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Biomedical subjects

H W Smith

Publications and source records attributed to H W Smith.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

The association of the O18, K1 and H7 antigens and the Co1V plasmid of a strain of Escherichia coli with its virulence and immunogenicity.

From an O18ac:K1:H7 ColV+ strain of Escherichia coli (designated MW) that had caused meningitis in a human baby, mutant forms were isolated that lacked different combinations of its O, K and H antigens and its ColV plasmid. These characters were also transmitted by conjugation to E. coli K12 and the virulence, immunogenicity and other properties of the different forms of both strains were studied. All the forms of the MW strain that lacked either the O18 or K1 antigens or the ColV plasmid, but not the H7 antigen, were much less virulent for chickens and mice than the parent form of MW. Another form derived by N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (NTG) treatment of the parent strain and that possessed all these four characters was also much less virulent. Some of the forms of the K12 strain to which the characters had been transferred were slightly more virulent than the K12 parent, but the virulence of all of them, including one possessing the O18 and K1 antigens and the ColV plasmid, did not approach that of the MW parent. Pathogenesis studies in chickens and colostrum-deprived calves revealed that the loss of virulence exhibited by the forms of the MW strain that lacked O18, K1 and ColV and by the NTG-derived form was associated with decreased ability to invade the body. This was also the reason for the ow virulence of the forms of the K12 strain that had acquired these characters. Possession of both the O18 and K1 antigens was largely responsible for the ability of the different forms of the MW strain to survive in fresh chicken serum; organisms of K12 that possessed the K1 antigen survived as long as those of the parent form of the MW strain. A substantial degree of immunity against lethal infection with the parent form of the MW strain was produced in chickens and mice by all the forms of the MW and K12 strains that possessed the O18 antigen. The K1 and H7 antigens and the ColV plasmid produced no detectable immunity.

Animals↗

Site of Epstein-Barr virus replication in the oropharynx.

Cells and cell-free material in saliva, parotid secretions, and throat washings from patients with acute infectious mononucleosis and patients undergoing tonsillectomy were assayed for the presence of infectious Epstein-Barr (EBV) virus. The agent was invariably present in cell-free form in saliva; neither infectious virus nor viral antigens were found in the cells. Tonsillar lymphocytes from eight patients were also free of EBV. In 10 of 40 patients virus was recovered in secretions from parotid-gland orifices or ducts. These findings suggest that the salivary glands are the site of EBV production in the oropharynx.

Acute Disease↗

Concanavalin A and wheat germ agglutinin receptors in the ascitic fluid of rat hepatomas.

The presence of glycopeptide lectin receptors in the ascitic fluid of rats bearing Novikoff or AS-30D hepatoma was investigated. Macrosialoglycopeptides, resistant to pronase digestion, were partially purified from the ascitic fluid of hepatoma-bearing rats by gel filtration on Sephadex G-50. A macrosialoglycopeptide fraction, isolated from the ascitic fluid of rats bearing the Novikoff hepatoma, possessed potent concanavalin A (Con A) receptor activity. This fraction possessed higher Con A receptor activity than did the comparable macrosialoglycopeptide fraction from the ascitic fluid of rats bearing the AS-30D hepatoma; this obeservation is in agreement with the Con A-induced agglutination properties of these 2 hepatoma cell lines and with the Con A receptor activities of the glycopeptides released from the surface of the hepatoma cells by papain digestion. Rat blood serum contained a comparable macrosialoglycopeptide fraction, which possessed weak Con A receptor activity. The macrosialoglycopeptide fractions from the ascitic fluid of hepatoma-bearing rats possessed wheat germ agglutinin receptor activity. However, this activity was also present in normal rat serum. These results suggest that glycopeptides present on the surface of Novikoff hepatoma cells are shed into the ascitic fluid and may be distinguished from components in normal serum by their Con A receptor activity.

Animals↗

The effect on the virulence and infectivity of Salmonella typhimurium and Salmonella gallinarum of acquiring antibiotic resistance plasmids from organisms that had caused serious outbreaks of disease.

