Dual ß-Lactam Combinations Highly Active against Mycobacterium abscessus Complex In Vitro.

As a consequence of a growing population of immunocompromised individuals, including transplant recipients and cystic fibrosis patients, there has been a dramatic increase in chronic infections caused by Mycobacterium abscessus complex (MABC) strains that are usually recalcitrant to effective antibiotic therapy. The recent rise of macrolide resistance in MABC has further complicated this clinical dilemma, dramatizing the need for novel agents. The repurposing of current antibiotics is one rapid path from discovery to patient care. In this study, we have discovered that dual ß-lactams, and specifically the combination of ceftazidime with either ceftaroline or imipenem, are synergistic and have clinically relevant activities, with MIC50s of 0.25 (ceftaroline with 100 µg/ml ceftazidime) and 0.5 µg/ml (imipenem with 100 µg/ml ceftazidime) against clinical MABC isolates. Similar synergy was observed in time-kill studies against the M. abscessus ATCC 19977 strain using clinically achievable concentrations of either imipenem (4 µg/ml) or ceftaroline (2 µg/ml), as the addition of ceftazidime at concentrations of ≥50 µg/ml showed a persistent bactericidal effect over 5 days. Treatment of THP-1 human macrophages infected with three different M. abscessus clinical isolates supported the in vitro findings, as the combination of 100 µg/ml ceftazidime and 0.125 µg/ml ceftaroline or 100 µg/ml ceftazidime and 0.25 µg/ml imipenem dramatically reduced the CFU counts to near baseline levels of infection. This study's finding that there is synergy between certain ß-lactam combinations against M. abscessus infection provides optimism toward identifying an optimum dual ß-lactam treatment regimen.IMPORTANCE The emergence of chronic MABC infections among immunocompromised populations and their inherent and acquired resistance to effective antibiotic therapy have created clinical challenges in advancing patients for transplant surgery and treating those with disease. There is an urgent need for new treatment regimens, and the repurposing of existing antibiotics provides a rapid strategy to advance a laboratory finding to patient care. Our recent discoveries that dual ß-lactams, specifically the combination of ceftazidime with ceftaroline or ceftazidime with imipenem, have significant in vitro MIC values and kill curve activities and are effective against infected THP-1 human macrophages provide optimism for a dual ß-lactam treatment strategy against MABC infections. The unexpected synergistic activities reported in this study create a new path of discovery to repurpose the large family of ß-lactam drugs.

Symmetry breakdown of electron emission in extreme ultraviolet photoionization of argon.

Short wavelength free-electron lasers (FELs), providing pulses of ultrahigh photon intensity, have revolutionized spectroscopy on ionic targets. Their exceptional photon flux enables multiple photon absorptions within a single femtosecond pulse, which in turn allows for deep insights into the photoionization process itself as well as into evolving ionic states of a target. Here we employ ultraintense pulses from the FEL FERMI to spectroscopically investigate the sequential emission of electrons from gaseous, atomic argon in the neutral as well as the ionic ground state. A pronounced forward-backward symmetry breaking of the angularly resolved emission patterns with respect to the light propagation direction is experimentally observed and theoretically explained for the region of the Cooper minimum, where the asymmetry of electron emission is strongly enhanced. These findings aim to originate a better understanding of the fundamentals of photon momentum transfer in ionic matter.

Note: Soft X-ray transmission polarizer based on ferromagnetic thin films.

A transmission polarizer for producing elliptically polarized soft X-ray radiation from linearly polarized light is presented. The setup is intended for use at synchrotron and free-electron laser beamlines that do not directly offer circularly polarized light for, e.g., X-ray magnetic circular dichroism (XMCD) measurements or holographic imaging. Here, we investigate the degree of ellipticity upon transmission of linearly polarized radiation through a cobalt thin film. The experiment was performed at a photon energy resonant to the Co L3-edge, i.e., 778 eV, and the polarization of the transmitted radiation was determined using a polarization analyzer that measures the directional dependence of photo electrons emitted from a gas target. Elliptically polarized radiation can be created at any absorption edge showing the XMCD effect by using the respective magnetic element.

