Detection of Methylobacterium species by 16S rRNA gene-targeted PCR.

We designed PCR primers for specific amplification of the 16S rRNA genes of seven species of the genus Methylobacterium. All of the pairwise species tested were successfully differentiated by PCR detection with a combination of five primer sets, with the exception of M. extorquens and M.

Volatile organic compounds in urban rivers and their estuaries in Osaka, Japan.

The levels and distribution of 55 volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were determined by purge and trap GC-MS on water samples from 30 sites within the urban rivers and estuaries of Osaka, a populated industrialized city of Japan. Forty of 55 target VOCs listed in the US EPA Method 524.2 were detected.

Prevalence of Toxocara spp. eggs in sandpits of parks in Osaka city, Japan, with notes on the prevention of egg contamination by fence construction.

Toxocara spp. eggs were detected from 30 (75%) out of 40 sandpits of parks, in Osaka city. This prevalence was higher compared to those reported other areas of Japan.

Separation of naphthalene and flavone derivatives by micellar electrokinetic chromatography with double- and triple-chain surfactants.

Three surfactants, p-bis(2-dodecyloxymethyl-3-oxa-6-sodiosulfonatohexyloxy)benz ene (BDSB) having two sulfonate groups and two lipophilic chains, disodium 10-dodecanoyl-5,15-bis(dodecyloxymethyl)-10-aza-4,7,13,16-tetra oxa-1,19-nonadecanedisulfonate (DDBTN) having two sulfonate groups and three lipophilic chains and disodium 4,11-bis(dodecyloxymethyl)-3,6,9,12-tetraoxa-1,14-tetrade canedionate (DBTT) having two carboxylate groups and two lipophilic chains, were used in micellar electrokinetic chromatography (MEKC). Eight naphthalene derivatives were baseline separated at 10 mM BDSB or 5 mM DBTT, and five flavone derivatives at 5 mM BDSB, DDBTN or DBTT. The elution order of the naphthalene derivatives in MEKC with BDSB was identical with that with DDBTN.

Highly hydrogenated dietary soybean oil modifies the responses to polychlorinated biphenyls in rats.

The effects of dietary highly hydrogenated soybean oil (HSO) upon the changes caused by dietary polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were examined in rats. Six groups of rats were fed the following diets for 30 d: a 20% soybean oil-containing diet (control diet), a diet in which a half of soybean oil was substituted with HSO (HSO-A diet), a diet in which cellulose powder was replaced with HSO (HSO-B diet) and these diets supplemented with 100 ppm PCBs (control + PCBs, HSO-A + PCBs and HSO-B + PCBs diets). Hepatic concentration of PCBs and relative liver weight were markedly decreased in rats fed with the HSO-A + PCBs diet compared with those fed with the other diets containing PCBs.

Evaluation of serotyping, biotyping, plasmid banding pattern analysis, and HEp-2 vacuolation factor assay in the epidemiological investigation of Bacillus cereus emetic-syndrome food poisoning.

To assess the value of the plasmid banding patterns, the vacuolation factor (VF) assay, biotyping, and serological typing as epidemiological markers for strains of Bacillus cereus causing emetic-syndrome illness, 43 isolates from five outbreaks and an additional 76 strains isolated in food-poisoning outbreaks caused by other enteric pathogens were examined by these techniques, and the results were compared. Thirty-eight (88%) of the 43 outbreak strains produced vacuolation responses in HEp-2 cells and were all starch-hydrolysis negative. The other 76 strains associated with outbreaks caused by other food-poisoning bacteria gave all negative VF production results except four strains, and 56 (74%) of these strains produced positive reactions in starch hydrolysis tests.

Dissociation of DDVP-induced DNA strand breaks from oxidative damage in isolated rat hepatocytes.

Dichlorvos (DDVP)-induced DNA single strand breaks were investigated in isolated rat hepatocytes. In a dose-response study in hepatocytes from PB-treated rats (80 mg/kg i.p.

