[Laparostomy as a part of intensive surgical care]

The presented paper is based on an analysis of 24 cases where as part of comprehensive surgical care the laparostomic procedure was used. In nine patients advanced diffuse peritonitis was involved, nine times the method was applied in patients with haemorrhagic necrotizing pancreatitis, four times in intestinal ischaemia and twice as a temporary closure of an extensive defect of the abdominal wall. In all instances a zipper of Ethicon Co. was used. Eight patients died i.e. lethality was 33%. The main contribution of the method is according to the authors the possibility of easy repetition of the surgical intervention in the abdominal cavity with elimination of septic foci and effective decompression of the abdominal cavity which has a positive impact on ventilation.

Regulation of the Salmonella typhimurium metA gene by the metR protein and homocysteine

The DNA sequence of the Salmonella typhimurium metA control region is presented. S1 nuclease mapping was used to determine the transcription initiation site. By measuring beta-galactosidase levels in Escherichia coli strains lysogenized with lambda phage carrying a metA-lacZ gene fusion, the MetR protein was shown to activate the metA gene. Homocysteine, an intermediate in methionine biosynthesis, plays a negative role in the MetR-mediated activation mechanism. Gel mobility shift assays and DNase I protection experiments showed that the MetR protein binds to a DNA fragment carrying the metA control region and protects a 26-bp region beginning 9 bp upstream of the -35 promoter sequence.