[Spatial distribution and species composition of prosthecate bacteria in Lake Baikal].

From the water column of Lake Baikal, several strains of prosthecate bacteria belonging to the genera Caulobacter and Brevundimonas were isolated. In this article, the methods applied for their isolation and cell number determination are described; the occurrence frequency and spatial distribution of these microorganisms in the lake are demonstrated. Characterization of the species composition of cultivable and uncultivable prosthecate bacteria was carried out using the methods of traditional and molecular microbiology, respectively. A comparative phylogenetic analysis of the DNA sequences of uncultivable bacteria, which showed homology to the members of the alpha subclass of proteobacteria, was carried out. It was demonstrated that the lake water column is inhabited by uncultivable alpha-proteobacteria of uncertain phylogenetic affinity, in addition to representatives of the species Caulobacter vibrioides and C. leidyi, which were detected by traditional microbiological methods.

Comparative effects of limited tryptic hydrolysis on physicochemical and structural features of seed 11S globulins.

The effect of the limited proteolysis by trypsin on selected seed storage 11S globulins (broad bean and pea legumins, glycinin and helianthinin) was studied by high-sensitive differential scanning calorimetry, fluorescence spectroscopy and analysis of proteolysis kinetics. Different behaviour of glycinin and helianthinin, on one hand, and broad bean and pea legumins, on the other, were observed: in the first group changes in the physicochemical characteristics of the proteins due to their limited proteolysis are more pronounced in comparison with the second one, in relation with the extent of primary structure modifications. The differences observed have been evaluated in relation with the amino acid sequence features of the four 11S globulin studied and agree with the literature data concerning the protein structural changes in the course of the limited proteolysis.

Personal sampler for monitoring of viable viruses; modelling of outdoor sampling conditions.

A new personal bioaerosol sampler has recently been developed and verified to be very efficient for monitoring of viable airborne bacteria, fungi and viruses. The device is capable of providing high recovery rates even for microorganisms which are rather sensitive to physical and biological stresses. However, some mathematical procedure is required for realistic calculation of an actual concentration of viable bioaerosols in the air taking into account a rate of inactivation of targeted microorganisms, sampling parameters, and results of microbial analysis of collecting liquid from the sampler. In this paper, we develop such procedure along with the model of aerosol propagation for outdoor conditions. Combining these procedures allows one to determine the optimal sampling locations for the best possible coverage of the area to be monitored. A hypothetical episode concerned with terrorists' attack during music concert in the central square of Novosibirsk, Russia was considered to evaluate possible coverage of the area by sampling equipment to detect bioaerosols at various locations within the square. It was found that, for chosen bioaerosol generation parameters and weather conditions, the new personal sampler would be capable to reliably detect pathogens at all locations occupied by crowd, even at distances of up to 600 m from the source.

[Kinetics of a single proteolysis stem. Proteolysis of ovalbumin]. / Kinetika poodinochnogo proteoliza. Proteoliz iaichnogo al'bumina.

The course of one-by-one proteolysis of ovalbumin was followed by determining the residual protein. The reactions were found to be of pseudo-first order. The parallel occurring zipper proteolysis had no effect on this result, since it brought about only the splitting of ovalbumin into large fragments without any split-off of TCA-soluble peptides. The one-by-one proteolysis was completed after the protein had been degraded into TCA-soluble peptides; further hydrolysis of the latter proceeded with deceleration. Obeying the pseudo-first order kinetics could not be due to reversible denaturation or local conformational changes preceding the proteolysis. The rate of the one-by-one proteolysis was limited by the rate of splitting of the first peptide bond in the protein molecule; its course could be described the integral form of the Michaelis-Menten equation. The conditions ([S0]/Km values), when the integral form of this equation was practically linear, were determined. It may be suggested that the true concentration of the protein conformers available to the proteolytic attack satisfies these conditions.

[Evolution of tuberculosis morbidity and the factors governing it at different stages of the anti-tuberculosis campaign]. / Evoliutsiia zabolevaemosti tuberkulezom i opredeliaiushchie ee faktory na razlichnykh étapakh borby s étim zabolevaniem.

Characteristics of the tuberculosis incidence in the Ukrainian SSR since the beginning of the wide use of antibacterial therapy were studied. It was shown that the delayed decrease in the incidence of tuberculosis in young persons observed lately did not correlate with further improvement of the epidemiological situation with respect to tuberculosis. It was indicated that the phenomenon stemmed from insufficient control of heavy alcohol drinking and alcoholism in the population and tuberculous patients.

Colorimetric determination of phytate in unpurified extracts of seeds and the products of their processing.

The addition of orthophosphate (up to 20 micrograms/ml of phosphorus) and chlorogenic acid (up to 50 micrograms/ml) does not impair the colorimetric assay of phytate based on the decoloration of Fe3+-sulfosalicylate complex (M. Latta, and M. Eskin (1980) J. Agric. Food Chem. 28, 1313-1315). Phytate was determined in 14 samples of seed meal and protein isolates containing inorganic phosphate and chlorogenic acid. There was no difference between the results of the analysis using crude extracts and those using purified extracts. It is therefore possible to avoid the preliminary purification of extracts as in the original method, thereby simplifying and accelerating the phytate assay to a considerable extent.