Single Shot Polarization Characterization of XUV FEL Pulses from Crossed Polarized Undulators.

Polarization control is a key feature of light generated by short-wavelength free-electron lasers. In this work, we report the first experimental characterization of the polarization properties of an extreme ultraviolet high gain free-electron laser operated with crossed polarized undulators. We investigate the average degree of polarization and the shot-to-shot stability and we analyze aspects such as existing possibilities for controlling and switching the polarization state of the emitted light. The results are in agreement with predictions based on Gaussian beams propagation.

Characterization of spatial coherence of synchrotron radiation with non-redundant arrays of apertures.

A method to characterize the spatial coherence of soft X-ray radiation from a single diffraction pattern is presented. The technique is based on scattering from non-redundant arrays (NRAs) of slits and records the degree of spatial coherence at several relative separations from 1 to 15 µm, simultaneously. Using NRAs the spatial coherence of the X-ray beam at the XUV X-ray beamline P04 of the PETRA III synchrotron storage ring was measured as a function of different beam parameters. To verify the results obtained with the NRAs, additional Young's double-pinhole experiments were conducted and showed good agreement.

Angular momentum sensitive two-center interference.

In quantum mechanics the Young-type double-slit experiment can be performed with electrons either traveling through a double slit or being coherently emitted from two inversion symmetric molecular sites. In the latter one the valence photoionization cross sections of homonuclear diatomic molecules were predicted to oscillate over kinetic energy almost 50 years ago. Beyond the direct proof of the oscillatory behavior of these photoionization cross sections σ, we show that the angular distribution of the emitted electrons reveals hitherto unexplored information on the relative phase shift between the corresponding partial waves through two-center interference patterns.

The 1992 epizootic of Newcastle disease in double-crested cormorants in North America.

In the summer of 1992, morbidity and mortality in juvenile double-crested cormorants (Phalacrocorax auritus; DCC) attributable to Newcastle disease virus (NDV) was observed for the first time in seven northern USA states and one Canadian province, and recurred in three western Canadian provinces. Based on clinical signs and laboratory diagnostic findings, DCC mortality from NDV occurred in 59 of the 63 nesting colonies and two of three non-colony sites investigated. An estimate of in excess of 20,000 DCC died, with mortality rates ranging from < 1 to 37% in Great Lakes colonies to 20 to 92% in Minnesota (USA) and North and South Dakota (USA) colonies. Sick juvenile white pelicans (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) exhibiting signs similar to sick cormorants, and dead pelicans were observed in Minnesota and North Dakota. Mortality rates in pelican colonies were as high as in the adjacent cormorant colonies, but no cause for the mortality of an estimated 5,000 pelicans was determined. No evidence of NDV was found in other species nesting in proximity to affected cormorants. Although the source of the NDV infection is unknown in cormorants, the simultaneous onset of the epizootics in juvenile birds over a wide geographic area implies that the virus was acquired by adults prior to migration and was carried back to nest sites, exposing susceptible nestlings. The possible transmission of this virus from free-ranging wild birds to domestic poultry is a concern. Based on repeated epizootics in cormorants since 1990, NDV seems to be established in DCC.

Diagnostic findings in the 1992 epornitic of neurotropic velogenic Newcastle disease in double-crested cormorants from the upper midwestern United States.

