A determinant of polyomavirus virulence enhances virus growth in cells of renal origin.

We have identified a strain of polyomavirus, Py(L), which is unusual in causing acute morbidity and early death after inoculation of newborn mice. We determined that these animals died of kidney failure associated with extensive, virus-mediated destruction of renal tissue. Interestingly, the Py(L) strain infects baby mouse kidney cell cultures more efficiently than do other strains.     

Estradiol benzoate induced changes in protein synthesis and lysosomal hydrolases in the pituitary of male rats

In vitro protein synthesis, lysosomal hydrolases activity and peroxidase activity in the anterior pituitary were estimated in adult male rats treated with 50 micrograms of estradiol benzoate (EB) for 1 day or 7 days. Pituitary protein synthesis, protein and RNA content increased after 7 days. A significant increase in total and membrane-bound acid phosphatase was noted after 1 day or 7 days of EB treatment whereas total beta-glucuronidase activity decreased in both 1 and 7 day group. Cathepsin activity increased after 7 days and pituitary peroxidase system did not change by EB treatment. These findings suggest that immediate change in the enzyme milieu may be one of the first reactions by which EB expresses its feedback control.     

Ibuprofen, a unique anti-inflammatory compound with antifungal activity against dermatophytes

Ibuprofen showed significant antifungal activity in vitro against dermatophytes at pH 5 (MIC: 5–40 μg ml^-1). In this respect it is comparatively more efficient than two well known and medically used antifungal compounds, benzoic and salicylic acids. This compound with anti-inflammatory activity which is not found in any other conventional antifungal organic acids, may have clinical prospects.     

Malnutrition, menarche, and marriage in rural Bangladesh

In order to assess the impact of nutritional status on the onset of menarche and the association between age at menarche and age at marriage, a survey of 1155 girls, ages 10 through 20, was conducted in a rural area of Bangladesh in March 1976. In order to obtain an estimated mean of age of menarche, probit analysis was used. The mean age of menarche using this technique is estimated at 15.65 for Muslims and 15.91 for Hindus. It was learned that in recent years the age of menarche has increased in a rural area. This increase seems to be associated with malnutrition caused by the war, postwar inflation, floods and famines during the 1971-75 period. When age is controlled for, the prominent effect of weight on menstrual status is evident. 98% of the girls whose weights were 88 pounds or greater had reached menarche compared to only 1% of those weighing less than 66 pounds. Body weight appears to be 1 of the most important factors for the determination of onset of menarche. There exists a seasonality of onset of menarche with a peak in winter. Age of marriage among this rural population has increased and may be associated with the increasing age of menarche. Since both age of menarche and age of marriage have increased, fertility among females age 15-19 may be expected to decrease in the future if this pattern continues.     

A 14-kilodalton inner membrane protein of Vibrio cholerae biotype e1 tor confers resistance to group IV choleraphage infection to classical vibrios.

Choleraphage phi 149 differentiates the two biotypes, classical and el tor, of Vibrio cholerae. This phage cannot replicate in V. cholerae biotype el tor cells because the concatemeric DNA intermediates produced are unstable and cannot be chased to mature phage DNA. A V. cholerae biotype el tor gene coding for a 14,000-Da inner membrane protein which destabilizes the concatemeric DNA intermediates by hindering their binding to the cell membrane has been identified. Presumably, a 22,000-Da V. cholerae biotype el tor protein might also have a role in conferring phage phi 149 resistance to cells belonging to the biotype el tor. A nucleotide sequence homologous to the 1.2-kb V. cholerae biotype el tor DNA coding for both the 14,000- and 22,000-Da proteins is present in all strains of classical vibrios but is not transcribed. The nucleotide sequence of the gene coding for the 14,000-Da protein has been determined.     

Production of cellulases and saccharification of lignocellulosics by A. Micromonospora sp.

A locally isolated strain of Micromonospora sp. when grown on different natural cellulosic substrates gave the highest activity of carboxymethylcellulase (34 U/ml) and Avicelase (0.9 U/ml) on rice straw. Sugar cane bagasse was also a good substrate for growth and cellulase production. With commercial cellulosic substrates, highest carboxymethylcellulase (90 U/ml) and Avicelase (2.8 U/ml) activities were when the organism grew on xylan. Saccharification of sugar cane bagasse and rice straw by enzyme preparations of the organism grown on the respective substrates released 5.6 and 5.8 mg reducing sugar/ml. With all enzyme preparations, bagasse was more easily saccharified than rice straw.The authors are with the Atomic Energy Research Establishment, GPO Box 3787, Dhaka 1000, Bangladesh; N.A. Chowdhury, M. Moniruzzaman, and N. Choudhury in the Institute of Food and Radiation Biology, and N. Nahar in the Institute of Nuclear Science and Technology.     

Detection of Vibrio cholerae O1 in the aquatic environment by fluorescent-monoclonal antibody and culture methods.

Vibrio cholerae O1 in plankton samples collected from ponds and rivers between February 1987 and January 1990 in Matlab, Bangladesh, was detected by the fluorescent-monoclonal antibody (FA) technique. Samples were collected at sites which were monitored fortnightly (fixed sites) as well as at sites that were part of a case-control study. FA results were compared with those obtained by conventional culture methods (CM). A total of 876 samples were collected; V. cholerae O1 was detected in 563 samples (64.27%) by the FA method and in 3 samples (0.34%) by CM. Of the fixed-site plankton samples, 439 (63.62%) were positive by FA and none were positive by CM. Of the 93 case sites sampled on the day after the occurrence of a case of cholera, 73 (78.49%) were positive for V. cholerae O1 by FA and 3 (3.2%) were positive by CM. In comparison, of the 93 first-day sample collections at control sites at the time a case of cholera occurred, only 51 (54.83%) were positive by FA and none were positive by CM. From the data, it is concluded that V. cholerae O1 is present throughout the year in the ponds and rivers of Bangladesh that were examined in this study and that V. cholerae can be detected by FA but not always by CM. The FA procedure was found to be very useful in detecting V. cholerae in plankton, with which it was associated and often occurred in large numbers in the nonculturable stage. Thus, studies investigating the significance of the role of environmental factors in the epidemiology of cholera can be performed effectively by using FA. Such studies are in progress.