Mutat Res, 1995 Feb, 341(4), 255 - 63 A pharmacokinetic study of ethanol inhibition of micronuclei induction by urethane in mouse bone marrow erythrocytes; Choy WN et al.; Urethane (ethyl carbamate) is a genotoxic carcinogen in fermented products and alcoholic beverages . The genotoxicity of urethane requires metabolic activation . Metabolism of urethane is mediated by multiple pathways, and ethanol is known to inhibit the esterase hydrolysis pathway of urethane, which accounts for over 95% of urethane metabolism . This report shows that ethanol also inhibits the induction of micronuclei by urethane in mouse bone marrow erythrocytes, presumably by inhibiting the minor pathway that generates genotoxic metabolite(s) . In this study, male CD-1 mice were administered urethane, ethanol, or urethane co-administered with increasing amounts of ethanol in single intraperitoneal injections . Bone marrow polychromatic erythrocytes (PCE) obtained 24 h after injection were scored for micronuclei . The dose of urethane was 1000 mg/kg, and the doses of ethanol were 0, 625, 1250, 2000, 2250, 2500, 3000 and 3500 mg/kg . The blood ethanol level at each dose was determined . Two pharmacokinetic parameters, Cmax and AUC, were estimated for each dose . The observed Cmax of ethanol at doses of 1250, 2000, 2250, 2500, 3000 and 3500 mg/kg were 1.39, 2.84, 3.15, 3.69, 4.13 and 4.76 mg/ml, with AUCs of 1.37, 4.84, 5.88, 7.28, 10.76 and 13.51 mg.h/ml, respectively . Urethane treatment alone markedly increased the micronucleus frequency from 0.1% in the vehicle control to 2.47% . This magnitude of increase was suppressed when urethane was co-administered with ethanol at ethanol doses of 2500 mg/kg and above . At 2500, 3000 and 3500 mg/kg, the micronucleus frequencies reduced from 2.47% to 0.9, 0.44 and 0.28%, respectively . This study shows that ethanol inhibits the induction of micronuclei by urethane. J Biotechnol, 1995 Jan 31, 38(3), 229 - 41 Effective production of the hepatitis C virus core antigen having high purity in Escherichia coli; Seki M et al.; The amino-terminal half of putative nucleocapsid (core) protein (amino acids 1-115) of hepatitis C virus (HCV) was directly overproduced in Escherichia coli under the control of the tac promoter . Overproduction of core antigen was achieved by inserting several target genes and by optimizing the culture conditions, whereas a large amount of directly expressed and purified core antigen has not yet been reported . Although the level of expression was comparable to that of the conventional E . coli fused expression system, our recombinant proteins contain only HCV amino acid sequence . Using recombinant E . coli, overproduced large-scale culture system was achieved in jar-fermenter . A highly purified sample of the expressed protein was obtained by ion-exchange and gel permeation column chromatography in the presence of 8 M urea . From a 3.5 l culture, approximately 440 mg of recombinant core protein was obtained after a two-step purification procedure . An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay developed using the highly purified antigen satisfactorily diagnosed hepatitis C. Int J Cancer, 1995 Jan 27, 60(3), 400 - 6 Apoptosis in colorectal tumour cells: induction by the short chain fatty acids butyrate, propionate and acetate and by the bile salt deoxycholate; Hague A et al.; The short chain fatty acids acetate, propionate and butyrate are produced when dietary fibre is fermented by the colonic bacteria . We have previously shown that sodium butyrate induces apoptosis in 3 colorectal tumour cell lines . We have extended our study to 3 adenoma and 4 carcinoma cell lines and investigated whether propionate and acetate also induce apoptosis . All 3 short chain fatty acids induced apoptosis at physiological concentrations, but of the 3, butyrate was the most effective . Since these fatty acids are produced as a result of bacterial fermentation of dietary fibre, this may in part explain the correlation between a high-fibre diet and low colorectal cancer incidence . Sodium butyrate induced apoptosis in all 7 of the cell lines studied; however, 2 of the 4 carcinoma cell lines (PC/JW/FI and S/KS/FI) were more resistant to butyrate-induced apoptosis than the 3 adenoma cell lines, suggesting that at least some carcinomas may evolve mechanisms to protect the cells from the induction of apoptosis . The bile acid deoxycholic acid has previously been reported as a possible tumour promoter in the large intestine and its levels are reduced by dietary fibre . Concentrations of between 10 nM and 0.1 mM had no effect on either the proliferation or apoptosis of colonic tumour cells in vitro . However, a significant induction of apoptosis was obtained at a concentration of 0.5 mM . These results may have significance for the aetiology of colorectal cancer. Eur J Biochem, 1995 Jan 15, 227(1-2), 270 - 6 Disulfide bonds and glycosylation in fungal peroxidases; Limongi P et al.; Four conserved disulfide bonds and N-linked and O-linked glycans of extracellular fungal peroxidases have been identified from studies of a lignin and a manganese peroxidase from Trametes versicolor, and from Coprinus cinereus peroxidase (CIP) and recombinant C . cinereus peroxidase (rCIP) expressed in Aspergillus oryzae . The eight cysteine residues are linked 1-3, 2-7, 4-5 and 6-8, and are located differently from the four conserved disulfide bridges present in the homologous plant peroxidases . CIP and rCIP were identical in their glycosylation pattern, although the extent of glycan chain heterogeneity depended on the fermentation batch . CIP and rCIP have one N-linked glycan composed only of GlcNAc and Man at residue Asn142, and two O-linked glycans near the C-terminus . The major glycoform consists of single Man residues at Thr331 and at Ser338 . T . versicolor lignin isoperoxidase TvLP10 contains a single N-linked glycan composed of (GlcNAc)2Man5 bound to Asn103, whereas (GlcNAc)2Man3 was found in T . versicolor manganese isoperoxidase TvMP2 at the same position . In addition, mass spectrometry of the C-terminal peptide of TvMP2 indicated the presence of five Man residues in O-linked glycans . No phosphate was found in these fungal peroxidases. Gene, 1995 Jan 11, 152(1), 107 - 12 Gene MRP-L4, encoding mitochondrial ribosomal protein YmL4, is indispensable for proper non-respiratory cell functions in yeast; Graack HR et al.; In order to characterize individual protein components of the mitochondrial (mt) ribosome for regulatory, functional and evolutionary studies, the yeast nuclear gene MRP-L4 (accession No . Z30582), coding for the mt ribosomal protein (MRP) YmL4, has been cloned using oligodeoxyribonucleotides (oligos) deduced from a partial amino acid (aa) sequence {Graack et al., FEBS Lett . 242 (1988) 4-8} as screening probes . MRP-L4 is located on chromosome XII and codes for a slightly basic protein of 319 aa . The first 14 aa have not been found in the mature protein, and putatively form a signal peptide that is cleaved off during or after mt import . YmL4 has an N terminus very rich in Pro residues, and at its C terminus contains four hydrophobic domains . YmL4 shows no significant sequence similarity to any other sequence from the databases . Gene disruption shows the MRP-L4 product to be indispensable for mt function in cells growing on non-fermentable carbon sources . In contrast to nearly all other MRPs investigated so far, gene disruption of MRP-L4 also affects growth of yeast cells on fermentable carbon sources, suggesting additional cytosolic and/or mt functions of YmL4 besides its involvement in mt protein biosynthesis. FEBS Lett, 1995 Jan 3, 357(2), 145 - 8 Identification of glutamate beta 54 as the covalent-catalytic residue in the active site of glutaconate CoA-transferase from Acidaminococcus fermentans; Mack M et al.; In the course of glutamate fermentation by Acidaminococcus fermentans glutaconate coenzyme A-transferase catalyzes the transfer of CoAS- from acetyl-CoA to (R)-2-hydroxyglutarate, forming (R)-2-hydroxyglutaryl-CoA . Glutamate (E) 54 of the beta-subunit was postulated to be directly involved in catalysis by formation of a CoASH ester intermediate {(1994) Eur . J . Biochem., in press} . In order to prove this preliminary result, the following mutations, beta E54A, beta E64A, beta E54Q and beta E54D, were introduced by mismatch oligonucleotide priming . As expected, beta E54A was inactive (0.02% of the wild-type), whereas beta E64A and beta E54D were active, 30% and > 7%, respectively . However, no CoASH intermediate was detected in the latter mutant, indicating a change in the catalytic mechanism . The activity of the beta E54Q mutant increased from 1% to almost 100% upon incubation with acetyl-CoA and glutaconate at 37 degrees C within 40 h . Hence, the substrates induced the conversion of the mutant glutamine residue into the glutamate residue of the wild-type enzyme. FEBS Lett, 1995 Jan 2, 357(1), 70 - 4 The high potential iron-sulfur protein (HiPIP) from Rhodoferax fermentans is competent in photosynthetic electron transfer; Hochkoeppler A et al.; The functional role of the High Potential Iron-sulfur Protein (HiPIP) from the photosynthetic bacterium Rhodoferax fermentans was investigated . We demonstrated that the HiPIP increased the rate of light-induced oxygen reduction mediated by the photosynthetic reaction center (RC); this stimulation reached half-saturation at {HiPIP}/{RC} ca . 15 . The capability of the HiPIP in delivering electrons to the reaction center of Rhodoferax fermentans was demonstrated through kinetic spectrophotometry of cytochrome c-556 oxidation in the presence or in the absence of HiPIP . It is concluded that the HiPIP is competent in the photosynthetic electron transfer chain of Rhodoferax fermentans. J Environ Pathol Toxicol Oncol, 1995, 14(3-4), 133 - 57 Yeasts: from genetics to biotechnology; Russo S et al.; Yeasts have been known and used in food and alcoholic fermentations ever since the Neolithic Age . In more recent times, on the basis of their peculiar features and history, yeasts have become very important experimental models in both microbiological and genetic research, as well as the main characters in many fermentative production processes . In the last 40 years, advances in molecular biology and genetic engineering have made possible not only the genetic selection of organisms, but also the genetic modification of some of them, especially the simplest of them, such as bacteria and yeasts . These discoveries have led to the availability of new yeast strains fit to fulfill requests of industrial production and fermentation . Moreover, genetically modified and transformed yeasts have been constructed that are able to produce large amounts of biologically active proteins and enzymes . Thus, recombinant yeasts make it easier to produce drugs, biologically active products, diagnostics, and vaccines, by inexpensive and relatively simple techniques . Yeasts are going to become more and more important in the "biotechnological revolution" by virtue of both their features and their very long and safe use in human nutrition and industry. Yi Chuan Xue Bao, 1995, 22(6), 487 - 93 {Analysis of genetic properties of meiotic products from an interspecific triploid fusion-hybrid itself constructed by protoplast fusion in Saccharomvces}; Li T et al.; A genetically stable interspecific triploid fusion-hybrid between a diploid Saccharomyces cerevisiae var . ellopsoideus and a haploid Saccharomyces diastaticus was constracted by protoplast fusion technique . Experimental results indicate that such hybrid can be induced to sporulate as a sexual hybrid . Genetic analysis of the complete and non-complete tetrads demonstrates that the prototrophic interspecific triploid fusion-hybrid HU-KDF-240 selected by nutritional complementation experienced segregation and exchange for the genetic markers, and showed parental ditype and recombination in the meiotic process of sporulation . The results of the tetrad analysis of the hybrid HU-KDF-240 showed a 1:2 segregation ratio for soluble starch fermenting and non-fermenting characters and a 1:1 segregation ratio for genetic markers of the auxotrophic character in 349 complete and non-complete tetrads from 186 asci of the hybrid. Nucleic Acids Symp Ser, 1995, (34), 49 - 50 Synthesis and NMR applications of isotopically labeled 2'-deoxynucleosides . Stereospecific deuteration of the C2' methylene in {ul-11 C/15N}deoxyadenosine; Kurita J et al.; Stereospecific deuteration of the C2' methylenes of 2'-deoxynucleosides together with 13C label has been found to open up various applications for structural studies of DNA oligomers in solution . Major problems in analyzing the structure and dynamics of larger DNA oligomers by NMR are associated with geminal proton pairs attached to the C2' and C5' of sugar moieties . We have employed, with a minor modification, existing synthetic routes to prepare stereospecific deuteration of the C2' methylene to prepare 13C/2H-doubly labeled nucleosides . For example, {ul-13C/15N} adenosine, which was prepared by microbial fermentation using {13C6}-glucose and {15N}-ammonium salt as precursors, was derived into (2'R)- and (2'S)-{ul-13C/15N;2'-2H1}-2'-deoxy-adenosines . Each of these multiply labeled nucleosides was then incorporated into a DNA dodecamer, 5'-d(CGCG AATTCGCG)-3', which was examined by various NMR techniques in order to evaluate the precision and accuracy of the NMR parameters obtained for the labeled moieties. Acta Microbiol Immunol Hung, 1995, 42(4), 331 - 8 Lactic acid production from molasses by Sporolactobacillus cellulosolvens; Kanwar SS et al.; Sporolactobacillus cellulosolvens (NCIMB 12173) isolated from an anaerobic digester and characterised biochemically is being reported for homofermentative lactic acid production from molasses in a batch culture . The effect of various process parameters on lactic acid production were optimized . A maximum lactic acid (24.2 g/l) and yield coefficient (0.79) was achieved using 3% (v/v) inoculum of 36 h old culture in molasses medium containing sugars (5%; w/v) supplemented