Microcalorimetric investigations in polluted surface waters (author's transl)

The hygienic control of polluted surface waters has to be correlated with measurements of the decomposition rate of heterotrophic microbial populations. Starting in 1970 different methods have been tested for this purpose. Uptakekinetic studies of radioactive labelled substrates as well as automated BOD-registrations can not be handled as flow systems. Flow-Microcalorimetry (heat-conduction-principle) could be an easier approach to test the activity of heterotrophic aquatic populations. Probes from a trickling-filter outflow, from an oxidation pond and from a small river were tested simultaneously in a Flow-Microcalorimeter (LKB, 2107, Fig. 1) and a Drop-Microcalorimeter (WADSO, 1974 (fig. 2)) after adding 200 mug/L of Glucose. The resulting voltage/timecurves (Fig. 4,5,6) show a good correlation to the heterotrophic capacity of the probes. The minimal detectable continnous heat effect was 1 muW corresponding to a (relative) activity of 5.6-10(4) bacterial colonies/ml on Difco agar (counts after 48 hours incubation at 22 degrees C incubation temperature). A modification of the Flow-Microcalorimeter using a 5-10 times larger reaction vessel could enable the system to be used also in testing scarcely polluted surface waters and for toxicity tests of surface water samples.     

Microbiological investigations in tamponades after tympanoplasties (author's transl)

In 100 cases microbiological examinations of removed tamponades after tympanoplasties were performed. This paper is concerned with the question, whether there is a correlation between the preoperative status of the middle-ear-mucosa and the postoperative bacterial flora.     

Ophthalmic and orthoptic investigations in the kindergarten (author's transl)

Recent observations of about 4000 children within the age of two to seven years are reported. It seems to be very useful to do all examinations such as visual acuity, cover-test and stereo-test in familial surroundings by experienced investigators. A survey of visual acuity, squint and stereopsis of all children is given in detail as well as an outline of the consequences of this study to the public health welfare.     

Methods and technique of investigations in the course of sport activities of children (author's transl)

In order to carry out investigations in the course of sport activities of children an efficient telemetering device is essential, which can also be used on children. The Kinderspital Salzburg has developed a telemetry system in cooperation with the Technische Versuchs- und Forschungsanstalt der Technischen Hochschule Wien and the Messerschmitt-B?lkow-Blohm-Werke München. For the first time in this field a Pulse Code Modulation (P.C.M.) System was utilized, implying high accuracy on data transmission and recovery as required for scientific examinations. The children's physical capacity is determined on a bicycle ergometer, and the performance measured in this fashion is then compared with the performance achieved in sport.     

Urodynamic investigations. Volume/flow and pressure/flow relationship in children (author's transl)

Subject of the report are urodynamic investigations in 122 children with a normal urinary tract and in 168 children with disturbances of the subvesical outflow. The children were divided into four groups corresponding to age and sex. Measuring methods were uroflowmetry and cystometry. The latter was performed with small urethral plastic catheters 1,5 mm in diameter. In comparison with the investigations without catheter our measured values show a revoked or distinctly decreased dependence of the maximal urinary flow on the micturition volume. This behaviour can be explained by an approximately maximal widening of the subvesical outflow tract due to the obstructive effect of the catheter. The pressure/flow relations confirm this behaviour. They correspond to those of a rigid tube with individual constant diameter. This condition permits a good comparison between the measured values and an accurate separation between normal and pathologic cases. Normal ranges of the pressure/flow relations at the moment of maximal flow were calculated and presented by diagrams. Pathologic micturitions can be differentiated and classified by such diagrams. Among the various urodynamic methods the uroflowmetry has a good diagnostic value in boys. With the urethra resistance relation PQmax/Qmax2 a subvesical obstruction may be recognized in both sexes. A better assessment of the functional obstructive effect with regard to compensation and decompensation is only possible with the demonstrated pressure/flow diagrams.     

Biomechanical investigations of the liver capsule (author's transl)

The strain properties of geometrically defined specimens of human, pig, and bovine liver capsule were analysed in vitro by applying histomechanical procedures. The dynamic relaxation correlates with the static relaxation under sinus shaped strain process after previous additional predetermined increase in length. If such a process occurs in the linear region of the stress-strain curve, the relaxation process continues on a new level even if the amplitude of the sinus length-time input function is augmented. The same experiment causes in the lower non-linear region of the stress-strain relation the so-called asymmetric amplitude phenomenon. Further histomechanical features of the liver capsule obtained after defined length-time input functions such as relaxation, static isorheological line, dynamic isorheological curve, increase of the vertices of the dynamic force-time function after static relaxation and dynamic force recovery curve are shown. The phase shift between force and lenth is pointed out. The significance of the biomechanical properties of the liver capsule under physiological and pathological conditions is discussed.     

Results of hygienic investigations in hospitals and their consequences (author's transl)

In all parts of the hospitals examined results were found, which demonstrated, in part considerable, gaps in the hygienic systems. Therefore the enforcement of the following measures must be emphatically postulated: - Development of hospital hygiene plans by competent experts in cooperation with the doctors and nurses in charge. - Foundation of commissions for hygiene, who are responsible for preventive measures and for the establishment of a survey of hospital infections. - Delegation of the internal control of hospital hygiene to a person experienced in that field without other functions. - Renovation of supplementation of the technical hygienical facilities especially in old hospitals.     

