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Sample records for model organism escherichia

  1. Building a complete image of genome regulation in the model organism Escherichia coli.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ishihama, Akira

    2018-01-15

    The model organism, Escherichia coli, contains a total of more than 4,500 genes, but the total number of RNA polymerase (RNAP) core enzyme or the transcriptase is only about 2,000 molecules per genome. The regulatory targets of RNAP are, however, modulated by changing its promoter selectivity through two-steps of protein-protein interplay with 7 species of the sigma factor in the first step, and then 300 species of the transcription factor (TF) in the second step. Scientists working in the field of prokaryotic transcription in Japan have made considerable contributions to the elucidation of genetic frameworks and regulatory modes of the genome transcription in E. coli K-12. This review summarizes the findings by this group, first focusing on three sigma factors, the stationary-phase sigma RpoS, the heat-shock sigma RpoH, and the flagellar-chemotaxis sigma RpoF, as examples. It also presents an overview of the current state of the systematic research being carried out to identify the regulatory functions of all TFs from a single and the same bacterium E. coli K-12, using the genomic SELEX and PS-TF screening systems. All these studies have been undertaken with the aim of understanding the genome regulation in E. coli K-12 as a whole.

  2. Organ distribution of radiolabeled enteric Escherichia coli during and after hemorrhagic shock

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Redan, J.A.; Rush, B.F.; McCullough, J.N.; Machiedo, G.W.; Murphy, T.F.; Dikdan, G.S.; Smith, S.

    1990-01-01

    Translocation of intestinal bacteria to the blood during hemorrhagic shock (HS) has been confirmed in rats and humans. The current study was designed to trace the path of translocated intestinal bacteria in a murine HS model. Thirty-one rats were gavaged with 1,000,000 counts of viable 14C oleic acid-labeled Escherichia coli. Forty-eight hours later the animals were bled to 30 mmHg until either 80% of their maximal shed blood was returned or 5 hours of shock had elapsed and they were resuscitated with Ringer's lactate as previously described. Control animals were cannulated but not shocked. Eight rats immediately after shock and resuscitation, 6 rats 24 hours after shock, 3 rats 48 hours after shock, and 4 animals that died in shock had their heart, lung, liver, spleen, kidney, and serum harvested, cultured, and radioactive content measured. Translocated enteric bacteria are found primarily in the lung immediately after shock with redistribution to the liver and kidney 24 hours later. Animals surviving to 48 hours were capable of eliminating the majority of the bacteria from their major organ systems. Positive cultures for E. coli were also found in the blood, lung, liver, and kidney. We speculate that the inflammatory response stimulated by the bacteria in these organs may contribute to the multiple-organ failure syndrome seen after HS

  3. NASCENT: an automatic protein interaction network generation tool for non-model organisms.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Banky, Daniel; Ordog, Rafael; Grolmusz, Vince

    2009-04-24

    Large quantity of reliable protein interaction data are available for model organisms in public depositories (e.g., MINT, DIP, HPRD, INTERACT). Most data correspond to experiments with the proteins of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Drosophila melanogaster, Homo sapiens, Caenorhabditis elegans, Escherichia coli and Mus musculus. For other important organisms the data availability is poor or non-existent. Here we present NASCENT, a completely automatic web-based tool and also a downloadable Java program, capable of modeling and generating protein interaction networks even for non-model organisms. The tool performs protein interaction network modeling through gene-name mapping, and outputs the resulting network in graphical form and also in computer-readable graph-forms, directly applicable by popular network modeling software. http://nascent.pitgroup.org.

  4. Modeling base excision repair in Escherichia coli bacterial cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Belov, O.V.

    2011-01-01

    A model describing the key processes in Escherichia coli bacterial cells during base excision repair is developed. The mechanism is modeled of damaged base elimination involving formamidopyrimidine DNA glycosylase (the Fpg protein), which possesses several types of activities. The modeling of the transitions between DNA states is based on a stochastic approach to the chemical reaction description

  5. Features of genomic organization in a nucleotide-resolution molecular model of the Escherichia coli chromosome.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hacker, William C; Li, Shuxiang; Elcock, Adrian H

    2017-07-27

    We describe structural models of the Escherichia coli chromosome in which the positions of all 4.6 million nucleotides of each DNA strand are resolved. Models consistent with two basic chromosomal orientations, differing in their positioning of the origin of replication, have been constructed. In both types of model, the chromosome is partitioned into plectoneme-abundant and plectoneme-free regions, with plectoneme lengths and branching patterns matching experimental distributions, and with spatial distributions of highly-transcribed chromosomal regions matching recent experimental measurements of the distribution of RNA polymerases. Physical analysis of the models indicates that the effective persistence length of the DNA and relative contributions of twist and writhe to the chromosome's negative supercoiling are in good correspondence with experimental estimates. The models exhibit characteristics similar to those of 'fractal globules,' and even the most genomically-distant parts of the chromosome can be physically connected, through paths combining linear diffusion and inter-segmental transfer, by an average of only ∼10 000 bp. Finally, macrodomain structures and the spatial distributions of co-expressed genes are analyzed: the latter are shown to depend strongly on the overall orientation of the chromosome. We anticipate that the models will prove useful in exploring other static and dynamic features of the bacterial chromosome. © The Author(s) 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Nucleic Acids Research.

  6. Escherichia coli growth modeling using neural network | Shamsudin ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    technique that has the ability to predict with efficient and good performance. Using NARX, a highly accurate model was developed to predict the growth of Escherichia coli (E. coli) based on pH water parameter. The multiparameter portable sensor and spectrophotometer data were used to build and train the neural network.

  7. Escherichia coli biofilms have an organized and complex extracellular matrix structure.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hung, Chia; Zhou, Yizhou; Pinkner, Jerome S; Dodson, Karen W; Crowley, Jan R; Heuser, John; Chapman, Matthew R; Hadjifrangiskou, Maria; Henderson, Jeffrey P; Hultgren, Scott J

    2013-09-10

    Bacterial biofilms are ubiquitous in nature, and their resilience is derived in part from a complex extracellular matrix that can be tailored to meet environmental demands. Although common developmental stages leading to biofilm formation have been described, how the extracellular components are organized to allow three-dimensional biofilm development is not well understood. Here we show that uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC) strains produce a biofilm with a highly ordered and complex extracellular matrix (ECM). We used electron microscopy (EM) techniques to image floating biofilms (pellicles) formed by UPEC. EM revealed intricately constructed substructures within the ECM that encase individual, spatially segregated bacteria with a distinctive morphology. Mutational and biochemical analyses of these biofilms confirmed curli as a major matrix component and revealed important roles for cellulose, flagella, and type 1 pili in pellicle integrity and ECM infrastructure. Collectively, the findings of this study elucidated that UPEC pellicles have a highly organized ultrastructure that varies spatially across the multicellular community. Bacteria can form biofilms in diverse niches, including abiotic surfaces, living cells, and at the air-liquid interface of liquid media. Encasing these cellular communities is a self-produced extracellular matrix (ECM) that can be composed of proteins, polysaccharides, and nucleic acids. The ECM protects biofilm bacteria from environmental insults and also makes the dissolution of biofilms very challenging. As a result, formation of biofilms within humans (during infection) or on industrial material (such as water pipes) has detrimental and costly effects. In order to combat bacterial biofilms, a better understanding of components required for biofilm formation and the ECM is required. This study defined the ECM composition and architecture of floating pellicle biofilms formed by Escherichia coli.

  8. Identification of Diarrheagenic Escherichia coli Strains from Avian Organic Fertilizers

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Juan Puño-Sarmiento

    2014-08-01

    Full Text Available The Brazilian poultry industry generates large amounts of organic waste, such as chicken litter, which is often used in agriculture. Among the bacteria present in organic fertilizer are members of the Enterobacteriaceae family. The objective of this study was to detect the presence of diarrheagenic Escherichia coli (DEC strains in avian organic fertilizer, and assess the potential damage they can cause in humans due to antimicrobial resistance. The presence of DEC pathotypes and phylogenetic groups were detected by multiplex-PCR. Phenotypic assays, such as tests for adhesion, cytotoxicity activity, biofilm formation and especially antimicrobial susceptibility, were performed. Fifteen DEC strains from 64 E. coli were isolated. Among these, four strains were classified as enteropathogenic (EPEC; 6.2%, three strains as Shiga toxin-producing (STEC; 4.7%, 10 strains as enteroaggregative (EAEC; 12.5%, but two of these harbored the eaeA gene too. The low number of isolated strains was most likely due to the composting process, which reduces the number of microorganisms. These strains were able to adhere to HEp-2 and HeLa cells and produce Shiga-toxins and biofilms; in addition, some of the strains showed antimicrobial resistance, which indicates a risk of the transfer of resistance genes to human E. coli. These results showed that DEC strains isolated from avian organic fertilizers can cause human infections.

  9. Identification of diarrheagenic Escherichia coli strains from avian organic fertilizers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Puño-Sarmiento, Juan; Gazal, Luis Eduardo; Medeiros, Leonardo P; Nishio, Erick K; Kobayashi, Renata K T; Nakazato, Gerson

    2014-08-28

    The Brazilian poultry industry generates large amounts of organic waste, such as chicken litter, which is often used in agriculture. Among the bacteria present in organic fertilizer are members of the Enterobacteriaceae family. The objective of this study was to detect the presence of diarrheagenic Escherichia coli (DEC) strains in avian organic fertilizer, and assess the potential damage they can cause in humans due to antimicrobial resistance. The presence of DEC pathotypes and phylogenetic groups were detected by multiplex-PCR. Phenotypic assays, such as tests for adhesion, cytotoxicity activity, biofilm formation and especially antimicrobial susceptibility, were performed. Fifteen DEC strains from 64 E. coli were isolated. Among these, four strains were classified as enteropathogenic (EPEC; 6.2%), three strains as Shiga toxin-producing (STEC; 4.7%), 10 strains as enteroaggregative (EAEC; 12.5%), but two of these harbored the eaeA gene too. The low number of isolated strains was most likely due to the composting process, which reduces the number of microorganisms. These strains were able to adhere to HEp-2 and HeLa cells and produce Shiga-toxins and biofilms; in addition, some of the strains showed antimicrobial resistance, which indicates a risk of the transfer of resistance genes to human E. coli. These results showed that DEC strains isolated from avian organic fertilizers can cause human infections.

  10. Antibiotic Resistance in Escherichia coli from Pigs in Organic and Conventional Farming in Four European Countries

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Österberg, Julia; Wingstrand, Anne; Jensen, Annette Nygaard

    2016-01-01

    content and/or faeces from individual pigs was determined. In all four countries the percentage resistance to ampicillin, streptomycin, sulphonamides or trimethoprim was significantly lower in E. coli from organic pigs. In France and Italy, the percentage of isolates resistant to chloramphenicol...... in organic slaughter pigs in Denmark, France, Italy and Sweden. Samples were taken from the colon content and/or faeces and minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) of ten antibiotics were determined in isolates of Escherichia coli. In addition, the proportion of tetracycline (TET) resistant E. coli in colon...

  11. Mapping the surface of Escherichia coli peptide deformylase by NMR with organic solvents.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Byerly, Douglas W; McElroy, Craig A; Foster, Mark P

    2002-07-01

    Identifying potential ligand binding sites on a protein surface is an important first step for targeted structure-based drug discovery. While performing control experiments with Escherichia coli peptide deformylase (PDF), we noted that the organic solvents used to solubilize some ligands perturbed many of the same resonances in PDF as the small molecule inhibitors. To further explore this observation, we recorded (15)N HSQC spectra of E. coli peptide deformylase (PDF) in the presence of trace quantities of several simple organic solvents (acetone, DMSO, ethanol, isopropanol) and identified their sites of interaction from local perturbation of amide chemical shifts. Analysis of the protein surface structure revealed that the ligand-induced shift perturbations map to the active site and one additional surface pocket. The correlation between sites of solvent and inhibitor binding highlights the utility of organic solvents to rapidly and effectively validate and characterize binding sites on proteins prior to designing a drug discovery screen. Further, the solvent-induced perturbations have implications for the use of organic solvents to dissolve candidate ligands in NMR-based screens.

  12. Modeling of the pyruvate production with Escherichia coli: comparison of mechanistic and neural networks-based models.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zelić, B; Bolf, N; Vasić-Racki, D

    2006-06-01

    Three different models: the unstructured mechanistic black-box model, the input-output neural network-based model and the externally recurrent neural network model were used to describe the pyruvate production process from glucose and acetate using the genetically modified Escherichia coli YYC202 ldhA::Kan strain. The experimental data were used from the recently described batch and fed-batch experiments [ Zelić B, Study of the process development for Escherichia coli-based pyruvate production. PhD Thesis, University of Zagreb, Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Zagreb, Croatia, July 2003. (In English); Zelić et al. Bioproc Biosyst Eng 26:249-258 (2004); Zelić et al. Eng Life Sci 3:299-305 (2003); Zelić et al Biotechnol Bioeng 85:638-646 (2004)]. The neural networks were built out of the experimental data obtained in the fed-batch pyruvate production experiments with the constant glucose feed rate. The model validation was performed using the experimental results obtained from the batch and fed-batch pyruvate production experiments with the constant acetate feed rate. Dynamics of the substrate and product concentration changes was estimated using two neural network-based models for biomass and pyruvate. It was shown that neural networks could be used for the modeling of complex microbial fermentation processes, even in conditions in which mechanistic unstructured models cannot be applied.

  13. Escherichia coli clearance after splenic autotransplants

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Marques, R.G.; Petroianu, A.; Oliveira, M.B.N.; Bernardo-Filho, M.; Portela, M.C.

