Short communication: Multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii-calcoaceticus complex isolated from infant milk formula and utensils in a nursery in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

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Araújo, B C; Moraes, M S; Costa, L E O; Nascimento, J S

2015-04-01

Infant milk formulas are not sterile products, and pathogenic bacteria can survive and multiply in these products. This study was performed, initially, to detect the presence of Salmonella spp. in reconstituted infant milk formula and on utensils previously sanitized used in their preparation or distribution in a nursery of a public hospital in Rio de Janeiro. None of the samples tested carried Salmonellaspp. However, further identification of colonies growing on the selective media revealed the presence of several other gram-negative bacteria. Seventeen isolates were identified as belonging to Acinetobacter baumannii-calcoaceticus complex. Fourteen isolates presented a multidrug-resistance profile, by disc diffusion assays, and one of them--JE4--was also resistant to imipenem. The detection of Acinetobacter isolates in this work demonstrates inadequate hygiene practices in the preparation or distribution of infant milk formula. Copyright © 2015 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Molecular Epidemiology and Clinical Impact of Acinetobacter calcoaceticus-baumannii Complex in a Belgian Burn Wound Center.

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Daniel De Vos

Full Text Available Multidrug resistant Acinetobacter baumannii and its closely related species A. pittii and A. nosocomialis, all members of the Acinetobacter calcoaceticus-baumannii (Acb complex, are a major cause of hospital acquired infection. In the burn wound center of the Queen Astrid military hospital in Brussels, 48 patients were colonized or infected with Acb complex over a 52-month period. We report the molecular epidemiology of these organisms, their clinical impact and infection control measures taken. A representative set of 157 Acb complex isolates was analyzed using repetitive sequence-based PCR (rep-PCR (DiversiLab and a multiplex PCR targeting OXA-51-like and OXA-23-like genes. We identified 31 rep-PCR genotypes (strains. Representatives of each rep-type were identified to species by rpoB sequence analysis: 13 types to A. baumannii, 10 to A. pittii, and 3 to A. nosocomialis. It was assumed that isolates that belonged to the same rep-type also belonged to the same species. Thus, 83.4% of all isolates were identified to A. baumannii, 9.6% to A. pittii and 4.5% to A. nosocomialis. We observed 12 extensively drug resistant Acb strains (10 A. baumannii and 2 A. nosocomialis, all carbapenem-non-susceptible/colistin-susceptible and imported into the burn wound center through patients injured in North Africa. The two most prevalent rep-types 12 and 13 harbored an OXA-23-like gene. Multilocus sequence typing allocated them to clonal complex 1 corresponding to EU (international clone I. Both strains caused consecutive outbreaks, interspersed with periods of apparent eradication. Patients infected with carbapenem resistant A. baumannii were successfully treated with colistin/rifampicin. Extensive infection control measures were required to eradicate the organisms. Acinetobacter infection and colonization was not associated with increased attributable mortality.

Molecular Epidemiology and Clinical Impact of Acinetobacter calcoaceticus-baumannii Complex in a Belgian Burn Wound Center

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Bilocq, Florence; Jennes, Serge; Verbeken, Gilbert; Rose, Thomas; Keersebilck, Elkana; Bosmans, Petra; Pieters, Thierry; Hing, Mony; Heuninckx, Walter; De Pauw, Frank; Soentjens, Patrick; Merabishvili, Maia; Deschaght, Pieter; Vaneechoutte, Mario; Bogaerts, Pierre; Glupczynski, Youri; Pot, Bruno; van der Reijden, Tanny J.; Dijkshoorn, Lenie

2016-01-01

Multidrug resistant Acinetobacter baumannii and its closely related species A. pittii and A. nosocomialis, all members of the Acinetobacter calcoaceticus-baumannii (Acb) complex, are a major cause of hospital acquired infection. In the burn wound center of the Queen Astrid military hospital in Brussels, 48 patients were colonized or infected with Acb complex over a 52-month period. We report the molecular epidemiology of these organisms, their clinical impact and infection control measures taken. A representative set of 157 Acb complex isolates was analyzed using repetitive sequence-based PCR (rep-PCR) (DiversiLab) and a multiplex PCR targeting OXA-51-like and OXA-23-like genes. We identified 31 rep-PCR genotypes (strains). Representatives of each rep-type were identified to species by rpoB sequence analysis: 13 types to A. baumannii, 10 to A. pittii, and 3 to A. nosocomialis. It was assumed that isolates that belonged to the same rep-type also belonged to the same species. Thus, 83.4% of all isolates were identified to A. baumannii, 9.6% to A. pittii and 4.5% to A. nosocomialis. We observed 12 extensively drug resistant Acb strains (10 A. baumannii and 2 A. nosocomialis), all carbapenem-non-susceptible/colistin-susceptible and imported into the burn wound center through patients injured in North Africa. The two most prevalent rep-types 12 and 13 harbored an OXA-23-like gene. Multilocus sequence typing allocated them to clonal complex 1 corresponding to EU (international) clone I. Both strains caused consecutive outbreaks, interspersed with periods of apparent eradication. Patients infected with carbapenem resistant A. baumannii were successfully treated with colistin/rifampicin. Extensive infection control measures were required to eradicate the organisms. Acinetobacter infection and colonization was not associated with increased attributable mortality. PMID:27223476

Endemicity of Acinetobacter calcoaceticus-baumannii Complex in an Intensive Care Unit in Malaysia

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Amreeta Dhanoa

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Introduction. Acinetobacter calcoaceticus-baumannii complex (ACB complex is a leading opportunistic pathogen in intensive care units (ICUs. Effective control of spread requires understanding of its epidemiological relatedness. This study aims to determine the genetic relatedness and antibiotic susceptibilities of ACB complex in an ICU in Malaysia. Methodology. Pulsed field gel electrophoresis (PFGE, E-test, and disk diffusion were used for isolates characterization. Results. During the study period (December 2011 to June 2012, 1023 patients were admitted to the ICU and 44 ACB complex (blood, n=21, and blind bronchial aspirates, n=23 were recovered from 38 ICU patients. Six isolates were from non-ICU patients. Of the 44 ICU isolates, 88.6% exhibited multidrug-resistant (MDR patterns. There was high degree of resistance, with minimum inhibitory concentration90 (MIC90 of >32 μg/mL for carbapenems and ≥256 μg/mL for amikacin, ampicillin/sulbactam, and cefoperazone/sulbactam. Isolates from the main PFGE cluster were highly resistant. There was evidence of dissemination in non-ICU wards. Conclusion. High number of clonally related MDR ACB complex was found. While the ICU is a likely reservoir facilitating transmission, importation from other wards may be important contributor. Early identification of strain relatedness and implementation of infection control measures are necessary to prevent further spread.

Molecular epidemiology of Acinetobacter baumannii and Acinetobacter nosocomialis in Germany over a 5-year period (2005-2009).

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Schleicher, X; Higgins, P G; Wisplinghoff, H; Körber-Irrgang, B; Kresken, M; Seifert, H

2013-08-01

To investigate the species distribution within the Acinetobacter calcoaceticus-Acinetobacter baumannii complex and the molecular epidemiology of A. baumannii and Acinetobacter nosocomialis, 376 Acinetobacter isolates were collected prospectively from hospitalized patients at 15 medical centres in Germany during three surveillance studies conducted over a 5-year period. Species identification was performed by molecular methods. Imipenem minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) were determined by broth microdilution. The prevalence of the most common carbapenemase-encoding genes was investigated by oxacillinase (OXA) -multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The molecular epidemiology was investigated by repetitive sequence-based PCR (rep-PCR; DiversiLab™). Acinetobacter pittii was the most prevalent Acinetobacter species (n = 193), followed by A. baumannii (n = 140), A. calcoaceticus (n = 10) and A. nosocomialis (n = 8). The majority of A. baumannii was represented by sporadic isolates (n = 70, 50%) that showed unique rep-PCR patterns, 25 isolates (18%) clustered with one or two other isolates, and only 45 isolates (32%) belonged to one of the previously described international clonal lineages. The most prevalent clonal lineage was international clone (IC) 2 (n = 34) and IC 1 (n = 6). According to CLSI, 25 A. baumannii isolates were non-susceptible to imipenem (MIC ≥ 8 mg/L), all of which produced an OXA-58-like or OXA-23-like carbapenemase. The rate of imipenem susceptibility among A. baumannii isolates decreased from 96% in 2005 to 76% in 2009. All other Acinetobacter isolates were susceptible to imipenem. The population structure of carbapenem-susceptible A. baumannii in Germany is highly diverse. Imipenem non-susceptibility was strongly associated with the clonal lineages IC 2 and IC 1. These data underscore the high clonality of carbapenem-resistant A. baumannii isolates. © 2012 The Authors. Clinical Microbiology and Infection © 2012 European Society of

Plant growth-promoting bacterium Acinetobacter calcoaceticus P23 increases the chlorophyll content of the monocot Lemna minor (duckweed) and the dicot Lactuca sativa (lettuce).

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Suzuki, Wakako; Sugawara, Masayuki; Miwa, Kyoko; Morikawa, Masaaki

2014-07-01

Acinetobacter calcoaceticus P23 is a plant growth-promoting bacterium that was isolated from the surface of duckweed (Lemna aoukikusa). The bacterium was observed to colonize on the plant surfaces and increase the chlorophyll content of not only the monocotyledon Lemna minor but also the dicotyledon Lactuca sativa in a hydroponic culture. This effect on the Lactuca sativa was significant in nutrient-poor (×1/100 dilution of H2 medium) and not nutrient-rich (×1 or ×1/10 dilutions of H2 medium) conditions. Strain P23 has the potential to play a part in the future development of fertilizers and energy-saving hydroponic agricultural technologies. Copyright © 2013 The Society for Biotechnology, Japan. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Enrichment of Acinetobacter spp. from food samples.

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Carvalheira, Ana; Ferreira, Vânia; Silva, Joana; Teixeira, Paula

2016-05-01

Relatively little is known about the role of foods in the chain of transmission of acinetobacters and the occurrence of different Acinetobacter spp. in foods. Currently, there is no standard procedure to recover acinetobacters from food in order to gain insight into the food-related ecology and epidemiology of acinetobacters. This study aimed to assess whether enrichment in Dijkshoorn enrichment medium followed by plating in CHROMagar™ Acinetobacter medium is a useful method for the isolation of Acinetobacter spp. from foods. Recovery of six Acinetobacter species from food spiked with these organisms was compared for two selective enrichment media (Baumann's enrichment and Dijkshoorn's enrichment). Significantly (p enrichment. Next, the Dijkshoorn's enrichment followed by direct plating on CHROMagar™ Acinetobacter was applied to detect Acinetobacter spp. in different foods. Fourteen different presumptive acinetobacters were recovered and assumed to represent nine different strains on the basis of REP-PCR typing. Eight of these strains were identified by rpoB gene analysis as belonging to the species Acinetobacter johnsonii, Acinetobacter calcoaceticus, Acinetobacter guillouiae and Acinetobacter gandensis. It was not possible to identify the species level of one strain which may suggests that it represents a distinct species. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The success of acinetobacter species; genetic, metabolic and virulence attributes.

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Anton Y Peleg

Full Text Available An understanding of why certain Acinetobacter species are more successful in causing nosocomial infections, transmission and epidemic spread in healthcare institutions compared with other species is lacking. We used genomic, phenotypic and virulence studies to identify differences between Acinetobacter species. Fourteen strains representing nine species were examined. Genomic analysis of six strains showed that the A. baumannii core genome contains many genes important for diverse metabolism and survival in the host. Most of the A. baumannii core genes were also present in one or more of the less clinically successful species. In contrast, when the accessory genome of an individual A. baumannii strain was compared to a strain of a less successful species (A. calcoaceticus RUH2202, many operons with putative virulence function were found to be present only in the A. baumannii strain, including the csu operon, the acinetobactin chromosomal cluster, and bacterial defence mechanisms. Phenotype microarray analysis showed that compared to A. calcoaceticus (RUH2202, A. baumannii ATCC 19606(T was able to utilise nitrogen sources more effectively and was more tolerant to pH, osmotic and antimicrobial stress. Virulence differences were also observed, with A. baumannii ATCC 19606(T, A. pittii SH024, and A. nosocomialis RUH2624 persisting and forming larger biofilms on human skin than A. calcoaceticus. A. baumannii ATCC 19606(T and A. pittii SH024 were also able to survive in a murine thigh infection model, whereas the other two species were eradicated. The current study provides important insights into the elucidation of differences in clinical relevance among Acinetobacter species.

The Success of Acinetobacter Species; Genetic, Metabolic and Virulence Attributes

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Peleg, Anton Y.; de Breij, Anna; Adams, Mark D.; Cerqueira, Gustavo M.; Mocali, Stefano; Galardini, Marco; Nibbering, Peter H.; Earl, Ashlee M.; Ward, Doyle V.; Paterson, David L.; Seifert, Harald; Dijkshoorn, Lenie

2012-01-01

An understanding of why certain Acinetobacter species are more successful in causing nosocomial infections, transmission and epidemic spread in healthcare institutions compared with other species is lacking. We used genomic, phenotypic and virulence studies to identify differences between Acinetobacter species. Fourteen strains representing nine species were examined. Genomic analysis of six strains showed that the A. baumannii core genome contains many genes important for diverse metabolism and survival in the host. Most of the A. baumannii core genes were also present in one or more of the less clinically successful species. In contrast, when the accessory genome of an individual A. baumannii strain was compared to a strain of a less successful species (A. calcoaceticus RUH2202), many operons with putative virulence function were found to be present only in the A. baumannii strain, including the csu operon, the acinetobactin chromosomal cluster, and bacterial defence mechanisms. Phenotype microarray analysis showed that compared to A. calcoaceticus (RUH2202), A. baumannii ATCC 19606T was able to utilise nitrogen sources more effectively and was more tolerant to pH, osmotic and antimicrobial stress. Virulence differences were also observed, with A. baumannii ATCC 19606T, A. pittii SH024, and A. nosocomialis RUH2624 persisting and forming larger biofilms on human skin than A. calcoaceticus. A. baumannii ATCC 19606T and A. pittii SH024 were also able to survive in a murine thigh infection model, whereas the other two species were eradicated. The current study provides important insights into the elucidation of differences in clinical relevance among Acinetobacter species. PMID:23144699

Quorum sensing signal profile of Acinetobacter strains from nosocomial and environmental sources Perfil de sensores de quórum en cepas nosocomiales y ambientales de Acinetobacter

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R. H. González

2009-06-01

Full Text Available A set of 43 strains corresponding to 20 classified and unclassified genomic Acinetobacter species was analyzed for the production of typical N-acyl homoserine lactone quorum sensing molecules in culture broths. A large percentage of the strains (74% displayed quorum sensing signals that could be separated into three statistically significantly different chromatographic groups (p Rf2 > Rf1. None of the three signals could be specifically assigned to a particular species in the genus; furthermore, no distinction could be made between the quorum sensing signals secreted by typical opportunistic strains of the A. calcoaceticus-A. baumannii complex, isolated from patients, with respect to the other species of the genus, except for the Rf1 signal which was present in all the QS positive strains belonging to this complex and DNA group 13 TU. In conclusion, quorum sensors in Acinetobacter are not homogenously distributed among species and one of them is present in most of the A. calcoaceticus-baumannii complex.Se analizó la producción de moléculas típicas de N-acil homoserina lactona con actividad de quorum sensing en cultivos líquidos de un grupo de 43 cepas correspondientes a 20 especies genómicas clasificadas y no clasificadas de Acinetobacter. Un porcentaje alto de las cepas (74% mostraron señales de quorum sensing que pudieron ser separadas en tres grupos cromatográficos significativamente diferentes entre sí (p Rf2 > Rf1. Ninguna de las tres señales pudo ser asignada a una especie en particular dentro del género; es más, no se encontró diferencia entre las señales producidas por las cepas típicamente oportunistas (complejo A. calcoaceticus-A. baumannii aisladas de pacientes respecto de las producidas por otras cepas del mismo género, excepto para el caso de Rf1, que se encontró presente en todos los aislamientos quorum sensing positivos del mencionado complejo y en las cepas del grupo de DNA 13TU. En conclusión, los sensores de

INDUSTRIAL WASTE BIOCONVERSION INTO SURFACTANTS BY Rhodococcus erythropolis ІMV Ас-5017, Acinetobacter calcoaceticus ІMV В-7241 and Nocardia vaccinii ІMV В-7405

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T. P. Pirog

2017-04-01

Full Text Available The aim of the work is to realize an alternative processing of toxic industrial waste into surfactants by strains Rhodococcus erythropolis IMV Ac-5017, Acinetobacter calcoaceticus IMV B-7241 and Nocardia vaccinii IMV B-7405 for remediation of environment. The studied strains were grown in liquid media containing such sources of carbon as waste (fried sunflower oil, technical glycerol (by-product of biodiesel production, and aromatic compounds. The synthesis of surfactants was evaluated by emulsification index, conditional concentration of surfactants and concentration of extracellular surfactants, which was determined gravimetrically after their extraction from supernatant by the mixture of methanol and chloroform. The concentration of oil in water and soil was analyzed by gravimetric method after extraction with hexane. It was shown that with increasing concentration of the inoculum up to 10−15% and two times increase of nitrogen source content in medium containing 7−8% (v/v of crude glycerol, concentration of surfactants synthesized by R. erythropolis IMV Ac-5017, A. calcoaceticus IMV B 7241 and N. vaccinii IMV B-7405 was 3.4; 5.0 and 5.3 g/l, respectively, that is 1.6−1.7 times higher as compared with values on basal medium with the same content of substrate. The maximum concentration (3.9−4.3 g/l of surfactants synthesized by A. calcoaceticus IMV B-7241 on fried sunflower oil (4% was achieved by using the inoculum grown on refined oil. The ability of R. erythropolis IMV Ac-5017, A. calcoaceticus IMV B-7241 and N. vaccinii IMV B-7405 to decompose aromatic compounds (phenol, naphthalene, toluene, hexachlorobenzene, benzoic and N-phenylanthranilic acid with simultaneous synthesis of extracellular metabolites with surface-active and emulsifying properties was established. In the presence of surfactants in the form of culture liquid (5−10%, the degree of degradation of complex oil with heavy metal (Cu2+, Cd2+, Pb2+, 0.01−0.5 mmol

Coaggregation between Rhodococcus and Acinetobacter strains isolated from the food industry.

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Møretrø, Trond; Sharifzadeh, Shahab; Langsrud, Solveig; Heir, Even; Rickard, Alexander H

2015-07-01

In this study, coaggregation interactions between Rhodococcus and Acinetobacter strains isolated from food-processing surfaces were characterized. Rhodococcus sp. strain MF3727 formed intrageneric coaggregates with Rhodococcus sp. strain MF3803 and intergeneric coaggregates with 2 strains of Acinetobacter calcoaceticus (MF3293, MF3627). Stronger coaggregation between A. calcoaceticus MF3727 and Rhodococcus sp. MF3293 was observed after growth in batch culture at 30 °C than at 20 °C, after growth in tryptic soy broth than in liquid R2A medium, and between cells in exponential and early stationary phases than cells in late stationary phase. The coaggregation ability of Rhodococcus sp. MF3727 was maintained even after heat and Proteinase K treatment, suggesting its ability to coaggregate was protein independent whereas the coaggregation determinants of the other strains involved proteinaceous cell-surface-associated polymers. Coaggregation was stable at pH 5-9. The mechanisms of coaggregation among Acinetobacter and Rhodococcus strains bare similarity to those displayed by coaggregating bacteria of oral and freshwater origin, with respect to binding between proteinaceous and nonproteinaceous determinants and the effect of environmental factors on coaggregation. Coaggregation may contribute to biofilm formation on industrial food surfaces, protecting bacteria against cleaning and disinfection.

Screening and characterization of a novel alkaline lipase from Acinetobacter calcoaceticus 1-7 isolated from Bohai Bay in China for detergent formulation

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Haikuan Wang

2012-03-01

Full Text Available A novel alkaline lipase-producing strain 1-7 identified as Acinetobacter calcoaceticus was isolated from soil samples collected from Bohai Bay, China, using an olive oil alkaline plate, which contained olive oil as the sole carbon source. The lipase from strain 1-7 showed the maximum activity at pH 9.0 under 40ºC. One interesting feature of this enzyme is that it exhibits lipase activity over a broad range of temperatures and good stability. It is also stable at a broad range of pHs from 4.0 to 10.0 for 24 h. Its catalytic activity was highly enhanced in the presence of Ca2+, Mg2+ and K+, but partially inhibited by Cu2+, Al3+, Fe3+ , Ba2+and Zn2+. The fact that it displays marked stability and activity in the presence of TritonX-100, Tween-20, Tween-80, SDS, Hydrogen peroxide, Sodium perborate, Sodium hypochlorite, Sodium citrate, Sodium taurocholate, Glycerine and NaCl suggests that this lipase is suitable as an additive in detergent formulations.

Characterization of rhamnolipids produced by non-pathogenic Acinetobacter and Enterobacter bacteria

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Hošková, M.; Schreiberová, O.; Ježdík, R.; Chudoba, J.; Masák, M.; Sigler, Karel; Řezanka, Tomáš

2013-01-01

Roč. 130, FEB 2013 (2013), s. 510-516 ISSN 0960-8524 R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GAP503/11/0215 Grant - others:GA MPO(CZ) FR-TI1/456 Institutional support: RVO:61388971 Keywords : Pseudomonas aeruginosa * Acinetobacter calcoaceticus * Enterobacter asburiae Subject RIV: EE - Microbiology, Virology Impact factor: 5.039, year: 2013

[Effects of oil-refining microbes (genus Acinetobacter) on cytogenetical structures of human lymphocytes in cell cultures].

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Il'inskikh, N N; Il'inskikh, E N; Il'inskikh, I N

2012-01-01

The objective of this study was to assess ability of oil-refining bacteria Acinetobacter calcoaceticus and A. valentis to induce karyopathological abnormalities and chromosomal aberrations in human lymphocyte cultures. It was found that the cultures infected with A. calcoaceticus showed significantly high frequencies of cytogenetical effects and chromosomal aberrant cells as compared to the intact cultures and cultures infected with A. valentis. The most of chromosomal aberrations, mainly chromatid aberrations, were located in 1 and 2 chromosomes. Moreover, the aberrations were detected in some specific chromosome areas. Abnormalities of mitotic cell division and nucleus morphology were determined in lymphocyte cultures infected with A. calcoaceticus. There were found significantly high frequencies of cells with micronuclei, nucleus protrusions, anaphase or metaphase chromosome and chromosomal fragments lagging as well as multipolar and C-mitoses. Thus, the oil-refining bacteria A. calcoaceticus in contrast to A. valentis demonstrated strong genotoxic effects in human lymphocyte cultures in vitro.

Endemic carbapenem-nonsusceptible Acinetobacter baumannii-calcoaceticus complex in intensive care units of the national referral hospital in Jakarta, Indonesia

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Saharman, Y.R. (Yulia Rosa); Karuniawati, A. (Anis); Sedono, R. (Rudyanto); Aditianingsih, D. (Dita); Sudarmono, P. (Pratiwi); W.H.F. Goessens (Wil); Klaassen, C.H.W. (Corné H.W.); H.A. Verbrugh (Henri); J.A. Severin (Juliëtte)

2018-01-01

textabstractBackground: Carbapenem-nonsusceptible A. baumannii-calcoaceticus complex have emerged worldwide, but the epidemiology in Indonesian hospitals has not been studied. Methods: A prospective observational study was performed on the intensive care units (ICUs) of the national referral

Blood stream infections caused by Acinetobacter baumannii group in Japan - Epidemiological and clinical investigation.

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Fujikura, Yuji; Yuki, Atsushi; Hamamoto, Takaaki; Kawana, Akihiko; Ohkusu, Kiyofumi; Matsumoto, Tetsuya

2016-06-01

Acinetobacter calcoaceticus-Acinetobacter baumannii complex, especially A. baumannii, Acinetobacter pittii and Acinetobacter nosocomialis, constitutes an important group of nosocomial pathogens; however, epidemiological or clinical characteristics and prognosis is limited in Japan. From 2009 to 2013, 47 blood stream infection cases resulting from A. baumannii group were reviewed at the National Defense Medical College, an 800-bed tertiary hospital. To determine the genospecies, further comparative nucleotide sequence analyses of the RNA polymerase b-subunit (rpoB) gene were performed. Sequence analysis of rpoB gene showed that 25 (49.0%), 17 (33.3%) and 5 (9.8%) cases were caused by A. baumannii, A. pittii and A. nosocomialis, respectively. The 30-day and in-hospital mortality rates of A. baumannii were 8.5% and 25.5%, respectively, and there were no significant differences between Acinetobacter species. Clinical characteristics were statistically insignificant. Multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter species were detected in 3 cases (5.9%) with same pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) pattern and A. baumannii was less susceptible to amikacin and levofloxacin. In this study, the mortality and clinical characteristics were similar among A. baumannii group isolate cases despite some showing drug resistance. However, identification of Acinetobacter species helps to initiate appropriate antibiotic therapy in earlier treatment phase, because A. baumannii shows some drug resistance. Copyright © 2016 Japanese Society of Chemotherapy and The Japanese Association for Infectious Diseases. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Acinetobacter spp. Infections in Malaysia: A Review of Antimicrobial Resistance Trends, Mechanisms and Epidemiology.

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Mohd Rani, Farahiyah; A Rahman, Nor Iza; Ismail, Salwani; Alattraqchi, Ahmed Ghazi; Cleary, David W; Clarke, Stuart C; Yeo, Chew Chieng

2017-01-01

Acinetobacter spp. are important nosocomial pathogens, in particular the Acinetobacter baumannii - calcoaceticus complex, which have become a global public health threat due to increasing resistance to carbapenems and almost all other antimicrobial compounds. High rates of resistance have been reported among countries in Southeast Asia, including Malaysia. In this review, we examine the antimicrobial resistance profiles of Acinetobacter spp. hospital isolates from Malaysia over a period of nearly three decades (1987-2016) with data obtained from various peer-reviewed publications as well as the Malaysian National Surveillance on Antibiotic Resistance (NSAR). NSAR data indicated that for most antimicrobial compounds, including carbapenems, the peak resistance rates were reached around 2008-2009 and thereafter, rates have remained fairly constant (e.g., 50-60% for carbapenems). Individual reports from various hospitals in Peninsular Malaysia do not always reflect the nationwide resistance rates and often showed higher rates of resistance. We also reviewed the epidemiology and mechanisms of resistance that have been investigated in Malaysian Acinetobacter spp. isolates, particularly carbapenem resistance and found that bla OXA-23 is the most prevalent acquired carbapenemase-encoding gene. From the very few published reports and whole genome sequences that are available, most of the Acinetobacter spp. isolates from Malaysia belonged to the Global Clone 2 (GC2) CC92 group with ST195 being the predominant sequence type. The quality of data and analysis in the national surveillance reports could be improved and more molecular epidemiology and genomics studies need to be carried out for further in-depth understanding of Malaysian Acinetobacter spp. isolates.

Evolution of a Pathogen: A Comparative Genomics Analysis Identifies a Genetic Pathway to Pathogenesis in Acinetobacter

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Sahl, Jason W.; Gillece, John D.; Schupp, James M.; Waddell, Victor G.; Driebe, Elizabeth M.; Engelthaler, David M.; Keim, Paul

2013-01-01

Acinetobacter baumannii is an emergent and global nosocomial pathogen. In addition to A. baumannii, other Acinetobacter species, especially those in the Acinetobacter calcoaceticus-baumannii (Acb) complex, have also been associated with serious human infection. Although mechanisms of attachment, persistence on abiotic surfaces, and pathogenesis in A. baumannii have been identified, the genetic mechanisms that explain the emergence of A. baumannii as the most widespread and virulent Acinetobacter species are not fully understood. Recent whole genome sequencing has provided insight into the phylogenetic structure of the genus Acinetobacter. However, a global comparison of genomic features between Acinetobacter spp. has not been described in the literature. In this study, 136 Acinetobacter genomes, including 67 sequenced in this study, were compared to identify the acquisition and loss of genes in the expansion of the Acinetobacter genus. A whole genome phylogeny confirmed that A. baumannii is a monophyletic clade and that the larger Acb complex is also a well-supported monophyletic group. The whole genome phylogeny provided the framework for a global genomic comparison based on a blast score ratio (BSR) analysis. The BSR analysis demonstrated that specific genes have been both lost and acquired in the evolution of A. baumannii. In addition, several genes associated with A. baumannii pathogenesis were found to be more conserved in the Acb complex, and especially in A. baumannii, than in other Acinetobacter genomes; until recently, a global analysis of the distribution and conservation of virulence factors across the genus was not possible. The results demonstrate that the acquisition of specific virulence factors has likely contributed to the widespread persistence and virulence of A. baumannii. The identification of novel features associated with transcriptional regulation and acquired by clades in the Acb complex presents targets for better understanding the

Acinetobacter calcoaceticus CSY-P13 Mitigates Stress of Ferulic and p-Hydroxybenzoic Acids in Cucumber by Affecting Antioxidant Enzyme Activity and Soil Bacterial Community

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Fenghui Wu

2018-06-01

Full Text Available Ferulic acid (FA and p-hydroxybenzoic acid (PHBA are main phenolic compounds accumulated in rhizosphere of continuously cropped cucumber, causing stress in plants. Microbial degradation of a mixture of FA and PHBA is not well understood in soil. We isolated a strain CSY-P13 of Acinetobacter calcoaceticus, inoculated it into soil to protect cucumber from FA and PHBA stress, and explored a mechanism underlying the protection. CSY-P13 effectively degraded a mixture of FA and PHBA in culture solution under conditions of 39.37°C, pH 6.97, and 21.59 g L-1 potassium dihydrogen phosphate, giving rise to 4-vinyl guaiacol, vanillin, vanillic acid, and protocatechuic acid. During FA and PHBA degradation, activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD, catalase, ascorbate peroxidase, and dehydroascorbate reductase in CSY-P13 were induced. Inoculated into cucumber-planted soil containing 220 μg g-1 mixture of FA and PHBA, CSY-P13 degraded FA and PHBA in soil, increased plant height, and decreased malonaldehyde, superoxide radical, and hydrogen peroxide levels in leaves. CSY-P13 also enhanced SOD, guaiacol peroxidase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, ascorbate peroxidase, monodehydroascorbate reductase, dehydroascorbate reductase, and glutathione reductase activities; increased ascorbate and glutathione contents; and elevated transcript levels of copper/zinc SOD, manganese SOD, and catalase in leaves under FA and PHBA. Moreover, CSY-P13 increased phosphatase, catalase, urease, and sucrase activities and changed bacterial richness, diversity, and community composition by high throughput sequencing in cucumber-planted soil supplemented with the mixture of FA and PHBA. So CSY-P13 degrades the mixture of FA and PHBA in soil and mitigates stress from the two phenolic compounds in cucumber by activating antioxidant enzymes, changing soil bacterial community, and inducing soil enzymes.

Staring at the cold sun: blue light regulation is distributed within the genus Acinetobacter.

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Adrián Golic

Full Text Available We previously showed that the opportunistic nosocomial pathogen Acinetobacter baumannii is able to sense and respond to light via BlsA, a BLUF (Blue-Light-sensing Using FAD-domain photoreceptor protein. Here, we extend our previous studies showing that light regulation is not restricted to A. baumannii, but rather widespread within the genus Acinetobacter. First, we found that blue light modulates motility and biofilm formation in many species of the genus, including members of the Acinetobacter calcoaceticus-A. baumannii complex. In many of these species blue light acts as a key factor guiding the decision between motility or sessility at 24°C, whereas in A. baumannii, light inhibits both motility and biofilm formation. We also show that light regulation of motility occurred not only at 24°C but also at 37°C in non-A. baumannii species, contrasting the situation of A. baumannii which only shows photoregulation at 24°C. Second, we show that Acinetobacter baylyi (strain ADP1 BLUF-photoreceptors can functionally replace in vivo the A. baumannii 17978 BlsA protein and that the pathways leading to biofilm formation are inversely regulated at 24°C between these two microorganisms. Finally, we found the presence of predicted genes coding BLUF-containing proteins in all Acinetobacter sequenced genomes, even though the copy number is variable among them. Phylogenetic analysis suggests a common origin for all BLUF domains present in members of this genus, and could distinguish well-differentiated clusters that group together BLUF homologs from different species, a situation particularly clear for members of the ACB complex. Despite a role played by these BLUF domain-containing proteins in the photoregulation observed in the members of the genus Acinetobacter is a likely scenario given our findings in A. baumannii and A. baylyi, further research will contribute to confirm this possibility.

Staring at the Cold Sun: Blue Light Regulation Is Distributed within the Genus Acinetobacter

Science.gov (United States)

Golic, Adrián; Vaneechoutte, Mario; Nemec, Alexandr; Viale, Alejandro M.; Actis, Luis A.; Mussi, María Alejandra

2013-01-01

We previously showed that the opportunistic nosocomial pathogen Acinetobacter baumannii is able to sense and respond to light via BlsA, a BLUF (Blue-Light-sensing Using FAD)-domain photoreceptor protein. Here, we extend our previous studies showing that light regulation is not restricted to A. baumannii, but rather widespread within the genus Acinetobacter. First, we found that blue light modulates motility and biofilm formation in many species of the genus, including members of the Acinetobacter calcoaceticus-A. baumannii complex. In many of these species blue light acts as a key factor guiding the decision between motility or sessility at 24°C, whereas in A. baumannii, light inhibits both motility and biofilm formation. We also show that light regulation of motility occurred not only at 24°C but also at 37°C in non-A. baumannii species, contrasting the situation of A. baumannii which only shows photoregulation at 24°C. Second, we show that Acinetobacter baylyi (strain ADP1) BLUF-photoreceptors can functionally replace in vivo the A. baumannii 17978 BlsA protein and that the pathways leading to biofilm formation are inversely regulated at 24°C between these two microorganisms. Finally, we found the presence of predicted genes coding BLUF-containing proteins in all Acinetobacter sequenced genomes, even though the copy number is variable among them. Phylogenetic analysis suggests a common origin for all BLUF domains present in members of this genus, and could distinguish well-differentiated clusters that group together BLUF homologs from different species, a situation particularly clear for members of the ACB complex. Despite a role played by these BLUF domain-containing proteins in the photoregulation observed in the members of the genus Acinetobacter is a likely scenario given our findings in A. baumannii and A. baylyi, further research will contribute to confirm this possibility. PMID:23358859

OXA-carbapenemases present in clinical acinetobacter baumannii-calcoaceticus complex isolates from patients in kurdistan region, Iraq

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ganjo, A.R. (Aryann R.); D.M. Maghdid (Delshad); Mansoor, I.Y. (Isam Y.); Kok, D.J. (Dik J.); J.A. Severin (Juliëtte); H.A. Verbrugh (Henri); D. Kreft; Fatah, M.H.; Alnakshabandi, A.A.; Dlnya, A. (Asad); Hammerum, A.M. (Anette M.); Ng, K. (Kim); W.H.F. Goessens (Wil)

2016-01-01

markdownabstractIn addition to intrinsic resistance in Acinetobacter baumannii, many different types of acquired resistance mechanisms have been reported, including the presence of VIM and IMP metallo β-lactamases and also of blaOXA-23-like and blaOXA-58-like enzymes. In the Kurdistan region of

Antimicrobial susceptibility pattern in nosocomial infections caused by Acinetobacter species in Asir Region, Saudi Arabia.

Science.gov (United States)

Abdalla, Nazar M; Osman, Amani A; Haimour, Waleed O; Sarhan, Mohammed A A; Mohammed, Mohammed N; Zyad, Eyhab M; Al-Ghtani, Abdalla M

2013-03-15

This study aimed at evaluating the sensitivity of antibiotics towards nosocomial infections caused by Acinetobacter species. The study took place during the period Dec. 2011- Dec. 2012 at Assir Central Hospital in collaboration with the department of microbiology, college of medicine, King Khalid University, Abha. A prospective study involving 150 patients presented with nosocomial infections due to Acinetobacter species detected by bacteriological tests; direct microscopy, culture in blood agar media, fermentation test in MacConkey media and MIC (minimum inhibitory concentration) for antibiotics sensitivity using Muller Hinton media and Chemical test using API 20. A 150 nosocomial infections in this study showed gram-negative coccobacilli, non motile, glucose-negative fermentor and oxidase negative. All isolates showed 100% sensitivity to: Imipramine, Meropenem, Colistin. From the rest of tested antibiotics the higher resistant ones were; Nitrofurantoin 87% and Cefoxitin 85%. The least resistant antibiotics; Imipenem 3% and Ticarcillin 7%. While variable resistance in the rest of tested antimicrobials. A 47 patients (31.3%) have used antibiotics prior to this study. The high rate of usage occurred in elder patients. The frequency of Acinetobacter calcoaceticus baumannii complex multi-drugs resistance ABCMDR is rising including almost all commonly used antibiotics. Only few antibiotics exert 100% sensitivity towards these bacteria.

Utility of Whole-Genome Sequencing in Characterizing Acinetobacter Epidemiology and Analyzing Hospital Outbreaks

Science.gov (United States)

Fitzpatrick, Margaret A.; Hauser, Alan R.

2015-01-01

Acinetobacter baumannii frequently causes nosocomial infections and outbreaks. Whole-genome sequencing (WGS) is a promising technique for strain typing and outbreak investigations. We compared the performance of conventional methods with WGS for strain typing clinical Acinetobacter isolates and analyzing a carbapenem-resistant A. baumannii (CRAB) outbreak. We performed two band-based typing techniques (pulsed-field gel electrophoresis and repetitive extragenic palindromic-PCR), multilocus sequence type (MLST) analysis, and WGS on 148 Acinetobacter calcoaceticus-A. baumannii complex bloodstream isolates collected from a single hospital from 2005 to 2012. Phylogenetic trees inferred from core-genome single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) confirmed three Acinetobacter species within this collection. Four major A. baumannii clonal lineages (as defined by MLST) circulated during the study, three of which are globally distributed and one of which is novel. WGS indicated that a threshold of 2,500 core SNPs accurately distinguished A. baumannii isolates from different clonal lineages. The band-based techniques performed poorly in assigning isolates to clonal lineages and exhibited little agreement with sequence-based techniques. After applying WGS to a CRAB outbreak that occurred during the study, we identified a threshold of 2.5 core SNPs that distinguished nonoutbreak from outbreak strains. WGS was more discriminatory than the band-based techniques and was used to construct a more accurate transmission map that resolved many of the plausible transmission routes suggested by epidemiologic links. Our study demonstrates that WGS is superior to conventional techniques for A. baumannii strain typing and outbreak analysis. These findings support the incorporation of WGS into health care infection prevention efforts. PMID:26699703

Real-Time Fluorescence Loop Mediated Isothermal Amplification for the Detection of Acinetobacter baumannii

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Qinqin; Zhou, Yanbin; Li, Shaoli; Zhuo, Chao; Xu, Siqi; Huang, Lixia; Yang, Ling; Liao, Kang

2013-01-01

Background Detection of Acinetobacter baumannii has been relying primarily on bacterial culture that often fails to return useful results in time. Although DNA-based assays are more sensitive than bacterial culture in detecting the pathogen, the molecular results are often inconsistent and challenged by doubts on false positives, such as those due to system- and environment-derived contaminations. In addition, these molecular tools require expensive laboratory instruments. Therefore, establishing molecular tools for field use require simpler molecular platforms. The loop-mediated isothermal amplification method is relatively simple and can be improved for better use in a routine clinical bacteriology laboratory. A simple and portable device capable of performing both the amplification and detection (by fluorescence) of LAMP in the same platform has been developed in recent years. This method is referred to as real-time loop-mediated isothermal amplification. In this study, we attempted to utilize this method for rapid detection of A. baumannii. Methodology and Significant Findings Species-specific primers were designed to test the utility of this method. Clinical samples of A. baumannii were used to determine the sensitivity and specificity of this system compared to bacterial culture and a polymerase chain reaction method. All positive samples isolated from sputum were confirmed to be the species of Acinetobacter by 16S rRNA gene sequencing. The RealAmp method was found to be simpler and allowed real-time detection of DNA amplification, and could distinguish A. baumannii from Acinetobacter calcoaceticus and Acinetobacter genomic species 3. DNA was extracted by simple boiling method. Compared to bacterial culture, the sensitivity and specificity of RealAmp in detecting A. baumannii was 98.9% and 75.0%, respectively. Conclusion The RealAmp assay only requires a single unit, and the assay positivity can be verified by visual inspection. Therefore, this assay has

Radiation resistance of clinical Acinetobacter spp.: A need for concern

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Christensen, E.A.; Gerner-Smidt, P.; Kristensen, H.

1991-01-01

As part of an epidemiological investigation of hospital infections caused by Acinetobacter spp. the radiation resistance of 15 clinical isolates and four reference strains was assessed. The radiation resistance (in D-6 values, viz. the dose necessary for reducing the initial number of colony forming units by a factor of 10(6)) was, in general, higher in the isolates of A. radioresistens than in the isolates of the A. calcoaceticus-A. baumannii complex and of A. lwoffi. However, the least resistant isolates of A. radioresistens had a D-6 value equal to or lower than the most resistant isolates of the other groups. The lowest D-6 values found were for two of the reference strains. The highest D-6 value was 35 kGy. Three isolates of A. johnsonii could not survive long enough in a dried preparation to make an assessment of the D-6 values possible. The radiation resistance of the 15 clinical isolates in the present study was higher than the resistance found in a study of similar isolates in 1970

Radiation resistance of clinical Acinetobacter spp. : A need for concern

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Christensen, E.A.; Gerner-Smidt, P.; Kristensen, H. (Control Department, Statens Seruminstitut, Copenhagen (Denmark))

1991-06-01

As part of an epidemiological investigation of hospital infections caused by Acinetobacter spp. the radiation resistance of 15 clinical isolates and four reference strains was assessed. The radiation resistance (in D-6 values, viz. the dose necessary for reducing the initial number of colony forming units by a factor of 10(6)) was, in general, higher in the isolates of A. radioresistens than in the isolates of the A. calcoaceticus-A. baumannii complex and of A. lwoffi. However, the least resistant isolates of A. radioresistens had a D-6 value equal to or lower than the most resistant isolates of the other groups. The lowest D-6 values found were for two of the reference strains. The highest D-6 value was 35 kGy. Three isolates of A. johnsonii could not survive long enough in a dried preparation to make an assessment of the D-6 values possible. The radiation resistance of the 15 clinical isolates in the present study was higher than the resistance found in a study of similar isolates in 1970.

Clinical strains of acinetobacter classified by DNA-DNA hybridization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tjernberg, I.; Ursing, J.

1989-01-01

A collection of Acinetobacter strains consisting of 168 consecutive clinical strains and 30 type and reference strains was studied by DNA-DNA hybridization and a few phenotypic tests. The field strains could be allotted to 13 DNA groups. By means of reference strains ten of these could be identified with groups described by Bouvet and Grimont (1986), while three groups were new; they were given the numbers 13-15. The type strain of A. radioresistens- recently described by Nishimura et al. (1988) - was shown to be a member of DNA group 12, which comprised 31 clinical isolates. Of the 19 strains of A. junii, eight showed hemolytic acitivity on sheep and human blood agar and an additional four strains on human blood agar only. Strains of this species have previously been regarded as non-hemolytic. Reciprocal DNA pairing data for the reference strains of the DNA gropus were treated by UPGMA clustering. The reference strains for A. calcoaceticus, A. baumannii and DNA groups 3 and 13 formed a cluster with about 70% relatedness within the cluster. Other DNA groups joined at levels below 60%. (author)

Clinical strains of acinetobacter classified by DNA-DNA hybridization

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tjernberg, I; Ursing, J [Department of Medical Microbiology, University of Lund, Malmoe General Hospital, Malmoe (Sweden)

1989-01-01

A collection of Acinetobacter strains consisting of 168 consecutive clinical strains and 30 type and reference strains was studied by DNA-DNA hybridization and a few phenotypic tests. The field strains could be allotted to 13 DNA groups. By means of reference strains ten of these could be identified with groups described by Bouvet and Grimont (1986), while three groups were new; they were given the numbers 13-15. The type strain of A. radioresistens- recently described by Nishimura et al. (1988) - was shown to be a member of DNA group 12, which comprised 31 clinical isolates. Of the 19 strains of A. junii, eight showed hemolytic acitivity on sheep and human blood agar and an additional four strains on human blood agar only. Strains of this species have previously been regarded as non-hemolytic. Reciprocal DNA pairing data for the reference strains of the DNA gropus were treated by UPGMA clustering. The reference strains for A. calcoaceticus, A. baumannii and DNA groups 3 and 13 formed a cluster with about 70% relatedness within the cluster. Other DNA groups joined at levels below 60%. (author).

Acinetobacter baumannii isolate BAL_212 from Vietnam produces the K57 capsular polysaccharide containing a rarely occurring amino sugar N-acetylviosamine.

Science.gov (United States)

Kenyon, Johanna J; Kasimova, Anastasiya A; Shashkov, Alexander S; Hall, Ruth M; Knirel, Yuriy A

2018-02-01

The structures of capsular polysaccharides (CPSs) produced by different Acinetobacter baumannii strains have proven to be invaluable in confirming the role of specific genes in the synthesis of rare sugars through the correlation of genetic content at the CPS biosynthesis locus with sugars found in corresponding CPS structures. A module of four genes (rmlA, rmlB, vioA and vioB) was identified in the KL57 capsule biosynthesis gene cluster of A. baumannii isolate BAL_212 from Vietnam. These genes were predicted to direct the synthesis of 4-acetamido-4,6-dideoxy-d-glucose (N-acetylviosamine, d-Qui4NAc) and the K57 CPS was found to contain this monosaccharide. The K57 structure was determined and, in addition to d-Qui4NAc, included three N-acetylgalactosamine residues in the main chain, with a single glucose side branch. The KL57 gene cluster has not been found in any other A. baumannii genomes, but the rmlA-rmlB-vioA-vioB module is present in the KL119 gene cluster that would likely produce a d-Qui4NAc-containing CPS.

Acinetobacter infections as an emerging threat in intensive care units

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tahseen, U.; Talib, M.T.

2015-01-01

Nosocomial infections caused by Acinetobacter species (Spp.) is an emerging threat in health care setups especially intensive care units (ICU). The objective of this observational study was to determine the pattern of Acinetobacter infections and its association with length of stay in patients admitted to our medical ICU from January to August 2011. Methods: All patients above 16 years of age with stay of more than 48 hours were checked for any development of new infections not present or incubating at the time of admission. Nosocomial infections were documented in the light of clinical findings and lab results. Data was analysed using statistical software SPSS 15.0. Results: A total of 146 patients had a stay of at least 48 hours; frequency of nosocomial infection was 30.8% out of which 57.8% were Acinetobacter infections. Respiratory system was most commonly involved. Acinetobacter Spp showed high resistance (96.2%) to penicillins, cephalosporins and even extended spectrum antibiotics including carbepenems, quinolones and piperacillin plus tazobactam. Extended drug resistance was seen in 92.3% isolates; while we found high susceptibility to tigecycline (88.5%) and polymyxins (100%). Acinetobacter Spp. infected patients had mean length of stay (LOS) of 12.92 days when compared to patients with other nosocomial infections and no infection with mean LOS of 7.05 days (p=0.05) and 4.86 days (p=0.00) respectively. Conclusions: Acinetobacter Spp infections increase with longer duration of stay in ICU. Emergence of multi-drug and extended-drug resistant Acinetobacter Spp is alarming and overwhelming at this rate for already stretched out health system with its economic and health implications. (author)

Carbapenem-Resistant Acinetobacter baumannii and Enterobacteriaceae in South and Southeast Asia

Science.gov (United States)

Apisarnthanarak, Anucha; Khan, Erum; Ghafur, Abdul

2016-01-01

SUMMARY Carbapenem-resistant Gram-negative bacteria, in particular the Acinetobacter baumannii-calcoaceticus complex and Enterobacteriaceae, are escalating global public health threats. We review the epidemiology and prevalence of these carbapenem-resistant Gram-negative bacteria among countries in South and Southeast Asia, where the rates of resistance are some of the highest in the world. These countries house more than a third of the world's population, and several are also major medical tourism destinations. There are significant data gaps, and the almost universal lack of comprehensive surveillance programs that include molecular epidemiologic testing has made it difficult to understand the origins and extent of the problem in depth. A complex combination of factors such as inappropriate prescription of antibiotics, overstretched health systems, and international travel (including the phenomenon of medical tourism) probably led to the rapid rise and spread of these bacteria in hospitals in South and Southeast Asia. In India, Pakistan, and Vietnam, carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae have also been found in the environment and community, likely as a consequence of poor environmental hygiene and sanitation. Considerable political will and effort, including from countries outside these regions, are vital in order to reduce the prevalence of such bacteria in South and Southeast Asia and prevent their global spread. PMID:27795305

Carbapenem-Resistant Acinetobacter baumannii and Enterobacteriaceae in South and Southeast Asia.

Science.gov (United States)

Hsu, Li-Yang; Apisarnthanarak, Anucha; Khan, Erum; Suwantarat, Nuntra; Ghafur, Abdul; Tambyah, Paul Anantharajah

2017-01-01

Carbapenem-resistant Gram-negative bacteria, in particular the Acinetobacter baumannii-calcoaceticus complex and Enterobacteriaceae, are escalating global public health threats. We review the epidemiology and prevalence of these carbapenem-resistant Gram-negative bacteria among countries in South and Southeast Asia, where the rates of resistance are some of the highest in the world. These countries house more than a third of the world's population, and several are also major medical tourism destinations. There are significant data gaps, and the almost universal lack of comprehensive surveillance programs that include molecular epidemiologic testing has made it difficult to understand the origins and extent of the problem in depth. A complex combination of factors such as inappropriate prescription of antibiotics, overstretched health systems, and international travel (including the phenomenon of medical tourism) probably led to the rapid rise and spread of these bacteria in hospitals in South and Southeast Asia. In India, Pakistan, and Vietnam, carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae have also been found in the environment and community, likely as a consequence of poor environmental hygiene and sanitation. Considerable political will and effort, including from countries outside these regions, are vital in order to reduce the prevalence of such bacteria in South and Southeast Asia and prevent their global spread. Copyright © 2016 American Society for Microbiology.

5,7-Di-N-acetyl-8-epiacinetaminic acid: A new non-2-ulosonic acid found in the K73 capsule produced by an Acinetobacter baumannii isolate from Singapore.

Science.gov (United States)

Kenyon, Johanna J; Notaro, Anna; Hsu, Li Yang; De Castro, Cristina; Hall, Ruth M

2017-09-12

Nonulosonic acids are found in the surface polysaccharides of many bacterial species and are often implicated in pathogenesis. Here, the structure of a novel 5,7-diacetamido-3,5,7,9-tetradeoxynon-2-ulosonic acid recovered from the capsular polysaccharide of a multiply antibiotic resistant Acinetobacter baumannii isolate was determined. The isolate carries a sugar synthesis module that differs by only a single gene from the module for the synthesis of 5,7-diacetamido-3,5,7,9-tetradeoxy-L-glycero-L-altro-non-2-ulosonic acid or 5,7-di-N-acetylacinetaminic acid, recently discovered in the capsule of another A. baumannii isolate. The new monosaccharide is the C8-epimer of acinetaminic acid (8eAci; 5,7-diacetamido-3,5,7,9-tetradeoxy-D-glycero-L-altro-non-2-ulosonic acid) and the C7-epimer of legionaminic acid. This monosaccharide had not previously been detected in a biological sample but had been synthesized chemically.

Emergence of New Delhi metallo-beta-lactamase 1 and other carbapenemase-producing Acinetobacter calcoaceticus-baumannii complex among patients in hospitals in Ha Noi, Viet Nam

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Tran, D.N.; Tran, H.H.; Matsui, M.; Suzuki, M.; Suzuki, S.; Shibayama, K.; Pham, T.D.; Phuong, T.T. Van; Dang, D.A.; Trinh, H.S.; Loan, C.T.; Nga, L.T.; Doorn, H.R. van; Wertheim, H.F.L.

2017-01-01

Acinetobacter baumannii is an important cause of multidrug-resistant hospital acquired infections in the world. Here, we investigate the presence of NDM-1 and other carbapenemases among carbapenem-resistant A. baumannii isolated between August 2010 and December 2014 from three large hospitals in

Virulence factors and antibiotic susceptibility pattern of Acinetobacter species in a tertiary care hospital in Bangladesh

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Azizun Nahar

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Acinetobacter species are aerobic Gram variable coccobacilli that are now emerging as an important nosocomial pathogen. Infections caused by them are difficult to control due to multidrug resistance. The purpose of this study was to detect virulence factors namely gelatinase production, biofilm formation and antibiotic susceptibility of Acinetobacter species. Two hundred fifty six clinical samples collected from Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib medical University (BSMMU and from burn unit of Dhaka Medical College Hospital were included in the study. Gelatinase production was seen on Luria Bertani agar media containing gelatin (30 gm/l and biofilm formation was detected in microtiter plate assay. Out of 256 clinical samples, 52 (20.3% were Acinetobacter species. Out of 52 Acinetobacter isolates, none were gelatinase producer but 39 (75% were found biofilm producers. Acinetobacter isolates were 100% resistant to ceftazidime, cefotaxime cefuroxime and ceftriaxone. High level of resistance was also recorded for amoxicillin (98.1%, aztreonam (98.1%, gentamicin (90.4%, ciprofloxacin (73.1%, amikacin (57.6%, netilmicin (53.8% and imipenem (44.2%. Susceptibility to colistin was maximum (96.2%. The present study demonstrated a high propensity of biofilm formation by the clinical isolates of Acinetobacter species and most of the Acinetobacter were multidrug resistant. Ibrahim Med. Coll. J. 2012; 6(1: 27-30

Immobilisation of Acinetobacter calcoaceticus using natural carriers

African Journals Online (AJOL)

2005-04-02

Apr 2, 2005 ... and Cloete, 1995) or ceramic (Kariminiaae-Hamedaani et al.,. 2003) carriers. Besides the synthetic carriers, natural zeolite. (NZ) has been shown as a .... ing 9 mℓ of sterile distilled water, crushed with a sterile glass rod and dispersed by mixing (2 700 r/min for 10 min using the test tube shaker Kartell TK3S) ...

Reservoirs of Non-baumannii Acinetobacter Species

Science.gov (United States)

Al Atrouni, Ahmad; Joly-Guillou, Marie-Laure; Hamze, Monzer; Kempf, Marie

2016-01-01

Acinetobacter spp. are ubiquitous gram negative and non-fermenting coccobacilli that have the ability to occupy several ecological niches including environment, animals and human. Among the different species, Acinetobacter baumannii has evolved as global pathogen causing wide range of infection. Since the implementation of molecular techniques, the habitat and the role of non-baumannii Acinetobacter in human infection have been elucidated. In addition, several new species have been described. In the present review, we summarize the recent data about the natural reservoir of non-baumannii Acinetobacter including the novel species that have been described for the first time from environmental sources and reported during the last years. PMID:26870013

Multidrug‑resistant acinetobacter infection and their susceptibility ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Results: Major infections found in different medical wards, surgical wards and ICU were due to Acinetobacter baumannii (74.02%), A. lowfii (14.2%), A. haemolyticus (7.79%), A. junii (3.8%) among Acinetobacter spices. Acinetobacter showed increased resistant against majority of commercially available drugs imipenem ...

Clinical and economic outcomes of Acinetobacter vis a vis non-Acinetobacter infections in an Indian teaching hospital

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Priyendu Asim

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Context: Acinetobacter infections are a major nosocomial infection causing epidemics of infection in the Intensive Care Units (ICU. Aims: This study estimates the clinical and economic outcomes of Acinetobacter infections and compares them with those of non-Acinetobacter bacterial infections. Settings and Design: Prospective cross-sectional observational study carried out for 6 months in the medicine ICU of a tertiary care hospital. Materials and Methods: Patients were divided in two groups, one group with Acinetobacter infections and the other with non-Acinetobacter infections. The data was collected for infection, length of stay (LOS, mortality and cost along with patient demographics from the hospital records for analysis. Statistical Analysis Used: The data was analyzed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences Version 15.0. The LOS and cost of treatment (COT for the two groups were compared using the nonparametric Mann–Whitney U-test. Results: A total of 220 patients were studied out of which 91 had Acinetobacter infections. The median LOS was 20 days in Group-A and 12 days in Group-B (P < 0.0001. The median COT was INR 125,862 in Group-A and INR 68,228 in the Group-B (P < 0.0001. Mortality in Group-A and Group-B was 32.97 and 32.56 (P = 0.949 respectively. Conclusion: The burden of Acinetobacter infections in ICUs is increasing with the increase in LOS and COT for the patients. The infection control team has to play a major role in reducing the rate of nosocomial infections.

Inventory of 226Ra, 228Ra and 210Pb in marine sediments cores of Southwest Atlantic Ocean

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Costa, Alice M.R.; Oliveira, Joselene de; Figueira, Rubens C.L.; Mahiques, Michel M.; Sousa, Silvia H.M.

2015-01-01

210 Pb (22.3 y) is a radioactive isotope successfully applied as tracer of sediment dating of the last 100-150 years. The application of 226 Ra and 228 Ra as paleoceanographic tracers (half-lives of 1,600 y and 5.7 y, respectively) also gives some information of ocean's role in past climate change. In this work, it was analyzed 2 sediment cores collect at Southwest Atlantic Ocean. The sediments samples were freeze-dried and acid digested in microwave. It was carried out a radiochemical separation of 226 Ra, 228 Ra and 210 Pb and performed a gross alpha and gross beta measurement of both precipitates Ba(Ra)SO 4 and PbCrO 4 in a low background gas-flow proportional counter. Activity concentrations of 226 Ra ranged from 45 Bq kg -1 to 70 Bq kg -1 in NAP-62 and from 57 Bq kg -1 to 82 Bq kg -1 in NAP-63 samples. The concentration of 228 Ra varied between 37 Bq kg -1 and 150 Bq kg -1 in NAP-62 and between 23 Bq kg -1 and 111 Bq kg -1 in NAP-63 samples. The concentration of total 210 Pb ranged from 126 Bq kg -1 to 256 Bq kg -1 in NAP-62 and from 63 Bq kg -1 to 945 Bq kg -1 in NAP-63 samples. Results of 210 Pb uns varied from 68 Bq kg -1 to 192 Bq kg -1 for NAP-62, while varied from <4.9 Bq kg -1 to 870 Bq kg -1 in NAP-63 profile. Increased values of 210 Pb uns were found on the top of both NAP-62 and NAP- 63 sediment profile. (author)

Drug-resistant post-neurosurgical nosocomial Acinetobacter ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Drug-resistant post-neurosurgical nosocomial Acinetobacter baumannii meningitis in two Iranian hospitals. ... Vol 11, No 17 (2012) >. Log in or Register to get access to full text downloads. ... Acinetobacter baumannii may cause meningitis and ventriculitis, particularly after head trauma and/or neurosurgery. The rate of ...

21 CFR 866.3010 - Acinetobacter calcoaceticus serological reagents.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... SERVICES (CONTINUED) MEDICAL DEVICES IMMUNOLOGY AND MICROBIOLOGY DEVICES Serological Reagents § 866.3010... this bacterium from cultured isolates derived from clinical specimens. The identification aids in the...

A new double digestion ligation mediated suppression PCR method for simultaneous bacteria DNA-typing and confirmation of species: an Acinetobacter sp. model.

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Karolina Stojowska

Full Text Available We have designed a new ddLMS PCR (double digestion Ligation Mediated Suppression PCR method based on restriction site polymorphism upstream from the specific target sequence for the simultaneous identification and differentiation of bacterial strains. The ddLMS PCR combines a simple PCR used for species or genus identification and the LM PCR strategy for strain differentiation. The bacterial identification is confirmed in the form of the PCR product(s, while the length of the PCR product makes it possible to differentiate between bacterial strains. If there is a single copy of the target sequence within genomic DNA, one specific PCR product is created (simplex ddLMS PCR, whereas for multiple copies of the gene the fingerprinting patterns can be obtained (multiplex ddLMS PCR. The described ddLMS PCR method is designed for rapid and specific strain differentiation in medical and microbiological studies. In comparison to other LM PCR it has substantial advantages: enables specific species' DNA-typing without the need for pure bacterial culture selection, is not sensitive to contamination with other cells or genomic DNA, and gives univocal "band-based" results, which are easy to interpret. The utility of ddLMS PCR was shown for Acinetobacter calcoaceticus-baumannii (Acb complex, the genetically closely related and phenotypically similar species and also important nosocomial pathogens, for which currently, there are no recommended methods for screening, typing and identification. In this article two models are proposed: 3' recA-ddLMS PCR-MaeII/RsaI for Acb complex interspecific typing and 5' rrn-ddLMS PCR-HindIII/ApaI for Acinetobacter baumannii intraspecific typing. ddLMS PCR allows not only for DNA-typing but also for confirmation of species in one reaction. Also, practical guidelines for designing a diagnostic test based on ddLMS PCR for genotyping different species of bacteria are provided.

A new double digestion ligation mediated suppression PCR method for simultaneous bacteria DNA-typing and confirmation of species: an Acinetobacter sp. model.

Science.gov (United States)

Stojowska, Karolina; Krawczyk, Beata

2014-01-01

We have designed a new ddLMS PCR (double digestion Ligation Mediated Suppression PCR) method based on restriction site polymorphism upstream from the specific target sequence for the simultaneous identification and differentiation of bacterial strains. The ddLMS PCR combines a simple PCR used for species or genus identification and the LM PCR strategy for strain differentiation. The bacterial identification is confirmed in the form of the PCR product(s), while the length of the PCR product makes it possible to differentiate between bacterial strains. If there is a single copy of the target sequence within genomic DNA, one specific PCR product is created (simplex ddLMS PCR), whereas for multiple copies of the gene the fingerprinting patterns can be obtained (multiplex ddLMS PCR). The described ddLMS PCR method is designed for rapid and specific strain differentiation in medical and microbiological studies. In comparison to other LM PCR it has substantial advantages: enables specific species' DNA-typing without the need for pure bacterial culture selection, is not sensitive to contamination with other cells or genomic DNA, and gives univocal "band-based" results, which are easy to interpret. The utility of ddLMS PCR was shown for Acinetobacter calcoaceticus-baumannii (Acb) complex, the genetically closely related and phenotypically similar species and also important nosocomial pathogens, for which currently, there are no recommended methods for screening, typing and identification. In this article two models are proposed: 3' recA-ddLMS PCR-MaeII/RsaI for Acb complex interspecific typing and 5' rrn-ddLMS PCR-HindIII/ApaI for Acinetobacter baumannii intraspecific typing. ddLMS PCR allows not only for DNA-typing but also for confirmation of species in one reaction. Also, practical guidelines for designing a diagnostic test based on ddLMS PCR for genotyping different species of bacteria are provided.

Acinetobacter spp. as nosocomial pathogens: Epidemiology and resistance features

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Saad B. Almasaudi

2018-03-01

Full Text Available The genus Acinetobacter is a major cause of nosocomial infections; it is increasingly being associated with various epidemics and has become a widespread concern in a variety of hospitals worldwide. Multi-antibiotic resistant Acinetobacter baumannii, is now recognized to be of great clinical significance. Numerous reports relay to the spread of A. baumannii in the hospital settings which leads to enhanced nosocomial outbreaks associated with high death rates. However, many other Acinetobacter spp. also can cause nosocomial infections. This review focused on the role of Acinetobacter spp. as nosocomial pathogens in addition to their persistence, antimicrobial resistance patterns and epidemiology. Keywords: Acinetobacter, Nosocomial infections, Multi-drug resistance, Epidemiology, Characteristics

Pathogenic Acinetobacter: from the Cell Surface to Infinity and Beyond

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Weber, Brent S.; Harding, Christian M.

2015-01-01

The genus Acinetobacter encompasses multiple nosocomial opportunistic pathogens that are of increasing worldwide relevance because of their ability to survive exposure to various antimicrobial and sterilization agents. Among these, Acinetobacter baumannii, Acinetobacter nosocomialis, and Acinetobacter pittii are the most frequently isolated in hospitals around the world. Despite the growing incidence of multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter spp., little is known about the factors that contribute to pathogenesis. New strategies for treating and managing infections caused by multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter strains are urgently needed, and this requires a detailed understanding of the pathobiology of these organisms. In recent years, some virulence factors important for Acinetobacter colonization have started to emerge. In this review, we focus on several recently described virulence factors that act at the bacterial surface level, such as the capsule, O-linked protein glycosylation, and adhesins. Furthermore, we describe the current knowledge regarding the type II and type VI secretion systems present in these strains. PMID:26712938

Delayed identification of Acinetobacter baumannii during an outbreak owing to disrupted blaOXA-51-like by ISAba19.

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Ahmadi, Amjad; Salimizand, Himen

2017-07-01

Early detection of Acinetobacter baumannii, an emerging pathogen in hospital settings, is of interest. The bla OXA-51-like family had been used as a marker to detect A. baumannii. During an infection outbreak, 14 isolates produced a 1.7-kb PCR band instead of 353 bp for this marker. This work sought the reasons behind the increased marker size. Characterisation of isolates was done by API-20NE, gyrB multiplex PCR and 16S-23S rRNA ITS sequencing. The 1.7-kb band generated and the complete bla OXA-51-like variant were sequenced to find the probable integrated element. Susceptibility testing to various antimicrobials was performed by microdilution. bla OXA-like , metallo-β-lactamases (MBLs), the ISAba1 element and the presence of ISAba1 adjacent to bla OXA-like were sought. rep-PCR, global clonal (GC) lineage determination and multilocus sequence typing (MLST) were performed to analyse the relationship among isolates. Isolates were characterised as Acinetobacter baumannii-calcoaceticus complex by API-20NE. gyrB multiplex PCR and 16S-23S ITS sequencing verified the isolates as A. baumannii. Sequencing of the 1.7-kb band revealed ISAba19 as the disrupting element. The bla OXA-51 variant was bla OXA-66 , which was elongated to 2.2 kb due to ISAba19. The bla OXA-23-like family was found in 67% of isolates. MBL genes were not detected; however, ISAba1-bla OXA-23-like was characterised in carbapenem-resistant isolates (53%; 8/15). Isolates were divided into three clusters by rep-PCR. All strains were ST2 and all but one belonged to GC II. Identification of A. baumannii based only on bla OXA-51-like is not reliable. Besides bla OXA-51-like , multiplex PCR of gyrB and rpoB could provide rapid and cost-effective results. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. and International Society of Chemotherapy. All rights reserved.

Comparative Analysis of 37 Acinetobacter Bacteriophages

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Dann Turner

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Members of the genus Acinetobacter are ubiquitous in the environment and the multiple-drug resistant species A. baumannii is of significant clinical concern. This clinical relevance is currently driving research on bacterial viruses infecting A. baumannii, in an effort to implement phage therapy and phage-derived antimicrobials. Initially, a total of 42 Acinetobacter phage genome sequences were available in the international nucleotide sequence databases, corresponding to a total of 2.87 Mbp of sequence information and representing all three families of the order Caudovirales and a single member of the Leviviridae. A comparative bioinformatics analysis of 37 Acinetobacter phages revealed that they form six discrete clusters and two singletons based on genomic organisation and nucleotide sequence identity. The assignment of these phages to clusters was further supported by proteomic relationships established using OrthoMCL. The 4067 proteins encoded by the 37 phage genomes formed 737 groups and 974 orphans. Notably, over half of the proteins encoded by the Acinetobacter phages are of unknown function. The comparative analysis and clustering presented enables an updated taxonomic framing of these clades.

Nanoparticles for Control of Biofilms of Acinetobacter Species

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Richa Singh

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Biofilms are the cause of 80% of microbial infections. Acinetobacter species have emerged as multi- and pan-drug-resistant bacteria and pose a great threat to human health. These act as nosocomial pathogens and form excellent biofilms, both on biotic and abiotic surfaces, leading to severe infections and diseases. Various methods have been developed for treatment and control of Acinetobacter biofilm including photodynamic therapy, radioimmunotherapy, prophylactic vaccines and antimicrobial peptides. Nanotechnology, in the present scenario, offers a promising alternative. Nanomaterials possess unique properties, and multiple bactericidal mechanisms render them more effective than conventional drugs. This review intends to provide an overview of Acinetobacter biofilm and the significant role of various nanoparticles as anti-biofouling agents, surface-coating materials and drug-delivery vehicles for biofilm control and treatment of Acinetobacter infections.

CARBAPENEM-RESISTANT ACINETOBACTER BAUMANII POSTOPERATIVE MENINGITIS

OpenAIRE

Laura Ghibu; Egidia Miftode; Olivia Dorneanu; Carmen Dorobat

2011-01-01

Acinetobacter baumannii is an opportunistic pathogen of increasing relevance in hospital infections during the last 15 years.This organism causes a wide range of infection .Extensive use of antibiotics within hospitals has contribute to the emergence of multidrug-resistent A.baumannii strains that exhibit resistance to a wide range of antibiotics ,including carbapenems.We report the case of an 37 years old man diagnosed with Acinetobacter multidrug-resistant post-neurosurgical meningitis with...

