Rapid Antiretroviral Therapy Initiation for Women in an HIV-1 Prevention Clinical Trial Experiencing Primary HIV-1 Infection during Pregnancy or Breastfeeding

During an HIV-1 prevention clinical trial in East Africa, we observed 16 cases of primary HIV-1 infection in women coincident with pregnancy or breastfeeding. Nine of eleven pregnant women initiated rapid combination antiretroviral therapy (ART), despite having CD4 counts exceeding national criteria for ART initiation; breastfeeding women initiated ART or replacement feeding. Rapid ART initiation during primary HIV-1 infection during pregnancy and breastfeeding is feasible in this setting.     

Intrapleural and intravenous Corynebacterium parvum in patients with resected stage I and II non-small cell carcinoma of the lung

Summary A prospective randomized trial compared the administration of intrapleural plus intravenous Corynebacterium parvum (C. parvum) versus placebo in patients with resected Stage I and Stage II non-small cell bronchogenic carcinoma. Treatment consisted of 7 mg C. parvum injected into the pleural space and 7 mg C. parvum intravenously once between days 6 and 12 postoperatively and 7 mg intravenously every 3rd month during the 1st year. Intrapleural administration of 35 cc of saline served as the placebo and the flush after intrapleural C. parvum.Of the 303 patients entered into this study, 286 were evaluable, with an average follow-up time of 3.5 years. More complications, especially fever, were observed in patients receiving C. parvum. A fever greater than 38 °C was observed in 9% of the patients assigned to placebo and 76% of the patients assigned to C. parvum. There was no significant difference between the treatments with respect to disease-free interval or survival.M. Kaufmann, J. Stjernswärd**, A. Zimmermann (Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, Bern Branch); K. Stanley**, M. Isley, M. Zelen (Frontier Science & Tech. Research Foundation, Brookline, MA, USA); C. Mouritzen, P. Paulsen, U. Henriques (Dept. of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery and Institute of Pathology, Kommunehospital, Aarhus, Denmark); N. Konietzko, W. Maassen, W. Hartung, W. Wierich (Ruhrland Clinic, Essen-Heidhausen, and Pathology Institute, Ruhr-University, Bochum, FRG); P. Oehl (Innere Klinik und Poliklinik Tumorforschung, Essen, FRG); J. Vogt-Moykopf, H. Toomes, W. Hofmann (Rohrbach Hospital, Clinic for Thoracic Medicine and Pathology Institute, Heidelberg, FRG); F. Krause, R. Rios, R. Spanel (Klinik Löwenstein, Löwenstein, and Pathology Institute, Ulm, FRG); J. Orel, B. Hrabar, D. Ferluga, T. Rott (University Medical Center, Thoracic Surgery and Pathology, Ljubljana, Yugoslavia); H. A. Rostad, J. R. Vale, P. Lexow (Rikshospital, Oslo, Norway); S. Hagen, S. Birkeland (Ulleval Hospital, Oslo, Norway); T. Harbitz, R. Nissen-Meyer (Aker Hospital, Oslo, Norway); E. Aspevik, H. Engedal, A. Mykin (Haukeland Hospital, Bergen, Norway); V. O. Björk, L. Rodriguez, K. Böök, J. Willems (Karolinska Sjukhuset, Thoracic Surgical Clinic and Pathology Department, Stockholm, Sweden); E. Grädel, J. Hasse, P. Dalquen (Kantonsspital, Dept of Surgery, Div. of Cardiac & Thoracic Surgery & Pathology Institute, Basel, Switzerland); L. Eckmann, K. Hänni, K. Zimmermann (Tiefenauspital Surg. Clinic, Univ. of Bern, Switzerland); B. Nachbur, H. U. Würsten, H. Cottier, A. Zimmermann (Inselspital Dept. of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surg. and Pathology Institute, Bern, Switzerland); W. Maurer, M. Kaufmann (Bürgerspital, Surgical Department, Solothurn, Switzerland); H. Denck, E. Zwintz, St. Wuketich (Krankenhaus der Stadt Wien-Lainz, I. Chir. Dept., and Path. Inst., Vienna, Austria); N. Pridun, H. Hackl (Pulmonologisches Zentrum der Stadt Wien, and Path. Inst., Vienna, Austria); E. Moritz, W. Schlick, H. Holzner (II. Chir. University Clinic and Path. Inst., Vienna, Austria); K. Karrer (Institute for Cancer Research, Vienna, Austria); R. G. Crispen (ITR-Biomedical Research, University of Illinois, Chicago, USA); D. S. Freestone, R. Bomford, M. T. Scott, T. Priestman, L. Toy (The Wellcome Research Laboratories, Beckenham, England)** Present address: Cancer Unit, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland Offprint requests to: K. Stanley, Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, Inselspital, CH-3010 Bern, SwitzerlandLudwig Lung Cancer Study Group:     

