Comparative double-blind trial of cephalexin and ampicillin in treatment of urinary infections

Cephalexin was compared with ampicillin in the treatment of urinary tract infections by a random double-blind technique. Both drugs were found to be equally effective. In 21 out of 31 patients treated with cephalexin and in 20 out of 31 treated with ampicillin the urine was sterile three weeks after starting therapy. The bacteriological findings at one and eight weeks were also similar in both groups. No serious adverse reactions were attributable to cephalexin, which seemed to be tolerated rather better than ampicillin.

Pharmacological emptying of the stomach with metoclopramide

This paper evaluates the use of metoclopramide (Maxolon) in emptying human stomach contents into the duodenum and beyond. A method of quantitative assessment of content by barium swallow radiography is used in the study, and the method is recommended as a diagnostic manoeuvre in patients presenting for emergency surgery in whom the stomach content is in doubt. Oral metoclopramide was found effective in emptying stomachs challenged by water load, and the intravenous route has been found effective in emptying semisolid contents in emergency clinical situations. A radiographic scan of the resting stomach was made on patients waiting for routine surgery who had received a variety of common premedication; it was shown that significant residues occur.We believe that metoclopramide deserves further investigation in order to exploit its potential in reducing the hazard of regurgitation and vomiting in patients requiring emergency anaesthesia and surgery.

Carbohydrate fermentation patterns of Neisseria meningitidis determined by a microtiter method

A carbohydrate fermentation technique has been developed and compared to the standard fermentation test with cystine-Trypticase-semisolid agar for the identification of Neisseria meningitidis. This new method utilizes Mueller-Hinton broth as a basal substrate and is performed with microtiter methods. By using Mueller-Hinton broth with and without the addition of antibiotics, the method can be adjusted to test the fermentation patterns of all of the Neisseria including N. gonorrhoeae.

The Effect of Photoperiod Duration Upon the Respiratory Activity of the Roots of Wheat Seedlings

The root respiration rate of wheat seedlings was continuously measured (in terms of CO2 output) in a controlled environment. The effects of varying photoperiods of high intensity light, incident on the leaves, upon the rate of root respiration were studied. It was demonstrated that increases in root respiration rate occurred in response to the light treatments. The fluctuations in root respiration rate, induced by the photoperiods used, had a pattern over the 24-hr cycle, which included two peaks-when the photoperiod was of 6 or 12 hr duration. These henomena are discussed in relation to the hypothesis that root respiration rate fluctuates in response to a varying flow of assimilates from the leaves to the roots. No evidence was obtained of an endogenous (or circadian) rhythm of root respiration rate.

ECHINOCOCCAL CYST FROM THE PROSTATE

Images

Early studies on a candidate intracellular subunit vaccine NFU.Ac.HIV[JM] for prevention and/or modification of HIV-related disease

A candidate HIV subunit vaccine NFU.Ac.HIV[JM] was prepared by detergent and formaldehyde treatment of HIV-infected JM cells. The preparation contained HIV polypeptides at 200, 118, 70, 41 and 24 kD, with reactivity by immunoblotting of approximately fifteen virus-specific polypeptides including polypeptides at 119, 55, 41 and 24 kD, which may represent gp 120, p55, gp41 and p24, respectively. The content of gp120 was estimated to be 5 micrograms/ml. The vaccine was immunogenic in a rabbit, inducing neutralising antibody and reactivity by ELISA and by immunoblotting against a number of HIV polypeptides including those of molecular weights 24, 41, 55 nd 120 kD. The vaccine contained no infectious HIV or reverse transcriptase enzyme activity.

Development of subunit preparations of cytomegalovirus antigen by aqueous extraction for immunization against cytomegalovirus infection

This study has examined different methods of preparation of a subunit vaccine from cytomegalovirus (CMV)-infected MRC cells in terms of protein and DNA content, antigenicity and immunogenicity. Two preparations have been developed where CMV proteins were obtained by extraction of infected cells with water. Virus particles were removed from the preparations by ultracentrifugation and residual virus was inactivated by formaldehyde in the WUF preparations or by chloroform in the WUCh preparations. The preparations contained CMV proteins which may play a role in protective immune responses, and the preparations were antigenic as determined by immunodiffusion, ELISA and immunoblotting. Immunogenicity as evaluated in rabbits indicated that the preparations stimulated neutralizing and immunoprecipitating antibody. These results suggest that the gentle method of water extraction of viral antigens may be a useful protocol for vaccine preparation.