    2002-01-01

    Background: Splenic autotransplantation seems to be the only alternative for preservation of splenic tissue, after total splenectomy. The present study was carried out to analyze Escherichia coli depuration by mononuclear phagocyte system organs after total splenectomy and splenic autotransplantation. Methods: We utilized an experimental model including young and adult Wistar rats, of both sexes, submitted to total splenectomy and splenic autotransplantation. The evaluation method was intravenous inoculation of a suspension of Escherichia coli labeled with technetium-99m. We analyzed bacteria uptake by mononuclear phagocyte system organs and bacteria remnant in the bloodstream. Results: There was no difference between young and adult animals in bacteria uptake by mononuclear phagocyte system organs. In the comparison of groups, it was found out that the mean percent uptake by spleen and liver of animals in the control group was higher than that observed for animals with splenic implants. However, bacteria uptake in the lung was higher in the splenic implant group than in the control group. Although spleen bacteria uptake in the control group animals has been higher than that of animals in the splenic implant group, the remnant bacteria in the bloodstream was similar. Animals submitted to isolated total splenectomy showed higher bacteria remnant in the bloodstream than animals of the control group or the group submitted to total splenectomy combined with splenic autotransplantation. Conclusion: Our results indicate that autogenous splenic implant is efficacious in bacteria depuration in rats, by means of their macrophages phagocytosis. In addition, it does not modify bacteria removal function of liver and lung

  14. Analyzing indicator microorganisms, antibiotic resistant Escherichia coli, and regrowth potential of foodborne pathogens in various organic fertilizers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Miller, Cortney; Heringa, Spencer; Kim, Jinkyung; Jiang, Xiuping

    2013-06-01

    This study analyzed various organic fertilizers for indicator microorganisms, pathogens, and antibiotic-resistant Escherichia coli, and evaluated the growth potential of E. coli O157:H7 and Salmonella in fertilizers. A microbiological survey was conducted on 103 organic fertilizers from across the United States. Moisture content ranged from approximately 1% to 86.4%, and the average pH was 7.77. The total aerobic mesophiles ranged from approximately 3 to 9 log colony-forming units (CFU)/g. Enterobacteriaceae populations were in the range of fertilizer, respectively, whereas E. coli O157:H7 grew approximately 4.6, 4.0, 4.0, and 4.8 log CFU/g, respectively. Our results revealed that the microbiological quality of organic fertilizers varies greatly, with some fertilizers containing antibiotic resistant E. coli and a few supporting the growth of foodborne pathogens after reintroduction into the fertilizer.

  15. Genomics of Escherichia and Shigella

    Science.gov (United States)

    Perna, Nicole T.

    The laboratory workhorse Escherichia coli K-12 is among the most intensively studied living organisms on earth, and this single strain serves as the model system behind much of our understanding of prokaryotic molecular biology. Dense genome sequencing and recent insightful comparative analyses are making the species E. coli, as a whole, an emerging system for studying prokaryotic population genetics and the relationship between system-scale, or genome-scale, molecular evolution and complex traits like host range and pathogenic potential. Genomic perspective has revealed a coherent but dynamic species united by intraspecific gene flow via homologous lateral or horizontal transfer and differentiated by content flux mediated by acquisition of DNA segments from interspecies transfers.

  16. Metabolic engineering of Escherichia coli for biotechnological production of high-value organic acids and alcohols

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yu, Chao; Cao, Yujin; Zou, Huibin; Xian, Mo [Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao (China). Key Lab. of Biofuels

    2011-02-15

    Confronted with the gradual and inescapable exhaustion of the earth's fossil energy resources, the bio-based process to produce platform chemicals from renewable carbohydrates is attracting growing interest. Escherichia coli has been chosen as a workhouse for the production of many valuable chemicals due to its clear genetic background, convenient to be genetically modified and good growth properties with low nutrient requirements. Rational strain development of E. coli achieved by metabolic engineering strategies has provided new processes for efficiently biotechnological production of various high-value chemical building blocks. Compared to previous reviews, this review focuses on recent advances in metabolic engineering of the industrial model bacteria E. coli that lead to efficient recombinant biocatalysts for the production of high-value organic acids like succinic acid, lactic acid, 3-hydroxypropanoic acid and glucaric acid as well as alcohols like 1,3-propanediol, xylitol, mannitol, and glycerol with the discussion of the future research in this area. Besides, this review also discusses several platform chemicals, including fumaric acid, aspartic acid, glutamic acid, sorbitol, itaconic acid, and 2,5-furan dicarboxylic acid, which have not been produced by E. coli until now. (orig.)

  17. Prevalence and risk factors for extended-spectrum β-lactamase or AmpC-producing Escherichia coli in organic dairy herds in the Netherlands

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Santman-Berends, I.M.G.A.; Gonggrijp, M.A.; Hage, J.J.; Heuvelink, A.E.; Velthuis, A.; Lam, T.J.G.M.; van Schaik, G.

    Extended-spectrum β-lactamase and AmpC-producing Escherichia coli (ESBL/AmpC) are an emerging problem and are hypothesized to be associated with antimicrobial use (AMU), and more specifically with the use of third- and fourth-generation cephalosporins. Whether ESBL/AmpC also occur in organic dairy

  18. Prevalence and risk factors for extended-spectrum beta-lactamase or AmpC-producing Escherichia coli in organic dairy herds in the Netherlands

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Santman - Berends, Inge; Gonggrijp, M A; Heuvelink, A E; Velthuis, A; Lam, T J G M; van Schaik, Gerdien; Hage, J. J.

    2017-01-01

    Extended-spectrum β-lactamase and AmpC-producing Escherichia coli (ESBL/AmpC) are an emerging problem and are hypothesized to be associated with antimicrobial use (AMU), and more specifically with the use of third- and fourth-generation cephalosporins. Whether ESBL/AmpC also occur in organic dairy

  19. Antibiotic selection of Escherichia coli sequence type 131 in a mouse intestinal colonization model

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hertz, Frederik Boetius; Løbner-Olesen, Anders; Frimodt-Møller, Niels

    2014-01-01

    The ability of different antibiotics to select for extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Escherichia coli remains a topic of discussion. In a mouse intestinal colonization model, we evaluated the selective abilities of nine common antimicrobials (cefotaxime, cefuroxime, dicloxacillin...... day, antibiotic treatment was initiated and given subcutaneously once a day for three consecutive days. CFU of E. coli ST131, Bacteroides, and Gram-positive aerobic bacteria in fecal samples were studied, with intervals, until day 8. Bacteroides was used as an indicator organism for impact on the Gram......, clindamycin, penicillin, ampicillin, meropenem, ciprofloxacin, and amdinocillin) against a CTX-M-15-producing E. coli sequence type 131 (ST131) isolate with a fluoroquinolone resistance phenotype. Mice (8 per group) were orogastrically administered 0.25 ml saline with 10(8) CFU/ml E. coli ST131. On that same...

  20. Anti-Escherichia coli effect of Hibiscus sabdariffa L. in a meat model

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marcelo Pinto PAIM

    Full Text Available Abstract Hibiscus sabdariffa L. is used in traditional medicine because of its bioactive properties, such as antioxidant and antibacterial. Escherichia coli is a Gram-negative bacteria and as an indicator of contamination in food. The aim of this work was to evaluate the anti-Escherichia coli effect and the change in pH on the control of aerobic mesophilic microorganisms, using hydroethanolic extract of H. sabdariffa L. in different concentrations in a meat model, verifying its potential as food additive for microbiological stability on ground beef during cooling storage. For the preparation of the treatments, the meat experimental units were elaborated with different concentrations of the vegetal extract (5, 10, 15 and 20%, ground beef and contaminated with E. coli. For pH evaluation, the meat experimental units were added different percentages of hydroethanolic extract. The H. sabdariffa L. antibacterial action reduced two logarithmic levels in practically all treatments. The best pH result was obtained in the meat containing 30% of the extract. The hydroethanolic extracts of Hibiscus sabdariffa L. showed anti-Escherichia coli activity in the presence of refrigerated ground beef. Analyzing the pH results and the count of aerobic mesophilic bacteria, it is possible this extract to be used as a natural food additive.

  1. Growth of the modeling of Escherichia coli in milk

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mbangu, N.; Malakasa, M.; Ekalakala, T.; N'dendje, B.; Abedi, M.; Muzembe, K.; Bandejile, M.

    2010-01-01

    Escherichia coli is a contaminant potential of milk. Collective toxinfections implying the bacterium and milk were announced of share the world. However, no identified work proposed a mathematical expression of the growth of the bacterium in milk. The interest of such a step is however undeniable. Under specified conditions, the mathematical formulation of the growth provides the means of considering the population bacterial when the analyses cannot be carried out. It also makes it possible to test the negatiable instruments of the unfavourable circumstances supposed suchas chain breakage of cold on the development of the microbial charge. This work established mathematical expressions of the growth of Escherichia coli in milk for part of its range of temperature of growth suboptimale i.e. between 25 and 35 Deg C. It was not possible to generalize these expressions for predictions on all the range of temperature suboptimal. This work also made it possible to highlight a deviation of the behavoir of the bacterium compared to the model of Ratkowsky without however that it is not possible to provide a univocal explanantion of it. Varoius assumptions were put forth referring to either a singularity of the behavior of the bacterium or a skew of the value of its minimal temperature of growth

  2. Use of organic acids to inactivate Escherichia coli O157:H7, Salmonella Typhimurium, and Listeria monocytogenes on organic fresh apples and lettuce.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Park, Sang-Hyun; Choi, Mi-Ran; Park, Jeong-Woong; Park, Ki-Hwan; Chung, Myung-Sub; Ryu, Sangryeol; Kang, Dong-Hyun

    2011-08-01

    This study was undertaken to investigate the antimicrobial effect of organic acids against Escherichia coli O157:H7, Salmonella Typhimurium, and Listeria monocytogenes on whole red organic apples and lettuce. Several studies have been conducted to evaluate organic acids as sanitizers. However, no studies have compared antimicrobial effects of various organic acids on organic fresh produce, including evaluation of color changes of produce. Apples and lettuce were inoculated with a cocktail of 3 strains each of 3 foodborne pathogens provided above and treated with 1% and 2% organic acids (propionic, acetic, lactic, malic, and citric acid) for 0, 0.5, 1, 5, and 10 min. With increasing treatment time and acid concentration, organic acid treatments showed significant reduction compared to the control treatment (distilled water), and differences in antimicrobial effects between organic acids were observed. After 10 min of treatment with 1% and 2% organic acids in apples, propionic (0.92 to 2.75 log reduction), acetic (0.52 to 2.78 log reduction), lactic (1.69 to >3.42 log reduction), malic (1.48 to >3.42 log reduction), and citric acid (1.52 to >3.42 log reduction) exhibited significant (P acid (1.85 to 2.86 log reduction) showed significant (P acids treatment were not significant during storage. It is suggested that organic acids have a potential as sanitizers for organic fresh produce. These data may help the organic produce industry provide safe fresh produce for consumers. © 2011 Institute of Food Technologists®

  3. Pathogenesis of Escherichia coli O157:H7 Strain 86-24 Following Oral Infection of BALB/c Mice with an Intact Commensal Flora

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    inocula of these organisms are also needed to achieve colonization and disease in monkeys [29] and rabbits [30]. Our data suggested that the predominate...SB. Escherichia coli 0157:H7 srrains associared wirh haemorrhagic colitis in rhe Unired Srares produce a Shigella dysenreriae 1 (SHIGA) like...611-20. (29) Kang G, Pulimood AB, Koshi R. Hull A, Acheson D. Rajan P. er al. A monkey model for enrerohemorrhagic Escherichia coli infection. j

  4. Fate of Escherichia coli O157: H7 in agricultural soils amended with different organic fertilizers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yao, Zhiyuan; Yang, Li; Wang, Haizhen; Wu, Jianjun; Xu, Jianming

    2015-10-15

    Five organic fertilizers (vermicompost, pig manure, chicken manure, peat and oil residue) were applied to agricultural soils to study their effects on the survival of Escherichia coli O157:H7 (E. coli O157:H7). Results showed that E. coli O157:H7 survival changed greatly after organic fertilizers application, with shorter td values (survival time needed to reach the detection limit of 100 CFU g(-1)) (12.57±6.57 days) in soils amended with chicken manure and the longest (25.65±7.12 days) in soils amended with pig manure. Soil pH, EC and free Fe/Al (hydro) oxides were significant explanatory factors for E. coli O157:H7 survival in the original soils. Soil constituents (minerals and organic matter) and changes in their surface charges with pH increased the effect of soil pH on E. coli O157:H7 survival. However, electrical conductivity played a more important role in regulating E. coli O157:H7 survival in fertilizer-amended soils. This study highlighted the importance of choosing appropriate organic fertilizers in the preharvest environment to reduce food-borne bacterial contamination. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  5. Ensemble modeling for aromatic production in Escherichia coli.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Matthew L Rizk

    2009-09-01

    Full Text Available Ensemble Modeling (EM is a recently developed method for metabolic modeling, particularly for utilizing the effect of enzyme tuning data on the production of a specific compound to refine the model. This approach is used here to investigate the production of aromatic products in Escherichia coli. Instead of using dynamic metabolite data to fit a model, the EM approach uses phenotypic data (effects of enzyme overexpression or knockouts on the steady state production rate to screen possible models. These data are routinely generated during strain design. An ensemble of models is constructed that all reach the same steady state and are based on the same mechanistic framework at the elementary reaction level. The behavior of the models spans the kinetics allowable by thermodynamics. Then by using existing data from the literature for the overexpression of genes coding for transketolase (Tkt, transaldolase (Tal, and phosphoenolpyruvate synthase (Pps to screen the ensemble, we arrive at a set of models that properly describes the known enzyme overexpression phenotypes. This subset of models becomes more predictive as additional data are used to refine the models. The final ensemble of models demonstrates the characteristic of the cell that Tkt is the first rate controlling step, and correctly predicts that only after Tkt is overexpressed does an increase in Pps increase the production rate of aromatics. This work demonstrates that EM is able to capture the result of enzyme overexpression on aromatic producing bacteria by successfully utilizing routinely generated enzyme tuning data to guide model learning.