Inventory of {sup 226}Ra, {sup 228}Ra and {sup 210}Pb in marine sediments cores of Southwest Atlantic Ocean

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Costa, Alice M.R.; Oliveira, Joselene de, E-mail: alice.costa@usp.br, E-mail: jolivei@ipen.br [Instituto de Pesquisas Energeticas e Nucleares (IPEN/CNEN-SP), Sao Paulo, SP (Brazil). Gerencia de Metrologia das Radiacoes. Lab. de Radiometria Ambiental; Figueira, Rubens C.L.; Mahiques, Michel M.; Sousa, Silvia H.M., E-mail: rfigueira@usp.br, E-mail: mahiques@usp.br, E-mail: smsousa@usp.br [Universidade de Sao Paulo (USP), Sao Paulo, SP (Brazil). Instituto Oceanografico

2015-07-01

{sup 210}Pb (22.3 y) is a radioactive isotope successfully applied as tracer of sediment dating of the last 100-150 years. The application of {sup 226}Ra and {sup 228}Ra as paleoceanographic tracers (half-lives of 1,600 y and 5.7 y, respectively) also gives some information of ocean's role in past climate change. In this work, it was analyzed 2 sediment cores collect at Southwest Atlantic Ocean. The sediments samples were freeze-dried and acid digested in microwave. It was carried out a radiochemical separation of {sup 226}Ra, {sup 228}Ra and {sup 210}Pb and performed a gross alpha and gross beta measurement of both precipitates Ba(Ra)SO{sub 4} and PbCrO{sub 4} in a low background gas-flow proportional counter. Activity concentrations of {sup 226}Ra ranged from 45 Bq kg{sup -1} to 70 Bq kg{sup -1} in NAP-62 and from 57 Bq kg{sup -1} to 82 Bq kg{sup -1} in NAP-63 samples. The concentration of {sup 228}Ra varied between 37 Bq kg{sup -1} and 150 Bq kg{sup -1} in NAP-62 and between 23 Bq kg{sup -1} and 111 Bq kg{sup -1} in NAP-63 samples. The concentration of total {sup 210}Pb ranged from 126 Bq kg{sup -1} to 256 Bq kg{sup -1} in NAP-62 and from 63 Bq kg{sup -1} to 945 Bq kg{sup -1} in NAP-63 samples. Results of {sup 210}Pb{sub uns} varied from 68 Bq kg{sup -1} to 192 Bq kg{sup -1} for NAP-62, while varied from <4.9 Bq kg{sup -1} to 870 Bq kg{sup -1} in NAP-63 profile. Increased values of {sup 210}Pb{sub uns} were found on the top of both NAP-62 and NAP- 63 sediment profile. (author)

Measuring the radium quartet (228Ra, 226Ra, 224Ra, 223Ra) in seawater samples using gamma spectrometry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Beek, P. van; Souhaut, M.; Reyss, J.-L.

2010-01-01

Radium isotopes are widely used in marine studies (eg. to trace water masses, to quantify mixing processes or to study submarine groundwater discharge). While 228 Ra and 226 Ra are usually measured using gamma spectrometry, short-lived Ra isotopes ( 224 Ra and 223 Ra) are usually measured using a Radium Delayed Coincidence Counter (RaDeCC). Here we show that the four radium isotopes can be analyzed using gamma spectrometry. We report 226 Ra, 228 Ra, 224 Ra, 223 Ra activities measured using low-background gamma spectrometry in standard samples, in water samples collected in the vicinity of our laboratory (La Palme and Vaccares lagoons, France) but also in seawater samples collected in the plume of the Amazon river, off French Guyana (AMANDES project). The 223 Ra and 224 Ra activities determined in these samples using gamma spectrometry were compared to the activities determined using RaDeCC. Activities determined using the two techniques are in good agreement. Uncertainties associated with the 224 Ra activities are similar for the two techniques. RaDeCC is more sensitive for the detection of low 223 Ra activities. Gamma spectrometry thus constitutes an alternate method for the determination of short-lived Ra isotopes.

MICROBIAL SURFACTANTS. I. GLYCOLIPIDS

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Pirog T. Р.

2014-02-01

Full Text Available The review is devoted to surface-active glycolipids. The general characteristics, the physiological role of the rhamnolipids, trehalose lipids, sophorolipids, mannosylerythritol lipids and their traditional producers — the representatives of the genera Pseudozyma, Pseudomonas, Rhodococcus and Candida are given. The detailed analysis of the chemical structure, the stages of the biosynthesis and the regulation of some low molecular glycolipids are done. The own experimental data concerning the synthesis intensification, the physiological role and the practical use of Rhodococcus erythropolis IMV Ac-5017, Acinetobacter calcoaceticus IMV B-7241 and Nocardia vaccinii IMV B-7405 surfactants, which are a complex of the glyco-, phospho-, amino- and neutral lipids (glycolipids of all strains are presented by trehalose mycolates are summarized. It was found that R. erythropolis IMV Ac-5017, A. calcoaceticus IMV B-7241 and N. vaccinii IMV B-7405 surfactants have protective, antimicrobial and antiadhesive properties. It was shown that R. erythropolis IMV Ac-5017, A. calcoaceticus IMV B-7241 and N. vaccinii IMV B-7405 surfactants preparation of cultural liquid intensified the degradation of oil in water due to the activation of the natural petroleum-oxidizing microflora.

[Community-acquired Acinetobacter pneumonia].

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Bernasconi, E; Wüst, J; Speich, R; Flury, G; Krause, M

1993-08-21

We report the history of a 38-year-old male native of Sri Lanka admitted to the emergency ward because of chest pain and shortness of breath. On physical and radiographic examination a bilateral predominantly right-sided pneumonia was found. The patient was admitted to the medical ICU and an antibiotic regimen with amoxicillin/clavulanic acid and erythromycin was initiated. Shortly afterwards septic shock developed. The patient was intubated and received high doses of catecholamines. He died 30 hours after admission to the hospital. Cultures from sputum, tracheal aspirate and blood grew Acinetobacter baumanni. Acinetobacter is an ubiquitous gram-negative rod with coccobacillary appearance in clinical specimens, that may appear gram-positive due to poor discoloration on Gram-stain. It is a well known causative agent of nosocomial infections, particularly in intensive care units. Community-acquired pneumonias, however, are quite rare. Sporadic cases have been reported from the US, Papua-New Guinea and Australia. Interestingly, these pneumonias are fulminant and have a high mortality. Chronic obstructive lung disease, diabetes, and tobacco and alcohol consumption appear to be predisposing factors. Due to the rapid course and poor prognosis, prompt diagnosis and adequate antibiotic treatment are indicated. Antibiotics use for community-acquired pneumonias, such as amoxicillin/clavulanic acid or macrolides, are not sufficient. Appropriate antibiotics for the initial treatment of suspected Acinetobacter infections include imipenem and carboxy- and ureidopenicillins combined with an aminoglycoside.

Emerging Trend of Acinetobacter Nosocomial Infection in Northeast of Iran

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Samaneh Saed

2015-10-01

Full Text Available Background: Acinetobacter spp. emerged as an opportunistic pathogen for hospital-acquired infections. Recently, increasing antibiotic resistance among Acinetobacter spp. has worsened the problem. The aim of this study was to investigate  the  emerging  trend  of  infection  due  to Acinetobacter  in Ghaem University Hospital, Mashhad during 2006-2012.Methods: The demographic data and information about redisposing factors was collected. Appropriate bacteriological samples were collected and Acinetobacter spp. was isolated. Antibiotics susceptibility pattern of these isolates againstdifferent antimicrobials agents was determined.Results: Results confirmed that Acinetobacter spp. cause 20.9% of nosocomial infection during this period. The trend of Acinetobacter nosocomial infection was increasing and patients with risk factors such as COPD, bronchectasia, diabetes   mellitus   were   more   prone   to   infection.  There   was   significant association   between   these   infections   and   invasive   procedures   such   as catheterization, mechanical ventilation and broad-spectrum antibiotics usage. Conclusion:  Understanding  trends  in  causative  organisms  of  nosocomial infection can help us to better define our infection control policy.

Detection of blaOXA-23-like and blaNDM-1 in Acinetobacter baumannii from the Eastern Region, Saudi Arabia.

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El-Mahdy, Taghrid S; Al-Agamy, Mohamed H; Al-Qahtani, Ahmed A; Shibl, Atef M

2017-01-01

Acinetobacter baumannii is currently considered as one of the most common successful pathogens in the healthcare system due to its ability to quickly develop resistance. Ten carbapenem-resistant A. calcoaceticus-baumannii complex were isolated from the eastern region, Saudi Arabia in 2014. All isolates were resistant to ciprofloxacin, however, 8 of 10 isolates were tigecycline resistant. Susceptibility test was also carried out for three aminoglycosides, resistance to gentamicin was 80%, amikacin was 90%, and tobramycin was 50%. Colistin susceptibility was seen in all isolates. The 10 isolates harbored bla OXA-23-like and ISAba1 and 9 of them also carried bla ADC . Three isolates of 10 harbored bla NDM-1 coding for NDM metallo-β-lactamase (MBL) with coexistence of bla ADC together with either bla GES or bla TEM or both. Those three isolates exhibited negative Etest MBL screening test. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis revealed the high clonal variability of the isolates, although two isolates were indistinguishable. The risk of dissemination of carbapenem resistance through presence of ISAba1 upstream of OXA-23-like in all isolates raises the concern about emergence of higher carbapenem prevalence rates in the future in our region. This study also demonstrated the importance of molecular surveillance to provide accurate and reliable data about the resistance rates of A. baumannii. Finally, the high incidence of NDM-1 among our isolates requires a routine surveillance to monitor the future prevalence of this enzyme in the region.

Biodegradation of 4-nitroaniline by plant-growth promoting Acinetobacter sp. AVLB2 and toxicological analysis of its biodegradation metabolites

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Silambarasan, Sivagnanam [Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330 (Thailand); Vangnai, Alisa S., E-mail: alisa.v@chula.ac.th [Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330 (Thailand); Center of Excellence on Hazardous Substance Management (HSM), Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330 (Thailand)

2016-01-25

Highlights: • Acinetobacter sp. AVLB2 is a PGPB able to degrade high concentration of 4-NA. • Growth and degradation kinetics for 4-NA removal by AVLB2 were studied. • A novel biodegradation pathway for 4-nitroaniline has been proposed. • Toxicological studies revealed non-toxic nature of 4-NA biodegraded metabolites. • Acinetobacter sp. AVLB2 could maintain PGP traits under 4-NA stress. - Abstract: 4-nitroaniline (4-NA) is one of the major priority pollutants generated from industrial productions and pesticide transformation; however very limited biodegradation details have been reported. This work is the first to report 4-NA biodegradation kinetics and toxicity reduction using a newly isolated plant-growth promoting bacterium, Acinetobacter sp. AVLB2. The 4-NA-dependent growth kinetics parameters: μ{sub max}, K{sub s} and K{sub i}, were determined to be 0.039 h{sup −1}, 6.623 mg L{sup −1} and 25.57 mg L{sup −1}, respectively using Haldane inhibition model, while the maximum biodegradation rate (V{sub max}) of 4-NA was at 0.541 mg L{sup −1} h{sup −1} and 0.551 mg L{sup −1} h{sup −1}, following Michaelis–Menten and Hanes–Woolf models, respectively. Biodegradation pathway of 4-NA by Acinetobacter sp. AVLB2 was proposed, and successfully led to the reduction of 4-NA toxicity according to the following toxicity assessments: microbial toxicity using Escherichia coli DH5α, phytotoxicity with Vigna radiata and Crotalaria juncea, and cytogenotoxicity with Allium cepa root-tip cells. In addition, Acinetobacter sp. AVLB2 possess important plant-growth promoting traits, both in the presence and absence of 4-NA. This study has provided a new insight into 4-NA biodegradation ability and concurrent plant-growth promoting activities of Acinetobacter sp. AVLB2, which may indicate its potential role for rhizoremediation, while sustaining crop production even under 4-NA stressed environment.

Infections caused by Acinetobacter species and their susceptibility to ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Thirty-seven (63%) and 17 (30%) of the Acinetobacter isolates were from wound infections and UTI respectively. All the infections were nosocomially acquired and were associated with compromised host immunity, defective body defence, surgery or urinary catheterization; with Acinetobacter baumannii being the ...

Acinetobacter Peritoneal Dialysis Peritonitis: A Changing Landscape over Time

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Chao, Chia-Ter; Lee, Szu-Ying; Yang, Wei-Shun; Chen, Huei-Wen; Fang, Cheng-Chung; Yen, Chung-Jen; Chiang, Chih-Kang; Hung, Kuan-Yu; Huang, Jenq-Wen

2014-01-01

Background Acinetobacter species are assuming an increasingly important role in modern medicine, with their persistent presence in health-care settings and antibiotic resistance. However, clinical reports addressing this issue in patients with peritoneal dialysis (PD) peritonitis are rare. Methods All PD peritonitis episodes caused by Acinetobacter that occurred between 1985 and 2012 at a single centre were retrospectively reviewed. Clinical features, microbiological data, and outcomes were analysed, with stratifications based upon temporal periods (before and after 2000). Results Acinetobacter species were responsible for 26 PD peritonitis episodes (3.5% of all episodes) in 25 patients. A. baumannii was the most common pathogen (54%), followed by A. iwoffii (35%), with the former being predominant after 2000. Significantly more episodes resulted from breaks in exchange sterility after 2000, while those from exit site infections decreased (P = 0.01). The interval between the last and current peritonitis episodes lengthened significantly after 2000 (5 vs. 13.6 months; P = 0.05). All the isolates were susceptible to cefepime, fluoroquinolone, and aminoglycosides, with a low ceftazidime resistance rate (16%). Nearly half of the patients (46%) required hospitalisation for their Acinetobacter PD-associated peritonitis, and 27% required an antibiotic switch. The overall outcome was fair, with no mortality and a 12% technique failure rate, without obvious interval differences. Conclusions The temporal change in the microbiology and origin of Acinetobacter PD-associated peritonitis in our cohort suggested an important evolutional trend. Appropriate measures, including technique re-education and sterility maintenance, should be taken to decrease the Acinetobacter peritonitis incidence in PD patients. PMID:25314341

Acinetobacter peritoneal dialysis peritonitis: a changing landscape over time.

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Chia-Ter Chao

Full Text Available Acinetobacter species are assuming an increasingly important role in modern medicine, with their persistent presence in health-care settings and antibiotic resistance. However, clinical reports addressing this issue in patients with peritoneal dialysis (PD peritonitis are rare.All PD peritonitis episodes caused by Acinetobacter that occurred between 1985 and 2012 at a single centre were retrospectively reviewed. Clinical features, microbiological data, and outcomes were analysed, with stratifications based upon temporal periods (before and after 2000.Acinetobacter species were responsible for 26 PD peritonitis episodes (3.5% of all episodes in 25 patients. A. baumannii was the most common pathogen (54%, followed by A. iwoffii (35%, with the former being predominant after 2000. Significantly more episodes resulted from breaks in exchange sterility after 2000, while those from exit site infections decreased (P = 0.01. The interval between the last and current peritonitis episodes lengthened significantly after 2000 (5 vs. 13.6 months; P = 0.05. All the isolates were susceptible to cefepime, fluoroquinolone, and aminoglycosides, with a low ceftazidime resistance rate (16%. Nearly half of the patients (46% required hospitalisation for their Acinetobacter PD-associated peritonitis, and 27% required an antibiotic switch. The overall outcome was fair, with no mortality and a 12% technique failure rate, without obvious interval differences.The temporal change in the microbiology and origin of Acinetobacter PD-associated peritonitis in our cohort suggested an important evolutional trend. Appropriate measures, including technique re-education and sterility maintenance, should be taken to decrease the Acinetobacter peritonitis incidence in PD patients.

Acinetobacter pneumonia: Is the outcome different from the pneumonias caused by other agents

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Edis Ebru

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Background : The principal aim of the present study was to determine whether Acinetobacter spp. pneumonia differs from hospital-acquired pneumonias (HAPs caused by other agents with respect to therapeutic success and survival rate. METHODS : This study includes 140 adult patients diagnosed with HAPs caused by identified etiologic agents between March 2005 and February 2006. These patients were divided into two groups according to the agent responsible for their infection (Acinetobacter spp. [n = 63] or non-Acinetobacter spp. [n = 77]. The groups were compared in terms of risk factors, therapeutic success and six-week survival rates. Results : Previous antibiotic use and the risk of aspiration were independent factors responsible for the development of Acinetobacter spp. pneumonia. Hypoalbuminemia, steroid use and the use of a mechanical ventilator were determined to be mortality-associated independent risk factors for Acinetobacter spp. pneumonia. The clinical success rate at the end of therapy was 41.6% and, at the sixth week, the survival rate was 35% among patients in whom Acinetobacter spp. was the causative agent. Conversely, in the control group, these values were 43 and 32%, respectively ( P > 0.05. We found that the use of the appropriate antibiotics for the treatment of Acinetobacter spp. pneumonia was an important factor in survival ( P < 0.001. Conclusion : The outcomes of Acinetobacter spp. pneumonia do not differ from HAPs associated with non-Acinetobacter spp. in terms of therapeutic success and survival rates.

Isolation of biosurfactant producers, optimization and properties of biosurfactant produced by Acinetobacter sp. from petroleum-contaminated soil.

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Chen, J; Huang, P T; Zhang, K Y; Ding, F R

2012-04-01

To screen and identify biosurfactant producers from petroleum-contaminated soil; to use response surface methodology (RSM) for medium optimization to enhance biosurfactant production; and to study the properties of the newly obtained biosurfactant towards pH, temperature and salinity. We successfully isolated three biosurfactant producers from petroleum-contaminated soil and identified them through 16S rRNA sequence analysis, which exhibit the highest similarities to Acinetobacter beijerinckii (100%), Kocuria marina (99%) and Kineococcus marinus (99%), respectively. A quadratic response model was constructed through RSM designs, leading to a 57·5% increase of the growth-associated biosurfactant production by Acinetobacter sp. YC-X 2 with an optimized medium: beef extract 3·12 g l(-1) ; peptone 20·87 g l(-1) ; NaCl 1·04 g l(-1); and n-hexadecane 1·86 g l(-1). Biosurfactant produced by Acinetobacter sp. YC-X 2 retained its properties during exposure to a wide range of pH values (5-11), high temperatures (up to 121°C) and high salinities [up to 18% (w/v) Na(+) and Ca(2+) ], which was more sensitive to Ca(2+) than Na(+). Two novel biosurfactant producers were isolated from petroleum-contaminated soil. Biosurfactant from Acinetobacter sp. YC-X 2 has good properties to a wide range of pH, high temperature and high salinity, and its production was optimized successfully through RSM. The fact, an increasing demand of high-quality surfactants and the lack of cost-competitive bioprocesses of biosurfactants for commercial utilization, motivates researchers to develop cost-effective strategies for biosurfactant production through isolating new biosurfactant producers with special surface-active properties and optimizing their cultural conditions. Two novel biosurfactant producers in this study will widen our knowledge about this kind of micro-organism. This work is the first application of RSM designs for cultural optimization of biosurfactant produced by Acinetobacter

Frequency and antimicrobial susceptibility of acinetobacter species isolated from blood samples of paediatric patients

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Javed, A.; Zafar, A.; Ejaz, H.; Zubair, M.

2012-01-01

Objective: Acinetobacter species is a major nosocomial pathogen causing serious infections in immuno-compromised and hospitalized patients. The aim of this study was to determine the frequency and antimicrobial susceptibility pattern of Acinetobacter species in blood samples of paediatric patients. Methodology: This cross sectional observational study was conducted during January to October, 2011 at The Children's Hospital and Institute of Child Health, Lahore. A total number of 12,032 blood samples were analysed during the study period. Acinetobacter species were Bauer disc diffusion method. Results: The blood cultures showed growth in 1,141 cultures out of which 46 (4.0%) were Acinetobacter species. The gender distribution of Acinetobacter species was 29 (63.0%) in males and 17 (37.0%) in females. A good antimicrobial susceptibility pattern of Acinetobacter species was seen with sulbactam-cefoperazone (93.0%), imepenem and meropenem (82.6% (30.4%) was poor. Conclusion: The results of the present study shows high rate of resistance of Acinetobacter species with cephalosporins in nosocomial infections. The sulbactam-cefoperazone, carbapenems and piperacillin-tazobactam showed effective antimicrobial susceptibility against Acinetobacter species. (author)

Interleukin-17 receptor A (IL-17RA) as a central regulator of the protective immune response against Giardia.

Science.gov (United States)

Paerewijck, Oonagh; Maertens, Brecht; Dreesen, Leentje; Van Meulder, Frederik; Peelaers, Iris; Ratman, Dariusz; Li, Robert W; Lubberts, Erik; De Bosscher, Karolien; Geldhof, Peter

2017-08-17

The protozoan parasite Giardia is a highly prevalent intestinal pathogen with a wide host range. Data obtained in mice, cattle and humans revealed the importance of IL-17A in the development of a protective immune response against Giardia. The aim of this study was to further unravel the protective effector mechanisms triggered by IL-17A following G. muris infection in mice, by an RNA-sequencing approach. C57BL/6 WT and C57BL/6 IL-17RA KO mice were orally infected with G. muris cysts. Three weeks post infection, intestinal tissue samples were collected for RNA-sequencing, with samples from uninfected C57BL/6 WT and C57BL/6 IL-17RA KO animals serving as negative controls. Differential expression analysis showed that G. muris infection evoked the transcriptional upregulation of a wide array of genes, mainly in animals with competent IL-17RA signaling. IL-17RA signaling induced the production of various antimicrobial peptides, such as angiogenin 4 and α- and β-defensins and regulated complement activation through mannose-binding lectin 2. The expression of the receptor that regulates the secretion of IgA into the intestinal lumen, the polymeric immunoglobulin receptor, was also dependent on IL-17RA signaling. Interestingly, the transcriptome data showed for the first time the involvement of the circadian clock in the host response following Giardia infection.

Measuring the radium quartet ({sup 228}Ra, {sup 226}Ra, {sup 224}Ra, {sup 223}Ra) in seawater samples using gamma spectrometry

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Beek, P. van, E-mail: vanbeek@legos.obs-mip.f [LEGOS, Laboratoire d' Etudes en Geophysique et Oceanographie Spatiales (CNRS/CNES/IRD/UPS), Observatoire Midi Pyrenees, 14 Avenue Edouard Belin, 31400 Toulouse (France); Souhaut, M. [LEGOS, Laboratoire d' Etudes en Geophysique et Oceanographie Spatiales (CNRS/CNES/IRD/UPS), Observatoire Midi Pyrenees, 14 Avenue Edouard Belin, 31400 Toulouse (France); Reyss, J.-L. [LSCE, Laboratoire des Sciences du Climat et de l' Environnement (CNRS/CEA/UVSQ), Avenue de la Terrasse, 91198 Gif-sur-Yvette (France)

2010-07-15

Radium isotopes are widely used in marine studies (eg. to trace water masses, to quantify mixing processes or to study submarine groundwater discharge). While {sup 228}Ra and {sup 226}Ra are usually measured using gamma spectrometry, short-lived Ra isotopes ({sup 224}Ra and {sup 223}Ra) are usually measured using a Radium Delayed Coincidence Counter (RaDeCC). Here we show that the four radium isotopes can be analyzed using gamma spectrometry. We report {sup 226}Ra, {sup 228}Ra, {sup 224}Ra, {sup 223}Ra activities measured using low-background gamma spectrometry in standard samples, in water samples collected in the vicinity of our laboratory (La Palme and Vaccares lagoons, France) but also in seawater samples collected in the plume of the Amazon river, off French Guyana (AMANDES project). The {sup 223}Ra and {sup 224}Ra activities determined in these samples using gamma spectrometry were compared to the activities determined using RaDeCC. Activities determined using the two techniques are in good agreement. Uncertainties associated with the {sup 224}Ra activities are similar for the two techniques. RaDeCC is more sensitive for the detection of low {sup 223}Ra activities. Gamma spectrometry thus constitutes an alternate method for the determination of short-lived Ra isotopes.

Susceptibility to tigecycline of Acinetobacter baumannii strains isolated from intensive care unit patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Talaga, Katarzyna; Krzyściak, Paweł; Bulanda, Małgorzata

2016-01-01

Infections caused by Acinetobacter baumannii are difficult to cure due to the acquisition of resistance by these bacteria and lead to an increase in the general costs of hospitalization. The aim of this study was to determine tigecycline susceptibility of Acinetobacter baumannii strains isolated from intensive care unit and non-intensive care unit patients with skin and soft tissue infections. MICs were tested by Etest among 70 Acinetobacter baumannii isolates. The MIC range was from 0.5 to 8.0 mg L⁻¹. For ESBL-producing Acinetobacter baumannii, as well as for strains without carbapenemases, the highest MIC to tigecycline value was 8.0 mg L⁻¹. For AmpC-producing Acinetobacter baumannii, the highest MIC to tigecycline value was 6.0 mg L⁻¹ and, for MBL-producing strains, 2.0 mg L⁻¹. The majority of Acinetobacter baumannii strains isolated from ICU and non-ICU patients demonstrated high values of MIC range, MIC50 and MIC90 to tigecycline.

Clinical and antimicrobial profile of Acinetobacter spp.: An emerging nosocomial superbug

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Purti C Tripathi

2014-01-01

Conclusion: Acinetobacter nosocomial infections resistant to most antimicrobials have emerged, especially in ICU. Early identification and continued surveillance of prevalent organism will help prevent the spread of Acinetobacter in hospital environment.

Analysis of drug resistance in 1,861 strains of Acinetobacter baumannii.

Science.gov (United States)

Jin, Hao; Qiu, Fan; Ji, Hong Jian; Lu, Qiang

2016-04-01

Acinetobacter baumannii is an emerging human pathogen that causes hospital-acquired infections. The trend in increased antimicrobial resistance limits the choice of effective antimicrobial agents. The present study reports the resistance to Acinetobacter baumannii and analyzes the associations between antibiotic use and resistance rates at a general hospital between 2010 and 2014. A total of 1,861 isolates were obtained from clinical cultures, accounting for 10.33% of all detected bacteria (1,861/18,016). The strains were mainly from respiratory samples (1,628 isolates, 87.5%) and the intensive care unit (696 isolates, 37.4%). The resistance rates of Acinetobacter baumannii to the majority of antibiotics were >50%, particularly the resistance rate to cefoperazone/sulbactam increased from 47.37 in 2011 to 89.25% in 2014. However, the rates of imipenem and cilastatin sodium decreased from 81.03 to 69.44% due to the antibiotic policy. There were Pearson significant associations between the use of three antibiotics and resistance in Acinetobacter baumannii to this drug, piperacillin/tazobactam (r=0.976, Ppolicies are essential to control the emergence of multidrug-resistance Acinetobacter baumannii .

Antimicrobial susceptibility pattern of Acinetobacter species isolated from infected wounds at a tertiary care hospital

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Rosić Ivana

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Bacteria of the genus Acinetobacter, especially species Acinetobacter baumanii, is one of the most important causes of infection in immunocompromised patients in hospital. The aim of this study was to determine susceptibility of Acinetobacter species isolated from swabs of inflamed wounds to antibiotics. The study was conducted in several departments of the Clinical Centre 'Kragujevac' through retrospective analysis of 220 Acinetobacter species isolates from surgical wounds in 2011. The isolates of Acinetobaster species were mostly sensitive to ampicillin-sulbactam, colistin and tigecycline in all hospital departments that were surveyed. Only minority of the isolated Acinetobacter species were susceptible to cotrimoxazole, amikacin, imipenem and/or meropenem. Antibiotics with the highest in vitro efficacy against Acinetobacter species were ampicillinsulbactam, colistin and tigecycline. Highly resistant Acinetobacter species were more frequently isolated from patients in Intensive Care Unit.

Radium isotope (223Ra, 224Ra, 226Ra and 228Ra) distribution near Brazil's largest port, Paranaguá Bay, Brazil

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dias, Thais H.; Oliveira, Joselene de; Sanders, Christian J.; Carvalho, Franciane; Sanders, Luciana M.; Machado, Eunice C.; Sá, Fabian

2016-01-01

This work investigates the 223 Ra, 224 Ra, 226 Ra and 228 Ra isotope distribution in river, estuarine waters and sediments of the Paranaguá Estuarine Complex (PEC). The stratification of the Ra isotopes along water columns indicate differing natural sources. In sediments, the radium isotope activities was inversely proportional to the particle size. The highest concentrations of 223 Ra, 224 Ra, 226 Ra and 228 Ra in the water column were found in the bottom more saline waters and towards the inner of the estuary. These relatively high concentrations towards the bottom of the estuary may be attributed to the influence of tidally driven groundwater source and desorption from particles at the maximum turbidity zone. The apparent river water ages from the radium isotope ratios, 223 Ra/ 224 Ra and 223 Ra/ 228 Ra, indicate that the principal rivers that flow into the estuary have residence times from between 6 and 11 days. - Highlights: • Radium isotope concentrations were evaluated along a large estuarine system. • The radioactivity level in river, estuary and sediments was within a normal range. • Spatial distributions of site specific radionuclides have differing activities and sources.

Bacterial desorption from food container and food processing surfaces.

Science.gov (United States)

McEldowney, S; Fletcher, M

1988-03-01

The desorption ofStaphylococcus aureus, Acinetobacter calcoaceticus, and a coryneform from the surfaces of materials used for manufacturing food containers (glass, tin plate, and polypropylene) or postprocess canning factory conveyor belts (stainless steel and nylon) was investigated. The effect of time, pH, temperature, and adsorbed organic layers on desorption was studied.S. aureus did not detach from the substrata at any pH investigated (between pH 5 and 9).A. calcoaceticus and the coryneform in some cases detached, depending upon pH and substratum composition. The degree of bacterial detachment from the substrata was not related to bacterial respiration at experimental pH values. Bacterial desorption was not affected by temperature (4-30°C) nor by an adsorbed layer of peptone and yeast extract on the substrata. The results indicate that bacterial desorption, hence bacterial removal during cleaning or their transfer via liquids flowing over colonized surfaces, is likely to vary with the surface composition and the bacterial species colonizing the surfaces.

Antimicrobial susceptibility pattern of acinetobacter species-one year experience in a tertiary care setting

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Qureshi, Z.A.; Abbasi, S.A.; Mirza, I.A.; Malik, N.; Sattar, A.

2012-01-01

Objective: To find out antimicrobial susceptibility pattern of Acinetobacter species isolated from 1 January 2009 through 31 December 2009 at Department of Microbiology, Armed Forces Institute of Pathology Rawalpindi. Materials and Methods: A total of 276 isolates of Acinetobacter spp yielded from various clinical specimens during the study period were included Routine conventional methods were used to identify various species of Acinetobacter and modified Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion method was used for susceptibility testing. Out of total 276 isolates, 176 (63.8%) turned out to be Acinetobacter baumannii and 100 (36.2%) were Acinetobacter johnsonii. Overall sensitivity of Acinetobacter spp against piperacillin/sulbactam, tigecycline, sulbactam/cefoperazone, piperacillin/tazobactam, imipenem, doxycycline, ceftazidime, ciprofloxacin, chloramphenicol, trimethoprim /sulfamethoxazole, ampicillin, gentamycin, ceftriaxone, amoxicillin/clavulanic acid and ampicillin were 64%,63%, 48%, 47%, 41%,39%,35%, 34%, 32%, 31 %, 29%, 19%, 18% and 5% respectively. Out of 276 isolates, 181 (66 %) were multidrug resistant while 33 (18 %) isolates were pan-drug resistant. (author)

226Ra, 228Ra and 228Ra/226Ra in surface marine sediment of Malaysia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mei-Wo Yii; Zal Uyun Wan-Mahmood

2013-01-01

Surface sediment samples were collected at the West (east coast and west coast of Peninsular Malaysia) and East (Sabah and Sarawak) Malaysia in several expeditions within August 2003 until June 2008 for determining the level of natural radium isotopes. Activity concentrations of 226 Ra and 228 Ra in surface marine sediment at 176 sampling stations were measured. The activity concentrations of both radionuclides in Malaysia (East and West Malaysia) display varied with the range from 9 to 158 Bq/kg dry wt. and 13 to 104 Bq/kg dry wt., respectively. Meanwhile, the ratio distributions of 228 Ra/ 226 Ra were ranged from 0.62 to 3.75. This indicated that the ratios were slightly high at west coast of Peninsular Malaysia compared to other regions (east coast of Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah and Sarawak). The variation of activity concentrations of 226 Ra and 228 Ra and its ratios were also supported by the statistical analyses of one-way ANOVA and t test at 95 % confidence level, whereby there were proved that the measured values were different between the regions. These different were strictly related to their half-life, potential input sources (included their parents, 238 U and 232 Th), parent's characteristic, the geological setting/formation of the study area, environment origin and behavior. (author)

Emergence of New Delhi metallo-beta-lactamase 1 and other carbapenemase-producing Acinetobacter calcoaceticus-baumannii complex among patients in hospitals in Ha Noi, Viet Nam.

Science.gov (United States)

Tran, D N; Tran, H H; Matsui, M; Suzuki, M; Suzuki, S; Shibayama, K; Pham, T D; Van Phuong, T T; Dang, D A; Trinh, H S; Loan, C T; Nga, L T V; van Doorn, H R; Wertheim, H F L

2017-02-01

Acinetobacter baumannii is an important cause of multidrug-resistant hospital acquired infections in the world. Here, we investigate the presence of NDM-1 and other carbapenemases among carbapenem-resistant A. baumannii isolated between August 2010 and December 2014 from three large hospitals in Hanoi, Vietnam. We identified 23/582 isolates (4 %) (11 from hospital A, five from hospital B, and seven from hospital C) that were NDM-1 positive, and among them 18 carried additional carbapenemase genes, including seven isolates carrying NDM-1, IMP-1, and OXA-58 with high MICs for carbapenems. Genotyping indicated that NDM-1 carrying A. baumannii have expanded clonally in these hospitals. Five new STs (ST1135, ST1136, ST1137, ST1138, and ST1139) were identified. One isolate carried NDM-1 on a plasmid belonging to the N-repA replicon type; no NDM-1-positive plasmids were identified in the other isolates. We have shown the extent of the carbapenem resistance and the local clonal spread of A. baumannii carrying NDM-1 in these hospitals; coexistence of NDM-1 and IMP-1 is reported for the first time from Vietnam here, and this will further seriously limit future therapeutic options.

Phenotypic and genetic relationship of Acinetobacter Baumannii isolates.

Science.gov (United States)

Trajkovska-Dokic, E; Kotevska, V; Kaftandzieva, A; Jankoska, G; Mircevska, G; Petrovska, M; Panovski, N

2011-01-01

The interest in Acinetobacter continues to rise. One of the main reasons is the emergence of multi-resistant strains, which cause outbreaks of infection involving several patients in a ward, in the intensive care unit and in different areas of the hospital. Many outbreaks of its infection or colonization in surgical, neonatal and burn intensive care units have been reported, but the epidemiology of these infections remains unclear. To investigate the relationship among the isolates of Acinetobacter baumannii, comparing some of their phenotypic and genetic features. A total of 20 Acinetobacter baumanni isolates were included in the study. 12 strains of Acinetobacter baumannii were obtained within a week in July 2010, from neonates hospitalized at the paediatric intensive care unit and on the neonatal ward. Three strains were isolated from neonates at the paediatric intensive care unit three months ago. All the Acinetobacter baumannii strains were isolated from tracheal aspirates obtained from neonates with infection of the lower respiratory tract. Five additional Acinetobacter baumannii strains were included in the study as controls. They were isolated from wound swabs taken from adult patients with wound infection, hospitalized at the University Traumatology Clinic. Susceptibility of the bacterial strains to 13 different antimicrobial agents was determined by the disk diffusion method (Kirby-Bauer). Additional testing of the susceptibility was performed by the VITEK 2 system. RAPD-PCR fingerprinting was carried out using the following primer (5' GAAACAGCTATGACCATG -3'). All A. baumannii isolates were multi-drug resistant. Antibiotic susceptibility-testing by the disk-diffusion method and automated VITEK 2 system showed 3 and 2 antimicrobial susceptibility patterns, respectively. RAPD-PCR assay of A. baumannii strains revealed two different RAPD-fingerprints. All the strains of A. baumannii isolated within a week in July 2010 from tracheal aspirates taken from

Commensal Staphylococcus spp., Acinetobacter spp. and ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

ANTHONY

2012-07-31

Jul 31, 2012 ... Intermittent assessment of resistance genes in the ecosystem should be ..... among resistant Acinetobacter spp. isolated from integrated fish .... independent studies on the emerging phylogenetic view of bacterial .... Functional.

Clinical and Pathophysiological Overview of Acinetobacter Infections: a Century of Challenges

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Nielsen, Travis B.; Bonomo, Robert A.; Pantapalangkoor, Paul; Luna, Brian; Spellberg, Brad

2016-01-01

SUMMARY Acinetobacter is a complex genus, and historically, there has been confusion about the existence of multiple species. The species commonly cause nosocomial infections, predominantly aspiration pneumonia and catheter-associated bacteremia, but can also cause soft tissue and urinary tract infections. Community-acquired infections by Acinetobacter spp. are increasingly reported. Transmission of Acinetobacter and subsequent disease is facilitated by the organism's environmental tenacity, resistance to desiccation, and evasion of host immunity. The virulence properties demonstrated by Acinetobacter spp. primarily stem from evasion of rapid clearance by the innate immune system, effectively enabling high bacterial density that triggers lipopolysaccharide (LPS)–Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4)-mediated sepsis. Capsular polysaccharide is a critical virulence factor that enables immune evasion, while LPS triggers septic shock. However, the primary driver of clinical outcome is antibiotic resistance. Administration of initially effective therapy is key to improving survival, reducing 30-day mortality threefold. Regrettably, due to the high frequency of this organism having an extreme drug resistance (XDR) phenotype, early initiation of effective therapy is a major clinical challenge. Given its high rate of antibiotic resistance and abysmal outcomes (up to 70% mortality rate from infections caused by XDR strains in some case series), new preventative and therapeutic options for Acinetobacter spp. are desperately needed. PMID:27974412

Molecular analysis of imipenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii isolated from US service members wounded in Iraq, 2003–2008

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Clonal spread and global dissemination of imipenem resistant (IR) A. baumannii-A. calcoaceticus complex (ABC) have been reported in recent years. However, the epidemiological features of the IR-ABCs in military treatment facilities (MTFs) have not been systematically studied. In this study, 298 ABC...

The Antibacterial Activity Evaluation of the Nanoparticles of Silver on Acinetobacter Baumannii

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Seyedeh Nasim Karimipour

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Background & Objective: Due to the high drug resistance in Acinetobacter baumannii, in this research, antibacterial properties of nano silver was evaluated for Acinetobacter baumannii. Materials & Methods: The nano silver with approximate diameter of 20 nanometer from Pishtazan Inc. Mashad, Iran and 5 nanometer from the Department of Chemistry in Maragheh University were prepared. Its concentration was determined by spectroscopy method in Tabriz Chemistry University.  Antimicrobial effects were determined by Mean Inhibitory Concentration (MIC and Minimal Bacterial Concentration (MBC by micro-broth-dilution method, disc diffusion and well diffusion methods. Anti-bacterial activity of nano-silver was tested for Acinetobacter baumannii NCTC12516 on 20 clinical strains (collected from Imam Reza Hospital in Tabriz. Results: The results showed the MIC and MBC of 20nm nanoparticles were 1250 ppm and 2500 ppm, respectively. On the other hand, the MIC and MBC of 5 nm nanoparticles were 156 ppm and 312 ppm, respectively. According to these findings, the MIC and MBC identified for clinical Acinetobacter baumannii strains under study along with the NCTC12516 strain did not show a significant difference. Yet the amount of inhibition for the 20nm nanoparticles in the density of 20000 ppm of clinical Acinetobacter baumannii and NCTC12516 strains was 11 millimeter with the disc diffusion method and 9.5 millimeter for the well diffusion method with the same concentration. The amount of inhibition of 5nm nanoparticles in the 250-ppm concentration with both disc diffusion and well diffusion methods was 9.5 millimeter. Conclusions: Acinetobacter baumannii is susceptible to nano-silver. Also the same MIC and MBC in multiple clinical strains suggests that there is not resistance to silver nanoparticles in Acinetobacter baumannii

Acinetobacter: environmental and biotechnological applications ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Among microbial communities involved in different ecosystems such as soil, freshwater, wastewater and solid wastes, several strains belonging to the genus of Acinetobacter have been attracting growing interest from medical, environmental and a biotechnological point of view. Bacteria of this genus are known to be ...

Acinetobacter species as model microorganisms in environmental microbiology: current state and perspectives.

Science.gov (United States)

Jung, Jaejoon; Park, Woojun

2015-03-01

Acinetobacter occupies an important position in nature because of its ubiquitous presence in diverse environments such as soils, fresh water, oceans, sediments, and contaminated sites. Versatile metabolic characteristics allow species of this genus to catabolize a wide range of natural compounds, implying active participation in the nutrient cycle in the ecosystem. On the other hand, multi-drug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii causing nosocomial infections with high mortality has been raising serious concerns in medicine. Due to the ecological and clinical importance of the genus, Acinetobacter was proposed as a model microorganism for environmental microbiological studies, pathogenicity tests, and industrial production of chemicals. For these reasons, Acinetobacter has attracted significant attention in scientific and biotechnological fields, but only limited research areas such as natural transformation and aromatic compound degradation have been intensively investigated, while important physiological characteristics including quorum sensing, motility, and stress response have been neglected. The aim of this review is to summarize the recent achievements in Acinetobacter research with a special focus on strain DR1 and to compare the similarities and differences between species or other genera. Research areas that require more attention in future research are also suggested.

Life-span studies in 226Ra-injected animals: Effect of low doses, effect of a decorporative treatment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schoeters, G.E.R.; Vanderborght, O.L.J.

1986-01-01

A life-span radiation effects study was performed in mice injected with several doses of 226 Ra. The study included 788 male C57Bl mice. For the removal of the 226 Ra, half the mice were treated daily with a diet 5% of which was sodium-alginate. The experiment revealed that mice that received the lowest dose of 226 Ra lived significantly longer than controls, and, despite appreciable skeletal removal of 226 Ra as a result of decorporative treatment, no biological benefit was observed in treated animals. 19 refs., 4 figs., 3 tabs

226Ra, 228Ra, 223Ra, and 224Ra in coastal waters with application to coastal dynamics and groundwater input

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moore, W.S.

1997-01-01

Four radium isotopes offer promise in unraveling the complex dynamics of coastal ocean circulation and groundwater input. Each isotope is produced by decay of a thorium parent bound to sediment. The activities of these thorium isotopes and the sediment-water distribution coefficient for radium provide an estimate of the source function of each Ra isotope to the water. In salt marshes that receive little surface water input, Ra activities which exceed coastal ocean values must originate within the marsh. In North Inlet, South Carolina, the activities of 226 Ra exported from the marsh far exceed the activities generated within the marsh. To supply the exported activities, substantial groundwater input is required. In the coastal region itself, 226 Ra activities exceed the amount that can be supplied from rivers. Here also, substantial groundwater input is required. Within the coastal ocean, 223 Ra and 224 Ra may be used to determine mixing rates with offshore waters. Shore-perpendicular profiles of 223 Ra and 224 Ra show consistent trends which may be modeled as eddy diffusion coefficients of 350-540 m 2 s -1 . These coefficients allow an assessment of cross-shelf transport and provide further insight on the importance of groundwater to coastal regions. (author)

Determination of 226Ra and 228Ra in gypsum

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Godoy, J.M.

1989-01-01

The content of 226 Ra and 228 Ra in different samples of phosphogypsum and three samples of gypsite were determined by gamma spectroscopy. For 226 Ra the 295, 352 and 609 KeV lines and for 228 Ra the 911 and 969 KeV lines were used. The specific activities values ranged from 0.36 to 22.8 pCi/g for 226 Ra and 0.90 to 10.3 pCi/g for 228 Ra. The contribution of a sypsum roof-covering to the 222 Rn concentration in a room was estimated, based on the highest value reported. (author) [pt

RA reactor exploitation, task 3.08/01; Zadatak 3.08/01 - Eksploatacija reaktora RA

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zecevic, V [Institute of Nuclear Sciences Boris Kidric, Reaktor RA, Vinca, Beograd (Serbia and Montenegro)

1963-12-15

During 1963 the RA reactor was operated for 1852 hours at mean power of 5.7 MW (total power production was 10716 MWh). Reactor was used for irradiation according to the demand of 356 users, and 15 experiments. The reason for decreased operation in comparison with the previous year was repair of all the reactor equipment and decontamination of the heavy water system. This report contains detailed data about reactor power, reactivity changes and fuel burnup. Mean monthly usage of the reactor experimental channels as well as samples which were irradiated are part of this report.

Molecular characteristics of Multidrug Resistant Acinetobacter baumannii Isolates from US soldiers from Iraq at the National Naval Medical Center

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Background: Infections with A. baumannii-calcoaceticus complex (ABC) have complicated the care of combat casualties, and the spread and global dissemination of imipenem resistant (IR) clones of ABC have been reported in recent years. However, the epidemiological features of the IR-ABCs in military t...

Estuarine geochemistry of 224Ra, 226Ra, and 222Rn

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Elsinger, R.J.

1982-01-01

Desorption from river borne sediments is the most likely source of the excess 226 Ra. Laboratory mixing experiments on Pee Dee River sediments show an increase in 226 Ra desorption with increasing salinities with maximum desorption occurring at or above 20 0 /oo salinity. Desorption and diffusion are the sources for 226 Ra in the estuarine systems. In Winyah Bay the 228 Ra/ 226 Ra activity ratio does not change significantly with salinity, averaging around 1.4, indicating desorption as the major source of 228 Ra. In the Yangtze River the 228 Ra/ 226 Ra activity ratio is constant (approx.1.90) until increasing linearly above 16 0 /oo. A diffusive flux from regeneration by 232 Th decay in shelf sediments is the source of the increase. In Delaware Bay 228 Ra increases faster than 226 Ra in the less than or equal to22 0 /oo water, indicating a source in addition to desorption. The increase can be balanced by a 0.33 dpm/cm 2 -year flux over the upper part of the Bay where fine grained sediments predominate. 224 Ra behavior is controlled by its 3.64 day half-life. In Winyah Bay a flux of around 0.4 dpm/cm 2 -day is necessary to support the standing crop of non-desorbed 224 Ra in the water column. In Delaware Bay the nearly constant 224 Ra in concentration over the 2.5 0 /oo to 12 0 /oo salinity range are maintained by regeneration from 228 Th in the turbidity maximum zones and diffusion from bottom sediments. Water leaving on ebb tide from a salt marsh on Delaware Bay had increases in all three radium isotopes ( 224 Ra > 228 Ra > 226 Ra) compared to water coming in on the flood tide. Excess 222 Rn concentrations in a fresh water section of the Pee Dee River show a decreasing downstream gradient. Using these gradients to determine evasion rates, stagnant film thicknesses range from 21μ to 62μ

Effect of multipurpose solutions against Acinetobacter carrying QAC genes.

Science.gov (United States)

Boost, Maureen V; Chan, Jessica; Shi, Guang-sen; Cho, Pauline

2014-03-01

Acinetobacter has low virulence but causes infections in subjects with reduced immunity. It has been reported in ocular infections including those of patients using contact lenses. Treatment is difficult because Acinetobacter is frequently multidrug resistant. Antibiotic-resistant strains frequently also harbor genes for antiseptic resistance (quaternary ammonium compound [QAC]) genes. Because Acinetobacter is part of the normal flora, it may contaminate contact lens and accessories. This study aims to investigate carriage rates of QAC genes in household and clinical isolates of Acinetobacter and to determine the effectiveness of two multipurpose solutions (MPSs) for soft lenses against organisms carrying QAC genes. DNA was extracted from 11 bathroom isolates and 15 clinical isolates and amplified by polymerase chain reaction to determine the presence of qacEΔ1. Gene-positive and gene-negative control strains were used to challenge the two MPSs, and minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of these organisms to benzalkonium chloride and chlorhexidine gluconate were determined. More than 90% of isolates carried qacEΔ1. The MICs of clinical isolates were higher than those of isolates of bathrooms. Both MPSs were able to produce a 3-log reduction in the numbers of all isolates. Although most isolates carried qacEΔ1 and elevated MICs to benzalkonium chloride and chlorhexidine gluconate were observed, all were susceptible to both MPSs tested. However, if there were to be poor compliance with care procedures, it is probable that such organisms could survive in the presence of diluted or expired solutions.

Identification of genus Acinetobacter: Standardization of in-house PCR and its comparison with conventional phenotypic methods.

Science.gov (United States)

Kulkarni, Sughosh S; Madalgi, Radhika; Ajantha, Ganavalli S; Kulkarni, Raghavendra D

2017-01-01

Acinetobacter is grouped under nonfermenting Gram-negative bacilli. It is increasingly isolated from pathological samples. The ability of this genus to acquire drug resistance and spread in the hospital settings is posing a grave problem in healthcare. Specific treatment protocols are advocated for Acinetobacter infections. Hence, rapid identification and drug susceptibility profiling are critical in the management of these infections. To standardize an in-house polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for identification of genus Acinetobacter and to compare PCR with two protocols for its phenotypic identification. A total of 96 clinical isolates of Acinetobacter were included in the study. An in-house PCR for genus level identification of Acinetobacter was standardized. All the isolates were phenotypically identified by two protocols. The results of PCR and phenotypic identification protocols were compared. The in-house PCR standardized was highly sensitive and specific for the genus Acinetobacter . There was 100% agreement between the phenotypic and molecular identification of the genus. The preliminary identification tests routinely used in clinical laboratories were also in complete agreement with phenotypic and molecular identification. The in-house PCR for genus level identification is specific and sensitive. However, it may not be essential for routine identification as the preliminary phenotypic identification tests used in the clinical laboratory reliably identify the genus Acinetobacter .

Acinetobacter lactucae sp. nov., isolated from iceberg lettuce (Asteraceae: Lactuca sativa).

Science.gov (United States)

Rooney, Alejandro P; Dunlap, Christopher A; Flor-Weiler, Lina B

2016-09-01

Strain NRRL B-41902T and three closely related strains were isolated from iceberg lettuce. The strain was found to consist of strictly aerobic, Gram-stain-negative rods that formed cocci in late stationary phase. 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis showed that strain NRRL B-41902T was most closely related to species within the genera Acinetobacter, and that a grouping of it and the three other closely related strains was most closely related to the type strain of Acinetobacter pittii, which was also confirmed through a phylogenomic analysis. Moreover, in silico DNA-DNA hybridization analysis revealed a substantial amount of genomic divergence (39.1 %) between strain NRRL B-41902T and the type strain of A. pittii, which is expected if the strains represent distinct species. Further phenotypic analysis revealed that strain NRRL B-41902T was able to utilize a combination of l-serine, citraconic acid and citramalic acid, which differentiated it from other, closely related Acinetobacter species. Therefore, strain NRRL B-41902T (=CCUG 68785T) is proposed as the type strain of a novel species, Acinetobacter lactucae sp. nov.

Genome sequencing and annotation of Acinetobacter gerneri strain MTCC 9824T

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Nitin Kumar Singh

2014-12-01

Full Text Available The genus Acinetobacter consists of 31 validly published species ubiquitously distributed in nature and primarily associated with nosocomial infection. We report the 4.4 Mb genome of Acinetobacter gerneri strain MTCC 9824T. The genome has a G + C content of 38.0% and includes 3 rRNA genes (5S, 23S16S and 64 aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase genes.

Molecular characterization of carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Purpose: To survey the molecular characteristics of imipenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii obtained from pediatric burns patients in a teaching hospital in Tehran, Iran. Methods: Over a 10-month period, 73 non-duplicate A. baumannii strains were collected from pediatric burns patients admitted to Motahari Burn and ...

Nosocomial imipenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii infections ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Imipenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (A. baumannii) (IRAB) has emerged as a challenging nosocomial pathogen particularly in intensive care units (ICUs). Studying the risk factors associated with IRAB infection is of paramount importance for appropriate control of IRAB spread. The aim of this study was to assess ...

Genetic diversity analysis of the durum wheat Graziella Ra, Triticum turgidum L. subsp. durum (Desf. Husn. (Poales, Poaceae

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M. Stella Colomba

2011-06-01

Full Text Available For the first time, the durum wheat Graziella Ra was compared to four Italian durum wheat varieties (Cappelli,Grazia, Flaminio and Svevo and to Kamut in order to preliminary characterize its genome and to investigategenetic diversity among and within the accessions by Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphisms (AFLPs,Simple Sequence Repeats (SSRs and α-gliadin gene sequence analysis. The main aim of the study was anattempt to determine the relationship between the historic accession Graziella Ra and Kamut which isconsidered an ancient relative of the durum subspecies. In addition, nutritional factors of Graziella Ra werereported. Obtained results showed that (i both AFLP and SSR molecular markers detected highly congruentpatterns of genetic diversity among the accessions showing nearly similar efficiency; (ii for AFLPs,percentage of polymorphic loci within accession ranged from 6.57% to 19.71% (mean 12.77% and, for SSRs,from 0% to 57.14% (mean 28.57%; (iii principal component analysis (PCA of genetic distance amongaccessions showed the first two axes accounting for 58.03% (for AFLPs and 61.60% (for SSRs of the totalvariability; (iv for AFLPs, molecular variance was partitioned into 80% (variance among accessions and 20%(within accession and, for SSRs, into 73% (variance among accessions and 27% (within accession; (vcluster analysis of AFLP and SSR datasets displayed Graziella Ra and Kamut into the same cluster; and (vimolecular comparison of α-gliadin gene sequences showed Graziella Ra and Kamut in separate clusters. Allthese findings indicate that Graziella Ra, although being very similar to Kamut, at least in the little part of thegenome herein investigated by molecular markers, may be considered a distinct accession showing appreciablelevels of genetic diversity and medium-high nutritional qualities.

The role of Acinetobacter in the pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis examined by using Popper sequences.

Science.gov (United States)

Ebringer, Alan; Rashid, Taha; Wilson, Clyde

2012-06-01

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune neurological disorder. The role of 'Acinetobacter' has been examined using the method of Karl Popper and involves nine "Popper sequences". (1) The frequency of MS increases with latitudes in the Northern Hemisphere, and the reverse is found in the Southern Hemisphere. (2) Sinusitis is found frequently at colder latitudes. (3) Sinusitis occurs frequently in patients with MS. (4) Specific sequences of bovine myelin when injected into experimental animals will produce a neurological disorder resembling MS which is called "experimental allergic encephalomyelitis". (5) Computer analysis of myelin shows molecular mimicry with sequences found in Acinetobacter. (6) Antibodies to Acinetobacter bacteria are found in MS patients. (7) Acinetobacter bacteria are located on human skin and in the nasal sinuses. (8) IgA antibodies are preferentially elevated in the sera of MS patients, thereby suggesting the trigger microbe is acting across a mucosal surface probably located in the nasal sinuses. (9) Only Acinetobacter bacteria and no other microbes evoke statistically significant titres of antibodies in MS patients. These nine Popper sequences suggest that MS is most probably caused by infections with Acinetobacter bacteria in the nasal sinuses, and this could have therapeutic implications. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

PREVALENCE OF ACINETOBACTER BAUMANNII ISOLATED FROM CLINICAL SPECIMENS IN ADAM MALIK HOSPITAL

OpenAIRE

Evita Mayasari; Cherry Siregar

2014-01-01

AbstrakAcinetobacter baumannii merupakan spesies Acinetobacter spp. tersering diisolasi darimanusia, dan lebih sering dijumpai pada infeksi nosokomial dibandingkan dengan infeksi dikomunitas. Eksistensi bakteri ini di lingkungan terkait dengan keragaman reservoir, kemampuanmemperoleh gen pembawa sifat resisten antimikroba, dan sifat resisten terhadap pengeringan.Infeksi disebabkan strain A.baumannii yang resisten terhadap banyak antibiotik tidak mudahdikendalikan dan menjadi permasalahan di b...

Genome sequencing and annotation of Acinetobacter gyllenbergii strain MTCC 11365T

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Nitin Kumar Singh

2014-12-01

Full Text Available The genus Acinetobacter consists of 31 validly published species ubiquitously distributed in nature and primarily associated with nosocomial infection. We report 4.3 Mb genome of the Acinetobacter gyllenbergii strain MTCC 11365T. The draft genome of A. gyllenbergii has a G + C content of 41.0% and includes 3 rRNA genes (5S, 23S, 16S and 67 aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase genes.

RA Reactor; Reaktor RA

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1989-07-01

This chapter includes the following: General description of the RA reactor, organization of work, responsibilities of leadership and operators team, regulations concerning operation and behaviour in the reactor building, regulations for performing experiments, regulations and instructions for inserting samples into experimental channels. [Serbo-Croat] Ovo (prvo) poglavlje sadrzi sledece: Opis reaktora RA; semu organizacije rada i rukovodjenja; prava i duznosti direktora i rukovodioca pogona reaktora, propise o rezimu rada i kretanja u zgradi reaktora, propise o izvodjenju eksperimenata, propise o unosenju uzoraka u eksperimentalne kanale reaktora.

Acinetobacter baumannii and A. pittii clinical isolates lack adherence and cytotoxicity to lung epithelial cells in vitro.

Science.gov (United States)

Lázaro-Díez, María; Navascués-Lejarza, Teresa; Remuzgo-Martínez, Sara; Navas, Jesús; Icardo, José Manuel; Acosta, Felix; Martínez-Martínez, Luis; Ramos-Vivas, José

2016-09-01

The molecular and genetic basis of Acinetobacter baumannii and Acinetobacter pittii virulence remains poorly understood, and there is still lack of knowledge in host cell response to these bacteria. In this study, we have used eleven clinical Acinetobacter strains (A. baumannii n = 5; A. pittii n = 6) to unravel bacterial adherence, invasion and cytotoxicity to human lung epithelial cells. Our results showed that adherence to epithelial cells by Acinetobacter strains is scarce and cellular invasion was not truly detected. In addition, all Acinetobacter strains failed to induce any cytotoxic effect on A549 cells. Copyright © 2016 Institut Pasteur. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Genomic sequencing of a strain of Acinetobacter baumannii and potential mechanisms to antibiotics resistance.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Lei; Li, Hongru; Zhu, Ziwen; Wakefield, Mark R; Fang, Yujiang; Ye, Ying

2017-06-01

Acinetobacter baumannii has been becoming a great challenge to clinicians due to their resistance to almost all available antibiotics. In this study, we sequenced the genome from a multiple antibiotics resistant Acinetobacter baumannii stain which was named A. baumannii-1isolated from China by SMRT sequencing technology to explore its potential mechanisms to antibiotic resistance. We found that several mechanisms might contribute to the antibiotic resistance of Acinetobacter baumannii. Specifically, we found that SNP in genes associated with nucleotide excision repair and ABC transporter might contribute to its resistance to multiple antibiotics; we also found that specific genes associated with bacterial DNA integration and recombination, DNA-mediated transposition and response to antibiotics might contribute to its resistance to multiple antibiotics; Furthermore, specific genes associated with penicillin and cephalosporin biosynthetic pathway and specific genes associated with CHDL and MBL β-lactamase genes might contribute to its resistance to multiple antibiotics. Thus, the detailed mechanisms by which Acinetobacter baumannii show extensive resistance to multiple antibiotics are very complicated. Such a study might be helpful to develop new strategies to control Acinetobacter baumannii infection. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Frequency and Antimicrobial Susceptibility Pattern of Acinetobacter Species Isolated from Pus and Pus Swab Specimens

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fayyaz, M.; Akbar, N.; Khan, I. U.; Hussain, A.; Ali, S.; Mirza, I. A.

2015-01-01

Objective: To evaluate the frequency and antimicrobial susceptibility pattern of Acinetobacter species isolated from pus and pus swab specimens at a tertiary care setting. Study Design: Cross-sectional observational study. Place and Duration of Study: Department of Microbiology, Armed Forces Institute of Pathology, Rawalpindi, from July 2008 to July 2012. Methodology: Data regarding positive culture and antimicrobial sensitivity pattern was retrieved from the pus and pus swab culture records of the Microbiology Department, AFIP, Rawalpindi. Only those pus and pus swab specimens which yielded the growth of Acinetobacter species were included in the study. Results:Out of 2781, 1848 were of pure pus while 933 were pus swab specimens. Out of 2538 culture positive isolates, 276 (10.9 percentage) were identified as Acinetobacterspecies. Among 276 Acinetobacter species, 245 (88.8 percentage) were Acinetobacter baumannii and 31 (11.2 percentage) were Acinetobacter johnsonii. Male/female ratio of the affected patients was 5.6:1. Doxycycline was the most sensitive antibiotic to which 45 percentage of the tested isolates were sensitive. Sensitivity to all other antimicrobials was 15 percentage or less. Conclusion: About 11 percentage of soft tissue and wound infections are caused by Acinetobacter species in our set up particularly in male. Doxycycline was the most sensitive antibiotic. Sensitivity to all other antimicrobials was 15 percentage or less. In vitro sensitivity to carbapenems is very low. (author)

Contribution of Acinetobacter-derived cephalosporinase-30 to sulbactam resistance in Acinetobacter baumannii

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Shu-Chen eKuo

2015-03-01

Full Text Available The sulbactam resistance rate in Acinetobacter baumannii has increased worldwide. Previous reports have shown that the β-lactamase blaTEM-1 confers resistance to sulbactam in A. baumannii. The purpose of this study was to examine whether other β-lactamases including, the Acinetobacter-derived cephalosporinase (ADC, OXA-23, OXA-24/72, and OXA-58 families, also contribute to sulbactam resistance in A. baumannii. The correlation between these β-lactamases and the sulbactam minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC was determined using A. baumannii clinical isolates from diverse clonality, which were collected in a nationwide surveillance program from 2002 to 2010 in Taiwan. A possible association between the genetic structure of ISAba1-blaADC-30 and sulbactam resistance was observed because this genetic structure was detected in 97% of sulbactam-resistant strains compared with 10% of sulbactam-susceptible strains. Transformation of ISAba1-blaADC-30 into susceptible strains increased the sulbactam MIC from 2 to 32 μg/ml, which required blaADC-30 overexpression using an upstream promoter in ISAba1. Flow cytometry showed that ADC-30 production increased in response to sulbactam, ticarcillin, and ceftazidime treatment. This effect was regulated at the RNA level but not by an increase in the blaADC-30 gene copy number as indicated by quantitative PCR. Purified ADC-30 decreased the inhibitory zone created by sulbactam or ceftazidime, similarly to TEM-1. In conclusion, ADC-30 overexpression conferred resistance to sulbactam in diverse clinical A. baumannii isolates.

From patients with arthralgia, pre-RA and recently diagnosed RA: What is the current status of understanding RA pathogenesis?

NARCIS (Netherlands)

M. Molendijk (Marlieke); J.M.W. Hazes (Mieke); E.W. Lubberts (Erik)

2018-01-01

textabstractIt is believed that therapy for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is the most effective and beneficial within a short time frame around RA diagnosis. This insight has caused a shift from research in patients with established RA to patients at risk of developing RA and recently diagnosed

First case of bacteraemia due to Acinetobacter schindleri harbouring blaNDM-1 in an immunocompromised patient

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S. Montaña

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Clinically significant NDM-1-producing Acinetobacter schindleri has not yet been described in the literature. We report the first case of bacteraemia due to an A. schindleri strain harbouring blaNDM-1 recovered from an immunocompromised patient. Our report reinforces the fact that NDM-1 can easily be acquired by Acinetobacter species. Keywords: Acinetobacter schindleri, bacteraemia, blaNDM-1, clinically significant isolate, immunocompromised patient

Contamination of Ambient Air with Acinetobacter baumannii on Consecutive Inpatient Days.

Science.gov (United States)

Shimose, Luis A; Doi, Yohei; Bonomo, Robert A; De Pascale, Dennise; Viau, Roberto A; Cleary, Timothy; Namias, Nicholas; Kett, Daniel H; Munoz-Price, L Silvia

2015-07-01

Acinetobacter-positive patients had their ambient air tested for up to 10 consecutive days. The air was Acinetobacter positive for an average of 21% of the days; the rate of contamination was higher among patients colonized in the rectum than in the airways (relative risk [RR], 2.35; P = 0.006). Of the 6 air/clinical isolate pairs available, 4 pairs were closely related according to rep-PCR results. Copyright © 2015, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Determination of sup 226 Ra and sup 228 Ra in gypsum

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Godoy, J M [Instituto de Radioprotecao e Dosimetria, Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil)

1989-01-01

The content of {sup 226}Ra and {sup 228}Ra in different samples of phosphogypsum and three samples of gypsite were determined by gamma spectroscopy. For {sup 226}Ra the 295, 352 and 609 KeV lines and for {sup 228}Ra the 911 and 969 KeV lines were used. The specific activities values ranged from 0.36 to 22.8 pCi/g for {sup 226}Ra and 0.90 to 10.3 pCi/g for {sup 228}Ra. The contribution of a sypsum roof-covering to the {sup 222}Rn concentration in a room was estimated, based on the highest value reported. (author).

Host-microbe interactions that shape the pathogenesis of Acinetobacter baumannii infection

Science.gov (United States)

Mortensen, Brittany L.; Skaar, Eric P.

2013-01-01

Summary Acinetobacter baumannii is an opportunistic pathogen that has emerged as a prevalent source of nosocomial infections, most frequently causing ventilator-associated pneumonia. The emergence of pan-drug resistant strains magnifies the problem by reducing viable treatment options and effectively increasing the mortality rate associated with Acinetobacter infections. In light of this rising threat, research on A. baumannii epidemiology, antibiotic resistance, and pathogenesis is accelerating. The recent development of both in vitro and in vivo models has enabled studies probing the host-Acinetobacter interface. Bacterial genetic screens and comparative genomic studies have led to the identification of several A. baumannii virulence factors. Additionally, investigations into host defense mechanisms using animal models or cell culture have provided insight into the innate immune response to infection. This review highlights some of the key attributes of A. baumannii virulence with an emphasis on bacterial interactions with the innate immune system. PMID:22640368

Multidrug Resistant Acinetobacter Infection and Their Antimicrobial ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Background: Acinetobacter baumannii, a non-glucose fermenting Gram negative bacillus, has emerged in the last three decades as a major etiological agent of hospital-associated infections giving rise to significant morbidity and mortality particularly in immunocompromised patients. Multidrug resistant A. baumannii ...

Acinetobacter Infection and Resistance Profile of Intensive Care Units In a City of Northwestern Anatolia

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İsa Yıldız

2016-09-01

Full Text Available INTRODUCTION: Determination of suitable antibiotics in treatment of Acinetobacter infections is through the hospital ascertaining the resistance state to bacteria causing the problem. In this study, the evaluation of antibiotics sensitivity of Acinetobacter strains isolated as infection factor in patients hospitalized in intensive care units is aimed. METHODS: Acinetobacter strains isolated from the samples of patients hospitalized in the 2nd and 3rd Stage adult intensive care units of a province in in northwestern Anatolia have been studied. RESULTS: A total of 165 patients were included in the study. The most isolated samples were respiratory tract samples, blood and urine. The antibiotics which the factors were most sensitive were cholistin (66,1% gentamicin (22,4% and trimethoprim sulfamethoxazole (18,2%. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: We face increasing resistance ratios in Acinetobacter strains. Necessary precautions should be taken for this.

RA Reactor; Reaktor RA

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1978-02-15

In addition to basic characteristics of the RA reactor, organizational scheme and financial incentives, this document covers describes the state of the reactor components after 18 years of operation, problems concerned with obtaining the licence for operation with 80% fuel, problems of spent fuel storage in the storage pool of the reactor building and the need for renewal of reactor equipment, first of all instrumentation. [Serbo-Croat] Pored osnovnih karakeristika reaktora RA, organizacije rada i finansijskih pokazatelja, razmatra se stanje opreme reaktora nakon 18 godina rada, pitanja dozvole za rad sa 80% obogacenim gorivom, problem skladistenja isluzenog goriva u bazenu zgrade reaktora i potreba za obnavljanjem komponenti opreme, pre svega elektronske.

Comparison of Disk Diffusion and E-Test Methods for Doripenem Susceptibility of Nosocomial Acinetobacter Baumannii Strains

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Yesim Cekin

2014-03-01

Full Text Available Aim: Acinetobacter species are amoung the most common two cause of infections isolated from patients of intensive care unit in our hospital. Doripenem which acts by inhibiting cell wall synthesis is resently introduced for use in our country is broad spectrum antibiotic belonging to carbapenems. There are many studies investigating the susceptibility of doripenem of Acinetobacter baumannii which is isolated as a cause of ventilatory associated pneumonia in the literature. We aimed to compare e-test and disc diffusion methods for doripenem susceptibility of acinetobacter baumannii strains as nosocomial infections Acinetobacter baumanni isolates detected as nosocomial infection. Material and Method:. Between January to December, 2009 a total of 94 Acinetobacter baumanni strains isolated from different clinical specimens from intensive care units have been studied for doripenem susceptibility by disc diffusion and E-test methods. Minimal inhibitory consantrations (MIC were accepted as; sensitive %u22641 %u03BCg/ml, intermadiate 2-4 %u03BCg/ml, resistant >4 %u03BCg/ml and diameters of inhibition zone with 10 µg disc; sensitive

Distribution of 226Ra and 228Ra in drinking water and dose assessment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ajay Kumar; Sugandhi, S.; Usha, N.; Rupali, K.; Gurg, R.P.

2002-01-01

The radioactivity concentrations of 226 Ra and 228 Ra have been analysed in 123 drinking water samples received from different regions of India. The maximum concentrations of 226 Ra and 228 Ra in drinking water are 8 mBq/l and 11.5 mBq/l respectively. The higher doses due to intake of 228 Ra through drinking water suggests that 228 Ra should also be measured in the assessment of ingestion dose to the population. The estimated committed effective doses range from 0.082 to 2.45 μSv/year and from 1.53 to 8.81 μSv/year for the ingestion of 226 Ra and 228 Ra respectively. (author)

Phosphoproteome and Transcriptome of RA-Responsive and RA-Resistant Breast Cancer Cell Lines.

