Can the adapted arcometer be used to assess the vertebral column in children?

BACKGROUND: The adapted arcometer has been validated for use in adults. However, its suitability for use in children can be questioned given the structural differences present in these populations. OBJECTIVE: To verify the concurrent validity, repeatability, and intra- and inter-reproducibility of the adapted arcometer for the measurement of the angles of thoracic kyphosis and lumbar lordosis in children. METHOD: Forty children were evaluated using both sagittal radiography of the spine and the adapted arcometer. The evaluations using the arcometer were carried out by two trained evaluators on two different days. In the statistical treatment, the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), Pearson's product moment correlation, Spearman's rho, the paired t test, and Wilcoxon's test were used (α=.05). RESULTS: A moderate and significant correlation was found between the x-ray and the adapted arcometer regarding thoracic kyphosis, but no correlation was found regarding lumbar lordosis. Repeatability and intra-evaluator reproducibility of the thoracic kyphosis and lumbar lordosis were confirmed, which was not the case of inter-evaluator reproducibility. CONCLUSION: The adapted arcometer can be used to accompany postural alterations in children made by the same evaluator, while its use for diagnostic purposes and continued evaluation by different evaluators cannot be recommended. Further studies with the aim of adapting this instrument for use in children are recommended. .

Identification by computer sequence analysis of transcriptional regulator proteins in Dictyostelium discoideum and Serratia marcescens.

We have performed computer searches in the database of known protein sequences for proteins similar in sequence to bacteriophage regulatory proteins of known 3-D structure. The searches are more selective than other methods due to the use of a length-dependent threshold in sequence similarity, above which structural homology is implied with high certainty. Two probable DNA binding proteins were identified which are predicted to have a three-dimensional structure very similar to bacteriophage cro and repressor proteins. Approximate three-dimensional model coordinates are available from the authors. Both proteins contain the helix-turn-helix sequence motif typical of a wide class of DNA binding proteins and their function is deduced by analogy to sequence-similar proteins of known function. We predict that the Y.Smal protein in the restriction-modification enzyme gene locus of the enterobacterium serratia marcescens is a regulator of endonuclease expression; and, that the vegetative specific gene VSH7 of the slime mold dictyostelium discoideum codes for a regulator of gene expression specific for the slime mold growth phase before the onset of the developmental program. Point mutations that would have a strong effect on growth regulation phenotype are suggested. The VSH7 protein would be the first eukaryotic representative of the cro/phage repressor class.

Structural studies of acidic polymers produced by the O23 reference strain of Serratia marcescens: presence of amide-linked glutamic acid.

The major fraction of an acidic galactoglucomannan present in lipopolysaccharide extracts from cell walls of the O23 reference strain of Serratia marcescens has the tetrasaccharide repeating-unit shown. In a minor fraction, L-glutamic acid was amide-linked to about half of the D-glucuronic acid residues. The possible contributions of the acidic polymers and a neutral polymer produced by the organism to cross-reactions with other serogroups are discussed.

Structure of a neutral glycan isolated from the lipopolysaccharide of the reference strain for Serratia marcescens serogroup O22.

Both a neutral and an acidic polymer have been isolated from a lipopolysaccharide extract of the reference strain for Serratia marcescens serogroup O22. The neutral polymer has a linear structure with the repeating unit shown. The same tetrasaccharide unit also forms the backbone of the branched neutral polymer isolated from the reference strain for serogroup O10, which cross-reacts strongly with O22. ----2)-alpha-L-Rhap-(1----2)-alpha-L-Rhap-(1----3)-alpha-L-+ ++Rhap-(1----3)-alpha- D-GlcpNAc-(1----

Phase II trial of Serratia marcescens extract in recurrent malignant astrocytoma.

Nineteen assessable patients with recurrent malignant astrocytomas who had failed standard therapy (surgery, radiation, and/or chemotherapy) were treated on a phase I-II trial with a biologic extract of Serratia marcescens (ImuVert; Cell Technology, Boulder, CO) a new biologic response modifier (BRM). Two complete responses (CRs) were seen, of 63 and 77+ weeks duration. One minor response (MR) occurred, of 6 weeks duration. There were four additional stable (S) patients, with durations of 58+, 39, 12, and 7 weeks. Median time to progression and median survival in the CR plus MR patients were 63 and 129+ weeks, respectively. Overall, median time to progression and median survival were 12 and 19 weeks, respectively. Three patients are alive greater than or equal to 2.5 years from study entry. Common toxicities included transient (less than 72 hours) tenderness, induration, and erythema at the injection sites. Systemic toxicities were less frequent and included fever, chills, nausea/vomiting, headache, arthralgia, and hypotension. The response rate (CR plus MR) to this new BRM is modest (16%). However, the observation of CRs in patients with advanced recurrent malignant astrocytomas, with acceptable overall toxicity, warrants further study of this agent.

