Effect of organic and conventional farming on soil bacterial diversity of pecan tree (Carya illinoensis K. Kosh) orchard across two phenological stages

We described the bacterial diversity of walnut grove soils under organic and conventional farming. The bacterial communities of rhizospheric and nonrhizospheric soils of pecan tree (Carya illinoensis K. Koch) were compared considering two phenological stages (sprouting and ripening). Sixteen operational taxonomic units (OTUs) were identified significantly more abundant according to the plant development, only one according to the farming condition, and none according to the soil origin. The OTUs specificaly abundant according to plant development included Actinobateria (2) and Betaproteobacteria (1) related OTUs more abundant at the sprouting stage, while at the fruit ripening (FR) stage the more abundant OTUs were related to Actinobacteria (6), Alphaproteobacteria (6), and unclassified Bacteria (1). The Gaiellaceae OTU18 (Actinobacteria) was more abundant under conventional farming. Thus, our study revealed that the plant development stage was the main factor shaping the bacterial community structure, while less influence was noticed for the farming condition. The bacterial communities exhibited specific metabolic capacities, a large range of carbon sources being used at the FR stage. The identified OTUs specifically more abundant represent indicators providing useful information on soil condition, potential tools for the management of soil bacterial communities.     

The effects of monocyte-conditioned medium and interleukin 1 on the synthesis of collagenous and non-collagenous proteins by mouse bone and human bone cells in vitro

Cultural adherent human mononuclear cells produce factor(s) which stimulate the release of calcium from new-born mouse calvaria in organ culture. This stimulation of bone resorption is accompanied by an inhibition of the incorporation of [³H]proline into collagen which is independent of increased prostaglandin production by the bone. When human osteoblast-like cells are treated with conditioned medium from human mononuclear cells, collagen accounts for a decreased proportion of the protein synthesised. This effect on matrix synthesis is not accompanied by an inhibitory action of the monocyte-conditioned medium preparations on net cell proliferation. In human osteoblast-like cell cultures, partially purified human interleukin 1 also inhibits the production of the bone-specific protein osteocalcin in a dose-dependent fashion. These observations are consistent with the hypothesis that products of human monocytes similar to, or identical with, human interleukin 1 may be important regulators of bone metabolism and may contribute to the bone loss seen in diseases such as chronic rheumatoid arthritis.     

Effects of industrial respirators on breathing pattern at different work levels

The effects of a filtering device and an air-line apparatus on breathing pattern were studied in healthy men with different physical characteristics and work capacity. The subjects comprised nine construction workers aged 35-44, and nine firemen aged 21-35. The construction workers' mean maximal oxygen consumption (VO2max) was 34.5 ml min-1 kg-1, the firemen's 66.9 ml min-1 kg-1. Breathing pattern was analyzed for its components, inspiratory time, expiratory time, breathing frequency, tidal volume, and pulmonary ventilation at rest, during two submaximal treadmill walks when the subjects' absolute work load was equal, and during recovery. Neither the filtering device nor the air-line apparatus had a significant effect on breathing pattern when compared with the control values measured twice with a low-resistance breathing valve. A significantly longer expiratory time, lower breathing frequency, and smaller pulmonary ventilation were found for the firemen with the breathing valve and the industrial respirators. The breathing pattern of the construction workers and the firemen differed, but the alterations were not induced by the use of the filtering device or the air-line apparatus when studied at aerobic work levels up to 60% VO2max.     

Genetic mapping of a mutation conferring sensitivity to bacteriophage Mu in Salmonella typhimurium LT2.

Two strains of Salmonella typhimurium LT2, SA1475 and MA411, were fortuitously found to be sensitive to bacteriophage Mu. The Mu-sensitivity allele of SA1475 was called musA1 and shown to be linked to the histidine operon both in conjugation and transduction experiments. The Mus allele of MA411 was unlinked to the his region and was tentatively designated musB2. Strains carrying large deletions of the his operon were also tested for Mu sensitivity; those of which the his-rib region is deleted were also sensitive to Mu. Transduction data led to the order zee-2 hisOGDCBAHFIE gnd musA. An Hfr injecting the his operon early (HfrK9) an carrying hisG9424::Tn10 delta 4 delta 11 and musA1 was isolated; this Hfr made it possible to introduce the Mus character into most derivatives of S. typhimurium LT2. Since strain SA1475 is resistant to bacteriophage P1, it could be used to select a new P1-Mu hybrid which has the host range of Mu and the transduction properties of P1.     

New data on small mammals in the Kazakh Uplands

Small mammals were studied in the Kazakh Uplands in the spring and fall of 2008. The trapping studies revealed 10 species. Abundances of the animals were low in the four main distinct characteristic biotopes of Bayanaul National Park, but those of biotope dominants were high. In the Kazakh Uplands, rodents and insectivores are clearly restricted to certain biotopes. Biodiversity indices for small mammal communities are low, indicating that the community structure is disturbed.     

Interferon and cytotoxic factor (cytotoxin) released in the blood of mice infected with Mycobacterium bovis BCG. III. Interferon and cytotoxin induced by the specific antigen as compared with those induced by bacterial lipopolysaccharide

The time course of development and decline of the ability of BCG-infected mice to produce interferon in the serum in response to the intravenous infection of purified protein derivative of tuberculin (PPD) was very similar to that of their systemic hypersensitivity to PPD. A cytotoxic factor (cytotoxin) was produced in parallel with interferon in the serum of BCG-infected mice after stimulation with PPD. The duration of the period in which cytotoxin-production responsiveness to PPD was definitely detectable was much shorter than that for interferon-production responsiveness although the periods for the maximum production of interferon and cytotoxin coincided. The kinetics of release of interferon in the serum of BCG-infected mice after stimulation with PPD did not parallel that of release of cytotoxin. The four kinds of activities, interferons and cytotoxins induced by PPD and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in the serum of BCG-infected mice, were compared for their stability to heating at 56 C and to treatment at pH 2. The kinetics of inactivation of these four activities differed significantly, when the serum was either heated at 56 C or treated at pH 2. Interferon produced in response to LPS could be neutralized by anti-L cell(NDV) interferon rabbit serum as easily as L cell (NDV) interferon, 16 times as much antiserum was required to neutralize the same amount of interferon in response to PPD, but cytotoxins induced by PPD and LPS were not neutralized at all by the antiserum. From these findings it is thought likely that interferons and cytotoxins induced by PPD and LPS in the serum of BCG-infected mice are different substances, although the antigenic relationship between cytotoxins induced by PPD and LPS remains unknown.     

Influence of development rate on pharyngeal teeth formula in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Abramis brama</Emphasis> (L.) bream: Experimental cata

An experiment on acceleration and retardation of ontogeny with thyroid manipulation has revealed direct changes in definitive dentition of pharyngeal bones in Abramis brama bream. As development rate accelerates, the number of teeth reduces to the formula 5-4. When development rate is retarded, this number increases to the formula 6-5. Moreover, an additional minor row of teeth (1.6–5.1, 2.6–5.2) is formed. The observed changes in tooth numbers exceed the known variability in natural populations of bream. It is assumed that heterochronies lead to the changes in the number of teeth.