Effect of glucagon on the double contrast examination of the stomach and duodenum.

We have evaluated the effect of glucagon on the quality of visualization of the gastric and duodenal mucosa in a routine tubeless double contrast examination of 418 consecutive cases. The patients received either 0.5 mg i.

Bacterial contamination of telephones in an intensive care unit.

Pathogenic and potentially pathogenic bacteria were found on telephones of an intensive care unit. Direct contamination by microorganisms from throats, hands, and noses of the staff members is real although airborne contamination would also play a role. The awareness of environmental risk in intensive care units is underlined.

Enterobacterial common antigen in mutant strains of Salmonella.

A good correlation was found to exist between the serologically determined presence of enterobacterial common antigen (ECA) and the amount of the rare sugar constituent D-mannosaminuronic acid. Strains classified by serological techniques as ECA+, ECA-, and ECAtrace were found to possess the expected amounts of mannosaminuronic acid in the ECA-enriched phenol-soluble PL-L fractions. This correlation provides strong evidence on the identity of the mannosaminuronic acid-glucosamine polymer with the ECA as defined by Kunin (J.

Meningococcus group A vaccine in children three months to five years of age. Adverse reactions and immunogenicity related to endotoxin content and molecular weight of the polysaccharide.

Vaccination of 21,007 children between the ages of three months and five years was completed with five different lots of the meningococcal group A capsular polysaccharide vaccine. A correlation was found between the frequency and severity of adverse reactions and the endotoxin content of the vaccine lots. All vaccine lots elicited a serum antibody response.

The effect of chemoprophylactic use of rifampin and minocycline on rates of carriage of Neisseria meningitidis in army recruits in Finland.

During an epidemic caused by sulfonamide-resistant group A Neisseria meningitidis (A SuR strain), rifampin (600 mg per day for four days) or minocycline (100 mg every 12 hr for five days) was administered as chemoprophylaxis to 1,540 unvaccinated recruits in the Finnish Armed Forces. Rates of carriage of all strains of N. meningitidis were initially reduced by 78% (from 60% to 13%) in the 389 men receiving rifampin and by 62% (from 70% to 26%) in the 1,151 men receiving minocycline but rose to approximately 30% in both groups four weeks after prophylaxis.

Lymphatics filled at knee arthrography.

A review of 587 knee arthrographies revealed filling of lymph vessels in 12 cases. They occurred in connection with arthritis (4 rheumatoid), osteoarthritis, ruptured meniscus, ruptured popliteal cyst and after operation. Lymphatic filling was not related to the leakage of contrast through a ruptured popliteal cyst or to inadvertent extra-articular injection.

Soft tissue radiography for evaluating clinical activity of rheumatoid arthritis.

The value of soft tissue radiography in assessing the activity of rheumatoid arthritis was investigated in 67 patients and correlated to the clinical activity of the disease. Soft tissue radiography using a technique for mammary radiography was combined with immersion. Radiologically demonstrated periarticular oedema was most closely correlated to clinical activity.

Tissue atrophy and subcutaneous edema of the rheumatoid hand. A roentgenographic study of soft tissues.

Soft tissue radiography of the hands using a mammographic immersion technique was performed on 119 patients having definite or classical rheumatoid arthritis and on 123 controls of matching age, sex and professional distribution. The grade of soft tissue atrophy in the hands was visually estimated from the radiographs and the combined cortical thickness of the second metacarpal shaft and skin thickness of the lateral side of the hand were measured. The stage of chronic edema in the absence of synovitis was estimated.

Immersion technique in soft tissue radiography of the hands.

Soft tissue radiography of hands using the technique of mammary radiography and immersion in a 2.5 cm layer of 1:1 water-ethanol solution is evaluated. Using immersion the average background density decreases with a factor of about 2.

Rotavirus infections in adults in association with acute gastroenteritis.

During an epidemic of acute gastroenteritis in Helsinki, in March--May 1976, 18 out of 40 adult patients showed electron microscopic and/or serologic evidence for rotavirus infection. Rotavirus was most frequently seen in the fecal suspensions from 2 to 6 days after the onset of the symptoms but persisted in one patient for as long as 10 days. An increase in the complement-fixing (CF) serum antibody titers against the related Nebraska calf diarrhea virus (NCDV), or an initially high titer and subsequent significant decrease, was seen in all but one patient with rotavirus-positive feces, and in 6 additional patients.

Visualization of the areae gastricae in a double contrast examination - dependence on the contrast medium.

Visualization of the areae gastricae, a criterion of high resolution in the double contrast examination of the stomach, was studied with several barium preparation. Visualization of the areae gastricae varied among different contrast media, some gave excellent visualization while others were regularly inadequate. In general, contrast suspensions prepared from powder in the X-ray department gave better results than commercial suspensions, which retained many gas bubbles.

Gold serum levels in children with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis.

Serum gold levels were monitored in 66 children with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, treated with different i.m. dosage schedules of sodium aurothiomalate (Myocrisin, Pharma Rhodia).

Mouse virulence of Salmonella typhimurium mutants deficient in two major outer membrane proteins.

The role of several outer membrane components as virulence factors is well established. We have now isolated spontaneous mutants and conjugational hybrids of smooth mouse virulent Salmonella typhimurium deficient in two major outer-membrane proteins. The lack of the 34,000- and/or 36,000-dalton proteins was confirmed by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis.

Microorganisms in the hair of staff and patients in an intensive care unit.

Bacteria in the hair of staff members and patients of the Intensive Care Unit were studied. Pathogenic organisms were isolated in both groups indicating possible dangers and the need for the awareness of hair as a carrier of bacteria is stressed.

Radioimmunoassay of capsular polysaccharide antigens of groups A and C meningococci and Haemophilus influenzae type b in cerebrospinal fluid.

Sensitive radioimmunoassays capable of measuring 0-5 ng/ml of the Haemophilus influenzae type b polysaccharide and 2 ng/ml of the groups A and C meningococcal polysaccharides were developed and used to detect these substances in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). Polysaccharide of the causative agent was detected in the CSF of 14 out of 15 patients with Haemophilus influenzae type b meningitis, in 18 out of 23 patients with group A, and in two out of four patients with group C meningococcal meningitis. In some cases the antigen could be detected even after three days of antibacterial treatment.

Failure of hand disinfection with frequent hand washing: a need for prolonged field studies.

In a prolonged field trial a 4% chlorhexidine digluconate detergent scrub (Hibiscrub(R)), that had earlier proved to be an effective hand disinfectant, was studied in hospital wards. Finger tips were found to harbour more bacteria than the hand dorsum and the samples collected from them yielded more information on the bacteriological and dermatological effects of hand disinfectants in practice.In wards with a relatively low hand-washing frequency (less than 20 times in 8 hours) the bacteriological results resembled those obtained by in-use tests with volunteers.

Ruptured bilateral synovial cysts in presumed gonococcal arthritis.

A man with gonococcal urethritis who developed septic arthritis of both knees is described. The arthritis was complicated by rupture of bilateral synovial cysts. A rise in serum gonococcal complement-fixation antibody titer was demonstrated.

Adrenocorticotrophic hormone during the first day of life.

The plasma concentration of ACTH (by radioimmunoassay) was measured in 56 healthy parturients and their newborns. Umbilical cord and maternal venous blood were collected immediately after delivery. In addition one venous blood sample was taken from 50 newborns at the age of 15, 30, 60 min, 2, 6, 12, or 24 h.