with peptone (2.5 g/l) and (NH4)2SO4 (7.5 g/l), pH 6.5 at 40 degrees C after 72 h of fermentation. Verh K Acad Geneeskd Belg, 1995, 57(6), 459 - 525 {Louis Pasteur (1822-1895) . A century later}; Janssens PG; An overview of the amazing series of successive and diverse items worked on by the chemist and physicist Pasteur starts with the asymmetry of paratartrates, switches over to the fermentations and ends in the fight against diseases of invertebrates and vertebrates, including man . It is the wonderful story of an exceptional contribution to the advancement of knowledge, which was made possible by his keen observation skill, his rigorous and innovative methods and his careful judgement . A retrospective analysis of the inner man may impair somewhat the fame of Pasteur . He was a lonely man, in need of solitude to be able to make full use of his thinking capacity, foreboding secretiveness and shrewdness , which are contradictory to his careful writing down day after day of all the details of his thinking and research in his notebooks by now available to the scientific community . He was furthermore selfish, domineering, inflexible, impulsive and inclined to engage in endless controversies . But on the contrary his motivation to accept new assignments was subordinate to their public welfare value and as a rule he endeavoured to work on the problems in the field and in association with those concerned . He was courageous when struck by a cerebral hemorrhage at middle age, so that its aftermath hardly hampered his research activities . The dimness cast on his personality is not up to his pioneer role within a general conservative climate among the medical and even scientific profession, antagonistic to innovation . Pasteur has been a founder of stereochemistry, microbiology and its applications, immunology, bacterial vaccines, pasteurisation and a promotor of prevention and hygiene . These overwhelming achievements justify to keep alive the recognition of the outstanding stature of Pasteur. J Enzyme Inhib, 1995, 9(4), 277 - 84 Belactins A and B, new serine carboxypeptidase inhibitors produced by Actinomycete . II . Physico-chemical properties, structure determinations and enzymatic inhibitory activities compared with other beta-lactone containing inhibitors; Murakami S et al.; Belactins A and B, new inhibitors of serine carboxypeptidase were discovered in the fermentation broth of Saccharopolyspora sp . MK19-42F6 . The structures of belactins A and B were determined to be 4-{3-{(2-amino-5-chlorobenzoyl)amino}-1,1-dimethyl-2-oxobutyl}-3- methyl-2-oxetanone and 4-{3-{{2-(beta-glucopyranosylamino)-5-chlorobenzoyl}amino}-1,1- dimethyl-2-oxobutyl}-3-methyl-2-oxetanone respectively by various spectral analyses . Belactins A and B do not inhibit esterase or lipase at 100 micrograms/ml but have more specific inhibitory activities towards carboxypeptidase Y (CP-Y) compared with other beta-lactone-containing inhibitors, such as ebelactones A, B and esterastin. Ann Biol Clin (Paris), 1995, 53(6), 339 - 42 {Rapid assay of plasma acetate by gas chromatography: evaluation and comparison with two other methods}; Boussairi A et al.; Human plasma acetate is derived from colonic fermentation of fiber and endogenous metabolism of dextrose and fatty acids . Acetate may have regulatory functions in hepatic carbohydrate metabolism . Intake of dietary fiber is associated with several beneficial effects on carbohydrates and lipids metabolisms . To study theses effects a valid and automated method for routine analysis of acetate in plasma is necessary . After oral administration of lactulose to healthy human volunteers, the concentration of plasma acetate was measured by head space gas chromatography (HS-GC), vacuum distillation gas chromatography (VD-GC) and enzymatic spectrometric method (ES) . The method HS-GC was linear to 0.5 mmol.l-1 (n = 5, r = 0.998), the detection limit is 0.005 mmol.l-1 . Within-day variation (CV) was 3.60% and day-to-day variation was 4.5% (0.1 mmol.l-1) . The coefficients of correlation between CG-ET/CG-DsV and CG-ET/E-M are 0.903 (p = 0.0001) and 0.54 (p = 0.006) respectively, the mean square errors are respectively 0.118 and 0.138 mmol.l-1 . The variation curves of plasma acetate measured by GC versus time show peak concentration of 0.323 to 0.380 mmol.l-1 at 120 min. Microbios, 1995, 83(336), 191 - 8 Utilization of water hyacinth cellulose for production of cellobiase-rich preparation by Aspergillus niger 1; Ismail AM et al.; Production of a cellobiase-rich preparation by Aspergillus niger 1 was achieved using water hyacinth cellulose as the sole carbon source in the culture medium . Production of cellobiase, carboxymethylcellulase (CMC-ase) and filter paper (FP)-cellulase was favoured by controlling the pH of the culture medium during fermentation at 5.0 . Sodium citrate (0.5%), sodium phytate (0.1%), Tween-80 (0.2%, v/v) and asparagine (0.07%) had stimulating effects on the productivity of cellobiase, CMC-ase and FP-cellulase . Potassium dihydrogen phosphate doubled the yield of CMC-ase but had a slight effect on FP-cellulase and cellobiase . Wheat bran had a pronounced stimulating effect on the production of cellobiase and CMC-ase . The combined effects of these stimulators resulted in an enzyme preparation rich in cellobiase and contained 18.5, 0.29 and 2.21 U/ml of cellobiase, FP-cellulase and CMC-ase, respectively . A high cellobiase/FP-cellulase ratio of 63.8:1 was thus obtained with the fungal enzyme preparation . The cellobiase activity was maximal at pH 5.0 and showed good thermostability. Caries Res, 1995, 29(6), 470 - 6 An investigation into the ability of soft drinks to adhere to enamel; Ireland AJ et al.; Loss of enamel due to dietary causes, either by acid erosion or the fermentation of dietary sugars, is well known . These processes will be affected by a number of factors, one of which is the ability of the food to adhere to the enamel . The aim of this study was to determine the thermodynamic work of adhesion of a number of soft drinks to enamel . The results indicated significant differences in the ability of various drinks to adhere to enamel in vivo . In addition to obtaining a ranking of the drinks under test, the likelihood of them being displaced by saliva was considered. Rocz Panstw Zakl Hig, 1995, 46(3), 243 - 6 {Level of histamine and tyramine in ripening cheeses}; Fonberg-Broczek M et al.; Histamine poisoning is a foodborne chemical intoxication resulting from the ingestion of food products containing high levels of histamine . Historically, histamine poisoning has been attributed to the consumption of fish species belonging to the Scomberesocidae and Scombridae families and other sea fish, but histamine poisoning outbreaks may occur after the consumption of cheese, or other types of fermented foods . Also tyramine has been proved as a cause of adverse reactions, involving headache, hypertensive crisis and interactions with antidepressive drugs, which were observed after consumption of ripening cheeses . The formation of high levels of histamine and tyramine in foods is directly correlated to the level of microorganisms, possessing the enzymes: histidine and tyrozyne decarboxylases, and also with the concentration of histidine and tyrosine free substrate . Proteolysis, which takes place during ripening of cheeses may play role in the release of free histidine and tyrosine . This study reports on the levels of histamine and tyramine in ripening cheeses taken from Polish food market . 43 samples of soft and hard cheeses were investigated . Histamine was measured according to the AOAC fluorometric method . Tyramine was measured after column separation and purification, according to the spectrofluorometric technique with 1-nitroso-2-ortophtalate aldehyde, according to Carou with couple of modifications by authors . Histamine levels ranged from 0 to 157 mg/kg and tyramine levels ranged from 3.8 to 575 mg/kg . The very high levels of histamine and tyramine in many samples of cheeses support the opinion, that sometimes the storage temperature has not been sufficient to stop bacterial multiplication and in consequence enzymatic activity of decarboxylases of native amino acids--precursors of biogenic amines in ripening cheeses. Genetica, 1995, 96(3), 257 - 68 Enzyme polymorphism in Drosophila melanogaster populations collected in two different habitats in Hungary; Pecsenye K et al.; The level of enzyme polymorphism was compared in ten Drosophila melanogaster populations collected in farmyards and distilleries in two regions of Hungary . The total genetic diversity was partitioned into between- and within-population components at each investigated locus using Wright's F-statistics . Population differentiation was studied in two different ways . Genetic distances between pairs of populations were calculated and a hierarchical analysis of gene diversity was performed . Based on the F values gene flow was estimated among the populations at different levels of the hierarchy . The results indicated that our 'farmyard populations' collected within a region could be considered as parallel samples from a panmictic population rather than samples of distinct populations . In distilleries, the flies might be influenced by two different evolutionary forces: (i) selection due to the extremely high concentration of ethanol in the fermenting mash and (ii) genetic drift due to the combination of repeated founder effects and fluctuating population size . Our results suggested that 'distillery populations' could not be regarded as real populations either . They could be considered as peculiar cases: founder individuals taken from the total population (region) established special populations which survived in the distilleries for many generations . Thus the dominating force acting on the 'distillery populations' was genetic drift. J Antibiot (Tokyo), 1995 Jan, 48(1), 53 - 8 Fudecalone, a new anticoccidial agent produced by Penicillium sp . FO-2030; Tabata N et al.; Penicillium sp . FO-2030, a soil isolate, was found to produce a new anticoccidial compound . The active compound, designated fudecalone, was isolated from the fermentation broth of the producing strain by solvent extraction, silica gel column chromatography and preparative HPLC . The structure of fudecalone was elucidated to be 3,3a,6,6a,7,8,9,10-octahydro-1-hydroxy-4,7,7-trimethyl-1H-naphtho{1,8a- c}furan-6-one mainly by spectroscopic studies including various NMR measurements . The anticoccidial activity using cell systems indicated that schizont formation of monensin-resistant Eimeria tenella was completely inhibited by fudecalone at concentrations more than 16 microM. FEMS Microbiol Lett, 1995 Jan 1, 125(1), 77 - 82 Isolation and characterization of a new hydrogen-utilizing bacterium from the rumen; Rieu-Lesme F et al.; A new H2/CO2-utilizing acetogenic bacterium was isolated from the rumen of a mature deer . This is the first report of a spore-forming Gram-negative bacterial species from the rumen . The organism was a strictly anaerobic, motile rod and was able to grow autotrophically on hydrogen and carbon dioxide . Acetate was the major product detected . Glucose, fructose and lactate were also fermented heterotrophically . The optimum pH for growth was 7.0-7.5, and the optimum temperature was 37-42 degrees C . Yeast extract was required for growth and rumen fluid was highly stimulatory . The DNA base ratio was 52.9 +/- 0.5 mol% G+C . On the basis of these characteristics and fermentation products, the isolate was considered to be different from acetogenic bacteria described previously. Br J Nutr, 1995 Jan, 73(1), 111 - 23 Digestion of raw banana starch in the small intestine of healthy humans: structural features of resistant starch; Faisant N et al.; The digestion of freeze-dried green banana flour in the upper gut was studied by an intubation technique in six healthy subjects over a 14 h period . Of alpha-glucans ingested, 83.7% reached the terminal ileum but were almost totally fermented in the colon . Structural study of the resistant fraction showed that a small part of the alpha-glucans which escaped digestion in the small intestine was composed of oligosaccharides from starch hydrolysis, whereas the rest was insoluble starch in granule form with physical characteristics similar to those of raw banana starch . Passage through the small intestine altered granule structure by increasing susceptibility to further alpha-amylase hydrolysis . Compared with resistant starch values in vivo, those obtained with the in vitro methods tested were inadequate to estimate the whole fraction of starch reaching the terminal ileum. Int J Syst Bacteriol, 1995 Jan, 45(1), 29 - 31 Mycoplasma adleri sp . nov., an isolate from a goat; Del Giudice RA et al.; Mycoplasma sp . strain G145T (T = type strain) was isolated from a goat's abscessed ankle . Strain G145T required cholesterol or serum for growth and possessed characteristics similar to those of other members of the genus Mycoplasma . This strain was serologically distinct from previously described Mycoplasma species and from a group of currently unnamed strains thought to belong to the genus Mycoplasma . Strain G145T hydrolyzed arginine, but did not hydrolyze urea or ferment glucose . The guanine-plus-cytosine content of the DNA was 29.6 mol% . We propose that strain G145 (= ATCC 27948) is the type strain of a new species, for which we propose the name Mycoplasma adleri. Am J Clin Nutr, 1995 Jan, 61(1), 135 - 40 Mycoprotein reduces glycemia and insulinemia when taken with an oral-glucose-tolerance test; Turnbull WH et al.; This study investigated the effects of mycoprotein, a food produced by the continuous fermentation of Fusarium graminearum (Schwabe), on acute glycemia and insulinemia in normal healthy individuals . Subjects participated in two single-meal study periods in a crossover design . After an overnight fast, subjects were given milkshakes containing mycoprotein or a control substance, which were isoenergetic and nutrient balanced . Each milkshake contained 75 g carbohydrate, equivalent to a standard