Neurotropic velogenic Newcastle disease (NVND) occurred in juvenile double-crested cormorants, Phalacrocorax auritus, simultaneously in nesting colonies in Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Nebraska and in Lakes Michigan, Superior, Huron, and Ontario during the summer of 1992. Mortality as high as 80%-90% was estimated in some of the nesting colonies. Clinical signs observed in 4- to 6-wk-old cormorants included torticollis, tremors, ataxia, curled toes, and paresis or weakness of legs, wings or both, which was sometimes unilateral. No significant mortality or unusual clinical signs were seen in adult cormorants. Necropsy of 88 cormorants yielded no consistent gross observations. Microscopic lesions in the brain and spinal cord were consistently present in all cormorants from which Newcastle disease virus (NDV) was isolated. Characteristic brain lesions provided rapid identification of new suspect sites of NVND. Lesions were also present in the heart, kidney, proventriculus, spleen, and pancreas but were less consistent or nonspecific. NDV was isolated at the National Wildlife Health Center from 27 of 93 cormorants tested. Virus was most frequently isolated from intestine or brain tissue of cormorants submitted within the first 4 wk of the epornitic. Sera collected from cormorants with neurologic signs were consistently positive for NDV antibody. The NDV isolate from cormorants was characterized as NVND virus at the National Veterinary Services Laboratories, Ames, Iowa. The NVND virus was also identified as the cause of neurologic disease in a North Dakota turkey flock during the summer of 1992. Although no virus was isolated from cormorants tested after the first month of submission, brain and spinal cord lesions characteristic of NVND were observed in cormorants from affected sites for 2 mo, at which time nesting colonies dispersed and no more submissions were received. Risk to susceptible populations of both wild avian species and domestic poultry makes early recognition and confirmation of NVND in wild birds a priority.

Overruled: objections to optical disk archiving.

In summary, while the Federal Rules of Evidence neglect to specifically address the admission of optical disk evidence, the Rules do recognize the reliability and admissibility of records maintained with modern computer storage techniques. In certain cases, information stored on optical disk will constitute original information; in others, the information will constitute an admissible duplicate. Regardless of the classification, the optical disk evidence should be admissible if the party offering the evidence can establish that the optical disk storage and retrieval process accurately reproduces the original document. The admission of medical records stored on optical disk will be challenged. The technology involved in optical disk storage, however, makes optical disk information more reliable than magnetic disk information. As a result, optical disk evidence currently should survive challenges more readily than magnetic disk evidence.

Heat shock gene expression in germinating ascospores of Neurospora tetrasperma.

The activated ascospores of Neurospora tetrasperma were inactive in protein synthesis and did not accumulate transcripts for a constitutive protein until after 90 min of incubation. These spores were blocked even longer in the expression of a gene encoding a heat shock protein, hsp30, which could not be induced until after 300 min of spore germination. Early in germination the ascospores were highly susceptible to damage from moderately high temperatures. At the same time that spores became capable of expressing the hsp30 gene, there was a loss of cytosine methylation from the gene.

Altered antigen expression predicts outcome in squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck.

Monoclonal antibody UM-A9 identifies an antigen found on the basal surface of epithelial cells and expressed on all of the squamous cell carcinomas (SCC) that we have tested. In a previous study, we showed that cell lines from metastatic or recurrent SCC exhibit stronger expression of the A9 cell membrane antigen than cell lines from the primary tumor of the same donors, suggesting that this marker is associated with tumor progression. Loss of expression in tumor tissue of normal A, B, and H (ABH) blood group antigens has also been linked to clinical behavior in some epithelial cancers. To determine the prognostic significance of these antigen markers, we prospectively evaluated tissue specimens for expression of these markers in a group of 82 consecutive, previously untreated patients with SCC of the head and neck. Three patterns corresponding to strong (pattern 1), intermediate (pattern 2), or weak (pattern 3) A9 antigen expression were observed. Fifty-eight percent of the patients whose tumors had pattern 1 A9 antigen expression and 78% of the patients with loss of blood group antigen had early relapse, compared with only 34% of those with A9 antigen pattern 2 or 3 (P = .042) and 37% of those whose tumors expressed the mature ABH blood group antigen (P = .012). The combination of A9 pattern and ABH blood group antigen expression in tumor tissue was the variable most strongly associated with duration of disease-free survival, even after adjustment for the traditional prognostic factors of tumor site, stage, and TNM classification. Loss of blood group was the most significant single variable associated with early recurrence, but among patients whose tumors retained ABH blood group antigen expression, the A9 pattern distinguished good and poor prognostic groups. To our knowledge, our study is the first to demonstrate that differences in blood group antigen expression are significantly correlated with disease-free survival in SCC of the head and neck. We have initiated a study (a) to determine the relationship of the A9 antigen and the blood group antigens with clinical response of the tumors and (b) to determine whether these markers should be used as prognostic indicators.