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Marilyn Carrier

Full Text Available Retinoic acid (RA, the main active vitamin A metabolite, controls multiple biological processes such as cell proliferation and differentiation through genomic programs and kinase cascades activation. Due to these properties, RA has proven anti-cancer capacity. Several breast cancer cells respond to the antiproliferative effects of RA, while others are RA-resistant. However, the overall signaling and transcriptional pathways that are altered in such cells have not been elucidated. Here, in a large-scale analysis of the phosphoproteins and in a genome-wide analysis of the RA-regulated genes, we compared two human breast cancer cell lines, a RA-responsive one, the MCF7 cell line, and a RA-resistant one, the BT474 cell line, which depicts several alterations of the "kinome". Using high-resolution nano-LC-LTQ-Orbitrap mass spectrometry associated to phosphopeptide enrichment, we found that several proteins involved in signaling and in transcription, are differentially phosphorylated before and after RA addition. The paradigm of these proteins is the RA receptor α (RARα, which was phosphorylated in MCF7 cells but not in BT474 cells after RA addition. The panel of the RA-regulated genes was also different. Overall our results indicate that RA resistance might correlate with the deregulation of the phosphoproteome with consequences on gene expression.

Diversity Within the O-linked Protein Glycosylation Systems of Acinetobacter Species

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Scott, N. E.; Kinsella, R. L.; Edwards, A. V. G.

2014-01-01

nature of glycan biogenesis we investigated the composition, diversity, and properties of the Acinetobacter glycoproteome. Utilizing global and targeted mass spectrometry methods, we examined 15 strains and found extensive glycan diversity in the O-linked glycoproteome of Acinetobacter. Comparison......-linked glycosylation favors short (three to five residue) glycans with limited branching containing negatively charged sugars such as GlcNAc3NAcA4OAc or legionaminic/pseudaminic acid derivatives. These observations suggest that although highly diverse, the capsule/O-linked glycan biosynthetic pathways generate glycans...

In vitro efficacy of doripenem against pseudomonas aeruginosa and acinetobacter baumannii by e-test

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gilani, M.; Munir, T.; Latif, M.; Rehman, S.

2015-01-01

To assess the in vitro efficacy of doripenem against Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter baumannii using Epsilometer strips. Study Design: Cross-sectional study. Place and Duration of Study: Department of Microbiology, Army Medical College, Rawalpindi and National University of Sciences and Technology, Islamabad, from May 2014 to September 2014. Methodology: A total of 60 isolates of Acinetobacter baumannii and Pseudomonas aeruginosa collected from various clinical samples received from Military Hospital were included in the study. The specimens were inoculated onto blood, MacConkey and chocolate agars. The isolates were identified using Gram staining, motility, catalase test, oxidase test and API 20NE (Biomeriux, France). Organisms identified as Acinetobacter baumannii and Pseudomonas aeruginosa were included in the study. Bacterial suspensions equivalent to 0.5 McFarland turbidity standard of the isolates were prepared and applied on Mueller Hinton agar. Epsilometer strip was placed in the center of the plate and incubated for 18-24 hours. Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) was taken to be the point where the epsilon intersected the E-strip. MIC of all the isolates was noted. Results: For Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates, MIC50 was 12 micro g/mL and MIC90 was 32 micro g/mL. For Acinetobacter baumannii MIC 50 and MIC90 was 32 micro g/mL. Conclusion: Doripenem is no more effective against Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter baumannii in our setting. (author)

Genome Sequence of Jumbo Phage vB_AbaM_ME3 of Acinetobacter baumanni

OpenAIRE

Buttimer, Colin; O?Sullivan, Lisa; Elbreki, Mohamed; Neve, Horst; McAuliffe, Olivia; Ross, R. Paul; Hill, Colin; O?Mahony, Jim; Coffey, Aidan

2016-01-01

Bacteriophage (phage) vB_AbaM_ME3 was previously isolated from wastewater effluent using the propagating host Acinetobacter baumannii DSM 30007. The full genome was sequenced, revealing it to be the largest Acinetobacter bacteriophage sequenced to date with a size of 234,900 bp and containing 326 open reading frames (ORFs).

Preparation of 227Ac/223Ra by neutron irradiation of 226Ra

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ekaterina Kukleva; Jan Kozempel; Martin Vlk; Petra Micolova; Dusan Vopalka

2015-01-01

Radium-223 is a prospective alpha-emitter for targeted radionuclide therapy. Although 223 Ra is formed naturally by the decay of 235 U, for practical reasons its preparation involves neutron irradiation of 226 Ra. The β - decay of the 227 Ra (T ½ = 43 min) produced via 226 Ra(n,γ) 227 Ra reaction leads to 227 Ac, a mother nuclide of 227 Th and subsequently 223 Ra. Radium target material is generally available in multigram quantities from historical stock. The main aim of this study was to experimentally as well as theoretically evaluate and verify the available literature data on production of 227 Ac/ 223 Ra. According to the data obtained from the γ-spectra, the approximate yield values were determined and effective cross section value for the 227 Ac production was calculated to 14 ± 4 b. (author)

Characterisation and genome sequence of the lytic Acinetobacter baumannii bacteriophage vB_AbaS_Loki.

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Dann Turner

Full Text Available Acinetobacter baumannii has emerged as an important nosocomial pathogen in healthcare and community settings. While over 100 of Acinetobacter phages have been described in the literature, relatively few have been sequenced. This work describes the characterisation and genome annotation of a new lytic Acinetobacter siphovirus, vB_AbaS_Loki, isolated from activated sewage sludge. Sequencing revealed that Loki encapsulates a 41,308 bp genome, encoding 51 predicted open reading frames. Loki is most closely related to Acinetobacter phage IME_AB3 and more distantly related to Burkholderia phage KL1, Paracoccus phage vB_PmaS_IMEP1 and Pseudomonas phages vB_Pae_Kakheti25, vB_PaeS_SCH_Ab26 and PA73. Loki is characterised by a narrow host range, among the 40 Acinetobacter isolates tested, productive infection was only observed for the propagating host, A. baumannii ATCC 17978. Plaque formation was found to be dependent upon the presence of Ca2+ ions and adsorption to host cells was abolished upon incubation with a mutant of ATCC 17978 encoding a premature stop codon in lpxA. The complete genome sequence of vB_AbaS_Loki was deposited in the European Nucleotide Archive (ENA under the accession number LN890663.

Genome sequencing and annotation of Acinetobacter guillouiae strain MSP 4-18

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Nitin Kumar Singh

2014-12-01

Full Text Available The genus Acinetobacter consists of 31 validly published species ubiquitously distributed in nature and primarily associated with nosocomial infection. We report the 4.8 Mb genome of Acinetobacter guillouiae MSP 4-18, isolated from a mangrove soil sample from Parangipettai (11°30′N, 79°47′E, Tamil Nadu, India. The draft genome of A. guillouiae MSP 4-18 has a G + C content of 38.0% and includes 3 rRNA genes (5S, 23S, 16S and 69 aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase genes.

224Ra and 226Ra experimentally induced dental changes in rats

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Reichart, P.A.; Althoff, J.; Eckhardt, W.; Rippel, W.

1979-01-01

Sprague-Dawley rats received intragastrically a single dose of 226 Ra or 224 Ra once weekly for 21 weeks. During this period the animals of both groups were thus exposed to comparable doses. After 12 weeks, a shortening of the maxillary incisors was observed, and this progressed during the course of the 55-week experiment. Radiologically, a loss of pulpal transparency and an apical irregular opacity in the maxillary incisors were demonstrable. Histologically, dysplastic changes of the maxillary incisors and multiple resorptions at the cemento-enamel junction of the molars were seen. The observed alterations were more pronounced in the 226 Ra group than in the 224 Ra treated group. The experimentally induced resorptions were comparable to those observed in patients who had incorporated 224 Ra or 226 Ra. Clinical, radiological, histological, γspecrometrical, and autoradiographical findings, as well as dose-estimations, are described. (author)

Antimicrobial resistance and clonality in Acinetobacter baumannii

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Nemec, Alexandr

2009-01-01

The aim of this thesis was to obtain insight into the epidemiology and molecular basis of multidrug resistance of Acinetobacter baumannii at the population level. To this aim a number of studies were performed on strains mainly from the Czech Republic (CR) which have shown in particular that (i) the

Genome Sequence of Jumbo Phage vB_AbaM_ME3 of Acinetobacter baumanni.

Science.gov (United States)

Buttimer, Colin; O'Sullivan, Lisa; Elbreki, Mohamed; Neve, Horst; McAuliffe, Olivia; Ross, R Paul; Hill, Colin; O'Mahony, Jim; Coffey, Aidan

2016-08-25

Bacteriophage (phage) vB_AbaM_ME3 was previously isolated from wastewater effluent using the propagating host Acinetobacter baumannii DSM 30007. The full genome was sequenced, revealing it to be the largest Acinetobacter bacteriophage sequenced to date with a size of 234,900 bp and containing 326 open reading frames (ORFs). Copyright © 2016 Buttimer et al.

RA reactor exploitation, task 3.08/01

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zecevic, V.

1963-01-01

During 1963 the RA reactor was operated for 1852 hours at mean power of 5.7 MW (total power production was 10716 MWh). Reactor was used for irradiation according to the demand of 356 users, and 15 experiments. The reason for decreased operation in comparison with the previous year was repair of all the reactor equipment and decontamination of the heavy water system. This report contains detailed data about reactor power, reactivity changes and fuel burnup. Mean monthly usage of the reactor experimental channels as well as samples which were irradiated are part of this report

Heavy metal and antibiotic resistance of Acinetobacter spp. isolated from diesel fuel polluted

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Kais Kassim Ghaima

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Heavy metals pollution of soil and wastewater is a global problem that threatens the environment as they are not degraded or removed and the potential threat to human health comes from the multiple resistances to heavy metals and antibiotics among bacterial populations. The present study was aimed to isolate and identify multiple metal/antibiotic resistant Acinetobacter spp. from diesel fuel polluted soil of Al-Dora, Baghdad, Iraq. Initially, a total of 24 bacterial cultures (coded KNZ–1 to KNZ–24 were isolated and identified up to genus level as Acinetobacter by morphological, physiological and biochemical characteristics. Screening of heavy metals resistant Acinetobacter were conducted by streaking the isolates on nutrient agar plates supplemented with different concentrations: 10, 25, 50 and 100mg/L of the three heavy metals; Hg2+, Cd2+ and Pb2+. Out of 24 isolates, 6 (25% isolates (KNZ–3, KNZ–5, KNZ–8, KNZ–12, KNZ–16 and KNZ–21 were selected as a multiple heavy metal resistant (MHMR Acinetobacter with maximum tolerable concentrations (MTCs; 100–200mg/L for Hg2+, 300-600mg/L for Cd2+ and 100–300mg/L for Pb2+. Antibiotic resistance pattern of the selected MHMR isolates was determined by Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion method against 12 different antibiotics belonging to 7 classes. Out of 6 isolates, 4 isolates were multidrug resistance (MDR with varying degrees. Among them isolate, KNZ–16 showed a wide range of resistance to all tested antibiotics except Levofloxacin and Imipenem. It was concluded that dual resistant Acinetobacter is useful in the bioremediation of environments polluted with heavy metals especially the biodegradation of organic pollutants.

Mutant Prevention Concentrations of Imipenem and Meropenem against Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter baumannii

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E. Dahdouh

2014-01-01

Full Text Available The aim of this study was to determine the usefulness of the MPC of carbapenems against clinical isolates of Pseudomonas spp. and Acinetobacter spp. and to assess its possible relationship with mechanisms of resistance. Detection of the mechanisms of resistance was performed using Antibiotic Susceptibility Testing, Double Disk Synergy, disk antagonism, addition of NaCl to the medium, addition of PBA or EDTA to Carbapenem disks, addition of PBA to Cefoxitin disks, and CCCP test for 10 Pseudomonas spp. and Acinetobacter baumannii strains. The MIC and MPC were determined using the broth macrodilution and plate dilution methods, respectively. Four Acinetobacter baumannii strains produced MBL. Two of them produced Oxacillinase and one produced ESBL. Two Pseudomonas spp. isolates produced both KPC and MBL. The resistant Acinetobacter spp. and Pseudomonas spp. strains had higher MPC values than susceptible ones. However, the Mutant Selection Window was found to be dependent on the degree of resistance but not on a particular mechanism of resistance. The usefulness of the MPC was found to be dependent on its value. Based on our data, we recommend determining the MPC for each isolate before using it during treatment. Furthermore, the use of T>MSW instead of T>MIC is suggested.

Measurements of neutron flux in the RA reactor; Merenje karakteristika neutronskog fluksa u reaktoru RA

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Raisic, N [Institute of Nuclear Sciences Boris Kidric, Vinca, Beograd (Serbia and Montenegro)

1961-12-15

This report includes the following separate parts: Thermal neutron flux in the experimental channels od RA reactor; Epithermal neutron flux in the experimental channels od RA reactor; Fast neutron flux in the experimental channels od RA reactor; Thermal neutron flux in the thermal column and biological experimental channel; Neutronic measurements in the RA reactor cell; Temperature reactivity coefficient of the RA reactor; design of the device for measuring the activity of wire. [Serbo-Croat] Ovaj izvestaj sadrzi sledece referate: Fluks termalnih neutrona u eksperimentalnim kanalima reaktora RA; Fluks epitermalnih neutrona u eksperimentalnim kanalima reaktora RA; Fluks brzih neutrona u eksperimentalnim kanalima reaktora RA; Fluks termalnih neurona u termalnoj koloni i bioloskom eksperimentalnom kanalu; Neutronska merenja u elementarnoj celiji reaktora RA; Temperaturni koeficijent reaktivnosti reaktora RA; Projekat uredjaja za merenje radioaktivnosti zice.

Antimicrobial effects of Ferula gummosa Boiss gum against extended-spectrum β-lactamase producing Acinetobacter clinical isolates.

Science.gov (United States)

Afshar, Fatemeh Farid; Saffarian, Parvaneh; Hosseini, Hamideh Mahmoodzadeh; Sattarian, Fereshteh; Amin, Mohsen; Fooladi, Abbas Ali Imani

2016-08-01

Acinetobacter spp. are important causes of nosocomial infections. They possess various antibiotic resistance mechanisms including extended spectrum beta lactamases (ESBLs). The aim of this study was to determine antibiotic resistance profile of Acinetobacter clinical isolates especially among ESBL-producing strains and to investigate the antimicrobial effects of oleo-gum-resin extract and essential oil of Ferula gummosa Boiss. 120 Acinetobacter strains were isolated from various clinical samples of hospitalized patients in Baqiyatallah hospital, Tehran during 2011-2012. Antibiotic susceptibility test was performed on the isolates using disk diffusion method. To detect and confirm the ESBL-positive isolates, phenotypic and genotypic tests were performed. Three types of F. gummosa oleo-gum-resin extracts and essential oils were prepared and the bioactive components of F. gummosa Boiss extracts were determined by GC-Mass chromatography. F. gummosa antimicrobial activity was evaluated against standard strain of Acinetobacter baumannii (ATCC19606) as well as Acinetobacter clinical isolates using well and disk diffusion methods. Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) were determined by broth microdilution method. 46 isolates were resistant to all tested antibiotics. All clinical isolates were resistant to cefotaxime. 12.94% of the isolates were phenotypically ESBL-producing among which 94.2% carried ESBL genes ( bla PER-1 , bla OXA-4 and bla CTX-M ) detected by PCR. Oleo-gum-resin of F. gummosa had significant antibacterial activity and alcoholic essential oil had higher inhibitory effect on Acinetobacter strains (MIC of 18.75 mg/ml). Ferula gummosa extract contained components with well-known antimicrobial effects.

Epidemiology of nosocomial colonization/infection caused by Acinetobacter spp. in patients of six surgical clinics in war and peacetime.

Science.gov (United States)

Suljagić, Vesna; Jevtić, Miodrag; Djordjević, Boban; Romić, Predrag; Ilić, Radoje; Stanković, Nebojsa; Milović, Novak; Novaković, Marijan; Kozarski, Jefta; Roganović, Zoran; Popović, Zoran; Jovelić, Aleksandra

2011-08-01

Acinetobacter spp. has emerged as nosocomial pathogen during the past few decades in hospitals all over the world, but it has increasingly been implicated as a serious nosocomial pathogen in military hospitals. The aim of this study was to analyse and compare the surveillance data on Acinetobacter nosocomial colonization/infection (NCI) collected during the wartime with the data collected in peacetime. We conducted a prospective study of incidence of Acinetobacter spp. colonization/infection. Also, the two nested case-control studies were conducted. The patients with nosocomial infection (cases) were compared with those with nosocomial colonization (controls) during the two different periods, wartime and peacetime. The patients with NCI by Acinetobacter spp. were identified by the case-based surveillance. The surveillance covered all the patients in 6 surgical clinics. During the study periods a total of 166 patients had cultures that grew Acinetobacter spp. and the pooled rates of Acinetobacter spp. colonization and infection were significantly higher in wartime. When patients with NCI in wartime were compared with those with NCI in peacetime significant differences were observed. In the war year, the patients were more significantly males (p war and peace period.

Phenotypic characterization and colistin susceptibilities of carbapenem-resistant of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter spp.

Science.gov (United States)

Mohanty, Srujana; Maurya, Vijeta; Gaind, Rajni; Deb, Monorama

2013-11-15

Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobcter spp. are important nosocomial pathogens and carbapenem resistance is an emerging threat. Therapeutic options for infections with these isolates include colistin. This study was conducted to determine the prevalence of carbapenem resistance in P. aeruginosa and Acinetobacter spp. bloodstream isolates, phenotypically characterize the resistance mechanisms and evaluate the in vitro activity of colistin. Consecutive 145 (95 P.aeruginosa and 50 Acinetobacter spp.) non-repeat isolates were included. Antibiotic susceptibility testing was performed per CLSI guidelines. MIC for carbapenems and colistin was performed using Etest. Isolates showing reduced susceptibility or resistance to the carbapenems were tested for metallo-β-lactamase (MBL) production using imipenem-EDTA combined disk and MBL Etest. Carbapenem resistance was observed in 40% P. aeruginosa and 66.0% Acinetobacter spp. Carbapenem-resistant (CA-R) isolates were significantly (p carbapenem-susceptible isolates. Approximately half of the CA-R strains were multidrug-resistant, and 3.1-5.5% were resistant to all antibiotics tested. MBL was found in 76.3% and 69.7% of the P. aeruginosa and Acinetobacter spp., respectively. Colistin resistance was observed in three (6.0%) Acinetobacter isolates and eight (8.4%) P. aeruginosa. MIC50 for carbapenems were two to four times higher for MBL-positive compared to MBL-negative isolates, but no difference was seen in MIC for colistin. Carbapenem resistance was observed to be mediated by MBL in a considerable number of isolates. Colistin is an alternative for infections caused by CA-R isolates; however, MIC testing should be performed whenever clinical use of colistin is considered.

Quorum sensing in Acinetobacter: with special emphasis on antibiotic resistance, biofilm formation and quorum quenching

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Bindu Subhadra

2016-02-01

Full Text Available Acinetobacter is an important nosocomial, opportunistic human pathogen that is gradually gaining more attention as a major health threat worldwide. Quorum sensing (QS is a cell-cell communication system in which specific signaling molecules called autoinducers accumulate in the medium as the population density grows and control various physiological processes including production of virulence factors, biofilm and development of antibiotic resistance. The complex QS machinery in Acinetobacter is mediated by a two-component system which is homologous to the typical LuxI/LuxR system found in Gram-negative bacteria. This cell signaling system comprises of a sensor protein that functions as autoinducer synthase and a receptor protein which binds to the signal molecules, acyl homoserine lactones inducing a cascade of reactions. Lately, disruption of QS has emerged as an anti-virulence strategy with great therapeutic potential. Here, we depict the current understanding of the existing QS network in Acinetobacter and describe important anti-virulent strategies developed in order to effectively tackle this pathogen. In addition, the prospects of quorum quenching to control Acinetobacter infections is also been discussed.

Distribution and Molecular Characterization of Acinetobacter baumannii International Clone II Lineage in Japan.

Science.gov (United States)

Matsui, Mari; Suzuki, Masato; Suzuki, Masahiro; Yatsuyanagi, Jun; Watahiki, Masanori; Hiraki, Yoichi; Kawano, Fumio; Tsutsui, Atsuko; Shibayama, Keigo; Suzuki, Satowa

2018-02-01

Multidrug-resistant (MDR) Acinetobacter spp. have been globally disseminated in association with the successful clonal lineage Acinetobacter baumannii international clone II (IC II). Because the prevalence of MDR Acinetobacter spp. in Japan remains very low, we characterized all Acinetobacter spp. ( n = 866) from 76 hospitals between October 2012 and March 2013 to describe the entire molecular epidemiology of Acinetobacter spp. The most prevalent species was A. baumannii ( n = 645; 74.5%), with A. baumannii IC II ( n = 245) accounting for 28.3% of the total. Meropenem-resistant isolates accounted for 2.0% ( n = 17) and carried IS Aba1-bla OXA-23-like ( n = 10), bla IMP ( n = 4), or IS Aba1-bla OXA-51-like ( n = 3). Multilocus sequence typing of 110 representative A. baumannii isolates revealed the considerable prevalence of domestic sequence types (STs). A. baumannii IC II isolates were divided into the domestic sequence type 469 (ST469) ( n = 18) and the globally disseminated STs ST208 ( n = 14) and ST219 ( n = 4). ST469 isolates were susceptible to more antimicrobial agents, while ST208 and ST219 overproduced the intrinsic AmpC β-lactamase. A. baumannii IC II and some A. baumannii non-IC II STs (e.g., ST149 and ST246) were associated with fluoroquinolone resistance. This study revealed that carbapenem-susceptible A. baumannii IC II was moderately disseminated in Japan. The low prevalence of acquired carbapenemase genes and presence of domestic STs could contribute to the low prevalence of MDR A. baumannii A similar epidemiology might have appeared before the global dissemination of MDR epidemic lineages. In addition, fluoroquinolone resistance associated with A. baumannii IC II may provide insight into the significance of A. baumannii epidemic clones. Copyright © 2018 American Society for Microbiology.

RA Research nuclear reactor Part 1, RA Reactor operation and maintenance in 1987; Istrazivacki nuklearni reaktor RA Deo 1 - Pogon i odrzavanje nuklearnog reaktora RA u 1987. godini

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sotic, O; Martinc, R; Cupac, S; Sulem, B; Badrljica, R; Majstorovic, D; Sanovic, V [Institute of Nuclear Sciences Boris Kidric, Vinca, Beograd (Serbia and Montenegro)

1987-12-15

RA research reacto was not operated due to the prohibition issued in 1984 by the Government of Serbia. Three major tasks were finished in order to fulfill the licensing regulations about safety of nuclear facilities which is the condition for obtaining permanent operation licence. These projects involved construction of the emergency cooling system, reconstruction of the existing special ventilation system, and renewal of the system for electric power supply of the reactor systems. Renewal of the RA reactor instrumentation system was initiated. Design project was done by the Russian Atomenergoeksport, and is foreseen to be completed by the end of 1988. The RA reactor safety report was finished in 1987. This annual report includes 8 annexes concerning reactor operation, activities of services and financial issues, and three special annexes: report on testing the emergency cooling system, report on renewal of the RA reactor and design specifications for reactor renewal and reconstruction. [Serbo-Croat] Reaktor RA nije radio usled zabrane Izvsnog veca Skupstine Srbije od 27. avgusta 1984. U cilju povecanja pouzdanosti rada reaktora a da bi se udovoljilo zakonskim propisima sto je uslov za dobijanje stalne dozvole za rad realizovana su tri velika zahvata na reaktoru RA. Ovi zahvati obuhvatili su izgradnju sistema za hladjenje jezgra reaktora u slucaju nuzde, rekonstukciju postojeceg sistema specijalne ventilacije i rekonstrukciju sistema napajanja elektricnom energijom neophodnih potrosaca reaktora RA. Zapoceti su radovi na modernizaciji intrumentacije reaktora RA, projekat je izradjen u sovjetskoj organizaciji Atomenergoeksport, a trebalo bi da se realizuje do kraja 1989. godine. U cilju povecanja prostora za skladistenje ozracenog nuklearnog goriva i njegovog efikasnijeg koriscenja, izradjen je su projekti za rekonstrukciju postojecih uredjaja za rukovanje gorivom, povecanje smestajnog kapaciteta i preciscavanje vode u bazenima za odlezavanje. Realizaija ovih

Fine structures in 14C emission of 223Ra and 224Ra

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hourani, E.; Rosier, L.; Berrier-Ronsin, G.; Elayi, A.; Mueller, A.C.; Rappenecker, G.; Rotbard, G.; Renou, G.; Liebe, A.; Stab, L.

1991-01-01

The measurement of the energy spectrum of 14 C nuclei emitted in the spontaneous radioactivity from 223 Ra and 224 Ra has been carried out, using thin and intense sources (480 MBq for 223 Ra and 3550 MBq for 224 Ra). The sources were obtained by implanting mass-separated beams from ISOLDE (CERN) into Al and vitreous C catchers. The measurement was performed with the supraconducting solenoidal spectrometer SOLENO installed at Orsay. The discovery, of a fine structure in the energy spectrum of 14 C emission from 223 Ra, which is analogous to the one known for α emission, is confirmed. Only 13% of the branching ratio in 14 C decay leads to the ground state of the residual nucleus, while 8l% to the first excited state. For 14 C emission of 224 Ra, a lower limit of 2 for the hindrance factor has been measured for the transition to the first excited state in the residual nucleus. Also, a precise identification in Z with a E·ΔE telescope has been performed for the radiation from the 223 Ra source. (author) 22 refs., 11 figs., 1 tab

RA Research reactor, Annual report 1988; Istrazivacki nuklearni reaktor RA - Izvestaj za 1988. godinu

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sotic, O [Institute of Nuclear Sciences Boris Kidric, Vinca, Beograd (Serbia and Montenegro)

1988-12-15

Annual report concerning the project 'RA research nuclear reactor' for 1989, financed by the Serbian ministry of science is divided into two parts. First part is concerned with RA reactor operation and maintenance, which is the task of the Division for reactor engineering of the Institute for multidisciplinary studies and RA reactor engineering. Second part deals with radiation protection activities at the RA reactor which is the responsibility of the Institute for radiation protection. Scientific council of the Institute for multidisciplinary studies and RA reactor engineering has stated that this report describes adequately the activity and tasks fulfilled at the RA reactor in 1989. The scope and the quality of the work done were considered successful both concerning the maintenance and reconstruction, as well as radiation protection activities. [Serbo-Croat] Godisnji izvestaj po projektu 'Istrazivacki nuklearni reaktor RA' za 1989. godinu, koji finansira republicka zajednica za nauku SR Srbije po ugovoru br. 3705/1 sastoji se iz dva dela. Prvi deo obuhvata pogon i odrzavanje nuklearnog reaktora RA, sto predstavlja obavezu Odeljenja za reaktorski inzenjering u sastavu OOUR Instituta za multidisciplinarna istrazivanja i inzenjering RA. Drugi deo obuhvata poslove zastite od zracenja na reaktoru RA, sto predstavlja obavezu OOUR Instituta za zastitu od zracenja 'Zastita'. Naucno vece Instituta za multidisciplinarna istrazivanja i inzenjering RA ocenilo je da sadrzina ovog izvestaja odgovara izvrsenim poslovima na reaktoru RA u 1989. godini. Pozitivno se ocenjuje obim i kvalitet izvrsenih radova kako u pogledu odrzavanja i rekonstrukcije reaktora, tako i u pogledu poslova zastite od zracenja izvrsenih kod njega.

Prevalence of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter spp. in subgingival biofilm and saliva of subjects with chronic periodontal infection

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Renata Souto

2014-06-01

Full Text Available P. aeruginosa and Acinetobacter spp. are important pathogens associated with late nosocomial pneumonia in hospitalized and institutionalized individuals. The oral cavity may be a major source of these respiratory pathogens, particularly in the presence of poor oral hygiene and periodontal infection. This study investigated the prevalence of P. aeruginosa and Acinetobacter spp. in subgingival biofilm and saliva of subjects with periodontal disease or health. Samples were obtained from 55 periodontally healthy (PH and 169 chronic periodontitis (CP patients. DNA was obtained from the samples and detection of P. aeruginosa and Acinetobacter spp. was carried out by multiplex and nested PCR. P. aeruginosa and Acinetobacter spp. were detected in 40% and 45% of all samples, respectively. No significant differences in the distribution of these microorganisms between men and women, subgingival biofilm and saliva samples, patients 35 years of age, and smokers and non-smokers were observed regardless periodontal status (p > 0.05. In contrast, the frequencies of P. aeruginosa and Acinetobacter spp. in saliva and biofilm samples were significantly greater in CP than PH patients (p < 0.01. Smokers presenting P. aeruginosa and high frequencies of supragingival plaque were more likely to present CP than PH. P. aeruginosa and Acinetobacter spp. are frequently detected in the oral microbiota of CP. Poor oral hygiene, smoking and the presence of P. aeruginosa are strongly associated with periodontitis.

Species distribution, virulence factors, and antimicrobial resistance of Acinetobacter spp. isolates from dogs and cats: a preliminary study.

Science.gov (United States)

Kimura, Yui; Harada, Kazuki; Shimizu, Takae; Sato, Tomomi; Kajino, Akari; Usui, Masaru; Tamura, Yutaka; Tsuyuki, Yuzo; Miyamoto, Tadashi; Ohki, Asami; Watarai, Masahisa

2018-05-12

We investigated the prevalence of virulence factors and antimicrobial resistance among 67 Acinetobacter spp. isolates, consisting of 21 Acinetobacter baumannii and 46 non-baumannii Acinetobacter from companion animals. The PCR analysis showed that the most prevalent virulence gene was afa/draBC (29.9%), followed by papC (22.4%) and cvaC (20.9%). Antimicrobial susceptibility testing revealed that resistance to gentamicin (14.9%) and ciprofloxacin (11.9%) was relatively prevalent. Five gentamicin- and/or ciprofloxacin-resistant A. baumannii strains were assigned to ST25, ST149, ST164, ST203, and ST1198. All ciprofloxacin-resistant isolates harbored point mutations in gyrA and/or parC. This is the first preliminary monitoring of animal-origin Acinetobacter spp. in Japan. © 2018 The Societies and John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.

Copper Resistance of the Emerging Pathogen Acinetobacter baumannii

Science.gov (United States)

Williams, Caitlin L.; Neu, Heather M.; Gilbreath, Jeremy J.; Michel, Sarah L. J.; Zurawski, Daniel V.

2016-01-01

ABSTRACT Acinetobacter baumannii is an important emerging pathogen that is capable of causing many types of severe infection, especially in immunocompromised hosts. Since A. baumannii can rapidly acquire antibiotic resistance genes, many infections are on the verge of being untreatable, and novel therapies are desperately needed. To investigate the potential utility of copper-based antibacterial strategies against Acinetobacter infections, we characterized copper resistance in a panel of recent clinical A. baumannii isolates. Exposure to increasing concentrations of copper in liquid culture and on solid surfaces resulted in dose-dependent and strain-dependent effects; levels of copper resistance varied broadly across isolates, possibly resulting from identified genotypic variation among strains. Examination of the growth-phase-dependent effect of copper on A. baumannii revealed that resistance to copper increased dramatically in stationary phase. Moreover, A. baumannii biofilms were more resistant to copper than planktonic cells but were still susceptible to copper toxicity. Exposure of bacteria to subinhibitory concentrations of copper allowed them to better adapt to and grow in high concentrations of copper; this copper tolerance response is likely achieved via increased expression of copper resistance mechanisms. Indeed, genomic analysis revealed numerous putative copper resistance proteins that share amino acid homology to known proteins in Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Transcriptional analysis revealed significant upregulation of these putative copper resistance genes following brief copper exposure. Future characterization of copper resistance mechanisms may aid in the search for novel antibiotics against Acinetobacter and other highly antibiotic-resistant pathogens. IMPORTANCE Acinetobacter baumannii causes many types of severe nosocomial infections; unfortunately, some isolates have acquired resistance to almost every available antibiotic

Copper Resistance of the Emerging Pathogen Acinetobacter baumannii.

Science.gov (United States)

Williams, Caitlin L; Neu, Heather M; Gilbreath, Jeremy J; Michel, Sarah L J; Zurawski, Daniel V; Merrell, D Scott

2016-10-15

Acinetobacter baumannii is an important emerging pathogen that is capable of causing many types of severe infection, especially in immunocompromised hosts. Since A. baumannii can rapidly acquire antibiotic resistance genes, many infections are on the verge of being untreatable, and novel therapies are desperately needed. To investigate the potential utility of copper-based antibacterial strategies against Acinetobacter infections, we characterized copper resistance in a panel of recent clinical A. baumannii isolates. Exposure to increasing concentrations of copper in liquid culture and on solid surfaces resulted in dose-dependent and strain-dependent effects; levels of copper resistance varied broadly across isolates, possibly resulting from identified genotypic variation among strains. Examination of the growth-phase-dependent effect of copper on A. baumannii revealed that resistance to copper increased dramatically in stationary phase. Moreover, A. baumannii biofilms were more resistant to copper than planktonic cells but were still susceptible to copper toxicity. Exposure of bacteria to subinhibitory concentrations of copper allowed them to better adapt to and grow in high concentrations of copper; this copper tolerance response is likely achieved via increased expression of copper resistance mechanisms. Indeed, genomic analysis revealed numerous putative copper resistance proteins that share amino acid homology to known proteins in Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa Transcriptional analysis revealed significant upregulation of these putative copper resistance genes following brief copper exposure. Future characterization of copper resistance mechanisms may aid in the search for novel antibiotics against Acinetobacter and other highly antibiotic-resistant pathogens. Acinetobacter baumannii causes many types of severe nosocomial infections; unfortunately, some isolates have acquired resistance to almost every available antibiotic, and treatment options

A Pathogenic Potential of Acinetobacter baumannii-Derived Membrane Vesicles

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Jong Suk Jin

2011-12-01

Full Text Available Acinetobacter baumannii secretes outer membrane vesicles (OMVs. A. baumannii OMVs deliver many virulence factors to host cells and then induce cytotoxicity and innate immune response. OMVs secreted from bacteria contribute directly to host pathology during A. baumannii infection.

Alpha-particle doses to human organs and tissues from internally-deposited 226Ra and 228Ra

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Keane, A.T.; Schlenker, R.A.

1981-01-01

Estimation of radiation doses to the soft tissues from internally-deposited 226 Ra and 228 Ra is relevant to an investigation of soft-tissue malignancies in radium-exposed persons being conducted at the Center for Human Radiobiology. Alpha-particle doses in a 50-year period following a single injection of 226 Ra or 228 Ra are presented for 31 soft tissues and organs of the adult human. The dose estimates were derived from the ICRP alkaline earth model fitted to data on retention of 226 Ra in soft tissues and bone, combined with reported ratios of 226 Ra to Ca in soft tissue and bone at natural levels and the distribution of Ca in the tissues of Reference Man (ICRP23). The median of the 31 organ and tissue doses from the α-particles of 226 Ra itself is 0.08 rad per injected μCi. An additional average dose of 0.01 rad per μCi 226 Ra daughter products produced in soft tissue or transferred from bone to soft tissue. Soft-tissue doses from α-particles of the 228 Ra decay series are about six times those from 226 Ra α-particles for equal injected activities of 228 Ra and 226 Ra, with the assumption that 228 Ra daughter products do not transfer from the organ in which they are produced. The 50-year dose to the red marrow of bone from α-particles originating in bone is 0.55 rad per μCi 226 Ra injected and 1.0 rad per μCi 228 Ra injected. For ingestion by dial painters of luminous compound containg 226 Ra or 228 Ra with a daughter-to-parent activity ratio of 0.5, the dose to the mucosal alyer of the lower large intestine from α-particles originating in the gut contents is about 0.1 rad per μCi systemic intake of 226 Ra or 228 Ra

Techniques for precise mapping of 226Ra and 228Ra in the ocean

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moore, W.S.; Key, R.M.; Sarmiento, J.L.

1985-01-01

Improvements in the analyses of 226 Ra and 228 Ra in seawater made possible by better extraction and processing techniques reduce significantly the errors associated with these measurements. These improvements and the extensive sampling for Ra isotopes conducted on the TTO North Atlantic Study should enable us to use the distribution of 228 Ra to study mixing processes on a 3-15 year time scale in both the upper and deep North Atlantic. The 228 Ra profiles already analyzed show a closer resemblance to GEOSECS tritium data than to TTO tritium data in the upper ocean. This is because the transient tracer tritium was responding on a 10-year time scale during GEOSECS and a 20-year time scale during TTO. The steady state tracer 228 Ra should always respond on a time scale of 8 years. Thus the 228 Ra data obtained on TTO should provide a means to extend the features of the GEOSECS tritium field to the regions of the TTO study. The 226 Ra data are of high enough quality to identify features associated with different water masses. Changes in the positions of the deep-water masses since the GEOSECS cruise are revealed by the 226 Radata

The Genomic Diversification of the Whole Acinetobacter Genus: Origins, Mechanisms, and Consequences

Science.gov (United States)

Touchon, Marie; Cury, Jean; Yoon, Eun-Jeong; Krizova, Lenka; Cerqueira, Gustavo C.; Murphy, Cheryl; Feldgarden, Michael; Wortman, Jennifer; Clermont, Dominique; Lambert, Thierry; Grillot-Courvalin, Catherine; Nemec, Alexandr; Courvalin, Patrice; Rocha, Eduardo P.C.

2014-01-01

Bacterial genomics has greatly expanded our understanding of microdiversification patterns within a species, but analyses at higher taxonomical levels are necessary to understand and predict the independent rise of pathogens in a genus. We have sampled, sequenced, and assessed the diversity of genomes of validly named and tentative species of the Acinetobacter genus, a clade including major nosocomial pathogens and biotechnologically important species. We inferred a robust global phylogeny and delimited several new putative species. The genus is very ancient and extremely diverse: Genomes of highly divergent species share more orthologs than certain strains within a species. We systematically characterized elements and mechanisms driving genome diversification, such as conjugative elements, insertion sequences, and natural transformation. We found many error-prone polymerases that may play a role in resistance to toxins, antibiotics, and in the generation of genetic variation. Surprisingly, temperate phages, poorly studied in Acinetobacter, were found to account for a significant fraction of most genomes. Accordingly, many genomes encode clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)-Cas systems with some of the largest CRISPR-arrays found so far in bacteria. Integrons are strongly overrepresented in Acinetobacter baumannii, which correlates with its frequent resistance to antibiotics. Our data suggest that A. baumannii arose from an ancient population bottleneck followed by population expansion under strong purifying selection. The outstanding diversification of the species occurred largely by horizontal transfer, including some allelic recombination, at specific hotspots preferentially located close to the replication terminus. Our work sets a quantitative basis to understand the diversification of Acinetobacter into emerging resistant and versatile pathogens. PMID:25313016

Characterization and identification of newly isolated Acinetobacter baumannii strain serdang 1 for phenol removal

Science.gov (United States)

Yadzir, Z. H. M.; Shukor, M. Y.; Nazir, M. S.; Abdullah, M. A.

2012-09-01

A new indigenous bacterial strain from Malaysian soil contaminated with petroleum waste had been successfully isolated, characterized and identified for phenol removal. The gram negative bacteria showed 98% identity with Acinetobacter baumannii based on Biolog{trade mark, serif} Identification System and the determination of a partial 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) sequence. The isolate clustered with species belonging to Acinetobacter clade in a 16S rDNA-based neighbour-joining phylogenetic tree.

Rare cutaneous infection by Acinetobacter baumannii in an immunocompetent patient: a case report

OpenAIRE

Cirino, Pablo Vitoriano; Guimarães, Newton Sales; Follador, Ivonise

2008-01-01

O Acinetobacter baumanni é patógeno oportunista antigamente considerado de baixa virulência. Atualmente está envolvido em processos infecciosos que acometem pacientes imunocomprometidos,grandes queimados e pacientes em unidades de terapia intensiva que fazem uso de ventilação mecânica. Esse relato de caso chama atenção para infecção cutânea rara por essa bactéria em paciente imunocompetente.Acinetobacter baumannii is an oportunistic pathogen that used to be considered as having low virulence;...

Occurrence of an Environmental Acinetobacter baumannii Strain Similar to a Clinical Isolate in Paleosol from Croatia

Science.gov (United States)

Durn, Goran; Goic-Barisic, Ivana; Kovacic, Ana

2014-01-01

Over the past decade, bacteria of the genus Acinetobacter have emerged as a leading cause of hospital-acquired infections. Outbreaks of Acinetobacter infections are considered to be caused exclusively by contamination and transmission in hospital environments. The natural habitats of clinically important multiresistant Acinetobacter spp. remain to be defined. In this paper, we report an incidental finding of a viable multidrug-resistant strain of Acinetobacter baumannii, related to clinical isolates, in acid paleosol from Croatia. The environmental isolate of A. baumannii showed 87% similarity to a clinical isolate originating from a hospital in this geographic area and was resistant to gentamicin, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, ciprofloxacin, and levofloxacin. In paleosol, the isolate was able to survive a low pH (3.37), desiccation, and a high temperature (50°C). The probable source of A. baumannii in paleosol is illegally disposed waste of external origin situated in the abandoned quarry near the sampling site. The bacteria could have been leached from waste by storm water and thus infiltrated the paleosol. PMID:24584245

Carbapenem-resistance and pathogenicity of bovine Acinetobacter indicus-like isolates.

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Peter Klotz

Full Text Available The objective of this study was to characterize blaOXA-23 harbouring Acinetobacter indicus-like strains from cattle including genomic and phylogenetic analyses, antimicrobial susceptibility testing and evaluation of pathogenicity in vitro and in vivo. Nasal and rectal swabs (n = 45 from cattle in Germany were screened for carbapenem-non-susceptible Acinetobacter spp. Thereby, two carbapenem resistant Acinetobacter spp. from the nasal cavities of two calves could be isolated. MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry and 16S rDNA sequencing identified these isolates as A. indicus-like. A phylogenetic tree based on partial rpoB sequences indicated closest relation of the two bovine isolates to the A. indicus type strain A648T and human clinical A. indicus isolates, while whole genome comparison revealed considerable intraspecies diversity. High mimimum inhibitory concentrations were observed for carbapenems and other antibiotics including fluoroquinolones and gentamicin. Whole genome sequencing and PCR mapping revealed that both isolates harboured blaOXA-23 localized on the chromosome and surrounded by interrupted Tn2008 transposon structures. Since the pathogenic potential of A. indicus is unknown, pathogenicity was assessed employing the Galleria (G. mellonella infection model and an in vitro cytotoxicity assay using A549 human lung epithelial cells. Pathogenicity in vivo (G. mellonella killing assay and in vitro (cytotoxicity assay of the two A. indicus-like isolates was lower compared to A. baumannii ATCC 17978 and similar to A. lwoffii ATCC 15309. The reduced pathogenicity of A. indicus compared to A. baumannii correlated with the absence of important virulence genes encoding like phospholipase C1+C2, acinetobactin outer membrane protein BauA, RND-type efflux system proteins AdeRS and AdeAB or the trimeric autotransporter adhesin Ata. The emergence of carbapenem-resistant A. indicus-like strains from cattle carrying blaOXA-23 on transposable elements and

Isolation of a bacterial strain, Acinetobacter sp. from centrate wastewater and study of its cooperation with algae in nutrients removal.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Hui; Lu, Qian; Wang, Qin; Liu, Wen; Wei, Qian; Ren, Hongyan; Ming, Caibing; Min, Min; Chen, Paul; Ruan, Roger

2017-07-01

Algae were able to grow healthy on bacteria-containing centrate wastewater in a pilot-scale bioreactor. The batch experiment indicated that the co-cultivation of algae and wastewater-borne bacteria improved the removal efficiencies of chemical oxygen demand and total phosphorus in centrate wastewater to 93.01% and 98.78%, respectively. A strain of beneficial aerobic bacteria, Acinetobacter sp., was isolated and its biochemical characteristics were explored. Synergistic cooperation was observed in the growth of algae and Acinetobacter sp. Removal efficiencies of some nutrients were improved significantly by the co-cultivation of algae and Acinetobacter sp. After treatment, residual nutrients in centrate wastewater reached the permissible discharge limit. The cooperation between algae and Acinetobacter sp. was in part attributed to the exchange of carbon dioxide and oxygen between the algae and bacteria. This synergetic relationship between algae and Acinetobacter sp. provided a promising way to treat the wastewater by improving the nutrients removal and biomass production. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Molecular detection of Acinetobacter species in lice and keds of domestic animals in Oromia Regional State, Ethiopia.

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Bersissa Kumsa

Full Text Available This study was conducted to determine the presence of Acinetobacter and Rickettsia species DNA in lice and Melophagus ovinus (sheep ked of animals from Oromia Regional State in Ethiopia. From September through November 2011, a total of 207 cattle, 85 sheep, 47 dogs and 16 cats were examined for ectoparasites. Results of morphological identification revealed several species of ectoparasites: Linognathus vituli (L. vituli, Bovicola bovis (B. bovis and Solenopotes capillatus (S. capillatus on cattle; B. ovis and Melophagus ovinus (M. ovinus on sheep; and Heterodoxus spiniger (H. spiniger on dogs. There was a significantly (p≤0.0001 higher prevalence of L. vituli observed in cattle than both S. capillatus and B. bovis. Molecular identification of lice using an 18S rRNA gene analysis confirms the identified lice species by morphological methods. We detected different Acinetobacter species among lice (11.1% and keds (86.4% including A. soli in L. vituli of cattle, A. lowffii in M. ovinus of sheep, A. pittii in H. spiniger of dogs, 1 new Acinetobacter spp. in M. ovinus and 2 new Acinetobacter spp. in H. spiniger of dogs using partial rpoB gene sequence analysis. There was a significantly higher prevalence of Acinetobacter spp. in keds than in lice (p≤0.00001. Higher percentage of Acinetobacter spp. DNA was detected in H. spiniger than in both B. ovis and L. vituli (p≤0.00001. Carbapenemase resistance encoding genes for blaOXA-23, blaOXA-24, blaOXA-58, blaNDM-1 and blaOXA-51 were not found in any lice and keds. These findings suggest that synanthropic animals and their ectoparasites might increase the risk of human exposure to zoonotic pathogens and could be a source for Acinetobacter spp. infections in humans. However, additional epidemiological data are required to determine whether ectoparasites of animals can act as environmental reservoirs and play a role in spreading these bacteria to both animal and human hosts.

Molecular detection of Acinetobacter species in lice and keds of domestic animals in Oromia Regional State, Ethiopia.

Science.gov (United States)

Kumsa, Bersissa; Socolovschi, Cristina; Parola, Philippe; Rolain, Jean-Marc; Raoult, Didier

2012-01-01

This study was conducted to determine the presence of Acinetobacter and Rickettsia species DNA in lice and Melophagus ovinus (sheep ked) of animals from Oromia Regional State in Ethiopia. From September through November 2011, a total of 207 cattle, 85 sheep, 47 dogs and 16 cats were examined for ectoparasites. Results of morphological identification revealed several species of ectoparasites: Linognathus vituli (L. vituli), Bovicola bovis (B. bovis) and Solenopotes capillatus (S. capillatus) on cattle; B. ovis and Melophagus ovinus (M. ovinus) on sheep; and Heterodoxus spiniger (H. spiniger) on dogs. There was a significantly (p≤0.0001) higher prevalence of L. vituli observed in cattle than both S. capillatus and B. bovis. Molecular identification of lice using an 18S rRNA gene analysis confirms the identified lice species by morphological methods. We detected different Acinetobacter species among lice (11.1%) and keds (86.4%) including A. soli in L. vituli of cattle, A. lowffii in M. ovinus of sheep, A. pittii in H. spiniger of dogs, 1 new Acinetobacter spp. in M. ovinus and 2 new Acinetobacter spp. in H. spiniger of dogs using partial rpoB gene sequence analysis. There was a significantly higher prevalence of Acinetobacter spp. in keds than in lice (p≤0.00001). Higher percentage of Acinetobacter spp. DNA was detected in H. spiniger than in both B. ovis and L. vituli (p≤0.00001). Carbapenemase resistance encoding genes for blaOXA-23, blaOXA-24, blaOXA-58, blaNDM-1 and blaOXA-51 were not found in any lice and keds. These findings suggest that synanthropic animals and their ectoparasites might increase the risk of human exposure to zoonotic pathogens and could be a source for Acinetobacter spp. infections in humans. However, additional epidemiological data are required to determine whether ectoparasites of animals can act as environmental reservoirs and play a role in spreading these bacteria to both animal and human hosts.

Ceftriaxone and ciprofloxacin restriction in an intensive care unit: less incidence of Acinetobacter spp. and improved susceptibility of Pseudomonas aeruginosa Restricción del uso de ceftriaxona y ciprofloxacino en una unidad de cuidados intensivos: menor incidencia de Acinetobacter spp. y mayor sensibilidad de Pseudomonas aeruginosa

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Julio César Medina Presentado

2011-12-01

Full Text Available OBJETIVO: To determine whether restricting the use of ceftriaxone and ciprofloxacin couldsignificantly reduce colonization and infection with resistant Gram-negative bacilli (r-GNB. METHODS: A two-phase prospective study (before/after design was conducted in an intensive care unit in two time periods (2004-2006. During phase 1, there was no antibiotic restriction. During phase 2, use of ceftriaxone or ciprofloxacin was restricted. RESULTS: Atotal of 200 patients were prospectively evaluated. In phase 2, the use of ceftriaxone was reduced by 93.6% (P = 0.0001 and that of ciprofloxacin by 65.1% (P = 0.041, accompanied by a 113.8% increase in use of ampicillin-sulbactam (P = 0.002.During phase 1, 48 GNB were isolated [37 r-GNB (77.1% and 11 non-r-GNB (22.9%], compared with a total of 64 during phase 2 [27 r-GNB (42.2% and 37 non-r-GNB (57.8%](P = 0.0002. Acinetobacter spp. was isolated 13 times during phase 1 and 3 times in phase 2 (P = 0.0018. The susceptibility of Pseudomonas aeruginosa to ciprofloxacin increased from 40.0% in phase 1 to 100.0% in phase 2 (P = 0.0108. CONCLUSIONS: Restriction of ceftriaxone and ciprofloxacin reduced colonization by Acinetobacter spp. and improved the susceptibility profile of P. aeruginosa.OBJETIVO: Determinar si la restricción del uso de ceftriaxona y ciprofloxacino reduce significativamente la colonización y la infección por bacilos gramnegativos resistentes. MÉTODOS: Se efectuó un estudio prospectivo de dos fases (diseño antes/después de la intervención en una unidad de cuidados intensivos en dos períodos sucesivos entre los años 2004 y 2006. Durante la fase 1, no hubo ninguna restricción de antibióticos. Durante la fase 2, se restringió el uso de ceftriaxona y ciprofloxacino. RESULTADOS: Se evaluó prospectivamente a 200 pacientes en total. En la fase 2, el uso de ceftriaxona se redujo en 93,6% (P = 0,0001 y el de ciprofloxacino en 65,1% (P = 0,041, lo que se acompañó de un aumento de 113,8% en

RA Research reactor, Annual report 1986; Istrazivacki nuklearni reaktor RA - Izvestaj za 1986. godinu

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sotic, O [Institute of Nuclear Sciences Boris Kidric, Vinca, Beograd (Serbia and Montenegro)

1986-12-01

Research reactor RA Annual report for year 1985 is divided into two main parts to cover: (1) operation and maintenance and (2) activities related to radiation protection. [Serbo-Croat] Godisnji izvestaj po projektu 'Istrazivacki nuklearni reaktor RA' za 1986 godinu sastoji se od dva dela: prvi deo obuhvata pogon i odzavanje reaktora RA, a drugi poslove zastite od zracenja na reaktoru RA.

Distribution and flux of 226Ra and 228Ra in the Amazon River estuary

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Key, R.M.; Sarmiento, J.L.; Stallard, R.F.; Moore, W.S.

1985-01-01

Measurements of 226 Ra and 228 Ra in the Amazon River estuary show that desorption from riverborne suspended particulate matter in the estuary increases the riverine flux of both isotopes to the ocean by a factor of approximately 5 over the flux attributable to radium dissolved in the river water alone. The total Amazon flux supplies approximately 0.20% of the 226 Ra and approximately 2.6% of the 228 Ra standing crops in the near-surface Atlantic (0-200 m). Diffusive flux from estuarine and shelf sediments and desorption from resuspended sediments in the region of the estuary approximately double the estuarine 226 Ra concentration and quadruple the estuarine 228 Ra concentration above that caused by the dissolved and desorbed river components alone

Research nuclear reactor RA - Annual Report 1989; Istrazivacki nuklearni reaktor RA - Izvestaj za 1989. godinu

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sotic, O [Institute of Nuclear Sciences Boris Kidric, Vinca, Beograd (Serbia and Montenegro)

1989-12-15

Annual report concerning the project 'RA research nuclear reactor' for 1989, financed by the Serbian ministry of science is divided into two parts. First part is concerned with RA reactor operation and maintenance, which is the task of the Division for reactor engineering of the Institute for multidisciplinary studies and RA reactor engineering. Second part deals with radiation protection activities at the RA reactor which is the responsibility of the Institute for radiation protection. Scientific council of the Institute for multidisciplinary studies and RA reactor engineering has stated that this report describes adequately the activity and tasks fulfilled at the RA reactor in 1989. The scope and the quality of the work done were considered successful both concerning the maintenance and reconstruction, as well as radiation protection activities. [Serbo-Croat] Godisnji izvestaj po projektu 'Istrazivacki nuklearni reaktor RA' za 1989. godinu, koji finansira republicka zajednica za nauku SR Srbije po ugovoru br. 3705/1 sastoji se iz dva dela. Prvi deo obuhvata pogon i odrzavanje nuklearnog reaktora RA, sto predstavlja obavezu Odeljenja za reaktorski inzenjering u sastavu OOUR Instituta za multidisciplinarna istrazivanja i inzenjering RA. Drugi deo obuhvata poslove zastite od zracenja na reaktoru RA, sto predstavlja obavezu OOUR Instituta za zastitu od zracenja 'Zastita'. Naucno vece Instituta za multidisciplinarna istrazivanja i inzenjering RA ocenilo je da sadrzina ovog izvestaja odgovara izvrsenim poslovima na reaktoru RA u 1989. godini. Pozitivno se ocenjuje obim i kvalitet izvrsenih radova kako u pogledu odrzavanja i rekonstrukcije reaktora, tako i u pogledu poslova zastite od zracenja izvrsenih kod njega.

Celulitis por Acinetobacter junii-johnsonii adquirida en la comunidad: una presentación de caso

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andrés F. Henao-Martínez

2012-06-01

Full Text Available La infección de piel y tejidos blandos por Acinetobacter no relacionada con trauma es una presentación inusual. La mayoría de los casos descritos presentan enfermedades concomitantes y son causados por Acinetobacter baumanii. Se describe un caso de celulitis no traumática por A. junii-johnsonii con bacteriemia, de inicio en la comunidad y asociado con el tratamiento médico. De acuerdo con nuestro conocimiento, éste sería el primer caso reportado de infección de tejidos blandos y piel por A. juniijohnsonii.La vesícula hemorrágica podría ser una característica clínica de celulitis por Acinetobacter.   doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.7705/biomedica.v32i2.652

Pneumonia adquirida na comunidade numa criança saudável por Acinetobacter

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G. Moreira Silva

2012-03-01

Full Text Available Resumo: O género Acinetobacter tem sido implicado numa grande variedade de doenças infecciosas, em particular, nas infecções associadas aos cuidados de saúde. Actualmente há evidência a enfatizar o papel deste microrganismo nas infecções adquiridas na comunidade.É relatado o caso de uma criança previamente saudável, de 28 meses de idade, internada por febre associada a tosse e dor localizada no hemitórax esquerdo e cuja radiografia torácica revelou pneumonia necrotisante do lobo inferior. A investigação diagnóstica efetuada permitiu o diagnóstico de Pneumonia adquirida na comunidade a Acinetobacter lwoffii.A criança partilhava frequentemente o seu equipamento respiratório com familiares idosos com doença pulmonar crónica obstrutiva. Dado não terem sido apurados outros factores de risco, considera-se que a partilha do equipamento poderá ter sido o foco infeccioso.Os autores pretendem alertar para a possibilidade de Pneumonia adquirida na comunidade por Acinetobacter lwoffii, numa criança previamente saudável, relacionada com o mau uso e limpeza dos nebulizadores. Este caso realça o papel emergente desta bactéria, mesmo no contexto comunitário. Abstract: Acinetobacter is involved in a variety of infectious diseases primarily associated with healthcare. Recently there has been increasing evidence of the important role these pathogens play in community acquired infections.We report on the case of a previously healthy child, aged 28 months, admitted for fever, cough and pain on the left side of the chest, which on radiographic examination corresponded to a lower lobe necrotizing pneumonia. After detailed diagnostic work–up, community acquired Acinetobacter lwoffii pneumonia was diagnosed.The child had frequently shared respiratory equipment with elderly relatives with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. As there were no other apparent risk factors, it could

Simple screening tests for the detection of metallo-β-lactamase (MBL production in clinical isolates of Pseudomonas and Acinetobacter

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Shaheda Anwar

2010-01-01

Full Text Available There are no standard methods for the detection of metallo-b-lactamase (MBL production in gram negative organism in routine microbiology practice. The present study was undertaken to evaluate the screening tests like double disk synergy test (DDST and disk potentiation test (DPT using ceftazidime (CAZ and imipenem (IPM disks with chelating agents like EDTA, 2-mercaptopropionic acid (2-MPA. A total of 132 Pseudomonas and 76 Acinetobacter isolates were obtained from Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU and Bangladesh Institute of Research and Rehabilitation for Diabetes, Endocrine and Metabolic Disorders (BIRDEM hospitals of Dhaka city. A total of 53 and 29 IPM resistant Pseudomonas and Acinetobacter isolates were selected. EDTA-IPM microdilution minimum inhibitory concentration (EDTA-IPM MIC method detected MBL in 44 (83% IPM resistant Pseudomonas and 19 (65.5% Acinetobacter isolates. DDST with CAZ-0.1M EDTA and CAZ-2-MPA detected MBL in 73.6% and 67.9% of IPM resistant Pseudomonas and 55.2% and 48.3% of Acinetobacter isolates respectively. The detection rate was 67.9% and 66.1% in Pseudomonas and 51.7% and 44.8% in Acinetobacter isolates by EDTA-IPM and IPM-2-MPA methods respectively. In comparison to DDST, DPT with CAZ-0.1M EDTA showed higher sensitivity (89.7% and specificity (100% for detection of MBL in Pseudomonas and Acinetobacter. The results showed that simple screening tests like DPT with 0.1M EDTA was able to detect MBL producing Pseudomonas and Acinetobacter from clinical samples with high sensitivity and specificity. Ibrahim Med. Coll. J. 2010; 4(1: 26-30

226 Ra in food

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Toader, M.

1993-01-01

Between 1986 and 1992 the author has evaluated natural levels of 226 Ra in some foods representing the major components of the diet in Bucharest population. The estimated daily intake by an adult was 72.5 mBq 226 Ra/day or 65.9 mBq 226 Ra/g.Ca. (Author)

Acinetobacter species in the hospital environment : tracing and epidemiology.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

L. Dijkshoorn-de Bruin (Lenie)

1990-01-01

textabstractIn the course of the investigation a new taxonomic classification of Acinetobacter strains was introduced. The groups of this classification were established on the basis of DNA-DNA hybridization data of strains. In a final study of the present thesis, we investigated whether cell

Endophthalmitis caused by Acinetobacter baumanni: a case series.

Science.gov (United States)

Roy, R; Panigrahi, P; Malathi, J; Pal, S S; Nandi, K; Patil, A; Nigam, E; Arora, V

2013-03-01

To profile the etiology, clinical outcomes and drug sensitivity patterns in endophthalmitis caused by Acinetobacter baumanni. Retrospective analysis of all the cases of Acinetobacter baumanni endophthalmitis presenting to tertiary referral care ophthalmic hospital in Eastern India from January 2009 to December 2011 were done. A total of four cases were included in the study. Out of the four cases one was post traumatic and the rest were post cataract surgery. All the cases underwent vitreoretinal surgical intervention followed by intravitreal antibiotics. A. Baumanni was isolated from vitreous in all the cases. Among all the drugs tested bacteria were found sensitive to ciprofloxacin (100 %) whereas all tested resistant to ceftazidime. Out of the four cases one had to be eviscerated, another developed retinal detachment post vitrectomy, one was phthisical at final followup, and only one patient achieved a vision of 20/200 with clear media and attached retina at final visit. A. Baumanni is a very rare cause of endophthalmitis with poor visual and anatomical outcomes. Ciprofloxacin should be considered as first the line intravitreal antibiotic.

Bloodstream infection caused by extensively drug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii in cancer patients: high mortality associated with delayed treatment rather than with the degree of neutropenia.

Science.gov (United States)

Freire, M P; de Oliveira Garcia, D; Garcia, C P; Campagnari Bueno, M F; Camargo, C H; Kono Magri, A S G; Francisco, G R; Reghini, R; Vieira, M F; Ibrahim, K Y; Rossi, F; Hajjar, L; Levin, A S; Hoff, P M; Pierrotti, L C; Abdala, E

2016-04-01

This study aimed to describe severe infections with extensively drug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii-calcoaceticus complex (XDR-ABC), as well as to investigate risk factors for mortality, in cancer patients. It was a retrospective study including all patients diagnosed with XDR-ABC bacteraemia during hospitalization in the intensive care unit of a cancer hospital between July 2009 and July 2013. Surveillance cultures were collected weekly during the study period, and clonality was analysed using pulsed field gel electrophoresis (PFGE). We analysed underlying diseases, oncology therapy, neutrophil counts, infection site and management of infection, in terms of their correlation with 30-day mortality. During the study period, 92 patients with XDR-ABC bacteraemia were identified, of whom 35 (38.0%) were patients with haematological malignancy. We identified XDR-ABC strains with four different profile patterns, 91.3% of patients harbouring the predominant PFGE type. Of the 92 patients with XDR-ABC bacteraemia, 66 (71.7%) had central line-associated bloodstream infections; infection occurred during neutropenia in 22 (23.9%); and 58 (63.0%) died before receiving the appropriate therapy. All patients were treated with polymyxin, which was used in combination therapy in 30 of them (32.4%). The 30-day mortality rate was 83.7%. Multivariate analysis revealed that septic shock at diagnosis of XDR-ABC infection was a risk factor for 30-day mortality; protective factors were receiving appropriate therapy and invasive device removal within the first 48 h. Among cancer patients, ineffective management of such infection increases the risk of death, more so than do features such as neutropenia and infection at the tumour site. Copyright © 2015 European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The genomic diversification of the whole Acinetobacter genus: origins, mechanisms, and consequences.

Science.gov (United States)

Touchon, Marie; Cury, Jean; Yoon, Eun-Jeong; Krizova, Lenka; Cerqueira, Gustavo C; Murphy, Cheryl; Feldgarden, Michael; Wortman, Jennifer; Clermont, Dominique; Lambert, Thierry; Grillot-Courvalin, Catherine; Nemec, Alexandr; Courvalin, Patrice; Rocha, Eduardo P C

2014-10-13

Bacterial genomics has greatly expanded our understanding of microdiversification patterns within a species, but analyses at higher taxonomical levels are necessary to understand and predict the independent rise of pathogens in a genus. We have sampled, sequenced, and assessed the diversity of genomes of validly named and tentative species of the Acinetobacter genus, a clade including major nosocomial pathogens and biotechnologically important species. We inferred a robust global phylogeny and delimited several new putative species. The genus is very ancient and extremely diverse: Genomes of highly divergent species share more orthologs than certain strains within a species. We systematically characterized elements and mechanisms driving genome diversification, such as conjugative elements, insertion sequences, and natural transformation. We found many error-prone polymerases that may play a role in resistance to toxins, antibiotics, and in the generation of genetic variation. Surprisingly, temperate phages, poorly studied in Acinetobacter, were found to account for a significant fraction of most genomes. Accordingly, many genomes encode clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)-Cas systems with some of the largest CRISPR-arrays found so far in bacteria. Integrons are strongly overrepresented in Acinetobacter baumannii, which correlates with its frequent resistance to antibiotics. Our data suggest that A. baumannii arose from an ancient population bottleneck followed by population expansion under strong purifying selection. The outstanding diversification of the species occurred largely by horizontal transfer, including some allelic recombination, at specific hotspots preferentially located close to the replication terminus. Our work sets a quantitative basis to understand the diversification of Acinetobacter into emerging resistant and versatile pathogens. © The Author(s) 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society

Reproduction of the RA reactor fuel element fabrication; Reprodukcija izrade gorivnog elementa za reaktor RA

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Novakovic, M [Institute of Nuclear Sciences Boris Kidric, Vinca, Beograd (Serbia and Montenegro)

1961-12-15

This document includes the following nine reports: Final report on task 08/12 - testing the Ra reactor fuel element; design concept for fabrication of RA reactor fuel element; investigation of the microstructure of the Ra reactor fuel element; Final report on task 08/13 producing binary alloys with Al, Mo, Zr, Nb and B additions; fabrication of U-Al alloy; final report on tasks 08/14 and 08/16; final report on task 08/32 diffusion bond between the fuel and the cladding of the Ra reactor fuel element; Final report on task 08/33, fabrication of the RA reactor fuel element cladding; and final report on task 08/36, diffusion of solid state metals. Ovaj rad sadrzi devet priloga: 1. Zavrsni izvestaj o podzadatku 08/12, ispitivanje elementa goriva reaktora RA; 2. Koncepcija izrade gorivnog elementa reaktora RA; 3. Ispitivanje mikrostrukture gorivnog elementa reaktora RA; 4. Zavrsni izvestaj o podzadatku 08/13, dobijanje binarnih legura urana sa legirajucim komponentama Al, Mo, Zr, Nb i B; 5. Dobijanje legure U-Al; 6. Zavrsni izvestaj o podzadacima 08/14 i 08/16; 7. Zavrsni izvestaj o podzadatku 08/32, difuziona veza goriva i kosuljice gorivnog elementa reaktora RA; 8. Zavrsni izvestaj o podzadatku 08/33, izrada kosuljice gorivnog elementa reaktora RA; 9. Zavrsni izvestaj o podzadatku 08/36, difuzija kod metala u cvrstom stanju.

Acinetobacter infections prevalence and frequency of the antibiotics ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

More than a half of the isolates were from the ICUs and were obtained from 293 infected patients of which 65, 2% (191 cases) were males (sex ratio = 1.9) and the median age was 56 years (interquartile range: 42-68 years). Acinetobacter clinical isolates were obtained from respiratory samples (44.67%) followed by blood ...

226Ra and 228Ra in ground water of the Cambrian-Ordovician Aquifer System in northern Illinois

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gilkeson, R.H.; Holtzman, R.B.

1982-01-01

Over a large region of Illinois, ground water of the Cambrian-Ordovician Aquifer System exceeds the US EPA drinking water standard of 5 pCi/L for the combined concentration of 226 Ra and 228 Ra. 226 Ra concentrations range from 226 Ra is the geochemistry of uranium in the ground-water flow system, while the 228 Ra activity in ground water which ranges from 232 Th-bearing minerals in the aquifer strata. The comparison of recent analyses to historical data gathered over the last 20 years indicates that, with few exceptions, 226 Ra and 228 Ra activities in ground water have remained constant. The combined concentrations of the two nuclides in ground water of the aquifer system ranged from 226 Ra concentrations were high (greater than or equal to 10 pCi/L), those of 228 Ra were low (less than or equal to 2 pCi/L), but, with few exceptions, in regions where 228 Ra concentrations were high, those of 226 Ra were also high. The range of values raises questions concerning the validity of the US EPA regulation which requires analysis for 228 Ra only when the concentration of 226 Ra exceeds 3.0 pCi/L

First report of an OXA-58 carbapenemase-producing Acinetobacter ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

S. Natoubi

2016-11-18

Nov 18, 2016 ... urinary tract infection, in Morocco. Acinetobacter baumannii are organisms frequently found in the environment. This bacterium causes several types of infections, such as bacteremia, pneumonia and urinary tract infection [1]. Carbapenem resistance in A. baumannii is more often caused by the production of ...

Automated measurement of 224Ra and 226Ra in water

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dimova, N.; Burnett, W.C.; Horwitz, E.P.; Lane-Smith, D.

2007-01-01

We present a new simple approach for automated, non-destructive measurement of the alpha-emitting radium isotopes ( 223 Ra, 224 Ra, and 226 Ra) in water based on the emanation of their respective radon daughters ( 219 Rn, 220 Rn, and 222 Rn). The method combines the high adsorption uptake of MnO 2 Resin for radium (K d =2.4x10 4 ml/g) over a wide pH range with the simplicity of the activity registration using a commercial radon-in-air analyzer (RAD7, DURRIDGE Company, Inc). Radium is first adsorbed onto the MnO 2 Resin by passing a water sample through the resin packed in a gas-tight glass cartridge. The same cartridge is then connected to the radon analyzer via a simple tubing system to circulate air through the resin and a drying system. The efficiency of the proposed system is determined by running standards prepared in the same manner. Our results indicate that the efficiency for 226 Ra is >22% if both 218 Po and 214 Po counts are collected. This is comparable with typical efficiencies for alpha spectrometry but with much less sample preparation. We estimate that an MDA of 0.8 pCi/L for 226 Ra may be obtained with this new approach using a 1 L water sample and less than 4 h of counting

Determination of 226 Ra and 228 Ra in mineral spring waters of the Aguas da Prata region

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oliveira, J. de.

