Soil structural aspects of decomposition of organic matter by micro-organisms

Soil architecture is the dominant control over microbially mediated decomposition processes in terrestrial ecosystems. Organic matter is physically protected in soil so that large amounts of well-decomposable compounds can be found in the vicinity of largely starving microbial populations. Among the mechanisms proposed to explain the phenomena of physical protection in soil are adsorption of organics on inorganic clay surfaces and entrapment of materials in aggregates or in places inaccessible to microbes. Indirect evidence for the existence of physical protection in soil is provided by the occurrence of a burst of microbial activity and related increased decomposition rates following disruption of soil structures, either by natural processes such as the remoistening of a dried soil or by human activities such as ploughing. In contrast, soil compaction has only little effect on the transformation of ¹⁴C-glucose. Another mechanism of control by soil structure and texture on decomposition in terrestrial ecosystems is through their impact on microbial turnover processes. The microbial population is not only the main biological agent of decomposition in soil, it is also an important, albeit small, pool through which most of the organic matter in soil passes. Estimates on the relative importance of different mechanisms controlling decomposition in soil could be derived from results of combined tracer and modelling studies. However, suitable methodology to quantify the relation between soil structure and biological processes as a function of different types and conditions of soils is still lacking.     

Immunohistochemical evaluation of ras oncogene expression in pulmonary and pleural neoplasms

We undertook an immunohistochemical analysis of human bronchopulmonary epithelial neoplasms and pleural mesotheliomas using a monoclonal antibody which recognizes ras oncogene products (p21ras). The monoclonal antibody, RAP-5, recognizes both unaltered and certain mutated p21ras. Formalin fixed and paraffin embedded tissue samples of 187 lung epithelial tumors and 27 pleural mesotheliomas were investigated; normal and bronchiectatic lungs were similarly studied. Normal lung and pleural tissue did not immunostain except for occasional type II pneumocytes. Reactive type II pneumocytes adjacent to carcinomas and bronchiectasis immunostained consistently. Twenty four/34 (71%) squamous carcinomas immunostained. Only 8/50 (16%) adenocarcinomas immunostained focally and weakly whereas 19/24 (79%) bronchioloalveolar carcinomas immunostained. Eleven/18 (61%) large cell carcinomas immunostained with variable intensity. Eleven/13 (85%) carcinoids, 6/7 (85%) well differentiated neuroendocrine carcinomas, and 18/21 (86%) intermediate cell neuroendocrine carcinomas immunostained while none of 20 small cell neuroendocrine carcinomas immunostained. Only a few mesotheliomas were immunostained focally. Two/14 (14%) epithelial type and 1/9 (11%) biphasic type mesotheliomas immunostained weakly; none of 4 spindle cell mesotheliomas immunostained. We conclude that while at least occasional cases of most types of pulmonary epithelial neoplasms express p21ras, the frequency and intensity of the expression are distinctly greater in certain tumor types such as squamous, bronchioloalveolar, and neuroendocrine neoplasm except for the small cell type. Contrary to these lung epithelial neoplasms, most mesotheliomas did not immunostain for p21ras. Whether the enhanced p21ras expression may point to a different mechanism of transformation or may merely reflect differentiation features remains undetermined.     

Endorphin mediated increase in pain threshold induced by long-lasting exercise in rats

Rats were trained to run spontaneously, without stress, in running wheels. The running activity increased gradually and could reach a plateau of 7 km/night after 3–4 weeks. During the first hour of running in the dark phase the squeak threshold increased significantly and remained high in the morning. The degree of increased threshold was correlated to the amount of running activity. The squeak threshold declined during the following 6 hours of inactivity. A rapid decrease in threshold occurred after naloxone (1–2 mg/kg i.p.). It is suggested that long-lasting muscle exercise (e.g. jogging), acupuncture, and low frequency electrical stimulation of afferent nerve fibres produce discharges in muscle afferents which influence central endorphin mechanics giving analgetic effects.     