Control of differentiation in BC3H1 muscle cells.

BC3H1 is a cell line that undergoes a musclelike pattern of differentiation under the appropriate conditions. We have examined the control of the synthesis of proteins characteristic of differentiated muscle in these cells as a function of their position in the cell cycle. We define two positions in the cell cycle where BC3H1 cells can remain stably quiescent. G1d is a restriction point early in the G1 portion of the cell cycle that permits the synthesis of muscle-specific proteins and is probably identical to G0. The second restriction point, G1q, occurs approximately 4 hr later in the G1 portion of the cell cycle and does not permit the synthesis of muscle-specific proteins. Movement of the cells from G1d to G1q occurs when fibroblast growth factor is added to the cells and is reversed when this growth factor is removed. Repression of the synthesis of muscle-specific proteins occurs when fibroblast growth factor is added to cells in G1d. In the case of the muscle form of creatine phosphokinase (M-CPK), the decline in the rate synthesis of this protein is a consequence of a decreased level of its mRNA. By contrast, the repression of alpha-actin synthesis, a protein synthesized only in differentiated cells, appears to be controlled at the translational level. The effect of fibroblast growth factor and other mitogens in these cells require activation of tyrosine kinase(s), but the intracellular targets of these kinases are not known. Studies by others suggest that activation of the ras oncogene can mimic the action of mitogenic polypeptides on these and other muscle cells.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Heteroatom-substituted fatty acid analogs as substrates for N-myristoyltransferase: an approach for studying both the enzymology and function of protein acylation.

Myristoyl-CoA:protein N-myristoyltransferase (NMT), the enzyme that transfers the myristoyl (14:0) moiety from myristoyl CoA thioester to nascent proteins, is remarkably specific for both peptide and fatty acyl CoA substrates. To investigate the interaction of NMT with fatty acyl CoA substrates, we have synthesized 10 oxygen- or sulfur-substituted fatty acid analogs. These analogs differ dramatically in hydrophobicity from naturally occurring fatty acids of similar length. As acylpeptides, sulfur-substituted myristic acid analogs migrate on reverse-phase HPLC like 11:0 or 12:0 fatty acids, while oxygen-substituted analogs migrate like 9:0 to 11:0 fatty acids. CoA thioesters of several of these analogs serve as good NMT substrates in vitro, implying that NMT selects fatty acyl substrates primarily on the basis of chain length rather than hydrophobicity. Myristelaidoyl (14:1, delta 9,10-trans) CoA is also a significantly better substrate than myristoleoyl (14:1, delta 9,10-cis) CoA. The fatty acyl group bound to NMT profoundly influences the rate of acylpeptide formation and the affinity of NMT for peptide substrates. However, the peptide substrate bound to NMT does not produce significant alterations in the enzyme's affinity for myristoyl CoA. In vitro characterization of these heteroatom substituted analogs suggests that they will be efficiently incorporated into proteins in vivo and may markedly alter acylprotein targeting and function.

The neuronal cell-surface molecule mitogenic for Schwann cells is a heparin-binding protein.