Induction of cytochrome P450-dependent monooxygenase in serum-free cultured Hep G2 cells.

We examined the induction of cytochrome P450-dependent mixed-function monooxygenase (MFO) in the human hepatoma cell line Hep G2 by means of several factors. The MFO activities induced in the cells cultured in medium containing five commercial sera varied significantly, and the activity in the cells cultured in the absence of serum was about twice as high as that in cells supplemented with serum. The activity of ethoxycoumarin O-deethylase was highest 12 hr after adding 3-methylcholanthrene, and it was induced by several polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons such as benzo(a)anthracene and benzo(a)pyrene, which are usually found in urban air as environmental contaminants.

Effects of highly hydrogenated soybean oil and cholesterol on plasma, liver cholesterol, and fecal steroids in rats.

We investigated the relationship between dietary highly hydrogenated soybean oil (HSO) and cholesterol transport in rats. In the first study, to examine the effects on cholesterol transport of different concentrations of HSO in dietary oil, rats were given one of the three diets containing 0, 25, or 50% HSO in dietary oil with cholesterol (5 g/kg diet) or a diet without HSO and cholesterol for 22 d. Feeding the high concentration of HSO prevented the increase in plasma total cholesterol, hepatic total lipids, and cholesterol and the decrease in high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol, which were caused by dietary cholesterol.

The adverse effects of oral 2-mercaptobenzimidazole on pregnant rats and their fetuses.

The effects of oral 2-mercaptobenzimidazole (2-MBI) on pregnant Wistar rats were examined. In a preliminary dose-finding study, pregnant rats treated with 2-MBI over Days 7-17 of gestation showed reduction in maternal thymus weights with compound-related mortality at doses > or = 40 mg/kg. No adverse effects on fetuses were found at doses < or = 40 mg/kg.

Effects of pesticides on isolated rat hepatocytes, mitochondria, and microsomes II.

Twenty-two pesticides were examined in vitro for their effects on hepatocytes, mitochondria, and microsomes isolated from male rats. Twelve pesticides reduced non-protein sulfhydryl (NPSH) content in hepatocytes to less than 80% of control at a concentration of 10(-3) M. Chlorothalonil and ziram were especially effective, reducing NPSH content at 10(-4) M after 90 min incubation.

N2O emissions at solid waste disposal sites in Osaka City.

Nitrous oxide (N2O) is a trace gas contributing to stratospheric ozone depletion and global warming. Although a large quantity of information exists about N2O emissions from various ecosystems, this study was initiated to demonstrate the features of N2O emissions from sea-based waste disposal sites in Osaka City in relation to CH4 emissions. Average N2O emissions at an active landfill (S-Site) were several times higher than those at a closed landfill (N-Site).

Effects of TRI-n-butyl phosphate on pregnancy in rats.

A teratological study was carried out on the plasticizer tri-n-butyl phosphate (TBP). Pregnant Wistar rats were treated orally on days 7-17 of gestation with TBP at 0, 100, 200, 400 or 800 mg/kg/day in the dose-finding study and 0, 62.5, 125, 250 or 500 mg/kg/day in the subsequent teratological study.

Effects of organic acids on heterotrophic nitrification by Alcaligenes faecalis OKK17.

Factors affecting heterotrophic nitrification by Alcaligenes faecalis OKK17, which was isolated from sewage sludge, were examined. Specific nitrifying activity increased as the pH increased up to 8.5.

[Effects of methyl mercuric chloride on growth inhibition and the cell membrane of Tetrahymena].

The effects of methylmercuric chloride (MMC) on the growth and cell membrane of the ciliate protozoan Tetrahymena pyriformis GL were studied. The compositions of fatty acids in the cell membrane lipids, which were extracted from cells cultured in medium containing MMC at 30 and 20 degrees C, were examined. As compared with control cells, 30 degrees C-cells were richer in saturated fatty acids than 20 degrees C-cell, indicating that the cell membrane of 30 degrees C-cells was rigid and that that of 20 degrees C-cells was mobile.

