Effect of growth at low Na+ concentrations on the capacity of a marine bacterium to establish ion gradients and transport alpha-aminoisobutyric acid.

Cells of a histidine-auxotrophic, streptomycin-resistant mutant of marine bacterium Alteromonas haloplanktis 214 were grown at or near the lowest concentration of Na+ permitting growth (30-33 mM Na+). When suspended in solutions containing 10 mMKCl and either 30, 100, or 300 mM NaCl, the intracellular to extracellular K+ ratios were similar to those obtained with cells of the parent organism grown at more nearly optimum Na+ concentrations, whereas the Na+ ratios were somewhat larger. Cells of the parent organism grown at 32 mM Na+ transported alpha-aminoisobutyric acid (AIB) at only one-third the rate and to less than one-quarter of the extent of cells grown at 130 mM Na+ even when the NaCl concentration during transport was raised to optimum levels.

Growth characteristics af low Na+ concentration and the stability of the Na+ requirement of a marine bacterium.

Studies of the marine bacterium Alteromonas haloplanktis 214 (formerly referred to as marine pseudomonad B-16) showed that as the Na+ concentration in the growth medium decreased from 230 to 34 mM, the lowest concentration permitting growth, the length of the lag period preceding exponential growth increased. Once growth had begun, except for a slight reduction in rate of growth at 34 mM Na+, the generation time and extent of growth remained essentially constant over the range of Na+ concentrations tested. Plate counts showed that during the lag period the numbers of viable cells introduced as inoculum into a complex medium containing 33 mM Na+ decreased exponentially before increasing.

Role of nephrectomy in the treatment of non-functioning or very poorly functioning unilateral tuberculous kidney.

We reviewed 300 consecutive cases of genitourinary tuberculosis at Wrightington Hospital from 1961 to 1978. There were 73 patients with non-functioning or poorly functioning kidneys who underwent nephrectomy after at least 6 weeks of intensive chemotherapy with 3 antituberculous drugs. Three of 4 patients with unilateral non-functioning kidneys who did not have a primary nephrectomy had delayed complications.

Fractionation and characterization of two morphologically distinct types of cells in Rhizobium japonicum broth culture.

Differential centrifugation of stationary phase broth culture of Rhizobium japonicum yielded two distinct morphological types of bacterial cells, rods, and small coccoid forms with capsulated and non-capsulated cells in each group. The rods usually had polar capsules which resulted in "star" formation. The coccoid bacteria were either free with thick capsular material surrounding the cells or held together in a common capsular sheath forming clusters and chains.

Cecocystoplasty for bladder augmentation.

Augmentation of the bladder by cecocystoplasty has been studied in 37 patients during a 15-year period. The indications for an operation were a small contracted bladder secondary to tuberculosis in 31 cases, interstitial cystitis in 5 and carcinoma of the bladder in 1. Results were studied by the assessment of symptomatic improvement, the effect on renal function, urinary tract infection and the postoperative complications.

Tuberculosis: genitourinary tuberculosis.

Genitourinary tuberculosis should be managed on an outpatient basis, patients being seen once a week. The treatment of choice is a short-course regimen comprising 2 months of either three or fours drugs - streptomycin, rifampicin, isoniazid, and pyrazinamide - followed by isoniazid and rifampicin three times a week for either 2 or 4 months, depending on the severity of the lesion. Patients should be followed-up, normally for one year, and be told to report to their doctors if they have any recurrence of urinary symptoms.

Bladder augmentation--a long-term review.

Fifty-nine patients who had undergone augmentation cystoplasty were studied over a period of 18 years. The indications for the operation were a tuberculous contracted bladder in 51, interstitial cystitis in 7 and carcinoma in 1. The ileum was used in one patient, the colon in 16 and the caecum in 42.

Genitourinary tuberculosis: a 7-year review.

Since 1970 short course regimes of chemotherapy have been adopted for the treatment of 87 patients suffering from genitourinary tuberculosis. The response to chemotherapy, the effect of surgery, the importance of hypertension and the relapse rate have been studied. It is concluded that all cases of genitourinary tuberculosis will respond to a short intensive course of chemotherapy, which need not be given for longer than 6 months.

Comparison of EC broth and medium A-1 for the recovery of Escherichia coli from frozen shucked snow crab.

Two variations of the multiple-tube fermentation technique were used to enumerate fecal coliforms in commercially processed, frozen crab meat. These were the EC confirmation test and a more rapid method that requires medium A-1. The method with medium A-1 was more specific than the EC confirmation test for detecting Escherichia coli type 1.

The management of azoospermia.

Azoospermia in the presence of a normally functioning testis and a normal vasogram has been thought to be due to an obstruction in the epididymis between the body and the head. However, bypass operations have been singularly unsuccessful except when there was evidence of past inflammation causing fibrosis of the body and tail of the epididymis. Two substances, glycerylphosphorylcholine and carnitine, which are known to be secreted by the epididymis, were investigated.

Results of caecocystoplasty for tuberculous bladder contracture.

The results of caecocystoplasty for tuberculous bladder contracture in 30 patients over a 15-year period are presented. The operative mortality was 3.3%.

Carcinoma of the bladder. (A study of 106 cases over a period of ten years).

The authors have treated 106 patients with bladder carcinoma. Results are reported here.

Cephazolin sodium in the management of complicated urinary tract infection.

Forty-three patients were treated with cephazolin sodium, a parenteral cephalosporin antibiotic for 45 episodes of urinary tract infection complicated by a variety of underlying conditions. In 42 episodes, there was a satisfactory clinical response, and in 37 episodes this was associated with elimination of the bacterial pathogen from the urine. In 21 out of 31 patients available for examination 3 months later, the urine was still free of bacteria.

Comparison of hydrophilic polymer-coated latex, uncoated latex and PVC indwelling balloon catheters in the prevention of urinary infection.

Latex, hydrophilic polymer-coated latex and PVC balloon indwelling urethral catheters were compared in respect of the urinary tract infections arising in association with their use in male patients. The polymer (Hydron) coating conferred no benefit over uncoated latex which in turn was indistinguishable from PVC. No significant differences in the spectra of infecting organismns were observed between the 3 catheter types.

Genitourinary tuberculosis: a study of short course regimens.

The problem in the treatment of genitourinary tuberculosis was to find a new regimen of chemotherapy that was shorter in time but equally effective as the traditional 2-year method, using streptomycin, isoniazid and para-aminoslicylate. A short course of treatment using rifampin, isoniazid and ethambutol was then devised, the method depending on the severity of the disease using the Semb classification. This short course of chemotherapy was combined with an early operation in advanced or extensive disease in the urinary tract.

The surgical management of tuberculous lower ureteric stricture.

25 years' experience of the open surgical management of the lower ureteric stricture is reviewed. An extravesical anti-reflux tunnel procedure has been found to be simple and effective. There is still a place for the Boari procedure or psoas hitch, particularly in the management of a long stricture of when gross thickening of the ureter makes the formation of a tunnel of effective length impracticable.

Genitourinary tuberculosis: study of 20 patients.

In the past year 20 new cases of genitourinary tuberculosis were referred for treatment at Wrightington Hospital. Many of these patients had waited a long time between diagnosis and referral and the start of effective treatment. We suggest that a new short course of chemotherapy should be used, and surgery undertaken during the first three months of treatment, but after the patient has had at least four weeks' drug treatment.