-1) PIT-2 enzyme determined by peptide sequencing . The significance of each mutation was assessed by alignment of amino acid sequences and comparisons with the Staphylococcus aureus PC1 penicillinase crystal structure . Structural similarities between SHV-1 and class A beta-lactamases are extensive, with amino acid identities of 88.9% between SHV-1 and LEN-1, 91.8% between SHV-1 and OHIO-1, and 63.7% between SHV-1 and TEM-1. J Antibiot (Tokyo), 1990 Aug, 43(8), 913 - 9 Janthinocins A, B and C, novel peptide lactone antibiotics produced by Janthinobacterium lividum . I . Taxonomy, fermentation, isolation, physico-chemical and biological characterization; O'Sullivan J et al.; Janthinocins A, B and C are novel antibacterial agents produced by Janthinobacterium lividum . They were isolated from fermentation broths and characterized by UV, IR, NMR and mass spectroscopy . They are cyclic decapeptide lactones with marked activity against aerobic and anaerobic Gram-positive bacteria and are 2 to 4 times more potent in vitro than vancomycin . Janthinocins A and B were also found to be effective in a Staphylococcus aureus systemic infection in mice. Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis, 1990 Aug, 9(8), 605 - 8 A probe for the detection of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus; Fluit AC et al.; An approximately 300 base pair DNA fragment for use as a probe was isolated from methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus DNA partially digested with Sau3AI . This probe hybridized with 25 methicillin-resistant clinical isolates of Staphylococcus aureus belonging to 18 different phage types, but not with 41 clinical isolates susceptible to methicillin. Diabetes Care, 1990 Aug, 13(8), 876 - 82 Influenza infection and diabetes mellitus . Case for annual vaccination; Diepersloot RJ et al.; Herein, epidemiological data on influenza pneumonia and mortality, results of clinical studies, and the outcome of influenza vaccination trials are reviewed . All excess mortality studies that specify for underlying disease list diabetes as one of the major risk factors . During influenza epidemics, death rates among patients with diabetes mellitus may increase by 5-15% . Diabetes mellitus is also mentioned as a risk factor in most clinical studies, making up 3-14% of the patients studied . Even in recent studies, diabetes mellitus is only preceded as a risk factor by cardiovascular disease and chronic pulmonary disorders . To what extent cardiovascular disease and old age contribute to the increased influenza mortality and morbidity in diabetic patients remains unclear . The influence of epidemic influenza on the incidence of diabetic acidosis in combination with an impaired immune response to both Staphylococcus aureus and the influenza virus suggests that diabetes mellitus itself is the main risk factor . It is concluded that all patients with diabetes mellitus should receive annual vaccinations and that, in official recommendations, patients with diabetes mellitus should be mentioned as a separate risk group . Whole-virus vaccines are preferred over subunit vaccines. Biomaterials, 1990 Aug, 11(6), 389 - 92 Kinetics of colonization of a porous vitreous carbon percutaneous implant; Nowicki B et al.; Implants of porous vitreous carbon with pore diameters 200-500 microns were surgically placed in rabbits and pigs . Skin colonization experiments were carried out by topically inoculating concentrations of Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli in a test area adjacent to the implant and to a remote control area . Subsequent swab cultures were taken at 6, 24, 48 and 72 h and one or more weeks . In vitro attachment studies were also performed using bacteria stained with FITC on 1 mm slices of the porous carbon . Proplast was used as a control . Results showed that despite a temporary high rate of colonization and obvious binding of the bacteria to the carbon, the skin-implant interface resists infection by both normal and pathogenic flora. Zentralbl Bakteriol, 1990 Aug, 273(3), 369 - 77 Common antibiotic resistance plasmids in Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis from human and canine infections; Schwarz S et al.; The plasmids of a multiresistant "canine" Staphylococcus epidermidis-culture were investigated . Two small plasmids, the 4.55 kB chloramphenicol resistance (CmR-) plasmid pSC4 and the 4.45 kB tetracycline resistance (TetR-) plasmid pST 3 could be isolated . Detailed restriction maps of pSC 4 and pST 3 were constructed by double restriction endonuclease digests . The restriction maps revealed extensive structural homologies between pSC 4 from "canine" S . epidermidis and the CmR-plasmid pC 221 from "human" S . aureus as well as between pST 3 from "canine" S . epidermidis and the TetR-plasmid pT 181 from "human" S . aureus . These data suggested that an exchange of small plasmids between S . epidermidis and S . aureus might be possible. Mol Pharmacol, 1990 Aug, 38(2), 159 - 63 Biochemical characterization of the cholecystokinin receptor on CHP212 human neuroblastoma cells; Klueppelberg UG et al.; Cholecystokinin (CCK) receptors reside on a large number of cell types along the digestive tract and in the nervous system . A human neuroblastoma cell line (CHP212) has recently been described to express a type A receptor, with structural specificity similar to that on pancreatic acinar cells and gall bladder smooth muscle cells but different from the predominant type of binding site found in brain (type B) . In this work, we have performed photoaffinity labeling and protease peptide mapping of the CHP212 receptor and have compared it to other type A CCK receptors . 125I-D-Tyr-Gly-{(Nle28,31,pNO2-Phe33)-CCK-26-33}, a probe that possesses a photolabile residue at position 33 within the theoretical receptor-binding domain of this hormone, specifically labeled a Mr = 80,000-90,000 glycoprotein on this cell line, while labeling larger proteins (Mr = 85,000-95,000) on rat pancreas and human gall bladder . Deglycosylation with endo-beta-N-acetylglucosaminidase F yielded bands of Mr = 43,000 from CHP212 and gall bladder and Mr = 42,000 from pancreas . Peptide mapping of the deglycosylated bands using Staphylococcus aureus V8 protease demonstrated identical patterns in CHP212 and gall bladder and a similar but different pattern in pancreas . Thus, although possessing heterogeneity in their carbohydrate domains, CCK receptors on human neuroblastoma cells (CHP212) and human gall bladder smooth muscle cells have highly similar or identical protein cores . The core protein on another type A CCK receptor, from rat pancreas, appears to differ from these, likely representing molecular heterogeneity between species. Am J Kidney Dis, 1990 Aug, 16(2), 89 - 95 A review of Staphylococcus aureus exit-site and tunnel infections in peritoneal dialysis patients; Piraino B; Staphylococcus aureus peritoneal exit-site and tunnel infections are a source of considerable morbidity for peritoneal dialysis patients . These infections are difficult to resolve, can lead to peritonitis, and often require removal of the peritoneal catheter . Staphylococcal nasal carriage is the major risk factor for S aureus exit-site infections and peritonitis episodes . In the future, the identification of patients who are S aureus nasal carriers and then treatment of the carriage state with rifampin may prove to be a means of decreasing infection rates . The best treatment for S aureus exit-site and tunnel infections has not been established . Treatment regimens in general use include oral antibiotics or intraperitoneal vancomycin . The optimal length of therapy is also unclear . Since the development of the disconnect peritoneal dialysis system, S aureus, rather than the Staphylococcus epidermidis, is the leading cause of peritonitis . To further decrease peritonitis rates, attention must now be directed at catheter-related peritonitis episodes, with S aureus the most common cause of such episodes . Controlled, prospective studies designed to investigate methods of preventing and treating S aureus exit-site infections in peritoneal dialysis patients are needed. J Gen Microbiol, 1990 Aug, 136 ( Pt 8), 1591 - 9 Distinct groups of plasmids correlated with bacteriocin production in Staphylococcus aureus; Giambiagi-Marval M et al.; The genetic basis of bacteriocin (Bac) production by six strains of Staphylococcus aureus was examined . Gene transfer experiments (in which the plasmids were tagged with the erythromycin resistance transposon Tn551) and plasmid-elimination experiments by growth at 43 degrees C associated bacteriocin production with a particular plasmid in each strain . The Bac plasmids could be separated into two distinct groups: the first comprised plasmids larger than 40 kb, which did not specify immunity to bacteriocins; the second comprised small plasmids (8.0-10.4 kb) which also specified immunity to bacteriocins . The sequence relations