[Bacteriological and clinical studies on cefotaxime in obstetrics and gynecology (author's transl)]

Fundamental and clinical studies of cefotaxime (CTX), a new semisynthetic cephalosporin antibiotic were carried out in the field of obstetrics and gynecology. The following results were obtained. 1. CTX was almost equally active to SCE-1365 and less active than cefotiam (CTM) and cefazolin (CEZ) against S. aureus, much more active than these 3 antibiotics against E. coli, more active than the 3 antibiotics against Enterobacter, equally active to SCE-1365 and a little weaker than CEZ against anaerobic Gram positive cocci, and superior to SCE-1365 and CEZ against Bacteroides. 2. CTX was more stable to B. fragilis-producing beta-lactamase than CET, CEZ and cefoperazone (CPZ). 3. The concentrations of CTX transferred to the female genital organs after CTX 1 g d. i. were sufficiently effective against facultative or strict anaerobic bacteria mainly isolated from obstetrical and gynecological infections. 4. CTX was administered to 10 patients with genital infections. CTX was excellent in 1 case, good in 8 cases and poor in 1 case. The response rate of CTX was 90%. Bacteria, isolated in 5 cases before CTX treatment, were eradicated in 4 cases. The bacteriological effectiveness of CTX was thus 80%. 5. No side effect attributable to CTX was observed.

Survival of Salmonella typhi in oysters

Shell oysters were reared in experimental conditions to elucidate the survival rate of Salmonella typhi in the body of cultured oysters and the fate of S. typhi in the shucked oysters. Sixty to 80 cultured oysters were reared for 4 h at 15 degrees C in 40 l of sea water than contained 1 x 10(4) -- 2 x 10(4) cells/ml of S. typhi (V-form) added, then these contaminated oysters were transferred to a tank that contained 40 l of clean sea water circulated through a ultraviolet disinfectant apparatus with a filtration system, and oysters were reared therein for 7-9 d at 15 degrees C. During the time the oysters were in the clean sea water, 5 oysters were periodically sampled, shucked, and the number of viable cells of S. typhi in the oysters was determined. At the beginning of the rearing in the clean sea water, the number was 4 x 10(5) -- 8 x 10(5) cells/100 g (MPN) in the shucked oysters. The MPN gradually lowered thereafter during the first 4 h in the clean sea water, but 24 h later, the MPN was reduced as much as 4 log. Thereafter, 20-80 cells/100 g (MPN) or 2-12 cells/oyster of S. typhi were enumerated up to the end of the experiment and a complete elimination was not observed. When the contaminated oysters were preserved at 10 degrees C, 5 degrees C or -20 degrees C, as shucked oysters, he number of viable cells of S. typhi did not change beyond the range of 1 log which may be caused by individuality at all temperatures tested during the first 10 days, i.e. the value did not tend to be reduced during this period. When the oysters were stored by -20 degrees C, the viability of S. typhi was apparently unaffected up to 140 days when the experiment was terminated. All these experiments were highly reproducible.

The circadian change of gluconeogenesis in the liver in vivo in fed rats

The circadian change of gluconeogenesis in the liver in vivo in fed rats was studied. Gluconeogenesis in the liver in vivo was determined by measuring the rate of synthesis of 14C-labeled blood glucose derived from a 14C-labeled substrate, such as lactate, pyruvate or an amino acid injected into nephrectomized rats. Gluconeogenesis in the liver from all substrates examined except glutamine was higher at 8:00 P.M. than at 8:00 A.M. in correspondence with the circadian rhythm of the activity of hepatic phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase. These data indicate that hepatic gluconeogenesis shows a circadian change in response to changes in nutritional conditions in vivo.

