Isolated membranes of Mycoplasma arthritidis ISR-1 possess toxic properties for rats, mice and chicken embryos. Reactions are dose-dependent. By intravenous injection of 20 mg of membrane protein, a lethal toxicity syndrome resembling shock is induced in Sprague-Dawley rats of 100 g body weight. Mice of approximately 20-g body weight show the same syndrome by intravenous injection of 15 mg of membrane protein. The lethal toxicity for chicken embryos increases from 10 to 80% after injection of 0.3 to 1.5 mg of membrane protein. The LD50 in chicken embryos was found to be 0.5 mg membrane protein. After administration of 10-15 mg of membrane protein, rats showed an increase in temperature from 38 to 41 degrees C within 5 h. Because of the difficulty in measuring the temperature in mice, loss of body weight was taken as the criterion for toxicity. Body weight was reduced up to 16% within 1 day after intravenous injection of 500 micrograms of membrane protein per g of body weight. For sheep red blood cells, M. arthritidis ISR-1 membranes were haemolytic in concentrations of 4 mg of membrane protein and higher. Intradermal injection of 1 mg of membrane protein into guinea-pigs resulted in red swelling reactions measuring approximately 10 mm in diameter 10 h after injection. For foetal rat skin fibroblasts, M. arthritidis ISR-1 membranes were toxic in concentrations from 1 micrograms (3H-uridine incorporation), 10 micrograms (14C-leucine incorporation) and 100 micrograms (3H-thymidine incorporation) of membrane protein.

Animals↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Miliary tuberculosis and adult respiratory distress syndrome in an infant].

We report on a 7 months old infant, who was admitted to our hospital with the tentative diagnosis of interstitial pneumonia. The infant was treated with erythromycin because of a positive mycoplasma antigen test in the nasopharyngeal mucus and the radiological findings. A tension pneumothorax led to rapid respiratory deterioration and a severe ARDS developed. A sustained respiratory stabilization could not be achieved. The diagnosis miliary tuberculosis was detected on autopsy. A parenchymal focus was found subpleurally in the left lung with a massive hematogenous spread and a tuberculous meningitis. The source of infection could not be identified in the family or in persons known to have had contact to the infant. The tuberculin skin test (PPD) was negative. Clinical, radiological and pathological findings are demonstrated.

Diagnosis, Differential↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Cast metal spongioid bone implants in animal experiments].

Spongyimplant cubes produced out of an alloying DIN 58800 are driven in an artificial produced split in the ileosacral articulation of sheeps. The animals were killed after a period of 70 til 181 days. All the implants are enclosed by bone and so bring about an ankylosis of the ileosacral articulation. In different degree the porous slices of the implant are grown through by bone. By producing spongyimplants with more porous slices the transfer of the animal experiment to human beings is justified, for example for special problems in osteosynthesis of in the arrange of the surface from artificial implants. The produced spongy implants out of metal are characterized specially by its primary stability.

Alloys↗

PubMedDate not supplied

The Leipzig experience with robotic valve surgery.

OBJECTIVES: The study describes the single-center experience using robot-assisted videoscopic mitral valve surgery and the early results with a remote telemanipulator-assisted approach for mitral valve repair. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Out of a series of 230 patients who underwent minimally invasive mitral valve surgery, in 167 patients surgery was performed with the use of robotic assistance. A voice-controlled robotic arm was used for videoscopic guidance in 152 cases. Most recently, a computer-enhanced telemanipulator was used in 15 patients to perform the operation remotely. RESULTS: The mitral valve was repaired in 117 and replaced in all other patients. The voice-controlled robotic arm (AESOP 3000) facilitated videoscopic-assisted mitral valve surgery. The procedure was completed without the need for an additional assistant as "solo surgery." Additional procedures like radiofrequency ablation and tricuspid valve repair were performed in 21 and 4 patients, respectively. Duration of bypass and clamp time was comparable to conventional procedures (107 A 34 and 50 A 16 min, respectively). Hospital mortality was 1.2%. Using the da Vinci telemanipulation system, remote mitral valve repair was successfully performed in 13 of 15 patients. CONCLUSION: Robotic-assisted less invasive mitral valve surgery has evolved to a reliable technique with reproducible results for primary operations and for reoperations. Robotic assistance has enabled a solo surgery approach. The combination with radiofrequency ablation (Mini Maze) in patients with chronic atrial fibrillation has proven to be beneficial. The use of telemanipulation systems for remote mitral valve surgery is promising, but a number of problems have to be solved before the introduction of a closed chest mitral valve procedure.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Transport stress--consequences for bacterial translocation, endogenous contamination and bactericidal activity of serum of slaughter pigs.

On transport and at the abattoir animals are confronted with a lot of stressors, such as sound/noise, crowding/mixing, pollutants and infectious agents that act on the organism. After transport stress an endogenous contamination is often seen in slaughter carcasses and presents a hazard for the consumer. These events are often correlated with a rise in endotoxin level (Misawa et al., 1995; Morales et al., 1992) and a modified immune response. Previous own investigations confirm this hypothesis (Zucker and Krüger, 1998, Seidler et al., 2000). The attempt was made to investigate the impact of selected stressors (short term transport (1 h), long term transport (7-8 hrs), high temperature, high humidity and intense handling/moving) on bacterial translocation, endogenous contamination, endotoxin levels and bactericidal activity of body fluids.

Abattoirs↗