among the small plasmids (pRJ6, pRJ9, pRJ10 and pRJ11) were investigated by comparing restriction enzyme digest patterns and by hybridization . Plasmids pRJ10 and pRJ11 were indistinguishable and very closely related to plasmid pRJ9 . Plasmid pRJ6, although different from the others, shared regions of sequence homology with them . No homology was found between plasmids pRJ6 or pRJ9 and the large Bac plasmids. Am Rev Respir Dis, 1990 Aug, 142(2), 374 - 9 Sequential virus infections, bacterial superinfections, and fibrogenesis; Jakab GJ; Parainfluenza 1 (Sendai) and influenza A virus pneumonitis cause severe lung damage, which, upon resolution, is followed by persistent alveolitis and parenchymal changes characterized by patchy consolidation and collagen deposition in the affected areas . To determine whether these long-term sequelae of the virus pneumonias are cumulative, mice were infected by aerosol inhalation with Sendai virus, influenza A virus, or Sendai followed 30 days later by influenza virus infection . At 90 days after the initial infection, mice were killed for assay of long-term parenchymal changes as quantitated lung hydroxyproline (Hpr) content, morphometric analysis, and total and differential lavage cell counts . Sendai virus infection did not alter the proliferation of influenza virus in the lungs as quantitated by infectious virus titers on Day 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, and 11 of influenza infection . At Day 90, lung Hpr content was cumulative in dual-infected mice, with a concomitant increase in the persistent alveolitis . To determine whether bacterial infections played a similar role in these long-term pulmonary sequelae, mice were infected by aerosol inhalation with either Staphylococcus aureus or Klebsiella pneumoniae or, during the course of influenza virus infection, superinfected with each of the bacteria . Sixty days after infection with K . pneumoniae alone, lung Hpr levels were significantly increased over those in noninfected control mice . Infection with S . aureus had no effect on the quantitated parameters of long-term lung damage . In influenza-infected mice superinfected with K . pneumoniae, lung Hpr content was significantly increased over that of S . aureus did not elevate any quantitated parameter of lung damage when compared with the virus alone.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS) Infect Immun, 1990 Aug, 58(8), 2678 - 82 Effect of staphylococcal delta-toxin and bee venom peptide melittin on leukotriene induction and metabolism of human polymorphonuclear granulocytes; Raulf M et al.; The abilities of delta-toxin from Staphylococcus aureus and melittin to induce and modulate the generation of leukotriene from human polymorphonuclear granulocytes (PMNs) were studied . Stimulation of PMNs with melittin (10 micrograms) induced leukotriene formation, whereas stimulation with delta-toxin did not . Preincubation of the PMNs with delta-toxin modulated the subsequent generation of leukotriene from PMNs induced by Ca ionophore A23187 or opsonized zymosan . The generation of leukotriene B4 (LTB4), induced by the Ca ionophore A23187, was increased when the PMNs were preincubated with delta-toxin for 5 min . When opsonized zymosan was used as a secondary stimulus to activate the delta-toxin-pretreated PMNs, LTB4 generation decreased . In contrast, melittin showed no significant modulatory effect on the generation of leukotriene from PMNs . In addition, preincubation of PMNs with delta-toxin inhibited the conversion of LTB4 to omega-oxidation products . Our data suggest that peptides with similar structures, e.g., delta-toxin and melittin, induce and modify leukotriene generation in different manners. J Neuroimmunol, 1990 Aug, 28(3), 209 - 17 Suppression of human B lymphocyte activation by beta-endorphin; Morgan EL et al.; The effects of beta-endorphin (beta-E) and contained peptides were investigated for their ability to regulate Staphylococcus aureus (SAC)-induced immunoglobulin secretion by human B lymphocytes . Co-culture of beta-E with SAC-stimulated peripheral blood-derived mononuclear cells, under serum-containing or serum-free conditions, resulted in a dose-dependent inhibition of immunoglobulin-secreting cell (ISC) formation . When the same cultures were assessed for class-specific Ig formation it was found that IgG-ISC were suppressed to a greater extent that IgA-ISC or IgM-ISC . In contrast to these results, beta-E was found to be unable to suppress SAC-induced lymphocyte proliferation . To map the suppressive activity associated with beta-E, truncated peptides based on the beta-E sequence were assessed for biological activity . The results indicated that peptides containing the N-terminal region of beta-E suppressed ISC formation . Moreover, methionine-enkephalin (beta-E 61-65) was found to be effective in suppressing ISC formation . beta-E-mediated suppression of IgG-specific ISC formation appears to involve classical receptor-ligand interaction as evidenced by the ability of naloxone to block suppression of ISC formation. Burns, 1990 Aug, 16(4), 265 - 72 Effect of vitamin A in enteral formulae for burned guinea-pigs; Kuroiwa K et al.; A burned guinea-pig model (30 per cent body surface area) was used to study the effects of dietary vitamin A . Sixty-five female guinea-pigs were infused enterally via gastrostomy feeding tubes with identical formulate (175 kcal/kg/day, 20 per cent of calories as protein) containing varying amounts of vitamin A . Groups I, II, III and IV received formulae containing 0, 10,000 iu (approximately equivalent to the guinea-pigs' RDA), 50,000 iu (5 x RDA) and 250,000 iu (25 x RDA) of vitamin A per litre, respectively . After 14 days of tube feeding, the animals were killed . Group I animals had evidence of vitamin A deficiency including low haemoglobin levels, lower red blood cell counts and lower caecal mucosal weight . Findings of hypervitaminosis A were observed only in animals given the highest dose of vitamin A (25 x RDA) . These were elevated serum alkaline phosphatase and complement C3 levels and enlarged adrenal glands . Group IV also showed defective cell-mediated immunity as reflected by reduced delayed cutaneous response to dinitrofluorobenzene . In a second experiment groups I, II, III and IV were given formulas containing 0, 1 x RDA, 5 x RDA, and 10 x RDA of vitamin A respectively for 14 days . Through postburn days 12 to 14 they were injected subcutaneously with 3 x 10(8) of Staphylococcus aureus once daily . On postburn day 15 the animals were killed and the numbers of viable bacteria at each injection site were counted . No significant differences were observed in viable bacterial numbers between the groups.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS) J Hosp Infect, 1990 Aug, 16(2), 141 - 9 Hygienic hand disinfection tests in three laboratories; Ayliffe GA et al.; A comparative study was made in three laboratories of a test for hygienic hand disinfection . Staphylococcus aureus was applied to the fingertips of a total of 74 volunteers (49 female and 25 male) and the effect of washing with three chlorhexidine preparations and one non-medicated soap was assessed after one and five applications . Fingertip inoculation is convenient and is a realistic representation of the in-use situation . Although significant differences were obtained between log10 reductions in test organisms using the same formulation in different centres, and different periods in the same centre, the maximum differences after a single application of a preparation were small, e.g . between centres 0.39 and between periods in the same centre 0.55, and after multiple applications the maximum difference between centres was 0.42 and between periods in the same centre it was 0.51 . The differences between preparations were similar in all centres . This test compares well with other similar tests and products can be placed in rank order of effectiveness . It is concluded that this test, if carried out under the controlled conditions described, is sufficiently reproducible between laboratories and repeatable within laboratories to be used as a standard test. J Hosp Infect, 1990 Aug, 16(2), 109 - 21 Beta-lactamase-negative, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in a newborn nursery: report of an outbreak and laboratory investigations; Richardson JF et al.; An outbreak of skin infection caused by a beta-lactamase-negative strain of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) occurred during a five-week period in a newborn nursery . Twelve babies, two mothers and two members of staff were involved . One baby had a diagnosis of staphylococcal scalded skin syndrome and two others required treatment with antibiotics . The infecting strain produced exfoliative toxin A . It was thought that it had been introduced from a different maternity unit by a nasal carrier . Laboratory investigations tended to support this hypothesis. Biull