Am J Hosp Pharm, 1978 Mar, 35(3), 317 - 20 Review of gentamicin therapy based on pharmacokinetics; Wareham DV et al.; The feasibility of using pharmacokinetic estimations of drug serum levels to evaluate gentamicin use was explored . A consecutive series of 40 adult patients who received nonprophylactic "piggyback" gentamicin therapy was retrospectively evaluated . Traditional factors in the evaluation of antibiotic use, such as identity of microbe and sensitivity to antibiotic, were monitored . Additionally, peak and trough drug serum levels were computed for each patient . These were compared with toxic serum levels and minimum inhibitory concentrations as reported in the literature . Certain factors, such as duration of therapy and existence of alternate antibiotic therapy, suggested less than optimal therapy in the study patients . However, computed serum levels revealed that the patients experienced both safe and effective peak and trough gentamicin levels . Only with the use of pharmacokinetic estimations of drug serum levels could a comprehensive conclusion be reached regarding the appropriateness of therapy . Gentamicin therapy was generally rational in the study group . The use of pharmacokinetic principles in the calculation of serum levels may be a useful tool in drug use studies. Am J Hosp Pharm, 1978 Mar, 35(3), 312 - 7 Study of particulate matter in carbenicillin disodium using scanning electron microscopy and microbeam x-ray spectrography; Bollinger RO et al.; A scanning electron microscopy membrane filtration study was conducted to determine the particulate contamination of samples of carbenicillin disodium which had been manufactured by bulk filling and by lyophilization . The bulk-filled product contained more contaminating particles than the lyophilized product . In both products, the number of particles increased logarithmically with decreasing particle size in the range measured (exceeding 0.1 micron) . X-ray spectrographic analysis of particles larger than 0.5 micron revealed that the major particulate contaminates in both products were composed primarily of elements below atomic number 10 . It is concluded that packaging of carbenicillin disodium by lyophilization of a solution results in significantly less submicrometer particulate contamination than packaging by sterile bulk filling of spray-dried powder. Antibiotiki, 1978 Mar, 23(3), 219 - 22 {Determination of the microbial contamination of tablets of tetracycline series antibiotics}; Klimov NE et al.; The experiments showed that the method of direct plating of tetracycline tablet suspensions on solid nutrient media containing magnesium sulfate may be used for determination of microbial contamination . The method provided determination of both the antibiotic resistant and the antibiotic sensitive organisms which may be present in the drug . Dilution of the basic suspensions increased the probability of the microbe detection in the tablets. Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1978 Feb, (2), 97 - 100 {Increased invasiveness as one of the manifestations of phenotype variability of the plague microbe in fleas}; Voronova GA et al.; Experimental studies conducted on genetically connected virulent subcultures of Y . pestis showed that the death of albino mice infected by flea bite occurred earlier than in the animals infected by a syringe subcutaneously . A high invasiveness of Y . pestis subcultures isolated from fleas (in comparison with the initial strains and subcultures from the animals) persisted for 2--3 passages in their cultivation on artificial nutrient media. Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1978 Feb, (2), 93 - 7 {The role of lemmings in natural tularemia foci of arctic regions}; Algazin IP et al.; The presence of Taimyr of independent natural tularemia foci of tundra type was revealed on the basis of isolation of tularemia causative agent from lemmings and the objects of external environment and detection of a specific antigen in the pellets of birds-myophages and mummified cadavers of animals . Possible ways of circulation of the microbe in the lemming population are discussed. Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1978 Feb, (2), 130 - 2 {Phagocytability of Pseudomonas pseudomallei}; Iliukhin VI; Experiments were conducted on the cell culture of macrophages of animals significantly differing by the extent of resistance to melioidosis; the presence of correlation between the extent of the animal natural immunity and the intensity of dying of the microbes in the test system was demonstrated . The causative agent of melioidosis proved to be more resistant to phagocytosis with guinea pig macrophages than E . coli . Ps . aeruginosa and A . mallei . It was impossible to establish any relationship between the efficacy of phagocytosis by animal macrophages and the virulence or morphology of the colonies in the Ps . pseudomallei species. J Speech Hear Disord, 1978 Feb, 43(1), 96 - 105 Analysis of abnormal articulatory dynamics in two dysarthric patients; Hirose H et al.; By means of pellet tracking techniques using an X-ray microbeam system, observations of the articulatory movements of various types of dysarthric subjects were conducted . In selected cases, electromyography (EMG) was also performed . The data were specifically examined for range, velocity, and consistency (reproducibility) of the movements of the articulators, as well as the pattern of coordination of the different articulators involved . It was found in the case of ataxic dysarthria of cerebellar origin, for example, that the dynamic patterns were best represented as a difficulty in the initiation of purposeful movements and an inconsistency of articulatory movements, particularly in the repetitive production of a monosyllable . On EMG, breakdown of the rhythmical patterns in the articulatory muscles was quite obvious in the repetition of a monosyllable . In the case of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), decrease in the range and velocity of movements was noted . This resulted from reduced neuromuscular units (NMU) activities manifested in clinical EMG . Analysis of the dynamic aspects of the dysarthrias is a promising approach for elucidating the nature of central problems of speech production and for a differential diagnosis of various types of dysarthrias. Clin Exp Immunol, 1978 Feb, 31(2), 281 - 90 Enhancement and inhibition of immunological mechanisms by immunosuppressive agents . I . Dose effect on priming and generation of memory to a bacterial antigen; Macario AJ et al.; A new experimental system is described which allows the study of the effect of immunosuppressors upon the priming and generation of memory to an antigen from Escherichia coli . A single dose of bacterial beta-D-galactosidase without adjuvant injected into C57B1/6J mice primes and elicits memory but not antibodies . Thus by administering immunosuppressors near the priming injection, one can examine whether primary antibody formation is enhanced and whether priming generation of memory is enhanced or inhibited . We found that X-rays, cyclophosphamide and oxisuran (2-{(methylsulfinyl)acetyl}pyridine) either enhance or inhibit the elicitation of memory, depending on dosage, although they do not alter primary antibody unresponsiveness . The data show two main features: (a) immunosuppressors can enhance immunization; and (b) generation of memory can be improved without increasing antibody levels . The former finding draws attention to the role that immunosuppressors might play in the breaching of tolerance to self-antigens which share determinants with microbes, while the latter observation shows that antibody synthesis and elicitation of memory can follow independent pathways. Antibiotiki, 1978 Feb, 23(2), 171 - 3 {Testing the sterility of injection preparations of penicillin series antibiotics}; Chaikovskaia SM et al.; The efficiency of 3 variants of the method for determination of microbial flora was compared on the injection preparation of potassium benzylpenicillin artificially infected with Staph . aureus 209P and the spores of Bac . subtilis ATCC 6633 in different doses and with different amounts of the preparation in the vials . The procedure of the preparation dissolution in the vial with the thioglycol medium containing penicillinase proved to be most effective . The microbe detection amounted to 100 per cent . The procedure was less labour- and time-consuming since addition of penicillinase to each vial with the thioglycol medium was excluded . The risk of the medium occasional infection with microbial flora during the assay was decreased. Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1978 Feb, (2), 111 - 5 {Exploration of natural foci of tularemia and plague in Armenia using the serological examination of bird droppings and excrements of predatory mammals}; Dobrokhotov BP et al.; Forty strains of tularemia and 619 of plague microbes were isolated in 1974 in bacteriological examination of natural plague and tularemia foci from a great number of small mammals and their ectoparasites . At the same time in serological examination (in the antibody neutralization test) of bird pellets, 52 mummified cadavers, and 34 excretion samples of mammalian beasts of prey collected in Armenia (its central and North-Western part) in 1973 the antigen of tularemia microbe was revealed in 73, 8, and 3, and of plagye--in 42, 5, and 1 cases, respectively . In one of the sites examined the number of positive findings failed to exceed 10--17%, this indicating a low intensity of the epizootic in the majority of the places . Judging by the mean titres of the serological test, which varied from 1:12 to 1:1428 in examination for tularemia and from 1:12 to 1428 in examination for plague, it was possible to detect both epizootics coursing during the examination, and those which occurred several monts ago . Tularemia and plague foci were not infrequently present at the same territories, and these diseases could involve the same individual animals of Microtus arvalis (Pall.) . The data obtained pointed to the greater effectiveness of examination of bird's pellets and excretions of mammalian beasts of prey for the reconnaisance investigation of the natural foci of plague and tularemia in comparison with the bacteriological methods applied usually. Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1978 Feb, (2), 61 - 4 {Effectiveness of the tularemia-antibody erythrocyte diagnostic agent for the detection of specific antigen and antibodies to it}; Shmuter MF et al.; The authors demonstrated the efficacy of utilization of tularemia antibody erythrocytic diagnostic agent . Data are presented indicating a strict specificity and a high sensitivity of this diagnostic agent for detection of the Vi-antigen both in the tularemia microbe cultures and in the suspensions of the organs of rodents which perished of tularemia, irrespective of the state of cadaver . There was revealed relationship between the sensitivity of the diagnostic agent and the virulence of the tularemia microbe cultures . A possibility of using the diagnostic agent in the antigen neutralization test for detection of specific antibodies in the sera of patients, who sustained the disease, and of the vaccinated humans and animals was revealed. Parazitologiia, 1978 Jan-Feb, 12(1), 27 - 30 {Epizootiological importance of Frontopsylla hetera (Siphonaptera) fleas in the Gorno-Altai natural plague focus}; Iakuba VN et al.; Experiments conducted during all seasons have established that F . hetera, one of the mass species of fleas in Mountain Altai, can be infected both by the strain of selective virulence typical to this nidus and by the non-typical non-virulent mountain-altai strain of plague agent . The non-virulent strain does not form in fleas the block of proventriculus and within 1.5-2 months they become free from the microbe . At the infection with the typical strain of the altai subspecies rare transmissions of the agent to Pallas' pika can take place as well as its long preservation in fleas. Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1978 Jan, (1), 110 - 5 {Formation of increased delayed hypersensitivity to the microbial antigen in animals preliminarily sensitized with pollen}; Ermekova RK et al.; Combined forms of allergy to the wormwood pollen and brucellae was experimentally reproduced . Guinea pigs were sensitized primarily with the wormwood pollen, and in 3 weeks, 2 and 4 weeks with brucellae, in addition . Preliminary (2 and 4 weeks before brucellae administration) sensitization with the said pollen aided accelerated and marked formation of delayed allergy to the microbial antigen . The effect of intensification of microbial allergy was temporary . In administration of the microbes directly after the pollen allergen no significant influence of the latter on the formation of allergic reactivity to brucellae was noted. Genetika, 1978, 14(1), 175 - 6 {Induction of auxotrophy in the brucellosis microbe under the effect of N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguannidine}; Medvedenko NP et al.; Mutagenic activity of N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine with respect to Brucella melitensis was studied . In the course of this study the method of obtaining auxotrophic brucella mutants was elaborated . Numerous assortiment of auxotrophic mutants of different types was obtained . In a number of cases the acquisition of auxotrophy was accompanied by profound changes of the strain, such as the changes in morphology of colonies, in the biochemical activity, in the capacity of agglutination and in the virulence. Cytobios, 1978, 22(86), 97 - 104 Protoplast formation and the visualization of nuclei in the eukaryotic microbe, Achlya; Schafrick MT et al.; Protoplasts have been released form 21 h germlings of the aquatic fungus, Achlya . The commercial enzyme preparation Driselase was utilized to digest the hyphal walls . Protoplast release began 20 min after incubation at 25 degrees C, and was completed by 2 hr after enzyme addition . The fluorescent dye mithramycin was utilized to observe nuclei both in tract hyphae and in isolated protoplasts. CRC Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr, 1978, 11(1), 1 - 40 Orange juice quality with an emphasis on flavor components; Kealey KS et al.; This review studies the chemistry of the flavor of citrus juices with emphasis on the components of the flavor of orange juice and their origin in the different parts of the orange fruit . Citrus processing and the nature of the various products as they affect flavor are discussed . The composition of peel oil, aroma oil, orange juice, orange essence, and orange essence oil is presented . The relationship between flavor and color are discussed and the role of lipid components as they affect flavor stability and off-flavors are described . Spoilage resulting from microbes is briefly treated . The nutritional value of orange juice is cited. J Immunol Methods, 1978, 23(1-2), 59 - 67 A fluorescent immunoassay for the quantification of C-reactive protein; Siboo R et al.; A sensitive fluorescent binding immunoassay (FBIA) was developed for measuring C-reactive protein (CRP), at a level of 20 ng/ml, in human and mouse sera . The advantages of the FBIA over radioimmunoassays are the long shelf-life of the FITC-labelled antibody, the re-use of the antibody bound microbeads, the short assay time and the use of inexpensive instruments. Vopr Med Khim, 1978 Jan-Feb, 24(1), 127 - 31 {Phosphofructokinase activity of the plague bacterium}; Rudnik VS; Synthesis of phosphofructokinase was decreased in pestilential microbe if cultivation temperature was increased from 28 degrees to 37 degrees . Aeration of cultural fluid effected slightly on the enzyme production . Glucose, added to cultural fluid, decreased synthesis of phosphofructokinase in virulent strain and increased it in avirulent one . Phosphofructokinase activity from pestilential microbe was inhibited by ATP, citrate, 3-phosphoglycerate, by Ca2+ and Mn2+ . AMP and lesser ADP reduced the effect of ATP and citrate on the enzyme, but when ATP was maintained in reaction mixture at non-inhibitory concentration these substances decreased phosphofructokinase activity. Morphol Embryol (Bucur), 1978 Jan-Mar, 24(1), 65 - 8 Immunomorphological reactivity of the intrapulmonary lymphoid tissue; Gadaleanu V et al.; Young albino rats were repeatedly stimulated by a pulverized suspension of living pneumococci and others by intramuscular injection of killed microbes emulsified in complete Freund adjuvant . The bronchus associated lymphoid nodules increase in size and number; the proximal nodules contain one more follicle with germinal centers formed of pyroninophilic lymphoblasts and plasma cells at the periphery . The follicular organization and the pyronine - plasma cells differentiation point out the ability of these nodules to elaborate a local immune response to antigenic stimulation. J Hyg Epidemiol Microbiol Immunol, 1978, 22(4), 415 - 20 Very low frequency and small intensity electromagnetic and magnetic fields as an oecological factor; Achkasova YN et al.; The effect on microorganisms of electromagnetic and magnetic fields (EMF, MF), the frequency and intensity of which were similar to natural ones, was studied . They were found to influence the physiology of bacteria . Changes in the rate of proliferation of microbes, in their susceptibility to antibiotic the frequency of formation of recombinants and partial diploids during conjugation of colibacterium were observed during cultivation in these fields. J Cell Biol, 1977 Dec, 75(3), 977 - 82 Continuation of mitosis after selective laser microbeam destruction of the centriolar region; Berns MW et al.; The centriole regions of prophase PTK2 cells were irradiated with a laser microbeam . Cells continued through mitosis normally . Ultrastructural analysis revealed either an absence of centrioles or severely damaged centrioles at the irradiated poles . Microtubules appeared to focus into pericentriolar cloud material. Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1977 Dec, (12), 48 - 54 {Soluble surface antigens of virulent Sh . sonnei}; Kovalevskaia IL et al.; The authors conducted an immunochemical analysis of the surface soluble antigen preparations (SSAP) obtained by extraction with physiological saline of the virulent Sh . sonnei microbes killed with acetone . Immunochemical studies by the immunoelectrophoresis and immunodiffusion methods in agar gel, separation on sepharose 4B and in polyacrylamide gel showed the presence of 3 groups of the antigens in the SSAP composition: 1) protein antigens, determining the commonness with the Sonne microbes of the II phase and intergenera associations with typhoid and enteropathogenic E . coli; 2) specific somatic antigen of the Boiven type present in small amounts in the SSAP; 3) specific antigens differing by specificity from the Boiven antigen detected in the microbes of the I phase only and possibly playing a role in the virulent and immunogenic properties of the causative agent. Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1977 Nov, (11), 128 - 32 {Immunogenicity and toxicity of soluble trichloroacetic acid precipitate from pertussis microbes and its fractions}; Bazhanova IG et al.; The authors studied the biological properties of the preparations of pertussis protective antigens obtained by the disintegration of the microbial mass of Bordetella pertussis, with the subsequent purification with trichloracetic acid (TCA-preparations) . TCA-preparations proved to possess a stable protective activity and by the ratio of the protective dose to toxic and histamine-sensitizing doses considerably exceeded the corpuscular vaccine . A TCA-preparation fraction with a greater immunogenic activity than the initial preparation was obtained by chromatography on sepharose 4B. Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1977 Nov, (11), 116 - 20 {Membrane antigens of the agents of glanders and melioidosis}; Alekseev VV et al.; Double immunodiffusion in gel test was used to determine the antigenic composition of the preparations of membranes isolated from the lysozyme spheroplasts of glanders (strain No . 10230) and melioidosis (strain No . C-141) causative agents . The membranes of these microbes proved to contain antigens of cell walls, lipopolysaccharides and the thermolabile membrane antigen proper . A study of antimembrane sera in the agglutination and immunofluorescence tests demonstrated a heterogeneity of the glanders and melioidosis strains under study by the membrane thermolabile antigen. J Infect Dis, 1977 Oct, 136(4), 510 - 8 Correlation of metabolic and chemiluminescent responses of granulocytes from three female siblings with chronic granulomatous disease; Allen RC et al.; Polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNL) from children with atypical chronic granulomatous disease (CGD), their mother and siblings, and normal controls were studied in regard to glycolytic and hexose monophosphate shunt activities in the resting, methylene blue-stimulated, and phagocytizing states . PMNL from the patients with CGD had normal glycolytic and hexose monophophate shunt activities in the resting state and after stimulation with methylene blue . However, stimulation of the hexose monophosphate shunt after phagocytosis was greatly decreased . These data were correlated with studies of both initial rate and integral counts of chemiluminescence . The chemiluminescent response from patients with atypical CGD was also greatly decreased . This decreased response probably reflects a defect in the oxidative destruction of the phagocytized microbe and correlates well with the decreased activity of the phagocytically activated hexose monophosphate shunt . The defect in generation of radical species of oxygen, singlet oxygen, and chemiluminescence by leukocytes from patients with CGD is discussed. Am Ind Hyg Assoc J, 1977 Oct, 38(10), 554 - 9 Airborne micro-organisms and prevalence of byssinotic symptoms in cotton mills; Cinkotai FF et al.; The concentration of airborne microbes, their endotoxins and the prevalence of byssinotic symptoms among workers were measured in the cardrooms of seven cotton spinning, a wool spinning and two cotton waste mills and in a dusty workroom of a group of five willowing mills, a tea-packing plant and a pipe tobacco factory . The concentration of microbes cultured on endoagar plates were found to correlate with byssinosis prevalence (r greater than 0.95, P less than 0.001) . The concentration of nutrient agar microbes correlated with prevalence less well (r greater than 0.77, P less than 0.01) and that of fungi and endotoxins not at all. Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1977 Oct, (10), 104 - 7 {Cytopathic effect of the tularemia microbe on a culture of peritoneal macrophages}; Maslova TN et al.; Morphological analysis of the process of interaction of tularemia microbe strains differing by virulence with macrophages demonstrated that all these strains produced a lethal effect on macrophages obtained from the animales sensitive to the infection . The macrophages obtained from the animals were but little sensitive to tularemia and were resistant to the action of the causative agent of this infection . The data obtained led to a supposition on the presence in the tularemia causative agent of a factor responsible for its lethal action on the macrophages. J Cell Physiol, 1977 Oct, 93(1), 99 - 104 Alteration of membrane electrical activity in rat myocardial cells following selective laser microbeam irradiation; Kitzes M et al.; Laser microirradiation of neonatal rat (1 to 2-day-old) ventricular cells in tissue culture results in overt changes in contractility . The intracellular study of their ongoing electrical activity prior to, during, and after laser microirradiation demonstrates that definite membrane alteration occurs concomitantly with induced contractile responses . Although all ventricular cells are depolarized by laser microirradiation, the ultimate response elicited seems to differ according to the type of myocardial cell impaled . Typical fibrillation potentials were induced mainly in pacemaker cells. J Gen Physiol, 1977 Oct, 70(4), 453 - 90 Restrictions on rotational and translational diffusion of pigment in the membranes of a rhabdomeric photoreceptor; Goldsmith TH et al.; Individual, isolated rhabdoms from dark-adapted crayfish (Orconectes, Procambarus) were studied with a laterally incident microbeam that could be placed in single stacks of microvilli . Concentration gradients of metarhodopsin along the lengths of microvilli were produced by local bleaches, accomplished by irradiation with small spots of orange light at pH 9 in the presence of glutaraldehyde or formaldehyde . No subsequent redistribution of pigment was observed in the dark, indicating an absence of translational diffusion . On the basis of comparison with other systems, glutaraldehyde, but not formaldehyde (0.75%), would be expected to prevent diffusion of protein in the membrane . Under the same conditions photodichroism is observed, indicating an absence of free Brownian rotation . Photodichroism is larger in glutaraldehyde than in formaldehyde, suggesting that the bifunctional reagent quiets some molecular motion that is present after treatment with formaldehyde . Quantitative comparison of photodichroism with mathematical models indicates that the pigment absorption vectors are aligned within +/- 50 degrees of the microvillar axes and are tilted into the surface of the membrane at an average value of about 20 degrees . The photoconversion of rhodopsin to metarhodopsin is accompanied by an increase in molar extinction of about 20% at the lambda maxand a reorientation of the absorption vector by several degrees . The transition moment either tilts further into the membrane or loses some of its axial orientation, or both . The change in orientation is 3.5 time larger in formaldehyde than in glutaraldehyde. Arch Toxicol, 1977 Sep 21, 38(1-2), 141 - 7 The role of mammals in the future of chemical mutagenesis research; Russell WL; Radiation genetics has demonstrated that mutagenesis is a complex process affected by many factors . The ABCW hypothesis, that mutation frequency per rad over a wide range of organisms, from microbes to man, is linearly related to DNA content, ignores the fact that, within the mouse alone, different cell stages exhibit a range of mutation rates greater than that listed for the whole evolutionary tree . Also ignored are the findings that the important effects of dose rate and some other factors in the mouse were not predictable even from Drosophila . A much greater maze of complexities has already been found in chemical mutagenesis . This is illustrated even by the results obtained from testing of a single drug . Thus, it is clear that the attempt to extend the ABCW hypothesis to chemicals will be of little, if any, predictive value . Similarly, such concepts as the REC (roentgen-equivalent-chemical), designed to express the mutagenic risk from a chemical by a single unit quantitatively related to radiation damage, are defeated by the extreme qualitative differences in response . Unifying theories and simple non-mammalian tests that reliably predict the results in mammals cannot be expected to materialize until much more information has been collected on transmitted mutations induced in mammalian germ cells. Can J Microbiol, 1977 Sep, 23(9), 1201 - 13 Ultrastructural characterization of goblet-shaped particles from the cell wall of Flexibacter polymorphus; Ridgway HF; The ultrastructure of submicroscopic goblet-shaped particles ("goblets') from the cell wall of the marine-gliding microbe Flexibacter polymorphus was investigated . The goblets, which were partially purified by CsCl density-gradient centrifugation, were rich in protein, exhibiting a single absorption maximum in the ultraviolet at about 276 nm; they also contained a small amount of carbohydrate . As determined by electron microscopy, goblets negatively contrasted with ammonium molybdate were about 30 nm in diameter by 36 nm in length . When viewed in profile, each apparently consisted of five morphologically distinct kinds of components: the C-1, C-2, and C-3 subunits which formed the cup-shaped moiety of the goblet; a globular base unit; and a tubular stem-like structure connecting the cup with the base unit . In addition, a long fiber emerged from the interior of some goblets . The fine structural evidence suggested that goblets may be constructed from three stacked subunit rings (each composed of repeating C-1, C-2, or C-3 protomers) arranged concentrically . X-ray images of a clay model closely resembled electron micrographs of negatively stained goblets; thereby lending support to the proposed structure . It is speculated that goblets function in vivo as macromolecular pores through the outer membrane which mediate extrusion of extracellular fibers, possibly of importance in gliding motility or in attachment of cells to solid surfaces. Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1977 Sep, (9), 89 - 93 {Value of the immunological indicators in the study of the health status of the chemical industry workers}; Ivashina SA et al.; The use of some humoral, cellular and barrier immunity indices in the examination of practically healthy persons having an occupational contact with the complex of pesticides and grisine, an antibiotic intended for fodder revealed the presence of changes in various non-specific immunological reactivity links . The detected changes in the indices of the ingestive and digestive function of neutrophils could be interpreted as a compensatory reaction of the organism in response to the action of chemical agents, whereas reduction of lysozyme content and the appearance in the microbial pattern of deep dermal layers of mannite-splitting and hemolytic froms of microbes pointed to the presence of the first unfavourable shifts in humoral and barrier immunity factors . The indices of immunobiological reactivity were found to be sufficiently sensitive and could be used as auxillary tests of prenosological diagnosis of pathology of chemical etiology. Am J Pathol, 1977 Sep, 88(3), 741 - 51 Phagocytosis . Clinical disorders of recognition and ingestion; Stossel TP; Tentative conclusions concerning the role of recognition and ingestion of microorganisms by phagocytes in host defense and the consequences of disorders of phagocytosis can be derived by correlating a) knowledge about recognition and ingestion derived from studies in vitro, b) investigations of the clearance of particulate matter from the circulation of animals and man, and c) analyses of the behavior of phagocytes in patients susceptible to recurrent pyogenic infections . Deficiency of the major serum recognition-conferring (immunoglobulins and complement proteins that deposit a fragment of C3 on microbes) prevents the optimal clearance of virulent encapsulated pathogens by fixed mononuclear phagocytes . Confrontation of phagocytes with particulate matter appearing in pathologic states (viruses, immune complexes, damaged erythrocytes in sickle cell anemia and other hemoglobinopathies) diverts them from their normal task of clearing opsonized encapsulated microorganisms . Corticosteroids impair the phagocytic capacity by an unknown mechanism . Major impediments to progress in this field are inadequate assays for phagocytosis and the difficulty in measuring phagocytosis in the intact organism. Science, 1977 Jul 22, 197(4301), 379 - 81 In vitro growth of Mycobacterium lepraemurium, an obligate intracellular microbe; Dhople AM et al.; By using an ultrasensitive technique to measure adenosine triphosphate in terms of functional biomass, we have confirmed that Mycobacterium lepraemurium (the agent of rat leprosy and a classical obligate intracellular microbe) grows in vitro in the Nakamura system . By using a sulfhydryl-containing medium that ocupies 65 to 75% of the culture tube volume, together with the five supplements recommended by Nakamura, we have obtained growth rates some eight times above the original . The new physicochemical environment and the use of adenosine triphosphate as an index of energy status in the presence and absence of growth provide a basis for investigating the physiology and growth of other noncultivated microbes. Biull Eksp Biol Med, 1977 Jul, 84(7), 53 - 6 {Nitrazepam metabolism in the intestines of white rats}; Golovenko NIa et al.; Nitrasepam is transformed to amino and acetamide derivatives in the rat intestine . Reduction of nitrasepam and its following acetylation in the duodenum and small intestine are catalyzed by the mucosal enzymes . In the cecum and the large intestine these processes are mediated through the action of the microbes and tissue enzymes, whereas in the rectum--through the microbes only. Biull Eksp Biol Med, 1977 Jul, 84(7), 70 - 2 {Cytopathogenic effect of E . coli cells containing heterogeneous human O(H) type antigen on human cells in culture}; Kochergina NI et al.; Interaction of two enteropathogenic strains E . coli O55-K59 and human Hela cells containing O(H) isoantigen was studied . When E . coli strain No . 5789 containing heterologic antigen O(H) was added to HeLa cell culture the cytopathogenic effect with the microbial doses of 2 X 10(10), 2 X 10(5), 2X 10(4) was revealed on the third day of the interaction . A dose of 2 X 10(3) of E . coli microbes gave no such effect . Strain No . 3827 containing no heterologic antigen of ABO type failed to exert any cytopathogenic effect with maximal, mean, and minimal doses of the microbes . It is assumed that the cytopathogenic effect of strain No . 5789 is connected with the presence of the strain antigen identical to the group antigen of the human cell culture under study. Antibiotiki, 1977 Jul, 22(7), 634 - 9 {Spheroplasts of plague microbe strains from the Transcaucasian uplands and their capacity for pesticin synthesis}; Gramotina LI et al.; Spherical formations of the plague microbe strains from the Transcaucasian Upland, I plague microbe strain of the sandwort variety and I strain of the marmot variety were obtained under the effect of lithium chloride . They had the remains of the cell wall, were viable, sensitive to osmotic shock, preserved sensitivity to the specific bacteriophage and pesticins . All this was evident of isolation of the spheroplasts of the plague microbe . The spheroplasts showed a capacity for pesticin production . The pesticin synthesis by the spheroplasts of the plague causative agent from the Transcaucasian Upland increased with an increase in the content of lithium chloride in the medium . The largest inhibiiton zones were observed, when 0.7-0.8 per cent of lithium chloride were present in the medium . In the spheroplasts of the plague causative agent from the Mountain Altai (the marmot variety) the pesticin synthesis was inhibited with an increase in the content of lithium chloride in the medium . The activity spectrum of the pesticins of the spheroplasts of the plague causative agent from the Transcaucasian Upland and the spheroplasts of the strains of the marmot and sandwort varieties was broader than that of the rod-like forms of these strains . The indicator properties were found in the strains of the plague microbe of the marmot and sandwort varieties with respect to the pesticins of the spheroplasts of the sel-like producing organisms and organisms from the Transcaucasian Upland. Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1977 Jun, (6), 74 - 7 {Sensitivity of repair-defective mutants of the plague microbe to the action of physical and chemical agents}; Temiralieva GA et al.; By the character of the sensitivity of UV-irradiation, to N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine, 5-bromuracil, mitomycin C, crystalviolet, and by the capacity to restore phage injuries the 1435-A and 1435-24 mutants were referred to the uvr-hcr-, 17 mutant--to the uvr-hcr+, and 35 mutant--to lon genotype . As a result of UV irradiation the experimental strains formed heteromorphic forms of bacteria, spindle-shaped, filamentous cells, were sensitive to the action of static electrical field of high frequency, this pointing to disturbance of cellular membranes structure in these mutants. J Antibiot (Tokyo), 1977 Jun, 30(6), 439 - 42 A new antibiotic, platenocidin; Honke T et al.; A new antibiotic named platenocidin was isolated from the culture broth of Streptomyces H 273 N-SY2 and the producting microbe was classified as Streptomyces platensis . Platenocidin gives 5-hydroxymethyluracil by acid or alkaline hydrolysis and can be considered to belong to one of the nucleoside antibiotics . The antibiotic inhibits the growth of certain species of yeasts, but not that of bacteria. Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1977 Jun, (6), 119 - 21 {Several features of the antigenic structure of Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus}; Ibragimov FKh et al.; A method of growing Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus (Bdv) based on the use of the host microbe in the state of reduced vital activity permitted to obtain Bdv cultures which could be used for the preparation specific antisera . Immunochemical analysis of 4 Bdv strains showed them to possess individual antigenic components localized in the alpha 2-globulin zone . Testing 17 Bdv strains isolated from natural water bodies showed 11 of them to form precipitation lines with the antisera to 4 Bdv strains. J Cell Physiol, 1977 Jun, 91(3), 409 - 16 Electron microbeam analysis of calcium distribution in the ciliated protozoan, Spirostomum ambiguum; Osborn D et al.; Electron microprobe analyses of calcium distribution in the ciliated protozoan, Spirostomum ambiguum, indicated several calcium rich sites . One site was an endoplasmic distribution of calcium coincident with phosphorus which corroborates previous findings of hydroxyapatite deposits within Spirostomum . These apatite deposits were distributed throughout the endoplasm, but not within the nuclei or the contractile vacuole . Calcium was also detected within the cortical region . Cortical calcium was in greater concentration in the anterior portion of the organism and decreased towards the posterior end (region containing the contractile vacuole) . Phosphorus and potassium were also detected as gradients from the anterior end, whereas magnesium was detected in the same density throughout the cortical region . Line scans of cortical regions suggested (1) distributions of calcium within mitochondria and/or vesicles, and (2) calcium associated with bundles of microfilaments. J Antibiot (Tokyo), 1977 Jun, 30(6), 500 - 5 On RNA-polymerases of leukemia L 1210 origin and an enzymatic method to screen antitumor antibiotics; Sakano K et al.; Four DNA-dependent RNA-polymerases were separated from the cell homogenate of moust leukemia L1210 cell by DEAE-cellulose column chromatography and tentatively designated as Peaks I, II, III and IV in the elution order . Peak II was inactivated by the addition of alpha-amanitin and effects of antibiotics and enzymes on the RNA-polymerase activity using Peaks, I, II and a mixture of Peaks I and II were examined . The RNA-polymerases were used to screen for enzyme inhibitors produced by microbes . This enzymatic method was successfully proved to select antitumor antibiotics. Parazitologiia, 1977 May-Jun, 11(3), 268 - 70 {Flea Ceratophyllus fasciatus as the vector of the Altai-mountain strain of plague microbe}; Iakuba VN et al.; The work was conducted with a typical strain of the plague agent, which is virulent to white mice and little virulent to guinea pigs (subcutaneous infection), and with C . fasciatus . The fleas of this species can be infected, form the block of proventriculus within 4 to 35 days, transmit the agent during bloodsucking to healthy animals and cause the death both white mice and guinea pigs. Antibiotiki, 1977 May, 22(5), 447 - 9 {Experimental study of the mutagenic activity of gentamicin sulfate in relation to the causative agent of plague}; Kondrat'eva OV et al.; Gentamicin sulfate was studied with an aim of obtaining mutants of the plague microbe with a changed character of requirements in the growth factors . The antibiotic provided a high yield of auxotrophic mutants and induced streptomycin resistance in some cells . Mutants with single dependence on arginine, leucine, histidine and uracyl were most often . Comparison of the data obtained with gentamicin and those obtained with other chemical mutagens showed that gentamicin by its mutagenic activity was only slightly inferior than the preparations of the group of supermutagens. Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1977 May, (5), 55 - 8 {Ultrastructural changes in plague microbes, strain EV, and splenic cells of guinea pigs in their interaction in vitro}; Isupov IV et al.; Dilatation of the endoplasmic reticulum cavities, an increase in the number of ribosomes near bacteria, deformation of mitochondria and coarsening of cristae were revealed in phagocytosis of Past . pestis, strain EV, by reticular cells in the tissue culture of the spleen of intact guinea pigs . Lipophanerous "reticular" inclusions were found in the differentiated reticular cells of the infected cultures . In the reticular cell cytoplasma besides the intact bacteria there were revealed Past . pestis at the initial stages of involution. Antibiotiki, 1977 May, 22(5), 433 - 7 {Effect of the cultivation conditions of Candida species yeast-like fungi on their sensitivity to levorin}; Vasil'eva NG et al.; The effect of levorin on yeast-like fungi under (different) cultivation conditions was studied . It was shown that the medium composition and incubation temperature affected the results of determination of the test-culture sensitivity to levorin . There was correlation between the time of the population lag-phase and the critical time of the zone formation and these values depended on the temperature of the test-microbe vegetation . Strain 037 of C . utilis was more sensitive to levorin and had a longer lag-phase as compared to the other species of the yeast-like fungi, which provided favourable conditions for formation of the growth inhibition zones. Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1977 May, (5), 58 - 62 {Immunochemical study of the antigenic structure of microbes of the genus Bordetella . 