Principles for optimizing and guaging several processes in the technology of vaccine production. II. Modeling processes of thermal inactivation of microorganisms]

The paper treats of some problems pertinent to modelling of thermal inactivation of the microbes serving as a theoretical foundation for the achievement of guaranteed sterility of the equipment, communications and fluids. The principal attention is devoted to the problems of quantitative assessment of the efficacy of the mentioned processes. The advantages and the drawbacks of some deterministic and probability models which found application in microbiological laboratories are assessed. The expediency of orientation on a model proposing the use of characteristics of thermal resistance of the microorganisms and considering the heterogeneity of the actual populations by the thermoresistance index was demonstrated.     

Humans and viruses determine the nature of virus vaccine production processes

Vaccine production processes result from the interaction between humans with a particular cell and virus system. The factors that control progress lie not only in the nature of the virus and animal cell but also in the history of the environment in which the process is to be developed. This latter constraint strongly influences the nature of the technical process that is chosen for the production of the vaccine rather than the achievement of efficiency based on one or other of the many possible engineering parameters of the virus production process. In addition to this it is also clear that we have much to learn about the production of viruses from animal cells in culture and that we may be aided by changing our present paradigm of the virus as a cellular enemy to that of the viruses are the cell's best friend.Paper presented at Cell Engineering III Meeting, Florida, 1992.     

A thermal method for the determination of tissue blood flow.

An isothermal flowmeter for the determination of local tissue blood flow is described. Flow is determined by the measurement of the thermal conductivity of the tissue in the vicinity of a heated thermistor maintained at a fixed temperature difference above a reference thermistor. Direct heating of the thermistor is utilized to eliminate the need for specially constructed indirectly heated thermistors. This design results in a device with a voltage output directly proportional to tissue thermal conductivity and to tissue blood flow. The device is shown to be adequate for the qualitative measurement of myocardial blood flow under various situations. Construction is simplified and the size of the circuit reduced by the use of readily available integrated circuits.     

A novel method for the determination of carbonyl groups in cellulosics by fluorescence labeling. 3. Monitoring oxidative processes

The fluorescence-based CCOA method for determination of carbonyl group profiles in cellulosic substrates was employed to study the mechanisms of various oxidative and degradation processes involving celluloses in greater detail. The approach comprises labeling with the marker carbazole-9-carboxylic acid [2-(2-aminooxyethoxy)ethoxy]amide (CCOA), followed by gel permeation chromatography in DMAc/LiCl with fluorescence, multiangle laser light scattering, and refractive index detection. At first, the CCOA method was applied to study solutions of pulp in N-methylmorpholine-N-oxide monohydrate (NMMO), as occurring in the production of Lyocell-type fibers. NMMO is a rather strong oxidant that on one hand converts reducing end groups to carboxyl structures, thus lowering the overall carbonyl content, but generates new keto structures along the chain by nonselective oxidation on the other hand. The CCOA method allowed for the first time to distinguish the carbonyl course in different molecular weight ranges. Second, alkalization and aging of pulp, which are used in the industrial preparation of cellulose derivatives, e.g., as an element of the preripening process in viscose rayon production, were investigated. The CCOA method shows a clear reduction of the molecular weight, accompanied by a fast loss of carbonyls in the first phase, which is due to removal of low-molecular weight material by dissolution, and a slow decrease in the second phase, which is caused by further oxidation of carbonyl groups. Also here, differences in the carbonyl course in different molecular weight regions were monitored. Third, electron beaming, proposed as a means of pulp activation, was shown to decrease and narrow the molecular weight distribution, under generation of comparatively low amounts of carbonyls, which, however, are also introduced into high molecular weight, crystalline domains, as shown by a comparison of homogeneous and heterogeneous CCOA labeling approach. Finally, as the fourth application, thermal treatment of cellulose at temperatures between 105 and 165 degrees C was shown to bring about a small reduction of the molecular weight, which only at higher drying temperatures is accompanied by an introduction of carbonyls over the whole molecular weight range.     