Eksp Biol Med, 1990 Aug, 110(8), 172 - 6 {Cellular mechanisms of suppression of T-lymphocyte proliferation by lung cells in experimental tuberculosis}; Kramnik IG et al.; The ability of interstitial lung cells from mice, infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv, to suppress proliferative responses of immune lymphocytes to mycobacterial (PPD) and unrelated (Staphylococcus aureus cytoplasm) antigens was studied . Two types of suppression were observed: the specific one, which was characteristic of the PPD-response only; and non-specific . The latter was mediated mainly by prostaglandins, since it could be abolished by indomethacin . Both types of suppression depended on the presence of plastic and nylon wool adherent phagocytes from infected lung . Though the depletion of T or B lymphocytes from the lung cell population have not abrogated the suppressive effect, some intercellular interactions were required for antigen-specific suppression, since the presence of nylon wool adherent cells in the population of responder lymph node cells was necessary for its development. Can J Surg, 1990 Aug, 33(4), 261 - 4 Palliative treatment of advanced colorectal carcinoma with the YAG laser; Nagy AG; The Nd-YAG laser was used to provide palliative treatment for eight patients (two women and six men), ranging in age from 53 to 76 years, who had locally advanced colorectal cancer . The main indications for treatment were obstruction, bleeding and copious rectal mucus discharge . Only one complication, a Staphylococcus aureus infection, followed the treatment; the infection was easily controlled . The laser treatment was considered to ease the symptoms in five patients, but survival was not influenced by the treatment . This form of palliation must be evaluated in larger numbers of patients to assess its real value in advanced colorectal cancer. J Immunol, 1990 Aug 1, 145(3), 878 - 84 CD38 molecule: structural and biochemical analysis on human T lymphocytes, thymocytes, and plasma cells; Alessio M et al.; The structure of the CD38 molecule has been evaluated by one- and two-dimensional gel analysis and by enzymatic digestions . The source of the Ag was mainly membrane preparations obtained from MLC cells, from normal thymocytes, and from the plasmocytoma line LP-1 . Membranes were solubilized in NP-40 and the extracts fractionated by immunoaffinity chromatography {using a specific anti-CD38 antibody (A10 mAb) covalently linked to Sepharose protein A} . The purified Ag migrated as a single chain of Mr = 45,000 not associated with beta 2-microglobulin . Two-dimensional IEF gel electrophoresis revealed five spots (isoelectric point (pI) range: 6.5 to 6.9) . After neuraminidase treatment, the mobility of the five polypeptides shifted to a more basic pI . Endoglycosidase-H treatment reduced the Mr of CD38 by 20%, revealing a broader band centered at Mr = 36,000 . Treatment of CD38 molecule with V8 Staphylococcus aureus protease yielded a single dominant band at Mr = 38,000 which was still reactive with A10 mAb . The CD38 molecular was trypsin-resistant in both denatured or native conditions . These results clearly show the glycoprotein nature of CD38 molecule, which includes 2 to 4 N-linked oligosaccharide chains containing sialic acid residues . Furthermore, the present data indicate that the CD38 molecule does not display an apparent biochemical polymorphism among the different CD38+ cells or lines. Eur J Biochem, 1990 Jul 31, 191(2), 373 - 7 Peptidoglycan cross-linking in Staphylococcus aureus . An apparent random polymerisation process; Snowden MA et al.; The peptidoglycan of Staphylococcus aureus contains relatively short glycan chains and is highly cross-linked via its peptide chains . The material from wild-type (strain H) and mutants H28, H4B and MR-1 was freed from the teichoic-acid-linked component and then hydrolysed by Chalaropsis muramidase to yield disaccharide-repeating units of the glycan with attached peptides either non-cross-linked (monomer) or joined to similar units by one (dimer), two (trimer) or more (oligomer) peptide cross links . The resulting fragments were separated by high-resolution HPLC so that distinguishable components as large as nonamer could be identified . Extrapolation showed that, in S . aureus H, H28 and MR-1, oligomers at least as large as eicosamer formed part of the smooth distribution of oligomer fragments, whereas in strain H4B (PBP4-) the maximum size was around dodecamer . The oligomer distribution profile was related to the polymerization theories of Flory, which allow a distinction to be made between a monomer addition model, whereby each oligomer can only be synthesized by the addition of a single monomer unit to its next lower homologue, and a random addition model, in which an oligomer can be formed by linkage of any combination of its constituent smaller units . In S . aureus close approximation to the random addition model for oligomer synthesis and hence for peptidoglycan cross-linking was observed, both in PBP4+ and PBP4- mutants . The implications for secondary cross-linking in S . aureus cell wall formation are inescapable, although the possibility of an endopeptidase/transpeptidase providing later modification of the peptidoglycan is not completely ruled out. FEBS Lett, 1990 Jul 30, 268(1), 129 - 32 The epidermolytic toxins are serine proteases; Dancer SJ et al.; Certain strains of Staphylococcus aureus usually belonging to phage group II produce epidermolytic toxins (ETA and ETB) which cause intraepidermal splitting in mice, neonates and occasionally adults . Amino acid sequences of ETA and ETB have been reported but the mechanism of epidermolysis remains unknown . A search of the NBRF-PIR computer database showed the toxins to have significant sequence similarity with staphylococcal V8 protease and that the catalytic triad of V8 protease is present in ETA and ETB . Comparison of ETA, ETB and V8 protease with other members of the trypsin-like serine protease family revealed little homology save for the immediate vicinity of the residues constituting the catalytic triad . The toxins, therefore, exhibit a distant relationship to mammalian serine proteases . A potential Ca2(+)-binding loop was identified in ETA (but not ETB) on the basis of sequence similarity with the second calcium-binding loop of rat intestinal calcium-binding protein . Epidermolysis produced by ETA in the mouse bioassay was shown to be inhibited by the presence of EDTA consistent with a Ca2(+)-dependent mechanism. J Biol Chem, 1990 Jul 25, 265(21), 12168 - 77 Primary structure of two linker chains of the extracellular hemoglobin from the polychaete Tylorrhynchus heterochaetus; Suzuki T et al.; Two types of linker subunits (linkers 1 and 2) of the extracellular hemoglobin of Tylorrhynchus heterochaetus have been isolated as disulfide-linked homodimers by C18 reverse-phase chromatography . These subunits constituted 6 and 13%, respectively, of total protein area on the chromatogram . The complete amino acid sequences of linkers 1 and 2 were determined by automated Edman sequencing of the peptides derived by digestions with lysyl endopeptidase, trypsin, chymotrypsin, Staphylococcus aureus V8 protease, pepsin, and endoproteinase Asp-N . The linker 1 consisted of 253 amino acid residues (the calculated molecular mass, 28,200 Da), while the linker 2 consisted of 236 residues (26,316 Da) . The two chains showed 27% sequence identity . The amino acid sequences of Tylorrhynchus linkers 1 and 2 also showed 23-27% homology with the recently determined sequence of a linker chain of Lamellibrachia hemoglobin (Suzuki, T., Takagi, T., and Ohta, S . (1990) J . Biol . Chem . 