Fermentations

J Dairy Sci, 1990 Jul, 73(7), 1812 - 22
Effects of feeding fungal culture extract and animal-vegetable fat on degradation of hemicellulose and on ruminal bacterial growth in heifers; Firkins JL et al.; Four Holstein heifers cannulated in the rumen and proximal duodenum were used to analyze effects of Aspergillus oryzae fermentation extract and yeast culture (Amaferm Micro-Mix . Biozyme Enterprises, Inc., St . Joseph, MO) and 5% animal-vegetable fat on ruminal and total tract digestibilities of nutrients . Heifers were assigned treatments in a 4 x 4 Latin square design with a 2 x 2 factorial arrangement of treatments . Few interactions between main effects were noted . Feeding fat decreased ruminal molar ratio of acetate:propionate . Rate of disappearance of potentially digestible NDF from orchardgrass hay was higher when heifers were fed fat . Thus, the lack of differences in digestibilities of NDF, ADF, or in the major hemicellulosic sugars is interpreted to suggest that 5% animal-vegetable fat had few toxic effects on ruminal microbes under the conditions of this study . Amaferm Micro-Mix tended to increase acetate:propionate in the rumen, but had little effect on site or extent of digestion of any of the fiber components measured . Efficiency of bacterial protein synthesis was not affected by treatment . Ruminal and total tract digestibilities of total hemicellulosic sugars were highly correlated (r = .82 and .72) with respective digestibilities of hemicellulose measured as NDF minus ADF.

Biull Eksp Biol Med, 1990 Jul, 110(7), 63 - 5
{Molecular mechanisms of the membrane-protective effect of litonit in chronic stress}; Kresiun VI et al.; It is confirmed that prophylactic use of Pyracetam (500 mg/kg), Pikamilon (10 mg/kg) and new product of GABA B-44 (30 mg/kg) for 10-days in the conditions of chronic stress normalizes the activity of the key enzymes of antiradical defence and the content of lipid peroxides, warns the decrement of phospholipids and the changes in its qualitative ratio, prevents multidirectional changes in the activity of ferments-markers in the membrane of the brain and erythrocytes . It is concluded that nootropic agents give membrane stabilizing effects.

Appl Environ Microbiol, 1990 Jul, 56(7), 2046 - 50
Fuel alcohol production: effects of free amino nitrogen on fermentation of very-high-gravity wheat mashes; Thomas KC et al.; Although wheat mashes contain only growth-limiting amounts of free amino nitrogen, fermentations by active dry yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) were completed (all fermentable sugars consumed) in 8 days at 20 degrees C even when the mash contained 35 g of dissolved solids per 100 ml . Supplementing wheat mashes with yeast extract, Casamino Acids, or a single amino acid such as glutamic acid stimulated growth of the yeast and reduced the fermentation time . With 0.9% yeast extract as the supplement, the fermentation time was reduced from 8 to 3 days, and a final ethanol yield of 17.1% (vol/vol) was achieved . Free amino nitrogen derived in situ through the hydrolysis of wheat proteins by a protease could substitute for the exogenous nitrogen source . Studies indicated, however, that exogenously added glycine (although readily taken up by the yeast) reduced the cell yield and prolonged the fermentation time . The results suggested that there are qualitative differences among amino acids with regard to their suitability to serve as nitrogen sources for the growth of yeast . The complete utilization of carbohydrates in wheat mashes containing very little free amino nitrogen presumably resulted because they had the "right" kind of amino acids.

J Bacteriol, 1990 Jul, 172(7), 3909 - 17
Ethanol formation in adh0 mutants reveals the existence of a novel acetaldehyde-reducing activity in Saccharomyces cerevisiae; Drewke C et al.; A strain of Saccharomyces cerevisiae has been constructed which is deficient in the four alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) isozymes known at present . This strain (adh0), being irreversibly mutated in the genes ADH1, ADH3, and ADH4 and carrying a point mutation in the gene ADH2 coding for the glucose-repressible isozyme ADHII, still produces up to one third of the theoretical maximum yield of ethanol in a homofermentative conversion of glucose to ethanol . Analysis of the glucose metabolism of adh0 cells shows that the lack of all known ADH isozymes results in the formation of glycerol as a major fermentation product, accompanied by a significant production of acetaldehyde and acetate . Treatment of glucose-growing adh0 cells with the respiratory-chain inhibitor antimycin A leads to an immediate cessation of ethanol production, demonstrating that ethanol production in adh0 cells is dependent on mitochondrial electron transport . Reduction of acetaldehyde to ethanol in isolated mitochondria could also be demonstrated . This reduction is apparently linked to the oxidation of acetaldehyde to acetate . Preliminary data suggest that this novel type of ethanol formation in S . cerevisiae is associated with the inner mitochondrial membrane.

Mol Cell Biol, 1990 Jul, 10(7), 3797 - 800
Identification of the upstream activating sequence of MAL and the binding sites for the MAL63 activator of Saccharomyces cerevisiae; Ni BF et al.; Maltose fermentation in Saccharomyces species requires the presence of at least one of five unlinked MAL loci: MAL1, MAL2, MAL3, MAL4, and MAL6 . Each of these loci consists of a complex of genes involved in maltose metabolism; the complex includes maltase, a maltose permease, and an activator of these genes . At the MAL6 locus, the activator is encoded by the MAL63 gene . While the MAL6 locus has been the subject of numerous studies, the binding sites of the MAL63 activator have not been determined . In this study, we used Escherichia coli extracts containing the MAL63 protein to define the binding sites of the MAL63 protein in the divergently transcribed MAL61-62 promotor . When a DNA fragment containing these sites was placed upstream of a CYC1-lacZ gene, maltose induced beta-galactosidase . These sites therefore constitute an upstream activating sequence for the MAL genes.

Can J Microbiol, 1990 Jul, 36(7), 513 - 7
Isolation and characterization of cellulolytic anaerobic fungi and associated mycoplasmas from the rumen of a steer fed a roughage diet; Kudo H et al.; The isolation of 12 strains of cellulolytic fungi from the rumen of a roughage-fed steer is described . These represented three different genera, including one new genus and species (Orpinomyces bovis) . The organisms were indistinguishable on the basis of fermentation products from cellulose, and their fermentation patterns were very similar to those of rumen fungi isolated in other countries . Mycoplasmas were found to be associated with 7 of the 12 isolates . The ecological role of the association of the mycoplasmas with rumen fungi is still unknown.

J Anim Sci, 1990 Jul, 68(7), 2130 - 41
Steam-rolled wheat diets for finishing cattle: effects of dietary roughage and feed intake on finishing steer performance and ruminal metabolism; Kreikemeier KK et al.; Two experiments were conducted to determine the influence of dietary roughage concentration and feed intake on finishing steer performance and ruminal metabolism . In Exp . 1, 126 steers (334 kg) were used in a completely randomized design and fed (120 d) diets of steam-rolled wheat without roughage or containing 5, 10 or 15% roughage (50% alfalfa hay:50% corn silage) . Steers fed 5 or 10% roughage gained faster (quadratic, P less than .05) and were more efficient (quadratic, P less than .05) than steers fed 15% or no roughage . In Exp . 2, six ruminally cannulated steers (447 kg) were used in a 6 x 6 latin square design and fed (twice daily) diets of steam-rolled wheat without roughage or containing 5 or 15% alfalfa hay at twice or three times NE required for maintenance . Increasing dietary roughage increased (linear, P less than .01) ruminal liquid passage 38%, indigestible ADF passage 63%, Yb-labeled wheat passage 75% and fiber fill 31% . The rate of in situ starch digestion tended to increase (linear, P = .16), and ruminal VFA concentration was 40 mM higher (P less than .01) at 4 h after feeding with increased roughage . Increased feed intake increased (P less than .05) ruminal starch fill, fiber fill, liquid fill and liquid passage 23%, Yb-labeled wheat passage 50% and Dry-labeled hay passage 20% . It reduced protozoa five- to sixfold (P less than .01) but doubled total bacterial counts (P less than .01) . Ruminal NH3N was lower (P less than .01) and total VFA concentration was 50 mM higher (P less than .01) at 4 h after feeding . The acetate:propionate ratio was reduced from 2.3 to 1.3 (P less than .01) with increased intake . Adding roughage to a steam-rolled wheat diet increased passage and tended to increase rate of starch digestion; increased feed intake with its associated effects on ruminal fill and passage dramatically shifted the microbial population and fermentation end products.

J Anim Sci, 1990 Jul, 68(7), 1965 - 70
Effects of whole cottonseed and live yeast culture on ruminal fermentation and fluid passage rate in steers; Malcolm KJ et al.; The effects of adding whole cottonseed (WCS) and live yeast culture (YC) to a diet of 60% alfalfa and 40% concentrate on ruminal fermentation and liquid dilution rate in steers were examined in two trials . Twelve ruminally cannulated Hereford steers (approximately 420 kg) were used . Concentrates were 1) a basal grain mix composed of ground corn, ground barley and rice bran, 2) basal mix with 10% WCS, 3) basal mix with 1.6% YC and 4) basal mix with 10% WCS and 1.6% YC . No differences were detected (P greater than .10) in ruminal pH of steers fed WCS or YC in either trial . Ruminal ammonia levels tended to be higher (P greater than .10) in steers fed WCS . Acetate was higher and butyrate was lower in steers receiving 10% WCS (P less than .10) compared with controls . Molar proportions of acetate and butyrate increased while propionate decreased (P less than .05) over time after feeding . Intake and apparent digestibility of dry matter was not influenced by treatments . Whole cottonseed and(or) YC appear to have minimal effects on ruminal fermentation, but they might alter ruminal liquid passage rate with diets containing 60% ground alfalfa and 40% concentrate.

Br J Nutr, 1990 Jul, 64(1), 71 - 9
Effect of the microbial lactase (EC 3.2.1.23) activity in yoghurt on the intestinal absorption of lactose: an in vivo study in lactase-deficient humans; Marteau P et al.; Breath hydrogen excretion was measured in eight lactase (EC 3.2.1.108)-deficient volunteers ingesting 18 g lactose in the form of milk, yoghurt and heated yoghurt . Total excess hydrogen excretion (area under curve) was significantly lower after yoghurt and heated yoghurt, than after milk: 103 (SE 29), 191 (SE 32), and 439 (SE 69) respectively (P less than 0.001) . The oro-caecal transit time of fermentable components from yoghurt and heated yoghurt (mainly lactose) was longer than that from milk: 165 (SE 17), 206 (SE 19), v . 103 (SE 19) min (P less than 0.01) . An intestinal perfusion technique was used in the same subjects after ingestion on two consecutive days of 18 g lactose in yoghurt and heated yoghurt . Significantly less lactose was recovered from the terminal ileum after yoghurt than after heated yoghurt meals: 1740 (SE 260) v . 2825 (SE 461) mg (P less than 0.05), and approximately one-fifth of the lactase activity contained in yoghurt reached the terminal ileum . These findings indicate that more than 90% of the lactose in yoghurt is digested in the small intestine of lactase-deficient subjects and suggest that both the lactase activity contained in the viable starter culture and a slow oro-caecal transit time are responsible for this excellent absorption.

J Bacteriol, 1990 Jul, 172(7), 3959 - 65
Hyperthermus butylicus, a hyperthermophilic sulfur-reducing archaebacterium that ferments peptides; Zillig W et al.; The hyperthermophilic peptide-fermenting sulfur archaebacterium Hyperthermus butylicus was isolated from the sea floor of a solfataric habitat with temperatures of up to 112 degrees C on the coast of the island of Sao Miguel, Azores . The organism grows at up to 108 degrees C, grows optimally between 95 and 106 degrees C at 17 g of NaCl per liter and pH 7.0, utilizes peptide mixtures as carbon and energy sources, and forms H2S from elemental sulfur and molecular hydrogen as a growth-stimulating accessory energy source but not by sulfur respiration . The same fermentation products, CO2, 1-butanol, acetic acid, phenylacetic acid, and a trace of hydroxyphenylacetic acid, are formed both with and without of S0 and H2 . Its ether lipids, the absence of a mureine sacculus, the nature of the DNA-dependent RNA polymerase, and phylogenetic classification by DNA-rRNA cross-hybridization characterize H . butylicus as part of a novel genus of the major branch of archaebacteria comprising the orders Thermoproteales and Sulfolobales, representing a particularly long lineage bifurcating with the order Sulfolobales above the branching off of the genus Thermoproteus and distinct from the genera Desulfurococcus and Pyrodictium.

Vet Med (Praha), 1990 Jul, 35(7), 391 - 6
{The effect of methanol extracts of sawdust on the digestion of cellulose, hay and wheat bran in vitro}; Jalc D et al.; An experiment was treated to investigate the effects of an extract of conditioned beech sawdust (80% methanol extraction) on the in vitro digestion of cellulose and on the digestion of hay and wheat bran diet (80 to 20%) in a artificial rumen (Rusitec) . The addition of 10, 25, 50, 75 mg of extract to 0.25 g cellulose reduced significantly its digestibility from 94.5 to 92.9%; 90.4; 85.2; 82.1 and 80.1%, respectively . The addition of 0.6, 1.5 and 3.0 g of extract to 14 g diet DM in Rusitec decreased the digestibility from 49.6 to 41.8% . Gas (CO2, H2, CH4) production increased as well as the production of total volatile fatty acids: acetic, propionic, n-butyric and isobutyric, glucose utilization and ATP production were also better . The addition of extracts did not influence significantly the effectiveness of microbial proteosynthesis (YATP) . The methanol extract of conditioned beech sawdust contained reducing sugars (saccharides), besides the phenolic substances (syringaldehyde and vanillin); these sugars influenced diet fermentation in Rusitec.

Drug Metab Dispos, 1990 Jul-Aug, 18(4), 504 - 7
Inhibition of the metabolism of ethyl carbamate by acetaldehyde; Kurata N et al.; Ethyl carbamate is an animal carcinogen when administered in large doses; it is naturally present in minute concentrations in fermented foods and beverages . Previous studies from this laboratory have demonstrated that ethanol, in vivo, inhibits the metabolism of ethyl carbamate in mice, but the enzyme system has not been identified . In an effort to further characterize the enzyme system responsible, the metabolic products of ethanol metabolism were studied to determine whether ethanol or either of its metabolites is inhibitory . Acetaldehyde (400 mg/kg) is a potent inhibitor of ethyl carbamate metabolism for about 2 hr in vitro, but sodium acetate is not . Paraldehyde (250 mg/kg) has a slower onset and longer duration of inhibition, suggesting that its conversion to acetaldehyde produces the inhibitory molecule . Disulfiram (200 mg/kg) has a prolonged inhibitory effect; this effect is enhanced and extended when the disulfiram is combined with acetaldehyde (400 mg/kg) . D-Penicillamine, given in a regimen of 1.2 g/kg 0.5 hr before and 0.6 g/kg 1.5 and 3.5 hr after ethyl carbamate, is not inhibitory; however, it abolishes the inhibitory effect of acetaldehyde, presumably from sequestration of acetaldehyde . These studies demonstrate that acetaldehyde is an inhibitor of the metabolism of ethyl carbamate and suggest that acetaldehyde is one, and perhaps the only, molecule responsible for the inhibition seen when ethanol is administered to mice . In vitro incubation studies determined that ethyl carbamate was not metabolized by human plasma.

Enzyme Microb Technol, 1990 Jul, 12(7), 533 - 8
Production of a foreign protein product with genetically modified plant cells; Hogue RS et al.; Plant cells (Nicotiana tabacum) were genetically engineered to produce a foreign protein, chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT), and the CAT production from suspension cultures was investigated . Suspension cultures were grown in a shake flask, a stirred fermenter, and a bubble-column fermenter . The CAT production was growth related and the maximum activity was reached during the early stationary phase . A 41-day, semicontinuous stirred fermenter run, consisting of five sequential batch runs, demonstrated long-term CAT production . Continuous CAT production was also accomplished in a bubble-column fermenter at a medium flow rate of 3.1 ml h-1, which was equivalent to a dilution rate of 0.25 day-1.

Biotechnology (N Y), 1990 Jul, 8(7), 639 - 43
Use of a cell recycle reactor to increase production of a proteolysis-susceptible peptide secreted from recombinant Saccharomyces cerevisiae; Siegel RS et al.; Operation of a continuous microbial fermentor with cell recycle can significantly reduce degradation-associated loss of a secreted protein product . Under continuous fermentation conditions, proteolysis of a recombinant growth hormone releasing factor (GRF) analog secreted by S . cerevisiae was first order with respect to GRF concentration . The maximal GRF concentration was increased from 5 mg/l to 30 mg/l by the use of a cell recycle reactor, and volumetric productivity was increased more than 10-fold to an average of 10 mg/l-1/h-1 . A mathematical model shows that increased productivity in the cell recycle reactor results from a reduced degradation rate and a shorter residence time of the product in the fermentor.

J Chromatogr, 1990 Jun 22, 509(2), 347 - 56
Analysis of delta-L-alpha-aminoadipyl-L-cysteinyl-D-valine by ion chromatography and pulsed amperometric detection; Donaldson MJ et al.; A novel high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method is presented for the detection and trace level determination of the tripeptide delta-L-alpha-aminoadipyl-L-cysteinyl-D-valine (ACV) . The tripeptide, an intermediate in penicillin production, is derived from fungal fermentation . The technique relies on ion-exchange separation of the tripeptide on an anion-exchange column followed by detection by reduction on a gold electrode using pulsed amperometry . The sensitivity of direct determination of ACV is increased by employing pulsed amperometric detection (PAD) over direct ultraviolet detection . Choice of the working electrode and optimisation of electrode potentials was based on cyclic voltammograms recorded for the tripeptide in the mobile phase . A linear regression equation was obtained over the range 0-100 micrograms ml-1 . The detection limit in fermentation broths was found to be 0.1 micrograms ml-1 whereas in buffer the detection limit was found to be 10 ng ml-1 . A good correlation coefficient was observed when ACV concentrations determined by ion chromatography-PAD were compared with measurements obtained by pre-column derivatisation with fluoromethylorthochloroformate followed by HPLC separation on a reversed-phase C18 silica column with UV detection . The procedure has been applied to the measurement of natural levels of ACV in fermentation broths of selected strains of Aspergillus nidulans and Penicillin chrysogenum.

Cancer Lett, 1990 Jun 15, 51(3), 213 - 20
Effect of antioxidants on the mitochondrial activity and toxicity of the cancer drug methylglyoxal bis (guanylhydrazone) in yeast and mammalian cells; Cheng LL et al.; Mitochondria of yeast cells were primary targets of methylglyoxal bis (guanylhydrazone) (MGBG) from the following criteria: (1) selective inhibition of growth of cells utilizing a non-fermentable energy source, (2) inhibition of mitochondrial protein synthesis compared with cytosolic protein synthesis and (3) selective mutagenesis of the mitochondrial genome compared with nuclear mutagenesis . Evidence of primary antimitochondrial activity of MGBG in mammalian cells was provided by greater potency of the drug in guinea pig keratinocyte cultures utilizing glutamine as carbon and energy source compared with fermentable glucose . Cell death was used as a measure of drug toxicity in both yeast and mammalian systems . The antioxidants glutathione, vitamin E and vitamin C reversed toxicity and antimitochondrial activity to a large extent implying that toxic free radical metabolites of the drug are of significance in cellular activity of MGBG.

AIDS Res Hum Retroviruses, 1990 Jun, 6(6), 753 - 64
HIV-1 reverse transcriptase purified from a recombinant strain of Escherichia coli; Clark PK et al.; A better understanding of the structure and biochemical properties of the replicative machinery of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) may be useful in the screening and design of drugs that could be used to treat AIDS . We have previously described a recombinant strain of Escherichia coli that produces HIV-1 reverse transcriptase (RT) . Fermentation conditions for the large-scale growth of the bacterial strain and a protocol for the purification of an enzymatically active 66-Kd form of the RT have been developed . The purified RT has all of the appropriate enzymatic functions and properties . The recombinant protein can be substituted for the viral enzyme in structural and biochemical studies and used in screens for drugs that could inhibit HIV replication.

Neth J Med, 1990 Jun, 36(5-6), 301 - 3
Beware of the dog: meningitis in a splenectomised woman; Krol-van Straaten MJ et al.; Purulent meningitis was diagnosed in a 75-yr-old splenectomised woman nine days after a dog bite . The original wound was apparently uninflamed . The causative microorganism proved to be a dysgonic fermenter 2 (DF-2) bacterium (renamed Capnocythophaga canimorsus) . This is a recently recognised Gram-negative bacterium, belonging to the normal canine mouth flora, to which asplenic individuals seem to be particularly susceptible.

J Appl Bacteriol, 1990 Jun, 68(6), 571 - 6
Inhibition of bongkrek acid and toxoflavin production in tempe bongkrek containing Pseudomonas cocovenenans; Buckle KA et al.; Tempe bongkrek was prepared from partially defatted coconut by fermentation with the mould Rhizopus oligosporus . The addition of 2% sodium chloride decreased but did not inhibit formation of bongkrek acid by Pseudomonas cocovenenans strain ITB in either coconut culture medium (CCM) or tempe bongkrek, while 2% sodium chloride or acidification of CCM to pH 4.5 with acetic acid inhibited formation of toxoflavin . Toxin formation by three strains of Ps . cocovenenans in tempe bongkrek was inhibited by the combination of 2% sodium chloride and reduction of pH to 4.5 with acetic acid . Mycelial growth of R . oligosporus was sometimes affected by toxin production by Ps . cocovenenans, but not by the addition of 2% sodium chloride and/or acidification of CCM to pH 4.5 with acetic acid.

Eur J Clin Nutr, 1990 Jun, 44(6), 419 - 24
The promotive effect of soy sauce on iron absorption in human subjects; Baynes RD et al.; The effects on iron absorption of a traditionally fermented Japanese soy sauce added to soy and rice meals were assessed . The addition of soy sauce to a soy flour meal could not overcome the strong inhibition of iron absorption (geometric mean absorption 7.2 per cent with soy sauce vs . 8.7 per cent without, P = 0.5) . However, soy sauce added to a rice meal instead of soy flour significantly improved the geometric mean iron absorption (13.9 per cent with soy sauce vs . 5.2 per cent with soy flour, P = 0.002) and had a promotory effect on absorption from a rice meal alone (11.4 per cent with soy sauce vs . 3.5 per cent without, P = 0.0002) . Although soy sauce contains appreciable amounts of organic acids, the addition of 340 mg lactic acid to rice did not enhance iron absorption (3.1 per cent with lactic acid vs . 2.2 per cent without, P = 0.11) . The promotory effect of soy sauce on iron absorption appears to be due not only to its lack of soy protein content but may also be due to the presence of fermentation products other than organic acids.

Appl Environ Microbiol, 1990 Jun, 56(6), 1683 - 8
Xylose uptake by the ruminal bacterium Selenomonas ruminantium; Williams DK et al.; Selenomonas ruminantium HD4 does not use the phosphoenolpyruvate phosphotransferase system to transport xylose (S . A . Martin and J . B . Russell, J . Gen . Microbiol . 134:819-827, 1988) . Xylose uptake by whole cells of S . ruminantium HD4 was inducible . Uptake was unaffected by monensin or lasalocid, while oxygen, o-phenanthroline, and HgCl2 were potent inhibitors . Menadione, antimycin A, and KCN had little effect on uptake, and acriflavine inhibited uptake by 23% . Sodium fluoride decreased xylose uptake by 10%, while N,N'-dicyclohexylcarbodiimide decreased uptake by 31% . Sodium arsenate was a strong inhibitor (83%), and these results suggest the involvement of a high-energy phosphate compound and possibly a binding protein in xylose uptake . The protonophores carbonyl cyanide m-chlorophenylhydrazone, 2,4-dinitrophenol, and SF6847 inhibited xylose uptake by 88, 82, and 43%, respectively . The cations Na+ and K+ did not stimulate xylose uptake . The kinetics of xylose uptake were nonlinear, and it appeared that more than one uptake mechanism may be involved or that two proteins (i.e., a binding protein and permease protein) with different affinities for xylose were present . Excess (10 mM) glucose, sucrose, or maltose decreased xylose uptake less than 40% . Uptake was unaffected at extracellular pH values between 6.0 and 8.0, while pH values of 5.0 and 4.0 decreased uptake 28 and 24%, respectively . The phenolic monomers p-coumaric acid and vanillin inhibited growth on xylose and xylose uptake more than ferulic acid did . The predominant end products resulting from the fermentation of xylose were lactate (7.5 mM), acetate (4.4 mM), and propionate (5.1 nM), and the Yxylose was 24.1 g/mol.

J Antibiot (Tokyo), 1990 Jun, 43(6), 668 - 79
CP-84,657, a potent polyether anticoccidial related to portmicin and produced by Actinomadura sp; Dirlam JP et al.; A new polyether antibiotic CP-84,657 (C45H78O14) was isolated by solvent extraction from the fermentation broth of Actinomadura sp . (ATCC 53708) . Following purification by column chromatography and crystallization, the structure of CP-84,657 was elucidated by spectroscopic (NMR and MS) methods . The absolute stereochemistry was determined by a single crystal X-ray analysis of the corresponding rubidium salt . CP-84,657 is among the most potent anticoccidal agents known, effectively controlling the Eimeria species that are the major causative agents of chicken coccidiosis at doses of 5 mg/kg or less in feed . It is also active in vitro against certain Gram-positive bacteria, as well as the spirochete, Treponema hyodysenteriae.

J Antibiot (Tokyo), 1990 Jun, 43(6), 655 - 60
Strobilurins F, G and H, three new antifungal metabolites from Bolinea lutea . I . Fermentation, isolation and biological activity; Fredenhagen A et al.; Three new strobilurins F, G and H, antibiotics with antifungal activity, were isolated from cultures of Bolinea lutea Sacc . These new compounds differ from previously described analogs in their aromatic substitution . An HPLC method allows complete separation of all the components.

J Steroid Biochem, 1990 Jun, 36(1-2), 181 - 3
Formation of progesterone and 1-dehydroprogesterone from cholesterol in fermentation cultures of Mycobacterium aurum; Horhold C et al.; The formation of progesterone and 1-dehydroprogesterone from cholesterol in fermentation cultures of Mycobacterium aurum ATCC 25790 was studied with the aim of clarifying the microbial pathway . The C22-intermediate (20S)-20-carboxy-1,4-pregnadien-3-one was microbiologically converted via the undetectable corresponding aldehyde into the C22-alcohol . However in the fermentation broth without microorganisms, but containing 2,2'-bipyridyl and copper ions, synthetically prepared C22-aldehyde was oxidized to the corresponding C21-compound 1-dehydroprogesterone, suggesting that the enzymatically originated C22-aldehydes may be immediately chemically oxidized to the corresponding C21-ketones.

J Dent Res, 1990 Jun, 69(6), 1324 - 31
Plaque fluid and diffusion: study of the cariogenic challenge by computer modeling; Dibdin GH; Every cariogenic challenge involves a mixture of convective transport, diffusive transport, and biochemical reactions, plus physico-chemical reactions (including charge-coupling of diffusion), all of which together require numerical methods for their analysis . This presentation describes a one-dimensional finite-difference computer model of the cariogenic process, and some conclusions obtained from it . Sugar clearance from the mouth, together with site-dependent exchange between the bulk saliva and plaque surface via a salivary film, is combined with a finite-difference model of events occurring within the dental plaque . The latter includes: sugar diffusion and pH-dependent acid production; diffusion and dissociation equilibria for two acid end-products of fermentation and their anions (acetate and lactate); diffusion and dissociation equilibria of phosphate buffer; diffusion of potassium and chloride; diffusion of protons and simultaneous equilibration with fixed and mobile buffers . So that proper concentration distributions consistent with local charge neutrality can be ensured, an algorithm called Q-couple is used to impose charge-coupling between the fluxes of different ions including fixed charges . Mineral dissolution and precipitation are modeled as part of the same equilibrium calculations . The predictions of the model are compared with those of an earlier, much simpler one, in which fixed buffers were not included . It is shown that the known concentration of fixed buffer greatly extends the low pH of a Stephan curve . The isoelectric point of the plaque bacteria also appears to be of importance . The effects of various concentrations of mobile buffers, including acetate, are investigated . It is also shown that varying plaque/saliva contact over the known range derived from published studies has a profound effect on the modeled cariogenic challenge.

J Antibiot (Tokyo), 1990 Jun, 43(6), 639 - 47
Secondary metabolites by chemical screening: II . Amycins A and B two novel niphimycin analogs isolated from a high producer strain of elaiophylin and nigericin; Grabley S et al.; Two novel natural niphimycin analogs, amycins A (5) and B (3) were isolated from the culture broth of the Streptomyces sp . DSM 3816 by chemical screening methods . In addition this strain produces the antibiotics niphimycin (4), elaiophylin (2) and nigericin (1) . Fermentation, isolation, structure elucidation and biological activity of the amycins are described.

Pneumonol Pol, 1990 Jun, 58(6), 298 - 306
{Analysis of respiratory parameters before and after working in manual laborers at a tobacco factory}; Kolarzyk E et al.; From the group of 102 workers of local cigarette factory 51 persons had a contact with tobacco leaves before fermentation and other 51 workers with after process of fermentation . Values of spirometric parameters before and after 8 hour lung occupational exposition to tobacco leaves were evaluated in both groups . Increase of obturation of both large and small airways was found after workshift . 31 of examined persons had more than 20% inferior values of FEV1, Raw and FEF 25/75 . That hyperspasmatic reaction of bronchi was found both in subjects with signs of obturation and in persons with normal results in examination before workshift . This finding concerned mostly workers who inhaled dust of tobacco leaves prior to fermentation.

Khirurgiia (Mosk), 1990 Jun, (6), 47 - 50
{Clinical significance of non-fermentative bacteria isolated from the environment of a surgical department}; Bogomolova NS et al.; The article deals with the frequency of isolation of non-fermentative gram-negative bacteria, potential causative agents of postoperative infection, from objects found in the environment of various departments of a surgical inpatient clinic . The species composition of the grown culture was determined . The relation of the isolation rate of certain species of nonfermentative bacteria to the object of the examination, the department of the clinic, and the disinfection method applied was revealed . The authors point out that it is necessary to undertake systematically the investigations to determine of the activity of antiseptics and disinfectants in relation to the microorganisms indicated in order to choose the effective methods for the prevention of postoperative infection induced by nonfermentative bacteria.

Microbiologia, 1990 Jun, 6(1), 37 - 44
Utilization of beet molasses for sterol production by some moulds; Ghanem KM et al.; Different moulds were cultivated in beet molasses (BM)-containing medium . Penicillium crustosum Thom was superior to the other moulds in total sterols production (4% on dry weight basis), efficiency of convertibility of the BM sugars to sterols (2%), total lipids (19.4%) and unsaponified lipids (13.4%) . The treatment of BM with H2SO4- followed by centrifugation allowed maximum fermentation yields . The highest unsaponified lipids (16.5%) and total sterols level (7.4%) were obtained with a medium composed of (g/1): NaNO3, 3; K2HPO4, 3; MgSO4.7H2O, 1.5; K2SO4, 0.11; ZnSO4.7H2O, 0.05; FeCl3.6H2O, 0.16; H2SO4-treated BM, 60 . Maximal sterol yields (8.4%) and high growth rate were achieved at the accelerated growth phase (8 days old cultures), when the initial pH value of the medium was adjusted to 7.0.

Curr Genet, 1990 Jun, 17(6), 465 - 72
Isolation and genetic study of triethyltin-resistant mutants of Saccharomyces cerevisiae; Dupont CH et al.; Three mutants of Saccharomyces cerevisiae resistant to triethyltin (an inhibitor of mitochondrial ATPase) on non-fermentative media, and non-resistant to this drug on fermentative media, were isolated and named TTR1, TTR2 and TTR3 . Apart from triethyltin resistance, these mutants show the following common characteristics: (1) Increased intracellular cytochrome c concentration . (2) Increased respiration rate . (3) Decreased growth yield . (4) Increased growth sensitivity to several drugs inhibiting oxidative phosphorylation: namely, CCCP (permeabilizing inner mitochondrial membrane to protons), valinomycin (permeabilizing inner mitochondrial membrane to potassium) and oligomycin (inhibitor of mitochondrial ATPase) . (5) Increased sensitivity to carbon source starvation . For each mutant, these characteristics appeared to be due to a single pleiotropic nuclear mutation . Mutation TTR1 causes additional phenotypic characteristics which do not appear in mutants TTR2 and TTR3: (1) Pinkish coloration of colonies which is more pronounced after a long growth period . (2) Inability of the cells to store glycogen . (3) Growth defect of the cells on a galactose-containing medium . (4) Inability of a diploid homozygote mutant strain to sporulate . All these phenotypic characteristics have already been described in yeast mutants deregulated in cAMP-dependent protein phosphorylation . Crossing of a strain bearing the TTR1 mutation with a strain mutated in the adenylate cyclase structural gene suggested that the TTR1 phenotype is due to a modification in regulation of cAPK by cAMP, making cell multiplication possible without intracellular cAMP.

Mayo Clin Proc, 1990 Jun, 65(6), 787 - 92
Results of a 6-month survey of stool cultures for Escherichia coli O157:H7; Marshall WF et al.; Escherichia coli O157:H7 is a recently recognized enteric pathogen that causes acute hemorrhagic colitis . Although the infection is usually self-limited, it may be complicated by hemolytic uremic syndrome and thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura . At our institution, stool specimens are now routinely cultured for this organism . To determine the prevalence of E . coli O157:H7-associated diarrhea in our patient population, we surveyed all submitted stool cultures for 6 months for this organism . Specimens were screened for non-sorbitol fermenting E . coli and confirmed by slide-agglutination and immobilization testing . Of 2,164 specimens, 10 yielded E . coli O157:H7 . It was the fourth most common bacterial stool pathogen found . Bloody diarrhea and abdominal pain were the most common symptoms of the infected patients . E . coli O157:H7 causes sporadic infections in our patient population and should be considered in the differential diagnosis of acute hemorrhagic colitis.