Basic study for computer analysis of the pediatric electrocardiogram: relation of the distance-corrected precordial electrocardiographic voltage with the echocardiographically determined left ventricular muscle volume

The left ventricular muscle volume (LVMV) and the distance from the anterior chest wall to the middle of the left ventricle (D) were determined echocardiographically in 476 children as a part of the Shimane Heart Study. Correlation of the summed precordial voltage (SV1 + RV5) with LVMV was not good (r = 0.377 in males and -0.095 in females). The precordial voltage (SV1 + RV5), therefore, was corrected by the square of D to compensate the diminution of electrical potential by distance. Correlation between D2 (SV1 + RV5) and LVMV was good in males (r = 0.712) and relatively good in females (r = 0.469). Moreover, the values of D2 (SV1 + RV5) were different between both sexes at the age of 12--16 years. The thickness of subcutaneous fat may be one of the most important factors for these differences in D2 (SV1 + RV5) and correlation coefficient.

Cardiac hypertrophy in early hypertension

Studies of cardiac hypertrophy in spontaneously hypertensive rats have indicated that left ventricular hypertrophy occurred even in the prehypertensive stage. These findings suggested that other factors besides blood pressure levels, and including possibly a genetic predisposition to myocardial hypertrophy, could play a role in structural cardiovascular alterations in spontaneously hypertensive rats. More recent studies have confirmed these anatomic results; left ventricular hypertrophy was vectorcardiographically detected even in the prehypertensive stage in voth young stroke-prone rats and stroke-resistant spontaneously hypertensive rats. Further, a close relation was found between degree of left ventricular hypertrophy and vascular hypertrophy or hyperplasia; this suggests that early detection of left ventricular hypertrophy may be a useful indicator of the incipient stage of structural vascular changes in genetic hypertension.

Renal net glucose release in vivo and its contribution to blood glucose in rats

This study describes the contribution of de novo glucose synthesis by the kidney to blood glucose homeostasis in rats. The net glucose release by the kidney in vivo was measured by an isotope-dilution method, which calculated the extent of dilution of injected [(14)C]glucose by glucose newly synthesized in the kidney. The extent of dilution was determined from the difference between the decrease of the actual blood glucose concentration and that of the radioactivity of [(14)C]glucose, after injecting [(14)C]glucose into functionally hepatectomized rats. The results indicate that the net glucose release by the kidney in vivo in normal fed rats was 0.75+/-0.13 mg/dl per min, and that its contribution to blood glucose was 25.9+/-5.0%. When unilateral nephrectomy was performed, under the same conditions, renal net glucose release was one-half of that in rats with two intact kidneys, which indicates the quantitative accuracy of the isotope-dilution method employed in this study. In rats starved for 24 h, the renal net glucose release increased to 0.99+/-0.08 mg/dl per min. Diabetic rats showed a remarkably higher renal net glucose of 2.28+/-0.33 mg/dl per min, which was 360% of the normal level. Treatment of diabetic rats with insulin, restored the renal net glucose release to the normal level. In acidotic rats, renal net glucose release was as great as 1.03+/-0.15 mg/dl per min, which suggests that the acid-base balance participates in control of renal glucose output. Measurements every 6 h throughout the day showed that glucose was supplied from the kidney at a constant rate without any circadian rhythm. These data suggest that renal gluconeogenesis is of physiological importance in the maintenance of homeostasis of blood glucose.

Portal hypertension following exchange blood transfusion with complications of Listeria meningitis

A male infant, 17 months, developed portal hypertension after two exchange blood transfusions and a prolonged umbilical vein catheterization during the neonatal period. Clinical course was characterized by an early onset of splenomegaly and after a latent period of time by a massive melena and hematemesis precipitated by Listeria meningitis. Treatment for portal hypertension consisted of splenectomy and proximal gastric devascularization. The importance of proper positioning of the catheter and avoidance of extended catheterization is recommended.

Fine structure of isolated mesophyll protoplasts of tobacco

Protoplasts of palisade cells isolated enzymatically from mature leaves of tobacco were studied with the electron microscope. A cell wall was completely absent, and the chloroplasts contained large inclusion bodies which were believed to be a crystalline form of fraction I protein. The fine structure of the protoplasts was otherwise that of healthy mesophyll cells, indicating that they are in a good physiological state. Some protoplasts were multinucleate as a result of fusion during the isolation process.