Search PubMedSearch

SEARCH · Search PubMed

Results for “Sediment”

Search indexed PubMed citations on genomics, clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health. Explore titles, authors and supplied subject terms, then open the PubMed record.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Application of the fluorescent-antibody technique to the study of a methanogenic bacterium in lake sediments.

Fluorescent antibody (FA) was prepared for a methanogenic bacterium isolated from Wintergreen Lake pelagic sediment. The isolate resembles Methanobacterium formicicum. The FA did not cross-react with 9 other methanogens, including M. formicicum strains, or 24 heterotrophs, 18 of which had been isolated from Wintergreen Lake sediment. FA-reacting methanogens were detected in heat-fixed smears of several different lake sediments and anaerobic sewage sludge. Pretreatment of all samples with either rhodamine-conjugated geletin or bovine serum albumin adequately controlled nonspecific absorption of the FA. Autofluorescent particles were observed in the sediment samples but, with experience, they could easily be distinguished from FA-reacting bacteria. FA direct counts of the specific methanogen in Wintergreen Lake sediments were made on four different sampling dates and compared with five-tube most-probable-number estimates of the total methanogenic population that was present in the same samples. The FA counts ranged from 3.1 X 10(6) to 1.4 X 10(7)/g of dry sediment. The highest most-probable-number estimates were at least an order ofmagnitude lower.

Anaerobiosis

Heavy-metal and antibiotic resistance in the bacterial flora of sediments of New York Bight.

The New York Bight extends seaward some 80 to 100 miles (ca. 129 to 161 km) from the Long Island and New Jersey shorelines to the edge of the continental shelf. Over 14 x 10(6) m(3) of sewage sludge, dredge spoils, acid wastes, and cellar dirt are discharged into this area each year. Large populations of Bacillus sp. resistant to 20 mug of mercury per ml were observed in Bight sediments contaminated by these wastes. Resistant Bacillus populations were much greater in sediments containing high concentrations of Hg and other heavy metals than in sediments from areas further offshore where dumping has never been practiced and where heavy-metal concentrations were found to be low. Ampicillin resistance due mainly to beta-lactamase production was significantly (P < 0.001) more frequent in Bacillus strains from sediments near the sewage sludge dump site than in similar Bacillus populations from control sediments. Bacillus strains with combined ampicillin and Hg resistances were almost six times as frequent at the sludge dump site as in control sediments. This observation suggests that genes for Hg resistance and beta-lactamase production are simultaneously selected for in Bacillus and that heavy-metal contamination of an ecosystem can result in a selection pressure for antibiotic resistance in bacteria in that system. Also, Hg resistance was frequently linked with other heavy-metal resistances and, in a substantial proportion of Bacillus strains, involved reduction to volatile metallic Hg (Hg degrees ).

Anti-Bacterial Agents

Differential association of F' plasmid and R plasmid deoxyribonucleic acid with a rapidly sedimenting fraction of a Proteus mirabilis lysate.

We have examined the association of an F' plasmid and an R plasmid in Proteus mirabilis with a rapidly sedimenting material that is generated by sodium dodecyl sulfate lysis and low speed centrifugation. Virtually all of the chromosomal deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and the F' plasmid DNA are associated with the rapidly sedimenting material after gentle lysis and centrifugation. A portion of R plasmid NR1 DNA (usually 5 to 25%) is not bound to the rapidly sedimenting material and is recovered in the supernatant fraction. This difference in binding is not related to the size of the plasmid DNA, since F' plasmids and R plasmids of different molecular weights showed the same behavior. R plasmid DNA labeled by a brief pulse of [(3)H]thymine is recovered in the supernatant fraction to a lower extent than the total R plasmid DNA. It would appear that R plasmid replication takes place in association with the rapidly sedimenting material. With prolongation of the [(3)H]thymine pulse, the [(3)H]thymine-labeled R plasmid DNA is recovered in the supernatant fraction with the same probability as the total R plasmid DNA. This finding indicates that a change in R plasmid attachment to the rapidly sedimenting material occurs some time after its replication. The differences observed in the replication of F' plasmids and R plasmids in P. mirabilis may be related to their different modes of association with the rapidly sedimenting material.

Bacteriolysis

Depth-dependent multi-kingdom microbial interactions and biogeochemical cycling genes in eutrophic shallow lake sediments.