World Health Organization oral-glucose-tolerance test . Blood samples were taken fasting and at 30, 60, 90, and 120 min postprandially for the measurement of serum glucose and insulin . Glycemia was reduced postmeal after mycoprotein compared with the control and was statistically significant at 60 min (13% reduction) . Insulinemia was reduced postmeal after mycoprotein compared with the control and was statistically significant at 30 min (19% reduction) and 60 min (36% reduction) postmeal . These results may be significant in the dietary treatment of diabetes. Curr Genet, 1995 Jan, 27(2), 110 - 22 Control of glucose influx into glycolysis and pleiotropic effects studied in different isogenic sets of Saccharomyces cerevisiae mutants in trehalose biosynthesis; Neves MJ et al.; The GGS1/TPS1 gene of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae encodes the trehalose-6-phosphate synthase subunit of the trehalose synthase complex . Mutants defective in GGS1/TPS1 have been isolated repeatedly and they showed variable pleiotropic phenotypes, in particular with respect to trehalose content, ability to grow on fermentable sugars, glucose-induced signaling and sporulation capacity . We have introduced the fdp1, cif1, byp1 and glc6 alleles and the ggs1/tps1 deletion into three different wild-type strains, M5, SP1 and W303-1A . This set of strains will aid further studies on the molecular basis of the complex pleiotropic phenotypes of ggs1/tps1 mutants . The phenotypes conferred by specific alleles were clearly dependent on the genetic background and also differed for some of the alleles . Our results show that the lethality caused by single gene deletion in one genetic background can become undetectable in another background . The sporulation defect of ggs1/tps1 diploids was neither due to a deficiency in G1 arrest, nor to the inability to accumulate trehalose . Ggs1/tps1 delta mutants were very sensitive to glucose and fructose, even in the presence of a 100-fold higher galactose concentration . Fifty-percent inhibition occurred at concentrations similar to the Km values of glucose and fructose transport . The inhibitory effect of glucose in the presence of a large excess of galactose argues against an overactive glycolytic flux as the cause of the growth defect . Deletion of genes of the glucose carrier family shifted the 50% growth inhibition to higher sugar concentrations . This finding allows for a novel approach to estimate the relevance of the many putative glucose carrier genes in S . cerevisiae . We also show that the GGS1/TPS1 gene product is not only required for the transition from respirative to fermentative metabolism but continuously during logarithmic growth on glucose, in spite of the absence of trehalose under such conditions. Wien Med Wochenschr, 1995, 145(6), 143 - 7 {A case of patient homicide}; Beine KH; The phenomenon of patient homicides committed by health service employees has, in the previous years, repeatedly aroused much attention . The cases made known in Germany, the USA, Holland, Norway, and Austria appear to provide evidence to the effect that we are not only dealing with unique incidents . The scientific investigation of this especially sensitive taboo-topic is, to date, missing . The judicial trials carried out emphatically indicate that culprit motives, colleague behavior, but also to a large extent decisions made by superiors remain unclear . It remains controversial, what effect working conditions, strain of employees, their level of education and personal viewpoints over such criminal acts they possess . Finally, the long latency period between the first internal suspicions and the responsible parties' appropriate reactions requires duplicatable explanation . The following paper presents a German single-case study of patient homicide by a female nurse . The focus on causality rests on the presentation of developments up to the point where the long-fermenting suspicion could no longer be dismissed, and appropriate consequences took place . The account largely avoids the "definite" findings required during the judicial process . It concerns rather above all an open, uncertain, and possibly without external influence course of development which in stages each colleague in the health professions can trace, to the point where the uncertain and horrifying suspicion became a certainty . With this single-case study in hand it is made understandable in which ways personal circumstances and professional conditions at the worksituation can intertwine in such a way that the original motivation to help turns into its abysmal opposite . It is the author's intention to make preventive learning possible through this single case study . Every employee in the health professions should proceed on the assumption that such occurrences could also in his own field of work come to pass . In this respect, it is of considerable importance to differentiate between hasty and untenable incriminations and original increasing early-warning signs. Rev Latinoam Microbiol, 1995 Jan-Mar, 37(1), 19 - 26 {Gardnerella vaginalis biotypes: modification of a proposed system}; Pedraza-Aviles AG et al.; A modified scheme is proposed for biotyping Gardnerella vaginalis based on detection of hippurate hydrolysis, beta-galactosidase (ONPG) and lipase, and fermentation of arabinose, galactose and xylose . Thirty three biotypes were found among 140 strains from women with and without bacterial vaginosis (non-specific vaginitis) . The distribution of biotypes were found to be significantly different, being more predominant the biotypes 1A; 5G; 7A; 7D and 7G in women with vaginosis and the biotypes 5G and 6H in women without vaginosis . These data suggest that some biotypes of Gardnerella vaginalis are associated with bacterial vaginosis. Nahrung, 1995, 39(2), 132 - 8 Effect of processing on the composition of dietary fibre and starch in some legumes; Veena A et al.; The effect of processing on the total dietary fibre (TDF) insoluble (IDF) and water-soluble (SDF) fractions as well as total (TS), available (AS) and resistant (RS) starch were studied in three legumes, viz . bengalgram (Cicer arietinum L.), Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) and greengram (Vigna radiata) . The processes studied were fermentation, germination, pressure-cooking and roasting . The dietary fibre (DF) content and its components were determined using the enzymatic-gravimetric method . The TS content was determined by the enzymatic method after solubilization with KOH . The DF content ranged from 23.2 to 25.6 g/100 g in the raw and 16.0 to 31.5 g/100 g in the processed legumes . All the processing treatments significantly decreased the SDF content and increased the IDF content of all the three legumes . The mean TS, AS and RS content of the raw legumes were similar, 46.9, 36.7 and 10.2 g/100 g respectively . AS content of all the legumes was reduced by the processing treatments, except pressure cooking . Correspondingly, higher amounts of RS were observed in the processed legumes, except pressure cooked, resulting in an increase in the TDF content. J Basic Microbiol, 1995, 35(2), 117 - 21 Simultaneous raw starch hydrolysis and ethanol fermentation by glucoamylase from Rhizoctonia solani and Saccharomyces cerevisiae; Singh D et al.; Crude glucoamylase preparation from Rhizoctonia solani was used to saccharify raw and cooked starch . Various concentrations of potato starch and wheat flour from 10-40%, w/v were used for mashing but 30% was found to be the optimal and economical . The saccharified mash yielded 5.89%, v/v ethanol in a simultaneous saccharification and fermentation process using a yeast strain Saccharomyces cerevisiae (SC-39) at 35 degrees C for 4 days . Removal of inhibitory substances from the fermenting broth through dialysis caused considerable increase in ethanol production. Antonie Van Leeuwenhoek, 1995, 67(3), 261 - 79 Physiological and technological aspects of large-scale heterologous-protein production with yeasts; Hensing MC et al.; Commercial production of heterologous proteins by yeasts has gained considerable interest . Expression systems have been developed for Saccharomyces cerevisiae and a number of other yeasts . Generally, much attention is paid to the molecular aspects of heterologous-gene expression . The success of this approach is indicated by the high expression levels that have been obtained in shake-flask cultures . For large-scale production however, possibilities and restrictions related to host-strain physiology and fermentation technology also have to be considered . In this review, these physiological and technological aspects have been evaluated with the aid of numerical simulations . Factors that affect the choice of a carbon substrate for large-scale production involve price, purity and solubility . Since oxygen demand and heat production (which are closely linked) limit the attainable growth rate in large-scale processes, the biomass yield on oxygen is also a key parameter . Large-scale processes impose restrictions on the expression system . Many promoter systems that work well in small-scale systems cannot be implemented in industrial environments . Furthermore, large-scale fed-batch fermentations involve a substantial number of generations . Therefore, even low expression-cassette instability has a profound effect on the overall productivity of the system . Multicopy-integration systems may provide highly stable expression systems for industrial processes . Large-scale fed-batch processes are typically performed at a low growth rate . Therefore, effects of a low growth rate on the physiology and product formation rates of yeasts are of key importance . Due to the low growth rates in the industrial process, a substantial part of the substrate carbon is expended to meet maintenance-energy requirements . Factors that reduce maintenance-energy requirements will therefore have a positive effect on product yield . The relationship between specific growth rate and specific product formation rate (kg product.{kg biomass}-1.h-1) is the main factor influencing production levels in large-scale production processes . Expression systems characterized by a high specific rate of product formation at low specific growth rates are highly favourable for large-scale heterologous-protein production. Antonie Van Leeuwenhoek, 1995, 67(3), 243 - 53 Effects of growth conditions on mitochondrial morphology in Saccharomyces cerevisiae; Visser W et al.; Effects of growth conditions on mitochondrial morphology were studied in living Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells by vital staining with the fluorescent dye dimethyl-aminostyryl-methylpyridinium iodine (DASPMI), fluorescence microscopy, and confocal-scanning laser microscopy . Cells from respiratory, ethanol-grown batch cultures contained a large number of small mitochondria . Conversely, cells from glucose-grown batch cultures, in which metabolism was respiro-fermentative, contained small numbers of large, branched mitochondria . These changes did not significantly affect the fraction of the cellular volume occupied by the mitochondria . Similar differences in mitochondrial morphology were observed in glucose-limited chemostat cultures . In aerobic chemostat cultures, glucose metabolism was strictly respiratory and cells contained a large number of small mitochondria . Anaerobic, fermentative chemostat cultivation resulted in the large, branched mitochondrial structures also seen in glucose-grown batch cultures . Upon aeration of a previously anaerobic chemostat culture, the maximum respiratory capacity increased from 10 to 70 mumole.min-1.g dry weight-1 within 10 h . This transition resulted in drastic changes of mitochondrial number, morphology and, consequently, mitochondrial surface area . These changes continued for several hours after the respiratory capacity had reached its maximum . Cyanide-insensitive oxygen consumption contributed ca . 50% of the total respiratory capacity in anaerobic cultures, but was virtually absent in aerobic cultures . The response of aerobic cultures to oxygen deprivation was qualitatively the reverse of the response of anaerobic cultures to aeration . The results indicate that mitochondrial morphology in S . cerevisiae is closely linked to the metabolic activity of this yeast: conditions that result in repression of respiratory enzymes generally lead to the mitochondrial morphology observed in anaerobically grown, fermenting cells. J Ind Microbiol, 1995 Jan, 14(1), 52 - 7 Clarification of animal cell cultures on a large scale by continuous centrifugation; Kempken R et al.; Animal cells from 80-L and 2000-L fed batch fermentations were removed by a prototype disc stack centrifuge in order to achieve a fast and reliable separation of solids from large quantities of cell culture fluids . The clarification capacity was excellent for animal cells but particles remained in the liquid phase and affected further downstream processing of the cell-free harvest fluid . No significant loss of product was observed . A number of parameters were monitored to optimize process conditions for use with animal cells. Biotechnol Prog, 1995 Jan-Feb, 11(1), 64 - 70 The use of dielectric permittivity for the control of the biomass level during biotransformations of toxic substrates in continuous culture; Markx GH et al.; Since the permittivity signal of a cell suspension measured using dielectric spectroscopy at radio frequencies is essentially determined only by viable (intact) cells, it can be used to monitor the concentration of viable cells in a fermentor in which a large proportion of the cells is nonviable . This could be used to select for organisms that are highly resistant to stress, for example from toxic chemicals used in biotransformations . We sought to control the concentration of viable yeast cells in a fermentor by adding small amounts of benzaldehyde, thus imposing a selection regime for cells highly resistant to benzaldehyde . However, after the addition of benzaldehyde, an increase in the permittivity is seen first followed by