Kanagawa Shigaku, 1990 Jun, 25(1), 109 - 14
{Follow-up study on anti-HBs levels in vaccinees after two and three doses of HB vaccine . (2)}; Kimura T et al.; An HB prophylaxis vaccination that included a primary and secondary vaccination was carried out on persons working at the university hospital . In the primary vaccination group, the subjects were inoculated the second time with a vaccine derived from human blood plasma obtained from the Kitazato Therapeutic Research Institute . The third time, they were inoculated with a vaccine from the Chemo-Sero Therapeutic Research Institute derived from a second-generation vaccine organized ferment . The vaccine used for the second inoculation group was obtained from the Chemo-Sero Therapeutic Research Institute . Results were summarized as follows: 1) The primary vaccination group: (1) The number of the 153 subjects inoculated with the primary vaccination at the time of the second inoculation, 49 subjects (32%) tested positive for antibodies 3-4 months following inoculation . Thirty-two subjects (20%) tested positive 15-16 months following inoculation with a high rate among females . (2) Among 104 subjects inoculated the third time with the primary vaccination (those who tested negative the second inoculation of the above vaccine), 61 subjects (58.7%) tested positive for antibodies 8-9 months following inoculation with a generally high rate among females . Twenty-eight subjects (26%) tested 15-16 months after inoculation with a high rate among females between 20 and 30 years and among males between 40 and years . 2) The secondary group: Among the 38 subjects who were inoculated the second time with the secondary vaccination, 8 subjects (21%) tested positive for antibodies 5-6 months following inoculation, with a high rate among females in their 20's . 3) The rate of antibodies formation.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Mol Biochem Parasitol, 1990 Jun, 41(1), 65 - 72
Trichomonas vaginalis requires traces of oxygen and high concentrations of carbon dioxide for optimal growth; Paget TA et al.; The effects of O2 and CO2 on the growth in culture of Trichomonas vaginalis strain C1-NIH were investigated . Growth under pre-purified N2 in the absence of CO2 supplementation gave a doubling time of 4.4 h; when traces of O2 (less than 0.25 microM) were present, the doubling time was 3.5 h . Organisms grew most rapidly (doubling time 2.3 h) with traces of O2 (less than 0.25 microM) and with the CO2 level controlled at 5 mM . The balance of fermentation products from maltose was greatly influenced by supplied gases . Under strictly anaerobic conditions at 5 mM CO2, equimolar glycerol and lactate accounted for more than 95% of the measured products, whereas lower CO2 increased acetate production . Under microaerobic conditions (O2 less than 0.25 microM) acetate was the major product when CO2 was limited to that evolved endogenously; again 5 mM CO2 favoured glycerol and lactate production . Activities of key enzymes measured in cell-free extracts (pyruvate:ferredoxin oxidoreductase, hydrogenase, glycerol kinase, malate dehydrogenase (decarboxylating) and lactate dehydrogenase) altered with growth conditions commensurately with observed changes in metabolic flux patterns . These results suggest that T . vaginalis is optimally adapted to conditions it experiences in situ in the vagina (traces of O2, high CO2).

Antonie Van Leeuwenhoek, 1990 Jun, 58(1), 57 - 66
The effect of ethanol on cell wall antigens of Saccharomyces cerevisiae and specific isolation of high ethanol producing strains of this yeast, making use of a serological technique; Umesh-Kumar S et al.; Generally, natural isolates of high ethanol producing Saccharomyces cerevisiae obtained by screening are used in alcoholic industries . The methods involved in their isolation and identification are elaborate . Antigenic analysis using antibodies raised against whole Saccharomyces cells indicated species specificity of cell wall surface thermostable antigens . By affinity purification, the specific antibodies could be obtained and used for specific isolation of S . cerevisiae . Antigenic studies using antibodies raised against isolated cell walls of fermentatively grown S . cerevisiae indicated the occurrence of thermolabile antigens common to Saccharomyces species . Higher concentrations of these antigens could be detected in those S . cerevisiae that had the ability for high ethanol production . The concentrations of these cell wall common antigens increased with increasing culture age and ethanol accumulation in culture broths . In younger yeast cells, the concentration could be increased by growing the cells in a medium containing added ethanol . Using dilutions of cross absorbed antibody specific for common antigens and Ouchterlony test, high ethanol producing S . cerevisiae could be identified.

Biotechnol Appl Biochem, 1990 Jun, 12(3), 325 - 30
Formation of glyceryl 2-mononitrate by regioselective bioconversion of glyceryl trinitrate: efficiency of the filamentous fungus Phanerochaete chrysosporium; Ducrocq C et al.; Various microorganisms have been evaluated for their ability to hydrolyze glyceryl trinitrate (GTN) to glyceryl dinitrates and mononitrates . Provided that the GTN extracellular concentration was under the lethal dose, metabolite formation and regioselectivity depend on the nature of the strain used . In particular, Phanerochaete chrysosporium at a sublethal dose (3 mM) converts GTN into 1,2-glyceryl dinitrate and 2-glyceryl mononitrate (2-GMN) with a 80% regioselectivity in both steps . This bioconversion, when carried out in fermentors at 28 degrees C, allowed formation of 2-GMN at a rate of 12 mumol/h/g of dried mycelium . Successive batches of 3 mM GTN could be converted into 2-GMN as long as consecutive additions of glycerol or glucose were effected to ensure cell survival and the efficiency of the enzymatic system involved.

Biotechnology (N Y), 1990 Jun, 8(6), 554 - 8
Expression of recombinant proteins in Escherichia coli using an oxygen-responsive promoter; Khosla C et al.; The oxygen-dependent promoter of the Vitreoscilla hemoglobin (VHb) gene has been shown to be functional in E . coli . Earlier studies established that the promoter is maximally induced under microaerobic conditions and that its activity is also influenced by the cAMP-CAP complex . We demonstrate here that the promoter can be used for regulated, high-level expression of recombinant proteins in two-stage fed-batch fermentations . The promoter is maximally induced at dissolved oxygen levels lower than 5% air saturation . Despite the influence of catabolite repression, glucose and glycerol-containing media give comparable product levels under carbon-limited conditions such as those encountered in typical fed-batch fermentations . The possibility of a third level of control of promoter activity is also indicated . This mode of induction can be repressed by addition of a complex nitrogen source such as yeast extract to the medium . The observed promoter activity can be modulated at least 30-fold over the course of high-cell density fermentations producing either cloned beta-galactosidase or cloned chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) . Densitometer scanning of SDS-polyacrylamide gels revealed that beta-galactosidase was expressed to a level of approximately 10% of total cellular protein.

J Ind Microbiol, 1990 Jun, 5(4), 239 - 46
Improvement of production, assay and purification of streptavidin; Aldwin L et al.; The production of streptavidin by Streptomyces avidinii in several different media was examined at 24, 48 and 72 hours . Flask studies indicated that fermentation media containing either complex or multiple carbon sources resulted in higher yields of streptavidin than media with a single carbon source . Streptavidin could be detected in crude fermentation broths by use of a tritiated biotin binding assay . This assay appears to give useful estimates of streptavidin production . Depending upon the medium employed, streptavidin yields ranged from 0.5 mg/l to 53 mg/l . Production was successfully scaled up to ten liter fermentors . Streptavidin was purified in a one step process from centrifuged, concentrated fermentation broths by binding the protein to an iminobiotin column at pH 11 followed by elution at pH 4.0 . Recovery percentages varied depending upon the solubility of the fermentation media ingredients.

Gene, 1990 May 31, 90(1), 129 - 33
A novel phosphate-regulated expression vector in Escherichia coli; Su TZ et al.; The ugp promoter (pugp) responsible for expression of the binding-protein-dependent sn-glycerol-3-phosphate transport system in Escherichia coli was cloned into a small multicopy plasmid pTER5, a derivative of pBR322, between the transcription terminators rpoCt and tL1 . The resulting expression vector, pPH3, permits convenient insertion of structural genes containing their own translational-initiation regions, into the multiple-cloning site derived from the pUC19 plasmid . The efficiency and regulatory properties of pugp were measured using xylE and lacZ as reporter genes, which code for the corresponding enzymes catechol-2,3-dioxygenase (C23O) and beta-galactosidase (beta Gal), respectively . Enzyme activities were virtually completely repressed in the presence of excess inorganic phosphates (Pi) and high concentrations of glucose . Maximal induction was observed at limiting Pi (less than 0.1 mM) and normal levels of glucose (0.2-0.4%) . The maximum expression of the pugp-directed beta Gal synthesis was approx . 80% of that directed by strong ptac . When the xylE gene was maximally expressed, the induced enzyme constituted approx . 50% of total cellular protein as judged by laser densitometry following sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis . These results suggest the usefulness of the pugp in expression vectors for strong, but controlled, expression of cloned genes in E . coli . This Pi controlled vector can be adapted to large-scale fermentation by using Pi-limiting growth conditions.

J Appl Bacteriol, 1990 May, 68(5), 447 - 51
A convenient microtitre tray procedure for yeast identification; Heard GM et al.; Media for yeast identification tests were incorporated into the wells of a microtitre tray . The tests included fermentation and assimilation of carbohydrates, assimilation of nitrogen compounds, growth in vitamin-free medium, resistance to cycloheximide, and observations for cell morphology and sporulation . Results of tests conducted in the trays showed very good agreement with those obtained by conventional methods . Eighteen reference yeasts were correctly identified from tests conducted in the trays . The trays of media could be stored, and provided a convenient system for yeast identification.

Mycopathologia, 1990 May, 110(2), 113 - 7
Mycological contamination of ogiri (fermented sesame seeds) during production in Sierra Leone; Jonsyn FE; 'Ogiri' (fermented sesame seeds) was prepared in the laboratory and at home by selected participants . No fungal participation was observed during the normal fermentation process . However, fungal contamination was observed when improper handling techniques were employed . Out of the 49 samples examined, 41 fungal isolates were made . Aspergillus spp were the dominant group irrespective of the locality . Toxigenic Aspergillus included A . flavus Link ex Fries, A . tamarii Kita and A . ochraceus Wilhelm . P . citrinum Thom was the only toxigenicc Penicillium isolated . The role of the different types of wraps used for the fermentation, marketing and storage of the product was also determined.

J Anim Sci, 1990 May, 68(5), 1405 - 15
Estimating diet digestibility: a comparison of 11 techniques across six different diets fed to rams; Judkins MB et al.; Six digestion trials were conducted using eight Suffolk rams (four/trial; two trials run concurrently) to determine the ability of 11 techniques to estimate in vivo apparent DM digestibility (DMD) . Diets (trials) were as follows: 1) ad libitum access to chopped fescue hay, 2) ad libitum access to alfalfa hay, 3) limit-fed fescue hay, 4) limit-fed alfalfa hay, 5) 25% soybean meal and 75% fescue hay and 6) 40% rolled corn and 60% alfalfa hay . Total feces were collected for 7 d following a 21-d adaptation to each diet . Digestibility methods evaluated were the following: 1) in vitro disappearance (INVITRO); 2) 48 h and 3) 72 h in situ nylon bag (48NB, 72NB); 4) 48NB followed by a 48-h acid pepsin digestion; 5) 96 h and 6) 144 h in vitro fermentation followed by NDF analysis (INDF96 and INDF144) 7) 96 h and 8) 144 h in vitro fermentation followed by ADF analysis (IADF96 and IADF144); 9) ADL ratio; 10) alkaline hydrogen peroxide treatment before ADL analysis (APFPRE) and 11) alkaline hydrogen peroxide treatment after ADF extraction of ADL (ADLPST) . Apparent in vivo DMD was accurately estimated (P greater than .10) by INVITRO, ADL and APLPST with Diet 1 . However no marker accurately estimated in vivo DMD when fescue was limit-fed . Apparent DMD of Diet 2 was accurately predicted (P greater than .10) by INVITRO, but when Diet 2 was limit-fed, only 48NB and 72NB predicted (P greater than .10) DMD accurately . In vivo DMD coefficients for Diet 5 followed a pattern similar to that of Diet 1 . Diet 6 was predicted by INVITRO, 48NB, INDF96, INDF144 and IADF96 (P greater than .10) . Results suggest that caution should be exercised when using these techniques, because no single technique provided accurate estimates across all diets and feeding conditions.

J Anim Sci, 1990 May, 68(5), 1400 - 4
Incorporation of nickel into ruminal factor F430 as affected by monensin and formate; Oscar TP et al.; A mixed culture of ruminal microorganisms was used to demonstrate that nickel (Ni) is incorporated into factor F430 and to determine the effects of monensin and formate on incorporation of Ni into factor F430 . Ruminal microorganisms obtained from a semicontinuous culture were grown for 24 h in the presence of 63Ni and a 2 x 2 factorial arrangement of monensin (0 to 5 micrograms/ml) and formate (0 to 20 mM) treatments . Factor F430 was isolated and purified from the cultures by QAE-Sephadex A-25 column chromatography . The purified preparation contained 63Ni and exhibited a peak in absorbance at 430 nm . Methane production was decreased (P less than .01) 45% by monensin but was increased (P less than .01) 1.8-fold by formate . However, incorporation of 63Ni into factor F430, which is ubiquitous in methanogens and not found in other bacteria, did not parallel changes in methane production . Incorporation of 63Ni into factor F430 was decreased (P less than .01) 55% by monensin but was not affected (P greater than .05) by formate . In addition to its use for synthesis of urease and hydrogenase, Ni is involved in ruminal fermentation as a component of factor430.

Antonie Van Leeuwenhoek, 1990 May, 57(4), 205 - 13
Anaerobic degradation of 1,3-propanediol by sulfate-reducing and by fermenting bacteria; Oppenberg B et al.; Three strains of strictly anaerobic Gram-negative, non-sporeforming, motile bacteria were enriched and isolated from freshwater sediments with 1,3-propanediol as sole energy and carbon source . Strain OttPdl was a sulfate-reducing bacterium which grew also with lactate, ethanol, propanol, butanol, 1,4-butanediol, formate or hydrogen plus CO2, the latter only in the presence of acetate . In the absence of sulfate, most of these substrates were fermented to the respective fatty acids in syntrophic cooperation with Methanospirillum hungatei . Sulfur, thiosulfate, or sulfite were reduced, nitrate not . The other two isolates degraded propanediol only in coculture with Methanospirillum hungatei . Strain OttGlycl grew in pure culture with acetoin and with glycerol in the presence of acetate . Strain WoAcl grew in pure culture only with acetoin . Both strains did not grow with other substrates, and did not reduce nitrate, sulfate, sulfur, thiosulfate or sulfite . The isolates were affiliated with the genera Desulfovibrio and Pelobacter . The pathways of propanediol degradation and the ecological importance of this process are discussed.

Arch Pathol Lab Med, 1990 May, 114(5), 485 - 7
Pink spots of Hedley-Whyte in formaldehyde-fixed brains . The subject revisited; Mitchell MA et al.; In an article published in 1985, Hedley-Whyte described "pink spots," which she observed in gross sections of human brains fixed in formaldehyde solution . Hedley-White found that the spots in question were associated with the presence of bacteria within central nervous system blood vessels . We have recently encountered three cases of Hedley-Whyte-type pink spots during routine postmortem brain examination . In two of these cases, the patient's clinical history included a bacterial infection, which could account for the deposition of bacteria within the central nervous system blood vessels . In the third case, the patient had no clinical history of bacterial infection, and had a negative postmortem blood culture . On microscopic examination, all three cases showed central nervous system intravascular presence of bacteria within the macroscopically recognized pink spots . To test the hypothesis that pink spots result from bacterial fermentation products, at the time of postmortem removal of brains (different from the brains mentioned above), we perfused blood vessels in three brains with 100% ethanol . Subsequent macroscopic examination after fixation in formaldehyde revealed discoloration similar to the Hedley-Whyte spots.

Am J Clin Nutr, 1990 May, 51(5), 873 - 80
Effect of traditional oriental soy products on iron absorption; Macfarlane BJ et al.; The effect of a variety of traditional oriental unfermented and fermented soy products on iron absorption was evaluated in 242 Indian women . When compared with a soy-flour meal containing an equal amount of protein, iron absorption was found to be significantly improved with silken tofu, natto, tempeh, rice miso, barley miso, and soybean miso . This improvement could not be adequately explained except with reference to changes in the protein composition of the products . The protein fraction profiles of the soy products were obtained by size-exclusion high-performance liquid chromatography . An inverse relationship between food iron absorption and the high-molecular-weight fraction of the soy products was demonstrated (r = 0.66, p = 0.01) . However, anomalous results obtained with three products (sufu, tempeh, and fully hydrolyzed isolated soy protein) did not make it possible to reach firm conclusions concerning the effect of the protein fraction of soy on iron bioavailability.

Infect Immun, 1990 May, 58(5), 1273 - 80
Mycoplasma fermentans-derived high-molecular-weight material induces interleukin-6 release in cultures of murine macrophages and human monocytes; Quentmeier H et al.; A Mycoplasma fermentans-derived high-molecular-weight material (MDHM) is described which causes differentiation of concanavalin A-stimulated CBA/J or C57BL/6 mouse thymocytes to cytolytic effector T cells (CTLs) . The effect of MDHM was inhibited by addition of monoclonal anti-interleukin-6 (IL-6) antibody . It could also be abolished after removal of adherent cells . However, adherent cell-depleted thymocytes could still form CTLs after addition of IL-6 . The action of MDHM could thus be explained by the capacity of MDHM to stimulate IL-6 release from adherent cells . MDHM was active on macrophages from CBA/J and C3H/HeJ endotoxin nonresponder mice and was also capable of stimulating IL-6 release from human monocytes . On gel chromatography, MDHM had an apparent molecular size of 1.5 x 10(6) daltons . Treatment with RNase and DNase had no effect on either size or biological activity . Proteinase K did not abolish activity but reduced the apparent molecular size of MDHM . MDHM production by M . fermentans required either coculture with eucaryotic cell lines in RPMI 1640 medium with fetal calf serum or addition of eucaryotic cell sonic extracts to this medium . The biological activity of MDHM is not identical to that of a mitogen for murine spleen cells derived from M . arthritidis; MDHM caused only slight proliferation in this system compared with the mitogen from M . arthritidis, and the latter did not elicit IL-6 release from macrophages . The results are discussed in relation to mycoplasmas as putative etiological agents for rheumatoid arthritis, since high IL-6 titers were reported for synovial fluid from patients with this disease.

Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg, 1990 May-Jun, 84(3), 443 - 6
The use of fermented and germinated cereals and tubers for improved feeding of infants and children in Uganda; Sserunjogi L et al.; Interviews with mothers in 4 ecologically separate regions of Uganda (Arua, Mukono, Kabale and Mbarara) revealed considerable differences in patterns of infant and child feeding in health and during diarrhoea . There was considerable enthusiasm for the use of fermentation and germination of cereals and tubers in some areas (Arua 87% and Kabale 90%) . These household food processes were especially recommended for improving dietary intake during diarrhoea . However, these techniques were not used by mothers in Mukono or Mbarara . The advantages of these procedures and possible reasons for differences in their popularity are discussed.

J Environ Pathol Toxicol Oncol, 1990 May-Jun, 10(3), 136 - 7
Detection and occurrence of cyclopiazonic acid in cheeses; Le Bars J; Techniques for detection of cyclopiazonic acid in P . camemberti fermented cheeses are described . They include extraction with CHCl3-MeOH, purification, analysis and quantitation by thin-layer chromatography, and confirmation procedures . Recovery from spiked samples was 75-85%, and the lowest detectable level was 0.02 ppm . This toxic metabolite of P . camemberti was found in the crust of 11 of 20 cheeses of different brands, but not in the inner part . The highest levels were found in three samples: 0.4, 1, and 1.5 ppm . Cyclopiazonic acid doses eventually ingested by a consumer appear to be very low: 3 or 4 micrograms in a portion of the most contaminated sample.

Prikl Biokhim Mikrobiol, 1990 May-Jun, 26(3), 349 - 54
{Reduction of nitro-substituted 1,2-dihydro-3H-1,4-benzodiazepine- 2-ones by E . coli cells immobilized in carrageenan}; Davidenko TI et al.; Reduction of nitro-substituted 1,2-dihydro-3H-1,3-benzodiazepine-2-ones by E . coli cells immobilized in carrageenan was studied . The corresponding amines are the sole products with a 100% yield as compared to the native cells . Conditions for immobilization of E . coli cells in the home-produced carrageenan was worked out: the cell to carrageenan ratio is 1:10 (w/w), granulation in toluene at 0-(+)4 degrees, treatment with 0.3-0.4 M KCl . The carrageenan-immobilized cells are stable upon storage, repeated usage (after 10 cycles about 80% of the initial activity is retained), and when being used in column fermenters.

Antibiot Khimioter, 1990 May, 35(5), 3 - 7
{Cyclosporin biosynthesis and dynamics of bioenergetic processes in cyclosporin-producing strain}; Sotnikova IV et al.; An attempt was made to show a correlation between definite bioenergetic parameters of the cells of the cyclosporine-producing culture and biosynthesis of cyclosporine . It was found that the three strains producing cyclosporine used in the study had an alternative cyanide-resistant pathway along with the classical cytochrome chain . In the strain forming only traces of the cyclopeptide during fermentation of the cyanide-resistant respiration constituted 60 to 80% . In the isogenic highly productive strains the cyanide-resistant respiration appeared to be markedly decreased beginning from the 1st day of fermentation and during the maximum biosynthesis of cyclosporine (on day 4 or 5 of fermentation) it reached zero . The ATP content in the cells of the highly productive strain, despite its decrease by the antibiotic biosynthesis peak, remained at a much higher level than that in the strain producing only traces of cyclosporine . A procedure for isolating functionally active mitochondria from the protoplasts was developed and a bioenergetic characterization of the mitochondria isolated from the strains with different antibiotic productions is presented.

J Gen Microbiol, 1990 May, 136 ( Pt 5), 855 - 60
Misregulation of maltose uptake in a glucose repression defective mutant of Saccharomyces cerevisiae leads to glucose poisoning; Entian KD et al.; In hex2 mutants of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, which are defective in glucose repression of several enzymes, growth is inhibited if maltose is present in the medium . After adding {14C}maltose to cultures growing with ethanol, maltose metabolism was followed in both hex2 mutant and wild-type cells . The amount of radioactivity incorporated was much higher in hex2 than in wild-type cells . Most of the radioactivity in hex2 cells was located in the low molecular mass fraction . Pulse-chase experiments showed that 2 h after addition of maltose, hex2 cells hydrolysed maltose to glucose, which was partially excreted into the medium . 31P-NMR studies gave evidence that turnover of sugar phosphates was completely abolished in hex2 cells after 2 h incubation with maltose . 13C-NMR spectra confirmed these results: unlike those for the wild-type, no resonances corresponding to fermentation products (ethanol, glycerol) were found for hex2 cells, whereas there were resonances corresponding to glucose . Although maltose is taken up by proton symport, the internal pH in the hex2 mutant did not change markedly during the 5 h after adding maltose . The intracellular accumulation of glucose seems to explain the inhibition of growth by maltose, probably by means of osmotic damage and/or unspecific O-glycosylation of proteins . Neither maltose permease nor maltase was over-expressed, and so these enzymes were not the cause of glucose accumulation . Hence, the coordination of maltose uptake, hydrolysis to glucose and glycolysis of glucose is not regulated simply by the specific activity of the catabolic enzymes involved.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

J Appl Bacteriol, 1990 May, 68(5), 491 - 4
Physiological variants of Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Kloeckera apiculata from palm wine and cashew juice; Owuama CI et al.; Physiological variants of Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Kloeckera apiculata have been identified in oil palm wine and cashew juice from Nigeria . Genomic DNA from the four S . cerevisiae variants had a % G + C of 36-41% while that of K . apiculata was 32.2% . Fermentation of cashew juice produced wine of alcoholic contents of 10% with S . cerevisiae, 8% with K . apiculata and 9.3% with both yeasts simultaneously.

J Antibiot (Tokyo), 1990 May, 43(5), 449 - 55
FR112123, a new oligopeptide antibiotic from Streptomyces viridochromogenes . Taxonomy, fermentation, isolation, physico-chemical properties, structure and biological activity; Fujie A et al.; FR112123 is a new oligopeptide antibiotic produced by Streptomyces viridochromogenes No . 7587 . The structure of FR112123 is elucidated as N-(N6-(N2-glycyl-L-glutaminyl)-D-lysyl)-D-alanine (1) by spectroscopic and chemical evidence . It resembles a partial structure of peptidoglycan in bacteria . The compound has a superior activity against an Escherichia coli mutant sensitive to inhibitors of cell wall synthesis, although it has a weak activity against the parent strain . These suggest that FR112123 might act on the biosynthesis of bacterial cell wall.

Appl Environ Microbiol, 1990 May, 56(5), 1296 - 302
Improved expression of human interleukin-2 in high-cell-density fermentor cultures of Escherichia coli K-12 by a phosphotransacetylase mutant; Bauer KA et al.; A fluoroacetate-resistant mutant of Escherichia coli K-12 (MM-294) accumulated less acetate in the medium during growth to high cell density in fermentor cultures and was shown to be defective in its phosphotransacetylase activity . The mutant had an improved ability to continue growing during induction of interleukin-2 (IL-2) synthesis, and in fermentor cultures it gave a higher level of specific IL-2 accumulation than its parent during expression under control of the temperature-sensitive pL promoter . In flask cultures at lower cell density, the mutant again produced less acetate than the parent, although both showed a much lower level of acetate accumulation than that seen in fermentors at high cell density . Both showed a higher specific expression level of IL-2 in flask cultures, and there was a greater difference between the mutant and its parent in the final extent of specific IL-2 accumulation in fermentor cultures compared with flask cultures . Thus, the concentration of acetate in the medium, which was much higher in fermentor cultures (greater than or equal to 300 mM after 5 h of induction) than in flask cultures (less than or equal to mM) of the parent organism, was a significant factor in limiting expression of the heterologous protein product, IL-2 . The acetate kinase-phosphotransacetylase pathway was therefore a major source of acetate formation in these cultures . Blocking this pathway improved accumulation of IL-2 and did not slow growth.

Arch Tierernahr, 1990 May-Jun, 40(5-6), 483 - 91
Effect of virginiamycin on in vivo digestibility, rumen fermentation and nitrogen balance; Fiems LO et al.; Three experiments were conducted to investigate the effect of virginiamycin . Digestibility was determined with wethers, fed a diet of 0.65 maize silage and 0.35 concentrate on a dry matter basis (Experiment I) or a complete dry feed (Experiment II) at maintenance, and with growing bulls fed a maize silage diet ad libitum supplemented with 7.5 g concentrate per kg live weight (Experiment III) . Virginiamycin was incorporated at 0 or 65 ppm in the concentrate and 0 or 25 ppm in the complete dry feed . No significant effect on dry or organic matter digestibility was observed, although digestibilities of protein and ether extract were reduced by virginiamycin in experiments I and II, respectively . Rumen fermentation was studied in experiments I and II . Virginiamycin increased acetic acid concentration and reduced butyric acid concentration in experiment I, but exerted no significant effect in experiment II . An interaction between diet type and virginiamycin was found for the C2/C3 ratio . Nitrogen balance, measured in experiment III, was not affected by virginiamycin.

Am J Gastroenterol, 1990 May, 85(5), 549 - 53
Effects of dietary propionate on carbohydrate and lipid metabolism in healthy volunteers; Venter CS et al.; Propionate produced in the colon from the fermentation of alpha-amylase-resistant starch and non-starch polysaccharides, is cholesterol lowering and gluconeogenic in animal models . In humans, little is known about the effect of propionate on metabolism . In a double-blind, paired-comparison, placebo-controlled study, the diet of 10 healthy female volunteers, aged 20-22 yr, was supplemented for a period of 7 wk with 7.5 g sodium propionate daily in capsule form, while the diet of the 10 control group members was supplemented with dibasic calcium phosphate in identical capsules as placebo . Propionate supplementation did not lower total serum cholesterol (TC), but increased HDLC (9.5%) (p less than 0.05) and triglyceride levels (16.7%, p less than 0.02) and decreased fasting serum glucose and maximum insulin increments during glucose tolerance tests (p less than 0.05) . The results suggest that the improvement in glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity and the known beneficial effect of dietary fiber on HDL metabolism may in part be mediated through effects of propionate on hepatic carbohydrate metabolism.

Res Virol, 1990 May-Jun, 141(3), 385 - 95
Genetic and serologic relatedness between Mycoplasma fermentans strains and a mycoplasma recently identified in tissues of AIDS and non-AIDS patients; Saillard C et al.; A mycoplasma previously identified in the tissues of both AIDS and non-AIDS patients dying of an acute fatal disease was earlier shown to share some biologic and genetic properties with a strain of Mycoplasma fermentans, an organism occurring infrequently in the human lower urogenital tract . More extensive genetic and serologic comparisons using DNA/DNA hybridization, DNA base composition (guanine + cytosine), restriction endonuclease DNA analysis, cellular protein patterns and metabolism inhibition serologic procedures confirm that the organism previously designated as "Mycoplasma incognitus" (Mi) is indeed very closely related to strains of M . fermentans . While the genetic and serologic features observed among the newly isolated mycoplasma and two M . fermentans strains suggest a species relationship, it now seems useful to re-examine the biological activities of other freshly isolated M . fermentans strains from man.

Cytotechnology, 1990 May, 3(3), 295 - 9
Industrial production of monoclonal antibodies and therapeutic proteins by dialysis fermentation; Comer MJ et al.; A novel and powerful fermentation method is reported for the large-scale growth of mammalian cells and their secreted products . The system described illustrates many of the advantages of conventional batch fermentation processes but in addition has been shown to yield cell densities in excess of 1 x 10(7) cells/ml with concomitant increase in product concentration.

Cytotechnology, 1990 May, 3(3), 253 - 8
A continuous multistage roller reactor for animal cell culture: 1 . Patterns of growth, production and catabolism of a murine hybridoma; Borth N et al.; A Tubular Liquid Film Reactor was designed as a model system to transfer a batch culture kinetic to a continuous cascade . Cell density, product formation and substrate consumption rates were followed during fermentation at two dilution rates . In spite of the high dilution rates effective in each segment by itself high cell densities of up to 10(7) cells/ml were achieved due to cell sedimentation . The model character of the reactor was taken to determine critical values of substrate concentrations that influence production rates and result in an adaptation of metabolism.

Biotechnol Prog, 1990 May-Jun, 6(3), 198 - 202
Genetic engineering of structural protein polymers; Cappello J et al.; Genetic and protein engineering are components of a new polymer chemistry that provide the tools for producing macromolecular polyamide copolymers of diversity and precision far beyond the current capabilities of synthetic polymer chemistry . The genetic machinery allows molecular control of chemical and physical chain properties . Nature utilizes this control to formulate protein polymers into materials with extraordinary mechanical properties, such as the strength and toughness of silk and the elasticity and resilience of mammalian elastin . The properties of these materials have been attributed to the presence of short repeating oligopeptide sequences contained in the proteins, fibroin, and elastin . We have produced homoblock protein polymers consisting exclusively of silk-like crystalline blocks and elastin-like flexible blocks . We have demonstrated that each homoblock polymer as produced by microbial fermentation exhibits measurable properties of crystallinity and elasticity . Additionally, we have produced alternating block copolymers of various amounts of silk-like and elastin-like blocks, ranging from a ratio of 1:4 to 2:1, respectively . The crystallinity of each copolymer varies with the amount of crystalline block interruptions . The production of fiber materials with custom-engineered mechanical properties is a potential outcome of this technology.

Appl Microbiol Biotechnol, 1990 May, 33(2), 132 - 8
Growth and hyoscyamine production of 'hairy root' cultures of Datura stramonium in a modified stirred tank reactor; Hilton MG et al.; The growth and hyoscyamine production of transformed roots of Datura stramonium have been examined in a modified 14-1 stirred tank reactor in both batch and continuous fermentations on media containing half or full strength Gamborg's B5 salts and at three different temperatures . Under a range of conditions, roots grown on half strength B5 salts with 3% w/v sucrose had a higher dry matter content (up to 8.3% w/w) and a higher hyoscyamine content (up to 0.52 mg.g-1 wet weight) than roots grown on full strength B5 salts with the same level of sucrose (up to 4.6% w/w dry matter and up to 0.33 mg hyoscyamine g-1 wet weight) . Growth at 30 degrees C was initially faster than at either 25 degrees C or 35 degrees C and by day 12, the drained weight of roots in the fermentor at 30 degrees C was about fourfold greater than at 25 degrees C and twice that at 35 degrees C . The ultimate hyoscyamine levels attained (approximately 0.5 mg.g-1 wet weight) were similar at both 25 degrees C and 30 degrees C but some 40% lower at 35 degrees C . Final packing densities of 70% w/v were achieved for roots after 37 days growth at 25 degrees C and the highest production rate of 8.2 mg hyoscyamine 1(-1) per day was obtained for roots grown at 30 degrees C . In continuous fermentation at 25 degrees C, the release of hyoscyamine into the culture medium was low (less than 0.5% w/w of the total) but was up to sevenfold higher in fermentors operated at 30 degrees C or 35 degrees C.

Presse Med, 1990 Apr 14, 19(15), 700 - 4
{Use of a fermented powdered milk in malnourished or lactose intolerant children}; Gendrel D et al.; Lactase deficient subjects, who form the bulk of the world population, absorb yogurt lactose because the bacteria used for fermentation produce beta-galactosidase . From a milk fermented by these bacteria and dried by a temperature-controlled process a power could be obtained which possess residual lactase activity but, unlike yogurt, does not need storage at low temperature . The lactose of this fermented powdered milk is perfectly absorbed, as proved by hydrogen respiratory tests performed in 35 lactose intolerant African subjects living in isolated villages . In 25 malnourished children under 3 years of age, this milk allowed renutrition without inducing diarrhoea--a result which could not have been obtained with ordinary milk in two-thirds of the cases . This type of food is potentially valuable to feed the large population of the third world.

