Eye-controlled, power wheelchair performs well for ALS patients.

Background: Our pilot study tested the feasibility and performance of an eye-controlled power wheelchair for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients.

Methods: In this prospective pilot study, participants drove the wheelchair three times around an indoor course. We assessed the time to complete the course; starting and stopping on command; turning 90, 135, and 180 degrees; time to backup; and obstacle negotiation.

[Screening of Organisms Producing Inhibitors of 15-Lipoxygenase Among Micromycetes.].

The effects of extracts from the mycelium of Lecanicilium lecaniiNo.169, Beauveria fellina No.7 and Beauveria bassianaNo.

[Determination of oligomycins hydrophobicity parameters].

The parameters of hydrophobicity of five oligomycins, i. e. A, B, C, F and SC-II were determined by HPLC.

[Streptomyces sp. 17, an organism producing oligomycin SC-iI (culture characteristics and antibiotic biological properties)].

Under the screening programme for organisms producing substances with hypolipidemic and antifungal activity Streptomyces sp. 17 was isolated. The taxonomic properties of the strain were investigated.

[Physico-chemical properties and structure of oligomycin SC-II, produced by Streptomyces virginiae 17].

Under the screening programme for antibiotics with antifungal and immunosuppressive activities, Streptomyces virginiae 17 producing an oligomycin complex was isolated. Separation of the complex by HPLC showed that it contained two components at a ratio of 8:2. The physico-chemical characteristics of the components were investigated.

[Production of destruxins by coprotrophic Beauveria feline no. 7 strain].

Beauveria feline No. 7 strain was isolated from the shrewmouse wool and characterized by production of a complex of destruxins cyclodepsipeptides. The strain was shown to produce significant quatities of destruxin B and pseudodestruxin C.

[Complex of cyclosporins produced by Tolypocladium inflatum isolated from soil sample from Buriatiia].

A micromycete culture was isolated from a soil sample of Buryatiya and identified as Tolypocladium inflatum No. 2. The culture was shown to produce a complex of cyclosporins of unusual component structure: the content of cyclosporin A (55-60%) was the same as that in the substances produced by the majority of the described cultures, the content of cyclosporin B was much higher (about 40%) and the content of cyclosporin C was relatively low (about 3%).

A study of bovine mastitis, milking procedures and management practices on 25 Estonian dairy herds.

Background: Mastitis prevalence, milking procedures and management practices were investigated in 25 big dairy herds supplying milk to an Estonian dairy company. The aim of the study was to provide information for the company to be used in their new udder health improvement program to be set up after the completion of this study.

Methods: Quarter milk samples were collected from 3,166 cows for bacterial analysis and SCC (somatic cell counting).

[Screening of natural compounds with hypolipidemic activity].

In the screening programme for natural hypolipidemic compounds 702 strains of soil microorganisms were tested and 25 of them were selected because of their ability to produce compounds inhibiting sterol synthesis in Hep G2 hepatoma cells. The compounds were estimated in the microbiological model with Tolypocladium inflatum 106 as the test microbe. The 2nd stage of the screening resulted in isolation of 13 strains producing compounds with high hypolipidemic activity, analogous to or higher than the activity of lovastatin in the experimental models.

[Lovastatin effect on ergosterol production and growth of Tolypocladium inflatum 106].

The effect of lovastatin on Tolypocladium inflatum 106 was studied. The strain was shown to be highly sensitive to lovastatin when its MIC was determined by the agar diffusion method and under submerged conditions that was considered possible to use the strain as a test culture in screening of new natural compounds with hypolipidemic action and to study its specificity. It was demonstrated that the effect of lovastatin on ergosterol synthesis in T.

[Determination of the structure of the main component of an antibiotic complex produced by Streptomyces griseolus 182].

In the programme for screening antibiotics with antifungal and immunosuppressing activity a culture of Streptomyces griseolus 182 was isolated. The culture produced a complex of oligomycin structure antibiotics. Individual components of the complex were isolated by HPLC.

[Streptomyces griseolus # 182--a novel organism producing oligomycin antibiotics. Taxonomy, fermentation, and isolation].

Target screening of natural immunosuppressors resulted in isolation of a strain of Streptomyces griseolus (No. 182) producing a complex of antifungal antibiotics. The strain proved to be an aerobe with the growth temperature of 26 to 28 degrees C.

[Effect of H-ATPase stimulators on cyclosporin biosynthesis].

An analogy was observed between the mechanisms of action of phytohormones on plant cells and cells of the fungus producing cyclosporine. Fusicoccin and cytokinin were shown to have a high stimulating action on the biosynthesis of cyclosporine. The stimulating concentrations of the phytohormones and the time of their maximum effect were determined.

[Isolation and identification of an antibiotic from culture 8-86].

An antibiotic complex was isolated from culture 8-86 referred to Bacillus. The complex consisted of components 8-86A and 8-86B active against gram-negative organisms. By its physico-chemical properties such as IR and UV spectra, amino acid composition, specific rotation and fatty acid composition component 8-86B was shown to be close to polymyxin F.

[A system for screening natural immunosuppressors].

Criteria for directed screening of antibiotics with immunosuppressive action were defined. The first stage included screening of cultures producing antiaspergillous antibiotics. At the second stage, the antibiotics whose antifungal activity decreases in the presence of insulin (at the background of calcium salts) and erythromycin and increases in the presence of verapamil were selected.

[Growth rate of antibiotic-producing gram-negative bacteria on liquid nutrient media].

Glycerol-yeast medium No. 3 may be used as a seed medium in screening of antibiotic-producing strains among Acetobacter, Gluconobacter, Chromobacterium, Agrobacterium, and other genera. The medium is transparent.

[Spatial configuration of the carbohydrate portion of carminomycins II and III].

A neutral fragment of the carbohydrate part of the molecule was isolated in the form of a cyclic acetal (3.5-dinitrobenzoate) from carminomycins II and III belonging to anthracyclines. The acetal preserved all the asymmetric centers.

[Structure of the carbohydrate moiety of carminomycins II and III].

Saccharides II and III were obtained on catalytic hydrogenolysis of carminomycins II and III. The saccharides contained daunosamine and a nitrogen-free fragment of unknown structure. Crotonic aldehyde in the form of 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazone and 1,2-propylenglycol in the form of 3,5-dinitrobenzoate were isolated on acid hydrolysis of the saccharides.

[Structure of the carbohydrate moiety of actinoidins A and B].

The structure of the carbohydrate moiety of actinoidins A and B was found with partial acid hydrolysis (metanolysis) of the antibiotics and their methyl derivatives and the method of periodate oxidation. Actinoidins A and B had 3 carbohydrate branches presented by the residues of monosugars of D-mannopyranose and 2, 3, 6-tridesoxy-3-amino-4-O-methyl-L-arabinopyranose(L-actinosamine) and disaccharide of 2-O-(2, 3, 6-tridesoxy-3-amino-L-arabinopyranosyl)-D-glucopyranose.