a decrease, thus making the control of biomass using a standard on-off controller difficult . It is shown that it is possible effectively to control the level of viable biomass in the fermentor in the presence of a large concentration of necromass using a combination of an inverse response compensator and a PID controller. Biosci Biotechnol Biochem, 1995 Jan, 59(1), 150 - 1 Measurement of Gly m Bd 30K, a major soybean allergen, in soybean products by a sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay; Tsuji H et al.; By a sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, a soybean major allergen, Gly m Bd 30K, in soybean products was measured . The allergen occurred at high concentrations in soy milk, tofu, kori-dofu, and yuba, but its content in kinako was small . No allergen was found in fermented foods such as miso, shoyu, and natto . The allergen was clearly shown to occur in meat balls, beef croquettes, and fried chicken that contained soybean protein isolate. Lett Appl Microbiol, 1995 Jan, 20(1), 61 - 4 Interactions between rumen anaerobic fungi and ciliate protozoa in the degradation of rice straw cell walls; Widyastuti Y et al.; Suspensions of mixed rumen protozoa were added to incubations of the anaerobic fungus Neocallimastix patriciarum with rice straw cell walls . The protozoa did not influence the dry matter lost from the straw, or the solubilization of monosaccharides, but they had a marked effect on the fermentation products formed . Studies with 14C-labelled protozoa suggested that the presence of protozoa reduced the fungal carboxymethylcellulase activity to around half of that found in pure cultures of the fungus. Bioprocess Technol, 1995, 20, 135 - 85 Cell aggregation and sedimentation; Davis RH; The aggregation of cells into clumps or flocs has been exploited for decades in such applications as biological wastewater treatment, beer brewing, antibiotic fermentation, and enhanced sedimentation to aid in cell recovery or retention . More recent research has included the use of cell aggregation and sedimentation to selectively separate subpopulations of cells . Potential biotechnological applications include overcoming contamination, maintaining plasmid-bearing cells in continuous fermentors, and selectively removing nonviable hybridoma cells from perfusion cultures. Yeast, 1995 Jan, 11(1), 1 - 14 2-micron vectors containing the Saccharomyces cerevisiae metallothionein gene as a selectable marker: excellent stability in complex media, and high-level expression of a recombinant protein from a CUP1-promoter-controlled expression cassette in cis; Hottiger T et al.; We have constructed 2-micron-based yeast expression vectors containing a copy of the metallothionein (CUP1) gene of Saccharomyces cerevisiae as a semi-dominant, selectable marker . When used for the expression of the thrombin inhibitor hirudin, originally derived from the leech Hirudo medicinalis, these vectors displayed the following characteristics . (1) In the presence of copper salts, they were mitotically more stable than similarly designed control vectors lacking the CUP1 gene . In copper-sensitive host strains, the apparent plasmid stability was 100%, even in complex media and during fed-batch fermentation for an extended period of time . (2) Use of the CUP1-stabilized plasmids improved the production of hirudin by both copper-sensitive and copper-resistant hosts . The highest hirudin titers were obtained with a delta CUP1 host . (3) Copper selection resulted in a moderate increase in average plasmid copy numbers (up to two-fold) as assessed by measuring hirudin expression from a constitutive promoter (GAPFL) . This effect was most noticeable if the vector showed an asymmetric segregation pattern (i.e., high rates of plasmid loss in the absence of copper) . (4) The CUP1 marker proved particularly useful in combination with a CUP1-promoter-controlled expression cassette on the same plasmid . In such a set-up, the rates of transcription of the heterologous protein and that of the selectable marker are tightly linked . Therefore, an increase in selective pressure directly provokes an increase in product yields . In a copper-sensitive host strain, this plasmid design allowed for the production of very high amounts of biologically active hirudin . Our results clearly establish the utility of the CUP1 marker in the construction of stable yeast expression vectors. Food Addit Contam, 1995 Jan-Feb, 12(1), 31 - 40 Fermentation of wort containing added ochratoxin A and fumonisins B1 and B2; Scott PM et al.; Ochratoxin A (OA), fumonisin B1 (FB1) and fumonisin B2 (FB2) were added to wort at levels of 0.19, 0.95 and 0.95 micrograms/ml, respectively, and fermented for up to 8 days by three strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae . Decreases of OA in the beer over this period were estimated from straight line slopes to be 2-13% . Losses of FB1 and FB2 were estimated to be 3-28% and 9-17% respectively . Some OA was taken up by the yeast, up to 21% in a detailed study with one strain . In contrast, uptake of fumonisins by yeast was negligible (< 1% FB1 and < 2% FB2) . In control experiments, OA, FB1 and FB2 were found to be stable when added to yeast-free wort and kept for up to 8 days at 25 degrees C . In addition, spiking experiments with blank day 0-8 fermenting wort samples showed method recoveries averaging 87-91% . None of the mycotoxins was detected in control fermentations where they were not added to the wort. Nutrition, 1995 Jan-Feb, 11(1), 37 - 45 Digestive processes in the human colon; Nordgaard I et al.; The presence or absence of a normal small bowel is evidently important for the digestion and absorption of nutrients in humans . The importance, however, of the large intestine as an organ with digestive potential and an ability to salvage energy is much less appreciated . Whereas the bacterial fermentation of plant polysaccharides, with the production and absorption of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), contributes 60-90% of all the energy requirements in plant-eating animals, the colonic fermentation in humans is of minor importance for nutrition, with only 5-10% of the energy requirements available from colonic digestion of starch, nonstarch polysaccharides, and protein not absorbed in the small bowel, if the intestine has a normal length and function . In contrast, the digestive resource of the large bowel might be important for people with reduced upper-gut function and with the malabsorption of large amounts of dietary nutrients to the cecum, e.g., in patients with short bowel . The substrates available for bacterial fermentation and for the maintenance of the colonic flora are largely starch and nonstarch polysaccharides (dietary fiber) . Whereas nonstarch polysaccharides are undegradable by amylase in the small intestine, starch is hydrolyzed by amylase, but with very different rates and to very different degrees dependent on the origin and structure of the starches . The unequal susceptibility to amylase explains the different amount of starch that is not absorbed in the small intestine . The rate of colonic fermentation of starch has also been shown to relate to the rate of starch hydrolysis by amylase.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS) Antonie Van Leeuwenhoek, 1995, 67(1), 79 - 89 Source separation, selective collection and in reactor digestion of biowaste; Gellens V et al.; Biowaste or the organic fraction of domestic waste, for instance kitchen, fruit and garden waste, is collected selectively in several European communities . The complementary fraction is called the dry or non recyclable fraction . A Dutch study reported that 92% of the participants that have a weekly collection service of both fractions (biowaste and non recyclable fraction) and 80% of the participants in the alternating collection program (one week biowaste and the next week non recyclable fraction) are pleased with separate collection of biowaste . Dominating problems that arise in case of alternating collection are a repulsive odor and an infestation with flies and maggots . By expanding the definition of biowaste to include non recyclable or soiled paper like dirty newspapers, table napkins and paper handkerchiefs, most of these problems can be overcome without changing the way compostable waste is collected and processed . The expanded definition of biowaste was used in this paper . Over a 12 month period a quality survey of the collected biowaste was conducted by the composting facility Intercompost, Hoeselt, Belgium . A special aspect was the fact that in one participating community baby diapers were included in the soiled paper fraction; this is called "biowaste+" . The biowaste+ had a 10% non recyclable paper fraction opposed to only 1-2% of non recyclable paper present in the conventional biowaste . Baby diapers were a rather notable part (more than 80%) of this non recyclable paper fraction of biowaste+ and as a consequence might contribute to a large extent to improve the collection and treatment of biowaste . It was demonstrated that rural districts yielded about 35% more biowaste than more urban districts; resp . +/- 122 kg biowaste/capita . year versus +/- 90 kg biowaste/capita . year . In Hoeselt the biowaste+ yield was about 130 kg/capita.year . Biowaste+ is also separately collected in another Belgium community, namely Brecht . The purity level of the biowaste+ and the amount of non recyclable paper (including diapers) were comparable with the results of Hoeselt . In Hoeselt the biowaste+ fraction is composted aerobically . In Brecht on the other hand, the biowaste+ is processed using the Dry Anaerobic Composting process (DRANCO) . The latter process is discussed in more detail . The biological start-up of the dry anaerobic composting installation at Brecht, Belgium, is reported . The reactor has a total volume of 808 m3 and a design capacity of 730 m3 . After 2 months of start up, the fermentor was at full loading rate, i.e . 8 kg bVS/m3 reactor.day and the installation was working at full capacity, i.e . 40 ton/day.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS) Antonie Van Leeuwenhoek, 1995, 67(1), 125 - 30 Acceleration of mass transfer in methane-producing loop reactors; Van den Heuvel JC et al.; Gas bubbles entrapped in methanogenic granules subjected to hydrostatic pressure oscillations during recirculation in loop reactors will induce intraparticle liquid flows, and thereby enhance mass transfer in excess of diffusion . This 'breathing particle' concept was clearly demonstrated in a well defined inorganic model system . The experimental results could be described satisfactory with a structured mathematical model, while a 30% improvement is predicted for methanogenic loop reactors as compared to constant pressure systems . It is concluded that acceleration of mass transfer in gas-producing systems offers challenging perspectives for both heterogeneous catalysis and biological fermentations. Crit Rev Biotechnol, 1995, 15(1), 1 - 11 Tequila production; Cedeno M; Tequila is obtained from the distillation of fermented juice of agave plant, Agave tequilana, to which up to 49% (w/v) of an adjunct sugar, mainly from cane or corn, could be added . Agave plants require from 8 to 12 years to mature and during all this time cleaning, pest control, and slacken of land are required to produce an initial raw material with the appropriate chemical composition for tequila production . Production process comprises four steps: cooking to hydrolyze inulin into fructose, milling to extract the sugars, fermentation with a strain of Saccharomyces cerevisiae to convert the sugars into ethanol and organoleptic compounds, and, finally, a two-step distillation process . Maturation, if needed, is carried out in white oak barrels to obtain rested or aged tequila in 2 or 12 months, respectively. Am J Hypertens, 1995 Jan, 8(1), 74 - 9 Effect of green tea rich in gamma-aminobutyric acid on blood pressure of Dahl salt-sensitive rats; Abe Y et al.; gamma-Aminobutyric acid (GABA) is known to be involved in the regulation of blood pressure by modulating the neurotransmitter release in the central and peripheral sympathetic nervous systems . This study investigated the antihypertensive effect of green tea rich in GABA (GABA-rich tea) in young and old Dahl salt-sensitive (S) rats . GABA-rich tea was made by fermenting fresh green tea leaves under nitrogen gas . In experiment 1, 21 11-month-old rats, fed a 4% NaCl diet for 3 weeks, were given water (group W), an ordinary tea solution (group T), or a GABA-rich tea solution (group G) for 4 weeks . The average GABA intake was 4.0 mg/rat per day . After 4 weeks of the treatment, blood pressure was significantly decreased in group G (176 +/- 4; P < .01) compared with group W (207 +/- 9) or group T (193 +/- 5 mm Hg) . Plasma GABA levels were more elevated in group G (111 +/- 54) than in group W (not detectable) or group T (14 +/- 8 ng/mL; P < .01 v G) . In experiment 2, 21 5-week-old rats, fed a 4% NaCl diet, were divided into groups W, T, and G . The average GABA intake was 1.8 mg/rat per day . Body weight or chow and beverage consumption did not differ significantly among the three groups . After 4 weeks of the treatment, although blood pressure was comparable in groups W and T (165 +/- 3 v 164 +/- 5 mm Hg, mean +/- SE), it was significantly lower in group G (142 +/- 3 mm Hg) than in the other groups (P < .01).