The cell surface of embryonic peripheral neurons provides a mitogenic stimulus for Schwann cells. We report (i) the solubilization of this mitogenic activity from rat dorsal root ganglion neurons grown in tissue culture and (ii) the solubilization and partial purification of mitogenic activity from neonatal rat brains. Extracted mitogenic activity is peripheral rather than intrinsic to the membrane, stable after extraction, and active as a mitogen in the absence of serum (the most stringent criterion defining the neuronal mitogen). We have previously provided evidence suggesting that a neuronal cell-surface heparan sulfate proteoglycan is required for expression of the neurons' mitogenic activity. We now show that mitogenic activity can be extracted from the membrane dissociated from proteoglycan as assayed by its ability to bind to immobilized heparin. After dissociation, low concentrations of heparin (1 micrograms/ml) inhibit the ability of the mitogen to stimulate Schwann cell division. Basic fibroblast growth factor (FGF) is weakly mitogenic for Schwann cells, but it is not present in mitogenic brain extracts (based on immunoblotting). Immunodepletion experiments with specific antibodies to FGF indicate that the mitogenic activity extracted from neurons is not a form of this heparin-binding mitogen. Acidic FGF is not mitogenic for Schwann cells and is not present in mitogenic brain extracts. We suggest that these and previous data indicate the neurite mitogen is a proteoglycan-growth factor complex that limits mitogenic activity to the axonal surface, protects mitogen against inactivation by other proteoglycans, and provides for effective presentation of mitogen to the Schwann cell.

Cortical asymmetry--a preliminary study: neurons-glia, female-male.

Previous studies on human cortical area 39 suggested that neuron:glial ratios differed between the sexes. These findings were the inspiration for the present investigation which dealt with neuronal and glial counts in area 39 in the male and female rat cerebral cortex. Transverse, celloidin or frozen sections, were cut from male and female brains (respectively) from 90-day-old Long-Evans rats. Neurons and glia were counted on enlarged photographs of stained sections, including area 39, with 35-mm Kodak Panatomic-X film using a Zeiss photomicroscope (X400). Five-by-three-inch prints were taped together in sequence to yield a 640X enlarged "montage" of area 39. Five cell types were differentiated with reference to a standard: neurons, astrocytes, oligodendrocytes, "dark astrocytes," and unidentified glia. The data were analyzed with a two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA: five cell types by two hemispheres). Student's t test and a paired t test were used when appropriate. The neuron:glial ratios in the male rats were consistently higher than those in the females in both hemispheres. The male right side had 12% (P less than 0.05) more neurons than the left; the female had 13% (P less than 0.05) more neurons on the left than the right. Similar, but not identical, asymmetrical patterns were seen with the glial cells.

Myristoyl CoA:protein N-myristoyltransferase activities from rat liver and yeast possess overlapping yet distinct peptide substrate specificities.

A variety of eukaryotic viral and cellular proteins possesses an NH2-terminal N-myristoylglycine residue important for their biological functions. Recent studies of the primary structural requirements for peptide substrates of the enzyme responsible for this modification in yeast demonstrated that residues 1, 2, and 5 play a critical role in enzyme: ligand interactions (Towler, D. A., Adams, S. P., Eubanks, S. R., Towery, D. S., Jackson-Machelski, E., Glaser, L., and Gordon J. I. (1987b) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U. S. A. 84, 2708-2812). This was determined by examining as substrates a series of synthetic peptides whose sequences were systematically altered from a "parental" peptide derived from the known N-myristoylprotein bovine heart cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase (A kinase) catalytic subunit. We have now extended these studies in order to examine structure/activity relationships in the COOH-terminal regions of octapeptide substrates of yeast N-myristoyltransferase (NMT). The interaction between yeast NMT and the side chain of residue 5 in peptide ligands is apparently sterically constrained, since Thr5 is unable to promote the very high affinity binding observed with a Ser5 substitution. A substrate hexapeptide core has been defined which contains much of the information necessary for recognition by this lower eukaryotic NMT. Addition of COOH-terminal basic residues to this hexapeptide enhances peptide binding, while COOH-terminal acidic residues destabilize NMT: ligand interactions. Based on the results obtained from our in vitro studies of over 80 synthetic peptides and yeast NMT, we have identified a number of potential N-myristoylproteins from searches of available protein databases. These include hepatitis B virus pre-S1, human SYN-kinase, rodent Gi alpha, and bovine transducin-alpha. Peptides corresponding to the NH2-terminal sequences of these proteins and several known N-myristoylproteins were assayed using yeast NMT as well as partially purified rat liver NMT. While a number of the synthetic peptides exhibited similar catalytic properties with the yeast and mammalian enzymes, surprisingly, the SYN-kinase, Gi alpha, and transducin-alpha peptides were N-myristoylated by rat NMT but not by yeast NMT. This suggests that either multiple NMT activities exist in rat liver or the yeast and rodent enzymes have similar but distinct peptide substrate specificities.

