Structural-mechanical properties and swelling of protein complexes of hyaluronate and protein-chrondroitin-4-sulfate

Structural-mechanical strength and swelling of gels consisting of gelatin and potassium hyaluronate (PHY) or potassium protine-chondroitin-4-sulfate (PPCS) were shown to depend on the ratio between the components. With low concentrations of PHY and PPCS the minimum of structural-mechanical strength coincided with the maximum of swelling of the gels. In zones of neutralization of the positive electric charges of gelatin by macropolyanions, high structural-mechanical strength of the gels coincided with the minimum of swelling. In high concentrations of PHY, structural-mechanical strength and swelling of the gel became equal to the values characteristic of a gel consisting of gelatin only, but in high concentration of PPCS there was an additional parallel increase in this strength and in swelling of the gel.(Presented by Academician of the Academy of Medical Sciences of the USSR S. S. Debov.) Translated from Byulleten' Éksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 82, No. 10, pp. 1211–1213, October, 1976.     

Escherichia coli tetracycline efflux determinants in relation to tetracycline residues in chicken

ObjectiveTo screen for Escherichia coli (E. coli) resistant to tetracycline, followed by identification of tet efflux genes by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). In addition, detection of tetracycline residues in chicken livers and kidneys were conducted using high performance liquid chromatography-tandem quadrupole mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS-MS).MethodsStrains of E. coli were isolated from samples of chicken colon and screened for tetracycline resistance. Tetracycline genes conferring resistance (Tc^r) were detected by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Most of the isolates were resistant to tetracycline (97.9%).ResultsPCR analysis indicated that Tc^r E. coli R-plasmids contained tet(A), tet(B) and a combination of both efflux genes. None of the isolates contained other efflux tet genes tet (C, D, E and Y). High performance liquid chromatography-tandem quadrupole mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS-MS), a sensitive technique, was used to detect residues of chlortetracycline (CTC), oxytetracycline (OTC), doxycycline (DC) in chicken livers and kidneys. The samples containing tetracycline residues were at 0.13-0.65 pg/μL levels.ConclusionsTetracycline and other antibiotics are commonly used in the poultry and meat production industry for prevention of microbial infections. Multiple antibiotic resistant bacteria in Oman have increased to alarming levels, threatening public health, domestic and may have adverse effect on environment.