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS) Schweiz Monatsschr Zahnmed, 1995, 105(3), 306 - 10 {Cariogenic carbohydrates in maltodextrin-containing breast milk food substitutes}; Koch H et al.; Ten infant formulas containing maltodextrin were analysed for fermentable carbohydrates using enzymatic analysis test-combinations and a spectrophotometer . Besides lactose, sucrose and fructose an assessment was made of sugars typically contained in maltodextrin and corn syrup, namely maltose, maltotriose and glucose . Total carbohydrate was up to 10.3 g in 100 ml standard sample . Cariogenic sugars were found in concentrations between 4.0 and 7.3 g/100 ml . Declaration of the different types of carbohydrates, especially of maltodextrin/corn syrup proved to be insufficient in some products and consequently the consumer is not able to understand their cariogenic potential. Peptides, 1995, 16(1), 151 - 64 Bioactive cyclic dipeptides; Prasad C; Cyclic dipeptides are among the simplest peptide derivatives commonly found in nature . Most cyclic dipeptides found to date appear to have emerged as by-products of fermentation and food processing . However, many are endogenous to members of animal and plant kingdoms; these include cyclo(Pro-Leu), cyclo(Pro-Val), cyclo(Pro-Phe), cyclo(Ala-Leu), cyclo(Pro-Tyr), cyclo(Pro-Trp), and cyclo(His-Pro) . Although the five cyclic dipeptides--cyclo(His-Pro), cyclo(Leu-Gly), cyclo(Tyr-Arg), cyclo(Asp-Pro), and cyclo(Pro-Phe)--exhibit interesting physiological and/or pharmacological activities in mammals, only one of these, cyclo(His-Pro), has been conclusively shown to be endogenous to mammals . On the other hand, cyclo(Leu-Gly), cyclo(Tyr-Arg), and cyclo(Asp-Pro) are structurally related to endogenous peptides Pro-Leu-Gly-NH2 (melanocyte-stimulating hormone release inhibiting factor), Tyr-Arg (kyotorphin), and Val-Pro-Asp-Pro-Arg (enterostatin), respectively, which may serve as precursor peptides . It needs to be determined, however, whether these peptides can indeed result from the processing of their respective precursors . In conclusion, it appears that cyclic dipeptides are a relatively unexplored class of bioactive peptides that may hold great promise for the future. Support Care Cancer, 1995 Jan, 3(1), 81 - 3 Effects of active addition of bacterial cultures in fermented milk to patients with chronic bowel discomfort following irradiation; Henriksson R et al.; Radiotherapy is a cornerstone in the treatment of malignancies in the pelvis . Consequently, there is usually exposure of the intestine and especially the lower colon and rectum, with ensuing disturbances in bowel habits at different times following radiotherapy . The main problem is diarrhoea associated with lactose intolerance, bile salt absorption and fat malabsorption . Bacterial contamination has also been described . In the present study we have evaluated the influence of the active administration of specific bacterial cultures in fermented milk, which inhibit the growth of potentially pathogenic micro-organisms, to 40 consecutive patients with chronic alteration in their bowel habits caused by previous radiotherapy of pelvic malignancies . The results suggest that intake of fermented milk products could be of value in decreasing chronic bowel discomfort following radiotherapy of pelvic malignancies . However, a more extensive study is warranted in order to very the significance of the results and to find the optimal product. Eur J Pediatr, 1995, 154(7 Suppl 2), S87 - 92 Hidden sources of galactose in the environment; Acosta PB et al.; A galactose-restricted diet free of lactose is lifesaving in patients with galactose-1-phosphate uridyl transferase (GALT) deficiency, but does not prevent long-term complications such as developmental delay, abnormal speech, poor growth and, in females, ovarian failure . Lactose, found in dairy products and as an extender in drugs, has been considered the primary source of galactose in the diet . Two recent publications reported that small amounts of galactose are present in many fruits and vegetables . We report the presence of considerable amounts of free galactose in some legumes (dried beans and peas) and the presence of bound galactose in many food plants . Galactose, in various glycosidic linkages, such as alpha-1,6, beta-1,3 and beta-1,4, and as a component of lipids, is ubiquitous in animals and plants . The bioavailability of alpha-1,6 and beta-1,3 linked galactose in foods is unknown . However, alpha-galactosidases found in plant and animal tissues may release galactose in alpha-1,6 linkage, and from diagalactosyldiacylglycerol . Galactose in beta-1,4 linkage and as monogalactosyldiacylglycerol may be released by beta-galactosidases in animal and plant tissues . Foods fermented by microorganisms for preparation or preservation purposes may contain free galactose . The role of free and bound galactose in cereals, fruits, legumes, nuts, organ meats, seeds, and vegetables in the poor outcome seen in some patients with GALT deficiency is unknown . It is certain that no patients with GALT deficiency have ever ingested a galactose-free diet. Arch Tierernahr, 1995, 47(3), 295 - 300 Effect of yeast supplementation on health, performance and rumen fermentation in beef bulls; Fiems LO et al.; The effect of 0, 6 or 60 g yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) daily on health and performance was investigated in 90 double-muscled and 48 non-double-muscled Belgian White-blue bulls during 60 and 51 days, respectively, upon arrival at the experimental farm . The yeast was incorporated in the concentrate, which was fed at 2 kg d-1 during the first ten days and at 2.5 kg d-1 afterwards . Besides, maize silage was fed up to 8 kg d-1, while grass hay was offered ad libitum . Feed intake, growth rate and number of sick animals were not affected by the yeast addition . Morbid animals required a similar number of days with antibiotic therapy for each yeast level within each beef strain . Rumen samples taken from 6 non-double-muscled bulls in the last but one week showed a decreased concentration of volatile fatty acids when 6 g yeast was fed daily . Except butyric acid concentration, rumen fermentation parameters were not altered . Yeast supplementation during an adaptation period after purchase did not affect health status and growth performance. Arch Tierernahr, 1995, 47(3), 271 - 86 {Simulation of nutrient dynamics in the rumen of sheep and cattle considering the feed composition, level of feed intake and feeding frequency . 2 . Model validation}; Grathwol J et al.; A mathematical model of rumen fermentation processes was validated with 65 sheep experiments and 45 cattle experiments, respectively . Further, it was shown how the model reacts when the feed composition, the level of feed intake and the feeding frequency was changed . The model predictions were satisfactory for the digestibility of organic matter and neutral detergent fibre (NDF) in rumen, the production of volatile fatty acids and the non-ammonia-N (NAN) flow to duodenum . The partition of NAN in microbial and feed N was estimated with lower reliability . The effects of variation of feeding level, feeding frequency and roughage quality (crude protein, lignin) on digestion processes have been simulated correctly . On the other hand, the effects of the proportion of roughage to concentrate have not been reproduced sufficiently with the mechanisms included in the model . To make correct predictions in this area too, it is necessary to integrate the rumen pH and its effects on rumen processes into the model . A mechanistic approach for estimation of the velocity constants for passage of substances out of the rumen would improve the model. Arch Tierernahr, 1995, 47(3), 255 - 70 {Simulation of nutrient dynamics in the rumen of sheep and cattle considering the feed composition, level of feed intake and feeding frequency . 1 . Model description}; Grathwol J et al.; The aim of this work was to develop a dynamic, mechanistic computer-model, which can be used to simulate digestion, outflow and pools of different nutrients in the rumen of sheep and cattle and which reacts on changes of the feed composition, on the level and the frequency of feeding . The model consists of 35 flux- and 17 differential equations and works under cyclic steady-state conditions . The following mechanism are integrated into the model: The three substrates protein, neutral detergent fibre (NDF) and non-fibre-carbohydrates are degraded by three specific groups of microbes . A fourth group degrades NDF and non-fibre-carbohydrates following the principle of competitive inhibition . The fermentation in the rumen serves for supply of energy for growth and for the maintenance of microbes . The rates of degradation are calculated from the turnover-time of the specific substrate and the amount of microbes . Recycling of N occurs through recycling of the microbial protein and the ruminohepatic pathway . If concentration of ammonia in rumen fluid decreases below 50 mg/l then the growth of microbes declines. Appl Biochem Biotechnol, 1995 Spring, 51-52, 449 - 61 Optimization for a recombinant E . coli fed-batch fermentation; Chen Q et al.; The operating strategy that produces the maximum foreign protein expression for a fed-batch process is desired . This is achieved by using a feasible quadratic programming (FSQP) algorithm with a structured model that describes cell growth and product formation for recombinant E . coli . Optimization calculations for a fed-batch culture have not been performed with a model of this complexity up to this point . A constraint on the maximum cell concentration was included . For a fixed value of batch time, the results show that the optimal time profile of feed flow rate can increase the yield of foreign protein by 12-29% over a constant feed rate policy . Also, it was found that the computation time for the FSQP algorithm can be reduced significantly by considering suboptimal profiles of the feed rate, with a minor effect on calculated protein yield. Appl Biochem Biotechnol, 1995 Spring, 51-52, 423 - 35 Fermentation of sugars in orange peel hydrolysates to ethanol by recombinant Escherichia coli KO11; Grohmann K et al.; The conversion of monosaccharides in orange peel hydrolysates to ethanol by recombinant Escherichia coli KO11 has been investigated in pH-controlled batch fermentations at 32 and 37 degrees C . pH values and concentration of peel hydrolysate were varied to determine approximate optimal conditions and limitations of these fermentations . Very high yields of ethanol were achieved by this microorganism at reasonable ethanol concentrations (28-48 g/L) . The pH range between 5.8 and 6.2 appears to be optimal . The microorganism can convert all major monosaccharides in orange peel hydrolysates to ethanol and to smaller amounts of acetic and lactic acids . Acetic acid is coproduced in equimolar amounts with ethanol by catabolism of salts of galacturonic acid. J Comp Physiol {B}, 1995, 165(3), 193 - 202 Digesta passage and functional anatomy of the digestive tract in the desert tortoise (Xerobates agassizii); Barboza PS; The herbivorous tortoise Xerobates agassizii contends with large fluctuations in the quality and abundance of desert pastures . Responses to grass (Schismus barbatus), herbage (Sphaeralcea ambigua) and pelleted diets were studied in captive animals . Digestive anatomy was investigated in wild tortoises . Cornified esophageal epithelia and numerous mucus glands along the digestive tract indicated a resistance to abrasive diets . Gastric contents were acidic whereas hindgut digesta were near neutral pH . The colon was the primary site of fermentation with short-chain fatty acids mainly comprised of acetate (69-84%), propionate (10-15%) and n-butyrate (1-12%) . Fibre digestion was extensive and equivalent to 22-64% of digestible energy intakes . Large particles of grass (25 mm; Cr-mordants) were excreted as a pulse but retained longer than either fluids (Co-EDTA) or fine particles (2 mm; Yb) . Patterns of marker excretion suggested irregular mixing of only the fluid and fine particulate digesta in the stomach and the colon . Mean retention times of Cr-mordants were 14.2-14.8 days on the grass and high-fibre pellets . Intakes of grass were low and accompanied by smaller estimates of digesta fill than for the high-fibre pellets . Digestive capacity was large and estimated at 11-21% of body mass on these diets . The capacious but simple digestive anatomy of the tortoise may provide the greatest flexibility in utilizing a variety of forages in its unreliable habitat. JPEN J Parenter Enteral Nutr, 1995 Jan-Feb, 19(1), 63 - 8 Influence of three different fiber-supplemented enteral diets on bowel function and short-chain fatty acid production; Kapadia SA et al.; BACKGROUND: Dietary fiber is known to influence bowel habit and gastrointestinal mucosal cell morphology and function . large-bowel function is particularly influenced by insoluble, poorly fermentable fiber sources, whereas mucosal function is affected by fiber sources that are soluble and highly fermentable . The aim of the present study was to compare bowel function during consumption of a self-selected diet, a fiber-free enteral diet, and three polymeric enteral diets, each supplemented with a fiber with different fermentation characteristics . The fiber sources used were oat, soy oligosaccharide, and soy polysaccharide . METHODS: Seven healthy subjects consumed four diets in random order for 4 to 7 days . These were a self-selected diet, a 2-L polymeric enteral diet, and a 2-L polymeric enteral diet supplemented with 15 g of total dietary fiber per liter derived from either soy oligosaccharide fiber (75 g/L) or oat fiber (15 g/L) . An additional six healthy subjects were randomly assigned to three diets (4 to 7 days): a self-selected diet, a 2-L polymeric enteral diet, or the same 2-L polymeric enteral diet supplemented with 20 g of soy polysaccharide fiber per liter (15 g of total dietary fiber per liter) . Bowel function was assessed by measuring whole-gut transit time, mean daily stool wet weights, and bowel movement frequency per day . Fermentation characteristics of the different fiber sources were determined quantitatively and qualitatively by measuring short-chain fatty acids produced during in vitro stool culture . RESULTS: Total short-chain fatty acid and butyric acid production with soy oligosaccharide fiber were significantly higher compared with values observed for soy polysaccharide fiber (p < .003), oat fiber (p < .005), and self-selected (control) diet (p < .003) . Compared with the fiber-free diet, consumption of the soy polysaccharide, oat, and soy oligosaccharide-fiber-supplemented enteral diets did not