Coincident Salmonella Infections and Ulcerative Colitis: Problems of Recognition and Management

Five cases of coincident salmonellosis and ulcerative colitis are described. In three the diagnostic combination was recognized late. If corticosteroid therapy is given for the colitis once the combination is recognized, then simultaneous systemic antibiotic cover is advisable. One of the five patients died during corticosteroid therapy alone with salmonella septicaemia due to a usually non-invasive organism.     

Evaluation of a CCTV device for partial sight

Closed circuit TV has proved to be a valuable aid for many patients with partial sight and a new device for magnification of printed material has been developed. This is in the form of a small camera, guided over the page by the subject's hand and incorporating a roller drive for a scanning mechanism. The scanning head fits into the hand easily; it is linked to an electronic TV receiver in the form of a mosaic. Tracking the scanner manually operates a flow of the display to the left, with new material emerging from the right of the screen. The present paper outlines an evaluation of the device under different conditions with patients.     

Effect of cell concentration on the rheology of glucoamylase fermentation broth

During the process optimisation of glucoamylase production by Aspergillus awamori, cell morphology was controlled at such a state that spore aggregation was completely prevented. Samples from five fermentations on complex media using either glucose or starch as carbon source were characterised with a Bohlin CS rheometer. The experimental data were conveniently described in terms of the power law model.     

High affinity specific antiestrogen binding sites are concentrated in rough microsomal membranes of rat liver

Saturation and competitive binding analyses demonstrated the presence of a high affinity (K_D = 0.92 nM), specific antiestrogen binding site (AEBS) in rat liver microsomes and at least 75% of total liver AEBS was recovered in this fraction. When microsomes were further separated into smooth and rough fractions, AEBS was concentrated in the latter. Subsequent dissociation of ribosomes from the rough membranes revealed that AEBS was associated with the membrane and not the ribosomal fraction. Antiestrogen binding activity could not be extracted from membranes with 1 M KCl or 0.5 M acetic acid but could be solubilized with sodium cholate. These data indicate that AEBS is an integral membrane component of the rough microsomal fraction of rat liver.     

Chitin biosynthesis during pupal development of Drosophila melanogaster and the effect of the lethalcryptocephal mutation

Estimation of chitin deposition in the pupal and adult cuticles of adult Drosophila melanogaster during the pupal period is described. The timing of the periods of chitin deposition is compared with that deduced by previous workers using electron microscopy. The hypothesis that lethalcryptocephal mutant homozygotes are unable to evert their cephalic complexes at pupation because of excess chitin deposition is examined. The data obtained show no evidence that the mutation has any effect on chitin deposition.     

Lipolytic and Esterolytic Activities in Posterior Lingual Glands of Rat: A Histochemical Study

Catalytic activities of lingual lipase were investigated by enzyme histochemistry in post-mortem tongues from male rats. Sections of fresh-frozen or formalin-calcium fixed tissue were incubated with naphthol-AS-nonanoate and α-naphthyl acetate substrate mixtures. The effects of pH level, sodium taurocholate activator and E600 inhibitor were also examined. The use of cryostat sections of tissues fixed in formalin-calcium and of nonanoate substrate within the range of pH 4.4–6.4, were optimal for localizing maximum reaction product, captured by Fast Blue BB, in acini and demilunes of the posterior deep and superficial lingual glands respectively. The reaction product corresponded with the distribution of secretory granules and failed to develop when taurocholate was omitted from the incubation medium. Similarly localized E600-resistant reaction product occurred with the acetate substrate and hexazotized New Fuchsin at pH 7.4, in the absence of taurocholate. Lipase and conventional esterase activities appear to be superimposed in posterior lingual glands of rat. The ability of their acini and demilunes to hydrolyse nonanoate substrate at an acidic pH optimum, when activated by sodium taurocholate, seems attributable to lipase destined for secretion into saliva – hence convenient for routine histochemical identification of the enzyme.