Antibiotic resistance plasmids from organisms that had caused serious epidemics, including those responsible for epidemics of chloramphenicol-resistant typhoid fever and dysentery in Central America, were transferred to a strain of Salmonella typhimurium and of Salmonella gallinarum. The virulence and infectivity of these R(+) forms were then compared with the R(-) parent forms in orally inoculated chickens.None of the R(+) forms were more virulent than their R(-) parent forms. The mortality rates they produced were either the same as or less than that of their R(-) parent forms. The mortality rates were not increased by feeding the chickens on diets containing antibiotics against which the plasmids provided resistance.The removal of the plasmids from some R(+) forms of decreased virulence was not accompanied by any alteration in virulence, indicating that they were less virulent mutants of the parent strain that had conjugated preferentially. In other cases their virulence was increased, indicating that the very possession of the plasmid was involved in their decreased virulence. Of four forms of the S. gallinarum strain harbouring the plasmid that had been incriminated in the Central American dysentery outbreak, one was as virulent as the parent R(-) form and the other three were less virulent. Preferential conjugation by an avirulent mutant was responsible for the lack of virulence of one of them but the very possession of the plasmid appeared responsible for the decreased virulence of the other two. The decreased virulence of de-repressed F(+) and I(+) forms of the S. typhimurium strain was increased to that of repressed F(+) form and of the parent form by plasmid removal.Organisms of the R(+) forms of the S. typhimurium strain were not excreted in larger amounts or for longer periods of time by infected chickens than organisms of the R(-) parent form were. Neither did organisms of the R(+) forms of this strain or the S. gallinarum strain spread more rapidly or more extensively from infected chickens to in-contact chickens than organisms of the R(-) parent forms did. When antibiotics against which the infecting R(+) organisms provided resistance were included in the diet of these chickens the R(+) organisms were usually excreted in greater amounts, for longer periods of time and spread more rapidly and more extensively from the infected chickens to the in-contact chickens.

Ampicillin↗

Experimental infection of calves, piglets and lambs with mixtures of invasive and enteropathogenic strains of Escherichia coli.

Mixtures of mutant organisms of an invasive (IN) strain, a strain enteropathogenic (EP) for calves, lambs and piglets, and a non-pathogenic (NP) strain of Escherichia coli, that could be differentiated from each other by their antibiotic resistances, were given orally to an immunoglobulin-negative (IG-) and an immunoglobulin-positive (IG+) calf, lamb and piglet. By the use of appropriate antibiotic-containing culture media, the concentrations of organisms of each of the three strains in the contents of the alimentary tracts and tissues (liver, spleen, kidney, blood and mesenteric lymph glands) of the animals were estimated when they were killed. In the three IG- animals, the IN strain proliferated in the tissues and the EP strain proliferated in the small intestines; in general, the concentrations of the IN strain in the small intestines and the EP strain in the tissues, apart from the mesenteric lymph glands, were as low as those of the NP strain in these sites. The only strain that proliferated in the small intestine of the IG+ animals was the EP strain, which proliferated in the small intestine of the calf and piglet; no organisms of either strain were isolated from the tissues of these three animals, except from their mesenteric lymph glands.

Agammaglobulinemia↗

Directional handle for Zeiss operating microscope.

A new directional handle for the Zeiss operating microscope is presented. This handle offers the advantage of single-handed (right or left) control by natural movement of the wrist. The handle may be used by grasping it through the see-through sterile drape or sterilized separately and placed outside the sterile microscope drape.

Humans↗

Calibrated otoplasty.

The number of patients seeking correction of abnormally protruding ears has decreased in the past ten years because of changing hairstyles and concepts of body image. During the same time there has been an increase in the number of surgeon and surgical disciplines seeking to perform cosmetic otoplasty. To compensate for this deficit in total volume experience of the individual operator and to insure patients of a consistently acceptable cosmetic result, the concept of calibrated otoplasty is presented. A study was made of a large number of ears which appeared to be esthetically in harmony with each other and with the side of the head. The distance relationships obtained from this study were applied not only to the creation of a new antihelix in the first ear but the degree to which the ear projects from the side of the head. At the conclusion of the first ear operation, careful measurements were taken for use in the second ear operation to insure its being as near normal as the first in form and degree of projection of the ear from the head. This concept of calibrated otoplasty is explained in detail with illustrations of all required measurements plus a series of surgical illustrations showing application of the technique.

Ear, External↗

Oral administration of neomycin to chickens experimentally infected with Salmonella typhimurium.

Groups of healthy chickens with a light experimental Salmonella typhimurium infection were fed on a diet containing 225 g per ton (1016 kg) of neomycin for two days. This brought about only a slight reduction in the incidence of chickens that were excreting S typhimurium in their faeces. Examination of caecal contents two days after the cessation of treatment revealed the neomycin had not had any effect in eliminating infection. In one experiment, the neomycin administration resulted in the emergence of enormous populations of Escherichia coli in the alimentary tract of treated chickens that possessed multiple antibiotic resistance of the transmissible type. For these reasons the practice of feeding broiler chickens on diets containing neomycin immediately before slaughter should be actively discouraged.

Administration, Oral↗

The effect of antimicrobial feed additives on the colonization of the alimentary tract of chickens by Salmonella typhimurium.

