Microbial colonization and succession on the faucial mucosa in newborn infants rooming in with their mothers in a maternity hospital]

The formation of microflora on the laryngeal mucosa in newborn infants during the first 5 days of their life was studied in one of the maternity hospitals of Moscow. In this work modern methods of the isolation and identification of aerobic and anaerobic microorganisms were used, and the results thus obtained were computer-processed. In the maternity hospital of the "mother-child" type the microbial colonization of the laryngeal mucosa by normal and opportunistic microorganisms was noted in newborn infants. A wave-like course of the formation of laryngeal microflora, indicative of microbial succession occurring in the child, was revealed. The attempt to establish the cases of microbial interference between the species colonizing the laryngeal mucosa revealed that it was very rarely observed in 5-day-old newborns. This feature was seemingly the cause of low resistance of the larynx to colonization in newborn infants, which determined frequent colonization of their laryngeal mucosa with Staphylococcus aureus and Klebsiella.     

Increased number of nucleoli in the salivary gland cells of Drosophila melanogaster under conditions of rDNA dose compensation

A considerable increase in the number of nucleoli non-associted with the nucleolar organizer (NO) was shown in the salivary gland cells of Drosophila melanogaster mutants, heterozygous for a deficiency of NO. The frequency of formation of additional nucleoli increased with the raising of the chromosome polyteny level. By means of in situ hybridization we showed that in the mutant and the wildtype polytene cells the ribosomal DNA (rDNA) of these unlawful nucleoli included ribosomal gene repeats (18S+28S) with two types of insertions: ivs-I and ivs-II Such additional nucleoli can be attached to varying sites of the polytene chromosomes containing type I insertion sequences.     

The causes of hydration changes during DNA protonation

Changes of DNA hydration provoked by protonation in the way of Na+- and H+-ions exchange, and in the way of HCl addition to Na+-DNA, were analysed by IR-spectroscopy. Water is shown not to contribute essentially to the formation and stabilization of conformations arising when DNA is protonated. The differences between hydratation of DNA protonated by different ways are in the main accounted for by alteration of the quantities of Na+ and Cl- ions forming the aqueous-salt envelope of polynucleotide.     

Stereochemistry and kinetics of interaction with DNA of the antineoplastic antibiotic olivomycin

The kinetics of interaction of antitumor glycoside antibiotic olivomycin with DNA has been investigated. The existence of two relaxation times in the experimental kinetics curves indicates that two types of antibiotic--DNA complex are formed. We have measured the rate constants of association and dissociation processes and determined their temperature dependences. It is suggested, that one of the complex form results from nonspecific interaction between glycoside residues of the antibiotic molecule and sugar-phosphate backbone of DNA whereas the other type of complex exhibits a pronounced specificity for GC-rich regions on DNA. The binding specificity probably results from formation of a H-bond between the antibiotic chromophore ring and guanine 2-amino group. A stereochemical model for olivomycin-DNA complex is proposed. According to this model the antibiotic chromophore and glycoside residues are located in the narrow groove of DNA.     

Therapeutic effect of purified components of a turtle spleen extract

The administration of a spleen extract of Testudo horsfieldi to mice exposed to lethal radiation of 8 Gy was shown to increase the survival rate and to stimulate haemopoiesis and formation of endocolonies in the spleen. The gel filtration method was used to obtain an active fraction which was subjected to chromatography on cation exchanger to give two more fractions. Active was the fraction with basic components.     

Characteristics of the "no-reflow" phenomenon in reperfusion of the myocardium depending upon the duration of ischemia

The dynamics of changing dimensions of "no reflow" area following reperfusion after 30 min-1 h-long ischemia is characterized by three basic phases. The reperfusion following and hour-long ischemia altered considerably the character of phases of "no reflow" phenomenon. The data obtained suggest that the therapy of transitory ischemia must be directed not only to ischemia itself, but also to postischemia reperfusion-induced "no reflow" phenomenon.     

Topography of the gap junctions in human skin and their possible role in the nonneural transmission of information

Localization and distribution of the gap junctions in the human epidermis have been studied. They are mainly concentrated in the area of biologically active (acupunctive) points and in so called meridians connecting these points. A supposition is made that the gap junction system performs certain integration of the information from the skin surface and its aneural transmission to remote areas. Discovery of a regulated gap junction system in relatively low organized animals (previously described by the authors), as well as revealing of such a system in mammals, makes it possible to suppose that the system is phylogenetically the most ancient one performing a directed transmission of an information simultaneously with and besides the neural system.     

Aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases: inter-site interaction as a possible proofreading mechanism

Smooth muscle cell energetics of taenia caeci during relaxation, activity and maximal contraction were investigated using ³¹P-NMR. In relaxed muscle obtained in calcium-free medium, [ATP], [phosphocreatine] and [sugar phosphate] were 4.4 mM, 7.7 mM and 2.8 mM, respectively. There was only a small difference in the energetics of spontaneously active and maximally contracted muscles, but under both conditions substantial changes occurred as compared with relaxed muscles. The internal pH in relaxed muscle was found to be 7.05, which acidified to 6.5 during contraction. The level of sugar phosphates was found to be not a limiting factor in energetics.     

Thermophilic Myceliophthora thermophila decomposes cellulose

A thermophilic microscopic fungus was isolated from cattle rumen and identified as Myceliophthora thermophila (Apinis) van Oorschot. The culture synthesized cellulolytic enzymes and xylanase when it was grown in media containing cellulase at 50 degrees C under the conditions of submerged cultivation. The morphological and physiological characteristics of the culture are described and its taxonomic position is discussed.     

Activity of central neurons of the electroreceptor system ofGlyptosternum reticulatum

Two types of electroreceptive neurons — tonic and phasic — were found in acute experiments with extracellular recording of unit activity from the lateral lobes of the medulla in the Turkestan catfishGlyptosternum reticulatum. Tonic neurons were more sensitive to the potential gradient in water (the threshold for most neurons was 1–6 µV/cm) than phasic neurons, they possessed spontaneous activity (mean frequency 4–10 spikes/sec), and their response characteristics depended significantly on the intensity and duration of stimulation. Phasic neurons had no spontaneous activity; their sensitivity was about one order of magnitude lower than that of the tonic neurons, and the response was independent of the parameters of the stimuli. The probable mechanisms of differentiation of neurons into two types, with a possible link with the characteristics of the receptor formations or with the functional organization of the corresponding brain centers, are discussed.