Active and inactive renin in human seminal plasma.

The occurrence of renin and renin substrate has been described in human seminal plasma. Mean levels of active and total renin were higher in seminal plasma than in normal male plasma (7.1 compared to 3.

A study of angiotensin II binding sites in human placenta, chorion, and amnion.

The binding of tritiated angiotensin II to 20,000 x g particulate tractions of human placenta, chorion, and amnion was investigated. Binding to particles from the three tissues reached equilibrium within 10 minutes at 29 degrees C and was displaced by the addition of 1,000-fold excess of unlabeled angiotensin II. Scatchard analysis of the data showed that two classes of binding sites were present in the placental preparation.

A large outbreak of infections caused by a strain of Staphylococcus aureus resistant of oxacillin and aminoglycosides.

An extensive outbreak of nosocomial infections caused by oxacillin- and aminoglycoside-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (OARSA) occurred over a 16 month period. A total of 349 isolates of OARSA were obtained from 174 patients. Colonization with OARSA was found in 92 patients.

Metabolic analysis of serologically defined Neisseria meningitidis isolates by frequency-pulsed electron capture gas-liquid chromatography.

Eight serogroups [A, B, C, D, X, Y, 29E [Z'], and W135] along with nongroupable and nontypable strains of Neisseria meningitidis were cultured in a defined liquid medium. The whole-culture spent medium was extracted, derivatized, and analyzed by frequency-pulsed electron capture gas-liquid chromatography. The frequency-pulsed electron capture gas-liquid chromatography profiles were then used to group the organisms on the basis of their metabolic profiles.

Adherence of isolates of Neisseria meningitidis from patients and carriers to human buccal epithelial cells.

An in vitro assay was used to study the adherence of Neisseria meningitidis to human buccal epithelial cells. Both unencapsulated and encapsulated, piliated isolates obtained from throats of asymptomatic carriers demonstrated significantly higher levels of adherence to buccal cells than encapsulated, piliated isolates obtained from the blood and cerebrospinal fluid of patients (P < 0.001).

Effects of alkaline phosphatase activity on nucleotide measurements in aquatic microbial communities.

Alkaline phosphatase (APase) activity was detected in aquatic microbial assemblages from the subtropics to Antarctica. The occurrence of APase in environmental nucleotide extracts was shown to significantly affect the measured concentrations of cellular nucleotides (adenosine triphosphate, adenosine diphosphate, adenosine monophosphate, guanosine triphosphate, uridine triphosphate, and cytidine triphosphate), adenylate energy charge, and guanosine triphosphate/adenosine triphosphate ratios, when conventional methods of nucleotide extraction were employed. Under the reaction conditions specified in this report, the initial rate of hydrolysis of adenosine triphosphate was directly proportional to the activity of APase in the sample extracts and consequently can be used as a sensitive measure of APase activity.

Gram-negative bacteremia. IV. Re-evaluation of clinical features and treatment in 612 patients.

Clinical features and specific aspects of treatment were evaluated in 612 patients with gram-negative bacteremia observed over a 10 year period. Coagulation abnormalities or thrombocytopenia were observed in 64 per cent of the patients. Evidence of disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) was found in approximately 10 per cent of them but was of sufficient severity to be associated with subcutaneous or visceral bleeding in 3 per cent of them.

Gram-negative bacteremia. III. Reassessment of etiology, epidemiology and ecology in 612 patients.

Evaluation of 612 episodes of gram-negative bacteremia over a 10-year period demonstrated its progressively increasing frequency. This increase was associated with an increasing proportion of patients with more severe underlying disease, increasing patient age, increasing frequency of cardiac surgery and manipulative procedures, and increasing frequency of treatment with antibiotics, corticosteroids and antimetabolites in patients with bacteremia. Fatality rates paralleled the severity of the host's underlying disease as noted in previous reports.

Dissociated renin-aldosterone response to acute sodium depletion in patients with a previous history of pregnancy-associated hypertension.

The effect of sodium depletion on body weight, plasma renin activity (PRA) and plasma aldosterone concentration has been studied in 10 normotensive subjects with a previous history of pregnancy-associated hypertension. The results demonstrate an appropriate increase in PRA but a suppression of plasma aldosterone response to this form of acute sodium depletion. The significance of this dissociated renin-aldosterone response is discussed.