  6. Mathematical model of the binding of allosteric effectors to the Escherichia coli PII signal transduction protein GlnB.

    Science.gov (United States)

    da Rocha, Ricardo Alves; Weschenfelder, Thiago André; de Castilhos, Fernanda; de Souza, Emanuel Maltempi; Huergo, Luciano Fernandes; Mitchell, David Alexander

    2013-04-16

    PII proteins are important regulators of nitrogen metabolism in a wide variety of organisms: the binding of the allosteric effectors ATP, ADP, and 2-oxoglutarate (2-OG) to PII proteins affects their ability to interact with target proteins. We modeled the simultaneous binding of ATP, ADP, and 2-OG to one PII protein, namely GlnB of Escherichia coli, using a modeling approach that allows the prediction of the proportions of individual binding states. Four models with different binding rules were compared. We selected one of these models (that assumes that the binding of the first nucleotide to GlnB makes it harder for subsequent nucleotides to bind) and used it to explore how physiological concentrations of ATP, ADP, and 2-OG would affect the proportions of those states of GlnB that interact with the target proteins ATase and NtrB. Our simulations indicate that GlnB can, as suggested by previous researchers, act as a sensor of both 2-OG and the ATP:ADP ratio. We conclude that our modeling approach will be an important tool in future studies concerning the PII binding states and their interactions with target proteins.

  7. Modeling cooperating micro-organisms in antibiotic environment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Book, Gilad; Ingham, Colin; Ariel, Gil

    2017-01-01

    Recent experiments with the bacteria Paenibacillus vortex reveal a remarkable strategy enabling it to cope with antibiotics by cooperating with a different bacterium-Escherichia coli. While P. vortex is a highly effective swarmer, it is sensitive to the antibiotic ampicillin. On the other hand, E. coli can degrade ampicillin but is non-motile when grown on high agar percentages. The two bacterial species form a shared colony in which E. coli is transported by P. vortex and E. coli detoxifies the ampicillin. The paper presents a simplified model, consisting of coupled reaction-diffusion equations, describing the development of ring patterns in the shared colony. Our results demonstrate some of the possible cooperative movement strategies bacteria utilize in order to survive harsh conditions. In addition, we explore the behavior of mixed colonies under new conditions such as antibiotic gradients, synchronization between colonies and possible dynamics of a 3-species system including P. vortex, E. coli and a carbon producing algae that provides nutrients under illuminated, nutrient poor conditions. The derived model was able to simulate an asymmetric relationship between two or three micro-organisms where cooperation is required for survival. Computationally, in order to avoid numerical artifacts due to symmetries within the discretizing grid, the model was solved using a second order Vectorizable Random Lattices method, which is developed as a finite volume scheme on a random grid.

  8. Modeling cooperating micro-organisms in antibiotic environment.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gilad Book

    Full Text Available Recent experiments with the bacteria Paenibacillus vortex reveal a remarkable strategy enabling it to cope with antibiotics by cooperating with a different bacterium-Escherichia coli. While P. vortex is a highly effective swarmer, it is sensitive to the antibiotic ampicillin. On the other hand, E. coli can degrade ampicillin but is non-motile when grown on high agar percentages. The two bacterial species form a shared colony in which E. coli is transported by P. vortex and E. coli detoxifies the ampicillin. The paper presents a simplified model, consisting of coupled reaction-diffusion equations, describing the development of ring patterns in the shared colony. Our results demonstrate some of the possible cooperative movement strategies bacteria utilize in order to survive harsh conditions. In addition, we explore the behavior of mixed colonies under new conditions such as antibiotic gradients, synchronization between colonies and possible dynamics of a 3-species system including P. vortex, E. coli and a carbon producing algae that provides nutrients under illuminated, nutrient poor conditions. The derived model was able to simulate an asymmetric relationship between two or three micro-organisms where cooperation is required for survival. Computationally, in order to avoid numerical artifacts due to symmetries within the discretizing grid, the model was solved using a second order Vectorizable Random Lattices method, which is developed as a finite volume scheme on a random grid.

  9. Development of an Escherichia coli K12-specific quantitative polymerase chain reaction assay and DNA isolation suited to biofilms associated with iron drinking water pipe corrosion products

    Science.gov (United States)

    Escherichia coli is one of the most commonly used fecal indicator organisms for drinking water and groundwater systems. In order to understand various biogeochemical and biophysical factors affecting its interactions with biofilms, E. coli K12 was chosen as a model organism. A Ta...

  10. Modeling the growth dynamics of multiple Escherichia coli strains in the pig intestine following intramuscular ampicillin treatment

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ahmad, Amais; Zachariasen, Camilla; Christiansen, Lasse Engbo

    2016-01-01

    using a mathematical model to simulate the competitive growth of E. coli strains in a pig intestine under specified plasma concentration profiles of ampicillin. Results : In vitro growth results demonstrated that the resistant strains did not carry a fitness cost for their resistance, and that the most...... with ampicillin resistance in E. coli. Besides dosing factors, epidemiological factors (such as number of competing strains and bacterial excretion) influenced resistance development and need to be considered further in relation to optimal treatment strategies. The modeling approach used in the study is generic......Background : This study evaluated how dosing regimen for intramuscularly-administered ampicillin, composition of Escherichia coli strains with regard to ampicillin susceptibility, and excretion of bacteria from the intestine affected the level of resistance among Escherichia coli strains...

  11. The Prevalence of Enterhaemorrhagic Escherichia Coli in children ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    EHEC), the pathogenicity of other strains of Escherichia coli and other organisms in children presenting with and without diarrhoea in the hospital. Subjects and Methods: A total of 247 stool samples collected from children aged 1 month to 7 ...

  12. Effect of addition of organic waste on reduction of Escherichia coli during cattle feces composting under high-moisture condition.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hanajima, Dai; Kuroda, Kazutaka; Fukumoto, Yasuyuki; Haga, Kiyonori

    2006-09-01

    To ensure Escherichia coli reduction during cattle feces composting, co-composting with a variety of organic wastes was examined. A mixture of dairy cattle feces and shredded rice straw (control) was blended with organic wastes (tofu residue, rice bran, rapeseed meal, dried chicken feces, raw chicken feces, or garbage), and composted using a bench-scale composter under the high-moisture condition (78%). The addition of organic waste except chicken feces brought about maximum temperatures of more than 55 degrees C and significantly reduced the number of E. coli from 10(6) to below 10(2)CFU/g-wet after seven days composting, while in the control treatment, E. coli survived at the same level as that of raw feces. Enhancements of the thermophilic phase and E. coli reduction were related to the initial amount of easily digestible carbon in mass determined as BOD. BOD value more than 166.2 mg O2/DMg brought about significant E. coli reduction.

  13. Antimicrobial Properties of Selected Copper Alloys on Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli in Different Simulations of Environmental Conditions: With vs. without Organic Contamination.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Różańska, Anna; Chmielarczyk, Agnieszka; Romaniszyn, Dorota; Sroka-Oleksiak, Agnieszka; Bulanda, Małgorzata; Walkowicz, Monika; Osuch, Piotr; Knych, Tadeusz

    2017-07-20

    Background: Hospital equipment made from copper alloys can play an important role in complementing traditional methods of disinfection. Aims of the study: The aim of this study was to assess the dynamics of the antimicrobial properties of selected copper alloys in different simulations of environmental conditions (with organic contamination vs. without organic contamination), and to test alternatives to the currently used testing methods. Materials and Methods: A modification of Japanese standard JIS Z 2801 as well as Staphylococcus aureus (SA) and Escherichia coli (EC) suspended in NaCl vs. tryptic soy broth (TSB) were used in tests performed on seven commonly used copper alloys, copper, and stainless steel. Results: A much faster reduction of the bacterial suspension was observed for the inoculum prepared in NaCl than in TSB. A faster reduction for EC than for SA was observed in the inoculum prepared in NaCl. The opposite results were found for the inoculum based on TSB. A significant correlation between the copper concentration in the copper alloys and the time and degree of bacterial suspension reduction was only observed in the case of EC. Conclusions: This study confirmed the antimicrobial properties of copper alloys, and additionally showed that Staphylococcus aureus was more resistant than Escherichia coli in the variant of the experiment without organic contamination. However, even for SA, a total reduction of the bacterial inoculum's density took no longer than 2 h. Under conditions simulating organic contamination, all of the tested alloys were shown to have bactericidal or bacteriostatic properties, which was contrary to the results from stainless steel.

  14. Experimental electromagnetic effects on the model organism Escherichia coli and the bacteriophage T4

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lisiewski, Darlene Mildred

    This experimentally-based work was designed to answer the research question as to whether the phenomenon of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) can produce observable effects upon the bacterial virus activity of T4, with such activity demonstrated through the infection of its host bacterium Escherichia coli. The biological samples were placed for three hours within a coil antenna assembly propagating oscillating fields of radio frequency electromagnetic energy generated at the frequency of 5.6 MHz, and set at right angles within a magnetic field of 1450 gauss (recognizing such conditions are not set for the maximum effective resonance for hydrogen nuclei). The laboratory technique of plaque formation was the basis upon which the statistically tested data were compiled. Exposure of the bacterium alone exhibited an increase in viral activity over the control group (40--68% higher numbers of plaque formation), while exposure of T4 alone saw a decrease (approximately 23%) in infection rates. Depending on the protocol, placement of both T4 and E. coli into the coil assembly saw a decrease of either approximately 50% or 42% in infection rates. Future research must address identification of the effects being observed.

  15. Characterization of Escherichia coli MG1655 grown in a low-shear modeled microgravity environment

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pierson Duane L

    2007-03-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Extra-cellular shear force is an important environmental parameter that is significant both medically and in the space environment. Escherichia coli cells grown in a low-shear modeled microgravity (LSMMG environment produced in a high aspect rotating vessel (HARV were subjected to transcriptional and physiological analysis. Results Aerobic LSMMG cultures were grown in rich (LB and minimal (MOPS + glucose medium with a normal gravity vector HARV control. Reproducible changes in transcription were seen, but no specific LSMMG responsive genes were identified. Instead, absence of shear and a randomized gravity vector appears to cause local extra-cellular environmental changes, which elicit reproducible cellular responses. In minimal media, the majority of the significantly up- or down-regulated genes of known function were associated with the cell envelope. In rich medium, most LSMMG down-regulated genes were involved in translation. No observable changes in post-culture stress responses and antibiotic sensitivity were seen in cells immediately after exposure to LSMMG. Comparison with earlier studies of Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium conducted under similar growth conditions, revealed essentially no similarity in the genes that were significantly up- or down-regulated. Conclusion Comparison of these results to previous studies suggests that different organisms may dramatically differ in their responses to medically significant low-shear and space environments. Depending on their specific response, some organisms, such as Salmonella, may become preadapted in a manner that predisposes them to increased virulence.

  16. Ultrasonic Enhancement of Antibiotic Action on Escherichia coli Biofilms: an In Vivo Model

    OpenAIRE

    Rediske, Andrea M.; Roeder, Beverly L.; Brown, Maren K.; Nelson, Jared L.; Robison, Rachel L.; Draper, David O.; Schaalje, G. Bruce; Robison, Richard A.; Pitt, William G.

    1999-01-01

    Biofilm infections are a common complication of prosthetic devices in humans. Previous in vitro research has determined that low-frequency ultrasound combined with aminoglycoside antibiotics is an effective method of killing biofilms. We report the development of an in vivo model to determine if ultrasound enhances antibiotic action. Two 24-h-old Escherichia coli (ATCC 10798) biofilms grown on polyethylene disks were implanted subcutaneously on the backs of New Zealand White female rabbits, o...

  17. TRIMETHOPRIM-SULFAMETHOXAZOLE RESISTANCE IN SEWAGE ISOLATES OF ESCHERICHIA COLI

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sewage samples from seven locations in the United States were analyzed for Escherichia coli isolates which were resistant to trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (SXT). The prevalence rate of SXT resistant organisms varied between the different geographical locales. The majority of th...

  18. Photosensitized production of hydrogen by Halobacterium halobium MMT sub 22 coupled to Escherichia coli in reversed micelles of sodium lauryl sulfate in organic solvents

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Khan, M.M.T.; Bhatt, J.P. (Central Salt and Marine Research Inst., Bhavnagar (India))

    1991-01-01

    Observation on the enhanced production of hydrogen by Halobacterium halobium MMT{sub 22} coupled to Escherichia coli entrapped inside the reversed micelles formed by sodium lauryl sulfate in various organic solvents, namely benzene, carbon tetrachloride, toluene, n-heptane, nitrobenzene, chlorobenzene, are reported. In the present system, a hundred fold increase in activity as compared to the activity in the usual aqueous medium was observed. (author).

  19. The EcoCyc database: reflecting new knowledge about Escherichia coli K-12.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Keseler, Ingrid M; Mackie, Amanda; Santos-Zavaleta, Alberto; Billington, Richard; Bonavides-Martínez, César; Caspi, Ron; Fulcher, Carol; Gama-Castro, Socorro; Kothari, Anamika; Krummenacker, Markus; Latendresse, Mario; Muñiz-Rascado, Luis; Ong, Quang; Paley, Suzanne; Peralta-Gil, Martin; Subhraveti, Pallavi; Velázquez-Ramírez, David A; Weaver, Daniel; Collado-Vides, Julio; Paulsen, Ian; Karp, Peter D

    2017-01-04

    EcoCyc (EcoCyc.org) is a freely accessible, comprehensive database that collects and summarizes experimental data for Escherichia coli K-12, the best-studied bacterial model organism. New experimental discoveries about gene products, their function and regulation, new metabolic pathways, enzymes and cofactors are regularly added to EcoCyc. New SmartTable tools allow users to browse collections of related EcoCyc content. SmartTables can also serve as repositories for user- or curator-generated lists. EcoCyc now supports running and modifying E. coli metabolic models directly on the EcoCyc website. © The Author(s) 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Nucleic Acids Research.

