Breast-feeding protects against respiratory syncytial virus infections

Eight out of 115 infants admitted to hospital with respiratory syncytial (RS) virus infection had been breast-fed compared with 46 out of 167 controls; this difference was statistically significant. Twenty-one specimens of human colostrum were examined, and all contained RS virus neutralising activity. Specific IgA and IgG were detected in 18 specimens, whereas IgM was detected in none. The titre of IgA antibody was usually higher and correlated more closely to the titre of neutralising activity than that of IgG. Infants inhale milk feeds and regurgitate them through the nose, and the IgA collecting in the respiratory tract might protect against severe respiratory infection. Alternatively, if severe RS virus illness is a sign of hypersensitivity to the virus breast-feeding might protect the infant from an early sensitising infection.     

NMR evidence against covalent attachment of an aldehyde ''transition-state'' analogue to alpha-chymotrypsin

The growth responses of an acetate-utilizing isolate of Butyrivibrio fibrisolvens to CO2, acetate and pyruvate were determined using a chemically-defined medium. Carbon dioxide was essential for growth and both acetate and pyruvate increased growth. 14C from [I-14C]pyruvate appeared predominantly in formate and lactate. These results, together with those obtained with enzyme preparations, indicated pyruvate synthase, pyruvate-CO2 exchange and pyruvate formate lyase to be active.     

Exercise tests before and after heart valve replacement

A simple progressive exercise test was performed before and after operation on five subjects undergoing mitral valve replacement and on five subjects undergoing aortic valve replacement. The responses of heart rate and ventilation were related to work rate )kilopond metres/min). The patients were also assessed clinically by the New York Heart Association grading and radiologically before each exercise test. The clinical grading was shown to be a poor guide to observed exercise tolerance, as the improvement noted in symptoms was not matched by the objective measurement of working capacity. Only two patients had normal exercise tolerance after surgery, although six of the ten patients claimed that they had no exertional dyspnoea after operation. The changes in simple ventilatory function tests before and after operation were generally small. We suggest that measurements of exercise tolerance before and after operation should be an essential part of heart valve replacement surgery.     

Mitral valve malformation of Ebstein type in absence of corrected transposition

Coffee and its most important constituent, caffeine, may not only stimulate the function of many organs but also increase the metabolism in the body. These effects require a higher energy production which is mainly obtained from striated muscles by glycogenolysis and from fat tissue by lipolysis. Sutherland and Butcher were able to demonstrate that these degradation processes are primarily caused by an increase of cyclic 3,5-AMP. - In this connection caffeine and other methylxanthines are of special interest because these compounds also increase the intracellular amount of cyclic 3,5-AMP. This effect may be caused by an inhibition of phosphodiesterase, a release of catecholamines with resulting stimulation of adenylcyclase or by competitive inhibition of adenosine. At the present time it cannot be said which of these mechanisms primarily is involved in the in vivo effects of caffeine and other methylxanthines.     

Response of stem cells in the mouse testis to fission neutrons of 1 MeV mean energy and 300 kV x rays. Methodology, dose-response studies, relative biological effectiveness

Microelectrode recording in the thalamus of pigeons subjected to tilt and sinusoidal rotational stimuli around the vertical, longitudinal and transversal axes revealed vestibularly driven units in two thalamic nuclei, the nucleus posteroventralis and the nucleus principalis precommissuralis. Many of these units responded in a complex manner suggesting that inputs from contralateral and ipsilateral cupulae and maculae converged on them. A few units received additional visual or proprioceptive information. The homology relationship with a mammalian vestibular thalamic nucleus is discussed briefly.     

Gamma-irradiation as a method of microbiological control,and its impact on the oxidative labile lipid component of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Cannabis sativa</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Helianthus annus</Emphasis>

The effect of irradiation (0–20 kGy) on hemp and sunflower seeds was assessed, with specific reference to the oxidatively labile lipid component (unsaturated fatty acids and tocochromanols). Total protein, lipid, and solids content of the seeds did not vary with irradiation dose. Lipid hydroperoxide concentration increased significantly in the sunflower seeds (48 mmol kg⁻¹ lipid) and a significant increase in volatile secondary oxidation products was measured in both seeds (e.g. hexanal, heptanal, 1-penten-3-ol) with increasing irradiation dose. Irradiation at 5 kGy sterilised the seeds of all microbial contamination and irradiation doses of 20 kGy prevented germination. A loss of the antioxidant tocopherol was shown with increasing irradiation doses, although this was selective for specific tocopherol isoforms (α-tocopherol, β-tocopherol and γ-tocopherol).     

Microdroplet-based multiplex PCR on chip to detect foodborne bacteria producing biogenic amines

The development of fast, reliable and culture-independent molecular tools to detect bacteria producing biogenic amines deserves the attention of research and ultimately of the food industry in order to protect consumers' health. Here we present the application of a simple, low-cost, fast and sensitive method to perform microdroplet-based multiplex PCR, directly on a food matrix, for the simultaneous detection of bacterial genes involved in biogenic amine biosynthesis. After inoculating wine with Lactobacillus brevis IOEB 9809, cell lysis and DNA amplification are performed in one single step, without preliminary nucleic acid extraction or purification treatments. The assay is performed in about 30 min, requiring 150 nL of starting sample and it enables the detection of down to 15 bacterial cells. With respect to traditional culture techniques, the speed, the simplicity and the cheapness of this procedure allow an effective monitoring of microbial cells during food-making and processing.