ABSTRACT
In a previous work, Levrat et al. [21] showed an enhancement of the production of pyoverdin (siderophore) by Pseudomonas putida in the presence of amoeba. To explain the mechanism of stimulation, the hypothesis of production of stimulatory factors by amoeba was proposed. Filtrates of both mixed culture of bacteria and amoeba (Pseudomonas putida + Acanthamoeba castellanii) and of axenic culture of amoeba were added to the culture medium of Pseudomonas. The production of pyoverdin was increased in the presence of the filtrates. The maximum stimulation was observed with a 6 to 8 day old mixed culture filtrate at 2% final concentration. A higher amount of filtrate did not enhance the stimulation. General metabolisms like ammonium production or respiration were also enhanced in the presence of filtrate of mixed cultures. Filtrates of axenic culture of amoeba were also able to stimulate the production of pyoverdin by Pseudomonas. This stimulation of the bacterial metabolism was not correlated with a higher growth of the bacterial population. Then, the enhancement of the bacterial metabolic activity was not due to a rapid recycling of the bacterial biomass but rather to a production of stimulatory factors by amoeba.
ABSTRACT
Twenty-six cases of neonatal torsion of spermatic cord were studied and compared to 171 cases reported in the literature. In a few cases, the torsion was antenatal and this may explain some absent testes. Diagnosis is sometimes difficult to make; symptoms were comparable to those in other disorders: peritoneo-vaginal tunnel, testicular inflammation or testicular tumor. In these cases, surgery can make the exact diagnosis although it cannot save the testis even if it is performed early.