J Ind Microbiol, 1990 Apr-May, 5(2-3), 85 - 93
The production of recombinant beta-galactosidase in Escherichia coli in yeast extract enriched medium; Li XL et al.; The productivity of Escherichia coli biomass and recombinant beta-galactosidase was increased in Luria broth (LB) enriched with yeast extract . In flask culture under conditions of LB limitation, yeast extract supplementation gave the highest biomass (strain HB101/pRW756) stimulation per unit of component added compared with supplementation by various amounts of amino acids, vitamins, minerals, purines/pyrimidines, tryptone, casamino acids, casein peptone or gelatin peptone . The biomass production of E . coli HB101/pRW756, XL-1 Blue/puc118, XL-1 Blue FF/puc118 and TB-1/p1034 cells was stimulated in fermentor-scale experiments with additional yeast extract in LB . Total beta-galactosidase production from plasmid genes in fermentor-scale experiments was increased 105.4% in XL-1 blue/puc118 cells, 365.5% in XL-1 blue FF/puc118 cells and 421.4% in TB-1/p1034 cells by 0.5%, 1% and 1% weight per volume of additional yeast extract in LB, respectively . Depending on different strains, the increase of the enzyme production was obtained either by increased biomass, or the combination of enhanced gene expression and increased biomass . Neither the biomass nor beta-galactosidase production was stimulated in N4830/p1034 cells by the increase in yeast extract concentration in the medium.

Schweiz Med Wochenschr, 1990 Apr 7, 120(14), 489 - 95
{Colonic fermentation: physiological review and role in digestive pathology}; Rambaud JC et al.; Diarrhea "with" bacterial fermentation is characterized by acidic liquid stools containing high amounts of organic acids . Disaccharide malabsorption is the main cause . The mechanism of diarrhea is osmotic, and colonic fermentations reduce diarrhea . It is unlikely that starch malabsorption induces significant diarrhea, whereas a high-fiber diet is responsible for "physiologic" diarrhea . Colonic fermentations increase diarrhea due to organic colitis and the "motor diarrheas" . They may be responsible for some intestinal symptoms in patients with irritable bowel syndrome . This does not imply a "hyperfermentative" process due to a hypothetical disturbance of colonic microbial ecology.

Arch Tierernahr, 1990 Apr, 40(4), 355 - 61
{The effect of a monensin-containing bolus on the live weight increase and characteristics of rumen fermentation of growing cattle}; Richter GH et al.; Eight feeding experiments (4 on pasture and indoors each) with 401 growing cattle were carried out in order to measure the influence of a monensin device on daily weight gain . The monensin device effected on the average 7 g (1.4%) and 37 g (4.3%) higher daily weight gain on pasture and indoors resp . (P greater than 0.05) . The weight gain of animals varied between 92.5 and 112.5% compared with the unsupplemented groups . The monensin device caused a higher weight gain of easier cattle than of heavier ones (greater than 300 kg body weight) . The device has had no significant effect on figures of rumen fermentation . Probably the monensin level delivered from the device (100 +/- 50 mg per animal and day) is to low for heavier cattle.

Arch Tierernahr, 1990 Apr, 40(4), 329 - 37
Incorporation of soya oil hydrolysate in the diet of defaunated or refaunated sheep: effect on rumen fermentation in vitro; Broudiscou L et al.; The effects of incorporation in the diet of 7% soya oil hydrolysate (SOH) on in vitro incubations of cellobiose + maltose, maize starch and casein by rumen microbes were studied using defaunated and refaunated sheep as rumen fluid donors . Feeding refaunated sheep the SOH supplemented diet lowered the protozoal numbers in the rumen from 1.61 10(6)/ml to 6.1 10(5)/ml . SOH addition reduced in vitro methane production, rather by a depletion of methanogens is than by a simple inhibition of their activity . This reduction seemed to be independent of protozoa depletion . With cellobiose-maltose and maize starch incubations, SOH supplementation increased molar proportion of propionate while acetate decreased . Both variations could be linked to the inhibition of methanogenesis . Volatile fatty acid production from casein was strongly reduced by SOH supplementation with or without protozoa in the rumen of the donors animals.

Biochem Genet, 1990 Apr, 28(3-4), 197 - 207
Insectivory and social digestion in Drosophila; Gregg TG et al.; It has long believed that Drosophila larvae feed almost entirely by ingesting yeast and possibly other microorganisms that are associated with fermenting fruits or other vegetable matter . However, we have discovered that the larvae of a number of Drosophila species can consume such diverse substrates as insect tissues, including the exoskeleton . Experiments reported here, which include raising sterile dechorionated eggs to adulthood on adult carcasses under axenic conditions, show that larvae can consume complex chitinous substrates directly without the assistance of microorganisms . We show that Drosophila larvae are able externally to digest amylose, cellulose, and chitin, without coming into physical contact with them . We conclude that not only do Drosophila larvae produce enzymes enabling them to digest a wide variety of substrates, but also these enzymes are egested onto the substrates so that at least some digestion, especially of large polymers, takes place externally . Finally, we suggest that the phenomenon of external digestion explains both the previously unexplained massiveness of Drosophila salivary glands and their chromosomes and the tendency of larvae to cluster, which may also be true of other dipterans.

Z Gesamte Hyg, 1990 Apr, 36(4), 210 - 1
{Some public health effects of agricultural methane gas plants on the environment}; Poch M et al.; Several big agricultural fermentation plants for producing of "biogas" are in operation in the GDR . Problems of distances to other objects, utilisation of methane and storage of liquid manure (slurry) are discussed . Some results of experiments about the immissions in the environment are demonstrated . They have point out, that the emissions of microorganisms and viruses cannot be demonstrated in a distance of more than about 200 meters . It is the most important hygienic acknowledge, that the distance of organoleptic observation is always greater than the epidemiologic or sanitary one . Therefore the production of energy by anaerobic fermentation of liquid manure and sewage sludge seems to be an useful way from hygienic point of view.

J Trop Pediatr, 1990 Apr, 36(2), 86 - 9
Management of malnourished children with acute diarrhoea and sugar intolerance; Beau JP et al.; A protocol of nutritional rehabilitation using fermented milk, vegetable oil and caster sugar has been tested on 54 Senegalese children, aged 6-36 months, admitted with acute diarrhoea and malnutrition . At the time of admission, 39 per cent of children were dehydrated and 26 per cent had sugar intolerance . In the course of treatment three went home against medical advice and one died from acute pneumonia with respiratory-heart failure . Among the cases of marasmus there were no differences in mean weight gain between children with sugar intolerance and others despite a longer duration of diarrhoea in the first group . Furthermore, the experimental protocol has never been compromised because of worsening diarrhoea or weight loss . These results indicate that a formula based on fermented milk together with oral rehydration can be used to treat malnourished children with acute diarrhoea and sugar intolerance.

J Appl Bacteriol, 1990 Apr, 68(4), 385 - 90
Protein profiles of Capnocytophaga species; Khwaja KJ et al.; Ninety-seven strains of Capnocytophaga isolated from the oral cavity and the type strains of C . ochracea, C . sputigena and C . gingivalis were compared by one-dimensional SDS-PAGE of whole cell proteins . The protein patterns were highly reproducible and were used as the basis for numerical taxonomic analysis . The clusters containing the type strains of C . ochracea and C . sputigena segregated at the 78% similarity level . Some of the eight clusters obtained at this level showed good correlation with grouping based on the results of biochemical testing for lactose and galactose fermentation and nitrate reduction . No consistent association was found between protein profiles and colony type, size or colour or cell length but all agar-adherent colony types segregated into a single cluster.

J Antibiot (Tokyo), 1990 Apr, 43(4), 331 - 5
Placetins, platelet aggregation inhibitors from Streptomyces sp . Q-1043 . I . Fermentation, isolation and biological properties; Ozasa T et al.; Placetins, platelet aggregation inhibitors were obtained from the culture broth of Streptomyces sp . Q-1043 . These were designated placetins A, A1, B and B1, respectively . Placetins A and B showed strong cytotoxicities against P388, L1210 and HeLa cells.

Xenobiotica, 1990 Apr, 20(4), 363 - 73
Microbiological transformation of flavone and isoflavone; Ibrahim AR et al.; 1 . Flavone and isoflavone were subjected to microbial transformation studies . Screening with 80 fungal species showed that flavone was transformed by a large number of microorganisms and in higher yields than isoflavone . 2 . Large-scale fermentations of flavone followed by isolation and characterization of metabolites using spectroscopic analysis showed the formation of 4'-hydroxyflavone, 3',4'-dihydroxyflavone and two cleavage products identified as o-hydroxyphenyl-hydroxymethyl ketone and 1-(o-hydroxyphenyl)-1,2-ethanediol . However, fermentation of isoflavone gave only 4'-hydroxyisoflavone and 3',4'-dihydroxyisoflavone.

J Anim Sci, 1990 Apr, 68(4), 1139 - 50
Influence of grain and monensin supplementation on ruminal fermentation, intake, digesta kinetics and incidence and severity of frothy bloat in steers grazing winter wheat pastures; Branine ME et al.; Three 10-d collection periods (April 4 to 14, early April, EApr; April 23 to May 3, late April, LApr; May 10 to 20, 1984, mid-May, MMay) were conducted to evaluate effects of no supplement (C), .5 kg-head-1.d-1 (as-fed basis) supplemental grain (steam-flaked milo, G) or G plus 170 mg monensin.head-1.d-1 (M) on forage intake and digestion by 12 ruminally cannulated beef steers (four/treatment; avg initially BW = 393 kg) grazing irrigated winter wheat pasture . Ruminal pH was greater (P less than .01) for M than for C or G during EApr but was not altered by treatments in LApr or MMay . Compared with C, ruminal NH3 was decreased (P less than .10) by G and M (5 h after supplementation) in EApr, decreased (P less than .05) by G (2h) and increased (P less than .05) by M (8 h) in LApr and decreased (P less than .10) by G (-1h) in MMay . Treatments had little influence on total VFA concentrations or on molar proportions of acetate and propionate . Butyrate molar proportion was decreased (P less than .10) by M during EApr and LApr, but not during MMay . Monensin increased (P less than .05) fluid passage rate compared with C and G in EApr but not in other periods, Particulate passage measurements did not differ (P greater than .10) among treatments within periods . Forage DM intake was not influenced (P greater than .10) by supplementation during any period . Extent of in situ forage DM disappearance was greater (P less than .10) for M than for C or G during EApr (12 and 30 h of incubation) but was not different (P greater than .10) in LApr or MMay . Incidence of frothy bloat was decreased (P less than .05) by M during EApr; this reduction may have been related to effects of M on ruminal pH, forage digestion and fluid passage.

J Anim Sci, 1990 Apr, 68(4), 1110 - 20
Ruminal fermentation pattern, bacterial population and ruminal degradation of feed ingredients as influenced by ruminal ammonia concentration; Song MK et al.; The effects of ruminal ammonia concentration on bacterial numbers, fermentation pattern and degradation of feed ingredients in the rumen were examined with three nonlactating Holstein cows fitted with ruminal cannulas . Cows were fed twice daily a complete mixed diet (90% whole plant oat silage and 10% concentrate mixture) containing 11.1% CP on a DM basis . Ammonium bicarbonate (NH4HCO3) was infused continuously into the rumen at levels of 0, 95, 190 or 280 g/d . Infusion of NH4HCO3 linearly increased (P less than .05) the concentrations of ruminal ammonia and blood urea N . Total VFA concentrations and mixed bacterial numbers also were increased (P less than .05) by NH4HCO3 infusion . Infusions of NH4HCO3 increased (P less than .05) butyrate and decreased (P less than .05) isobutyrate and isovalerate proportions . Infusion of NH4HCO3 increased (P less than .05) rate of degradation of soybean meal DM but did not (P greater than .05) influence degradation characteristics of fish meal and barley grain . In conclusion, supplementation of N by continuous infusion of NH4HCO3 appeared to stimulate bacterial growth and fermentation but it did not influence extent of ruminal degradation of selected feed ingredients.

Am J Physiol, 1990 Apr, 258(4 Pt 2), F1075 - 83
Alanine protects rabbit proximal tubules against anoxic injury in vitro; Garza-Quintero R et al.; Rabbit proximal tubules were incubated aerobically or subjected to anoxia for 30 min followed by 60 min of reoxygenation . The medium contained (in mM) 5 glucose, 10 butyrate, 4 lactate or alpha-ketoglutarate (alpha-KG), and 1 alanine . Anoxic tubules in this medium were severely injured and recovered poorly . If the incubation medium was supplemented with additional alanine (up to 2.5 or 5 mM), then anoxic injury was prevented almost completely . Tubules in high-alanine medium showed modest elevations of ATP during anoxia . Comparable elevations of ATP were induced in anoxic tubules incubated with 4 mM alpha-KG and 5 mM aspartate without alanine . These substrates are metabolized anaerobically in the mitochondria to yield ATP . Surprisingly, anoxic tubules with alpha-KG and aspartate showed severe injury despite elevated ATP . If 5 mM alanine was also present, then additional increments of ATP did not occur, but injury was prevented . Examination of glucose metabolism failed to provide evidence for stimulation of anaerobic fermentations by alanine . These results suggest that alanine-induced cytoprotection during anoxia occurs by mechanisms not related to ATP synthesis, and that elevated ATP in alanine-supplemented tubules may be a result and not the cause of protection . Cytoprotection by alanine was shown to last for less than or equal to 90 min of anoxia . Glycine, a structurally related amino acid, also protects anoxic proximal tubules (J . Clin . Invest . 80: 1446, 1987) . The mechanisms that underlie the cytoprotective effects of alanine and glycine remain to be determined.

AIDS Res Hum Retroviruses, 1990 Apr, 6(4), 465 - 79
Escherichia coli expression, purification, and biological activity of a truncated soluble CD4; Garlick RL et al.; A truncated molecule containing the N-terminal 183 amino acid residues of CD4 (sCD4-183) has been produced in Escherichia coli at high levels, using the trp promoter and an AT-rich ribosome binding site to direct expression in a pBR322-derived vector . A culture has been selected which allows large-scale fermentation and production of this material as an insoluble inclusion body protein . Procedures which solubilize, refold, and purify sCD4-183 have been developed . The purified sCD4-183 binds gp120 in solution and blocks human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection of human peripheral blood lymphocytes in vitro.

Appl Environ Microbiol, 1990 Apr, 56(4), 997 - 1003
Application of a ribosomal DNA integration vector in the construction of a brewer's yeast having alpha-acetolactate decarboxylase activity; Fujii T et al.; An integration plasmid, pIARL28, containing the ribosomal DNA gene as a homologous recombination sequence was constructed for introduction of the alpha-acetolactate decarboxylase gene into brewer's yeast . The transformation efficiency of pIARL28 was 20- to 50-fold higher than those of the other YIp vectors, as yeast cells had approximately 140 copies of the ribosomal DNA gene . All transformants showed very high alpha-acetolactate decarboxylase activity due to the multiple integrated copies of the plasmid . The transformants were grown in nonselective conditions, and segregants which had maintained the alpha-acetolactate decarboxylase expression cassette but no other vector sequences were isolated . Southern analysis showed that these marker-excised segregants contained more than 20 copies of the alpha-acetolactate decarboxylase gene and were stably maintained under nonselective conditions . Fermentation tests confirmed that the diacetyl concentration was considerably reduced in wort fermented by these marker-excised segregants . The degree of reduction was related to the copy number of the alpha-acetolactate decarboxylase gene.

Physiol Rev, 1990 Apr, 70(2), 567 - 90
Energy contributions of volatile fatty acids from the gastrointestinal tract in various species; Bergman EN; The VFA, also known as short-chain fatty acids, are produced in the gastrointestinal tract by microbial fermentation of carbohydrates and endogenous substrates, such as mucus . This can be of great advantage to the animal, since no digestive enzymes exist for breaking down cellulose or other complex carbohydrates . The VFA are produced in the largest amounts in herbivorous animal species and especially in the forestomach of ruminants . The VFA, however, also are produced in the lower digestive tract of humans and all animal species, and intestinal fermentation resembles that occurring in the rumen . The principal VFA in either the rumen or large intestine are acetate, propionate, and butyrate and are produced in a ratio varying from approximately 75:15:10 to 40:40:20 . Absorption of VFA at their site of production is rapid, and large quantities are metabolized by the ruminal or large intestinal epithelium before reaching the portal blood . Most of the butyrate is converted to ketone bodies or CO2 by the epithelial cells, and nearly all of the remainder is removed by the liver . Propionate is similarly removed by the liver but is largely converted to glucose . Although species differences exist, acetate is used principally by peripheral tissues, especially fat and muscle . Considerable energy is obtained from VFA in herbivorous species, and far more research has been conducted on ruminants than on other species . Significant VFA, however, are now known to be produced in omnivorous species, such as pigs and humans . Current estimates are that VFA contribute approximately 70% to the caloric requirements of ruminants, such as sheep and cattle, approximately 10% for humans, and approximately 20-30% for several other omnivorous or herbivorous animals . The amount of fiber in the diet undoubtedly affects the amount of VFA produced, and thus the contribution of VFA to the energy needs of the body could become considerably greater as the dietary fiber increases . Pigs and some species of monkey most closely resemble humans, and current research should be directed toward examining the fermentation processes and VFA metabolism in those species . In addition to the energetic or nutritional contributions of VFA to the body, the VFA may indirectly influence cholesterol synthesis and even help regulate insulin or glucagon secretion . In addition, VFA production and absorption have a very significant effect on epithelial cell growth, blood flow, and the normal secretory and absorptive functions of the large intestine, cecum, and rumen . The absorption of VFA and sodium, for example, seem to be interdependent, and release of bicarbonate usually occurs during VFA absorption.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Mol Cell Biol, 1990 Apr, 10(4), 1530 - 7
Conversion at large intergenic regions of mitochondrial DNA in Saccharomyces cerevisiae; Skelly PJ et al.; Saccharomyces cerevisiae mitochondrial DNA deletion mutants have been used to examine whether base-biased intergenic regions of the genome influence mitochondrial biogenesis . One strain (delta 5.0) lacks a 5-kilobase (kb) segment extending from the proline tRNA gene to the small rRNA gene that includes ori1, while a second strain (delta 3.7) is missing a 3.7-kb region between the genes for ATPase subunit 6 and glutamic acid tRNA that encompasses ori7 plus ori2 . Growth of these strains on both fermentable and nonfermentable substrates does not differ from growth of the wild-type strain, indicating that the deletable regions of the genome do not play a direct role in the expression of mitochondrial genes . Examination of whether the 5- or 3.7-kb regions influence mitochondrial DNA transmission was undertaken by crossing strains and examining mitochondrial genotypes in zygotic colonies . In a cross between strain delta 5.0, harboring three active ori elements (ori2, ori3, and ori5), and strain delta 3.7, containing only two active ori elements (ori3 and ori5), there is a preferential recovery of the genome containing two active ori elements (37% of progeny) over that containing three active elements (20%) . This unexpected result, suggesting that active ori elements do not influence transmission of respiratory-competent genomes, is interpreted to reflect a preferential conversion of the delta 5.0 genome to the wild type (41% of progeny) . Supporting evidence for conversion over biased transmission is shown by preferential recovery of a nonparental genome in the progeny of a heterozygous cross in which both parental molecules can be identified by size polymorphisms.

Gan To Kagaku Ryoho, 1990 Apr, 17(4 Pt 1), 601 - 7
{Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection associated with nasopharyngeal carcinoma}; Furukawa M; Etiopathogenesis of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is not fully understood yet . However, extensive research in this area has produced significant observations which facilitate the elucidation of the etiological factors and pathogenesis . A . Etiological Factors (a) EBV: EBV serological profiles in NPC patients, presence of EBV fingerprints in NPC tumor cells, and similar terminal repeat copies of EBV-DNA in NPC tissues strongly suggest the etiological role of EBV in NPC . (b) Genetic: Evidence supporting the genetic role in the etiology of NPC are mainly epidemiological . Although HLA studies have shown an increased relative risk in Chinese with A2, and BW 46 and in Malays with B17 and B18, the significance is not high . (c) Other environmental factors: In vitro studies have indicated the possibility of factors such as salted fish, dry fish, fermented vegetables, processed meat and some Chinese traditional herbal medicines . (d) Depressed cell-mediated immunity (CMI): While humoral antibodies to various EBV antigens are raised, the CMI seems to be lowered in NPC . It is not known, however, whether depressed CMI is the effect or the cause of NPC . B . Pathogenesis (a) Receptors for EBV: The receptors for EBV, C3d receptors, exist on cells of the basal layers which are undergoing metaplastic or hyperplastic change . These cells are close to the underlying stroma which contain the lymphocytes harbouring EBV . A pre-NPC stage of metaplasia/hyperplasia and sero epidemiological studies show raised EBV antibody titer 3-5 years before the development of NPC . (b) All NPC originate from the fossa of Rosenmuller which is a recessed depression behind the torus tubarius . This space can permit prolonged contact between environmental agents and the epithelial cells.

Rev Odontol Univ Sao Paulo, 1990 Apr-Jun, 4(2), 108 - 12
{Effect of cetylpyridinium chloride on formation and metabolism of human dental plaque}; Martin LM et al.; In this work, the Cepacol (cetylpyridinium chlorid) diluted 1:2, when used for mouthwashes three time a day decreased the "in situ" formation of human dental plaque, however it didn't decreased neither the plaque fermentation, nor the IEP synthesis by the plaque . When the Cepacol was used for treating the "in vitro" dental plaque in both 1:10 and 1:20 dilutions, decreased the fermentation and the IEP synthesis of the "in vitro" plaque.

J Postgrad Med, 1990 Apr, 36(2), 83 - 6
Clinical and mycological spectrum of cutaneous candidiasis in Bombay; Shroff PS et al.; A total of 150 patients with cutaneous candidiasis were studied . A detailed clinical history was taken . Scrapings were examined in 10% KOH, and the material cultured on Sabouraud's agar . Species were identified by the serum germ tube test, sugar fermentation and sugar assimilation tests . Of 150 patients 79 were females . The commonest presentation was intertrigo (75), vulvovaginitis (19) and paronychia (17) . A history of chronic exposure to water was obtained in 94 cases, all had erosio interdigitalis blastomycetica and/or paronychia . Diabetes melltius as a predisposing factor was observed in 22 patients . The 10 cases of balanoposthitis had associated diabetes mellitus . Smear and culture were positive in all the patients . C . albicans was isolated in 136 cases, C . tropicalis in 12, and C . guillermondi in 2 . The cultures of C . albicans had positive serum germ tube test . The 6 patients in the paediatric age group having perianal/genital involvement had a stools culture positive for C . albicans.

Int J Biol Macromol, 1990 Apr, 12(2), 153 - 7
Fermentation of bovine endothelial cells for preparation of endothelial cell-surface heparan sulphate; Jerg KR et al.; The polysaccharide chains of a proteoheparan sulphate located on the endothelial cell surface are responsible for athrombogenicity of blood vessel walls . Mass cultivation of endothelial cells is the only way to isolate adequate amounts of this proteoheparan sulphate . In order to establish a method for fermentation of bovine endothelial cells, colonization of microcarriers, growth phase and cultivation of confluent carriers were optimized . The colonization process was varied relative to the number of beads, number of cells, total volume and kind of vessel . Two basal media were tested at different serum contents by growth assays . The same basal media without serum were supplemented with mitogen, bovine lipoprotein, insulin and transferrin and tested by activity assays on confluent cultures . The best method yields more than 80% of the cells on microcarriers . During the fermentation glucose and lactate concentrations were measured at constant perfusion rate and glucose consumption and lactate production were determined . Under optimized conditions we achieved a final cell titre of 4 x 10(9) cells/l and a calculated cell density of 7-9 x 10(4) cells/cm2 offered substrate surface . The minimal doubling time of the cell culture was about 18 h under optimized fermentation conditions . Removal of the core-protein by enzymatic digestion or beta-elimination releases the endothelial cell surface heparan sulphate.

Am J Physiol, 1990 Apr, 258(4 Pt 2), R946 - 50
Central nervous system injection of dynorphin-(1-13) overrides gastric satiety factors in sheep; Della-Fera MA et al.; Signals from the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, arising during ingestion and digestion of food, are important in the termination of feeding . This study was carried out to determine whether the satiety triggered by specific GI stimuli in sheep could be reversed by central nervous system (CNS) administration of dynorphin, a putative endogenous kappa-opiate receptor ligand, which has been shown to be a potent feed-intake stimulant in many species . Rumen distension and increased intraruminal concentration of propionic acid (an energy substrate produced during fermentation in the rumen) both significantly decreased feed intake in fasted sheep . When either of these stimuli were combined with continuous 60-min lateral cerebroventricular injection of {D-Ala2}dynorphin A-(1-13) (0.32 nmol/min), feed intake returned to control levels . Increasing feed intake in food-producing animals is an important way of improving production efficiency . The findings of these experiments illustrate how manipulation of a CNS opioid system can modify the effects of feed intake-limiting factors generated by ingestion of a meal, thereby promoting greater feed intake.

Am J Clin Nutr, 1990 Apr, 51(4), 685 - 9
Parenteral nutrition supplemented with short-chain fatty acids: effect on the small-bowel mucosa in normal rats; Koruda MJ et al.; When enteral nutrition is excluded from animals maintained solely with total parenteral nutrition (TPN), atrophy of the intestinal mucosa is observed . Short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) are produced in the colon by the fermentation of dietary carbohydrates and fiber polysaccharides and have been shown to stimulate mucosal-cell mitotic activity in the intestine . This study compared the effects of an intravenous and an intracecal infusion of SCFAs on the small-bowel mucosa . Rats received standard TPN, TPN with SCFAs (sodium acetate, propionate, and butyrate), TPN with an intracecal infusion of SCFAs, or rat food . After 7 d jejunal and ileal mucosal weights, DNA, RNA, and protein were determined . Standard TPN produced significant atrophy of the jejunal and ileal mucosa . Both the intracecal and intravenous infusion of SCFAs significantly reduced the mucosal atrophy associated with TPN . The intravenous and intracolonic infusion of SCFAs were equally effective in inhibiting small-bowel mucosal atrophy.

Eur J Biochem, 1990 Mar 30, 188(3), 615 - 21
Autoregulation may control the expression of yeast pyruvate decarboxylase structural genes PDC1 and PDC5; Hohmann S et al.; Recently we deleted the pyruvate decarboxylase structural gene PDC1 from the genome of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae . The pdc1 deletion mutants had pyruvate decarboxylase activity due to the presence of a second structural gene {Schaaff, I., Green, J . B . A., Gozalbo, D . & Hohmann, S . (1989) Curr . Genet . 15, 75-81} . We cloned and sequenced this gene which we call PDC5 . The predicted amino acid sequences of PDC1 and PDC5 are 88% identical . Deletion of PDC5 did not cause any decrease in the specific pyruvate decarboxylase activity while pdc1 deletion mutants had 80% of the wild-type activity . Deletion mutants lacking both PDC1 and PDC5 did not show any detectable pyruvate decarboxylase activity in vitro and were unable to ferment glucose . This indicates that PDC1 and PDC5 are the only structural genes for pyruvate decarboxylase in yeast . The PDC5 isoenzyme showed a slightly higher Km value for its substrate pyruvate than the PDC1 product (PDC5: Km = 8 mM; PDC1: Km = 5 mM), as measured in crude extract of pdc1 and pdc5 deletion mutants, respectively . PDC5 is only expressed in pdc1 deletion mutants . No mRNA transcribed from PDC5 could be detected in wild-type cells . Thus, in addition to the control by glucose induction, pyruvate decarboxylase activity seems to be subject to autoregulation . Similar phenomena have been described previously for tubulin, histones and a ribosomal protein but not for metabolic enzymes.

Arch Tierernahr, 1990 Mar, 40(3), 229 - 38
In vitro study (Rusitec) of the action of abierixin, a new ionophore antibiotic, on the end products of fermentation and the degradation of nitrogen in the rumen; Gomez L et al.; We investigated the capacity of a new ionophore antibiotic, abierixin, to modify fermentations in the rumen using a semi-continuous fermenter (Rusitec) . As in the studies carried out on a "batch" fermenter (HILLAIRE et al., 1989a), abierixin failed to alter volatile fatty acids and gas productions but, in contrast, it limited the degradation of dietary nitrogen without affecting microbial synthesis . This molecule which has a low level of toxicity and is capable of improving the use of dietary proteins by ruminants, was found to be more effective when used at very low dose levels.

Arch Tierernahr, 1990 Mar, 40(3), 209 - 19
{Measuring of the energy turnover in adult swine during feeding of rations with potato starch, potatoes, beets, pressed shreds and coarse fodder as supplements to a basic ration . 2 . Evaluation and discussion of the results for further development of energetic feed rating for swine}; Hoffmann L et al.; Energy metabolism measurings of male castrates of a live weight between 90 and 180 kg after feeding rations with a wide variety in the content of various carbohydrates (crude fibre 36-185, water soluble carbohydrates 25-306, starch 272-683 g/kg DM) formed the experimental basis of the considerations . Energy retention depended significantly on the digestibility and metabolizability of the energy, on energy concentration and the crude fibre content of the rations . By means of multiple regression analyses the energetic effect of 1 g digested matter of the carbohydrate fraction was assessed as follows: 12.9 kJ for starch, 12.1 kJ for disaccharides, 11.5 kJ for the remaining water soluble carbohydrates and 10.4 kJ for bacterially fermentable carbohydrates (BFC) . There was a difference between the energetic effective value of starch and BFC . This corresponds completely to the difference in the utilization of metabolizable energy between exclusively precaecal and postileal digestion . The following conclusions are drawn for the further development of the energetic feed evaluation for pigs in the framework of the GDR feed evaluation system: --There are to be differentiated fixed values for the retention of digestible carbohydrates for the fractions starch, water soluble carbohydrates (pectin) and bacterially fermentable carbohydrates . --The influence of the digestibility of the energy in the ration on the energetic retention effect of BFC is small . The integration of these variables into an estimation equation for the energetic feed value is therefore not necessary.

J Med Assoc Thai, 1990 Mar, 73(3), 152 - 6
The source and content of vitamin B12 in the tempehs; Areekul S et al.; Vitamin B12 contents were determined on 10 commercial tempeh samples purchased from various markets in Jakarta, Indonesia . A relatively high vitamin B12 content was found, i.e., 19 ng/g (ranges from 1.8 to 41.4 ng/g) . As soybeans contain no vitamin B12, the amount of vitamin in the tempeh must therefore be derived from the other sources during the fermentation process . The tempeh prepared in the laboratory by inoculation of the commercial starter into the sterile soybean contained a much higher amount of vitamin B12, 127 ng/g (ranges from 122 to 136 ng/g) . Pure mold and a single species of bacteria were isolated from the starter and commercial tempehs . Pure mold did not produce vitamin B12 in the sterile broth, soybean and medium used for vitamin B12 production . Only the isolated bacteria, identified as K . pneumoniae, could produce vitamin B12 in those substrates . The presence of mold did not significantly enhance or inhibit the vitamin B12 production by K . pneumoniae . It was, therefore, concluded that K . pneumoniae, the bacteria contaminated during the process of tempeh production, was responsible for the vitamin B12 production.

J Dairy Sci, 1990 Mar, 73(3), 703 - 10
Influence of cultures of Aspergillus oryzae on rumen and total tract digestibility of dietary components; Gomez-Alarcon RA et al.; Three trials were conducted to evaluate the effect of dried cultures of Aspergillus oryzae on nutrient utilization by mature Holstein cows fitted with ruminal and duodenal cannulas . In trial 1, four cows (two dry and two lactating) were used to test Aspergillus oryzae (3 g/d) and a control treatment at two forage amounts in a 4 x 4 Latin square . Trial 2 compared control, A . oryzae, and Saccharomyces cerevesiae using six lactating cows in a repeated 3 x 3 Latin square design . For trial 3, four lactating cows were used in a switchback design to compare control to A . oryzae treatment . In trials 2 and 3, diets contained 70 and 61% concentrate . A fourth in vitro trial was conducted in conjunction with trial 3 in which rumen fluid was obtained from cows adapted or unadapted to A . oryzae . On all trials except high forage in trial 1, A . oryzae increased rumen and total tract digestibility of fiber fractions . Rumen VFA and ammonia were not affected by fungal cultures . Aspergillus oryzae increased rate of rumen fermentation of alfalfa but not of milo or wheat straw . In vitro disappearance of DM from alfalfa, milo, and wheat straw was increased by A . oryzae, and previous adaptation was not required to stimulate in vitro DM digestibility . These results indicate that a primary effect of A . oryzae is stimulation of fiber digestion by rumen microbes.

Pharm Res, 1990 Mar, 7(3), 270 - 3
Microbial biotransformation of retinoic acid by Cunninghamella echinulata and Cunninghamella blakesleeana; Hartman DA et al.; Vitamin A (retinol) is needed by higher animals for the maintenance of normal epithelium and growth, and retinoic acid (I) has been proposed to be the active metabolite . Microbial models are useful for the study of mammalian metabolism of xenobiotics . Two species of the fungal genus Cunninghamella afforded products of greater polarity than 1 when fed 1 in a two-stage fermentation procedure . The products obtained were principally the result of oxidation of the trimethylcyclohexenyl ring . Although most of the isolated metabolites of 1 have been previously seen in mammalian studies, two novel compounds, 2-hydroxyretinoic acid (2) and 2,3-dehydro-4-oxoretinoic acid (4), were isolated.

