subsp. subsp. nov., a Novel Feather-Degrading Anaerobic Thermophile.

subsp. subsp. nov.

sp. nov., a novel thermophilic cellulose- and starch-degrading member of the from a geothermal aquifer in Kazakhstan.

A thermophilic, aerobic and heterotrophic filamentous bacterium, designated strain ZKZ2, was isolated from a pipeline producing hydrothermal water originating from a >2.3 km deep subsurface geothermal source in Zharkent, Almaty region, Kazakhstan. The isolate was Gram-stain-positive, non-motile, heat-resistant and capable of producing a variety of extracellular hydrolases.

Cysteine Prevents the Development of Experimental Diabetes Induced by Zinc-Binding Substances.

In experimental rabbits, cysteine injected intravenously in a dose of 1000 mg/kg temporarily bound zinc in β cells and prevented the formation of chelate zinc complexes in response to subsequent injection of diabetogenic zinc-binding substances that induce cell destruction. Injection of cysteine to animals was associated with a sharply negative reaction to zinc in β cells, which attests to blockade of zinc ions. Injection of cysteine few minutes after dithizone and formation of zinc-dithizone complex was followed by displacement of dithizone from the complex and prevented the development of diabetes in most animals.

Efficiency of Measurements of Hepatitis C Virus RNA.

Hepatitis C virus loading was evaluated using modifications of PCR product detection: terminal point fluorescent detection, real time assay, and agarose gel electrophoresis. The advantages and flaws of the real time PCR and electrophoretic detection of amplification products for evaluation of the quantity of virus particle copies are evaluated.

Histological Changes in Pancreatic Islets of Animals with Experimental Diabetes Caused by Xanthurenic Acid under Condition of Suppression of Its Endogenous Synthesis.

Long-term administration of pyridoxine to rats kept on a diabetogenic diet stimulating endogenous synthesis of xanthurenic acid resulted in minimal glycemia, less pronounced decrease in insulin content in β-cells, and more intensive excretion of xanthurenic acid with urine. Histological changes were observed in 23% pancreatic islets, whereas in rats not treated with pyridoxine, destruction and necrosis of 40-45% β-cells were found in 38% of studied islets.