Microorganisms are pivotal to lake ecosystem biogeochemical cycles, yet existing research often focuses on single microbial kingdoms or surface sediments, neglecting multi-kingdom interactions and depth-resolved dynamics. To address these gaps, we used metagenomic sequencing to characterize microbial communities and their functional associations across overlying water and 0-45 cm sediments in four shallow lakes of the middle Yangtze River basin, China. Despite increasing bacterial and fungal diversity with depth, the 0-9 cm surface sediments exhibited the strongest multi-kingdom network connectivity and the greatest microbial stability. Functional genes exhibited clear depth-dependent patterns: nitrogen cycling genes, including those involved in dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonium, were most enriched in the upper 0-9 cm of sediment; methane cycling genes were positively correlated with depth; phosphorus cycling genes and some sulfur cycling genes, such as assimilatory sulphate reduction, declined with depth. Sediment microbial assembly was dominated by deterministic processes, in which the vertical distribution of functional genes was primarily dictated by heavy metals and conventional environmental indicators. These findings highlight depth-specific multi-kingdom microbial interactions and their associations with biogeochemical cycling, advancing lacustrine microbial ecology understanding and providing references for lake conservation under environmental change.

Lakes

Sedimentation behavior of chloroplast ribosomes from Chlamydomonas reinhardtii.

The identity of peaks generated by chloroplast ribosomes of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii were determined by zone velocity sedimentation on sucrose density gradients, and analysis of distribution of ribosomal RNAs in the gradients. The sedimentagion coefficient of the principal peak was 66-70 S (usually 69 S), in good agreement with previously reported values for chloroplast ribosomes of C. reinhardtii, and other organisms. The fast sedimenting side of the 69 S peak contained an excess of chloroplast large subunit. When ribosome dissociation was prevented by sedimentation at low velocity, by aldehyde fixation, or by the presence of nascent polypeptide chains, the principal peak had a sedimentation coefficient of about 75 S. Thus the 69 S peak was an artifact caused by dissociation during centrifugation. Peaks that contained chloroplast ribosomal RNAs were also observed at '60 S' and '45 S' when chloroplast ribosomes were centrifuged unfixed at high velocity. The amounts of '60 S' and '45 S' components were decreased by centrifugation at low speed, or fixation, but sedimentation coefficients remained unchanged. The '60 S', and '45 S' components were identified as large, and small subunits of chloroplast ribosomes, respectively. The artifacts produced by centrifugation of chloroplast ribosomes, are similar to the artifacts produced by centrifuging ribosomes of Escherichia coli. Similar explanations appear to apply to both. We concluded that the 69 S chloroplast ribosome peak occurs because of dissociation of 'tight' couples, and incomplete separation of subunits. Subunit peaks (60 S and 45 S) arise from free subunits, and/or from dissociation of 'loose' couples.

Centrifugation, Density Gradient

Characterization of functionally distinct lymphoid and myeloid cells from human blood and bone marrow. II. Separation by velocity sedimentation.

Velocity sedimentation in a zonal rotor using gradients of uniform osmolarity was used to separate leukocyte subpopulations from human blood and bone marrow. The separations were performed at high sedimentation rates having the advantage of rapidity over conventional unit gravity separations. Myeloid stem cells (CFU-C) and cells reactive with phytohemagglutinin (PHA), Concanavalin A (Con A), and in mixed leukocyte culture (MLC) were separated and their sedimentation profiles obtained. CFU-C sedimented ahead of lymphoid cells and behind mature myeloid elements. Two distinct marrow subpopulations separated by velocity sedimentation were consistently stimulated by Con A, and variably stimulated by PHA and MLC reactions. Both large cells (predominantly myeloid) and small cells (predominantly lymphoid) from bone marrow were stimulated by Con A in [3H]thymidine incorporation assays. When separated subpopulations showing stimulation by Con A were mixed, inhibition of [3H]thymidine incorporation resulted.

Blood Cells

Organochlorine insecticides and PCB in the sediments of Lake Huron (1969) and Georgian Bay and North Channel (1973).

Surficial and core sediments were collected from the main body of Lake Huron in 1969 and Georgian Bay and North Channel in 1973. These were analysed for organochlorine insecticides and PCB. Residues of organochlorines were higher in the twelve depositional basins in Lake Huron and Georgian Bay than in sediment in the non-depositional zones. PCB was present at similar concentrations to sigma DDT; with mean levels of 13 and 10 ng/g for PCB and sigma DDT in the main body of Lake Huron and 11 and 5 ng/g for PCB and sibma DDT in Georgian Bay. Residues of PCB varied from 9--33 ng/g in the 12 basins. With respect to sigma DDT, both parent DDT and its two metabolites were present in sediment at a mean residue of 7.8 ng/g for the whole lake. The main lake had residues of 10.2 ng/g while Georgian Bay had 5.8 ng/g and North Channel 4.1 ng/g in keeping with use pattenrs since 1943. HEOD was present in only 5.7% of sediment samples from main Lake Huron, 30% from Georgian Bay and 15% from North Channel. The highest residues 1.7 ng/g occurred in the North Channel. No chlordane was detected, however, heptachlor epoxide was identified in 8.5% of sediments collected in Lake Huron, 23% from Georgian Bay and 14% in North Channel. Endosulfan appeared in 4% of samples from both Georgian Bay and North Channel.