  20. Antimicrobial Properties of Selected Copper Alloys on Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli in Different Simulations of Environmental Conditions: With vs. without Organic Contamination

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Anna Różańska

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available Background: Hospital equipment made from copper alloys can play an important role in complementing traditional methods of disinfection. Aims of the study: The aim of this study was to assess the dynamics of the antimicrobial properties of selected copper alloys in different simulations of environmental conditions (with organic contamination vs. without organic contamination, and to test alternatives to the currently used testing methods. Materials and Methods: A modification of Japanese standard JIS Z 2801 as well as Staphylococcus aureus (SA and Escherichia coli (EC suspended in NaCl vs. tryptic soy broth (TSB were used in tests performed on seven commonly used copper alloys, copper, and stainless steel. Results: A much faster reduction of the bacterial suspension was observed for the inoculum prepared in NaCl than in TSB. A faster reduction for EC than for SA was observed in the inoculum prepared in NaCl. The opposite results were found for the inoculum based on TSB. A significant correlation between the copper concentration in the copper alloys and the time and degree of bacterial suspension reduction was only observed in the case of EC. Conclusions: This study confirmed the antimicrobial properties of copper alloys, and additionally showed that Staphylococcus aureus was more resistant than Escherichia coli in the variant of the experiment without organic contamination. However, even for SA, a total reduction of the bacterial inoculum’s density took no longer than 2 h. Under conditions simulating organic contamination, all of the tested alloys were shown to have bactericidal or bacteriostatic properties, which was contrary to the results from stainless steel.

  1. Antibiotic Resistance in Escherichia coli from Pigs in Organic and Conventional Farming in Four European Countries.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Österberg, Julia; Wingstrand, Anne; Nygaard Jensen, Annette; Kerouanton, Annaelle; Cibin, Veronica; Barco, Lisa; Denis, Martine; Aabo, Sören; Bengtsson, Björn

    2016-01-01

    Organic pig production differs in many ways from conventional production of pigs, e.g., in antibiotic use, herd structure, feeding regimes, access to outdoor areas and space allowance per pig. This study investigated if these differences result in a lower occurrence of antibiotic resistance in organic slaughter pigs in Denmark, France, Italy and Sweden. Samples were taken from the colon content and/or faeces and minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) of ten antibiotics were determined in isolates of Escherichia coli. In addition, the proportion of tetracycline (TET) resistant E. coli in colon content and/or faeces from individual pigs was determined. In all four countries the percentage resistance to ampicillin, streptomycin, sulphonamides or trimethoprim was significantly lower in E. coli from organic pigs. In France and Italy, the percentage of isolates resistant to chloramphenicol, ciprofloxacin, nalidixic acid or gentamicin was also significantly lower in the E. coli from organic pigs. Resistance to cefotaxime, was not found in any country. The percentage of E. coli isolates resistant to TET as well as the proportion of TET-resistant E. coli was significantly lower in organic than in conventional pigs, except in Sweden where TET-resistance was equally low in both production types. There were also differences between countries within production type in the percentage resistance to individual antibiotics as well as the proportion of TET-resistant E. coli with lower median proportions in Sweden and Denmark compared to France and Italy. The study shows that in each of the four countries resistance in intestinal E. coli was less common in organic than in conventional pigs, but that there were also large differences in resistance between countries within each production type, indicating that both country- and production-specific factors influence the occurrence of resistance.

  2. Mathematical modeling of growth of non-O157 Shiga Toxin-producing Escherichia coli in raw ground beef

    Science.gov (United States)

    The objective of this study was to investigate the growth of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC, including serogroups O45, O103, O111, O121, and O145) in raw ground beef and to develop mathematical models to describe the bacterial growth under different temperature conditions. Three prima...

  3. Escherichia coli. A sanitary methodology for faecal water pollution tests; Escherichia coli nelle acque. Significato sanitario e metodologie di analisi

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bonadonna, L. [Istituto Superiore di Sanita' , Rome (Italy)

    2001-02-01

    Among the traditional indictors of faecal water pollution, Escherichia coli has shown to fit better with the definition of indicator organism. Till now its recovery has been time-consuming and needs confirmation tests. In this report more rapid and direct methods, based on enzymatic reactions, are presented. [Italian] Per talune peculiari caratteristiche, Escherichia coli sembra meglio soddisfare i requisiti insiti nella definizione di organismo indicatore, rispetto ai tradizionali indicatori di contaminazione fecale dell'acqua. Finora, i substrati disponibili per il suo rilevamento necessitano tutti di almeno una prova di conferma. Di qui l'esigenza di indicare metodi di rilevamento a riposta piu' rapida, anche in relazione all'inserimento, nelle piu' recenti normative nazionali ed europee, del microrganismo tra i parametri microbiologici da ricercare.

  4. Transport of Escherichia coli phage through saturated porous media considering managed aquifer recharge.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Wenjing; Li, Shuo; Wang, Shuang; Lei, Liancheng; Yu, Xipeng; Ma, Tianyi

    2018-03-01

    Virus is one of the most potentially harmful microorganisms in groundwater. In this paper, the effects of hydrodynamic and hydrogeochemical conditions on the transportation of the colloidal virus considering managed aquifer recharge were systematically investigated. Escherichia coli phage, vB_EcoM-ep3, has a broad host range and was able to lyse pathogenic Escherichia coli. Bacteriophage with low risk to infect human has been found extensively in the groundwater environment, so it is considered as a representative model of groundwater viruses. Laboratory studies were carried out to analyze the transport of the Escherichia coli phage under varying conditions of pH, ionic strength, cation valence, flow rate, porous media, and phosphate buffer concentration. The results indicated that decreasing the pH will increase the adsorption of Escherichia coli phage. Increasing the ionic strength, either Na + or Ca 2+ , will form negative condition for the migration of Escherichia coli phage. A comparison of different cation valence tests indicated that changes in transport and deposition were more pronounced with divalent Ca 2+ than monovalent Na + . As the flow rate increases, the release of Escherichia coli phage increases and the retention of Escherichia coli phage in the aquifer medium reduces. Changes in porous media had a significant effect on Escherichia coli phage migration. With increase of phosphate buffer concentration, the suspension stability and migration ability of Escherichia coli phage are both increased. Based on laboratory-scale column experiments, a one-dimensional transport model was established to quantitatively describe the virus transport in saturated porous medium.

  5. Asymptomatic bacteriuria Escherichia coli strains

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hancock, Viktoria; Nielsen, E.M.; Klemm, Per

    2006-01-01

    Urinary tract infections (UTIs) affect millions of people each year. Escherichia coli is the most common organism associated with asymptomatic bacteriuria (ABU) in humans. Persons affected by ABU may carry a particular E. coli strain for extended periods of time without any symptoms. In contrast...... to uropathogenic E. coli (UPEC) that cause symptomatic UTI, very little is known about the mechanisms by which these strains colonize the urinary tract. Here, we have investigated the growth characteristics in human urine as well as adhesin repertoire of nine ABU strains; the ability of ABU strains to compete...

  6. Analysis of l-glutamic acid fermentation by using a dynamic metabolic simulation model of Escherichia coli

    OpenAIRE

    Nishio, Yousuke; Ogishima, Soichi; Ichikawa, Masao; Yamada, Yohei; Usuda, Yoshihiro; Masuda, Tadashi; Tanaka, Hiroshi

    2013-01-01

    Background Understanding the process of amino acid fermentation as a comprehensive system is a challenging task. Previously, we developed a literature-based dynamic simulation model, which included transcriptional regulation, transcription, translation, and enzymatic reactions related to glycolysis, the pentose phosphate pathway, the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle, and the anaplerotic pathway of Escherichia coli. During simulation, cell growth was defined such as to reproduce the experimental...

  7. Evolved Escherichia coli Strains for Amplified, Functional Expression of Membrane Proteins

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Gul, Nadia; Linares, Daniel M.; Ho, Franz Y.; Poolman, Bert

    2014-01-01

    The major barrier to the physical characterization and structure determination of membrane proteins is low protein yield and/or low functionality in recombinant expression. The enteric bacterium Escherichia coli is the most widely employed organism for producing recombinant proteins. Beside several

  8. Draft genome sequences of three Escherichia coli strains with different In Vivo pathogenicities in an avian (Ascending) infection model of the oviduct

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Olsen, Rikke Heidemann; Thøfner, Ida; Pors, Susanne Elisabeth

    2015-01-01

    Here, we present three draft genome sequences of Escherichia coli strains that experimentally were proven to possess low (strain D2-2), intermediate (Chronic_salp), or high virulence (Cp6salp3) in an avian (ascending) infection model of the oviduct.......Here, we present three draft genome sequences of Escherichia coli strains that experimentally were proven to possess low (strain D2-2), intermediate (Chronic_salp), or high virulence (Cp6salp3) in an avian (ascending) infection model of the oviduct....

  9. Antimicrobial mechanism of flavonoids against Escherichia coli ATCC 25922 by model membrane study

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    He, Mengying; Wu, Ting; Pan, Siyi; Xu, Xiaoyun

    2014-01-01

    Antimicrobial mechanism of four flavonoids (kaempferol, hesperitin, (+)-catechin hydrate, biochanin A) against Escherichia coli ATCC 25922 was investigated through cell membranes and a liposome model. The release of bacterial protein and images from transmission electron microscopy demonstrated damage to the E. coli ATCC 25922 membrane. A liposome model with dipalmitoylphosphatidylethanolamine (DPPE) (0.6 molar ratio) and dipalmitoylphosphatidylglycerol (DPPG) (0.4 molar ratio), representative of the phospholipid membrane of E. coli ATCC 25922, was used to specify the mode of action of four selected flavonoids through Raman spectroscopy and differential scanning calorimetry. It is suggested that for flavonoids, to be effective antimicrobials, interaction with the polar head-group of the model membrane followed by penetration into the hydrophobic regions must occur. The antimicrobial efficacies of the flavonoids were consistent with liposome interaction activities, kaempferol > hesperitin > (+)-catechin hydrate > biochanin A. This study provides a liposome model capable of mimicking the cell membrane of E. coli ATCC 25922. The findings are important in understanding the antibacterial mechanism on cell membranes.

  10. Antimicrobial mechanism of flavonoids against Escherichia coli ATCC 25922 by model membrane study

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    He, Mengying; Wu, Ting; Pan, Siyi; Xu, Xiaoyun, E-mail: xiaoyunxu88@gmail.com

    2014-06-01

    Antimicrobial mechanism of four flavonoids (kaempferol, hesperitin, (+)-catechin hydrate, biochanin A) against Escherichia coli ATCC 25922 was investigated through cell membranes and a liposome model. The release of bacterial protein and images from transmission electron microscopy demonstrated damage to the E. coli ATCC 25922 membrane. A liposome model with dipalmitoylphosphatidylethanolamine (DPPE) (0.6 molar ratio) and dipalmitoylphosphatidylglycerol (DPPG) (0.4 molar ratio), representative of the phospholipid membrane of E. coli ATCC 25922, was used to specify the mode of action of four selected flavonoids through Raman spectroscopy and differential scanning calorimetry. It is suggested that for flavonoids, to be effective antimicrobials, interaction with the polar head-group of the model membrane followed by penetration into the hydrophobic regions must occur. The antimicrobial efficacies of the flavonoids were consistent with liposome interaction activities, kaempferol > hesperitin > (+)-catechin hydrate > biochanin A. This study provides a liposome model capable of mimicking the cell membrane of E. coli ATCC 25922. The findings are important in understanding the antibacterial mechanism on cell membranes.

  11. Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Abdullah Kilic

    2011-08-01

    Full Text Available Escherichia coli is a bacterium that is commonly found in the gut of humans and warm-blooded animals. Most strains of E. coli are harmless for human. E. coli O157:H7 is the most common member of a group of pathogenic E. coli strains known variously as enterohaemorrhagic, verocytotoxin-producing, or Shiga-toxin-producing organisms. EHEC bacterium is the major cause of haemorrhagic colitis and haemolytic uraemic syndrome. The reservoir of this pathogen appears to be mainly cattle and other ruminants such as camels. It is transmitted to humans primarily through consumption of contaminated foods. [TAF Prev Med Bull 2011; 10(4.000: 387-388

  12. Crowning: a novel Escherichia coli colonizing behaviour generating a self-organized corona

    OpenAIRE

    Gómez-Gómez, José María; Amils, Ricardo

    2014-01-01

    Background: Encased in a matrix of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) composed of flagella, adhesins, amyloid fibers (curli), and exopolysaccharides (cellulose, β-1,6-N-acetyl-D-glucosamine polymer-PGA-, colanic acid), the bacteria Escherichia coli is able to attach to and colonize different types of biotic and abiotic surfaces forming biofilms and colonies of intricate morphological architectures. Many of the biological aspects that underlie the generation and development o...

  13. escherichia coli serotypes confirmed in experimental mammary ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    DJFLEX

    VARIATIONS IN VIRULENCE OF THREE (3) ESCHERICHIA COLI. SEROTYPES CONFIRMED IN ... ows are susceptible to E. coli infection because. E. coli exist in the .... Coli infections in mice: A laboratory animal model for research in.

  14. Escherichia coli. A sanitary methodology for faecal water pollution tests

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bonadonna, L.