Groups of 33 chickens were fed continuously on diets containing feed additives that are employed commercially for a variety of purposes, and were infected orally when 4 days old with a nalidixic acid-resistant mutant of Salmonella typhimurium. The amount of S. typhimurium organisms excreted in their faeces was estimated by culturing them at intervals and in a standard manner on brilliant green agar containing sodium nalidixate; when the chickens were killed their caecal contents were examined by the same technique.Avoparcin and lincomycin, like nitrovin and tylosin (Smith & Tucker, 1975b), favoured colonization of the alimentary tract by the S. typhimurium organisms as shown by the fact that the chickens to which they were fed excreted these organisms in their faeces in higher concentration and for longer periods of time than did chickens fed on non-medicated diets. Amprolium, monensin, dimetridazole, arsenilic acid and nitro-hydroxyphenylarsonate had no obvious effect on the salmonella excretion pattern.When only five chickens in each group were experimentally infected so that the effect of the feed additives on infections acquired by contact could be monitored, avoparcin, lincomycin, nitrovin and tylosin again favoured colonization of the alimentary tract with the S. typhimurium organisms and so did dimetridazole. Arsenilic acid, in contrast, hindered the development of infection. Amprolium, monensin and nitro-hydroxyphenylarsonate were without obvious effect.Many of the chickens that were fed on diets that favoured S. typhimurium colonization, but not those fed on non-medicated diets, were still excreting S. typhimurium organisms in their faeces when they were killed at 56 days of age, the age at which broiler chickens kept under commercial conditions are usually slaughtered.

Amprolium↗

Molecular structure of 1-(2-chloroethyl)-3-(trans-4-methylcyclohexyl)-1-nitrosourea.

The three-dimensional structure of 1-(2-chloroethyl)-3-(trans-4-methylcyclohexyl)-1-nitrosourea (MeCCNU, NSC-95441), an effective antitumor agent, has been determined by single-crystal x-ray diffraction. MeCCNU crystallizes in monoclinic space group P21/c, with cell dimensions a = 12.387, b = 10.810, and c = 10 .198 A , beta = 102.62 degrees , and Z = four molecules per unit cell. The structure was solved by direct phasing procedures and refinement by anisotropic least squares converged at a discrepancy index R = 0.065. The cyclohexyl ring is in the chair conformation with the plane of the nitrosourea moiety twisted approximately 90 degrees from the cyclohexyl ring. The carbon-nitrogen bonds of the urea group are significantly asymmetric.

Chemical Phenomena↗

Thermosensitive antibiotic resistance plasmids in enterobacteria.

Of 775 conjugative plasmids found in enterobacteria mediating antibiotic resistance, 24 (3.1%) were thermosensitive (ts); they were most common in Klebsiella pneumoniae. Ts plasmids were also found in all the samples of sewage and river water examined. Over half of 73 ts plasmids from unrelated sources mediated resistance to chloramphenicol in addition to several other antibiotics. Many of them mediated resistance to mercury (53.4%), arsenite (38.4%) and tellurite (79.5%) but not to copper, cobalt and silver. Fifty-eight belonged to incompatibility group H2 and 12 belonged to the H1 group. Resistance to mercury, arsenite and tellurite was common in strains containing H2 plasmids but not in H1 plasmids. The 73 plasmids transferred at high rates at 22 and 28 degrees C and at lower rates at 15 degrees C; they transferred at very low rates or not at all at 37 degrees C. They could be divided into two sets according to whether they transferred at a high or at a low rate at 33 degrees C. Unlike the prototype plasmid, Rts 1, they were solely or mainly ts for transfer and not for replication and only one of them brought about a marked reduction in growth rate of its host organism at 42 degrees C. None of the 73 plasmids mediated colicin or haemolysin production. Three plasmids, all from K. pneumoniae, mediated utilization of lactose, two of sucrose and raffinose and three, all belonging to group H1, of citrate. None of the plasmids increased the pathogenicity of Salmonella typhimurium for chicks or Escherichia coli K12 for mice.

Animals↗

Thermosensitive H1 plasmids determining citrate utilization.

Twelve thermosensitive H1 plasmids from strains of Salmonella typhi that had caused outbreaks of chloramphenicol-resistant typhoid fever in Vietnam, Thailand and India mediated citrate utilization (Cit+) in a prototrophic Escherichia coli K12 strain but not in the S. typhi strains from which they were derived. Four H1 plasmids from a similar outbreak in Mexico differed from the Far Eastern plasmids in not mediating citrate utlization but in mediating mercury resistance. H1 plasmids resembling the Far Eastern and the Mexican plasmids in regard to citrate utilization and mercury resistance were found in sewage in Britain. Citrate utilization was transferred to eight pathogenic strains of E. coli and to one strain each of Shigella flexneri and Shigella sonnei. Cultures of Cit+ bacteria grew more rapidly in citrate media at 28 degrees C than at 37 degrees C. Plasmid mutants that were more efficient at utilizing citrate were present in all such cultures--they grew equally well or better at 37 degrees C than at 28 degrees C. None of 222 strains of E. coli or Shigella that contained a variety of different plasmids were able to utilize citrate. This property was not transferred to the prototrophic E. coli K12 strain from Citrobacter (3 strains), Salmonella (39 strains), Proteus (44 strains), Klebsiella pneumoniae (33 strains) or Pseudomonas aeruginosa (44 strains).

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