Numerical analysis of SDS-PAGE protein patterns of Serratia marcescens: a comparison with other typing methods.

Twenty-five cultures comprising 18 clinical isolates of Serratia marcescens from two hospitals, the type strain of S. marcescens, two reference strains of S. marinorubra, the type or a reference strain of three other Serratia species and a reference strain of undetermined species, were characterized by one-dimensional sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) of whole-cell proteins. The protein patterns were highly reproducible and were used as the basis of a numerical analysis which divided the clinical isolates into eight protein types. Comparison with O-serotyping indicated that the level of discrimination by SDS-PAGE was similar. As with O-serotyping, a secondary scheme, such as phage typing, is necessary to differentiate strains of the same protein type. We conclude that high-resolution SDS-PAGE of proteins provides an effective adjunct to other methods for typing isolates of S. marcescens.

Column liquid chromatography of endotoxins.

A new, fast and highly reproducible column liquid chromatographic method was elaborated for the analysis and small-scale preparative isolation of endotoxin from Serratia marcescens Bizio (ATCC No. 264). This procedure detects contaminants of such preparations with high sensitivity and it is capable of separating them from endotoxic components. Extensive heterogeneity of both 5% trichloroacetic acid and phenol-water-extracted endotoxin preparations was recorded. Heterogeneity among the endotoxic components of purified preparations could also be detected by this method. Measurements of biological activities, such as Limulus amoebocyte lysate activation, lymphoblastogenesis (mitogenicity) and tumor necrosis factor (TNF) liberation were carried out on the chromatographically separated fractions. During these studies, non-toxic but in vitro TNF-generating components of crude endotoxin extracts were also detected.

Numerical analysis of electrophoretic periplasmic protein patterns, a possible marker system for epidemiologic studies.

The whole-cell and periplasmic protein (PP) compositions of 22 Serratia marcescens isolates were examined. Numerical analysis of whole-cell protein patterns was not a useful procedure for measuring relationships between organisms at the subspecific level. However, there was a very good correlation between electrophoretic PP pattern results and those obtained previously from multilocus enzyme electrophoresis (electrophoretic type) and biotype (D. Gargallo-Viola, J. Clin. Microbiol. 27:860-868, 1989). Clustering of isolates by using PP patterns compared by coefficients based on peak position (Dice coefficient) gave more precise information than that obtained by correlation coefficients. PP patterns appeared to be a useful tool that may be of value for epidemiologic studies.

Structure of the O-specific galactan from the lipopolysaccharide of the reference strain for Serratia marcescens serogroup O24.

The putative O-specific polysaccharide for Serratia marcescens serogroup O24 is a galactan with a branched, trisaccharide repeating-unit of the structure shown. The structure of the backbone is identical to that of the linear galactans isolated from the reference strains for S. marcescens serogroups O16 and O20, presumably accounting for the serological cross-reactions observed. (Formula: see text)

Structures of neutral glycans isolated from the lipopolysaccharides of reference strains for Serratia marcescens serogroups O16 and O20.

Neutral polymers have been isolated from the lipopolysaccharides of the reference strains for Serratia marcescens O16 and O20, serogroups which exhibit significant cross-reactivity. Both organisms produce a galactan with the disaccharide repeating-unit shown, and which apparently accounts for the serological observations. The same galactan has also been reported as the O4-specific polysaccharide of Pasteurella haemolytica. In S. marcescens O16, the galactan is apparently accompanied by a polymer of 2-substituted beta-D-ribofuranosyl residues.

Automated analysis of 35-S-methionine labeled proteins by SDS-PAGE as a typing method in a suspected cluster of Serratia marcescens.

During a nine-month period in 1986, we observed five ornithine decarboxylase-negative isolates of Serratia marcescens from four different patients. All isolates were identical in more than 50 biochemical parameters. Four isolates from three hospitalized patients were essentially identical in their susceptibility patterns to 12 antimicrobial agents. Analysis of 35-S-methionine labeled whole cell proteins by SDS-PAGE with the AMBIS system (Automated Microbiology System Inc., San Diego, CA) suggested that only three of these isolates were identical while the fourth hospital strain was more closely related to the isolate of a patient with no contact to the hospital. These results were confirmed by bacteriocin- and serotyping. We conclude that analysis of these protein patterns--which does not require special reagents - was an adequate method for typing S. marcescens.

