Cyclodextrin-glycosyltransferase from Klebsiella pneumoniae M5a1: cloning, nucleotide sequence and expression.

The structural gene encoding cyclodextrin-glycosyltransferase of Klebsiella pneumoniae strain M5a1 was cloned; it is expressed both in Escherichia coli and in K. pneumoniae and the gene product is secreted into the extracellular space. Determination of the nucleotide sequence revealed an open reading frame coding for a single polypeptide of 655 amino acid (aa) residues.

[Emergency surgery of complicated gastroduodenal ulcers: risk factors and results].

Between 1972 and 1981, 290 patients underwent emergency surgery in this Department for hemorrhagic (n = 104) or perforated (n = 186) gastric or duodenal ulcer. The introduction of cimetidine in 1977 did not influence the annual number of operations for complicated ulcer. Operative mortality was 15% for haemorrhage and 11% for perforation.

Tomographic imaging of the human thyroid with a positron camera before and after partial thyroidectomy.

A high-density avalanche chamber positron camera was used for tomographic imaging of the human thyroid before and after partial thyroidectomy. Images were made between 6 and 24 h after oral administration of the positron-emitting radionuclide, Na-124I with activities varying between 0.1 and 0.

[Percutaneous drainage of intra-abdominal fluid collections using computed tomography].

Percutaneous catheter drainage guided by computed tomography has been used to treat 45 intraabdominal collections in 32 patients. The 45 drainages involved 15 pancreatic cysts of chronic pancreatitis, 15 spontaneous abscesses and 15 postoperative abscesses. The collections were treated either by one puncture only or by drainage, with a success rate of 87.

[Late results of total colectomies for inflammatory colitis].

A retrospective study of 41 patients colectomized for inflammatory colitis has been conducted with a mean follow-up of 90 months. The results of rectum preservation and of ileo-rectal anastomoses were disappointing, with a respective success rate of 15% and 44%. 15% of patients had a change of diagnosis after colectomy, all in favour of undetected Crohn's disease.

Lack of influence of the anabolic steroid nandrolondecanoate on bone metabolism.

Eleven male patients with rheumatoid arthritis were treated with the anabolic steroid nandrolondecanoate and parameters of calcium and bone metabolism were studied. No changes were found in the concentrations of calcium, phosphorus or hydroxyproline in serum and urine (corrected for the creaturia). A significant decrease (P less than 0.

Influence of nandrolondecanoate on the pituitary-gonadal axis in males.

Different anabolic steroids can exercise different effects on the pituitary-gonadal axis in males. During a pilot study regarding the possible beneficial effect of the anabolic steroid nandrolondecanoate (ND) on bone metabolism in patients with rheumatoid arthritis additional endocrinological parameters were studies. A significant decrease was found in the serum levels of testosterone, androstenedione and FSH and the ratio of testosterone/oestradiol.

[Malignant thymoma and intestinal metastasis. Report of a case and review of the literature].

The authors report two cases of malignant thymoma, lymphoepithelial type, who metastatized quickly by hematogenous route, one of them to the small bowel. This is a rare evolution, whose incidence is discussed. Vascular invasions are described in the primitive tumor, which seem to have, when seen, a real importance to establish prognosis.

[Survival following surgery for bronchopulmonary cancer. Results after five years].

The authors study the actuarial survival of 253 primary bronchopulmonary cancers operated in Geneva between 1967 and 1976. The overall operative mortality was 9.88%.

Association of severe rheumatoid arthritis with heterozygosity for alpha 1-antitrypsin deficiency.

Genetic types of alpha 1-antitrypsin (protease inhibitor types, or Pi types) were determined in 108 patients with rheumatoid arthritis. These patients were selected for severely destructive disease and had classical rheumatoid arthritis according to ARA criteria, were seropositive, and had joint erosions shown by X-ray. Heterozygotes for the deficiency Z allele (Pi types MZ, SZ, etc.

[Survival of operated bronchopulmonary neoplasms. Actuarial results after 5 years].

The actuarial survival of 253 primary bronchopulmonary cancer patients undergoing surgery in Geneva between 1967 and 1976 is studied. The overall post-surgical mortality was 9.88%.

Complement-fixing anti--double-stranded DNA with the Crithidia method: a better indicator of active SLE than anti-DNA with the Farr method.

Twenty-seven patients with SLE of juvenile onset were studies for 2 years. Episodes of active disease and quiescence were defined and were related to levels of anti-dsDNA and C3. Two methods for the detection of anti-dsDNA--the Farr assay and Cr immunofluorescence--were compared.

[Traumatic paramediastinal air cysts].

A case of double paramediastinal air cyst is described. The diagnosis is easy if the identity is known. Spontaneous regression was always the outcome in the cases published so far.

Rheumatoid arthritis and alpha-1-antitrypsin.

The genetic types of alpha1-antitrypsin (Pi types) were studied in 55 adults with classical or definite rheumatoid arthritis and 56 children with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. A comparison was made with control groups of 211 healthy adults and 512 schoolchildren. Pi types MZ and SZ were significantly more prevalent in adults with rheumatoid arthritis than in the control adults.