J Assoc Off Anal Chem, 1990 Mar-Apr, 73(2), 270 - 5
Criteria for determining purity of Fusarium mycotoxins; Bennett GA et al.; Physical and chemical properties that may be used to determine the purity of several Fusarium mycotoxins have been investigated . A combination of analytical procedures, which include high performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC), liquid chromatography (LC), gas chromatography (GC), gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS), ultraviolet spectrometry (UV), and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectrometry have been used to examine mycotoxin standards obtained from commercial sources and from laboratory fermentations . Results of this investigation indicate that commercially available standards are greater than 90% pure, but the label weight of purchased reference standards in individual containers should be verified . Mycotoxin standards, determined to be greater than 98% pure by HPTLC, LC, and GC/MS, were examined by UV spectrometry and the coefficients of extinction were determined . An interlaboratory study, involving 5 collaborators who determined coefficients of extinction (in methanol) for identical samples, gave the following results: alpha-zearalenol (lambda 236 = 28 538 +/- 558); beta-zearalenol (lambda 238 = 24 963 +/- 747); deoxynivalenol (lambda 219 = 6395 +/- 349, lot 1), (6020 +/- 228, lot 2); and T-2 toxin (lambda 202 = 3681 +/- 255) . UV maxima and coefficients of extinction are also reported for HT-2 toxin (lambda 202 = 1959), diacetoxyscirpenol (lambda 203 = 2487), neosolaniol (lambda 203 = 2644), nivalenol (lambda 220 = 5142), and fusarenon-X (lambda 217 = 5997).

J Antibiot (Tokyo), 1990 Mar, 43(3), 253 - 8
LL-D49194 antibiotics, a novel family of antitumor agents: taxonomy, fermentation and biological properties; Maiese WM et al.; A novel family of antitumor antibiotics, designated LL-D49194, was isolated from the fermentation broth of an actinomycete strain identified as Streptomyces vinaceus-drappus . LL-D49194 alpha 1 and beta 2 were active against Gram-positive and inactive against Gram-negative bacteria in vitro . The beta 1 component was not active against either Gram-positive or Gram-negative bacteria . These antibiotics exhibited significant in vivo activities against several murine tumors, albeit with differing potencies.

J Antibiot (Tokyo), 1990 Mar, 43(3), 229 - 37
Altromycins, novel pluramycin-like antibiotics . II . Isolation and elucidation of structure; Brill GM et al.; A novel complex of Gram-positive antibiotics was produced from the fermentation of an actinomycete culture AB 1246E-26 . The antibiotics were recovered from the whole fermentation broth by extraction with organic solvent and isolated using counter-current chromatography . UV and IR data place these compounds in the anthraquinone-derived class of antibiotics . Mass spectral and NMR data indicate a new complex of compounds related to, but distinctly different from the pluramycin type antibiotics.

Plasmid, 1990 Mar, 23(2), 138 - 43
Variation of oxygen requirement with plasmid size in recombinant Escherichia coli; Khosravi M et al.; We have previously found an inverse relationship between certain cell growth parameters and plasmid size for a series of recombinant Escherichia coli strains containing pUC8 or one of a series of pUC8 recombinant derivatives . To extend these results we investigated whether there was a similar variation among our strains in oxygen requirement, which might be related to the differences in growth . During logarithmic growth in shake flasks, oxygen uptake by E . coli strain JM103 containing an 8.7-kb pUC8 derivative (pBS5) was 2.5 times that of JM103 harboring pUC8 (2.7 kb) and 7.5 times that of plasmid-free JM103 . Supplementing the medium with acetate eliminated both the growth disadvantage of and the increased oxygen uptake by the strain harboring pBS5 compared with that containing pUC8 . In all cases oxygen consumption decreased drastically as cells began and then continued into stationary phase, and no significant difference was seen among the three strains at these times . When the three strains were grown in a fermentor with continuous monitoring of oxygen levels, plasmid-free JM103 outgrew JM103 containing pUC8 or pBS5 at three levels of aeration . The latter two strains grew identically when aeration was high; their growth curves diverged, however, when aeration was low . In the fermentor experiments the point at which the growth of the three strains diverged was coincident with the point of oxygen depletion in the cultures.

Food Chem Toxicol, 1990 Mar, 28(3), 205 - 11
The carcinogenic potential of ethyl carbamate (urethane): risk assessment at human dietary exposure levels; Schlatter J et al.; Ethyl carbamate is found in fermented foods: bread contains 3-15 ng/g, stone-fruit brandies 200-20,000 ng/g, and about one-third of table-wine samples analysed contained more than 10 ng/g . In animals, ethyl carbamate is degraded to CO2, H2O and NH3, with intermediate formation of ethanol . This degradation has been shown to be inhibited (postponed) in the mouse by ethanol concentrations in the blood of about 0.15% and higher . A quantitatively minor pathway involves a two-step oxidation of the ethyl group to vinyl carbamate and epoxyethyl carbamate, the postulated electrophilic moiety that reacts with DNA . This reaction is probably the mode of the mutagenic action observed in many cellular and animal systems . The fact that only vinyl carbamate, but not ethyl carbamate, is mutagenic in a standard Ames test is probably because there is insufficient production of the intermediate oxidation product in the standard test . Consistent with this metabolism is the carcinogenic activity of ethyl carbamate in various animal species and in different organs; this activity can be seen even after a single high dose in early life . Quantitative analysis of the total tumour incidences after chronic exposure of rats and mice to 0.1-12.5 mg ethyl carbamate/kg body weight/day in the drinking-water showed a dose-related increase . The main target organs were the mammary gland (female rats and mice having similar susceptibilities) and the lung (mice only) . On the basis of sex- and organ-specific tumour data and with a linear extrapolation to a negligible increase of the lifetime tumour incidence by 0.0001% (one additional tumour in one million individuals exposed for life), a "virtually safe dose" of 20 to 80 ng/kg body weight/day was estimated . The daily burden reached under normal dietary habits without alcoholic beverages is in the range of about 20 ng/kg body weight/day . Regular table-wine consumption would increase the risk by a factor of up to five . Regular drinking of 20 to 40 ml stone-fruit brandy per day could raise the calculated lifetime tumour risk to near 0.01%.

J Appl Bacteriol, 1990 Mar, 68(3), 247 - 52
Ethanol fermentation by nystatin-resistant strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae; Grunwald-Raij H et al.; Nystatin-resistant mutants of haploid and polyploid strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae were isolated by plating on gradient plates with increasing nystatin concentrations (60-3000 U/ml) . Some of the mutants were defective in ergosterol biosynthesis, and produced zymosterol and cholestatetraenol-like sterols . Those mutants which do not form ergosterol produce less ethanol than the parent strains . They also had lower viability during fermentation of glucose solutions (8-13% vs . 33-47%) . This became more pronounced in fermentations of higher concentrations of glucose . A nystatin-resistant but ergosterol-forming mutant had a similar fermentation capacity to the parent strain.

Br J Nutr, 1990 Mar, 63(2), 177 - 86
The effect of patterns of rumen fermentation on the response by dairy cows to dietary protein concentration; Lees JA et al.; Four groups of seven dairy cows were given hay plus high-fibre concentrates based on sugar-beet feed (hay-concentrate, 40:60 w/w) or high-starch concentrates based on flaked maize (hay-concentrate, 20:80 w/w), with a crude protein (nitrogen x 6.25) content of either 160 or 220 g/kg dry matter, over weeks 4-18 of lactation . Performance during week 3 of lactation, when all cows were fed on a standard ration, was used as a covariate . For diets with a high-fibre content, higher protein concentrations led to increases in yields of milk and milk fat, with no effect on live-weight loss . For diets with a high-starch content, higher protein concentrations did not affect milk yield or composition but resulted in an increase in live weight rather than a decrease . Diets with a high-starch content led to increased proportions of propionic acid in the rumen and increased concentrations of insulin in the blood . It is concluded that the source of carbohydrate needs to be taken into account when predicting the response to protein supply by dairy cows.

Yeast, 1990 Mar-Apr, 6(2), 149 - 58
Substrate-accelerated death of Saccharomyces cerevisiae CBS 8066 under maltose stress; Postma E et al.; When Saccharomyces cerevisiae CBS 8066 was grown under maltose limitation, two enzymes specific for maltose utilization were present: a maltose carrier, and the maltose-hydrolysing alpha-glucosidase . The role of these two enzymes in the physiology of S . cerevisiae was investigated in a comparative study in which Candida utilis CBS 621 was used as a reference organism . Maltose pulses to a maltose-limited chemostat culture of S . cerevisiae resulted in 'substrate-accelerated death' . This was evident from: (1) enhanced protein release from cells; (2) excretion of glucose into the medium; (3) decreased viability . These effects wee specific with respect to both substrate and organism: pulses of glucose to maltose-limited cultures of S . cerevisiae did not result in cell death, neither did maltose pulses to maltose-limited cultures of C . utilis . The maltose-accelerated death of s . cerevisiae is most likely explained in terms of an uncontrolled uptake of maltose into the cell, resulting in an osmotic burst . Our results also provide evidence that the aerobic alcoholic fermentation that occurs after pulsing sugars to sugar-limited cultures of s . cerevisiae (short-term Crabtree effect) cannot solely be explained in terms of the mechanism of sugar transport . Both glucose and maltose pulses to maltose-limited cultures triggered aerobic alcohol formation . However, glucose transport by S . cerevisiae occurs via facilitated diffusion, whereas maltose entry into this yeast is mediated by a maltose/proton symport system.

Appl Environ Microbiol, 1990 Mar, 56(3), 640 - 5
Effects of medium quality on the expression of human interleukin-2 at high cell density in fermentor cultures of Escherichia coli K-12; MacDonald HL et al.; We examined the ability of transformed Escherichia coli cells in fermentor cultures to accumulate interleukin-2 (IL-2) intracellularly under temperature-regulated control of the phage lambda pL promoter . Induction of expression was undertaken at different culture optical densities, and specific IL-2 accumulation was found to decrease with increasing cell density at induction . Induction at higher culture optical densities was also accompanied by decreased growth during induction and increased acetate accumulation in the culture medium . Experiments were undertaken to study the effect of replacing spent medium by perfusion with fresh medium both before induction and during IL-2 expression at high cell density . Improved IL-2 expression was seen only when perfusion was continued past 1.6 h after the start of induction, and it was accompanied by a significant reduction in acetate buildup . Further improvements were not seen when perfusion was continued beyond hour 3 of induction . Replenishing medium components and decreasing the concentration of diffusible inhibitors before induction did not alleviate acetate buildup, growth limitation, or limitation of IL-2 synthesis . These results suggested that accumulation of diffusible inhibitors such as acetate during induction may be a significant factor limiting IL-2 expression in high-density cultures, but other factors intrinsic to the organism or the protein also played a major role.

Mutat Res, 1990 Mar, 229(1), 69 - 77
Effect of irradiation and mutagenic chemicals on the generation of ADH2- and ADH4-constitutive mutants in yeast: the inducibility of Ty transposition by UV and ethyl methanesulfonate; Morawetz C et al.; A strain defective in fermentation due to a deletion in the ADH1 gene was used to generate revertants which are constitutive mutants of the genes ADH2 and ADH4 . By analyzing the DNA of the mutants we determined the frequency of Ty insertions into the promoter region of these genes . We found an increase in transposition after UV irradiation and treatment with ethyl methanesulfonate (EMS) . Chemical inhibition of DNA synthesis and translation decreased the induced mutant yield and the transposition frequency, whereas inhibition of transcription had no effect . Differences in transposition frequencies between different strains and between the 2 loci lead to the conclusion that not only the transposable element itself but also the insertion sites determine the frequency of Ty transposition to a given locus.

Kanagawa Shigaku, 1990 Mar, 24(4), 730 - 4
{Follow-up study on anti-HBs levels in vaccines after two and three doses of HB vaccine (1)}; Kimura T et al.; An HB prophylaxis vaccination that included a primary and secondary vaccination was carried out on persons working at this university hospital . In the primary vaccination, the subjects were inoculated the second time with a vaccine derived from human blood plasma obtained from the Kitazato Therapeutic Research Institute . The third time, they were inoculated with a vaccine from the Chemo-Sero Therapeutic Research Institute derived from a second-generation vaccine organized ferment . The vaccine used for the second inoculation was obtained from the Chemo-Sero Therapeutic Research Institute . Results: A total of 254 subjects were inoculated with the HB prophylaxis vaccination . 1 . Of the 216 subjects inoculated with the primary vaccination, at the time of the second inoculation, 65 subjects (30%) tested positive for antibodies 3-4 months following inoculation . There was an especially high rate among females between 20 and 50 years . Thirty-two subjects (15%) tested positive 15-16 months following inoculation with a high rate among females . 2 . Among 132 subjects inoculated the third time with the primary vaccination (those who tested negative in the second inoculation of the above vaccine), 76 subjects (58%) tested positive for antibodies 8-9 months following inoculation with a generally high rate among females . Thirty-five subjects (27%) tested positive 15-16 months after inoculation with a high rate among females between 20 and 30 years and among males between 40 and 60 years . 3 . Among the 38 subjects who were inoculated the second time with the secondary vaccination, 8 subjects (21%) tested positive for antibodies 5 months following inoculation, with a high rate among females in their 20's.

Br J Nutr, 1990 Mar, 63(2), 187 - 96
Dependence of the carbon-isotope contents of breath carbon dioxide, milk, serum and rumen fermentation products on the delta 13C value of food in dairy cows; Metges C et al.; Six dairy cows of two breeds were fed during three alternating periods with products from C3- and C4- plants to yield different natural 13C enrichments of the diet (delta 13C range: -28.0 to -13.7%) . The resulting changes in the 13C enrichment of breath carbon dioxide, serum and milk of the animals followed the 13C:12C of the food, in agreement with the individual biological half-lives of those products, and established isotope discriminations . Breath CO2 was more enriched in 13C than expected . This could be related to isotope discriminations during rumen fermentation . From these results an isotopic balance model for the breath CO2 could be established.

Appl Microbiol Biotechnol, 1990 Mar, 32(6), 674 - 9
Growth and product formation of actinomycetes cultivated at increased total pressure and oxygen partial pressure; Liefke E et al.; Influence of pressure (P) and oxygen partial pressure (PO2) on cultivation of various Streptomyces spp . and Micromonospora purpurea was examined in pressurized air-lift and stirred tank fermenters . The maximum PO2 was 2100 mbar . Growth and product formation of all cultures tested were markedly influenced by PO2 higher than 1000 mbar . There is evidence that wild strains are more oxygen tolerant than production strains . At a certain PO2 the metabolic activities of all cultures were inhibited . However, results obtained with S . aureofaciens and S . rimosus indicated an increase in specific product formation rate at elevated pressure . With increase in oxygen tension incorporation of oxygen into tetracycline molecules was enhanced . Since elevated oxygen tension can either show inhibiting effects or may be used for regulation of product formation and selectivity, the influence of PO2 should be determined in an appropriate experimental set-up for each process.

Biotechnology (N Y), 1990 Mar, 8(3), 237 - 40
Regulation of isopenicillin N synthetase (IPNS) gene expression in Acremonium chrysogenum; Smith AW et al.; Total RNA was extracted daily from the beta-lactam antibiotic producing fungus A . chrysogenum strain CO728 during a 7 day cephalosporin C fermentation . IPNS mRNA species, with a size of about 1.5 kb, were detected by Northern blotting at high levels between days 2 and 4 . The rapid appearance of IPNS mRNA in mycelial extracts up to day 2 suggests that IPNS is regulated at the transcriptional level . Primer extension and S1 endonuclease mapping studies indicate the existence of two major and at least two minor transcription initiation start sites . There was no change in the relative levels of the four transcripts during the period they could be detected . A region upstream of the IPNS structural gene (pcbC) has been sequenced and the transcription initiation sites appear as major and minor pairs on either side of one of the pyrimidine-rich blocks that punctuate the promoter sequence.

Biochim Biophys Acta, 1990 Feb 22, 1015(3), 510 - 6
Damage of Escherichia coli cells by t-butylhydroperoxide involves the respiratory chain but is independent of the presence of oxygen; de la Cruz Rodriguez LC et al.; The action of t-butylhydroperoxide (tBOOH) on Escherichia coli cells has been studied as a model system for organic peroxide toxicity . Exposure of E . coli cells to tBOOH led to progressive and irreversible impairment of the respiratory function, an effect which was dependent on the availability of substrate . The effect of tBOOH on growth of E . coli with different carbon sources and alternative terminal electron acceptors was investigated . It was found that the sensitivity of E . coli to tBOOH under diverse growth conditions implicating a functional respiratory chain was greater than when the bacterium grew by fermentation . Also the mutant E . coli SASX76, which requires exogenous 5-aminolevulinic acid to synthesize the cytochromes, was more resistant to tBOOH when lacking a functional respiratory chain . These data point to the respiratory chain as a major target in the in vivo action of tBOOH . Experiments with isolated membranes also showed a tBOOH-induced damage of the respiratory chain monitored by impairment of the NADH oxidase . The effect of tBOOH was produced even under anaerobiosis, indicating that development of cell damage was independent of oxygen and, therefore, that neither oxygen-derived radicals nor lipid peroxidation were involved.

Biochemistry, 1990 Feb 20, 29(7), 1861 - 9
Expression, purification, and characterization of human factor XIII in Saccharomyces cerevisiae; Bishop PD et al.; Factor XIII is the terminal enzyme of the clotting cascade . A cDNA sequence encoding human placental factor XIII was expressed in Saccharomyces cerevisiae with the yeast ADH2-4c promoter . Expression levels were a strong function of the noncoding flanking DNA content of the construction . When the terminal 3'-flanking noncoding DNA was removed, expression increased approximately 50-fold . The protein was produced in quantity by high-yield fermentation and purified to homogeneity . The recombinant protein was cleaved by thrombin at the same activation site as purified human placental FXIII and exhibited 100% enzymatic activity . At high thrombin concentrations rFXIIIa was cleaved into inactive 54- and 25-kDa polypeptides . The identity of these cleavage sites and the blocked N-terminus to that of the human protein was revealed by amino acid microsequencing . A time course of thrombin activation was performed and the relative distribution of the thrombin-cleaved subunits to the uncleaved zymogen subunits determined; the results were consistent with the half of the sites catalytic model for transglutaminase activity proposed by Chung et al . (Chung, S . I., Lewis, M . S., & Folk, J . E . (1974) J . Biol . Chem . 249, 940-950, 1974) and Hornyak et al . (Hornyak, T . J., Bishop, P . D., & Shafer, J . A . (1989) Biochemistry 28, 7326-7332) . Equilibrium and velocity sedimentation analysis indicated that rFXIII exists as a 166-kDa nondissociating dimer that behaves as a compact particle of 8.02 S . Thus, all of the properties of rFXIII thus far examined are consistent with those reported for human platelet and placental FXIII.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Appl Environ Microbiol, 1990 Feb, 56(2), 463 - 5
Effects of environmental conditions on xylose fermentation by recombinant Escherichia coli; Ohta K et al.; In batch fermentations, optimal conversion of xylose to ethanol by recombinant Escherichia coli was obtained under the following conditions: 30 to 37 degrees C, pH 6.4 to 6.8, 0.1 to 0.2 M potassium phosphate buffer, and xylose concentrations of 8% or less . A yield of 39.2 g of ethanol per liter (4.9% ethanol by volume) was observed with 80 g of xylose per liter, equivalent to 96% of the maximum theoretical yield . Maximal volumetric productivity was 0.7 g of ethanol per liter per h in batch fermentations and 30 g of ethanol per liter per h in concentrated cell suspensions (analogous to cell recycling).

Zhong Xi Yi Jie He Za Zhi, 1990 Feb, 10(2), 71 - 4, 67
{Clinical study of 96 cases with chronic hepatitis B treated with jiedu yanggan gao by a double-blind method}; Chen Z; This paper reported 96 cases with chronic hepatitis B treated by a double-blind method . There were 51 cases of observation group(OG) and 45 cases of control group (CG) . OG was treated with Jiedu Yanggan Gao consisting of Artemisia capillaris, Taraxacum mongolicum, Plantago seed, Cephalanoplos segetum, Hedyotis diffusa, Flos Chrysanthemi Indici, Smilax glabra, Astragalus membranaceus, Salviae miltiorrhizae, Fructus Polygonii Orientalis, Radix Paeoniae Alba, Polygonatum sibiricum, etc.) . CG was prescribed with three charred medicinal herbs (charred Fructus Crataegi, charred Fructrus Hordei Germinatus, charred fermented mixture of several medical herbs and wheat bran) . The average duration of treatment was five months . All 96 cases belong to the virus-duplication-type with positive HBsAg for over one year . Among them 65.5% of cases HBeAg, DNAP and HBV-DNA were positive . 20.8% of cases were positive in two out of the above tests . 13 data were compared statistically between two groups, and proved to be comparable (P greater than 0.05) before treatment . 27.3% and 66.7% of cases' ALT, AST returned to normal respectively in OG after treatment . However, in CG they were 9.1% and 22.2% (P less than 0.05) . TTT returned to normal in 52% cases of OG and 44% in CG (P greater than 0.05) . 20% cases HBeAg shifted to negative in OG, but 6.7% in CG . Cases with negative DNAP in OG occupied 34.2%, but 10.8% in CG . 31.6% cases' HBV-DNA changed to negative in OG, while 17.6% in CG . After comprehensive judgement, the total effective rate was 74.5% in OG and 24.4% in CG respectively (P less than 0.001) . Eight cases were basically cured in OG and one case in CG . After one year's follow-up, one recurred in eight patients of OG, however the only one cured in CG still relapsed.

Q J Med, 1990 Feb, 74(274), 157 - 63
D-lactic acidosis in short bowel syndrome--an examination of possible mechanisms; Hudson M et al.; Two patients, both with short bowel syndrome, presented with severe D-lactic acidosis associated with subacute small bowel obstruction and bizarre neurological signs . In neither patient were D-lactic acid-producing organisms isolated from the upper intestine . In both, upper intestinal aspirates yielded a glucose-fermenting yeast, Torulopsis glabrata . Although intestinal aspirates from both contained significant quantities of ethanol alcohol could not be detected in concomitant blood samples . A glucose load test produced a rise in blood D-lactic acid in both . One patient has evidence of mild persisting renal tubular damage . The same patient responded to oral antibiotics but the other relapsed frequently despite continuous antibiotic treatment . He was shown to be thiamine deficient and since the administration of oral thiamine he has had no recurrence of symptoms or of D-lactic acidosis.

Invest New Drugs, 1990 Feb, 8(1), 7 - 15
Experimental antitumor activity of BMY-28175 a new fermentation derived antitumor agent; Schurig JE et al.; BMY-28175 is a novel antitumor antibiotic produced in fermentation by Actinomadura verrucosospora . The cytotoxic effects of BMY-28175 were determined using murine and human tumor cell lines in vitro . Following 72 hour exposure, the drug had IC50 values 1.5 to 13.5 ng/ml in a microtiter assay . BMY-28175 was evaluated for antitumor activity against several experimental murine and human tumor models . The drug administered ip was active against ip implanted P388 leukemia, L1210 leukemia, B16 melanoma, M109 lung carcinoma, C26 colon carcinoma, M5076 sarcoma and Lewis lung carcinoma . In addition, BMY-28175 administered iv was active against iv implanted P388 and L1210 leukemias . BMY-28175 was active against sc implanted B16 melanoma (increased lifespan and/or inhibition of primary tumor growth) in about 60% of the tests . The growth of sc implanted M109 was inhibited by BMY-28175 in a single experiment . BMY-28175 was also active against the MX-1 human mammary xenograft implanted in the subrenal capsule of nude mice . The optimal dose for BMY-28175 in these various studies ranged from 0.16 micrograms/kg per injection with consecutive daily (qd1-9) administration, to 51.2 micrograms/kg with single dose administration . The results of these studies indicate that BMY-28175 is one of the most potent antitumor agents yet observed, with a broad spectrum of activity against tumors of murine and human origin and activity against tumors located distal to the site of drug administration.

Unfallchirurgie, 1990 Feb, 16(1), 18 - 24
{Surgically stabilizing "complex therapy" of unstable injury of the lower cervical spine}; Sandor L; Numerous assessments of the stability of screws within the cervical vertebral bodies after strong mechanical loading showed that spondylodesis can be considered as a stable fixation whether it is performed as a ventral, dorsal of combined procedure . Luxation fractures of the cervical spine, however, often do not only show lesions of the osteo-ligamentary structures, but are also accompanied by lesions of the spinal marrow . In addition to surgical measures, the self-destructing fermentative processes occurring in the mechanically injured spinal marrow have to be and can be eliminated or at least reduced by chemotherapy . The immediate simultaneous chemotherapeutic and surgical treatment is presented as "complex therapy" and recommended because of its good results.

J Anim Sci, 1990 Feb, 68(2), 490 - 7
Effects of treating corn silage with alpha-amylase and(or) sorbic acid on beef cattle growth and carcass characteristics; Leahy KT et al.; The effects on beef cattle growth performance and carcass characteristics of feeding silages produced by altered fermentations were determined . Alpha-amylase was added at 0 or .05% (wet basis) and sorbic acid was added at 0 or .10% (wet basis) to chopped whole corn plants before ensiling in a 2 x 2 factorial arrangement of treatments . For three successive years, 40 beef heifers (224 kg) were fed these silages for 80 d, finished on corn-and-cob meal (107 d) and slaughtered when backfat thickness over the 13th rib reached 12 mm . Silages treated with alpha-amylase had a slightly higher percentage of N-free extract (P less than .10) . Silages treated with sorbic acid had lower percentages of ADFN (P less than .10) . During the silage-feeding phase, heifers fed silages treated with alpha-amylase gained more (P less than .01) daily than heifers fed the other two silages (.84 vs .78 kg) and they were more efficient (P less than .01) in weight gain per unit of dry feed consumed (.149 vs .139 kg) . During the finishing phase, heifers that previously had been fed the alpha-amylase-treated silage continued to have higher (P less than .05) ADG (.93 vs .87 kg), although all were fed the same diet during this period . Added sorbic acid had no effect on ADG in either period . The percentage of kidney fat in heifers on the alpha-amylase treatments was increased (P less than .02, 2.2 vs 2.0) . The biological mechanisms associated with the beneficial results of alpha-amylase addition are not understood yet.

J Anim Sci, 1990 Feb, 68(2), 460 - 6
Effects of lecithin and corn oil on site of digestion, ruminal fermentation and microbial protein synthesis in sheep; Jenkins TC et al.; Six Hampshire wethers with ruminal and duodenal cannulas were fed three diets in a replicated 3 X 3 latin square to compare phospholipids with triglycerides for their effects on ruminal digestion . The diets (56% concentrate, 44% bermuda-grass hay, air-dried basis) contained either no added fat (control), 5.2% soybean lecithin or 2.4% corn oil on a DM basis . All diets were isonitrogenous and both fat-supplemented diets had similar fatty acid and energy contents . Fat added to the diet, regardless of source, reduced digestibilities of DM, energy, ADF and fatty acids in the rumen but had no effect on total tract digestibility coefficients . Lecithin slightly increased (P = .06) fatty acid digestion in the hindgut compared to corn oil (91.0 and 87.0%, respectively) . Both fat sources decreased (P less than .01) ruminal ammonia concentration and increased (P less than .10) N flow to the duodenum . Added fat also reduced ruminal (P less than .01) and total tract (P less than .05) N digestibilities . Microbial N flow to the hindgut was not affected by diet, but adding fat increased (P less than .06) true efficiency of microbial protein synthesis . Overall, phospholipids from soybean lecithin inhibited ruminal fermentation similarly to triglycerides from corn oil . Despite ruminal degradation of lecithin by microbial phospholipases as shown in other studies, feeding lecithin tended to increase fatty acid digestion in the hindgut.

J Antibiot (Tokyo), 1990 Feb, 43(2), 163 - 7
A new inhibitor of protein kinase C, RK-286C (4'-demethylamino-4'-hydroxystaurosporine) . I . Screening, taxonomy, fermentation and biological activity; Osada H et al.; In the course of our screening program using a bleb-forming assay, a new inhibitor of protein kinase C (PKC) was found in the fermentation of a streptomycete . The inhibitor, RK-286C (4'-demethylamino-4'-hydroxystaurosporine), inhibited the morphological change of K562 cells, a human chronic erythroleukemia cell, induced by phorbol 12,13-dibutylate at the concentration of 3 microM . The same concentration of the compound inhibited the activity of PKC in vitro and the aggregation of rabbit platelets induced by collagen and arachidonic acid.

Pharm Res, 1990 Feb, 7(2), 199 - 203
Microbial metabolism studies of the antimalarial drug arteether; Lee IS et al.; Microbial metabolism studies of the antimalarial drug arteether (1) have shown that arteether is metabolized by a number of microorganisms . Large-scale fermentation with Aspergillus niger (ATCC 10549) and Nocardia corallina (ATCC 19070) have resulted in the isolation of four microbial metabolites which have been characterized using two-dimensional nuclear magnetic resonance (2D-NMR) techniques . These metabolites have been identified as "AEM1" (2), 3 alpha-hydroxydeoxyarteether (3), 3 alpha-hydroxydeoxydihydroartemisinin (4), and deoxydihydroartemisinin (5).

FEMS Microbiol Lett, 1990 Feb, 55(3), 245 - 9
Molybdenum cofactor negative mutants of Escherichia coli use citrate anaerobically; Clark DP; Anaerobically, Escherichia coli cannot grow using either glycerol or citrate as sole carbon and energy source . However, it has been reported that a mixture of glycerol and citrate will support growth . We have found that wild-type strains of E . coli K-12 do not grow on glycerol plus citrate anaerobically . However, growth eventually occurs due to the frequent appearance of mutants . We found that such Cit+ mutants were defective in anaerobic respiration with nitrate or trimethylamine-N-oxide and were chlorate resistant (i.e . molybdenum cofactor deficient) . Conversely, well characterized mutants in any of chlA, B, D, E, G and N were also able to use citrate anaerobically . No anaerobic growth differences between wild type and chl mutants were observed either with fermentable sugars or with glycerol plus fumarate or glycerol plus tartrate . Citrate lyase was induced anaerobically by citrate and repressed by glucose in both wild type strains and chl mutants . Furthermore, levels of citrate lyase, fumarate reductase, malate dehydrogenase, fumarase and alcohol dehydrogenase were similar in both types of strains under anaerobic conditions . It is conceivable that a functioning molybdenum cofactor prevents use of citrate by keeping citrate lyase in the inactive form.

Curr Genet, 1990 Feb, 17(2), 119 - 23
When a glycolytic gene on a yeast 2 mu ORI-STB plasmid is made essential for growth its expression level is a major determinant of plasmid copy number; Piper PW et al.; This study demonstrates how varying the promoter strength of an essential gene on a yeast 2 mu ORI-STB YEp multicopy vector can influence vector copy levels . A phosphoglycerate kinase gene (PGK) on this plasmid was made essential for fermentative growth by transformation into a pgk- yeast strain . When in these PGK+ transformants the requirement for PGK expression was the sole selective criterion for plasmid maintenance, PGK promoter activity was inversely related to vector copy levels . Plasmids with an efficiently-transcribed PGK gene were maintained at approximately one copy per cell, whereas those lacking the UAS that normally directs high basal PGK transcription levels were present at up to 10-15 copies . All cultures of these PGK+ transformants contained only a low proportion of pgk- cells . Since mitotic loss of the plasmid arrests growth through loss of a functional PGK allele, PGK confers high stability to the YEp vector in such a pgk- genetic background . In this system YEp vector levels are probably influenced by PGK transcription because high expression of PGK is needed in rapid fermentative growth . Remarkably, low plasmid PGK promoter activity caused PGK mRNA levels slightly higher than those found in yeast with normal PGK regulation . A higher plasmid copy number is therefore not the only factor counteracting the effects of low PGK transcription, and it is possible that PGK mRNA becomes more stable in response to inefficient PGK transcription.

J Dent Res, 1990 Feb, 69 Spec No, 668 - 71; discussion 682-3
The effect of fluoride on the stability of oral bacterial communities in vitro; Marsh PD et al.; An in vitro model system has been used to study the combined influences of fermentable carbohydrate, pH, and fluoride on the stability of complex oral microbial communities . The pH generated from carbohydrate pulses rather than the availability of substrate per se was responsible for the enrichment of the cariogenic species S . mutans and L . casei . The addition of sub-MIC levels of sodium fluoride (1 mmol/L; 19 ppm) reduced both the rate of acid production and the fall in terminal pH from glucose pulses, thereby enabling pH-sensitive bacteria, including many Gram-negative species, to persist . Furthermore, the combination of even a moderately-low environmental pH (ca . pH 5.0) with a low level (1 mmol/L) of fluoride was able to prevent S . mutans from out-competing other species and resulted in its proportions within the bacterial community remaining low . By this mechanism, fluoride could make a significant contribution to preventing dental caries.

