Some principles of microbiological turbidimetric assays of antibiotics.

Turbidimetric methods for determining the potency of antibiotics are inherently more accurate and more precise than are comparable agar diffusion procedures, but assays conducted in liquid media are subject to degradation from less than ideal conditions to a much greater extent than are diffusion methods. The relationships between test organisms, antibiotics, and assay concentrations are discussed. A valid assay procedure must produce a linear response with an adequate slope (-0.4 to -1.2) by the test organism to increasing concentrations of drug; such linear response normally occurs over a limited range of concentrations. Criteria used to select photometers that offer the greatest advantages to analytical microbiologists are described, with guidelines for the most effective use of the chosen instrument.     

Microbiological method for assaying lincomycin in animal feed: collaborative study.

A microbiological assay for determining lincomycin in swine feed, supplement, and a vitamin-mineral premix was studied collaboratively in 16 laboratories. The design of the study involved a complete feed, feed supplement, and a vitamin-mineral premix covering a range of fortification from 20 to 80 g/ton and 80 to 2600 g/ton. Two methods of sample preparation were used depending on the concentration of lincomycin in the sample. Statistical evaluation of the results from the 2 methods indicated that 10 and 11 collaborators, respectively, had mean recoveries which were not significantly different from one another. Ten laboratories obtained a mean recovery of 112.2% (range 102.3--123.5%) for the lower level, and 11 laboratories obtained a mean recovery of 104.4% (range 100.0--107.7%) for the higher level. The method has been adopted as official first action.     

Equivalence of microbiological and hydroxylamine methods of analysis for ampicillin dosage forms.

Ampicillin formulations were assayed by microbiological and hydroxylamine methods to determine whether thehydroxylamine analytical method is a suitable substitute for the microbiological method. Paired assay results by the 2 analytical methods were obtained on different strengths of tablet, capsule, and suspension, formulations containing ampicillin and ampicillin degradation compounds. Several statistical tests were used to assess the equivalence of the paired assay results. The data analyses indicate that the hydroxylamine method is a suitable substitute for the microbiological method for potency assays and stability studies of ampicillin formulations. The hydroxylamine method yielded slightly higher assay results than the microbiological method for severely degraded formulations.     

我国循环农业发展理论与实践

发展循环农业是实现农业清洁生产、农业资源可持续利用的有效手段,也是解决现代农业发展困境的必然选择。文章系统地阐述了循环农业的内涵、特征、理论基础与遵循原则,指出其本质特征是资源节约和产业链条延伸,是遵循循环经济理念的生产方式、资源节约和高效利用的农业经济增长方式、产业链延伸的农业空间拓展路径和环境友好的新农村理念。分析了循环农业的发展动力与物质流程框架,指出循环农业的产业链循环包括农业生产过程中农产品的顺时针外循环路径和可再生资源的逆时针内循环路径,其发展动力主要是产业链内固有的价格机制和竞争机制产生的拉动作用和产业链外资金、技术、政策等对产业发展产生的推动作用。文章总结了国内发展循环农业的实践和相关的模式,提出了循环农业今后的研究重点包括循环农业的机理研究,循环农业发展的制度创新和补偿机制研究以及循环经济闭合循环链条体系的构建。     

Physical, chemical and microbiological properties of an Andisol as related to land use and tillage practice

The effects of land use and management practice on soil physical, chemical and microbiological properties may provide essential information for assessing sustainability and environmental impact. This study compared the effects of 41 years of no-tillage (NT) with continuous apple orchard, with those of conventional tillage (CT) with wheat–soybean rotation and another of puddling (PD) with continuous rice on the characteristics of a pumice Andisol in a temperate region of northern Japan. Higher values for bulk density, penetration resistance, pH, C/N ratio, exchangeable Na (X-Na), Fe, and Mn were observed for PD than NT and CT. On the other hand, organic matter, EC, N, exchangeable K (X-K), exchangeable Ca (X-Ca) and Cu were significantly higher for NT than CT and PD. Highest content of Zn was found in CT compared to other practices. The three-phase composition at pF 2.0 was significantly affected by land use and tillage practices. The solid phase and liquid phase were greater under PD than under NT and CT, while air phase was greater under CT than under NT and PD. Significantly higher values for saturated hydraulic conductivity was found in CT than NT and PD. Total phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) and PLFA for bacteria, aerobes and cyanobacteria were remarkably higher in NT than CT and PD, regardless of depth. On the other hand, PLFA for methane-oxidizing bacteria, sulfate-reducing bacteria and mycorrhizae were significantly higher in CT than NT and PD. PLFA for fungi was significantly higher in surface (0–10 cm) soils than subsurface (10–20 cm) soils regardless of treatments. Highest bacterial and fungal diversity evaluated by DNA band number in DGGE analysis based on PCR amplification of 16S rDNA and 18S rDNA fragments, respectively, were observed in surface soil of PD. The result suggests a linkage between microbial community and tillage practices in temperate Andisol. This study also justifies the need of measuring soil characteristics based on soil microbial communities.     