Canada

Localization of the site of urinary tract infections by means of antibody-coated bacteria in the urinary sediments.

A prospective study was conducted in children with urinary tract infections to examine the relationship between the presence of antibody-coated bacteria in the urinary sediments and the presence of pyelonephritis. The site of the urinary tract infection was localized as upper or lower urinary tract by the bladder washout technique. Antibody-coated bacteria in the urinary sediments were identified by an immunofluorescent method. In 4 of 12 children with upper urinary tract infections, less than 1% of the bacteria in the urinary sediments were antibody coated. In 10 of 35 children with lower urinary tract infections more than 50% of the bacteria in the urinary sediments were antibody coated. These studies show no significant correlation between the presence of antibody-coated bacteria in urinary sediments and infection of the upper urinary tract.

Adolescent

Dry weight, triglycerides content and glucose-6-phosphatase activity of hepatocytes separated by sedimentation.

1) Isolated rat-hepatocytes were subfractionated by isopycnic or velocity sedimentation, and dry mass, triglycerides content and Glucose-6-Phosphatase activity of different subpopulations were determined. 2) Distribution of the cell dry masses and dry mass per average cell were substantially similar in all the fractions separated by isopycnic sedimentation. Velocity sedimentation allowed a satisfactory separation of cells of different dry mass. 3) Triglycerides content and Glucose-6-Phosphatase activity of cells of the different fractions obtained by isopycnic sedimentation showed no statistically significant difference. Subpopulations fractionated by velocity sedimentation differed in both triglycerides content and Glucose-6-Phosphatase activity, which were substantially parallel to the cell dry mass.

Animals

Sedimentation characteristics of the scrapie agent from murine spleen and brain.

Sedimentation profiles of the scrapie agent in extracts of murine spleen and brain were determined by analytical differential centrifugation. Infectivity profiles of the agent from the two tissues were similar. Sedimentation of the agent was not substantially altered by detergent treatment with sodium deoxycholate. In the presence of detergent, centrifugation at an omega2t value of 3.0 x 1010 rad2/s in a fixed-angle rotor sedimented 90% of the agent. Comparative studies with radioisotopically labeled Simian virus 40 showed that centrifugation at an omega2t value of 1.6 x 10(10) rad2/s removed 90% of the virions. The sedimentation profile of the scrapie agent was similar to that observed for cellular ribosomal RNA. Heating infectious extracts of spleen to 80 degrees C for 30 min resulted in the destruction of 95% of the RNA while sedimentation of the scrapie agent was unchanged. These studies establish a limited range of particle sizes for the scrapie agent.

Animals

Sedimentation properties of the scrapie agent.

The sedimentation behavior of the scrapie agent in homogenates of spleen from infected mice has been determined. Approximately 90% of the scrapie agent was sedimented at an omega2t value of 3 X 10(10) rad2/sec in a fixed-angle rotor. Sedimentation of the agent was not substantially affected by sonication or by treatment with the detergent sodium deoxycholate. The sedimentation profiles of the scrapie agent were similar to those observed for free polyribosomes, but differed from those exhibited by five other subcellular markers. Comparative studies showed that the sedimentation profiles of subcellular markers in spleen suspensions from mice infected with scrapie did not differ from uninoculated controls. These studies suggest that the scrapie agent is a discrete infectious particle which should be separable from cellular membranes.

Animals

Sedimentation cytology in central nervous system leukaemia with a new simple apparatus.

The clinical usefulness of a newly devised, simple apparatus, the Nishimura fluid sedimentation chamber, is described. The latter consists of an open-ended plastic tube, an absorbent paper with a central hole, and a glass slide which are stuck to each other with double-sided plastic adhesive tape with a central hole of equal size. The chamber is set to allow 0.5 ml of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) to be absorbed in 15--20 min. The principle of the sedimentation relies on the absorption of the fluid portion into the absorbent paper with the cellular elements sedimented onto the glass slide. Thin stationery paper is used as the absorbent material which controls sedimentation speed and minimizes cellular loss. 190 CSF specimens obtained from 28 patients with acute leukaemia were processed by this method. The results obtained showed that sedimentation using this simple chamber is quite reliable for the recognition of small number of abnormal cells in the CSF producing little or no noticeable cellular damage. This technique may be applied to other clinical situations in which fluid cytology is useful in establishing a diagnosis or in evaluating clinical progress.