    2001-01-01

    Among the traditional indictors of faecal water pollution, Escherichia coli has shown to fit better with the definition of indicator organism. Till now its recovery has been time-consuming and needs confirmation tests. In this report more rapid and direct methods, based on enzymatic reactions, are presented [it

  15. Growth modeling of uropathogenic Escherichia coli in ground chicken meat

    Science.gov (United States)

    Extraintestinal Pathogenic Escherichia coli (ExPEC), including Uropathogenic E. coli (UPEC), are common contaminants in poultry meat, and are a major pathogen associated with inflammatory bowel disease, ulcerative colitis, sepsis, and urinary tract infections. The purpose of this study was to determ...

  16. Use of the D-R model to define trends in the emergence of Ceftazidime-resistant Escherichia coli in China

    Science.gov (United States)

    Objective: To assess the efficacy of the D-R model for defining trends in the appearance of Ceftazidime-resistant Escherichia coli. Methods: Actual data related to the manifestation of Ceftazidime-resistant E.coli spanning years 1996-2009 were collected from the China National Knowledge Internet (CN...

  17. Modeling the role of covalent enzyme modification in Escherichia coli nitrogen metabolism

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kidd, Philip B; Wingreen, Ned S

    2010-01-01

    In the bacterium Escherichia coli, the enzyme glutamine synthetase (GS) converts ammonium into the amino acid glutamine. GS is principally active when the cell is experiencing nitrogen limitation, and its activity is regulated by a bicyclic covalent modification cascade. The advantages of this bicyclic-cascade architecture are poorly understood. We analyze a simple model of the GS cascade in comparison to other regulatory schemes and conclude that the bicyclic cascade is suboptimal for maintaining metabolic homeostasis of the free glutamine pool. Instead, we argue that the lag inherent in the covalent modification of GS slows the response to an ammonium shock and thereby allows GS to transiently detoxify the cell, while maintaining homeostasis over longer times

  18. Predictors Of Non-Escherichia Coli Urinary Tract Infection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shaikh, Nader; Wald, Ellen R; Keren, Ron; Gotman, Nathan; Ivanova, Anastasia; Carpenter, Myra A; Moxey-Mims, Marva; Hoberman, Alejandro

    2016-11-01

    We aimed to determine which children are prone to non-Escherichia coli urinary tract infection (UTIs). We included 769 children with UTI. We found that circumcised males, Hispanic children, children without fever and children with grades 3 and 4 vesicoureteral reflux were more likely to have a UTI caused by organisms other than E. coli. This information may guide clinicians in their choice of antimicrobial therapy.

  19. Metabolic Modeling of Common Escherichia coli Strains in Human Gut Microbiome

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yue-Dong Gao

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available The recent high-throughput sequencing has enabled the composition of Escherichia coli strains in the human microbial community to be profiled en masse. However, there are two challenges to address: (1 exploring the genetic differences between E. coli strains in human gut and (2 dynamic responses of E. coli to diverse stress conditions. As a result, we investigated the E. coli strains in human gut microbiome using deep sequencing data and reconstructed genome-wide metabolic networks for the three most common E. coli strains, including E. coli HS, UTI89, and CFT073. The metabolic models show obvious strain-specific characteristics, both in network contents and in behaviors. We predicted optimal biomass production for three models on four different carbon sources (acetate, ethanol, glucose, and succinate and found that these stress-associated genes were involved in host-microbial interactions and increased in human obesity. Besides, it shows that the growth rates are similar among the models, but the flux distributions are different, even in E. coli core reactions. The correlations between human diabetes-associated metabolic reactions in the E. coli models were also predicted. The study provides a systems perspective on E. coli strains in human gut microbiome and will be helpful in integrating diverse data sources in the following study.

  20. ANTIMICIROBIAL SUSCEPTIBILITY PATTERNS OF Escherichia coli ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    DR. AMINU

    A total of 56 and 24 strains of E. coli and Shigella sp. isolated from children less than five years with diarrhoea attending 3 ... parasitic infections, as well as food intolerance, reaction to ..... Escherichia coil 0157:H7 as a model of entry of a new.

  1. Tree-Structured Digital Organisms Model

    Science.gov (United States)

    Suzuki, Teruhiko; Nobesawa, Shiho; Tahara, Ikuo

    Tierra and Avida are well-known models of digital organisms. They describe a life process as a sequence of computation codes. A linear sequence model may not be the only way to describe a digital organism, though it is very simple for a computer-based model. Thus we propose a new digital organism model based on a tree structure, which is rather similar to the generic programming. With our model, a life process is a combination of various functions, as if life in the real world is. This implies that our model can easily describe the hierarchical structure of life, and it can simulate evolutionary computation through mutual interaction of functions. We verified our model by simulations that our model can be regarded as a digital organism model according to its definitions. Our model even succeeded in creating species such as viruses and parasites.

  2. the occurrence of escherichia coli o157:h7 in market and abattoir

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    user

    Escherichia coli O157:H7 is a newly emerging pathogen frequently associated with the consumption of foods of ... KEY WORDS: E. coli O157:H7, Pathogen, Abattoir, Market, and Infections ..... pathogen. Escherichia coli O157:H7 as a model of.

  3. Escherichia coli enteroagregativa como agente provocador de diarreia persistente: modelo experimental utilizando microscopia óptica de luz Escherichia coli enteroagregativa como agente provocador de diarrea persistente: modelo experimental utilizando microscopia óptica de luz Enteroaggregative Escherichia coli as a cause of persistent diarrhea: an experimental model using light microscopy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jacy Alves B. de Andrade

    2011-03-01

    de órgano in vitro de fragmentos de mucosa ileal y del colon. Fueron analizadas las interacciones entra las distintas cepas de EAEC y las mucosas ileal y del colon. RESULTADOS: El análisis por ML indicó asociación de estos microorganismos con el epitelio, provocando alteraciones. Las cepas estudiadas adhirieron a ambas regiones evaluadas: intestino delgado distal y grueso y causaron alteraciones, especialmente en aquellas áreas donde interactuaron directamente con el epitelio. En el íleo, algunas regiones mostraron internalización secundaria. CONCLUSIÓN: Estos agentes pueden causar diarrea persistente mediante alteraciones en el intestino delgado, donde ocurren las funciones digestivo-absortibas. Las lesiones inflamatorias descritas en la mucosa del colon podrían explicar la colitis descrita en algunos niños infectados por EAEC.OBJECTIVE: To examine the interactions of Enteroaggregative Escherichia coli strains with small and large intestinal mucosa, in order to detect potential alterations in both regions of the digestive tract. METHODS: Enteroaggregative Escherichia coli strains, isolated from stools of infants with persistent diarrhea and the prototype strain 042 (O44:H18, isolated from a child with diarrhea in Lima, Peru (positive control, were analised by light microscopy after in vitro organ culture assay of ileal and colonic mucosa. The interactions between the different enteroaggregative Escherichia coli strains and the ileal and colonic mucosa were analysed. RESULTS: Light microscopy analysis suggested an association of enteroaggregative Escherichia coli strains with the epithelium, inducing alterations. These bacteria adhered to both small and large bowel mucosa. The enteroaggregative Escherichia coli strains induced alterations in those areas where they were directly interacting with the epithelium. In the ileum, some areas showed a secondary internalization. CONCLUSIONS: The enteroaggregative Escherichia coli strains could cause persistent

  4. Protection against Shiga-Toxigenic Escherichia coli by Non-Genetically Modified Organism Receptor Mimic Bacterial Ghosts.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Paton, Adrienne W; Chen, Austen Y; Wang, Hui; McAllister, Lauren J; Höggerl, Florian; Mayr, Ulrike Beate; Shewell, Lucy K; Jennings, Michael P; Morona, Renato; Lubitz, Werner; Paton, James C

    2015-09-01

    Shiga-toxigenic Escherichia coli (STEC) causes severe gastrointestinal infections in humans that may lead to life-threatening systemic sequelae, such as the hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). Rapid diagnosis of STEC infection early in the course of disease opens a window of opportunity for therapeutic intervention, for example, by administration of agents that neutralize Shiga toxin (Stx) in the gut lumen. We previously developed a recombinant bacterium that expresses a mimic of the Stx receptor globotriaosyl ceramide (Gb3) on its surface through modification of the lipopolysaccharide (A. W. Paton, R. Morona, and J. C. Paton, Nat Med 6:265-270, 2000, http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/73111). This construct was highly efficacious in vivo, protecting mice from otherwise fatal STEC disease, but the fact that it is a genetically modified organism (GMO) has been a barrier to clinical development. In the present study, we have overcome this issue by development of Gb3 receptor mimic bacterial ghosts (BGs) that are not classified as GMOs. Gb3-BGs neutralized Stx1 and Stx2 in vitro with high efficiency, whereas alternative Gb3-expressing non-GMO subbacterial particles (minicells and outer membrane blebs) were ineffective. Gb3-BGs were highly efficacious in a murine model of STEC disease. All mice (10/10) treated with Gb3-BGs survived challenge with a highly virulent O113:H21 STEC strain and showed no pathological signs of renal injury. In contrast, 6/10 mice treated with control BGs succumbed to STEC challenge, and survivors exhibited significant weight loss, neutrophilia, and histopathological evidence of renal damage. Thus, Gb3-BGs offer a non-GMO approach to treatment of STEC infection in humans, particularly in an outbreak setting. Copyright © 2015, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

  5. A low-energy intensive electrochemical system for the eradication of Escherichia coli from ballast water: Process development, disinfection chemistry, and kinetics modeling

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nadeeshani Nanayakkara, K.G.; Khorshed Alam, A.K.M.; Zheng Yuming; Paul Chen, J.

    2012-01-01

    The invasion of biological organisms via ballast water has created threats to the environment and human health. In this study, a cost-effective electrochemical disinfection reactor was developed to inactivate Escherichia coli, one of the IMO-regulated indicator microbes, in simulated ballast water. The complete inactivation of E. coli could be achieved within a very short time (150, 120, or 60 s) with an energy consumption as low as 0.0090, 0.0074 or 0.0035 kWh/m 3 for ballast water containing E. coli at concentrations of 10 8 , 10 7 and 10 6 CFU/100 mL, respectively. Electrochemical chlorination was the major disinfection mechanism in chloride-abundant electrolytes, whereas oxidants such as ozone and free radicals contributed to 20% of the disinfection efficiency in chloride-free electrolytes. Moreover, a disinfection kinetics model was successfully developed to describe the inactivation of E. coli.

  6. Impact of Ralstonia eutropha's Poly(3-Hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) Depolymerases and Phasins on PHB Storage in Recombinant Escherichia coli

    OpenAIRE

    Eggers, Jessica; Steinbüchel, Alexander

    2014-01-01

    The model organism for polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) biosynthesis, Ralstonia eutropha H16, possesses multiple isoenzymes of granules coating phasins as well as of PHB depolymerases, which degrade accumulated PHB under conditions of carbon limitation. In this study, recombinant Escherichia coli BL21(DE3) strains were used to study the impact of selected PHB depolymerases of R. eutropha H16 on the growth behavior and on the amount of accumulated PHB in the absence or presence of phasins. For this p...

  7. Comparison of 61 Sequenced Escherichia coli Genomes

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lukjancenko, Oksana; Wassenaar, T. M.; Ussery, David

    2010-01-01

    Escherichia coli is an important component of the biosphere and is an ideal model for studies of processes involved in bacterial genome evolution. Sixty-one publically available E. coli and Shigella spp. sequenced genomes are compared, using basic methods to produce phylogenetic and proteomics...

  8. Comparative therapeutic activities of Ciprofloxacin, Amoxicillin, Ceftriaxone and Cotrimoxazole in a new model of experimental infection with Escherichia coli

    OpenAIRE

    Hof, H.; Christen, A.; Hacker, Jörg

    2009-01-01

    A new mouse model for systemic infection with Escherichia coli is presented. Whereas in other models 107_108 bacteria have to be injected into an animal to induce toxic effects resulting in death within 24 hours, now, only 103_104 bacteria of an appropriate strain are required to produce a genuine infection characterized by an increase in the bacterial load over several days. The quantitative determination of bacterial counts per liver allows a more sensitive measurement than recording death ...

  9. Restricted diffusion of DNA segments within the isolated Escherichia coli nucleoid.

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Cunha, S.; Woldringh, C.L.; Odijk, T.

    2005-01-01

    To study the dynamics and organization of the DNA within isolated Escherichia coli nucleoids, we track the movement of a specific DNA region. Labeling of such a region is achieved using the Lac-O/Lac-I system. The Lac repressor-GFP fusion protein binds to the DNA section where tandem repeats of the

  10. Susceptibility of brain to aerobic, anaerobic, and fungal organisms.

    OpenAIRE

    Costello, G T; Heppe, R; Winn, H R; Scheld, W M; Rodeheaver, G T

    1983-01-01

    The utility of an experimental animal model is dependent on its ability to simulate the actual clinical situation. With a stereotaxic injection procedure, the susceptibility of rat brain to the spectrum of organisms commonly associated with human brain abscess was determined. Two strains of Escherichia coli were more infective than Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, and Streptococcus pyogenes. Even between the E. coli strains it was possible to document significant differences in ...

  11. Project-matrix models of marketing organization

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gutić Dragutin

    2009-01-01

    Full Text Available Unlike theory and practice of corporation organization, in marketing organization numerous forms and contents at its disposal are not reached until this day. It can be well estimated that marketing organization today in most of our companies and in almost all its parts, noticeably gets behind corporation organization. Marketing managers have always been occupied by basic, narrow marketing activities as: sales growth, market analysis, market growth and market share, marketing research, introduction of new products, modification of products, promotion, distribution etc. They rarely found it necessary to focus a bit more to different aspects of marketing management, for example: marketing planning and marketing control, marketing organization and leading. This paper deals with aspects of project - matrix marketing organization management. Two-dimensional and more-dimensional models are presented. Among two-dimensional, these models are analyzed: Market management/products management model; Products management/management of product lifecycle phases on market model; Customers management/marketing functions management model; Demand management/marketing functions management model; Market positions management/marketing functions management model. .