Protection against group B meningococcal disease: evaluation of serotype 2 protein vaccines in a mouse bacteremia model.

A mouse bacteremia model was used to evaluate the immunogenicity and protection against challenge provided by five different meningococcal serotype 2 vaccines. Mice vaccinated with serotype 2 protein vaccines had levels of bacteremia reduced by at least 100-fold after challenge with group B serotype 2 miningococci. Mice vaccinated with serotype 2 protein vaccine and challenged with group C serotype 2 meningococci showed 10-fold or less reduction in bacteremia.

Rapid serogroup identification of Neisseria meningitidis by using antiserum agar: Prevalence of serotypes in a disease-free military population.

Nasopharyngeal cultures from 414 Marines were plated directly onto antiserum agar containing the antibiotics vancomycin, colistin, and nystatin for meningococcal isolation and serogroup identification. Meningococci were isolated from 267 Marines, giving a carrier prevalence of 64.5%.

Adult bacteremia caused by gram-negative bacilli.

Because gram-negative bacteremia is increasing in frequency, it is important for physicians to suspect, carefully evaluate, and initiate early appropriate therapy. Identification of the probable source of bacteremia and a knowledge of the hospital microflora are helpful in guiding antibiotic selection. The mortality of gram-negative bacteremia tends to vary with the severity of the underlying disease and, accordingly, tends to be low in obstetrical patients.

Sequential changes in the human renin-angiotensin system following therapeutic termination of pregnancy.

Plasma renin and angiotensin II levels were measured in nine patients immediately before and at half-hourly intervals in the four hours following therapeutic termination of pregnancy. There was a small fall in renin and angiotensin II levels over the first 1 to 2 hours, followed by a slight increase. The magnitude of these effects was much smaller than those previously seen following normal delivery.

Serogroup identification of meningococci by a modified antiserum agar method.

Modifications in the antiserum agar method for serogroup identification of meningococci, which reduce the amount of group-specific antisera required and increase long-term storage of prepoured antiserum agar plates, are described.

Treatment of premenstrual syndrome by spironolactone.

Spironlactone was given to 28 women in a double blind cross over trial during four menstrual cycles. Hormonal profiles were measured during the first two cycles. Plasma aldosterone was elevated in the premenstrual phase of the cycles but there was no significant difference between symptomatic and asymptomatic groups.

The different molecular weight forms of bovine liver rhodanese.

Sedimentation equilibrium studies show that there are two forms of bovine liver rhodanese in crystalline enzyme preparations of full specific activity. One form dissociates to a species with a limiting molecular weight close to 19,000. The second form is nondissociable under the same experimental conditions.

Increased renin concentration in plasma and amniotic fluid during storage.

Renin concentration was determined in plasma and amniotic fluid samples immediately after collection, after storage at -18 degrees C for up to 48 h, and after storage at 5 degrees C for as long as 48 h. Renin concentration increased, both in plasma (p less than 0.05) and amniotic fluid (P less than 0.

Serogroup identification of Neisseria meningitidis: comparison of an antiserum agar method with bacterial slide agglutination.

A serum agar method for serogrouping Neisseria meningitidis is described and compared with conventional bacterial slide agglutination. There was 93% agreement for 300 strains examined individually by each method. Among strains from serogroups A, B, C, Y, and W135, there was 100% correlation, whereas strains from serogroup 29E (Z') had only 67% correlation.

Cross-reactive antigens: their potential for immunization-induced immunity to Gram-negative bacteria.

The involvement of multiple species and serologic types in gram-negative bacteremia prompted evaluation of immunization with shared, cross-reactive antigens of gram negative bacilli. Active and passive immunization with Re chemotype mutants of Salmonella minnesota afforded significant protection against heterologous gram-negative bacilli and were considerably more effective than immunization with smooth S. minnesota or its Ra, Rb, Rc, Rd1 and Rd2 mutants.

Plasma renin and aldosterone in pregnancy complicated by adrenal insufficiency.

Serial measurements of plasma renin and plasma aldosterone were made throughout pregnancy in two women with adrenal insufficiency. The values were compared with levels obtained in eight normal primigravidae. Aldosterone levels were low or undetectable in adrenal insufficiency and plasma renin levels were grossly elevated in one patient with adrenal insufficiency but within the normal range in the other.