Rate of progress of the 1st post-stimulation division of the mitotic cycle by cells of ascitic hepatoma 22A of different ages]

A study was made of the progress rate of cells of the ascitic hepatoma 22A of different age during the iirst mitotic cycle after the stimulation of division. The "ageing" (11-day), terminal (14-day), and "delayed" (4 days older than the terminal stage) ascitic fluids were used. The maximal values of the labeled nuclei index was found to be reached by 9--12 hours (it was mainly due to the transtion of the quiescent to the S-period) and the maximal mitotic index--by 18--21 hours after the inoculation, independently of the tumour age. These results suggest that the duration of both the prereplicative (G1) period and of the whole first mitotic cycle after the stimulation were independent of the time during which the cells of the ascitic hepatoma 22A were at the resting stage or at the very prolonged G1-period.     

Peptide synthesis in organic media with the use of subtilisin 72 immobilized on a poly(vinyl alcohol) cryogel

Subtilisin 72 serine protease (EC 3.4.21.14) immobilized on a poly(vinyl alcohol) cryogel was used as a catalyst in the syntheses of N-protected peptide p-nitroanilides of the general formulas Z(or Boc)-Xaa-Phe-pNA (Xaa = Leu or Ala), Z-Ala-Xaa-Yaa-pNA (Xaa = Leu or Ala; Yaa = Leu or Phe), and Z-Ala-Ala-Xaa-Yaa-pNA (Xaa = Leu, Arg, or Gly; Yaa = Phe, Leu, Gly, Asp, or Glu). The syntheses were carried out in DMF-acetonitrile mixtures. A number of protected di-, tri-, and tetrapeptides were prepared in yields up to 99%. The syntheses were found to retain stereoselectivity under the conditions studied. The activation of carboxyl group of the acylating component was shown to have a positive effect upon the coupling rate. The English version of the paper: Russian Journal of Bioorganic Chemistry, 2005, vol. 31, no. 6; see also http://www.maik.ru.     

Duration of preservation of Streptococcus pneumoniae and Haemophilus influenzae in the sputum and bronchial washings of patients with acute and chronic pneumonias

The study of 108 samples of pathological material stored in a common refrigerator revealed that S. pneumoniae survived, on the average, for 7.6 days in sputum samples and for 4.2 days in bronchial washings, while Haemophilus influenzae could be detected in these materials, on the average, only within 48 hours. After 24-hour storage at 4-8 degrees C pneumococci were detected in all sputum samples and in 88.2% of bronchial washings, H. influenzae was detected ins 85% of these samples; the concentration of the above-mentioned microorganisms in the pathological material stored at 4-8 degrees C for 24 hours decreased, on the average, by 2.3-2.6 lg per ml.     

Rod-shaped inclusions in the heart and brain in the experimental alcoholization of rats

Experiments were made on rat alcoholized by inhalation. Electron microscopy of the myocardium and brain cortex showed the dystrophically altered cells of these organs to contain unusual rod-shaped and sagittal cytoplasmic inclusions unrelated to organelles and having a certain structural similarity to alcoholic hyaline detected in men. The necessity of further studies to identify the inclusions in question is discussed.