Stable paper indicator systems for rapid identification of microorganisms]

The authors prepared under experimental-industrial conditions paper indicator systems for the express identification of microbes, including carbohydrate discs (by the method of Nikitin et al.), and newly worked out types for the determination of the activity of cytochromoxidase, urease, indol formation, and indicator amino acid decarboxylases (lysin, ornithin, arginine). The use of paper indicator discs proved to be expedient for rationalization of laboratory diagnosis of bacterial intestinal infections.     

Relation between the radioprotective effect of helium-neon laser radiation on bacterial cells and the time period between 2 types of irradiation

The effect of helium-neon laser radiation (lambda = 633 nm) given to E. coli K-12 cells of various genotypes 4 h following X- or alpha-irradiation was shown to increase the number of viable cells. The irreversible ingradient of a radiation injury to cells remained invariable during the first 60 min after irradiation its values being minimal.     

Neurospecific and neuron-specific enolase levels in human nerve tissue at early stages of embryogenesis

Neurospecific and neuro-nonspecific isozymes of glycolytic enzyme enolase known to be molecular markers of neuronal and glial cells respectively were isolated from human brain. Using immunoenzyme assay, the content of these proteins was measured in the brain of 7-13-week human embryos and adult subjects. The content of both isoenzymes gradually increases attaining constant level in 10-13-week embryos. Relative content of neuro-nonspecific enolase in the brain of 10-13-week embryos is 1 1/2 times higher than that in adults, whereas the content of neurospecific enolase amounts only to 2% of its level in the adult brain.     

Regional graft vs host reaction to H-Y antigen (immunological mechanisms)

Structural changes in the regional popliteal lymph nodes have been studied in C57Bl/6 male mice at the peak of the reaction "graft-versus-host" to H-Y antigen. Morphological and morphometrical investigations have been carried out in three groups of males (10 animals in each group). The first group includes intact animals (the first control group). To the males of the second group (the second control group) lymphoid cells are inoculated from intact C57Bl/6 females. To the males of the third group (experimental group) lymphoid cells are inoculated from H-Y antigen immunized C57Bl/6 females (anti-H-Y effector lymphocytes). The popliteal lymph nodes of the male mice from the third group twice increase in their size comparing to those in the control (the first and the second groups). Miotic activity increases in them 4.5 times, amount of cellular blast forms in medullary cords--4 times and 10 times--in the light zone of the cortical substance. Ratio of macrophages and eosinophils in structural components of the lymph nodes studied changes; this is, evidently, connected with massive destructive progresses, that take place in the lymph nodes of the animals from the third group. The results of the morphological investigations are in agreement with the hypothesis suggested, explaining the mechanism of development of the regional reaction "graft-versus-host" to H-Y antigen, basing on idiotype-antiidiotype interaction (the idiotypic network in the immune system).     

Somatotypes of the world's leading young football players

At the international tournament in 1982 in Moscow and Tashkent 254 leading footballers of the world from 10 national young combined teams have been undergone an anthropological examination. In all the persons examined main total body dimensions, fat mass in per cent and somatotype after B. Hint and J. Carter have been determined. The leading footballers of the world are of more than middle height and tall, the body mass is proportional to its length, the fat mass values are not great. Their specific somatotype is well-balanced mesomorphic and ectomesomorphic types. The average somatotype of the footballers examined can be presented as 1.7-5.6-2.6. The data obtained can be used when selecting and complexing national combined teams with perspective sportsmen.     

Inhibition of replication of human hepatitis B virus

Several nucleoside 5'-triphosphate analogs were investigated as inhibitors of human hepatitis B virus replication. Different analogs inhibited DNA synthesis differently, 3'-azido-2',3'-dideoxythymidine 5'triphosphate being the most active compound. This inhibitor blocked DNA synthesis by 50% at inhibitor: substrate molar ratio 1:8, and by 80% - at 1:1. The hypothesis is formulated that 3'-azido-2',3'-dideoxythymidine 5'-triphosphate inhibits RNA directed viral DNA replication due to incorporation of this compound into 3'-termini of newly synthesized DNA chains. The phenomenon observed opens new possibilities for chemotherapy of acute and chronic human hepatitis B.     

The x-ray picture of pulmonary circulation in the course of acute myocardial infarct

A study was made of the time course of lesser circulation (LC) in 80 patients with acute transmural myocardial infarction and in 20 patients with chronic coronary heart disease with the help of chest x-ray. A possibility of preclinical detection of left ventricular insufficiency was confirmed. The capacity of roentgenography to reflect objectively the time course of LC disorder and its correlation with primary determination of a degree of changes, age, cardiac sizes, the expression of aortic atherosclerosis, pleurocardiac reactions and site of myocardial infarction were defined.     

Dynamics of neuronal activity in the cingulate gyrus during the sleep-wake cycle

Dynamics of neuronal activity in the cingulate gyrus (CG) was investigated during the sleep-wake cycle (SWC) of free-ranging cats. The highest activity rate was found to occur in 65.4% of neurons during active emotional consciousness (EC) and the so-called emotional phase of paradoxical sleep (PS), while firing rate decreased during passive consciousness (PC) and slow-wave sleep (SS). Peak firing rate was observed during SS in 15% of neurons, while divisions of activity between stages of the SWC remained the same in 19.6%. In addition, discharge patterns in 75.2% of neurons changed consistently in step with phase shifts. More particularly, neurons fired during EC and PS with single action potentials with a more or less even time distribution, whereas a burst-phase activity pattern occurred in the course of SS. Firing rate declined (in 42.6% of units) or remained unchanged (in 50.4%) in the majority of CG neurons (even amongst those manifesting highest activity during EC and PS) as episodes of isolated EEG arousal developed (whether in the context of SS or as PS wore off). This would indicate that the CG actually contributes to shaping the behavioral state of consciousness. The CG, therefore, as one of the higher divisions of the limbic system, must play a major part in controlling the basic mechanisms of the SWC, as well as emotionally motivated processes evolving in the cycle.I. S. Beritashvili Institute of Physiology, Academy of Sciences of the Georgian SSR, Tbilisi. Translated from Neirofiziologiya, Vol. 21, No. 6, pp. 832–840, November–December, 1989.     

A method of determining the primary structure of oligodeoxyribonucleotides

Sanger method was modified to fulfill the requirements of sequencing of oligodeoxyribonucleotides. E. coli DNA polymerase I Klenow fragment was used for all the reactions. The method consists of three steps made in succession in one tube: 1. Optional hydrolysis of a 5'-labeled oligodeoxyribonucleotide primer in order to get a set of primers of different lengths. 2. Elongation of the produced set of primers in the presence of a template, natural dNTPs and chain terminating dNTP analogs. 3. Hydrolysis of the products of the previous step in order to remove the unterminated molecules. Change of steps in achieved just by varying the reaction conditions without any product purification. The method in insensitive to the presence of admixture of oligonucleotides which is not complementary to the primer or to the template.