5 . Fractionation of the extracts of the parapertussis microbes and the study of the immunochemical and biochemical properties of the isolated fractions}; Samsonova VS et al.; Fractions responsible for the main part of the serological and immunogenic activity differing by the set of antigens were isolated from the salt extracts of parapertussis microbes by gel-filtration on Sephadex G-100, ion exchange chromatography on DEAE-cellulose, and preparative electrophoresis in agar . Fractions, disclosing a sufficiently high serological activity and possessing the immunological properties, but containing the minimal set (2--3 out of 7) antigens, which were included in the initial extract, were isolated in the agar gel in the use of the preparative electrophoresis method. Antibiotiki, 1977 Apr, 22(4), 348 - 53 {Effect of several antibiotics and their combination with prodigiozan on Y . pestis EV, engulfed by macrophages}; Popova GO et al.; The effect of various antibiotics, such as streptomycin, gentamicin, ampicillin, benzylpenicillin, tetracycline, chlortetracycline and levomycetin on the plague bacteria (strain Y . pestis EV) located inside the cells was studied . Peritoneal macrophages of albino mice with aceptic inflammation of the abdominal cavity caused by intraperitoneal administration of 2 ml of sterile meat-peptone broth were used in the experiments . The ratio of the macrophages and microbes was 1 : 50 . A part of the mice were treated with prodigiozan 24 hours before taking the exudate . The preparations of the macrophages of albino mice with the microbes absorbed by them served as the control . The effect of the antibiotics and their combinations with prodigiozan was stimated by the coefficient of multiplication suppression against the control . The observations were made in dynamics . The studies showed that the macrophage activity of the mice treated with prodigiozan after exposure to the antibiotics was reliably higher than that in the control and digestion of the microbes located inside the cells started earlier, providing more complete phagocytosis. Antibiotiki, 1977 Mar, 22(3), 229 - 33 {Deacylating activity of sera as a cause for the ineffectiveness of the treatment of experimental plaque in white mice with benzylpenicillin}; Mishan'kin BN et al.; It was shown that serum of albino mice infected with plague microbe cells inactivated benzylpenicillin . Such deacetylating activity reached its peak by the 3rd day and after that decreased reaching by the 5th--7th day the level registered in non-infected animal and being apparently of non-specific character . Ampicillin proved to be 2 times more resistant to the effect of serum acylase as compared to benzylpenicillin . It was supposed that the ability of serum of infected animals to inactivate benzylpenicillin by splitting off phenylace acid was the cause of ineffective treatment of experimental plague of albino mice with comparatively low doses of the drug. Infect Immun, 1977 Mar, 15(3), 828 - 33 Evaluation of serum opsonic capacity by quantitating the initial chemiluminescent response from phagocytizing polymorphonuclear leukocytes; Allen RC; Phagocytically activated polymorphonuclear leukocytes produced a chemiluminescence that could be correlated metabolically with the stimulated oxidation of glucose via the hexose monophosphate shunt, The chemiluminescence observed was considered to originate from the relaxation of electronically excited carbonyl groups produced during singlet molecular oxygen-mediated microbicidal oxidation of the ingested microbe . With adequate adjustment of leukocyte and bacterial concentrations, the rate of chemiluminescence increase was nearly constant for the first minutes after initiation of phagocytosis . This rate was dependent on the quantity of bacteria phagocytized by the leukocytes . If both leukocytes and bacterial concentrations were held constant, this initial rate of chemiluminescence reflected the opsonic capacity of the sera used for opsonization . The prior absorption of opsonins from serum resulted in a decresed rate of chemiluminescence related to the quantity of bacteria used for absorption . Heating of sera to 56 degrees C for 30 min resulted in a great decrease in the chemiluminescent responses and may reflect the role of complement in the opsonization process. Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol, 1977 Mar, 43(3), 436 - 51 Immunologic aspects of pulpal-periapical diseases . A review; Morse DR; The relationship of immunologic concepts to endodontic diseases is discussed . Immunologic mechanisms are considered, including antigens, haptens, antibodies, and cell-mediated responses . Studies of immunologic manifestations in endodontic diseases are given . These include (1) localization of plasma proteins in inflammed human dental pulp, (2) introduction of microbes into animal root canals, (3) introduction of non-microbial antigens into animal root canals, (4) introduction of root canal antigens into human beings, (5) introduction of root canal antigens into animals, (6) studies of "focal" infection, (7) examination of serum antibodies, (8) examination of periapical lesions, and (9) a cell-mediated study . Next, immunologic concepts related to periapical pathosis are considered . Finally, preventive and treatment concepts are reviewed. N Z Med J, 1977 Feb 9, 85(581), 88 - 92 The effect of carpet on the number of microbes in the hospital environment; Bakker PG et al.; Airborne bacteria were found to be present in similar numbers in two blind corridors whether the floors were carpeted or covered with sheet vinyl . Fewer bacteria were found at the ends of each corridor after 3.6m of carpet had been installed at the entrance . There was no difference in the types of organisms isolated from the air or floor with either carpeted or vinyl floor coverings . No statistical correlation was found between the numbers of fibres and bacteria in the air. Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1977 Feb, (2), 108 - 11 {Effect of aerosolization on the biological properties of live plague vaccine}; Evstigneev VI et al.; The authors present the results of experiments on the study of the influence of aerozolation on the biological properties of the microbes of live plaque vaccine . It appeared that its aerozol condition for a period of 10 minutes had no effect on the residual virulence of the microbes, but for a period of 30 minutes--led to an 8-fold fall of the virulence . The immunogenic activity of the live microbes of the vaccine kept at the state of "static" and "dynamic aerozol" for a period of 5 minutes was unchanged. Appl Environ Microbiol, 1977 Feb, 33(2), 363 - 9 Tetrahydrofolate and other growth requirements of certain strains of Ruminococcus flavefaciens; Slyter LL et al.; Two strains of Ruminococcus flavefaciens were studied . Each grew in a chemically defined minimal medium containing: minerals; ammonium sulfate as a nitrogen source; amino acids as a nitrogen source, a growth promotant(s) or as both; cellobiose as an energy and carbon source; isobutyric acid, isovaleric acid, carbonic acid, and bicarbonate as additional carbon sources; and biotin, thiamine, and tetrahydrofolic acid as vitamins . Tetrahydrofolic acid (5 ng/ml) served as a replacement for rumen fluid that was required in previous media tested for the growth of these bacteria . The present bacteria differ from many of the ruminococci previously studied in that they do not require either p-amino-benzoic acid or folic acid but do require tetrahydrofolic acid for maximum growth . Dihydrofolic acid and 5-methyltetrahydrofolic acid can substitute for tetrahydrofolic acid in minimal chemically defined medium . Thus, there must be extensive metabolic interaction between the microbes inhabitating the rumen, because the R . flavefaciens isolated had complex requirements for growth and yet was among the predominant bacteria in the rumen of cattle fed a simple vitamin B-deficient, nonprotein nitrogen, high-fiber, purified diet. J Cell Biol, 1977 Feb, 72(2), 351 - 67 The role of the centriolar region in animal cell mitosis . A laser microbeam study; Berns MW et al.; An argon ion laser microbeam (488 and 514 nm) was used to selectively irradiate one of the two centriolar regions of rat kangaroo Potorous tridactylis (PtK2) prophase cells in vitro . The cells were sensitized to the laser radiation by treatment with acridine orange (0.1-0.2 mug/ml) . Ultrastructural examination of the irradiated centriolar regions demonstrated that the primary site of damage was the pericentriolar material . This result suggests that nucleic acid is present in the pericentriolar material . Behavioral and ultrastructural analysis demonstrated that cells with one damaged pericentriolar zone could undergo (a) nuclear membrane breakdown, (b) chromosome condensation, (c) metaphase plate formation, and (d) cytokinesis . However, the chromosomes neither separated nor exhibited any anaphase movements . Detailed ultrastructural analysis revealed the presence of kinetochore microtubules on both sides of chromosome mass and a lack of microtubules in the cytokinesis constriction . These results indicate that the pericentriolar material is important in spindle orgainization and essential for the formation of the interpolar microtubules. Appl Environ Microbiol, 1977 Feb, 33(2), 450 - 8 Continuous culture of mixed oral flora on hydroxyapatite-coated glass beads; Sudo SZ; Methods for initiating and perpetuating a culture of mixed oral flora on hydroxyapatite (HT)-coated glass beads are described . Preliminary characterization of the resultant flora showed that species common in human dental plaque were present . The composition of the flora could be manipulated by altering cultural conditions . Scanning electron micrographs demonstrated that the microbes grew in densely packed microcolonies on the surface of the HT bead . A procedure for continuous culture of colonized HT beads in glass columns is described . This technique should make it possible to utilize experimental protocols employing continuous or interrupted flow of materials. Histochemistry, 1977 Feb 1, 50(4), 271 - 9 Production of specific antibodies to contractile proteins, and their use in immunofluorescence microscopy . II . Species-specific and species-non-specific antibodies to smooth and striated chicken muscle actin; Groschel-Stewart U et al.; The injection of rabbits with insoluble or soluble G-actin from chicken smooth or striated muscle will produce antibodies that are equally reactive, and species and tissue non-specific in immunoprecipitation, immunofluorescence and actin-activated Mg2+-ATPase inhibition tests . These antibodies have been used for the identification of actin-containing fibrils in a variety of tissues . When G-actins from chicken smooth or striated muscle are immobilized by chemical linkage to Affi-Gel 702 microbeads, their immunogenicity is increased, but the antibodies obtained against them are species-specific and will only react with actin and actin-containing structures from chicken and are therefore limited in use . It is concluded from this work that insoluble G-actin is the preferable immunogen to obtain precipitating antibodies for wide use. Genetika, 1977, 13(3), 518 - 23 {Mutants of the plaque microbe defective in the dark repair system}; Temiralieva GA; The mutants of plague bacteria deficient in dark repair are described . They are sensitive to UV, mitomycin C, polymixin . Mutants have lost the ability to host cell reactivation in phage T7 . The data obtained have shown that the addition of caffeine to the plating medium used to assay post-irradiation viability of UV-sensitive mutants did not influence the survival . Data are also given concerning virulence determinants, biochemical and other properties . The mutants formed P- colonies on hemine medium and Ca+ cells on Higuchi-Smith medium . They are avirulent for albino mice. J Environ Sci Health B, 1977, 12(2), 113 - 27 Metabolism of pentachlorophenol by a soil microbe; Suzuki T; Metabolism of pentachlorophenol (PCP)-ring-14C(U) by a microorganism (Pseudomonas sp.) isolated from soil was examined . The microorganism degraded PCP-14C rapidly, and released 14CO2 equivalent to approximately 50% of the PCP-14c added to the bacterial cell suspension in 1 hour of incubation . The results of amino acid analysis of the bacterial cells incubated with PCP-14C showed that radioactive carbon derived from PCP-14C was incorporated rapidly into the cell constituents, and that the pattern of 14C-amino acids in the cell constituents was not much different between the 15 minute and 24 hour incubation periods . Intermediate metabolities of PCP isolated from the incubation medium were identified as tetrachlorocatechol and tetrachlorohydroquinone by spectral analyses. Antibiotiki, 1977, 22(2), 172 - 7 {Characteristics of the action of antibiotics in an experimental process caused by Cl . histolyticum}; Poliak MS et al.; The cells of Cl . histolyticum isolated from the muscular tissue of albino mice infected with the microbe and treated with oxyglucocycline or cephaloridin were similar to each other and the cells of the initial strain with respect to their morphological features, growth character on liquid and solid media and saccharolytic activity . The strains isolated from the animals treated with oxyglucocycline were characterized by lower gelatinolytic, hemolytic, caseinolytic and (to a less extent) collogenolytic activity . The strains isolated from the animals treated with cephaloridin slightly differed from the initial strain by their cultural properties . The lethal effect of the total toxin of both variants of the strains studied were similar, only the time of the animal's death being different . The data of the study may serve as one of the explanations of various effects of the antibiotics differing in their modes of action on the microbial cell in cases of infection caused by Cl . histolyticum. Zentralbl Bakteriol Parasitenkd Infektionskr Hyg, 1977, 132(5-6), 452 - 60 {Analysis of soil respiration-curves (author's transl)}; Freytag HE; Soil respiration curves, measured under constant conditions, change after an initial phase to a relative steady course . Now there is an adjustment of an ecological equilibrium in the activity of soil microbes . This state of equilibrium is characterized by a linear course of the log CO2 = f(log t)-curves and is named "Grundatmung" (basic respiration) . If this equilibrium ist disturbed by application of primary organic substances or the availability of slowly decomposable organic matter, then microbial growth-phases appear dominating as first-order reactions in the form of increased CO2-delivery . However, in the further course this process changes over again to the state of "Grundatmung".