Microbiological assays for antibiotics and vitamins: considerations for assuring accuracy.

Factors that may influence the accuracy and precision of microbiological manual and semiautomated turbidimetric methods as well as diffusion assays are discussed. Influence of kind of equipment, media, test bacteria, sample preparation, form of dose response lines, operations, and personnel on quality of assays is examined with the objective of reducing to insignificance those factors under control of the analyst that are responsible for low quality assays.     

生态示范区建设规划的理论与实践

生态示范区建设是我国政府为实施可持续发展战略而发动的群众性生态建设活动，得到了社会各界的广泛支持。在生态示范区建设规划的编制中要注意要确保社会经济可持续发展这一目标；注意规划区域的整体优化；注意切实执行人与自然控制共生这一基本法则；注意应用景观生态不关于结构与功能匹配的理论去解决一些大尺度环境问题；注意突出重点，才能为生态示范区试点建设提供有力的技术支持。同时要尽量应用以3S技术和生态制技术为代表的技术强化规划的科学内涵，以提高规划的可操作性。     

生态示范区建设规划的理论与实践

生态示范区建设是我国政府为实施可持续发展战略而发动的群众性生态建设活动，得到了社会各界的广泛支持。在生态示范区建设规划的编制中要注意确保社会经济可持续发展这一目标；注意规划区域的整体优化；注意切实执行人与自然控制共生这一基本法则；注意应用景观生态学关于结构与功能匹配的理论去解决一些大尺度环境问题；注意突出重点，才能为生态示范区试点建设提供有力的技术支持。同时要尽量应用以3S技术和生态制图技术为代表的新技术强化规划的科学内涵，以提高规划的可操作性。     

Agar well technique for antibiotics in animal feeds.

The agar well technique compares favorably with the cylinder plate assay in accuracy, sensitivity, and precision. It is more flexible and more rugged, and growth of seed organism is not inhibited. The wells are precision cut with Grafar gel punch assembly with sets (6) of 10, 7, 5, 4, and 3 mm cutters. The wells are easily and rapidly filled with short, disposable Pasteur pipets fitted with rubber bulbs. The smaller wells are filled with capillary pipets. The diameter of the well (independent of volume) appears to be a function of concentration. For every decrease in the diameter size of the well, concentration can be increased, at least to the next higher level of the standard response line. Extracts of chlortetracycline containing as much as 3.2 mu-g/ml can be analyzed if the 3 mm wells are used and with no sacrifice in accuracy or precision. This works especially well for antibiotic premixes. The technique has been used successfully for penicillin, streptomycin, chlortetracycline, oxytetracycline, oleandomycin, and tylosin.     

Comparison of microbiological methods for evaluating quality and fertility of soil

Routine soil testing procedures that are rapid and accurate are needed to evaluate C and N mineralization in agricultural soils in order to determine soil quality and fertility. Laboratory methods were compared for their usefulness in determining soil microbial biomass and potential activity in a Weswood silty clay loam (fine, mixed, thermic Fluventic Ustochrept) subjected to long-term tillage, crop sequence, and N-fertilizer management practices. The methods included basal soil respiration, net N mineralization during a 10-day incubation, soil microbial biomass C with the chloroform fumigation-incubation technique with and without subtracting a control value, soil microbial biomass N with the chloroform fumigation-incubation technique, substrate-induced respiration, and arginine ammonification. All methods were highly correlated with each other and, therefore, appear to adequately reflect soil microbial biomass and potential activity under laboratory conditions. The longer incubation times used with the basal soil respiration, N mineralization, and microbial biomass C and N assays resulted in higher correlations and lower variation among replications compared to the shorter incubation times used with substrate-induced respiration and arginine ammonification. The relatively rapid procedural time (3 h) required for the latter two assays could make these methods more attractive for routine soil testing, although multiple assays on the same sample may be necessary because these methods are less precise than the incubation methods that require 10 days.     