J Dent Res, 1990 Feb, 69 Spec No, 645 - 52; discussion 682-3
Fluoride in dental plaque and its effects; Tatevossian A; Total plaque fluoride is in the range 5-10 mg/kg (ppm) on a wet-weight basis . The variability of literature data on plaque fluoride is partly ascribed to analytical problems, many assays being close to or below the concentration detection limit of the fluoride electrode . A change in classification of plaque fluoride compartments is necessary, since recent work indicates that there are two pools of plaque F: less than 5% of the total F is in plaque fluid as the free ion, and the large remaining portion of total plaque F is designated as bound F, with the total F being greater than 95% extractable by cold 0.5 mol/L perchloric acid . Sources of plaque fluoride include the diet, saliva, and crevicular fluid; enamel is unlikely to be a regular source for plaque F unless it is either coated daily with labile fluoride compounds, such as calcium fluoride, or released by demineralization . The location and nature of plaque bound F are not established, but the present evidence is consistent with an intracellular location . Bound F may be released by acids produced in plaque during sugar fermentation, but it is unlikely to reach ion concentrations high enough for sufficient time periods to exert significant inhibition of plaque acidogenesis . Epidemiological evidence showing correlations between pooled plaque F concentrations and caries prevalence in the plaque donors does not exclude the possibility of coincidental effects of water F on both caries and plaque F concentrations.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

J Antibiot (Tokyo), 1990 Feb, 43(2), 154 - 7
Topostin, a novel inhibitor of mammalian DNA topoisomerase I from Flexibacter topostinus sp . nov . I . Taxonomy, and fermentation of producing strain; Suzuki K et al.; We found a new inhibitor of mammalian DNA topoisomerase I, named topostin, from a bacterial culture . The bacteria was identified as Flexibacter topostinus sp . nov., B-572 . Morphological and physiological characteristics, and utilization of sugars were examined . Comparison of the strain with known species of the genus Flexibacter was made and indicates that the strain is a new species of the genus Flexibacter . The bacteria produced the inhibitor in parallel with their growth up to 72 hours.

Hindustan Antibiot Bull, 1990 Feb-May, 32(1-2), 29 - 32
Selective strategies for antibiotic fermentation . Part I.: The role of soluble vegetative protein in streptomycin production by Streptomyces griseus; Maladkar NK; The soluble vegetative protein was found to enhance the production of streptomycin . It seems to be maintaining a balance between glucose consumption and phosphate utilization . Soluble vegetative protein was found to be the chief source of soluble inorganic phosphate, which when monitored along with dextrose addition boosted streptomycin production considerably.

Hindustan Antibiot Bull, 1990 Feb-May, 32(1-2), 3 - 26
Microbial production of L-phenylalanine: a review; Maiti TK et al.; Microbial production of L-phenylalanine by direct fermentation and by substrate conversion has been reviewed . The review also includes a discussion on different other methods for phenylalanine production, their advantages and disadvantages with mutants and genetically tailored strains . Biosynthesis of phenylalanine, its regulation in hyperproducing strains and recovery of phenylalanine has been discussed in brief.

Appl Microbiol Biotechnol, 1990 Feb, 32(5), 505 - 10
Production of desferrioxamine E and new analogues by directed fermentation and feeding fermentation; Meiwes J et al.; Streptomyces olivaceus TU 2718 produces the siderophore desferrioxamine E . Production depends on L-lysine and iron concentrations in the medium . With optimized conditions the yield of desferrioxamine E could be increased to 12 g/l in feeding fermentations . Supplementation of the basic production medium with natural and synthetic precursors of desferrioxamine E led to the production of twelve new analogues of desferrioxamine E.

Appl Microbiol Biotechnol, 1990 Feb, 32(5), 556 - 9
Mechanism of the stimulatory effect of cyclodextrins on lankacidin-producing Streptomyces; Sawada H et al.; Gel-filtration analysis of a mixture of cyclodextrin (CyD) and lankacidin C showed that beta-CyD had strong, gamma-CyD weak and alpha-CyD no affinity for lankacidin C . Lankacidin C production activity, which was assayed by measuring the incorporation of L-{methyl-14C-}methionine into the lankacidin molecule, was the greatest with cells grown in the presence of beta-CyD, less with gamma-CyD and the least with alpha-CyD . Lankamycin and T-2636M, which are by-products in lankacidin C fermentation, were not included by beta-CyD and their production was not stimulated by beta-CyD . It was apparent that the stimulatory effect of CyD was closely related to the formation of an inclusion complex between CyD and the antibiotic . Lankacidin C biosynthesis was repressed by preincubating cells with lankacidin C, while the repressive effect of lankacidin C was abrogated by the inclusion by beta-CyD . Thus, abrogation of feed-back repression seems to be a main mechanism of the effect of CyD . However, alpha-CyD, which had no affinity for lankacidin C, stimulated the production to the least extent and exhibited a complementary effect on the stimulation by beta-CyD or gamma-CyD, alpha-CyD also caused a change in cell morphology and cell-surface hydrophobicity . It was assumed that the modification of the cell surface is a secondary mechanism of the effect of CyD.

J Chromatogr, 1990 Jan 19, 499, 609 - 15
On-line high-performance liquid chromatography for the determination of cephalosporin C and by-products in complex fermentation broths; Holzhauer-Rieger K et al.; A fully automated high-performance liquid chromatographic system was developed for optimization of cephalosporin C production . Using a simple, isocratic, reversed-phase method, cephalosporin C, deacetylcephalosporin C, deacetoxycephalosporin C, penicillin N, methionine and its decomposition product 2-hydroxy-4-methylmercaptobutyric acid were determined . The method worked reliably for 250 h and supplied information on the influence of many parameters of the process.

Psychoanal Q, 1990 Jan, 59(1), 21 - 40
Freud, Fliess, and the parenthood of psychoanalysis; Blum HP; This paper focuses upon the roles of procreation, fatherhood, and identification with the fertile mother in Freud's creation of psychoanalysis . Fatherhood and motherhood, pregnancy and birth, children and siblings, figure prominently in Freud's self-analysis and in his relationship with his prototransference object, Wilhelm Fliess . Although Freud attributed his self-analytic interest and revived oedipal conflict to the death of his father, becoming a parent himself was also a significant determinant . Birth as well as death reactivated his childhood and stimulated his creative ferment.

EMBO J, 1990 Jan, 9(1), 279 - 87
The Aspergillus nidulans npeA locus consists of three contiguous genes required for penicillin biosynthesis; MacCabe AP et al.; Clones of Aspergillus nidulans genomic DNA spanning 20 kb have been isolated and shown by a combination of classical and molecular genetic means to represent the npeA locus, previously found to be one of four loci (npeA, npeB, npeC and npeD) involved in the synthesis of penicillin . As well as containing the gene encoding the second enzyme for penicillin biosynthesis, namely isopenicillin N synthetase (IPNS) (designated ipnA), our results show that these clones (pSTA200, pSTA201 and pSTA207) contain two more genes to form a cluster of three contiguous penicillin biosynthetic genes . Our evidence suggests that these genes encode delta (L-alpha-aminoadipyl)-L-cysteinyl-D-valine synthetase (ACVS) and acyl transferase (ACYT) (designated acvA and acyA respectively), the first and third enzymes required for penicillin biosynthesis, with the gene order being acvA-ipnA-acyA . Transcripts have been identified for the three genes and their approximate sizes determined--acvA 9.5 kb, ipnA 1.4 kb and acyA 1.6 kb . All three mRNA species are observed in cells grown in fermentation medium but not in cells grown in minimal medium, suggesting that the control of penicillin biosynthesis is, in part, at the level of mRNA accumulation . Finally our results show that acvA and ipnA genes are divergently transcribed, whilst acyA is transcribed in the same orientation as ipnA.

Acta Leiden, 1990, 59(1-2), 161 - 8
Development, pharmacokinetics and mode of action of ivermectin; Sutherland IH et al.; Microorganisms isolated from soil at the Kitasato Institute in Japan were tested in a variety of biological assays in Merck laboratories . One of the cultures was found to be active against a nematode parasite . It yielded a series of novel macrocyclic lactones, named avermectins, which proved active against a variety of nematode and arthropod parasites . An extensive programme of chemical modification resulted in the selection of ivermectin (22,23-dihydro-avermectin B1) for commercial development . The producing organism is a new actinomycete species, Streptomyces avermitilis . Strain selection and fermentation improvement were necessary to scale-up from laboratory flasks to 50,000 L fermentors . Using tritium-labelled drug it was shown that ivermectin is absorbed rapidly after oral or parenteral dosing and is excreted almost entirely in the faeces . Pharmacokinetic behaviour depends upon formulation and route of administration . Residues are highest in liver and fat and lowest in brain . Ivermectin has a high therapeutic index in target animals . Idiosyncratic toxicity has been observed in certain strains of dog at more than 8-fold the recommended dose of 6 ug/kg . Ivermectin causes paralysis in susceptible parasites . It is believed that this is the result of lowered cell membrane resistance produced by increased chloride ion influx.

Image J Nurs Sch, 1990 Summer, 22(2), 72 - 8
Charting the future of hospital nursing; Aiken LH; Nursing roles are expanding in all health care settings; however, the majority of nurses will continue to practice in hospitals for the foreseeable future . Yet hospital nursing is experiencing great ferment and turmoil . Nurses are dissatisfied increasingly with hospital practice, and vacancy and turnover rates are high enough to raise major concerns about adverse consequences for patients . This paper focuses on the nature and causes of the current problems in hospital nursing and advances recommendations for charting a new course for hospital nursing.

Nauchnye Doki Vyss Shkoly Biol Nauki, 1990, (2), 35 - 41
{The heterogeneity of sorbitol dehydrogenase from the cytoplasm of mammalian brain cells}; Sudovtsov VE et al.; The multiple molecular forms of sorbitoldehydrogenase in cytoplasm of brain cells of bull, ground squirrel, guinea-pig, rat, hamster and mouse have been found using the method of electrophoresis in polyacrylamide gel and the subsequent specific dyeing for the fermentative activity . All revealed zones of activity are related to the slowly migrating ones . A set of multiple molecular forms from different sources is various . A form with relative electrophoretic activity 0.385 is found in all analyzed animals . The conditions for obtaining of distinct zones of activity on zymograms are chosen.

Arch Tierernahr, 1990 Jan-Feb, 40(1-2), 65 - 74
In vitro study of the response of rumen microorganisms to different doses of abierixin, a new antibiotic ionophore, according to the nature of nitrogen supplies; Hillaire MC et al.; An in vitro study on a "batch" type fermentation system was carried out in order to evaluate the effect of different doses of a new ionophore antibiotic, abierixin, on the rumen fermentation parameters . The reaction of microorganisms to the antibiotic were determined according to the nature of the nitrogen introduced into the fermenter: ammonium sulfate alone or complemented with protein nitrogen (peanut meal or a mixed pelleted feed) . This molecule had a protective effect with respect to dietary protein degradation in the rumen, at the lowest dose tested (13.5 ppm) . The dose (8 ppm) used with the pelleted feed led to a decrease in the protein degradability but the significant threshold was not reached . Abierixin failed to modify bacterial ammonia uptake with the nitrogen sources used in our experiment . In addition, it had no effect on rumen fermentations . It neither led to any alteration in the total VFA and gas productions during 6 hours of fermentation, nor on their molar composition, whatever the dose of antibiotic used and the nitrogen source considered.

Arch Tierernahr, 1990 Jan-Feb, 40(1-2), 39 - 45
{Microbial metabolites in the large intestinal sections of swine fed rations rich in crude fiber}; Schnabel E et al.; 3 x 4 fattening pigs receiving 4.7% (control), 13.5% (sugar beet pulp) or 17.0% CF (green meal) in the diet, were slaughtered and investigations of pH-values, % DM, VFA- and NH3-concentrations were made in 4 sections of the hindgut . Between caecum and 2nd/3rd colon-section all dates were significantly different . Among all values % DM (r = 0.91) and NH3 (r = 0.68) were positively, but VFA negatively correlated (r = -0.76) with pH-value . Values of pH reached 6 only in the second half of the colon . Most marked fermentations, lowest variations and significant differences occurred not in the caecum but in the first third of colon . Therefore the proximal colon is proposed as a suitable site for investigations.

Antibiot Khimioter, 1990 Jan, 35(1), 14 - 9
{Effect of partial pressure of solute oxygen on the intensity of respiration of cultures of antibiotic producers}; Arzumanian OG et al.; It was shown possible to use feeding of hydrogen peroxide as a method for investigating the impact of dissolved oxygen concentrations on growth and development of microorganisms . The influence of pO2 on the respiration intensity was studied in penicillin- and erythromycin-producing cultures and it was found that dependence of the respiration intensity on pO2 had the form of a curve with saturation, at pO2 equal to zero the value of the culture respiration intensity being different from zero . A mathematical model accounting for the presence in the fermentation broth of microbial agglomerates with the average size depending on the agitation conditions is proposed for describing the relationships.

J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr, 1990 Jan, 10(1), 44 - 6
Feeding lactose-intolerant children with a powdered fermented milk; Gendrel D et al.; Fresh yogurt has been proposed as a milk substitute for lactase-deficient patients . We investigated the possibility that a dried, low-fat milk fermented by yogurt microorganisms would be effective . Processing of a fermented milk by spray-drying led to a powder with persistence of lactase activity (11.7 units/g) without storage at 4 degrees C and stable at room temperature (20-23 degrees C) . The tolerance and absorption of 10.5 g of lactose in a volume of 150 ml was studied in 25 Gabonese lactase-deficient children aged 5-14 years in the form of a standard humanized milk formula followed 1 week later by the powdered fermented milk formula . Results of the breath hydrogen test showed that in 24 of 25 cases, lactose absorption was normal with a maximal rise of hydrogen over baseline of under 13 ppm after ingestion of the powdered fermented milk . The rise was above 20 ppm in the 25 children with the same load of lactose in the form of the standard formula and one-third had symptoms of lactose intolerance . This powdered fermented milk preparation should be considered as a valid approach in programs of nutritional support targeted to countries with a high prevalence of lactase deficiency.

J Dairy Sci, 1990 Jan, 73(1), 153 - 62
Effect of lasalocid on performance of lactating dairy cows; Weiss WP et al.; Thirty-two midlactation dairy cows were fed either a typical dairy diet or the same diet plus 340 mg lasalocid/d for 98 d . Diets were 65% forage (alfalfa and corn silage) and 35% concentrate (DM basis) . Lasalocid did not affect production of milk (21 kg/d) or FCM (20 kg/d) or milk composition . Dry matter intake was slightly lower for cows consuming lasalocid than for control cows (19.6 vs . 20.6 kg/d) . Lasalocid improved energetic efficiency by about 20% during the first 2 wk of the experiment, but treatment effects diminished as the experiment progressed . The period in which lasalocid had significant effects on energetic efficiency was also the period in which lasalocid increased ruminal propionate and decreased ruminal acetate concentrations . On d 7 of the experiment, cows fed lasalocid had lower acetate to propionate ratios as compared with control (3.0:1 vs . 3.7:1) . No effect of treatment was observed on ruminal VFA during the remainder of the experiment . These data are interpreted to show that lasalocid improved the efficiency of converting dietary digestible energy into NE1 by altering ruminal fermentation, but this effect was relatively short-lived, since treatment effects on ruminal VFA patterns and energetic efficiency became negligible by 28 d.

Curr Genet, 1990 Jan, 17(1), 77 - 9
Nonsense suppressors partially revert the decrease of the mRNA level of a nonsense mutant allele in yeast; Gozalbo D et al.; suc2 degrees is a naturally occurring amber mutant allele of the yeast invertase structural gene SUC2 . Strains carrying suc2 degrees had only 10% of the wild type invertase-specific mRNA level . Amber suppressors, which allowed suc2 degree strains to ferment sucrose caused an increase of the SUC-specific mRNA level.

Steroids, 1990 Jan, 55(1), 17 - 21
Microbiologic transformation of progesterone by Curvularia clavata Jain; Vujcic M et al.; Progesterone was transformed microbiologically by the fungal strain Curvularia clavata Jain . Progesterone (I) was added as substrate when the microorganism reached its exponential growth phase . Three substances were isolated after the fermentation: a non-steroidal substance, radicinin (II), which has been established to be a metabolic product of the fungus and acts as a phytotoxin, and two steroidal substances which resulted from fungal enzymatic action on the progesterone molecule . The structure of each microbial metabolite was elucidated by 1H-nuclear magnetic resonance, mass spectrometry, and infrared and UV analyses, and the yields were determined by high-pressure liquid chromatography . The progesterone metabolites were characterized as 7 alpha,14 alpha-dihydroxypregn-4-ene-3,20-dione (III) and 11 beta, 14 alpha-dihydroxypregn-4-ene-3,20-dione (IV) . Evidence for the structure of these steroidal products came from derivatives resulting from acetylation and dehydration.

J Antibiot (Tokyo), 1990 Jan, 43(1), 29 - 37
Studies on new dehydropeptidase inhibitors . I . Taxonomy, fermentation, isolation and physico-chemical properties; Hashimoto S et al.; WS1358A1 (FR104007) and B1 (FR104008), new potent inhibitors of renal dehydropeptidase, were isolated from the culture broth of strain No . 1358 which was identified as Streptomyces parvulus subsp . In vitro inhibitory activities (IC50 value) of WS1358A1 and B1 against porcine renal DHP were 3 and 600 nM, respectively.

J Antibiot (Tokyo), 1990 Jan, 43(1), 19 - 28
New biosynthetic anthracyclines related to barminomycins incorporating barbiturates in their moiety; Cassinelli G et al.; Three new anthracyclines, FCE 21424 (2), FCE 24366 (3) and FCE 24367 (4), were isolated from culture broths of Streptomyces peucetius and its mutant strains after addition of sodium barbiturates during the fermentation . Structural assignment, achieved through spectroscopic and degradative studies, that the new anthracyclines had a common barminomycin-like structure incorporating different barbiturate moieties . The new anthracyclines were found to display outstanding cytotoxicity and remarkable potency "in vivo" against P388 ascitic leukemia.

J Antibiot (Tokyo), 1990 Jan, 43(1), 1 - 7
FR109615, a new antifungal antibiotic from Streptomyces setonii . Taxonomy, fermentation, isolation, physico-chemical properties and biological activity; Iwamoto T et al.; FR109615, a new antibiotic active against Candida, was isolated from Streptomyces setonii No . 7562 . Based on the spectroscopic data, the structure of FR109615 was elucidated as cis-2-aminocyclopentane-1-carboxylic acid (1) . The compound showed the excellent in vivo efficacy in a generalized infection test of mice.

Rev Infect Dis, 1990 Jan-Feb, 12 Suppl 1, S24 - 9
In vitro and in vivo effects of three bismuth compounds on fermentation by colonic bacteria; Leon-Barua R et al.; Three bismuth compounds (tripotassium dicitrate bismuthate, bismuth subsalicylate, and bismuth subnitrate) were tested in vitro and in vivo for their effect on fermentation by colonic bacteria . The studies in vitro were done with use of a technique designed to determine the effect of each one of the bismuth compounds on the fermentation of several stool samples that had been mixed with lactose as additional fermentable substrate (fermentation of lactose-enriched stools, FLES) . The three bismuth compounds reduced FLES significantly in 47 (81%) of 58 of the stool samples used to test their effect . Bismuth subsalicylate, which reduced FLES in 10 of 10 stool samples, showed the greatest reduction (mean reduction, 74%; P less than .0001) . The in vivo studies, done in six flatulent patients, showed significant reduction (P less than .01) of colonic fermentation of ingested raffinose by oral bismuth subnitrate given for 8 days.

Microbios, 1990, 64(259), 93 - 101
Alcohol and aldehyde dehydrogenase from Saccharomyces cerevisiae: specific activity and influence on the production of acetic acid, ethanol and higher alcohols in the first 48 h of fermentation of grape must; Millan C et al.; The changes in the specific activity of alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH-I and ADH-II) and aldehyde dehydrogenases {AIDH-NADP+ and AIDH-NAD(P)+} from Saccharomyces cerevisiae during the first 48 h of fermentation of grape must were investigated . The biosynthesis of ADH-I and AIDH-NADP+ took place basically during the adaptation of the yeasts to the must (first 4 h), while that of ADH-II occurred immediately after exponential growth (after 12 h) . From the products produced by the yeast, only the specific rate of production of ethanol was found to be directly related to the specific activity of ADH-I.

Reprod Nutr Dev, 1990, 30(4), 493 - 505
{Explanation and prediction of the kinetics of degradation in a Rusitec fermentor of nitrogenous vegetable matter after cell wall fractionation}; Blanchart G et al.; The relation between nitrogen solubility in Van Soest detergents and in vitro nitrogen degradation was studied on 11 substrates with degradation process calculations in digestive trials and an artificial semi-continuous flow (Rusitec) rumen . The kinetics of plant protein degradation in Rusitec, especially the maximum degradation values, were rather similar to those calculated from literature data obtained in situ . In the exponential model used to describe the protein degradation, the maximum disappearance (a + b) was negatively correlated with the percentage of acid detergent insoluble nitrogen in the Van Soest (ADIN/Total N) . In the foods tested, the non degradable fraction corresponds to a quantity which is equivalent to approximately 76% of the ADIN fraction . The instantaneously degraded nitrogen (a) was rather well explained by the percentage of neutral detergent insoluble nitrogen in the Van Soest (NDIN/Total N) . The rate of disappearance (c) of the slowly degraded fraction was inversely correlated with the proportion of ADF in the NDF, which demonstrates the latter's resistance to degradation . This type of fractionation could be used in predicting nitrogenous value of feed stuffs for ruminants.

Yao Xue Xue Bao, 1990, 25(3), 161 - 6
{Effects of the polysaccharides isolated from mycelium and fermentation fluid of Schizophyllum commune on immune function in mice}; Xia D et al.; SPG1 and SPG2 are polysaccharides extracted respectively from fermented cultural mycelium and fermentation fluid of Schizophyllum commune . This paper reports the effect of SPG1 and SPG2 on concanavalin A (Con A) induced proliferation of lymphocyte from C57BL/6J mice in vitro . SPG1 (10, 25, 50 and 100 micrograms/ml) and SPG2 (10, 50 and 100 micrograms/ml) was found to significantly increase lymphocyte proliferation . In addition, SPG1 (10, 25, 50 and 75 micrograms/ml) antagonized the suppressive effect of hydrocortisone on proliferation of mouse spleen cells, while SPG2 did not . In vivo, at the dose of 2.5 and 5.0 mg/kg ip for 9 days, SPG1 and SPG2 remarkably enhanced the delayed-type hypersensitivity to 2, 4-dinitrochlorobenzene (DNCB) in mice . SPG1 (1.25, 2.5 and 5.0 mg/kg, ip for 1 day) and SPG2 (2.5 and 5.0 mg/kg, ip for 1 day) promoted the plaque forming cell (PFC) response to sheep red blood cells (SRBC) in mice . The effects of SPG1 and SPG2 on immune function were studied in aged immunodeficient mice . SPG1 (10 and 25 micrograms/ml) and SPG2 (25 micrograms/ml) was found to enhance the Con A induced lymphocyte proliferation in 14 months aged mice . At the dose of 2.5 mg/kg, SPG1 and SPG2 produced respectively 162.1 and 136.0% increase in PFC response in 14 months aged mice.

Reprod Nutr Dev, 1990, Suppl 2, 181s - 182s
{Effects of the addition of iso-acids to feed on ruminal fermentation, in sacco degradation of dry matter and the concentration of several blood parameters in cows}; Andries JI et al.; Three rumen-fistulated cows fed maize silage and concentrates were supplemented with either soybean oil meal or urea, associated or not with isoacids . The isoacids increased the volatile fatty acid concentration, lowered the ruminal ammonia concentration and in sacco dry matter disappearance and did not influence blood parameters.

Dev Biol Stand, 1990, 71, 185 - 90
Toxicological testing of monoclonal antibodies; Ronneberger H; Toxicity studies with monoclonal antibodies for in vivo diagnostic or therapeutic administration must be designed case by case to take into account the intended use in humans and the type of structure (nude or coupled to immunotoxins or radionuclides) . The design of experiments is influenced by the origin of the clone (murine or human with different problems of antigenicity) and the type of culture (ascites or fermentation with various kinds of possible contaminations) . Therefore, routine animal tests must be supplemented by analytical procedures and assays of pharmacological quality control (pyrogenicity, abnormal toxicity) . The antigenicity of these antibodies for experimental animals imposes restrictions concerning duration of experiments and extrapolation of the results to humans . Selection of appropriate species is difficult, they should have identical target cells if possible . Sometimes the choice is limited to non-human primates . Toxicological experiments should be based on pharmacokinetic studies . Formal tests on mutagenicity, teratogenicity and cancerogenicity are, in most cases, irrelevant . Antibody formation may make it impossible to carry out longer-term studies.

Chirality, 1990, 2(2), 85 - 9
2H-NMR resolution of the methylenic isotopomers of ethanol applied to the study of stereospecific enzyme-catalysed exchange; Rabiller C et al.; We have shown that site-specific natural isotope fractionation of hydrogen studied by NMR (SNIF-NMR) is an important source of information on the mechanistic and environmental effects which govern the photosynthesis of sugars and their fermentation into ethanol . Three isotope ratios associated with the methyl, methylene, and hydroxyl sites of ethanol are determined in achiral media . In this study we show that complementary information about possible stereospecific mechanisms involving the methylenic hydrogens is also rendered accessible by 2H-NMR enantiomeric resolution . The synthesis of mandelate esters enables exchange between the pro-R site of ethanol and water to be investigated . Simultaneous access to the three site-specific isotope ratios of the ethyl group is obtained at isotopic dilutions close to the natural ones . Mediation of the exchange by the enzymic system alcohol dehydrogenase-alpha-lipoyldehydrogenase and by the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae are compared . The progress of the reaction can be followed quantitatively as a function of time and the occurrence of glycolytic metabolism of endogeneous materials by yeast can be substantiated in a one-pot experiment.

Acta Leiden, 1990, 59(1-2), 217 - 25
Abamectin as a pesticide for agricultural use; Lasota JA et al.; The avermectins are a family of macrocyclic lactones, produced by the soil organism Streptomyces avermitilis, which were discovered in the mid-1970's as a direct result of a screening effort for natural products with anthelmintic properties . Avermectin B1 (abamectin), the major component of the fermentation, also showed potent activity against arthropods in preliminary laboratory evaluations and was subsequently selected for development to control phytophagous mites and insect pests on a variety of agricultural and horticultural crops worldwide . Major applications for which abamectin is currently registered include uses on ornamental plants, citrus, cotton, pears and vegetable crops at rates in the range of 5 to 27 grams abamectin per hectare as a foliar spray . Abamectin has shown low toxicity to non-target beneficial arthropods which has accelerated its acceptance into Integrated Pest Management (IPM) programs . Extensive studies have been conducted to support the safety of agricultural uses of abamectin to man and the environment . Abamectin is highly unstable to light and has been shown to photodegrade rapidly on plant and soil surfaces and in water following agricultural applications . Abamectin was also found to be degraded readily by soil microorganisms . Abamectin residues in or on crops are very low, typically less than 0.025 ppm, resulting in minimal exposure to man from harvesting or consumption of treated crops . In addition, abamectin does not persist or accumulate in the environment . Its instability as well as its low water solubility and tight binding to soil, limit abamectin's bioavailability in non-target organisms and, furthermore, prevent it from leaching into groundwater or entering the aquatic environment.

Med Lab Sci, 1990 Jan, 47(1), 46 - 8
Enteric pathogen screening: a multipoint technique with a simple numerical profile; Wigmore JA et al.; The use of peptone water sugars to screen non-lactose fermenting enteric isolates is expensive and has limited potential for identification . The multipoint system uses seven media from a commercial system containing either single sugars or biochemical substrates . Up to 20 organisms can be tested on each set of plates, the results being used to generate a four figure profile from which a presumptive identity can be obtained . This identity must still be confirmed, but the number of organisms requiring further investigation can be as low as one third of those following use of peptone water sugars . The multipoint system represents a rapid, more accurate and considerably cheaper alternative.

Mikrobiologiia, 1990 Jan-Feb, 59(1), 52 - 8
{Physiological properties of Saccharomyces cerevisiae during sine-modulated and stepwise changes in the medium pH}; Ivanitskaia IuG et al.; The responses of a chemostat Saccharomyces cerevisiae culture (D = 0.1 h-1) to a stepwise increase or decrease in the pH of the medium were shown to be asymmetric . When the pH was lowered from 6.5 to a value above 0.3, the rates of oxygen uptake and carbon dioxide evolution rose for a sort period of time whereas the optical density of the culture fell down . The detected changes in the properties of the culture were identical with those which had been observed in the course of spontaneous undamped oscillations in the physiological parameters of the continuous C . cerevisiae culture . Apparently, in both cases, the energy status of cells changed when the oxidative type of metabolism was substituted by fermentation . When the pH of the medium was elevated within the same range (4.7-6.5), the response of the culture was three times as low and its properties changed in the opposite direction . When the pH of the medium was changed in a cyclic sinusoidal manner, oscillations in the physiological characteristics of the culture, identical with spontaneous oscillations were induced at certain values of the amplitude and the frequency of pH changes.

Toxicol Ind Health, 1990 Jan, 6(1), 71 - 108
Mutagenicity, metabolism, and DNA interactions of urethane; Sotomayor RE et al.; Urethane, a known animal carcinogen, has been the subject of intensive research efforts spanning 40 years . Recent concerns have focused on the presence of urethane in a variety of fermented foods and alcoholic beverages, although no epidemiological studies or human case reports have been published . Much information is available about the mutagenesis, metabolism, and DNA interactions of urethane in experimental systems . Urethane is generally not mutagenic in bacteria although in some instances it acts as a weak mutagen . Urethane is not mutagenic in Nuerospora but is weakly mutagenic in Saccharomyces . Drosophila appear to be the only organisms that consistently give positive mutagenic results with urethane, but its mutagenicity is weak and in many cases shows no clear dose dependence . Urethane is a good clastogen in mammalian somatic cells in vivo, but it shows variable results with cells in vitro . It efficiently induces sister chromatid exchanges in a variety of cells . Mammalian spermatogenic cells are insensitive to the induction of specific locus and dominant lethal mutations by urethane . Mutational synergism has been reported to occur between ethyl methanesulfonate and urethane when administered two generations apart, and some investigators have suggested possible synergism for cancer-causing mutations in mice exposed to X-rays and urethane one generation apart . These studies are controversial and have not been confirmed . Studies on the induction of cancer-causing dominant mutations by urethane are at variance with results from extensive studies with the specific locus test in mice . Urethane studies with the unscheduled DNA synthesis assay in mouse spermatogenic cells and with the sperm abnormality test have given negative results . Urethane is rapidly and evenly distributed in the body . The rate of elimination of urethane from plasma is a saturable process and varies according to the strain and age of the animal . Recent studies have concentrations similar to those in wine, ethanol inhibits the tissue distribution of urethane in mice . These results are important because they suggest a lower carcinogenic/mutagenic risk than expected from exposure to urethane in alcoholic beverages . Although research on the metabolic activation of urethane has been extensive, no conclusive results have been obtained about its active metabolite, at one time thought to be N-hydroxyurethane . More recently, it has been postulated that urethane is activated to vinyl carbamate and that this metabolite is capable of reacting with DNA.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

J Basic Microbiol, 1990, 30(1), 37 - 41
Amplification of pBR322 plasmid DNA in Escherichia coli relA strains during batch and fed-batch fermentation; Hofmann KH et al.; Fermenter studies under batch and fed-batch conditions were carried out to test the possibility of plasmid pBR322 production in large amounts by using E . coli relA strains . High amplification rates of pBR322 plasmid DNA were observed in E . coli CP79 (relA) and E . coli CP143 (relA) in both batch and fed-batch cultivation after exhaustion of the amino acid arginine . The concentrations of plasmid DNA per unit of biomass were nearly the same in batch and in fed-batch fermentations of E . coli CP79 and E . coli CP143 . Therefore, the significantly higher biomass concentration of the two strains after fed-batch fermentation gave a dramatic increase in the yield of plasmid DNA per litre of medium in comparison to the batch process . The results support the suggestion that E . coli relA strains are suitable hosts for production of large amounts of ColE1-derived plasmids for recombinant DNA research.

N Z Dent J, 1990 Jan, 86(383), 4 - 9
Root surface caries--an overview of aetiology, prevalence, prevention, and management; Thomson WM; Root surface caries is a specific clinical entity which has been receiving increasing attention in recent years . It has a complex, multi-factorial aetiology, but all the causal factors, and their relative contributions, are not yet clear . There appears to be a role for one or more microbiological agents, particularly in association with a diet involving frequent ingestion of fermentable sugars . Gingival recession is almost certainly a pre-requisite for the development of root surface caries, but intra-oral, site-specific differences in prevalence confuse the picture . Figures of between 20 and over 70 percent for gross prevalence have been reported, with demonstrated attack rates of between 15 and 28 percent of susceptible surfaces being affected . Difficulties in diagnosis may limit the reliability of these figures . The prevention of root surface caries is a two-phase process; the initial emphasis is on the prevention of gingival recession, and the later approach involves measures aimed at reducing the frequency of intake of known cariogenic foodstuffs, and increasing the resistance of susceptible root surfaces with topical fluoride . Medicines which can cause dry mouth must also be examined . The treatment of root surface caries involves a range of procedures, from topical fluoride to multi-surface, glass ionomer cement restorations.

World Rev Nutr Diet, 1990, 62, 120 - 85
The glycemic index; Wolever TM; Different starchy foods produce different glycemic responses when fed individually, and there is evidence that this also applies in the context of the mixed meal . Methods of processing, and other factors unrelated to the nutrient composition of foods may also have major effects on the glycemic response . The reason for differences in glycemic response appears to relate to the rate at which the foods are digested and the many factors influencing this . The glycemic index (GI) is a system of classification in which the glycemic responses of foods are indexed against a standard (white bread) . This allows the results of different investigators to be pooled . GI values also depend upon a number of nonfood-related variables . The method of calculation of the glycemic response area is most important, but the method of blood sampling and length of time of studies also may have effects . Variability of glycemic responses arises from day-to-day variation in the same subject and variation between different subjects . There is less variability between the GI values of different subjects than there is within the same subject from day to day . Therefore, the mean GI values of foods are independent of the glucose tolerance status of the subjects being tested . Potentially clinically useful starchy foods producing relatively flat glycemic responses have been identified, including legumes, pasta, barley, bulgur, parboiled rice and whole grain breads such as pumpernickel . Specific incorporation of these foods into diets have been associated with reduced blood glucose, insulin, and lipid levels . Low-GI foods may influence amino acid metabolism although the implications of these are unknown . In addition, low GI foods increase colonic fermentation . The physiologic and metabolic implications of this relate to increased bacterial urea utilization, and to the production and absorption of short chain fatty acids in the colon . The application of the GI to therapeutic diets should be in the context of the overall nutrient composition of the diet . High-fat or high-sugar foods may have a low GI, but it may not be prudent to recommend these foods solely on the basis of the GI . It is therefore suggested that the most appropriate use of the GI is to rank the glycemic effects of starchy foods which would already have been chosen for possible inclusion in the diet on the basis of their nutritional attributes, i.e . low-fat, unrefined carbohydrate.