265, 1551-1555) . In the three linker chains, half-cystine residues were highly conserved; 8 out of 13 residues are identical, suggesting that such residues would contribute to the formation of intrachain disulfide bonds essential for the protein folding of the linker polypeptides . Based on the exact molecular masses of the linker and the heme-containing subunits, the molar ratios estimated for the subunits and the minimum molecular weights per 1 mol of heme, a model is proposed for the subunit structure of the Tylorrhynchus hemoglobin, consisting of 216 polypeptide chains, 192 heme-containing chains, and 24 linker chains. J Chromatogr, 1990 Jul 20, 512, 165 - 76 Separation of fragments from human serum albumin and its charged variants by reversed-phase and cation-exchange high-performance liquid chromatography; Iadarola P et al.; Reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) and ion-exchange chromatography on poly(2-sulphoethylaspartamide)-silica (SCX) were compared as alternative approaches in characterizing charged genetic variants of human serum albumin . The chromatographic behaviour of cyanogen bromide (CNBr), tryptic and V8 protease digests from normal and mutant albumins were examined . The results showed that substituted site-containing CNBr fragments are successfully resolved by RP-HPLC; in most instances SCX and RP-HPLC are equally adequate in identifying the modified tryptic peptides from CNBr fragments; although generally useful, SCX chromatography is specifically needed in all instances where amino acid replacement is occurring in a small hydrophilic tryptic fragment and choosing Staphylococcus aureus V8 protease instead of tryptic digestion is advantageous. J Biol Chem, 1990 Jul 15, 265(20), 12029 - 35 9 alpha,11 beta-prostaglandin F2 formation in various bovine tissues . Different isozymes of prostaglandin D2 11-ketoreductase, contribution of prostaglandin F synthetase and its cellular localization; Urade Y et al.; 9 alpha,11 beta-prostaglandin F2 was formed from prostaglandin D2 by its 11-ketoreductases in 100,000 x g supernatants of various bovine tissues in the presence of an NADPH-generating system . The reductase activities were high in liver (51.09 nmol/h/mg of protein), lung (24.99), and spleen (14.20); moderate in heart and pancreas (3.09-3.61); weak in stomach, intestine, colon, kidney, uterus, adrenal gland, and thymus (0.11-2.63); and undetectable in brain, retina, carotid artery, and blood (less than 0.10) . No formation of prostaglandin F2 alpha from prostaglandin D2 was detected in all tissues . In immunotitration analyses with a polyclonal antibody specific for prostaglandin F synthetase, the reductase activities in lung and spleen showed identical titration curves to that of the purified synthetase and decreased to less than 15% of the initial activity under the condition of antibody excess . Prostaglandin F synthetase-immunoreactive protein in these two tissues showed peptide fingerprints identical to that of the purified enzyme after partial digestion with Staphylococcus aureus V8 protease . The antibody was partially cross-reactive to the reductase in liver (about 20% of that to the synthetase) but not to the reductase(s) in other tissues . The Km value for prostaglandin D2 of the reductase activity was the same in lung and spleen as that of the purified prostaglandin F synthetase (120 microM) but differed in liver (6 microM), heart, and pancreas (15 microM) . The predominant distribution of prostaglandin F synthetase in lung and spleen was confirmed by radioimmunoassay (2.8 and 1.0 micrograms/mg protein, respectively) and Northern blot analyses . In immunoperoxidase staining, this enzyme was localized in alveolar interstitial cells and nonciliated epithelial cells in lung, histiocytes and/or dendritic cells in spleen, and a few interstitial cells in kidney and adrenal cortex. J Immunol, 1990 Jul 15, 145(2), 429 - 37 Monoclonal anti-CD23 antibodies induce a rise in {Ca2+}i and polyphosphoinositide hydrolysis in human activated B cells . Involvement of a Gp protein; Kolb JP et al.; Transduction through the CD23 molecule (Fc epsilon RII) was analyzed in human activated B lymphocytes using anti-CD23 mAb . B cell blasts expressing an increased amount of surface CD23 molecule were obtained by stimulation of normal peripheral blood B lymphocytes with Staphylococcus aureus strain Cowan I and IL-4 . Anti-CD23 mAb were found to trigger polyphosphoinositide hydrolysis in these cells (and also in tumoral B cells expressing spontaneously CD23) and a rise in {Ca2+}i which could be attributed to mobilization from cytoplasmic pools . This increase in {Ca2+}i could be mimicked, with a comparable time-course, by the addition of InsP3 to permeabilized B cell blasts indicating that the increase in inositol phosphate accumulation induced by the antibodies was due to a preferential attack of phosphatidylinositol-bisphosphate by a specific phosphoinositidase C (PIC) . In permeabilized cells, raising the free calcium concentration above 3 microM was found to induce polyphosphoinositides hydrolysis and to activate directly the PIC . Addition of 100 microM GTP-tetralithium salt, a non-hydrolyzable analogue of GTP, also resulted in an increased accumulation of inositol phosphates . A Ca2(+)-dependent PIC, linked to a GTP-binding protein (Gp protein), can thus be activated in B cell blasts . Addition of anti-CD23 antibodies to permeabilized B cells in the presence of a physiologic concentration of Ca2+ (100 nM) evoked, within 10 min, a rise in the various inositol phosphates . This ability of anti-CD23 antibodies to activate PIC was enhanced in the presence of GTP-tetralithium salt 100 microM . By contrast, preincubation with GDP-trilithium salt, a nonhydrolyzable analogue of GDP, caused a marked reduction in the release of inositol phosphates . Preincubation of B cell blasts with Pertussis toxin resulted in a total inhibition of the capacity of the toxin to ADP-ribosylate a 41-kDa protein, probably of the Gi type; in these conditions, no modification of anti-CD23-elicited polyphosphoinositide hydrolysis could be detected . These results suggest that the CD23 molecule may be coupled to the phosphoinositide signaling pathway by a GTP-dependent component that is insensitive to Pertussis toxin. J Immunol, 1990 Jul 15, 145(2), 569 - 75 Differential regulation of IL-1 production in human monocytes by IFN-gamma and IL-4; Donnelly RP et al.; We have demonstrated that IL-4 markedly inhibits IL-1 production by highly purified normal human monocytes . When added to monocyte cultures, IL-4 suppressed LPS-induced IL-1 production in a time- and dose-dependent manner . Concentrations of IL-4 as low as 100 pg/ml reduced IL-1 production by approximately 50%, and doses of 1 ng/ml or higher suppressed IL-1 production by more than 90% . Maximal inhibition required that IL-4 be added before or simultaneous with LPS . Northern dot blot analyses revealed that IL-4 not only dramatically reduced the steady-state IL-1 beta mRNA levels in LPS-stimulated monocytes, but also those of TNF-alpha and IL-6 . The inhibitory effect was not stimulus-specific because IL-4 suppressed IL-1 production induced by a variety of monocyte activation stimuli, including LPS, PMA, and Staphylococcus aureus Cowan strain . Monocytes expressed a relatively small number of high affinity IL-4R (approximately 150/cell; Ka = 3.15 +/- 1.13 x 10(10) M-1) indicating that relatively few receptors are necessary to generate the inhibitory effect . IL-4 enhanced monocyte MHC class II Ag (HLA-DR) expression in a manner similar to that of IFN-gamma . However, although both IFN-gamma and IL-4 up-regulated HLA-DR expression, they exhibited opposite effects on IL-1 production: IFN-gamma significantly enhanced monocyte IL-1 production induced by submaximal concentrations of LPS; whereas, IL-4 suppressed IL-1 production . Moreover, IL-4 largely neutralized the potentiating effect of IFN-gamma suggesting that IL-4 may be an effective antagonist of certain IFN-gamma-induced effects . Together these findings demonstrate that the relative levels of IFN-gamma and IL-4 may profoundly influence the state of monocyte activation by differentially regulating the expression of IL-1. S Afr Med J, 1990 Jul 7, 78(1), 34 - 8 Isolated tricuspid valve infective endocarditis . A report of 6 cases; Naidoo DP et al.; Six cases of isolated tricuspid valve endocarditis in young women are described . Preceding genital sepsis was a predisposing factor in 4 patients . Cardiac signs are unusual at presentation, rendering the diagnosis difficult . Pleuropulmonary manifestations are the predominant findings, while overt signs of tricuspid insufficiency and right heart failure occur late in the disease . Staphylococcus aureus is the pathogen most commonly found and requires energetic treatment for a minimum of 4 weeks . The value of echocardiography in establishing an early diagnosis is stressed . Persistent sepsis constitutes a major indication for surgery. J Mol Biol, 1990 Jul 5, 214(1), 299 - 306 Crystalline layers and three-dimensional structure of Staphylococcus aureus alpha-toxin; Olofsson A et al.; Interaction of the pore-forming protein alpha-toxin from Staphylococcus aureus with lipid components from platelet membranes induces crystal formation of the toxin oligomers . Structure analysis of crystalline areas in either sodium phosphotungstic acid or a sodium phosphotungstic acid/glucose mixture has been performed with electron microscopy and image processing . Ordered domains extending up to a few micrometers were observed, particularly after application of alpha-toxin to pre-formed lipid layers . The crystals, showing tetragonal symmetry, formed either separate two-dimensional sheets or three-dimensional piles of layers . The corresponding unit cell parameter of the single layer was a = b = 109.4 A (standard deviation 2.1 A, n = 21) . Incubation of the toxin with intact membranes or extracted lipids as well as application of the lipid layer technique resulted in congruous crystalline properties . The projected averaged alpha-toxin oligomer shows cyclic symmetry with a stain-filled space in the centre . The bulk of the three-dimensional model consists of four asymmetric