Die Kohlehydratverdauung bei Astacus fluviatilis

Zusammenfassung Im Flußkrebsmagensaft fanden wir Amylase, Maltase, sehr wenig In vertase und keine Lactase.Das p_H-Optimum der Amylase ist bei p_H 5,6, der Invertase bei p_H 5,7–6,0. Maltase hat kein scharfes Optimum, sondern ein flaches Optimum zwischen p_H 5 und 6.Die Maltase und die Amylase des Saftes haben ungefähr dieselbe Wirkungsgeschwindigkeit.Die Temperatur verschiebt das p_H-Optimum der Amylase nicht oder nur sehr wenig.Aus der Tatsache, daß die Amylase und die Maltase die gleiche Wirkungsgeschwindigkeit haben, ergibt sich, daß dem Flußkrebs die für die Wirbeltiere charakteristische Regulierung der Ernährung fehlt. Das gleiche dürfte nach Untersuchung von Shinoda und Krueger auch für Eiweißverdauung gelten. Eine Spekulation über die Möglichkeit der Überschwemmung des Krebsorganismus mit Zucker können wir uns sparen, da wir noch zu wenig davon wissen. Nur so viel sei gesagt, daß eine Zuckerresorption im Magen nicht stattfindet, und daß die Menge des Zuckers, die in die Mitteldarmdrüse gelangt, in der Zeiteinheit äußerst gering sein muß, aus Gründen, die wir in der Einleitung besprachen. Schon deswegen muß eine Überschwemmung, wie sie bei den Wirbeltieren stattfinden könnte, hier ausgeschlossen sein. Die Frage, inwieweit überhaupt bei diesen. Tieren eine Regulierung der Kohlehydrate des Blutes lebensnotwendig ist, kann nicht beantwortet werden. Sicherlich aber haben nach Henningsen (11) die Tiere keinen festen Zuckerspiegel, wie ihn die Säugetiere haben, sie können ohne jeden Zuckergehalt des Blutes leben. Nach reichlichen Mahlzeiten steigt die Zuckermenge des Blutes allerdings schnell an, bis etwa 0,030%. Eine Regulation gibt es nur insoweit, als nach Einspritzung größerer Zuckermengen in das Blut der Zuckergehalt des Blutes bald sinkt, bis er gleich demjenigen wird, den man beim gefütterten Tiere findet, solange der Vorrat reicht, wird er dann konstant erhalten. Die große Empfindlichkeit des Säugetieres gegen Schwankungen des Zuckergehaltes im Blute dürfte hier also fehlen. Wie in so vielen Fällen, ist also das niedere Tier Schwankungen der Lebensbedingungen ausgesetzt, es fehlt ihm eine Regulation, wie sie für den Zucker beim Säugetier neben der Leber und den bekannten Hormonen auch durch die beschriebene Eigenartigkeit der Verdauung gewährleistet wird. Wir wollen noch darauf hinweisen, daß Jordan und Begemann (12) gezeigt haben, daß durch den Darm der Schnecken (Helix pomatia) Disaccharide ungefähr ebenso leicht diffundieren, als Monosaccharide (Rohrzucker fast ebenso leicht als Traubenzucker).Dem International Educational sind wir zu großem Dank verpflichtet, da es uns in den Stand gesetzt hat, die benötigte Apparatur anzuschaffen.     

A simple method for determining the sensitivity of micro-organisms to serial dilutions of antibiotics

Summary At this laboratory the routine sensitivity tests of micro-organisms against sulfathiazol and antibiotics have been performed in plastic dishes for half a year. The dishes are cleaned and sterilized in the same way as bacteriological glassware. The use of these dishes offers some advantages over other conventional dilution methods employing tubes or Petri dishes with solid media: the sensitivity to serial dilutions of one antibiotic may be measured in one and the same plate, and in this way a considerable amount of glassware and of space in the incubator may be saved; the readings are easily done and distinct. It has been demonstrated that sensitivity tests with two standard strains against sulfathiazol and various antibiotics may be reproduced with the same endpoints.     

How do insect herbivores cope with the extreme oxidative stress of phototoxic host plants?

Plants of the Asteraceae and Hypericaceae possess secondary compounds that induce photooxidation in insect herbivores that consume them. One of the well-established modes of action of these substances is peroxidation of membrane lipids. Some herbivores counteract these defences by avoidance of light and tissues rich in phototoxins or the ability to detoxify these secondary substances. The cytochrome P-450 polysubstrate monooxygenase systems involved, the metabolic products, and a new putative toxin pump have been described. Dietary antioxidants (β-carotene, vitamin E, ascorbate) are additional defences against phototoxicity. They reduce mortality in herbivores exposed to phototoxins and some specialist herbivores have high constitutive levels. Adapted specialist insects also have higher constitutive levels of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and respond to phototoxins in their diet by the induction of catalase (CAT), glutathione reductase (GR), and increased levels of reduced glutathione (GSH). Artificial inhibition of the enzymes SOD and CAT had little effect on phototoxicity but inhibition of GSH synthesis in herbivores enhanced photooxidative effects of administered phototoxins on lipid peroxidation. While insects have many mechanisms to overcome plant photooxidants, the Asteraceae appear to have adopted a strategy of counterattack. We suggest and provide preliminary evidence that a second group of secondary substances, the sesquiterpene lactones, occurring in the Asteraceae can attack key antioxidant defences to synergise phototoxins. © 1995 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Operation of a multichannel microcalorimetry system in the micro-submicrowatt region: some methodological aspects

Monitoring heat flux values below approx. 4 microW requires in microcalorimetry non-standard experimental procedures in order to achieve high accuracy and reproducibility. With 5 ml ampoules, stable baselines are reached in 70 min if a three-level pre-thermostating procedure is used and if the gas phase above the liquid is reduced to 0.5 ml or less. A pairwise procedure of reference/measuring ampoules is used. Autoclaved sealing material of teflon, sterilized stainless steel ampoules in contact with a standard cell medium and culture plates of polystyrene do not contribute to measured heat flux. Further, we found that a standard cell culture medium develops a significant thermal heat flux, 0.10 microW.ml-1, probably reflecting an oxidation process in the medium itself.