significantly (p > .05) alter whole-gut transit time or stool wet weight . However, bowel frequency was significantly improved by consumption of the soy polysaccharide-fiber-supplemented diet but not the oat fiber or soy oligosaccharide-fiber-supplemented diets . CONCLUSION: Compared with a fiber-free polymeric enteral diet, the daily consumption of an enteral diet supplemented with 30 g of total dietary fiber per day derived from a poorly fermentable oat fiber, a highly fermentable soy oligosaccharide fiber, or a moderately fermentable soy polysaccharide fiber has little impact, if any, on bowel function. Biomed Sci Instrum, 1995, 31, 251 - 6 Modeling and optimising dextrose fermentation using a fluorosensor; Sundaram S et al.; Dextrose has been fermented in a Tokyo Rikakikai Fermentor at 32 degree celsius using seven different concentrations of yeast as seeding . The progress of the reaction was followed by measuring the fluorescent signal due to NADH with a Dr . Ingold (Switzerland) fluorosensor which has an excitation wavelength of 360 nm and measurement wavelength of 450 nm . The optimum concentration for this fermentation reaction is 30 percent seeding . At this concentration the biomass growth rate and final biomass concentration are a maximum . The fluorescent voltage vs time data fitted a first order model with an error of less than one percent . Further work on optimising the temperature is in progress. Rapid Commun Mass Spectrom, 1995, 9(8), 717 - 22 Contribution of mass spectrometry to the structural confirmation of components of the antibiotic GE2270 complex; Colombo L et al.; The GE2270 complex consists mainly of GE2270 A (MW 1289), a thiazolyl peptide antibiotic whose structure originates from the modification of a chain of 14 amino acids in a process which creates six thiazole rings and one pyridine . Together with the main component, a number of structurally related molecules are co-produced in small quantities by fermentation . A preparative high-performance liquid chromatrography method was developed to isolate GE2270 factors B1, B2, C1, C2a, C2b, D1, D2, E and T . Their structures, preliminarily determined by 1H-nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy in comparison with GE2270 A, were confirmed by low and high resolution fast-atom bombardment mass spectrometry and studies on the intact molecules and on their main hydrolysis products . Their molecular weights range from 1246 to 1306 Da . The structural differences between the factors lie in the extent of methylation and/or oxidation of thiazole rings (D and E) and asparagine, and in the aromatization of the oxazoline ring. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr, 1995 Jan, 35(3), 191 - 229 Huitlacoche (Ustilago maydis) as a food source--biology, composition, and production; Valverde ME et al.; Huitlacoche is the ethnic name applied to the young fruiting bodies (galls) of the fungus Ustilago maydis, which causes common smut of maize (Zea mays L) . Biologists and agronomists have historically used U . maydis as a model to study a wide array of genetic, physiological, ecological, and phytopathological phenomena . In Mexico and other Latin American countries, huitlacoche has been used traditionally as human food, being highly regarded as an interesting dish or condiment . The food potential of huitlacoche is described here in terms of its chemical composition, which includes carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, and minerals . In addition, essential amino acids (especially lysine) and fatty acids (linoleate) are present in huitlacoche in considerable levels, adding to its nutritional attributes . The feasibility of growing U . maydis in submerged agitated culture has yielded a variety of fermentation products, including essential amino acids, proteins, vitamins, and flavorings, among others . Recent interest in developing huitlacoche as a cash crop has come from increasing acceptance by the North American public, who prize it as a new delicacy . However, research efforts are still needed to determine the biological factors involved in the establishment of U . maydis as a pathogen on the maize plant . This review deals with the role of huitlacoche as a food source, implicating the biological components that will determine the development of technologies for large scale production. Schweiz Monatsschr Zahnmed, 1995, 105(7), 907 - 12 {Cariogenic carbohydrates in maltodextrins, glucose syrups and maltodextrin-containing infant tea}; Koch H et al.; Five maltodextrins and five corn syrups each, seven instant teas containing maltodextrin and one tea produced on a protein-base were analysed for fermentable carbohydrates using enzymatic analyses test combinations and a spectrophotometer . Analysis of the maltodextrins and glucose syrups demonstrated the heterogenicity of this group of substances and also some incompleteness in the declaration of maltose, maltotriose and glucose, sugars typically contained in these products . In standard samples of the instant teas cariogenic sugars were found in concentrations up to 0.7% . As these sugars were not declared in any of the products, the consumer is not able to assess the cariogenic potential of the ingredient maltodextrin . The intake of products containing maltodextrins or corn syrups must lead to an uncontrolled sugar consumption. Appl Biochem Biotechnol, 1995 Jan, 50(1), 71 - 8 Solid-state fermentation of agricultural wastes into food through Pleurotus cultivation; Jwanny EW et al.; The technical feasibility of using agricultural wastes (mango and date industry wastes) as a substrate for the cultivation of Pleurotus ostreatus NRRL-0366 is evaluated . When comparing the biological efficiency of mushroom production, the highest yield of fruiting bodies was obtained using a mixture of date waste and rice straw at a ratio (1:1) (11.96%), followed by a mixture 3:1 (11.16%) . The lowest one was the mixture 2:1 (9.19%) . Fungus Pleurotus ostreatus NRRL-0366 can also be cultivated on mango waste supplemented with rice straw at a different ratio . The best one was the 1:1 mixture (10.18%), whereas the lowest was a mixture 3:1 (6.4%) . Comparing the results obtained favored the use of date waste as a substrate for growing Pleurotus ostreatus NRRL-0366 . Spawn was cultured on three different substrates as follows: Date waste alone (I); 1:1 (by wt) date waste and rice straw (II); 1:1:1 date waste, rice straw, and corncobs (III) . Final dry weight and composition of the fruiting bodies are tabulated for the three sets of conditions . Date waste and rice straw mixture (II) is a good source of nonstarchy carbohydrate (67%) and protein (27.44%) containing amounts of essential amino acids, especially lysine and low RNA (3.81%) . Elemental analysis were studied in the fruit bodies of the three media. Acta Vet Hung, 1995, 43(1), 179 - 90 Effect of hydrothermal treatment of rice straw on its composition and in sacco digestibility and in vitro fermentation by rumen microorganisms; Adya M et al.; Chemical composition, in sacco rumen disappearance of various cell wall constituents (CWC) and in vitro fermentation pattern of hydrothermally treated (1 to 14 kp/cm2 pressure for 5 min) rice straw was examined . At 10 kp/cm2 pressure treatment (maximum effect) the contents of dry matter (DM), organic matter (OM), neutral detergent fibre (NDF), acid detergent fibre (ADF), hemicellulose (HC) and cellulose (CE) were decreased by 32.5, 35.3, 27.8, 10.2, 61.2 and 25.1%, respectively (P < 0.05), over the untreated control . The in sacco rumen disappearance of DM, OM, HC and CE from rice straw treated at 8 kp/cm2 pressure (maximum effect) and incubated for 48 h was increased from 53.2 to 77.7, 52.4 to 80.3, 49.5 to 82.0 and 49.2 to 79.3%, respectively (P < 0.01) . In vitro production of total volatile fatty acids and the content of TCA-insoluble protein was also significantly higher (P < 0.05) on treated compared with untreated straw. Caries Res, 1995, 29(3), 181 - 7 Effects of chlorhexidine-fluoride mouthrinses on viability, acidogenic potential, and glycolytic profile of established dental plaque; Giertsen E et al.; Inhibition of dental plaque acidogenicity by chlorhexidine (CHX) mouthrinses has been ascribed to a long-lasting bacteriostatic effect due to binding of CHX to oral surface structures combined with a slow release rate from the binding sites . The present aims were to study the effects of CHX-containing mouthrinses on the viability and glycolytic activity of established plaque in order to assess the bactericidal versus the bacteriostatic effects . Following 2 days of plaque accumulation, three groups of 10 students rinsed with either 12.0 mM NaF, 0.55 mM CHX plus NaF, or with 2.2 mM CHX plus NaF . Plaque samples were collected before and 90 min after mouthrinsing . The pH in pooled pre- and post-rinse plaque samples was recorded before and up to 10 min after the addition of D-{U-14C}glucose . Total colony-forming units in each sample were determined . High-performance liquid chromatography analyses showed lactate to be the major extracellular glycolytic metabolite in all samples . CHX-NaF markedly reduced the colony-forming units, the pH fall from fermentation of glucose, as well as glucose consumption and lactate formation, whereas NaF alone exhibited no such effects . The reduction of glucose consumption by the CHX-NaF mouthrinses corresponded to the reduction of colony-forming units, indicating no bacteriostatic effect . The plaque pH in vivo was monitored in each student 90 min after mouthrinsing with the test solutions prior to and up to 1 h after a sucrose mouthrinse using touch microelectrodes . The CHX-NaF mouthrinses reduced the fall in pH significantly (p < 0.05) as compared with the NaF mouthrinse.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS) Acta Microbiol Immunol Hung, 1995, 42(1), 71 - 5 Simultaneous saccharification and fermentation of rice straw into ethanol; Chadha BS et al.; The physicochemical pretreatment of ball milled rice straw with different oxidizing agents, peracetic acid, alkali-peroxide, manganese-peroxide compounds under steaming pressure were studied . The pretreatment resulted in major changes in chemical composition of rice straw . The peroxide treated substrates were found to be most susceptible to enzymatic saccharification . A maximum saccharification (77.4%) of alkaline-peroxide treated rice straw (5%, w/v) was achieved using cellulase enzyme produced by mixed cultivation of Trichoderma reesei Rut C-30 and Aspergillus ochraceus containing 1.83 FPU, 1.63 cellobiase and xylanase 2.03 IU/ml . The hydrolysate was fermented using coculture of a temperature resistant strain of Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Pachysolen tannophilus resulting in 1.5% (w/v) ethanol . The SSF of 10.0% (w/v) H2O2-MnSO4 treated straw yielded maximum ethanol (2.9%, w/v) after 72 h at 40 degrees C . As a consequence of the well-balanced cellulase production by mixed fungal culture, the supplementation of cellobiase or xylanase was not necessary in the simultaneous saccharification and fermentation process. Acta Microbiol Immunol Hung, 1995, 42(1), 53 - 9 Hybrid process for ethanol production from rice straw; Chadha BS et al.; A hybrid process for the fermentation of rice straw hydrolysates into ethanol was designed to simultaneously utilize cellulose and hemicellulose fractions of the agro-residue . The process involved dilute acid hydrolysis (for obtaining C-5 sugars) followed by enzymatic saccharification of cellulose enriched fraction with crude cellulase produced by mixed cultures of Trichoderma reesei Rut C-30 and Aspergillus ochraceus IMI 317911 . The fermentation medium containing acid and enzymatic hydrolysate mixture of pentoses and hexoses monomers was fermented with yeast coculture of Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Pachysolen tannophilus resulting in 295.0 ml ethanol/kg of rice straw . The hybrid process resulted in an efficient utilization of both cellulosic and hemicellulosic components of the rice straw for ethanol production. Verh K Acad Geneeskd Belg, 1995, 57(1), 51 - 74; discussion 74-7 Laxatives and intestinal epithelial cells: a morphological study of epithelial cell damage and proliferation; Geboes K; Experimental studies indicate that anthranoid laxatives may induce epithelial damage . In addition they induce the release of prostaglandins . Epithelial cell damage and release of prostaglandins are two pathways by which epithelial cell proliferation could be influenced . Other laxatives including fermentable laxatives like lactulose may also influence large intestine cell proliferation by the trophic effect of the fermentation products such as short chain fatty acids . For these reasons an in vitro study was performed on human intestinal epithelial cells in culture to investigate the direct damaging effect of rhein anthrone . Ultrastructural examination showed a dose dependent direct damage . In addition an in vivo study in rats was performed to compare the short and long term effect of sennosides, bisacodyl, sodium picosulphate and lactulose on epithelial cell proliferation in the ileum and large intestine . Cell proliferation was examined by the BrdUrd labeling technique after 2, 6 and 12 weeks of continuous treatment . Studies in control animals show that the Labeling Index (LI) is higher in the caecum compared with other segments of the colon, and higher in the ileum than in the colon . Treatment with sennosides, bisacodyl and sodium picosulphate does not influence the LI in the ileum and induces no statistically significant increase of the LI when the treated groups are compared with the control group at the end of the study . The proliferative pattern along the crypts remains unchanged with all the laxatives throughout the study . It appears therefore that 'contact' laxatives have no major influence on ileal and colonic epithelial cell proliferation. Reprod Nutr Dev, 1995, 35(3), 267 - 75 Effect of type of lucerne hay on caecal fermentation and nitrogen contribution through caecotrophy in rabbits; Garcia J et al.; Seventy-five