Measurement of the in-medium K0 inclusive cross section in pi(-) -induced reactions at 1.15 GeV/c.

The K0 meson production by pi(-) mesons of 1.15 GeV/c momentum on C, Al, Cu, Sn, and Pb nuclear targets was measured with the FOPI spectrometer at the Schwer-Ionen-Synchrotron accelerator of GSI. Inclusive production cross sections and the momentum distributions of K0 mesons are compared to scaled elementary production cross sections and to predictions of theoretical models describing the in-medium production of kaons. The data represent a new reference for those models, which are widely used for interpretation of the strangeness production in heavy-ion collisions. The presented results demonstrate the sensitivity of the kaon production to the reaction amplitudes inside nuclei and point to the existence of a repulsive KN potential of 20+/-5 MeV at normal nuclear matter density.

Nuclear stopping from 0.09A to 1.93A GeV and its correlation to flow.

We present a complete systematics (excitation functions and system-size dependences) of global stopping and side flow for heavy ion reactions in the energy range between 0.09A and 1.93A GeV. For the heaviest system, Au+Au, we observe a plateau of maximal stopping extending from about 0.2A to 0.8A GeV with a fast drop on both sides. The degree of stopping, which is shown to remain significantly below the expectations of a full stopping scenario, is found to be highly correlated to the amount of side flow.

Azimuthal dependence of collective expansion for symmetric heavy-ion collisions.

Detailed studies of the azimuthal dependence of the mean fragment and flow energies in the Au+Au and Xe+CsI systems are reported as a function of incident energy and centrality. Comparisons between data and model calculations show that the flow energy values along different azimuthal directions could be viewed as snapshots of the fireball expansion with different exposure times. For the same number of participating nucleons more transversally elongated participant shapes from the heavier system produce less collective transverse energy. Good agreement with Boltzmann-Uehling-Uhlenbeck calculations is obtained for a soft nuclear equation of state.

Reaction and response of newborn guinea pigs to experimental Salmonella typhi infection.

Newborn guinea pigs, orally infected with Salmonella typhi were examined at various intervals of time in order to determine bacterial distribution in tissues and to establish possible correlation with the clinical aspects manifested. Histopathological examination evidenced typical lesions in jejunum, ileum, caecum and especially in regional lymphatic tissues. Spleen, liver and mesenteric lymph nodes presented granulomatous lesions similar to those observed in in human typhoid fever. After oral administration, the animals reacted with anorexia, febrile reactions, bacteremia, diarrhoea, positive stool cultures, dehydration, lethargy and antibodies too were produced. Our results indicate that typhoid infection may be induced in newborn guinea pigs; the model may be used for an assessment of attenuated live typhoid vaccine control.

Immunoprotection of guinea pigs against experimental acute pyelonephritis after the administration of Escherichia coli purified fimbriae.

Experimental results of the present study evidenced the following aspects: a) the antigen, prepared from type I Escherichia coli purified fimbriae (H. 2946 strain), induced immunity at urinary tract level; b) the immunoprotection induced by oral vaccination with multiple doses of fimbriated antigen produced a significant decrease of acute pyelonephritis in newborn guinea pigs and at the same time, a local protection of the urinary tract; c) the immunoprophylaxis by vaccine prepared from fimbriae represents a preferential solution for urinary tract infections prevention in general and especially in children; d) the frequency distribution differences between "protected" and "non-protected" animals were evaluated by chi-square--test with YATES correction and proved to be statistically significant at probability levels.

Investigations on the efficacy of monovalent Pseudomonas aeruginosa vaccine for oral administration in Pseudomonas aeruginosa experimental infection.

Therapeutic efficacy of Pseudomonas aeruginosa vaccine for oral use (10(10) killed germs/ml), prepared from strain 4922, belonging to serotype XV, by Meitert-Meitert scheme, on 4 experimental models in mice (pneumonia, infected burn, septicaemia and urinary tract infection) was studied in comparison with monovalent Ps. aeruginosa vaccine serotype XV (10(9) killed germs/ml) for subcutaneous use and also with associated administration of the two vaccine variants. Mice immunization by using vaccine for oral use was performed by 0.5 ml vaccine per day, for 10 days and vaccine for subcutaneous use was administrated in a volume of 0.5 ml x 2, at 3 days interval. Mice immunization by using the two vaccine types, in association was concomitantly performed and in the same quantity as for separate immunization. In experimental pneumonia, Ps. aeruginosa vaccine for oral use protected mice in 35% of cases, those with infected burns were protected in 33.3% of cases, those with septicemia--in 96.6% of cases and those with urinary tract infection in 50% of cases. As compared to Ps. aeruginosa vaccine for subcutaneous use, the results obtained by vaccine for oral use are less favourable but associated administration of both vaccine variants led to superior results. Thus, in experimental pneumonia, it was obtained a surviving rate of 65% for animals immunized with both vaccine types, in comparison with 50% for animals immunized with vaccine for subcutaneous use only, and in Ps. aeruginosa infected burn, it was obtained a recovering rate of 79.1% for the animals immunized by using both vaccines, in comparison with 70.8% surviving for animals immunized with vaccine for subcutaneous use. In experimental septicaemia and urinary tract infection, combined use of both vaccine variants determined animals surviving and recovering in percents similar to those obtained by separate administration of vaccine for subcutaneous use (in septicemia--100% protection; in urinary tract infection--75% protection).

[The dynamics of antibodies with IgD-class cardiolipin and treponemal group specificity in syphilis assessed quantitatively by radial immunodiffusion]. / Dinamica anticorpilor cu specificitate cardiolipinica si treponemica de grup din clasa IgD in sifilis, estimata cantitativ prin imunodifuzie radiala.

150 sera (positive at the VDRL, ELISA-Reiter, FTA-ABS tests) were tested by IDRS for the IgD quantification in syphilis. They were collected from men, 25-45 years old, in different stages of the disease, treated or not. The reference normal values for the seric IgD were established on 154 sera taken from men, 25-45 years old, apparently healthy: 0-131.2 UI/ml, with an average of 29.92 +/- 29.61 UI/ml. The IgD values with cardiolipin or group treponemal specificity were obtained from the difference between the values of the immunodiffusion diameters produced by sera, before and after the complete absorbtion with VDRL antigen or delipidated treponemal suspension. The individual values for each serum, mean +/- SD, and the percent values against the total IgD, for each stage of the disease were calculated. The medium levels of the total IgD range within normal limits, except for epsilon 2, where they are considerably higher than normal (52.53 +/- 26.66 UI/ml). All the individual minimal values, between 7.09 and 14.89 UI/ml, are higher than the normal minimal values, under 3.54 UI/ml. Treponemal IgD are present in all the sera in all stages of the disease and the cardiolipin IgD are completely absent. The mean values of the treponemal IgD are about 7-9 UI/ml, with a maximum of 19.3 UI/ml in epsilon 2. A higher percent of treponemal IgD is found, around 30%, with a maximum of 36.7% in epsilon 2. The high percent of the treponemal IgD in epsilon latent and epsilon treated persistent positive shows a continuous activation of the circulating B lymphocytes by the treponemal antigens and therefore an active infectious process. The exclusive presence of the treponemal IgD in all the cases of syphilis, irrespective of the evolution stages, indicated the extremely specific diagnosis value of their detection.