Demonstration of Acid-Fast Bacteria by Reacting Chromogenic Amines with Their Capsular Lipids

Coupling a chromogenic amine to carboxyl groups of the lipids in the capsules of acid-fast bacteria was accomplished by reaction with benzidine, diazotization and using sodium beta naphthylate as the chromogen. By these means, acid-fast bacteria can be differentiated from non-acid-fast, and the intensity of the staining correlates well with the amount of lipid found in their capsules. By comparing the intensity of staining before and after treatment with 5% HCl, it is possible to demonstrate that some acidic capsular components are combined with calcium. Similarly, by comparing the intensity of staining before and after treatment with petroleum ether, the presence of oxyfatty acids (insoluble therein) can be demonstrated.     

Critique of proportional hypotheses and methods for back-calculation of fish growth

Synopsis Hypotheses which assume a contant proportional deviation of the individual size of fish scales (S) or body (L) from mean size throughout life are biologically insignificant. Growth is considered and illustrated as a complex self-regulating process which continuously changes throughout ontogeny. Speed and form of changes of the growth of individual fish depend mainly on the initial size of the specimen and on the habitat.Consider five main types of changes of the L-S regression lines for individual fish with different initial sizes. They are basically different from the current proportional model of individual growth. The regression lines for individual fish cannot and should not be used for back-calculating L from S either by proportional or by regression methods, as individual L(S)/theoretical L(S) ratio, determined at the time of capture, are usually considerably different, compared to the previous years. For back-calculation of the average L values from average S values the use of separate equations for each age-group or for the whole subpopulation are recommended.     

Synaptic activity slows vesicular replenishment at excitatory synapses of rat hippocampus

Short-term synaptic depression mainly reflects the depletion of the readily releasable pool (RRP) of quanta. Its dynamics, and especially the replenishment rate of the RRP, are still not well characterized in spite of decades of investigation. Main reason is that the vesicular storage and release system is treated as time-independent. If it is time-dependent all parameters thus estimated become problematic. Indeed the reports about how prolonged stimulation affects the dynamics are contradictory. To study this, we used patterned stimulation on the Schaeffer collateral fiber pathway and model-fitting of the excitatory post-synaptic currents (EPSC) recorded from CA1 neurons in rat hippocampal slices. The parameters of a vesicular storage and release model with two pools were estimated by minimizing the squared difference between the ESPC amplitudes and simulated model output. This yields the ‘basic’ parameters (release coupling, replenishment coupling and RRP size) that underlie the ‘derived’ and commonly used parameters (fractional release and replenishment rate). The fractional release increases when [Ca⁺⁺]_o is raised, whereas the replenishment rate is [Ca⁺⁺]_o independent. Fractional release rises because release coupling increases, and the RRP becomes less able to contain quanta. During prolonged stimulation, the fractional release remains generally unaltered, whereas the replenishment rate decreases down to ~10 % of its initial value with a decay time of ~15 s, and this decrease in the replenishment rate significantly contributes to synaptic depression. In conclusion, the fractional release is [Ca⁺⁺]_o-dependent and stimulation-independent, whereas the replenishment rate is [Ca⁺⁺]_o-independent and stimulation-dependent.     

Microbial Endoliths on East Adriatic Limestone Coast: Morphological vs. Molecular Diversity

For the first time, a combined genotype-phenotype diversity analysis of endolithic microorganisms by pyrosequencing and microscopy was carried out across the intertidal and supratidal ranges of the Adriatic limestone coast. The coastal profiles represent ecotones between the sea and land, which express gradients of water supply, solar illumination, and salinity. The use of scanning electron microscopy imagery of resin casts showed that euendolith penetration remained shallow in the uppermost zones and was progressively deeper in the lower ranges where the water supply was more frequent. Microbial genotypes and phenotypes along the coastal profile showed large differences in dominance of taxa, but less in their diversity. The linkage between morphotypes observed along the profile and sequences was achieved by sequencing single cells/filaments, which were morphologically identified prior to their amplification. Molecular signatures of Hormathonema spp., Hyella caespitosa, Scytonema endolithicum, Solentia paulocellulare and Kyrtuthrix dalmatica were found on the profile and their specific placement was confirmed by morphological observations. Most sequences obtained were affiliated with Cyanobacteria (43%), Alphaproteobacteria (18%), and Gammaproteobacteria (7%). A total of 13 cyanobacterial morphospecies and 17 genotypes were found. Most cyanobacterial sequences belonged to the Pleurocapsales (33%), only 2% of the sequences belonged to the Nostocales and Oscillatoriales. The sequences corresponding to the cyanobacterial genus Hormathonema exhibited the highest abundances among all detected sequences, which is consistent with the microscopic observations in other parts of the world. The results of our investigation underline the importance of a combined approach in comparing the molecular data with microscopic observations in all phases of the study. Further RNA studies are needed to identify the actively growing parts of the endolithic community.     

Microborings in mollusk shells, Bay of Safaga, Egypt: Morphometry and ichnology

Boring patterns of microbial endoliths were analyzed in bivalve shells collected from different environments in the Northern Bay of Safaga on the Red Sea, Egypt. A total of 20 ichnotaxa have been recognized within 64 samples and evaluated on the basis of 250 scanning electron micrographs. The analysis of microorganisms in shells from the same depth profile has been performed separately. Morphological properties of selected ichnotaxa were studied in detail, morphometric parameters established, measured, and statistically evaluated. This method was applied to determine the variability of dominant traces in view of their ichnotaxonomic treatment. Ichnogenus Rhopalia was discussed and a new ichnospecies Rhopalia spinosa was described. Formal change of name for cyanobacterial traces of Hyella and Solentia from Fasciculus to Fascichnus, and for the traces of the green alga Ostreobium from Reticulina to Ichnoreticulina were proposed on the ground of the priority rights in compliance with rules of the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature.     

Studie der Astacidae (Crustacea,Decapoda) II. Teil

Ohne Zusammenfassung     

Correlation between timed up and go test and skeletal muscle tensiomyography in female nursing home residents

Objectives:Tensiomyography (TMG) derived contraction time (Tc) and amplitude (Dm) are related to muscle fibre composition and to muscle atrophy/tone, respectively. However, the link between mobility and TMG-derived skeletal muscle contractile properties in older persons is unknown. The aim of the study was to correlate lower limb skeletal muscle contractile properties with balance and mobility measures in senior female residents of retirement homes in Austria.Methods:Twenty-eight female participants (aged from 67-99 years) were included in measurements of contractile properties (TMG) of four skeletal muscles: vastus lateralis, vastus medialis, biceps femoris and gastrocnemius medialis. Their balance and mobility performance was measured using a timed up and go test (TUG).Results:Time needed to complete TUG is negatively correlated to biceps femoris (r= -0.490; p= 0.008), vastus lateralis (r= -0.414; p=0.028) and vastus medialis (r= -0.353; p=0.066) Dm and positively correlated to vastus lateralis Tc (r=0.456; p=0.015). Overall, vastus lateralis Tc and vastus medialis Dm explained 37% of TUG time variance.Conclusions:Our study demonstrates that TMG-derived quadriceps muscle contractile parameters are correlated with the balance and mobility function in female nursing home residents.