[The comparative characteristic of short-term and long-term ethanol effects on the rat organism state].

The biochemical organism state markers were studied in the rat serum and brain cortex at short-term (28 days) and long-term (16 month) chronic ethanol consumption (15%, v/v). In the first case the increase of alanine aminotransferase activity in the serum and hypertriglyceridemia have been revealed on the background of the stable main biochemical characteristics. The statistically significant decrease of cholinesterase activity and increase of alkaline phosphatase, aminotransferases, lactate dehydrogenase and alpha-amylase activities in the serum, the reduction of the serum triglycerides, total and lipoprotein cholesterol, increased atherogenic index and serum urea concentration were revealed at long-term alcoholization. Total sulphydryl groups/protein level ratio decreased in the brain cortex. It is concluded, that ethanol-induced long-term metabolic stress is accompanied by certain organism state impairment at rat aging, determined by interdependence of pathological and adaptive processes.

[Auxotrophy and utilization of oxidized and reduced mineral sulfur forms by Brevundimonas diminuta strains]. / Auksotrofiia i usvoenie oksilennykh i vosstanovlennykh mineral'nykh soedinenii sery shtammami Brevundimonas diminuta.

Connection between auxotrophy of Brevundimonas diminuta strains for sulphur-containing amino acids and presence of oxidized or reduced sulphur forms in the medium has been shown. When grown in synthetic medium supplied with sulphate or sulphite B. diminuta strains required cystine, biotin, pantothenate and vitamin B12 for growth and utilized very limited spectrum--from 8 to 12--carbon sources. In the presence of 5 g/l of thiosulphate in the medium instead of mentioned sulphur-containing salts strains of this species did not require cystine and assimilated the ammonium nitrogen. The intensity of their growth in these conditions was lower and carbon nutrition spectra more limited than in custine-containing medium. Tetrathionate, elemental sulphur, sulphide were less efficient than thiosulphate, but they also provided growth of B. diminuta strains in the media supplied with ammonium salts, necessary vitamins and such universal C-sources as aspartate, glutamate, proline. Neither oxidized nor reduced mineral sulphur forms were able to substitute sulphur-containing amino acids for Comamonas terrigena strain requiring methionine.