[Effects of mercury compounds on growth, cell composition and glucose uptake in Tetrahymena pyriformis].

The effects of the mercuric compounds methylmercuric chloride (MMC) and mercuric chloride (MC) on growth, cell composition, and glucose uptake were studied in the ciliate protozoan Tetrahymena pyriformis GL. MMC was the most effective growth inhibitor of Tetrahymena among mercuric compounds and sulfhydryl inhibitors; it completely inhibited growth of Tetrahymena at concentrations of 1/30-1/3000 of the others. The growth inhibition of Tetrahymena was inversely proportional to concentrations of chemicals in medium.

[Differences in influenza epidemics in Osaka City--epidemiological surveillance of infectious disease].

Influenza viruses in outpatients with influenza symptoms in Osaka City were analyzed in an epidemiological surveillance of infectious disease between 1989 and 1993. During influenza epidemics a mixed prevalence of several types of influenza viruses existed. Three types of influenza viruses, AH1, AH3 and B, were isolated during the 1990/1991 season.

Enhanced teratogenic activity of di-n-butyltin diacetate by carbon tetrachloride pretreatment in rats.

Di-n-butyltin diacetate (DBTA) has been shown previously to cause malformations such as cleft mandible, ankyloglossia and fused ribs in rat foetuses after oral treatment of dams on day 8 of gestation. In this study, effects of pretreatment with carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) on the teratogenic activity of DBTA were examined in Wistar rats. Pregnant rats were pretreated sc with CCl4 (0.

Adhesion to and invasion of human colon carcinoma Caco-2 cells by Aeromonas strains.

The enteropathogenicity of Aeromonas strains that showed mannose-resistant adhesion to INT407 cells was evaluated by infecting Caco-2 cells and observing them by light and electronmicroscopy. Five of six strains adhered in large numbers to Caco-2 cells in the presence of mannose and caused cytopathic effects. Two strains of Aeromonas spp.

Teratogenic effects of various di-n-butyltins with different anions and butyl(3-hydroxybutyl)tin dilaurate in rats.

In our previous study, di-n-butyltin diacetate has been shown to cause malformations such as cleft mandible, ankyloglossia, fused ribs, etc. in rat fetuses after oral treatment of maternal rats on day 8 of gestation. In this study, teratogenic effects of five di-n-butyltin compounds with different anions and also butyl(3-hydroxybutyl)tin dilaurate (3-OHDBTL) were examined in Wistar rats.

[Bacteriological status, serotypes, and biotypes of Helicobacter pylori].

To divide H. pylori strains into subgroup for an etiological survey, some attempts have been made to determine serotypes or biotypes. A variety of serogroups was observed with a slide agglutination test between S.

Antibacterial activity of teprenone, a non water-soluble antiulcer agent, against Helicobacter pylori.

Teprenone, a non water-soluble antiulcer agent, is a derivative of terpene. The antibacterial activity of teprenone against Helicobacter pylori was examined by the disc method and survival test in albumin broth including teprenone. Growth of H.

Effects of pesticides on isolated rat hepatocytes, mitochondria, and microsomes.

Twenty-seven pesticides, with which people are concerned, especially as residues in food, were examined in vitro for their effects on hepatocytes, mitochondria, and microsomes isolated from male rats. Nineteen pesticides returned non-protein sulfhydryl (NPSH) contents in hepatocytes to less than 80% of control at concentrations from 10(-3) to 10(-5) M after 90 min incubation. Among them, only dichlofluanid was reactive with glutathione non-enzymatically.

Heat and acid sensitivity of motile Aeromonas: a comparison with other food-poisoning bacteria.

The present study was undertaken to compare the heat and acid sensitivity of aeromonads with those of other food-poisoning bacteria. It became obvious that aeromonads were more sensitive to heat than Escherichia coli O157:H7, Staphylococcus aureus, and Salmonella typhimurium. Aeromonads were killed in peptone water within 2 min at 55 degrees C, while the other bacteria survived heating at 55 degrees C for more than 15 min.