Characterization of gentamicin-resistant respiratory-deficient (res-) variant strains of Staphylococcus aureus

Exposure of sensitive cells of Staphylococcus aureus to concentrations of gentamicin higher than the minimal inhibitory concentration, results in the recovery of low level resistant strains with a greatly altered phenotype (variants). Because the phenotypic alteration in these strains is so great the expected diagnostic characterization of these variants as S. aureus is obscured. Starting with a genetically-marked parent strain, a comprehensive cytological, physiological, morphological, genetic and biochemical analysis of the variants isolated from it was carried out. The genetic lineage of the variants to the parent was also established by DNA/DNA hybridization. Variants result from mutations in the hemin biosynthesis locus, the effect of which is to disrupt the synthesis of components of the electron transport system, lipid synthesis and selected nucleotide synthesis. Thus the strains are defective in aerobic and anaerobic respiration, (res-), in active transport of aminoglycosides (which confers low level resistance), export of characteristic exo-enzymes, and in cell wall composition and structure.

Neutral maltase/glucoamylase from rabbit renal cortex

Maltase activity (EC 3.2.1.20) was solubilized from rabbit kidney brush-border membrane by using 1.0% Triton X-100 and purified 230-fold with an overall recovery of 30%. The purification procedure makes use of heat precipitation, chromatography on DE-52 DEAE-cellulose and gel filtration on Sephacryl S-300. Rabbit kidney brush border exhibited glucoamylase activity with a maltase/glucoamylase ratio of 1.5:1 to 2.0:1. During purification the maltase and glucoamylase activities behaved identically. The Mr of the complex is 590,000, and it appears to be composed of eight identical subunits linked by disulphide bridges.

Sequential in vivo measurement of cerebral intracellular metabolites with phosphorus-31 magnetic resonance spectroscopy during global cerebral ischemia and reperfusion in rats

Phosphorus-31 magnetic resonance (31P MR) spectroscopy was used to obtain serial in vivo measurements of cerebral adenosine triphosphate (ATP), phosphocreatine (PCr), inorganic phosphate (Pi), and intracellular pH levels in rats during temporary global cerebral ischemia and reperfusion. Three groups of 4 rats each that recovered from permanent bilateral vertebral artery occlusion were placed in a MR spectrometer and subjected to remotely controlled bilateral carotid artery occlusion lasting 6, 15, or 30 minutes followed by 1 hour of reperfusion. Four additional rats that developed systemic hypotension (2 during a 6-minute occlusion and 2 during a 15-minute occlusion) were also studied. 31P MR spectra were obtained in each rat before, during, and after ischemia. Rats in which MR spectra showed metabolic recovery underwent a second occlusion followed by reperfusion and sacrifice. In the 12 normotensive rats, metabolic alterations began within 3 minutes after the onset of global ischemia. By the end of the occlusion period, cerebral ATP had decreased by 20 to 100% in 10 rats and PCr had decreased by 15 to 75% in all 12; Pi increased by 25 to 240%. The mean intracellular pH decreased from 7.33 to 6.9 +/- 0.6. The degree of metabolic deterioration during ischemia was not related to the duration of occlusion. During reperfusion, ATP, PCr, Pi, and intracellular pH returned to normal in 4 rats; 5 rats had partial metabolic recovery, and 3 had minimal or transient metabolic recovery followed by progressive deterioration. All rats that developed systemic hypotension had a decrease in ATP, PCr, and intracellular pH and an increase in Pi during the initial occlusion. Each had transient partial recovery in ATP during reperfusion, and 2 had slight recovery of PCr. The onset of hypotension was followed by depletion of these metabolites, progressive increase in Pi, and progressive intracellular acidosis. All rats that deteriorated metabolically after reversal of carotid occlusion died by the end of the reperfusion period or soon after. The 8 rats that recovered from the first occlusion were subjected to a second period of ischemia, during which each rat showed severe depletion of metabolites. During the second reperfusion, only 1 rat showed significant metabolic recovery, which lasted only 30 minutes and was followed by progressive deterioration. Severe global cerebral ischemia was associated with a progressive decline in both ATP and PCr, whereas less complete ischemia seemed to be characterized by stabilization or recovery of ATP and continued depression of PCr.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

An in vivo study of halothane uptake and elimination in the rat brain with fluorine nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy

