[Prevalence of Campylobacter fetus ssp. jejuni in Danish dogs (author's transl)]

Rectal swabs from dogs were examined for Campylobacter fetus ssp. jejuni. The rate of positive findings from dogs with diarrhoea was 17.2% compared with 11.1% from the group of control dogs (without diarrhoea). Thus dogs may, under Danish conditions, be reservoir for Campylobacter. Most of the isolations were made on bloodagar after filtration of the samples through 0.6 mu filters. The selectivity of two media developed for examination of human faecal samples was either too low or too high for the present purpose.

Relationship between histologic grading of head and neck tumours and regression after chemotherapy

A series of 43 patients with 44 primary head and neck tumours were treated by combined BMV-chemotherapy (bleomycin, methotrexate and vincristine) given before irradiation. The tumour shrinkages were evaluated and related to the histologic grading of the primary biopsy material. No relationship was found between the tumour response and degree of malignancy as evaluated by the histologic grading. The clinical relevance and possible modification of the histologic grading system are discussed.

Severe clinical conditions associated with Bacillus cereus and the apparent involvement of exotoxins

Twenty-one cases of infection with Bacillus cereus are summarised. The histories supplied showed that at least 15 of these were associated with severe or potentially severe symptoms including two deaths. Analysis of the production of exotoxins, including haemolysin and phospholipase, by these strains is given, and the relevance of these metabolites to the severity of the condition is discussed. Three incidents of bovine mastitis resulting from B. cereus and involving three deaths are also included. The observations presented here together with those of previous reports which are reviewed indicate that B. cereus may be of clinical importance, not just an opportunist but also as an agent of potentially severe infections in its own right.

Properties and production characteristics of vomiting, diarrheal, and necrotizing toxins of Bacillus cereus

Evidence is provided that the enterotoxin of Bacillus cereus variously described in the literature as diarrheagenic toxin, diarrheal agent, fluid accumulation factor, vascular permeability factor, dermonecrotic toxin, and intestinonecrotic toxin is a single relatively unstable protein of molecular weight approximately 50,000 and isoelectric point of the order of 4.9. It is presumed to be the enterotoxin responsible for the diarrheal-type B. cereus food poisoning syndrome and it may also be the pyogenic and pyrogenic factor in nongastrointestinal B. cereus infections of man and animals. The enterotoxin is a vegetative growth metabolite produced to one degree or another by almost all B. cereus strains and is readily separated from phospholipase and heat-labile cereolysin but less readily differentiated from a heat-stable hemolysin. It is lethal to mice but may also be separable from another mouse lethal factor by electrofocusing. The emetic toxin responsible for the vomiting-type B. cereus food poisoning syndrome is clearly distinguishable from the diarrheal and other toxic factors and appears to be a highly stable compound of molecular size less than 5000.

Laryngeal carcinoma. II. Analysis of treatment results using the Ellis model

An analysis of 308 patients with carcinoma of the larynx was performed with respect to local recurrence and complications in relation to treatment level. The patients received primary irradiation with some difference in absorbed dose but with an equal fractionation schedule. Analysed in subgroups, correlations between local recurrence and treatment level were either demonstrated or strongly indicated. This is confirmed in a comparison with approximately 1 500 cases collected from the literature. Correlations between complications and treatment level were not found, but nevertheless indicated with respect to late edemas, which again are supported by comparison with approximately 800 cases collected from the literature. The risk of pharyngo-cutaneous fistula after total laryngectomy seems to be rather independent of irradiation level, although slightly dependent on field size. An optimum level of treatment has been estimated and brought into use since January 1978.

Laryngeal carcinoma. I. Treatment results

A series of 359 patients with carcinoma of the larynx was found to be very close to being representative of the northern part of Jutland, Denmark (north of Kongeåen). No unequivocal change in the disease as regards sex, age, histology, symptoms and signs, and stage of disease could be observed during the period 1963 to 1972. A not statistically significant improvement in the corrected mortality appeared. The level of complications after irradiation and secondary surgery was found to be low. A statistically significant, better prognosis was found for females than for males in the glottic group.

Laryngeal carcinoma. III. Treatment results in relation to microscopic score

Long term treatment results for 254 patients with laryngeal carcinoma, primarily treated by irradiation, have been analysed according to a microscopic score, indicating the degree of malignancy. Deaths from carcinoma are significantly correlated to the microscopic score. It is strongly indicated that such correlations also exist for local recurrence/residual tumour and regional lymph node metastases. Therefore it is concluded that the microscopic grading system is a valuable prognostic factor supporting, and additional to, the T.N. classification. Larger series are needed in order to obtain correlations in subgroups, and accordingly primary therapeutic consequences can only be suggested, in doubtful cases.

Back muscle strength, lifting, and stooped working postures

When lifting loads and working in a forward stooped position, the muscles of the back rather than the ligaments and bony structures of the spine should overcome the gravitational forces. Formulae, based on measurements of back muscle strength, for prediction of maximal loads to be lifted, and for the ability to sustain work in a stooped position, have been worked out and tested in practical situations. From tests with 50 male and female subjects the simplest prediction formulae for maximum loads were: max. load = 1.10 x isometric back muscle strength for men; and max. load = 0.95 x isometric back muscle strength - 8 kg for women. Some standard values for maximum lifts and permissible single and repeated lifts have been calculated for men and women separately and are given in Table 1. From tests with 65 rehabilitees it was found that the maximum isometric strength of the back muscles measured at shoulder height should exceed 2/3 of the body weight, if fatigue and/or pain in the back muscles is to be avoided during work in a standing stooped position.