Structural studies of an acidic galactoglucomannan from the O3 reference strain (C.D.C. 863-57) of Serratia marcescens.

A partially acetylated acidic galactoglucomannan has been isolated from the lipopolysaccharide of the O3 reference strain (C.D.C. 863-57) of Serratia marcescens. By means of n.m.r. spectroscopy, methylation analysis, and degradative studies, the polymer was found to have the branched pentasaccharide repeating-unit shown. The position(s) of partial acetylation were not determined. Although the polymer is believed to confer O specificity on the parent organism, it is probably not an integral component of the lipopolysaccharide. (Formula: see text).

Structural studies of a neutral polymer (the putative O10 antigen) isolated from the lipopolysaccharide of Serratia marcescens strain C.D.C. 1287-54 (O10:H8).

A neutral glucorhamnan has been isolated from the lipopolysaccharide of the O10 reference strain (C.D.C. 1287-54) of Serratia marcescens. By means of n.m.r. spectroscopy, methylation analysis, and degradative studies, the polymer (the putative O-specific antigen) was found to have the branched, pentasaccharide repeating-unit shown. (formula; see text).

Structural studies of an acidic galactoglucomannan from the O15 reference strain (C.D.C. 4523-60) of Serratia marcescens.

Both neutral and acidic polymers have been isolated from the lipopolysaccharide extract of the reference strain (C.D.C. 4523-60) for Serratia marcescens serogroup O15. By means of n.m.r. spectroscopy, methylation analysis, and studies of degradation products, the acidic polysaccharide was shown to have a branched pentasaccharide repeating-unit with the following structure. (Formula: see text)

Augmentation of natural killer cell activity by ImuVert: a biological response modifier derived from Serratia marcescens.

The natural killer (NK) cell activity of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from healthy human volunteers was studied following in vitro incubation with ImuVert, a biological response modifier derived from the bacterium Serratia marcescens. Exposure of these cells to ImuVert for as little as 10 minutes followed by an additional incubation in vitro of at least 12 hours and optimally 18 hours resulted in a substantial, consistent, and dose-dependent augmentation of NK cell activity against K562 tumor cells. Additional studies indicate that the augmented cell expressed the leu 11 cell surface marker and that peripheral blood monocytes were essential in the induction of augmented NK cell activity but were not the effector cell of NK activity.

A protein associated with prodigiosin formation in Serratia marcescens.

A protein associated to prodigiosin formation was found in Serratia marcescens. The protein was not found in nonpigmented strains and was correlated with the pigment level. The protein was about 100 kilodaltons (kDa) and was also found in nonpigmented bacteria of the pigmented strain grown in glucose medium, at high temperature, or under anaerobic condition. The 100 kDa protein was found not in the outer membrane and the periplasm, but in the inner membrane and/or the cytoplasm. The protein was also found singly or dominantly in pigment-protein complexes and pigment-localizing vesicles described in previous reports. These results suggest that the 100 kDa protein is associated with prodigiosin formation.

Comparison of multidimensional scaling and principal component analysis of interspecific variation in bacteria.

Multidimensional scaling (MDS) and principal component analysis (PCA) were applied to bacterial taxonomy. The biochemical profiles of 42 isolates consisting of four species of Enterobacteriaceae were used. Both MDS and PCA use proximity measures such as the correlation coefficient or Euclidean distance to generate a spatial configuration (map) of points in multidimensional space where distances between points reflect the similarity among isolates. Multidimensional scaling and principal component analysis were able to discriminate organisms in two dimensions. The test components of the MDS and PCA factors (derived variables composed of linear combination of biochemical tests) were different for a two-dimensional solution.

Structural studies of an acidic galactomannan from the reference strain for Serratia marcescens serogroup O4.

An acidic, partially acetylated galactomannan has been isolated from the lipopolysaccharide of the reference strain (C.D.C. 864-57) for Serratia marcescens serogroup O4. From the results of methylation analysis, Smith degradations, and n.m.r. spectroscopic studies of the O-deacetylated polymer, it was concluded that the repeating unit has the structure shown, in which the acetal-linked pyruvic acid has the R configuration. The polymer is believed to confer O specificity on the organism, but not to constitute the side chain of the lipopolysaccharide. (formula; see text).