Direct production of L+-lactic acid from starch and food wastes using Lactobacillus manihotivorans LMG18011.

This study describes several essential factors for direct and effective lactic acid production from food wastes by Lactobacillus manihotivorans LMG18011, and optimum conditions for simultaneous saccharification and fermentation using soluble starch and food wastes as substrates. The productivity was found to be affected by three factors: (1) initial pH, which influenced amylase production for saccharification of starch, (2) culture pH control which influenced selective production of L(+)-lactic acid, and (3) manganese concentration in medium which improved in production rate and yield of lactic acid. The optimum initial pH was 5.0-5.5, and the fermentation pH for the direct and effective fermentation from starchy substrate was 5.0 based on the yield of L(+)-lactic acid. Under these conditions, 19.5 g L(+)-lactic acid was produced from 200 g food wastes by L. manihotivorans LMG18011. Furthermore, the addition of manganese stimulated the direct fermentation significantly, and enabled complete bioconversion within 100 h.

Antimicrobial peptide of korean native goat lactoferrin and identification of the part essential for this activity.

The antimicrobial activity of lactoferrin isolated from Korean native goat (KN goat) milk was studied and its antimicrobial domain was identified using synthetic peptides. Antimicrobial activity was assayed by a micro-method using 96-well microplates and a microplate reader. The amino acid sequence of the antimicrobial domain was suggested to be YQWQRRMRKLGAPSIT and this sequence corresponds to amino acid residues 20 to 35 of KN goat lactoferrin. Five peptides with certain amino acid residues deleted were synthesized in an effort to identify the residues essential for antimicrobial activity and it was found that the part with the sequence RRMRK (24-28) is the region most important for this activity. On the other hand, the conformation of the peptides did not influence the antimicrobial activity.

Sarcoid reactions scattered in the tumor-bearing lung parenchyma and regional lymph nodes associated with pulmonary carcinoid.

A 77-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital because of a mass lesion in the left lung. The tumor was pulmonary carcinoid associated with sarcoid reactions in the regional lymph nodes and scattered in the resected lung parenchyma. Pulmonary carcinoid with sarcoid reactions is extremely rare. This appears to be the first case report in which tumor-related sarcoid reactions were studded within the tumor-existing lung parenchyma and confirmed not to be within the uninvolved right lung.

Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma with pulmonary infiltrates mimicking miliary tuberculosis.

Miliary infiltrates observed on chest films in non-Hodgkin's lymphoma are extremely rare. We report a case with pulmonary infiltrates mimicking miliary tuberculosis associated with prominent eosinophilia and elevated IgE levels. The levels of circulating eosinophils correlated with disease activity as they transiently returned to normal after effective chemotherapy in a short period. However, the patient developed acute respiratory failure due to the rapid progression of the disease even with intensive chemotherapy. We emphasize that small nodular shadows appear to be a sign of the rapid progression of the disease and a poor prognosis.

Bronchoscopy for airway foreign bodies: consideration based on an extraordinarily large one.

An extraordinarily large foreign body was lodged in the trachea of a 14-year-old boy. It was a rectangular piece of lead measuring 35 x 12 x 5 mm and was removed by a lower rigid bronchoscope introduced through a tracheostoma. Based on experiences of this and 6 other cases of tracheobronchial foreign body treated by this method, we discuss what approach should be used to extract tracheobronchial foreign bodies. We believe that lower bronchoscopy is still useful in removing foreign bodies very large or located in the peripheral bronchus, although it is used much less often today than before.