Studies of the Extracellular Glycocalyx of the Anaerobic Cellulolytic Bacterium Ruminococcus albus 7

Anaerobic cellulolytic bacteria are thought to adhere to cellulose via several mechanisms, including production of a glycocalyx containing extracellular polymeric substances (EPS). As the compositions and structures of these glycocalyces have not been elucidated, variable-pressure scanning electron microscopy (VP-SEM) and chemical analysis were used to characterize the glycocalyx of the ruminal bacterium Ruminococcus albus strain 7. VP-SEM revealed that growth of this strain was accompanied by the formation of thin cellular extensions that allowed the bacterium to adhere to cellulose, followed by formation of a ramifying network that interconnected individual cells to one another and to the unraveling cellulose microfibrils. Extraction of 48-h-old whole-culture pellets (bacterial cells plus glycocalyx [G] plus residual cellulose [C]) with 0.1 N NaOH released carbohydrate and protein in a ratio of 1:5. Boiling of the cellulose fermentation residue in a neutral detergent solution removed almost all of the adherent cells and protein while retaining a residual network of adhering noncellular material. Trifluoroacetic acid hydrolysis of this residue (G plus C) released primarily glucose, along with substantial amounts of xylose and mannose, but only traces of galactose, the most abundant sugar in most characterized bacterial exopolysaccharides. Linkage analysis and characterization by nuclear magnetic resonance suggested that most of the glucosyl units were not present as partially degraded cellulose. Calculations suggested that the energy demand for synthesis of the nonprotein fraction of EPS by this organism represents only a small fraction (<4%) of the anabolic ATP expenditure of the bacterium.     

Removal and Inactivation of Staphylococcus epidermidis Biofilms by Electrolysis

Bacterial biofilms were exposed to electrolysis by making the steel substratum an electrode in a circuit including a 6-V battery. These treatments resulted in killing (2.1-log reduction) and removal (4.0-log reduction) of viable cells at the anode and cathode, respectively, within a few minutes.     

Detection of Enterobacter sakazakii in Dried Infant Milk Formula by Cationic-Magnetic-Bead Capture

Enterobacter sakazakii has been associated with life-threatening infections in premature low-birth-weight infants. Contaminated infant milk formula (IMF) has been implicated in cases of E. sakazakii meningitis. Quick and sensitive methods to detect low-level contamination sporadically present in IMF preparations would positively contribute towards risk reduction across the infant formula food chain. Here we report on the development of a simple method, combining charged separation and growth on selective agar, to detect E. sakazakii in IMF. This protocol can reliably detect 1 to 5 CFU of E. sakazakii in 500 g of IMF in less than 24 h.     

超高压对灵芝生长及其漆酶合成的影响

研究了超高压处理对灵芝生长及其漆酶合成的影响,试验结果表明:灵芝致死率随处理压力的增大而增加,在150MPa下处理30min获得了一株生物量和漆酶产量都大幅增加的菌株G1502,其最大生物量及酶活分别比出发菌株提高了19.34%和282.67%,发酵时间也缩短了1d。     

肿瘤患者痰培养中细菌谱及耐药性的研究

目的评价肿瘤患者治疗过程中细菌感染的病原种类分布及其耐药情况,从而达到为肿瘤患者的抗感染治疗提供依据。方法对321例肿瘤患者痰标本培养及药敏结果进行分析。结果321例肿瘤患者痰标本检出致病菌（含条件致病菌）435株,革兰阴性杆菌占69．7％,革兰阳性球菌占26．2％,念珠菌占4．1％．5种主要致病菌对常用的抗生素存在不同程度耐药．产超广谱β-内酰胺酶细菌18株,耐甲氧西林葡萄球菌9株。结论对于肿瘤患者的抗感染治疗．临床上应重视细菌的种类分布,细菌的耐药问题,合理使用抗生素。     

Hox genes in the echiuroid Urechis unicinctus

An echiuroid species, Urechis unicinctus, was surveyed for Hox genes using polymerase chain reaction with homeobox-specific degenerate primers. We identified nine distinct homeodomain-containing gene fragments. These nine fragments were classified by comparative analysis. This analysis revealed that this echiuroid possessed at least three Hox genes from the anterior group, five from the central group, and one from the posterior group.Sung-Jin and Dae-Hee Lee contributed equally to this work.An erratum to this article can be found at     

一类具有阶段结构的传染病模型的全局分析

通过建立一类具有阶段结构的传染病模型,得到了系统解的永久持续性,并通过构造Liapunov函数和定性分析得到了各类平衡点的全局稳定性的充分条件.