Progesterone transformations as a diagnostic feature in the generaAlternaria,Stemphylium andCladosporium

Various species of the generaAlternaria, Stemphylium andCladosporium were shown to display a specific reaction characteristic for the given genus. In theAlternaria genus this is a 1-2-dehydrogenation of the A ring of the steroid molecule, inStemphylium 14α-hydroxylation and inCladosporium 7β-hydroxylation. This chemotaxonomic feature may supplement morphological and functional criteria in the taxonomy of filamentous fungi (Hyphomycetes).     

Effect of megestrol acetate on milk production in sows and piglet growth

A group of 16 German Landrace sows, nursing 155 piglets, was used for the demonstration of the effect of 20 mg of the progestogen megestrol acetate, administered orally from Day 8 to 21 post-partum, on milk production, milk composition and piglet weight. Eight sows remained untreated. Megestrol acetate treatment increased significantly milk yield by 35% and piglet weight at weaning (Day 35) by 30% over controls. A carryover effect after cessation of drug treatment was dtected, which kept milk production at an increased level for 8 more days.     

Purification and characterization of beta-glucosidase of Alcaligenes faecalis

A cellobiose-utilizing bacterium isolated from sugar cane bagasse and identified as a strain of Alcaligenes faecalis (ATCC 21400) produced an inducible beta-glucoside-splitting enzyme. The enzyme was purified by a series of streptomycin and ammonium sulfate fractionations and by Sephadex and diethylaminoethyl column chromatography. The final preparation was purified 130-fold, with a recovery of about 10% of the initial enzyme activity. The enzyme had a wide pH range, with optimal activity at pH 6.0 to 7.0. The enzyme was stable in solution at pH 6.5 to 7.8 when kept at 30 C for 2 hr, but it was destroyed by temperatures above 55 C. At 58 and 60 C, the time required to inactivate 90% of the initial activity was 16 and 6.5 min, respectively. An activation energy of 9,500 cal/mole and a K(m) of 1.25 x 10(-4)m were obtained by using p-nitrophenyl beta-glucoside as a substrate. The K(i) value and hydrolysis of cellobiose by the enzyme indicated a high affinity of the enzyme for the cellobiose. The enzyme had its specificity on beta-glucosidic linkage and the rate of hydrolisis of glucosides depended upon the nature of the aglycon moiety. The inactivation studies showed the presence of sulfhydryl groups in the enzyme. The activity of the enzyme was easily destroyed by the Cu(++) and Hg(++) ions. The Michaelis-Menton relationship and the rate of heat inactivation indicated the presence of one type of noninteracting active site in the bacterial beta-glucosidase. Molecular weight of the enzyme was estimated by gel filtration (Sephadex G-200) and sucrose density gradient, and a value of 120,000 to 160,000 was obtained.     

Isolation and Characterization of a Cellulose-utilizing Bacterium

A cellulose-decomposing aerobic and mesophilic bacterium has been isolated from soils of sugar cane fields. The terminal dilution method was adapted to isolate a single clone of cellulolytic organism from closely related contaminants. The cultural and physiological characteristics of the isolate were studied, and the organism was identified as a member of the genus Cellulomonas. The isolate excreted cellulase into the menstruum, and it hydrolyzed various cellulosic materials producing cellobiose as the final breakdown product in the menstruum. When sugar cane bagasse was properly treated with alkali and heat, the organism could decompose up to 90% of the initial substrate within 5 days. Amino acid analysis of the cell crop revealed a high content of lysine, and the essential amino acid pattern compared favorably with that of Food and Agricultural Organization reference protein.     

Typing of Nontypable Staphylococci by Lysogeny

Strains of coagulase-positive staphylococci which were nontypable with the routine typing set of phages could be typed by lysogeny with phage-propagating strains as indicators and with ultraviolet induction. About 10% of the strains could be typed without induction. About 36% of them could be typed by this method when ultraviolet irradiation was used as an inducing agent. The phage groups from which the majority of the nontypable staphylococci originated were easily identified by this method of typing.     

烧伤后大鼠肠道菌群的改变及其易位

本文报告了25％烧伤后注射免疫抑制剂(地寨米松磷酸钠)大鼠7种肠道细菌的定量、内脏及血液的细菌培养和肠壁的病理形态学改变。单纯烧伤组(B组)和单纯注射免疫抑制剂组(Ⅰ组)动物肠壁的病理改变较轻,肠道菌群改变不明显,其肠道细菌易位率也很低。烧伤后注射免疫抑制剂的动物(BⅠ组)肠壁病变严重,肠道菌群改变明显。其中,肠杆菌在回肠、盲肠,结肠内容物中的菌量均明显升高;回肠内容物中拟杆菌的菌量明显减少;该组动物肠道细菌易位率也明显增高,达60％。此外,BⅠ组、Ⅰ组部分动物发生了由棒状杆菌及由棒状扦菌和肠杆菌混合引起的内源性感染。根据不同肠段肠壁病变严重程度、菌群变化的部位以及不同部位肠管生理功能的不同,我们推测,回肠以上肠段是肠道细菌易位的主要部位。     

IL-4 blocks the up-regulation of IL-2 receptors induced by IL-2 in normal human B cells

A negative influence of IL-4 on the IL-2-induced B cell proliferation and differentiation has recently been reported. In this study, we have further investigated a role of IL-4 on human tonsillar B cell proliferation and IL-2R expression. IL-4 enhanced Staphylococcus aureus Cowan 1 strain (SAC)-induced B cell proliferation, reaching the peak on day 3. However, from day 4, IL-4 inhibited IL-2-induced proliferation. In the cross-linking study, IL-4 enhanced the density of 125I-IL-2-binding protein at low affinity binding condition (2 nM of 125I-IL-2) in SAC-activated B cells. However, IL-4 blocked the enhancement in the density of 125I-IL-2-binding proteins induced by IL-2, from day 3, in both high (50 pM of 125I-IL-2) and low affinity binding conditions, suggesting that IL-4 is able to block IL-2-induced IL-2R up-regulation. This was confirmed by a binding study: B cells that cultured for 3 days with SAC plus IL-2 expressed an average of 180 +/- 20 high affinity receptors/cell with a Kd of 12 pM and 5800 +/- 500 low affinity receptors/cell with a Kd of 980 pM. By coculturing with IL-4, high affinity receptors were almost undetectable and the expression of low affinity receptors was reduced by more than 80%. IL-4-mediated inhibition of IL-2-induced IL-2R expression does not seem to be due to the direct interaction between IL-4 and cell surface receptors, inasmuch as preincubation of cells with IL-4 for 60 min at 37 degrees C did not alter the binding of 125I-IL-2 to cells previously cultured for 3 days with SAC plus IL-2. These data suggest that IL-4 has a capacity to block the up-regulation of the high as well as low affinity IL-2R-induced by IL-2 in normal human B cells, and could provide a possible explanation for the decreased responsiveness of B cells to IL-2 in the presence of IL-4.