Acute Disease

Influence of pH, salinity, and organic matter on the adsorption of enteric viruses to estuarine sediment.

This study was designed to determine the degree of adsorption of enteric viruses to marine sediment and factors controlling this association. Adsorption and elution characteristics of several enteroviruses and one rotavirus to estuarine sediments were studied under varying conditions of pH, salinity, and presence of soluble organics. Greater than 99% of the added poliovirus type 1 (LSc), coxsackievirus type B3 (Nancy), echovirus type 7 (Wallace), and rotavirus (SA-11) adsorbed to sediment. Echovirus 1 (Farouk) and a recent isolate typed as coxsackievirus B4 adsorbed significantly less than poliovirus 1 under similar conditions of varying salinity and pH. The presence of soluble organic matter, in the form of secondary sewage effluent or humic acid, did not affect these patterns of adsorption. Only echovirus 1 (Farouk) desorbed when the pH or salinity was altered and then only to a small extent. Three recent isolates of echovirus 1 and echovirus 29 (strain JV-10) also demonstrated varying amounts of adsorption to sediment. These data indicate that enteric viruses can become readily associated with sediment in the estuarine environment and that this association may play a major role in their hydrotransportation and survival.

Adsorption

Intracellular distribution and sedimentation properties of virus-specific RNA in two clones of BHK cells transformed by polyoma virus.

The virus-specific RNA in two independently derived clones of polyoma virus-transformed hamster cells was studied by hybridizing labeled RNA, with excess purified polyoma DNA, immoblized on filters. In one clone (PyBHK1), less than 25% of the total labeled virus-specific RNA was found in the cytoplasm, irrespective of the labeling time. In the other clone (PyBHK2), it was estimated that 39% of the total virus-specific RNA was present inthe cytoplasm after labeling for 3 h. Both the proportion of radioactive label incorporated into virus-specific RNA and the sedimentation pattern of total virus-specific RNA differed markedly between PyBHK and PyBHK2. Most of the virus-specific RNA of PyBHK1 sedimented in the range 25S-35S, whereas a prominent 18S component was present in PyBHK2. Most of the cytoplasmic virus-specific RNA in both clones sedimented at 18S-19S. The sedimentation patterns of virus-specific RNA from whole cells and from washed nuclei of PyBHK1 were closely similar: it was estimated from sedimentation analysis in dimethyl sulfoxide that the molecular weight of 50% of this RNA was within the range 1.1 X10(6) to 2.9 X 10(6). These results, demonstrating the accumulation of virus-specific RNA within the nucleus in at least one virus-transformed cell line, indicate that the large virus-specific RNA previously described in the nuclei of transformed cells may not have represented precursors of virus-specific mRNA.

Cell Line

Antibody-coated bacteria in the urinary sediment of rats with experimental pyelonephritis.

The appearance of antibody-coated bacteria in urinary sediment has been evaluated in rats with experimental pyelonephritis. At day 7 after induction of pyelonephritis, 9 out of 11 rats demonstrated antibody-coated bacteria in the urinary sediment. The other 2 rats never had a positive urinary sediment. Following removal of the pyelonephritic kidneys, antibody-coated bacteria disappeared in 7 of 9 previously positive rats. In the 2 rats which continued to show antibody-coated bacteria, the infecting organisms were found in the remaining kidney. The 2 rats which never developed antibody-coated bacteria in urinary sediment had a higher then normal serum antibody titer, and 1 rat with antibody-coated bacteria showed a normal serum antibody titer. It is concluded that although the search for antibody-coated bacteria in urinary sediment is a very useful technique, its negativity does not exclude upper urinary tract involvement; in the case of renal parenchymal infection, immunity is not the same at the systemic and the local site.

Animals

Effects of phenobarbital and 3-methylcholanthrene pretreatment on size, sedimentation velocity, and mixed function oxygenase activity of rat hepatocytes.