Crit Rev Biotechnol, 1990, 9(4), 287 - 304
A study of ethanol tolerance in yeast; D'Amore T et al.; The ethanol tolerance of yeast and other microorganisms has remained a controversial area despite the many years of study . The complex inhibition mechanism of ethanol and the lack of a universally accepted definition and method to measure ethanol tolerance have been prime reasons for the controversy . A number of factors such as plasma membrane composition, media composition, mode of substrate feeding, osmotic pressure, temperature, intracellular ethanol accumulation, and byproduct formation have been shown to influence the ethanol tolerance of yeast . Media composition was found to have a profound effect upon the ability of a yeast strain to ferment concentrated substrates (high osmotic pressure) and to ferment at higher temperatures . Supplementation with peptone-yeast extract, magnesium, or potassium salts has a significant and positive effect upon overall fermentation rates . An intracellular accumulation of ethanol was observed during the early stages of fermentation . As fermentation proceeds, the intracellular and extracellular ethanol concentrations become similar . In addition, increases in osmotic pressure are associated with increased intracellular accumulation of ethanol . However, it was observed that nutrient limitation, not increased intracellular accumulation of ethanol, is responsible to some extent for the decreases in growth and fermentation activity of yeast cells at higher osmotic pressure and temperature.

Crit Rev Biochem Mol Biol, 1990, 25(4), 245 - 80
Regulation of sugar and ethanol metabolism in Saccharomyces cerevisiae; Wills C; This review briefly surveys the literature on the nature, regulation, genetics, and molecular biology of the major energy-yielding pathways in yeasts, with emphasis on Saccharomyces cerevisiae . While sugar metabolism has received the lion's share of attention from workers in this field because of its bearing on the production of ethanol and other metabolites, more attention is now being paid to ethanol metabolism and the regulation of aerobic metabolism by fermentable and nonfermentable substrates . The utility of yeast as a highly manipulable organism and the discovery that yeast metabolic pathways are subject to the same types of control as those of higher cells open up many opportunities in such diverse areas as molecular evolution and cancer research.

Appl Biochem Biotechnol, 1990 Spring-Summer, 24-25, 193 - 9
Xylulokinase activity in various yeasts including Saccharomyces cerevisiae containing the cloned xylulokinase gene . Scientific note; Deng XX et al.; D-Xylose is a major constituent of hemicellulose, which makes up 20-30% of renewable biomass in nature . D-Xylose can be fermented by most yeasts, including Saccharomyces cerevisiae, by a two-stage process . In this process, xylose is first converted to xylulose in vitro by the enzyme xylose (glucose) isomerase, and the latter sugar is then fermented by yeast to ethanol . With the availability of an inexpensive source of xylose isomerase produced by recombinant E . coli, this process of fermenting xylose to ethanol can become quite effective . In this paper, we report that yeast xylose and xylulose fermentation can be further improved by cloning and overexpression of the xylulokinase gene . For instance, the level of xylulokinase activity in S . cerevisiae can be increased 230fold by cloning its xylulokinase gene on a high copy-number plasmid, coupled with fusion of the gene with an effective promoter . The resulting genetically-engineered yeast can ferment xylose and xylulose more than twice as fast as the parent yeast.

Chin J Biotechnol, 1990, 6(4), 293 - 302
The characteristics of Aureobasidium pullulans fermentation process; Qiu HW et al.; The fermentation kinetics, rheological property and oxygen mass transfer coefficient were studied for the fermentation process of Aureobasidium pullulans . A mathematical kinetic model based on the logistic equation and Luedeking-Piret model has been established with the experimental results . The rheology of the fermentation broth behaves as pseudoplastic non-Newtonian fluid . The oxygen mass transfer coefficient decreases during the fermentation process, an exponential equation has been postulated to describe the inter-relationship among the oxygen mass transfer coefficient, the agitation speed and the apparent viscosity of the broth.

Chin J Biotechnol, 1990, 6(4), 279 - 85
A study on mass culture of Panax quinquefolium cells; Zhou LG et al.; By omitting the component NH4NO3 and doubling the amount of KNO3 in MS medium, the Panax quinque folium cells cultured in such medium grew more rapidly and their saponin content was much higher than that cultured in regular MS medium . The growth rate and saponin content of the cells cultured in such medium (KNO33300 mg/l) increased 65.1% and 166.2% respectively as compared with that cultured in the regular medium . The application of oligosaccharins from Panax ginseng and Dendrobium candidum also increased their saponin content and growth rate . Especially, the content of Rg group saponins was apparently raised . It took more than 25 days for the cell suspension cultures to produce saponins in large amounts . The curve of saponin formation lagged slightly behind the growth curve in cell suspension culture and fermentation culture . The cell fermentation culture with a stabilized pH value was better than the culture with the pH value changing spontaneously on saponin content, growth rate and biomass . Finally, the culture patterns of P . quinque folium cells were compared and discussed.

Chin J Biotechnol, 1990, 6(1), 65 - 73
Study of adaptive control of fermentation process; Jin S et al.; In this paper, a track self-tuning control system for fed-batch penicillin fermentation was constructed by using the adaptive control theory . This system, unlike normal control methods can adapt itself to the random change of controller parameters during penicillin fermentation . The order of the system control SISO model is two fold and it is a non-minimum phase system . Therefore, the extended least square self-tuning control strategy was employed . The imitation showed that the biomass growth was controlled by a reference trajectory using this system.

Chin J Biotechnol, 1990, 6(1), 55 - 64
Study on growth kinetics of unstable recombinant Saccharomyces cerevisiae; Shi YA et al.; A mathematical model is suggested to describe effects of intracellular inhibition on growth of the recombinant yeast cells . The inhibition of the growth of the Leu+ phenotype cells depends upon the increase of plasmid concentration, the copy numbers and the accumulated amount of hepatitis B surface antigen protein, the expressed gene product . Simulating the growth of plasmid-free cells gives possible age-time distribution corresponding to their formation . According to the growth trajectories of these two different phenotype cells, a relation between Leu- phenotype cell growth and recombinant plasmid loss frequency is obtained . Consequently the instability of recombinant plasmid appearing in fermentation by genetically engineered S . cerevisiae is affected mainly due to (1) regular partitioning of Leu- phenotype combined with asymmetric plasmid segregation, and (2) different growth rates of plasmid-containing and plasmid-free cells in complex medium.

Acta Haematol, 1990, 84(3), 139 - 43
Enhancement of the fibrinolytic activity in plasma by oral administration of nattokinase; Sumi H et al.; The existence of a potent fibrinolytic enzyme (nattokinase, NK) in the traditional fermented food called 'natto', was reported by us previously . It was confirmed that oral administration of NK (or natto) produced a mild and frequent enhancement of the fibrinolytic activity in the plasma, as indicated by the fibrinolytic parameters, and the production of tissue plasminogen activator . NK capsules were also administered orally to dogs with experimentally induced thrombosis, and lysis of the thrombi was observed by angiography . The results obtained suggest that NK represents a possible drug for use not only in the treatment of embolism but also in the prevention of the disease, since NK has a proven safety and can be massproduced.

Crit Rev Biotechnol, 1990, 10(2), 93 - 118
Control/promotion of the refuse methanogenic fermentation; Senior E et al.; Although practiced for more than 7 millennia, the landfill disposal of refuse has, as yet, with few exceptions, been merely regarded as a low-cost disposal option and its exploitation potential has been largely ignored . Today, however, a number of possibilities are under consideration including the production of energy, chemical feedstock, value-added chemicals, carbon dioxide and protein; the use of refuse as an anaerobic filter for the co-disposal of industrial wastewater and sludge; and the restoration of impoverished soils by fresh or composted refuse addition . Development of these technologies, however, necessitates a comprehensive understanding of the fundamental microbiology and biochemistry of refuse catabolism . Existing fundamental knowledge underpinning these technologies will be considered in a series of review articles . In the first, control/exploitation of the solid-state refuse methanogenic fermentation is examined with specific reference to the effects of first-tier variable manipulations.

Nahrung, 1990, 34(2), 171 - 5
The influence of CDTA and DPTA on ethanol production from sugar cane molasses using Saccharomyces cerevisiae; Oderinde RA et al.; Effects of complexing agents on the sensitivity of ethanol production using Saccharomyces cerevisiae were investigated using trans-1,2-diamino-cyclohexane-N,N,N',N'-tetraacetic acid (CDTA) and diethylene triamine pentaacetic acid (DPTA) . Addition of 600 ppm CDTA during inoculation produces a maximum stimulation; ethanol production at this concentration was 1.5% (v/v) more than the control cultures (approximately 6%) . 1000 ppm CDTA produces maximum effect during propagation which was 2.3% more than the control cultures . When DPTA was introduced during inoculation, 800 ppm DPTA produces a maximum effect, which was 2.9% more than the control cultures . 200 ppm DPTA produces a maximum stimulatory effect of 1.0% more than the control cultures . No significant effect was observed when DPTA was added during fermentation but 700 ppm CDTA increased ethanol production by 1.3% more than the control cultures.

J Anim Sci, 1990 Jan, 68(1), 214 - 21
Portal-drained visceral flux of nutrients in lambs fed alfalfa or maintained by total intragastric infusion; Gross KL et al.; An experiment was performed using lambs fitted with chronic indwelling catheters in appropriate blood vessels for portal-drained visceral (PDV) flux measurements . The objective of the experiment was to evaluate PDV nutrient flux in alfalfa-fed and intragastrically infused lambs and to evaluate the effects of amount of energy and N infused on PDV nutrient metabolism . Lambs were fed alfalfa or infused with 1.64 and 10.9; 1.82 and 12.3; or 2.37 and 15.0 Mcal GE and g N/d, respectively . Arterial concentrations and PDV fluxes of glucose, L-lactate, acetate and portal blood flow were not different (P greater than .10) between alfalfa-fed and infused lambs . Net flux of alpha-amino N, ammonia N and branched-chain VFA were lower (P less than .05) and net flux of propionate, butyrate and total VFA were higher for intragastric infusion vs alfalfa . No consistent differences in PDV fluxes were noted among the three levels of energy and N infused, although the energy and N levels tested were near maintenance requirements . Nitrogen retention increased as level of energy and N infusion increased . Approximately 47, 70 and 22% of ruminally infused acetate, propionate and butyrate, respectively, were found on a net basis in portal blood as VFA . Measurements of net nutrient utilization by the PDV that eliminate the influence of ruminal fermentation are possible . How the changes in PDV tissues due to intragastric infusion influence these estimates is unknown.

Chin J Biotechnol, 1990, 6(2), 95 - 101
Technology of the divalent engineered diarrhea vaccine (K88, K99) production by high cell density fermentation and the antigen overexpression; Sun YK et al.; This paper describes the production of divalent K88, K99 antigens by high cell density fermentation and gene overexpression . The cell density reached above 40 at A600nm and the antigens were at 2(12) level . The thousands dosage of the vaccine can be made by using 10 I broth of the fermentation . The stability of the plasmid showed that about 30 percent of the bacteria lost its plasmid after 20 h fermentation . It was found that the antigens were overexpressed and located in both the pili of E . coli and in the medium in equal quantities . It means that the expression and regulation of the genes of K88, K99 may be different from the wild type of enterotoxingenic E . coli . A large number of the vaccinated pregnant sow showed that the piglets were effectively protected from the infection of enterotoxingenic E . coli . The results indicated that the large quantities requirement of the vaccine could be provided by using a small fermenter . This vaccine consists of two forms of the antigen K88, K99 which, when present in the pili as well as the medium, is more favorable to stimulate the production of antibody in the colostrum of pregnant sow.

Chin J Biotechnol, 1990, 6(2), 149 - 56
Research and application of enzyme FET sensitive to penicillin; Wang ZX et al.; Enzyme FET (Field effect transister) is a kind of new device developed recently, which is made through the combination of semiconductor and biological technology . Enzyme FET with differential output can provide automatic compensation for some external factors, e.g . variations of temperature and pH in bulk solution . By using differential measurement, drift of the output voltage with decreased time, and the sensor being miniaturized through the use of "pseudo-reference electrode" . Differential model penicillin-ENFET was constructed by modifying one of the dual ISFET gate with a membrane of cross-linked bovine serum albumin (BSA)-penicillinase and the other with a membrane of cross-linked BSA . It responded linearly to penicillin in 0.01M and 0.02M phosphate buffer with sensitivities of 6.5-7.0mV/mM and 3.2-3.6mV/mM over the concentration ranges of 0.5-14mM and 0.5-25mM, respectively . When immersed in 0.01M phosphate buffer and stored in 4 degrees C, this detector had a life time of over 6 months with only a slight decline of output . Accumulative total usage times of the detector could be over one thousand . Finally, the practical applications of differential model penicillin-ENFET in assaying penicillin concentration of fermentation broth are concerned.

Rev Elev Med Vet Pays Trop, 1990, 43(3), 323 - 4
Mycoplasmas from donkeys and horses in the Sudan; Shams el Din HE et al.; Seventeen isolates (4.27%) were recovered from 398 samples . Twelve isolates (4%) were obtained from 300 donkey nasal swabs, three (4.3%) and two (6.89%) isolates were recovered from 69 horse nasal swabs and 29 mare uterine washings, respectively . Nine isolates were lost during storage at -20 degrees C and the remaining eight were identified as mycoplasmas and their biological, biochemical and serological reactions were investigated . The isolates could be divided into two groups on the basis of glucose fermentation and arginine hydrolysis . The first group neither fermented glucose nor hydrolysed arginine . Organisms in the second group hydrolysed arginine only.

Indian J Public Health, 1990 Jan-Mar, 34(1), 35 - 7
Super ORS; Bhattacharya SK et al.; PIP: Oral rehydration therapy (ORT) prevents severe morbidity and death from mild to moderate dehydration from acute diarrhea for all ages and all etiologies . WHO advises ORT fluid to contain 3.5 g sodium chloride, 3.5 g potassium chloride, 2.5 g sodium bicarbonate or 2.9 g trisodium citrate dihydrate, and 20 g glucose all dissolved in 1 1 of water . This fluid does not reduce stool volume or frequency and does not curtail duration thus it is not always acceptable . Improved ORT is needed, however . The glucose concentration cannot be increased above the present 2% since an increased concentration would intensify diarrhea and dehydration . Researchers are working on an improved solution (Super ORS) which would rehydrate the body and actively bring on reabsorption of endogenous secretions in the intestine . Thus this improved ORS would reduce stool volume, shorten duration of diarrhea, and allow early introduction of feeding . Even though some studies demonstrate that fortified ORS with the amino acid glycine decreases stool volume by 49-70% and duration of diarrhea 28-30%, other studies indicate that it induces excess sodium concentrations in the blood . 1 study demonstrates that in comparison with the standard ORS, ORS fortified with the amino acid L-alanine reduced the severity of symptoms and the need for fluid in patients afflicted with cholera and enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli . Further studies reveal that rice powder based ORS (50-80 g/l) reduces stool volume 24-49% and duration of duration 30% . The advantage of using rice is that when it hydrolyzes glucose, amino acids, and oligopeptides emerge . Each 1 of these chemicals facilitate sodium absorption through separate pathways . Disadvantages include the fuel must be used to cook the rice, rice based ORS ferments within 8-24 hours making it useless, and the rice or pop rice needs to be ground .

Arch Oral Biol, 1990, 35(9), 759 - 64
Oxygen uptake and its relation to pH in a human salivary system during fermentation of glucose; Korayem MR et al.; Oxygen consumption by the mixed bacteria in salivary sediment was examined in relation to the decrease in pH that occurs when glucose at different concentrations (2.8 mM-1.68 M) was fermented in 4 h incubations at 37 degrees C . These experiments demonstrated that (i) the use of oxygen was extremely rapid, resulting in all cases in the PO2 decreasing within 1-2 min from atmospheric PO2 (approx . 20 kPa) to levels at or near zero; (ii) a period of about 30 min of reduced oxygen uptake consistently occurred after the initial PO2 drop, so long as salivary supernatant was present and the pH was allowed to fall; (iii) except for 11.2 mM glucose, the PO2 was kept at or near zero throughout each incubation with all glucose concentrations tested because of rapid oxygen consumption by the sediment bacteria--oxidizable substrates in the sediment and in added salivary supernatant contributed significantly to the prolonged oxygen depletion; (iv) the pH was important for determining the relative contributions of glucose and supernatant to the uptake of oxygen by the sediment bacteria and for observations (ii) and (iii) . When the acids produced during aerobic degradation of glucose were tested for stimulation of oxygen uptake, L(+)lactic stimulated more rapid uptake than did D(-)lactic acid, whereas acetic and propionic acids showed none . These findings were in agreement with a metabolic scheme proposed earlier for aerobic degradation of glucose by the sediment microflora, and indicated where and how oxygen utilization might be involved in glucose fermentation.

Yao Xue Xue Bao, 1990, 25(7), 555 - 9
{Synthesis of ganoderma alkaloid A and B}; Yang JJ et al.; Ganoderma alkaloid A (IA, 1-isopentyl-2-formyl-5-hydroxymethylpyrrole) and B (IB, 1-phenylethyl-2-formyl-5-hydroxymethylpyrrole) were discovered in the hypha of deep fermented Ganoderma capense . Both are new pyrrole alkaloids . In order to provide samples for bioassay, we completed the synthesis of these new alkaloids and their acetyl derivatives . The route of synthesis included six steps . The whole yields were 20.7% for IA and 24.7% for IB . Synthetic IA and IB were found to be identical with the natural compounds by comparison of spectral data . IA and IB showed some antiinflammatory activity in animal experiments.

Yao Xue Xue Bao, 1990, 25(8), 612 - 6
{Studies on constituents of ganoderma capense IV . The chemical structures of ganoine, ganodine and ganoderpurine}; Yu JG et al.; Two novel pyrrole alkaloids--ganoine and ganodine and a novel purine alkaloid ganoderpurine have been isolated from the mycelium of Ganoderma capense (Lloyd)Teng (Polyporaceae) obtained by submerged fermentation . On the basis of spectroscopic data their structures were elucidated, ganoine is N-isopentyl-5-hydroxymethyl-pyrryl alldehyde . Ganodine is N-phenylethyl-5-hydroxymethyl-pyrryl aldehyde and ganoderpurine is N9-(alpha, alpha dimethyl-gamma-oxobutyl) adenine.

Nahrung, 1990, 34(10), 953 - 8
The effect of different technological treatment upon the quality of milk protein; Parlapanova M; The aim of the present investigation was to study the effect of industrial processing of milk upon the chemical indices, characterizing the biological value of milk protein . Specific processes for milk industry, such as heat treatment, fat reducing and lactic acid-fermentation were traced out . The milk products studied were: raw fresh milk, nonfat milk, full fat dried milk "Vitalact 1" and dietetic curds . The processing technology of "Vitalact 1" was found to be the least affecting with regard to the protein structure . With the exception of the aromatic amino acids, isoleucine and threonine, whose quantities were reduced by not more than 5%, the percentage of all the other essential amino acids was found to be increased as compared with their initial values in raw milk . The tryptophan relative increase attained as high a value as 10.9% . The quantity of the available lysine, which in fresh milk was 1.49 g/16 g N, raised almost twice, while that of sulfur-containing amino acids was slightly reduced (7.5%) as compared with the raw milk values . It was established that fat-reducing had a manifest negative effect both on the spectrum of amino acids and upon the availability of lysine and sulfur-containing amino acids . The lactic acid-fermentation had a positive compensatory effect, although not sufficient to ensure attainment of the initial raw milk values . Fat-reducing, repeated heat-treatment and fermentation provoked substantial changes in electrophoresis mobility of milk proteins.

Nauchnye Doki Vyss Shkoly Biol Nauki, 1990, (11), 26 - 34
{The characteristics of the lecithin-cholesterol-acyltransferase reaction in the blood serum during liver regeneration}; Chirkin AA et al.; The rate of cholesterin ether formation in blood serum during the periods of rapid recovery of liver mass decreases after partial hepatectomy in rats . This effect is connected with the changes in quantity and composition of lecithin cholesterin acyltransferase (LCAT) as well the kinetic characteristics of lipoprotein of high density . This ferment was isolated from blood serum and purified in 28,500 times at different periods of liver regeneration . A conclusion concerning the presence of reverse dependence between the pronounced regeneration processes in liver and LCAT activity at high level of nonetherificated cholesterin in substrate has been drawn . Some recommendations for LCAT activity reducing processes in liver are given.

Adv Exp Med Biol, 1990, 270, 245 - 63
Improved methods for analysis and biological characterization of fiber; Jeraci JL et al.; Dietary fibers are not uniform, chemically or in their nutritive and biological properties, the only common ground being their resistance to mammalian digestive enzymes . The AOAC method for total fiber is subject to inferences from ash, protein, tannins and resistant starches . These interferences can be reduced by urea enzymatic dialysis . The measurement of soluble and insoluble fiber is nutritionally relevant, since physical properties greatly modify dietary effects of fiber . Insoluble fiber is conveniently measured as neutral-detergent fiber . This procedure has been improved by reducing the starch interference and the time of analysis . Physical and biological properties of dietary fiber can be measured by using relevant procedures for hydration capacity, metal ion exchange capacity and rate of fermentation . The lignin and tannin content modify the characteristics of dietary fiber.

Lab Delo, 1990, (5), 68 - 70
{Nutrient media for fermenting Actinomyces}; Mel'nikov VG et al.; Fitness of various commercial nutrient media, manufactured in the USSR, for isolation and cultivation of fermentation-producing actinomyces was under study . The media were tested in two stages . Reference and newly isolated actinomyces cultures were examined at stage 1, clinical material at stage 2 . Hottinger's blood agar was found the best for maintaining the growth of facultative anaerobic actinomyces and possessed the highest differentiating characteristics . This medium maintained sufficiently intensive growth of anaerobic actinomyces but only in the presence of meat extract . A liquid nutrient medium was designed, based on Hottinger's hydrolysate, that may be used for studies of these microorganisms' physiologic parameters.

Arch Tierernahr, 1990 Jan-Feb, 40(1-2), 75 - 84
{The use of ribonucleic acids as markers for the measuring of microbial protein yield in the rumen . 2 . The effect of sample treatment, the time of sampling and the composition of the ration on the RNA:N ratio in rumen microbes}; Schonhusen U et al.; In two experiments the influence of the treatment of samples, the sampling time and the composition of the rations on the RNA: N ratio in the rumen microbes was checked . Experiment I proved that freezing (-21 degrees C), thawing and freeze-drying of isolated bacteria and protozoa from the rumen fluid and from the duodenal content did not result in a change of the RNA content and the RNA-N: total N relation . If, however, the rumen fluid is stored deep-frozen before the isolation of the bacteria the N content in the DM of the bacteria decreases by 17% and that of RNA by 30% . This results in a change of the RNA: N relation of 16% . In conclusion, the bacteria are to be isolated immediately after rumen fluid sampling . Isolated bacteria can be stored deep-frozen before RNA determination and then freeze-dried . Experiment II showed that the RNA content of the rumen protozoa varies according to the period after feeding . The RNA: N relation was 0.50, 0.92, 0.70 and 0.58 on average 0, 3, 6 and 8 h after feeding, in which the 3rd hour after feeding can obviously be considered the time of increased microbial activity . The conclusion from this variation is that more than one isolation of microbes must be carried out in the course of the day in order to achieve representative samples . These statements apply to easily and not easily fermentable protein as N source in the feed . It could also be proved that no essential variation is to be expected in the RNA: N relation in the microbes isolated from the rumen fluid in the range of 8-21% crude protein in the DM of the ration (roughage: concentrate = 55: 45) . On average the rumen microbes contained 1.7 g RNA-N/16 g N, essential differences between bacteria and protozoa could not be ascertained . From the slight variation of the RNA-N: N relation in the isolated bacteria from various cows one can conclude that there is no need to isolate the microbes of each individual animal.

Biull Eksp Biol Med, 1990 Jan, 109(1), 72 - 4
{Ultrastructural features of heart insufficiency and its correction during the post-asphyxia period}; Eskunov PN et al.; The ultrastructure of myocardium was studied in the experiments on rats during 24 hours after 6-min mechanical asphyxia with following clinical death . It has been established that the contractile cardiac apparatus of myocytes lesions on the intracellular edema background is the main while energy production process impairs insignificantly . The effectiveness of anti-hypoxia, membrane stability and protease inhibiting preparations for prevention of postresuscitation myocardium lesion was examined . The contrykal protective action, suppressing the proteolytic ferment hyperactivity was determined.

Enzyme Microb Technol, 1990 Jan, 12(1), 33 - 9
Purification, characterization, and amino terminal sequence of xylose reductase from Candida shehatae; Ho NW et al.; D-Xylose is a major component of the carbohydrates derived from agricultural residues and forest products . Among more than two hundred known xylose-utilizing yeasts, only a few species are known to be able to ferment xylose anaerobically . Candida shehatae is one of such xylose-fermenting yeasts . Xylose reductase (E.C . 1.1.1.21) is a key enzyme responsible for xylose metabolism in xylose-utilizing as well as xylose-fermenting yeasts . In this paper, we report the development of a convenient and reliable procedure for the purification of xylose reductase from C . shehatae to near homogeneity . The amino acid composition and N-terminal sequence of the enzyme have also been analyzed . C . shehatae seems to contain only a single xylose reductase, but the enzyme has a dual coenzyme specificity for both NADPH and NADH . The enzyme is remarkably stable at room temperature and 4 degrees C.

Biotechnol Prog, 1990 Jan-Feb, 6(1), 7 - 12
Continuous recombinant bacterial fermentations utilizing selective flocculation and recycle; Henry KL et al.; Selective recycle has successfully been used to maintain an unstable plasmid-bearing bacterial strain as dominant in a continuous reactor, whereas the culture reverts to 100% segregant cells when selective recycle is not used . The plasmid-bearing strain is slower growing and flocculent; however, when the cells lose their plasmid, the resulting segregant cells are nonflocculent and grow at a faster rate due to their decreased metabolic burden . Both types of cells exit a chemostat and enter an inclined settler where the flocculent plasmid-bearing cells are separated from the nonflocculent segregant cells by differential sedimentation . The underflow from the cell separator, which is enriched with plasmid-bearing cells, is recycled back to the chemostat, while the segregant cells are withdrawn off the top of the settler and discarded . The experimental results agree well with selective recycle reactor theory . On the basis of the theory, a criterion is presented that has been shown to successfully predict whether or not a selective recycle reactor can maintain a plasmid-bearing strain.

J Chem Technol Biotechnol, 1990, 48(1), 61 - 70
Biomass production by a thermotolerant yeast: Hansenula polymorpha; Escalante J et al.; Biomass production at high temperature by Hansenula polymorpha as part of a lignocellulosic utilizing process was studied . Compromise growth conditions (45 degrees C and pH = 4.8) with an eventual saccharification step were established . The effects of stirring rate and initial glucose concentration on biomass yield coefficient, volumetric productivity and maximal cell density were determined . Process optimization led to a fed-batch fermentation process: high yield (0.63 g dry cell g-1 glucose), volumetric productivity (1.3 g dry cell dm-3 h-1) and cell concentration (60 g dry cell dm-3) were obtained . At these conditions, significant arabitol excretion (18 g dm-3) as a unique by-product associated with cell mass production was obtained, making more interesting a high temperature operating process.

J Chem Technol Biotechnol, 1990, 47(3), 259 - 71
Comparison of oxygen supply methods for cultures of shear-stress sensitive organisms including animal cell culture; Mano T et al.; In animal cell culture, oxygen supply sometimes limits cell growth . Therefore, four oxygen supply methods (free surface aeration, porous Teflon tubing, perfluorocarbon addition and external aerator) were compared in terms of oxygen transfer rate for suspension culture of animal cells . Oxygen transfer rate with the free surface aeration was dependent on the vertical position of the impeller and the stirred Reynolds number for h/HL greater than 0.35, but no effect of the impeller position was observed for h/HL less than 0.35 . The relationship between the Reynolds and Sherwood numbers could be expressed by simple correlations . These correlations could also be applied to oxygen transfer using porous Teflon tubing . When oxygen was supplied with perfluorocarbon saturated with air, the overall mass transfer coefficient KL was estimated to be about 9.0 X 10(-3) cm s-1, which was five-fold greater than that of the surface aeration . Maximum cell densities which would be supported by four methods were calculated from values of KLa for different sizes of fermentor assuming that oxygen supply would be the rate-limiting factor in animal cell culture.

Enzyme Microb Technol, 1990 Jan, 12(1), 40 - 5
Oxygen derepresses deacetoxycephalosporin C synthase and increases the conversion of penicillin N to cephamycin C in Streptomyces clavuligerus; Rollins MJ et al.; When dissolved oxygen (DO) was maintained at saturation level during batch fermentations of Streptomyces clavuligerus (NRRL 3585), the accumulation of the intermediate penicillin N was lowered while formation of the end product cephamycin C was increased relative to fermentations without DO control . The specific activity of the penicillin ring-expansion enzyme deacetoxycephalosporin C synthase (DAOCS) was increased 2.3-fold under oxygen saturated conditions, whereas the penicillin ring-cyclizing enzyme isopenicillin N synthase (IPNS) showed only a 1.3-fold increase . Thus oxygen derepression of DAOCS appears to be an important regulatory mechanism in the conversion of penicillin N to cephamycin C in S . clavuligerus . IPNS, an early acting enzyme in cephamycin C biosynthesis, and DAOCS, which acts late in the pathway, both disappeared from cell extracts at 60 h, just prior to cessation of cephamycin production.

J Ind Microbiol, 1990 Jan, 5(1), 1 - 8
Characterization of peptidyl-nucleoside antifungal antibiotics from fermentation broth; Cooper R et al.; Characterization of sinefungin related antifungal antibiotics from fermentation broth was accomplished by coupling photodiode array (PDA) detection to high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) . From the combined HPLC-PDA evaluation of broth filtrate, we detected five sinefungin related components . Fast atom bombardment (FAB) mass spectroscopic evaluations, mass-analysed ion kinetic energy spectra (MIKES) and collision activated (CA) MIKES of these components confirmed their respective identities . Our findings from the combination of HPLC photodiode array acquisition and FAB-mass spectrometry suggest we have detected the presence of a previously unreported sinefungin analogue.

J Chromatogr, 1989 Dec 29, 497, 59 - 68
High-performance liquid chromatographic determination of metabolic products for fermentation control of mammalian cell culture: analysis of carbohydrates, organic acids and orthophosphate using refractive index and ultraviolet detectors; Weigang F et al.; A method for the determination of carbohydrate substrates and excreted metabolic end-products of cell culture supernatants using a strong cation-exchange column in the H+ form has been developed . Organic acids and carbohydrates can be determined in addition to orthophosphoric acid . Pyrrolidone carboxylic acid, resulting from chemical conversion of the amino acid glutamine during the incubation of fresh medium and during the fermentation process, can be determined . The chromatographic method allows the correction of glutamine uptake values for physiological studies . Measured values of pyrrolidone carboxylic acid in supernatants of human hybridoma cell line show that it cannot be consumed by the cells . This technique allows the separation of major metabolites used in process optimization . Peak homogeneity is proved by on-line monitoring of the effluent with an ultraviolet (214 nm) and a refractive index detector connected in series.

J Chromatogr, 1989 Dec 22, 484, 381 - 90
Process-scale reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography purification of LL-E19020 alpha, a growth promoting antibiotic produced by Streptomyces lydicus ssp . tanzanius; Williams DR et al.; LL-E19020 alpha is a novel antibiotic produced by fermentation of the soil microorganism Streptomyces lydicus ssp . tanzanius . The compound is highly effective in inducing increases in weight gain and feed conversion efficiency in livestock . In order to obtain kilogram quantities of the material for field trials, pilot plant scale fermentations (up to 7500 l) were carried out . The antibiotic was recovered from the fermentation broth by solvent extraction . The resultant crude extract was subjected to reversed-phase (C18) chromatography on a process-scale high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) unit . The heart of the instrumentation is the Millipore Kiloprep chromatograph with the standard 12-l cartridge column . The laboratory housing the chromatograph has been specifically designed for this work . Tanks for mobile phase preparation are mounted on load cells for precise measurement of components . In this explosion-proof laboratory, all solvent handling areas are well ventilated and a separate breathing air system is provided for the operators . For the purification of the LL-E19020 antibiotics, the mobile phase consisted of a gradient of acetonitrile in 0.1 M ammonium acetate at pH 4.5 . The effluent was monitored by UV absorbance at 325 nm . Fractions were collected across the peaks of interest and these were analyzed by analytical HPLC . The maximum yield of LL-E19020 alpha obtained in a single run was approximately 100 g . The antibiotic was recovered from the mobile phase by extraction with methylene chloride . The methylene chloride phase was concentrated under reduced pressure to yield a gummy residue which was finally freeze-dried from tertiary butanol to yield an off-white solid suitable for blending with various feed components.

