Identification of bacteria of dairy origin using miniaturized test-systems

One hundred and forty-four isolates of dairy origin were identified using a number of commercially available test kits. Agreement between these kits was acceptable for assignment of isolates to genera, but there was some variation between the kits for the identification of the isolates at specific level. The reasons for these variations are discussed. In terms of cost, ease of performance and accuracy, the identification systems manufactured by Roche Products Ltd (viz. the Oxi/Ferm tube and the Enterotube) are considered to be the best suited to the routine identification of dairy micro-organisms.     

Studies on prenatal and postnatal development in rats exposed to 60-Hz electric fields

A series of three experiments was performed to determine the effects of 30-day exposures to uniform 60-Hz electric fields (100 kV/m) on reproduction and on growth and development in the fetuses and offspring of rats. In the first experiment, exposure of females for 6 days prior to and during the mating period did not affect their reproductive performance, and continued exposure through 20 days of gestation (dg) did not affect the viability, size, or morphology of their fetuses. In the second experiment, exposure of the pregnant rat was begun on 0 dg and continued until the resulting offspring reached 8 days of age. In the third experiment, exposure began at 17 dg and continued through 25 days of postnatal life. In the second and third experiments, no statistically significant differences suggesting impairment of the growth or survival of exposed offspring were detected. In the second experiment, a significantly greater percentage of the exposed offspring showed movement, standing, and grooming at 14 days of age than among-sham-exposed offspring. There was a significant decrease at 14 days in the percentage of exposed offspring displaying the righting reflex in the second experiment and negative geotropism in the third experiment. These differences were all transient and were not found when the animals were tested again at 21 days of age. Evaluation of the reproductive integrity of the offspring of the second experiment did not disclose any deficits.     

Delayed effect of pinealectomy on hibernation of the golden-mantled ground squirrel

Pinealectomy or radical sham pinealectomy were performed on adult golden-mantled ground squirrels,Spermophilus (=Citellus) lateralis, approximately 1 month prior to the date of normal winter emergence. The first hibernatory period and subsequent active season were not different in either of the operated groups from intact animals. However, although the initiation of the second hibernatory period was not affected in the pinealectomized animals, this group failed to show the progressive increase in the length of heterothermic bouts that is characteristic of normal hibernation. Also, terminal arousal occurred approximately 6 weeks earlier in the second year after pinealectomy. Male squirrels showed a corresponding time compression in their annual gonadal cycle, as was assessed by testicular state.These results suggest that the pineal gland of the golden-mantled ground squirrel is involved in the expression of the annual hibernatory cycle. In the absence of the pineal gland the adult of this species is unable to sustain the normal depth and duration of hibernation in the second over-wintering period following pinealectomy.We have carried out additional experiments with young, laboratory-bornS. lateralis and with field-caught, adultS. richardsonii. The results of these studies also are described in this paper.Presented at the Ninth International Congress of Biometeorology, 23 Sept – 1 Oct 1981, Osnabrück and Hohenheim, FRG.     

Isolation and molecular weight determination of two immunoglobulin heavy chains in the channel catfish, Ictalurus punctatus

Channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus), a teleost fish, were immunized over a 4 month period with 4 intraperitoneal injections of bovine serum albumin (BSA) in Freund's adjuvant. The catfish anti-BSA antibody was purified by affinity chromatography and subjected to sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). By elution of catfish anti-BSA antibody from BSA-affinity columns with 3.0 M KSCN and subsequent SDS-PAGE, two immunoglobulin heavy chains were demonstrated in the channel catfish. The molecular weights and the relative percentages found of the two immunoglobulin heavy chains were 72,000 (94%) and 56,000 (6%). The molecular weight of the single light chain found was 23,000. Using the 72,000 mol. wt heavy chain and 23,000 mol. wt light chain and including a molecular weight of 15,000 for the J-chain, the molecular weight of the predominant channel catfish tetrameric IgM immunoglobulin molecule was calculated to be 775,000. Using the 56,000 low mol. wt heavy chain, the molecular weight of a second subclass of the channel catfish tetrameric IgM molecule was calculated to be 647,000. After Sephadex G-200 gel filtration, anti-BSA antibody activity was found only in the 14S globulin fraction by indirect hemagglutination testing.     

