Das Autoselect-System – ein Automatensystem zur Selektion von Antibiotikaproduzenten. VI. Achtfach-Stanzautomat

An eightfold punch belonging to the Aùtoselect-system is described. It is provided for the preparation of bioassay plates. From the agar of large quadratic test plates moving automatically on a carriage of the machine, 64 holes are made by eight punches. The punches arranged in a row over the test plate are lowered, if the carriage stops, and so they cut out and exhaust agar discs in a pattern of 8 × 8.     

Das Autoselect-System – ein Automatensystem zur Selektion von Antibiotikaproduzenten. V. Achtfach-Pipettierautomat

An automatic eightfold-pipetter has been developed with the same basic unit as the diluter of the Autoselect-system. The pipetter is fitted with eight pipettes on a bridge over the basic unit. By means of the pipettes a volume of 0.05 ml from eight tubes is exhauseted and delivered in the holes of a test plate. Both the test plate and a cassette with 64 tubes are located on a moving carriage. the test plate on the first floor and the cassette on the ground floor. If the pipettes transfer the samples from the tubes to the holes the distance between the pipettes must be changed by a special device from 20 to 30 mm, because the distance between the holes on the test plate differs from that of the tubes. For the transfer of 64 samples 2 minutes only are needed.     

Das Autoselect-System – ein Automatensystem zur Selektion von Antibiotikaproduzenten,VII. Hemmhofmeßautomat

The zone reader of the Autoselect-system enables to measure the 64 inhibition zones of a quadratic bioassay plate with an accuracy of 0,1 mm within 3 minutes. A carriage moves each zone in the light beam. With a special photometrical device 3 defined areas of the inhibition zone can be measured quantitatively by 2 receivers. The indicated values of the diameters result from the analog treatment of the signals. By coupling to a computer the datas of the measuring and other desired informations are printed out.     

Das Autoselect-System – ein Automatensystem zur Selektion von Antibiotikaproduzenten. III. Ein Impfautomat zum Isolieren von Einzelkolonien

An inoculator enabling the isolation of colonies from petridishes onto agar-filled microcultur cups, arranged in a pattern of 8 × 8 in cassettes, is described. The transfer of the colonies takes place by turning of an inoculation cross with 4 loops. While the cross stops and lowers, one loop is sterilized, another, which has been sterilized shortly before, is being cooled in sterile water, the next one is taking off some material from a colony and the last is spreading the material on the agar of a cup. The capacity of the machine accounts about 600 colonies per hour.     

Das Autoselect-System – ein Automatensystem zur Selektion von Antibiotikaproduzenten VIII. Zur Effektivität des Automatensystems

The advantages of the Autoselect-system are explained. They are offered by a higher speed of all manipulations, by a significantly better accuracy, by getting more informations and by easier physical labour. In the most cases the automated work can be done in a fourth till a tenth of the time needed for manual handlings. The capacity of the machines amounts 5 000 to 30 000 colonies/samples per day. Special problems as well as possibilities for a further increase of the efficiency are discussed.     

Das Autoselect-System – ein Automatensystem zur Selektion von Antibiotikaproduzenten. I. Methodische Grundlagen und Umfang des Systems

The methodical principle of an automated selection system for antibiotic producers, the Autoselectsystem, consisting of six machines and a computer is explained. In order to work with this machines the following material is needed: Cassettes with 64 microculture cups for cultivation of colonies on agar, cassettes with glass-tubes for dilution of samples, and test-plates with 64 holes for performing the agar diffusion test. The cups, the tubes and holes are arranged in a pattern of 8×8. In a serie of papers the machines will be described.     

Das Autoselect-system – ein Automatensystm zu Selektion von Antibiotikaproduzenten. II. Agarabfüllautomat

An agardeliverer, one of the machines of the Autoselect-system is described. This machine allows to pour melted agar automatically into a row of 8 microculture cups of a cassette with 64 cups. By changing the agarcontainer provided for one medium against another container with 8 chambers the machine offers the possibility to deliver 1 to 8 media simultaneously. In this respect the machine gets more and more interest not only for the selection of antibiotic producers, but also for taxonomic, genetic and other studies. Sterile conditions are ensured by sterilizing the head of the machine before starting the work.     

Das Grubenorgan,ein biologisches System zur Abbildung von Infrarotstrahlern

The facial pits of pit vipers are suited for thermal imaging. The difference of radiance between radiator and background necessary for evoking a reaction of the viper is 0.1 mW/cm² for one pit; this corresponds to a difference of temperature of 0.3 to 0.4° C. The image formation of radiators on the membrane is similar to that of a pinhole camera. A point by point seperation on the membrane can't be achieved; however a point seperation by nervous processing is conceivable. The spatial cut-off frequency of image formation is 0.5 mm^–1.     

Impfen – von der Empirie zur Immunologie

Vaccine development: From empiric discovery to knowledge‐based improvement A successful vaccination requires an efficient immune response towards the vaccine and the induction of long‐lasting immunological memory. Pattern recognition receptors such as the Toll‐like receptors are crucial components of the innate immune system required for the initiation of an anti‐infective immune response. TLR ligands may serve as efficient adjuvants for vaccines. Strategies for improvement of vaccines and for the future development of vaccines against as yet “non‐vaccinable” infectious diseases include novel antigen preparations, targeting of pattern recognition receptors, and exploitation of novel administration routes such as mucosal vaccination.     

Der Respirationsfermentor – ein Labormeßsystem zur Charakterisierung aerober mikrobiologischer Reaktionen

By use of a laboratory fermenter with a gastight circle aeration system all interesting values connected with the respiration of microorganisms can be determined. The advantage of the respiration fermenter is the simple control of the oxygen partial pressure with high accuracy. The aeration is carried out by inert gas-oxygen-mixtures. This system was used to avoid errors in oxygen-concentration measurement and regulation by oxygen sensitive sensors in fermentation fluids. For each selected oxygen partial pressure in the course of fermentation the following date in connection with all desired analytical values can be determined by manual or automatical means. Total oxygen consumption, momentary oxygen consumption rate, kinetics of oxygen consumption rate, kinetics of respiratory quotient. Several opportunities of measurement are presented and examples for application in various microbial systems are given.     

Mikroplastik – ein unsichtbarer Störenfried

Microplastic – a hidden harass Plastic is produced in large amounts and used for various purposes. After use, huge amounts end up in the enviroment, often in the oceans. There, fragmentation leads to small particles, called microplastics. By filtrating and benthos‐feeding organisms it can be inadvertently taken up as food. We demonstrate that the unicellular ciliate Paramecium, the freshwater flea Daphnia and the blue mussel Mytilus took up microplastic particles. Even more, in Mytilus, the plastic particles were transported into the digestive gland and accumulated in the respective cells. Subsequently, pathological alterations in the gland were noted. Microplastics are of concern because animals might starve with a full belly after uptaking large amounts of microplastics. As well, particles with sharp edges can injure the mucous layer of the gastrointestinal tract. Furthermore, persistent organic pollutants adhere at plastic and thus, may cause adverse impacts on the animal. We show options for solutions and indicate selected organisations working on the development of solutions.