  12. Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli in humans and the food chain in Bangladesh

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Islam, M.A.

    2009-01-01

    Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) are significant pathogenic bacteria that can cause severe gastrointestinal diseases and also the hemolytic-uremic syndrome. Domestic ruminants appear to be the main reservoirs of these organisms. Although Bangladesh is an endemic zone for diarrhea caused

  13. Effect of bacteriocin-producing lactobacilli on the survival of Escherichia coli and Listeria in a dynamic model of the stomach and the small intestine

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Gänzle, M.G.; Hertel, C.; Vossen, J.M.B.M. van der; Hammes, W.P.

    1999-01-01

    The survival of Lactobacillus curvatus LTH 1174 (bac+) and (bac-) in combination with Escherichia coli LTH 1600 or Listeria innocua DSM20649 during transit through a dynamic model of the human stomach and small intestine (GIT model) was studied. Furthermore, we determined the digestion of curvacin A

  14. Mathematical modeling of the fermentation of acid-hydrolyzed pyrolytic sugars to ethanol by the engineered strain Escherichia coli ACCC 11177.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chang, Dongdong; Yu, Zhisheng; Islam, Zia Ul; Zhang, Hongxun

    2015-05-01

    Pyrolysate from waste cotton was acid hydrolyzed and detoxified to yield pyrolytic sugars, which were fermented to ethanol by the strain Escherichia coli ACCC 11177. Mathematical models based on the fermentation data were also constructed. Pyrolysate containing an initial levoglucosan concentration of 146.34 g/L gave a glucose yield of 150 % after hydrolysis, suggesting that other compounds were hydrolyzed to glucose as well. Ethyl acetate-based extraction of bacterial growth inhibitors with an ethyl acetate/hydrolysate ratio of 1:0.5 enabled hydrolysate fermentation by E. coli ACCC 11177, without a standard absorption treatment. Batch processing in a fermenter exhibited a maximum ethanol yield and productivity of 0.41 g/g and 0.93 g/L·h(-1), respectively. The cell growth rate (r x ) was consistent with a logistic equation [Formula: see text], which was determined as a function of cell growth (X). Glucose consumption rate (r s ) and ethanol formation rate (r p ) were accurately validated by the equations [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text], respectively. Together, our results suggest that combining mathematical models with fermenter fermentation processes can enable optimized ethanol production from cellulosic pyrolysate with E. coli. Similar approaches may facilitate the production of other commercially important organic substances.

  15. Model of transcriptional activation by MarA in Escherichia coli.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wall, Michael E; Markowitz, David A; Rosner, Judah L; Martin, Robert G

    2009-12-01

    The AraC family transcription factor MarA activates approximately 40 genes (the marA/soxS/rob regulon) of the Escherichia coli chromosome resulting in different levels of resistance to a wide array of antibiotics and to superoxides. Activation of marA/soxS/rob regulon promoters occurs in a well-defined order with respect to the level of MarA; however, the order of activation does not parallel the strength of MarA binding to promoter sequences. To understand this lack of correspondence, we developed a computational model of transcriptional activation in which a transcription factor either increases or decreases RNA polymerase binding, and either accelerates or retards post-binding events associated with transcription initiation. We used the model to analyze data characterizing MarA regulation of promoter activity. The model clearly explains the lack of correspondence between the order of activation and the MarA-DNA affinity and indicates that the order of activation can only be predicted using information about the strength of the full MarA-polymerase-DNA interaction. The analysis further suggests that MarA can activate without increasing polymerase binding and that activation can even involve a decrease in polymerase binding, which is opposite to the textbook model of activation by recruitment. These findings are consistent with published chromatin immunoprecipitation assays of interactions between polymerase and the E. coli chromosome. We find that activation involving decreased polymerase binding yields lower latency in gene regulation and therefore might confer a competitive advantage to cells. Our model yields insights into requirements for predicting the order of activation of a regulon and enables us to suggest that activation might involve a decrease in polymerase binding which we expect to be an important theme of gene regulation in E. coli and beyond.

  16. Model of transcriptional activation by MarA in Escherichia coli.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Michael E Wall

    2009-12-01

    Full Text Available The AraC family transcription factor MarA activates approximately 40 genes (the marA/soxS/rob regulon of the Escherichia coli chromosome resulting in different levels of resistance to a wide array of antibiotics and to superoxides. Activation of marA/soxS/rob regulon promoters occurs in a well-defined order with respect to the level of MarA; however, the order of activation does not parallel the strength of MarA binding to promoter sequences. To understand this lack of correspondence, we developed a computational model of transcriptional activation in which a transcription factor either increases or decreases RNA polymerase binding, and either accelerates or retards post-binding events associated with transcription initiation. We used the model to analyze data characterizing MarA regulation of promoter activity. The model clearly explains the lack of correspondence between the order of activation and the MarA-DNA affinity and indicates that the order of activation can only be predicted using information about the strength of the full MarA-polymerase-DNA interaction. The analysis further suggests that MarA can activate without increasing polymerase binding and that activation can even involve a decrease in polymerase binding, which is opposite to the textbook model of activation by recruitment. These findings are consistent with published chromatin immunoprecipitation assays of interactions between polymerase and the E. coli chromosome. We find that activation involving decreased polymerase binding yields lower latency in gene regulation and therefore might confer a competitive advantage to cells. Our model yields insights into requirements for predicting the order of activation of a regulon and enables us to suggest that activation might involve a decrease in polymerase binding which we expect to be an important theme of gene regulation in E. coli and beyond.

  17. Cranberry juice and combinations of its organic acids are effective against experimental urinary tract infection

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jensen, Heidi Dorthe; Struve, Carsten; Christensen, Søren Brøgger

    2017-01-01

    The antibacterial effect of cranberry juice and the organic acids therein on infection by uro28 pathogenic Escherichia coli was studied in an experimental mouse model of urinary tract infection (UTI). Reduced bacterial counts were found in the bladder (P ... administered singly, did not have any effect in the UTI model. Apparently, the antibacterial effect of the organic acids from cranberry juice on UTI can be obtained by administering a combination of malic acid and either citric or quinic acid. This study show for the first time that cranberry juice reduce E...

  18. Optimizing the feeding operation of recombinant Escherichia coli ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Recombinant Escherichia coli BL21 was used to produce human-like collagen in fed-batch culture. After building and analyzing the kinetic models of fed-batch cultures, the maximum specific growth rate, Yx/s and Yp/s were 0.411 h-1 , 0.428 g·g-1 and 0.0716 g/g, respectively. The square error of cell growth models, glucose ...

  19. Mathematical modeling and numerical analysis of the growth of Non-O157 shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli in spinach leaves

    Science.gov (United States)

    This study was conducted to investigate the growth of non-O157 Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) in spinach leaves and to develop kinetic models to describe the bacterial growth. Six serogroups of non-O157 STEC, including O26, O45, O103, O111, O121, and O145, were used in the growth stu...

  20. Organic acids enhance bioavailability of tetracycline in water to Escherichia coli for uptake and expression of antibiotic resistance.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Yingjie; Boyd, Stephen A; Teppen, Brian J; Tiedje, James M; Li, Hui

    2014-11-15

    Tetracyclines are a large class of antimicrobials used most extensively in livestock feeding operations. A large portion of tetracyclines administered to livestock is excreted in manure and urine which is collected in waste lagoons. Subsequent land application of these wastes introduces tetracyclines into the soil environment, where they could exert selective pressure for the development of antibiotic resistance genes in bacteria. Tetracyclines form metal-complexes in natural waters, which could reduce their bioavailability for bacterial uptake. We hypothesized that many naturally-occurring organic acids could effectively compete with tetracyclines as ligands for metal cations, hence altering the bioavailability of tetracyclines to bacteria in a manner that could enhance the selective pressure. In this study, we investigated the influence of acetic acid, succinic acid, malonic acid, oxalic acid and citric acid on tetracycline uptake from water by Escherichia coli bioreporter construct containing a tetracycline resistance gene which induces the emission of green fluorescence when activated. The presence of the added organic acid ligands altered tetracycline speciation in a manner that enhanced tetracycline uptake by E. coli. Increased bacterial uptake of tetracycline and concomitant enhanced antibiotic resistance response were quantified, and shown to be positively related to the degree of organic acid ligand complexation of metal cations in the order of citric acid > oxalic acid > malonic acid > succinic acid > acetic acid. The magnitude of the bioresponse increased with increasing aqueous organic acid concentration. Apparent positive relation between intracellular tetracycline concentration and zwitterionic tetracycline species in aqueous solution indicates that (net) neutral tetracycline is the species which most readily enters E. coli cells. Understanding how naturally-occurring organic acid ligands affect tetracycline speciation in solution, and how speciation

  1. Mathematical model of the SOS response regulation in wild-type Escherichia coli

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Aksenov, S.V.

    1997-01-01

    Regulation of the SOS response in Escherichia coli, which is a set of inducible cellular reactions introduced after DNA damage, is due to specific interaction of LexA and RecA proteins. LexA protein is a common repressor of the genes of the SOS system, and RecA protein, once transiently activated by the so-called SOS-inducing signal, promotes LexA protein destruction. We have described the SOS regulation by means of differential equations with regard to LexA and RecA concentrations elsewhere. The 'input' function for model equations is the level of the SOS-inducing signal against time. Here we present a means for calculating the concentration of single-stranded DNA (SOS-inducing signal) as a function of time in wild-type cells after ultraviolet irradiation. With model equations one can simulate kinetic curves of SOS regulatory proteins after DNA damage to survey the SOS response kinetics. Simulation of LexA protein kinetics agrees with experimental data. We compare simulated LexA kinetic curves in wild-type and uνr - mutant bacteria, which is useful in investigating the way uνrABC-dependent excision repair modulates the SOS response kinetics. Possible applications of the model to investigating various aspects of the SOS induction are discussed

  2. Draft Genome Sequences of Three Escherichia coli Strains with Different In Vivo Pathogenicities in an Avian (Ascending) Infection Model of the Oviduct.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Olsen, Rikke Heidemann; Thøfner, Ida Cecilie Naundrup; Pors, Susanne Elisabeth; Christensen, Henrik; Bisgaard, Magne; Christensen, Jens Peter

    2015-05-07

    Here, we present three draft genome sequences of Escherichia coli strains that experimentally were proven to possess low (strain D2-2), intermediate (Chronic_salp), or high virulence (Cp6salp3) in an avian (ascending) infection model of the oviduct. Copyright © 2015 Olsen et al.

  3. Resistance Escherichia coli isolates to antibiotics from the organ samples originating from swine farms

    OpenAIRE

    Došen R.; Prodanov-Radulović J.; Pušić I.; Stojanov I.; Stojanović D.; Ratajac R.

    2011-01-01

    Bacteria Escherichia coli (E.coli) is a ubiquitous microorganism with a different serotypes, that cause septicemia in neonatal piglets, diarrhea in suckling piglets, diarrhea and edemic disease in weaned piglets. Vaccination and antibiotic treatment are less effective ways in solving the problem, especially when the category of pig is not taken into consideration, as well as feed safety and chemical composition of feed. The resistance of pathogens depends o...

  4. Enzyme organization in the proline biosynthetic pathway of Escherichia coli

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Gamper, H; Moses, V

    1974-01-01

    The conversion of glutamic acid to proline by an Escherichia coli extract was studied. The activity was dependent upon the presence of ATP and NADPH and was largely unaffected by the presence of NH/sub 3/ or imidazole. The first two pathway enzymes appear to exist as a complex which stabilizes a labile intermediate postulated as ..gamma..-glutamyl phosphate. Attempted synthesis of this compound was unsuccessful due to its spontaneous cyclization to 2-pyrrolidone 5-carboxylate. Dissociation of the enzyme complex upon dilution of the extract is presumed responsible for an experimentally observed dilution effect. E. coli pro/sub A//sup -/ and pro/sub B//sup -/ auxotroph extracts failed to complement one another in the biosynthesis of proline. This is attributed to the lack of a dynamic equilibrium between the complex and its constituent enzymes. In vivo studies with E. coli showed no evidence for metabolic channeling in the final reaction of proline synthesis, the reduction of ..delta../sup 1/-pyrroline 5-carboxylate.

  5. 3D Bioprinting of Tissue/Organ Models.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pati, Falguni; Gantelius, Jesper; Svahn, Helene Andersson

    2016-04-04

    In vitro tissue/organ models are useful platforms that can facilitate systematic, repetitive, and quantitative investigations of drugs/chemicals. The primary objective when developing tissue/organ models is to reproduce physiologically relevant functions that typically require complex culture systems. Bioprinting offers exciting prospects for constructing 3D tissue/organ models, as it enables the reproducible, automated production of complex living tissues. Bioprinted tissues/organs may prove useful for screening novel compounds or predicting toxicity, as the spatial and chemical complexity inherent to native tissues/organs can be recreated. In this Review, we highlight the importance of developing 3D in vitro tissue/organ models by 3D bioprinting techniques, characterization of these models for evaluating their resemblance to native tissue, and their application in the prioritization of lead candidates, toxicity testing, and as disease/tumor models. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  6. POTENSI RUMPUT LAUT DI PANTAI BAYAH, KABUPATEN LEBAK, BANTEN SEBAGAI ANTIBAKTERI Escherichia coli

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Triastinurmiatiningsih Triastinurmiatiningsih

    2008-07-01

    Full Text Available Antibacterial potency of some seaweed against Escherichia coli has been known. The aim of this research is to know the species of seaweeds from Bayah beach Lebak Banten which may be used as antibacterial against Escherichia coli. Twenty one seaweed species samples from Bayah Beach Lebak Banten were exstracted by organic solvent of absolute methanol according to Espeche, Fraile, and Mayer (1984 and Darusman, Sayuti, Komar & Pamungkas (1992 methods. The antibacterial activities were examined by means of Kirby-Bauer or diffusion method. The results showed antibacterial activities occur from the extract of Boodlea composite, Chaetomorpha crassa, Ulva fasciata, Sargassum crustaefolium, Padina australis and Halimeda gracilis. Sofar, Padina australis extract had shown better inhibitory activities than others.