1993-01-01

Concentration levels of 226 Ra and 228 Ra have been analysed in most of the mineral spring waters available in the Aguas da Prata region. The 226 Ra and 228 Ra were determined by coprecipitation with barium sulphate. The 226 Ra was determined by gross alpha counting of the Ba(Ra)SO 4 precipitate. The determination of 228 Ra was done by measuring the gross beta activity of the same precipitate. Both measurements were carried out in a low background gas flow proportional counter. Dose calculations were performed in order to evaluate the relative importance of such radionuclides to the radiation exposure due to the ingestion of these waters. Based upon measured concentrations, committed effective doses up to 5.5 x 10 -1 mSv/y and 1.0 x 10 -2 mSv/y were observed for 226 Ra and 228 Ra, respectively. These results show that 226 Ra is the main contributor to radiation exposure. (author)

A distinct alleles and genetic recombination of pmrCAB operon in species of Acinetobacter baumannii complex isolates.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Dae Hun; Ko, Kwan Soo

2015-07-01

To investigate pmrCAB sequence divergence in 5 species of Acinetobacter baumannii complex, a total of 80 isolates from a Korean hospital were explored. We evaluated nucleotide and amino acid polymorphisms of pmrCAB operon, and phylogenetic trees were constructed for each gene of prmCAB operon. Colistin and polymyxin B susceptibility was determined for all isolates, and multilocus sequence typing was also performed for A. baumannii isolates. Our results showed that each species of A. baumannii complex has divergent pmrCAB operon sequences. We identified a distinct pmrCAB allele allied with Acinetobacter nosocomialis in gene trees. Different grouping in each gene tree suggests sporadic recombination or emergence of pmrCAB genes among Acinetobacter species. Sequence polymorphisms among Acinetobacter species might not be associated with colistin resistance. We revealed that a distinct pmrCAB allele may be widespread across the continents such as North America and Asia and that sporadic genetic recombination or emergence of pmrCAB genes might occur. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Non-susceptibility trends among Pseudomonas aeruginosa and other non-fermentative Gram-negative bacteria from bacteraemias in the UK and Ireland, 2001-06.

Science.gov (United States)

Livermore, David M; Hope, Russell; Brick, Geraldine; Lillie, Mark; Reynolds, Rosy

2008-11-01

Pseudomonas and Acinetobacter spp. are important opportunists, notorious for resistance. Pseudomonas spp. are collected in the British Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy (BSAC) bacteraemia surveillance, with Acinetobacter spp. and Stenotrophomonas maltophilia well represented in the 'other Gram-negatives' group. Data for collected isolates were reviewed together with LabBase bacteraemia reports to the Health Protection Agency (HPA). Isolates with unusual resistances were subjected to molecular investigation. From 2001 to 2006, the BSAC surveillance collected 1226 Pseudomonas aeruginosa, 240 Acinetobacter spp.-125 of them Acinetobacter calcoaceticus/baumannii (Acb) complex-and 165 S. maltophilia. Among P. aeruginosa, non-susceptibility rates to beta-lactams and gentamicin fluctuated, without trend, below 10%; those to ciprofloxacin ranged from 16% to 22%. One P. aeruginosa isolate from 2001 had VIM-2 metallo-beta-lactamase. For Acb, the BSAC data indicated frequent non-susceptibility, except to imipenem, where only five non-susceptible isolates were collected, all after 2003, four of them belonging to the OXA-23 clone 1 lineage which is prevalent in Southeast England. Reports to the HPA indicated rising imipenem non-susceptibility in Acb (P /=16 mg/L for Acb OXA-23 clone 1. Ceftobiprole had higher MICs than ceftazidime for P. aeruginosa, but 81% of the isolates were inhibited at

RA research nuclear reactor - Annual report 1985; Istrazivacki nuklearni reaktor RA - Izvestaj za 1985. godinu

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1985-12-01

Research reactor RA Annual report for year 1985 is divided into two main parts to cover: (1) operation and maintenance and (2) activities related to radiation protection. [Serbo-Croat] Godisnji izvestaj po projektu 'Istrazivacki nuklearni reaktor RA' za 1985 godinu sastoji se od dva dela: prvi deo obuhvata pogon i odzavanje reaktora RA, a drugi poslove zastite od zracenja na reaktoru RA.

Radiochemical determination and separation or total radium, 226Ra and 224Ra

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Suarez, J. A.; Gonzalez, J. A.; Pablo, M. A. de

1987-01-01

Radiochemical purification and separation of radium has been carried out and the determination of total radium solubilized in aqueous samples has been studied assuming that all the alpha emitters of the sample have their origin in the 226Ra and elements of its desintegration chain. Also, the activities of 22Ra and 226 Ra have been evaluated separately doing a measurement after the chemical separation of the radium and another one 10 days after. (Author) 9 refs

Determination of 226Ra and 224Ra in drinking waters by liquid scintillation counting

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Manjon, G.; Vioque, I.; Moreno, H.; Garcia-Tenorio, R.; Garcia-Leon, M.

1997-01-01

A method for the determination of Ra-isotopes in water samples has been developed. Ra is coprecipitated with Ba as sulphate. The precipitate is then dissolved with EDTA and counted with a liquid scintillation system after mixing with a scintillation cocktail. The study of the temporal evolution of the separated activity gives the isotopic composition of the sample, i.e. the 224 Ra and 226 Ra contribution to the total activity. The method has been applied to some Spanish drinking waters. (author)

Quorum sensing molecules production by nosocomial and soil isolates Acinetobacter baumannii.

Science.gov (United States)

Erdönmez, Demet; Rad, Abbas Yousefi; Aksöz, Nilüfer

2017-12-01

Acinetobacter species remain alive in hospitals on various surfaces, both dry and moist, forming an important source of hospital infections. These bacteria are naturally resistant to many antibiotic classes. Although the role of the quorum sensing system in regulating the virulence factors of Acinetobacter species has not been fully elucidated, it has been reported that they play a role in bacterial biofilm formation. The biofilm formation helps them to survive under unfavorable growth conditions and antimicrobial treatments. It is based on the accumulation of bacterial communication signal molecules in the area. In this study, we compared the bacterial signal molecules of 50 nosocomial Acinetobacter baumannii strain and 20 A. baumannii strain isolated from soil. The signal molecules were detected by the biosensor bacteria (Chromobacterium violaceum 026, Agrobacterium tumefaciens A136, and Agrobacterium tumefaciens NTL1) and their separation was determined by thin-layer chromatography. As a result, it has been found that soil-borne isolates can produce 3-oxo-C8-AHL and C8-AHL, whereas nosocomial-derived isolates can produce long-chain signals such as C10-AHL, C12-AHL, C14-AHL and C16-AHL. According to these results, it is possible to understand that these signal molecules are found in the infection caused by A. baumannii. The inhibition of this signaling molecules in a communication could use to prevent multiple antibiotic resistance of these bacteria.

Ability of phages to infect Acinetobacter calcoaceticus-Acinetobacter baumannii complex species through acquisition of different pectate lyase depolymerase domains

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Oliveira, Hugo; Costa, Ana R.; Konstantinides, Nico; Ferreira, Alice; Akturk, Ergun; Sillankorva, Sanna; Nemec, Alexandr; Shneider, Mikhail; Dötsch, Andreas; Azeredo, Joana

2017-01-01

Bacteriophages are ubiquitous in nature and represent a vast repository of genetic diversity, which is driven by the endless coevolution cycle with a diversified group of bacterial hosts. Studying phage-host interactions is important to gain novel insights into their dynamic adaptation. In this

Distribution of adeB and NDM-1 genes in multidrug resistant Acinetobacter baumannii isolated from infected wound of patients admitted in a tertiary care hospital in Bangladesh.

Science.gov (United States)

Hasan, M J; Shamsuzzaman, S M

2017-12-01

The adeB gene in Acinetobacter baumannii regulates the bacterial internal drug efflux pump that plays a significant role in drug resistance. The aim of our study was to determine the occurrence of adeB gene in multidrug resistant and New Delhi metallo-beta-lactamase-1 (NDM- 1) gene in imipenem resistant Acinetobacter baumannii isolated from wound swab samples in a tertiary care hospital of Bangladesh. A total of 345 wound swab samples were tested for bacterial pathogens. Acinetobacter baumannii was identified by culture and biochemical tests. Antimicrobial susceptibility pattern was determined by the disc diffusion method according to CLSI standards. Extended spectrum beta-lactamases were screened using the double disc synergy technique. Gene encoding AdeB efflux pump and NDM-1 were detected by Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR). A total 22 (6.37%) Acinetobacter baumannii were identified from 345 wound swab samples and 20 (91%) of them were multidrug resistant. High resistance rates to some antibiotics were seen namely, cefotaxime (95%), amoxyclavulanic acid (90%) and ceftriaxone (82%). All the identified Acinetobacter baumannii were sensitive to colistin and 82% to imipenem. Two (9%) ESBL producing Acinetobacter baumannii strains were detected. adeB gene was detected in 16 (80%) out of 20 multidrug resistant Acinetobacter baumannii. 4 (18%) of 22 Acinetobacter baumannii were imipenem resistant. NDM-1 gene was detected in 2 (50%) of the imipenem resistant strains of Acinetobacter baumannii. The results of this study provide insight into the role of adeB gene as a potential regulator of drug resistance in Acinetobacter baumanni in Bangladesh. NDM-1 gene also contributes in developing such resistance for Acinetobacter baumannii.

Determination of 226Ra and 228Ra in surface seawater around Sagami bay and its vicinity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nakano-Ohta, T.; Kubota, T.; Mahara, Y.; Yoshikawa, M.; Sato, J.

2006-01-01

Activity ratios of 228 Ra/ 226 Ra in surface seawaters were observed at 5 ports of Izu-Oshima, Ajiro port of Sagami bay and Umizuri park of Tokyo bay. The 228 Ra/ 226 Ra activity ratio in surface seawaters were from 0.2 to 0.7 for Izu-Oshima, from 0.2 to 0.7 for Ajiro port and from 0.6 to 0.8 for Tokyo bay. The activity ratio in surface seawaters of Izu-Oshima and Atami of Sagami bay showed lower in spring and highly in autumn, while narrow variation pattern was observed in Umizuri park of Tokyo bay. The observed variation patterns of 228 Ra/ 226 Ra in surface seawaters at Izu-oshima, Ajiro park and Umizuri park may be reflected by difference of contribution from amount of seawater far off coast with low 228 Ra concentration. (author)

Does a family history of RA influence the clinical presentation and treatment response in RA?

Science.gov (United States)

Frisell, Thomas; Saevarsdottir, Saedis; Askling, Johan

2016-06-01

To assess whether family history of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), among the strongest risk factors for developing RA, also carries information on the clinical presentation and treatment response. The prospective Swedish Rheumatology register was linked to family history of RA, defined as diagnosed RA in any first-degree relative, ascertained through the Swedish Multi-Generation and Patient registers. Clinical presentation was examined among patients with early RA 2000-2011 (symptom onset clinical characteristics, drug survival, European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) response and change in disease activity at 3 and 6 months was estimated using linear and generalised logistic regression models. Correlation in relatives' response measures was also assessed. Patients with early RA with family history of RA were more often rheumatoid factor positive, but with no other clinically meaningful differences in their clinical presentation. Family history of RA did not predict response to MTX or TNFi, with the possible exception of no versus good EULAR response to TNFi at 6 months (OR=1.4, 95% CI 1.1 to 1.7). Having a relative who discontinued TNFi within a year increased the odds of doing the same (OR=3.7, 95% CI 1.8 to 7.5), although we found no significant familial correlations in change in disease activity measures. Family history of RA did not modify the clinical presentation of RA or predict response to standard treatment with MTX or TNFi. Treatment response, particularly drug survival, may itself be familial. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

Acinetobacter baumannii in Localised Cutaneous Mycobacteriosis in Falcons

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Margit Gabriele Muller

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Between May 2007 and April 2009, 29 falcons with identically localized, yellowish discolored cutaneous lesions in the thigh and lateral body wall region were presented at Abu Dhabi Falcon Hospital. Out of 18 falcons integrated in this study, 16 tested positive to Mycobacterium. avium complex. The 2 negative falcons tested positive in the Mycobacterium genus PCR. Moreover, 1 falcon tested positive to M. avium. paratuberculosis in tissue samples by PCR. In all cases, blood and fecal samples tested negative. In the acid-fast stain, all samples showed the for mycobacteriosis typical rods. Moreover, in 13 samples Acinetobacter baumannii was detected by PCR and proven by DNA sequencing. Clinical features included highly elevated WBCs, heterophilia, lymphocytopenia, monocytosis, severe anemia and weight loss. A. baumannii, a gram-negative bacillus with the ability to integrate foreign DNA, has emerged as one of the major multidrug resistant bacteria. In veterinary medicine, it has so far been detected in dogs, cats, horses and wild birds. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first report of an A. baumannii infection in falcons and of a veterinary Mycobacterium-Acinetobacter coinfection.

Determination of ''226Ra by Alpha Spectrometry by Using ''225Ra as Yield Tracer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Crespo, M. T.; Oller, O.

1999-01-01

A method for the determination of low-level ''226 Ra in environmental and geological samples by alpha spectrometry is described. The method is based on the use of ''225 Ra from ''229 Th as yield tracer and has been developed to analyze U, Th and Ra in the same sample. (Author) 12 refs

A new determination method of 226Ra, 224Ra, and 228Th in water

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Horiuchi, Kimiko; Murakami, Yukio.

1981-01-01

A new method for the determination of 226 Ra, 224 Ra and 228 Th in water samples is described. It consists of extraction of 222 Rn and 220 Rn into a scintillator-toluene solution in equilibrium with 226 Ra and 224 Ra and the application of integral counting techniques with a liquid scintillation counter. One liter water sample, weakly acidified with hydrochloric acid, is transferred to a glass bottle, and vigorously bubbled with a stream of nitrogen to expel any radon or thoron in the water sample. Twenty five ml of the scintillator-toluene solution is added to the bottle (time is recorded). The bottle is stoppered with a Teflon stopper and kept at an upside-down position for a given period of time (usually 4 -- 16 days) to allow radon and thoron in partial equilibrium with their parent nuclides. Then, the sample system is vigorously shaken for 2 m and the organic layer is gently transferred to a counting vial through a specially devised transferring tube which is connected to the bottle. The initial counting time is set at 4 h after the separation of organic layer. The measurements are repeated 3 times each immediately and after 106 h from the initial counting time. From these results, the integral counting rates of radon and thoron at the initial counting time are easily obtained. The activities of 226 Ra, 224 Ra and 228 Th in the water sample are calculated from these integral counting rates by the proposed formulas. Some data on the 226 Ra and 224 Ra contents of mineral springs are presented. The lowest detection limits for 226 Ra and 224 Ra were 1.10 x 10 -12 and 1.47 x 10 -9 Ci, respectively. The present method is rapid, easy and accurate and eliminates a time-consuming sealing of the sample in Curie bottle and tedious procedure to transfer the sample gas through a vacuum system to the detector. (author)

Place of Colistin-Rifampicin Association in the Treatment of Multidrug-Resistant Acinetobacter Baumannii Meningitis: A Case Study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dahraoui Souhail

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Treatment of Acinetobacter baumannii meningitis is an important challenge due to the accumulation of resistance of this bacteria and low meningeal diffusion of several antimicrobial requiring use of an antimicrobial effective combination to eradicate these species. We report a case of Acinetobacter baumannii multidrug-resistant nosocomial meningitis which was successfully treated with intravenous and intrathecal colistin associated with rifampicin.

Behavior and distribution of 226Ra and 228Ra in the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia marine environment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nurrul Assyikeen Mohd Jaffary; Zal Uyun Wan Mahmood; Zaharudin Ahmad; Yii, Mei Wo; Kamarozaman Ishak

2010-01-01

The present distributions of 226 Ra, 228 Ra and activity ratios of 228 Ra/ 226 Ra covering the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia were studied. Sediment core samples were collected at 10 identified stations with the thickness of water column between 14 - 72 m depth during the cruise conducted in 2008. Activity concentrations of 226 Ra and 228 Ra in sediment cores of the studied area were in the range of 18.95 ±4.25 Bq/ kg to 46.48 ± 6.41 Bq/ kg dry wt. and 35.50 ± 7.50 Bq/ kg to 77.10 ±11.37 Bq/ kg dry wt., respectively. Meanwhile, the calculated activity ratios of 228 Ra/ 226 Ra were varied mostly 1.48 to 2.24. The finding showed that there has relationships between 226 Ra, 228 Ra and oceanographic parameters which are can be attributed for better understanding of its transport processes and behavior in the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia marine environment. (author)

Effect of Acinetobacter sp on metalaxyl degradation and metabolite profile of potato seedlings (Solanum tuberosum L. alpha variety.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fabiola G Zuno-Floriano

Full Text Available One of the most serious diseases in potato cultivars is caused by the pathogen Phytophthora infestans, which affects leaves, stems and tubers. Metalaxyl is a fungicide that protects potato plants from Phytophthora infestans. In Mexico, farmers apply metalaxyl 35 times during the cycle of potato production and the last application is typically 15 days before harvest. There are no records related to the presence of metalaxyl in potato tubers in Mexico. In the present study, we evaluated the effect of Acinetobacter sp on metalaxyl degradation in potato seedlings. The effect of bacteria and metalaxyl on the growth of potato seedlings was also evaluated. A metabolite profile analysis was conducted to determine potential molecular biomarkers produced by potato seedlings in the presence of Acinetobacter sp and metalaxyl. Metalaxyl did not affect the growth of potato seedlings. However, Acinetobacter sp strongly affected the growth of inoculated seedlings, as confirmed by plant length and plant fresh weights which were lower in inoculated potato seedlings (40% and 27%, respectively compared to the controls. Acinetobacter sp also affected root formation. Inoculated potato seedlings showed a decrease in root formation compared to the controls. LC-MS/MS analysis of metalaxyl residues in potato seedlings suggests that Acinetobacter sp did not degrade metalaxyl. GC-TOF-MS platform was used in metabolic profiling studies. Statistical data analysis and metabolic pathway analysis allowed suggesting the alteration of metabolic pathways by both Acinetobacter sp infection and metalaxyl treatment. Several hundred metabolites were detected, 137 metabolites were identified and 15 metabolic markers were suggested based on statistical change significance found with PLS-DA analysis. These results are important for better understanding the interactions of putative endophytic bacteria and pesticides on plants and their possible effects on plant metabolism.

Purification and Characterization of Catalase from Marine Bacterium Acinetobacter sp. YS0810

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Xinhua Fu

2014-01-01

Full Text Available The catalase from marine bacterium Acinetobacter sp. YS0810 (YS0810CAT was purified and characterized. Consecutive steps were used to achieve the purified enzyme as follows: ethanol precipitation, DEAE Sepharose ion exchange, Superdex 200 gel filtration, and Resource Q ion exchange. The active enzyme consisted of four identical subunits of 57.256 kDa. It showed a Soret peak at 405 nm, indicating the presence of iron protoporphyrin IX. The catalase was not apparently reduced by sodium dithionite but was inhibited by 3-amino-1,2,4-triazole, hydroxylamine hydrochloride, and sodium azide. Peroxidase-like activity was not found with the substrate o-phenylenediamine. So the catalase was determined to be a monofunctional catalase. N-terminal amino acid of the catalase analysis gave the sequence SQDPKKCPVTHLTTE, which showed high degree of homology with those of known catalases from bacteria. The analysis of amino acid sequence of the purified catalase by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry showed that it was a new catalase, in spite of its high homology with those of known catalases from other bacteria. The catalase showed high alkali stability and thermostability.

PREVALENCE OF MBL AND ANTIMICROBIAL SUSCEPTIBILITY PATTERN OF ACINETOBACTER ISOLATES FROM A TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL, ASSAM, INDIA

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Monjuri Kataki

2017-02-01

Full Text Available BACKGROUND Acinetobacter infection have been clinically prominent pathogen in tropical countries have caused recurrent problems during wars and natural disasters and have recently caused multihospital outbreaks. Rational use of antimicrobial agents is clinically important to prevent Acinetobacter infections as well as to avoid poor outcomes. 1 The aim of the study is to see the prevalence of Acinetobacter as a pathogen in this tertiary care hospital, their susceptibility pattern along with prevalence of metallo-beta-lactamase. MATERIALS AND METHODS The samples were processed for a period of one year. Samples were collected from ICU including urine, sputum, endotracheal aspirate, BAL, blood, pus, body fluids (pleural fluid, CSF, etc. and the stool specimens were plated using appropriate culture media (MAC, BA, CLED, XLD. RESULTS Shows Acinetobacter baumannii is the significant species isolated is ICU among 700 cases, which yielded only 100% sensitivity to commonly used antibiotics. So, it is the need of the hour to implement infection control measures in a serious and intensive way. CONCLUSION So, it is the need of the hour to implement infection control measures in a serious and intensive way.

RA Research nuclear reactor - Annual report 1987; Istrazivacki nuklearni reaktor RA - Izvestaj o radu za 1987. godinu

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1987-12-15

Annual report concerning the project 'RA research nuclear reactor' for 1987, financed by the Serbian ministry of science is divided into two parts. First part is concerned with RA reactor operation and maintenance, which is the task of the Division for reactor engineering of the Institute for multidisciplinary studies and RA reactor engineering. Second part deals with radiation protection activities at the RA reactor which is the responsibility of the Institute for radiation protection. Scientific council of the Institute for multidisciplinary studies and RA reactor engineering has stated that this report describes adequately the activity and tasks fulfilled at the RA reactor in 1989. The scope and the quality of the work done were considered successful both concerning the maintenance and reconstruction, as well as radiation protection activities. [Serbo-Croat] Godisnji izvestaj po projektu 'Istrazivacki nuklearni reaktor RA' za 1987. godinu, koji finansira republicka zajednica za nauku SR Srbije po ugovoru br. 3509/1 sastoji se iz dva dela. Prvi deo obuhvata pogon i odrzavanje nuklearnog reaktora RA, sto predstavlja obavezu Odeljenja za reaktorski inzenjering u sastavu OOUR Instituta za multidisciplinarna istrazivanja i inzenjering RA. Drugi deo obuhvata poslove zastite od zracenja na reaktoru RA, sto predstavlja obavezu OOUR Instituta za zastitu od zracenja 'Zastita'. Naucno vece Instituta za multidisciplinarna istrazivanja i inzenjjring RA ocenilo je da sadrzina ovog izvestaja odgovara izvrsenim poslovima na reaktoru RA u 1989. godini. Pozitivno se ocenjuje obim i kvalitet izvrsenih radova kako u pogledu odrzavanja i rekonstrukcije reaktora, tako i u pogledu poslova zastite od zracenja izvrsenih kod njega.

Phenotypic detection of metallo-β-lactamase among the clinical isolates of imipenem resistant Pseudomonas and Acinetobacter in tertiary care hospitals of Dhaka city

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shaheda Anwar

2010-07-01

Full Text Available The rapid spread of Metallo-b-lactamase (MBL producing Gram negative bacilli represents a matter of great concern worldwide. The study analyzed the occurrence of MBL production in carbapenem resistant Pseudomonas and Acinetobacter isolates over one year period. A total of 132 Pseudomonas and 76 Acinetobacter isolates were obtained from two tertiary care hospitals of Dhaka city. A total of 53 Pseudomonas and 29 Acinetobacter isolates were selected because of their resistance to carbapenem specially imipenem (IPM. Screening for MBL production was performed in these isolates by IPM-EDTA microdilution MIC method. 44 (83% IPM resistant Pseudomonas and 19 (65.5% Acinetobacter isolates were MBL producer by IPM-EDTA microdilution MIC method. These results suggest that MBL producing Pseudomonas and Acinetobacter isolates are emerging in our country and it is essential to screen carbapenem resistant isolates for MBL production. Ibrahim Med. Coll. J. 2010; 4(2: 63-65

Comparison of Disk Diffusion and E-Test Methods for Doripenem Susceptibility of Nosocomial Acinetobacter Baumannii Strains

OpenAIRE

Yesim Cekin

2014-01-01

Aim: Acinetobacter species are amoung the most common two cause of infections isolated from patients of intensive care unit in our hospital. Doripenem which acts by inhibiting cell wall synthesis is resently introduced for use in our country is broad spectrum antibiotic belonging to carbapenems. There are many studies investigating the susceptibility of doripenem of Acinetobacter baumannii which is isolated as a cause of ventilatory associated pneumonia in the literature. We aimed to compare ...

Can rheumatoid arthritis (RA) registries provide contextual safety data for modern RA clinical trials? The case for mortality and cardiovascular disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Michaud, Kaleb; Berglind, Niklas; Franzén, Stefan; Frisell, Thomas; Garwood, Christopher; Greenberg, Jeffrey D; Ho, Meilien; Holmqvist, Marie; Horne, Laura; Inoue, Eisuke; Nyberg, Fredrik; Pappas, Dimitrios A; Reed, George; Symmons, Deborah; Tanaka, Eiichi; Tran, Trung N; Verstappen, Suzanne M M; Wesby-van Swaay, Eveline; Yamanaka, Hisashi; Askling, Johan

2016-10-01

We implemented a novel method for providing contextual adverse event rates for a randomised controlled trial (RCT) programme through coordinated analyses of five RA registries, focusing here on cardiovascular disease (CVD) and mortality. Each participating registry (Consortium of Rheumatology Researchers of North America (CORRONA) (USA), Swedish Rheumatology Quality of Care Register (SRR) (Sweden), Norfolk Arthritis Register (NOAR) (UK), CORRONA International (East Europe, Latin America, India) and Institute of Rheumatology, Rheumatoid Arthritis (IORRA) (Japan)) defined a main cohort from January 2000 onwards. To address comparability and potential bias, we harmonised event definitions and defined several subcohorts for sensitivity analyses based on disease activity, treatment, calendar time, duration of follow-up and RCT exclusions. Rates were standardised for age, sex and, in one sensitivity analysis, also HAQ. The combined registry cohorts included 57 251 patients with RA (234 089 person-years)-24.5% men, mean (SD) baseline age 58.2 (13.8) and RA duration 8.2 (11.7) years. Standardised registry mortality rates (per 100 person-years) varied from 0.42 (CORRONA) to 0.80 (NOAR), with 0.60 for RCT patients. Myocardial infarction and major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) rates ranged from 0.09 and 0.31 (IORRA) to 0.39 and 0.77 (SRR), with RCT rates intermediate (0.18 and 0.42), respectively. Additional subcohort analyses showed small and mostly consistent changes across registries, retaining reasonable consistency in rates across the Western registries. Additional standardisation for HAQ returned higher mortality and MACE registry rates. This coordinated approach to contextualising RA RCT safety data demonstrated reasonable differences and consistency in rates for mortality and CVD across registries, and comparable RCT rates, and may serve as a model method to supplement clinical trial analyses for drug development programmes. Published by the BMJ Publishing

Regulations for RA reactor operation; Propisi nuklearnog reaktora 'RA'

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1980-09-15

Regulations for RA reactor operation are written in accordance with the legal regulations defined by the Law about radiation protection and related legal acts, as well as technical standards according to the IAEA recommendations. The contents of this book include: fundamental data about the reactor; legal regulations for reactor operation; organizational scheme for reactor operation; general and detailed instructions for operation, behaviour in the reactor building, performing experiments; operating rules for operation under steady state and accidental conditions. [Serbo-Croat] Propisi o radu nuklearnog reaktora RA pisani su tako da svi zakonski propisi definisani 'Zakonom o zastiti od jonizujuceg zracenja' i pratecim propisima (devet pravilnika) kao i tehnicke norme prema preporukama MAAE budu postovani u punoj meri pri radu reaktora. Sadrzaj ove knjige obuhvata: osnovne podatke o reaktoru; zakonske propise; organizaciju rada reaktora RA; opste propise o rezimu rada, kretanju u zgradi reaktora, izvodjenju eksperimenata; pogonske propise za rad u normalnom rezimu i u slucaju udesa.

Ba(Ra)SO4 species flotation for decontamination of Ra(II) residual solution

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stoica, Ligia; Catuneanu, Rodica; Filip, Gheorghe

1993-01-01

The paper presents the results of the research performed on Ra(II) separation from complex composition solutions in a HCO 3 - /CO 3 2- buffer system by Ba(Ra)SO 4 precipitation followed by flotation. The collector selection was done by electrokinetic potential determinations. The optimum concentrations of precipitation-flocculation reagents were established on the basis of the experimental data obtained for synthetic solutions having the same Ra(II) activity, namely 20 pCi/l. (authors)

Transfer of 226Ra, 228Ra, 210Pb and 210Po in aquatic organisms and food chain

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yang Xiaotong; Weng Detong; Chen Wenyin; Chen Xiuyun; Chen Jixi; Zhao Shimin

1998-01-01

Objective: To find out the transfer regularities of 226 Ra, 228 Ra, 210 Pb and 210 Po, which are natural radionuclides in the aquatic organisms and food chain. Methods: Large amount of breed of representative aquatic products and their living waters and sediments were collected and treated according to routine experimental procedures. The contents of 226 Ra, 228 Ra, 210 Pb and 210 Po were detected in each sample. Measured data were analyzed statistically and pairwise comparisons were made to determine the differences between groups. Results: 226 Ra, 228 Ra and 210 Pb were mainly deposited in the bones (or shells), their concentration factors (CF) ranged from 10 2 to 10 3 ; the CF ranged only from 10 0 to 10 2 in the flesh. 210 Po was mainly deposited in the soft tissues, CF ranged from 10 2 to 10 4 ; especially in the stomachs and intestines of fishes, the value reached 10 4 . The cooking process did not impinge significantly on the transfer of 226 Ra, 228 Ra and 210 Pb in the food chain (P>0.05), but did significantly influence the transfer of 210 Po, especially in the freshwater fishes and shrimps. Paired comparison test of the activities between raw flesh and cooked flesh showed very significant difference (P 226 Ra, 228 Ra, 210 Pb and 210 Po. Even though the bones (or shells) of aquatic organisms contained relatively higher levels of 226 Ra, 228 Ra and 210 Pb, the cooking process does not significantly increase the radioactive contents in the foodstuffs. However, the cooking process does significantly influence the transfer of 210 Po. It does significantly increase the content of 210 Po in foodstuffs

Assessment of 226Ra, 228Ra and 40K contents in the Egyptian bottled natural water

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

El-Afifi, E.M.; Hilal, M.A.; Khalifa, S.M.; Aly, H.F.

2004-01-01

The activity concentrations of 2 26Ra, 2 28Ra and 4 0 and k in different brands of the bottled egyptian natural water of different origins obtained from four regions, have been analyzed nondestructively by gamma- ray spectrometry. The study covers nine brands of natural water commonly used mainly for drinking in egypt. The results showed, concentrations up to 184, 156 and 1700 mBq I - 1 for 2 26Ra, 2 28Ra and 4 0K, respectively, in one brand of the natural water from water from Siwa oasis. Whereas, lower activity concentrations of 2 26Ra and 2 28Ra were found in one brand of these natural waters from El sadat region. The activity concentration of 4 0K was found to be in the background range in the brands from El sadat, kafr El arbein and beilbeis regions. The committed effective doses reached 1.9 x 10 - 2 m Sy Y - 1 for ingestion of 2 26Ra and 2 28Ra for one liter per day, respectively, which are lower than the standard permissible limit by the WHO and IAEA. However, it is recommended to moderate drinking of bottled natural water to avoid the accumulation effect of radioactive nuclides especially radium

Resistência a β-lactâmicos em Acinetobacter spp isolados de efluente hospitalar no sul do Brasil Resistance to β-lactams among Acinetobacter spp isolated from hospital sewage in southern Brazil

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Carolina de Souza Gusatti

2009-04-01

Full Text Available Acinetobacter spp é um importante patógeno causador de infecções nosocomiais que acomete pacientes imunocomprometidos e capaz de adquirir resistência a antimicrobianos com facilidade. Os esgotos hospitalares são importantes disseminadores de genes de resistência a antimicrobianos para a microbiota ambiental. Neste contexto, 30 cepas de Acinetobacter spp provenientes de efluente de um hospital em Porto Alegre, RS, foram analisados quanto ao perfil de susceptibilidade a β-lactamases, quinolonas e aminoglicosídeos através de antibiograma e testes de triagem para metalo beta-lactamases e β-lactamases de espectro estendido. O perfil encontrado revela cepas multi-resistentes e que mecanismos de resistência como a produção de β-lactamases de espectro estendido e bombas de efluxo podem estar presentes nesses isolados.Acinetobacter spp is an important pathogen that is responsible for nosocomial infections affecting immunocompromised patients, and it can easily acquire resistance to antimicrobial agents. Hospital sewage is an important means for disseminating genes for resistance to antimicrobial agents, to the microbiota of the environment. Within this context, 30 strains of Acinetobacter spp from the sewage of a hospital in Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, were analyzed regarding their profile of susceptibility to β-lactams, quinolones and aminoglycosides, by means of an antibiogram and tests to screen for metallo-β-lactamases and extended-spectrum β-lactamases. The profile obtained revealed the presence of multidrug-resistant strains and showed that resistance mechanisms such as the production of extended-spectrum β-lactamases and efflux pumps may be present in these strains.

228Ra and 226Ra measurement on a BaSO4 co-precipitation source

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Medley, Peter; Martin, Paul; Bollhöfer, Andreas; Parry, David

2015-01-01

One of the most commonly-used methods for determination of 226 Ra, particularly in water samples, utilises co-precipitation of Ra with BaSO 4 , followed by microfiltration to produce a source for alpha counting. This paper describes two extensions to BaSO 4 co-precipitation methods which enable determination of 228 Ra using the same source. The adaptations presented here do not introduce any contaminants that will affect the separation of radium or alpha counting for 226 Ra, and can be used for re-analysis of already existing sources prepared by BaSO 4 co-precipitation. The first adaptation uses detection of 228 Ac on the source by gamma spectrometry. The detection efficiency is high, allowing analysis of water samples at sufficiently low activity to be suitable in testing for compliance with drinking water quality standards. As 228 Ac grows in quickly, taking less than 2 days to reach equilibrium with the 228 Ra parent, this can also be useful in radiological emergency response situations. The second adaptation incorporates a method for the digestion of BaSO 4 sources, allowing separation of thorium and subsequent determination of 228 Th activity. Although ingrowth periods for 228 Th can be lengthy, very low detection limits for 228 Ra can be achieved with this technique. - Highlights: • We developed two methods for 228 Ra measurement on Ba(Ra)SO 4 co-precipitation sources. • Measurement by gamma spectrometry using the daughter 228 Ac is rapid. • Detection limits are suitable for assessment of drinking water quality. • The second approach uses alpha spectrometry on a separated Th fraction. • This is more sensitive than gamma spectrometry after an ingrowth period greater than about 1 month

Simultaneous determination of Ra-226, Ra-228 and Pb-210 using a successive coprecipitations techniques

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vilhena Schayer Sabino, C. de; Kastner, S.M.S.; Amaral, A.M.

1990-01-01

Several techniques for determination of Ra-226, Ra228 and Pb-210. were developed and used in routine at CDTN in the laboratories of radiochemistry. The matrixes were: water and industrial wastes. Some problems of these techniques were the time spent for analyses and chemical separations, interferents, among others. Now-a-days the method in routine developed here is the one of successive coprecipitations, followed α and β countings of the Ra-226 and Ra-228 daughters. This method is based on coprecipitation, purification of barium radium sulfate with EDTA in acetic solution. Lead is dissolved, radium remains precipitated and suffers a new purification and the time for growing of their daughters is waited to be performed the simultaneous α and β countings for Ra-226 and Ra-228 determination. Pb-210 is analyzed in the floating of the first purification with a carrier of bismuth, and the time for Bi-210 growing is waited. Then it is precipitated as hydroxid, purified as phosphate and the β counting of Bi-210 is done. (author) [pt

Infection with Acinetobacter baumannii in an intensive care unit in the Western part of Romania.

Science.gov (United States)

Lăzureanu, Voichița; Poroșnicu, Mirela; Gândac, Ciprian; Moisil, Teodora; Bădițoiu, Luminița; Laza, Ruxandra; Musta, Virgil; Crișan, Alexandru; Marinescu, Adelina-Raluca

2016-03-08

Acinetobacter baumannii is one of the main causes of morbidity and mortality in critical condition patients. The pathogen's ability to survive under a wide range of environment conditions and to persist for long periods of time on areas represents a frequent cause of endemic infection hotbeds especially in the Intensive Care Unit. The objectives of the study are: determining the 5-year incidence of A. baumannii infection in patients admitted in the ICU which needed mechanical ventilation; the analysis of these cases regarding pathological antecedents; processing the data regarding these cases; gradual analysis of the susceptibility/resistance of isolated A. baumannii strains; observing the emergence of A. baumannii infection in patients transferred into the ICU. We have performed an observational retrospective study regarding the incidence of Acinetobacter baumannii infections in the Intensive Care Unit of the Hospital of Infectious Diseases and Pneumophtisiology "Victor Babes" Timisoara, Clinic II Infectious Diseases, during June 2011 - June 2015. We have identified a high prevalence of Acinetobacter baumannii infection, with an average period of 6 days. Bronchial suction was the most common pathological product in the study (90 % of the cases). Resistance to antimicrobials has been determined: the lowest resistance was recorded for ampicillin + sulbactam (81.1 %), and the highest resistance rate was recorded for ceftazidime and imipenem (94.6 % each). When comparing resistance to third generation cephalosporins, the difference was not statistically significant (94.6 % for ceftazidime vs. 86.5 % for cefoperazone, p = 0.117). Within the present study we were able to observe a significantly high resistance of the germ to carbapenems, with a good sensitivity to aminoglycosides, and to colistin. Only one strain of Acinetobacter baumannii was resistant to all classes of tested antibiotics. Generally, carbapenems represented the elective treatment in

Effects of Carbapenem consumption on the prevalence of Acinetobacter infection in intensive care unit patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Ogutlu, Aziz; Guclu, Ertugrul; Karabay, Oguz; Utku, Aylin Calica; Tuna, Nazan; Yahyaoglu, Mehmet

2014-01-09

The consumption of carbapenems has increased worldwide, together with the increase in resistant gram negative bacilli. Subsequently, the prevalence of carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter infections has increased rapidly and become a significant problem particularly in intensive care unit patients. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the changes in the prevalence of Acinetobacter infection by restricting the consumption of carbapenems in intensive care unit patients. This study was conducted between May 1, 2011 and February 28, 2013. The amount of carbapenem consumption and the number of patients with multi-drug resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (MDRAB) isolates during the study period were retrospectively obtained from the records of the patients, who were hospitalized in the intensive care unit. The study period was divided into two periods named as: Carbapenem non-restricted period (CNRP) and carbapenem-restricted period (CRP). During CNRP, no restrictions were made on the use of carbapenems. During CRP, the use of carbapenems was not allowed if there was an alternative to carbapenems. Primary Endpoint: MDRAB infection after ICU admission. The definition of nosocomial infections related to Acinetobacter spp. was based on the criteria of the Center for Disease Control (CDC). The correlation between the amount of carbapenem consumption and the number of infections with MDRAB strains between the two periods were evaluated. During the study period, a total of 1822 patients' (1053 patients in CNRP and 769 patients in CRP) records were evaluated retrospectively. A total of 10.82 defined daily dose (DDD/100 ICU days) of anti-pseudomonal carbapenem were used in CNRP, and this figure decreased to 6.95 DDD/100 ICU days in CRP. In the 8-month CNRP, 42 (3.98%) MDRAB-related nosocomial infections were detected, and 14 (1.82%) infections were detected in CRP (p = 0.012). The prevalence of MDRAB strains isolated in the CNRP was 2.24-fold higher than the prevalence in

Argentina: Disposal aspects of RA-1 research reactor decommissioning waste

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Harriague, S; Barberis, C; Cinat, E; Grizutti, C; Scolari, H [Comision Nacional de Energia Atomica, Buenos Aires (Argentina)

2007-12-15

The objective of the project is to analyze disposal aspects of waste from total dismantling of Argentinean research reactors, starting with the oldest one, 48 years old RA-1. In order to estimate decommissioning waste, data was collected from files, area monitoring, measurements, sampling to measure activity and composition, operational history and tracing of operational incidents. Measurements were complemented with neutron activation calculations. Decommissioning waste for RA-1 is estimated to be 71.5 metric tons, most of it concrete (57 tons), the rest being steels, lead and reflector graphite (4.8 tons). Due to their low specific activities, no disposal problems are foreseen in the case of metals and concrete. Disposal of aluminium, steel, lead and concrete is analyzed. On the contrary, as the country has no experience in managing graphite radioactive waste, work was concentrated on that material. Stored (Wigner) energy may exist in RA-1 graphite reflectors irradiated at room temperature. Evaluation of stored energy by calorimetric methods is proposed, and its annealing by inductive heating; HEPA filters should be used to deal with gaseous activity emissions, mainly Cl-36 and C-14. Galvanic corrosion, dust explosion, ignition and oxidation can be addressed and should not become disposal problems. Care must be taken with graphite dust generation and disposal, due to wetting and flotation problems. Lessons learned from the project are presented, and the benefits of sharing international experience are stressed. (author)

An Increase of Abundance and Transcriptional Activity for Acinetobacter junii Post Wastewater Treatment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Muhammad Raihan Jumat

2018-04-01

Full Text Available A membrane bioreactor (MBR-based wastewater treatment plant (WWTP in Saudi Arabia is assessed over a five-month period in 2015 and once in 2017 for bacterial diversity and transcriptional activity using metagenomics, metatranscriptomics and real time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR. Acinetobacter spp. are shown to be enriched in the chlorinated effluent. Members of the Acinetobacter genus are the most abundant in the effluent and chlorinated effluent. At the species level, Acinetobacter junii have higher relative abundances post MBR and chlorination. RNA-seq analysis show that, in A. junii, 288 genes and 378 genes are significantly upregulated in the effluent and chlorinated effluent, respectively, with 98 genes being upregulated in both. RT-qPCR of samples in 2015 and 2017 confirm the upregulation observed in RNA-seq. Analysis of the 98 genes show that majority of the upregulated genes are involved in cellular repair and metabolism followed by resistance, virulence, and signaling. Additionally, two different subpopulations of A. junii are observed in the effluent and chlorinated effluent. The upregulation of cellular repair and metabolism genes, and the formation of different subpopulations of A. junii in both effluents provide insights into the mechanisms employed by A. junii to persist in the conditions of a WWTP.

An Increase of Abundance and Transcriptional Activity for Acinetobacter junii Post Wastewater Treatment

KAUST Repository

Jumat, Muhammad; Haroon, Muhammad; Aljassim, Nada I.; Cheng, Hong; Hong, Pei-Ying

2018-01-01

A membrane bioreactor (MBR)-based wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) in Saudi Arabia is assessed over a five-month period in 2015 and once in 2017 for bacterial diversity and transcriptional activity using metagenomics, metatranscriptomics and real time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). Acinetobacter spp. are shown to be enriched in the chlorinated effluent. Members of the Acinetobacter genus are the most abundant in the effluent and chlorinated effluent. At the species level, Acinetobacter junii have higher relative abundances post MBR and chlorination. RNA-seq analysis show that, in A. junii, 288 genes and 378 genes are significantly upregulated in the effluent and chlorinated effluent, respectively, with 98 genes being upregulated in both. RT-qPCR of samples in 2015 and 2017 confirm the upregulation observed in RNA-seq. Analysis of the 98 genes show that majority of the upregulated genes are involved in cellular repair and metabolism followed by resistance, virulence, and signaling. Additionally, two different subpopulations of A. junii are observed in the effluent and chlorinated effluent. The upregulation of cellular repair and metabolism genes, and the formation of different subpopulations of A. junii in both effluents provide insights into the mechanisms employed by A. junii to persist in the conditions of a WWTP.

An Increase of Abundance and Transcriptional Activity for Acinetobacter junii Post Wastewater Treatment

KAUST Repository

Jumat, Muhammad

2018-04-11

A membrane bioreactor (MBR)-based wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) in Saudi Arabia is assessed over a five-month period in 2015 and once in 2017 for bacterial diversity and transcriptional activity using metagenomics, metatranscriptomics and real time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). Acinetobacter spp. are shown to be enriched in the chlorinated effluent. Members of the Acinetobacter genus are the most abundant in the effluent and chlorinated effluent. At the species level, Acinetobacter junii have higher relative abundances post MBR and chlorination. RNA-seq analysis show that, in A. junii, 288 genes and 378 genes are significantly upregulated in the effluent and chlorinated effluent, respectively, with 98 genes being upregulated in both. RT-qPCR of samples in 2015 and 2017 confirm the upregulation observed in RNA-seq. Analysis of the 98 genes show that majority of the upregulated genes are involved in cellular repair and metabolism followed by resistance, virulence, and signaling. Additionally, two different subpopulations of A. junii are observed in the effluent and chlorinated effluent. The upregulation of cellular repair and metabolism genes, and the formation of different subpopulations of A. junii in both effluents provide insights into the mechanisms employed by A. junii to persist in the conditions of a WWTP.

Isolation, molecular and biochemical characterization of oil degrading bacteria from contaminated soil at an oil refinery

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

AL-Deeb, T.M.; Malkawi, H.I.

2009-01-01

Biodegradation using microorganisms is considered to be cost-effective and environmentally friendly treatment of oil-contaminated sites. Oil-biodegrading bacterial strains were isolated, identified and characterized from oil contaminated soil samples at oil refinery in Zarqa (Jordan). Thirty four bacterial isolates were grown on mineral salt media supplemented with crude oil, but 16 showed positive biodegradation of diesel. All the 34 bacterial isolates were characterized at the molecular and bio-chemical levels, and showed positive polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification product size of 1500 bp when 16s rDNA bacterial universal primers were used. Eighteen bacterial isolates showed positive PCR amplification product size of 150 bp specific for the genus Pseudomonas and 3 bacterial isolates showed positive amplification product size of 1500 bp specific for the genus Acinetobacter. Biochemical and physiological characterization performed on the 34 bacterial isolates revealed the presence of oil biodegrading bacterial genera and species of Pseudomonas Acidovorans, P. aeruginosa, P. vesicularis, Acinetobacter calcoaceticus, Ac. lowffii, Micro-ococcus luteus, M. varians, M. lylae, M. roseus, Alcaligenes denitrificians, Bacillus megaterium, Comamonas sp., Moralxella sp., Bordetella sp., P. putida, P. stutzeri and P. mallei. (au)

RA Research reactor, Annual report 1988

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sotic, O.

1988-12-01

Annual report concerning the project 'RA research nuclear reactor' for 1989, financed by the Serbian ministry of science is divided into two parts. First part is concerned with RA reactor operation and maintenance, which is the task of the Division for reactor engineering of the Institute for multidisciplinary studies and RA reactor engineering. Second part deals with radiation protection activities at the RA reactor which is the responsibility of the Institute for radiation protection. Scientific council of the Institute for multidisciplinary studies and RA reactor engineering has stated that this report describes adequately the activity and tasks fulfilled at the RA reactor in 1989. The scope and the quality of the work done were considered successful both concerning the maintenance and reconstruction, as well as radiation protection activities [sr

226Ra and 228Ra activities associated with agricultural drainage ponds and wetland ponds in the Kankakee Watershed, Illinois-Indiana, USA

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sidle, W.C.; Shanklin, D.; Lee, P.Y.; Roose, D.L.

2001-01-01

Background radioactivity is elevated in many agricultural drainage ponds and also constructed wetland ponds in the Kankakee watershed. During 1995-1999, gross-α and -β activities were measured up to 455 and 1650 mBq L -1 , respectively. 226 Ra and 228 Ra averaged 139 and 192 mBq L -1 in controlled drainage ponds compared to 53 and 58 mBq L -1 for 226 Ra and 228 Ra, respectively, in native wetland ponds. Analyses of applied ammonium phosphate fertilizers near both native and controlled ponds indicate comparable 226 Ra/ 228 Ra and 228 Ra/ 232 Th activity ratios with only the surface waters in the controlled ponds. For example, 226 Ra/ 228 Ra activity ratios in controlled ponds ranged from 0.79 to 0.91 and group with a local fertilizer batch containing FL phosphate compounds with 226 Ra/ 228 Ra activity ratios of 0.83-1.04. Local soils of the Kankakee watershed have 226 Ra/ 228 Ra activity ratios of 0.54-0.70. Calculated Ra fluxes of waters, in drainage ditches associated with these controlled ponds, for 226 Ra ranged from 0.77 to 9.00 mBq cm -2 d -1 and for 228 Ra ranged from 1.22 to 8.43 mBq cm -2 d -1 . Ra activity gradients were measured beneath these controlled ponds both in agricultural landscapes and in constructed wetlands, all being associated with drainage ditches. Ra had infiltrated to the local water table but was below regulatory maximum contaminant limits. Still, measurable Ra activity was measured downgradient of even the constructed wetlands in the Kankakee watershed, suggesting that the attenuation of Ra was low. However, no Ra excess was observed in the riparian zone or the Kankakee River downgradient of the native wetland ponds

226Ra and 228Ra in scale and sludge samples and their correlation with the chemical composition.

Science.gov (United States)

Godoy, José Marcus; da Cruz, Rosana Petinatti

2003-01-01

In order to contribute to a future waste management policy related to the presence of technologically enhanced natural occurring radioactive material (TENORM) in the Brazilian petroleum industry, the present work presents the chemical composition and the (226)Ra and (228)Ra content of sludge and scales generated during the offshore E and P petroleum activities in the Campos Basin, the primary offshore oil production region in Brazil. The (226)Ra and (228)Ra content on 36 sludge and scales samples were determined by gamma-spectrometry. Based on X-ray diffractometry results, a chemical analysis schema for these samples was developed. The results have shown that scales are 75% barium and strontium sulfates, with a mean (226)Ra and (228)Ra content of 106 kBq kg(-1) and 78 kBq kg(-1), respectively. On the other hand, sludge samples have a much more complex chemical composition than the scales. The (226)Ra and (228)Ra content in sludge also varies much more than the content observed in the scales samples and ranged from 0.36 to 367 kBq kg(-1) and 0.25 to 343 kBq kg(-1), respectively.

Acinetobacter baumannii-Infected Vascular Catheters Collected from Horses in an Equine Clinic

OpenAIRE

Vaneechoutte, Mario; Devriese, Luc A.; Dijkshoorn, Lenie; Lamote, Benedicte; Deprez, Piet; Verschraegen, Gerda; Haesebrouck, Freddy

2000-01-01

Acinetobacter baumannii was isolated from tips clipped from seven intravenous jugular catheters collected from horses in the Ghent University equine clinic. They originated from seven different horses. Three of the seven showed evidence of local infection.

Single-step selection of drug resistant Acinetobacter baylyi ADP1 mutants reveals a functional redundancy in the recruitment of multidrug efflux systems.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anthony J Brzoska

Full Text Available Members of the genus Acinetobacter have been the focus recent attention due to both their clinical significance and application to molecular biology. The soil commensal bacterium Acinetobacter baylyi ADP1 has been proposed as a model system for molecular and genetic studies, whereas in a clinical environment, Acinetobacter spp. are of increasing importance due to their propensity to cause serious and intractable systemic infections. Clinically, a major factor in the success of Acinetobacter spp. as opportunistic pathogens can be attributed to their ability to rapidly evolve resistance to common antimicrobial compounds. Whole genome sequencing of clinical and environmental Acinetobacter spp. isolates has revealed the presence of numerous multidrug transporters within the core and accessory genomes, suggesting that efflux is an important host defense response in this genus. In this work, we used the drug-susceptible organism A. baylyi ADP1 as a model for studies into the evolution of efflux mediated resistance in genus Acinetobacter, due to the high level of conservation of efflux determinants across four diverse Acinetobacter strains, including clinical isolates. A single exposure of therapeutic concentrations of chloramphenicol to populations of A. baylyi ADP1 cells produced five individual colonies displaying multidrug resistance. The major facilitator superfamily pump craA was upregulated in one mutant strain, whereas the resistance nodulation division pump adeJ was upregulated in the remaining four. Within the adeJ upregulated population, two different levels of adeJ mRNA transcription were observed, suggesting at least three separate mutations were selected after single-step exposure to chloramphenicol. In the craA upregulated strain, a T to G substitution 12 nt upstream of the craA translation initiation codon was observed. Subsequent mRNA stability analyses using this strain revealed that the half-life of mutant craA mRNA was significantly

RA Research nuclear reactor Part 1, RA Reactor operation and maintenance in 1987

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sotic, O.; Martinc, R.; Cupac, S.; Sulem, B.; Badrljica, R.; Majstorovic, D.; Sanovic, V.

1987-01-01

RA research reacto was not operated due to the prohibition issued in 1984 by the Government of Serbia. Three major tasks were finished in order to fulfill the licensing regulations about safety of nuclear facilities which is the condition for obtaining permanent operation licence. These projects involved construction of the emergency cooling system, reconstruction of the existing special ventilation system, and renewal of the system for electric power supply of the reactor systems. Renewal of the RA reactor instrumentation system was initiated. Design project was done by the Russian Atomenergoeksport, and is foreseen to be completed by the end of 1988. The RA reactor safety report was finished in 1987. This annual report includes 8 annexes concerning reactor operation, activities of services and financial issues, and three special annexes: report on testing the emergency cooling system, report on renewal of the RA reactor and design specifications for reactor renewal and reconstruction [sr

Draft Genome Sequence of Acinetobacter johnsonii C6, an Environmental Isolate Engaging in Interspecific Metabolic Interactions

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kaas, Rolf Sommer; Mordhorst, Hanne; Leekitcharoenphon, Pimlapas

2017-01-01

Acinetobacter johnsonii C6 originates from creosote-polluted groundwater and performs ecological and evolutionary interactions with Pseudomonas putida in biofilms. The draft genome of A. johnsonii C6 is 3.7 Mbp and was shaped by mobile genetic elements. It reveals genes facilitating the biodegrad......Acinetobacter johnsonii C6 originates from creosote-polluted groundwater and performs ecological and evolutionary interactions with Pseudomonas putida in biofilms. The draft genome of A. johnsonii C6 is 3.7 Mbp and was shaped by mobile genetic elements. It reveals genes facilitating...

Infecção cutânea rara por Acinetobacter baumannii em imunocompetente: relato de um caso Rare cutaneous infection by Acinetobacter baumannii in an immunocompetent patient: a case report

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pablo Vitoriano Cirino

2008-08-01

Full Text Available O Acinetobacter baumanni é patógeno oportunista antigamente considerado de baixa virulência. Atualmente está envolvido em processos infecciosos que acometem pacientes imunocomprometidos,grandes queimados e pacientes em unidades de terapia intensiva que fazem uso de ventilação mecânica. Esse relato de caso chama atenção para infecção cutânea rara por essa bactéria em paciente imunocompetente.Acinetobacter baumannii is an oportunistic pathogen that used to be considered as having low virulence; however, it is currently known to be involved in infectious processes in patients with immunosuppression, large burns and those under mechanical ventilation in intensive care units. This case report emphasizes the possibility of cutaneous infection by A. baumanni in immunocompetent patients.

Characterization of a novel plasmid type and various genetic contexts of bla OXA-58 in Acinetobacter spp. from multiple cities in China.

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Yiqi Fu

Full Text Available BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVE: Several studies have described the epidemiological distribution of blaOXA-58-harboring Acinetobacter baumannii in China. However, there is limited data concerning the replicon types of blaOXA-58-carrying plasmids and the genetic context surrounding blaOXA-58 in Acinetobacter spp. in China. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Twelve non-duplicated blaOXA-58-harboring Acinetobacter spp. isolates were collected from six hospitals in five different cities between 2005 and 2010. The molecular epidemiology of the isolates was carried out using PFGE and multilocus sequence typing. Carbapenemase-encoding genes and plasmid replicase genes were identified by PCR. The genetic location of blaOXA-58 was analyzed using S1-nuclease method. Plasmid conjugation and electrotransformation were performed to evaluate the transferability of blaOXA-58-harboring plasmids. The genetic structure surrounding blaOXA-58 was determined by cloning experiments. The twelve isolates included two Acinetobacter pittii isolates (belong to one pulsotype, three Acinetobacter nosocomialis isolates (belong to two pulsotypes and seven Acinetobacter baumannii isolates (belong to two pulsotypes/sequence types. A. baumannii ST91 was found to be a potential multidrug resistant risk clone carrying both blaOXA-58 and blaOXA-23. blaOXA-58 located on plasmids varied from ca. 52 kb to ca. 143 kb. All plasmids can be electrotransformed to A. baumannii recipient, but were untypeable by the current replicon typing scheme. A novel plasmid replicase named repAci10 was identified in blaOXA-58-harboring plasmids of two A. pittii isolates, three A. nosocomialis isolates and two A. baumannii isolates. Four kinds of genetic contexts of blaOXA-58 were identified. The transformants of plasmids with structure of IS6 family insertion sequence (ISOur1, IS1008 or IS15-ΔISAba3-like element-blaOXA-58 displayed carbapenem nonsusceptible, while others with structure of intact ISAba3-like element

Colistin-Resistant Acinetobacter baumannii Clinical Strains with Deficient Biofilm Formation

Science.gov (United States)

Dafopoulou, Konstantina; Xavier, Basil Britto; Hotterbeekx, An; Janssens, Lore; Lammens, Christine; Dé, Emmanuelle; Goossens, Herman; Tsakris, Athanasios; Malhotra-Kumar, Surbhi

2015-01-01

In two pairs of clinical colistin-susceptible/colistin-resistant (Csts/Cstr) Acinetobacter baumannii strains, the Cstr strains showed significantly decreased biofilm formation in static and dynamic assays (P Cstr strain and a frameshift mutation in CarO and the loss of a 47,969-bp element containing multiple genes associated with biofilm production in the other. PMID:26666921

Migration of 226 Ra, 228 Ra, 210 Pb, U and Th from phosphogypsum

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Silva, Nivaldo Carlos da; Cipriani, Moacir; Taddei, Maria Helena T.

2002-01-01

The physico-chemical availability of radioactive elements ( 210 Pb, 226 Ra, 228 Ra, Th and U) in Brazilian phosphogypsum was investigated in a large scale leaching experiment carried out in lysimeters, using phosphogypsum samples (approximately 1.2 tons) from two phosphoric acid industries. Lysimeters were built using cylindrical concrete containers with 0.9 m inner diameter and 2 m depth. The bottom of the lysimeter was filled with a 10 cm layer of gravel covered with geomembrane sheet. Under this layer a pipe was designed to drain the percolated water. Three lysimeters were filled with phosphogypsum from each industry and a mixture of both. As percolated water comes exclusively from the rain, sample was collected daily when available. Samples were then pooled weekly, carefully prepared and submitted to radiochemical analysis. Radiochemical characterization of phosphogypsum and percolated water was performed by radiochemical separation followed by gross alpha and beta counting ( 226 Ra, 228 Ra and 210 Pb) and UV-Vis spectrophotometry with Arsenazo III (U and Th). This experiment was carried out from 12/01/1999 to 01/22/2001, with a precipitation of 2,732 mm. It was observed that approximately 40% (534 L) of the rain fall percolated through the lysimeter 1. The analysis of 22 samples of percolated water from lysimeter 1 showed mean radionuclides activities of 70±30 mBqL -1 , 70±50 mBqL -1 , 100±60 mBqL -1 and 110±55 mBqL -1 for U, 226 Ra, 228 Ra and 210 Pb, respectively. Thorium activities were below detection limit. (author)

Análisis genómico del resistoma de la cepa de Acinetobacter baumannii ABIBUN 107m multi-resistente y persistente en hospitales colombianos

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Maria Teresa Reguero

2014-07-01

Full Text Available Título en español: Análisis genómico del resistoma de la cepa  de  Acinetobacter baumannii  ABIBUN 107m multi-resistente  y persistente  en hospitales colombianos Título en ingles: Genomic analysis of the resistoma of the strain of Acinetobacter baumannii ABIBUN 107m multi-resistant and persistent in Colombian hospitals Título corto: Análisis genómico del resistoma de la cepa  de  Acinetobacter baumannii  Resumen: Acinetobacter baumannii es una bacteria, causante de infecciones asociadas a la atención en salud como neumonía, septicemia, meningitis e infecciones urinarias entre otras. Se caracteriza por su capacidad para desarrollar y acumular rápidamente una gran variedad de mecanismos de resistencia a antibióticos. En esta investigación se realizó el análisis genómico de una cepa de A. baumannii ABIBUN 107m que forma parte de un clon persistente en hospitales colombianos, resistente a los antibióticos carbapenémicos (imipenem y meropenem,  antibióticos de elección en el tratamiento  infecciones causadas por este microorganismo. El genoma de esta bacteria fue secuenciado utilizando técnicas de alto rendimiento, ensamblado y anotado, obteniéndose un genoma constituido por  3954000 pb con 56 contigs;  consta de 4256 genes con un tamaño promedio de 912 pb;  3796 CDS  de los cuales por anotación 2884  se asignaron a COG; 57 tRNA y un porcentaje de GC de 38,74%. A. baumannii ABIBUN 107m es resistente a b-lactámicos, aminoglicósidos, quinolonas, tetraciclina, sulfonamida y colistina. En su genoma se localizaron genes asociados con el perfil de resistencia ya que presenta serin b-lactamasas (blaADC-38, blaOXA-64, blaOXA-23, blaampC-like,  blaamp(H-like, metalo b-lactamasa_B;  proteínas de unión a  penicilina de elevada masa molecular, secuencias de inserción tipo ISAba1; mutaciones en los genes de DNA girasa  y topoisomerasa IV subunidad A (gyrA y parC; enzimas modificadoras de aminoglicósidos (aph

Acinetobacter baumannii displays inverse relationship between meropenem resistance and biofilm production.

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Perez, Leandro Reus Rodrigues

2015-02-01

In this study the ability for biofilm production among meropenem (MEM)-resistant and -susceptible Acinetobacter baumannii isolates was verified. MEM susceptibility and biofilm production were screened in 116 isolates. Meropenem-resistant A. baumannii isolates showed a reduced ability to produce biofilms compared to those susceptible to MEM (Pbaumanni isolates.

Measurements at the RA Reactor related to the VISA-2 project - Part 1, Start-up of the RA reactor and measurement of new RA reactor core parameters; Fizicka merenja na reaktoru RA u vezi projekta VISA-2 - I deo, Pustanje u rad reaktora RA i merenje fizickih parametara novog jezgra reaktora RA

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Markovic, H [Institute of Nuclear Sciences Boris Kidric, Vinca, Beograd (Serbia and Montenegro)

1962-07-15

The objective of the measurements was determining the neutron flux in the RA reactor core. Since the number of fuel channels is increased from 56 to 68 within the VISA-2 project, it was necessary to attain criticality of the RA reactor and measure the neutron flux properties. The 'program of RA reactor start-up' has been prepared separately and it is included in this report. Measurements were divided in two phases. First phase was measuring of the neutron flux after the criticality was achieved but at zero power. During phase two measurements were repeated at several power levels, at equilibrium xenon poisoning. This report includes experimental data of flux distributions and absolute values of the thermal and fast neutron flux in the RA reactor experimental channels and values of cadmium ratio for determining the neutron epithermal flux. Data related to calibration of regulatory rods for cold un poisoned core are included. [Serbo-Croat] Svrha merenja je odredjivanje neutronskog fluksa u reaktoru RA. S obzirom na uvecani broj tehnoloskih kanala of 56 na 68 u vezi projekta VISA-2, bilo je potrebno ponovo dovesti reaktora RA do kriticnosti i izvrsiti merenja karakteristika fluksa neutrona. Posebno je pripremljen 'program pustanja u pogon reaktora RA', koji je sadrzan u ovom dokumentu. Program merenja bio je podeljen na dve faze. Prva faza je merenje fluksa pre podizanju reaktora na nominalnu snagu. Slicna merenja vrsena su i na vecim snagama u drugoj fazi, pod uslovima ravnoteznog zatrovanja reaktora ksenonom, jer se tada pokazuju izvesne promene u odgovarajucim karakteristikama fluksa neutrona. Ovaj izvestaj sadrzi merene vrednosti raspodele fluksa i apsolutne vrednosti termalnih i brzih neutrona kao i kadmijumskih odnosa koji su korisceni za odredjivanje fluksa epitermalnih neutrona. Opisana je kalibracija regulacionih sipki za hladan nezatrovan reaktor.

Biofilm and metallo beta-lactamase production among the strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter spp. at a Tertiary Care Hospital in Kathmandu, Nepal

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Bandana Baniya

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Introduction Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter spp. are found to be associated with biofilm and metallo-β-lactamase production and are the common causes of serious infections mainly in hospitalized patients. So, the main aims of this study were to determine the rates of biofilm production and metallo beta-lactamase production (MBL among the strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter spp. isolated from hospitalized patients. Methods A total of 85 P. aeruginosa isolates and 50 Acinetobacter spp. isolates isolated from different clinical specimens from patients admitted to Shree Birendra Hospital, Kathmandu, Nepal from July 2013 to May 2014 were included in this study. The bacterial isolates were identified with the help of biochemical tests. Modified Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion technique was used for antimicrobial susceptibility testing. Combined disc diffusion technique was used for the detection of MBL production, while Congo red agar method and tube adherence method were used for detection of biofilm production. Results Around 16.4% of P. aeruginosa isolates and 22% of the strains of Acinetobacter spp. were metallo β-lactamase producers. Out of 85 P. aeruginosa isolates, 23 (27.05% were biofilm producers according to tube adherence test while, only 13 (15.29% were biofilm producers as per Congo red agar method. Similarly, out of 50 Acinetobacter spp. 7 (14% isolates were biofilm producers on the basis of tube adherence test, while only 5 (10% were positive for biofilm production by Congo red agar method. Highest rates of susceptibility of P. aeruginosa as well as Acinetobacter spp. were seen toward colistin. Conclusion In our study, biofilm production and metallo beta-lactamase production were observed among Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter spp. However, no statistically significant association could be established between biofilm production and metallo beta-lactamase production.

Multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter meningitis in neurosurgical patients with intraventricular catheters: assessment of different treatments.

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Rodríguez Guardado, A; Blanco, A; Asensi, V; Pérez, F; Rial, J C; Pintado, V; Bustillo, E; Lantero, M; Tenza, E; Alvarez, M; Maradona, J A; Cartón, J A

2008-04-01

The treatment of multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii meningitis is a serious therapeutic problem due to the limited penetration of antibiotics into the CSF. We describe the clinical features and the outcome of a group of patients with nosocomial neurosurgical meningitis treated with different therapeutic options. All patients with nosocomial post-surgical meningitis due to A. baumannii diagnosed between 1990 and 2004 were retrospectively reviewed. During the period of study, 51 cases of this nosocomial infection were identified. Twenty-seven patients were treated with intravenous (iv) monotherapy: carbapenems (21 cases), ampicillin/sulbactam (4 cases) and other antibiotics (2 cases). Four patients were treated with iv combination therapy. Nineteen patients were treated with iv and intrathecal regimens: colistin by both routes (8 cases), carbapenems plus iv and intrathecal (4 cases) or only intrathecal (5 cases) aminoglycosides, and others (2 cases). Seventeen patients died due to the infection. One patient died without treatment. The mean (SD) duration of therapy was 17.4 (8.3) days (range 3-44). Although no patients treated with colistin died, we did not observe statistically significant differences in the mortality among the groups with different treatments. Nosocomial Acinetobacter meningitis has a high mortality. Combined therapy with iv and intrathecal colistin is a useful and safe option in the treatment of nosocomial Acinetobacter meningitis.

Molecular epidemiology of Acinetobacter baumannii in central intensive care unit in Kosova teaching hospital

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Lul Raka

Full Text Available Infections caused by bacteria of genus Acinetobacter pose a significant health care challenge worldwide. Information on molecular epidemiological investigation of outbreaks caused by Acinetobacter species in Kosova is lacking. The present investigation was carried out to enlight molecular epidemiology of Acinetobacterbaumannii in the Central Intensive Care Unit (CICU of a University hospital in Kosova using pulse field gel electrophoresis (PFGE. During March - July 2006, A. baumannii was isolated from 30 patients, of whom 22 were infected and 8 were colonised. Twenty patients had ventilator-associated pneumonia, one patient had meningitis, and two had coinfection with bloodstream infection and surgical site infection. The most common diagnoses upon admission to the ICU were politrauma and cerebral hemorrhage. Bacterial isolates were most frequently recovered from endotracheal aspirate (86.7%. First isolation occurred, on average, on day 8 following admission (range 1-26 days. Genotype analysis of A. baumannii isolates identified nine distinct PFGE patterns, with predominance of PFGE clone E represented by isolates from 9 patients. Eight strains were resistant to carbapenems. The genetic relatedness of Acinetobacter baumannii was high, indicating cross-transmission within the ICU setting. These results emphasize the need for measures to prevent nosocomial transmission of A. baumannii in ICU.

