[Problems of microbial contamination in pharmaceutical services (author's transl)]. / Probleme der mikrobiellen Kontamination in Einrichtungen des Apothekenwesens.

There are only few data about the microbial contents in the workrooms of pharmacies. Up to now, neither the kinds of bacteria and yeasts encountered, nor their resistance has been determined. The "personal hygiene of the staff' is studied on the example of their hands, towels and protective clothes. The kinds of bacteria found on surfaces used for pharmaceutical work are analysed. Proposals for limiting the germ content in the air are commented upon. Health measures are elaborated on the basis of the results from the present investigation.

The biodiversity of the deep Southern Ocean benthos.

Our knowledge of the biodiversity of the Southern Ocean (SO) deep benthos is scarce. In this review, we describe the general biodiversity patterns of meio-, macro- and megafaunal taxa, based on historical and recent expeditions, and against the background of the geological events and phylogenetic relationships that have influenced the biodiversity and evolution of the investigated taxa. The relationship of the fauna to environmental parameters, such as water depth, sediment type, food availability and carbonate solubility, as well as species interrelationships, probably have shaped present-day biodiversity patterns as much as evolution. However, different taxa exhibit different large-scale biodiversity and biogeographic patterns. Moreover, there is rarely any clear relationship of biodiversity pattern with depth, latitude or environmental parameters, such as sediment composition or grain size. Similarities and differences between the SO biodiversity and biodiversity of global oceans are outlined. The high percentage (often more than 90%) of new species in almost all taxa, as well as the high degree of endemism of many groups, may reflect undersampling of the area, and it is likely to decrease as more information is gathered about SO deep-sea biodiversity by future expeditions. Indeed, among certain taxa such as the Foraminifera, close links at the species level are already apparent between deep Weddell Sea faunas and those from similar depths in the North Atlantic and Arctic. With regard to the vertical zonation from the shelf edge into deep water, biodiversity patterns among some taxa in the SO might differ from those in other deep-sea areas, due to the deep Antarctic shelf and the evolution of eurybathy in many species, as well as to deep-water production that can fuel the SO deep sea with freshly produced organic matter derived not only from phytoplankton, but also from ice algae.

Purification and characterization of a novel human angiogenic factor (h-AF).

Serum-free supernatants of the human melanoma cell line A-375/2 contain an angiogenic activity as detected by the chorioallantois membrane assay which does not induce proliferation of cultured endothelial cells. This human angiogenic factor (h-AF) was purified by immunoaffinity chromatography as well as by conventional chromatographic procedures. A monoclonal antibody designated 5F4 was raised against h-AF, which binds but does not neutralize angiogenic activity. h-AF consists of a protein at MW 67 kD which focuses at pH 5.0. By biological and biochemical criteria it is shown that h-AF differs from other known growth factors.