[Effect of electrostimulation of the hypothalamus on the immunological reactivity of rats with 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene-induced tumors]. / Vliianie élektrostimuliatsii gipotalamusa na immunologicheskuiu reaktivnost' krys s opukholiami, indutsirovannymi 7,12-dimetilbenz[a]antratsenom.

Experiments on Wistar male rats established that electrostimulation of the area of the posterior hypothalamic nuclei 2.5 months after administration of 7,12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene into the femur muscle restrained to a considerable extent the inhibitory effect of the carcinogen on the immune reactivity. The reactivity was estimated by the amount of antibody-forming and rosette-forming cells in the spleen, thymus, lymph nodes and by the activity of DNA synthesis in the cells of these organs. The effect of hypothalamus electrostimulation may be a determinant in the mechanism of the inhibitory action of chemical carcinogenesis.

[Effect of experimental cefuroxime on the immunologic reactivity of the body]. / Vliianie tsefuroksima na immunologicheskuiu reaktivnost' organizma v éksperimente.

The effect of ketocef or cefuroxim, a new cephalosporin antibiotic, on the immune system was studied on mice. The repeated use of the drug for 10 days a dose of 30 mg/kg injected intramuscularly did not result in suppression of the immune status. The number of the rosette forming cells of the thymus and spleen did not change. The production of hemolysin as shown by the number of the antibody forming cells somewhat increased, when the animals were immunized with the sheep red blood cells. A certain decrease in the intensity of the anaphylactic reaction was observed in sensitization of the animals with bovine serum.

[Electron microscopic study of the pond microflora of the Amu-Dar'ia River delta]. / Elektronno-mikroskopicheskoe issledovanie mikroflory vodoemov del'ty Amudar'i.

Bacterial forms were studied by electron microscopy in weakly saline lakes of the mesotrophic type in the Amu Darya delta; these forms differed in the character of water nutrition, certain physico-chemical and biological properties. The main population in the lakes represented by Vibrio and rods among which many small forms (0.3--0.5 mu) were found. Long filamentous forms were often encountered. A considerable number of organisms possessed prosthecae, fimbria and various protrustions. Budding bacteria were also detected. Microorganisms with peculiar morphology were most abundant in such places where the total incidence of bacteria was 1x10(6) per litre while water transparency was low.

[Species composition of heterotrophic bacteria in the water of the Rybinek reservoir]. / Vidovoi sostav geterotrofnykh bakterii v vode Rybinskogo vodokhranilishcha.

Twenty four cultures of heterotrophic bacteria were isolated from the water of the Rybinsk Reservoir on a medium containing organic matter. Bacteria belonging to the families Pseudomonadaceae and Achromobacteriaceae were most widely distributed; bacteria of the Mycobacteriaceae family were encountered less often. Predominating species which belonged to the genera Pseudomonas, Caulobacter, Flavobacterium, Mycobacterium, and Corynebacterium were isolated from the central part of the Reservoir. The special composition depended on the season. Bacteria of the Caulobacter genus were isolated mainly by the end of July and in May. Bacteria of the Corynebacterium genus predominated in March. Microflora belonging to the genera Pseudomonas and Flavobacterium was more constant. Bacteria isolated on media with the minimum content of organic matter (0.5 mg C per litre) belonged mainly to the Pseudomonas genus. Morphological, cultural, and physiological properties of the bacteria were studied. The bacteria grew on media containing carbohydrates and alcohols as a source of carbon though organic acids were assimilated to a less extent. The activity of catalase was found in the cultures, with an exception of the genera Caulobacter and Achromobacter.

[Microbiological characteristics of the lakes in the Yaroslavl region]. / Mikrobiologicheskaia kharakteristika ozer Iaroslavskoi oblasti

The paper presents data concerning the activity of microflora in water and ooze deposits of lakes of the Yaroslavl Region. Microbiological processes in water depend mainly on the rate of production or organic substance at the account of phytoplankton photosynthesis, which varies from 0.18 to 6.3 gC/m2. Destruction of organic substance in water of most lakes exceeded production. Production of bacterial biomass was within limits of 0.2--5.8 gC/m2/day and lower, as a rule, than production of phytoplankton. The number of bacteria in different lakes varied from 1.7 to 35 X 10(6) per 1 ml. Heterotrophic assimilation of carbon dioxide was rather high and reached 34 mcgC/litre/day, its ratio to biomass being ca. 6.8%. The total number of bacteria in ooze deposits of lakes varied from 0.6 to 2.7 X 10(9) g/m2. Aerobic destruction varied from 0.03 to 0.78 gC/m2.

[Electron microscopic study of the Rybinsk water reservoir microflora]. / Elektronno-mikroskopicheskoe izuchenie mikroflory Rybinskogo vodokhranilishcha

Microflora of the Rybinsk water reservoir was studied by electron microscopy throughout the year. Common and rare bacterial forms were revealed which had not been detected before by light microscopy. The following forms prevailed: rod-like, coccoid, and bacteria of the vibrion type. Rare species were confined to certain places of the reservoir and related to seasonal changes in it. Bacteria belonging to the Planktomyces genus were registered in the central part of the reservoir in July--August. Swamp waters always contained bacteria belonging to the Hyphomicrobium genus. Spirillar bacterial forms were constantly present in coastal waters.