Research nuclear reactor RA - Annual Report 1997; Istrazivacki nuklearni reaktor RA - Izvestaj za 1997. godinu

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Sotic, O [Vinca Institute of Nuclear Sciences, Beograd (Serbia and Montenegro)

1997-12-01

RA reactor is not in operation since 1984, activities related to revitalisation of the RA reactor started in 1986. The planned actions related to renewal of the reactor components were finished except for the most important action, related to exchange of complete reactor instrumentation which was delayed. Only 80% of the instrumentation was delivered until September 1991. Since then any delivery of components to Yugoslavia was stopped because of the sanctions imposed to our country. The existing RA reactor instrumentation was dismantled. Control and maintenance of the reactor components was done regularly and efficiently. Fuel inspection by the IAEA safeguards inspectors was done on a monthly basis. There have been on the average 42 employees at the RA reactor which is considered sufficient for maintenance and repair conditions. The problem of financing the reactor activities and maintenance remains unsolved. Research reactor RA Annual report for year 1997 is divided into two main parts to cover: (1) operation and maintenance and (2) activities related to radiation protection. [Serbo-Croat] Reaktor RA nije u pogonu od 1984, aktivnosti na revitalizaciji, rekostrukciji i modernizaciji reaktorski sistema zapocete su 1986. godine. Okoncan je niz zahvata na opremi postrojenja kojima ce se u narednom periodu omoguciti kontinualan i pouzdan rad ovog reaktora. Poslednji, i ujedno najveci zahvat, koji se odnosi na zamenu celokupne instrumentacije kasni zbog zastoja u isporuci opreme koja se izradjuje u Sovjetskom savezu. Do septembra 1991. godine isporuceno svega 80% od predvidjene kolicine. Od tada je svaka isporuka obustavljena, a razlog je privremena zabrana na sve isporuke opreme za Jugoslaviju usled sankcija uvedenih od strane organizacije Ujedinjenih nacija. Demontirana je postojeca instrumentacija. Kontrola i odrzavanje celopkupne opreme postrojenja, kao i remontni radovi izvrsavani su redovno i efikasno. Kontrola goriva od strane safeguard inspektora MAAE obavljana

PREVALENCE OF ACINETOBACTER BAUMANNII ISOLATED FROM CLINICAL SPECIMENS IN ADAM MALIK HOSPITAL

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Evita Mayasari

2014-05-01

Full Text Available AbstrakAcinetobacter baumannii merupakan spesies Acinetobacter spp. tersering diisolasi darimanusia, dan lebih sering dijumpai pada infeksi nosokomial dibandingkan dengan infeksi dikomunitas. Eksistensi bakteri ini di lingkungan terkait dengan keragaman reservoir, kemampuanmemperoleh gen pembawa sifat resisten antimikroba, dan sifat resisten terhadap pengeringan.Infeksi disebabkan strain A.baumannii yang resisten terhadap banyak antibiotik tidak mudahdikendalikan dan menjadi permasalahan di berbagai negara. Penelitian ini bertujuan untukmengetahui prevalensi A.baumannii dari spesimen klinis di instalasi mikrobiologi klinik RSUPHaji Adam Malik serta pola kepekaannya terhadap berbagai antibiotik. Identifikasi dan ujikepekaan menggunakan mesin otomatis Vitek 2 dengan Advanced Expert System (AES.Penelitian ini menemukan 644/3693 (17,44% isolat A.baumannii dari berbagai spesimen klinis.A.baumannii paling banyak diisolasi dari spesimen dahak. Penelitian ini menemukan 147/644(23% bahwa isolat carbapenem-resistent A.baumannii (imipenem dan meropenem. Sebagianbesar isolat sensitif terhadap colistin, amikacin dan tigecycline. Prevalensi A.baumanni yangditemukan pada penelitian ini adalah rendah namun resistensinya tinggi terhadap antibiotikterutama golongan penicillin, cephalosporin dan fluoroquinolon.AbstractAcinetobacter baumannii is the most frequent species of Acinetobacter spp. isolated fromhumans and more common in nosocomial infection than it is in community acquired infection.A.baumannii existence in environment is associated with the diversity of its reservoirs, itscapacity to accumulate genes of antimicrobial resistence, and its resistence to desiccation.Infection of Multidrug resistent (MDR strain of A.baumannii is not easy to manage and it hasbecome a problem in many countries. The aim of this retrospective study was to investigatethe prevalence of A.baumannii from routine clinical specimens sent to clinical microbiologylaboratory RSUP HAM

Extrahuman Epidemiology of Acinetobacter baumannii in Lebanon

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Rafei, Rayane; Hamze, Monzer; Pailhoriès, Hélène; Eveillard, Matthieu; Marsollier, Laurent; Joly-Guillou, Marie-Laure; Dabboussi, Fouad

2015-01-01

The presence of Acinetobacter baumannii outside hospitals is still a controversial issue. The objective of our study was to explore the extrahospital epidemiology of A. baumannii in Lebanon. From February 2012 to October 2013, a total of 73 water samples, 51 soil samples, 37 raw cow milk samples, 50 cow meat samples, 7 raw cheese samples, and 379 animal samples were analyzed by cultural methods for the presence of A. baumannii. Species identification was performed by rpoB gene sequencing. Antibiotic susceptibility was investigated, and the A. baumannii population was studied by two genotyping approaches: multilocus sequence typing (MLST) and blaOXA-51 sequence-based typing (SBT). A. baumannii was detected in 6.9% of water samples, 2.7% of milk samples, 8.0% of meat samples, 14.3% of cheese samples, and 7.7% of animal samples. All isolates showed a susceptible phenotype against most of the antibiotics tested and lacked carbapenemase-encoding genes, except one that harbored a blaOXA-143 gene. MLST analysis revealed the presence of 36 sequence types (STs), among which 24 were novel STs reported for the first time in this study. blaOXA-51 SBT showed the presence of 34 variants, among which 21 were novel and all were isolated from animal origins. Finally, 30 isolates had new partial rpoB sequences and were considered putative new Acinetobacter species. In conclusion, animals can be a potential reservoir for A. baumannii and the dissemination of new emerging carbapenemases. The roles of the novel animal clones identified in community-acquired infections should be investigated. PMID:25616788

Ra-226 bioaccumulation and growth indices in fish.

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Shi, Xiaopei; Smith, Richard; Seymour, Colin; Mothersill, Carmel

2017-06-01

To determine the accumulated activity of Ra-226 in fathead minnows fed with environmentally relevant levels of Ra-226 for 5 months in water at 20 °C, and to evaluate the influence of this level of Ra-226 on the growth of fathead minnows. Fathead minnows were fed with fish food containing 10-10,000 mBq/g Ra-226 for 5 months. At the end of the experiment, the fish were sacrificed, flash frozen in liquid nitrogen and kept at -20 °C. Longitudinal sections of 40 μm thickness were cut at the middle of the fish body using a cryostat. The activity of Ra-226 in each section was determined using autoradiography with a nuclear track detector CR-39. According to the weight and the width of the fish, the activity of Ra-226 in the whole fish body could be estimated. In addition, the length and the weight of the fish were measured and the condition factor was calculated to evaluate the growth and fitness of the fish. There is a positive but non-linear relationship between the accumulated activity of Ra-226 in fish body and the concentration of Ra-226 in fish food. The highest activity of Ra-226 accumulated in fish body was found from fish fed with 10,000 mBq/g Ra-226 food. This was calculated as 256.4 ± 49.1 mBq/g, p fish fed with food containing lower concentration of Ra-226 (up to 1000 mBq/g), the bioaccumulation of Ra-226 in the body saturated. The Ra-226 concentration factor (CF) for fish was inversely proportional to the Ra-226 activity in food, and the highest CF value was 2.489, obtained from the lowest dietary Ra-226 activity (10 mBq/g). In addition, condition factors (K) of fish in all Ra-226-treated groups were significantly lower than those of the controls. The results show that the bioaccumulation of Ra-226 in fish is not simply related to the dietary Ra-226 activity, and has a saturation value when the dietary activity is low. In addition, the environmental level of Ra-226 in the fish food has a small adverse effect on the growth and fitness of fathead

RESISTENCIA A LOS ANTIBIÓTICOS EN CEPAS DE KLEBSIELLA PNEUMONIAE, SERRATIA SPP. Y ACINETOBACTER SPP.AISLADAS DE PACIENTES CON INFECCIÓN DEL TRACTO URINARIO - LIMA, PERU

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Luján Roca DA

2013-01-01

Full Text Available INFECTION - LIMA, PERU Introduction: Urinary tract infection (UTI is one of the most common infections in clinical practice. Gram negative bacteria as Klebsiella pneumoniae, Serratia spp. and Acinetobacter spp. can cause UTI. Objective: To study antibiotic resistance in K. pneumoniae, Serratia spp. and Acinetobacter spp. strains isolated from UTI Material and methods: Urine cultures were collected from January 2003 to December 2003. Identification of isolated bacteria included biochemical characteristics. Bauer-Kirby disc diffusion test was performed. Results: A total of 106 strains were evaluated (41 of K. pneumoniae, 28 of Serratia spp. and 37 of Acinetobacter spp.. Among K. pneumoniae isolates resistance to ampicillin (83% was remarkable. The Serratia spp. isolates displayed a high level of resistance to nalidixic acid (79% and gentamicin (75%. In Acinetobacter spp. isolates high resistance rates were observed against amikacin (81%, gentamicin (67% and trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole(71%. Conclusions: In general, antibiotic resistance patterns were high. Acinetobacter spp. showed elevated resistance rates (>50% against antibiotics included.

Pesquisa de Acinetobacter sp e Pseudomonas aeruginosa produtores de metalo-β-lactamase em hospital de emergência de Porto Alegre, Estado do Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil Investigation of metallo-β-lactamase-producing Acinetobacter sp and Pseudomonas aeruginosa at an emergency hospital in Porto Alegre, State of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

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Vani Dos Santos Laranjeira

2010-08-01

Full Text Available INTRODUÇÃO: O aparecimento de Pseudomonas aeruginosa e Acinetobacter sp produtores de metalo-β-lactamases (MBLs é um desafio para os hospitais. MÉTODOS: Verificou-se a produção de MBL em cepas clínicas de Pseudomonas aeruginosa e Acinetobacter sp de um hospital de emergência de Porto Alegre pelo método de aproximação de disco e E-test MBL. Os genes bla foram pesquisados pela PCR. RESULTADOS: Duas cepas de Pseudomonas aeruginosa e oito Acinetobacter sp demonstraram fenótipo de MBLs. A amplificação do gene blaSPM-1 confirmou a enzima em P. aeruginosa.. CONCLUSÕES: Deve-se ter cautela ao avaliar testes fenotípicos utilizados na detecção rotineira de metalo-enzima.INTRODUCTION: The appearance of metallo-β-lactamase (MBL-producing Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter sp. is a challenge for hospitals. METHODS: The production of MBL in clinical isolates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter sp. From an emergency hospital in Porto Alegre was investigated using the disk approximation test and MBL E-test. The bla genes were determined using PCR. RESULTS: Two strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and eight of Acinetobacter sp were shown to be MBL phenotypes. Amplification of the blaSPM-1 gene confirmed the presence of the enzyme in P. aeruginosa. CONCLUSIONS: Caution is needed in evaluating phenotype tests used for routine detection of metallo-β-lactamases.

The rapid mode of calcium uptake into heart mitochondria (RaM): comparison to RaM in liver mitochondria.

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Buntinas, L; Gunter, K K; Sparagna, G C; Gunter, T E

2001-04-02

A mechanism of Ca(2+) uptake, capable of sequestering significant amounts of Ca(2+) from cytosolic Ca(2+) pulses, has previously been identified in liver mitochondria. This mechanism, the Rapid Mode of Ca(2+) uptake (RaM), was shown to sequester Ca(2+) very rapidly at the beginning of each pulse in a sequence [Sparagna et al. (1995) J. Biol. Chem. 270, 27510-27515]. The existence and properties of RaM in heart mitochondria, however, are unknown and are the basis for this study. We show that RaM functions in heart mitochondria with some of the characteristics of RaM in liver, but its activation and inhibition are quite different. It is feasible that these differences represent different physiological adaptations in these two tissues. In both tissues, RaM is highly conductive at the beginning of a Ca(2+) pulse, but is inhibited by the rising [Ca(2+)] of the pulse itself. In heart mitochondria, the time required at low [Ca(2+)] to reestablish high Ca(2+) conductivity via RaM i.e. the 'resetting time' of RaM is much longer than in liver. RaM in liver mitochondria is strongly activated by spermine, activated by ATP or GTP and unaffected by ADP and AMP. In heart, RaM is activated much less strongly by spermine and unaffected by ATP or GTP. RaM in heart is strongly inhibited by AMP and has a biphasic response to ADP; it is activated at low concentrations and inhibited at high concentrations. Finally, an hypothesis consistent with the data and characteristics of liver and heart is presented to explain how RaM may function to control the rate of oxidative phosphorylation in each tissue. Under this hypothesis, RaM functions to create a brief, high free Ca(2+) concentration inside mitochondria which may activate intramitochondrial metabolic reactions with relatively small amounts of Ca(2+) uptake. This hypothesis is consistent with the view that intramitochondrial [Ca(2+)] may be used to control the rate of ADP phosphorylation in such a way as to minimize the probability of

RA-0 reactor. New neutronic calculations; Reactor RA-0. Nuevos calculos neutronicos

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rumis, D; Leszczynski, F

1991-12-31

An updating of the neutronic calculations performed at the RA-0 reactor, located at the Natural, Physical and Exact Sciences Faculty of Cordoba National University, are herein described. The techniques used for the calculation of a reactor like the RA-0 allows prediction in detail of the flux behaviour in the core`s interior and in the reflector, which will be helpful for experiments design. In particular, the use of WIMSD4 code to make calculations on the reactor implies a novelty in the possible applications of this code to solve the problems that arise in practice. (Author). [Espanol] En este trabajo se actualizan los calculos neutronicos realizados para el reactor RA-0, instalado en la Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Fisicas y Naturales de la Universidad Nacional de Cordoba. Se describen los calculos realizados hasta la fecha y los resultados obtenidos. Las tecnicas incorporadas al calculo de un reactor como el RA-0 permiten predecir en detalle el comportamiento del flujo en el interior del nucleo y en el reflector, lo que sera una importante ayuda en el diseno de experimentos. En particular, el empleo del codigo WIMSD4 para calculos del reactor completo constituye una novedad en las posibles aplicaciones de ese codigo para resolver problemas que se presentan en la practica. (Autor).

RA Research nuclear reactor - Annual report 1987

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1987-12-01

Annual report concerning the project 'RA research nuclear reactor' for 1987, financed by the Serbian ministry of science is divided into two parts. First part is concerned with RA reactor operation and maintenance, which is the task of the Division for reactor engineering of the Institute for multidisciplinary studies and RA reactor engineering. Second part deals with radiation protection activities at the RA reactor which is the responsibility of the Institute for radiation protection. Scientific council of the Institute for multidisciplinary studies and RA reactor engineering has stated that this report describes adequately the activity and tasks fulfilled at the RA reactor in 1989. The scope and the quality of the work done were considered successful both concerning the maintenance and reconstruction, as well as radiation protection activities [sr

Research nuclear reactor RA - Annual Report 1989

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sotic, O.

1989-12-01

Annual report concerning the project 'RA research nuclear reactor' for 1989, financed by the Serbian ministry of science is divided into two parts. First part is concerned with RA reactor operation and maintenance, which is the task of the Division for reactor engineering of the Institute for multidisciplinary studies and RA reactor engineering. Second part deals with radiation protection activities at the RA reactor which is the responsibility of the Institute for radiation protection. Scientific council of the Institute for multidisciplinary studies and RA reactor engineering has stated that this report describes adequately the activity and tasks fulfilled at the RA reactor in 1989. The scope and the quality of the work done were considered successful both concerning the maintenance and reconstruction, as well as radiation protection activities [sr

Tn7::In2-8 dispersion in multidrug resistant isolates of Acinetobacter baumannii from Chile Dispersión de Tn7::In2-8 en aislamientos multirresistentes de Acinetobacter baumannii de Chile

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M. S. Ramírez

2010-06-01

Full Text Available Acinetobacter baumannii is considered an important pathogen in our hospital environment having a well-known capacity to acquire different mechanisms of antibiotic resistance. Previous studies in our laboratory had exposed the high dispersion of class 2 integrons in this species. In the present study, we analyzed 7 multiresistant intI2 positive A. baumannii isolates, 6 of which were found to harbour the Tn7::In2-8 element. Our results demonstrate the unusually high distribution of Tn7::In2-8 among different A. baumannii clones from Chile, suggesting a particular behavior of these elements at geographical level.Acinetobacter baumannii, patógeno de importancia clínica en el ámbito hospitalario, es reconocido como un microorganismo que posee la capacidad de evolucionar rápidamente hacia la multirresistencia. Estudios previos efectuados en nuestro laboratorio han demostrado la alta dispersión de los integrones de clase 2 en aislamientos de esta especie. En el presente trabajo se analizaron 7 aislamientos de Acinetobacter baumannii multirresistentes portadores de la integrasa de clase 2, 6 de los cuales portaban el inusual arreglo Tn7::In2-8. Nuestros resultados muestran una elevada frecuencia de dispersión del elemento Tn7::In2-8 en diferentes clones circulantes en Chile, lo que sugiere un comportamiento geográfico particular.

Determination antimicrobial resistance profile of Acinetobacter strains isolated from hospitalized patients in Different Part of Taleghani Hospital (Ahvaz, Iran

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Khadijah Ahmadi

2014-10-01

Full Text Available Background: The members of the genus Acinetobacter are Gram-negative cocobacilli that are frequently found in the environment but also in the hospital setting where they have been associated with outbreaks of nosocomial infections such as meningitis, endocarditis, skin and soft tissue infections, urinary tract infection, conjunctivitis, burn wound infection and bacteremia. This organism has been shown resistance to different antimicrobial agents. The aim of this study was to determination antibiotic resistance profile of Acinetobacter strains isolated from hospitalized patients in Taleghani hospital (Ahvaz, Iran. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 43 Acinetobacter strains isolated from hospitalized patients. Clinical specimens were cultured on microbiological media. Subsequently, drug susceptibility test was performed using the disc diffusion method according to CLSI recommendations. Results: Acinetobacter strains were isolated from different specimens consisting biopsy 24 (55.8%, wound 13 (30/2% and blood 6 (14%. In antimicrobial susceptibility testing, colistin exhibited the greatest activity (60.5% against isolated strains. 33 (76/7% isolates demonstrated resistance to imipenem. Conclusion: In outbreak situations, surveillance cultures of patients involved in the outbreak or who are deemed at risk for colonization/infection with the outbreak organism are often parts of the planned intervention.

Productivity loss due to absenteeism and presenteeism by different instruments in patients with RA and subjects without RA

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Braakman-Jansen, Louise Marie Antoinette; Kuper, Ina H.; van de Laar, Mart A F J; Taal, Erik

2012-01-01

Objectives. To explore the impact of at-work productivity loss on the total productivity cost by different instruments in patients recently diagnosed with RA and controls without RA. Methods. Cross-sectional data were collected from outpatients with RA between December 2007 and February 2008. The

Seasonal changes in submarine groundwater discharge to coastal salt ponds estimated using 226Ra and 228Ra as tracers

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Hougham, A.L.; Moran, S.B.; Masterson, J.P.; Kelly, R.P.

2008-01-01

Submarine groundwater discharge (SGD) to coastal southern Rhode Island was estimated from measurements of the naturally-occurring radioisotopes 226Ra (t1/2 = 1600??y) and 228Ra (t1/2 = 5.75??y). Surface water and porewater samples were collected quarterly in Winnapaug, Quonochontaug, Ninigret, Green Hill, and Pt. Judith-Potter Ponds, as well as nearly monthly in the surface water of Rhode Island Sound, from January 2002 to August 2003; additional porewater samples were collected in August 2005. Surface water activities ranged from 12-83??dpm 100??L- 1 (60??dpm = 1??Bq) and 21-256??dpm 100??L- 1 for 226Ra and 228Ra, respectively. Porewater 226Ra activities ranged from 16-736??dpm 100??L- 1 (2002-2003) and 95-815??dpm 100??L- 1 (2005), while porewater 228Ra activities ranged from 23-1265??dpm 100??L- 1. Combining these data with a simple box model provided average 226Ra-based submarine groundwater fluxes ranging from 11-159??L m- 2 d- 1 and average 228Ra-derived fluxes of 15-259??L m- 2 d- 1. Seasonal changes in Ra-derived SGD were apparent in all ponds as well as between ponds, with SGD values of 30-472??L m- 2 d- 1 (Winnapaug Pond), 6-20??L m- 2 d- 1 (Quonochontaug Pond), 36-273??L m- 2 d- 1 (Ninigret Pond), 29-76??L m- 2 d- 1 (Green Hill Pond), and 19-83??L m- 2 d- 1 (Pt. Judith-Potter Pond). These Ra-derived fluxes are up to two orders of magnitude higher than results predicted by a numerical model of groundwater flow, estimates of aquifer recharge for the study period, and values published in previous Ra-based SGD studies in Rhode Island. This disparity may result from differences in the type of flow (recirculated seawater versus fresh groundwater) determined using each technique, as well as variability in porewater Ra activity. ?? 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Genetic Regulation of Virulence and Antibiotic Resistance in Acinetobacter baumannii

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Kröger, Carsten; Kary, Stefani C.; Schauer, Kristina; Cameron, Andrew D. S.

2016-01-01

Multidrug resistant microorganisms are forecast to become the single biggest challenge to medical care in the 21st century. Over the last decades, members of the genus Acinetobacter have emerged as bacterial opportunistic pathogens, in particular as challenging nosocomial pathogens because of the rapid evolution of antimicrobial resistances. Although we lack fundamental biological insight into virulence mechanisms, an increasing number of researchers are working to identify virulence factors and to study antibiotic resistance. Here, we review current knowledge regarding the regulation of virulence genes and antibiotic resistance in Acinetobacter baumannii. A survey of the two-component systems AdeRS, BaeSR, GacSA and PmrAB explains how each contributes to antibiotic resistance and virulence gene expression, while BfmRS regulates cell envelope structures important for pathogen persistence. A. baumannii uses the transcription factors Fur and Zur to sense iron or zinc depletion and upregulate genes for metal scavenging as a critical survival tool in an animal host. Quorum sensing, nucleoid-associated proteins, and non-classical transcription factors such as AtfA and small regulatory RNAs are discussed in the context of virulence and antibiotic resistance. PMID:28036056

226Ra, 228Ra and 40K in scales formed in boilers of industrial installations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Poggi, Claudia M. Braga; Farias, Emerson Emiliano G. de; Hazin, Clovis A.; Gazineu, Maria Helena P.; Universidade Catolica de Pernambuco

2011-01-01

Many industrial processes involve the production of steam in boilers, which is sent through pipes to machines and other equipment used in different sectors of the installations. The water commonly used in these processes is groundwater, which generally has high concentrations of calcium and magnesium salts, that can co-precipitate with naturally occurring radioactive elements such as 226 Ra and 228 Ra creating radioactive scales, which are deposited in pipes, thus decreasing the efficiency of steam production. In addition, 40 K that is present in all soils and rocks with a concentration of about 0.012% of natural potassium can also be concentrated in these scales. No data was found in literature relating to radionuclides present in the scales formed on boilers in general. In this context, the purpose of this work was to determine concentrations of 226 Ra, 228 Ra and 40 K, in scales generated inside boilers from different industries in the cities of Caruaru, Paulista and Goiana, Pernambuco. Determination of the radionuclides concentration was performed by gamma spectrometry with an HPGe detector, calculating their specific activities. Activity concentrations of 226 Ra were in the range of -1 and 228 Ra activity concentrations varied from 1 . Activity concentrations of 40 K were in the range of -1 . All these activity concentrations were lower than the limits established by the Brazilian Nuclear Energy Commission of for this type of matrix. (author)

Acinetobacter Prosthetic Joint Infection Treated with Debridement and High-Dose Tigecycline.

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Vila, Andrea; Pagella, Hugo; Amadio, Claudio; Leiva, Alejandro

2016-12-01

Prosthesis retention is not recommended for multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter prosthetic joint infection due to its high failure rate. Nevertheless, replacing the prosthesis implies high morbidity and prolonged hospitalization. Although tigecycline is not approved for the treatment of prosthetic joint infection due to multidrug resistant Acinetobacter baumannii, its appropriate use may preclude prosthesis exchange. Since the area under the curve divided by the minimum inhibitory concentration is the best pharmacodynamic predictor of its efficacy, we used tigecycline at high dose, in order to optimize its efficacy and achieve implant retention in 3 patients who refused prosthesis exchange. All patients with prosthetic joint infections treated at our Institution are prospectively registered in a database. Three patients with early prosthetic joint infection of total hip arthroplasty due to multidrug resistant A. baumannii were treated with debridement, antibiotics and implant retention, using a high maintenance dose of tigecycline (100 mg every 12 hours). The cases were retrospectively reviewed. All patients signed informed consent for receiving off-label use of tigecycline. Tigecycline was well tolerated, allowing its administration at high maintenance dose for a median of 40 days (range 30-60). Two patients were then switched to minocycline at standard doses for a median of 3.3 months in order to complete treatment. Currently, none of the patients showed relapse. Increasing the dose of tigecycline could be considered as a means to better attain pharmacodynamic targets in patients with severe or difficult-to-treat infections. Tigecycline at high maintenance dose might be useful when retention of the implant is attempted for treatment for prosthetic joint infections due to multidrug resistant Acinetobacter. Although this approach might be promising, off-label use of tigecycline should be interpreted cautiously until prospective data are available. Tigecycline is

Seasonal variation of 228Ra/226Ra ratio in seaweed: implications for water circulation patterns in coastal areas of the Noto Peninsula, Japan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Inoue, M.; Kofuji, H.; Yamamoto, M.; Komura, K.

2005-01-01

To examine water circulation patterns of coastal water, 72 seaweed (Sargasso) samples and 27 coastal water samples were collected from coastal areas of the Noto Peninsula, Japan, during the period from December 1998 to June 2002. The 228 Ra and 226 Ra activities of those samples were measured by low-background γ-ray spectrometry. There was a wide range of activities of 228 Ra (0.5-2 Bq/kg-fresh) and 226 Ra (0.5-1.2 Bq/kg-fresh) in the Sargasso samples. The 228 Ra/ 226 Ra activity ratio of Sargasso samples exhibited seasonal variation with minimum values in June ( 228 Ra/ 226 Ra = ∼1) and maximum values in December (1.5-2.5), which was mainly governed by changes in 228 Ra activity. It is also notable that the seasonal variation of the 228 Ra/ 226 Ra ratio of Sargasso is in approximate agreement with that of the ambient coastal water. Sargasso samples appear to have retained the 228 Ra/ 226 Ra ratio of the ambient coastal waters, and the temporal variations in that ratio provide insight into seasonal changes in water circulation in the Noto Peninsula coastal area

Research nuclear reactor RA - Annual Report 1996; Istrazivacki nuklearni reaktor RA - Izvestaj za 1996. godinu

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sotic, O [Institute of Nuclear Sciences Boris Kidric, Vinca, Beograd (Serbia and Montenegro)

1996-12-01

Activities related to revitalisation of the RA reactor started in 1986, were continued in 1996. All the planned actions related to renewal of the reactor components were finished. The last, and at the same time most important action, related to exchange of complete reactor instrumentation is underway, delayed. The delivery of components from USSR is late. Production of this instruments is financed by the IAEA according to the contract signed in December 1988 with Russian Atomenergoexport. According to this contract, it has been planned that the RA reactor instrumentation should be delivered to the Vinca Institute by the end of 1990. Only 80% of the instrumentation was delivered until September 1991. Since then any delivery of components to Yugoslavia was stopped because of the temporary embargo imposed by the IAEA. The existing RA reactor instrumentation was dismantled. Control and maintenance of the reactor components was done regularly and efficiently. Fuel inspection by the IAEA safeguards inspectors was done on a monthly basis. There have been on the average 43 employees at the RA reactor which is considered sufficient for maintenance and repair conditions. The problem of financing the reactor activities and maintenance remains unsolved. Research reactor RA Annual report for year 1996 is divided into two main parts to cover: (1) operation and maintenance and (2) activities related to radiation protection. [Serbo-Croat] U toku 1996. godine nastavljeni su poslovi na revitalizaciji reaktora RA, zapocetoj 1986. godine. Okoncan je niz zahvata na opremi postrojenja kojima ce se u narednom periodu omoguciti kontinualan i pouzdan rad ovog reaktora. Poslednji, i ujedno najveci zahvat, koji se odnosi na zamenu celokupne instrumentacije kasni zbog zastoja u isporuci opreme koja se izradjuje u Sovjetskom savezu. Izradu ove opreme finansira Medjunarodna agencija za atomsku energiju kroz ugovor sklopljen decembra 1988. godine sa moskovskom firmom Atomenergoexport. Prema tom

Molecular Typing of Acinetobacter Baumannii Clinical Strains in Tehran by Pulsed-Field Gel Electrophoresis

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Neda Farahani

2013-03-01

Full Text Available Background & Objective : Currently, Acinetobacter baumannii is an important nosocomial pathogen insofar as its hospital outbreaks have been described from various geographical areas. Since the discrimination of strains within a species is important for delineating nosocomial outbreaks, this study was conducted with the aim of genotyping the A. baumannii clinical strains in Tehran via the pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE method, which is the most accurate method used for the typing of bacterial species.   Materials & methods: This study was performed on 70 isolates of acinetobacter baumannii isolated from patients from Baqiyatallah, Rasoole Akram, and Milad hospitals in Tehran. Cultural and biochemical methods were used for the identification of the isolates in species level, and then susceptibility tests were carried out on 50 isolates of A. baumannii using the disk diffusion method. The PFGE method was performed on the isolates by Apa I restriction enzyme. Finally, the results of the PFGE were analyzed. Result: Acinetobacter baumannii strains isolated from hospitals in Tehran showed seven different genetic patterns, two of which were sporadic . Also, genotypic profiles were different in each hospital, and different patterns of genetic resistance to common antibiotics were observed. Conclusion: A lthough diversity was observed among the strains of A. baumannii by the PFGE method in Tehran, no epidemic strains were found among them.  

Measurements of neutron flux in the RA reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Raisic, N.

1961-12-01

This report includes the following separate parts: Thermal neutron flux in the experimental channels od RA reactor; Epithermal neutron flux in the experimental channels od RA reactor; Fast neutron flux in the experimental channels od RA reactor; Thermal neutron flux in the thermal column and biological experimental channel; Neutronic measurements in the RA reactor cell; Temperature reactivity coefficient of the RA reactor; design of the device for measuring the activity of wire [sr

Tigecycline use in two cases with multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii meningitis.

Science.gov (United States)

Tutuncu, E Ediz; Kuscu, Ferit; Gurbuz, Yunus; Ozturk, Baris; Haykir, Asli; Sencan, Irfan

2010-09-01

The treatment of post-surgical meningitis due to multidrug-resistant (MDR) Acinetobacter baumannii is a therapeutic dilemma. The cases of two patients with MDR A. baumannii meningitis secondary to surgical site infections, successfully treated with combination regimens including tigecycline, are presented. Copyright © 2009 International Society for Infectious Diseases. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

In vitro and in vivo analysis of antimicrobial agents alone and in combination against multi-drug resistant Acinetobacter baumannii

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Songzhe eHE

2015-05-01

Full Text Available Objective To investigate the in vitro and in vivo antibacterial activities of tigecycline and other 13 common antimicrobial agents, alone or in combination, against multi-drug resistant Acinetobacter baumannii.MethodsAn in vitro susceptibility test of 101 Acinetobacter baumannii was used to detect minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs. A mouse lung infection model of multi-drug resistant Acinetobacter baumannii,established by the ultrasonic atomization method, was used to define in vivo antimicrobial activities.Results Multi-drug resistant Acinetobacter baumannii showed high sensitivity to tigecycline (98% inhibition, polymyxin B (78.2% inhibition, and minocycline (74.2% inhibition. However, the use of these antimicrobial agents in combination with other antimicrobial agents produced synergistic or additive effects. In vivo data showed that white blood cell (WBC counts in drug combination groups C (minocycline + amikacin and D (minocycline + rifampicin were significantly higher than in groups A (tigecycline and B (polymyxin B (P < 0.05, after administration of the drugs 24h post-infection. Lung tissue inflammation gradually increased in the model group during the first 24h after ultrasonic atomization infection; vasodilation, congestion with hemorrhage were observed 48h post infection. After three days of anti-infective therapy in groups A, B, C and D, lung tissue inflammation in each group gradually recovered with clear structures. The mortality rates in drug combination groups (groups C and D were much lower than in groups A and B.ConclusionThe combination of minocycline with either rifampicin or amikacin is more effective against multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii than single-agent tigecycline or polymyxin B. In addition, the mouse lung infection by ultrasonic atomization is a suitable model for drug screening and analysis of infection mechanism.

Seasonal variations in 228Ra/226Ra ratio within coastal waters of the Sea of Japan: implications for water circulation patterns in coastal areas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Inoue, M.; Tanaka, K.; Watanabe, S.; Kofuji, H.; Yamamoto, M.; Komura, K.

2006-01-01

In this study, low-background γ-spectrometry was used to determine the 228 Ra/ 226 Ra ratio of 131 coastal water samples from various environments around Honshu Island, Japan (mainly around Noto Peninsula) at 1-3 month intervals from April 2003 until September 2005. Spatial variation in 228 Ra/ 226 Ra ratios was also assessed by analyzing 34 coastal water samples from five areas within the Sea of Japan during May and June 2004. The 228 Ra/ 226 Ra ratio of coastal water from all sites around Noto Peninsula shows seasonal variation, with minimum values during summer ( 228 Ra/ 226 Ra = 0.7) and maximum values during autumn-winter ( 228 Ra/ 226 Ra = 1.7-2). This seasonal variation is similar to that recorded for coastal water between Tsushima Strait and Noto Peninsula. The measured lateral variation in 228 Ra/ 226 Ra ratios within coastal water between Tsushima Strait and Noto Peninsula is only minor (0.5-0.7; May-June 2004). Coastal waters from two other sites (Pacific shore and Tsugaru Strait, north Honshu) show no clear seasonal variation in 228 Ra/ 226 Ra ratio. These measured variations in 228 Ra/ 226 Ra ratio, especially the temporal variations, have important implications for seasonal changes in patterns of coastal water circulation within the Sea of Japan

Using 226Ra/228Ra disequilibrium to determine the residence half-lives of radium in vegetation compartments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Baeza, A.; Barandica, J.; Paniagua, J.M.; Rufo, M.; Sterling, A.

1999-01-01

The concentrations of 226 Ra and 228 Ra were studied in different vegetation compartments and in available and non-available soil fractions in a Mediterranean scrubland ecosystem. A high percentage of the plant samples showed an apparent discrimination in favour of 226 Ra over 228 Ra. A linear compartmental model was applied to the soil-plant system. It allowed us to explain why these discrimination coefficients differed from unity, to obtain the residence half-lives of radium in the different compartments, to estimate the age of the plants, and to simulate the temporal evolution of the radioactive concentrations in each compartment. (Copyright (c) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V., Amsterdam. All rights reserved.)

Biochemical Characterization of Lipases Obtained from Acinetobacter psychrotolerans Strains

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Şule SEREN

2017-12-01

Full Text Available In this study, extracellular lipases obtained from Acinetobacter psychrotolerans strains (Xg1 and Xg2 were characterized. The effects of varying pH values (3.0-10.0 and various temperatures (10-90 °C on lipase activities were examined. Also the effects of different metal ions, organic solvents and detergents on lipases were studied. The extracellular crude lipases were concentrated using ultrafiltration. Zymogram analysis of these lipases was performed. Lipases exhibited maximum activity at pH 8 and 30 °C.  While lipase obtained from the Xg1 strain exhibited the highest stability in the presence of various organic solvents, including hexane, ethyl acetate, chloroform and N,N dietil formamide, lipase obtained from the Xg2 strain was sensitive in the presence of isopropanol, acetonitrile, and butan-1-ol. The lipases of the Xg1 and Xg2 strains were inhibited in the presence of Cu2+ and Zn2+. Also, the lipase of the Xg1 strain was inhibited in the presence of Fe3+. In the presence of EDTA, the lipase activities of the Xg1 and Xg2 strains were partially inhibited. In presence of SDS, they were exactly inhibited. According to the zymogram results, the molecular weights of the lipases obtained from the Acinetobacter psychrotolerans Xg1 and Xg2 strains have been found approximately 37 and 30 kDa, respectively.

Cryo-electron tomography analysis of membrane vesicles from Acinetobacter baumannii ATCC19606(T)

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Koning, Roman I.; de Breij, Anna; Oostergetel, Gert T.; Nibbering, Peter H.; Koster, Abraham J.; Dijkshoorn, Lenie

Acinetobacter baumannii is an important nosocomial pathogen responsible for colonization and infection of critically ill patients. Its virulence attributes together with the condition of the host determine the pathogenicity of A. baumannii. These virulence factors may be delivered to host cells by

Towards an explanation for the success of Acinetobacter baumannii in the human host

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Breij, Anastasia (Anna)

2012-01-01

Acinetobacter baumannii is an important nosocomial pathogen responsible for outbreaks of infection worldwide. The studies presented in this thesis aimed to gain further insight into the bacterial and host factors associated with the pathogenesis of A. baumannii to seek an explanation for the

ANTI-HETEROGENEOUS NUCLEAR RIBONUCLEOPROTEIN B1 (ANTI-RA33 ANTIBODIES IN RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS AND SYSTEMIC SCLEROSIS

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P. A. Kuznetsova

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Anti-heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein (RNP autoantibodies (AAbs are encountered in many autoimmune rheumatic diseases (ARDs. The potential diagnostic value of the RA33 AAb complex consisting of RNP A2 and alternative domains of the splicing proteins RNP B1 and RNP B2 is now of interest to rheumatologists. Subjects and methods. The authors studied the frequency of anti-RNP B1 AAbs in 300 patients with systemic ARDs, including those with rheumatoid arthritis (RA, ankylosing spondylitis (AS, systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE, systemic sclerosis (SSc, and Sjö gren's syndrome (SS and in 53 people without ARDs, who constituted a control group. Serum anti-RNP B1 AAbs were assessed by enzyme immunoassay. Results and discussion. The frequency of anti-RNP B1 AAbs in patients with ARDs was much higher than that in the control group: 170/300 (56.6% and 8/53 (13% patients, respectively. Anti-RNP B1 AAbs were detected in 78.5% (113/144 of the patients with RA; 40.3% (23/57 of those with AS, in 67.5% (27/40 of those with SSc, in 36.4% (16/44 of those with SLE, and in 13.3% (2/15 of those with SS. The diagnostic sensitivity of the marker for RA was 78.5%, its diagnostic specificity was 84.9%; the likelihood ratio of positive and negative results was 5.24 and 0.24, respectively. In the patients with RA, the level of anti-RNP B1 AAbs significantly correlated with that of C-reactive protein and erythrocyte sedimentation rate, while in those with SSc the detection of anti-RNP B1 AAbs was related to the rigidity of the vascular wall and the presence of hypertension. The frequency of anti-RNP B1 AAbs among the RA patients seronegative for rheumatoid factor and anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide antibodies was 15.4%. Conclusion. Anti-RNP B1 AAs are a useful laboratory marker (with the upper limit of the normal range being 3.3 U/ml, but are of limited value in the diagnosis of RA. Anti-RNP B1 AAbs may be regarded as an additional diagnostic marker for RA.

IL-1Ra: its role in rheumatoid arthritis

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M. Cutolo

2011-09-01

Full Text Available Interleukin-1 (IL-1 is one of the pivotal cytokines in initiating and driving the processes of rheumatoid arthritis (RA, and the body’s natural response, IL-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1Ra, has been shown conclusively to block its effects. IL-1 mediate several clinical symptoms of the inflammatory reaction (i.e. fever, pain, sleep disturbances. IL-1 is considered a key mediator in RA joint damage because of its greater capacity (greater than TNF of increasing matrix degradation by inducing the production of MMPs and PGE2 in synovial cells, as well by its role as mediator of bone and cartilage destruction. In addition, IL-1 decreases the repair process by suppressing matrix synthesis and shows a strong synergism with TNF in inducing many inflammatory genes at both local and systemic level. The induced endogenous production of IL-1Ra, in presence of the RA synovitis, is too low to contrast the high affinity of IL-1 for the cell receptors. Therefore, IL-1Ra presence should result in very effective prevention of IL-1 signal transduction particularly in the inflammatory site. In laboratory and animal studies inhibition of IL-1 by either antibodies to IL-1 or IL-1Ra proved beneficial to the outcome. IL-1Ra is a member of the IL-1 superfamily. The effects of different DMARDs on IL-1Ra levels in RA patients support the important role that selected anticytokine treatments might exert in the pathophysiology of the disease. However, since anti TNFα therapy it is not effective in all RA patients, nor does it fully control the arthritic process in affected joints of good responders and complete TNF suppression should be avoided, the combined treatment with intermediate doses of TNF and IL-1 blockers, reaching synergistic suppression of arthritis, seems warranted in RA.

Estimation of annual effective dose from 226Ra and 228Ra due to consumption of foodstuffs by inhabitants of Ramsar city, Iran

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Asefi, M.; Fathivand, A. A.; Amidi, J.

2005-01-01

226 Ra and 228 Ra contents in foodstuffs of Ramsar which is a coastal city in the northern part of lran were determined by gamma spectrometry. Measurement results together with food consumption rates were used to estimate annual effective dose from 226 Ra and 228 Ra, due to consumption of food stuffs by inhabitants of Ramsar city. Materials and methods: a total of 33 samples from 11 different foodstuffs including root vegetables (beetroot), leafy vegetables (lettuce, parsley and spinach) and tea, meat, chicken, pea, broad bean, rice, and cheese were purchased from markets of Ramsar city and were analyzed for their 226 Ra and 228 Ra concentration. 1-8 kg of fresh weight sample was placed in Marinnelli beaker and sealed. The measurement of natural radioactivity levels as performed by gamma-spectrometry system, using a high purity germanium detector with 40% relative efficiency. Results: The highest concentrations of 226 Ra and 228 Ra were determined in tea samples with 1570 and 1140 mBq/kg, respectively, and the lowest concentration of 226 Ra was in pea, cheese, chicken, broad bean, and beetroot. Conclusion:The maximum estimated annual effective dose from 226 Ra and 228 Ra due to consumption, foodstuffs were determined to be 19.22 and 0.71 mSv from rice and meat samples respectively, where as, minimum estimated annual effective dose for 226 Ra was 0.017, 0.018 and 0.019 mSv from beetroot, cheese and pea samples respectively

Determination of long-lived natural Ra isotopes, 226Ra, in mineral and spring waters from Caxambu (MG) and Aguas de Lindoia (SP) spas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Negrao, Sergio Garcia

2012-01-01

The aim of this work was to study the long-lived Ra isotopes, 226 Ra and 228 Ra, natural distribution in mineral and spring waters from Caxambu (MG) and Aguas de Lindoia (SP) water parks. In Caxambu mineral waters it was observed 228 Ra activity concentrations slightly higher than those of 226 Ra. The elevated content of carbonates and bicarbonates of these waters can result in an increased solubility of the both Ra isotopes and may play an important role for the fate of 228 Ra and its equilibrium distribution between solid and liquid phases. In Caxambu Thermal Spa, arithmetic mean activities ranged from 83 mBq L -1 to 3599 mBq L -1 and from 60 mBq L -1 to 4481 mBq L -1 for 226 Ra and 228 Ra, respectively. The highest 226 Ra activity was found in Venancio Spring, while the maximum 228 Ra activity value was determined in Ernestina Guedes. 228 Ra/ 226 Ra activity ratios varied from 0.079 (Conde D'Eau and Princesa Isabel Spring) to 4.2 (Mairink II Spring). In Aguas de Lindoia, arithmetic mean activities ranged from 4.6 mBq L -1 to 41 mBq L -1 and from 30 mBq L -1 to 54 mBq L -1 for 226 Ra and 228 Ra, respectively. The maximum 226 Ra activity concentration was found in the bottled mineral water Sao Jorge, while the higher 228 Ra activity concentration was determined in Santa Filomena Spring (public station 2). 228 Ra/ 226 Ra activity ratios varied from 1.2 (bottled mineral water Sao Jorge) to 9.1 (bottled mineral water Jatoba 1). This work also performed the dose assessment due to the ingestion of 226 Ra and 228 Ra in Caxambu and Aguas de Lindoia mineral and spring waters. The committed effective doses were estimated by using a conservative dosimetric model and taking into account the results over a lifetime (70 years) following intake of both long-lived Ra isotopes. The results from this radiological evaluation showed that the guidance committed effective dose level of 0.1 mSv y-1 recommended by World Health Organization was exceeded in almost all samples studied in

Radiation protection at the RA Reactor in 1993, RA research reactor, Part

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ninkovic, M.; Pavlovic, R.; Mandic, M.; Sipka, V.; Grsic, Z.

1993-01-01

Radiation protection tasks which enable safe operation of the RA reactor, and are defined according the the legal regulations and IAEA safety recommendations are sorted into four categories in this report: (1) Control of the working environment, dosimetry and radiation protection at the RA reactor; (2) decontamination, collecting and treatment of fluid effluents and solid wastes; (3) Radioactivity control in the vicinity of the reactor and (4)meteorology measurements; (3). Each of the category is described as a separate annex of this report [sr

Eradication of multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii in a female patient with total hip arthroplasty, with debridement and retention: a case report

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Beieler Alison M

2009-02-01

Full Text Available Abstract Introduction Multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii has become a significant cause of healthcare-associated infections, but few reports have addressed Acinetobacter baumannii infections associated with orthopedic devices. The current recommended treatment for complicated infections due to orthopedic devices, including resistant gram-negative rods, consists of antimicrobial therapy with debridement and removal of implants. Case presentation The patient, a 47-year-old woman, had previously had a prior total hip arthroplasty at 16 years of age for a complex femoral neck fracture, and multiple subsequent revisions. This time, she underwent a fifth revision secondary to pain. Surgery was complicated by hypotension resulting in transfer to the intensive care unit and prolonged respiratory failure. She received peri-operative cefazolin but postoperatively developed surgical wound drainage requiring debridement of a hematoma. Cultures of this grew ampicillin-sensitive Enterococcus and Acinetobacter baumannii (sensitive only to amikacin and imipenem. The patient was started on imipenem. Removal of the total hip arthroplasty was not recommended because of the recent surgical complications, and the patient was eventually discharged home. She was seen weekly for laboratory tests and examinations and, after 4 months of therapy, the imipenem was discontinued. She did well clinically for 7 months before recurrent pain led to removal of the total hip arthroplasty. Intra-operative cultures grew ampicillin-sensitive Enterococcus and coagulase-negative Staphylococcus but no multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii. The patient received ampicillin for 8 weeks and had not had recurrent infection at the time of writing, 37 months after discontinuing imipenem. Conclusion We describe the successful treatment of an acute infection from multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii with debridement and retention of the total hip arthroplasty, using

Identification of Opportunistic Pathogenic Bacteria in Drinking Water Samples of Different Rural Health Centers and Their Clinical Impacts on Humans

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Pavan Kumar Pindi

2013-01-01

Full Text Available International drinking water quality monitoring programs have been established in order to prevent or to reduce the risk of contracting water-related infections. A survey was performed on groundwater-derived drinking water from 13 different hospitals in the Mahabubnagar District. A total of 55 bacterial strains were isolated which belonged to both gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. All the taxa were identified based on the 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis based on which they are phylogenetically close to 27 different taxa. Many of the strains are closely related to their phylogenetic neighbors and exhibit from 98.4 to 100% sequence similarity at the 16S rRNA gene sequence level. The most common group was similar to Acinetobacter junii (21.8% and Acinetobacter calcoaceticus (10.9% which were shared by 7 and 5 water samples, respectively. Out of 55 isolates, only 3 isolates belonged to coliform group which are Citrobacter freundii and Pantoea anthophila. More than half (52.7%, 29 strains of the phylogenetic neighbors which belonged to 12 groups were reported to be pathogenic and isolated from clinical specimens. Out of 27 representative taxa are affiliated have eight representative genera in drinking water except for those affiliated with the genera Exiguobacterium, Delftia, Kocuria, and Lysinibacillus.

RA Research reactor, Part 1, Operation and maintenance of the RA nuclear reactor for 1986; Istrazivacki nuklearni reaktor RA, deo 1, pogon i odrzavanje nukleanog reaktora RA u 1986. godini

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sotic, O; Martinc, R; Cupac, S; Sulem, B; Badrljica, R; Majstorovic, D; Sanovic, V [Institute of Nuclear Sciences Boris Kidric, Vinca, Beograd (Serbia and Montenegro)

1986-12-01

In order to enable future reliable operation of the RA reactor, according to new licensing regulations, three major tasks started in 1984 were fulfilled: building of the new emergency system, reconstruction of the existing ventilation system, and reconstruction of the power supply system. Simultaneously in 1985/1986 renewal of the instrumentation and reconstruction of the system for handling and storage of the spent fuel in the reactor building have started. Design projects for these tasks are almost finished and the reconstruction of both systems is expected to be finished until 1988 and mid 1989 respectively. RA reactor Safety report was finished according to the recommendations of the IAEA. Investments in 1986 were used for 8000 kg of heavy water, maintenance of reactor systems and supply of new components, reconstruction of reactor systems. This report includes 8 annexes concerning reactor operation, activities of services and financial issues. [Serbo-Croat] Sa ciljem da se obezbedi pouzdan rad reaktora RA a u skladu sa zakonskim propisima, zavrsena su tri velika zahvata zapoceta 1984: izgradnja novog sistema za udesno hladjenje, rekonstrukcija postojeceg sistema za ventilaciju, i modernizacija reaktorske instrumentacije. Istovremeno tokom 1985/1986. zapoceta je modernizacija instrumentacije i rekonstrukcija sistema za rukovanje i skladistenje iskoriscenog goriva u zgradi reaktora. Projekti za navedene radove su vec zavrseni ili su u zavrsnoj fazi, a ocekuje se da ce rekonstrukcija oba sistema biti zavrsena do kraja 1988. odnosno sredine 1989. godine. Izrada izvestaja o sigurnosti reaktora RA, prema preporukama MAAE zavrsena je 1986. Investiciona ulaganja na reaktoru Ra u 1986. iskoriscena su za: nabavku 8000 kg teske vode, za investiciono odrzavanje reaktorskih sistema i nabavku opreme, za rekonstrukciju reaktorskih sistema. Ovaj izvestaj sadrzi 8 priloga koji opisuju rad reaktora, rad strucnih sluzbi i finansiranje.

Research nuclear reactor RA - Annual Report 1991; Istrazivacki nuklearni reaktor RA - Izvestaj za 1991. godinu

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sotic, O [Institute of Nuclear Sciences Boris Kidric, Vinca, Beograd (Serbia and Montenegro)

1992-01-01

Activities related to revitalisation of the RA reactor stared in 1986, were continued in 1991. A number of interventions on the reactor components were finished that are supposed to enable continuous and reliable operation. The last, and at the same time largest action, related to exchange of complete reactor instrumentation is underway, but it is behind the schedule in 1991 because the delivery of components from USSR is late. Production of this instruments is financed by the IAEA according to the contract signed in December 1988 with Russian Atomenergoexport. According to this contract, it has been planned that the RA reactor instrumentation should be delivered to the Vinca Institute by the end of 1990. Only 56% of the instrumentation was delivered until September 1991. Since then any delivery of components to Yugoslavia was stopped because of the temporary embargo imposed by the IAEA. In 1991 most of the existing RA reactor instrumentation was dismantled, only the part needed for basic measurements when reactor is not operated, was maintained. Construction of some support elements is almost finished by the local staff. The Institute has undertaken this activity in order to speed up the ending of the project. If all the planned instrumentation would not arrive until the end of March 1992, it would not be possible to start the RA reactor testing operation in the first part of 1993, as previously planned. In 1991, 53 staff members took part in the activities during 1991, which is considered sufficient for maintenance and repair conditions. Research reactor RA Annual report for year 1991 is divided into two main parts to cover: (1) operation and maintenance and (2) activities related to radiation protection. [Serbo-Croat] U 1991. godini nastavljeni su poslovi na revitalizaciji reaktora RA, zapocetoj 1986. godine. Okoncan je niz zahvata na opremi postrojenja kojima ce se u narednom periodu omoguciti kontinualan i pouzdan rad ovog reaktora. Poslednji, i ujedno najveci

Development of a liquid scintillation method for in vitro determination of 226Ra and 228 Ra in bioassay samples

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fernandes, Paulo Cesar P.; Sousa, Wanderson O.; Juliao, Ligia M.Q.C.; Dantas, Bernardo M.

2011-01-01

Radium isotopes are dispersed in the environment according to their physicochemical characteristics. The intake of 226 Ra and 228 Ra in humans can occur by inhalation and ingestion and the risk of internal exposure are related to their long half-lives, characteristics of the emission and biokinetics of the isotopes in the human body. The goal of this work is to develop a methodology for the analysis of 226 Ra and 228 Ra in excreta samples (urine and feces), using liquid scintillation technique. Excreta samples were provided by non-exposed humans for the purpose of standardizing the methodology and the establishment of a background level of radium excretion. Radium isotopes were concentrated and separated from the constituents of the sample by co-precipitation with barium sulphate. The precipitate of Ba(Ra)SO 4 was filtrated and weighted for the determination of the chemical yield. The filter containing the precipitate was transferred to a scintillation vial. In the scintillation vial, 8 mL of water, 8 mL of Instagel XF and 4 mL of UltimaGold were added, forming a gel suspension, after stirring the solution. The 226 Ra and 228 Ra activities were determined 21 days after the precipitation of samples. The samples were counted in a liquid scintillation spectrometer. The technique presented adequate sensitivity and reproducibility for the analysis of urine and feces. The activities of 226 Ra and 228 Ra in excreta samples provide useful information for the identification of the main route of intake and for the assessment of the internal exposure of occupationally exposed workers and inhabitants of high background areas. (author)

226Ra measurement by thermal ionisation mass spectrometry: Use of 226Ra and 14C for groundwater dating

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dever, L.

1997-01-01

Recent developments in thermal ionisation mass spectrometry (TIMS) and in chemical separation Ra and Ba allow to analyse 226 Ra on smaller water samples ( 3 litres). The sampling has been realised on the Chalk aquifer of the Paris basin. The water samples have been collected in the unsaturated zone using in situ filtering devices and in the unconfined and confined parts of the aquifer in the boreholes used for public water supply. 226 Ra contents vary from 0.064±0.02 dpm/kg (n=6) in the unsaturated zone to 0.119±0.069 dpm/kg (n=7) in the unconfined aquifer and 0.319±0.057 dpm/kg (n=9) in the confined aquifer. For all the samples the 226 Ra/ 238 U activity ratios are much lower than the secular equilibrium. This points out that the two isotopes have different input function in the water during the mineralisation of the solution. The good correlation (r 2 =0.9) between the 226 Ra and Sr indicates that dissolution of Chalk is the dominant mechanism of mineralisation in 226 Ra of the solution. In the Chalk the mineralisation of the water occurs in the first metres of the unsaturated zone, during the water percolation the water rock interaction takes place through dissolution and precipitation of calcite in a non steady state. According to his distribution coefficient Sr is then a better tracer of dissolution/precipitation process than Ba. Using a geochemical model based on 226 Ra/Sr and Sr/Ca ratios an 'age' of the water could be determined. With 226 Ra half life of 1620 years we obtain 'ages' varying from 150 years to 1950 years in the unconfined aquifer. For the confined part of the aquifer where the redox condition is different it is necessary to use a geochemical model based on the U concentration in the water, the 226 Ra gives in such case ages varying from 1.8ka to 12.8ka. The radiocarbon ages obtained through usual chemical and/or isotopic models are quite similar and an isochrome between 226 Ra and 14 C ages can be calculated between 0 and 8ka

Epidemiology of multiple Acinetobacter outbreaks in The Netherlands during the period 1999-2001

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van den Broek, P. J.; Arends, J.; Bernards, A. T.; De Brauwer, E.; Mascini, E. M.; van der Reijden, T. J. K.; Spanjaard, L.; Thewessen, E. A. P. M.; van der Zee, A.; van Zeijl, J. H.; Dijkshoorn, L.

An increase in the number of outbreaks of Acinetobacter infection was notified in The Netherlands during 1999-2001. The present study compared the outbreaks at the species and strain levels, and analysed the epidemiology and control measures at the different locations. For each institute, three

Values of soil-plant transfer factor of {sup 226}Ra and {sup 228}Ra: agricultural areas versus areas of high natural radioactivity; Valores de fator de transferencia solo-planta do {sup 226}Ra e {sup 228}Ra: areas agricolas versus areas de radioatividade natural elevada

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wasserman, Maria Angelica; Lauria, Dejanira [Instituto de Radioprotecao e Dosimetria (IRD), Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil); Perez, Daniel Vidal [Empresa Brasileira de Pesquisa Agropecuaria, Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil). Centro Nacional de Pesquisa de Solos; Schuch, Luiz Alexandre [Santa Maria Univ., RS (Brazil). Dept. de Fisica; Zago, Ari [Santa Maria Univ., RS (Brazil). Dept. de Solos

2000-07-01

In this work, soil to plant transfer factor of {sup 226}Ra and {sup 228}Ra obtained in areas of traditional agricultural practices varied as a function of the considered cultivated species but little variation was observed as a function of the soil type. Beans and soybeans presented more important absorption than cereals (corn, rice and wheat). In our work legumes (bean and soybean) presented transfer factors up to one order of magnitude higher than average values for regions where natural radioactivity is high. On the other hand, the results for cereals did not presented such clear differences. It can be concluded that cultural inputs of {sup 226}Ra and {sup 228}Ra are occurring in agricultural areas, but few species can concentrate it. The transfer factor values obtained in this work for {sup 226}Ra and {sup 228}Ra can be applied in risk assessment models. (author)

Values of soil-plant transfer factor of 226Ra and 228Ra: agricultural areas versus areas of high natural radioactivity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wasserman, Maria Angelica; Lauria, Dejanira; Perez, Daniel Vidal; Schuch, Luiz Alexandre; Zago, Ari

2000-01-01

In this work, soil to plant transfer factor of 226 Ra and 228 Ra obtained in areas of traditional agricultural practices varied as a function of the considered cultivated species but little variation was observed as a function of the soil type. Beans and soybeans presented more important absorption than cereals (corn, rice and wheat). In our work legumes (bean and soybean) presented transfer factors up to one order of magnitude higher than average values for regions where natural radioactivity is high. On the other hand, the results for cereals did not presented such clear differences. It can be concluded that cultural inputs of 226 Ra and 228 Ra are occurring in agricultural areas, but few species can concentrate it. The transfer factor values obtained in this work for 226 Ra and 228 Ra can be applied in risk assessment models. (author)

Antibiotic Resistance and Carriage Integron Classes in Clinical Isolates of Acinetobacter Baumannii from Isfahan Hospitals, Iran

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fahimeh Nourbakhsh

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Background Acinetobacter baumannii is a significant nosocomial pathogen around the world, especially in the intensive care unit that most A. baumannii infections are caused by the outbreak strains. Objectives This study has been performed in Acinetobacter baumannii isolates, aimed to detect integron classes I, II, III and molecular typing of A. baumannii genes. Methods In this Cross-sectional study, Acinetobacter baumannii isolated from 150 patients in Isfahan hospitals then antibiotic resistance pattern was determined by disk diffusion method (Kirby Bauer. The presence of genes coding in antibiotic resistance and integrons class I, II, III were analyzed by using of M-PCR method. The data were analyzed by Chi-square, Fischer’s test and SPSS statistical software version 16. Results Antibiotic resistance pattern for Acinetobacter baumannii show that the high resistance was for ciprofloxacin with frequency of 98.3%, ceftazidime with 89.4%, and tetracycline with frequency of 87.3%. The most sensitive antibiotics were chloramphenicol, and nitrofurantoin with frequency of 3.5% and 3.2% resistance. The detection of dfrA1 (63.7%, sul1 (68.6%, aac (3-IV (54.4%, tet (B (22.4%, tet (A (78.3%, aadA1 (15.4%, CITM (17. %, vim (12.2%, Qnr (17.1%, blaSHV (19.8%, sim (7.8%, Oxa-24-like (13.2%, Oxa-51-like (11.9%, Oxa-58-like (39.4%, Oxa-23-like (12.6%, imp (9.2%, cmlA (19% and cat1 (8.6% were respectively reported too. Also in this study Frequency of integrons class 1, 2, 3 were (100%, (28%, (6.6% respectively. Conclusions High prevalence of integrons among Acinetobater baumannii isolated from Isfahan hospitals indicate the importance role of integron classes in multidrug resistance. Considering the increasing pattern of MDR infections is one of the important issues of treatment which can be effective strategy for curing.

Drug resistance patterns of acinetobacter baumannii in makkah, saudi arabia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Khan, M.A.; Ashshi, A.M.; Mahomed, M.F.

2012-01-01

Background: Acinetobacter baumannii causes infections of respiratory, urinary tract, blood stream and surgical sites. Its clinical significance has increased due to its rapidly developing resistance to major groups of antibiotics used for its treatment. There is limited data available on antimicrobial susceptibility of A. baumannii from Saudi Arabia. Objectives: To determine the patterns of drug resistance of Acinetobacter baumannii and predisposing factors for its acquisition.Subjects and Methods: In this descriptive study, 72 hospitalized patients infected with A baumannii were studied. The clinical and demographic data of the patients were collected using a predesigned questionnaire. Isolation and identification of A.baumannii from all clinical specimens were done using standard microbiological methods. Antibiotic susce ptibility testing was performed by disk diffusion method recommended by Clinical Laboratory Standards Institute. Results: Majority of the isolates (61.1%) were from respiratory tract infections. A.baumannii isolates showed high drug resistance to piperacil lin (93.1%), aztreonam (80.5%), ticarcillin, ampicillin, and tetracycline (76.4%, each) and cefotaxime (75%). Only amikacin showed low rate of resistance compared to other antibiotics (40.3%). About 36% patients had some underlying diseases with diabetes mellitus (11%) being the predominant underlying disease. Conclusions: High antimicrobial resistance to commonly used antibiotics was seen against A.baumannii isolates. Only amikacin was most effective against it. (author)

Characterization of hydrogen peroxide-resistant Acinetobacter species isolated during the Mars Phoenix spacecraft assembly.

Science.gov (United States)

Derecho, I; McCoy, K B; Vaishampayan, P; Venkateswaran, K; Mogul, R

2014-10-01

The microbiological inventory of spacecraft and the associated assembly facility surfaces represent the primary pool of forward contaminants that may impact the integrity of life-detection missions. Herein, we report on the characterization of several strains of hydrogen peroxide-resistant Acinetobacter, which were isolated during the Mars Phoenix lander assembly. All Phoenix-associated Acinetobacter strains possessed very high catalase specific activities, and the specific strain, A. gyllenbergii 2P01AA, displayed a survival against hydrogen peroxide (no loss in 100 mM H2O2 for 1 h) that is perhaps the highest known among Gram-negative and non-spore-forming bacteria. Proteomic characterizations reveal a survival mechanism inclusive of proteins coupled to peroxide degradation (catalase and alkyl hydroperoxide reductase), energy/redox management (dihydrolipoamide dehydrogenase), protein synthesis/folding (EF-G, EF-Ts, peptidyl-tRNA hydrolase, DnaK), membrane functions (OmpA-like protein and ABC transporter-related protein), and nucleotide metabolism (HIT family hydrolase). Together, these survivability and biochemical parameters support the hypothesis that oxidative tolerance and the related biochemical features are the measurable phenotypes or outcomes for microbial survival in the spacecraft assembly facilities, where the low-humidity (desiccation) and clean (low-nutrient) conditions may serve as selective pressures. Hence, the spacecraft-associated Acinetobacter, due to the conferred oxidative tolerances, may ultimately hinder efforts to reduce spacecraft bioburden when using chemical sterilants, thus suggesting that non-spore-forming bacteria may need to be included in the bioburden accounting for future life-detection missions.

The decay scheme of 229Ra

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yang, W.F.; Yuan, S.G.; Fang, K.M.; Shen, S.F.; Mou, W.T.; Zhang, X.Q.; Li, Z.Q.

1997-01-01

By bombarding the natural thorium targets with 14 MeV neutrons, 229 Ra was produced through the reaction 232 Th(n,α) 229 Ra. The radium activities were separated from the irradiated targets by coprecipitation with the BaCl 2 . A total of 18 new weak γ rays with energies of 14.5, 15.6, 18.8, 21.8, 22.5, 44.0, 47.5, 55.0, 63.0, 69.6, 93.6, 94.1, 98.5, 102.2, 104.5, 106.1, 161.1, and 171.5 keV which could be assigned to the decay of 229 Ra were observed in the isolated radium fractions employing high resolution HPGe detectors and γ(X)-γ coincidence methods. A decay scheme of 229 Ra based on these observations is proposed. (orig.). With 2 figs

RA Reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1989-01-01

This chapter includes the following: General description of the RA reactor, organization of work, responsibilities of leadership and operators team, regulations concerning operation and behaviour in the reactor building, regulations for performing experiments, regulations and instructions for inserting samples into experimental channels [sr

226Ra and 228Ra in the mixing zones of the Pee Dee River-Winyah Bay, Yangtze River and Delaware Bay Estuaries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Elsinger, R.J.; Moore, W.S.

1984-01-01

226 Ra and 228 Ra have non-conservative excess concentrations in the mixing zones of the Pee Dee River-Winyah Bay estuary, the Yangtze River estuary, and the Delaware Bay estuary. Laboratory experiments, using Pee Dee River sediment, indicate desorption of 226 Ra to increase with increasing salinities up to 20 per mille. In Winyah Bay desorption from river-borne sediments could contribute almost all of the increases for both isotopes. Desorption adds only a portion of the excess 228 Ra measured in the Yangtze River and adjacent Shelf waters and Delaware Bay. In the Yangtze River the mixing zone extends over a considerable portion of the Continental Shelf where 228 Ra is added to the water column by diffusion from bottom sediments, while 226 Ra concentrations decrease from dilution. Diffusion of 228 Ra from bottom sediments in Delaware Bay primarily occurs in the upper part of the bay ( 228 Ra of 0.33 dpm cm -2 year was determined for Delaware Bay. (author)

Oral flora of Python regius kept as pets.

Science.gov (United States)

Dipineto, L; Russo, T P; Calabria, M; De Rosa, L; Capasso, M; Menna, L F; Borrelli, L; Fioretti, A

2014-05-01

This study was aimed at evaluating the oral bacterial flora of 60 Python regius kept as pets by culture and biochemical methods. All isolates were also submitted to antimicrobial susceptibility testing using the disc diffusion method. The oral cavity of snakes sampled harboured a wide range of Gram-negative bacteria mainly constituted by Pseudomonas spp., Morganella morganii, Acinetobacter calcoaceticus, Aeromonas hydrophila, but also by Salmonella spp. Staphylococcus spp. was the commonest Gram-positive isolates, and various anaerobic Clostridium species were also found. The most effective antimicrobial agents were enrofloxacin and ciprofloxacin, followed by doxycycline and gentamicin. The oral cavity of snakes sampled harboured a wide range of bacteria. Our results suggest that people who come in contact with snakes could be at risk of infection and should follow proper hygiene practices when handling these reptiles. © 2014 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

Purification, biochemical characterization, and implications of an alkali-tolerant catalase from the spacecraft-associated and oxidation-resistant Acinetobacter gyllenbergii 2P01AA.

Science.gov (United States)

Muster, N; Derecho, I; Dallal, F; Alvarez, R; McCoy, K B; Mogul, R

2015-04-01

Herein, we report on the purification, characterization, and sequencing of catalase from Acinetobacter gyllenbergii 2P01AA, an extremely oxidation-resistant bacterium that was isolated from the Mars Phoenix spacecraft assembly facility. The Acinetobacter are dominant members of the microbial communities that inhabit spacecraft assembly facilities and consequently may serve as forward contaminants that could impact the integrity of future life-detection missions. Catalase was purified by using a 3-step chromatographic procedure, where mass spectrometry provided respective subunit and intact masses of 57.8 and 234.6 kDa, which were consistent with a small-subunit tetrameric catalase. Kinetics revealed an extreme pH stability with no loss in activity between pH 5 and 11.5 and provided respective kcat/Km and kcat values of ∼10(7) s(-1) M(-1) and 10(6) s(-1), which are among the highest reported for bacterial catalases. The amino acid sequence was deduced by in-depth peptide mapping, and structural homology suggested that the catalases from differing strains of A. gyllenbergii differ only at residues near the subunit interfaces, which may impact catalytic stability. Together, the kinetic, alkali-tolerant, and halotolerant properties of the catalase from A. gyllenbergii 2P01AA are significant, as they are consistent with molecular adaptations toward the alkaline, low-humidity, and potentially oxidizing conditions of spacecraft assembly facilities. Therefore, these results support the hypothesis that the selective pressures of the assembly facilities impact the microbial communities at the molecular level, which may have broad implications for future life-detection missions.

