The bacteriology of fallopian tubes removed at operation

This investigation comprises a study of 72 patients from the wards and private service of the Women's Clinic of the Johns Hopkins Hospital. Seven patients had had a previous history of gonorrheal infection, 40 had doubtful histories and 25 had negative histories.In 1921 Curtis isolated the gonococcus from Fallopian tubes removed at operation in 38 of 192 cases, but gross and microscopically these tubes presented a picture of acute inflammation. Curtis also isolated Escherichia coli, streptococci, and anaerobic streptococci from cases of salpingitis and perisalpingitis. Cordua and Keck in 1926, reported isolating paratyphoid B bacillus from an ovarian abscess. In 1931 Worral reported having isolated Staphylococci from infected Fallopian tubes. Caussade and Giullemin, 1934, isolated the colon bacillus from the tubes of a 12-year-old girl. Brown, 1935, isolated Salmonella newport from a case of bilateral pyosalpinx. Studdiford, Casper, and Scadron, in 1938, reported isolating gonococci from the tubes of 16 of 24 cases studied. The organisms were isolated by culturing pieces of tissue and exudate, never from pus, and occasionally were degenerate in form but rapidly assumed the usual characteristics upon subculture. Thirteen of the specimens yielding gonococci showed pathologic evidence of subacute inflammation, two were acute exacerbations of chronic salpingitis, and one showed evidence of chronic or healed salpingitis with marked structual changes in the walls of the tube. According to Cornell, until 1934 there were 71 published cases of actinomycosis of the internal female genitals. American literature reported seven cases, English literature six, and the remainder were in other languages. Since then cases have been reported by Gardiner and Welsh, 1935; Côte and Tudhope, 1936; De Faria and Fiablo, 1937; Auster, 1940; and Ahumada and Chevalier, 1943.     

Effects of N-acetylcysteine on bacterial clearance

Abstract. The aim of this study was to investigate whether the oxygen radical scavenger N -acetylcysteine ( N -AC) impairs bacterial clearance, thus predisposing the host to increased risk of disease. Blood clearance of Escherichia coli and organ colonization were investigated in anaesthetized rabbits after pretreatment with N -AC (250 mg kg^-1 body weight, n = 16) and in sham-operated animals ( n = 12). To enable quantification of the clearance process, defined numbers of exogenous E. coli [1.3 times 108 colony-forming units (CFUs)] were injected intravenously. Parameters monitored were kinetics of bacterial elimination from the blood, and polymorphonuclear leucocyte (PMN) oxidative burst activity. Samples of liver, kidney, spleen and lung were collected for bacterial counts. Compared with controls, pretreatment with N -AC resulted in delayed bacterial elimination from blood and higher organ colonization with increased numbers of E. coli in liver, lung and kidney ( P < 0.05). N -AC treatment was associated with a suppressed PMN oxidative burst activity. Impaired bacterial clearance and enhanced organ colonization in N -AC-treated animals correlated with reduced oxidative burst activity, suggesting impaired granulocyte-dependent bacterial killing due to N -AC application.     

Synthesis of the very acid-sensitive Fmoc-Cys(Mmt)-OH and its application in solid-phase peptide synthesis

S-4-methoxytrityl cysteine was synthesized and converted into the corresponding Fmoc-Cys(Mmt)-OH by its reaction with Fmoc-OSu. As compared to the corresponding Fmoc-Cys(Trt)-OH, the S-Mmt-function was found to be considerably more acid labile. Quantitative S-Mmt-removal occurs selectively in the presence of groups of the tert butyl type and S-Trt by treatment with 0.5–1.0% TFA. The new derivative was successfully utilized in the SPPS of Tyr¹-somatostatin on 2-chlorotrityl resin. In this synthesis groups of the Trt-type were exclusively used for amino acid side-chain protection. Quantitative cleavage from the resin and complete deprotection was performed by treatment with 3% TFA in DCM–TES (95:5) for 30 min at RT. We observed no reduction of tryptophan under these conditions. © Munksgaard 1996.     

Interaction Between a Synthetic Polypeptide, TIGAL, and Fc Receptors on Non-Bursa-Derived Chicken Lymphoid Cells

Autoradiographic studies have shown that radioiodinated TIGAL binds in vitro to a small but varying fraction of lymphoid cells from bursectomized, agammaglobulinemic chickens, whereas no binding of radioiodinated TGAL or a variety of other radioiodinated antigens can be observed. The binding of [125I]TIGAL is inhibited by antigen-antibody complexes. Radioiodinated antigen-antibody complexes are bound to a similar proportion of the lymphoid cells from bursectomized chickens, and this binding is inhibited by preincubation of the cells with unlabeled TIGAL but not with TGAL. These results indicate a cross-reaction at the level of Fc receptors between determinants on TIGAL and on IgG.     

Embryotoxicity Study of Monomeric 4,4'-Methylenediphenyl Diisocyanate (MDI) Aerosol after Inhalation Exposure in Wistar Rats

One of the uses of MDI is as an alternative to formaldehydein the manufacture of furniture, its main route of exposureto humans being by inhalation. There have been no previous studieson the potential prenatal toxic effects of this compound. Toclose this gap in information, gravid Wistar rats, Crl:(WI)BR,were exposed by whole-body inhalation to clean air (control)and to 1, 3, and 9 mg/m3 MDI, respectively, for 6 hr per dayfrom Days 6 to 15 post conception (p.c). Rats were killed onDay 20 p.c. and the following results were obtained: Treatmentcaused a dose-dependent decrease in food consumption in allsubstance-treated groups during exposure, returning to normalvalues after cessation of treatment. The lung weights in thehigh-dose group were significantly increased compared to thesham-treated control animals. Treatment did not influence anyother maternal and/or fetal parameters investigated (maternalweight gain, number of corpora lutea, implantation sites, pre–and postimplantation loss, fetal and placental weights, grossand visceral anomalies, degree of ossification), although aslight but significant increase in litters with fetuses displayingasymmetric sternebra(e) was observed after treatment with thehighest dose of 9 mg/m³. Although the relevance of an increaseof this minor anomaly in doses which cause toxic effects indams (reduced food consumption, increased lung weights) is limitedand the number observed is within the limits of biological variability,a substance-induced effect in the high-dose group cannot beexcluded with certainty. Consequently, a no embryotoxic effectlevel of 3 mg/m³ was determined.