protein units forming a ring . In addition, a small domain covers the central cavity at the face of the protein opposite to the underlying lipid . The conditions under which the tetragonal arrays are formed on the lipid layers suggest that the alpha-toxin molecule is in a conformation binding to a hydrophobic surface rather than fully inserted into a lipid bilayer. J Biol Chem, 1990 Jul 5, 265(19), 11177 - 84 The sites in the I-Ak histocompatibility molecule photoaffinity labeled by an immunogenic lysozyme peptide; Luescher IF et al.; The class II histocompatibilty molecule I-Ak was photoaffinity labeled by NH2- and COOH-terminal photoreactive conjugates of an immunogenic hen egg white lysozyme (HEL) peptide . The labeled alpha and beta chains were digested with protease from Staphylococcus aureus strain V-8 (protease V-8) and/or trypsin, and the proteolytic fragments were separated by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) (peptide mapping) . Reproducible peptide maps containing a major labeled component were obtained from the three conjugates reported here whose photoreactive group was attached via short spacers of limited flexibility . The COOH-terminal conjugate N-acetyl HEL-(49-61)-iodo-4-azidosalicyloyl thioester (compound 1) labeled hydrophilic tryptic digest fragments on both chains of I-Ak . The labeled digest fragments were homogeneous in reverse-phase and anion-exchange HPLC, indicating that the photoaffinity labeling was site-specific . Conversely, the NH2-terminal conjugate iodo-4-azidosalicyloyl HEL-(46-61) (compound 2: IASA-(46-61)) labeled exceptionally hydrophobic sequences on both chains of I-Ak . The labeling was also site-specific because reverse-phase HPLC of primary digests with protease V-8 and secondary digests with trypsin showed single major labeled components . The labeling of I-Ak by IASA-(46-61) was fully inhibitible by HEL-(46-61) . In contrast, IASA attached to the smallest immunogenic peptide 52-61 (compound 3) labeled a distinctly different hydrophilic tryptic fragment . The site of the I-Ak molecule that was photoaffinity labeled by IASA-(46-61) (compound 2) was determined . IASA-(46-61) labeled selectively at Pro-118 of a primary alpha chain fragment most likely encompassing residues 115-134 . It labeled Thr-121 of a primary beta chain fragment most likely encompassing residues 109-138 . We also obtained evidence that IASA-(46-61) occupied the antigen-specific site; the conjugate stimulated a T-cell hybridoma that recognizes the sequence 52-61 and also competed for the binding of this smaller peptide to I-Ak . Thus, peptides that bind to the allele-specific binding site and are long enough to extend beyond it can interact with a hydrophobic area of class II molecules . This area is formed by sequences of the first halves of the second domain of both alpha and beta chains. J Biomed Mater Res, 1990 Jul, 24(7), 809 - 28 The behavior of alloplastic tympanic membranes in Staphylococcus aureus-induced middle ear infection . II . Morphological study of epithelial reactions; Bakker D et al.; Epithelial reactions to Silastic, Estane polyether urethane, polypropylene oxide, and a poly(ethylene oxide hydantoin) and poly(tetramethylene terephthalate) segmented polyether polyester copolymer were investigated after implantation in tympanic membranes and submucosa of noninfected and Staphylococcus aureus-infected rat middle ears . Porous implants made of Estane and polypropylene oxide were completely covered by tympanic-membrane connective tissue, epidermis, and epithelium in 2 weeks and those made of copolymer in between 2 and 4 weeks postoperatively . Silastic implants, which were dense, were not enveloped by tympanic-membrane tissue but rejected . Starting in the 6th postoperative month the proliferative activity and structure of both the tympanic membrane epithelium and epidermis became normal except for the presence of iron-containing secretory epithelium near polypropylene oxide . After initial swelling caused by the surgical trauma, neither the proliferative activity nor the composition of the epithelium covering submucosal implants was affected by the presence of any of the biomaterials . Infection of middle ears bearing implants induced epithelial reactions similar to those associated with infected middle ears without an implant. APMIS, 1990 Jul, 98(7), 645 - 51 Comparison between Bactec Nr . 660 and a conventional 12-tube blood culture system; Nir M et al.; The detection power of the automated blood culture system Bactec NR 660, based on infrared detection of carbon dioxide in an agitated aerobic medium and a non-agitated anaerobic medium, was compared with that of our conventional 12-tube blood culture system . Of 1685 paired blood cultures, 258 (15.3%) were positive in one or both systems . Clinically relevant isolates were found in 11.5% . The dominating species were Escherichia coli(41%), followed by Staphylococcus aureus(14%) and Klebsiella spp.(8%) . The Bactec system detected 178 (10.6%) and the 12-tube system 157 (9.3%) clinically relevant microorganisms after seven days' incubation . Significantly more clinically relevant isolates were detected by the Bactec system alone as compared with the conventional system alone (40 versus 19, p less than 0.01) . The detection time was significantly shorter in the Bactec system for all isolates and for E . coli and S . aureus separately (p less than 0.01) . 1.8% of the isolates in the Bactec system and 2.1% in the 12-tube system were considered clinically non-relevant contaminants. Am J Vet Res, 1990 Jul, 51(7), 1107 - 11 Experimentally induced Staphylococcus aureus mastitis in selenium-deficient and selenium-supplemented dairy cows; Erskine RJ et al.; Ten Holstein cows were fed a selenium-deficient (SeD) diet containing 0.04 mg of Se/kg of dry matter for 3 months before and throughout their first lactation . A selenium-supplemented (SeS) group of 10 cows was fed an additional 2 mg of Se/head/d to increase dietary Se concentration of the dry matter to approximately 0.14 mg/kg of body weight . An intracisternal challenge exposure of 40 to 60 colony-forming units (CFU) of Staphylococcus aureus was administered into 1 or 2 quarters of the udder of each trial cow at about the twenty-second week of lactation . Blood Se concentration (micrograms/ml +/- SEM) at the time of challenge exposure was 0.035 +/- 0.002 in SeD and 0.139 +/- 0.006 in SeS cows . Infections were established in 14/16 of the challenge-exposed quarters in SeD and 16/19 of the challenge-exposed quarters in SeS cows . The infection in 1 quarter of each Se group cleared without treatment by the end of the 8-week trial period . Log10 peak bacterial concentrations in milk from infected SeD quarters (5.04 +/- 0.25 CFU/ml) were higher (P less than 0.05) than those of infected SeS quarters (4.40 +/- 0.12 CFU/ml) . Log10 peak somatic cell count (SCC) in milk from infected SeD quarters (7.18 +/- 0.08 cells/ml) did not differ from that of SeS quarters (7.17 +/- 0.05 cells/ml) . Peak bacterial concentrations were attained sooner (P less than 0.05) in SeD quarters (9.5 +/- 4.0 days) than in SeS quarters (20.7 +/- 3.1 days) . Similarly, peak SCC were reached earlier (P less than 0.05) in SeD (4.3 +/- 1.1 days) than in SeS quarters (13.3 +/- 3.8 days).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS) J Med Entomol, 1990 Jul, 27(4), 467 - 70 Association of diabetes, lash loss, and Staphylococcus aureus with infestation of eyelids by Demodex folliculorum (Acari: Demodicidae); Clifford CW et al.; Six eyelashes, three from the upper lid and three from the lower lid, were epilated from 256 subjects and examined for Demodex . D . folliculorum (Simon) was found in 16% of the subjects . Mites were more abundant in older persons and in persons with diabetes . Mites also were associated with a scarcity of lashes in the lower lid . Hierarchical log-linear analysis showed that the associations of greater mite abundance with diabetes and with madarosis were independent of age . The 43 persons from whose lid margins Staphylococcus aureus was cultured seemed to have been more likely to have two or more mites than those without S . aureus (11.6 versus 5.2%), although this difference fell short of statistical significance (P = 0.125). J Cataract Refract Surg, 1990 Jul, 16(4), 512 - 3 Chronic postoperative endophthalmitis from Staphylococcus aureus; Seedor JA et al.; We recently treated a patient with chronic postoperative endophthalmitis caused by Staphylococcus aureus, which usually presents with a fulminant clinical course . Because of the chronic course, the initial treatment was high dose steroids followed by lensectomy and vitrectomy . However, this was not effective, and intravitreal antibiotics and steroids were ultimately required . We now recommend that in patients with chronic postoperative inflammation unresponsive to high dose steroids, intraocular cultures followed by injection of intraocular antibiotics be