USE OF BLUE LAKE AS AN INDICATOR OF BACTERIAL PENETRATION INTO EGGS

Blue Lake, an insoluble dye, was evaluated as an indicator of potential bacterial penetration into eggs. Various groups of eggs (fresh-laid; commercial; water-washed) were dipped in 0.25% (w/v) Blue Lake in 0.1% Triton X-100 solution for 2 min and incubated at room temperature up to 1 ± 24 h. Penetration was detected by counting the blue dots on shell membranes after breaking the eggs. Commercial eggs allowed the easiest penetration. All commercial eggs showed blue dots even at 2 min incubation and the average count reached 111/egg at 1 h. Water-washed eggs allowed much less penetration than commercial eggs and the counts of blue dots on those eggs were 10/egg at 2 min and 22 at 1 h. Fresh-laid eggs did not allow any penetration up to 24 h. Above results corresponded very well with the penetration study with Salmonella enteritidis and also with the morphological study of eggshell surfaces using electron microscopy where fresh-laid eggs had intact cuticle layers, but commercial eggs did not. Thus, Blue Lake dye might be used as a rapid indicator of bacterial penetration through eggshells.     

Lipid Metabolism in Fucus serratus as Modified by Environmental Factors

The effect of changes in the environment on lipid metabolismhas been studied in the brown alga, Fucus serratus L. Lightstimulated the incorporation of radioactivity from /{^I4C/}acetateinto oleic and, especially, into linoleic acid. The same effectwas caused by lowering the incubation temperature from 15 °Cto 4 °C. Incubations in the presence of Cd ^{+ +}, Pb ^{+ +} orZn^{+ +} had no effect on the total uptake of /{¹⁴C/}acetate intothe frond tip samples, but lowered the labelling of total lipidsrelative to aqueous-soluble components. However, pre-exposureof the algae to heavy metal cations caused changes in the uptakeof radioactivity but had less effect on the relative labellingof lipids than incubations in the presence of heavy metal cations.Algae collected from sites where the dissolved levels of heavymetals were elevated, showed a decrease in the relative labellingof lipids from /{¹⁴C/}acetate. Concentrations of Cd^{+ +}, Pb⁺⁺ or Zn^{+ +} at 10 x levels found at the collection site had littleeffect on the pattern of fatty acids made by Fucus serratus. Key words: Lipid metabolism, Fucus serratus L., Environmental changes     

The Nuclear Envelope of Amoeba proteus During Mitosis as Studied With a Monoclonal Antibody Against a Membrane-Associated Protein

. The behavior of nuclear envelopes during mitosis in Amoeba proteus was studied by means of indirect immunofluo-rescence staining using a monoclonal antibody against a 220-kD membrane-associated protein of amoebae in conjunction with DAPI staining of chromatin. The antibody selectively recognized antigens on nuclear envelopes during interphase but did not react with the nuclear membranes during mitosis until after cytokinesis had been completed. Thus, it appeared that the membrane-associated protein reacting with the monoclonal antibody and normally present on the nuclear membranes was absent from fragmented nuclear membranes or nuclear membranes that were continuous but did not have the honey-comb lamina. The findings suggested that the 220-kD nuclear-membrane protein may be involved in the dissolution and reformation of the honey-comb lamina during mitosis in amoebae.     

家兔三叉神经终止核对颏舌肌肌电活动的调制作用

本工作在35只氨基甲酸乙酯麻醉、自主呼吸的家兔上观察了刺激三叉神经终止核(NTV)对颏舌肌肌电活动的影响。结果发现,电刺激NTV和NTV内微量注射谷氨酸钠都能使颏舌肌出现明显的易化效应。电刺激NTV背侧与腹侧时,颏舌肌肌电反应的潜伏期分别为5.9±0.7ms和3.0±0.4ms,电刺激舌下神经核时颏舌肌反应的潜伏期为2.2±0.2ms。结果提示三叉神经终止核的兴奋可加强颏舌肌的活动从而减小上呼吸道阻力。     

单增李斯特菌胎盘感染的体内外模型研究进展

单核细胞增生李斯特氏菌（Listeria monocytogenes）是重要的食源性致病菌,能引发人类的李斯特菌病,是全球公共卫生问题之一。该菌易感染孕妇,引起胎儿和新生儿的侵袭性李斯特菌病,严重威胁母婴健康。因此,建立有效的单增李斯特菌感染胎盘体内外模型,解析和探究单增李斯特菌经胎盘感染机制,是预防和控制单增李斯特菌感染母婴的关键所在。本文综述了可用于研究单增李斯特菌母婴感染的体内外胎盘模型,总结和讨论了各类模型的优势和局限性;并着重分析了体外三维胎盘屏障模型在单增李斯特菌感染方面的研究进展和未来研究方向。以期为深入解析该菌经胎盘感染的途径、发病机制提供支持,并为预防和控制母婴李斯特菌病提供科学参考。     

Immune-Enhancing Activity Screening on Extracts from Two Crickets, Gryllus bimaculatus and Teleogryllus emma

This study was performed to explore novel and valuable uses of insect resources, important subjects of the natural compound used in bio‐industries. The whole bodies of two crickets, Gryllus bimaculatus and Teleogryllus emma, selected from medicinal insect species, were carefully ground and treated with 80% EtOH. The insect extracts were solubilized and separated by hexane, butanol, and D.W according to their polarities. Three types of extracts, a D.W fraction (G1) and a boiling extract (G2) of an introduced cricket, G. bimaculatus, and a D.W fraction (T1) of a Korean local cricket, T. emma, were prepared to assay immune stimulating activity of cricket originated compounds. The all of three treated cricket extracts showed to increase IL‐4, IFN‐, and TNF‐α. Among those extract, extract G2, boiled extract from G. bimaculatus, was the best immune–enhancing fraction. The results of this study could be fundamental information for further works to use insects as natural resources having plenty of potentials and varieties.     

Lysosomal Membrane Proteins of Amoeba proteus, as Studied with Monoclonal Antibodies

Monoclonal antibodies were prepared against lysosomal membrane proteins of amoebae and used to follow lysosome-phagosome fusion after induced phagocytosis. The specificity of antibodies was checked by indirect immunofluorescence microscopy, immunoelectron microscopy, and localization of the antigen in subcellular fractions. The antibody-recognized proteins started to appear on the membranes of phagolysosomes about 5 min after phagocytosis as detected by indirect immunofluorescence, and the intensity of fluorescence increased for up to 1 h. Results of injection experiments in which purified antibodies had been injected into living cells and probed by indirect fluorescence indicated that the antigens were located on the cytoplasmic side of the lysosomal membranes. Lysosomes fuse with phagosomes on the one hand but not with non-fusible vesicles such as symbiosomes on the other. The results support the view that a membrane component(s) of non-fusible vesicles somehow prevents lysosomoes from fusing with them.     

New durophagous arthrodires from Gogo, Western Australia

Three new monotypic genera of eubrachythorarid arthrodires with crushing toothplates are described from the Upper Devonian Gogo Formation of Western Australia as Bruntonichthys multidens gen. et sp. nov., Bullerichthysfascidens gen. et sp. nov. and Kendrickkhthys cavemosus gen. et sp. nov. Their structure and relationships are discussed within the framework provided by a sketch cladogram. All three are interchangeable with Coccosteus spp. but their phylogenetic relationships are not known in any detail. However, Kendrickkhthys does appear to be immediately related to Dinomylostoma from North America.