Operation and maintenance of the RA reactor, RA Research reactor. Annual report 1976; Pogon i odrzavanje reaktora RA, Izvestaj o radu u 1976. godini

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Martinc, R [Institute of Nuclear Sciences Boris Kidric, Vinca, Beograd (Serbia and Montenegro)

1976-12-15

During 1976 the Ra reactor was operating for about 30% shorter period than usual. The reason were extraordinary repair activities within regular and investment maintenance as well as repair of failures caused by neglected maintenance during previous 6 years. Delay was caused by unavailability of fuel (2% enriched fuel elements are spent) and the new 80% enriched fuel demanded experimental and theoretical analyses before being introduced into the core. Safety analyses concerned with using 80% enriched fuel both experimental and theoretical were successfully fulfilled. The December 1976 successful experimental campaign can be marked as end of the 17 years period of using 2% enriched fuel and start of the new period of using highly enriched fuel. This is significant not only for the reactor itself but for the users, because it would result in increase of neutron flux by 50% with the increase of costs by only 4%. Demand was submitted for obtaining the final license for transition operating regime with highly enriched fuel which would save at least 2 200 000 dinars. This will enable reactor operation in 1977 and later on, without interruption by 'critical' and other experiments related to new highly enriched fuel. A high number of repair and other urgent activities were fulfilled in order to enable safe operation. Some of these activities were done never before and some were neglected during past 6 years. The most important tasks were: purchase of Al tubes made of special alloy, fabrication and mounting of the fuel channel; overall investigation of reactor vessel leakage; repair of the heavy water pump; exchange of two vertical channels. basic equipment for construction of emergency cooling system was purchased. Hot cells are equipped for independent utilisation. [Serbo-Croat] Reaktor RA je u 1976. godini radio za oko 30% krace vreme od uobicajenog. Razlog su bill izuzetno veliki obim remontnih i drugih radova u okviru tekuceg i investicionog odrzavanja, kao i krupnih

Concentration of natural radionuclides (40K, 228Ra and 226Ra) in vegetables and fruits collected around Kudankulam, South India

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mahiban Ross, E.; Feroz Khan, M.; Lenin Raj, Y.; Godwin Wesley, S.; Kumar, M.; Sundar Rajan, P.

2007-01-01

Baseline activity concentration of the natural radio nuclides 40 K, 228 Ra and 226 Ra in vegetables and fruits was determined around Kudankulam. In many of the samples, 228 Ra and 226 Ra was below minimum detection limit. 40 K was found to be more in leafy vegetables followed by pods, tubers and fleshy fruits. The highest accumulator among the matrices was the leafy vegetables with the geometric mean of 189.47 Bq.kg -1 fresh for vegetables and fruits with the geometric mean of 128.95 Bq.kg -1 fresh. 228 Ra activity in vegetables and fruits ranged from 0.074 to 1.153 and 0.074 to 0.131 Bq.kg -l fresh respectively. 226 Ra in vegetables and fruits ranged from BDL to 0.07 and BDL-.044 Bq.kg -l fresh respectively. 40 K in vegetables and fruits followed a log normal distribution. (author)

RA Research nuclear reactor, Part II - radiation protection at the RA nuclear reactor in 1984; Istrazivacki nuklearni reaktor RA - Deo II - zastita od zracenja kod nuklearnog reaktora RA u 1984. godini

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ninkovic, M; Ajdacic, N; Zaric, M; Vukovic, Z [Institute of Nuclear Sciences Boris Kidric, Vinca, Beograd (Yugoslavia)

1984-12-15

Radon protection tasks which enable safe operation of the RA reactor, and are defined according the the legal regulations and IAEA safety recommendations are sorted into four categories in this report: (1) Control of the working environment, dosimetry at the RA reactor; (2) Radioactivity control in the vicinity of the reactor and meteorology measurements; (3) Collecting and treatment of fluid effluents; and (4) radioactive wastes, decontamination and actions. Each category is described as a separate annex of this report.

Bioavailability of radionuclides 226Ra, 228Ra and 210Pb present in the brazilian phosphate fertilizers and phosphogypsum

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Russo, Ana Carolina

2013-01-01

Phosphogypsum, also called gypsum, by-product of the phosphate fertilizer industry, can be used as soil conditioner since it provides improvements in the soil-plant system. However, this by-product concentrates radionuclides of the U and Th series, present in the phosphate rock used as raw material, which can impact the environment. In order to study the bioavailability of radionuclides, samples of phosphogypsum and phosphate fertilizers (monoammonium phosphate and triple superphosphate) were analyzed. The concentration of 226 Ra, 228 Ra and 210 Pb were determined by gamma spectrometry. The samples were leached with a mild EDTA solution and the radionuclides present in the final solution were determined by total alpha and beta counting on a gas flow proportional counter. The percentage of extraction varied from 1.6% to 1.7% for 210 Pb, from 0.5% to 1.4% for 226 Ra and from 0.1% to 1.0% for the 228 Ra in phosphogypsum samples. The low percentage of extraction obtained for the radionuclides can be partly explained by the low solubility of phosphogypsum, which ranged from 7.7% to 16%. For the monoammonium phosphate samples the percentage of extraction were less than 26% for 226 Ra, less than 10% for '2 28 Ra and less than 10% for 210 Pb. In spite of the high solubility of 77% of monoammonium phosphate in the EDTA solution, low concentrations of radionuclides were observed in the leached solution. For the triple superphosphate samples, the percentage of extraction was 2.3% for 226 Ra, 1.2% for 228 Ra and 11.3% for 210 Pb. In spite of the high solubility of 66% of triple superphosphate in the EDTA solution, low concentrations of radionuclides were observed in the leached solution. (author)

Safety analysis of RA Reactor operation I-III; Analiza sigurnosti rada Reaktora RA I - III, IZ-213-0322-1963

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Raisic, N [Institute of Nuclear Sciences Boris Kidric, Vinca, Beograd (Serbia and Montenegro)

1963-02-15

This safety analysis report covers the following three parts: Technical and operational characteristics of the RA reactor; Accidents analysis; and Environmental effects of the maximum possible accident. [Serbo-Croat] Ovaj izvestaj o analizi sigurnosti rada reaktora RA sastoji se od tri dela: Tehnicke i pogonske karakteristike reaktora RA; Analiza akcidenta; i Posledice maksimalno moguceg akcidenta na okolinu reaktora.

A reliable combination method to identification and typing of epidemic and endemic clones among clinical isolates of Acinetobacter baumannii.

Science.gov (United States)

Piran, Arezoo; Shahcheraghi, Fereshteh; Solgi, Hamid; Rohani, Mahdi; Badmasti, Farzad

2017-10-01

The multi-drug resistant (MDR) Acinetobacter baumannii as an important nosocomial pathogen has emerged a global health concern in recent years. In this study, we applied three easier, faster, and cost-effective methods including PCR-based open reading frames (ORFs) typing, sequence typing of bla OXA-51-like and RAPD-PCR method to rapid typing of A. baumannii strains. Taken together in the present study the results of ORFs typing, PCR-sequencing of bla OXA-51-like genes and MLST sequence typing revealed there was a high prevalence (62%, 35/57) of ST2 as international and successful clone which detected among clinical isolates of multi-drug resistant A. baumannii with ORF pattern B and bla OXA-66 gene. Only 7% (4/57) of MDR isolates belonged to ST1 with ORF pattern A and bla OXA-69 gene. Interestingly, we detected singleton ST513 (32%, 18/57) that encoded bla OXA-90 and showed the ORF pattern H as previously isolated in Middle East. Moreover, our data showed RAPD-PCR method can detect divergent strains of the STs. The Cl-1, Cl-2, Cl-3, Cl-4, Cl-10, Cl-11, Cl-12, Cl-13 and Cl-14 belonged to ST2. While the Cl-6, Cl-7, Cl-8 and Cl-9 belonged to ST513. Only Cl-5 belonged to ST1. It seems that the combination of these methods have more discriminatory than any method separately and could be effectively applied to rapid detection of the clonal complex (CC) of A. baumannii strains without performing of MLST or PFGE. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Studying the Relationship between the Ability of Biofilm Formation and Antibiotic Resistance in Acinetobacter baumannii Clinical and Environmental Isolates in Tehran, 2015

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Faegheh Teymori

2017-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background: Acinetobacters are aerobic gram-negative bacteria which are distributed widespread in soil and water. The bacteria are isolated from cultured skin, mucous membranes, secretions and hospital environment. Acinetobacter baumannii, is a strain that more frequently isolated. Acinetobacter strains are often resistant against antimicrobial agents. Materials and Methods: The method of this study was based on field, observation and test. On August and October 2015, samples were isolated from the soil and water of the Sadeghieh Square river in Tehran, respectively, and were transferred to the laboratory in the ice pack. 50 baumannii samples were isolated by biochemical methods (TSI, SIM, OF and gram test. November 1394, 100 clinical samples were isolated from Imam Khomeini hospital by biochemical method, and in the culture media Mueller Hinton agar plates were transferred to the laboratory. Antibiogram test for 150 baumannii samples was performed. Biofilms formation of Acinetobacter baumannii environmental and clinical samples was investigated by Congo red agar and culture plate methods. Results: In all samples (clinical and soil, most of antibiotic resistance was 92% for imipenem and the resistance of water samples to imipenem was 99.9%. Biofilm formation by Congo red agar in water, soil, and clinical samles was resprctively 44%, 40% and 1%. All isolates were negative biofilm culture plate. Conclusion: Considering Acinetobacter baumannii resistance to antibiotics and the lack of biofilm formation of in clinical and environmental isolates, it was concluded that there wasn’t any relationship between antibiotic resistance and biofilm formation.

Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) associated interstitial lung disease (ILD).

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

O'Dwyer, David N

2013-10-01

Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) is the most common Connective Tissue Disease (CTD) and represents an increasing burden on global health resources. Interstitial lung disease (ILD) has been recognised as a complication of RA but its potential for mortality and morbidity has arguably been under appreciated for decades. New studies have underscored a significant lifetime risk of ILD development in RA. Contemporary work has identified an increased risk of mortality associated with the Usual Interstitial Pneumonia (UIP) pattern which shares similarity with the most devastating of the interstitial pulmonary diseases, namely Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF). In this paper, we discuss recent studies highlighting the associated increase in mortality in RA-UIP. We explore associations between radiological and histopathological features of RA-ILD and the prognostic implications of same. We emphasise the need for translational research in this area given the growing burden of RA-ILD. We highlight the importance of the respiratory physician as a key stakeholder in the multidisciplinary management of this disorder. RA-ILD focused research offers the opportunity to identify early asymptomatic disease and define the natural history of this extra articular manifestation. This may provide a unique opportunity to define key regulatory fibrotic events driving progressive disease. We also discuss some of the more challenging and novel aspects of therapy for RA-ILD.

Concentrations and activity ratios of 228Ra and 226Ra in surface seawater along the Pacific coast of Japan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ohta, T.; Mahara, Y.; Kubota, T.; Sato, J.; Gamo, T.

2011-01-01

We measured the 228 Ra/ 226 Ra activity ratios in surface seawater along the Pacific coast of Japan at five ports around the island of Izu-Oshima (n = 29), at Atami in Sagami Bay (n = 13), and at Umizuri Park in Tokyo Bay (n = 14). We also conducted these measurements along a transect from the open Pacific Ocean across the Kuroshio to the mouth of Tokyo Bay (n = 7). The activity ratios decreased with increasing salinity of the sampling sites. The 228 Ra/ 226 Ra activity ratios in surface seawater along the coast gradually decreased after at the end of autumn and were lowest in winter and the beginning of spring. The surface salinity along the coast decreased from summer into autumn and increased from winter to the beginning of spring. The activity ratios decreased with the increase of salinity. The variation in activity ratios at the three coastal sites is possibly caused by differing contributions of surface seawater from the Kuroshio and surrounding open ocean. The different patterns and ranges of variation in the 228 Ra/ 226 Ra activity ratios in surface seawater at Izu-Oshima, Atami, and Umizuri Park may reflect both the amount of water from the Kuroshio and vicinity, and the local bathymetry, because continental shelf sediment is the source of Ra isotopes in surface seawater. (orig.)

Acinetobacter Species Infections among Navy and Marine Corps Beneficiaries: 2014 Annual Report

Science.gov (United States)

2015-07-20

microbiology data were used to identify Acinetobacter cases. These isolates were matched to three databases. Microbiology records were matched to...Data Record (SIDR) database to determine exposure associations within the healthcare system. Microbiology records were matched to the Defense...that they could establish a community reservoir. Veterinary nosocomial spread has been described among animals, mainly in veterinary hospital intensive

RA Research nuclear reactor, Part II: radiation protection at the RA reactor in 1987

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ninkovic, M.; Ajdacic, N.; Zaric, M.; Vukovic, Z.

1987-01-01

Radiation protection tasks which enable safe operation of the RA reactor, and are defined according the the legal regulations and IAEA safety recommendations are sorted into four categories in this report: (1) Control of the working environment, dosimetry at the RA reactor and radiation protection; (2) Radioactivity control in the vicinity of the reactor and meteorology measurements; (3) Decontamination and relevant actions, collecting and treatment of fluid effluents; and and solid radioactive wastes [sr

Radiation protection at the RA Reactor in 1988, Part -2, RA reactor annual report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ninkovic, M.; Ajdacic, N.; Zaric, M.; Vukovic, Z.

1988-01-01

Radiation protection tasks which enable safe operation of the RA reactor, and are defined according the the legal regulations and IAEA safety recommendations are sorted into four categories in this report: (1) Control of the working environment, dosimetry at the RA reactor and radiation protection; (2) Radioactivity control in the vicinity of the reactor and meteorology measurements; (3) Decontamination and relevant actions, collecting and treatment of fluid effluents; and and solid radioactive wastes [sr

Reproduction of the RA reactor fuel element fabrication

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Novakovic, M.

1961-12-01

This document includes the following nine reports: Final report on task 08/12 - testing the Ra reactor fuel element; design concept for fabrication of RA reactor fuel element; investigation of the microstructure of the Ra reactor fuel element; Final report on task 08/13 producing binary alloys with Al, Mo, Zr, Nb and B additions; fabrication of U-Al alloy; final report on tasks 08/14 and 08/16; final report on task 08/32 diffusion bond between the fuel and the cladding of the Ra reactor fuel element; Final report on task 08/33, fabrication of the RA reactor fuel element cladding; and final report on task 08/36, diffusion of solid state metals [sr

Measurements at the RA Reactor related to the VISA-2 project - Part 1, Start-up of the RA reactor and measurement of new RA reactor core parameters

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Markovic, H.

1962-07-01

The objective of the measurements was determining the neutron flux in the RA reactor core. Since the number of fuel channels is increased from 56 to 68 within the VISA-2 project, it was necessary to attain criticality of the RA reactor and measure the neutron flux properties. The 'program of RA reactor start-up' has been prepared separately and it is included in this report. Measurements were divided in two phases. First phase was measuring of the neutron flux after the criticality was achieved but at zero power. During phase two measurements were repeated at several power levels, at equilibrium xenon poisoning. This report includes experimental data of flux distributions and absolute values of the thermal and fast neutron flux in the RA reactor experimental channels and values of cadmium ratio for determining the neutron epithermal flux. Data related to calibration of regulatory rods for cold un poisoned core are included [sr

226Ra and 228Ra tracer study on nutrient transport in east coastal waters of Hainan Island, China

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ni Su

2011-06-01

Full Text Available Material fluxes (e.g., nutrients from coastal waters to offshore areas play an important role in controlling the water quality of the adjacent sea areas not only by increasing nutrient concentration but also by changing nutrient structures. In this study, naturally occurring isotopes, 226Ra and 228Ra, were measured with the alpha spectrometry in the Wenjiao-Wenchang and Wanquan estuaries and adjacent sea areas along the east coast of Hainan Island. The excess 226Ra and 228Ra activities were observed by comparison with the values derived from the conservative mixing of freshwater and seawater end-members in both estuaries. Using a one-dimensional diffusion model, the horizontal eddy diffusion coefficient of 3.16 x 105 cm2/s, for nutrients diffusing from their sources, was derived from 228Ra activities. Consequently, the corresponding nutrient fluxes flowing into the coastal waters were assessed. The results can provide useful information for the study of the mixing and exchange processes of coastal waters as well as dissoluble pollutant transport in this sea area.

Modeling the Energy Performance of LoRaWAN.

Science.gov (United States)

Casals, Lluís; Mir, Bernat; Vidal, Rafael; Gomez, Carles

2017-10-16

LoRaWAN is a flagship Low-Power Wide Area Network (LPWAN) technology that has highly attracted much attention from the community in recent years. Many LoRaWAN end-devices, such as sensors or actuators, are expected not to be powered by the electricity grid; therefore, it is crucial to investigate the energy consumption of LoRaWAN. However, published works have only focused on this topic to a limited extent. In this paper, we present analytical models that allow the characterization of LoRaWAN end-device current consumption, lifetime and energy cost of data delivery. The models, which have been derived based on measurements on a currently prevalent LoRaWAN hardware platform, allow us to quantify the impact of relevant physical and Medium Access Control (MAC) layer LoRaWAN parameters and mechanisms, as well as Bit Error Rate (BER) and collisions, on energy performance. Among others, evaluation results show that an appropriately configured LoRaWAN end-device platform powered by a battery of 2400 mAh can achieve a 1-year lifetime while sending one message every 5 min, and an asymptotic theoretical lifetime of 6 years for infrequent communication.

Modeling the Energy Performance of LoRaWAN

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lluís Casals

2017-10-01

Full Text Available LoRaWAN is a flagship Low-Power Wide Area Network (LPWAN technology that has highly attracted much attention from the community in recent years. Many LoRaWAN end-devices, such as sensors or actuators, are expected not to be powered by the electricity grid; therefore, it is crucial to investigate the energy consumption of LoRaWAN. However, published works have only focused on this topic to a limited extent. In this paper, we present analytical models that allow the characterization of LoRaWAN end-device current consumption, lifetime and energy cost of data delivery. The models, which have been derived based on measurements on a currently prevalent LoRaWAN hardware platform, allow us to quantify the impact of relevant physical and Medium Access Control (MAC layer LoRaWAN parameters and mechanisms, as well as Bit Error Rate (BER and collisions, on energy performance. Among others, evaluation results show that an appropriately configured LoRaWAN end-device platform powered by a battery of 2400 mAh can achieve a 1-year lifetime while sending one message every 5 min, and an asymptotic theoretical lifetime of 6 years for infrequent communication.

Pulmonary cryptococcosis in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients: Comparison of imaging characteristics among RA, acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, and immunocompetent patients

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yanagawa, Noriyo; Sakai, Fumikazu; Takemura, Tamiko; Ishikawa, Satoru; Takaki, Yasunobu; Hishima, Tsunekazu; Kamata, Noriko

2013-01-01

Purpose: The imaging characteristics of cryptococcosis in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients were analyzed by comparing them with those of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) and immunocompetent patients, and the imaging findings were correlated with pathological findings. Methods: Two radiologists retrospectively compared the computed tomographic (CT) findings of 35 episodes of pulmonary cryptococcosis in 31 patients with 3 kinds of underlying states (10 RA, 12 AIDS, 13 immunocompetent), focusing on the nature, number, and distribution of lesions. The pathological findings of 18 patients (8 RA, 2 AIDS, 8 immunocompetent) were analyzed by two pathologists, and then correlated with imaging findings. Results: The frequencies of consolidation and ground glass attenuation (GGA) were significantly higher, and the frequency of peripheral distribution was significantly lower in the RA group than in the immunocompetent group. Peripheral distribution was less common and generalized distribution was more frequent in the RA group than in the AIDS group. The pathological findings of the AIDS and immunocompetent groups reflected their immune status: There was lack of a granuloma reaction in the AIDS group, and a complete granuloma reaction in the immunocompetent group, while the findings of the RA group varied, including a complete granuloma reaction, a loose granuloma reaction and a hyper-immune reaction. Cases with the last two pathologic findings were symptomatic and showed generalized or central distribution on CT. Conclusion: Cryptococcosis in the RA group showed characteristic radiological and pathological findings compared with the other 2 groups

Pulmonary cryptococcosis in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients: Comparison of imaging characteristics among RA, acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, and immunocompetent patients

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yanagawa, Noriyo, E-mail: noriyo_yana@ybb.ne.jp [Departments of Radiology, Tokyo Metropolitan Cancer and Infectious Diseases Center Komagome Hospital, 3-8-22, Honkomagome, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8677 (Japan); Sakai, Fumikazu [Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Saitama Medical University International Medical Center, 1397-1 Yamane, Hidaka-shi, Saitama 350-1298 (Japan); Takemura, Tamiko [Department of Pathology, Japanese Red Cross Medical Center, 4-1-22 Hiroo, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 150-8935 (Japan); Ishikawa, Satoru [Department of Respiratory Medicine, National Hospital Organization Chiba-East-Hospital, 673 Nitona-cho, Chuo-ku, Chiba-shi, Chiba 260-8712 (Japan); Takaki, Yasunobu [Departments of Radiology, Tokyo Metropolitan Cancer and Infectious Diseases Center Komagome Hospital, 3-8-22, Honkomagome, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8677 (Japan); Hishima, Tsunekazu [Department of Pathology, Tokyo Metropolitan Cancer and Infectious Diseases Center Komagome Hospital, 3-8-22, Honkomagome, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8677 (Japan); Kamata, Noriko [Departments of Radiology, Tokyo Metropolitan Cancer and Infectious Diseases Center Komagome Hospital, 3-8-22, Honkomagome, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8677 (Japan)

2013-11-01

Purpose: The imaging characteristics of cryptococcosis in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients were analyzed by comparing them with those of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) and immunocompetent patients, and the imaging findings were correlated with pathological findings. Methods: Two radiologists retrospectively compared the computed tomographic (CT) findings of 35 episodes of pulmonary cryptococcosis in 31 patients with 3 kinds of underlying states (10 RA, 12 AIDS, 13 immunocompetent), focusing on the nature, number, and distribution of lesions. The pathological findings of 18 patients (8 RA, 2 AIDS, 8 immunocompetent) were analyzed by two pathologists, and then correlated with imaging findings. Results: The frequencies of consolidation and ground glass attenuation (GGA) were significantly higher, and the frequency of peripheral distribution was significantly lower in the RA group than in the immunocompetent group. Peripheral distribution was less common and generalized distribution was more frequent in the RA group than in the AIDS group. The pathological findings of the AIDS and immunocompetent groups reflected their immune status: There was lack of a granuloma reaction in the AIDS group, and a complete granuloma reaction in the immunocompetent group, while the findings of the RA group varied, including a complete granuloma reaction, a loose granuloma reaction and a hyper-immune reaction. Cases with the last two pathologic findings were symptomatic and showed generalized or central distribution on CT. Conclusion: Cryptococcosis in the RA group showed characteristic radiological and pathological findings compared with the other 2 groups.

Natural genetic transformation in Acinetobacter sp. BD413 Biofilms: introducing natural genetic transformation as a tool for bioenhancement of biofilm reactors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hendrickx, L

2002-07-01

This study focussed on the localization and quantification of natural genetic transformation using neutral and disadvantageous genes in monoculture biofilms to investigate gene transfer and expression of the transferred genes in the absence of a selective advantage. Data obtained by this investigation were regarded as initial steps for evaluating the applicability of adding catabolic traits into the indigenous bacterial community of biofilm reactors by in situ natural genetic transformation. Because Acinetobacter spp. strains are readily found in waste water treatment plants and because Acinetobacter sp. BD413 possesses a high effective level of competence, natural genetic transformation was investigated in monoculture Acinetobacter sp. BD413 biofilms. The genes used for transformation encoded for the green fluorescent protein (GFP) and its variants. Monitoring of transformation events were performed with the use of automated confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) and semi automated digital image processing and analysis. (orig.)

Skeletal dosimetry of injected 226RA in young adult beagles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lloyd, R.D.; Mays, C.W.; Atherton, D.R.

1986-01-01

Revised equations are presented for the skeletal dose to young adult beagles from 226 Ra injection. For 0.1 kg of skel/kg body and given 1 μCi 226 Ra/kg with 210 Pb/ 226 Ra = 0.05, the average skeletal dose in rad at 6 yr is 226 Ra = 1200, 222 Rn -> 214 Po = 1050, injected 210 Pb = 56 and 210 Pb from Rn decay in bone = 22. For a Pb/Ra ratio = 0.4, dose from injected 210 Pb is about 20% of that from 226 Ra -> 214 Po. A similar but not numerically indentical relationship obtains for ingested 226 Ra, so the dose from 210 Pb should be included in any study of 226 Ra effects. (orig.)

Interactions of rice (Oryza sativa L.) and PAH-degrading bacteria (Acinetobacter sp.) on enhanced dissipation of spiked phenanthrene and pyrene in waterlogged soil.

Science.gov (United States)

Gao, Y; Yu, X Z; Wu, S C; Cheung, K C; Tam, N F Y; Qian, P Y; Wong, M H

2006-12-15

The effects of cultivation of rice (Oryza sativa L.) and PAH-degrading bacteria (Acinetobacter sp.) separately, and in combination, on the dissipation of spiked phenanthrene and pyrene (0, 50+50, 100+100, 200+200 mg kg(-1)) in waterlogged soil were studied using pot trials. The population of introduced PAH-degrading bacteria remained at 10(5) CFU g(-1) dry soil after 20 days of treatment with Acinetobacter sp. only, but increased to 10(6) when planted with rice simultaneously. Shoot and root biomass of rice when grown alone was adversely affected by spiked PAHs, but significantly increased by 2-55% and 8-409%, respectively, when inoculated with Acinetobacter sp.. Phenanthrene and pyrene concentrations in roots ranged from 1-27 and 20-98 mg kg(-1), respectively, while their concentrations in shoots were generally lower than 0.2 mg kg(-1). The dissipation of phenanthrene was mainly due to abiotic loss as 70-78% phenanthrene was lost from the control soil at the end of 80 days, while removal of 86-87% phenanthrene had been achieved after 40 days in the treatment co-cultivated with Acinetobacter sp. and rice. Compared with the control where only 6-15% of pyrene was removed from soil, a much higher dissipation of pyrene (43-62%) was attained for the treatments co-cultivated with Acinetobacter sp. and rice at the end of 80 days. The results demonstrated that co-cultivation of rice and PAH-degrading bacteria may have a great potential to accelerate the bioremediation process of PAH-contaminated soil under waterlogged conditions.

Modeling the Energy Performance of LoRaWAN

OpenAIRE

Casals, Lluís; Mir, Bernat; Vidal, Rafael; Gomez, Carles

2017-01-01

LoRaWAN is a flagship Low-Power Wide Area Network (LPWAN) technology that has highly attracted much attention from the community in recent years. Many LoRaWAN end-devices, such as sensors or actuators, are expected not to be powered by the electricity grid; therefore, it is crucial to investigate the energy consumption of LoRaWAN. However, published works have only focused on this topic to a limited extent. In this paper, we present analytical models that allow the characterization of LoRaWAN...

RA reactor operation and maintenance; Pogon i odrzavanje reaktora RA

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zecevic, V [Institute of Nuclear Sciences Boris Kidric, Reaktor RA, Vinca, Beograd (Serbia and Montenegro)

1963-02-15

This volume includes the final report on RA reactor operation and utilization of the experimental facilities in 1962, detailed analysis of the system for heavy water distillation and calibration of the system for measuring the activity of the air.

Annual Surveillance Summary: Acinetobacter Species Infections in the Military Health System (MHS), 2016

Science.gov (United States)

2017-06-01

Infection Classifications .................................................................. 7 Section B – Antimicrobial Resistance and Use... Antimicrobial Resistance and Use Regional Multidrug Resistance In 2016, the IR of Acinetobacter species infection was 5.34 infections per 100,000 persons...et al. Antimicrobial - resistant pathogens associated with health-associated infections: annual summary of data reported to the National Healthcare

Occurrence of bla genes encoding carbapenem-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter baumannii from Intensive Care Unit in a tertiary care hospital.

Science.gov (United States)

Subramaniyan, Jayanthi Siva; Sundaram, Jeya Meenakshi

2018-01-01

ICU shows increasing incidence of infection associated with the use of invasive procedures for the diagnostic purpose as well as the indiscriminate use of antibiotics. Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter species are "very successful" pathogen and the emergence of the Metallo-β-Lactamases (MBL) is becoming a therapeutic challenge. To isolate the Nonfermenting Gram negative bacilli from the ICU samples. To identify the metallo betalactamase producers and to detect the bla gene presence among the Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter baumannii . The Nonfermenting Gram negative bacilli isolates from the ICU samples were taken over for 5 years (2009-2014) in a tertiary care hospital. The isolates of Pseudomonas species and Acinetobacter species were confirmed by API analyser and processed according to standard procedures. Detection of the MBL producers were done by E strip method and subjected for bla gene detection by PCR method. In our study a total of 195 isolates of NFGNB were obtained from various ICU. Of these MBL producers, 26 % were Pseudomonas aeruginosa and 25 % were Acinetobacter baumannii . The subtypes of bla VIM MBL producing P.aeruginosa were 26%. The predominant gene coding for MBL activity in A.baumannii were found to be bla OXA gene 11.9%. The gene accession numbers were KF975367, KF975372. We have to control the development and dissemination of these superbugs among the ICU's.

Preparation of 227Ac by neutron irradiation of 226Ra

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kukleva, E.; Kozempel, J.; Vlk, M.; Micolova, P.; Vopalka, D.

2015-01-01

Radium-223 is prospective alpha-emitting therapeutic radionuclide for targeted radionuclide therapy. Although 223 Ra is formed naturally by the decay of 235 U, for practical reasons its preparation involves neutron irradiation of 226 Ra. The α-decay of the 227 Ra (T 12 = 43 min.) produced via 226 Ra(n,γ) 227 Ra reaction leads to 227 Ac, a mother nuclide of 227 Th and 223 Ra subsequently. Irradiation target radium material is generally available in multi-gram quantities from historical stock. Main aim of this study was to experimentally and theoretically evaluate and verify available literature data on production of 223 Ra. According to data obtained from γ-spectra, the approximate yield values were determined and effective cross-section for the 223 Ra production was calculated. (authors)

Development of a liquid scintillation method for in vitro determination of {sup 226}Ra and {sup 228} Ra in bioassay samples

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fernandes, Paulo Cesar P.; Sousa, Wanderson O.; Juliao, Ligia M.Q.C.; Dantas, Bernardo M., E-mail: pcesar@ird.gov.b [Instituto de Radioprotecao e Dosimetria (IRD/CNEN-RJ), Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil)

2011-07-01

Radium isotopes are dispersed in the environment according to their physicochemical characteristics. The intake of {sup 226}Ra and {sup 228}Ra in humans can occur by inhalation and ingestion and the risk of internal exposure are related to their long half-lives, characteristics of the emission and biokinetics of the isotopes in the human body. The goal of this work is to develop a methodology for the analysis of {sup 226}Ra and {sup 228}Ra in excreta samples (urine and feces), using liquid scintillation technique. Excreta samples were provided by non-exposed humans for the purpose of standardizing the methodology and the establishment of a background level of radium excretion. Radium isotopes were concentrated and separated from the constituents of the sample by co-precipitation with barium sulphate. The precipitate of Ba(Ra)SO{sub 4} was filtrated and weighted for the determination of the chemical yield. The filter containing the precipitate was transferred to a scintillation vial. In the scintillation vial, 8 mL of water, 8 mL of Instagel XF and 4 mL of UltimaGold were added, forming a gel suspension, after stirring the solution. The {sup 226}Ra and {sup 228}Ra activities were determined 21 days after the precipitation of samples. The samples were counted in a liquid scintillation spectrometer. The technique presented adequate sensitivity and reproducibility for the analysis of urine and feces. The activities of {sup 226}Ra and {sup 228}Ra in excreta samples provide useful information for the identification of the main route of intake and for the assessment of the internal exposure of occupationally exposed workers and inhabitants of high background areas. (author)

Possibilities for power reactor structural material and fuel testing in reactor RA; Mogucnosti reaktora RA za testiranje konstrukcionih materijala i goriva energetskih reaktora

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Martinc, R; Lazarevic, Dj; Stefanovic, D; Cupac, S; Pesic, M [Institute of Nuclear Sciences Boris Kidric, Vinca, Beograd (Serbia and Montenegro)

1978-05-15

Nuclear reactor RA at Vinca has been designed as a high flux general purpose research reactor. Among other it was intended to play a role of material testing reactor. A scope of activities of Material Laboratory and Reactor RA Department of Boris Kidric Institute is presented in this report. Reactor RA capacity for reactor structural material and fuel irradiation is also described. The increase of RA reactor irradiation capacity is based on the improvement of VISA type fuel channel for fast neutron irradiations, as well as on the general neutron flux increase, due to introduction of highly enriched uranium fuel into reactor core and the advanced in-core fuel management. The irradiation capacities described allow for the reactor material and fuel testing to the considerable extent. Istrazivacki reaktor RA u Vinci je projektovan kao visokofluksni istrazivacki reaktor opste namene. Pored ostalog, on je namenjen i za testiranje reaktorskih konstrukcionih materijala i goriva. U radu je dat pregled aktivnosti Laboratorije za materijale IBK i reaktora RA na tom podrucju, kao i opis povecanih mogucnosti reaktora RA za ozracivanje reaktorskih materijala i goriva u cilju njihovog testiranja. Povecanje mogucnosti reaktora RA zasniva se na usavrsavanju specijalnog gorivnog kanala tipa VISA (za ozracivanje materijala brzim neutronima), kao i na opstem povecanju neutronskog fluksa na osnovu uvodjenja i nacina koriscenja visokoobogacenog uranskog goriva u reaktoru RA. Opisane mogucnosti reaktora RA dozvoljavaju u znatnoj meri ispitivanje konstrukcionih materijala i goriva energetskih reaktora.

Radiation protection at the RA Reactor in 1998, RA reactor annual report, Part -2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ninkovic, M.; Pavlovic, R.; Mandic, M.; Pavlovic, S.; Grsic, Z.

1998-01-01

Radiation protection tasks which enable safe operation of the RA reactor, and are defined according the the legal regulations and IAEA safety recommendations are sorted into four categories in this report: (1) Control of the working environment, dosimetry at the RA reactor; (2) Radioactivity control in the vicinity of the reactor and meteorology measurements; (3) Collecting and treatment of fluid effluents; and (4) radioactive wastes, decontamination and actions. Each of the category is described as a separate annex of this report [sr

Facial ulcerations due to Acinetobacter baumannii: Vessel thrombosis with bacterial mycelia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dong Ming Li

2014-01-01

Full Text Available A 14-year-old girl presented with a 2-week history of progressive facial ulcerations that did not respond to cephalexin and topical dexamethasone. Biopsy on the ulcer showed rod-shaped bacteria and actinomycetes-like mycelia in the vessel walls and within thrombi. Tissue culture yielded Acinetobacter baumannii, which was resistant to cephalexin. A favourite outcome was achieved with minocycline treatment. This is the first case report of A. baumannii-related vasculitis.

Safety shutdowns and failures of the RA reactor equipment; Sigurnosna zaustavljanja i kvarovi opreme na reaktoru RA

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mitrovic, S [Institut za nuklearne nauke ' Boris Kidric' , Vinca, Belgrade (Yugoslavia)

1966-07-01

This report is an attempt of statistical analysis of the failures occurred during RA reactor operation. A list of failures occurred on the RA equipment during 1965 is included. Failures were related to the following systems: dosimetry system (22%), safety and control system (7%), heavy water system (2%), technical water (4%), helium system (2%), measuring instruments (30%), transport, ventilation, power supply systems (32%). A review of safety shutdowns from 1962 to 1966 is included as well, as a comparison with three similar reactors. Although the number of events used for statistical analysis was not adequate, it has been concluded that RA reactor operation was stable and reliable.

Use of nuclear recoil for separating 228Ra, 224Ra, and 233Pa from colloidal thorium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Beydon, J.; Gratot, I.

1968-01-01

By using α-recoil it is possible to separate by dialysis the α disintegration products (224 Ra; 228 Ra) of thorium from colloidal thorium hydroxide.The use of n, γ recoil allows the separation of 233 Pa produced by the neutron irradiation of thorium, on condition that the colloidal thorium hydroxide is irradiated in the presence of a dispersing. (author) [fr

Profundidade e atributos físicos do solo e seus impactos nas raízes de bananeiras

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alan Antônio Miotti

2013-06-01

Full Text Available A bananeira pode ter sua produção prejudicada se cultivada em solos com restrições físicas. O objetivo deste trabalho foi verificar se os atributos físicos de solos rasos comprometem as raízes das plantas de bananeira. O estudo foi realizado na Chapada do Apodi (CE, onde foram comparados solos com duas profundidades efetivas: raso (profundidade aproximada de 0,57 m, mais arenoso e profundo (profundidade aproximada de 1,16 m, mais argiloso e seis profundidades de coleta de solo e de raízes (0-10;10-20;20-30; 30-40; 40-50 e 50-60 cm. Nas amostras de solo, foram determinados os seguintes atributos físicos: curva de retenção de água, densidade do solo, porosidade, granulometria e densidade de partículas. A resistência do solo à penetração (RP foi avaliada no campo, utilizando-se de penetrômetro de impacto, com cinco repetições até 60 cm de profundidade. Para o estudo de raízes, as amostras foram coletadas com sonda e, por meio da análise de imagens de raízes lavadas, foram determinados: comprimento, área e volume total, e classes de diâmetro. O solo mais profundo e argiloso apresentou maior microporosidade e porosidade total, o que contribuiu para maior retenção de água. Valores de densidade do solo e de partículas foram maiores em duas camadas do solo raso, bem como a RP que atingiu o valor de 5,1 MPa. O desenvolvimento das raízes das bananeiras foi favorecido no solo profundo, no qual foram encontradas raízes mais espessas (2,2 a 6,6 mm e mais finas (0,68 a 0,79 mm, contribuindo com a sustentação das plantas e com a absorção de água e nutrientes.

Nuclear Reactor RA Safety Report, Vol. 8, Auxiliary system; Izvestaj o sigurnosti nuklearnog reaktora RA, Knjiga 8, Pomocni sistemi

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1986-11-01

This volume describes RA reactor auxiliary systems, as follows: special ventilation system, special drainage system, hot cells, systems for internal transport. Ventilation system is considered as part of the reactor safety and protection system. Its role is eliminate possible radioactive particles dispersion in the environment. Special drainage system includes pipes and reservoirs with the safety role, meaning absorption or storage of possible radioactive waste water from the reactor building. Hot cells existing in the RA reactor building are designed for production of sealed radioactive sources, including packaging and transport. [Serbo-Croat] Ova knjiga obuhvata opis pomocnih sistem reaktora RA: sistem specijalne ventilacije, sistem specijalne kanalizacije, vruce komore, sistemi za unutrasnji transport. Ventilacioni sistem je znacajan deo sistema zastite i sigurnosti reaktora. Njegova je uloga da onemoguci disperziju radioaktivnih cestica u okolinu. Sistem specijalne kanalizacije sastoji se od agregata, cevovoda i rezervoara sa sigurnosnom armaturom i ima zadatak da prihvata i u sebe deponuje radioaktivne otpadne vode iz objekarta reaktora RA. U zgradi reaktora RA postoje vruce komore koje su namenjene za proizvodnju zatvorenih izvora zracenje, ukljucujuci i mehanicku obradu, prepakivanje i transport.

Cardiovascular safety of biologic therapies for the treatment of RA.

Science.gov (United States)

Greenberg, Jeffrey D; Furer, Victoria; Farkouh, Michael E

2011-11-15

Cardiovascular disease represents a major source of extra-articular comorbidity in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). A combination of traditional cardiovascular risk factors and RA-related factors accounts for the excess risk in RA. Among RA-related factors, chronic systemic inflammation has been implicated in the pathogenesis and progression of atherosclerosis. A growing body of evidence--mainly derived from observational databases and registries--suggests that specific RA therapies, including methotrexate and anti-TNF biologic agents, can reduce the risk of future cardiovascular events in patients with RA. The cardiovascular profile of other biologic therapies for the treatment of RA has not been adequately studied, including of investigational drugs that improve systemic inflammation but alter traditional cardiovascular risk factors. In the absence of large clinical trials adequately powered to detect differences in cardiovascular events between biologic drugs in RA, deriving firm conclusions on cardiovascular safety is challenging. Nevertheless, observational research using large registries has emerged as a promising approach to study the cardiovascular risk of emerging RA biologic therapies.

Research nuclear reactor RA - Annual Report 1994; Istrazivacki nuklearni reaktor RA - Izvestaj za 1994. godinu

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sotic, O [Institute of Nuclear Sciences Boris Kidric, Vinca, Beograd (Serbia and Montenegro)

1994-12-01

Activities related to revitalisation of the RA reactor stared in 1986, were continued in 1991. A number of interventions on the reactor components were finished that are supposed to enable continuous and reliable operation. The last, and at the same time largest action, related to exchange of complete reactor instrumentation is underway, but it is behind the schedule in 1991 because the delivery of components from USSR is late. Production of this instruments is financed by the IAEA according to the contract signed in December 1988 with Russian Atomenergoexport. According to this contract, it has been planned that the RA reactor instrumentation should be delivered to the Vinca Institute by the end of 1990. Only 56% of the instrumentation was delivered until September 1991. Since then any delivery of components to Yugoslavia was stopped because of the temporary embargo imposed by the IAEA. In 1991 most of the existing RA reactor instrumentation was dismantled, only the part needed for basic measurements when reactor is not operated, was maintained. Activities related to improvement of Russian project were continued in 1994. Control and maintenance of the reactor components was done regularly and efficiently. Extensive repair of the secondary coolant loop is almost finished and will be completed in the first part of 1995 according to existing legal procedures and IAEA recommendations. Fuel inspection by the IAEA safeguards inspectors was done on a monthly basis. There have been on the average 47 employees at the RA reactor which is considered sufficient for maintenance and repair conditions. Research reactor RA Annual report for year 1991 is divided into two main parts to cover: (1) operation and maintenance and (2) activities related to radiation protection. [Serbo-Croat] U 1994. godini nastavljeni su poslovi na revitalizaciji reaktora RA, zapocetoj 1986. godine. Okoncan je niz zahvata na opremi postrojenja kojima ce se u narednom periodu omoguciti kontinualan i

THE IMMUNOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTIC OF RA PATIENTS WITH ANAEMIA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. E. Sizikov

2014-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract. The aim of the investigation was to study the immunological characteristics of RA patients with anaemia. Clinical and laboratory data including the percentage of the main lymphocyte subclasses, phagocyte and DTH-effector activity, serum concentration of immunoglobulins, the percentage of cells producing IFNγ and/or IL-4 and percent of monocytes producing TNF. We revealed some significant clinical, laboratory and immunological differences between RA patients and healthy donors and between patients with and without anaemia. Our data demonstrate RA anemic patients to have more severe disorders than patients without anaemia. We also revealed some significant immunological differences between RA patients and healthy donors and between patients with and without anaemia, including percent of cells producing IFNγ and/or IL-4. Our data permit to conclude that RA patients have many different immunological disturbances, more severe in anaemic patients.

RA Reactor operation and maintenance (I-IX), Part I; Pogon i odrzavanje reaktora RA (I-IX), I Deo

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zecevic, V [Institute of Nuclear Sciences Boris Kidric, Reaktor RA, Vinca, Beograd (Serbia and Montenegro)

1963-12-15

The report on RA reactor operation and maintenance for year 1963 is divided in six tasks. This volume contains the introductory report, and three tasks of the final report, namely reactor exploitation, reactivity changes of the RA reactor before repair, planning of refuelling.

A Procedure for the Rapid Determination of 226Ra and 228Ra in Drinking Water by Liquid Scintillation Counting

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2014-01-01

Since 2004, the environment programme of the IAEA has included activities aimed at the development of a set of procedures for the determination of radionuclides in terrestrial environmental samples. Reliable, comparable and ‘fit for purpose’ results are essential requirements for any decision based on analytical measurements. For the analyst, tested and validated analytical procedures are extremely important tools for the production of such data. For maximum utility, such procedures should be comprehensive, clearly formulated and readily available to both the analyst and the customer. This publication describes a procedure for the rapid determination of 226 Ra and 228 Ra in drinking water. The determination of radium in drinking water is important for protecting human health, since the consumption of drinking water containing radium may lead to an accumulation in the body, contributing to the radiological dose. The method is based on the separation of 226 Ra and 228 Ra from interfering elements using PbSO 4 and Ba(Ra)SO 4 coprecipitation steps. The isotopes 226 Ra and 228 Ra are then determined by liquid scintillation counting. The procedure is expected to be of general use to a wide range of laboratories, including the laboratories of the Analytical Laboratories for the Measurement of Environmental Radioactivity (ALMERA) network, both in emergency situations and for routine environmental monitoring purposes. The method was established after an extensive review of papers from the scientific literature, and was tested and validated in terms of repeatability and trueness (relative bias) in accordance with International Organization for Standardization guidelines. Reproducibility tests were performed at expert laboratories. The calculation of massic activities, uncertainty budget, decision threshold and detection limit are also described

Study of natural radionuclides - {sup 226}Ra, {sup 228}Ra and {sup 210}PB - in marine sediment cores from Southwest Atlantic during the Holocene; Estudo dos radionuclideos naturais - Ra226, Ra-228 e Pb-210 - em alguns registros sedimentares do Atlantico sudoeste ao longo do holoceno

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Costa, Alice Miranda Ribeiro

2016-07-01

Natural radionuclides from {sup 238}U and {sup 232}Th series have been successfully applied as tracers of environmental process and climate changes. The {sup 210}Pb (half-life of 22.2 years) is used in the geochronological dating technique of sediment cores of the last 100-150 years, and its respective sedimentation rate determination. The study of {sup 226}Ra and {sup 228}Ra concentrations (half-lives of 1,600 years and 5.75 years, respectively) helps calculate the activity of {sup 210}Pb in excess in the environment, besides being important tracers of marine processes, as ground water discharge. In this work it was determined the activity concentrations of {sup 226}Ra, {sup 228}Ra and {sup 210}Pb in four short marine cores collected since the continental platform to upper slope of Southwest Atlantic Ocean. Taking into account the results obtained, sedimentation rates and the ages of each sediment layer were determined using the geochronological dating method with {sup 210}Pb. All sediment samples were total acid digested in microwave. The sequential radiochemical separation of {sup 226}Ra, {sup 228}Ra, {sup 210}Pb were performed, obtaining in the end the precipitation of Ba(Ra)SO{sub 4} and PbCrO{sub 4}. The gross α measurements of {sup 226}Ra and gross β measurements of {sup 228}Ra and {sup 210}Pb from the precipitates were carried out in a gas-flow low background proportional counter. Concerning all cores analyzed, the activities concentrations of {sup 226}Ra ranged from 14 Bq.kg{sup -1} to 154 Bq.kg{sup -1}; the concentrations of {sup 228}Ra ranged from 17 Bq.kg{sup -1} to 45 Bq.kg{sup -1}; and the concentrations of {sup 210}Pb ranged from 20 Bq.kg{sup -1} to 2,073 Bq.kg{sup -1}. High values of {sup 210}Pb were observed on the top of all the cores studied, mainly related to atmospheric deposition. The results obtained in this work were of the same order of magnitude of those reported in the literature available on non contaminated areas of Southeast

Escherichia coli Overexpressing a Baeyer-Villiger Monooxygenase from Acinetobacter radioresistens Becomes Resistant to Imipenem.

Science.gov (United States)

Minerdi, Daniela; Zgrablic, Ivan; Castrignanò, Silvia; Catucci, Gianluca; Medana, Claudio; Terlizzi, Maria Elena; Gribaudo, Giorgio; Gilardi, Gianfranco; Sadeghi, Sheila J

2016-01-01

Antimicrobial resistance is a global issue currently resulting in the deaths of hundreds of thousands of people a year worldwide. Data present in the literature illustrate the emergence of many bacterial species that display resistance to known antibiotics; Acinetobacter spp. are a good example of this. We report here that Acinetobacter radioresistens has a Baeyer-Villiger monooxygenase (Ar-BVMO) with 100% amino acid sequence identity to the ethionamide monooxygenase of multidrug-resistant (MDR) Acinetobacter baumannii. Both enzymes are only distantly phylogenetically related to other canonical bacterial BVMO proteins. Ar-BVMO not only is capable of oxidizing two anticancer drugs metabolized by human FMO3, danusertib and tozasertib, but also can oxidize other synthetic drugs, such as imipenem. The latter is a member of the carbapenems, a clinically important antibiotic family used in the treatment of MDR bacterial infections. Susceptibility tests performed by the Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion method demonstrate that imipenem-sensitive Escherichia coli BL21 cells overexpressing Ar-BVMO become resistant to this antibiotic. An agar disk diffusion assay proved that when imipenem reacts with Ar-BVMO, it loses its antibiotic property. Moreover, an NADPH consumption assay with the purified Ar-BVMO demonstrates that this antibiotic is indeed a substrate, and its product is identified by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry to be a Baeyer-Villiger (BV) oxidation product of the carbonyl moiety of the β-lactam ring. This is the first report of an antibiotic-inactivating BVMO enzyme that, while mediating its usual BV oxidation, also operates by an unprecedented mechanism of carbapenem resistance. Copyright © 2015, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

A case of community-acquired Acinetobacter baumannii meningitis - has the threat moved beyond the hospital?

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Lowman, Warren; Kalk, Thomas; Menezes, Colin N.; John, Melanie A.; Grobusch, Martin P.

2008-01-01

Acinetobacter baumannii is a prolific nosocomial pathogen renowned for its multidrug-resistant nature. We report a case of community-acquired meningitis due to A. baumannii. The case highlights the potential pathogenicity of this organism and raises concerns that this highly adaptable organism may

Nuclear Reactor RA Safety Report, Vol. 1, Introduction; Izvestaj o sigurnosti nuklearnog reaktora RA, Knjiga 1, Uvod

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1986-11-01

Based on the agreement between governments of Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and USSR of January 28 1956, a contract was signed about construction of RA research reactor in the Boris Kidric Institute of nuclear sciences. Building of the RA reactor started in 1956, and has reached criticality in 1959. Since then it has been in almost permanent operation, except for five longer shutdown periods: in 1963 because of heavy water and primary coolant system contamination with cobalt; in 1970 because of transporting the heavy water to France for isotopic regeneration; in 1979/1980 and 1983 because of aluminium oxyhydrate deposition on the fuel element cladding in reactor active region; in 1985/1986 because of ventilation system reconstruction and construction of emergency core cooling system. RA reactor is a heavy water cooled and heavy water moderated research reactor. Since the beginning of its operation, 2% enriched metal uranium fuel was used. From 1976, 80% enriched uranium oxide fuel elements were used partially in some core regions and since 1981 the complete core was filled with this highly enriched fuel. RA reactor was designed to operate under normal conditions at 6.5 MW power and at 10 MW power under forced regime. As a powerful neutron source the reactor was meant to be used for research in the field of reactor and neutron physics, solid state physics, radiation chemistry, biology and radioactive isotopes production. RA reactor was build by Yugoslav companies based on USSR basic design project. Main components of the systems were produced in USSR. [Serbo-Croat] Na osnovu Sporazuma izmedju vlada SFRJ i SSSR od 28. januara 1956. godine, sklopljen je ugovor o izgradnji istrazivackog reaktora RA u Institutu za nuklearne nauke Boris Kidric u Vinci. Reaktor RA je poceo da se gradi 1956. godine, a kriticnost je postigao 1959. godine. Od tada je takoreci neprekidno bio u radu, izuzev u pet slucajeva duzeg stajanja: 1963. godine - zbog kontaminacije teske vode

SHORT COMMUNICATION: Non-Fermenters in Human Infections with Special Reference to Acinetobacter Species in a Tertiary Care Hospital from North Karnataka, India

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Prashant K. Parandekar

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Background: Non-fermenters are a group of aerobic non-spore forming gram negative bacilli that are either incapable of utilizingcarbohydrates as a source of energy or degrade them via oxidative rather than fermentative pathway. These are increasingly been reported from the cases of nosocomial infections. Aims and Objectives: This study was undertaken aiming to identify, characterize all nonfermenters and further study of Acinetobacterisolates. Materials and Methods: A total 116 non-fermenters isolated from various specimens obtained from the patients in tertiarycare hospital. Gram negative bacilli which failed to produce acid on Triple Sugar Iron Agar (TSI were identified by employing battery oftests. The Acinetobacter isolates were further speciated and antimicrobial susceptibility testing done by Kirby Bauer disc diffusion technique. Results: Non-fermenters isolated were Pseudomonas aerugionsa (69.8%, Acinetobacter species (18.9%,Stenotrophomonas maltophilia (4.3%, Burkholderia cepacia (3.4%, Alcaligenes fecalis (1.7% and Pseudomonas fluorescens (1.7%. Most of the isolates showed susceptibility to imipenem (86.3% whereasnone of the isolates were sensitive to cephalexin and co-trimoxazole. Conclusion: This study highlights that, after Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Acinetobacter species is the most common non-fermenter. Majority of the isolates of Acinetobacter Species were ofnosocomial origin and were multidrug resistant, which underlines the importance of proper vigilance of these infections in hospital setting.

Infrequent air contamination with Acinetobacter baumannii of air surrounding known colonized or infected patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Rock, Clare; Harris, Anthony D; Johnson, J Kristie; Bischoff, Werner E; Thom, Kerri A

2015-07-01

Using a validated air sampling method we found Acinetobacter baumannii in the air surrounding only 1 of 12 patients known to be colonized or infected with A. baumannii. Patients' closed-circuit ventilator status, frequent air exchanges in patient rooms, and short sampling time may have contributed to this low burden.

Informing Antibiotic Treatment Decisions: Evaluating Rapid Molecular Diagnostics To Identify Susceptibility and Resistance to Carbapenems against Acinetobacter spp. in PRIMERS III.

Science.gov (United States)

Evans, Scott R; Hujer, Andrea M; Jiang, Hongyu; Hill, Carol B; Hujer, Kristine M; Mediavilla, Jose R; Manca, Claudia; Tran, Thuy Tien T; Domitrovic, T Nicholas; Higgins, Paul G; Seifert, Harald; Kreiswirth, Barry N; Patel, Robin; Jacobs, Michael R; Chen, Liang; Sampath, Rangarajan; Hall, Thomas; Marzan, Christine; Fowler, Vance G; Chambers, Henry F; Bonomo, Robert A

2017-01-01

The widespread dissemination of carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter spp. has created significant therapeutic challenges. At present, rapid molecular diagnostics (RMDs) that can identify this phenotype are not commercially available. Two RMD platforms, PCR combined with electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (PCR/ESI-MS) and molecular beacons (MB), for detecting genes conferring resistance/susceptibility to carbapenems in Acinetobacter spp. were evaluated. An archived collection of 200 clinical Acinetobacter sp. isolates was tested. Predictive values for susceptibility and resistance were estimated as a function of susceptibility prevalence and were based on the absence or presence of beta-lactamase (bla) NDM, VIM, IMP, KPC, and OXA carbapenemase genes (e.g., bla OXA-23 , bla OXA-24/40 , and bla OXA-58 found in this study) against the reference standard of MIC determinations. According to the interpretation of MICs, 49% (n = 98) of the isolates were carbapenem resistant (as defined by either resistance or intermediate resistance to imipenem). The susceptibility sensitivities (95% confidence interval [CI]) for imipenem were 82% (74%, 89%) and 92% (85%, 97%) for PCR/ESI-MS and MB, respectively. Resistance sensitivities (95% CI) for imipenem were 95% (88%, 98%) and 88% (80%, 94%) for PCR/ESI-MS and MB, respectively. PRIMERS III establishes that RMDs can discriminate between carbapenem resistance and susceptibility in Acinetobacter spp. In the context of a known prevalence of resistance, SPVs and RPVs can inform clinicians regarding the best choice for empiric antimicrobial therapy against this multidrug-resistant pathogen. Copyright © 2016 American Society for Microbiology.

Radiation protection at reactors RA and RB

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ninkovic, M.

2003-02-01

Radiation protection activities at the RA and RB reactors are imposed by the existing legal regulations and international recommendations in this field. This annual report contains five parts which cover the following topics: Radiation safety, dosimetry control and technical radiation protection at reactors RA and RB; Handling of radioactive waste, actions and decontamination; Control of the environment (surroundings of RA and RB reactors) and meteorological measurements; Control of internal contamination and internal exposure; Health control od personnel exposed to radiation. Personnel as well as financial data are part of this report

Blue light irradiation triggers the antimicrobial potential of ZnO nanoparticles on drug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Ming-Yeh; Chang, Kai-Chih; Chen, Liang-Yu; Wang, Po-Ching; Chou, Chih-Chiang; Wu, Zhong-Bin; Hu, Anren

2018-03-01

Photodynamic inactivation (PDI) is a non-invasive and safe therapeutic method for microbial infections. Bacterial antibiotic resistance is caused by antibiotics abuse. Drug-resistant Acinetobacter spp. is a serious problem in hospitals around the world. These pathogens from nosocomial infections have high mortality rates in frailer people, and Acinetobacter spp. is commonly found in immunocompromised patients. Visible light is safer than ultraviolet light (UV) for PDI of nosocomial pathogens with mammalian cells. Zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs) were used in this study as an antimicrobial agent and a photosensitizer. ZnO is recognized as safe and has extensive usage in food additives, medical and cosmetic products. In this study, we used 0.125 mg/ml ZnO-NPs combined with 10.8 J/cm 2 blue light (BL) on Acinetobacter baumannii (A. baumannii) that could significantly reduce microbial survival. However, individual exposure to ZnO-NPs does not affect the viability of A. baumannii. BL irradiation could trigger the antimicrobial ability of ZnO nanoparticles on A. baumannii. The mechanism of photocatalytic ZnO-NPs treatment for sterilization occurs through bacterial membrane disruptions. Otherwise, the photocatalytic ZnO-NPs treatment showed high microbial eradication in nosocomial pathogens, including colistin-resistant and imipenem-resistant A. baumannii and Klebsiella pneumoniae. Based on our results, the photocatalytic ZnO-NPs treatment could support hygiene control and clinical therapies without antibiotics to nosocomial bacterial infections. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Research nuclear reactor RA - Annual report 1992; Istrazivacki nuklearni reaktor RA - Izvestaj za 1992. godinu

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sotic, O [Institute of Nuclear Sciences Boris Kidric, Vinca, Beograd (Serbia and Montenegro)

1992-12-01

Research reactor RA Annual report for year 1992 is divided into two main parts to cover: (1) operation and maintenance and (2) activities related to radiation protection. First part includes 8 annexes describing reactor operation, activities of services for maintenance of reactor components and instrumentation, financial report and staffing. Second annex B is a paper by Z. Vukadin 'Recurrence formulas for evaluating expansion series of depletion functions' published in 'Kerntechnik' 56, (1991) No.6 (INIS record no. 23024136. Second part of the report is devoted to radiation protection issues and contains 4 annexes with data about radiation control of the working environment and reactor environment, description of decontamination activities, collection of radioactive wastes, and meteorology data. [Serbo-Croat] Godisnji izvestaj o radu nuklearnog reaktora RA za 1992. godinu sastoji se od dva dela: prvi deo obuhvata pogon i odzavanje reaktora RA, a drugi poslove zastite od zracenja na reaktoru RA. Prvi deo sadrzi 8 priloga, koji opisuju rad reaktora i poslove sluzbi za odrzavanje opreme i komponenti, finansijski izvestaj, kadrovsku strukturu osoblja reaktora. Drugi prilog (B) je rad Z. Vukadina 'Recurrence formulas for evaluating expansion series of depletion functions' objavljen u casopisu Kerntechnik, 1991. Drugi deo izvestaja o poslovima zastite od zracenja sadrzi 4 priloga sa podacima radijacione kontrole radne sredine i okoline reaktora, opis poslova dekontaminacije i sakupljanja radioaktivnih materija, kao i meteoroloske podatke.

Depletion of regulatory T cells leads to an exacerbation of delayedtype hypersensitivity arthritis in C57BL/6 mice that can be counteracted by IL-17 blockade

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Atkinson, Sara Marie; Hoffmann, Ute; Bach, Emil

2016-01-01

Rodent models of arthritis have been extensively used in the elucidation of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) pathogenesis and are instrumental in the development of therapeutic strategies. Here we utilise delayed-type hypersensitivity arthritis (DTHA), a model in C57BL/6 mice affecting one paw with sync......Rodent models of arthritis have been extensively used in the elucidation of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) pathogenesis and are instrumental in the development of therapeutic strategies. Here we utilise delayed-type hypersensitivity arthritis (DTHA), a model in C57BL/6 mice affecting one paw...... to rescue mice from the exacerbated disease caused by Treg depletion and caused a reduction in RANKL, IL-6 and the number of neutrophils. We show that Tregs are important for the containment of inflammation and bone remodelling in DTHA. To our knowledge, this is the first study using the Foxp3-DTR...

Design project SP-RA, Construction specifications of the sanitary corridor - SP building; Idejni projekat SP-RA, Gradjevinski opis sanitarnog propusnika - objekat

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bon, B [Institute of Nuclear Sciences Boris Kidric, Vinca, Beograd (Serbia and Montenegro)

1956-11-09

According to the design task the sanitary corridor satisfies the needs of both RA reactor and HL (Hot laboratory) buildings. This building is located between RA and HL buildings and is connected to both by corridors 3,3 m wide. The access to the building is from the south, i.e. from the local road in the Vinca Institute. [Serbo-Croat] Prema projektnom zadatku sanitarni propusnik zadovoljava potrebe objekata RA i HL. Zgrada je situirana izmedju ova dva objekta. Sa objektima RA i HL vezana je komunikativnim hodnikom sirine 3,3 m. Prilaz zgradi je sa juzne strane, odnosno sa internog puta Instituta Vinca.

Characterization and degradation potential of diesel-degrading bacterial strains for application in bioremediation.

Science.gov (United States)

Balseiro-Romero, María; Gkorezis, Panagiotis; Kidd, Petra S; Van Hamme, Jonathan; Weyens, Nele; Monterroso, Carmen; Vangronsveld, Jaco

2017-10-03

Bioremediation of polluted soils is a promising technique with low environmental impact, which uses soil organisms to degrade soil contaminants. In this study, 19 bacterial strains isolated from a diesel-contaminated soil were screened for their diesel-degrading potential, biosurfactant (BS) production, and biofilm formation abilities, all desirable characteristics when selecting strains for re-inoculation into hydrocarbon-contaminated soils. Diesel-degradation rates were determined in vitro in minimal medium with diesel as the sole carbon source. The capacity to degrade diesel range organics (DROs) of strains SPG23 (Arthobacter sp.) and PF1 (Acinetobacter oleivorans) reached 17-26% of total DROs after 10 days, and 90% for strain GK2 (Acinetobacter calcoaceticus). The amount and rate of alkane degradation decreased significantly with increasing carbon number for strains SPG23 and PF1. Strain GK2, which produced BSs and biofilms, exhibited a greater extent, and faster rate of alkane degradation compared to SPG23 and PF1. Based on the outcomes of degradation experiments, in addition to BS production, biofilm formation capacities, and previous genome characterizations, strain GK2 is a promising candidate for microbial-assisted phytoremediation of diesel-contaminated soils. These results are of particular interest to select suitable strains for bioremediation, not only presenting high diesel-degradation rates, but also other characteristics which could improve rhizosphere colonization.

Bioavailability of radionuclides {sup 226}Ra, {sup 228}Ra and {sup 210}Pb present in the brazilian phosphate fertilizers and phosphogypsum; Avaliacao da biodisponibilidade dos radionuclideos {sup 226}Ra, {sup 228}Ra e {sup 210}Pb presentes nos fertilizantes fosfatados e no fosfogesso de procedencia nacional

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Russo, Ana Carolina

2013-08-01

Phosphogypsum, also called gypsum, by-product of the phosphate fertilizer industry, can be used as soil conditioner since it provides improvements in the soil-plant system. However, this by-product concentrates radionuclides of the U and Th series, present in the phosphate rock used as raw material, which can impact the environment. In order to study the bioavailability of radionuclides, samples of phosphogypsum and phosphate fertilizers (monoammonium phosphate and triple superphosphate) were analyzed. The concentration of {sup 226}Ra, {sup 228}Ra and {sup 210}Pb were determined by gamma spectrometry. The samples were leached with a mild EDTA solution and the radionuclides present in the final solution were determined by total alpha and beta counting on a gas flow proportional counter. The percentage of extraction varied from 1.6% to 1.7% for {sup 210}Pb, from 0.5% to 1.4% for {sup 226}Ra and from 0.1% to 1.0% for the {sup 228}Ra in phosphogypsum samples. The low percentage of extraction obtained for the radionuclides can be partly explained by the low solubility of phosphogypsum, which ranged from 7.7% to 16%. For the monoammonium phosphate samples the percentage of extraction were less than 26% for {sup 226}Ra, less than 10% for '2{sup 28}Ra and less than 10% for {sup 210}Pb. In spite of the high solubility of 77% of monoammonium phosphate in the EDTA solution, low concentrations of radionuclides were observed in the leached solution. For the triple superphosphate samples, the percentage of extraction was 2.3% for {sup 226}Ra, 1.2% for {sup 228}Ra and 11.3% for {sup 210}Pb. In spite of the high solubility of 66% of triple superphosphate in the EDTA solution, low concentrations of radionuclides were observed in the leached solution. (author)

Development of Novel Antibiotics for the Treatment of Acinetobacter and Related Pathogens

Science.gov (United States)

2012-07-07

8217]’ . [ugmL ’] Staphylococcus aureus Enterococcus faecalis JH2-2 32 ATCC 12608 2 ATCC 12608+10% serum 2 Bacillus subtilis ATCC 12608 +50% serum...March 1, 2009 to February 28, 2012 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE Development of Novel Antibiotics for the Treatment of Acinetobacter and Related Pathogens...novel antibacterial agents. 15. SUBJECT TERMS antibiotics , compound screening, complex small molecules 16. SECURITY CLASSIFICATION OF: a. REPORT U

Hydroxyapatite particles as carriers for "2"2"3Ra

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vasiliev, A.N.

2017-01-01

Systematic investigation of optimal conditions for preparation and in vitro stability of HAP particles labeled with "2"2"3Ra, that could be considered as promising candidates for targeted α-therapy, has been carried out. Two different approaches to HAP labelling were tested: sorption of Ra"2"+ on pre-synthesized HAP-particles and incorporation of Ra"2"+ into the structure of HAP during its synthesis. Two textural forms of HAP particles were used-nanoparticles and particles with the diameter of 350 ± 20 μm. Kinetics of "2"2"3Ra sorption on HAP of different particle size and desorption in 0.9 % NaCl solution were studied. The influence of solution acidity and solid to liquid phase ratio on sorption of Ra was evaluated and the sorption yield up to 98 % was achieved. It was found that the optimal conditions for the sorption included synthesis of HAP nanoparticles in the presence of "2"2"3Ra at pH values of 4-7 followed by annealing at 900 deg C. In this case subsequent cumulative desorption of Ra was <5 % of initial activity. (author)

Operation and maintenance of the RA reactor in 1964, I-II, Part II; Pogon i odrzavanje reaktora RA u 1964. godini, I-II, II Deo

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pavicevic, M [Institute of Nuclear Sciences Boris Kidric, Reaktor RA, Vinca, Beograd (Serbia and Montenegro)

1964-12-15

This volume of the report contains the following 15 Annexes: Improvement of the fuel cycle economy (record No. 37009803 in INIS DB); Analysis of neutron flux increase in horizontal experimental channels of the RA reactor record No. 37005698 in INIS DB); Application of the critical system for determining the thermal neutron flux in a research reactor with central horizontal reflector ( record No. 37055005 in INIS DB); Determining the capacity of the RA reactor heat exchanger dependent on the coolant water temperature and flow; Operation of the RA reactor in forced regime; Analysis of the CEN-132 heavy water pumps failures at the RA reactor from decontamination till present; Modifications in the vacuum loop of the distillation system; Report on decontamination of the evaporator and cleaning of the condenser of the distillation system; Operation of reactor at nominal power with reduced D{sub 2}O circulation; Cooling of the RA reactor with reduced flow rate in the heavy water loop; Measurement of the heavy water level in the fuel channels of the RA reactor; Conclusions of the experts group of the RA reactor at the meeting held on November 2 and 3 1964; Conclusions of the experts group at the meeting held on November 23 1964; After heat and the cooling problem after RA reactor shut-down; Measurement of noise and vibrations on the Ra reactor heavy water system; Calculation and measurement of the uranium temperature during irradiation in the experimental channel in the reflector of the RA reactor; Temperature measurement of the reactor materials samples irradiated in the fuel channels of the RA reactor; Study of the modifications in the synchronous generators, heavy water pumps and condenser batteries of the RA reactor.

Differential roles of CD14 and toll-like receptors 4 and 2 in murine Acinetobacter pneumonia

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Knapp, Sylvia; Wieland, Catharina W.; Florquin, Sandrine; Pantophlet, Ralph; Dijkshoorn, Lenie; Tshimbalanga, Ntambua; Akira, Shizuo; van der Poll, Tom

2006-01-01

RATIONALE: Acinetobacter baumannii is an opportunistic bacterial pathogen that is increasingly associated with gram-negative nosocomial pneumonia, but the molecular mechanisms that play a role in innate defenses during A. baumannii infection have not been elucidated. OBJECTIVE: To gain first insight

Instructions for RA reactor decontamination - Annex 10; Prilog 10 - Uputstvo za dekontaminaciju Reaktora RA

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1963-12-15

Instructions for RA reactor decontamination includes: action plan for decontamination of the heavy water system by 7% water solution of H{sub 3}PO{sub 4} + 2% CrO{sub 3} acid; description of the preparatory work including calculation of the pipes volume and installation of special pipes; detailed instructions for decontamination procedure. [Serbo-Croat] Uputstvo za dekontaminaciju Reaktora RA sadrzi: plan operacija za dekontaminaciju sistema teske vode 7% vodenim rastvorom kiseline H{sub 3}PO{sub 4} + 2% CrO{sub 3}; opis pripremnih radova ukljucujuci proracun zapremine covovoda i montiranje posebnih cevovoda; detaljno uputstvo za izvodjenje operacija pri dekontaminaciji.

226Ra chronology of a coastal marine sediment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Koide, M.; Bruland, K.; Goldberg, E.D.