New Zealand White x Californian rabbits were used to study the influence of the chemical composition of lucerne hay on caecal and caecotrophy characteristics . Five lucerne hays varying in chemical composition were ground and formed into pellets . These were the sole form of nutrition during the experiment . The type of lucerne hay did not affect caecal volatile fatty acid concentration, pattern of fermentation of pH . However, the caecal ammonia concentration decreased linearly (by 30% between extreme diets, P = 0.002) when dietary fibre proportion increased . The weight of caecum and caecal contents increased linearly (by 12%, P = 0.010, and 35%, P < 0.001, respectively, between extreme diets) with dietary fibre proportion . Soft faeces excretion and contribution of soft faeces to dry matter intake were not influenced by the type of lucerne hay . The proportion of caecal content that appeared daily as soft faeces and the total and microbial nitrogen concentrations in soft faeces were higher (42, 14 and 39%, respectively) for the lucerne hay with the lowest dietary fibre proportion than for the average of the other hays. J Basic Microbiol, 1995, 35(3), 171 - 7 Effect of acetic acid on xylose fermentation to xylitol by Candida guilliermondii; Felipe MG et al.; The effect of acetic acid concentration on xylose-fermentation to xylitol by Candida guilliermondii FTI 20037 was evaluated in semisynthetic medium containing different concentrations of the acid . Increasing acetic acid concentration up to 1.0 g/l favored xylitol yield and productivity, with maximum values of 0.82 g/g and 0.57 g/l.h, respectively . The presence of acetic acid reduced cell production at all concentration . Furthermore, acetic acid was assimilated by the yeast together with the sugars and was depleted from the medium at concentrations of less than 3.0 g/l . The ability of this yeast to assimilate acetic acid suggests that these cells act as agents of medium detoxification . This behavior may lead to a viable microbiological process of xylitol production by C . guilliermondii FTI 20037 using xylose-rich lignocellulosic hydrolysates in which acetic acid is commonly present, causing inhibition of fermentative activity. J Basic Microbiol, 1995, 35(3), 147 - 55 Kinetic studies on the yeast Phaffia rhodozyma; Acheampong EA et al.; The yeast Phaffia rhodozyma, a promising microbial producer of the carotenoid astaxanthin, was cultivated in batch and continuous processes in an agitated and aerated fermenter using an acid peat extract based culture medium . For the accelerated growth phase, the mean specific growth rate and doubling time were found to be 0.038 h-1, and 18.24 hours, respectively . The production of astaxanthin was found to be basically growth associated, the maximum concentrations of the pigment produced in batch culture and continuous cultivation being similar. J Anim Sci, 1995 Jan, 73(1), 250 - 6 Preventing in vitro lactate accumulation in ruminal fermentations by inoculation with Megasphaera elsdenii; Kung L Jr et al.; In vitro fermentations containing a mixed culture of ruminal bacteria (ruminal fluid from a hay-fed steer), buffer, and primarily rapidly degradable substrates (starch, glucose, cellulose, cellobiose, and trypticase) were inoculated with an overnight culture of Megasphaera elsdenii B159 . Triplicate flasks were either uninoculated or inoculated to obtain a final concentration of 8.7 x 10(5) and 8.7 x 10(6) colony forming units of M . elsdenii per milliliter of culture fluid . Inoculation with M . elsdenii prevented an accumulation of lactic acid and excessive drop in pH . Lactate peaked at more than 40 mM in untreated cultures . In cultures inoculated with a low dose of M . elsdenii, lactate concentration peaked at approximately 25 mM at 5 h of fermentation but decreased rapidly to less than 5 mM by 7 h of fermentation . With the addition of the high dose of M . elsdenii, lactate was never greater than 2 mM (P < .05) throughout fermentation . Cultures treated with M . elsdenii had greater amounts (P < .05) of isobutyrate, butyrate, isovalerate, and valerate than untreated cultures . After 24 h of fermentation, one-half of the culture fluid was transferred to an equal volume of fresh buffer with substrate but was not inoculated with further quantities of M . elsdenii . Six hours after transfer, cultures that had been originally treated with M . elsdenii had lower (P < .05) amounts of lactate than untreated cultures . Inoculation with M . elsdenii has potential to prevent lactate accumulation in diets containing readily fermentable carbohydrates. J Anim Sci, 1995 Jan, 73(1), 128 - 35 In vivo study of circadian variations of the cecal fermentation pattern in postweaned and adult rabbits; Bellier R et al.; Two groups of cecal cannulated rabbits (postweaned and adult, 6 and 16 wk of age, respectively) were used to compare the circadian variations of the fermentation pattern . Rabbits were kept in metabolism cages under a 12:12 light-dark schedule (0700 to 1900) . For each rabbit, a total of 12 samples of cecal material were collected (every 12 h) for six consecutive days to cover a 24-h cycle; feed ingestion and hard feces elimination were recorded . For postweaned and adult rabbits, the period of cecotrophy practice was mainly 0400 to 1200, and also 2200 to 2400 for the former and 0800 to 1400 for the later . Compared with those of adult rabbits, the cecal contents of the postweaned rabbits were characterized by a lower DM level (17.6 vs 20.3%; P < .001), a lower VFA level (65.4 vs 86.1 mM; P < .001), and a higher ammonia N level (7.6 vs 6.1%; P = .02) related to the presence of a double period of cecotrophy (only one in the adult rabbits), and corresponding to the postweaning adaptation of the cecal microflora to a dry feed . A lower butyrate molar proportion was found in postweaned than in adult rabbits (10.5 vs 13.6%; P = .004), whereas molar proportion of acetate and propionate remained similar regardless of the age of the rabbit . In the postweaned rabbits, changes in fermentation pattern were related to circadian rhythm of the cecotrophy practice . During this period, the levels of total VFA, acetate, and butyrate progressively decreased; the minimum was reached at 1200 (e.g., 53.8 44.6, and 4.4 mM, respectively); the corresponding propionate:butyrate ratio was 1.0. Annu Rev Pharmacol Toxicol, 1995, 35, 369 - 90 Cytochromes P450 expression systems; Gonzalez FJ et al.; Catalytically active cytochrome P450 enzymes have been successfully expressed in bacterial, yeast, and mammalian cells . A variety of expression vectors have been used, resulting in both transient and stable expression . The system of choice depends on the goals of a particular project . Factors such as expense, ease of use, and yields required should govern the decision whether to use bacterial, yeast, insect, or mammalian cDNA expression . High-level expression of mammalian P450s in bacteria usually requires modifications of the amino-terminal region of the enzyme . The Escherichia coli P450-OR fusion proteins may also come of age for use in fermentation-production processes for the chemical industry . Many cytochromes P450 have been expressed in yeast, with variable levels of expression . Baculovirus, albeit somewhat tedious in having to individualize expression conditions, can produce high levels of enzyme . The standard mammalian cell expression systems, both transient and stable, have been of tremendous value to drug metabolism and carcinogenesis research and will continue to play a role in these areas. Ann Trop Paediatr, 1995, 15(1), 61 - 8 Clinical trial of fermented maize-based oral rehydration solution in the management of acute diarrhoea in children; Yartey J et al.; In an effort to identify appropriate fluids available in the home for oral rehydration therapy in Ghana, a study was designed to investigate the efficacy of fermented maize gruel, a popular Ghanaian traditional food, in the management of acute diarrhoea . Altogether 108 children aged between 4 and 27 months presenting with acute diarrhoea at the Princess Marie Louise Children's Hospital in Accra, with mild to moderately severe dehydration, were randomly assigned to treatment with either WHO/UNICEF oral rehydration solution (ORS) or fermented and unfermented maize solutions . About 35 children were admitted to each of the three treatment groups . Treatment with the rehydration fluid was maintained for 24 h . Efficacy of the various treatments, assessed in terms of fluid intake, stool output, stool frequency, weight gain and duration of diarrhoea, showed no significant variation among the three groups . The results indicate that the maize solutions were as effective as WHO/UNICEF ORS for oral rehydration therapy . However, the fermented maize was more readily accepted by the children than the unfermented solution . Because fermented maize gruel is widely consumed, inexpensive, readily available, and culturally acceptable to most communities in Ghana, it may be recommended as an appropriate home-available fluid for the management of acute diarrhoea in children at the community level. Stomatologiia (Mosk), 1995, 74(3), 12 - 5 {The nature of the distribution and utilization of saccharose in the oral cavity after carbohydrate loading}; Leont'ev VK et al.; Sucrose content on surface of oral tissues and in the oral fluid following a carbohydrate loading was studied in vivo synchronously and over time . The content of sucrose adsorbed by oral tissues was assessed by its desorption with applications . Sucrose concentrations were the highest in the liquid closest to tissues in comparison with its levels in the saliva in general, this indicating a high cariogenic potential of the buccal mucosa due to intake of easily fermented carbohydrates . Prolonged utilisation of adsorbed sucrose to unavailable concentration provides a sufficiently long contact of mineralized tissues with acidogenic solutions, this promoting the development of a cariogenic situation . Search for means to prevent cariogenic situations should be aimed at search for effective desorbents of sucrose from the oral cavity just after its intake. Microbiol Immunol, 1995, 39(5), 307 - 13 Identification of phosphocholine-containing glycoglycerolipids purified from Mycoplasma fermentans-infected human helper T-cell culture as components of M . fermentans; Matsuda K et al.; Previously, we have reported the occurrence of novel phosphocholine-containing glycoglycerolipids (GGPLs: GGPL-I and GGPL-III) in human helper T-cell (MT-4 cell line) (Mustuda et al, Glycoconjugate J . 10:340) . However, the GGPLs disappeared from the MT-4 after treatment with an antimycoplasma agent . This disappearance suggested the involvement of microorganisms in the GGPL expression . In this paper, we show that the novel lipids are components of Mycoplasma fermentans itself . The supernatant fluid of the antimycoplasma agent-untreated Mt-4 cell culture produced mycoplasma-like colonies on PPLO agar plates, and PCR and immunological methods revealed the presence of M . fermentans . GGPLs were expressed again in the treated Mt-4 cells after infection with the isolated M . fermentans . The isolated M . fermentans had glycoglycerolipids corresponding to GGPL-I and GGPL-III . Thin-layer chromatography-mass spectrometry and immunological analyses showed that these glycoglycerolipid which were derived from the isolated M . fermentans were identical with GGPL-I and GGPL-III previously obtained . This is the first report that shows mycoplasma has phosphocholine-containing glycoglycerolipids. J Fr Ophtalmol, 1995, 18(5), 356 - 63 {Comparative prospective study of effects of Biovisc and Healonid on endothelial cell loss and intraocular pressure in cataract surgery}; Colin J et al.; PURPOSE: The goal of this trial was to evaluate the efficacy (protective action on corneal endothelium and ability to facilitate the procedure) as well as safety (effect on intraocular pressure and inflammation) of Biovisc (new viscoelastic agent made of 1% sodium hyaluronate produced by bacterial fermentation) versus Healonid) postcataract surgery (manual or phacoemulsification) . METHODS: 106 patients, 45 males and 61 females (31-94 years) were included in this prospective randomized multicentre trial and followed up for three months . Specular microscopy and intraocular pressure (IOP) measurement were the main evaluation criteria . RESULTS: At D 90, no significant difference was observed between the two viscoelastic agents on the mean endothelial cell loss (group Viovis: -8.6%; group Healonid: -6%) as well as on IOP (early peaks were transitory and resolutive) . CONCLUSION: Biovisc and Healonid were similar in terms of efficacy and tolerance. Reprod Nutr Dev, 1995, 35(4), 375 - 86 Relationships between microflora and caecal fermentation in rabbits before and after weaning; Padilha MT et al.; Some microbiological and biochemical parameters of caecal content were studied in 15- to 49-d-old rabbits that were slaughtered sequentially . The ammonia level did not differ before weaning (11.5 mmol/L on average) (P = 0.41) or after weaning (7.4 mmol/L on average) (P = 0.19) but decreased by 40% (P < 0.001) between days 29 and 32 . The level of pH decreased linearly (P < 0.001) throughout the period studied . The Escherichia coli counts decreased up to weaning (P < 0.001) and was then not significantly affected by age (P = 0.12) . The total volatile fatty acid (VFA) concentration increased between days 15 (8.2 mmol/L) and 25 (33.9 mmol/L) (P < 0.05) and then levelled off below 40 mmol/L . Molar proportions in propionate and in branched-chain fatty acid (BCFA) and valeric acid were high at day 15 but decreased when the animals began to eat solid feed . The C3/C4 ratio reversed at weaning (3.8 on day 15 and 0.5 on day 49) whereas the acetic acid proportion was not affected by age (P = 0.19) . High counts of anaerobic microflora were found between 15 and 22 d of age (10(11) bacteria/g of caecal content, on average) and did not change significantly according to the age (at about 10(10) bacteria/g), from day 29 until