SVA was used to separate liver cells from rats pretreated for 3 days with PB (40 mg/kg intraperitoneally, twice daily) or 3-MC (50 MG/KG AS A SINGLE INJECTIOn). Twelve fractions of cells were collected with s's ranging from 97 mm/hr (fraction1) to 25 mm/hr (fraction 12). Cells in each fraction were sized and counted electronically. PB caused the average volume of the largest cells recovered (fraction 1) to increase to 16, 725 micrometer3 from 10,500 micrometer3 previously reported in untreated animals. The number of cells recovered in the fast-sedimenting fractions (1 to 6) also increased, but there was only a small rise in the average model volume of hepatocytes determined prior to SVA. In cell suspensions analyzed after PB treatment no evidence was found for a discontinuity in the distribution of density-volume characteristics as previously described in hepatocytes from untreated rats. As expected, prior to sedimentation analysis, hepatocyte suspensions from rats treated with PB contained increased cytochrome P-450. The average ratio (n = 4) of P-450 in separated to unseparated cells ranged from 2.75 (fractions 1 + 2) to 0.38 (fractions 11 + 12), giving a 6.8-fold range in quantity of cytochrome per cell. Over this range, cell volume increased 4.2-fold, indicating a gradient in P-450 concentration similar to that previously reported to exist in cells from untreated rat liver. The gradient for AHH activity was 6.7-fold, suggesting that activity of MFO's paralleled the increase in cytochrome concentration. 3-MC pretreatment caused no significant increase in either size or number of cells in the fast-sedimenting fractions, but the discontinuity in density-volume characteristics which distinguished fast and slow sedimenting cells of untreated rats became marked. Furthermore, both the size and number of cells recovered in fractions 7 to 11 (which include the modal peal volume of unseparated hepatocytes) were increased. The gradient of P-450 (OR P1-450) was less steep in 3-MC-treated cells with pooled fractions 1 and 2 containing an average of 4.62 times as much cytochrome as fractions 11 and 12. The gradient for AHH was 4.29 times. The range of cell volume was 3.3-fold over this range. Additional experimental work was performed to determine whether P-450, AHH, or NADPH cytochrome c reductase exhibited differences in activity or concentration per unit of cell volume between cells on either side of fraction 7 where discontinuity had been noted. Each variable was expressed per unit of cell volume in fractions 5 and 9; ratios were compared but were indistinguishable from unity. It was concluded that induction of MFO activity had occurred equally in both populations of cells. Densities were calculated from s and cell volume. Noticeable loss of density followed PB treatment in cells of all sizes. 3-MC had less of an effect on density but enhanced the increment in density observed at fraction 7, which corresponds to the division between cells with distinct sedimentation characteristics...

Animals

Separation of erythroid progenitor cells in mouse bone marrow by isokinetic-gradient sedimentation.

Isokinetic-gradient sedimentation employing a shallow linear gradient of Ficoll in tissue culture medium was used to isolate erythroid progenitor cells (CFU-e) from mouse bone marrow. Following gradient sedimentation, 34% of the total nucleated cells and 48% of the CFU-e applied to the gradient were recovered, and three distinct modal populations of CFU-e could be distinguished. The slowest-migrating population did not require exposure to exogenous erythropoietin in order to form erythroid colonies in vitro. The other two modal populations of CFU-e required exposure to exogenous erythropoietin for differentiation. One of these, constituting 64% of the hormone-dependent CFU-e recovered, migrated with the bulk of the marrow cells, whereas the other migrated ahead of the bulk of the marrow cells. This latter population, which contained 34% of the CFU-e, was recovered with 11% of the marrow cells, representing a twofold to threefold enrichment. BFU-e migrated more slowly than the erythropoietin-dependent CFU-e. Resedimentation studies suggested that the two erythropoietin-dependent CFU-e populations were distinct modal populations. When cells from the fastest-migrating population of erythropoietin-dependent CFU-e were cocultured with unseparated marrow cells, a further twofold to threefold enhancement of erythroid colony formation was obtained. Comparison of isokinetic-gradient sedimentation with discontinuous and continuous albumin density-gradient sedimentation revealed that isokinetic-gradient sedimentation was a more efficient method than the former and a more rapid method than the latter for isolating CFU-e from mouse bone marrow.

Animals

[Experimental study of vibrio parahaemolyticus (biotype 2) transfer from water and sediments to benthic marine food chain organisms].

Transfer of Vibrio parahaemolyticus (biotype 2) from sediments to water and from water to benthic marine organisms was studied experimentally using a streptomycin-resistant strain. Transmission by trophic pathways was also studied using reconstituted marine food chains (Mytilus edulis, Nereis diversicolor, Carcinus maenas, Scorpaena porcus, Mus musculus). Water colonization by sediments could be observed only at temperatures above 16 degrees C. Sediments could well constitute a disseminating reservoir for these germs, their cycle in water being dependent of the cycle followed in the sediments. Contamination of animal organisms is essentially effected by a direct mean, either water or sediments; transfer by trophic pathways being negligible. Infection of land consumers (mice) is linked quantitatively to the nature of the last marine organism of the food chain since bacteria can flourish in the digestive tract of certain animals (Carcinus maenas).

Animals