Prospective study of bacterial meningitis in North East Thames region, 1991-3, during introduction of Haemophilus influenzae vaccine.

OBJECTIVE--To describe the epidemiology of primary bacterial meningitis in the North East Thames region over a three year period before and during the introduction of the vaccine for Haemophilus influenzae type b. DESIGN--Analysis of information on cases of primary bacterial meningitis identified by microbiology laboratories in the region, with collection of case data by questionnaire. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES--Annual incidence rates for types of meningitis according to age and ethnic group. RESULTS--The annual incidence rates for the three major causes of bacterial meningitis in the general population were 1.9/100,000 for Neisseria meningitidis, 1.6/100,000 for Haemophilus influenzae before vaccination, and 1.0/100,000 for Streptococcus pneumoniae. Higher rates of H influenzae meningitis were found in Asians compared with white people (3.6/100,000 v 1.5/100,000, P = 0.01). As a result of the vaccine programme introduced in October 1992 the number of cases of H influenzae meningitis in children under 5 years has fallen by 87%. CONCLUSIONS--Bacterial meningitis is a serious problem especially in preschool children. There are differences in the incidence of some causes of bacterial meningitis in different ethnic groups; with H influenzae type b being significantly more common among black and Asian people than among white people. The immunisation programme for H influenzae type b in the North East Thames region has been successful in reducing the incidence of this type of meningitis in Asian and white populations. The numbers were too small to evaluate in the black population.     

What is the role of cytokines in human colostrum?

No one has ever doubted that maternal milk, in comparison to formula milk, has a far superior nutritional value. Colostrum has a well acknowledge crucial value for the survival of the animal species that cannot receive immunoglobulins through the placenta. Until recently the presence of cytokines in colostrum was unsuspected but it has been now clarified that normally there are at least four cytokines, namely interleukin 1 and 6, tumor necrosis factor and interferon gamma, that may exert an important immunostimulatory role particularly on the oropharyngeal-associated lymphoid tissue. As a corollary, physiological concentration of cytokines administered per os may exert a useful adjuvant activity in aged or immunodeficient people.     

Ruptured fission yeast walls

Distributions of rupture sites of fission yeast cells ruptured by glass beads have been related to a new morphometric analysis. As shown previously (Johnson et al.,Cell Biophysics, 1995), ruptures were not randomly distributed nor was their distribution dictated by geometry, rather, ruptures at the extensile end were related to cell length just as the rate of extension is related to cell length. The extension patterns of early log, mid-log, late log, and stationary phase cells from suspension cultures were found to approximate the linear growth patterns of Kubitschek and Clay (1986). The median length of cells was found to decline through the log phase in an unbalanced manner.     

Packing forces in ribonuclease crystals

Packing in Ribonuclease A and Ribonuclease S crystals have been compared in order to determine the possible role of the precipitant on lattice contacts. Both proteins have similar tertiary structures, but they crystallize in different space groups depending on the precipitating agent. It is found that packing differs either by the number of nearest neighbours or by the size of surface areas buried in individual contacts. Ammonium sulfate seems to promote hydrophobic interactions with interfaces similar to those found in oligomeric proteins. Organic precipitants favour electrostatic interactions.     

Crystallization and preliminary x-ray diffraction study of the flavoprotein NADH peroxidase from Streptococcus faecalis 10C1

NADH peroxidase from Streptococcus faecalis 10C1 has been crystallized from ammonium sulfate solutions using the hanging drop vapor diffusion method. Depending on pH, the crystals grew in the orthorhombic space group I222 or one of its subgroups P222 or P2(1)2(1)2 (or one of its two permutations). In both cases the unit cell axes are a = 76.6 A, b = 132.9 A, and c = 145.7 A. There are two monomers/asymmetric unit in the body-centered crystal form and four in the primitive one. The enzyme is catalytically active in the crystalline state. The crystals diffract to at least 2.5 A resolution; they are stable in the x-ray beam and hence suitable for detailed three-dimensional structure determination.     

A decade of diabetes: keeping children out of hospital.

OBJECTIVES--To document the number of children aged less than 15 years who developed diabetes and were managed within one large health district, and to evaluate the outcome of those children managed without hospital admission at diagnosis. DESIGN--A retrospective study over 1979-88, when a paediatrician and a physician with special interests in childhood diabetes initiated joint clinics. Data collected from the district diabetes register and files of consultants and health visitors specialising in diabetes. SETTING--Referral of children to consultants in Leicestershire (total population 863,000). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES--The proportion of children managed without hospital admission, comparison of readmission rates and glycated haemoglobin concentrations between children admitted and those not admitted. RESULTS--Over 10 years 236 children aged 10-14 years developed diabetes (annual incidence rate 12.8/100,000 child population (95% confidence interval 11.3 to 14.7)). In total 138 were not admitted to hospital but received supervised management based at home. Admitted children were younger or acidotic or their family doctors did not contact the diabetes team. Duration of admission declined from seven days in 1979-80 to three days in 1987-8. Ninety two were not admitted to hospital during the 10 years for any reason. Significantly fewer children who received management at home were readmitted for reasons related to diabetes than the group treated in hospital (30 (22%) v 40 (41%); p = 0.004). Concentrations of glycated haemoglobin were no different between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS--Children with newly diagnosed diabetes may be safely and effectively managed out of hospital. Domiciliary or community based management depends on the commitment of consultants specialising in diabetes working in close cooperation with general practitioners, specialist nurses in diabetes, and dietitians.     

Assessment of cell proliferation on porous microcarriers by means of image analysis

Spherical porous microcarriers (PMCs) made from collagen-glycosaminoglycan crosslinked copolymers have exhibited considerable promise as growth surfaces for the proliferation of anchorage-dependent mammalian cell lines and have demonstrated the ability to entrap anchorage-independent cells. However, quantification of cell growth on PMCs has proved difficult. A method of measuring the proliferation of PMCs, based on image analysis, is presented. Using CV1 and CHO cell lines, samples of PMCs were removed from culture at various times, fixed, embedded and sectioned. The 2 microns sections were stained, photographed and digitized in three colors. A computer program was developed to evaluate digitized PMC cross-sections and to classify pixels as conforming to either background, cytoplasmic, matrix or nuclear parameters, based on a set of classification rules determined by statistical analysis. Growth curves were generated by relating the number of pixels occupied by cellular material to the total number of pixels in the PMC cross-section. The PMCs were found to foster cell proliferation, with cell densities approaching 100% occupancy.