Some Common Themes for Enzymes and Verbs

Enzymes are remarkable molecules which make metabolism possible. Their processing powers are considerable for not only are they catalysts they also contribute to information processing, integration, coherence and memory in the cell. This complex of attributes suggests that a complementary perspective to enzyme nature and activity is needed related to what enzymes and verbs have in common. The value of this kind of thinking is that it shifts the focus from objects and mechanisms to processes and information. In order to support this idea a number of features which enzymes and verbs share are discussed including, context-dependence, occurrence, cases, voice, mood and glue/integrative capacities. The paper concludes with some reflections on the utility of a view of enzymes as verbs.     

Presence of a small plasmid in clinical isolates of Streptococcus pneumoniae

Twenty-four of 63 enteric Gram-negative organisms (38.1%) which were isolated from 35 apparently healthy Nigerian students were found to have low trimethoprim resistance (MIC less than 1000 mg/l). These isolates were also found to be resistant to several other antibiotics and trimethoprim resistance was found to be transferable from 15 (62.5%) of the trimethoprim resistant organisms into E. coli EC 1005. It is likely that the high percentage of trimethoprim resistance encountered in this study is related to the high rate of resistance transfer which was observed.     

Present dangers and future threats: some perverse incentives in the NHS reforms.

The NHS reforms have come to mean all things to all men (and women). Identifying a market oriented purchaser-provider split as the conceptual heart of the reforms is still, however, useful. There are important perverse incentives in and around the NHS that are associated with the reforms; furthermore, many reactions to the resulting problems are paradoxical and often counterproductive. Hitherto most criticism of the reforms from the health policy and management community (as opposed to the professions and the public) has been tactical rather than fundamental. There are serious problems for the NHS associated both with the NHS market and with current, often tacit, strategies for the future of the service.     

Development of an acute and chronic ecotoxicity assay using lux-marked Rhizobium leguminosarum biovar trifolii

A soil isolate of Rhizobium leguminosarum bv. trifolii was marked with a lux CDABE gene cassette to enable the expression of bioluminescence. The suitability of the bacterium as a soil pollution biosensor was assessed using acute and chronic assays. Bacterial bioluminescence responded sensitively to the metals studied. The order of sensitivity was found to be Cd > Ni = Zn > Cu for the acute test and Cd > Ni = Zn = Cu for the chronic test. The sensitive response of the biosensor highlighted its potential for use as an indicator of soil pollution.     

Non‐pathogenic association of L‐form bacteria (pseudomonas syringae pv. phaseolicola) with bean plants (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) and its potential for biocontrol of halo blight disease

L‐forms of the halo blight pathogen, Pseudomonas syringae phaseolicola, were maintained in a medium which suppressed cell wall synthesis. These L‐forms, unlike revertants (walled forms derived from unstable L‐forms) and cell walled (parent) organisms, did not elicit a hypersensitive response in tobacco leaves. Association of L‐forms with Phaseolus vulgaris was established by seed imbibition in L‐form suspensions compared with appropriate control treatments (5% mannitol or heat‐killed cells). Seedling emergence and plant growth was not affected by L‐form imbibition. The association was detected by agglutination assays using polyclonal antibody. The L‐form association was localized to the lower shoot tissue and was progressively lost with age of plants. Plants with associated L‐forms had vigour and shoot weights equivalent to controls and showed no disease symptoms. The cell walled form could not be isolated from plants showing positive agglutination. On challenge with the pathogen, plants associated with L‐forms showed significantly less disease symptoms than controls. Stem extracts, from associated plants, were inhibitory to in vitro cultures of both L‐forms and parent forms of Ps. syr. phaseolicola. These results indicate that L‐form associations confer induced systemic resistance to bean plants and might be developed as novel biocontrol systems.     

Autonomic nervous system regulation of epicardial coronary vein systolic and diastolic blood velocity as measured by a laser Doppler velocimeter

The velocity of blood in a major epicardial coronary vein accompanying the left anterior descending coronary artery of dogs was measured by means of a 140-micron fiber optic probe connected to a laser Doppler velocimeter. Right atrial pressure, left ventricular intramyocardial and cavity pressures, aortic pressure, as well as peripheral and central coronary venous pressures were compared with the velocity of blood measured in the epicardial coronary vein midway between the sites of the catheters measuring proximal and distal coronary vein pressures. During control conditions, coronary vein velocity was 14-18 cm/s during systole and 1.0-2.1 cm/s during diastole. Right stellate ganglion stimulation, norepinephrine or isoproterenol increased diastolic coronary vein velocity significantly, whereas left stellate ganglion stimulation did not. Average peak systolic velocity was not affected by these interventions. During these positive inotropic interventions, the peak coronary vein velocity usually occurred later in the cardiac cycle than during control conditions. Positive inotropic interventions appeared to decrease coronary vein velocity during systole and increase it during diastole. Left vagosympathetic trunk stimulation decreased diastolic but not systolic coronary vein velocity and usually caused peak coronary vein velocity to occur earlier in the cardiac cycle than during control states. Changes induced by vagosympathetic trunk stimulation usually occurred within one cardiac cycle. It is concluded that coronary vein blood velocity can be influenced by the autonomic nervous system.     

A prediction model for parasitic gastro-enteritis in lambs

Paton G., Thomas R. J. and Waller P. J. 1984. A prediction model for parasitic gastroenteritis in lambs. International Journal for Parasitology14: 439–445. The parasite Ostertagia circumcincta is a major cause of parasitic gastro-enteritis in lambs in temperate countries. A prediction model is described, based on a mathematical representation of the external and internal stages of the life-cycle.The model is used to predict the numbers of infective larvae on a permanent experimental paddock grazed by ewes and lambs in 1973 and 1974. The “moisture status” of the surface layer of the pasture was found to be of fundamental importance for the successful prediction of the development and survival of the pre-infective larval stages. For the years studied the contribution to the summer wave of infection by lamb derived larvae was particularly significant.