Mutation in Pneumococcus Type III Affecting Multiple Cistrons Concerned with the Synthesis of Capsular Polysaccharide

The genetic behavior in transformation reactions of 20 noncapsulated mutants of pneumococcus type III suggests that each has a single-site mutation in the locus controlling the synthesis of uridine diphosphate glucose (UDPG) dehydrogenase. Each strain is capable of yielding transformants of the binary capsular type SI-III when exposed to deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) from type I cells. One additional mutant reacted differently and behaved as if it were a multisite mutant with the mutation affecting both the locus for UDPG dehydrogenase and that controlling the synthesis of high molecular weight type III capsular polysaccharide. When exposed to DNA from type I pneumococci, this strain yielded transformants which were genotypically binary but which expressed only the type I capsular phenotype.     

Qualitative Differences in the Behavior of Pneumococcal Deoxyribonucleic Acids Transforming to the Same Capsular Type

A method is described for estimating quantitatively the frequency of transformation of pneumococci to new capsular types. It is found that, when S-(III) cells are exposed to deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) from wild-type I strains, transformation to SI occurs at a frequency 20 to 60 times that of transformation to the binary type SI-III. SI markers on DNA isolated from binary strains behave qualitatively and quantitatively in a different manner from the same markers on DNA from wild-type I strains and will transform S-(III) cells only to SI-III. Strains are described which produce only one capsular polysaccharide, but which are genetically binary and carry a second capsular genome with a mutated gene so that the second polysaccharide is not produced. Stability and other characteristics of binary strains are discussed, and one hypothesis for the genetic organization of binary strains is presented.     

Growth Curve and Distribution of Rous Sarcoma Virus (Bryan) in Japanese Quail

On primary infection with the Bryan strain of Rous sarcoma virus (RSV), the growth curve of the virus in the brain of Japanese quail was similar to that observed in chicks and turkey poults. Infectious virus disappeared from the brain after inoculation. After an eclipse period during which no virus was detectable, infectious virus began to appear at 2 days and reached maximal titers in the brain samples at 7 days after inoculation. When Japanese quail were infected intracerebrally with RSV, relatively high titers of virus were recovered from brain tissue but not from liver, lung, kidney, or blood of moribund birds. Only tumors produced in the wing web of quail infected subcutaneously yielded high titers of virus. Other tissues yielded no virus, even though wing web tumors appeared as early as in chicks similarly infected. RSV could be propagated in the wing web of quail for at least 14 passages without any loss of infectivity. On the other hand, serial passage in quail brain resulted in a progressive loss of infectivity until virus was completely lost.     

Importance of carbon dioxide in the isolation of pneumococci

Austrian, Robert (The University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia), and Patricia Collins. Importance of carbon dioxide in the isolation of pneumococci. J. Bacteriol. 92:1281-1284. 1966.-Of the strains of pneumococci isolated from man, 8% manifest a requirement for CO(2) if detectable growth is to occur on the surface of solid media. The pneumococci most frequently manifesting this requirement are types I, III, XVI, XXVIII, and XXXIII. These strains will grow in the presence or absence of oxygen provided the atmosphere in which they are incubated contains CO(2). Review of published data provides no unequivocal evidence for the existence of anaerobic pneumococci.