--This linearity of the log CO2 = f(log t)-curves is explained by the existence of a whole series of superimposed first-order reactions, synthetisizing secondary biomasses in the substrate.--This linearity permits a temporary extrapolation of the CO2-release of soils and is important for the quantification of the soil habitat (zoning) mineralisation. Beitr Trop Landwirtsch Veterinarmed, 1977, 15(2), 137 - 46 {Methodical studies on determination of the number of micro-organisms in Cuban soils}; Martinez Viera R; In four Cuban soils (ferrallitic soil, non-calcareous and calcareous brown tropical soil, and fersiallitic sandy soil) the suitability was tested of 7 dispersion solutions and of 4 culture media for determining the total number of bacteria, fungi and actinomycetes . The results were as follows: (1) The dispersion solution and the culture medium most suitable for the most comprehensive determination of the number of microbes is dependent on the physical and chemical soil properties . (2) The optimum combination of dispersion solution and culture medium was found for the various soils as follows: -Na-pyrophosphate in the soil extract and concentrated agar bouillon, respectively, for ferrallitic soils, -Na-K-tartrate solution and concentrated soil extract, respectively, for non-calcareous brown tropical soils, -Na-pyrophosphate solution in water and concentrated bouillon or soil extract, respectively, for calcareous brown tropical soils, -soil extract as a dispersion solution and as culture medium in fersiallitic sandy soils. Zentralbl Bakteriol Parasitenkd Infektionskr Hyg, 1977, 132(5-6), 541 - 3 Enzymatic activity in a semi-gley soil under the floodplain forest in South Moravia; Ambroz Z; In three profiles of a semi-gley soil under the floodplain forest, variations were studied in the activities of invertase, amylase, cellobiase, cellulase, proteases, and phosphatases . In the surface soil layer, enzymatic activity was found affected by the soil moisture at a significant level, whereas in the deeper soil layers the influence of aeration was more effective . Moreover, significant correlations could be detected between the amount of available nitrogen and protease activity, while the water-soluble phosphorus acted as a represeive agent on the activity of phosphatases . Existence of correlations between the numbers of microbes and enzymes could be demonstrated for invertase and protases only. Prog Clin Biol Res, 1977, 13, 157 - 69 Disorders of phagocyte function: biochemical aspects; Quie PG; Intensive laboratory investigation of patients with recurrent infections, and with infections with microbial species not usually considered to be pathogenic, have led to the identification of several defects in granulocyte function . The two functions of granulocytes which have received most attention in the past decade have been locomotion (especially response to chemotactic stimulation) and microbicidal activity . Defective granulocyte chemotaxis has been demonstrated in patients with clinical manifestations suggesting abnormalities related to vasoactive amines, i.e., patients with eczema and extreme IgE hyperimmunoglobulinemia . The depressed granulocyte chemotactic responsiveness found in these patients can be reproduced in vitro when histamine and beta adrenergic agents are incubated with control granulocytes . Since these compounds have been shown to increase levels of intracellular cyclic AMP in other cells, there appears to be an association between cyclic nucleotide metabolism and regulation of granulocyte locomotion . Defective granulocyte microbicidal activity is found in patients with chronic granulomatous disease and it has been shown that there is little increase in oxidative metabolism during phagocytosis by these cells . Methods for quantitating the oxidative metabolism of granulocytes and monocytes include oxygen uptake, reduction of nitroblue tetrazolium, formate oxidation, and chemiluminescence response during phagocytosis . Since products of oxygen metabolism, i.e., hydrogen peroxide, superoxide or singlet oxygen do not accumulate in granulocyte phagocytic vacuoles, intracellular microbes are not killed (except bacterial species that produce hydrogen peroxide) . The biochemical basis for defective oxidative metabolism in granulocytes from patients with chronic granulomatous disease appears to be associated with abnormal nucleotide oxidase activity. Poumon Coeur, 1977, 33(6), 365 - 73 {Mendelson's syndrome}; Auboyer C et al.; Mendelson's syndrome is discussed with a review of the literature and presentation of 27 personal cases studies . Accidental aspiration of gastric fluid occurs primarily during anesthesia, in cranial trauma victims, and in toxic coma patients . Tissue damage is proportional to the acidity and the quantity of aspirated fluid . The initial clinical manifestations are often serious, sometimes leading to acute respiratory distress syndrom with pulmonary edema . Frequent infectious complications, often with anaerobic microbes, are deciding factors in the prognosis . Artificial ventilation with positive pressure (sometimes continuous) is often necessary . Administration of corticosteroids at high doses is likely favorable . Prophylactic administration of antibiotics is initially directed against anaerobic agents . The prevention of this serious syndrome should be a primary concern of anesthesiologists and physicians treating comatous patients. Int J Lepr Other Mycobact Dis, 1977 Jan-Mar, 45(1), 14 - 23 Aids for in vitro Mycobacterium lepraemurium investigations: estimation of oxidation-reduction potentials and pO2 with 2, 6 dichlorophenol indophenol; Graves IL; The partial success in cultivating a "host-dependent" microbe provided the incentive to develop methods which may aid the growth of the organism . The oxidation-reduction potential (ORP) of NC-5, an aerobic, cysteine containing medium which supports the limited in vitro growth of Mycobacterium lepraemurium, is measurable with the redox dye, 2, 6 dichlorophenol indophenol . Both cysteine and autoclaved glucose can be used to adjust to ORP . Glucose autoclaved in phosphate buffer but not in aqueous solutions reduced the dye . The dye was also reduced in glucose solutions by atmospheres containing 10% and 1%-2% pO2 . With exposure to 20% pO2 the reoxidation of the dye was slow but complete . Thus, the dye in glucose solutions provides a general method for estimating pO2 above the level of anaerobiosis . Proper adjustment and monitoring of the ORP and pO2 may enhance growth. Prog Clin Biol Res, 1977, 13, 157 - 69 Disorders of phagocyte function: biochemical aspects; Quie PG; Intensive laboratory investigations of patients with recurrent infections, and with infections with microbial species not usually considered to be pathogenic, have led to the identification of several defects in granulocyte function . The two functions of granulocytes which have received most attention in the past decade have been locomotion (especially response to chemotactic stimulation) and microbicidal activity . Defective granulocyte chemotaxis has been demonstrated in patients with clinical manifestations suggesting abnormalities related to vasoactive amines, i.e., patients with eczema and extreme IgE hyperimmunoglobulinemia . The depressed granulocyte chemotactic responsiveness found in these patients can be reproduced in vitro when histamine and beta adrenergic agents are incubated with control granulocytes . Since these compounds have been shown to increase levels of intracellular cyclic AMP in other cells, there appears to be an association between cyclic nucleotide metabolism and regulation of granulocyte locomotion . Defective granulocyte microbicidal activity is found in patients with chronic granulomatous disease and it has been shown that there is little increase in oxidative metabolism during phagocytosis by these cells . Methods for quantitating the oxidative metabolism of granulocytes and monocytes include oxygen uptake, reduction of nitroblue tetrazolium, formate oxidation, and chemiluminescence response during phagocytosis . Since products of oxygen metabolism, i.e., hydrogen peroxide, superoxide or singlet oxygen do not accumulate in granulocyte phagocytic vacuoles, intracellular microbes are not killed (except bacterial species that produce hydrogen peroxide) . The biochemical basis for defective oxidative metabolism in granulocytes from patients with chronic granulomatous disease appears to be associated with abnormal nucleotide oxidase activity. Antibiotiki, 1977 Jan, 22(1), 13 - 6 {Optimization of conditions for determining the activity of amphotericin B}; Bershtein EM; The effect of incubation temperature, pH and medium composition on the size of the growth inhibitions zones, clearance of their borders and slope of the dose-response curve in determin ation of the biological activity of amphotericin B by the agar-diffusion method using Candida scotti, Tul-1 as the test-microbe was studied . The composition of the medium providing optimal conditions for the activity assay according to the sone size and clearness was developed . When the above medium was used for determination of the biological activity of amphotericin B, the standard deviatioos of the assay results, as well as the average results obtained at an interval of 1 month were 1.5 times lower than with the use of the medium proposed at an interval of 1 month were 1.5 times lower than with the use of the medium proposed in Specification 42 No . 3857-70 . At the same time the average results of the assay on both media coincided. Ciba Found Symp, 1976 Dec 7-9, (51), 249 - 68 Iron status, immune response and susceptibility to infection; Chandra RK et al.; Nutritional factors can modulate immune responses . The concentration of iron, amongst other nutrients, influences host defence mechanisms . In experimentally induced iron deficiency in animals, morbidity and mortality on bacterial challenge are increased several-fold . Cell-mediated immunity and intra-cellular bacterial killing by polymorphonuclear leucocytes are impaired in iron-deficient individuals . This impairment is likely to be mediated by the effect of iron lack on cell proliferation, DNA synthesis and activity of iron-containing and iron-dependent enzymes involved in killing and elimination of microbes . Conversely, the availability of the free iron is a critical determinant for bacterial multiplication . It is not surprising then that epidemiological and clinical data on the frequency of infections--bacterial, fungal and others--in iron-deficient, iron-overloaded and healthy groups differ so widely . Vulnerability to infection based on the individual's iron status must be the net result of the effect of iron, or the lack of it, on microbial growth on the one hand and on immunocompetence of the host on the other . The key to keeping these interactions within physiological bounds is 'optimal iron nutrition'. Biokhimiia, 1976 Dec, 41(12), 2179 - 83 {Chemical composition of surface antigens in the pseudotubercular microbe}; Sidorova VE et al.; Superficially-active complexes, having a toxic effect and promoting generalization of the infestation process in the animal organism have been isolated from the pseudotubercular microbe . The chemical composition of these biopolymers has been studied. J Cell Biol, 1976 Dec, 71(3), 963 - 7 Nucleolus degradation and growth induced by uv-microbeam irradiation of interphase cells grown in culture; Sakharov VN et al.; In contrast to total cell irradiation, local UV-microbeam irradiation can stimulate a significant diminution in the irradiated mature nucleoli in interphase mammalian cells in culture . This diminution is accompanied by the concomitant expansion of the unirradiated nucleoli within the same nucleus, and the total nucleolar volume per nucleus does not change appreciably . It is suggested that these nucleolar volume changes are the result of the dispersion, migration, and redistribution of the nucleolar material between competitive nucleolar organizer regions of the interphase nucleus. Parazitologiia, 1976 Nov-Dec, 10(6), 544 - 9 {Characteristics of digestion of blood of different animals by the flea Xenopsylla cheopis}; Vashchenok VS et al.; Under experimental conditions fleas X . cheopis engorged and assimilated blood of 4 species of rodents, man, pigeon and two species of reptiles . Histological investigations have shown that the structure of food clot, destruction rate of blood cells and general duration of digestion are changed considerably depending on the host's blood . In females the digestion of white mice blood to haematin at 23-24 degrees lasted not over 12 hours, the digestion of blood of hamsters and man - 12 to 20 hours, of guinea pigs and reptiles - 18 to 25 hours and of white rats and pigeons - from 20 to 30 hours . In males the digestion carries out somewhat slower . The above differences in blood digestion can apparently create unequal conditions for pathogenic microbes in the intestine of fleas that affects the preservation and reproduction of the agent in the organisms of these carriers. Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1976 Nov, (11), 103 - 8 {Vaccine from the cell fragments of Bordetella pertussis . I . Protective, sensitizing properties and morphological characteristics of the vaccine}; Zakharova MS et al.; The authors present the results of studying the protective and sensitizing properties of a new preparation made of a ultrasonic disintegrate of pertussis microbes treated by ethyl ether . As shown by electron microscopy, the preparation consisted of the cell wall elements (the membrane), remnants of the cytoplasm and protectosome, i.e . it represented a vaccine consisting of cell fragments . In crude and sorbed condition it possessed marked protective properties (a test on mice) . The content of protective units in the adsorbed preparation increased 1.5-3 times . The vaccine produced no sensitizing action, and its histamine-sensitizing activity was 3-5 times lower by protein and 5-10 times--by IOU than that of the whole-cell vaccine prepared form the same microbial suspension. Arch Dermatol Res, 1976 Oct 27, 256(3), 305 - 17 Degeneration of the Gonococcus (in various media); Olmos L; The ultrastructure of the gonococcus cultivated in different synthetic media and inoculated into the peritoneal cavity of the mouse makes it possible to distinguish the various degenerative morphological states of the microbe . A comparative study of phagocytosis and transformation of the gonococcus by leukocytes together with the changes observed in artificial media discloses a certain resemblance between the different stages of the progression towards L forms . Reversion to normal forms is only possible if gonococcal degeneration has not reached an extreme point and if the new medium compensates for the unfavourable conditions which produced L transformation. Doc Ophthalmol, 1976 Oct 15, 41(2), 205 - 40 Solid tissue model for the standardization of the echo-ophthalmograph 7200 MA (Kretztechnik); Till P; After discussion of the biologic basis of echographic tissue differentiation and of the required standardization of the ultrasonic diagnostic device by means of tissue models (citrated blood), a technical standard is presented . This solid tissue model, which can be used an unlimited number of times, enables the investigator to determine or check the tissue sensitivity of his instrument at any time easily and quickly . The model consists of a synthetic resin (Wacker Silgel 504) to which a certain number of microbeads (glass beads S-100) are added before it hardens . The acoustic properties of this technical standard correspond to those of the biologic standard (citrated blood) including all important factors such as reflectivity, degree of scattering and sound attenuation. In Vitro, 1976 Oct, 12(10), 678 - 81 A cytotoxic substance in insect cell culture spent media; Rechtoris C et al.; Spent media from five different insect cell lines when inoculated into Trichoplusia ni (TN-368) cultures produced cytotoxicity resulting in rounding and detachment of cells . The substance in spent medium from the established cellline Carpocapsa pomonella (CP-169) is believed to be a toxin, based on the failure to serially passage the agent, the early appearance of the cytotoxic effect, and the inability to detect microbes by culturing techniques as well as by electron microscopy . The ability to extract the toxic substance from CP-169 cells indicates that it is cell associated . Biophysical and biochemical properties of the CP-169 cytotoxin are presented. J Cell Physiol, 1976 Oct, 89(2), 345 - 53 Argon laser microirradiation of mitochondria in rat myocardial cells in tissue culture . VII . fibrillation in ventricle and auricle cells; Waymire K et al.; Rat myocardial cells in vitro were irradiated in individual mitochondria with an argon ion laser microbeam . The contractile respone termed fibrillation in single and multicellular groups of both ventricle and auricle cells were compared . Specific correlations were made between fibrillation duration, the number of cells in the group, and the number of times the cells had fibrillated . Correlations were also made for the number of laser shots needed to induce fibrillation and the number of cells in the group . Another set of correlations were made between the pre-irradiation beat frequency and the beat frequency following recovery . Several differences and similarities of the above parameters were detected between auricle and ventricle cells . A comparison of the morphology and ultrastructure of auricle and ventricle cells also revealed significant differences. Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1976 Oct, (10), 102 - 6 {Enhancement of toxin production and sporogenesis in Cl . tetani 471 cultures under the influence of endogenous metabolites}; Korovina VP et al.; A study was made of the dynamics of the population quantity, the delicate morphology of the bacterial cells and the toxin formation in the Cl . tetani 471 cultures grown in fluid nutrient medium with caseine hydrolysate in the industrial 100-litre reactors and under laboratory conditions . Endogenous metabolites contained in the filtrates of the periodic Cl . tetani 471 cultures which reached the phase of accelerated death were capable of enhancement of the toxin formation when introduced in the amount of up to 1 : 100 at the beginning of the exponential growth of the same cultures in the reactors . The growth of the some oligosporogenic strain in the filtrates of the periodic cultures obtained at the beginning of the stationary phase or of the accelerated death phase was characterized by a slower increase in the vegetative cell count, by enhanced spore-formation and by the second, after the initial, increase in the concentration of the microbes partially connected with the spore vegetation. Tsitologiia, 1976 Sep, 18(9), 1111 - 4 {Local unscheduled DNA synthesis following irradiation of a portion of mitotic chromosomes or interphase nucleus with UV microbeam}; Sakharov VN et al.; Part of mitotic chromosome sets of the metaphase or anaphase SPEW mammalian cells were irradiated with an ultraviolet microbeam, and the subsequent incorporation of H3-thymidine into the postmitotic daughter nuclei was studied by autoradiography . The located areas of the unscheduled DNA synthesis were detected in these nuclei . This synthesis was likely to be due to repair process at the sites of postmitotic localization of the irradiated chromosomes . It is suggested that the selective chromosomal labeling induced by microirradiation could be employed in studying patterns of chromosome localization in the interphase nuclei . Local inhibition of the replicative DNA synthesis and local stimulation of the unscheduled DNA synthesis were observed after a partial microirradiation of the interphase nuclei . This unscheduled DNA synthesis was unaffected by hydroxyurea at concentration which inhibited normal DNA synthesis. Antibiotiki, 1976 Sep, 21(9), 800 - 5 {Study of the penicillinase of the plague microbe, the synthesis of which is determined by the R-episome}; Rozhkov KK et al.; Penicillinase produced by a culture of the plague microbe with episomic resistance to benzylpenicillin was isolated and purified . Comparative investigation of the substrate spectrum, Michaelis constant and antigenic properties of the enzymes from the plague and dysentery microbes (R-factor donor) showed that transfer of the R-episome to the new host did not affect the investigated properties of penicillinase the synthesis of which was controlled by this episome. Xenobiotica, 1976 Sep, 6(9), 557 - 63 Microprobe analysis of 60Co uptake in sand microcosm; Draggan S; 1 . Microprobe analysis of fungal micro-communities in simple soil microcosms demonstrated the presence of several nutrient elements (Ca, K, P, S), and immobilization of the fission product 60Co in fungal spores . 2 . The importance of soil microbes in element cycling is discusses . 3 . The utility of the electron microprobe in providing more precise estimates of elements in microbes and their substrates is evaluated. Parazitologiia, 1976 Sep-Oct, 10(5), 392 - 6 {Intensity of parasitic contacts in the colonies of large gerbils under conditions of different population density of the animals and their fleas}; Rapoport LP et al.; In the period from April to May and September to October of 1967--1973 in the Mujun-Kum a radioactive tracing of great gerbils was carried out . In all 225 tests were conducted . The greatest intensity of parasitic contacts between the animals was noted at their average quantity . Its further rise does not result in the increase of the parasitic relations . If the number of fleas is high the parasitic contacts level even at the relatively low number of great gerbils is usually high enough for a further passing of the plague microbe . If the number of both fleas and great gerbils is low the parasitic relations provide but not always an agent transmission. Mutat Res, 1976 Aug, 38(4), 287 - 92 Mutagenicity of atrazine: a maize-microbe bioassay; Plewa MJ et al.; A water-soluble extract from maize plants grown in the presence of atrazine contained a mutagenic agent(s) when tested on strains of yeast . Atrazine alone or control plants not treated with atrazine did not express mutagenic properties . The reversion frequency at the waxy locus in pollen grains from plants grown in atrazine was higher than in control plants . We suggest that atrazine may be degraded by the plant into environmental mutagenic agents. Biull Eksp Biol Med, 1976 Aug, 82(8), 953 - 6 {Formation of cyclic adenosine-3',5'-monophosphate in phagocytosis}; Podoprigora GI et al.; The content of cAMP in the phagocytizing macrophages increased, especially in the phagocytosis of live microbes . cAMP formed in phagocytosis was determined in the incubation medium, whereas in the cells its content remained practically unchanged . In the administration of E . coli 055 to the germ-free guinea pigs the concentration of cAMP was found to be increased in the mucosa cells of the small intestine and in the blood serum; this fact indicated that adenylcyclase system participated in the reactions of the interrelations of the microorganisms with the epithelial cells of the smal intestiine. Parazitologiia, 1976 Jul-Aug, 10(4), 315 - 9 {Effect of certain factors on block formation in Ceratophillus tesquorum and Neopsylla setosa setosa}; Gubareva NP et al.; Studies were conducted of the effect of temperature and humidity, variant of plague microbe, frequency and duration of feeding and specificity of the host on the blockformation in the souslik fleas C . tesquorum and N . setosa infected with plague . 28 tests on the effect of temperature and humidity on the blockformation were undertaken, for which 14411 fleas of the above species were used . A temperature of 16 to 22 degrees proved to be optimal; at this temperature the number of blocked fleas (C . tesquorum) varied from 21.2 to 42.7% and that of N . setosa--from 41.9 to 54.2% . Marmot variant of plague microbe caused the formation of the "block" in 53.3 to 55.1% of fleas of N . setosa in 3-4 days and in 28.0 to 42.7% of C . tesquorum in 10-14 days after the infection . In C . tesquorum the process of blockformation is affected by the frequency of feeding, in N . setosa--by the duration of each feeding. J Morphol, 1976 Jul, 149(3), 327 - 38 Laser microbeam irradiation of rat kangaroo cells (PTK2) following selective sensitization with bromodeoxyuridine and ethidium bromide; Berns MW et al.; Ethidium bromide (10 mug/ml) and bromodeoxyuridine (25 mug/ml) were used to sensitize selective cell organelles to visible wavelengths of an argon ion laser (488 and 514 nanometers) . Ethidium bromide was shown to be selective in sensitizing nucleoli, chromosomes, and the centriolar region of PTK2 cells to the laser microbeam . Similarly, BrDU sensitized chromosomes to the microbeam irradiation . The lesions produced on the chromosomes when either agent was used appeared as a phase paling of the irradiated segment . Nucleolar lesions also appeared as a phase paling, and the centriolar region alteration appeared either as a phase paling or a phase darkening. J Pharmacol Exp Ther, 1976 Jul, 198(1), 187 - 96 Microcirculatory approach to the treatment of circulatory shock with a new analog of vasopressin, (2-phenylalanine, 8-ornithine)vasopressin; Altura BM; Pressor amine therapy in circulatory shock has been generally unfavorable, presumably because these drugs produce unselective, intense vasoconstriction and curtail rather than improve true capillary inflow, distribution and outflow in the microcirculation . The present study compares the influence of a new analog of vasopressin, {2-phenylalanine, 8-ornithine}vasopressin (POV), over wide dose ranges and Ringer's solution on: 1) survival after circulatory shock, induced by different means (e.g., hemorrhage, bowel ischemia); 2) blood pressure and hematocrit in shocked animals; and 3) various microcirculatory parameters after induction of hemorrhage and bowel ischemia shock (e.g., lumen diameters of various types of microvessels, reactivity of microvessels, microvascular flow patterns, leukocytic sticking, petechial hemorrhage formations, vasomotion, etc.) . Local administration of POV, in contrast to constrictor catecholamines, induces a venular-to-arteriolar profile of constrictor activity in the normal rat mesenteric microcirculation . Systemic administration of POV to rats subjected to either lethal hemorrhage or bowel ischemia shock: 1) increases survival rates 2- to 8-fold over control rats receiving Ringer's solution; 2) produces a plateau-like effect on arterial blood pressure and returns arterial hematocrits toward normal after hemorrhage; and 3) regenerates and sustains vasomotion and venular tone, decreases microvascular hyper-reactivity characteristic of shock syndromes, restores constricted arteriolar lumen sizes toward normal, predisposes to a splanchnic microbed virtually free of stasis and petechiae, and restores capillary perfusion and outflow to near-normal . These findings indicate that it is possible to synthesize vasoactive molecules which exert selective microvascular effects and are highly beneficial in therapy of low-flow states. Zentralbl Bakteriol {Orig B}, 1976 Jul, 162(3-4), 389 - 92 {Proposal for the introduction of microbial test material in compost windrows for field test (author's transl)}; Kofler W et al.; The introduction and taking of microbial test material for field tests in compost windrows for e.g . the determination of the death rates of patogenic microbes cause various problems in practical use whereby the results of such investigations may be influenced . A device is suggested which allows unlimited microbes taking with the greatest reservation of the windrows and guarantees that during the experiment the introduced microbial test material is actually exposed to the same influences as its neighbouring windrow parts . Comparisons with other methods used are being made. Arch Microbiol, 1976 Jul, 108(3), 259 - 63 Utilization and degradation of lindane by soil microorganisms; Tu CM; Of 147 microorganisms isolated from a loamy sand, 71 showed good growth with lindane (gamma-1,2,3,4,5,6-hexachlorocyclohexane) and produced chloride in an aqueous medium . Thirteen soil microorganisms were selected to study the utilization of lindane . Lindane was metabolized by the microbes to gamma-2,3,4,5,6-pentachloro-1-cyclohexene (gamma-PCCH), alpha-3,4,5,6-tetrachloro-1-cyclohexene (alpha-TCCH), beta3,4,5,6-tetrachloro-1-cyclohexene (beta-TCCH), gamma-3,4,5,6-tetrachloro-1-cyclohexene (gamma-TCCH), and pentachlorobenzene (PCB) . Cells of Pseudomonas sp . No . 