  7. Efficacy of Cefquinome against Escherichia coli Environmental Mastitis Assessed by Pharmacokinetic and Pharmacodynamic Integration in Lactating Mouse Model

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yang Yu

    2017-08-01

    Full Text Available This work investigates the pharmacodynamic effectiveness of cefquinome against environmental Escherichia coli mastitis infection, following an intramammary administration. We established the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic (PK/PD model in lactating mice. The PK/PD parameters were identified to achieve an antibacterial efficacy as indicated by PD activity, cytokine expression and PK/PD simulation. From our findings, given an 200 μg/gland dose once daily can achieve a considerable therapeutic effectiveness in experimental circumstance.

  8. Dynamics of chromosome segregation in Escherichia coli

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nielsen, Henrik Jørck

    2007-01-01

    Since the 1960’es the conformation and segregation of the chromosome in Escherichia coli has been a subject of interest for many scientists. However, after 40 years of research, we still know incredibly little about how the chromosome is organized inside the cell, how it manages to duplicate...... this incredibly big molecule and separate the two daughter chromosomes and how it makes sure that the daughter cells receives one copy each. The fully extended chromosome is two orders of magnitude larger than the cell in which it is contained. Hence the chromosome is heavily compacted in the cell...

  9. Modelling organic particles in the atmosphere

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Couvidat, Florian

    2012-01-01

    Organic aerosol formation in the atmosphere is investigated via the development of a new model named H 2 O (Hydrophilic/Hydrophobic Organics). First, a parameterization is developed to take into account secondary organic aerosol formation from isoprene oxidation. It takes into account the effect of nitrogen oxides on organic aerosol formation and the hydrophilic properties of the aerosols. This parameterization is then implemented in H 2 O along with some other developments and the results of the model are compared to organic carbon measurements over Europe. Model performance is greatly improved by taking into account emissions of primary semi-volatile compounds, which can form secondary organic aerosols after oxidation or can condense when temperature decreases. If those emissions are not taken into account, a significant underestimation of organic aerosol concentrations occurs in winter. The formation of organic aerosols over an urban area was also studied by simulating organic aerosols concentration over the Paris area during the summer campaign of Megapoli (July 2009). H 2 O gives satisfactory results over the Paris area, although a peak of organic aerosol concentrations from traffic, which does not appear in the measurements, appears in the model simulation during rush hours. It could be due to an underestimation of the volatility of organic aerosols. It is also possible that primary and secondary organic compounds do not mix well together and that primary semi volatile compounds do not condense on an organic aerosol that is mostly secondary and highly oxidized. Finally, the impact of aqueous-phase chemistry was studied. The mechanism for the formation of secondary organic aerosol includes in-cloud oxidation of glyoxal, methylglyoxal, methacrolein and methylvinylketone, formation of methyltetrols in the aqueous phase of particles and cloud droplets, and the in-cloud aging of organic aerosols. The impact of wet deposition is also studied to better estimate the

  10. Complete genome sequence of DSM 30083(T), the type strain (U5/41(T)) of Escherichia coli, and a proposal for delineating subspecies in microbial taxonomy.

    OpenAIRE

    Meier-Kolthoff, Jan P; Hahnke, Richard L; Petersen, Jörn; Scheuner, Carmen; Michael, Victoria; Fiebig, Anne; Rohde, Christine; Rohde, Manfred; Fartmann, Berthold; Goodwin, Lynne A; Chertkov, Olga; Reddy, Tbk; Pati, Amrita; Ivanova, Natalia N; Markowitz, Victor

    2014-01-01

    Although Escherichia coli is the most widely studied bacterial model organism and often considered to be the model bacterium per se, its type strain was until now forgotten from microbial genomics. As a part of the G enomic E ncyclopedia of B acteria and A rchaea project, we here describe the features of E. coli DSM 30083T together with its genome sequence and annotation as well as novel aspects of its phenotype. The 5,038,133 bp containing genome sequence includes 4,762 protein-coding genes ...

  11. Modeling self-organization of novel organic materials

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sayar, Mehmet

    In this thesis, the structural organization of oligomeric multi-block molecules is analyzed by computational analysis of coarse-grained models. These molecules form nanostructures with different dimensionalities, and the nanostructured nature of these materials leads to novel structural properties at different length scales. Previously, a number of oligomeric triblock rodcoil molecules have been shown to self-organize into mushroom shaped noncentrosymmetric nanostructures. Interestingly, thin films of these molecules contain polar domains and a finite macroscopic polarization. However, the fully polarized state is not the equilibrium state. In the first chapter, by solving a model with dipolar and Ising-like short range interactions, we show that polar domains are stable in films composed of aggregates as opposed to isolated molecules. Unlike classical molecular systems, these nanoaggregates have large intralayer spacings (a ≈ 6 nm), leading to a reduction in the repulsive dipolar interactions that oppose polar order within layers. This enables the formation of a striped pattern with polar domains of alternating directions. The energies of the possible structures at zero temperature are computed exactly and results of Monte Carlo simulations are provided at non-zero temperatures. In the second chapter, the macroscopic polarization of such nanostructured films is analyzed in the presence of a short range surface interaction. The surface interaction leads to a periodic domain structure where the balance between the up and down domains is broken, and therefore films of finite thickness have a net macroscopic polarization. The polarization per unit volume is a function of film thickness and strength of the surface interaction. Finally, in chapter three, self-organization of organic molecules into a network of one dimensional objects is analyzed. Multi-block organic dendron rodcoil molecules were found to self-organize into supramolecular nanoribbons (threads) and

  12. Multiplex polymerase chain reaction for identification of Escherichia coli, Escherichia albertii and Escherichia fergusonii.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lindsey, Rebecca L; Garcia-Toledo, L; Fasulo, D; Gladney, L M; Strockbine, N

    2017-09-01

    Escherichia coli, Escherichia albertii, and Escherichia fergusonii are closely related bacteria that can cause illness in humans, such as bacteremia, urinary tract infections and diarrhea. Current identification strategies for these three species vary in complexity and typically rely on the use of multiple phenotypic and genetic tests. To facilitate their rapid identification, we developed a multiplex PCR assay targeting conserved, species-specific genes. We used the Daydreamer™ (Pattern Genomics, USA) software platform to concurrently analyze whole genome sequence assemblies (WGS) from 150 Enterobacteriaceae genomes (107 E. coli, 5 Shigella spp., 21 E. albertii, 12 E. fergusonii and 5 other species) and design primers for the following species-specific regions: a 212bp region of the cyclic di-GMP regulator gene (cdgR, AW869_22935 from genome K-12 MG1655, CP014225) for E. coli/Shigella; a 393bp region of the DNA-binding transcriptional activator of cysteine biosynthesis gene (EAKF1_ch4033 from genome KF1, CP007025) for E. albertii; and a 575bp region of the palmitoleoyl-acyl carrier protein (ACP)-dependent acyltransferase (EFER_0790 from genome ATCC 35469, CU928158) for E. fergusonii. We incorporated the species-specific primers into a conventional multiplex PCR assay and assessed its performance with a collection of 97 Enterobacteriaceae strains. The assay was 100% sensitive and specific for detecting the expected species and offers a quick and accurate strategy for identifying E. coli, E. albertii, and E. fergusonii in either a single reaction or by in silico PCR with sequence assemblies. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  13. Copper Homeostasis in Escherichia coli and Other Enterobacteriaceae.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rensing, Christopher; Franke, Sylvia

    2007-04-01

    An interesting model for studying environmental influences shaping microbial evolution is provided by a multitude of copper resistance and copper homeostasis determinants in enteric bacteria. This review describes these determinants and tries to relate their presence to the habitat of the respective organism, as a current hypothesis predicts that the environment should determine an organism's genetic makeup. In Escherichia coli there are four regulons that are induced in the presence of copper. Two, the CueR and the CusR regulons, are described in detail. A central component regulating intracellular copper levels, present in all free-living enteric bacteria whose genomes have so far been sequenced, is a Cu(I)translocating P-type ATPase. The P-type ATPase superfamily is a ubiquitous group of proteins involved in the transport of charged substrates across biological membranes. Whereas some components involved in copper homeostasis can be found in both anaerobes and aerobes, multi-copper oxidases (MCOs) implicated in copper tolerance in E. coli, such as CueO and the plasmid-based PcoA, can be found only in aerobic organisms. Several features indicate that CueO, PcoA, and other related MCOs are specifically adapted to combat copper-mediated oxidative damage. In addition to these well-characterized resistance operons, there are numerous other genes that appear to be involved in copper binding and trafficking that have not been studied in great detail. SilE and its homologue PcoE, for example, are thought to effect the periplasmic binding and sequestration of silver and copper, respectively.

  14. Effect of Helicobacter pylori Infection on Symptoms of Gastroenteritis Due to Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli in Adults

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Chang, Alicia Hsin-Ming; Haggerty, Thomas Dean; de Martel, Catherine; Leung, Cynthia Wai-Mun; Parsonnet, Julie

    Helicobacter pylori can cause hypochlorhydria in some hosts and predispose to diarrheal infections. We tested the hypothesis that chronic H. pylori infection increases the risk of diarrheal illness due to an acid-sensitive organism: enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC). After testing healthy

  15. 21 CFR 866.3255 - Escherichia coli serological reagents.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Escherichia coli serological reagents. 866.3255... coli serological reagents. (a) Identification. Escherichia coli serological reagents are devices that consist of antigens and antisera used in serological tests to identify Escherichia coli from cultured...

  16. D-Allose catabolism of Escherichia coli

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Poulsen, Tim S.; Chang, Ying-Ying; Hove-Jensen, Bjarne

    1999-01-01

    Genes involved in allose utilization of Escherichia coli K-12 are organized in at least two operons, alsRBACE and alsI, located next to each other on the chromosome but divergently transcribed. Mutants defective in alsI (allose 6-phosphate isomerase gene) and alsE (allulose 6-phosphate epimerase...... gene) were Als-. Transcription of the two allose operons, measured as β-galactosidase activity specified by alsI-lacZ+ or alsE-lacZ+ operon fusions, was induced by allose. Ribose also caused derepression of expression of the regulon under conditions in which ribose phosphate catabolism was impaired....

  17. PATHOGENIC POTENTIALS OF ESCHERICHIA COLI ISOLATED ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Electrolyte and haematological parameters in rabbits infected with pathogenic isolates of Escherichia coli from rural water supplies in Rivers State, Nigeria, where monitored. Rabbits were orally infected with suspension containing 3x107 cfu /ml of Escherichia coli to induce diarrhoea, and the electrolyte (sodium, potassium ...

  18. A linear solvation energy relationship model of organic chemical partitioning to dissolved organic carbon.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kipka, Undine; Di Toro, Dominic M

    2011-09-01

    Predicting the association of contaminants with both particulate and dissolved organic matter is critical in determining the fate and bioavailability of chemicals in environmental risk assessment. To date, the association of a contaminant to particulate organic matter is considered in many multimedia transport models, but the effect of dissolved organic matter is typically ignored due to a lack of either reliable models or experimental data. The partition coefficient to dissolved organic carbon (K(DOC)) may be used to estimate the fraction of a contaminant that is associated with dissolved organic matter. Models relating K(DOC) to the octanol-water partition coefficient (K(OW)) have not been successful for many types of dissolved organic carbon in the environment. Instead, linear solvation energy relationships are proposed to model the association of chemicals with dissolved organic matter. However, more chemically diverse K(DOC) data are needed to produce a more robust model. For humic acid dissolved organic carbon, the linear solvation energy relationship predicts log K(DOC) with a root mean square error of 0.43. Copyright © 2011 SETAC.

  19. Filament formation of the Escherichia coli actin-related protein, MreB, in fission yeast.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Srinivasan, Ramanujam; Mishra, Mithilesh; Murata-Hori, Maki; Balasubramanian, Mohan K

    2007-02-06

    Proteins structurally related to eukaryotic actins have recently been identified in several prokaryotic organisms. These actin-like proteins (MreB and ParM) and the deviant Walker A ATPase (SopA) play a key role in DNA segregation and assemble into polymers in vitro and in vivo. MreB also plays a role in cellular morphogenesis. Whereas the dynamic properties of eukaryotic actins have been extensively characterized, those of bacterial actins are only beginning to emerge. We have established the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe as a cellular model for the functional analysis of the Escherichia coli actin-related protein MreB. We show that MreB organizes into linear bundles that grow in a symmetrically bidirectional manner at 0.46 +/- 0.03 microm/min, with new monomers and/or oligomers being added along the entire length of the bundle. Organization of linear arrays was dependent on the ATPase activity of MreB, and their alignment along the cellular long axis was achieved by sliding along the cortex of the cylindrical part of the cell. The cell ends appeared to provide a physical barrier for bundle elongation. These experiments provide new insights into the mechanism of assembly and organization of the bacterial actin cytoskeleton.

  20. Detection and Classification of Live and Dead Escherichia coli by Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sivakumar, P.; Fernández-Bravo, A.; Taleh, L.; Biddle, J.F.