A recent NMR study reported the elimination of halothane from the brain of rabbits to be ten times slower than expected, based on known anesthetic solubility and cerebral blood flow. The authors conducted a study in five rats using fluorine nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy to see if major pharmacokinetic discrepancies are associated with the uptake, maintenance, and elimination of halothane from the brain. The rats underwent a 60-min period of halothane anesthesia. They employed a spatially selective NMR spectroscopy technique known as surface coil "depth-pulsing" to assure that the fluorine NMR signals originated in brain tissue, and not in the scalp, muscle, adipose tissue, and bone marrow that surround the brain. After the inspired anesthetic concentration was decreased to zero, the amplitude of the fluorine NMR signal decreased to 40% of its maximum value within 34 +/- 8.0 minutes (n = 5), rather than after 7 h as in the recent study, where the fluorine signal may have contained substantial contributions from metabolites or tissues outside the brain. Fluorine was barely detectable in all of the animals 90 min after stopping the administration of halothane. The authors' results are in agreement with model calculations and several other investigations.

An in vivo 19F nuclear magnetic resonance study of isoflurane elimination from the rabbit brain

19F nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy was performed at 2.0 Tesla to evaluate the washout of isoflurane from the adult rabbit brain after 90 min of anesthesia. This investigation reconciles previous in vivo NMR studies of others, which observed a slow anesthetic washout, with invasive non-NMR studies that found a rapid washout, as predicted by perfusion-limited models of anesthetic uptake and elimination. Two NMR surface coil experiments were performed: in the first, a 1-cm surface coil was placed directly over the exposed dura to be certain that the washout was observed only from the brain; in the second, a 3-cm coil was placed noninvasively over the intact scalp to emulate previous NMR experiments. As in previous NMR experiments, a slow washout of isoflurane was observed with the large coil. The NMR signal that is observed with the large coil cannot be attributed solely to brain tissue. Fat surrounding the brain contributes significantly to the fluorine NMR spectra that are observed with the 3-cm coil, and its contributions lengthen the apparent washout time. A rapid washout of isoflurane from the rabbit brain was observed with the small coil, whose signal unambiguously arises only from brain tissue. The observed rapid washout is consistent with previous invasive biochemical measurements of anesthetic washout from the brain.

Acute experimental cerebral ischemia: MR enhancement using Gd-DTPA

The effects of a paramagnetic contrast agent, gadolinium-DTPA (Gd-DTPA), on magnetic resonance (MR) imaging of acute cerebral ischemia was investigated in a feline model of middle cerebral artery occlusion. Imaging was performed both before and after administration of an intravenous dose of 0.2 mmol/kg of Gd-DTPA. The animals were then sacrificed for pathologic correlation. No changes in intensity or relaxation times were noted before or after Gd-DTPA administration in two animals with 2 hours of occlusion. Infarcts were noted before and after contrast enhancement in all six cats with ischemia of greater than 16-hours duration. Gd-DTPA caused significant increase in intensity of infarct but not in that of normal cerebral tissue. Rapid enhancement was visible in infarcts of 16-24 hours, but such enhancement was slower in infarcts of 72-168 hours, presumably owing to slowed inflow caused by increased vasogenic edema in the latter group. Contrast enhancement of acute cerebral ischemic lesions with Gd-DTPA offers no improvement in sensitivity of MR imaging, although the conspicuity of the lesion may be improved. Additionally, contrast media may provide potential temporal and pathophysiological data for better characterization of cerebral ischemia.

MR imaging of acute experimental ischemia in cats

The evolution of acute cerebral ischemia was documented by magnetic resonance (MR) imaging in 13 mongrel cats with occlusion of the middle cerebral artery through a transorbital approach. The animals were imaged under anesthesia at intervals from 30 min to 10 days after production of the lesion. An MR imager operating at 0.35 T was used with multislice, multi-spin-echo technique (TR = 500-2000 msec; TE = 28, 56 msec). The animals were sacrificed after imaging for pathologic correlation. Infarcts beyond 4 hr of age were visualized in all subjects. The earliest infarct was seen at 30 min (two cats) as an area of high signal intensity on T2-weighted images. In three other cats, however, 3-hr-old infarcts were not detectable. In one animal, a hemorrhage within a 1-week-old area of infarction was not characterized by MR imaging but was identified on CT scanning. The mass effect of the infarction appeared greatest at 2-4 days after infarction. The basal ganglia showed ischemic effects to best advantage. MR imaging offers previously unavailable sensitivity for the early noninvasive detection of cerebral ischemia in vivo.