A simplified method for the determination of nitric oxide in biological solutions.

A new simplified procedure for determination of nitric oxide (NO) in biological solutions is described utilizing a new reducing system of nitric oxide prior to chemiluminescence. Advantages of the new method makes heating of the reducing solution unnecessary and avoids cooling and condensation of generated vapors. Only traces of acid with a high boiling point are used. The method permits analysis of small sample volumes (200 microL). The basal production of nitric oxide by freshly harvested endothelial cells ranged from 100 to 880 picomoles.     

Multi-objective optimization of glycopeptide antibiotic production in batch and fed batch processes

Fermentation optimization involves potentially conflicting multiple objectives such as product concentration and production media cost. Simultaneous optimization of these objectives would result in a multiobjective optimization problem, which is characterized by a set of multiple solutions, knows as pareto optimal solutions. These solutions gives flexibility in evaluating the trade-offs and selecting the most suitable operating policy. Here, ε-constraint approach was used to generate the pareto solutions for two objectives: product concentration and product per unit cost of media, for batch and fed batch operations using process model for Amycolatopsis balhimycina, a glycopeptide antibiotic producer. This resulted in a set of several pareto optimal solutions with the two objectives ranging from (0.75 g l⁻¹, 3.97 g $^-1) to (0.44 g l⁻¹, 5.19 g $^-1) for batch and from (1.5 g l⁻¹, 5.46 g $^-1) to (1.1 g l⁻¹, 6.34 g $^-1) for fed batch operations. One pareto solution each for batch and for fed batch mode was experimentally validated.     

Ribosomal dysentery vaccine. I. Method of production, physical and chemical properties]

Studies of A. and G. Youmans on the experimental tuberculosis led to discovery of a fundamentally new type of vaccines (ribosomal vaccines) which proved to be highly effective in the prophylaxis of many experimental infections. Therefore it seems reasonable to prepare analogous vaccine from Shigellae for the study of its efficiency in experimental shigellosis. Ribosomal preparations from Shigella sonnei were prepared by sonic disruption of microbial cells followed by differential ultracentrifugation according to A. and G. Youmans' method with slight modifications. The yeild of ribosomal fraction was about 2 per cent by weight; all the series had an UV adsorption maximum at 260 nm, the ratio OD260:OD280 being approximately 2. They contained about 55% of RNA, 35% of protein and no more than 8% of saccharides. As shown by centrifugation in sucrose gradient and by analytical ultracentrifugation the preparations were homogeneous. The presence of undissociated ribosomes was confirmed by electron microscopy. Thus, the ribosomal preparations obtained proved to be sufficiently purified for carrying out experimental investigations of their biological activity.     

肺炎克雷伯杆菌疫苗中试生产中细菌培养工艺的改进及优化

目的中试生产中对肺炎克雷伯杆菌培养工艺进行改进及优化。方法采用液体综合培养基代替半综合培养基在10L和100L中国丽生物反应器中对肺炎克雷伯杆菌进行培养,在10L中国丽生物反应器探讨不同的培养基配方、pH值、培养温度、搅拌转速、溶氧,工艺参数稳定后,扩大培养到100L中国丽生物反应器,并探讨培养过程中补加葡萄糖的浓度及补加方式等对细菌浓度及荚膜多糖含量的影响。结果肺炎克雷伯杆菌液体综合培养基可代替半综合培养基用于该菌的培养,培养过程中维持pH值7．2、温度37℃、通气60L／h、搅拌转速250r／min、培养到2h时开始以恒速补加30mL／L40％葡萄糖溶液、培养时间为5h,细菌长势最好,收获的荚膜多糖含量最高。结论肺炎克雷伯杆菌的培养工艺放大到100L中国丽生物反应器中,经过多次试验初步建立了稳定的肺炎克雷伯杆菌中试培养工艺。