62 grown on lindane simultaneously adapted to gamma-PCCH, alpha-TCCH, beta-TCCH, gamma-TCCH, PCB, 1,2,3,4,-tetrachlorobenzene (1,2,3,4-TCB) and 1,2,4,5-tetrachlorobenzene (1,2,4,5-TCB) . The bacteria degraded each of these chemicals at least partially as indicated by an increased rate of oxygen consumption. Res Commun Chem Pathol Pharmacol, 1976 Jun, 14(2), 277 - 85 Drug inhibition of ecto-ATPase and of phagocytosis in leukocytes; Medzihradsky F et al.; Substituted phenothiazines and tricyclic antidepressants which inhibited the ecto-ATPase in leukocytes also markedly decreased the phagocytic activity of these cells . In affecting either the enzyme or phagocytosis the order of potency of the drugs was similar . Various other CNS drugs were ineffective . The results suggest possible involvement of ecto-ATPase in the phagocytic process, and indicate adverse effects of the aforelisted drugs on the host defense system against foreign materials, including microbes. Eur J Pharmacol, 1976 May, 37(1), 155 - 67 DPAVP: a vasopressin analog with selective microvascular and RES actions for the treatment of circulatory shock in rats; Altura BM; The present study indicates that: (a) local administration of low concentrations of an analog of vasopressin, 1-deamino-{2-phenylalanine, 8-arginine}-vasopressin (DPAVP), constricts venules in the rat splanchnic terminal vascular bed of normal animals, unlike that seen for catecholamines; (b) maximal concentrations of DPAVP narrow but do not occlude both arterioles and venules: (c) microscopic muscular venules (31-39 mu i.d.) do not narrow more than 20% in response to the vasopressin analog DPAVP; and (d) terminal arterioles (17-23 mu i.d.) do not narrow more than 50% in response to DPAVP . Systemic administration of DPAVP to rats subjected to hemorrhage or bowel ischemia shock more than doubles survival rates over control rats receiving Ringer solution . Infusion of DPAVP produces a dose-dependent effect on arterial blood pressure, microscopic capacitance vessels, large arterioles and small arteries . In addition, i.v . administration of DPAVP: (a) returns arterial hematocrit towards normal after shock; and (b) regenerates and sustains vasomotion and venular tone, decreases microvascular hyperreactivity characteristic of shock syndromes, restores constricted arteriolar lumen sizes towards normal, predisposes to a splanchnic microbed virtually free of stasis, petechiae and leukocytic sticking, and restores capillary perfusion and outflow to near-normal . Further, DPAVP effectively restores the early reticuloendothelial system (RES) phagocytic depression, characteristic of shock syndromes, to normal; the latter eventuating in RES hyper-phagocytic activity . These findings indicate it is possible to synthesize vasoactive molecules which: (a) exert selective microvascular and RES phagocytic effects; and (b) are highly beneficial in the therapy of low-flow states, at least in rats. Appl Environ Microbiol, 1976 May, 31(5), 700 - 4 Estimation of viable airborne microbes downwind from a point source; Lighthart B et al.; Modification of the Pasquill atmospheric diffusion equations for estimating viable microbial airborne cell concentrations downwind form a continuous point source is presented . A graphical method is given to estimate the ground level cell concentration given (i) microbial death rate, (ii) mean wind speed, (iii) atmospheric stability class, (iv) downwind sample distance from the source, and (v) source height. Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1976 May, (5), 139 - 42 {The infectivity of surgical wounds}; Men'shikov DD et al.; A study was made of microbial contamination of wounds and wound fluid in 114 patients operated upon (clean and conditionally clean operations) . Directly before suturing the subcutaneous-fatty cellular tissue no microbes were revealed in 50% of cases, but in 23% of cases potentially pathogenetic microorganisms were isolated . Potential causative agents of purulent infection were revealed in 50% of the patients on the 1st-3rd postoperative days . Suppuration developed in 3 cases only . In a number of cases there were revealed in the wound discharge such microbes which were not detected before the wound was sutured . Sometimes the presence of even numerous potentially-pathogenic microbes in the wound secretion led to no suppuration. J Bacteriol, 1976 Apr, 126(1), 264 - 71 Role of iron deposition in Sphaerotilus discophorus; Rogers SR et al.; Various physiological aspects of the process of iron deposition in Sphaerotilus discophorus were examined to elucidate its role . The values of iron/protein ratios suggested that a direct relationship existed between the iron concentration of the media and the magnitude of final iron deposition . Saturation of the organism's iron deposition system occurred at a 2.0 mM iron concentration, at a value of 0.6 mg of ferric ion per mg of cell protein . Laboratory data indicated that the strain's very low capacity for iron deposition observed at low external iron concentrations makes it unlikely that it is significant in limiting iron in the natural milieu . Under optimal iron concentrations, however, strain SS1 caused precipitation of iron (adsorbed to cellular material) in broth cultures, which was 10 to 100 times that mediated by some "non-iron" microorganisms . The strain's iron requirement, which was found to be between 0.003 and 0.02 mM, is commensurate with that of other microbes . One hundred micrograms of Mn(II) per ml and possibly 10 mug of either Co(II) or Ni(II) per ml could inhibit iron uptake in the deposition system . Sphaerotilus, when tested for its ability to withstand toxic concentrations of certain trace elements (Co, Cu, Mn, Ni, and Cd), demonstrated no exceptional resistance with respect to several other common microorganisms . Final cell yields were not affected by a varying iron concentration for Sphaerotilus growing under conditions of limiting carbon and nitrogen. Antibiotiki, 1976 Feb, 21(2), 122 - 7 {Utilization of automatic systems for determining the biological activity of antibiotics by the agar diffusion method}; Bartoshevich Iu et al.; The Automatic Zone Analyzer AR-140 of Millipor intertech., inc . is an apparatus used for measurement of inhibition growth zones of test-microbes and estimation of antibiotic activity . The analyzer provides automatic registration of the data with high levels of accuracy and at least 99% reproducibility . The analyzer gives an effect in saving time as compared to the manual method by 5-7 times for the single-dose procedure and by 10-12 times for the three-dose procedure. Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1976 Feb, (2), 93 - 7 {Use of rooms with laminar air flow}; Vashkov VI et al.; The paper deals with the problem of dependency of the reduction of microbial contamination and of dust pollution of the air mediu min the CAMERA-BOXES with a liminary flux on the aeration degree . It was shown that the degree of aeration in the camera-box constituted from 330 to 1060, with the rate of the air flux at the filter exit of from 0.2 to 0.6 m/sec . Vertical laminar flux provided release of the air from the microbes and dust . The use of the camera-box with a laminar flux for work requiring sterile conditions is recommended. Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1976 Feb, (2), 73 - 5 {Preservation of the causative agent of tularemia in the external environment in eastern Taimyr}; Algazin IP et al.; Strains of the causative agent of tularemia were for the first time isolated by the authors from the objects of the external environment in the tundra zone of Eastern Taimir; this indicates a possibility of preservation of the microbe under conditions of the extreme north. Arch Microbiol, 1976 Feb, 107(1), 33 - 40 Anaerobic degradation of benzoate to methane by a microbial consortium; Ferry JG et al.; A stabilized consortium of microbes which anaerobically degraded benzoate and produced CH4 was established by inoculation of a benzoate-mineral salts medium with sewage sludge; the consortium was routinely subcultured anaerobically in this medium for 3 years . Acetate, formate, H2 and CO2 were identified as intermediates in the overall conversion of benzoate to CH4 by the culture . Radioactivity was equally divided between the CH4 and CO2 from the degradation of uniformly ring-labeled {14C}benzoate . The methyl group of acetate was stoichiometrically converted to CH4 . Acetate, cyclohexanecarboxylate, 2-hydroxycyclohexanecarboxylate, o-hydroxybenzoic acid and pimelic acid were converted to CH4 without a lag suggesting that benzoate was degraded by a reductive pathway . Addition of o-chlorobenzoate inhibited benzoate degradation but not acetate degradation or methane formation . Two methanogenic organisms were isolated from the mixed culture; neither organism was able to degrade benzoate, showing that the methanogenic bacteria served as terminal organisms of a metabolic food chain composed of several organisms . Removal of intermediates by the methanogenic bacteria provided thermodynamically favorable conditions for benzoate degradation. Antibiotiki, 1976 Feb, 21(2), 134 - 6 {Sensitivity of various races of the tularemia microbe to erythromycin, oleandomycin and polymyxin}; Brikman DI et al.; Sensitivity of 66 strains of the tularemia microbe to erythromycin, oleandomycin and polymyxin was studied . It was shown that all the strains were resistant to polymyxin . The strains of the non-artic and Central Asiatic races and 64 per cent of the strains of the holarctic race were resistant to erythromycin and oleandomycin. Infect Immun, 1976 Jan, 13(1), 180 - 8 Effect of penicillin on the succession, attachment, and morphology of segmented, filamentous microbes in the murine small bowel; Davis CP et al.; Indigenous segmented filamentous microbes attach to murine ileal epithelial cells . These microbes can be seen on the epithelial surface with a scanning electron microscope . They colonize preferentially the distal ileum in mice . Penicillin, placed in the animal's drinking water, eliminates the microbes from the mouse ileum, but recolinization of the ileum is observed 4 to 5 weeks after the penicillin treatment is stopped . Within 3 to 5 h after rats are given penicillin, the morphology of the microbes is changed . Their external surfaces are wrinkled or broken . Vacated and partially vacated attachment sites are observed . Almost all of the organisms disappear from murine ilea after the animals are exposed to penicillin for 10 h . These observations are discussed in relation to the microbe itself and in its interaction with ileal epithelial cells. Cor Vasa, 1976, 18(3), 785 - 804 Light and electron microscopy of laser microirradiated nucleoli and nucleoplasm in tissue culture cells; Meredith S et al.; This manuscript describes in precise detail the ultrastructural alterations produced as a result of laser micoirradiation of nucleoli and nucleoplasm of tissue culture cells . Because of the general difficulty of single cell recovery, flat embedding, and serial sectioning, very few studies have ever been conducted on microbeam irradiated cells; yet the use of the microbeam technique has become widespread in functional studies of the nucleus . The results presented here demonstrate two classes of lesion material: small spherical electron dense bodies 0.05-0.02 mum in diameter and a larger, more irregular electron dense material up to 1 mum in length . The occurrence of these different types of lesion materials is described in control irradiated nucleoli and nucleoplasm, irradiated nucleoli and nucleoplasm in quinacrine treated cells, irradiated nucleoli and nucleoplasm in actinomycin D treated cells, and irradiated nucleoli and nucleoplasm in combined actinomycin D and quinacrine treated cells . In all the cells in which actinomycin D was employed, nucleoli were selectively irradiated in either their granular or fibrillar zones . The results of the ultrastructural studies are discussed in light of earlier functional studies. Z Exp Chir, 1976, 9(2), 108 - 12 {Decontamination tests of heart valve grafts with cialit}; Wenzel KP et al.; After exposure of contaminated xenogenous aortic valve grafts to 0.5 g% Cialit solution for 30 minutes, to 0.1 g% solution for 24 hours, or to 0.02 g% solution for 288 hours, growth of germs on the graft had stopped . Cialit has bacteriostatic and fungistatic effectiveness and fair stability of solubility; nevertheless it ought to be used with reservation . No safe destruction of microbes- spores and viruses in particular- can be guaranteed at acceptable Cialit concentrations of 0.1 g% and below. Jikken Dobutsu, 1976 Jan, 25(1), 19 - 22 {Efficiency of microbe filtration of air filter for rearing germfree animals (author's transl)}; Maejima K et al.; Filtration efficiency of 3 types of air filter frame and cylinder (Fig . 