considered. J Clin Microbiol, 1990 Jul, 28(7), 1514 - 8 Oligonucleotide probes for detection and differentiation of Staphylococcus aureus strains containing genes for enterotoxins A, B, and C and toxic shock syndrome toxin 1; Neill RJ et al.; Different synthetic DNA nucleotide sequences were evaluated as gene probes for the specific detection and differentiation of Staphylococcus aureus strains encoding enterotoxins A (SEA), B (SEB), and C (SEC) and toxic shock syndrome toxin 1 (TSST-1) . Identification of sequences unique to each toxin, based on knowledge of their nucleotide sequences, led to preparation of the specific 18-base oligonucleotide probes EA1 (encoding amino acids 177 to 182 of SEA), EB2 (encoding amino acids 105 to 110 of SEB), EC5 (encoding amino acids 125 to 131 of SEC1), and TS1 (encoding amino acids 160 to 166 of TSST-1) . In colony blot hybridization analyses, these probes hybridized specifically with DNA from strains that produced the respective toxin serotypes . An excellent (greater than or equal to 93%) correlation between hybridization results (genotype) and toxin protein detection by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (phenotype) was observed in the characterization of both reference and clinical strains of S . aureus for SEA, SEB, and TSST-1 . A lower correlation (64%) for SEC reflected a lack of sensitivity in detecting toxin production . Our findings demonstrate that molecular DNA hybridization with synthetic oligonucleotide probes provides another approach for establishing the toxigenicity of S . aureus. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol, 1990 Jul, 11(7), 343 - 50 Control of epidemic methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus; Murray-Leisure KA et al.; We controlled the spread of epidemic methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infection in an 884-bed veterans' facility by cohorting known active MRSA carriers and MRSA-infected patients on one nursing unit . Simultaneously, all previously-institutionalized transfers into the veterans' facility were screened with swab cultures for MRSA at the time of admission . All MRSA patients were maintained on contact (gown and glove) or strict isolation and treated aggressively with topical and enteral antibiotics with the assistance of the infectious disease consultant . The monthly incidence of new MRSA patients dropped from a maximum of 16 per month to three or less per month within six months of instituting these infection control measures . There were no further MRSA bacteremias after the establishment of the MRSA cohort in a single unit . Aggressive cohort management of known MRSA patients and screening of previously-institutionalized patients on admission for MRSA controlled epidemic MRSA in this large institution. J Med Microbiol, 1990 Jul, 32(3), 195 - 200 Adherence and survival properties of an epidemic methicillin-resistant strain of Staphylococcus aureus compared with those of methicillin-sensitive strains; Duckworth GJ et al.; The adherence of epidemic methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus-1 (EMRSA-1) to HEp2 cells and fibronectin and its survival on formica blocks were compared with the equivalent properties of methicillin-sensitive strains of S . aureus . EMRSA-1 bound to HEp2 cells and fibronectin significantly less than the other strains of S . aureus tested, but survival on formica blocks was similar for all strains except the 'Oxford' S . aureus, which survived poorly. Am J Hosp Pharm, 1990 Jul, 47(7), 1562 - 6 In vitro and in vivo bactericidal activities of 10%, 2.5%, and 1% povidone-iodine solution; Ghogawala Z et al.; The bactericidal action of three formulations of a povidone-iodine (PVI) complex in vitro, in vivo, and in the presence of competing organic matter was evaluated . Bacterial organisms included Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923 and 25 clinical isolates of Staph . aureus, designated KU 1-25 . For the in vitro studies, 1.0 mL of bacterial inoculum containing 10(7) organisms was introduced into 9.0 mL of chemically stable 10% and 1% PVI formulations in sterile culture tubes, and 1.0-mL samples were withdrawn at set intervals . Samples were plated by using standard techniques and incubated for 24 hours, after which colony-forming units were counted . For in vivo studies, 0.1 mL of 10(6) Staph . aureus ATCC 25923 or KU inoculum was deposited on the dorsum of the hand of healthy human subjects . This area was wiped with a cotton swab saturated with 1%, 2.5%, or 10% PVI formulations . Samples were taken at 15 and 30 seconds after application of the iodophor . To test the bactericidal activity of the three formulations in the presence of a competing substrate, a swab soaked with sterile sheep's blood was applied to the skin and allowed to dry . The percentage of 10(4) Staph . aureus inoculum recovered allowed for comparison of the three products . In vitro, the 1% PVI formulation was bactericidal for 10(7) Staph . aureus within two minutes, as compared with the four minutes required by 10% PVI . On the skin contaminated with 10(6) organisms, the rates of killing within 30 seconds were comparable for both solutions.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS) J Adolesc Health Care, 1990 Jul, 11(4), 351 - 4 Right atrial myxoma . A cause of septic pulmonary emboli in an adolescent female; Coughlin WF et al.; An adolescent girl presented with fever, headache, and mental status changes . Blood cultures 12 hours after admission were positive for Staphylococcus aureus . The initial evaluation did not reveal a source of the patient's sepsis . Forty-eight hours after admission a cardiac ejection click was detected . The chest radiograph showed ill-defined opacities compatible with pulmonary emboli in the right lung and a calcific density in the region of the right atrium . Echocardiogram confirmed the presence of a right atrial mass, which at surgery and upon histologic examination was a myxoma . Atrial myxomas are rare tumors in adolescents but should be considered in the differential diagnosis of suspected septic pulmonary emboli. Infect Immun, 1990 Jul, 58(7), 2067 - 70 Production of toxic shock syndrome-like illness in rabbits by Staphylococcus aureus D4508: association with enterotoxin A; McCollister BD et al.; Staphylococcus aureus D4508, obtained from a patient with nonmenstrual toxic shock syndrome (TSS), produced enterotoxin A while not making other known enterotoxins or TSS toxin 1 . Concentrated culture fluids of the organism, administered subcutaneously in miniosmotic pumps, induced TSS-like symptoms (four of six animals succumbed) . Identical culture fluids pretreated with anti-enterotoxin A serum failed to induce symptoms except for fever (none of six animals succumbed) . Purified staphylococcal enterotoxin A also had the ability to induce TSS-like symptoms . These data suggest that enterotoxin A is the major TSS-associated toxin made by strain D4508. Laryngoscope, 1990 Jul, 100(7), 765 - 70 The role of infection in the pathogenesis of acquired tracheal stenosis; Squire R et al.; A rabbit model was developed to study the role of infection in the development of postintubation acquired subglottic and tracheal stenosis . Following a surgically induced tracheal mucosal injury, rabbits were divided into three groups . Five animals underwent intratracheal bacterial inoculation using Staphylococcus aureus, six rabbits were given prophylactic antibiotics, and five control animals received neither bacteria nor antibiotics . After 10 days the rabbits were assessed for both tracheal stenosis and bacterial infection within the respiratory tree . Animals receiving antibiotic prophylaxis had a mean stenosis of 50.8%, similar to the 63.4% observed in controls . Rabbits inoculated with SA had a mean stenosis of 85.0%, greater than both the other groups (P = .001:ANOVA) . Considering all animals, those with respiratory infection (including two control rabbits) had narrower stenoses than those that remained noninfected (82.1% versus 52.5%; P = .001) . These data suggest that bacterial infection in the upper respiratory tract might increase the severity of airway stenosis following prolonged endotracheal intubation. J Infect Dis, 1990 Jul, 162(1), 186 - 92 Bactericidal capacity of neutrophils in rabbits with experimental acute and chronic abscesses; Bamberger DM et al.; Bacteria persist within abscesses despite the presence of neutrophils, and patients with abscesses have high rates of subsequent infections . A model was developed to study neutrophil function in rabbits with Staphylococcus aureus abscesses . Blood neutrophils from rabbits with 2-week-old (chronic) abscesses had diminished bactericidal capacity and decreased superoxide production compared with rabbits with 24-h (acute) abscesses . Rabbits with chronic abscesses did not produce serum opsonic factors that enhanced bacterial killing . A bactericidal assay performed with chronic