[Principles of optimal preparation of material from bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL)for cytoimmunologic examinations in interstitial lung diseases ]. / Podstawy optymalnego przygotowania materialu z plukania oskrzelowo-pecherzykowego (bronchoalveolar lavage, BAL) do badan cytoimmunologicznych w chorobach sródmiazszowych pluc.

In this paper we considered the value of correctly performed bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) in diagnosis of interstitial lung diseases and in assessment of the activity of pathological process. We indicated the conditions of exact interpretation of the results of BAL cytoimmunological examination, i.e. fine standard handling of BAL material, including its collection, elaboration and choice of lavage site, as well as regarding external (e.g. cigarette smoking) and internal additional factors. We described the influence of BAL fluid recovery and of the method of staining on obtained results. We emphasized routinely performed BAL to be the valuable diagnostic and research tool in pulmonology however, the method may have limited usefulness and unnecessarily burden the patient, if technical guidelines are not observed.

Inhibition of erythrocyte aldehyde dehydrogenase activity and elimination kinetics of diethyldithiocarbamic acid methyl ester and its monothio analogue after administration of single and repeated doses of disulfiram to man.

The elimination kinetics of the methyl esters of diethyldithiocarbamic acid (Me-DDC) and its monothio analogue (Me-DTC) has been compared in ten alcoholic patients after a single oral dose of 400 mg disulfiram (Antabuse). Erythrocyte aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) activity was continuously followed in the subjects until complete inactivation. The relation between individual steady-state concentrations of Me-DTC in plasma, blood acetaldehyde concentration and the dose of disulfiram sufficient to give the disulfiram alcohol reaction was investigated in 12 healthy volunteers treated with increasing doses of disulfiram and then challenged with ethanol. The mean peak plasma concentration of Me-DDC occurred at 1.8 h and its plasma half-life was 6.3 h. The corresponding values for Me-DTC were 3.3 h and 11.2 h, respectively. This suggests oxidative formation of Me-DTC from Me-DDC. In alcoholics with a rapid decrease in erythrocyte ALDH activity (in less than 5 days), the mean peak plasma concentration of Me-DTC was 278 nmol.l-1, whereas the peak concentration was below the detection limit in subjects with a prolonged inactivation time (7-20 days). The healthy volunteers were divided into three groups of four subjects, with clinically valid disulfiram alcohol reactions at 100, 200, and 300 mg doses of disulfiram, respectively. The mean plasma concentrations of Me-DTC at steady-state were proportional to the disulfiram doses given, compared within groups at different doses, and between groups at equal and different optimal doses of the drug. The concentrations of Me-DTC were significantly increased, as compared above, whereas the blood concentrations of acetaldehyde were not significantly increased.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Effect of temperature, duration of incubation, and pH of enrichment culture on the recovery of Campylobacter jejuni from eviscerated market chickens.

To establish an enrichment system of high efficiency for recovery of Campylobacter jejuni from market chickens, the effects of the temperature, duration of incubation, and pH of the enrichment culture on the isolation of the bacterium were evaluated. Whole chickens or chicken parts in plastic bags were individually rinsed, and the washings filtered through cheesecloth. The cells were separated from the washings by centrifugation, and the pellet was inoculated into 100 mL of enrichment broth. Isolation of C. jejuni from poultry samples was significantly increased by incubating these samples in an enrichment medium at 42 degrees C as opposed to 35 degrees C; for 48 h as opposed to 24 h or 72 h; and at pH 7.0 as opposed to pH 6.0, 6.5, 7.5, or 8.0.

A survey of microorganisms for thermonuclease production.

A total of 1204 cultures comprising 16 genera were surveyed for production of thermonuclease (TNase) in milk. Cultures other than Staphylococcus capable of TNase production were restricted to two genera, Streptococcus and Bacillus. Nineteen percent of 338 group D streptococci comprising four species (85% of which were Streptococcus faecalis) and 17% of 60 streptococci belonging to other groups produced TNase. Nine percent of 130 Bacillus cultures comprising six species produced the enzyme. On the other hand, 99% of coagulase-positive staphylococci produced TNase and only 18% of the coagulase-negative staphylococci produced the enzyme. The amount of TNase produced by streptococci and bacilli was significantly lower than that produced by coagulase-positive staphylococci. The pH profile of the streptococci and Bacillus TNases was similar to that of the staphylococcal TNase; each enzyme exhibited a minor peak at pH 7.0 and a broad major peak ranging from pH 8.5 to 10. The nuclease produced by coagulase-positive Staphylococcus was more heat stable than the nucleases produced by Streptococcus and Bacillus; there was little loss in activity of the staphylococcal enzyme after 60 min at 100 degrees C, whereas 50% of the activity of the streptococcal and Bacillus nucleases was destroyed in 40-60 min and 60-80 min, respectively.

Inhibitory effect of cocoa powder on the growth of a variety of bacteria in different media.

The inhibitory effect of cocoa powder on 102 organisms belonging to 13 genera was determined. All organisms tested were inhibited by 5% cocoa. Shigella, Staphylococcus, Micrococcus, and Bacillus were the most sensitive. The degree of inhibition depended on the organism, temperature of incubation, and the medium in which the cocoa powder was suspended. Of six media tested, lactose broth and nutrient broth were the most inhibitory, while non-fat dry milk was the least inhibitory. Supplementing NB with tryptone or casein reduced the toxicity of cocoa.

Preenrichment procedure for detection of Salmonella in gelatin.

Trypticase soy broth was superior to nutrient and lactose broths as a preenrichment medium for the detection of Salmonella in artificially and naturally contaiminated gelatin. The detection rate for Salmonella were further enhanced when homogenization of the gelatin-broth mixture was accomplished by the use of gelatinase rather than by heating of 45 degrees C. Detection rats were also increased by adjusting the pH of the gelatin-broth mixture of 7.0, optimum pH for gelatinase (EC 3.4.23.2) activity.

Improved procedure of selective enrichment of Shigella in the presence of Escherichia coli by use of 4-chloro-2-cyclopentylphenyl beta-D-galactopyranoside.

A previously described procedure for the selective enrichmen of Shigella in competition with E. coli has been modified and tested with a total of 48 strains of the four Shigella species. The new enrichment medium consists of 1,5-strength trypticase soy broth, 1 mM 4-chloro-2-cyclopentylphenyl beta-D-galactopyranoside (CPPG), 0.25% lactose, and 0.1 M citrate buffer (pH 6.2). In competition with a 1000-fold higher population of E. coli than Shigella, 42 of 48 strains from the four species of Shigella were selectively enriched by the new method. Different lots of CPPG did not appear to affect the performance of the medium.

Selective enrichment of Shigella in the presence of Escherichia coli by use of 4-chloro-2-cyclopentylphenyl beta-D-galactopyranoside.

A procedure involving the use of citrate-buffered lactose broth (pH 6.5) containing an analogue of a beta-galactoside (4-chloro-2-cyclopentylphenyl beta-D-galactopyranoside) has been developed for the enrichment of Shigella in competition with a 100-fold higher population of Escherichia coli. The system makes use of the beta-galactosidase activity of E. coli which hydrolyzes the phenolic derivative of beta-galactoside to galactose and an aglycone moiety (4-chloro-2-cyclopentylphenol) which is toxic to E. coli but is tolerated by Shigella. The procedure is particularly effective in the enrichment of S. sonnei and S. flexneri; S. dynsenteriae and S. boydii are enriched to a lesser extent.