1) was examined by culture of the air obtained from the operating isolators at intervals of 3 to 21 days . The air of isolator was bubled in 30 ml of nutrient broth for 30 or 120 minutes (4approximately15 l/min.) and each of 1 ml of the broth was inoculated into thioglycollate medium (TGC), cooked meat medium (CMM), heart infustion broth (HIB) and glucose peptone water (GPW) . The media were incubated for 7 to 14 days at 30 or 25 degrees C . As seen in Table 1, microbes could be effectively removed through all types of filter for over 10 months, though there were a very few positive cases suggesting technically acidental contamination at sampling. Z Psychosom Med Psychoanal, 1976 Jan-Mar, 22(1), 93 - 8 {Development of the psychosomatic concept of perioral dermatitis}; Hornstein OP; In recent years, ,perioral dermatitis' though practically unknown in the past, has been observed rather frequently in female patients . It has proven remarkably refractory against external dermatotherapy, and numerous attempts to analyse the causality have failed . However, we very often noted certain characteristics of personality structure and social attitude in the patients afflicted with the disease . Both clinical findings and various signs of vegetative dystonia suggested psychoneurotic rather than purely somatic causes . We therefore set about to elucidate the psychic and other clinical symptoms of our patients in co-operation with a psychoanalyst and a clinical psychologist . Throughout a period of several years, this interdisciplinary teamwork helped us develop biographically and psychoanalytically oriented case studies in so-called Balint seminars . We thereby gained a better understanding of the psychodynamics in each of our cases, which enabled us to treat the disease successfully . We consider ,perioral dermatitis' a primarily psychosomatic disorder which, in most cases, responds well to short-term psychotherapy . Other findings reported in dermatological literature are controversial as to their causal interpretation, even when assuming an origin by infecting microbes . We regard bacterial and other findings as sequelae which may give rise to clinical exacerbation, yet not as genuine causes of the disease . Our conception is strongly supported by the success of psychotherapy, through which the symptomatic tetracyclin and/or corticosteroid treatment has been rendered superflous. Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1976 Jan, (1), 132 - 4 {Relationship between the ultrastructure and biochemical composition of spores and their resistance to high temperature exposure and chemical agents}; Kulikovskii AV; The author used the spores of B . cereus and of its two mutants (10id -- defective by spore coats, and No . 3 -- DPA-deficient) . The mentioned microbes were subjected to the action of vapour (99 degrees), 5% sodium hydroxide solution at a temperature of 50 degreeC, and of 0.25% sodium hypochlorite solution . On the basis of the survival curves it was revealed that a mutant with defective coats possessed the least resistance to the factors under study . On these grounds a conclusion was drawn on the important portective function of the spore coat, and not simply of the presence of DPA, in the mechanism of thermo- and chemical resistance of spores. Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1976 Jan, (1), 115 - 9 {Heterogeneity of the population of pseudotuberculosis microbe cultures}; Varvashevich TN et al.; Use of the method of oblique illumination of the colonies permitted to detect four variants of pseudotuberculosis microbe differing by the character of fluorescence, and also by virulence, toxicity and immunogenicity . Strains isolated from sick persons, carriers and rodents were characterized by polychromatic character of fluorescence of the colonies, whereas strains isolated from the external environment were monochromatic . Since colonies with a different fluorescence had different biological properties it can be supposed that the properties of each strain as a whole were determined by its quantitative and qualitative composition as of a heterogeneous population. Arkh Patol, 1976, 38(9), 49 - 55 {Enzymomorphology of the vaccinal process in connection with formation of immunity to plague}; Isupov IV et al.; The studies conducted showed that the beginning of immunogenesis following the administration of live plague vaccine was preceded by a period of primary toxic action of multiplying microbes when the activity of a number of enzymes in the organs of guinea-pigs was temporarily reduced . Subsequently, inductive and productive phases of formation of antibodies started against the background of normalization and growth of the enzymatic activity associated with mobilization of energy . The earliest hyperplastic changes during immunogenesis occurred in the thymus-dependent areas of the lymphoid organs . Somewhat later, hyperplasia of B-structures dependent on the bone marrow started to prevail. J Hyg Epidemiol Microbiol Immunol, 1976, 21(2), 221 - 8 Broader investigation into the external environment of the specific antigen of the infectious agent in epizootiological observation and study of the structure of natural foci of plague; Cherchenko II et al.; The possibilities of detection of the infectious agent in natural foci of plague can be expanded to some extent by using the method of search for the specific FI capsular antigen of the plague microbe in such objects of the external environment which have not yet been subjected to laboratory analysis and serological analysis in particular . Such objects include soil from the burrow and the substrate of the nest of the rodent as well as the fleas of rodents and regurgitations of birds of prey . The effectivity and suitability of examination of these objects using immuno-adsorption reactions with standard erythrocyte diagnostics (passive haemagglutination reaction, antibody neutralization reaction) were demonstrated experimentally and confirmed under field conditions in various geographical and ecological zones of the Caucasus . Thus in 1971, an earlier unknown natural focus of plague was found in the Mount Elbrus massif by means of serological analysis of the substrate of the nest and of the soil from the burrows of rodents . It can be expected that broadened serological search for the FI antigen of plague will prove useful in the study of the structure of natural foci of plague, in the reconnaissance or retrospective investigation of poorly explored territories and in the solution of some questions concerning the epizootiology of plague, such as the survival of the infectious agent in the inter-epizootic period, telluric plague, etc. J Hyg Epidemiol Microbiol Immunol, 1976, 20(2), 221 - 8 Broader investigation into the external environment of the specific antigen of the infectious agent in epizootiological observation and study of the structure of natural foci of plague; Cherchenko II et al.; The possibilities of detection of the infectious agent in natural foci of plague can be expanded to some extent by using the method of search for the specific FI capsular antigen of the plague microbe in such objects of the external environment which have not yet been subjected to laboratory analysis and serological analysis in particular . Such objects include soil from the burrow and the substrate of the nest of the rodent as well as the fleas of rodents and regurgitations of birds of prey.The effectivity and suitability of examination of these objects using immuno-adsorption reactions with standard erythrocyte diagnostics (passive haemagglutination reaction, antibody neutralization reaction) were demonstrated experimentally and confirmed under field conditions in various geographical and ecological zones of the Caucasus . Thus in 1971, an earlier unknown natural focus of plague was found in the Mount Elbrus massif by means of serological analysis of the substrate of the nest and of the soil from the burrows of rodents . It can be expected that broadened serological search for the FI antigen of plague will prove useful in the study of the structure of natural foci of plague, in the reconnaissance or retrospective investigation of poorly explored territories and in the solution of some questions concerning the epizootiology of plague, such as the survival of the infectious agent in the inter-epizootic period, telluric plague, etc. Mod Probl Ophthalmol, 1976, 16, 1 - 7 Problems of ocular immunopathological inflammations; Boke W; The following facts are emphasized . Release of histamine, immune complexes with complement activity or immunocyte interference provide the principle methods by which immunopathological inflammation of the eye are induced . Both antibody-mediated and cell-mediated hypersensitivity have been found capable of injuring ocular structures . Microbe-induced cellular hypersensitivity can be considered the etiological basis of some ocular inflammations, but this has not yet been irrefutably demonstrated in the majority of cases . Ocular autoimmune responses in man are still rather an idea than an established fact. ZFA, 1976, 31(1), 47 - 51 {Immunocytogenesis and formation of antibodies in experimentally aged animals (author's transl)}; Janev E et al.; The authors use white rats with experimentally induced Progeria-like syndrome of Selye . The immunologic response following inoculation with the extracellular microbe-parasite D, pneumoniae and the intracellular parasite Br . abortus 19 is studied serologically, cellularly and biochemically . The experimentally aged rats show diminished and retarded plasmocyte reaction and weaker and slower agglutinine synthesis as compared with the controls . The immunochemical analysis of the serums of the experimentally aged rats reveals changes in the serum fractions and an affected ratio of albumin/globulin . The data suggest a disturbed adaptation and a reversal to an older ontogenic form of the aged organism. ZFA, 1976, 31(1), 59 - 64 {Resistance against intra- and extracellular bacteria in experimentally aged rats (author's transl)}; Janev E et al.; The authors study the cellular activity of RES against the microbes intracellular and extracellular parasites in rats with pronounced Progeria-like syndrome of Selye . RES of the experimentally aged animals copes, through with a certain delay, with the invading extracellular bacterium Diplococcus pneumoniae, but is utterly helpless against the intracellular microbe Br . abortus 19 . These relations are completly inverted in the rats that have not been experimentally aged. J Exp Biol, 1975 Dec, 63(3), 673 - 88 An automatic respirometer for determining oxygen uptake in crayfish (Austropotamobius pallipes (Lereboullet)) over periods of 3-4 days; Sutcliffe DW et al.; 1 . An automatic respirometer has been developed for continuous measurements over 3-4 days on 1-15 g crayfish . The sensor is a modified Mackereth oxygen electrode . Respiration is recorded on a millivolt potentiometric pen recorder during closed periods when the O2 concentration in the medium falls to a predetermined level . A solenoid-operated valve is then opened via a relay circuit energized by a reed switch mounted on the recorder . Medium flows through the respirometer until the O2 concentration is raised back to another predetermined level . Artificial media containing little or no nutrient salts are used to restrict the growth of microbes . 2 . Respiration was determined chiefly on crayfish (Austropotamobius pallipes) with body wet weights of 7-0-12-5 g at 10-0 degrees C . In unrestrained but relatively quiescent animals, standard metabolism is described by the regression equation, ln O2 uptake = 3-3037 + 1-002 ln body wt . In restless crayfish active metabolism is described by the equation, ln O2 uptake = 4-4412 + 0-861 ln body wt. Z Lebensm Unters Forsch, 1975 Oct 31, 159(2), 103 - 6 {Microbes from soya beans . Inhibition of growth by lipoxygenase isoenzyme}; Senser F et al.; Sixteen fungi and fife bacteria were isolated from soya beans and their species were determined . The microorganisms were cultivated on soya flour agar plates sterilized by heat . After addition of an enriched lipoxigenase preparation the growth was followed . The fungi but not the bacteria were all, to a varying degree, inhibited . Obviously the lipoxygenase peroxidizes the substrates occuring in the soya flour to compounds that inhibit the growth of the fungi. Clin Haematol, 1975 Oct, 4(3), 609 - 33 Microbe ingestion and killing by neutrophils: normal mechanisms and abnormalities; Baehner RL; Microbial ingestion and killing by neutrophils involves the interaction between the phagocytic cells of the body and certain serum factors . The primary phagocytes of the blood are the polymorphonuclear neutrophil, eosinophil and monocyte . The fixed tissue macrophage of the reticuloendothelial system is responsible for phagocytosis and killing of encapsulated bacteria, viruses, and protozoans, whereas the blood phagocyte system is involved in killing of pyogenic bacteria and certain fungi . Proper ingestion of bacteria requires opsonisation of these bacteria by either complement of specific antibody, or an interaction of these two proteins . Opsonised bacteria are fixed to the surface of the phagocytic cells which contain receptors for IgG and C3 . Following immune adherence ingestion of bacteria involves invagination of the plasmalemmal membrane . This process utilises ATP and a re-arrangement of lipids occurs during formation of the phagocytic vacuole . Granular enzymes containing peroxidase, hydrolases, and cationic proteins are transferred from the granule into the phagocytic vacuole . There is activation of oxidative metabolism with an increased consumption of oxygen leading to hydrogen peroxide production. Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1975 Oct, (10), 39 - 44 {Interaction of the causative agent of pseudotuberculosis with the peritoneal macrophages from an immune and a nonimmune organism}; Besednova NN et al.; The role of phagocytosis in experimental pseudotuberculosis was demonstrated in vivo and in vitro . Virulent Y . pseudotuberculosis strain caused the death of the majority of the cells, whereas the weakly-virulent ones--degenerative changes and the death of but of few of them . The capacity of the causative agents of pseudotuberculosis to survive and to reproduce within the cells could be regarded as one of the significant factors of virulence of these microbes . The maximal i