Lethal Toxin of Bacillus cereus I. Relationships and Nature of Toxin, Hemolysin, and Phospholipase

Bacillus cereus phospholipase was characterized as a phospholipase C by the analysis of lecithin degradation products by thin-layer and paper chromatography. Methanol in the growth menstruum inhibited completely the synthesis of phospholipase C, whereas the synthesis of lethal toxin and hemolysin were only partially inhibited. Dialysis of preformed B. cereus products against ethyl alcohol and methanol did not inactivate hemolytic, phospholipase C, or lethal activity. The hemolytic and lethal activities of culture filtrates were completely abolished by trypsin, but phospholipase C activity was resistant to inactivation. Lethal and phospholipase C properties of culture filtrates were resistant to inactivation at 45 C, whereas the hemolytic activity was completely destroyed. Lethal, hemolytic, and phospholipase C activities appeared simultaneously in a complex growth menstruum, but the kinetics of synthesis were different in all cases. Resolution of B. cereus filtrates on columns of Sephadex showed that the phospholipase C, hemolysin, and lethal toxin are distinct proteins. Evidence is also presented which suggests a correlation between the synthesis of B. cereus toxin and the period of transition from vegetative growth to sporulation. The activity of each B. cereus product was cation-independent, as opposed to cation-dependency of the phospholipase C and lethal activities of Clostridium perfringens alpha-toxin. Immunological cross-reactivity between the B. cereus products and C. perfringens alpha-toxin was not apparent; indeed, they were shown to be antigenically distinct.     

The Electroosmotic Effects Arising from the Interaction of the Selectively Anion and Selectively Cation Permeable Parts of Mosaic Membranes

It has been previously shown, theoretically and in model system experiments, that mosaic membranes composed of anion-selective (electropositive) and cation-selective (electronegative) parts interposed between electrolytic solutions of different concentrations give rise to local electrical circuits. In this work with model systems it is shown that these currents produce electroosmosis. In systems with permselective electronegative membranes and KCl solutions, the electroosmotic water transport was 16 moles/faraday. With the permselective electronegative membrane replaced by more porous electronegative membranes, the electroosmotic effects were about twice as high. With Li salts, the water transport was considerably larger. A system with a permselective electropositive membrane of 50 cm² effective area and an electronegative membrane of 120 cm² gave internally generated currents up to 20 ma. In extrapolating from the results with macromodels to effects with true mosaics, i.e. microsystems, it is stressed that current depends on the linear distance over which membranes interact. In true mosaic membranes, the current pathways will be of the same order as the dimensions of individual membrane microelements; the sum of all local microcurrents will be correspondingly larger than the current in the macromodel, and the electroosmotic effects will be proportionately greater. Electroosmotic effects with true charge-mosaic membranes may be of the same order or larger than the liquid transport by normal and anomalous osmosis which might occur across the individual parts of the charge-mosaic.     

Renal Disease Secondary to Metabolic Disorders or Physiological Deficiency States

Significant alterations in the structure and functions of the kidney are caused by a number of metabolic disturbances and deficiencies of physiological substances. These include intercapillary glomerulosclerosis, gout, hypercalcemia, hereditary cystinuria, potassium depletion, pyrophosphates deficiency, vitamin D deficiency and liver disorders. Some of these metabolic disorders are secondary to drug ingestion.     

The Latex Serologic Test for Syphilis—A New Screening Procedure

A new macroscopic screening test for syphilis, the Latex-sts test, is extraordinarily simple. After inactivation of the patient''s serum for 30 minutes at 56°C the test is performed by mixing the patient''s serum with latex particles coated with cardiolipin and a protein fraction obtained from the non-pathogenic Reiter strain of Treponema pallidum. Two to three minutes after mixing, the result of the test is observed on a ringed serologic plate. The sensitivity, specificity and reproducibility of the new test are equivalent to those of the qualitative Venereal Disease Research Laboratory tube test. The advantages of the Latex-sts are that it can be done in a short time, it is simple and it requires a minimum of laboratory equipment. The coated latex particles are stable for 12 months.     

Factors Influencing the Occurrence of High Numbers of Iodine-Resistant Bacteria in Iodinated Swimming Pools

It has been shown that, although iodinated swimming-pool waters are usually free from coliform bacteria and enterococci, the total counts frequently become relatively high. Pseudomonas alcaligenes and Alcaligenes faecalis have been shown to account for most of these high counts. It was of interest, therefore, to compare the microbial flora of four alternately chlorinated and iodinated swimming pools. By means of the membrane filter method and suitable selective media, examinations were made for total viable counts, coliform bacteria, enterococci, staphylococci, Streptococcus salivarius, and P. aeruginosa. Colonies also were picked from membrane filters incubated on standard plate count agar and identified. The results showed that, although viable counts were significantly higher during the iodinated periods, the specific types of bacteria determined were either fewer than or the same as in chlorinated periods. During chlorination, the predominant microbial flora consisted of staphylococci and members of the genus Bacillus. During iodination, however, the P. alcaligenes-A. faecalis group accounted for 92 to 99% of the microbial flora. The accumulation of high numbers of these bacteria was shown to be due to their iodine resistance and their ability to grow rapidly in pool water in the absence of free iodine.     

Zur Frage der Wirkung von Morphiumsulfat auf das neurosekretorische System

Zusammenfassung Eine Belastung mit Morphium löst eine ADH- und Oxytocinmobilisierung aus. Durch Versuche an 38 mit Morphiumsulfatinjektionen behandelten Ratten wurde erwiesen, daß in gleicher Weise auch eine Neurosekretabnahme eintritt. Davon ist insbesondere die Neurohypophyse, das Abgabeorgan von Hypophysenhinterlappenhormonen und Neurosekret, betroffen. Bei Fortdauer der Stress-Situation, d. h. bei Fortsetzen der täglichen Morphiumsulfatinjektionen stellt sich eine Gewöhnung des neurosekretorischen Systems ein, die Neurosekreteinlagerung wird wieder auf den vorherigen Stand gebracht. Die Gewöhnung geht in der Regel so weit, daß vorbehandelte Tiere auch bei einer erheblichen Steigerung der Morphiumsulfatdosis keine Reaktion ihres neurosekretorischen Systems, d. h. keine Neurosekretabnahme, zeigen. Auch die fortgesetzte Belastung mit Morphiumsulfat führt demnach — wiedie Belastung mit Nikotinsäure — zur Ausbildung eines general adaptation syndrome im Sinne Selyes.

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Summary The administration of morphine to rats engenders a release of ADH and oxytocin. The injection of morphine sulfate to 38 rats shows that neurosecretory material depletion takes place in a similar manner, particularly in the posterior pituitary. After daily injections, the system adapts to the stress by redeposition of neurosecretory substances. The adaptation reaches the point where pretreated animals show no depletion after a much increased test dosis of morphine sulfate, similar to the prolonged stress with nicotinic acid. This is interpreted to represent adaptation in the sense used by Selye.

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Durchgeführt mit Unterstützung durch die Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft.

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Die Vorversuche zu dieser Arbeit konnte der eine von uns (Rodeck) während seiner Gastassistentenzeit (1959) im Institut de Médecine et de Chirurgie expérimentales de l'Université de Montréal, Kanada (Direktor Prof. Dr. H. Selye) durchführen, wofür an dieser Stelle gedankt sei.