Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

P Gilbert

Publications and source records attributed to P Gilbert.

At least 235 records · Page 13Linked to original sources
PubMed1980

Effect of 2-phenoxyethanol upon RNA, DNA and protein biosynthesis in Escherichia coli NCTC 5933.

The effects of concentrations of 2-phenoxyethanol of negligible bactericidal activity upon the rates of biosynthetic assimilation by Escherichia coli, of 14C-thymidine, 14C-uracil, 14C-phenylalanine and 14C-glucose, were assessed. Increasing the drug concentration from 0.05-0.4% w/v progressively increased inhibition of growth rate, measured as changes in optical density. Thymidine, uracil and glucose assimilation were inhibited to an extent similar to growth rate, whilst phenylalanine incorporation was markedly less sensitive at the lower concentrations (leads to 0.2% w/v). In addition to its previously observed roles in inhibiting oxidative phosphorylation and TCA cycle enzymes, it is suggested that 2-phenoxyethanol can exert a more direct inhibitory action upon DNA and RNA biosynthesis and possibly on protein biosynthesis.

Bacterial Proteins↗
PubMed1979

Tonsillectomy in Manitoba: who are the patients? the surgeons? the hospitals?

Although tonsillectomy-adenoidectomy rates are declining across North America, this paper suggests they are not falling fast enough. More than half the cases coming to surgery fail to meet accepted standards regardless of who performs the surgery, or where it takes place. Family surgery is still fairly common and is almost never indicated. While younger physicians have higher standards of selection, they are not doing any less T and A surgery than their older colleagues; in fact younger general surgeons are doing more. This study concludes that non-indicated T and A surgery is still a prevalent problem, deserving of widespread attention.

Adenoidectomy↗
PubMed1979

Interrelation of DNA replication, specific growth rate and growth temperature in the sensitivity of Escherichia coli to cold shock.

Escherichia coli W3110 was grown in a chemostat under conditions of carbon limitation at various temperatures and specific growth rates (mu). Exponential survivor-time curves following cold osmotic shock were biphasic. These could be described by the sum of two exponential functions representing the survival of sensitive and resistant fractions of the population where the size of the sensitive fraction was directly proportional to mu. Decimal reduction times for the more resistant fraction were unaffected by mu yet decreased with increasing growth temperature. Sensitivity to cold shock was evaluated for an E. coli CR34 mutant, temperature-sensitive in initiation of DNA replication. When grown in the chemostat at the non-restrictive temperature (30 degrees C) sensitivity was directly proportional to mu. Following a rise in the incubation temperature to 42 degrees C, sensitivity decreased markedly and reached a minimum 45 to 60 min after the temperature increase. Sensitivity of the E. coli mutant grown at 30 degrees C and raised to 42 degrees C for 1 h was low and relatively unaffected by growth rate.

Cold Temperature↗
PubMed1979

Additivity of action between polysorbate 80 and polymyxin B towards spheroplasts of Pseudomonas aeruginosa NCTC 6750.

When polymyxin B and polysorbate 80 were used together against spheroplasts of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, the activities were found to be additive. These substances have previously been reported to act synergistically against P. aeruginosa, but little or no intrinsic activity towards intact cells has been attributed to polysorbate 80. We suggest that in addition to enhancing polymyxin B penetration to the cytoplasmic membrane, polysorbate 80 may also act as an antimicrobial agent when polymyxin-induced damage to the outer membrane facilitates the surfactant's passage through the cell envelope.

Polyethylene Glycols↗
PubMed1979

Influence of suspending media upon the susceptibility of Pseudomonas aeruginosa NCTC 6750 and its spheroplasts to polymyxin B.

The lytic and bactericidal actions of polymyxin B on whole cells and spheroplasts of Pseudomonas aeruginosa varied markedly with the suspending media, and there was little correlation between them. Relative rates of lysis of these preparations and also of Bacillus megaterium protoplasts suggested that polymyxin causes progressive damage to the cytoplasmic membrane, such that membrane permeability towards various ions increased as follows: K(+) > Na(+) > NO(3) (-) > Cl(-), Ca(2+), H(2)PO(4) (-)/HPO(4) (2-). Impermeant compounds, such as NaCl and sucrose, protected whole cells against lysis but not against death. It is suggested that lysis of whole cells by polymyxin is a secondary effect, resulting from entry of solutes normally excluded by the cytoplasmic membrane and the fragility of the damaged outer membrane. Because the degree of lysis varies with the external solutes, it should be treated with caution as a descriptor of polymyxin activity.

Bacillus megaterium↗
PubMed1979

Influence of potassium chloride upon the binding and antibacterial activity of chlorhesidine diacetate and (ethoxy)5 octyl phenol (Triton X45) towards Bacillus megaterium KM-.

Chlorhexidine (0.5-0.65 microM) and Triton X45 (30-40 microM) added to exponential phase Bacillus megaterium KM- cultures was growth inhibitory. The presence of KCl (0.05-0.35 M) in the medium did not significantly affect growth rate in the absence of drug, yet reduced the growth inhibitory activity of the chlorhexidine and enhanced that of Triton X45. These effects were maximal at KCl concentrations of 0.2 M and above, when complete protection towards chlorhexidine and lysis of the cultures in the presence of Triton X45 were observed. Time-survivor curves in the presence of chlorhexidine (0.7-1.0 microM) gave LT90 values of 1.5-2.0 h in the absence of KCl, yet its inclusion (0.35 M) totally inhibited this low level bactericidal activity. Drug absorption by whole cell and isolated cell wall preparations was determined in the presence and absence of KCl (0.35 M). Chlorhexidine uptake by intact cells was reduced by approximately 50% in the presence of salt whereas that of Triton X45 increased by a similar fraction. Uptake of chlorhexidine by the cell wall fraction accounted for approximately 50% of that for the whole cells and was relatively unaffected by the presence of KCl. Conversely, absorption of Triton X45 by the cell wall fraction accounted for most of the uptake by whole cells and increased markedly in the presence of salts.