1976-01-01

Unsupported 226 Ra (tsub (1/2) = 1620 years) in marine sediments can provide a basis for measuring rates of accumulation of the order of centimeters per thousand years. The excess radium apparently enters the sediments incorporated in phytoplankton. The sensitivity of the method depends upon the initial value of the unsupported 226 Ra and of the value of 230 Th, a parent of 226 Ra, in the sedimentary components. 226 Ra dating was applied to a sediment taken from the slope of the San Clemente Basin in the Southern California coastal region. Rates of sedimentation over two half-lives of the nuclide were found to be either 5.2 or 5.3 cm/1000 years depending upon which of two models for the geochronology is used. One model assumes that the 230 Th brings to the deposit an amount of 226 Ra in equilibrium with it. The other is based upon the growth of the 226 Ra from the 230 Th in the sedimentary components. 238+239 Pu and 210 Pb levels in the upper strata indicated sedimentation rates of the order of 100-500 cm/1000 years, i.e. much faster accumulations. It is suggested that these derived rates are spurious and reflect bioturbative activities of surface-living organisms. (Auth.)

RA Reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1978-02-01

In addition to basic characteristics of the RA reactor, organizational scheme and financial incentives, this document covers describes the state of the reactor components after 18 years of operation, problems concerned with obtaining the licence for operation with 80% fuel, problems of spent fuel storage in the storage pool of the reactor building and the need for renewal of reactor equipment, first of all instrumentation [sr

Separation of Sr from Ca, Ba and Ra by means of Ca(OH)2 and Ba(Ra)Cl2 or Ba(Ra)SO4 for the determination of radiostrontium

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Chen, Q.J.; Hou, Xiaolin; Yu, Y.X.

2002-01-01

be completed. The new separation procedure has been successfully used for the determination of Sr-90 in samples with high Ca content, such as 451 of seawater and 2001 of drinking water. The analytical quality of the results is comparable to that of the traditional method using fuming nitric acid and BaCrO4......A simple procedure is developed to separate Sr from a large amount of Ca, which relies on the insolubility of Ca(OH)(2) in alkaline solution. Calcium is quantitatively separated from Sr and more than 95% of Sr is recovered from a sample with as much as 50 g of Ca and a Ca/Sr mole ratio of 250....... A new procedure for the separation of Sr from Ba and Ra is also investigated, which is based on the difference in solubility of the chlorides of Sr, Ba and Ra in HCl media. In 9.5 mol 1(-1) HCl or 7.5 mol 1(-1) HCl-10% acetone media, >97% of Ba and Ra can be removed by Ba(Ra)Cl-2 precipitation, and >94...

Influence of the IL-1Ra gene polymorphism on in vivo synthesis of IL-1Ra and IL-1beta after live yellow fever vaccination.

Science.gov (United States)

Hacker, U T; Erhardt, S; Tschöp, K; Jelinek, T; Endres, S

2001-09-01

The inflammatory response in infectious and autoimmune diseases is regulated by the balance between pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines. The IL-1 complex contains polymorphic genes coding for IL-1alpha, IL-1beta and IL-1Ra. The IL-1Ra (variable number of tanden repeat) VNTR polymorphism has been shown to influence the capacity to produce IL-1beta and IL-1Ra after in vitro stimulation. Allele 2 of this polymorphism is associated with a number of inflammatory diseases. To determine the impact of the IL-1Ra polymorphism on in vivo human cytokine synthesis, we used a yellow fever vaccination model for the induction of cytokine synthesis in healthy volunteers. Two different yellow fever vaccines were used. After administration of the RKI vaccine (34 volunteers), plasma TNF-alpha concentration increased from 13.4 +/- 0.9 pg/ml to 23.3 +/- 1.1 pg/ml (P < 0.001), and plasma IL-1Ra concentration increased from 308 +/- 25 pg/ml to 1019 +/- 111 pg/ml (P < 0.001), on day 2. Using Stamaril vaccine, no increase in the plasma concentrations of either TNF-alpha or IL-1Ra could be detected (n = 17). Only the RKI vaccine induced TNF-alpha synthesis after in vitro stimulation of MNC. Carriers of allele 2 of the IL-1Ra polymorphism had increased baseline concentrations of IL-1Ra (350 +/- 32 pg/ml) compared with non-carriers (222 +/- 18 pg/ml, P < 0.001), and decreased concentrations of IL-1beta (0.9 +/- 0.2 pg/ml for carriers versus 2.8 +/- 0.7 pg/ml for non-carriers, P = 0.017). After yellow fever vaccination (RKI vaccine), no significant differences in the increase of IL-1Ra plasma levels were detected between carriers and non-carriers of allele 2 of the IL-1Ra gene polymorphism. This is the first study to examine the influence of this genetic polymorphism on in vivo-induced human IL-1beta and IL-1Ra synthesis. Baseline concentrations of IL-1Ra and IL-1beta were significantly influenced by the IL-1Ra polymorphism. No influence of the IL-1Ra polymorphism on the in vivo

CAC-RA1 1958-1998. The first years of the Constituyentes Atomic Center (CAC). History of the first Argentine nuclear reactor (RA-1); CAC-RA-1 1958-1998. Los primeros anios del CAC. Historia del primer reactor nuclear argentino (RA-1)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Forlerer, Elena; Palacios, Tulio A [comps.

1998-07-01

After giving the milestones of the development of the Constituyentes Atomic Center since 1957, the history of the construction of the first nuclear reactor (RA-1) in Argentina, including the local fabrication of its fuel elements, is surveyed. The RA-1 reached criticality on January 17, 1958. The booklet commemorates the 40th year of the reactor operation.

Research of Acinetobacter Baumannii Isolation From Clinical Samples in Second Step Hospital

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Keramettin Yanik

2015-11-01

Full Text Available Aim: Due to existing multi drug resistance and subsequently acquired resistance Acinetobacter genus bacteria continuously actual. Other characteristics are increasing treatment costs, patient hospitalization period, mortality and morbidity. Risk factors like extended hospitalization period, background immune system disorders are increasing isolation frequency of this bacteria from patients. Extended spectrum antibiotic usage is known to be a major risk factor. Aim of our study is to investigate cause of growing A.baumanii isolation rate and cross contamination between this isolates in a state hospital. Material and Method: In this study analysed increasing isolation frequency by years and specimen occurrence in level 2 hospital. At the same time detected amount of used imipenem and meropenem in hospital during last three years. A.baumanii strains isolated from respiratory and sputum specimens of patients from intensive care unit and thoracal departament during last month of 2013 year%u2019s were tested using PFGE method for genotypic similarity. Results: Acinetobacters isolation frequency in years and carbapenem usage are subsequently increased. Specimens are generally from respiratory tract. Genotypic similarity not detected on studied 6 A.baumanii strain%u2019s PFGE image. This condition interpreted like this strains origins not from cross contamination.

An update on the arsenal for multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter infections: polymyxin antibiotics.

Science.gov (United States)

Kassamali, Zahra; Jain, Rupali; Danziger, Larry H

2015-01-01

To review recent clinical pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic data to optimize dosing regimens for polymyxin B and colistin for treatment of infections due to A. baumannii. A literature search was performed using the search terms Acinetobacter, polymyxin, colistin, polymyxin B on MEDLINE. Additional references were identified from the resulting citations. Increasing the dose of polymyxin B or colistin and using either in combination with other antibiotic agents demonstrates improved antimicrobial activity against Acinetobacter spp. Polymyxin B, unlike colistin, is available as an active drug and appears to be relatively unaffected by renal function. This is advantageous both for patients with renal impairment and for those with intact renal function. Achieving therapeutic serum concentrations of colistin may be difficult for those with intact renal function due to rapid clearance of the prodrug, colistimethate sodium (CMS). Clinical data are still lacking for polymyxin B, and it remains to be seen whether advantages demonstrated in PK/PD analyses will persist in the larger scale of patient care and safety. The use of higher doses of either colistin or polymyxin B, as well as combination with other antibiotics, may prevent emerging resistance and preserve the activity of polymyxins against A. baumannii. Copyright © 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

CipA of Acinetobacter baumannii Is a Novel Plasminogen Binding and Complement Inhibitory Protein.

Science.gov (United States)

Koenigs, Arno; Stahl, Julia; Averhoff, Beate; Göttig, Stephan; Wichelhaus, Thomas A; Wallich, Reinhard; Zipfel, Peter F; Kraiczy, Peter

2016-05-01

Acinetobacter baumannii is an emerging opportunistic pathogen, responsible for up to 10% of gram-negative, nosocomial infections. The global increase of multidrug-resistant and pan-resistant Acinetobacter isolates presents clinicians with formidable challenges. To establish a persistent infection,A. baumannii must overcome the detrimental effects of complement as the first line of defense against invading microorganisms. However, the immune evasion principles underlying serum resistance inA. baumannii remain elusive. Here, we identified a novel plasminogen-binding protein, termed CipA. Bound plasminogen, upon conversion to active plasmin, degraded fibrinogen and complement C3b and contributed to serum resistance. Furthermore, CipA directly inhibited the alternative pathway of complement in vitro, irrespective of its ability to bind plasminogen. A CipA-deficient mutant was efficiently killed by human serum and showed a defect in the penetration of endothelial monolayers, demonstrating that CipA is a novel multifunctional protein that contributes to the pathogenesis ofA. baumannii. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press for the Infectious Diseases Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, e-mail journals.permissions@oup.com.

The acute-phase response and serum amyloid A inhibit the inflammatory response to Acinetobacter baumannii Pneumonia

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Renckens, Rosemarijn; Roelofs, Joris J. T. H.; Knapp, Sylvia; de Vos, Alex F.; Florquin, Sandrine; van der Poll, Tom

2006-01-01

BACKGROUND: Acinetobacter baumannii is an emerging pathogen in nosocomial pneumonia. Trauma and postsurgical patients display a profound acute-phase protein response and are susceptible to pneumonia. METHODS: To study the way in which the acute-phase response induced by sterile tissue injury

RA Reactor operation and maintenance (I-IX), part VII, Task 3.08/04, Refurbishment of the RA reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zecevic, V.

1963-12-01

This volume covers the following reports concerned with the maintenance and repair work of the RA reactor: repair of the technical water system; maintenance of the transportation equipment; vacuuming and drying during refurbishment; repair and decontamination of the distillation device; and the report on participation of the operational dosimetry division in the RA reactor refurbishment activities

Design and manufacture of a three-counter channel system based on delayed coincidence principle using for 22'3Ra and 224Ra measurements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tuong Thi Thu Huong; Pham Ngoc Tuan; Dang Hong Ngoc Quy; Truong Van Dat; Tran Anh Khoi; Chau Thi Nhu Quynh

2016-01-01

The research group has designed and fabricated a radiation detection system for measuring low activities of 223 Ra and 224 Ra in natural waters based on a design of Giffin et al (1963). Samples are obtained by adsorbing 223 Ra and 224 Ra onto a column of MnO 2 coated fiber (Mn fiber). The short-lived Rn daughters of 223 Ra and 224 Ra which recoil from the Mn fiber are swept into a scintillation detector where alpha decays of Rn and Po occur. Signals from the detector are sent to a delayed coincidence circuit which discriminates decay of the 224 Ra daughters, 220 Ra and 216 Po, from decays of the 223 Ra daughters, 219 Ra and 215 Po. The main product of this project is a “Low Alpha counting system” based on digital technology. This system consists of some main electronic circuit such as amplifier, single channel analyzer, counters/timers, micro-processor, RS232 interfacing. Almost of mentioned-above components have been designed and fabricated using ISE 10.1 software toolkits from Xilinx. The application program for controlling and collecting data from the device is written in LabView. In comparison with conventional analog circuits, the design of this system is smaller and easy to use owing to being connected to personal computer through RS232 interface in order to data acquisition and processing. This is also a new trend in the field of development of nuclear equipment with the aim to simple design, cost-saving (Reuse of hardware components can further reduce the system development cost), flexible (arbitrarily adjust measurement parameters by setting parameters from software), user-Friendly Environment (program directly embedded into the FPGA). (author)

Determination of 226Ra and 224Ra in sediments samples by liquid scintillation counting

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Villa, M.; Moreno, H.P.; Manjon, G.

2005-01-01

An experimental procedure has been developed for a rapid determination of the activity concentration of 226 Ra and 224 Ra in sediments by liquid scintillation counting. The importance of the method lies in its application to the measurement of sediments where the Ra-isotopes activity concentration has been increased due to an anthropomorphic enhancement based on releases of naturally occurring radioactive material (NORM). A sample pre-treatment, including a digestion with aqua regia and a precipitation of hydroxides, was applied to samples before the radium extraction, which was made by co-precipitation with barium. Measurements were done in a low background scintillation spectrometer Quantulus 1220, which can separate and detect simultaneously α and β particles. Additionally, some improvements are suggested for a better α and β interference correction of the results. The obtaining of radiochemical yields is also improved using 133 Ba as tracer, which decays by emission of conversion electrons and γ-rays; the wide range of radiochemical yields obtained confirms the need of this analyses. The procedure has been applied to the measurement of riverbed sediments from an estuary in the south-west of Spain, affected in the past by direct and indirect phosphogypsum discharges

Tracing water movement in Mumbai harbor bay using naturally occurring "2"2"4Ra and "2"2"3Ra as tracer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yadav, V.B.; Sartandel, S.J.; Jha, S.K.; Tripathi, R.M.

2017-01-01

Measurement of short lived radium isotopes "2"2"4Ra and "2"2"3Ra in seawater samples collected from Mumbai Harbor Bay was carried out using MnO_2 based in-situ pre-concentration technique coupled with coincidence counting. Longitudinal variation of "2"2"4Ra and "2"2"3Ra was found in the range 17.74 - 98.66 dpm/100L and 0.56 - 2.26 dpm/100L respectively. Higher value of radium isotopes was found near shore sampling points where reused seawater and surface water from land intrudes in creek. A decreasing pattern was observed in the creek as we move to offshore locations. Lower activity ratio in offshore locations indicates the flow of water towards open sea. (author)

Genomic and proteomic evidences unravel the UV-resistome of the poly-extremophile Acinetobacter sp. Ver3.

Science.gov (United States)

Kurth, Daniel; Belfiore, Carolina; Gorriti, Marta F; Cortez, Néstor; Farias, María E; Albarracín, Virginia H

2015-01-01

Ultraviolet radiation can damage biomolecules, with detrimental or even lethal effects for life. Even though lower wavelengths are filtered by the ozone layer, a significant amount of harmful UV-B and UV-A radiation reach Earth's surface, particularly in high altitude environments. high-altitude Andean lakes (HAALs) are a group of disperse shallow lakes and salterns, located at the Dry Central Andes region in South America at altitudes above 3,000 m. As it is considered one of the highest UV-exposed environments, HAAL microbes constitute model systems to study UV-resistance mechanisms in environmental bacteria at various complexity levels. Herein, we present the genome sequence of Acinetobacter sp. Ver3, a gammaproteobacterium isolated from Lake Verde (4,400 m), together with further experimental evidence supporting the phenomenological observations regarding this bacterium ability to cope with increased UV-induced DNA damage. Comparison with the genomes of other Acinetobacter strains highlighted a number of unique genes, such as a novel cryptochrome. Proteomic profiling of UV-exposed cells identified up-regulated proteins such as a specific cytoplasmic catalase, a putative regulator, and proteins associated to amino acid and protein synthesis. Down-regulated proteins were related to several energy-generating pathways such as glycolysis, beta-oxidation of fatty acids, and electronic respiratory chain. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on a genome from a polyextremophilic Acinetobacter strain. From the genomic and proteomic data, an "UV-resistome" was defined, encompassing the genes that would support the outstanding UV-resistance of this strain.

Genomic and proteomic evidences unravel the UV-resistome of the poly-extremophile Acinetobacter sp. Ver3

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Daniel eKurth

2015-04-01

Full Text Available Ultraviolet radiation can damage biomolecules, with detrimental or even lethal effects for life. Even though lower wavelengths are filtered by the ozone layer, a significant amount of harmful UV-B and UV-A radiation reach Earth’s surface, particularly in high altitude environments. High-Altitude Andean Lakes (HAAL are a group of disperse shallow lakes and salterns, located at the Dry Central Andes region in South America at altitudes above 3,000 m. As it is considered one of the highest UV-exposed environments, HAAL microbes constitute model systems to study UV-resistance mechanisms in environmental bacteria at various complexity levels. Herein, we present the genome sequence of Acinetobacter sp. Ver3, a gammaproteobacterium isolated from Lake Verde (4,400 m, together with further experimental evidence supporting the phenomenological observations regarding this bacterium ability to cope with increased UV-induced DNA damage. Comparison with the genomes of other Acinetobacter strains highlighted a number of unique genes, such as a novel cryptochrome. Proteomic profiling of UV-exposed cells identified up-regulated proteins such as a specific cytoplasmic catalase, a putative regulator, and proteins associated to amino acid and protein synthesis. Down-regulated proteins were related to several energy-generating pathways such as glycolysis, beta-oxidation of fatty acids and electronic respiratory chain. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on a genome from a polyextremophilic Acinetobacter strain. From the genomic and proteomic data, an UV-resistome was defined, encompassing the genes that would support the outstanding UV-resistance of this strain.

Actions needed for RA reactor exploitation - I-IV, Part I, Thermotechnical experiments related to RA reactor hot start-up; Radovi za potrebe eksploatacije reaktora RA - I-IV, I Deo, Termotehnicki eksperimenti u vezi pustanja rektora RA na snagu

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Novakovic, M [Institute of Nuclear Sciences Boris Kidric, Vinca, Beograd (Serbia and Montenegro)

1961-12-15

Heavy water coolant loop of the RA reactor includes the reactor, circulation pumps, heat exchangers and pipes. The objective of this task was measuring the thermal parameters of the RA reactor during operation. This report contains the results of the experiment, calculations of thermal regime for the outer and inner tubes, maximum temperature of the fuel element, fluid flow rate in the reactor channels, temperature of the coolant and fuel element cladding.

Mitigating Inter-Network Interference in LoRa Networks

OpenAIRE

Voigt, Thiemo; Bor, Martin; Roedig, Utz; Alonso, Juan

2017-01-01

Long Range (LoRa) is a popular technology used to construct Low-Power Wide-Area Network (LPWAN) networks. Given the popularity of LoRa it is likely that multiple independent LoRa networks are deployed in close proximity. In this situation, neighbouring networks interfere and methods have to be found to combat this interference. In this paper we investigate the use of directional antennae and the use of multiple base stations as methods of dealing with inter-network interference. Directional a...

Spread of carbapenem-resistant international clones of Acinetobacter baumannii in Turkey and Azerbaijan: a collaborative study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ahmed, S.S.; Alp, E.; Ulu-Kilic, A.; Dinc, G.; Aktas, Z.; Ada, B.; Bagirova, F.; Baran, I.; Ersoy, Y.; Esen, S.; Guven, T.G.; Hopman, J.; Hosoglu, S.; Koksal, F.; Parlak, E.; Yalcin, A.N.; Yilmaz, G.; Voss, A.; Melchers, W.J.

2016-01-01

Epidemic clones of Acinetobacter baumannii, described as European clones I, II, and III, are associated with hospital epidemics throughout the world. We aimed to determine the molecular characteristics and genetic diversity between European clones I, II, and III from Turkey and Azerbaijan. In this

Work disability remains a major problem in rheumatoid arthritis in the 2000s: data from 32 countries in the QUEST-RA study.

Science.gov (United States)

Sokka, Tuulikki; Kautiainen, Hannu; Pincus, Theodore; Verstappen, Suzanne M M; Aggarwal, Amita; Alten, Rieke; Andersone, Daina; Badsha, Humeira; Baecklund, Eva; Belmonte, Miguel; Craig-Müller, Jürgen; da Mota, Licia Maria Henrique; Dimic, Alexander; Fathi, Nihal A; Ferraccioli, Gianfranco; Fukuda, Wataru; Géher, Pál; Gogus, Feride; Hajjaj-Hassouni, Najia; Hamoud, Hisham; Haugeberg, Glenn; Henrohn, Dan; Horslev-Petersen, Kim; Ionescu, Ruxandra; Karateew, Dmitry; Kuuse, Reet; Laurindo, Ieda Maria Magalhaes; Lazovskis, Juris; Luukkainen, Reijo; Mofti, Ayman; Murphy, Eithne; Nakajima, Ayako; Oyoo, Omondi; Pandya, Sapan C; Pohl, Christof; Predeteanu, Denisa; Rexhepi, Mjellma; Rexhepi, Sylejman; Sharma, Banwari; Shono, Eisuke; Sibilia, Jean; Sierakowski, Stanislaw; Skopouli, Fotini N; Stropuviene, Sigita; Toloza, Sergio; Valter, Ivo; Woolf, Anthony; Yamanaka, Hisashi

2010-01-01

Work disability is a major consequence of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), associated not only with traditional disease activity variables, but also more significantly with demographic, functional, occupational, and societal variables. Recent reports suggest that the use of biologic agents offers potential for reduced work disability rates, but the conclusions are based on surrogate disease activity measures derived from studies primarily from Western countries. The Quantitative Standard Monitoring of Patients with RA (QUEST-RA) multinational database of 8,039 patients in 86 sites in 32 countries, 16 with high gross domestic product (GDP) (>24K US dollars (USD) per capita) and 16 low-GDP countries (<11K USD), was analyzed for work and disability status at onset and over the course of RA and clinical status of patients who continued working or had stopped working in high-GDP versus low-GDP countries according to all RA Core Data Set measures. Associations of work disability status with RA Core Data Set variables and indices were analyzed using descriptive statistics and regression analyses. At the time of first symptoms, 86% of men (range 57%-100% among countries) and 64% (19%-87%) of women <65 years were working. More than one third (37%) of these patients reported subsequent work disability because of RA. Among 1,756 patients whose symptoms had begun during the 2000s, the probabilities of continuing to work were 80% (95% confidence interval (CI) 78%-82%) at 2 years and 68% (95% CI 65%-71%) at 5 years, with similar patterns in high-GDP and low-GDP countries. Patients who continued working versus stopped working had significantly better clinical status for all clinical status measures and patient self-report scores, with similar patterns in high-GDP and low-GDP countries. However, patients who had stopped working in high-GDP countries had better clinical status than patients who continued working in low-GDP countries. The most significant identifier of work disability in

RA Research nuclear reactor, Part I - RA nuclear reactor operation, maintenance and utilization in 1983

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sotic, O.; Martinc, R.; Kozomara-Maic, S.; Cupac, S.; Raickovic, N.; Radivojevic, J.; Badrljica, R.; Majstorovic, D.; Sanovic, V.

1983-12-01

After regular shutdown in November 1982, inspection of the fuel elements from the RA reactor core which was done from December 1982 - February 1983 has shown that there are deposits of aluminium oxides on the surface of the fuel cladding. After restart The RA reactor was operated at power levels from 1.8 - 2 MW, with 80% enriched uranium dioxide fuel elements. It was found that there was no corrosion of the fuel element cladding and that it was not possible to find the cause of surface deposition on the cladding surfaces without further operation. It was decided to purify the heavy water permanently during operation and to increase the heavy water flow by operating two pumps. This procedure was adopted in order to decrease the possibility of corrosion. The Safety committee of the Institute has approved this procedure for operating the RA reactor in 1983. The core was made of 80% enriched fuel, critical experiments were done until June 1983, and after that the operation was continued at power levels up to 2 MW [sr

Recovery of Ra-223 from natural thorium irradiated by protons

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Vasiliev, Aleksandr N.; Ostapenko, Valentina S. [Lomonosov Moscow State Univ. (Russian Federation); Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow-Troitsk (Russian Federation). Inst. for Nuclear Research; Lapshina, Elena V.; Ermolaev, Stanislav V.; Zhuikov, Boris L. [Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow-Troitsk (Russian Federation). Inst. for Nuclear Research; Danilov, Sergey S. [Lomonosov Moscow State Univ. (Russian Federation); Kalmykov, Stepan N. [Lomonosov Moscow State Univ. (Russian Federation); National Research Center ' Kurchatov Institute' (NRC ' Kurchatov Institute' ), Moscow (Russian Federation)

2016-11-01

Irradiation of natural thorium with medium-energy protons is considered to be a prospective approach to large-scale production of {sup 225}Ac and {sup 223}Ra. In addition to the earlier-developed method of {sup 225}Ac isolation, the present work focuses on the simultaneous recovery of {sup 223}Ra from the same thorium target. Radiochemical procedure is based on liquid-liquid extraction, cation exchange and extraction chromatography. The procedure provides separation of radium from spallation and fission products generated in the thorium target. High chemical yield (85-90%) and radionuclide purity of {sup 223}Ra (> 99.8% except {sup 224}Ra and {sup 225}Ra isotopes) have been achieved.

Evaluation of the activity concentration of 226Ra, 228Ra and 210Pb in sediments from Antarctica in the Admiralty Bay region

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mora, Tamires de A.; Oliveira, Joselene de; Figueira, Rubens C.L.; Mahiques, Michel M.; Sousa, Silvia H.M.

2015-01-01

In this study, we performed the radiochemical characterization of a sedimentary record (1B profile), collected in the vicinity of Admiralty Bay, King George Island in Antarctic Operation XXXI (January/2013). The activities of 226 Ra, 228 Ra and 210 Pb were determined by the counting of gross alpha and gross beta activities in the precipitates of Ba(Ra)SO 4 and PbCrO 4 . Those measurements were carried out in a low background gas flow proportional detector. The 226 Ra and 228 Ra were measured after 21 days of the final precipitation. The 210 Pb activity was determined after 10 days of the precipitation date by gross beta counting of its 210 Bi decay product. The activity concentration of 226 Ra ranged from 11±1 (mBq g-1) to 54±3 (mBq g -1 ), and the 228 Ra ranged from 48±5 (mBq g -1 ) to 155±16 (mBq g -1 ). The activity concentration of 210 Pb varied from 8±1 (mBq g -1 ) to 458±46 (mBq g -1 ), while unsupported 210 Pb ranged from 6±1 (mBq g -1 ) to 434±65 (mBq g -1 ). The 210 Pb concentrations in sediments have often been used to dating events like deposition and accumulation in various marine environments. Taking into account the results of 210 Pb and 226 Ra activities obtained in testimony-1B it was estimated the unsupported 210 Pb activity which was applied to the CIC geochronological dating model (Constant Initial Concentration). Based in these data, the sedimentation rate obtained was 0.63±0.02 cm year -1 . (author)

U-Th-Ra disequilibria at the Masaya (Nicaragua); Desequilibres U-Th-Ra au Masaya (Nicaragua)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sigmarsson, O; Condomines, M [Centre de Recherches Volcanologiques, CNRS URA-10, 63 - Clermont Ferrand (France)

1997-12-31

{sup 238}U-{sup 230}Th-{sup 226}Ra radioactive disequilibria were measured in several basalt samples of the post-caldera flows of the Masaya volcano (Nicaragua). {sup 230}Th/{sup 232}Th ratios are from the highest known in the world (about 2.53) with {sup 230}Th/{sup 238}U ratios close to 1. These exceptionally high isotopic thorium ratios from the Masaya and other neighboring volcanoes (Conception, Cerro Negro, Momotombo) are followed by very high {sup 10}Be/{sup 9}Be ratios (60 10{sup -11} for the 1722 flow). These geochemical characteristics with {delta}{sup 18}O of typical mantle origin (5.55) suggest an influence of the subducted sediments fluids in the magma source. The age of the metasomatism ranges from 10 to 0.3 Ma. Initial {sup 226}Ra/{sup 230}Th ratios measured in four historical flows vary from 1.3 to 1.4 and are anti-correlated with the Th content. These variations are probably linked to the fractionated crystallisation of plagioclase minerals. The initial {sup 226}Ra/Ba ratio remains constant and suggests the existence of a huge stationary magmatic reservoir. This hypothesis is also confirmed by the disproportion between the SO{sub 2} quantity emitted by the volcano and by the degassing of lavas on the ground. The {sup 226}Ra excess observed in the Masaya lavas can be the result of a second stage of metasomatism which occurred less than 8000 years B.P. during partial fusion. Abstract only. (J.S.).

U-Th-Ra disequilibria at the Masaya (Nicaragua); Desequilibres U-Th-Ra au Masaya (Nicaragua)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sigmarsson, O.; Condomines, M. [Centre de Recherches Volcanologiques, CNRS URA-10, 63 - Clermont Ferrand (France)

1996-12-31

{sup 238}U-{sup 230}Th-{sup 226}Ra radioactive disequilibria were measured in several basalt samples of the post-caldera flows of the Masaya volcano (Nicaragua). {sup 230}Th/{sup 232}Th ratios are from the highest known in the world (about 2.53) with {sup 230}Th/{sup 238}U ratios close to 1. These exceptionally high isotopic thorium ratios from the Masaya and other neighboring volcanoes (Conception, Cerro Negro, Momotombo) are followed by very high {sup 10}Be/{sup 9}Be ratios (60 10{sup -11} for the 1722 flow). These geochemical characteristics with {delta}{sup 18}O of typical mantle origin (5.55) suggest an influence of the subducted sediments fluids in the magma source. The age of the metasomatism ranges from 10 to 0.3 Ma. Initial {sup 226}Ra/{sup 230}Th ratios measured in four historical flows vary from 1.3 to 1.4 and are anti-correlated with the Th content. These variations are probably linked to the fractionated crystallisation of plagioclase minerals. The initial {sup 226}Ra/Ba ratio remains constant and suggests the existence of a huge stationary magmatic reservoir. This hypothesis is also confirmed by the disproportion between the SO{sub 2} quantity emitted by the volcano and by the degassing of lavas on the ground. The {sup 226}Ra excess observed in the Masaya lavas can be the result of a second stage of metasomatism which occurred less than 8000 years B.P. during partial fusion. Abstract only. (J.S.).

Determination of Ra-223 in human excretion samples by means of α-spectrometry; Bestimmung von {sup 223}Ra in Ausscheidungsproben mittels α-Spektrometrie

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zoriy, M.V.; Froning, M.; Hill, P. [Forschungszentrum Juelich GmbH (Germany). Geschaeftsbereich Strahlenschutz und Sicherheit

2015-07-01

To ensure the safety of occupationally exposed person for possible incorporation of {sup 223}Ra during the handling with Alpharadin / Xofigo {sup registered}, the determination of {sup 223}Ra activity in its excretion sample (e.g, in a stool sample) might be of great importance. To assess the {sup 223}Ra activity in human faeces samples a new analytical method was developed in our laboratory. The determination is performed by means of grid-ionization a-spectrometry. After a relatively simple sample preparation procedure (usually within max. 6 hours) and the addition of an internal standard, a direct determination of {sup 223}Ra with the grid ionization chamber (GIK) is possible. The method was optimized and successfully tested. The procedure-related LOD for {sup 223}Ra in a 24-hour faeces sample was 0.1 Bq/Probe.

Research nuclear reactor RA, Annual Report 2001

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sotic, O.

2002-01-01

During 2001, activities at the RA research nuclear reactor in were performed according to the Contract about financing of the RA reactor for the period January-December 2001, signed by the Ministry of Science, technology and development of the Republic of Serbia. RA reactor was not operated since shutdown in August 1984. Although, the most of the planned reconstruction activities were finished until 1991, the most important, which was concerned with exchange of the reactor instrumentation, financed by the IAEA, was interrupted due to international sanctions imposed on the country. Since 1992, all the renewal and reconstruction activities were ceased. Continuous aging and degradation of the equipment and facilities demand decision making about the future status of the Ra reactor. Until this decision is made it is an obligation to maintain control and maintenance of ventilation system, power supply, internal transportation system, spent fuel storage, hot cells, electronic fuel surveillance system, and part of the stationary dosimetry system. In 2001, apart from the mentioned activities, actions were undertaken related to maintenance of the reactor building and installations. The most important tasks fulfilled were: protection of the roof of the ventilation system building, purchase and installing the fire protection system and twelve new battery cells in the reactor building. There were no actions concerned with improvement of the conditions for intermediate spent fuel storage. With the support of IAEA, actions were initiated for possible transport of the spent fuel tu Russia. At the end of 2001, preparations were started for possible future decommissioning of the RA reactor. After, renewal of the membership of our country in the IAEA, the Government of Yugoslavia has declared its attitude about the intention of RA reactor decommissioning at the General Conference in September 2001 [sr

Comparative analysis of Acinetobacters: three genomes for three lifestyles.

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David Vallenet

Full Text Available Acinetobacter baumannii is the source of numerous nosocomial infections in humans and therefore deserves close attention as multidrug or even pandrug resistant strains are increasingly being identified worldwide. Here we report the comparison of two newly sequenced genomes of A. baumannii. The human isolate A. baumannii AYE is multidrug resistant whereas strain SDF, which was isolated from body lice, is antibiotic susceptible. As reference for comparison in this analysis, the genome of the soil-living bacterium A. baylyi strain ADP1 was used. The most interesting dissimilarities we observed were that i whereas strain AYE and A. baylyi genomes harbored very few Insertion Sequence elements which could promote expression of downstream genes, strain SDF sequence contains several hundred of them that have played a crucial role in its genome reduction (gene disruptions and simple DNA loss; ii strain SDF has low catabolic capacities compared to strain AYE. Interestingly, the latter has even higher catabolic capacities than A. baylyi which has already been reported as a very nutritionally versatile organism. This metabolic performance could explain the persistence of A. baumannii nosocomial strains in environments where nutrients are scarce; iii several processes known to play a key role during host infection (biofilm formation, iron uptake, quorum sensing, virulence factors were either different or absent, the best example of which is iron uptake. Indeed, strain AYE and A. baylyi use siderophore-based systems to scavenge iron from the environment whereas strain SDF uses an alternate system similar to the Haem Acquisition System (HAS. Taken together, all these observations suggest that the genome contents of the 3 Acinetobacters compared are partly shaped by life in distinct ecological niches: human (and more largely hospital environment, louse, soil.

Improved Triacylglycerol Production in Acinetobacter baylyi ADP1 by Metabolic Engineering

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Karp Matti

2011-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Triacylglycerols are used in various purposes including food applications, cosmetics, oleochemicals and biofuels. Currently the main sources for triacylglycerol are vegetable oils, and microbial triacylglycerol has been suggested as an alternative for these. Due to the low production rates and yields of microbial processes, the role of metabolic engineering has become more significant. As a robust model organism for genetic and metabolic studies, and for the natural capability to produce triacylglycerol, Acinetobacter baylyi ADP1 serves as an excellent organism for modelling the effects of metabolic engineering for energy molecule biosynthesis. Results Beneficial gene deletions regarding triacylglycerol production were screened by computational means exploiting the metabolic model of ADP1. Four deletions, acr1, poxB, dgkA, and a triacylglycerol lipase were chosen to be studied experimentally both separately and concurrently by constructing a knock-out strain (MT with three of the deletions. Improvements in triacylglycerol production were observed: the strain MT produced 5.6 fold more triacylglycerol (mg/g cell dry weight compared to the wild type strain, and the proportion of triacylglycerol in total lipids was increased by 8-fold. Conclusions In silico predictions of beneficial gene deletions were verified experimentally. The chosen single and multiple gene deletions affected beneficially the natural triacylglycerol metabolism of A. baylyi ADP1. This study demonstrates the importance of single gene deletions in triacylglycerol metabolism, and proposes Acinetobacter sp. ADP1 as a model system for bioenergetic studies regarding metabolic engineering.

Research on background neutron of 226Ra γ source

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ji Changsong

1996-01-01

This work studies the background neutron emission of 226 Ra γ source: the mechanism of resulting in background neutron is studied; a thesis that the (α, n) type reaction on Radium carriers Cl or Br is the main source of creating background neutron emission of 226 Ra γ source has been proposed and certificated; a proposal of substitution of Cl carrier by Br in radium source produced in China in order to reduce background neutron emission is put forward. A result to reduce the background neutron from 96.4 neutrons/4πsmgRa to 6.1 neutrons/4πsmgRa is obtained

Influence of relativistic effects on hydrolysis of Ra2+

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zielinska, B.; Bilewicz, A.

2005-01-01

Using 224 Ra radiotracer the first hydrolysis constant (pK 1h ) of Ra 2+ cations has been determined. The pK 1h value of Ra 2+ was compared with the pK 1h values of other Group 2 cations. It has been shown that the electrostatic hydrolysis model based on assumption that pK 1h is a linear function of reciprocal ionic radii (1/r i ) does not describe well the hydrolysis of Group 2 metal cations. The reason of higher Ra 2+ hydrolysis as expected is the influence of relativistic effects on bonding 7s and 7p 1/2 orbitals. (author)

The First Outbreak Caused by Acinetobacter baumannii ST208 and ST195 in China

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Junyan Qu

2016-01-01

Full Text Available This study aimed to analyze the clinical characteristics of patients and molecular mechanisms of the first outbreak mainly caused by sequence types (STs 208 multidrug resistant (MDR Acinetobacter baumannii in China. A total of 10 clinical samples were collected from 5 patients who were involved in the outbreak. Bacterial identification and antibiotic sensitivity tests were performed by the VITEK-2 COMPACT automated system. MICs of tigecycline for clinical isolates were determined using broth microdilution. The clonal relatedness of A. baumannii clinical isolates in our local settings was determinated by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE and multilocus sequence typing (MLST. A total of 7 A. baumannii strains were isolated and all were MDR strains; two of them were carbapenem-nonsusceptible strains. blaOXA-23 was the only acquired carbapenemase gene in the isolates. The isolates belonged to a single clonal pulsotype determined by PFGE and two sequences types (STs determined by MLST. The isolates belonged to the globally disseminated clonal complex 92, among which ST195 and ST208 were the most common sequence types (71.43% and 28.57%. The outbreak was successfully controlled by stringent infection control measures, especially improving the hand hygiene compliance and enhancing antimicrobial stewardship. In conclusion, this is the first description of an outbreak caused mainly by A. baumannii of ST208 in China. Infection control measures should be strengthened when infection outbreaks in hospital.

Molecular characterization of Ambler class A to D β-lactamases, ISAba1, and integrons reveals multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter spp. isolates in northeastern China.

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Xiaoyu; Liu, Bin; Chen, Yan; Huang, Honglan; Wang, Guoqing; Li, Fan; Ni, Zhaohui

2016-12-01

The prevalence of various Ambler class A to D β-lactamases, ISAba1, and class 1 and 2 integrons as well as the clonal relatedness in 105 Acinetobacter spp. isolates found in northeastern China was investigated. All 105 Acinetobacter spp. isolates were determined to be multidrug resistant (MDR), and the resistance rates to carbapenem agents were approximately 50%. PER, IMP, AmpC, and OXA-23 were found to be dominant β-lactamases belonging to different classes, respectively. This is the first report of the coexistence of bla PER , bla IMP , bla AmpC , and bla OXA-23-like genes in Acinetobacter spp. isolates from northeastern China. ISAba1 was found upstream of the bla OXA-23-like gene in 87.8% (36/41) strains and upstream of the bla OXA-51-like gene in 26.5% (13/49) strains. ISAba3-like element was found upstream of the bla OXA-58-like gene in one bla OXA-58-like -positive strain. The presence of IntI1 was detected in 63.8% (67/105) of the isolates and the most prevalent gene cassettes were aacA4, aadA1, and catB8. The highly prevalent isolates belong to international clonal lineage (ICL)-II. These results indicate that the wide horizontal and clonal spread of MDR Acinetobacter spp. isolates harbouring multiple β-lactamase genes has become a serious problem in northeastern China.

Behavior of 226Ra in the Mississippi River mixing zone

Science.gov (United States)

Moore, Daniel G.; Scott, Martha R.

1986-12-01

The behavior of 226Ra in the Mississippi River mixing zone is strongly nonconservative and includes desorption similar to that reported for the Hudson, Pee Dee, and Amazon rivers. However, dissolved and desorbed 226Ra concentrations in the Mississippi are 2 to 5 times greater than in the other rivers at the same salinity. Radium concentrations vary inversely with the water discharge rate. The 226Ra desorption maximum occurs at a salinity of 5.0, much lower than the 18 to 28 salinity values for the maxima of the other three rivers. High concentrations of dissolved 226Ra (up to 82 dpm per 100 L) and the low salinity values for the desorption maximum in the Mississippi River result from three major factors. Suspended sediments include a large fraction of montmorillonite, which gives the sediment a high cation exchange capacity, 0.54 meq/g. The average suspended sediment load is large, about 510 mg/L, and contains 1.9 dpm/g desorbable 226Ra. The dissolved 226Ra river water end-member (9.6 dpm per 100 L) is higher than in surface seawater. The annual contribution of 226Ra to the ocean from the Mississippi River is 3.7 × 1014 dpm/yr, based on data from three cruises. Evidence of flux of 226Ra from estuarine and shelf sediments is common in vertical profile sampling of the deltaic waters but is not reflected in calculations made with an "apparent" river water Ra value extrapolated to zero salinity.

Bacteria Present in Comadia redtenbacheri Larvae (Lepidoptera: Cossidae).

Science.gov (United States)

Hernández-Flores, L; Llanderal-Cázares, C; Guzmán-Franco, A W; Aranda-Ocampo, S

2015-09-01

The external and internal culturable bacterial community present in the larvae of Comadia redtenbacheri Hammerschmidt, an edible insect, was studied. Characterization of the isolates determined the existence of 18 morphotypes and phylogenetic analysis of the 16S rRNA gene revealed the existence of Paenibacillus sp., Bacillus safensis, Pseudomonas sp., Bacillus pseudomycoides, Corynebacterium variabile, Enterococcus sp., Gordonia sp., Acinetobacter calcoaceticus, Arthrobacter sp., Micrococcus sp., and Bacillus cereus. Greater diversity of bacteria was found in those larvae obtained from vendors than in those directly taken from Agave plants in nature. Many of the larvae obtained from vendors presented signs of potential disease, and after the analysis, results showed a greater bacterial community compared with the larvae with a healthy appearance. This indicates that bacterial flora can vary in accordance with how the larvae are handled during extraction, collection, and transport. © The Authors 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Influence of regular reporting on local Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter spp. sensitivity to antibiotics on consumption of antibiotics and resistance patterns.

Science.gov (United States)

Djordjevic, Z M; Folic, M M; Jankovic, S M

2017-10-01

Regular surveillance of antimicrobial resistance is an important component of multifaceted interventions directed at the problem with resistance of bacteria causing healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) in intensive care units (ICUs). Our aim was to analyse antimicrobial consumption and resistance among isolates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter spp. causing HAIs, before and after the introduction of mandatory reporting of resistance patterns to prescribers. A retrospective observational study was conducted between January 2011 and December 2015, at an interdisciplinary ICU of the Clinical Centre Kragujevac, Serbia. The intervention consisted of continuous resistance monitoring of all bacterial isolates from ICU patients and biannual reporting of results per isolate to prescribers across the hospital. Both utilization of antibiotics and density of resistant isolates of P. aeruginosa and Acinetobacter spp. were followed within the ICU. Resistance densities of P. aeruginosa to all tested antimicrobials were lower in 2015, in comparison with 2011. Although isolates of Acinetobacter spp. had lower resistance density in 2015 than in 2011 to the majority of investigated antibiotics, a statistically significant decrease was noted only for piperacillin/tazobactam. Statistically significant decreasing trends of consumption were recorded for third-generation cephalosporins, aminoglycosides and fluoroquinolones, whereas for the piperacillin/tazobactam, ampicillin/sulbactam and carbapenems, utilization trends were decreasing, but without statistical significance. In the same period, increasing trends of consumption were observed for tigecycline and colistin. Regular monitoring of resistance of bacterial isolates in ICUs and reporting of summary results to prescribers may lead to a significant decrease in utilization of some antibiotics and slow restoration of P. aeruginosa and Acinetobacter spp. susceptibility. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Estimation of annual effective dose from 226Ra 228Ra due to consumption of foodstuffs by inhabitants of high level natural radiation of Ramsar, Iran

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fathivand, A.A.; Asefi, M.; Amidi, A.

2005-01-01

Full text: A knowledge of natural radioactivity in man and his environment is important since naturally occurring radionuclides are the major source of radiation exposure to man. Radioactive nuclides present in the natural environment enter the human body mainly through food and water.Besides, measurement of naturally occurring radionuclides in the environment can be used not only as a reference when routine releases from nuclear installation or accidental radiation exposures are assessed, but also as a baseline to evaluate the impact caused by non-nuclear activities. In Iran, measurement of natural and artificial radionuclides in environmental samples in normal and high-background radiation areas have been performed by some investigators but no information has been available on 226 Ra and 228 Ra in foodstuffs. Therefore we have started measurements of 226 Ra and 228 Ra in foodstuffs of Ramsar which is a coastal city in the north part of Iran and has been known as one of the world's high level natural radiation areas, using low level gamma spectrometry measurement system .The results from our measurements and food consumption rates for inhabitants of Ramsar city have been used for the estimation of annual effective dose due to consumption of foodstuffs by inhabitants of Ramsar city. A total of 33 samples from 11 different foodstuffs including root vegetables (beetroot), leafy vegetables (lettuce, parsley and spinach) and tea, meat,chicken, pea,broad bean, rice, and cheese were purchased from markets and were analyzed for their 226 Ra and 228 Ra concentrations. The highest concentrations of 226 Ra and 228 Ra were determined in tea samples with 1570 and 1140 mBq kg -1 respectively and the maximum estimated annual effective dose from 226 Ra and Ra due to consumption foodstuffs were determined to be 19.22 and 0.71 μSv from rice and meat samples respectively

RA reactor operation and maintenance in 1992, Part 1; Deo 1 - Pogon i odrzavanje nuklearnog reaktoro RA u 1992. Godini

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sotic, O; Cupac, S; Sulem, B; Zivotic, Z; Majstorovic, D; Tanaskovic, M [Institute of Nuclear Sciences Boris Kidric, Vinca, Beograd (Serbia and Montenegro)

1992-12-01

During 1992 Ra reactor was not in operation. All the activities were fulfilled according to the previously adopted plan. Basic activities were concerned with revitalisation of the RA reactor and maintenance of reactor components. All the reactor personnel was busy with reconstruction and renewal of the existing reactor systems and building of the new systems, maintenance of the reactor devices. Part of the staff was trained for relevant tasks and maintenance of reactor systems. [Serbo-Croat] U toku 1992 godine poslovi u okviru projekta 'Istrazivacki nuklearni reaktor RA' obavljani su u skladu sa programom i planom rada. Osnovne aktivnosti na kojima je radjeno odnosile su se na revitalizaciju reaktora RA, kao i na odrzavanje opreme. U ovom periodu reaktor nije bio u pogonu. Svo osoblje je bilo angazovano na poslovima rekonstrukcije i modernizacije postojecih i dogradnje novih reaktorskih sistema, na odrzavanju opreme a deo tehnickog osoblja je bio obucavan za vrsenje odgovarajucih poslova u pogonu i odrzavanju opreme.

A sequential and fast method for low level of 226Ra , 228Ra, 210Pb e 210Po in mine effluents and uranium processing plant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Taddei, M.H.T.; Taddei, J.F.A.C.

2005-01-01

Due to biological risk and long half lives, the radionuclides 228 Ra, 226 Ra, 210 Pb and 210 Po should be frequently monitored to check for any environmental contamination around mines and uranium plants. Currently, the methods used for the determination of these radionuclides take about thirty days to reach the radioactive equilibrium of the 210 Pb and 226 Ra daughter's. The evaluation of effluent discharges and leakage of deposits to water bodies in monitoring programs, require quick answers to implement corrective measures. Thereby fast determination methods must be implemented. This work presents a fast and sequential method to, in three days, determine accurately and sensitively, 226 Ra, 228 Ra, 210 Pb, 210 Po, in water and effluent samples

Late excretion rates of 226Ra and 210Pb following occupational or iatrogenic exposure. I. 226Ra

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Holtzman, R.B.; Sha, J.Y.; Markun, F.

1982-01-01

The urinary and fecal excretion rates of 226 Ra have been determined for 53 subjects who had been exposed to 226 Ra; 25 had been radium dial painters, 16 were iatrogenic (medical) cases and 12 were former radium chemists. The mean coefficient of elimination, CE (fraction of body content excreted annually), was significantly lower for the medical cases than for dial painters. The mean ratio of urinary-to-fecal excretion rates was 3.0 +- 0.7%

Mortalidad por Acinetobacter baumannii en unidades de cuidados intensivos en Colombia Acinetobacter baumannii - related mortality in intensive care units in Colombia

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Elkin V Lemos

2011-10-01

Full Text Available OBJETIVO: Comparar la mortalidad en pacientes infectados por Acinetobacter baumannii multisensibles con pacientes infectados por A. baumannii multirresistentes hospitalizados en unidades de cuidados intensivos (UCI de Colombia. MÉTODOS: Estudio prospectivo, observacional y multicéntrico. Se incluyó a 165 pacientes ingresados en las UCIs participantes entre abril de 2006 y abril de 2010. Se comparó la mortalidad de los pacientes con aislamientos clínicos de A. baumannii multirresistentes frente a aquellos multisensibles al día 14 y 30 de hospitalización. RESULTADOS: De los 165 pacientes adultos que presentaron infecciones asociadas al cuidado en salud (IACS por A. baumannii, en 62 se encontraron bacterias multisensibles y en 103, multirresistentes. No se hallaron diferencias estadísticamente significativas en la mortalidad al día 14 de hospitalización en UCI. Sí se observaron en cambio diferencias significativas (P OBJECTIVE: Compare mortality in multidrug-susceptible Acinetobacter baumannii infected patients and multidrug-resistant A. baumannii-infected patients hospitalized in intensive care units (ICUs in Colombia. METHODS: A prospective, observational, and multicenter study. A total of 165 patients admitted to the participating ICUs from April 2006 to April 2010 were included. On day 14 and day 30 of hospitalization, mortality in multidrug-resistant patients with clinical isolates of A. baumannii was compared with that in multidrug-susceptible patients. RESULTS: Of the 165 adult patients who had health care-associated infections (HAI caused by A. baumannii, multidrug-susceptible bacteria were found in 62 patients and multidrug-resistant bacteria in 103. Statistically significant differences in mortality on day 14 of hospitalization in the ICU were not found. On the other hand, significant differences (P < 0.05 in mortality on day 30 of hospitalization were observed between patients with multidrug-resistant isolates and those with

Evaluation of antibacterial effect of Myrtus communis against Acinetobacter baumannii clinical strains

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Venous Akhavan

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Because of inappropriate use of antibiotics and prevalence of resistant bacteria, there is urgent need for antibacterial drugs that have fewer side effects than antibiotics. Myrtus communis is a medicinal plant which had many uses in traditional medicine. In this study, ethanol leave extract of this plant is tested on Acinetobacter baumannii. In the case of antimicrobial evaluation of plants, one of the effecting factors on effectiveness of the microbial inhibition is extraction techniques. In the presents study, the antibacterial activity of the Ethanol, Methanol, and Ethyl acetate extracts of M. communis plant was evaluated at seven different concentrations by broth microdilution method. The results of this study showed that the antimicrobial effect of M. communis extract is concentration dependent. Different extracts were obtained by the maceration method. Extracts of the plant exhibited antibacterial activity at varied levels against A. baumannii. Obtained results from our antibacterial experiments showed that all extracts have anti-bacterial activity against tested bacterial isolates According to the results, the ethyl acetate extracted fraction showed the highest level of activity at a MIC 400 mg/ml for A. baumannii. The results of this study indicate that, different extracts had growth inhibitory effect on A. baumannii. Therefore this plant has the potential to be evaluated as an alternative or adjunct to antibiotics to treat Acinetobacter infections.

Determination of the four natural Ra isotopes in thermal waters by gamma-ray spectrometry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Condomines, M.; Rihs, S.; Lloret, E.; Seidel, J.L.

2010-01-01

Our method for the simultaneous determination of the four natural Ra isotopes ( 226 Ra, 228 Ra, 224 Ra and 223 Ra) in thermal waters involves a separation of Ra on a selective filter (3 M EMPORE TM Radium Rad disk), and a single counting using a broad-energy HPGe detector (BE Ge manufactured by CANBERRA TM ). The calculation of 223 Ra and 228 Ra activities requires interference and cascade summing corrections. The 226 Ra activities in CO 2 -rich thermal waters of the Lodeve Basin (South of France) range from 530 to 2240 mBq/l. The low ( 228 Ra/ 226 Ra) activity ratios (0.19-0.29) suggest that Ra is mostly derived from the aquifer carbonates. The short-lived 224 Ra and 223 Ra are probably added to the water through recoil or desorption processes from Th-enriched coatings on the fracture walls.

Radiochemical determination and separation or total radium, 226Ra and 224Ra; Analisis Radioquimico de Radio total, Radio-226 y Radio-224

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Suarez, J A; Gonzalez, J A; Pablo, M A. de

1987-07-01

Radiochemical purification and separation of radium has been carried out and the determination of total radium solubilized in aqueous samples has been studied assuming that all the alpha emitters of the sample have their origin in the 226Ra and elements of its desintegration chain. Also, the activities of 22Ra and 226 Ra have been evaluated separately doing a measurement after the chemical separation of the radium and another one 10 days after. (Author) 9 refs.

A data-driven mathematical model of multi-drug resistant Acinetobacter baumannii transmission in an intensive care unit

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Wang, Xia; Chen, Yong; Zhao, Wei; Wang, Yan; Song, Qing; Liu, Hui; Zhao, Jingya; Han, Xuelin; Hu, Xiaohua; Grundmann, Hajo; Xiao, Yanni; Han, Li

2015-01-01

Major challenges remain when attempting to quantify and evaluate the impacts of contaminated environments and heterogeneity in the cohorting of health care workers (HCWs) on hospital infections. Data on the detection rate of multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (MRAB) in a Chinese intensive

Determination of 226Ra by alpha spectrometry of liquid scintillation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nobrega, A.W.; Sachett, I.A.; Hespanhol, E.C.B.

1987-01-01

The determination of 226 Ra in environmental samples using alpha spectrometry in liquid scintilation is studied. The Radon 1-2 emanation method and 226 Ra separation process of other radionuclides alpha emissors are analyzed. The use of 226 Ra coprecipitation with barium sulphate is evaluated. (M.J.C.) [pt

Analysis of potential risks from the bacterial communities associated with air-contact surfaces from tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) fish farming.

Science.gov (United States)

Grande Burgos, Maria Jose; Romero, Jose Luis; Pérez Pulido, Rubén; Cobo Molinos, Antonio; Gálvez, Antonio; Lucas, Rosario

2018-01-01

Tilapia farming is a promising growing sector in aquaculture. Yet, there are limited studies on microbiological risks associated to tilapia farms. The aim of the present study was to analyse the bacterial communities from solid surfaces in contact with air in a tilapia farm in order to evaluate the presence of bacteria potentially toxinogenic or pathogenic to humans or animals. Samples from a local tilapia farm (tank wall, aerator, water outlets, sink and floor) were analyzed by high throughput sequencing technology. Sequences were assigned to operational taxonomic units (OTUs). Proteobacteria was the main phylum represented in most samples (except for one). Cyanobacteria were a relevant phylum in the inner wall from the fattening tank and the wet floor by the pre-fattening tank. Bacteroidetes were the second phylum in relative abundance for samples from the larval rearing tank and the pre-fattening tank and one sample from the fattening tank. Fusobacteria showed highest relative abundances in samples from the larval rearing tank and pre-fattening tank. Other phyla (Verrucomicrobia, Actinobacteria, Firmicutes, Planktomycetes, Acidobacteria, Chloroflexi, Chlorobi, Gemmatiomonadetes or Fibrobacters) had lower relative abundances. A large fraction of the reads (ranging from 43.67% to 72.25%) were assigned to uncultured bacteria. Genus Acinetobacter (mainly A. calcoaceticus/baumanni) was the predominant OTU in the aerator of the fattening tank and also in the nearby sink on the floor. The genera Cetobacterium and Bacteroides showed highest relative abundances in the samples from the larval rearing tank and the pre-fattening tank. Genera including fish pathogens (Fusobacterium, Aeromonas) were only detected at low relative abundances. Potential human pathogens other than Acinetobacter were either not detected or had very low relative abundances (Acinetobacter and potential cyanotoxin-producing cyanobacteria. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Radiosensitivity and thermoresistance of rat RA-2 rhabdomyosarcoma cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fedorova, E.V.; Trusova, V.D.; Vakhtin, Yu.B.

1990-01-01

The data obtained show that clonogenic RA-2T cells are 2-3 times more thermoresistant than clonogenic cells of the original thermosensitive RA-2T strain as estimated by D 0 value upon heating up to 43-45 deg C. After X-irradiation of rat rhabdomyosarcoma, a decrease in the capacity of forming pulmonary colonies is more pronounced in cells of the thermosensitive RA-2 strain cells than in those of the thermoresistant strain RA-2T (D 0 =1.6 Gy and D 0 =2.4 Gy, respectively). In all appearance, within one and the same tumor cell population, the hereditarily thermoresistant cells are more radioresistant than the thermosensitive ones

IoT devices and applications based on LoRa/LoRaWAN

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Khutsoane, Oratile C

2017-10-01

Full Text Available such as smart water management systems. However, they require high energy-efficient sensor nodes that are able to communicate across long distance. This motivates the development of many Low-Power Wide Area Networks (LPWAN) technologies, such as LoRa, to fulfill...

Cell therapy centered on IL-1Ra is neuroprotective in experimental stroke

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Clausen, Bettina Hjelm; Lambertsen, Kate Lykke; Dagnæs-Hansen, Frederik

2016-01-01

), a known neuroprotectant in stroke, can promote neuroprotection, by modulating the detrimental inflammatory response in the tissue at risk. We show by the use of IL-1Ra-overexpressing and IL-1Ra-deficient mice that IL-1Ra is neuroprotective in stroke. Characterization of the cellular and spatiotemporal...... irradiated mice with IL-1Ra-producing bone marrow cells is associated with neuroprotection and recruitment of IL-1Ra-producing leukocytes after stroke. Neuroprotection is also achieved by therapeutic injection of IL-1Ra-producing bone marrow cells 30 min after stroke onset, additionally improving...... by demonstration of IL-1Ra-producing cells in the human cortex early after ischemic stroke. Taken together, our results attribute distinct neuroprotective or neurotoxic functions to segregated subsets of microglia and suggest that treatment strategies increasing the production of IL-1Ra by infiltrating leukocytes...

Characterization of Acinetobacter baumannii strain PS3 in degradation of food emulsifiers

Science.gov (United States)

Nguyen, Ngoc Tuan; Tran, Tuyet Nhung; Ha, Thi Bich Ngoc

2018-04-01

Strain SP3 revealed the abilty to utilizes emulsifier which is widely used in the preparation of drugs, vaccines, food, cosmetics and skin care products as its sole carbon and energy source. Generation time ranges from 1.4 to 2.1 h on the polysorbate family. Strain was identified as Acinetobacter baumannii based on 16S rRNA gene and it could dispose 27 % polysorbate 80 within a day. The proposed mechanism for polysorbate utilization belongs to the β-oxidation.

Effective 226Ra-content of some Hungarian building materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Toth, A.; Feher, I.

1976-01-01

The aim of the work was to analyse the effective 226 Ra content of building- and back filling materials used in Hungary. The quantity of radon was determined by ionization chambers connected to vibrating-reed electrometers, as well as by a scintillation radon counter. The radon measuring instruments were calibrated by known 222 Rn quantities given off from standard RaCl 2 solutions. The overall uncertainty of the data obtained is estimated as being 25%. The minimum measurable effective 226 Ra concentration due to a 10 4 g building material source is calculated as 16 fCi/g for the ionization chambers and 8 fCi/g for the scintillation counter. 68 building material samples and 11 backfill (concrete made by fly-ashes) samples have been studied and it has been found, that the effective 226 Ra contents of the tested building materials are 2 to 9 times greater than those found in the Soviet Union though none exceeds the recommended 600 fCi/g level. Among the back filling materials made with fly-ash the maximum 226 Ra content was 3300 fCi/g. The effective 226 Ra content measurements are well suited for a priori radon escape qualification of building materials. (K.A.)

Argonne-Utah studies of 224Ra endosteal surface dosimetry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schlenker, R.A.; Smith, J.M.

1985-01-01

The activities of 212 Pb relative to 224 Ra and of 222 Rn relative to 226 Ra were measured in bone surface deposits 24 h after injection of radium into beagles. The fractional retention of 220 Rn atoms was measured in vitro with hydrated and dehydrated bone samples to determine the effect of water content on the escape of radon from bone surfaces. The experimental data suggest that substantial 224 Ra daughter-product disequilibrium exists in bone surface deposits. Estimates for the lower and upper limits on the fractional retention of 220 Rn in vivo are 0.05 and 0.25, respectively. The average bone surface activity of 212 Pb relative to 224 Ra ranged from 0.34 to 0.71 for four dogs, with the majority of the values toward the lower end of the range. Only a small portion of the deposited 212 Pb came from lead in the injection solution despite near equilibrium between 224 Ra and its daughters at the time of injection. The retention data indicate that the endosteal tissue dose rate in the dogs at one day was actually one-third to about one-half that which would be calculated assuming equilibrium of 224 Ra daughter products in bone surface deposits. 11 references, 2 figures, 7 tables

Argonne-Utah studies of 224Ra endosteal surface dosimetry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schlenker, R.A.; Smith, J.M.

1984-01-01

The activities of 212 Pb relative to 224 Ra and of 222 Rn relative to 226 Ra were measured in bone surface deposits 24 h after radium injection into beagles. The fractional retention of 220 Rn atoms was measured in vitro with hydrated and dehydrated bone samples to determine the effect of water content on the escape of radon from bone surfaces. The experimental data suggest that substantial 224 Ra daughter product disequilibrium exists in bone surface deposits. Estimates for the lower and upper limits on the fractional retention of 220 Rn in vivo are 0.05 and 0.25, respectively. The average bone surface activity of 212 Pb relative to 224 Ra ranged from 0.34 to 0.71 for four dogs, with the majority of the values toward the low end of the range. Only a small portion of the deposited 212 Pb came from lead in the injection solution despite near equilibrium between 224 Ra and its daughters at the time of injection. The retention data indicate that the endosteal tissue dose rate in the dogs at one day was actually one-third to about one-half that which would be calculated assuming equilibrium of 224 Ra daughter products in bone surface deposits. 11 references, 2 figures, 7 tables

Argonne-Utah studies of 224Ra endosteal surface dosimetry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schlenker, R.A.; Smith, J.M.

1986-01-01

The activities of 212 Pb relative to 224 Ra and of 222 Rn relative to 226 Ra were measured in bone surface deposits 24 h after radium injection into beagles. The fractional retention of 220 Rn atoms was measured in vitro with hydrated and dehydrated bone samples to determine the effect of water content on the escape of radon from bone surfaces. The experimental data suggest that substantial 224 Ra daughter product disequilibrium exists in bone surface deposits. Estimates for the lower and upper limits on the fractional retention of 220 Rn in vivo are 0.05 and 0.25, respectively. The average bone surface activity of 212 Pb relative to 224 Ra ranged from 0.34 to 0.71 for four dogs, with the majority of the values toward the low end of the range. Only a small portion of the deposited 212 Pb came from lead in the injection solution despite near equilibrium between 224 Ra and its daughters at the time of injection. The retention data indicate that the endosteal tissue dose rate in the dogs at one day was actually one-third to about one-half that which would be calculated assuming equilibrium of 224 Ra daughter products in bone surface deposits. (orig.)

Chemical dosimetry at the RA reactor; Hemijska dozimetrija reaktora RA

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gal, O [Institute of Nuclear Sciences Boris Kidric, Vinca, Beograd (Serbia and Montenegro)

1961-12-15

This report presents the results of measurements of absorbed doses axial and radial distribution in the vertical experimental channels of the RA reactor. Measurements were done in channels VK-5, VK-7, VK-9 and GF-36. Results were compared to the results of calorimetry measurements and measured neutron flux values performed by other laboratories. Fricke and oxalate dosemeters were used in addition to the cobalt indicators.

Carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii from Serbia: revision of CarO classification.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Katarina Novovic

Full Text Available Carbapenem-resistant A. baumannii present a significant therapeutic challenge for the treatment of nosocomial infections in many European countries. Although it is known that the gradient of A. baumannii prevalence increases from northern to southern Europe, this study provides the first data from Serbia. Twenty-eight carbapenem-resistant A. baumannii clinical isolates were collected at a Serbian pediatric hospital during a 2-year period. The majority of isolates (67.68% belonged to the sequence type Group 1, European clonal complex II. All isolates harbored intrinsic OXA-51 and AmpC cephalosporinase. OXA-23 was detected in 16 isolates (57.14%, OXA-24 in 23 isolates (82.14% and OXA-58 in 11 isolates (39.29%. Six of the isolates (21.43% harbored all of the analyzed oxacillinases, except OXA-143 and OXA-235 that were not detected in this study. Production of oxacillinases was detected in different pulsotypes indicating the presence of horizontal gene transfer. NDM-1, VIM and IMP were not detected in analyzed clinical A. baumannii isolates. ISAba1 insertion sequence was present upstream of OXA-51 in one isolate, upstream of AmpC in 13 isolates and upstream of OXA-23 in 10 isolates. In silico analysis of carO sequences from analyzed A. baumannii isolates revealed the existence of two out of six highly polymorphic CarO variants. The phylogenetic analysis of CarO protein among Acinetobacter species revised the previous classification CarO variants into three groups based on strong bootstraps scores in the tree analysis. Group I comprises four variants (I-IV while Groups II and III contain only one variant each. One half of the Serbian clinical isolates belong to Group I variant I, while the other half belongs to Group I variant III.

Tasks related to increase of RA reactor exploitation and experimental potential, 03. Crane for handling the vertical experimental channels of the RA reactor - design project; Radovi na povecanju eksploatacionih i eksperimentalnih mogucnosti reaktora RA, 03. Kran za opsluzivanje vertikalnih eksperimentalnih kanala reaktora RA - izrada projekta

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pavicevic, M [Institute of Nuclear Sciences Boris Kidric, Vinca, Beograd (Serbia and Montenegro)

1963-07-15

Within the work related to improvement of experimental potential of the RA reactor, this document describes the design project of the new crane for handling the vertical experimental channels of the RA reactor, engineering drawings of the crane main elements, mechanical part, design project of the electrical part of the crane and cost estimation.

ICMPv6 RA Flooding Vulnerability Research

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Linas Jočys

2016-06-01

Full Text Available ICMPv6 is the newest version of internet control message protocol, whose main purpose is to send error message indicating packet processing failure. It is know that ICMPv6 is technologically vulnerable. One of those vulnerabilities is the ICMPv6 RA flooding vulnerability, which can lead to systems in Local Area Network slow down or full stop. This paper will discuss Windows (XP, 7, 8.1 and Linux Ubuntu 14 operating systems resistance to RA flooding attack research and countermeasures to minimize this vulnerability.

Bone sarcoma induction by 224Ra in Beagles: An interim report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mays, C.W.; Taylor, G.N.; Lloyd, R.D.; Bruenger, F.W.; Angus, W.

1988-01-01

During 1963-1968, 20 young adult Beagle dogs were given a single intravenous injection of 224 Ra that was unintentionally contaminated with 210 Pb and 228 Th. All of these dogs have died, eight with bone sarcomas. In addition, 128 Beagle dogs were given purified 224 Ra in one, ten or fifty weekly injections during 1977-1979. The acute lethal dosage (LD 50 ) for a single injection was about 400 kBq 224 Ra/kg (11 μCi 224 Ra/kg). As of September 14, 1987, at the highest skeletal dose of 3 Gy from purified 224 Ra, bone sarcomas occurred in 5 of 6 dogs at an average ± SD of 2069 ± 302 days after the start of injections (no survivors), in 4 of 6 dogs at 2485 ± 1,110 days after the start of 10 injections (healthy survivor) and in 1 of 8 dogs at 3066 days after a single injection (3 healthy survivors). At 3 Gy the toxicity of 224 Ra relative to 239 Pu, based on the ratio of skeletal doses at equal tumor appearance times, was 1.0 for 50 injections of 224 Ra, 0.7 for 10 injections, and 0.4 for one injection. In contrast, the effectiveness per Gy of a 224 Ra-equivalent dose from a single injection of 224 Ra contaminated with 228 Th and 210 Pb was equal to that from 239 Pu, assuming that the 224 Ra-equivalent dose equaled the 224 Ra dose plus the 228 Th dose pus 0.1 of the 210 Pb dose. A possible explanation is that protracted irradiation from the 1.91-yr half-life 228 Th and the 22.3-yr half-life 210 Pb may have 'activated' residual damage from the short-lived, 3.62 day half-life 224 Ra, possibly by stimulating the division of damaged stem cells to replace the bone cells killed by the protracted alpha particle irradiation. An important spin off from the study is experimental support for the assumption that the bone sarcoma effectiveness for 210 Pb is similar to that from long-lived, 1600 yr half-life 226 Ra. (author)

Prevalence and risk factors of metallo β-lactamase producing Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter species in burns and surgical wards in a tertiary care hospital

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Simit H Kumar

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Introduction: The production of Metallo-β-lactamases (MBLs is one of the resistance mechanisms of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter species. There is not much Indian data on the prevalence of MBLs in burns and surgical wards. Materials and Methods: A total of 145 non-duplicate isolates of carbapenem-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter species, isolated from pus/wound swabs and endotracheal secretions from burns and surgical wards, were tested for MBL production by modified ethylene diamine tetra acetic acid (EDTA disc synergy and double disc synergy tests. Results: Prevalence of MBLs was 26.9% by both the above tests. All MBL-positive isolates were multidrug resistant. Only 6.06% (2/33 P.aeruginosa and 16.67% (1/06 Acinetobacter species were susceptible to piperacillin-tazobactam and netilmycin, respectively. These patients had multiple risk factors like >8 days hospital stay, catheterization, IV lines, previous antibiotic use, mechanical ventilation, etc. Graft application and surgical intervention were significant risk factors in MBL-positive patients. Overall mortality in MBL-positive patients was 34.21%. Conclusion: Emergence of MBL-producing Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter species in this hospital is alarming, which reflect excessive use of carbapenems and at the same time, pose a therapeutic challenge to clinicians as well as to microbiologists. Therefore, a strict antibiotic policy and implementation of proper infection control practices will go a long way to prevent further spread of MBLs. Detection of MBLs should also become mandatory in all hospitals.