the end of the experiment (P = 0.29) . Amylolytic flora had a similar evolution at a slightly lower level . In contrast, under our breeding conditions cellulolytic microflora slowly colonized the caecum and remained at a low level . The discriminant analysis revealed relationships between ages, intestinal microflora and fermentation parameter; the colibacilli flora was associated with mother-fed animals and amylolytic flora which was linked to BCFA and valeric acid, while the cellulolytic flora was associated with animals older than 4 weeks and linked to the production of C2, C3, C4 and ammonia. Reprod Nutr Dev, 1995, 35(4), 353 - 65 {Adaptation of rumen fermentation to monensin}; Mbanzamihigo L et al.; Adaptation of rumen fermentation to monensin feeding has been studied with rumen-fistulated sheep receiving a daily dose of 30 mg of monensin for a period of 21 d followed by a 28 d period during which 60 mg doses were administered . The ration consisted of 300 g of hay and 300 g of concentrates, fed at 9.00 h and 16.00 h . Monensin was placed in the rumen as an aqueous suspension, just prior to the morning feeding . Monensin infusion was preceded and followed by a period during which no monensin was infused . The following rumen fermentation parameters were determined: methane production, pH, volatile fatty acids (VFA) molar proportions, total volatile fatty acid concentration, lactate and ammonia concentrations and in sacco degradability of hay . Rumen gas expelled through the fistula was collected for 6 h per day and analysed . Total VFA concentration, molar proportions of individual VFA, pH, lactate and ammonia concentration were determined on rumen contents, sampled just prior the administration of monensin and 2 and 6 h later . In vitro incubations of 3 h were carried out with rumen fluid, sampled 1 h after feeding . In vivo and in vitro methane production was decreased by monensin feeding . The molar proportion of propionate in the rumen was increased, while acetate and butyrate percentages were lowered . The total VFA and ammonia concentrations were also decreased by monensin, but pH values were increased . In vitro production of propionate was stimulated by monensin administration and methanogenesis decreased . The organic matter in sacco degradability was not affected, probably because of the time difference between the introduction of bags and monensin in the rumen . These modifications of rumen fermentation persisted as long as monensin was given, indicating that in this experiment, there was no adaptation to the ionophore. Reprod Nutr Dev, 1995, 35(2), 121 - 8 {In vitro simulation of rabbit cecal fermentation in a semi- continuous flow fermentor . III . Effect of the quantity of dry matter introduced daily in the fermentor and reproducibility of the method}; Adjiri D et al.; In a preliminary experiment, 3 Rusitec-like fermentors of 1 L capacity were operated under identical conditions . The only difference was the quantity to treated substratum introduced daily into each fermentor: 15 g/d (M15); 40 g/d (M40); and 60 g/d (M60) on a dry matter basis . The fermentation substratum was a rabbit feed that had been digested with amylase and pepsin . The organic matter was lost over 48 h at a significantly higher rate in the M15 fermentor than in M40 and M60: 30.4%, 19.7% and 17.3%, respectively . The pH values observed in M40 and M60 (5.99 and 5.83) were similar to that observed in vivo under ad libitum feeding conditions . The pH was higher in M15 (6.7), as observed in vivo with restricted animals just before the daily meal . The volatile fatty acids (VFA) proportions for C2, C3 and C4 were similar to the in vivo proportion for the 3 fermentors . The daily total VFA production was the largest with M40 but was associated with a poor stability and an excess of minor VFAs . The introduction of 15 g/d was preferred by the authors because of organic matter disappearance rate, pH stability and VFA production . In a second experiment, 4 fermentors were used in the same way as the M15 one, in order to study the reproducibility of the method . Small but significant differences between fermentors were observed for all parameters in relation to a high fermentor stability from 1 day to the next.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS) Eur J Morphol, 1995 Jan, 33(1), 59 - 70 Light microscopic studies of the stomach of the lesser mouse deer (Tragulus javanicus); Agungpriyono S et al.; The stomach of the lesser mouse deer was studied at the light microscopic level using histological and immunohistochemical methods . The stomach was clearly differentiated into rumen, reticulum including reticular groove, a small transition zone and abomasum . The mucosal surface of the rumen, reticulum and transition zone was lined with a stratified squamous epithelium and that of the abomasum with a simple columnar type . The epithelial keratinization was weak in the rumen, floor of the reticular groove and transition zone, while it was strong in the reticulum, especially on the tip of the reticulum papillae . Large sinusoidal capillaries were often present in the ruminal papillae . In the ruminal mucosa, a thin layer of alpha-smooth muscle actin immunoreactive cells was demonstrated by immunohistochemistry . The muscularis mucosae of the reticulum was continuous and well-developed . The transition zone appeared as a nonglandular area having many low mucosal folds and two layers of tunica muscularis . The abomasal mucosa consisted of cardiac, proper gastric and pyloric glands . Cells immunoreactive for bovine pepsinogen and bovine prochymosin antisera were demonstrated in the abomasum . It is suggested that the characteristic features observed might be adaptations to a relatively rapid passage and rapid absorption of the fermentation products . There is some evidence that the transition zone is not a part of either the floor of the reticular groove or the abomasum, suggesting a possible reevaluation of the term used for the reticulo-abomasal orifice in the mouse deer. Acta Vet Hung, 1995, 43(2-3), 229 - 46 Effect of avoparcin on rumen fermentation and duodenal nutrient flow in sheep; Febel H et al.; In a digestive-physiological experiment series, the effect exerted by avoparcin on rumen fermentation and on the ruminal digestion of nutrients was studied in wethers provided with rumen and duodenal cannulas, as a function of the composition of feed as substrate . Three control (I, II, III) groups containing different amounts of rumen degradable protein (RDP) and nonstructural carbohydrate (NSC) were formed (composition of diet: group I, 74% RDP and 38% NSC; group II, 57% RDP and 32% NSC; group III, 48% RDP and 23% NSC) . The feeding of control diets was followed by the administration of experimental diets containing avoparcin (groups I+A, II+A, and III+A) . The dose of avoparcin was 0.75 mg/kg body weight . Irrespective of the RDP and NSC content of the feed, avoparcin reduced the molar ratio of acetic acid and increased that of propionic acid, decreased the acetic acid/propionic acid ratio, and increased the molar ratio of isobutyric acid . Ammonia concentration of the ruminal fluid was significantly lower in group I+A than in the corresponding control group (I) . Avoparcin supplementation of diet III improved the apparent digestibility of organic matter from 52.9% to 56.4% . When added to a ration of high NSC and RDP content (I), avoparcin decreased the true digestibility of organic matter from 77.0 to 72.5% . Compared to diet III as well as to diets II and III, avoparcin significantly increased the ruminal degradation of cellulose and hemicellulose, respectively . Avoparcin supplementation of the diet significantly decreased the microbial N content of the duodenal chymus irrespective of the NSC and RDP content of the diet . In group I+A, the amount of dietary N passed from the rumen into the duodenum in 24 h was significantly higher (7.1 g/day vs . 2.7 g/day) . In wethers fed the diet of the lowest NSC and RDP content (III), avoparcin supplementation (III+A) increased the apparent digestibility of N in the rumen . In contrast, in wethers fed diets of higher RDP and NSC content (I and II) the true ruminal digestibility of N decreased . Irrespective of the RDP and NSC content of the diet, avoparcin supplementation significantly reduced the efficiency of microbial protein synthesis . The enhanced propionic fermentation induced by the administration of avoparcin allows more efficient utilization of the dietary energy . The higher ratio of undergraded, bypass protein reaching the duodenum provides the animal with a protein source degraded and utilized directly in the small intestine . The results support the observation that avoparcin increases the body weight gain of animals during fattening. Vopr Pitan, 1995, (4), 17 - 9 {The effect of fermented hydrolyzed whey enriched with lactates on the morphological structure of the internal organs in laboratory animals}; Lind AR et al.; Results of pathomorphological investigation of rat organs fed during 1 and 3 months the diet containing 8% of protein as milk whey protein partly hydrolysed by enzymes and enriched by lactates (SGOL-1) are presented . The conducted investigation have not revealed of pathological effect of a product SGOL-1 on morphological structures of investigated internal bodies and tissues of the laboratory animals . A increase of body mass of animals and contents of RNAS in cells of practically all bodies and tissues of the animals were also marked. Stomatologiia (Mosk), 1995, 74(2), 20 - 2 {The effect of mineral and organic substances on the desorption of sugar from a soft dental deposit}; Leont'ev VK et al.; Effects of the principle mineral and mineralizing components of the saliva, alimentary organic acids-products of carbohydrate metabolism, and of some other substances of various pH on sugar desorption from soft dental deposit were compared in vitro . The desorbing efficacy was assessed from the concentration of sucrose, derived from a sample of lyophilized dental deposit, in a suspension of the tested reagent . The major mineral components of the saliva, calcium and phosphate, were found to promote extraction of sucrose from the deposit in neutral and weakly alkaline media . Acid medium also favors sucrose desorption . Due to the physiological nature and efficacy of sucrose desorption, solutions of alimentary organic acids may be recommended for prevention of cariogenic situations caused by intake of easily fermented carbohydrates. Nahrung, 1995, 39(4), 282 - 7 Fermentation of rice-bengal gram dhal blends with whey: changes in phytic acid content and in vitro digestibility of starch and protein; Sharma A et al.; Whey fermentation of various rice and bengal gram dhal blends prepared by mixing them in different proportions at 35 degrees C for 18 h brought about a significant decline in phytic acid content . Phytic acid content in various blends decreased to the extent of 23 to 36 per cent over the control values . Whey incorporation as well as fermentation improved the starch and protein digestibility (in vitro) of all the rice-bengal gram dhal mixtures . Improvement in starch and protein digestibility is related to the reduction in phytic acid content, as this antinutrient is known to inhibit amylolysis and proteolysis . A significant negative correlation found between phytic acid and digestibility of starch and protein strengthens our findings. J Biol Chem, 1994 Dec 30, 269(52), 33123 - 8 Structure of a novel phosphocholine-containing glycoglycerolipid from Mycoplasma fermentans; Matsuda K et al.; Mycoplasma fermentans is thought to be a pathogen of rheumatoid arthritis or cofactor of AIDS . A novel phosphocholine-containing glycoglycerophospholipid named GGPL-I was isolated from a M . fermentans-infected human helper T-cell culture . It was revealed that GGPL-I is a lipid component of the M . fermentans and a major immunological determinant . The GGPL-I was purified by DEAE-Sephadex column chromatography and repeated Iatrobeads column chromatography . The purified glycophospholipid was subjected to structural characterization by thin-layer chromatography, Fourier-transform infrared spectrometry, liquid secondary ion mass spectrometry, and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy . Its structure was determined to be as follows: 6'-O-phosphocholine-alpha-glucopyranosyl-(1'-3)-1,2-diacyl-sn-glycerol . This glycoglycerophospholipid is unique in containing phosphocholine, which is attached to C-6 of glucose . The stereospecific numbering (sn) of naturally occurring GGPL-I was determined through comparison with chemically synthesized compounds. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A, 1994 Dec 20, 91(26), 12872 - 6 Determination of the absolute configuration of (+)-neopentyl-1-d alcohol by neutron and x-ray diffraction analysis; Yuan HS et al.; The absolute configuration of (+)-neopentyl-1-d alcohol, prepared by the reduction of 2,2-dimethylpropanal-1-d by actively fermenting yeast, has been determined to be S by neutron diffraction . The neutron study was carried out on the phthalate half ester of neopentyl-1-d alcohol, crystallized as its strychnine salt . The absolute configuration of the (-)-strychninium cation was first determined by an x-ray anomalous dispersion study of its iodide salt . The chiral skeleton of strychnine then served as a reference from which the absolute configuration of the -O-CHD-C(CH3)3 group of neopentyl phthalate was determined . Difference Fourier maps calculated from the neutron data showed unambiguously that the -O-CHD-C(CH3)3 groups of both independent molecules in the unit cell had the S configuration . This work proves conclusively that the yeast system reduces aldehydes by delivering hydrogen to the re face of the carbonyl group . Crystallographic details: (-)-strychninium (+)-neopentyl-1-d phthalate, space group P2(1) (monoclinic), a = 18.564(6) A, b = 7.713(2) A, c = 23.361(8) A, beta = 94.18(4) degrees, V = 3336.0(5) A3, Z = 2 (T = 100 K) . Final agreement factors are R(F) = 0.073 for 2768 reflections collected at room