Direct utilization of human liquid wastes by plants in a closed ecosystem.

Model experiments in phytotrons have shown that urea is able to cover 70% of the demand in nitrogen of the conveyer cultivated wheat. At the same time wheat plants can directly utilize human liquid wastes. In this article by human liquid wastes the authors mean human urine only.

Growth and luminescence of luminous bacteria promoted by agents of microbial origin.

The examination of four species of luminous bacteria Photobacterium leiognathi, Photobacterium phosphoreum, Vibrio fischeri and Vibrio harveyi has enabled us to reveal some nutrient medium components effecting growth, luminescence intensity and luciferase synthesis. These agents are nucleic components (nucleotides, nucleotides and amine bases), amino acids and vitamins, which are part of hydrolysates from the biomass of various lithotrophic microorganisms, hydrogen-oxidizing, iron-oxidizing and carboxydobacteria. The effect of promoting agents essentially alters the physiological state and ultrastructure of the cells of luminous bacteria and increases luciferase biosynthesis two- to three-fold compared to a control.

[A comparative study of the biological value of proteins in products of hydrogen-oxidizing bacteria biomass processing].

Chemical and biological methods have shown solubility decrease of protein biomass of hydrogen-oxidizing bacteria in water and neutral salt solutions, in the process of its autoclave drying and sterilizing. The potential and real biological values of the protein of the sterilized biomass are highly different. Denucleation of biomass decreases the real biological value leading its difference to the null.

Long-term experiments on man's stay in biological life-support system.

We describe the experimental system having maximal possible closure of material recycling in an ecosystem, including people and plants, which was carried out in a hermetically sealed experimental complex "BIOS-3", 315 m2 in volume. The system included 2 experimentators and 3 phytotrons with plants (total sowing area of 63 m2). Plants were grown with round-the-clock lamp irradiation with 130 Wm-2 PAR intensity.

[Biochemical quality assessment of broiler production using a hydrogen bacteria biomass in the diet].

The authors studied the biochemical composition of the meat of broilers, eggs, liver and muscles of laying hens of 3 generations on a 5, 10, 25, 50 and 100% (broilers), 10 and 20% (laying hens) replacement of the animal protein quota in the diet by protein obtained from the hydrogen bacteria Alcaligenes eutrophus L-1. No deterioration of the quality of the produce was found from the standpoint of the main biochemical parameters.

[Comparative evaluation of the vitamin composition of unicellular algae and higher plants grown under artificial conditions].

The vitamin composition of representatives of green (Chlorella vulgaris, Platimonas viridis), blue-green (Synechococcus elongatus, Coccopedia, Spirulina platensis, Cyanidium caldarium), red (Porphyridium cruentum) unicellular algae and higher plants (wheat, chufa, beet, carrot, turnip, radish, cucumber, dill, Welsh onion, potato) grown under artificial conditions was examined. The content of B complex vitamins (thiamine, riboflavine, nicotinic and folic acids), ascorbic acid and carotene was measured. Among the algae studied Chlorella vulgaris and Spirulina platensis showed the highest vitamin activity.

[Metabolism of organic nitrogen compounds by carboxydobacteria].

The capability to hydrolyze and assimilate creatinine, uric and hippuric acids as sources of nitrogen, carbon and energy was studied in Comamonas compransoris Z-1155, Seliberia carboxydohydrogena Z-1062 and Pseudomonas gazotropha Z-1156. The organisms effectively hydrolyzed these compounds and assimilated their nitrogen under the conditions of autotrophic growth. The carboxydobacteria were also capable of growing in media containing creatinine, uric and hippuric acids and assimilated these compounds as carbon sources.

[Lipid composition of carboxydobacteria].

The composition of lipids was studied in three strains of carboxydobacteria, viz. Seliberia carboxydohydrogena Z-1062, Pseudomonas gazotropha Z-1156 and Comamonas compransoris Z-1155. The content of lipids extracted with an alcohol--chloroform mixture varied in these strains from 9 to 13.

[Composition of a nutrient medium for the continuous cultivation of Thiobacillus ferrooxidans].

