Measurement of pulse amplitude and phase using cross-phase modulation in microstructure fiber.

Cross-phase modulation in a highly nonlinear microstructure optical fiber with low dispersion and high birefringence is used for the measurement of the pulse amplitude and phase of picosecond pulses by frequency-resolved optical gating. An alignment-free configuration including an optical amplifier is proposed and experimentally tested. The simulated annealing method is used for retrieving the amplitude and phase from cross-phase modulation spectrograms. It takes into account the birefringence of the measurement fiber and the resolution of the optical spectrum analyzer.

Retrieval of the pulse amplitude and phase from cross-phase modulation spectrograms using the simulated annealing method.

The simulated annealing method is used for retrieving the amplitude and phase from cross-phase modulation spectrograms. The method allows us to take into account the birefringence of the measurement fiber and resolution of the optical spectrum analyzer. The influence of the birefringence and analyzer resolution are discussed.

Occurrence of collagen-degrading microorganisms in associations of mesophilic heterotrophic bacteria from various soils.

A total of 437 bacterial cultures was isolated from various soils and sewage water that were tested for the ability to decompose reconstituted collagen. This activity was found in 6.6% of the cultures isolated from sewage water, 15% of the cultures from organic horizons of the spruce growth soil, 30% of the cultures from the meadow soil, 29% of the cultures from the vegetable field soil and in 37% of those isolated from garden soil. The capability to produce collagenolytic enzymes does not appear to be rare among soil bacteria.

Cultivation on cellophane agar as a method for the assay of bacterial enzymes.

Production of bacterial enzymes in a liquid medium and on cellophane-agar plates is compared. Using neutral proteinase, urease, alpha-amylase and thiosulfate sulfurtransferase as examples it was demonstrated that the cultivation on cellophane-agar plates yields higher concentrations of the enzymes and that the enzyme production is detected in a higher number of cultures. The method might be useful for the characterization of bacterial communities.

Production of toxic antigens in dialyzed cultures of microorganisms.

Data on the production of clostridial toxins in dialyzed cultures are summarized. Principal modifications of this cultivation technique suitable for both research and production are shown. If toxins are released from the cells by autolysis (neurotoxins of Clostridium tetani, C. botulinum; lethal factors of C. novyi and C. sordellii), a 10-fold increase of the antigen concentration in filtrates of dialyzed cultures is found in comparison with normal cultures. If toxins are excreted already during growth (lethal factors of C. perfringens type A, C. septicum), the positive effect of the technique is less significant. A dialyzed culture ensures a well-balanced production of toxic filtrates that contain highly concentrated, relatively pure and strongly immunogenic antigens.

Preparation of Clostridium septicum antigen for hyperimmunization of horses using a dialyzed culture.

The preparation of toxic cultures of Clostridium septicum is described, using an apparatus with a straight dialysis tubing, where the medium is filled both into the nutrition and cultivation space of the apparatus. Using the cultivation to nutrition volume rate 1:2, mean titre of lethal antigen in filtrates 3.86 limes mortis per mL and 300 dosis lethalis minima per Lm was obtained in comparison with the values of 2.22 and 150 respectively in flask filtrates. Native filtrates of dialyzed cultures were better antigens for hyperimmunization of horses than the culture filtrates from flasks.