Characterization of a naturally occurring R plasmid in Salmonella isangi conferring unusually high resistance to ampicillin

A strain of Salmonella isangi was isolated from HUMANA milk, used a baby food in Bulgarian hospitals. It harbours two stable plasmids, distinguishable by their molecular weight of 21 Mdal for the transfer factor (rRB 1) and 9,3 Mdal for R-factor rRB 2, confering resistance to ampicillin, cephalothin, streptomycin and sulfonamides. Both plasmids are maintained in different copy numbers per chromosome genome equivalent, 8 copies for rRB 1 and 158 copies for rRB 2, associated with an unusual high level of resistance to ampicillin (MIC 65 mg/ml).

[Comparison of the value of ERCP, angiography and scintigraphy in pancreatic diseases]

The endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreaticography, angiography and scintigraphy have a different value in the diagnostics of chronic pancreatitis and carcinoma of the pancreas. The scintigraphy of pancreas has the lowest value. It should not alone be the basis for making the diagnosis or planning the treatment. In chronic pancreatitis the endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreaticography has precedence of angiography. The chronic pancreatitis may angiographically be recognised only in the late phase. However, the angiography can give valuable references to the planning of the operation. At a suspicion of the pancreas malignoma the endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreaticography and the angiography have nearly the same value in the plan of diagnostics and they both should be performed.

Tyramine kinetics and metabolism in cirrhosis

Hypertyraminemia is common in hepatic cirrhosis and correlates in severity with encephalopathy. The mechanism of cirrhotic hypertyraminemia has not been established. The alternative possibilities are increased production from tyrosine and impaired degradation by monoamine oxidase. This investigation determined the pharmacokinetics of tyramine after an intravenous bolus injections of [3H]-tyramine (180--200 muCi 12 Ci/mmol sp act) in 13 cirrhotics and 9 controls. In normals, [3H]tyramine levels initially declined rapidly (alpha-phase) followed by a slower decline (beta-phase) with an average t 1/2 of 20.8 min. Average normal metabolic clearance rate and production rate were 13.2 liters/min and 15.4 microgram/min, respectively. In cirrhotic patients, the plasma disappearance curve for [3H]tyramine was qualitatively similar to that of the control subjects with no apparent different in beta-t 1/2 (17.2 min). The hypertyraminemia of cirrhosis resulted primarily from overproduction of tyramine, as the production rate (32.0 microgram/min) in these patients was significantly greater (P less than 0.05) than in controls, whereas the metabolic clearance rate remained normal (average 12.2 liters/min). A difference in ratio of tyramine metabolic products was noted as well. Cirrhotics had a high ratio of plasma 4-hydroxyphenylethanol:4-hydroxyphenylacetic acid (60:40 vs. 30:70) as compared with normals. Although the tyramine clearance rates are similar in normals and cirrhotics, different mechanisms may be responsible for catabolism.

[Value of lymphography within the framework of complex diagnosis of fever of unknown origin]

After comprehensive diagnostics on account of antibiotic-resistant subfebrile temperatures under suspicion of a lymphogranulomatosis a lymphography was performed in a 49-year-old patient. The lymphographic findings are discussed in detail. Since these findings differential-diagnostically allow a tuberculosis of the lymph nodes, a tuberculostatic therapy is performed. 6 months later the patient has an improved general condition and may again work in this former profession.

[Smoking ban at the workplace--the order of the hour (author's transl)]

Smoking is by far the most important inhalation noxa at the workplace and is probably to be considered most harmful to the workers generally during working hours. Tobacco smoking at the workplace also endangers the health of non-smokers through passive smoking. From this it is deduced that a general ban on smoking at the workplace is to be considered the order of the hour and as the most important aim of occupational medicine and industrial legislation at the present time.

The isolation of IS1 and IS2 DNA

DNA of the IS-elements IS1 and IS2 was prepared by digestion of appropriate heteroduplex molecules with endonuclease S1, followed by sucrose gradient centrifugation or gel electrophoresis. The material obtained is homogeneous with regard to size. The length of IS1 DNA is 820 +/- 65 nucleotides, the length of IS2 DNA is 1,350 +/- 70 nucleotides. IS1 DNA is not cleaved by the restriction endonucleases Eco R1, Hind II or Hind III. IS2 DNA is cleaved once by each of the two latter enzymes. The buoyand density determined by equilibrium centrifugation of Hg-complexes in Cs2so4 corresponds to a GC content of approximately 50%. Labelling with polynucleotide kinase indicates that both IS DNA's have a guanosyl residue at both of their 5'-termini.