Insight into Identification of Acinetobacter Species by Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization Time of Flight Mass Spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) in the Clinical Laboratory

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Xiuyuan; Tang, Yanyan; Lu, Xinxin

2018-04-01

Currently, the capability of identification for Acinetobacter species using MALDI-TOF MS still remains unclear in clinical laboratories due to certain elusory phenomena. Thus, we conducted this research to evaluate this technique and reveal the causes of misidentification. Briefly, a total of 788 Acinetobacter strains were collected and confirmed at the species level by 16S rDNA and rpoB sequencing, and subsequently compared to the identification by MALDI-TOF MS using direct smear and bacterial extraction pretreatments. Cluster analysis was performed based on the mass spectra and 16S rDNA to reflect the diversity among different species. Eventually, 19 Acinetobacter species were confirmed, including 6 species unavailable in Biotyper 3.0 database. Another novel species was observed, temporarily named A. corallinus. The accuracy of identification for Acinetobacter species using MALDI-TOF MS was 97.08% (765/788), regardless of which pretreatment was applied. The misidentification only occurred on 3 A. parvus strains and 20 strains of species unavailable in the database. The proportions of strains with identification score ≥ 2.000 using direct smear and bacterial extraction pretreatments were 86.04% (678/788) and 95.43% (752/788), χ 2 = 41.336, P clinical samples was deemed reliable. Misidentification occurred occasionally due to the insufficiency of the database rather than sample extraction failure. We suggest gene sequencing should be performed when the identification score is under 2.000 even when using bacterial extraction pretreatment. [Figure not available: see fulltext.

Epidemiology of Multiresistant Acinetobacter Infections in Bulgaria

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Savov, E.; Borisova, M.; Michailova, G.

2007-01-01

Evolution of bacteria towards resistance to antimicrobial drugs, including these with multidrug resistance, is very important issue for hospital epidemiology in all over the world. There are many papers about an increasing number of Acinetobacter baumannii blood stream and other type of infections in patients at military medical facilities in the Iraq / Kuwait region and in Afghanistan during Operation Enduring Freedom /OEF /. It has now become also a one of the major cause of hospital acquired infections in Bulgaria which due to its remarkable propensity to rapidly acquire resistance determinants to a wide range of antimicrobial drugs. According to the data obtained in Bulgaria, it can be concluded that the majority of the A.baumannii isolates was strikingly resistant, including the 3rd generation of cephalosporins, quinolones and also carbapenems, in the last years. Different methods / phenotypical and molecular methods, including PCR/ for a multidrug A.baumannii investigation and its clonality determination are needed, especially when the strains are not epidemiological related.(author)

RA reactor building and installations; Zgrada 'RA' i instalacije

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Badrljica, R; Sanovic, V; Skoric, M [Institute of Nuclear Sciences Boris Kidric, Vinca, Beograd (Serbia and Montenegro)

1985-08-15

RA reactor building is made of reinforced concrete and bricks. It is closed facility with a limited number of controlled openings, doors and windows. The site of the building is 100 m above the sea level, 20 m above the mean Danube level and 8 m above the level of the neighbouring stream Mlaka. The building consists of three parts: central prismatic part, annex - surrounding the central part and the sanitary corridor. The biggest space is the reactor hall. In addition to the detailed description and drawings of the reactor building this documents includes design specifications of: electrical installation, water supply system, sewage system, ventilation and heating, gas and compressed air systems. A separate chapter is devoted to fire protection. Zgrada reaktora RA izgradjena je od armiranog betona i opeke, kao zatvoreni objekat ogranicenog broja kontolisanih otvora, sa ogranicenim brojem vrata i prozora. Plato na kojem je zgrada izgradjena nalazi se na 100 m nadmorske visine, na 20 m iznad srednjeg vodostaja Dunava i 8 m iznad nivoa obliznjeg potoka Mlaka. Zgrada se sastoji iz tri dela: sredisnjeg prizmaticnog dela, aneksa - prstenastog okvira sredisnog dela i sanitarnog propusnika. Pojedinacno najveci prostor zauzima reaktorska hala. Pored detaljnog opisa i plana zgrade, ovaj dokument sadrzi projekat elektricne instalacije, projekat vodovoda i kanalizacije, ventilacije i grejanja, instalacije gasa i komprimovanog vazduha. Posebno poglavlje posveceno je protivpozarnoj zastiti.

Natural radioactivity levels (K, Th and Ra in some areas of Punjab, India

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kumar Sanjeev

2012-04-01

Full Text Available Radioactivity, natural and man-made, is omnipresent in the earth's crust in different amounts. Natural radioactive materials under certain conditions can reach hazardous radiological levels. So, it becomes necessary to study the natural radioactivity levels in soil to assess the dose for the population in order to know the health risks and to have a baseline for future changes in the environmental radioactivity due to human activities. 226Ra, 232Th and 40K analysis has been carried out in soil samples collected from some areas of Punjab, India using gamma-ray spectrometry. Phe technique of gamma ray spectrometry was applied using high purity germanium gamma-ray detector and a PC based MCA. Radium equivalent activities are calculated for the analyzed samples to assess radiation hazards arising due to the use of these soil samples in construction of dwellings. Phe measured activity in the soil ranges from 23.17 to 57.87 Bq kg−1, 59.03 to 160.40 Bq kg−1 and 228.06 to 501.03 Bq kg−1 for 226Ra, 232Ph and 40K with mean values of 37.93, 84.47 and 351.17Bqkg−1 respectively. It has been observed that on the average the outdoor terrestrial gamma air absorbed dose rate is about 84.65nGyh−1.

226Ra concentrations in some Illinois well waters

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Holtzman, R.B.; Gilkeson, R.H.

1982-01-01

226 Ra concentrations are reported for the waters from deep wells in 43 communities in Illinois. The concentrations range from 0.08 to 20.6 pCi/L. The effectiveness of additives (nitric acid or EDTA) in keeping the 226 Ra in solution in the samples is discussed

RA Reactor operation and maintenance (I-IX), Part IV, Task 3.08/04, Refurbishment of the RA reactor; Pogon i odrzavanje reaktora RA (I-IX), IV Deo, Zadatak 3.08/04 Remont reaktora RA

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zecevic, V [Institute of Nuclear Sciences Boris Kidric, Reaktor RA, Vinca, Beograd (Serbia and Montenegro)

1963-12-15

This volume contains reports describing maintenance and repair work of the RA reactor instrumentation, equipment of the reactor dosimetry control system, and equipment for regulation and control systems.

Study of soil-plant transfer of 226Ra under greenhouse conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Soudek, Petr; Petrova, Sarka; Benesova, Dagmar; Kotyza, Jan; Vagner, Martin; Vankova, Radomira; Vanek, Tomas

2010-01-01

A soil-plant transfer study was performed using soil from a former uranium ore processing factory in South Bohemia. We present the results from greenhouse experiments which include estimates of the time required for phytoremediation. The accumulation of 226 Ra by different plant species from a mixture of garden soil and contaminated substrate was extremely variable, ranging from 0.03 to 2.20 Bq 226 Ra/g DW. We found differences in accumulation of 226 Ra between plants from the same genus and between cultivars of the same plant species. The results of 226 Ra accumulation showed a linear relation between concentration of 226 Ra in plants and concentration of 226 Ra in soil mixtures. On the basis of these results we estimated the time required for phytoremediation, but this appears to be too long for practical purposes.

Evaluation of carriage and environmental contamination by carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii.

Science.gov (United States)

Nutman, A; Lerner, A; Schwartz, D; Carmeli, Y

2016-11-01

We evaluated the sensitivity of surveillance cultures for carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (CRAB) in patients and in their environment. Patients with a CRAB-positive clinical culture were sampled within 7 days; the buccal mucosa and rectum were sampled using swabs, and skin was sampled using pre-moistened sterile sponges. Sponges were also used to sample the surrounding environment. Specimens were inoculated onto CHROMagar MDR Acinetobacter plates both directly and after overnight enrichment. CRAB load was scored semi-quantitatively and composite scores for patient colonization and environmental contamination were calculated. Thirty-four patients were included. Screening sensitivity was 28/34 (82%) for buccal mucosa, 30/34 (88%) for skin, and 25/34 (74%) for rectum. Combined sensitivity was 32/34 (94%). Among patients with CRAB-positive respiratory cultures, sensitivity for buccal mucosa was 20/20 (100%). Direct inoculation had excellent sensitivity: 25/28 (89%) for all three sites combined. In the subgroup of patients who did not have a respiratory source for CRAB, direct inoculation sensitivity was lower than among patients with CRAB-positive respiratory cultures: 5/8 (63%) versus 20/20 (100%). The environment of all patients was contaminated with CRAB. There was a positive correlation between the patient colonization score and the environmental contamination score (r = 0.63, p Environmental contamination is common and can be monitored. Implementing screening may facilitate infection control efforts to limit the spread of CRAB. Copyright © 2016 European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Explorando el plegamiento metallo-beta-lactamasa en el genoma de Acinetobacter baumanni

OpenAIRE

Rodríguez Calviño, Fabiola

2012-01-01

Acinetobacter baumannii fue considerado siempre como un patógeno de relativa baja virulencia, pero durante las dos últimas décadas, este microorganismo oportunista ha emergido como uno de los mayores problemas encarados por el sistema clínico en hospitales de todo el mundo. Como consecuencia inevitable de la presión selectiva impuesta por el uso abusivo de antibióticos en el tratamiento de infecciones, se han descrito cepas clínicas multirresistentes de A. baumannii, con una alta capacidad...

Estimativa da biomassa e do comprimento de raízes finas em Eucalyptus urophylla S.T. Blake no município de Santa Maria-RS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Witschoreck Rudi

2003-01-01

Full Text Available O objetivo do presente trabalho foi estimar a biomassa e o comprimento de raízes finas (< 2 mm de diâmetro, em diferentes profundidades do solo, para a espécieEucalyptus urophylla S.T. Blake, com 10 anos de idade. O estudo foi realizado no município de Santa Maria-RS, no campus da Universidade Federal de Santa Maria. O talhão plantado com eucalipto tem 27 m de comprimento por 14 m de largura, em espaçamento 3 x 2 m. Foram amostrados quatro monolitos de 25 x 25 x 60 cm. Os monolitos foram divididos em seis perfis geométricos, nas profundidades de 0-10, 10-20, 20-30, 30-40, 40-50, 50-60 cm. A separação das raízes do solo foi por meio de um conjunto de duas peneiras (2 e 1 mm de malha e jatos d'água. Na determinação do comprimento de raízes foi utilizado o método de intersecção, produzindo fotos com o uso de scanner. Os resultados revelaram alta concentração das raízes finas nos primeiros 20 cm de solo. A biomassa total de raízes finas encontradas para o Eucalyptus urophylla foi de 1.451,6 kg/ha, devendo ser ressaltado que 57,9% estavam concentradas nos primeiros 20 cm de solo. Constatou-se que o comprimento total de raízes finas foi de 27.968,9 km/ha e que 64,3% destes estavam nos primeiros 20 cm de profundidade.

Hubungan antara Sepsis Akibat Acinetobacter baumannii dan Mortalitas pada Pasien Anak dengan Penyakit Kritis di Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) RSUP Haji Adam Malik Medan, 2011-201

OpenAIRE

Sardini, Rima Novia

2015-01-01

Acinetobacter sp. is one of the major pathogenic bacteria which are endemic throughout the world. Acinetobacter baumannii’s infections are often involved in a variety of nosocomial infections in the urinary tract, surgical wound infection, infection of the blood vessels, ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) and meningitis in particular patients with a low immune system that are in the intensive care unit (ICU). This study aimed to determine the relationship of the number of primary disease...

Separation of Ra/Ca by ion exchange; Separacion de Ra/Ca por intercambio ionico

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Iturbe, J L; Jimenez R, M; Flores M, J

1991-04-15

The radium and the calcium belong to the same group in the periodic classification and as consequence both they present very similar chemical properties, that makes difficult its separation. Both elements are also frequently associate in the nature, the calcium is very abundant, the radium is not it and for that reason it is indispensable its separation to analyze to this last one. The alpha spectroscopy is very appropriate to analyze to the {sup 226} Ra, however to achieve a good resolution of the spectra, the samples should contain small quantities of calcium. The purposes of this work were to know the chromatographic behavior of the alkaline-earthy cations: calcium, barium and radium and to apply these knowledge to the separation of the {sup 226} Ra and its analysis by means of alpha spectroscopy. (Author)

RA Research nuclear reactor, Part I - RA nuclear reactor operation, maintenance and utilization in 1983; Istrazivacki nuklearni reaktor RA - Deo I - Pogon, odrzavanje i eksploatacija nuklearnog reaktora RA u 1983. godini

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sotic, O; Martinc, R; Kozomara-Maic, S; Cupac, S; Raickovic, N; Radivojevic, J; Badrljica, R; Majstorovic, D; Sanovic, V [Institute of Nuclear Sciences Boris Kidric, Vinca, Beograd (Serbia and Montenegro)

1983-12-15

After regular shutdown in November 1982, inspection of the fuel elements from the RA reactor core which was done from December 1982 - February 1983 has shown that there are deposits of aluminium oxides on the surface of the fuel cladding. After restart The RA reactor was operated at power levels from 1.8 - 2 MW, with 80% enriched uranium dioxide fuel elements. It was found that there was no corrosion of the fuel element cladding and that it was not possible to find the cause of surface deposition on the cladding surfaces without further operation. It was decided to purify the heavy water permanently during operation and to increase the heavy water flow by operating two pumps. This procedure was adopted in order to decrease the possibility of corrosion. The Safety committee of the Institute has approved this procedure for operating the RA reactor in 1983. The core was made of 80% enriched fuel, critical experiments were done until June 1983, and after that the operation was continued at power levels up to 2 MW. [Serbo-Croat] Pregledom nuklearnog goriva iz tehnoloskih kanala reaktora RA koji je izvrsen u periodu decembear 1982-feburuar 1983. godine nakon zaustavljanja reaktora po isteku novembarske kampanje 1982. godine, ustanovljeno je da ponovo dolazi do stvaranja taloga u obliku hidratisanih oksida aluminiuma na kosuljicama gorivnih elemenata. Nakon ponovnog pustanja u rad, reaktor je do novembra 1981. godine neprekidno bio u pogonu na snagama 1,8 - 2 MW. Jezgro je bilo formirano iskljucivo sa od gorivnih elemenata sa 80% obogacenim uran dioksidom. Utvrdjeno je da kosuljica gorivnog elementa nije korodirala, i da se bez nastval rada ne moze utvrditi uzrok pojave taloga na povrsini kosuljice. Da bi se mogucnost korozije aluminjumskih komponenti u primarnom kolu raktora svela na sto manju meru odluceno je da se vrsi neprekidno preciscavanje teske vode i da se istovremeno poveca protok teske vode radom dve pumpe, Komitet za sigurnost Instituta odobrio je ovakav nacin

Novel use of antimicrobial hand sanitizer in treatment of nosocomial acinetobacter infection.

Science.gov (United States)

Donahue, Meghan; Watson, Luke R; Torress-Cook, Alfonso; Watson, Paul A

2009-01-01

Colonization of wounds with multidrug-resistant organisms is a difficult orthopedic problem. Acinetobacter infections are especially difficult because they are resistant to all currently available antibiotics. We present the use of a novel skin sanitizer, Stay Byotrol Clean (Byotrol Inc, Spartanburg, South Carolina), to treat a multidrug-resistant wound infection. A 31-year-old T10 paraplegic man presented with chronic bilateral stage IV decubitus trochanteric ulcers. Cultures grew methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus. The ulcers were initially treated with irrigation and debridement and vancomycin, levaquin, and cefepime. After 4 months of aggressive treatment, the cultures continued to be positive for Escherichia coli and Acinetobacter baumannii. The patient was started on amikacin and tigecycline. Despite 1 additional month of aggressive wound care, debridements, and intravenous antibiotics, the cultures continued to grow A baumannii and Pseudomonas aerug. The A baumannii was resistant to all available antibiotics tested. The ulcers were then treated with daily application of Stay Byotrol Clean hand and skin sanitizer. Four days later, cultures were negative for any bacterial growth, with no A baumannii. After 1 week, the ulcers showed new granulation tissue with no visible necrotic tissue. After 3 months of treatment, the ulcers had healed. Stay Byotrol Clean is nonirritating and contains no iodine or alcohol. It is currently being used for decolonization of patients on admission to the hospital, however, there is great potential for its use in wound treatment, preoperative surgical sterilization, and orthopedic devices.

Brief history of /sup 224/Ra usage in radiotherapy and radiobiology

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Schales, F [Gesellschaft fuer Strahlen- und Umweltforschung m.b.H., Neuherberg (Germany, F.R.)

1978-07-01

Attempts were made a short time after its discovery to introduce /sup 224/Ra in therapy. Besides its external application in dermatology the treatment of rheumatic diseases seemed to be promising. From 1944-1952 about 2000 patients, most of them with tuberculosis or ankylosing spondylitis were treated in a German hospital with repeated intravenous injections of Peteosthor, a combination containing /sup 224/Ra with traces of platinum and eosin, totalling about 4000 ..mu..Ci/sup 224/Ra. Different lesions were observed which were suspected to be due to irradiation. The treatment has nevertheless continued. A group of 1500 additional patients, exclusively adults, has received rather low amounts (250-300 ..mu..Ci) of /sup 224/Ra and are now under study. Based on linear hypothetical dose-effect relationships in this group an osteosarcoma incidence of 3-5 per 1000 patients could be expected during the first 20 years following average skeletal doses of 56 rad. In experiments started in 1965 in Neuherberg, Germany, the acute and late effects of /sup 224/Ra and /sup 227/Th in rats and mice are investigated. Similar experiments are under way in Czechoslovakia. In Salt Lake City, Utah, in connection with studies on boneseeking radioisotopes using dogs, a pilot study on /sup 224/Ra was started in 1963. Together with studies of Ra and Th toxicity a mock dial paint containing /sup 224/Ra and /sup 234/Th was developed. As /sup 224/Ra is a /sup 232/Th decay product, it might play a certain role in the Thorotrast problem.

IV Training program for the staff of the laboratory for the RA reactor exploitation; IV Programi obuke osoblja Laboratorije za eksploataciju reaktora RA

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1960-07-01

All the staff members of the laboratory for RA reactor exploitation are obliged to learn the following: fundamental properties of the RA reactor, the role and functionality of the reactor components, basic and auxiliary reactor systems, basics of radioactivity, measures for preventing contamination. The personnel working in shifts must be acquainted with the regulations and instructions for reactor operation. Training programs for reactor operators, mechanics, electricians, instrumentators and dosimetrysts are described separately. Svi saradnici Laboratorije za eksploataciju reaktora RA moraju poznavati sledece oblasti: Osnovne karakeristike reaktora RA, princip rada, ulogu i funkcionisanje komponenti reaktora, osnovnih i pomocnih sistema reaktora; osnovne pojmove o radioaktivnom zracenju, mere za sprecavanje kontaminacije. Osoblje koje radi u smenama mora dodatno poznavati propise i uputstva za rad reaktora. Posebno je naveden program obuke operatora reaktora, mehanicara, electricara, instrumentatora, dozimetrista.

UV light-induced survival response in a highly radiation-resistant isolate of the Moraxella-acinetobacter group

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Keller, L.C.; Thompson, T.L.; Maxcy, R.B.

1982-01-01

A highly radiation-resistant member of the Moraxella-Acinetobacter group, isolate 4, obtained from meat, was studied to determine the effect of preexposure to UV radiation on subsequent UV light resistance. Cultures that were preexposed to UV light and incubated for a short time in plate count broth exhibited increased survival of a UV light challenge dose. This response was inhibited in the presence of chloramphenicol. Frequencies of mutation to streptomycin, trimethoprim, and sulfanilamide resistance remained the same after the induction of this survival response and were not altered by treatment with mutagens, with the exception of mutation to streptomycin resistance after γ-irradiation or nitrosoguanidine or methyl methane sulfonate treatment. The results indicated that isolate 4 has a UV light-inducible UV light resistance mechanism which is not associated with increased mutagenesis. The characteristics of the radiation resistance response in this organism are similar to those of certain other common food contaminants. Therefore, considered as part of the total microflora of meat, isolate 4 and the other radiation-resistant Moraxella-Acinetobacter isolates should not pose unique problems in a proposed radappertizaton process

The flux of 226Ra from estuarine and continental shelf sediments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, Y.H.; Mathieu, G.; Biscaye, P.; Simpson, H.J.

1977-01-01

A pronounced desorption phenomenon of 226 Ra from sediment was observed in the Hudson River estuary. Mass balance calculations indicate that the desorption of 226 Ra from the river-borne sediment in estuarine environment is an important source of 226 Ra to the oceans. (Auth.)

RA Reactor operation and maintenance (I-IX), part VII, Task 3.08/04, Refurbishment of the RA reactor; Pogon i odrzavanje reaktora (I-IX), VII Deo, Zadatak 3.08/04 Remont reaktora RA

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zecevic, V [Institute of Nuclear Sciences Boris Kidric, Reaktor RA, Vinca, Beograd (Serbia and Montenegro)

1963-12-15

This volume covers the following reports concerned with the maintenance and repair work of the RA reactor: repair of the technical water system; maintenance of the transportation equipment; vacuuming and drying during refurbishment; repair and decontamination of the distillation device; and the report on participation of the operational dosimetry division in the RA reactor refurbishment activities.

/sup 226/Ra in the western Indian Ocean

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chung, Y.

1987-09-01

/sup 226/Ra profiles have been measured in the western Indian Ocean as part of the 1977-78 Indian Ocean GEOSECS program. These profiles show a general increase in deep and bottom water Ra concentration from the Circumpolar region to the Arabian Sea. A deep Ra maximum which originates in the Arabian Sea and in the Somali basin at about 3000 m depth spreads southward into the Mascarene basin and remains discernible in the Madagascar and Crozet basins. In the western Indian Ocean, the cold Antarctic Bottom Water spreads northward under the possibly southward-flowing deep water, forming a clear benthic front along the Crozet basin across the Southwest Indian Ridge into the Madagascar and Mascarene basins. The Antarctic Bottom Water continues to spread farther north to the Somali basin through the Amirante Passage at 10/sup 0/S as a western boundary current. The benthic front and other characteristic features in the western Indian Ocean are quite similar to those observed in the western Pacific where the benthic front as a distinctive feature was first described by Craig et al. Across the Mid-Indian Ridge toward the Ceylon abyssal plain near the triple junction, Ra profiles display a layered structure, reflecting the topographic effect of the mid-ocean ridge system on the mixing and circulation of the deep and bottom waters. Both Ra and Si show a deep maximum north of the Madagascar Basin. Linear relationships between these two elements are observed in the deep and bottom water with slopes increasing northward. This suggests a preferential input of Ra over Si from the bottom sediments of the Arabian Sea and also from the flank sediments of the Somali basin.

Osmotic Compounds Enhance Antibiotic Efficacy against Acinetobacter baumannii Biofilm Communities.

Science.gov (United States)

Falghoush, Azeza; Beyenal, Haluk; Besser, Thomas E; Omsland, Anders; Call, Douglas R

2017-10-01

Biofilm-associated infections are a clinical challenge, in part because a hydrated matrix protects the bacterial community from antibiotics. Herein, we evaluated how different osmotic compounds (maltodextrin, sucrose, and polyethylene glycol [PEG]) enhance antibiotic efficacy against Acinetobacter baumannii biofilm communities. Established (24-h) test tube biofilms (strain ATCC 17978) were treated with osmotic compounds in the presence or absence of 10× the MIC of different antibiotics (50 μg/ml tobramycin, 20 μg/ml ciprofloxacin, 300 μg/ml chloramphenicol, 30 μg/ml nalidixic acid, or 100 μg/ml erythromycin). Combining antibiotics with hypertonic concentrations of the osmotic compounds for 24 h reduced the number of biofilm bacteria by 5 to 7 log ( P baumannii strains were similarly treated with 400-Da PEG and tobramycin, resulting in a mean 2.7-log reduction in recoverable bacteria compared with tobramycin treatment alone. Multivariate regression models with data from different osmotic compounds and nine antibiotics demonstrated that the benefit from combining hypertonic treatments with antibiotics is a function of antibiotic mass and lipophilicity ( r 2 > 0.82; P baumannii and Escherichia coli K-12. Augmenting topical antibiotic therapies with a low-mass hypertonic treatment may enhance the efficacy of antibiotics against wound biofilms, particularly when using low-mass hydrophilic antibiotics. IMPORTANCE Biofilms form a barrier that protects bacteria from environmental insults, including exposure to antibiotics. We demonstrated that multiple osmotic compounds can enhance antibiotic efficacy against Acinetobacter baumannii biofilm communities, but viscosity is a limiting factor, and the most effective compounds have lower molecular mass. The synergism between osmotic compounds and antibiotics is also dependent on the hydrophobicity and mass of the antibiotics. The statistical models presented herein provide a basis for predicting the optimal combination of

Use of Comparative Genomics To Characterize the Diversity of Acinetobacter baumannii Surveillance Isolates in a Health Care Institution

Science.gov (United States)

Wallace, Lalena; Daugherty, Sean C.; Nagaraj, Sushma; Johnson, J. Kristie; Harris, Anthony D.

2016-01-01

Despite the increasing prevalence of the nosocomial pathogen Acinetobacter baumannii, little is known about which genomic components contribute to clinical presentation of this important pathogen. Most whole-genome comparisons of A. baumannii have focused on specific genomic regions associated with phenotypes in a limited number of genomes. In this work, we describe the results of a whole-genome comparative analysis of 254 surveillance isolates of Acinetobacter species, 203 of which were A. baumannii, isolated from perianal swabs and sputum samples collected as part of an infection control active surveillance program at the University of Maryland Medical Center. The collection of surveillance isolates includes both carbapenem-susceptible and -resistant isolates. Based on the whole-genome phylogeny, the A. baumannii isolates collected belong to two major phylogenomic lineages. Results from multilocus sequence typing indicated that one of the major phylogenetic groups of A. baumannii was comprised solely of strains from the international clonal lineage 2. The genomic content of the A. baumannii isolates was examined using large-scale BLAST score ratio analysis to identify genes that are associated with carbapenem-susceptible and -resistant isolates, as well as genes potentially associated with the source of isolation. This analysis revealed a number of genes that were exclusive or at greater frequency in each of these classifications. This study is the most comprehensive genomic comparison of Acinetobacter isolates from a surveillance study to date and provides important information that will contribute to our understanding of the success of A. baumannii as a human pathogen. PMID:27458211

Simultaneous Microcystis Algicidal and Microcystin Degrading Capability by a Single Acinetobacter Bacterial Strain.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Hong; Ai, Hainan; Kang, Li; Sun, Xingfu; He, Qiang

2016-11-01

Measures for removal of toxic harmful algal blooms often cause lysis of algal cells and release of microcystins (MCs). In this study, Acinetobacter sp. CMDB-2 that exhibits distinct algal lysing activity and MCs degradation capability was isolated. The physiological response and morphological characteristics of toxin-producing Microcystis aeruginosa, the dynamics of intra- and extracellular MC-LR concentration were studied in an algal/bacterial cocultured system. The results demonstrated that Acinetobacter sp. CMDB-2 caused thorough decomposition of algal cells and impairment of photosynthesis within 24 h. Enhanced algal lysis and MC-LR release appeared with increasing bacterial density from 1 × 10 3 to 1 × 10 7 cells/mL; however, the MC-LR was reduced by nearly 94% within 14 h irrespective of bacterial density. Measurement of extracellular and intracellular MC-LR revealed that the toxin was decreased by 92% in bacterial cell incubated systems relative to control and bacterial cell-free filtrate systems. The results confirmed that the bacterial metabolite caused 92% lysis of Microcystis aeruginosa cells, whereas the bacterial cells were responsible for approximately 91% reduction of MC-LR. The joint efforts of the bacterium and its metabolite accomplished the sustainable removal of algae and MC-LR. This is the first report of a single bacterial strain that achieves these dual actions.

The distribution of 226Ra in the Atlantic Ocean

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Broecker, W.S.; Goddard, J.; Sarmiento, J.L.

1976-01-01

Based on results obtained during the GEOSECS program the primary features of the distribution of 226 Ra in the Atlantic Ocean can be defined. Outside the Antarctic no significant variation has been found in the 226 Ra content of surface waters. Eighty samples yield an average of 7.4 dpm/100 kg (normalized to a salinity of 35.00%). Deep waters in the central Atlantic have 226 Ra contents several dpm/100 kg higher than expected from the mixing of Antarctic Bottom Water (21.3 dpm/100 kg) and basal North Atlantic Deep Water (10.3 dpm/100 kg). These excesses correlate well with deficiencies in O 2 and excesses in SiO 2 . The intermediate water 226 Ra maximum in the South Atlantic is associated with the inflow of low-oxygen Circumpolar Intermediate Water beneath the Antarctic Intermediate Water. (Auth.)

RA-0 reactor. New neutronic calculations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rumis, D.; Leszczynski, F.

1990-01-01

An updating of the neutronic calculations performed at the RA-0 reactor, located at the Natural, Physical and Exact Sciences Faculty of Cordoba National University, are herein described. The techniques used for the calculation of a reactor like the RA-0 allows prediction in detail of the flux behaviour in the core's interior and in the reflector, which will be helpful for experiments design. In particular, the use of WIMSD4 code to make calculations on the reactor implies a novelty in the possible applications of this code to solve the problems that arise in practice. (Author) [es

Green synthesis of selenium nanoparticles using Acinetobacter sp. SW30: optimization, characterization and its anticancer activity in breast cancer cells

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wadhwani SA

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Sweety A Wadhwani,1 Mahadeo Gorain,2 Pinaki Banerjee,2 Utkarsha U Shedbalkar,3 Richa Singh,1 Gopal C Kundu,2 Balu A Chopade1,4 1Department of Microbiology, Savitribai Phule Pune University, 2Laboratory of Tumor Biology, Angiogenesis and Nanomedicine Research, National Center for Cell Science, Savitribai Phule Pune University Campus, Pune, 3Department of Biochemistry, The Institute of Science, Mumbai, 4Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada University, Aurangabad, Maharashtra, India Abstract: The aim of this study was to synthesize selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs using cell suspension and total cell protein of Acinetobacter sp. SW30 and optimize its synthesis by studying the influence of physiological and physicochemical parameters. Also, we aimed to compare its anticancer activity with that of chemically synthesized SeNPs in breast cancer cells. Cell suspension of Acinetobacter sp. SW30 was exposed to various physiological and physicochemical conditions in the presence of sodium selenite to study their effects on the synthesis and morphology of SeNPs. Breast cancer cells (4T1, MCF-7 and noncancer cells (NIH/3T3, HEK293 were exposed to different concentrations of SeNPs. The 18 h grown culture with 2.7×109 cfu/mL could synthesize amorphous nanospheres of size 78 nm at 1.5 mM and crystalline nanorods at above 2.0 mM Na2SeO3 concentration. Polygonal-shaped SeNPs of average size 79 nm were obtained in the supernatant of 4 mg/mL of total cell protein of Acinetobacter sp. SW30. Chemical SeNPs showed more anticancer activity than SeNPs synthesized by Acinetobacter sp. SW30 (BSeNPs, but they were found to be toxic to noncancer cells also. However, BSeNPs were selective against breast cancer cells than chemical ones. Results suggest that BSeNPs are a good choice of selection as anticancer agents. Keywords: comparison, selective, 4T1, MCF7

KatG and KatE Confer Acinetobacter Resistance to Hydrogen Peroxide but Sensitize Bacteria to Killing by Phagocytic Respiratory Burst

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Daqing; Crowell, Sara A.; Harding, Christian M.; De Silva, P. Malaka; Harrison, Alistair; Fernando, Dinesh M.; Mason, Kevin M.; Santana, Estevan; Loewen, Peter C.; Kumar, Ayush; Liu, Yusen

2016-01-01

Aims Catalase catalyzes the degradation of H2O2. Acinetobacter species have four predicted catalase genes, katA, katE, katG, and katX. The aims of the present study seek to determine which catalase(s) plays a predominant role in determining the resistance to H2O2, and to assess the role of catalase in Acinetobacter virulence. Main Methods Mutants of A. baumannii and A. nosocomialis with deficiencies in katA, katE, katG, and katX were tested for sensitivity to H2O2, either by halo assays or by liquid culture assays. Respiratory burst of neutrophils, in response to A. nosocomialis, was assessed by chemiluminescence to examine the effects of catalase on the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS)1 in neutrophils. Bacterial virulence was assessed using a Galleria mellonella larva infection model. Key findings The capacities of A. baumannii and A. nosocomialis to degrade H2O2 are largely dependent on katE. The resistance of both A. baumannii and A. nosocomialis to H2O2 is primarily determined by the katG gene, although katE also plays a minor role in H2O2 resistance. Bacteria lacking both the katG and katE genes exhibit the highest sensitivity to H2O2. While A. nosocomialis bacteria with katE and/or katG were able to decrease ROS production by neutrophils, these cells also induced a more robust respiratory burst in neutrophils than did cells deficient in both katE and katG. We also found that A. nosocomialis deficient in both katE and katG was more virulent than the wildtype A. nosocomialis strain. Significance Our findings suggest that inhibition of Acinetobacter catalase may help to overcome the resistance of Acinetobacter species to microbicidal H2O2 and facilitate bacterial disinfection. PMID:26860891

Bioinformatic analysis of phage AB3, a phiKMV-like virus infecting Acinetobacter baumannii.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, J; Liu, X; Li, X-J

2015-01-16

The phages of Acinetobacter baumannii has drawn increasing attention because of the multi-drug resistance of A. baumanni. The aim of this study was to sequence Acinetobacter baumannii phage AB3 and conduct bioinformatic analysis to lay a foundation for genome remodeling and phage therapy. We isolated and sequenced A. baumannii phage AB3 and attempted to annotate and analyze its genome. The results showed that the genome is a double-stranded DNA with a total length of 31,185 base pairs (bp) and 97 open reading frames greater than 100 bp. The genome includes 28 predicted genes, of which 24 are homologous to phage AB1. The entire coding sequence is located on the negative strand, representing 90.8% of the total length. The G+C mol% was 39.18%, without areas of high G+C content over 200 bp in length. No GC island, tRNA gene, or repeated sequence was identified. Gene lengths were 120-3099 bp, with an average of 1011 bp. Six genes were found to be greater than 2000 bp in length. Genomic alignment and phylogenetic analysis of the RNA polymerase gene showed that similar to phage AB1, phage AB3 is a phiKMV-like virus in the T7 phage family.

Code blue: Acinetobacter baumannii, a nosocomial pathogen with a role in the oral cavity

Science.gov (United States)

Richards, A.M.; Kwaik, Y. Abu; Lamont, R.J.

2015-01-01

SUMMARY Actinetobacter baumannii is an important nosocomial pathogen that can cause a wide range of serious conditions including pneumonia, meningitis, necrotizing fasciitis and sepsis. It is also a major cause of wound infections in military personnel injured during the conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq, leading to its popular nickname of ‘Iraqibacter’. Contributing to its success in clinical settings is resistance to environmental stresses such as desiccation and disinfectants. Moreover, in recent years there has been a dramatic increase in the number of A. baumannii strains with resistance to multiple antibiotic classes. Acinetobacter baumannii is an inhabitant of oral biofilms, which can act as a reservoir for pneumonia and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Subgingival colonization by A. baumannii increases the risk of refractory periodontitis. Pathogenesis of the organism involves adherence, biofilm formation and iron acquisition. In addition, A. baumannii can induce apoptotic cell death in epithelial cells and kill hyphal forms of Candida albicans. Virulence factors that have been identified include pili, the outer membrane protein OmpA, phospholipases and extracellular polysaccharide. Acinetobacter baumannii can sense blue light through a blue-light sensing using flavin (BLUF) domain protein, BlsA. The resulting conformational change in BlsA leads to changes in gene expression, including virulence genes. PMID:25052812

Growth retardation in children injected with 224Ra

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Spiess, H.; Mays, C.W.; Spiess-Paulus, E.

1986-01-01

We have obtained the adult heights of 133 patients formerly injected with 224 Ra as juveniles. 224 Ra induced growth retardation was greatest in children injected at young ages and increased with dose. The growth retardation was well represented as a 2% decrease in potential growth post irradiation per 100 rads of calculated average skeletal dose. (orig.)

Whole-genome pyrosequencing of an epidemic multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii strain belonging to the European clone II group

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Iacono, M.; Villa, L.; Fortini, D.

2008-01-01

The whole-genome sequence of an epidemic, multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii strain (strain ACICU) belonging to the European clone II group and carrying the plasmid-mediated bla(OXA-58) carbapenem resistance gene was determined. The A. baumannii ACICU genome was compared with the genomes...

A Case of Acinetobacter Septic Pulmonary Embolism in an Infant

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Poonam Wade

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Case Characteristics. An 11-month-old girl presented with fever and breathlessness for 5 days. Patient had respiratory distress with bilateral coarse crepitations. Chest radiograph revealed diffuse infiltrations in the right lung with thick walled cavities in mid and lower zone. Computed tomography showed multiple cystic spaces and emboli. Blood culture grew Acinetobacter species. Intervention. Patient was treated with Meropenem and Vancomycin. Outcome. Complete clinical and radiological recovery was seen in child. Message. Blood cultures and CT of the chest are invaluable in the evaluation of a patient with suspected septic pulmonary embolism. With early diagnosis and appropriate antimicrobial therapy, complete recovery can be expected in patients with septic pulmonary embolism.

Research nuclear reactor RA - Annual Report 1975. Operation and maintenance; Istrazivacki nuklearni reaktor RA - Izvestaj za 1975. godinu - Pogon i odrzavanje

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Martinc, R [Institute of Nuclear Sciences Boris Kidric, Vinca, Beograd (Serbia and Montenegro)

1976-01-15

The plan for 1975 was successfully fulfilled. This is reflected in research related to improvement of operating properties of the RA reactor, mostly due to the effort of the RA staff employed in operation and maintenance of the reactor. Fuel saving achieved by this activity amounted to about 38% (80% enriched fuel). Preliminary work is done, concerned with new reactor core with highly enriched fuel. This is a significant saving as well. New fuel elements have arrived at the end of this year. It is going to enable increase of neutron flux by 50% without changing the nominal operating power. The possibility of further improvement of the reactor are analyzed, to enable material testing and production of radioactive sources. Mid term plan for reactor operation was made according to this analysis. It is planned to further increase the neutron flux in isolated smaller zones, and building new experimental loops with cooling and fast neutron converters. Much was done to increase the safety level of reactor operation and preparing the safety report. [Serbo-Croat] Izvrsenje zadataka u 1975. godini bilo je uspesno. To se ogleda u povecanju istrazivackog rada vezanog za poboljsanje eksploatacionih karakteristika reaktora RA, pretezno koriscenjem sopstvenog kadra angazovanog u pogonu i odrzavanju reaktora. Ovim radom postignuta je usteda goriva od oko 38% (80% obogaceno gorivo). Izvrseni su preliminarni radovi na prevodjenju reaktora RA na novo gorivo, sto je takodje velika usteda. Novo gorivo je stiglo krajem godine i ono ce obezbediti porast neutronskog fluksa od 50%, bez promene nominalne snage reaktora. Izvrsena je analiza mogucnosti daljeg usavrsavanja reaktora za potrebe ispitivanja materijala kao i proizvodnju radioaktivnih izvora. Na osnovu ove analize nacinjen je srednjorocni program rada reaktora RA sa tezistem na daljem povecanju fluksa u izdvojenim manjim zonama i ugradnju 'hladjenih petlji' i brzih konvertora. Mnogo je ucinjeno na povecanju stepena sigurnosti

OXA beta-lactamase-mediated carbapenem resistance in Acinetobacter baumannii

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S M Amudhan

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Objectives: Acinetobacter baumannii is a significant pathogen in health care settings. In recent years, an increase in carbapenem resistance among A. baumannii due to Ambler class B metallo-beta-lactamases or class D OXA carbapenamases has been reported. In this study we detected the presence of OXA carbapenamases and coproduction of metallo-beta-lactamases (blaVIM and blaIMP by phenotypic and genotypic methods in carbapenem resistant clinical isolates of Acinetobacter baumannii. Materials and Methods: A total of 116 consecutive, non-duplicate carbapenem resistant A. baumannii isolated from various clinical specimens were included in the study. The modified Hodge test and inhibitor potentiated disk diffusion tests were done for the screening of carbapenamase and metallo-beta-lactamase production, respectively. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR was performed for the detection of OXA (blaOXA 23 like, blaOXA 24 like, blaOXA-51 like and blaOXA-58 like genes and metallo-beta-lactamases (blaVIM and blaIMP genes. Gene sequencing was performed for representative isolates. Results: Among 116 A. baumannii, OXA genes were detected in 106 isolates. BlaOXA 51 like (n = 99 and blaOXA -23 like (n = 95 were the most common and they coexisted in 89 isolates. blaOXA-24 like gene was detected in two isolates of which one also carried blaOXA-51 like and blaOXA-58 like genes. The modified Hodge test was positive in 113 isolates. The metallo-beta-lactamase screening test was positive in 92 isolates. blavim was detected in 54 isolates of which 1 also carried the blaIMP gene. Conclusions: blaOXA-23 like and bla OXA 51 like genes are the most common types of OXA carbapenamases while the blaVIM type is the most common type of metallo-beta-lactamase contributing to carbapenem resistance in clinical isolates of A. baumannii. The coproduction of OXA and metallo-beta-lactamases is not an uncommon phenomenon in A. baumannii.

Measurement of "2"2"6Ra and "2"2"8Ra in Brazilian and Israeli Phosphates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ferreira, W.; Canella Avelar, A.; Menezes, M.

2014-01-01

Since the 1970s, the IAEA recognizes that phosphoric acid presents an alternate source of uranium, but given the status of both phosphate and uranium markets the potential of recovering uranium from phosphoric acid still marginal. New technologies for the recovery of uranium from phosphoric acid, national and global interests and environment barriers could shape this market in the medium and long-term scenarios. On the other hand, the use of phosphates is the major source of phosphorus in agriculture and livestock. Beyond phosphorus and calcium, phosphate is also source of some hazardous elements, such: arsenic, cadmium, thorium and uranium, including a variety of radioisotopes as well. This radioactivity is sure to be released in the environment, contributing to the background. The risk is not recognized for some of the players in this market, mainly workers who apply phosphate fertilizers in the farmland, in some cases manipulating phosphates with their bare hands, and without any respiratory protection equipment (RPE) as well. This paper deals with the radioactivity from "2"2"6Ra and "2"2"8Ra in four phosphates often used in Brazilian agriculture. Three Brazilian and an Israeli phosphate were analysed and compared with international criteria. The specific activities of "2"2"6Ra (from the uranium decay series) and "2"2"8Ra (from the thorium decay series) were taken into consideration to ensure an adequate risk assessment. Specific activities were determined by high-resolution gamma spectroscopy with germanium detector and Genie® software from Canberra in the Centre of Nuclear Technology Development (CDTN/CNEN). The concentration of "2"2"6Ra was measured using the 186.2 keV energy peak, the concentration of "2"2"8Ra through "2"2"8Ac. The system was calibrated using a set of standard materials from IAEA. The measured samples were crushed and sieved to a grain (98% at least) size as small as 75 μm. Stable mass was achieved grinding, drying at 105°C and mixing

Research nuclear reactor RA - Annual Report 1994

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sotic, O.

1994-12-01

Activities related to revitalisation of the RA reactor stared in 1986, were continued in 1991. A number of interventions on the reactor components were finished that are supposed to enable continuous and reliable operation. The last, and at the same time largest action, related to exchange of complete reactor instrumentation is underway, but it is behind the schedule in 1991 because the delivery of components from USSR is late. Production of this instruments is financed by the IAEA according to the contract signed in December 1988 with Russian Atomenergoexport. According to this contract, it has been planned that the RA reactor instrumentation should be delivered to the Vinca Institute by the end of 1990. Only 56% of the instrumentation was delivered until September 1991. Since then any delivery of components to Yugoslavia was stopped because of the temporary embargo imposed by the IAEA. In 1991 most of the existing RA reactor instrumentation was dismantled, only the part needed for basic measurements when reactor is not operated, was maintained. Activities related to improvement of Russian project were continued in 1994. Control and maintenance of the reactor components was done regularly and efficiently. Extensive repair of the secondary coolant loop is almost finished and will be completed in the first part of 1995 according to existing legal procedures and IAEA recommendations. Fuel inspection by the IAEA safeguards inspectors was done on a monthly basis. There have been on the average 47 employees at the RA reactor which is considered sufficient for maintenance and repair conditions. Research reactor RA Annual report for year 1991 is divided into two main parts to cover: (1) operation and maintenance and (2) activities related to radiation protection [sr

Research nuclear reactor RA - Annual Report 1991

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sotic, O.

1992-01-01

Activities related to revitalisation of the RA reactor stared in 1986, were continued in 1991. A number of interventions on the reactor components were finished that are supposed to enable continuous and reliable operation. The last, and at the same time largest action, related to exchange of complete reactor instrumentation is underway, but it is behind the schedule in 1991 because the delivery of components from USSR is late. Production of this instruments is financed by the IAEA according to the contract signed in December 1988 with Russian Atomenergoexport. According to this contract, it has been planned that the RA reactor instrumentation should be delivered to the Vinca Institute by the end of 1990. Only 56% of the instrumentation was delivered until September 1991. Since then any delivery of components to Yugoslavia was stopped because of the temporary embargo imposed by the IAEA. In 1991 most of the existing RA reactor instrumentation was dismantled, only the part needed for basic measurements when reactor is not operated, was maintained. Construction of some support elements is almost finished by the local staff. The Institute has undertaken this activity in order to speed up the ending of the project. If all the planned instrumentation would not arrive until the end of March 1992, it would not be possible to start the RA reactor testing operation in the first part of 1993, as previously planned. In 1991, 53 staff members took part in the activities during 1991, which is considered sufficient for maintenance and repair conditions. Research reactor RA Annual report for year 1991 is divided into two main parts to cover: (1) operation and maintenance and (2) activities related to radiation protection [sr

Separation of Ra and Th from rock matrices for alpha-spectrometry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ditchburn, R.G.; Whitehead, N.E.

1995-01-01

Dating rocks using 226 Ra/ 230 Th isochrons demands radiochemical purification of radium and thorium. This paper presents an improved method. Rocks are solubilised by nitric/hydrofluoric digestion followed by dissolution of insoluble fluorides by boric/nitric acids, and Th is extracted by passing the 8M nitric solution through an anion column in nitrate form. The eluant contains Ra and Ba which are precipitated as sulphate and redissolved in alkaline EDTA. Complete separation of Ba and Ra from sulphate is on an AG 1 x 8 anion column in EDTA form, which was found better than the chloride form. The Ba+Ra is separated on an AG 50W x 8 cation column, and uses CDTA as an eluant for Ba. Careful pH control is essential. Ra elutes later with EDTA or 4M HCl and is precipitated with 125μg barium as sulphate to yield a source suitable for α-spectrometry, or further treated to electroplate the Ra. The yield tracers used are 228 Th and 224 Ra. Because the sample contains natural 224 Ra a correction must be applied, calculated from the amount of natural 232 Th in the Th spectrum. Th may be precipitated with 100 μg of ferric iron and gives a spectrometry-quality source, but further purification and electrodeposition was found to be preferable. Variations on the method for the case of analysis of calcium-rich fish otoliths are described. (author) 37 refs.; 3 figs

The tetracycline resistance determinant Tet 39 and the sulphonamide resistance gene sulII are common among resistant Acinetobacter spp. isolated from integrated fish farms in Thailand

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Agersø, Yvonne; Petersen, Andreas

2007-01-01

Objectives: To determine the genetic basis for tetracycline and sulphonamide resistance and the prevalence of class I and II integrons in oxytetracycline-resistant Acinetobacter spp. from integrated fish farms in Thailand. Methods: A total of 222 isolates were screened for tetracycline resistance...... and Southern blots with sulII and tet(39) probes were performed on selected isolates. Results: The recently identified tetracycline resistance gene tet(39) was demonstrated in 75% (166/222) of oxytetracycline-resistant Acinetobacter spp. from integrated fish farms in Thailand. Isolates that were also...

Enzymic Dehalogenation of 4-Chlorobenzoyl Coenzyme A in Acinetobacter sp. Strain 4-CB1

OpenAIRE

Copley, Shelley D.; Crooks, Gwen P.

1992-01-01

4-Chlorobenzoate degradation in cell extracts of Acinetobacter sp. strain 4-CB1 occurs by initial synthesis of 4-chlorobenzoyl coenzyme A (4-chlorobenzoyl CoA) from 4-chlorobenzoate, CoA, and ATP. 4-Chlorobenzoyl CoA is dehalogenated to 4-hydroxybenzoyl CoA. Following the dehalogenation reaction, 4-hydroxybenzoyl CoA is hydrolyzed to 4-hydroxybenzoate and CoA. Possible roles for the CoA moiety in the dehalogenation reaction are discussed.

Enzymic Dehalogenation of 4-Chlorobenzoyl Coenzyme A in Acinetobacter sp. Strain 4-CB1

Science.gov (United States)

Copley, Shelley D.; Crooks, Gwen P.

1992-01-01

4-Chlorobenzoate degradation in cell extracts of Acinetobacter sp. strain 4-CB1 occurs by initial synthesis of 4-chlorobenzoyl coenzyme A (4-chlorobenzoyl CoA) from 4-chlorobenzoate, CoA, and ATP. 4-Chlorobenzoyl CoA is dehalogenated to 4-hydroxybenzoyl CoA. Following the dehalogenation reaction, 4-hydroxybenzoyl CoA is hydrolyzed to 4-hydroxybenzoate and CoA. Possible roles for the CoA moiety in the dehalogenation reaction are discussed. PMID:16348702

Using blockchain to build trusted LoRaWAN sharing server

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jun Lin

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Purpose – With the rapid growth of the Internet of Things (IoT market and requirement, low power wide area (LPWA technologies have become popular. In various LPWA technologies, Narrow Band IoT (NB-IoT and long range (LoRa are two main leading competitive technologies. Compared with NB-IoT networks, which are mainly built and managed by mobile network operators, LoRa wide area networks (LoRaWAN are mainly operated by private companies or organizations, which suggests two issues: trust of the private network operators and lack of network coverage. This study aims to propose a conceptual architecture design of a blockchain built-in solution for LoRaWAN network servers to solve these two issues for LoRaWAN IoT solution. Design/methodology/approach – The study proposed modeling, model analysis and architecture design. Findings – The proposed solution uses the blockchain technology to build an open, trusted, decentralized and tamper-proof system, which provides the indisputable mechanism to verify that the data of a transaction has existed at a specific time in the network. Originality/value – To the best of our knowledge, this is the first work that integrates blockchain technology and LoRaWAN IoT technology.

RA Reactor operation and maintenance (I-IX), Part I

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zecevic, V.

1963-12-01

The report on RA reactor operation and maintenance for year 1963 is divided in six tasks. This volume contains the introductory report, and three tasks of the final report, namely reactor exploitation, reactivity changes of the RA reactor before repair, planning of refuelling

ISAba1 Regulated OXA-23 Carbapenem Resistance in Acinetobacter baumannii Strains in Durban, South Africa.

Science.gov (United States)

Agoba, Esther Eyram; Govinden, Usha; Peer, Abdool Kader Cassim; Osei Sekyere, John; Essack, Sabiha Yusuf

2018-03-20

This study investigated the molecular mechanisms of resistance to carbapenems and cephalosporins in 24 consecutive, multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (MDRAB) isolates collected between January and April 2015 by a private sector laboratory in Durban, South Africa. All isolates were resistant to all carbapenems tested. bla OXA-23 and bla OXA-51 genes were found in 23 isolates, while bla OXA-24 , bla OXA-48 , and bla OXA-58 were absent in all isolates. The most prevalent extended-spectrum β-lactamase was TEM-116 (92%). bla ADC was present in 83.3% of isolates, of which two were new variants with three and five amino acid differences compared to Acinetobacter-derived cephalosporinase (ADC)-1, the first at positions 64E → K, 341N → T, and 342R → G and the second at positions 24G → D, 167S → P, 283R → F, 341N → T, and 342R → G, respectively. All isolates were negative for bla PER , bla CMY , bla GES , bla KPC , bla CTX-M , and bla SHV . Metallo-β-lactamase IMP and VIM were absent in all isolates, and NDM-1 was present in 1 isolate. ISAba1 was located upstream bla OXA-23 in all isolates and upstream bla ADC (30, 78, 79, 87 and the ADC variants) in 54.2% of the ADC-carrying isolates. None of the isolates had ISAba1 inserted upstream bla OXA-51 gene. Four isolates were clonally related and showed two clusters (A and B), while 20 isolates remained unclustered. There was no direct relationship between the clusters and the hospitals they were isolated from. This study reports the first NDM-1-producing carbapenem resistant Acinetobacter baumannii isolate in South Africa and highlights the presence of OXA-23, the known ADCs (ADC-30, ADC-78, ADC-79, and ADC-87), and two new ADC variants associated with ISAba1 from the private health sector in Durban, South Africa. The complexity and diversity of MDRAB severely limit treatment options.

Evaluation of the activity concentration of {sup 226}Ra, {sup 228}Ra and {sup 210}Pb in sediments from Antarctica in the Admiralty Bay region

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mora, Tamires de A.; Oliveira, Joselene de, E-mail: tamires.mora@usp.br, E-mail: jolivei@ipen.br [Instituto de Pesquisas Energeticas e Nucleares (IPEN/CNEN-SP), Sao Paulo, SP (Brazil); Figueira, Rubens C.L.; Mahiques, Michel M.; Sousa, Silvia H.M., E-mail: rfigueira@usp.br, E-mail: mahiques@usp.br, E-mail: smsousa@usp.br [Universidade de Sao Paulo (USP), Sao Paulo, SP (Brazil). Instituto Oceanografico

2015-07-01

In this study, we performed the radiochemical characterization of a sedimentary record (1B profile), collected in the vicinity of Admiralty Bay, King George Island in Antarctic Operation XXXI (January/2013). The activities of {sup 226}Ra, {sup 228}Ra and {sup 210}Pb were determined by the counting of gross alpha and gross beta activities in the precipitates of Ba(Ra)SO{sub 4} and PbCrO{sub 4}. Those measurements were carried out in a low background gas flow proportional detector. The {sup 226}Ra and {sup 228}Ra were measured after 21 days of the final precipitation. The {sup 210}Pb activity was determined after 10 days of the precipitation date by gross beta counting of its {sup 210}Bi decay product. The activity concentration of {sup 226}Ra ranged from 11±1 (mBq g-1) to 54±3 (mBq g{sup -1}), and the {sup 228}Ra ranged from 48±5 (mBq g{sup -1}) to 155±16 (mBq g{sup -1}). The activity concentration of {sup 210}Pb varied from 8±1 (mBq g{sup -1}) to 458±46 (mBq g{sup -1}), while unsupported {sup 210}Pb ranged from 6±1 (mBq g{sup -1}) to 434±65 (mBq g{sup -1}). The {sup 210}Pb concentrations in sediments have often been used to dating events like deposition and accumulation in various marine environments. Taking into account the results of {sup 210}Pb and {sup 226}Ra activities obtained in testimony-1B it was estimated the unsupported {sup 210}Pb activity which was applied to the CIC geochronological dating model (Constant Initial Concentration). Based in these data, the sedimentation rate obtained was 0.63±0.02 cm year{sup -1}. (author)

Vpliv osebnosti na vedenje pri igranju računalniških iger

OpenAIRE

Grudina, Rok

2017-01-01

Razvoj računalnikov je od konca 20. in na začetku 21. stoletja strmo narasel. Računalnike danes uporabljamo na vseh področjih. Mladostniki jih največkrat uporabljajo med preživljanjem prostega časa za igranje računalniških iger. Tako kot računalniki so se tudi računalniške igre skozi čas razvijale, da bi zadovoljile potrebe najbolj zahtevnih uporabnikov. Tako lahko danes vsak dobi igro po svojem okusu. Igre, ki so grafično izjemne, igre z zanimivo zgodbo in izzivi. Omogočajo vživetje v virtua...

226Ra adsorption on active coals from waste waters

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Panturu, E.; Georgescu, D.P.; Serban, N.; Filip, D.; Radulescu, R.

2000-01-01

During the mining and extraction of uranium, the principle means of protection measurement is to prevent uranium and its products diffusing into the environment. The main carriers of radioactive elements in the environment are air and water. Therefore, reduction of the pollution at a uranium mine can be achieved by the treatment of waste waters contaminated with 226 Ra Radium contaminated waste waters represent a major biological risk. This paper presents the results of the study of the sorption of 226 Ra on active coal mechanisme and the influence of the physical and chemical characteristics of fluid. The 226 Ra removal from the residue pond water at the uranium ore processing plant was studied using eight types of indigenous active coals. The experimental results for each type of active coal and their effect on removal of 226 Ra from waste waters are presented in this paper. (author)

Evaluation of the activity concentration of 226Ra, 228Ra and 210Pb in sediments from Antarctica in the Admiralty bay region

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mora, Tamires de Araujo

2015-01-01

The natural radionuclides from radioactive series of 238 U, 235 U and 232 Th have been applied as tracers in environmental studies for understanding the dynamics that occur in both marine and terrestrial environment, as for example, in research of oceanic processes and management of the coastal region. In the marine environment, these radionuclides can be used to estimate biogeochemical fluxes of marine particles and nutrients that occur in the water column as well as in the sediment. Several research works applied the distribution and the respective disequilibrium degree of natural radionuclides in the environment, including geochronological models for obtaining historical information on samples of certain sediment profile. In this study we performed a radiochemical characterization of the distribution of 226 Ra, 228 Ra and 210 Pb from a sedimentary column called 1B (248 cm long) collected in the Admiralty Bay, Antarctic Peninsula region. The methodology used included the acid leaching of sediment samples followed by the radiochemical sequential separation of 226 Ra and 228 Ra by co-precipitation with Ba(Ra)SO 4 and 210 Pb by co-precipitation with PbCrO 4 . All measurements were carried out by counting of gross alpha and gross beta measures in a low background gas flow proportional detector. The activity concentrations of 226 Ra and 210 Pb were used to estimate the unsupported 210 Pb activities present in sediment profile 1 B. Based on unsupported 210 Pb data and the application of the CIC model (Constant Initial Concentration), it was possible to determine the sedimentation rate of 0.59 ± 0.05 cm /year. (author)

Determination of /sup 226/Ra by alpha spectrometry of liquid scintillation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nobrega, A W; Sachett, I A; Hespanhol, E C.B.

1987-07-01

The determination of /sup 226/Ra in environmental samples using alpha spectrometry in liquid scintilation is studied. The Radon/sup 1-2/ emanation method and /sup 226/Ra separation process of other radionuclides alpha emissors are analyzed. The use of /sup 226/Ra coprecipitation with barium sulphate is evaluated. (M.J.C.).

228Ra in monazite processing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Paul, A.C.; Pillai, K.C.

1979-01-01

The treatment of monazite, adopted by the Indian Rare Earths plant is based on alkali digestion by caustic soda and acid leaching by hydrochloric acid. The paper deals with the distribution of 228 Ra, the daughter product of 232 Th in the effluents and outlines the treatment procedures adopted to reduce its levels. The activity gets distributed into the soluble and insoluble fractions in the effluent depending on its acidic/alkaline nature. The scheme for further deactivation of the effluent was based on lime treatment. It is observed that more than 95% removal of Ra is achievable by the treatment. The procedures leading to the proposed final treatment and disposal of effluent are schematically represented. Some environmental data are presented to show the impact of effluent releases in river, water and sediments. (B.G.W.)

Research nuclear reactor RA - Annual Report 1990 with the comparative evaluation for the period 1986-1990; Istrazivacki nuklearni reaktor RA - Izvestaj za 1990. godinu uz uporedni pregled za period 1986 - 1990

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sotic, O [Institute of Nuclear Sciences Boris Kidric, Vinca, Beograd (Serbia and Montenegro)

1990-12-15

Annual report concerning the project 'RA research nuclear reactor' for 1990, financed by the Serbian ministry of science is divided into two parts. First part is concerned with RA reactor operation and maintenance, which is the task of the Division for reactor engineering of the Institute for multidisciplinary studies and RA reactor engineering. Second part deals with radiation protection activities at the RA reactor which is the responsibility of the Institute for radiation protection. Scientific council of the Institute for multidisciplinary studies and RA reactor engineering has stated that this report describes adequately the activity and tasks fulfilled at the RA reactor in 1989. The scope and the quality of the work done were considered successful both concerning the maintenance and reconstruction, as well as radiation protection activities. [Serbo-Croat] Godisnji izvestaj po projektu 'Istrazivacki nuklearni reaktor RA' za 1990. godinu, koji finansira republicka zajednica za nauku SR Srbije po ugovoru br. 3705/1 sastoji se iz dva dela. Prvi deo obuhvata pogon i odrzavanje nuklearnog reaktora RA, sto predstavlja obavezu Odeljenja za reaktorski inzenjering u sastavu OOUR Instituta za multidisciplinarna istrazivanja i inzenjering RA. Drugi deo obuhvata poslove zastite od zracenja na reaktoru RA, sto predstavlja obavezu OOUR Instituta za zastitu od zracenja 'Zastita'. Naucno vece Instituta za multidisciplinarna istrazivanja i inzenjjring RA ocenilo je da sadrzina ovog izvestaja odgovara izvrsenim poslovima na reaktoru RA u 1989. godini. Pozitivno se ocenjuje obim i kvalitet izvrsenih radova kako u pogledu odrzavanja i rekonstrukcije reaktora, tako i u pogledu poslova zastite od zracenja izvrsenih kod njega.

Observation of unexpectedly small E1 moments in sup 224 Ra

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Poynter, R.J.; Butler, P.A.; Clarkson, N.; Hoare, T.H.; Jones, G.D.; White, C.A. (Liverpool Univ. (UK). Oliver Lodge Lab.); Cline, D. (Rochester Univ., NY (USA). Nuclear Structure Research Lab.); Connell, K.A.; Cunningham, R.A.; Simpson, J. (Science and Engineering Research Council, Daresbury (UK). Daresbury Lab.); Goettig, L. (Warsaw Univ. (Poland). Inst. Fizyki Doswiadczalnej); Hughes, J.R.; Jarvis, N.S.; Mullins, S.M.; Wadsworth, R.; Watson, D.L. (York Univ. (UK). Dept. of Physics); Juutinen, S. (Jyvaeskylae Univ. (Finland). Dept. of Physics); Pass, C.N. (Oxford Univ. (UK). Dept. of Nuclear Physics)

1989-12-14

The {alpha}-decay of {sup 228}Th and the reaction {sup 226}Ra({sup 58}Ni, {sup 60}Ni){sup 224}Ra have been employed to populate states in {sup 224}Ra up to I{sup {pi}}=12{sup +}. Values of the intrinsic electric dipole moment vertical strokeQ{sub 1}vertical stroke have been deduced from the observed B(E1)/B(E2) branching ratios. These values are < or approx.0.1 e fm for spins up to I{sup {pi}}=9{sup -}, and are thus smaller than those in {sup 218,220}Ra or {sup 226}Ra. The behaviour of Q{sub 1} suggests that shell effects are important in this mass region, although theoretical calculations which include these effects do not reproduce the observed pattern. (orig.).

Post-stroke infection: a role for IL-1ra?

Science.gov (United States)

Tanzi, Pat; Cain, Kevin; Kalil, Angela; Zierath, Dannielle; Savos, Anna; Gee, J Michael; Shibata, Dean; Hadwin, Jessica; Carter, Kelly; Becker, Kyra

2011-04-01

Infection is common following stroke and is independently associated with worse outcome. Clinical studies suggest that infections occur more frequently in those individuals with stroke-induced immunologic dysfunction. This study sought to explore the contribution of immunomodulatory cytokines and hormones to lymphocyte function and infection risk. Patients (N = 112) were enrolled as soon as possible after the onset of ischemic stroke. Blood was drawn to assess plasma cortisol, IL-10, IL-1ra, lymphocyte numbers, and lymphocyte function at 72 h after stroke onset; infections were censored through 21 days after stroke onset. Infection occurred in 25% of patients. Stroke severity was the most important predictor of infection risk. Increased plasma cortisol, IL-10, and IL-1ra, as well as decreased lymphocyte numbers, at 72 h after stroke onset were associated with risk of subsequent infection. After controlling for stroke severity, only IL-1ra was independently associated with infection risk, and the degree of risk was consistent throughout the post-stroke period. Infection, but not IL-1ra itself, was associated with worse outcome at 3 months. In this study cohort, increased plasma IL-1ra was independently associated with the risk of post-stroke infection. Further studies are needed to validate this finding, which could have important implications for stroke therapy.

Evaluation of the activity concentration of {sup 226}Ra, {sup 228}Ra and {sup 210}Pb in sediments from Antarctica in the Admiralty bay region; Avaliacao da concentracao de atividade de Ra-226, Ra-228 e Pb-210 em sedimentos provenientes da Antartica na regiao da baia do Almirantado

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mora, Tamires de Araujo

2015-07-01

The natural radionuclides from radioactive series of {sup 238}U, {sup 235}U and {sup 232}Th have been applied as tracers in environmental studies for understanding the dynamics that occur in both marine and terrestrial environment, as for example, in research of oceanic processes and management of the coastal region. In the marine environment, these radionuclides can be used to estimate biogeochemical fluxes of marine particles and nutrients that occur in the water column as well as in the sediment. Several research works applied the distribution and the respective disequilibrium degree of natural radionuclides in the environment, including geochronological models for obtaining historical information on samples of certain sediment profile. In this study we performed a radiochemical characterization of the distribution of {sup 226}Ra, {sup 228}Ra and {sup 210}Pb from a sedimentary column called 1B (248 cm long) collected in the Admiralty Bay, Antarctic Peninsula region. The methodology used included the acid leaching of sediment samples followed by the radiochemical sequential separation of {sup 226}Ra and {sup 228}Ra by co-precipitation with Ba(Ra)SO{sub 4} and {sup 210}Pb by co-precipitation with PbCrO{sub 4}. All measurements were carried out by counting of gross alpha and gross beta measures in a low background gas flow proportional detector. The activity concentrations of {sup 226}Ra and {sup 210}Pb were used to estimate the unsupported {sup 210}Pb activities present in sediment profile 1 B. Based on unsupported {sup 210}Pb data and the application of the CIC model (Constant Initial Concentration), it was possible to determine the sedimentation rate of 0.59 ± 0.05 cm /year. (author)

Assessment of Radiometer Calibration with GPS Radio Occultation for the MiRaTA CubeSat Mission

Science.gov (United States)

Marinan, Anne D.; Cahoy, Kerri L.; Bishop, Rebecca L.; Lui, Susan S.; Bardeen, James R.; Mulligan, Tamitha; Blackwell, William J.; Leslie, R. Vincent; Osaretin, Idahosa; Shields, Michael

2017-01-01

The Microwave Radiometer Technology Acceleration (MiRaTA) is a 3U CubeSat mission sponsored by the NASA Earth Science Technology Office (ESTO). The science payload on MiRaTA consists of a tri-band microwave radiometer and Global Positioning System (GPS) radio occultation (GPSRO) sensor. The microwave radiometer takes measurements of all-weather temperature (V-band, 50-57 GHz), water vapor (G-band, 175-191 GHz), and cloud ice (G-band, 205 GHz) to provide observations used to improve weather forecasting. The Aerospace Corporation's GPSRO experiment, called the Compact TEC (Total Electron Content) and Atmospheric GPS Sensor (CTAGS), measures profiles of temperature and pressure in the upper troposphere/lower stratosphere (∼20 km) and electron density in the ionosphere (over 100 km). The MiRaTA mission will validate new technologies in both passive microwave radiometry and GPS radio occultation: (1) new ultra-compact and low-power technology for multi-channel and multi-band passive microwave radiometers, (2) the application of a commercial off the shelf (COTS) GPS receiver and custom patch antenna array technology to obtain neutral atmospheric GPSRO retrieval from a nanosatellite, and (3) a new approach to spaceborne microwave radiometer calibration using adjacent GPSRO measurements. In this paper, we focus on objective (3), developing operational models to meet a mission goal of 100 concurrent radiometer and GPSRO measurements, and estimating the temperature measurement precision for the CTAGS instrument based on thermal noise. Based on an analysis of thermal noise of the CTAGS instrument, the expected temperature retrieval precision is between 0.17 K and 1.4 K, which supports the improvement of radiometric calibration to 0.25 K. PMID:28828144

46 CFR 54.25-8 - Radiography (modifies UW-11(a), UCS-57, UNF-57, UHA-33, and UHT-57).

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 46 Shipping 2 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Radiography (modifies UW-11(a), UCS-57, UNF-57, UHA-33, and UHT-57). 54.25-8 Section 54.25-8 Shipping COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY (CONTINUED... Radiography (modifies UW-11(a), UCS-57, UNF-57, UHA-33, and UHT-57). (a) Full radiography is required for all...