Gene, 1989 Dec 21, 85(1), 209 - 14
Cloning and sequence analysis of the fermentative alcohol-dehydrogenase-encoding gene of Escherichia coli; Goodlove PE et al.; A 6-kb fragment of DNA, which complemented defects in the alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH)-encoding gene (adhE) of Escherichia coli, was cloned into a multicopy vector . Both ADH and coenzyme-A-linked acetaldehyde dehydrogenase (ACDH) activities were encoded by the plasmid, pHIL8 . The adhE gene was identified as an open reading frame of 891 codons encoding an Mr 96,008 protein (minus the initiating methionine) . Codon usage analysis indicates that adhE should be highly expressed . This gene shows no significant homology to any previously sequenced ADH-encoding gene.

Rev Prat, 1989 Dec 11, 39(29), 2598 - 602
{What is the status of fermentation diarrhea?}; Rambaud JC et al.; Diarrhoea "whith" bacterial fermentation is characterized by acidic liquid stools containing high amounts of organic acids . Carbohydrate malabsorption is the main cause; the mechanism of diarrhoea is an osmotic one, and colonic fermentation does reduce the diarrhoea . It is unlikely that starch malabsorption induces significant diarrhoea, whereas the consumption of high amounts of fibers is responsible for a "physiologic" diarrhoea . Colonic fermentations increase diarrhoea due to organic colitis and the "diarrhees motrices" . They can be responsible for some intestinal symptoms in patients with the irritable bowel syndrome . This does not imply a "hyperfermentative" process due to a hypothetical disturbance of colonic microbial ecology.

FEBS Lett, 1989 Dec 4, 258(2), 313 - 6
Isolation and characterization of the gene encoding phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase from Saccharomyces cerevisiae; Valdes-Hevia MD et al.; The yeast PCK1 gene coding for phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK) was isolated by functional complementation of pck1 strains from S . cerevisiae . Only one copy of the gene was found per haploid yeast genome . An RNA of about 2 kb which hybridized with a DNA probe internal to the PCK1 gene was found only in cells growing in non-fermentable carbon sources . Yeast strains carrying multiple copies of the PCK1 gene showed normal catabolite repression of PEPCK except those carrying the shortest insertion complementing the mutation (2.2 kb) that presented an altered kinetics of derepression . Catabolite inactivation was decreased in strains transformed with multicopy plasmids carrying the PCK1 gene.

Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1989 Dec, (12), 16 - 22
{The tentative identification of actinomycetes of the oral cavity by a complex of key morphophysiological signs}; Mel'nikov VG et al.; In this work the results obtained in the study of the morphology of 208 Actinomyces strains isolated from the oral cavity and a wide spectrum of their enzymatic activity are presented . The identification of these strains was carried out on the basis of chemotaxonomic criteria . Bacteria belonging to the same taxonomic group were found to have considerable similarity in their morphological and physiological features . On the basis of the data obtained in this study a simplified scheme of the tentative identification of fermentative Actinomyces, suitable for use by a wide circle of researchers, is presented.

Biofactors, 1989 Dec, 2(2), 105 - 12
Comparison of two chemical cleavage methods for preparation of a truncated form of recombinant human insulin-like growth factor I from a secreted fusion protein; Forsberg G et al.; We have produced a naturally occurring variant of human insulin-like growth factor I, truncated by three amino acids at the amino terminus . The polypeptide is obtained as a fusion protein in Escherichia coli . The fusion partner is a synthetic IgG-binding peptide . During fermentation the fusion protein is secreted into the medium, and is purified on IgG--Sepharose prior to cleavage . Two different genes for the fusion protein were used, allowing chemical cleavage at either a tryptophan linker or a methionine linker between the fusion partner and the growth factor, using N-chlorosuccinimide (NCS) or cyanogen bromide (CNBr) respectively . A partial CNBr cleavage yielded the native peptide, whereas the NCS cleavage yielded a product in which the single methionine had been oxidized to the sulfoxide . The forms from both cleavage methods exhibited biological activity and were characterized after purification to homogeneity . Both cleavage methods gave products having correct N- and C-terminal ends . The purified product had a biological activity equal to that of corresponding material from natural sources, 15 000 U/mg . Modified forms of truncated IGF-I were also identified, purified and characterized . Modifications such as proteolysis and misincorporation of norleucine for methionine occurred during biosynthesis, while oxidation of methionine took place during both fermentation and chemical cleavage.

Can J Microbiol, 1989 Dec, 35(12), 1111 - 7
Isopenicillin N synthase and desacetoxycephalosporin C synthase activities during defined medium fermentations of Streptomyces clavuligerus: effect of oxygen and iron supplements; Rollins MJ et al.; When the level of dissolved oxygen was increased to saturation in defined media fermentations of Streptomyces clavuligerus, the total duration of activity of the penicillin ring cyclization enzyme, isopenicillin N synthase (IPNS), was extended by at least 20 h; however, no increase in the stability of the ring expansion enzyme, desacetoxycephalosporin C synthase (DAOCS), was observed . Consequently, the conversion of the excreted intermediate penicillin N to cephamycin C was 15-20% less efficient at this high oxygen concentration . The increased dissolved oxygen level also led to the complete loss of IPNS and DAOCS activities for 4 h during the period of fastest growth, and the rate of specific cephamycin C production fell to zero . A several hundred fold increase in the level of iron in the defined media resulted in a sixfold improvement in the rate of specific cephamycin C production after 60 h fermentation . This increased rate appeared to be due to an elevation in the in vivo activities of a number of the cephamycin biosynthetic enzymes, particularly those catalysing later pathway steps.

J Antibiot (Tokyo), 1989 Dec, 42(12), 1768 - 74
Leinamycin, a new antitumor antibiotic from Streptomyces: producing organism, fermentation and isolation; Hara M et al.; Leinamycin (DC 107) is newly discovered antitumor antibiotic with an unusual 1,3-dioxo-1,2-dithiolane structure . Five different producing strains were isolated from soils collected in Japan during 1985-1988 and were taxonomically assigned as Streptomyces . Fermentation studies indicate: Leinamycin was unstable in culture broth . A chemically defined medium could be designed for a preferable production . Streptomyces sp . S-140 grew on medium supplemented with Zn2+ and high porus polymer resin and accumulated 32 micrograms/ml of leinamycin . Improved isolation methods are described along with identification of mikamycin A co-produced with leinamycin by the strain S-140.

J Antibiot (Tokyo), 1989 Dec, 42(12), 1734 - 40
Novel cytocidal antibiotics, glucopiericidinols A1 and A2 . Taxonomy, fermentation, isolation, structure elucidation and biological characteristics; Funayama S et al.; Two novel antibiotics, glucopiericidinols A1 (1) and A2 (2) were isolated from the cultured broth of Streptomyces sp . OM-5689 . The structures of these two compounds were deduced employing spectroscopic analyses . These antibiotics showed potent cytocidal activities against HeLa S3 cells in vitro (MIC 1: 0.39 microgram/ml, 2: 0.10 microgram/ml) when the cells were exposed to the antibiotics for 3 days . Although 1 and 2 showed no activity at 1,000 micrograms/ml against various Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, yeast or fungi, they did have inhibitory activity against Piricularia oryzae (MIC of 1: 125 micrograms/ml, of 2: 31 micrograms/ml).

Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1989 Dec, 33(12), 2089 - 91
Microbial glycosylation of erythromycin A; Kuo MS et al.; Erythromycin A (compound 1) was inactivated by Streptomyces vendargensis ATCC 25507 in fermentation . The inactivation product was isolated and characterized by nuclear magnetic resonance and mass spectroscopy as 2'-(O-{beta-D-glucopyranosyl})erythromycin A (compound 2) . The MICs of compounds 1 and 2 were determined . Compound 2 lacked antibiotic activity when tested against several gram-positive pathogens, as well as S . vendargensis.

Parasitology, 1989 Dec, 99 Pt 3, 427 - 35
Comparison of glycolysis and glutaminolysis in Onchocerca volvulus and Brugia pahangi by 13C nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy; MacKenzie NE et al.; Comparison of glycolysis in Brugia pahangi and Onchocerca volvulus by 13C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy showed that the former organism is predominantly a lactate fermenter and the latter resembles more closely the metabolism of a mixed acid fermenter producing lactate, succinate, acetate, ethanol, formate and carbon dioxide . Both organisms synthesize glycogen as a storage carbohydrate . Glutaminolysis in both organisms proceeds by the delta-amino-butyrate shunt to produce succinate which is then further metabolized to acetate and carbon dioxide as end-products.

J Econ Entomol, 1989 Dec, 82(6), 1843 - 5
Screening method for insecticidal activity using first instars of black blow fly (Diptera: Calliphoridae); Boisvenue RJ et al.; A bioassay method suitable for rapid mass screening of fermentation and synthetic organic compounds for insecticidal activity is described . The test, which uses first instars of susceptible black blow fly, Phormia regina (Meigen), in a bovine serum medium, detects insecticidal activity with reproducible results . It is capable of selecting the most active compound in structure-activity relationships by minimum effective dose concentration studies . The bioassay system is easy to operate and requires only a minute quantity of chemical compound.

Experientia, 1989 Dec 1, 45(11-12), 1061 - 5
Solid state fermentation for cephalosporin production by Streptomyces clavuligerus and Cephalosporium acremonium; Jermini MF et al.; Solid state fermentation systems were developed for the production of cephalosporins with Streptomyces clavuligerus and Cephalosporium acremonium . S . clavuligerus NRRL 3585 was grown on moistened barley under optimum solid state fermentation conditions for 7 days; approximately 300 micrograms cephalosporins per g substrate were extracted from the kernels . C . acremonium C-10 produced approximately 950 micrograms cephalosporin C per g substrate after 10 days of solid state fermentation.

Am J Clin Nutr, 1989 Dec, 50(6), 1303 - 7
Effect of breakfast cereals on short-term food intake; Levine AS et al.; We evaluated the effect of high-fiber cereals on short-term food intake . At 0730, 14 subjects ingested one of five cereals, plus milk and orange juice . At 1100 they were presented with a buffet lunch . There was a significant inverse correlation between fiber content of the cereals and energy intake at lunch . In a second study subjects ingested a very-high-fiber (VHF) cereal or a very-low-fiber (VLF) cereal . Fewer kcalories were ingested at lunch after ingestion of the VHF cereal than after ingestion of the VLF cereal . The degree of colonic microbial fermentation of the various cereals was evaluated by breath-hydrogen analysis . The higher-fiber cereals resulted in greater hydrogen production; however, this may not influence energy intake . The results of questionnaires that asked about hunger indicated that food intake can be reduced without the perception of feeling less hungry . Thus, we found that cereals containing relatively large quantities of dietary fiber may decrease short-term food intake.

J Gen Microbiol, 1989 Dec, 135 ( Pt 12), 3485 - 95
Effect of bicarbonate on the growth of Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans in anaerobic fructose-limited chemostat culture; Ohta H et al.; The effect of bicarbonate on the growth and product formation by a periodontopathic bacterium, Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans, was examined in an anaerobic chemostat culture with fructose as the limiting nutrient . The chemostat cultures were run at dilution rates between 0.04 and 0.25 h-1 and the maximum growth yield (Ymax fructose) was estimated to be 40.3 and 61.7 g dry wt (mol fructose)-1 in the absence and presence of bicarbonate, respectively . The major fermentation products in the absence of bicarbonate were formate, acetate, ethanol and succinate, with small amounts of lactate . The addition of bicarbonate to the medium resulted in a marked decrease in ethanol production and in a significant increase in succinate production . Washed cells possessed activity for the cleavage of formate to CO2 and H2, which seemed to play a role in supplying CO2 for the synthesis of succinate in the absence of bicarbonate . The study of enzyme activities in cell-free extracts suggested that fructose was fermented by the Embden-Meyerhof-Parnas pathway . The values of Ymax ATP and the efficiency of ATP generation (ATP-Eff) during fructose catabolism were estimated and higher values were obtained for the culture in the presence of bicarbonate: 20.2 g dry wt (mol ATP)-1 and 3.0 mol ATP (mol fructose)-1, respectively, versus Ymax ATP = 15.1 and ATP-Eff = 2.7 in the absence of bicarbonate.

Indian J Exp Biol, 1989 Dec, 27(12), 1101 - 2
Effect of various organic compounds on synthesis of glucoamylase by an isolated strain Penicillium italicum; Nandi R et al.; Yeast extract (0.5%) stimulates the production of glucoamylase and cell synthesis while methylene blue (0.1 mM) activates the synthesis of glucoamylase . Studies on the metabolic changes during fermentation of glucoamylase in a selected medium by P . italicum show that the rate of production of glucoamylase and cellular growth are greatly accelerated between 48 and 168 hr . Rapid growth of cells during this period may account for enhanced utilization of maltose and NH4NO3 from the medium . The acid production remains constant from 48 to 144 hr . Different forms of nitrogen decrease steadily . Although methylene blue stimulates the production of glucoamylase in the broth it has practically no effect on the rate of utilization of amino and total nitrogen from the broth.

J Trop Pediatr, 1989 Dec, 35(6), 281 - 4
Management of malnourished children with acute diarrhoea and sugar intolerance; Beau JP et al.; A protocol of nutritional rehabilitation using fermented milk, vegetable oil, and castor sugar has been tested on 54 Senegalese children age 6-36 months admitted with acute diarrhoea and malnutrition . At time of admission, 39 per cent of children were dehydrated and 26 per cent had sugar intolerance . In the course of treatment three absconded and one died from acute pneumonia with respiratory and heart failure . Among those with marasmus there were no differences in mean weight gains between children with sugar intolerance and others, despite a longer duration of diarrhoea in the first group . Furthermore, the treatment protocol has never been compromised because of worsening diarrhoea or weight loss . These results indicate that a formula based on fermented milk together with oral rehydration can be used to treat malnourished children with acute diarrhoea and sugar intolerance.

J S Afr Vet Assoc, 1989 Dec, 60(4), 223 - 7
A review of energy metabolism in producing ruminants . Part 1: Metabolism of energy substrates; van der Walt JG et al.; The efficiency of metabolisable energy utilisation, for growth and fattening, is dependent upon the relative VFA proportions produced in the rumen . Sufficient propionate is required to meet glucose demand for producing NADPH, glycerol and nucleic acid synthesis . Since diet has the greatest effect on the pattern of VFA fermentation, it will play a major role in controlling the supply of VFA to the animal . Magnitude of the acetate supply determines the proportion of acetate supplied to oxidation or to fatty acid synthesis, which is also dependent upon the extracellular supply of glucose, NADPH and ATP . Since the optimal levels of acetate and glucose for lipogenesis appear to vary with glucose concentration, a diet that decreases the supply of glucogenic precursors, but increases the acetate supply, may suppress fatty acid synthesis . An increased supply of propionate may suppress glucose synthesis from other sources . The isoenergetic replacement of roughage by concentrate, appears to increase the glucose entry rate, due to both an increase in propionate, and glucose absorbed from the small intestine . Dietary nitrogen source also affects the rate of gluconeogenesis . An optimum dietary energy-protein ratio exists for maximum efficiency of utilisation of both dietary energy and protein . In dairy cows, for example, the energy is most effectively metabolised when protein content of the diet is 15-25% of net energy.

Nippon Juigaku Zasshi, 1989 Dec, 51(6), 1123 - 7
Effect of short-chain fatty acids on pancreatic exocrine secretion in calves aged 2 weeks and 13 weeks; Kato S et al.; Effects of short-chain fatty acids on pancreatic exocrine secretion were studied under anesthesia in calves within 2 weeks of age (2-wks calves) given only whole milk and milk replacement and in which rumen fermentation has not begun yet, and in calves at 13 weeks of age (13-wks calves) weaned at 40 days of age and in which rumen fermentation has already begun . Basal rate of juice flow and protein concentration and amylase activity in pancreatic juice under basal condition were significantly lower in the 2-wks calves than those in the 13-wks calves . Intravenous administrations of acetate, propionate and butyrate stimulated pancreatic juice secretion and protein and amylase output in both groups of calves . Those responses were increased with increasing carbon number in the molecule of fatty acids . Although the response of amylase output (/kg of body weight) in the 2-wks calves was significantly less than that in the 13-wks calves, the response of juice flow and protein output (/kg of body weight) in the 2-wks calves were equivalent to or greater than those in the 13-wks calves . These results indicate that the characteristic of pancreas, being stimulated by short-chain fatty acids, in calves and probably in other ruminants is not generated on the process of postnatal development, but has been already acquired before rumen fermentation begins.

J Immunol Methods, 1989 Nov 30, 124(2), 171 - 7
Comparison of immunoglobulin binding capacities and ligand leakage using eight different protein A affinity chromatography matrices; Fuglistaller P; The capacities of eight protein A affinity chromatography matrices were determined in a column using a purified monoclonal mouse IgG3 antibody . The capacities ranged from 0.5 to 20 mg IgG3/ml gel . Protein A-Sepharose Fast Flow exhibited the highest capacity . Each column was tested for leakage of protein A in the presence or absence of IgG3 at pH 8.9, 4.0 and 3.0 . In the absence of immunoglobulins significant leakage could only be detected at pH 8.9 . In the presence of immunoglobulins, considerable leakage was also found at pH 4.0, the point at which the immunoglobulins eluted . Depending on the matrix used, the IgG3 eluted from the protein A columns exhibited a contamination of 1.8-88 ppm (weight/weight) protein A . Amongst the gels with IgG3 capacities greater than 10 mg/ml, the least contamination with protein A was observed in the IgG3 fractions from immobilized rProtein A and Protein A-Sepharose CL-4B (Fermentech).

J Chromatogr, 1989 Nov 3, 481, 245 - 54
High-performance liquid chromatographic determination of delta-(L-alpha-aminoadipyl)-L-cysteinyl-D-valine in complex media by precolumn derivatisation with dansylaziridine; Orford CD et al.; A novel method is described for the trace level quantitation of the tripeptide delta-(L-alpha-aminoadipyl)-L-cysteinyl-D-valine (ACV) in complex fermentation media, using a high-performance liquid chromatographic, pre-column derivatisation technique . The procedure is based upon the reaction of the ACV monomer with 5-dimethylaminonaphthalene-1-sulphonylaziridine (dansylaziridine) and produces a highly fluorescent product . Reaction conditions between the reagent and tripeptide were investigated and optimal conditions established . Linear calibration graphs were obtained over the ranges 227-0.56 micrograms/ml and 227-5.6 ng/ml . The extracellular ACV levels produced in fermentation broths of several different fungal strains and species were determined using this technique . The method was compared using ACV standards in buffer solutions for ease of use, sensitivity and selectivity with two other pre-column derivatisation procedures, using dithionitrobenzoic acid and monobromobimane, which also exploit the reaction with the sulphydryl group of the ACV monomer.

Am J Trop Med Hyg, 1989 Nov, 41(5), 586 - 600
Virus-like infectious agent (VLIA) is a novel pathogenic mycoplasma: Mycoplasma incognitus; Lo SC et al.; The newly recognized pathogenic virus-like infectious agent (VLIA), originally reported in patients with AIDS but also known to be pathogenic in previously healthy non-AIDS patients and in non-human primates, was cultured in cell-free conditions using a modified SP-4 medium and classified as a member of the order Mycoplasmatales, class Mollicutes . The infectious microorganism is tentatively referred to as Mycoplasma incognitus . M . incognitus has the unique biochemical properties of utilizing glucose both aerobically and anaerobically, as well as having the ability to metabolize arginine . Among all known human mycoplasmas, these specific biochemical characteristics were found previously only in a rarely isolated species, M . fermentans . In comparison with M . fermentans, M . incognitus appears to be even more fastidious in cultivation requirements and fails to grow in all tested mycoplasma media other than modified SP-4 medium . In addition, M . incognitus grows much more slowly, has a smaller spherical particle size and occasional filamentous morphology, and forms only irregular and very small colonies with diffuse edges on agar plates . Antigenic analysis using polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies and DNA analysis of sequence homology and restriction enzyme mappings in M . incognitus, M . orale, M . hyorhinis, M . hominis, M . pneumoniae, M . fermentans, M . arginini, M . genitalium, M . salivarium, Ureaplasma urealyticum, and Acholeplasma laidlawii revealed that M . incognitus is distinct from other mycoplasmas, but is most closely related to M . fermentans.

J Bacteriol, 1989 Nov, 171(11), 6148 - 54
Identification and characterization of the maltose permease in genetically defined Saccharomyces strain; Chang YS et al.; Saccharomyces yeasts ferment several alpha-glucosides including maltose, maltotriose, turanose, alpha-methylglucoside, and melezitose . In the utilization of these sugars transport is the rate-limiting step . Several groups of investigators have described the characteristics of the maltose permease (D . E . Kroon and V . V . Koningsberger, Biochim . Biophys . Acta 204:590-609, 1970; R . Serrano, Eur . J . Biochem . 80:97-102, 1977) . However, Saccharomyces contains multiple alpha-glucoside transport systems, and these studies have never been performed on a genetically defined strain shown to have only a single permease gene . In this study we isolated maltose-negative mutants in a MAL6 strain and, using a high-resolution mapping technique, we showed that one class of these mutants, the group A mutants, mapped to the MAL61 gene (a member of the MAL6 gene complex) . An insertion into the N-terminal-coding region of MAL61 resulted in the constitutive production of MAL61 mRNA and rendered the maltose permease similarly constitutive . Transformation by high-copy-number plasmids containing the MAL61 gene also led to an increase in the maltose permease . A deletion-disruption of MAL61 completely abolished maltose transport activity . Taken together, these results prove that this strain has only a single maltose permease and that this permease is the product of the MAL61 gene . This permease is able to transport maltose and turanose but cannot transport maltotriose, alpha-methylglucoside, or melezitose . The construction of strains with only a single permease will allow us to identify other maltose-inducible transport systems by simple genetic tests and should lead to the identification and characterization of the multiple genes and gene products involved in alpha-glucoside transport in Saccharomyces yeasts.

Am J Hosp Pharm, 1989 Nov, 46(11 Suppl 2), S9 - 11
Human insulin: DNA technology's first drug; The MJ; The history, biologic activity, and immunogenicity of human insulin are described . Recombinant human insulin first entered clinical trials in humans in 1980 . At that time, the A and B chains of the insulin molecule were produced separately and then combined by chemical techniques . Since 1986, a different recombinant process has been used . The human genetic coding for proinsulin is inserted into Escherichia coli cells, which are then grown by fermentation to produce proinsulin . The connecting peptide is cleaved enzymatically from proinsulin to produce human insulin . Studies indicate that there are no important differences between pork insulin and human insulin in terms of therapeutic efficacy and disposition after intravenous administration . Recombinant human insulin has a faster onset of action and lower immunogenicity than pork or beef insulin . Diabetic patients may have an improvement in glucose concentrations when their therapy is switched from animal-source insulin to human insulin . Such a change usually requires a dosage adjustment, which must be determined by a physician . Pharmacists are responsible for educating patients concerning all insulin products and for preventing patients from interchanging insulin products . The availability of human insulin as the first pharmaceutical product manufactured through recombinant DNA technology, however, has had little effect on the pharmacist's role in the care of such patients . The production of human insulin through recombinant DNA technology represents an important advance in the treatment of patients with diabetes.

J Bacteriol, 1989 Nov, 171(11), 6213 - 7
Anaerobic fermentation balance of Escherichia coli as observed by in vivo nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy; Alam KY et al.; Fermenting anaerobic cultures of Escherichia coli were observed by the nonintrusive technique of in vivo, whole-culture nuclear magnetic resonance . Fermentation balances were calculated for hexoses, pentoses, sugar alcohols, and sugar acids . Substrates more reduced than glucose yielded more of the highly reduced fermentation product ethanol, whereas more-oxidized substrates produced more of the less-reduced fermentation product acetate . These relationships were made more obvious by the introduction of ldhA mutations, which abolished lactate production, and delta frd mutations, which eliminated succinate . When grown anaerobically on sugar alcohols such as sorbitol, E . coli produced ethanol in excess of the amount calculated by the standard fermentation pathways . Reducing equivalents must be recycled from formate to account for this excess of ethanol . In mutants deficient in hydrogenase (hydB), ethanol production from sorbitol was greatly decreased, implying that hydrogen gas released from formate by the formate-hydrogen lyase system may be partially recycled, in the wild type, to increase the yield of the highly reduced fermentation product ethanol.

Antibiot Khimioter, 1989 Nov, 34(11), 814 - 6
{Determining the conditions for stimulation of levorin biosynthesis in the presence of succinic acid}; Ku'zmin VN et al.; Conditions promoting the stimulating effect of succinic acid on biosynthesis of levorin were determined . The optimal concentration of succinate was shown to be equal to 0.05-0.3 per cent and the best time for the addition was before inoculation . The most pronounced stimulating effect was observed when the initial pH value of the fermentation medium was equal to 7.0 . The important role of ammonium nitrogen in manifestation of the succinic acid stimulating effect on biosynthesis of levorin was suggested.

Zhonghua Yu Fang Yi Xue Za Zhi, 1989 Nov, 23(6), 352 - 4
{A study on the effect of fermented soybean in preventing iron deficiency anemia in children}; Qin HS; Using the fermenting technique that hydrolysis the phytate in soybeans . The absorption rate of iron was improved and a series of fermented soya foods were produced . Feeding the fermented food to 437 children for 6 months, the incidence of IDA children significantly decreased from 21.7% to 1.25% . The iron absorption rate (21.8%) in the children given the diet containing fermented soy was significantly higher than that of (14.2%) in the children given the bland diet (control group) and about the same as that in the FeSO4 group (22.48%) 58Fe.

J Dairy Sci, 1989 Nov, 72(11), 2991 - 8
Effects of fish meals on rumen bacterial fermentation in continuous culture; Hoover WH et al.; Effects of various forms of fish meal on microbial metabolism were investigated in continuous cultures of rumen contents . Five diets were formulated to contain 12% ruminally degradable protein and 47 to 48% nonstructural carbohydrate . Soybean meal was the major protein source in the control diet, whereas in the other four diets, various fish meals were substituted for 6% of total diet DM . Fish meals were: fish meal containing 34.4% FFA, fish meal containing 34.4% FFA with CaCl2 added, fish meal containing 65.6% FFA, and fish meal defatted using 1:1 ethanol:ether extraction . The five treatments were fermented with pH either held constant at 6.2 or not controlled . When pH was maintained at 6.2, the inclusion of any fish meal except defatted fish meal reduced the acetate:propionate ratio, decreased protein digestion, and reduced microbial N produced/per kilogram DM digested when compared with the soybean control . When not controlled, pH decreased after feeding to 6.0 or lower . Under these conditions, the soybean control had a lower acetate:propionate ratio and lower NDF digestion than all diets containing fish meal . In this study, oil-containing fish meal affected microbial metabolism more negatively when the fermentation pH was held at 6.2 than when the pH was 6.0 or lower.

J Dairy Sci, 1989 Nov, 72(11), 2981 - 90
Effect of ammoniated barley silage on ruminal fermentation, nitrogen supply to the small intestine, ruminal and whole tract digestion, and milk production of Holstein cows; Song MK et al.; The effect of ammonia on barley silage fermentation characteristics, and the digestion and utilization of ammoniated barley silage by lactating Holstein cows fed three isonitrogenous diets (14.5% CP, DM basis) were examined . Whole plant barley was chopped and treated with anhydrous ammonia (1%, DM basis) at ensiling . Untreated barley silage was supplemented with either canola meal or urea . Cows were fed complete mixed diets (50% silage and 50% concentrate mixture, DM basis) . Addition of ammonia increased total N, water-insoluble N, lactic acid, and pH in silage . Based on the application rate, 77.7% of the added ammonia N was recovered, and increased water-insoluble N was equal to 49.8% of added ammonia N . Addition of ammonia to barley silage increased ruminal concentrations of ammonia and propionate, and supplies of nonammonia N, microbial N, and total N to the small intestine . Ruminal effective degradabilities of DM and CP of barley silage and complete mixed diets, and whole tract digestibility of DM and CP of complete mixed diets were not affected by supplemental N source . Milk yield and milk composition of cows fed the ammoniated barley silage were similar to those of cows fed the diets supplemented with canola meal or urea.

J Assoc Off Anal Chem, 1989 Nov-Dec, 72(6), 873 - 6
Ethyl carbamate levels in selected fermented foods and beverages; Canas BJ et al.; Ethyl carbamate (EC), also known as urethane, is an animal carcinogen and a by-product of fermentation . Because EC has been found in distilled spirits and wines, a variety of fermented foods and beverages were analyzed to assess its occurrence in other products . Previously described methods using a gas chromatograph-thermal energy analyzer with a nitrogen converter were modified for each matrix and gave recoveries of greater than 80%, with a limit of detection in the 1-2 micrograms/kg (ppb) range . A total of 152 test samples were analyzed; EC levels ranged from none found to 3 ppb in 15 cheeses, 6 teas, 12 yogurts, and 8 ciders; from none found to 13 ppb in 30 breads and 69 malt beverages; and from none found to 84 ppb in 12 soy sauces . Gas chromatography/mass spectrometry/mass spectrometry was used to confirm EC identity and to quantitate EC in selected food extracts.

J Anim Sci, 1989 Nov, 67(11), 3040 - 51
Influence of soybean meal and sorghum grain supplementation on intake, digesta kinetics, ruminal fermentation, site and extent of digestion and microbial protein synthesis in beef steers grazing blue grama rangeland; Krysl LJ et al.; Six beef steers (British x Brahman) cannulated at the rumen, duodenum and ileum (avg wt 334 kg) and three mature steers (British x British) cannulated at the esophagus were used in a replicated 3 x 3 latin square design and fed no supplement (C), .5 kg soybean meal (SBM) or .5 kg steam-flaked sorghum grain (SFS).head-1.d-1 (DM basis) while grazing blue grama rangeland . Periods of the latin square included a minimum of 14 d for adaptation and 11 d for esophageal masticate collection and digesta sampling . In September, October and November, respectively, forage collected by esophageally cannulated steers averaged 74.5, 88.8 and 71.0% grasses; 2.06, 1.53 and 1.77% N and 68.3, (P greater than .10) by treatment, but total N intake was greater (P less than .05) for SBM vs C and SFS treatments . No differences (P greater than .10) were detected among treatments in OM, NDF, ADF and N digestibilities in the rumen, small intestine or hindgut, but total tract OM digestibility was greater (P less than .10) for SBM and SFS than for C, and total tract N digestibility was greater (P less than .10) for SBM than for C or SFS . Duodenal ammonia N flow was greater (P less than .05) when SBM was fed that when SFS and C were fed, but microbial N and non-ammonia, non-microbial N flows and microbial efficiency were not altered by treatment . Likewise, ileal N flow was not affected (P greater than .10) by treatment . Particulate passage rate, gastrointestinal mean retention time, forage in vitro OM disappearance and in situ rate of forage NDF digestion also were not affected (P greater than .10) by treatments . Ruminal fluid volume was greater (P less than .05) for SFS vs SBM and C treatments, but no differences were noted in fluid dilution rate . Ruminal fluid ammonia concentration was greater (P less than .05) when SBM was fed than when SFS and C were fed (13.5, 9.9 and 8.7 mg/dl, respectively), whereas pH and total VFA concentrations were not different (P greater than .10) . Proportion of acetate in ruminal fluid was less (P less than .10) for SBM and SFS than for C . Small amounts of supplemental SBM and SFS had little effect on forage intake, ruminal fermentation and site of digestion but both increased total tract OM digestion in steers grazing blue grama rangeland.

J Antibiot (Tokyo), 1989 Nov, 42(11), 1610 - 8
UK-69,753, a novel member of the efrotomycin family of antibiotics . II . Structure determination and biological activity; Jefson MR et al.; A novel antibiotic, UK-69,753, has been isolated from a submerged fermentation of Amycolatopsis orientalis strain N731-15 . UK-69,753 has been assigned the structure 1 using spectroscopic means, primarily by NMR analysis . UK-69,753 is a glycoside of factumycin (A40A), a previously reported member of a small group of antibiotics related to aurodox and efrotomycin . UK-69,753 was shown to have potent activity both in vitro and in vivo against the swine pathogen Treponema hyodysenteriae.

J Antibiot (Tokyo), 1989 Nov, 42(11), 1599 - 606
Epiderstatin, a new inhibitor of the mitogenic activity induced by epidermal growth factor . I . Taxonomy, fermentation, isolation and characterization; Osada H et al.; Inhibitors of mitogenic activity induced by epidermal growth factor (EGF) were screened from culture broths of soil microorganisms . A strain of actinomycetes has been found to produce a new glutarimide antibiotic named epiderstatin which inhibits the incorporation of {3H}thymidine into quiescent animal cells stimulated by EGF . Taxonomic studies have revealed that the producing strain belongs to a subspecies of Streptomyces pulveraceus, thus the name, Streptomyces pulveraceus subsp . epiderstagenes was given to this strain . The molecular formula (C15H20N2O4) and UV profile (lambda max 295 nm) of the antibiotic are distinct from other known antibiotics . It inhibited the incorporation of {3H}thymidine into quiescent cells stronger than into growing cells.

J Antibiot (Tokyo), 1989 Nov, 42(11), 1593 - 8
A novel series of milbemycin antibiotics from Streptomyces strain E225 . I . Discovery, fermentation and anthelmintic activity; Hood JD et al.; A novel series of milbemycin antibiotics were produced by soil isolate, strain E225 which was shown to be a Streptomyces species . The antibiotics displayed anthelmintic activity against Trichostrongylus colubriformis in the gerbil . Two of the compounds, VM 44857 and VM 44866 were shown to be potent anthelmintics against mixed nematode infections in sheep.