Development of a microbiological treatment for restoration of oil contaminated soil

This paper describes the laboratory development of a microbial treatment for soil contaminated with oil hydrocarbon residues at a disused refinery site and the application of this technology in a pilot scale treatment bed in the field. Micro-organisms isolated from the site capable of utilizing a number of normal and branched chain alkanes were tested in a series of soil microcosms, together with various permutations of commercially available surfactants and nutrients for stimulating the activities of hydrocarbon-utilizing micro-organisms. Amongst the most effective reagents were: a the fertiliser ‘Purisol^R’ 110(11 per cent N, 11 per cent P²0⁵, 11 per cent K²0, ‘Chafer, Brit. Ag,’ Ltd.), which in combination with other supplements resulted in reductions of total oil hydrocarbons and associated polar products (TOHP) from 24,100 to below 16,000 mg kg⁻¹ after five weeks (compared to 21,200 mg kg⁻¹ in the control); (b) a hexadecane degrading Acinetobacter sp., which in combination with nutrients, reduced TOHP from 21,400 to 13,200 mg kg⁻¹, in seven weeks compared to 16,800 mg kg⁻¹ in the control and 15,100 mg kg⁻¹ in the treatment with nutrients only and; (c) brewer's yeast which in combination with other supplements reduced TOHP from 16,300 to 7,600 mg kg⁻¹ in 14 weeks. These reagents, together with other supplements were applied to a pilot-scale treatment bed consisting of 200 m³ of contaminated soil. Reductions in TOHP from 25,500 to 9,400 mg kg⁻¹ were achieved in 15 months. Corresponding reductions in total oil hydrocarbons (TOH) from 22,600 to 2,000 mg kg⁻¹ were achieved in the same period. After this time little further degradation was observed. The requirements for: (a) a critical evaluation of analytical methodology for assessing the bioremediation of oil contaminated soil, and; (b) considering the overall chemical stability of the asphaltene-like residue remaining after biodegradation of the primary oil has taken place when setting meaningful targets for restoration of oil-contaminated land, are highlighted in this study.     

Chemical and microbiological soil properties in organic and conventional management systems of Coffea arabica L.

The goal of this study was to evaluate the effect of organic (OS) and conventional (CS) farming of Arabica coffee on chemical and microbiological soil properties and to identify which attributes correlate and/or contribute to distinguishing these two management systems. We collected soil samples on a 100 × 100 m² grid in both, the OS and CS, in winter and summer and submitted chemical and microbiological properties to univariate and multivariate analyses (canonical discriminant analysis – CDA – and redundancy analysis – RDA). The best indicators to discriminate OS and CS were chemical and microbiological properties, as the elements calcium (Ca) and boron (B), besides microbial biomass carbon (MBC), metabolic quotient (qCO₂), acid phosphatase (ACP), and alkaline phosphatase (ALP). The RDA showed that, regardless of the season, MBC and ACP correlated with nitrogen (N), sulfur (S) and organic matter (OM), whereas basal respiration (C-CO₂) and ACP correlated with qCO₂ and with magnesium (Mg), calcium (Ca), phosphorus (P), potassium (K) and pH.     

Recommendations for preparing test samples for AOAC collaborative studies of microbiological procedures for foods

Preparation of test samples for microbial collaborative studies poses problems not encountered in studies on chemical analytes. For Associate Referees who are considering a collaborative study of a microbiological procedure for food analysis, these problems have not been adequately addressed. Types of contamination (natural or artificial), number of test samples required, analyte selection, proper controls, and container selection are addressed herein. The discussion is a supplement to the guidelines contained in the Handbook for AOAC Members.