11-(Ethylthio)undecanoic acid. A myristic acid analogue of altered hydrophobicity which is functional for peptide N-myristoylation with wheat germ and yeast acyltransferase.

The covalent attachment of myristic acid to the NH2-terminal glycine residue of proteins is catalyzed by the enzyme myristoyl CoA:protein N-myristoyltransferase (NMT). Using synthetic octapeptide substrates we have identified and characterized an NMT activity in wheat germ lysates used for cell-free translation of exogenous mRNAs. C-12 and C-14 fatty acids are efficiently transferred to the peptides by this plant NMT, but C-10 and C-16 fatty acids are not. Glycine is required as the NH2-terminal residue: peptides with an NH2-terminal alanine were not substrates. Peptides with proline, aspartic acid, or tyrosine residues adjacent to the NH2-terminal glycine were also not myristoylated. Serine in the fifth position reduced the peptide's Km up to 4000-fold. We have chemically synthesized a sulfur analogue of myristate, 11-(ethylthio)undecanoic acid. Its CoA ester is as good a substrate as myristoyl-CoA for both wheat germ and yeast NMT. Peptides linked to 11-(ethylthio)undecanoic acid are less hydrophobic than the corresponding myristoylpeptides. 11-(Ethylthio)-undecanoic acid may, therefore, help define the role of myristic acid in targeting of acyl proteins within cells.

Reactivation of regressing corpora lutea by estradiol in the pregnant rat: dependence on placental lactogen.

Previous investigations have clearly demonstrated that estradiol maintains corpus luteum function. However, it is unknown whether estradiol can restimulate progesterone synthesis and/or growth of corpora lutea that have already undergone luteolysis. The present study was designed to determine 1) whether estradiol can reactivate the steroidogenic capacity and/or growth of corpora lutea that are deprived of luteotropic support, 2) whether estradiol affects progesterone metabolism, and 3) whether the action of estradiol is related to levels of rat placental lactogen in the peripheral circulation. Rats were hypophysectomized and hysterectomized on Day 12 of pregnancy and were treated between Days 12 and 15 with either estradiol (100 micrograms/day) or 1-cm testosterone implants. Both treatments are known to maintain luteal concentrations of estradiol at physiological levels. In vivo treatment with either estradiol or testosterone prevented the drop in progesterone production and maintained the concentration of serum progesterone at levels found in intact pregnant rats. This action was not due to an alteration in the rate of metabolism of progesterone to 20 alpha-hydroxyprogesterone, since peripheral serum levels and in vitro production of 20 alpha-hydroxyprogesterone were unaffected by estradiol. When testosterone treatment was started 24 and 48 h after hypophysectomy and hysterectomy, at a time when progesterone production had been markedly reduced and luteal growth had ceased, a restimulation of both progesterone synthesis and luteal growth was observed. However, in all cases the ability of estradiol to stimulate progesterone was finite, and corpora lutea ceased to respond by Day 17, coincident with the time that rat placental lactogen became undetectable in the circulation.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Control of ion fluxes by mitogenic polypeptides.

Several ion fluxes are stimulated when mitogenic polypeptides are added to cells. The precise mechanism by which this activation takes place is not understood, but compelling evidence exists in the case of the activation of sodium-hydrogen exchange that it requires the tyrosine kinase activity associated with the mitogen receptor. The activation of sodium-hydrogen exchange by mitogens is associated with changes in intracellular pH that appear to be permissive but not causal in allowing cells to proceed through the cell cycle. When added to cells, mitogens also activate protein kinase C, which acts as part of a feedback loop to control the activity of the mitogen receptor. Possible mechanisms for this control are discussed.