abscess fluid in the suspending medium revealed inhibition of neutrophil killing . The inhibition could be replicated with a neutrophil lysate but not by an S . aureus supernatant . Rabbits with chronic abscesses have diminished blood neutrophil bactericidal capacity and superoxide formation, and the abscess fluid milieu is inhibitory to neutrophil function. Microbiologica, 1990 Jul, 13(3), 263 - 6 Role of pre-incubation in non-selective medium in recovery of Staphylococcus aureus from swimming pools and beaches; Salamah AA; Staphylococcus aureus was isolated from eleven open swimming pools and eleven swimming beaches in certain areas of Saudi Arabia . Pre-incubation of the water samples in a non-selective medium prior to their growth in the selective medium increased the rate of recovery over that of direct plating on the selective medium . The average increase was from 20.68% to 46.1% for pools and from 32.7% to 37.3% for beaches . Pre-incubation, therefore, is very important for the pool water which appears to contain more stressed bacteria. Microbiologica, 1990 Jul, 13(3), 247 - 52 Effects of heat and pH stresses on the recovery of Staphylococcus aureus on medium-110; Salamah AA; The effects of heat and pH stresses on Staphylococcus aureus strain ATCC 10390 (coagulase positive) and strain ATCC 6020 (coagulase negative) were studied . The coagulase negative strain was more sensitive to heat and low or high pH than the coagulase positive strain . Both strains, however, were injured by heat and by pH 4.5 and 9 as estimated by the decrease in their tolerance to the selective agents (sodium chloride and sodium azide) present in the selective medium . The heat or pH injured cells, however, regained their tolerance to the selective agents if they were pregrown in a non-selective medium before they were plated on the selective medium. J Dairy Sci, 1990 Jul, 73(7), 1734 - 44 Effects of florfenicol, chloramphenicol, and thiamphenicol on phagocytosis, chemiluminescence, and morphology of bovine polymorphonuclear neutrophil leukocytes; Paape MJ et al.; Florfenicol, chloramphenicol, and thiamphenicol were tested in vitro to determine their potential toxic effects on bovine neutrophils . Antibiotics were tested at 4000, 2000, and 10 micrograms/ml of incubation mixture . Percentage phagocytosis was determined by incubations with neutrophils isolated from milk of five cows and 32P-labeled Staphylococcus aureus and 5% skim milk . The effect of 4000 micrograms of each antibiotic on chemiluminescence was determined on neutrophils isolated from mammary secretions of three nulliparous heifers . Morphological evaluation by transmission and scanning electron microscopy was performed on neutrophils isolated from two heifers at antibiotic concentrations of 4000 and 10 micrograms/ml . Chloramphenicol depressed phagocytosis at the high and medium doses and blocked chemiluminescence activity at the high dose . No effects were observed for florfenicol and thiamphenicol . Transmission electron microscopic examination showed that at the high concentration of drugs, 99, 99, 97, and 76% of the neutrophils treated with florfenicol, chloramphenicol, thiamphenicol, and dimethyl sulfoxide were abnormal . Examination by scanning electron microscopy showed that the percentage of neutrophils without pseudopodia averaged 67, 94, 32, and 16%, respectively . Results indicated that neither florfenicol nor thiamphenicol altered neutrophil function, but they did alter neutrophil morphology, although to a lesser extent than did chloramphenicol. J Biochem (Tokyo), 1990 Jul, 108(1), 80 - 5 Amino acid sequence at the reactive site of rabbit alpha-1-antiproteinases; Saito A et al.; Rabbit alpha-1-antiproteinases S and F were treated with trypsin, chymotrypsin, Staphylococcus aureus protease V8, and thermolysin, and the liberated peptides encompassing the reactive region of the respective inhibitors were separated and sequenced . The reactive center of the F form was methionine, and the residues from P3 to P'1 (Ile-Pro-Met-Ser) were the same as those of human alpha-1-antiproteinase . The S form, on the other hand, was found to be a mixture of two distinct proteins (S-1 and S-2), and their reactive centers (P1-P'1) were Ser-Ser and Tyr-Ser, respectively . Seven out of 17 amino acids in the F form and 7 out of 16 in the S-1 form were the same as the corresponding residues of human alpha-1-antiproteinase, while 5 of 10 residues in the S-2 form were the same as those of the human inhibitor . Ten out of 16 residues were the same between the F and the S-1 forms, whereas the sequence P1 to P'3 of the S-2 form (Tyr-Ser-Met-Pro) was the same as the corresponding residues of mouse alpha-1-antiproteinase. Carbohydr Res, 1990 Jul 1, 201(2), 285 - 97 Structure of the type 5 capsular polysaccharide of Staphylococcus aureus; Moreau M et al.; The Staphylococcus aureus type 5 capsular polysaccharide is composed of 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-L-fucose (1 part), 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-D-fucose (1 part), and 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-D-mannuronic acid (1 part) . On the basis of methylation analysis, optical rotation, high-field one- and two-dimensional 1H- and 13C-n.m.r . experiments, and selective cleavage with 70% aqueous hydrogen fluoride, the polysaccharide was found to be a partially O-acetylated (50%) polymer of the repeating trisaccharide unit, {----4)-3-O-Ac-beta-D-ManpNAcA-(1----4)-a-L-FucpNAc-(1----3) -beta-D-FucpNAc-(1----}n. Biol Chem Hoppe Seyler, 1990 Jul, 371(7), 557 - 65 Hemocyanins in spiders, XXIII . Complete amino-acid sequence of subunit a of Eurypelma californicum hemocyanin; Schartau W et al.; The complete amino-acid sequence of subunit a of the hemocyanin of the tarantula Eurypelma californicum was determined by manual sequencing . By limited chymotrypsinolysis, subunit a is split into two fragments of 25 kDa and 40 kDa, respectively, only one single peptide bond being attacked . The whole chain contains 15 methionine residues, after cyanogen bromide cleavage, 15 peptides were identified indicating that one residue (Met85) was not split by the cyanogen bromide reaction . For subcleavages, trypsin, chymotrypsin, Staphylococcus aureus proteinase, and Astacus fluviatilis proteinase were employed . The total chain length comprises 627 amino-acid residues, carbohydrate side chains were not found. J Antimicrob Chemother, 1990 Jul, 26(1), 29 - 38 Activity of sub-minimal inhibitory concentrations of aspoxicillin in prolonging the postantibiotic effect against Staphylococcus aureus; Oshida T et al.; Aspoxicillin, a newly developed acylureido-penicillin with a long half-life in mouse serum of 55 min, induced postantibiotic effects (PAEs) against Staphylococcus aureus Smith of 1.7 h in vitro and 5.2 h in vivo in a thigh infection model in neutropenic mice . The long serum half-life meant that in order to evaluate the in-vivo PAE, it was necessary to examine the contribution of the drug at a sub-minimal inhibitory concentration (sub-MIC) . Growth suppression by sub-MICs of aspoxicillin was examined in vitro using either previously unexposed bacterial cells or cells which had been pre-exposed to twice the MIC of aspoxicillin for 2 h . At each sub-MIC tested, the duration of growth suppression for pre-exposed cells was longer than that for unexposed cells . In an attempt to eliminate the sub-MIC effect in vivo, penicillinase was injected into mice at the time after administration when the aspoxicillin serum concentration approached the MIC . The in-vivo PAE decreased to 2.7 h when penicillinase was injected . It was concluded that aspoxicillin induced a PAE in vivo which was additional to the effect of sub-inhibitory residual drug, but that sub-MIC levels of the drug were simultaneously involved in suppressing bacterial regrowth after the drug concentration decreased below the MIC . Similar postantibiotic sub-MIC effects may also occur with other long half-life antibiotics. Obstet Gynecol, 1990 Jul, 76(1), 124 - 8 Antibiotic inhibition of bacterially induced fetal membrane weakening; McGregor JA et al.; A fetal membrane model was used to evaluate in vitro the efficacy of two antibiotics, erythromycin and clindamycin, in preventing bacterial protease-induced weakening of amniochorion . Standardized inocula of protease-producing bacteria (10(9) colony-forming units {cfu}/mL Staphylococcus aureus, incubated at 37C for 20 hours) reliably reduced fetal membrane structural integrity as reflected by bursting tension and work to rupture . Supraminimal inhibitory concentrations (supra-MICs) (erythromycin 0.23 microgram/mL; clindamycin 0.56 microgram/mL) and subminimal inhibitory concentrations (sub-MICs) (erythromycin 0.13 microgram/mL; clindamycin 0.06 microgram/mL) of both antibiotics prevented fetal membrane impairment due to test bacteria . Supra-MICs of both antibiotics prevented bacterial cell growth and release of protease . Sub-MICs of both antibiotics allowed bacterial cell growth of test microorganisms but inhibited protease release and subsequent fetal membrane damage . These findings suggest that inhibitory and even subinhibitory doses of antibiotics such as erythromycin and clindamycin may be effective in reducing the occurrence of premature rupture of membranes and subsequent preterm birth mediated by susceptible microorganisms. Circ Shock, 1990 Jul, 31(3), 269 - 79 Cardiac dysfunction in a rat model of chronic bacteremia; Pawlush DG et al.; Cardiac function was examined in vivo and in vitro in rats to determine if cardiac dysfunction could be demonstrated in a nonlethal model of infection . Bacteremic rats (n = 6) had a subcutaneous polymicrobial abscess produced via repeated inoculations of an encapsulated foreign body with Escherichia coli, Bacteroides fragilis, and Staphylococcus aureus while control rats (n = 6) had the same subcutaneous, encapsulated foreign body (an inflammatory focus) but were not inoculated with bacteria . Cardiovascular function was assessed indirectly in vivo by measuring the maximal O2 uptake during a progressive exercise test in both groups before and 14 days after the initiation of inoculations . Cardiac function was also assessed in vitro in the same rats by measuring stroke volumes generated at six different preloads with constant heart rate and afterload . Bacteremic rats had a significantly different fever curve and leukocytotic response than control rats over the 14 day period . The majority of rats that received inoculations demonstrated bacteremias, while none of the control animals had positive cultures for the inoculated organisms . Although in vivo assessment of cardiovascular function showed no evidence of dysfunction, in vitro assessment demonstrated a significant rightward shift of the Starling curve in bacteremic rats . These data suggest that LV dysfunction occurs even during nonlethal infections but may be masked in vivo by compensatory mechanisms. J Infect Dis, 1990 Jul, 162(1), 109 - 14 The ability of recombinant murine granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor to protect neonatal rats from septic death due to Staphylococcus aureus; Frenck RW et al.; Granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) potentiates in vitro and in vivo production of granulocytes . Also, recombinant human GM-CSF in vitro enhances functional capabilities of human granulocytes . Recombinant murine (rm) GM-CSF was administered to neonatal rats in vivo to test its ability to protect from septic death due to Staphylococcus aureus . When rmGM-CSF was given intraperitoneally 6 h before a 90% lethal dose challenge of S . aureus, peak survival was observed at a dose of 30 pg/g (54% vs . 10% in animals administered saline; P less than .001) . Blood cultures were positive for S . aureus in 26 of 32 saline-treated and in 5 of 31 rmGM-CSF-treated animals (P less than .001) . Numbers of blood granulocytes were significantly increased 9 h after administration of rmGM-CSF (30 pg/g) but returned to control levels by 12 h . Neither neutrophil storage nor proliferative pools were affected . Thus, rmGM-CSF significantly improved survival when given prophylactically in a neonatal rat model of infection. Infect Immun, 1990 Jul, 58(7), 2177 - 85 Molecular analysis of a sphingomyelinase C gene from Leptospira interrogans serovar hardjo; Segers RP et al.; A thermolabile hemolysin from Leptospira interrogans serovar hardjo, strain Sponselee, was shown to specifically degrade sphingomyelin . Nucleotide sequence determination revealed that sphingomyelinase activity was encoded by an open reading frame of 1,668 nucleotides . Although a putative signal sequence could be identified, no evidence for protein export in either L . interrogans or Escherichia coli was obtained . The apparent molecular mass of the expression product in E . coli minicells was 41.2 kilodaltons, whereas open reading frame 1 encoded a protein of 63,268 daltons . The observed difference may be explained by processing at the carboxy-terminal part of the hemolysin in E . coli . A high degree of similarity on the DNA and protein levels with Staphylococcus aureus beta-hemolysin and sphingomyelinase C from three Bacillus cereus strains was observed . The presence of various sphingomyelinase genes within the L . interrogans species is demonstrated. J Bacteriol, 1990 Jul, 172(7), 3804 - 12 Repression and catabolite repression of the lactose operon of Staphylococcus aureus; Oskouian B et al.; The lacR gene encodes the repressor of the lactose operon of S . aureus . The nucleotide sequence of this gene and the promoter-operator region of the operon are reported . The lacR gene encodes a protein with a molecular weight of 28,534 . This protein was found to share sequence homology with the DeoR protein, the repressor of the E . coli deoxyribonucleotide operon . Directly and invertedly repeated sequences were found associated with the promoter for the structural genes of the operon . These sequences were examined by site-directed mutagenesis and found to be important in repressor binding and in the binding of a catabolite repressor . Evidence is presented in support of a model for catabolite repression of the operon which involves a negative-acting transcriptional regulator which binds to the promoter region of the operon and prevents transcription. J Immunol, 1990 Jul 1, 145(1), 109 - 16 Subclass distribution of antigen-specific IgA antibodies in normal donors and individuals with homozygous C alpha 1 or C alpha 2 gene deletions; Engstrom PE et al.; To analyze the subclass restriction of Ag-specific IgA, sera and saliva from healthy blood donors and from IgA class or subclass deficient individuals were studied . The latter included donors with or without C alpha 1 or C alpha 2 gene deletions . Monoclonal human IgA1 and a genetically engineered IgA2 antibody, normal human serum and colostrum IgA were used as standards to estimate serum and saliva levels of Ag-specific antibodies . In normal individuals, there was a strong IgA1 preference of naturally acquired antibodies in serum against both polysaccharide Ag (PPS 6A, PPS 23, pneumococcal C-polysaccharide, and LPS from Escherichia coli) and protein Ag (Staphylococcus aureus alpha-toxin and HSV) . Specific IgA2 in serum against the tested Ag were frequently not measurable . In contrast, most of the individuals with homozygous C alpha 1 gene deletions displayed substantial amounts of specific IgA2 against protein as well as polysaccharide Ag . The median levels of specific IgA in serum against protein Ag were approximately one-third as compared to normal individuals and one-fifth, or less, against polysaccharide Ag . Normal serum levels of IgA against the tested Ag, restricted to the IgA1 subclass, were noted in two individuals with IgA2 deficiency, one of whom carried a homozygous C alpha 2 gene deletion . Median values of specific IgA, against the tested Ag S . aureus alpha-toxin, HSV, and pneumococcal C-poly-saccharide, from normal healthy donors were approximately four to eight times higher in serum as compared to saliva . Individuals with homozygous C alpha 1 gene deletions displayed increased levels of the various specific IgA2 antibodies in saliva . In conclusion, the individuals with homozygous C alpha 1 gene deletions displayed decreased median levels of specific IgA antibodies in serum despite normal levels of total IgA . Normal levels of both specific IgA and total IgA in saliva were found. Am J Clin Nutr, 1990 Jul, 52(1), 120 - 7 Dose-response effects of fish-oil supplementation in healthy volunteers; Blonk MC et al.; We performed a randomized, controlled study on the dose-response effects of daily supplementation of 1.5, 3, and 6 g of the marine fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA, 20:5n-3) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, 22:6n-3) as their ethyl esters for 12 wk in 45 healthy normotriglyceridemic male volunteers . Significant dose-related increases of the n-3 fatty acids 20:5, 22:5, and 22:6 in plasma phospholipids (p less than 0.0001) were found, corresponding roughly to decreases of the n-6 fatty acids 18:2 and 20:4 (p less than 0.001) . Serum triglycerides and HDL3-cholesterol concentrations showed a dose-dependent reduction (p less than 0.05) and HDL2 cholesterol increased (p less than 0.05) . Results for 3 and 6 g n-3 fatty acids were similar . No dose-dependent effects were observed in the VLDL-, LDL-, and total HDL-cholesterol subfractions; blood pressure; bleeding time; erythrocyte deformability; or capacity of polymorphonuclear leukocytes to kill Staphylococcus aureus . This study indicates that 3 g n-3 ethyl ester fatty acids appears to be the appropriate supplementation dose in humans, at least regarding lipid-profile changes and the ability to incorporate such fatty acids in the plasma phospholipids. Am J Public Health, 1990 Jul, 80(7), 810 - 3 Ciprofloxac