Thiobacillus ferrooxidans was found to require the following biogenous elements for constructing its biomass: phosphorus, 14 +/- 2; magnesium, 2 +/- 0.5; potassium, 5 +/- 1; nitrogen, 100 +/- 10 (milligrams per gram of dry biomass). It was shown that the concentrations of biogenous elements in the growth medium, which did not limit the biosynthesis, did not exceed 5 divided by 10 mg per litre for all of the studied elements.

[Chufa (Cyperus esculentus) as a source of vegetable fats in a sealed life-support system].

The cultivation schemes, productivity, total biochemical, lipid in particular, composition of nodules of chufa (Cyperus esculentus) were studied, using a phytotron. Upon continuous illumination chufa yielded a high total productivity and a satisfactory coefficient of economic effectiveness (not less than 50%). Chufa nodules have an optimal ratio of proteins, carbohydrates and fats containing essential fatty acids.

[Characteristics of the proteins of unicellular organisms as potential components of ecological life-support systems].

A comparative characterization of the biological value of proteins from green and blue-green algae, bacteria, and microbial coenosis of straw mineralizing active sludge is given with respect to the fractional composition of total protein, its amino acid composition, and affinity for proteolytic enzymes in vitro. The above microorganisms have an adequate amino acid composition, a high content of essential amino acids, and differ in their content of readily soluble proteins. The presence of protein complexes with other cellular components, for instance lipids and carbohydrates, seems to be responsible for a poor digestibility of these proteins.

[Effects of the nitrogen nutrition conditions on the growth and protein synthesis of carboxydobacteria].

The rate of growth of bacterial strains oxidizing carbon monoxide (Pseudomonas gazotropha Z-1156, Comamonas compransoris Z-1155, and Seliberia carboxydohydrogena Z--1062) was studied as a function of the concentration of NH4Cl in the medium. The bacteria could grow on media containing various nitrogen sources (NH4Cl, KNO3, CO(NH2)2). Changes in the amino acid content and biochemical composition of the biomass were studied during growth of the bacteria on these media.

[Inclusion of chufa in the human diet as a source of polyunsaturated fatty acids].

In 2 experiments lasting 30 days each with participation of 6 volunteers the possibility of daily consumption in the diet of chufa in an amount allowing for minimal requirement of the organism in polyunsaturated fatty acids was studied. The experimental food ration accorded with individual requirements in its basic components. None of the participating volunteers demonstrated any untoward deviations of objective and subjective nature in their health status.

[Comparative characteristics of the amino acid composition of the protein fractions of the hydrogen bacteria Hydrogenomonas eutropha in meat and wheat].

An attempt was made to compare the biological value of the biological mass of the hydrogen bacteria Tydrogenomas eutropha, of meat and wheat on the ground of the fractional and amino acids composition of their proteins. Substantial differences in the distribution of proteins and amino acids in all of the three objects examined were revealed. It is shown that more than one half of the entire protein contained in the biological mass of the hydrogen bacteria is made up of poorly soluble structural proteins difficultly amenable to the action of digestive enzymes.

[Dynamics of the amino acid composition of the medium during cultivation of isolated liver and kidney by the controlled perfusion method].

The dynamics of the medium amino acid composition was studied during a 6-hour perfusion of dog kidney and liver by a mixture of autogenic plasma and medium 199 (a ratio of 2 : 3). In comparison to the initial level the amount of histidine during 6-hour cultivation of the kidney was found to increase 2.2 times, that of glutamic acid--1.

[Dynamics of the amino acid composition of the medium during cultivation of isolated organs by the directed perfusion method].

The dynamics of the amino acid composition of the medium under conditions of adequate perfusion of the isolated organs of a dog (sternum, kidney and liver) was studied. It was found that after a 6-hour perfusion of the complex of organs the amount in the perfusion medium of such amino acids as histidine, lysine, alanine, considerably increased, whereas the amount of arginine, serine, aspartic acid, threonine with glutamine, isoleucine, proline, leucine and valine decreased as compared with their initial concentration. The dynamics of the amino acid medium composition during a 4-hour perfusion was studied in experiments with the isolated sternum.

[Continuous cultivation of hydrogen bacteria with multiple use of the medium].

The possibility of continuous cultivation of hydrogen bacteria was studied in the conditions of recirculation of the medium. The hydrogen bacteria accumulated proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, organic and amino acids in the medium during its multiple reutilization, which however had no effect on the specific growth rate and the ability of the bactetia to oxidize molecular hydrogen.