Hyperoxia causes increased albumin permeability of cultured endothelial monolayers

The effect of phasic eye movement activity on ventilation during rapid-eye-movement (REM) sleep was studied in seven healthy young adults by use of the respiratory inductive plethysmograph. Mean ventilation (VE) and ventilatory components during REM sleep were not significantly different from that seen in either stages 1-2 or 3-4 sleep. The percent of rib cage contribution to ventilation in REM sleep, 29.3 +/- 5.1%, was reduced compared with 54.4 +/- 5.8% in stage 1-2 and 52.2 +/- 4.3% in stage 3-4 sleep (P less than 0.005). When one separated breaths by the degree of associated phasic eye movement activity, it became apparent that breathing during REM sleep is very heterogeneous. Increasing eye movement activity was associated with inhibition of ventilation with a reduction in VE from 5.1 +/- 0.3 to 3.8 +/- 0.3 l/min. Tidal volume and frequency both fell, whereas inspiratory duration was unchanged. Compartmental ventilation was also affected, with the fall in the rib cage contribution from 37.8 +/- 6.4 to 15.3 +/- 5.6%. Chest wall and abdominal movement became more asynchronous as phasic-eye-movement activity increased and frank paradoxical breathing was seen.     

Correlation of cell surface antigen expression on human thymocytes by multi-color flow cytometric analysis: implications for differentiation

Thymocytes undergo a complex series of phenotypic and genotypic changes during maturation in the thymus. This dynamic process involves qualitative and quantitative changes in the expression of certain cell surface differentiation antigens. In this study, we have directly examined the relationship of T cell differentiation antigen expression on normal human thymocytes by using multi-color immunofluorescence and multi-parameter flow cytometric analysis. The results from these studies have provided new insights into the complexity of antigen expression during thymic maturation and suggest that the CD3/T cell antigen receptor complex is expressed early in the development of thymocytes. Direct quantitative measurements of antigen expression by using multi-parameter flow cytometric analysis also suggest quantitative co-regulation of certain antigens (e.g., CD3 and CD5) during thymic maturation.     

Structural changes in flowers ofIpomoea tricolor during flower opening and closing

Summary Examination of rib tissue of developing flower buds and flowers ofIpomoea tricolor utilizing the light and electron microscopes resulted in the identification of a group of inner epidermal cells which undergo dynamic structural changes during the two days prior to flowering, during flowering and during flower fading. Over a three-day period these cells undergo enlargement, modification of shape, reduction in wall thickness, extensive vacuolation and autophagic activity, transition from a ribosome-rich cytoplasm with stacked RER and dictyosome complexes to one with only a few isolated organelles and a limited number of ribosomes, and modification of the tonoplast membrane. In contrast, other cells of the rib vacuolate prior to flowering and exhibit no further changes. The structural changes in the inner epidermal cells suggest that they affect the turgor status of the cells and initiate the opening and eventual closing of the flower.     

Autologous perfusion of an isolated rabbit gastrointestinal tract.

Most perfusion techniques rely on mechanical means to provide blood flow to the isolated organ for maintaining its physiological conditions. The approach usually requires a complicated mechanical system with the associated problems of blood type matching and prevention of blood cell damage. This paper describes a gastrointestinal tract perfusion technique that uses the rabbit's own cardiopulmonary system as the autologous blood supply source. The technique allows for the removal of the complete intestinal loop from the abdominal cavity of the rabbit, and maintains its blood circulation through silastic tubing connections of the catheterized portal vein and cranial and caudal mesenteric arteries. An alternative perfusion site that uses the aorta as the arterial blood supply and the vena cava as the venous return also is described. The isolated perfused GI tract may then be placed in a separate test environment for controlled experiments. For an acute animal test, the approach was found to be a convenient alternative to conventional approaches.