The pharmacokinetics of isoniazid in children (author's transl)

The purpose of this study, which involved 134 children aged between 0.5 and 17 years, was to investigate the metabolism of isoniazid (INH) in children and to provide guide-lines for dosage. The distribution of slow (55,5%) and fast (44,5%) acetylators was the same in children as in adults. However, the mean of INH inactivation index were lower (0.23 and 0.48) while distribution volumes, (1.30 +/- 0.06 and 1.57 +/- 0.17 1/kg) and total plasma clearances (5.39 +/- 0.43 and 14.7 +/- 1.5 ml/Kg/min) were higher than in adults. Plasma half-lives were similar in children and adults. These results indicate that INH is more rapidly metabolized in children owing, it is suggested to a higher liver weight : body weight ratio and to a more pronounced first pass effect. The doses of INH therefore must be higher in children and strictly adapted to each individual.     

Cranial axial computerized tomography in children (author's transl)

This report on computerized tomography in 400 children confirms the high diagnostic value of the new method in neuropediatrics. 31 brain tumours were diagnosed in children. Tumors present themselves as lesions of latered density compared to that of brain matter. Intravenous injection of contrast media increases the density of various lesions as tumors, angiomas, acute infarctions and abscess. Infarctions are low density lesions whereas hemorrhage is a high density lesion and both are thus safely differentiated. Edema may be visualized in the vicinity of tumours in brain injuries and in encephalitis. The normal ventricular system, hydrocephalus, cerebral malformations and subdural hygroma are easily demonstrated. Diseases of the orbits may also be detected.     

Analytical investigations of the delta-endotoxin of Bacillus thuriginiensis (author's transl)

Biochemical properties of the crystalline delta-endotoxin of Bacillus thuringiensis, such as stability and solubility in different solvents, were investigated. The dissolved compounds were characterized by gel-electrophoresis and gel-filtration. Covalent and non-covalent bonds are responsible for the crystallisation of the protein molecules. The solubilisation of crystals with non-enzymatic solvents led to high molecular weight products (MW greater than or equal to 800,000) and to components with a molecular weight less than or equal to 10,000. Only the high molecular weight compounds showed toxic activity. The enzymatic degradation of the protein crystals yielded components with molecular weights of greater than or equal to 800,000, 250,000, 100,000, and less than or equal to 10,000. Again, the fraction less than or equal to 10,000 showed no toxic activity. Digestion of the crystals with proteases isolated from the gut juice of Pieris brassicae resulted in a highly toxic fraction with a molecular weight of 100,000. This component, which is resistant to further degradation, appears to be the toxic unit of the protein crystal.     

Biochemical and serological investigations of flagellae of Campylobacter fetus (author's transl)

Flagellae of Campylobacter fetus group O, types 1, 2 and 7 were prepared. First they were separated from cell bodies using an ultramix. The suspension was then centrifuged for 20 mins. at 10000 rpm and the supernatant frozen at -40 degrees C. This is a simple method for the enrichment of preparations of flagellae, as they become tangled up and accumulate in the inferior third part of the frozen liquid. The physicochemical basis of this phenomenon was discussed. After thawing and spinning for 20 mins. at 5000 rpm, the sediment was suspended in 0.9% of NaC1. The purity of the preparation was checked by electron microscopy. Antibodies to this antigen showed no cross-reaction with O-Antigen, when tested by tube agglutination. The amino acid composition of flagellae from different O-antigen serotypes was different (see Tab. 1). Cysteine could not be detected and proline only in traces. After breakdown with urea followed by gel filtration on Sephadex G 200, breakdown products of diminishing molecular size were obtained (see Fig. 2). Discelectrophoresis after ultrasonic gave 8 zones (see Fig. 3). Irrespective of serotype, thin-layer chromatography of trypsin-hydrolysed flagellae always showed 9 ninhydrin-positive spots (see Fig. 1). Only breakdown products of ultrasonic reacted with antibody. After absorption of flagellar antibody with heterologous antigen, agglutination only occurred with homologous antigen (tab. 2-5). This showed that there were different flagellar antigens. Further experiments using immunoprecipitation demonstrated two common antigenic components, a and c, and a partially common antigenic factor bb (Fig. 4), and was the basis for a classification by three groups. The three antigenic components could be separated by gel electrophoresis and detected by immunoprecipitation (Figs. 5,6).     

Effect of cardiac catheter investigations and angiocardiography on enzyme activity in serum (author's transl)

The serum activities of LDH, alpha-HBDH, CK, GOT and GPT wer investigated in 124 patients who had undergone cardiac catheterization with angiocardiography or coronary angiography. The determinations were made before and 2, 16 and 40 hours after the investigation. There was no significant influence on the enzyme activities. Lengthy intracardial catheter manipulation, trans-septal puncture and ventriculography may cause transient clinically unimportant increases in activity, especially of CK within normal limits. Distinctly pathological enzyme values were only measured in individual cases of intramyocardial contrast media depots after ventriculogram.