J Antibiot (Tokyo), 1989 Nov, 42(11), 1589 - 92
FK409, a novel vasodilator isolated from the acid-treated fermentation broth of Streptomyces griseosporeus . III . Reaction mechanism and synthesis; Hino M et al.; FK409 (1), a novel vasodilator, is a semi-artificial fermentation product of Streptomyces griseosporeus No . 16917, which was cultured in a medium containing nitrate . And the acid-treatment of the broth is essential for the generation of FK409 . FK409 was considered to be formed via a novel synchronous nitrosation-nitration reaction of FR-900411 (2) which was produced by the strain as a precursor of FK409 . The conversion of FK-900411 to FK409 proceeded under acidic conditions with nitrite formed by microbial reduction of nitrate . Total synthesis of FK409 was achieved starting from (E)-2-ethyl-2-butenal (3) via a nitrosation reaction of FR-900411 (2) as a key step.

J Antibiot (Tokyo), 1989 Nov, 42(11), 1584 - 8
FK409, a novel vasodilator isolated from the acid-treated fermentation broth of Streptomyces griseosporeus . II . Structure of FK409 and its precursor FR-900411; Hino M et al.; In a purification study of novel vasodilator FK409 from the fermentation broth of Streptomyces griseosporeus, we found the existence of FR-900411, a precursor of FK409 in the broth, suggesting that FK409 was derived from FR-900411 via a chemical reaction . We therefore isolated FR-900411 from the broth . The structure of FK409 and FR-900411 were determined to be 1 and 2 respectively, on the basis of spectroscopic and chemical evidence.

J Antibiot (Tokyo), 1989 Nov, 42(11), 1578 - 83
FK409, a novel vasodilator isolated from the acid-treated fermentation broth of Streptomyces griseosporeus . I . Taxonomy, fermentation, isolation, and physico-chemical and biological characteristics; Hino M et al.; FK409, a novel vasodilator with anti-platelet aggregation activity, has been isolated from the acid-treated fermentation broth of Streptomyces griseosporeus No . 16917, which was cultured on a medium containing NaNO3 for 4 days . FK409 was purified from the culture-filtrate by extraction with ethyl acetate after adjusting the pH to 3.0 with HC1, followed by silica gel chromatography . The molecular formula of this compound was determined to be C8H13N3O4 . In vitro, FK409 showed a potent relaxation activity on noradrenaline induced contraction of rat aorta . In addition to the vasodilating activity, this compound also showed potent anti-aggregation activities towards rabbit platelets . In vivo, intravenously administered FK409 resulted in marked blood pressure lowering in rats.

J Antibiot (Tokyo), 1989 Nov, 42(11), 1535 - 40
Novel antifungal antibiotics maniwamycins A and B . I . Taxonomy of the producing organism, fermentation, isolation, physico-chemical properties and biological properties; Nakayama M et al.; Two antifungal antibiotics maniwamycins A and B were isolated from the culture broth of a strain of actinomycetes, which were classified as Streptomyces prasinopilosus . These antibiotics were isolated by resin absorption and extraction with EtOAc and purified by column chromatography . Both antibiotics were found to be new azoxy substances from their physico-chemical properties . They showed broad antifungal spectra.

J Nutr, 1989 Nov, 119(11), 1625 - 30
Effects of feeding fermentable carbohydrates on the cecal concentrations of minerals and their fluxes between the cecum and blood plasma in the rat; Demigne C et al.; This study was conducted to determine in rats to what extent fermentable carbohydrates alter the mineral composition of cecal contents and the absorption of the major cations . The carbohydrates studied were as follows: an oligosaccharide (lactulose, 10%); a soluble fiber (pectin, 10%); and an amylose-rich starch, incompletely broken down in the small intestine (amylomaize starch, 25 or 50%) . All of these carbohydrates elicited a marked enlargement of the cecum, a drop of cecal pH and an increase in the volatile fatty acids (VFA) pool . With the lactulose diet, the VFA concentration was the lowest, whereas VFA absorption was similar to that observed with the 10% pectin or 25% amylomaize diets . From comparisons between germfree and conventional rats adapted to a fiber-free diet, it appears that VFA are required as counter anions to maintain high concentrations of cations, especially sodium . In conventional rats fed fermentable carbohydrates, sodium concentration in the cecal fluid was approximately 80 mM, except with the lactulose diet (49.5 mM), due to osmotic effects of lactulose . There was, compared to the fiber-free diet, an increase in the cecal concentrations of potassium, calcium and phosphate, but not of magnesium; nevertheless, the cecal pool of all of these minerals was considerably increased . Potassium absorption was increased by fermentable carbohydrates in the cecum, which also appears to be a major site of magnesium and calcium absorption . Thus, fermentable carbohydrates shift aborally the absorption of the major cations, and this point is especially interesting in regard to calcium, since an enhanced supply of calcium in the large bowel has been invoked for fiber effects on colonic carcinogenesis.

Am J Gastroenterol, 1989 Nov, 84(11), 1365 - 70
Change in plasma acetate levels in diabetic subjects on mixed high fiber diets; Akanji AO et al.; When 10 diabetic (five insulin-dependent) subjects with reasonable glycemic control were randomized from their usual (U) diet (about 30 g fiber/day) between two different but isocaloric high fiber diets, each sequentially over 6 wk {HF (55 g fiber/day) and HFS (55 g fiber/day with sucrose taken as 15 g three times daily, with meals)}, plasma acetate (mmol/L) increased by 35% on both high fiber diets from 0.21 +/- 0.06 (SD) to 0.28 +/- 0.10 (HF) and 0.30 +/- 0.10 (HFS) (both p less than 0.01) . This was higher than the random weekly variation in plasma acetate levels of 11% in six other glycemically stable diabetic patients . When the acetate value was expressed as acetate/glucose, i.e., relative to the fasting glucose level (since fasting levels of acetate and glucose consistently positively correlate), the increase was about 80% . Fasting plasma non-esterified fatty acid (NEFA) levels fell during the high fiber diets and correlated negatively with the fasting acetate level (rs -0.51, p less than 0.005) . The fall in NEFA and rise in acetate levels appeared greatest with the sucrose-supplemented meals . These results suggest increased exogenous contribution to the plasma acetate level from increased colonic fermentation of dietary fiber and raise the possibility of using such measurements in the assessment of compliance to high fiber diets . The fall in NEFA levels associated with raised plasma acetate levels may contribute to the beneficial effects on glycemic control observed with the high fiber diets.

J Bacteriol, 1989 Nov, 171(11), 6097 - 105
Constitutive activation of the fucAO operon and silencing of the divergently transcribed fucPIK operon by an IS5 element in Escherichia coli mutants selected for growth on L-1,2-propanediol; Chen YM et al.; L-1,2-Propanediol is an irretrievable end product of L-fucose fermentation by Escherichia coli . Selection for increased aerobic growth rate on propanediol results in the escalation of basal synthesis of the NAD+-linked oxidoreductase encoded by fucO, a member of the fuc regulon for the utilization of L-fucose . In general, when fucO becomes constitutively expressed, two other simultaneous changes occur: the fucA gene encoding fuculose-1-phosphate aldolase becomes constitutively expressed and the fucPIK operon encoding fucose permease, fucose isomerase, and fuculose kinase becomes noninducible . In the present study, we show that fucO and fucA form an operon which is divergently transcribed from the adjacent fucPIK operon . In propanediol-positive and fucose-negative mutants the cis-controlling region shared by the operons fucAO and fucPIK is lengthened by 1.2 kilobases . DNA hybridization identified the insertion element to be IS5 . This element, always oriented in the same direction with the left end (the BglII end) proximal to fucA, apparently causes constitutive expression of fucAO and noninducibility of fucPIK . The DNA of the fucAO operon and a part of the adjacent fucP was sequenced.

FEMS Microbiol Lett, 1989 Nov, 53(1-2), 149 - 52
Inactivation of the vascular permeability-increasing activity of bradykinin by mycoplasmas; Shibata K et al.; Mycoplasma pneumoniae, M . genitalium, M . fermentans, M . hominis, M . salivarium, M . orale, Ureaplasma urealyticum and Acholeplasma laidlawii inactivated the vascular permeability-increasing activity of bradykinin when the mixture of bradykinin and mycoplasma cells was injected after incubation at 37 degrees C for 1 h . Cell components responsible for inactivation of the activity of bradykinin were found to be arginine-specific aminopeptidase and carboxypeptidase.

Br J Nutr, 1989 Nov, 62(3), 579 - 87
Mechanism whereby holotrich ciliates are retained in the reticulo-rumen of cattle; Abe M et al.; The concentrations of holotrichs, reducing sugars and fermentation end-products, and the fluid dilution rates, in the cranial (CR), ventral (V) and caudal (CA) regions of the reticulo-rumen of cows were compared . Additionally, holotrich numbers in fluid and solid digesta samples taken from the dorsal (D) region were determined at different time-intervals . Holotrich numbers expressed per ml fluid at site D were almost twofold those expressed per g solid digesta, and the fluctuation of their numbers in fluid preceded that in solid digesta . Holotrich concentrations at site CR were higher before feeding than after feeding, while those at sites V and CA were lower before feeding than for a few hours after feeding . At sites V and CA, holotrich concentrations fluctuated in good agreement with reducing sugar concentrations, but the increase in the former always preceded that in the latter . The concentration of volatile fatty acids (VFA) tended to decrease from site CA to site CR, while the dilution rate was highest in site CR . The results suggest that migration of holotrichs from the reticulum to the rumen and vice versa are the cause of fluctuation in their numbers, and also the mechanism by which they are retained in the rumen of cattle.

J Appl Bacteriol, 1989 Nov, 67(5), 520 - 7
Influence of retention time on degradation of pancreatic enzymes by human colonic bacteria grown in a 3-stage continuous culture system; Macfarlane GT et al.; Hydrolytic enzymes were measured in gut contents from four sudden death victims . Pancreatic amylase and total protease activities decreased distally from the small bowel to the sigmoid/rectum region of the large intestine, showing that considerable breakdown or inactivation of the enzymes occurred during gut transit . To determine whether pancreatic enzymes were substrates for the gut microflora, mixed populations of bacteria were grown in a 3-stage continuous culture system on a medium that contained pancreatic extract as the sole nitrogen source . The multichamber system (MCS) was designed to reproduce in vitro, the low pH, high nutrient, fast growth conditions of the caecum and right colon and the neutral pH, low nutrient, slow growth conditions of the left colon . Results showed that pancreatic amylase was resistant to breakdown by intestinal bacteria compared with the peptide hydrolases in pancreatic secretions . Leucine aminopeptidase, trypsin and to a lesser degree, chymotrypsin, were easily degraded by gut bacteria, but pancreatic elastase was comparatively resistant to breakdown . Protein degradation in the MCS, as determined by enzyme activities, protein concentration and ammonia and phenol production, increased concomitantly with system retention time over the range 24-69 h . These results suggest that intestinal bacteria play an important role in the breakdown of hydrolytic enzymes secreted by the pancreas and that this process and protein fermentation in general, is likely to occur maximally in individuals with extended colonic retention times.

Clin Chem, 1989 Nov, 35(11), 2207 - 11
Changes in concanavalin A-reactive proteins in inflammatory disorders; Silvestrini B et al.; Quantitative changes of concanavalin A (Con A)-reactive proteins in serum samples obtained from rats with induced inflammation and from patients with inflammatory and autoimmune diseases were examined by use of lectin blots . Treatment of rats with a single dose of fermented yeast to induce inflammation caused an extensive increase in Con A-reactivity . These changes were time dependent and were similar in both sexes of the animals . When we examined serum samples obtained from patients with various inflammatory disorders for their Con A-reactive proteins as compared with normal donors, we noted that the Con A-reactivity increased in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and systemic lupus erythematosus . Among all the glycoproteins examined by lectin blots with use of Con A, a set of five proteins was selected for detailed analysis by densitometric scanning . These included alpha 2-macroglobulin, P-150, P-95, P-40, and P-35, of Mr 180,000, 150,000, 95,000, 40,000, and 35,000, respectively, by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis under reducing conditions . Densitometric scanning analysis of the lectin blots revealed that the Con A-reactivity of these proteins increased during inflammation . Because alpha 2-macroglobulin is not an acute-phase protein in humans, an increase in Con A staining of this protein suggested that altered glycation is associated with autoimmune diseases . Thus, study of changes in Con A-reactive proteins in human sera may facilitate our understanding of the etiology and pathophysiology of autoimmune diseases.

Eur J Biochem, 1989 Oct 20, 185(1), 135 - 40
Large-scale preparation of recombinant platelet-derived growth factor AA secreted from recombinant baby hamster kidney cells; Eichner W et al.; The short isoform of platelet-derived growth factor A (PDGF-A) was expressed in a mammalian host (BHK-21 cell) . A cell line was obtained that secreted up to 0.3 micrograms/10(6) cells recombinant PDGF-A chain homodimer/day into the medium . For large-scale production of supernatant, cells were grown either in roller bottles or in 2.5-1 stirred tank fermenters . A simple two-step procedure was developed to purify recombinant PDGF-AA (rPDGF-AA) . The first step was adsorption onto porous glass and the final step was reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography . The yield was 0.2 mg/l supernatant . A total amount of 20-30 mg pure rPDGF-AA may be obtained from a single fermenter run . Sequence analysis showed the correct amino terminus and no internal proteolytic cleavages . The specific activity was 5 ng/ml for mouse AKR-2B cells . {125I}rPDGF-AA had an affinity constant of approximately 0.5 nM to these cells and 25,000 binding sites were estimated/cell.

Ann Gastroenterol Hepatol (Paris), 1989 Oct, 25(5), 229 - 33
{Intestinal malabsorption of starch and gas production in the colon}; Flourie B et al.; The amount of dietary starch released in the colon, its excretion in the stools, the hydrogen and methane resulting from its fermentation, were measured in six healthy volunteers, ingesting two diets, rich and low in starch (100 and 300 grams) . Regardless of the diet, approximately 5% of the ingested starch was malabsorbed in the small bowel and completely metabolized in the colon . While the amount of malabsorbed starch was 2.5 times higher with 300 g than with 100 g, the volumes of hydrogen exhaled were not different . This suggests that the responsibility of alimentary substrates in the production of colic gas is overestimated.

J Anim Sci, 1989 Oct, 67(10), 2735 - 42
Salinomycin and lasalocid effects on growth rate, mineral metabolism and ruminal fermentation in steers; Reffett-Stabel J et al.; Two experiments were conducted to determine the effects of salinomycin and lasalocid on metabolism and growth of growing steers . In Exp . 1, 80 Angus steers (228 kg) were assigned to the following treatments: 1) control, 2) 50 mg salinomycin.hd-1.d-1, 3) 100 mg salinomycin.hd-1.d-1 and 4) 250 mg lasalocid.hd-1.d-1 . Steers were fed corn silage once daily with allotments based on the amount of silage that each pen of five steers would consume in a 24-h period . In addition, .81 kg/hd of a corn-soybean meal supplement was fed daily during the 112-d study . Daily gains were similar across treatments, but feed intake was lower (P less than .05) for steers fed ionophores . Molar proportions of ruminal acetate were lower (P less than .05) in steers fed ionophores at 28 and 90 d . Ruminal propionate was lower (P less than .05) in control steers at 28 d, but values were similar across treatments on d 90 . Plasma copper (Cu) was lower (P less than .05) in control steers on both sampling days . In Exp . 2, 16 Hereford steers were allotted to two blocks of eight animals each and assigned to one of three treatments: 1) control (n = 6), 2) 11 mg salinomycin/kg diet (n = 6) and 3) 33 mg lasalocid/kg diet (n = 4) . Following a 28-d adjustment period, apparent absorption and retention of macrominerals and nitrogen (N) were determined during a 5-d collection period . Apparent absorption and retention of N did not differ among treatments when data were analyzed using N intake as a covariate.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

J Antibiot (Tokyo), 1989 Oct, 42(10), 1453 - 9
UK-69,753, a novel member of the efrotomycin family of antibiotics . I . Taxonomy of the producing organism, fermentation and isolation; Pacey MS et al.; UK-69,753 is a novel antibiotic structurally related to efrotomycin and factumycin, produced by a new strain of Amycolatopsis orientalis (ATCC 53550) . The antibiotic potency in the fermentation broth was monitored by HPLC with diode array detection . A six tube counter current distribution was used to purify UK-69,753.

Food Addit Contam, 1989 Oct-Dec, 6(4), 453 - 8
Examination of some fermented foods for the presence of apparent total N-nitroso compounds; Massey R et al.; The fermented foods yoghurt, bread and cheese were analysed for the presence of apparent total N-nitroso compounds (ATNC) by a group-selective procedure involving direct chemical denitrosation and chemiluminescence detection of the released nitric oxide . The levels of ATNC were below the 20 micrograms(N-NO)/kg detection limit in all 20 yoghurts, 23 of the 24 bread samples and 28 out of 31 different varieties of cheese analysed . ATNC were detected in most of those cheese samples manufactured with added nitrate, including Edam, Gouda and Havarti, in concentrations ranging from 30 to 210 micrograms(N-NO)/kg.

Antonie Van Leeuwenhoek, 1989 Oct, 56(3), 211 - 20
Respiratory capacities of mitochondria of Saccharomyces cerevisiae CBS 8066 and Candida utilis CBS 621 grown under glucose limitation; Van Urk H et al.; A comparative study was made of the in vitro respiratory capacity of mitochondria isolated from Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Candida utilis grown in glucose-limited chemostat cultures . An electron-microscopic analysis of whole cells revealed that the volume density of mitochondria was the same in both yeasts . Mitochondria from both organisms exhibited respiratory control with NADH, pyruvate + malate, 2-oxoglutarate + acetate or malate, and ethanol . The rate of oxidation of these compounds by isolated mitochondria was the same in both yeasts . The rate of oxidation of NADPH by mitochondria from S . cerevisiae was 10 times lower than by those from C . utilis . However, this low rate probably has no influence on the overall in vivo respiratory capacity of S . cerevisiae . The results are discussed in relation to the differences in metabolic behaviour between S . cerevisiae and C . utilis upon transition of cultures from glucose limitation to glucose excess . It is concluded that the occurrence of alcoholic fermentation in S . cerevisiae under these conditions does not result from a bottleneck in the respiratory capacity of the mitochondria.

Wei Sheng Wu Xue Bao, 1989 Oct, 29(5), 343 - 7
{Isolation and fermentation conditions of polyvinyl alcohol-degrading enzyme producing strain}; Xiao CS et al.; A bacterium D8 strain which high efficiently degrading PVA was isolated from waste water of factory . The strain possesses the abilities of completely degrading 0.5 per cent of PVA (500, 1700) included in the culture medium for four days . It was identified Pseudomonas pseudoalcaligenes . Fermentation conditions of the strain have been investigated . The suitable medium consisted of PVA 1.5% (NH4)2SO40.1%, K2HPO4 0.24%, KH2PO4 0.04%, MgSO4.7H2O 0.035%, NaCl 0.01%, FeSO4 0.001%, yeast extract 0.15%, pH 7.5 . The optimal condition for enzyme production are as follows: 250 ml shake filled with 30 ml medium, 30 degrees C, 160n/min incubation period 72 h . Under such conditions enzyme activity is highest.

J Clin Pathol, 1989 Oct, 42(10), 1109 - 10
Evaluation of commercial latex slide test for identifying Escherichia coli O157; Chapman PA; A commercial latex slide test (Oxoid DR 620) for the identification of Escherichia coli O157 was compared with a standard tube agglutination method using E coli O157 antiserum (Difco) . Thirty isolates previously confirmed as E coli O157 were positive by both methods: 30 isolates of E coli of serogroups other than O157, 30 isolates of non-sorbitol fermenting organisms from various genera, and one isolate of E hermanii were all negative by both methods . It is concluded that the latex slide test offers a rapid and economical alternative to tube agglutination for the identification of E coli O157.

Antibiot Khimioter, 1989 Oct, 34(10), 726 - 9
{Effect of glycerin on the biosynthesis of heliomycin by Streptomyces olivocinereus}; Deianova OA et al.; Glycerol as the sole carbon source was added to the medium or biosynthesis of heliomycin by Streptomyces olivocinereus and the effect of its concentration on the culture growth and antibiotic production was studied . The culture growth and the amount of the antibiotic synthesized per 1 unit of the fermentation broth were limited by glycerol added in quantities of 0.05 to 1 per cent . Further increasing of the glycerol concentration had no significant effect on the culture growth and antibiotic biosynthesis . The amount of the antibiotic synthesized per 1 unit of the mycelial mass relatively slightly depended on the glycerol concentration . The rate of glycerol consumption by the young 24-hour culture in batch fermentations markedly exceeded that of glycerol consumption by the 48-hour culture . The younger mycelium significantly increased its rate of glycerol consumption when the initial concentration was increased whereas the rate of glycerol consumption by the more mature mycelium did not depend on the initial concentration of the carbon source (within 0.5-2 per cent) . The rate of heliomycin biosynthesis practically slightly depended on the initial concentration of glycerol.

Scand J Dent Res, 1989 Oct, 97(5), 392 - 400
Effects of variously processed starch on pH of human dental plaque; Lingstrom P et al.; The aim of this investigation was to study the effect of starch in various cereal products on pH of human dental plaque in vivo as compared to availability to the alpha-amylase of starch in vitro . Three separate experimental series were performed including: 1) rye and wheat products, 2) wheat products processed under both mild and severe conditions, and 3) wheat products with and without added sucrose . The pH drop in dental plaque was studied after a mouthrinse in groups of 10 subjects . Solutions of glucose or sucrose were used as references . No differences were found between boiled rye and boiled wheat, nor between rye bread and wheat bread . Severely popped wheat resulted in the greatest pH drop, followed, in order, by drum-dried and extrusion-cooked products . Mildly steam-flaked and mildly dry-autoclaved products induced comparable small pH falls . Sucrose-sweetened wheat products resulted in lower plaque pH values compared to unsweetened products . This effect was most pronounced with a mildly processed sample . In all three series, the glucose and sucrose reference solutions showed the greatest pH drop . In conclusion, all processing methods increased the fermentability of starch in human dental plaque in vivo . Thus, the more severe the processing conditions the more prominent the pH falls . The pH drop in plaque in vivo correlated (r = 0.96 in Series 1 and r = 0.92 in Series 2) with the rate of starch hydrolysis with alpha-amylase in vitro.

Mycopathologia, 1989 Oct, 108(1), 25 - 30
A new species of Trichosporonoides isolated from sweetened orange/mango drink in Australia; Ramirez C; Trichosporonoides australiense sp . nov.: a basidiomycetous yeast-like fungus is described and illustrated with information on some physiological characteristics based on a single strain isolated from sweetened orange/mango in Australia . The differences between it and already described members of the genus are discussed . The new species may be distinguished principally by its inability to ferment sucrose and maltose . A dichotomous key to all described members of the genus is provided.

Chem Pharm Bull (Tokyo), 1989 Oct, 37(10), 2864 - 6
Structure and synthesis of FK409, a novel vasodilator isolated from Streptomyces as a semi-artificial fermentation product; Hino M et al.; The structures of FK409 (1), a semi-artificial fermentation product and its precursor (2) have been established on the basis of chemical and spectroscopic evidence and confirmed by conversion of 2 to 1 via a synchronous nitrosation-nitration reaction.

Arzneimittelforschung, 1989 Oct, 39(10), 1251 - 3
Radiosynthesis of {14C}acarbose; Maul W et al.; Acarbose (O-4,6-dideoxy-4-{{(1S, 4R, 5S, 6S)-4,5,6-trihydroxy-3- (hydroxymethyl)-2-cyclohexen-1-yl}amino}-a-D-glucopyranosyl-(1---- 4)-O-a-D- glucopyranosyl-(1----4)-4-glucopyranose, Bay g 5421), an a-glucosidase inhibitor from Actinoplanes, has been developed for the treatment of diabetes mellitus . To investigate the pharmacokinetics and the biotransformation, 14C-labelled acarbose ({14C}Bay g 5421) was required . About 37 GBq (1 Ci) D-{U-14C}glucose was used as a precursor to obtain {14C}acarbose with a radiochemical yield of between 1.58 and 2.56% . For fermentation purposes resting cells of the Actinoplanes mutant SN 1667/47 were used under cometabolism conditions with a 10-fold excess of maltose . The specific radioactivities achieved in individual preparations were 7.77 MBq/mg (210 microCi/mg), 8.03 MBq/mg (217 microCi/mg), and 9.14 MBq/mg (247 microCi/mg), with a radiochemical purity of greater than 98% in each case . By hydrolysis and subsequent investigation of the hydrolysis products it was shown that {14C}carbon atoms originating from the radioactive glucose are present only in the core and not in the maltose unit of {14C}acarbose.

Appl Environ Microbiol, 1989 Oct, 55(10), 2460 - 7
In vitro total-gas, CH4, H2, volatile fatty acid, and lactate kinetics studies on luminal contents from the small intestine, cecum, and colon of the pig; Robinson JA et al.; Two experiments were conducted to assess differences in fermentative activities of digesta obtained from various regions of the pig gastrointestinal tract . In experiment 1, the contents of small intestines, ceca, and colons of 110-kg pigs were collected, diluted twofold, and incubated for 2 h at 37 degrees C . In experiment 2, colonic samples from 16,100-kg pigs were similarly treated, except that the incubation period was 5 h . Total gas (gas pressure), CH4, H2, lactate, formate, acetate, propionate, butyrate, valerate, and isovalerate were measured in experiment 1 . Only the gas variables were measured in experiment 2 . Statistically significant differences (P greater than 0.05) were not observed among the gas production rate estimates across the small-intestinal, cecal, and colonic regions in experiment 1 . Furthermore, all the small-intestinal samples and half the cecal samples assayed in experiment 1 were nonmethanogenic . The mean methanogenic and total-gas production rate estimates for the colonic samples in experiment 1 were 0.052 ml g of wet contents-1 h-1 and 1.7 ml of total gas g of wet contents-1 h-1, respectively . No differences in the methanogenic rate estimates were detected between the proximal, middle, and distal thirds of the pig colons (P greater than 0.05) . The volatile fatty acid and lactate molar percentages measured in experiment 1 were consistent with previously published observations . Hydrogen accumulated to the greatest extent (7 microM on average) in the in vitro incubations of small-intestinal contents, whereas the H2 concentrations ranged from 0.5 to 1 microM for the incubated cecal and colonic samples in experiment 1.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Physiol Behav, 1989 Oct, 46(4), 633 - 7
Repeated noninvasive measurement of gastrointestinal transit in rats; Enck P et al.; A technique for repeated and noninvasive measurement of oro-cecal transit time in rats and other small animals is described . It is based on the incomplete digestion of carbohydrates such as lactose fed orally to the animals . Since the activity of the enzyme lactase is low in almost all species, lactose is fermented by colonic bacteria after it arrived in the cecum, thus producing hydrogen . Hydrogen is delivered to the lungs via the circulation and exhaled by the animal . An increase in breath hydrogen measured by means of an electrochemical cell or a gas-chromatograph indicates the arrival of the nutrient bolus in the cecum . The method can be used repeatedly in individual animals under various experimental conditions such as investigations of stress effects on gastrointestinal transit.

J Dairy Sci, 1989 Oct, 72(10), 2772 - 6
In vitro degradation of choline from selected feedstuffs and choline supplements; Sharma BK et al.; The objective of this experiment was to determine the extent of in vitro degradation of choline from barley, corn, corn gluten meal, cottonseed meal, fish meal, soybean meal, alfalfa hay, timothy hay, choline chloride, and choline stearate . During four individual fermentation runs, samples were incubated in vitro for .25, 1, 3, 6, 12, 18, 24, 36, and 48 h with an inoculum mixture containing rumen fluid obtained from a rumen-fistulated dairy cow fed 17.5% corn silage and 28.7% grass silage and 53.8% concentrate diet . Because of their low choline content (less than .68 mg/g) corn, corn gluten meal, alfalfa hay, and timothy hay gave erratic values for choline disappearance for different fermentation runs and times of incubation although disappearance tended to increase with time . Data for the rest of the feeds and choline supplements were analyzed using nonlinear regression procedure to obtain estimates of potentially degradable choline, rapidly degradable choline, and the rate of choline degradation in vitro . The mean estimates of rumen degradable choline (%) were 79.4, 84.7, 82.9, 83.8, 98.0, and 98.6 for barley, cottonseed meal, fish meal, soybean meal, choline stearate, and choline chloride, respectively . The results suggest that incorporating choline-rich feedstuffs in diets can only marginally increase the postruminal flow of choline in dairy cows.

J Dairy Sci, 1989 Oct, 72(10), 2767 - 71
Effect of the combination of monensin and isoacids on rumen fermentation in vitro; Kone P et al.; Effects of isoacids, monensin, or a combination of them on fermentation by mixed rumen bacteria were investigated using a continuous culture technique . The culture was allowed to stabilize for 4 d before treatments were imposed . Comparisons between treatments were made on d 11 and 12 of the culture . Isoacids (equal proportions of isobutyric, 2-M-butyric, isovaleric, and valeric acids) at 15 mg/dl of culture media increased acetate (6.17 vs . 5.48 meq/dl) and total VFA production (8.93 vs . 7.87 meq/dl) compared with that of controls . Monensin at 150 micrograms/dl reduced acetate (3.74 vs . 6.02 meq/dl) and VFA (6.84 vs . 8.54 meq/dl) but increased propionate (2.28 vs . 1.74 meq/dl) relative to control . The combination of isoacids and monensin increased acetate relative to monensin alone (5.24 vs . 3.74 meq/dl) but did not alter the effect of monensin on propionate concentration (2.32 vs . 2.28 meq/dl) . It is concluded that monensin decreases acetate production by 35% and when isoacids are added to the cultures containing monensin, acetate production is restored.

Atherosclerosis, 1989 Oct, 79(2-3), 167 - 71
Effect of yogurt intake on plasma lipid and lipoprotein levels in normolipidemic males; McNamara DJ et al.; To determine the effect of yogurt intake on plasma lipid and lipoprotein levels, studies were carried out in 18 normolipidemic males during 3 dietary phases . Phase 1 was a low-fat, low-cholesterol baseline diet consumed for 3 weeks . The baseline diet was supplemented with low-fat yogurt (16 oz/day) for 4 weeks during phase 2, and during phase 3 the supplement consisted of a non-fermented dairy product (16 oz low-fat milk plus 10% milk solids) . Average body weights and dietary intakes of fat, cholesterol and polyunsaturate/saturate fat ratios were not significantly different for the 3 dietary phases . Plasma total, LDL- and HDL-cholesterol were unaffected by either the yogurt of low-fat milk concentrate . The results indicate that yogurt, as an example of a fermented dairy product, has no effect on plasma cholesterol levels of normolipidemic males.

Jpn J Pharmacol, 1989 Oct, 51(2), 219 - 26
A new antitumor antibiotic, FK973: its metabolism in the blood and the antitumor effects of its metabolites on experimental models; Masuda K et al.; Our previous studies showed that a new, substituted dihydrobenzoxazine, FK973 (11-acetyl-8-carbamoyloxymethyl-4-formyl-14-oxa-1,11-diazatetracyclo+ ++- {7.4.1.0(2,7).0(10,12)tetradeca-2,4,6-trien-6,9-diyl diacetate), which is a triacetylated derivative of the fermentation product FR900482 of Streptomyces sandaensis No . 6897, had potent antitumor effects on experimental tumors in vivo and in vitro . In the present study, we investigated the metabolism of FK973 in the blood of human and animals and the antitumor effects of its metabolites . After the incubation of FK973 in the blood (hemolysate) or serum of humans, dogs, rats and mice, it was rapidly metabolized to two diacetates and a monoacetate, and slowly to FR900482 . FK973 and all its deacetylated metabolites showed strong cytotoxicity on in vitro cultured murine L1210 leukemia cells, and the cytotoxicity of FK973 was the most potent . In the vivo experiments, FK973 and its metabolites prolonged the life of mice bearing ascitic P388 leukemia, and it potently inhibited the growth of murine B16 melanoma and Colon 38 adenocarcinoma implanted subcutaneously in mice . FK973 was the most effective compound . Thus, these results suggest that the antitumor effects of FK973 are stronger than those of its deacetylated metabolites produced in the blood of humans and animals.

What Is Salmonella?, What Is Bioreactor?, What is Food Microbiology?, What Is Staphylococcus Aureus?, What Is Biotechnology?, o, Bacteriology, a, Microbes, i, Bacteria, n, Bacterium, n, Microbiology, s, Salmonella typhimurium, r, Cell suspensions, e, Schizosaccharomyces, e, Microorganisms, i, Cellulomanas, i, Streptococci, i, Bacillus, r, Eutrophicated, r, Biological treatment, o, Thermophiles, o, S. cerevisiae, r, Cryptococci, o, Pasteurella, e, Lactobacillus, e, Antibiotics, i, Microorganism, o, Multidrug resistant, e, Multidrug resistant, i, Pseudomonas, i, Eubacterium, i, Sepsis

Scientific Publications - Work Done by Microbiology Reader Bioscreen C
Agricultural Microbiology Anaerobic Microbiology Antimicrobial Susceptibility Artificial Atmosphere Bioassay of Antibiotics Biofilm Microbiology Bioreactor Technology Biotechnology Cell Biology Clinical Microbiology Environmental Microbiology Experiments with Yeast	Fermentation Food Microbiology Functional Genomics Gene Technology Growth Media Development Growth Rate and Lag Time Industrial Microbiology Medical/Pharmaceutical Field Microbiological Assay Microbiological Research Microbiology of Cosmetics go to a specific theme...	Military Microbiology Molecular Microbiology Mutagenicity and Genotoxicity Oral Microbiology Patents Postantibiotic Studies Soil Microbiology Spore Microbiology Veterinary Microbiology Waste/Wastewater Treatment Water Microbiology Wine Microbiology

� 2005 Transgalactic Ltd (manufacturer of Bioscreen C software) | Privacy Statement | P.O. Box 1393, 00101 Helsinki, Finland, phone: +358 9 85172920, fax: +358 9 8749481, e-mail: microbiology@bionewsonline.com

Last modified: May 25, 2005