[Detection of airborne cultivatable microorganisms from compost sites--emissions and imissions]. / Erfassung von luftgetragenen kultivierbaren Mikroorganismen aus Kompostierungsanlagen--Emission und Immission.

The statement presented here gives an overview and assessment of the procedures and concepts currently used for the collection and determination of airborne, culturable microorganisms at sources of emission within composting plants and in their near vicinity. The paper focuses on "classical" methods, which involve cultivation as an intermediate step for the determination of viable, airborne microorganisms. The theoretical and practical requirements on such methods are discussed. Results and experiences from recent investigations are described.

[Recent methods for the detection of airborne microorganisms and source identification]. / Neuere Methoden zum Nachweis luftgetragener Mikroorganismen und zur Quellenidentifikation.

The detection of airborne microorganisms including selected cell constituents (e.g. allergens or endotoxins) depends on suitable methods and instruments for their collection. Furthermore, microbiological methods are necessary for their quantification and qualification. In the past these methods were largely based on the classical cultivation dependent approach. Modern molecular methods, e.g. direct staining procedures, hybridization assays with nucleic acids including the PCR-technology or immunological assays are promising new tools for a more sophisticated detection of bioaerosols. They allow a better detection rate, a more precise identification of certain members of the aerosol including cell constituents. With respect to speed and lower costs they are an important alternative to established detection methods.

[Biological safety investigations of the production of human insulin by genetically-engineered E. coli K-12 cells. 3. Plasmid transfer by natural transformation and transduction]. / Biologische Sicherheitsforschung zur Produktion von Humaninsulin mit gentechnisch veränderten E. coli K-12 Zellen. 3. Mitteilung: Plasmid-Transfer durch natürliche Transformation and Transduktion.

The transfer of the expression plasmid of human insulin pSW3 by natural transformation and by transduction with phage P1 was investigated in laboratory media and in surface water samples. Whereas Pseudomonas stutzeri could be transformed by shuttle vectors which could replicate in this microorganism, no transformants were found with the insulin expression vector. E. coli K-12 could be transduced by phage P1vir only with chromosomal markers, not with plasmid DNA. As the production strain W3110iqM15 (pSW3) did not grow in river water, no phage lysates could be isolated under these conditions. The production strain had a reduced fitness compared to the plasmid free parental strain, induction of insulin expression resulted in deletions of plasmid DNA.

[Insulin therapy of obese diabetic patients? Consequences for the evaluation of insulin secretion and metabolic behavior]. / Insulintherapie bei fettsüchtigen Diabetikern? Konsequenzen aus der Bewertung des Insulinsekretions- und Stoffwechselverhaltens.

UNLABELLED: In 83 diabetics insulin secretion was examined after a mean diabetes duration of 7.5 years, when an insufficient metabolic situation could be found. Insulin secretion was stimulated with 100 g glucose (orally) and 1.0 mg glucagon i.v. (60 min after glucose intake). We investigated additionally in a retrospective manner blood-glucose and urine glucose behaviour as well as the development of the body weight. In dependence of the actual body weight at the time of investigation of insulin secretion, two groups were formed: b. w. less than 120% acc. Broca index, group A, n = 38; b. w. greater than 120% acc. Broca index. group B, n = 45). Immediately after manifestation of the disease 71 diabetes were treated with pure dietetic measures. At the examination of insulin secretion all patients were treated with glibenclamide. After this examination in 20 patients of the group A and in 17 patients of the group B an insulinisation was started. In the others glibenclamide treatment was continued. The general characteristics of the whole group was a significant reduction of the maximum stimulability of insulin secretion, compared with the insulin secretion of n = 19 healthy probands (11 probands with normal body weight and 8 obese probands). A hyperinsulinism (maximum values higher than mean + 1 s of the health persons) could not be found in any case. The mean of the maximum insulin values was below mean - 1 s of the healthy persons. Insulinisation provoked an improvement of the metabolic situation. This was correlated with an additional improvement of the subjective behaviour. CONCLUSION: Evaluation of insulin secretion in obese diabetics with bad metabolic situation is necessary to find out those who are to be treated with insulin. We have no clinical or other possibilities to recognize patients with a hyperinsulinism or reduced insulin secretion than by evaluation of insulin secretion alone. But higher degrees of decompensated metabolism are nearly always explained by a significant reduction of insulin secretion.

Metabolic activities in Cyanophora paradoxa and its cyanelles : I. The enzymes of assimilatory nitrate reduction.

The taxonomic affinity of Cyanophora paradoxa and its endosymbiotically living cyanelles has not yet been resolved. In the present communication, the enzymes of assimilatory nitrate reduction are investigated in cell-free preparations from the cyanelles and from the eukaryotic host. Nitrate reductase of Cyanophora is a NADH-dependent, soluble enzyme, occurring only in the protoplasm of the eukaryotic host. In contrast, nitrite reductase is ferredoxin-dependent and bound to the thylakoids of cyanelles. Glutamine synthetase and ferredoxin-dependent glutamate synthase (GOGAT) are present both in cyanelles and the eukaryote. Activity levels of alanine dehydrogenase and glutamic acid dehydrogenase are marginal in Cyanopnora, indicating that ammonia is suggest assimilated by the glutamine synthetase GOGAT pathway. The data also that NH 4 (+) leaves the cyanelles to meet the nitrogen requirements of the eukaryote. It is concluded that the pathway of assimilatory nitrate reduction is similar in Cyanophora and photosynthetic eukaryotic cells and is different from that in byanobacteria.