Bacillus megaterium↗
PubMed1978

Effect of R-plasmid RP1 and nutrient depletion on the gross cellular composition of Escherichia coli and its resistance to some uncoupling phenols.

The resistance of Escherichia coli batch cultures depleted of carbon (C-dep), magnesium (Mg-dep), or phosphate (P-dep) against low concentrations of 3-chlorophenol, 4-chlorophenol, or 2-phenoxyethanol varied. C-dep cultures were always significantly more sensitive than Mg-dep or P-dep cultures. The presence of R-plasmid RP1 increased the sensitivity of C-dep cultures to 3- and 4-chlorophenol, yet had little effect on those cultured depleted in magnesium or phosphate ions. Cultures with R-plasmid RP1 had increased levels of beta-polyhydroxybutyrate irrespective of the nature of the depleting nutrient. P-dep bacteria had less than one-third of the phospholipid of other cell types, this deficiency being compensated for by increases in fatty acid and neutral lipid content. The reduction in phospholipid content of P-dep cultures was entirely accounted for by decreased diphosphatidylglycerol and phosphatidylethanolamine levels in these cells.

Carbon↗
PubMed1978

Influence of growth rate and nutrient limitation on the gross cellular composition of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and its resistance to 3- and 4-chlorophenol.

Concentrations of 3-chlorophenol and 4-chlorophenol below their minimal inhibitory concentrations were found to increase the permeability of Pseudomonas aeruginosa cells to protons. Levels of such activity were assessed in suspensions of cells prepared from chemostat-grown cultures, limited by either magnesium (Mg-lim) or glucose (G-lim), with the use of five growth rates. Drug concentrations required to produce the same levels of proton translocation varied with the growth rate and the nutrient limiting growth. Fast-growing cultures were more sensitive than slower-growing ones, and G-lim cells were generally more sensitive than Mg-lim ones. 3-Chlorophenol had greater activity than 4-chlorophenol at slow growth rates, but at faster rates of growth their activity was similar. Variation in these iso-effective concentrations for different cells probably reflected an alteration in the ease of drug penetration of the outer envelope. Uptake of the compounds by cells in suspension varied, drug-sensitive bacteria absorbing more than resistant ones. This variation in uptake persisted when bacteria were solvent-extracted to remove readily extractable lipids (REL). Since no significant alteration in cell size was observed among the growth conditions studied, variation in absorption probably resulted from an altered affinity of the cells to the drug, with little involvement of REL. Overall REL content did not alter significantly with growth rate or nutrient limitation. However, total phospholipid content decreased and fatty acid content increased with increasing growth rate. For G-lim and Mg-lim cultures phosphatidylcholine content remained constant, yet phosphatidylethanolamine and phosphatidylglycerol content decreased with increasing growth rate. Diphosphatidylglycerol content decreased with increasing growth rate for Mg-lim cultures and remained relatively constant for G-lim cultures. Lipopolysaccharide content of the cells was higher in Mg-lim than in G-lim cultures and decreased with increasing growth rate in both cases. Lipopolysaccharide content correlated significantly with drug uptake and sensitivity, and it appeared to determine the degree of penetration of the cell envelope by these chlorinated phenols.

Chlorophenols↗
PubMed1978

Correlations between physico-chemical properties and antimicrobial activity for some glycolmonophenyl ethers.

Aqueous solubilities, octanol: water partition coefficients and Rm were determined for twelve glycolmonophenyl ether analogues. Their correlation with growth inhibitory activity towards eight bacterial, yeast and fungal species was assessed. Correlations were also sought between bactericidal activity and inhibition of respiration of E. coli suspensions with these physico-chemical properties. Variations in antimicrobial activity generally correlated well with aqueous solubility. Partition coefficients were found to correlate poorly with biological response with the exception of those correlations involving Gram-negative micro-organisms. Regression equations relating solubility to biological activity generally varied significantly between micro-organisms and for different biological responses with E. coli. This suggested the possibility of different problems of drug penetration in different microbial species and/or different sites of action for the various biological responses.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗
PubMed1977

Facultative polyploidy in endocrine tissues.

Adrenal tissue from 44 autopsies and 30 biopsies of thyroid gland were analyzed by flow--and scanning-cytophotometry. Most nuclei were diploid and the 4C fraction ranged from 1.9 to 6.1% according to the technique, but with no significant difference between controls and adenomas, hyperplasias, adenomatous goiters, or two carcinomas of the thyroid gland. The only significant increase of 4C fraction was found in normal adrenals of patients above 50 years of age (P less than 0,025). Similarly constant was the proportion of 8C nuclei which ranged from 0.5 to 1.3 per thousand. However, in one of 23 adenomatous goiters a total polyploidization was was observed. Comparable results in the literature show that the thyroid gland like the epithelium of seminal vesicles can facultatively become polyploidized, in contrast to the obligatory polyploid orgnas namely the liver and heart. This is not related to malignancy.

Adenocarcinoma↗