    2015-01-01

    Abstract A common goal for astrobiology is to detect organic materials that may indicate the presence of life. However, organic materials alone may not be representative of currently living systems. Thus, it would be valuable to have a method with which to determine the health of living materials. Here, we present progress toward this goal by reporting on the application of laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) to study characteristics of live and dead cells using Escherichia coli (E. coli) strain K12 cells as a model organism since its growth and death in the laboratory are well understood. Our goal is to determine whether LIBS, in its femto- and/or nanosecond forms, could ascertain the state of a living organism. E. coli strain K12 cells were grown, collected, and exposed to one of two types of inactivation treatments: autoclaving and sonication. Cells were also kept alive as a control. We found that LIBS yields key information that allows for the discrimination of live and dead E. coli bacteria based on ionic shifts reflective of cell membrane integrity. Key Words: E. coli—Trace elements—Live and dead cells—Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy—Atomic force microscopy. Astrobiology 15, 144–153. PMID:25683088

  1. Pharmacodynamic modelling of in vitro activity of tetracycline against a representative, naturally occurring population of porcine Escherichia coli

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ahmad, Amais; Zachariasen, Camilla; Christiansen, Lasse Engbo

    2015-01-01

    of Escherichia coli representative of those found in the Danish pig population, we compared the growth of 50 randomly selected strains. The observed net growth rates were used to describe the in vitro pharmacodynamic relationship between drug concentration and net growth rate based on E max model with three...... concentrations, and this decline was greater in susceptible strains than resistant strains. The lag phase, defined as the time needed for the strain to reach an OD600 value of 0.01, increased exponentially with increasing tetracycline concentration. The pharmacodynamic parameters confirmed that the [Formula: see...

  2. The Disinfection of Escherichia coli by Ultraviolet Intensity and Ultrasound Power

    OpenAIRE

    GÖRMEZ, Arzu; YETİM, Tuba

    2016-01-01

    Physical, chemical and biologicalconstituents such as organic compounds and microorganisms are released bywastewaters from fabrics, homes, facilities and other resources. Bacteria,viruses and fungi can be described as microbial pollutants. In this study thedisinfection of Escherichia coli O157:H7 strain from the wastewater was aimedby using ultrasound power and ultraviolet light intensity. The 60% amplitude ofultrasound energy and also, 88 W/m2 light intensity at 254 nm wavelength wasused. Th...

  3. 77 FR 9888 - Shiga Toxin-Producing Escherichia coli

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-02-21

    ... Toxin-Producing Escherichia coli in Certain Raw Beef Products AGENCY: Food Safety and Inspection Service... toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) serogroups (O26, O45, O103, O111, O121, and O145). This new date..., that are contaminated with Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) O26, O45, O103, O111, O121...

  4. Agent-based modeling of oxygen-responsive transcription factors in Escherichia coli.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hao Bai

    2014-04-01

    Full Text Available In the presence of oxygen (O2 the model bacterium Escherichia coli is able to conserve energy by aerobic respiration. Two major terminal oxidases are involved in this process - Cyo has a relatively low affinity for O2 but is able to pump protons and hence is energetically efficient; Cyd has a high affinity for O2 but does not pump protons. When E. coli encounters environments with different O2 availabilities, the expression of the genes encoding the alternative terminal oxidases, the cydAB and cyoABCDE operons, are regulated by two O2-responsive transcription factors, ArcA (an indirect O2 sensor and FNR (a direct O2 sensor. It has been suggested that O2-consumption by the terminal oxidases located at the cytoplasmic membrane significantly affects the activities of ArcA and FNR in the bacterial nucleoid. In this study, an agent-based modeling approach has been taken to spatially simulate the uptake and consumption of O2 by E. coli and the consequent modulation of ArcA and FNR activities based on experimental data obtained from highly controlled chemostat cultures. The molecules of O2, transcription factors and terminal oxidases are treated as individual agents and their behaviors and interactions are imitated in a simulated 3-D E. coli cell. The model implies that there are two barriers that dampen the response of FNR to O2, i.e. consumption of O2 at the membrane by the terminal oxidases and reaction of O2 with cytoplasmic FNR. Analysis of FNR variants suggested that the monomer-dimer transition is the key step in FNR-mediated repression of gene expression.

  5. Elimination of Escherichia coli and Salmonella in Clam by Using Zeolite in a Station of Depuration.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gdoura, Morsi; Sellami, Hanen; Khannous, Lamia; Ketata, Najib; Neila, Idriss Ben; Traore, Al Ibrahim; Chekir, Zouhair; Gdoura, Radhouane

    2017-09-01

      The application of natural zeolite for water and wastewater treatment has been carried out and is still a promising technique in environmental cleaning processes. Natural zeolite can be used to improve the purification process of clams (Ruditapes decussatus). Thus, our study aimed at improving the clam purification system in order to reduce Escherichia coli and eliminate Salmonella in samples artificially contaminated with this bacterium using a natural zeolite to replace the biological filter. The results showed that zeolite used in a depuration system improved the clam purification process. Moreover, natural zeolite exhibited high performance in the adsorption of bacteria and allowed to reduce the Escherichia coli abundance in 24 h, thus ensuring purified clams conformity with the ISO 16649-3 standard. These results indicate the beneficial effects of using zeolite in the adsorption of bacteria and the reduction in the abundance of Escherichia coli and set the Salmonella from marine organisms.

  6. Sulfur metabolism in Escherichia coli and related bacteria: facts and fiction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sekowska, A; Kung, H F; Danchin, A

    2000-04-01

    Living organisms are composed of macromolecules made of hydrogen, carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, phosphorus and sulfur. Much work has been devoted to the metabolism of the first five elements, but much remains to be understood about sulfur metabolism. We review here the situation in Escherichia coli and related bacteria, where more than one hundred genes involved in sulfur metabolism have already been discovered in this organism. Examination of the genome suggests that many more will be found, especially genes involved in regulation, scavenging of sulfur containing molecules and synthesis of coenzymes or prosthetic groups. Furthermore, the involvement of methionine as the universal start of proteins as well as that of its derivative S-adenosylmethionine in a vast variety of cell processes argue in favour of a major importance of sulfur metabolism in all organisms.

  7. Investigating ecological speciation in non-model organisms

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Foote, Andrew David

    2012-01-01

    Background: Studies of ecological speciation tend to focus on a few model biological systems. In contrast, few studies on non-model organisms have been able to infer ecological speciation as the underlying mechanism of evolutionary divergence. Questions: What are the pitfalls in studying ecological...... speciation in non-model organisms that lead to this bias? What alternative approaches might redress the balance? Organism: Genetically differentiated types of the killer whale (Orcinus orca) exhibiting differences in prey preference, habitat use, morphology, and behaviour. Methods: Review of the literature...... on killer whale evolutionary ecology in search of any difficulty in demonstrating causal links between variation in phenotype, ecology, and reproductive isolation in this non-model organism. Results: At present, we do not have enough evidence to conclude that adaptive phenotype traits linked to ecological...

  8. Cardiac Electromechanical Models: From Cell to Organ

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Natalia A Trayanova

    2011-08-01

    Full Text Available The heart is a multiphysics and multiscale system that has driven the development of the most sophisticated mathematical models at the frontiers of computation physiology and medicine. This review focuses on electromechanical (EM models of the heart from the molecular level of myofilaments to anatomical models of the organ. Because of the coupling in terms of function and emergent behaviors at each level of biological hierarchy, separation of behaviors at a given scale is difficult. Here, a separation is drawn at the cell level so that the first half addresses subcellular/single cell models and the second half addresses organ models. At the subcelluar level, myofilament models represent actin-myosin interaction and Ca-based activation. Myofilament models and their refinements represent an overview of the development in the field. The discussion of specific models emphasizes the roles of cooperative mechanisms and sarcomere length dependence of contraction force, considered the cellular basis of the Frank-Starling law. A model of electrophysiology and Ca handling can be coupled to a myofilament model to produce an EM cell model, and representative examples are summarized to provide an overview of the progression of field. The second half of the review covers organ-level models that require solution of the electrical component as a reaction-diffusion system and the mechanical component, in which active tension generated by the myocytes produces deformation of the organ as described by the equations of continuum mechanics. As outlined in the review, different organ-level models have chosen to use different ionic and myofilament models depending on the specific application; this choice has been largely dictated by compromises between model complexity and computational tractability. The review also addresses application areas of EM models such as cardiac resynchronization therapy and the role of mechano-electric coupling in arrhythmias and

  9. Influence of pH on antimicrobial activity of organic acids against rabbit enteropathogenic strain of Escherichia coli

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Skřivanová, E.; Marounek, Milan

    2007-01-01

    Roč. 52, 1 (2007), s. 70-72 ISSN 0015-5632. [International Symposium of Anaerobic Microbiology /4./. Warsaw, 09.09.2005-11.09.2005] R&D Projects: GA MZe QF3134 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z50450515 Keywords : Escherichia coli Subject RIV: GH - Livestock Nutrition Impact factor: 0.989, year: 2007

  10. The Macromolecular Machines that Duplicate the Escherichia coli Chromosome as Targets for Drug Discovery

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jon M. Kaguni

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available DNA replication is an essential process. Although the fundamental strategies to duplicate chromosomes are similar in all free-living organisms, the enzymes of the three domains of life that perform similar functions in DNA replication differ in amino acid sequence and their three-dimensional structures. Moreover, the respective proteins generally utilize different enzymatic mechanisms. Hence, the replication proteins that are highly conserved among bacterial species are attractive targets to develop novel antibiotics as the compounds are unlikely to demonstrate off-target effects. For those proteins that differ among bacteria, compounds that are species-specific may be found. Escherichia coli has been developed as a model system to study DNA replication, serving as a benchmark for comparison. This review summarizes the functions of individual E. coli proteins, and the compounds that inhibit them.

  11. Outbreak of Non-O157 Shiga Toxin-Producing Escherichia coli Infection from Consumption of Beef Sausage

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ethelberg, S.; Smith, B.; Torpdahl, M.

    2009-01-01

    We describe an outbreak of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli O26: H11 infection in 20 patients (median age, 2 years). The source of the infection was an organic fermented beef sausage. The source was discovered by using credit card information to obtain and compare customer transaction records...

  12. Self-Organizing Map Models of Language Acquisition

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ping eLi

    2013-11-01

    Full Text Available Connectionist models have had a profound impact on theories of language. While most early models were inspired by the classic PDP architecture, recent models of language have explored various other types of models, including self-organizing models for language acquisition. In this paper we aim at providing a review of the latter type of models, and highlight a number of simulation experiments that we have conducted based on these models. We show that self-organizing connectionist models can provide significant insights into long-standing debates in both monolingual and bilingual language development.

  13. Microbial electrolytic disinfection process for highly efficient Escherichia coli inactivation

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Zhou, Shaofeng; Huang, Shaobin; Li, Xiaohu

    2018-01-01

    extensively studied for recalcitrant organics removal, its application potential towards water disinfection (e.g., inactivation of pathogens) is still unknown. This study investigated the inactivation of Escherichia coli in a microbial electrolysis cell based bio-electro-Fenton system (renamed as microbial......Water quality deterioration caused by a wide variety of recalcitrant organics and pathogenic microorganisms has become a serious concern worldwide. Bio-electro-Fenton systems have been considered as cost-effective and highly efficient water treatment platform technology. While it has been......]OH was identified as one potential mechanism for disinfection. This study successfully demonstrated the feasibility of bio-electro-Fenton process for pathogens inactivation, which offers insight for the future development of sustainable, efficient, and cost-effective biological water treatment technology....

  14. Crystal structure of the homocysteine methyltransferase MmuM from Escherichia coli.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Kunhua; Li, Gengnan; Bradbury, Louis M T; Hanson, Andrew D; Bruner, Steven D

    2016-02-01

    Homocysteine S-methyltransferases (HMTs, EC 2.1.1.0) catalyse the conversion of homocysteine to methionine using S-methylmethionine or S-adenosylmethionine as the methyl donor. HMTs play an important role in methionine biosynthesis and are widely distributed among micro-organisms, plants and animals. Additionally, HMTs play a role in metabolite repair of S-adenosylmethionine by removing an inactive diastereomer from the pool. The mmuM gene product from Escherichia coli is an archetypal HMT family protein and contains a predicted zinc-binding motif in the enzyme active site. In the present study, we demonstrate X-ray structures for MmuM in oxidized, apo and metallated forms, representing the first such structures for any member of the HMT family. The structures reveal a metal/substrate-binding pocket distinct from those in related enzymes. The presented structure analysis and modelling of co-substrate interactions provide valuable insight into the function of MmuM in both methionine biosynthesis and cofactor repair. © 2016 Authors; published by Portland Press Limited.

  15. The Time Is Right to Focus on Model Organism Metabolomes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Arthur S. Edison

    2016-02-01

    Full Text Available Model organisms are an essential component of biological and biomedical research that can be used to study specific biological processes. These organisms are in part selected for facile experimental study. However, just as importantly, intensive study of a small number of model organisms yields important synergies as discoveries in one area of science for a given organism shed light on biological processes in other areas, even for other organisms. Furthermore, the extensive knowledge bases compiled for each model organism enable systems-level understandings of these species, which enhance the overall biological and biomedical knowledge for all organisms, including humans. Building upon extensive genomics research, we argue that the time is now right to focus intensively on model organism metabolomes. We propose a grand challenge for metabolomics studies of model organisms: to identify and map all metabolites onto metabolic pathways, to develop quantitative metabolic models for model organisms, and to relate organism metabolic pathways within the context of evolutionary metabolomics, i.e., phylometabolomics. These efforts should focus on a series of established model organisms in microbial, animal and plant research.

  16. Microbial and Organic Fine Particle Transport Dynamics in Streams - a Combined Experimental and Stochastic Modeling Approach

    Science.gov (United States)

    Drummond, Jen; Davies-Colley, Rob; Stott, Rebecca; Sukias, James; Nagels, John; Sharp, Alice; Packman, Aaron

    2014-05-01

    Transport dynamics of microbial cells and organic fine particles are important to stream ecology and biogeochemistry. Cells and particles continuously deposit and resuspend during downstream transport owing to a variety of processes including gravitational settling, interactions with in-stream structures or biofilms at the sediment-water interface, and hyporheic exchange and filtration within underlying sediments. Deposited cells and particles are also resuspended following increases in streamflow. Fine particle retention influences biogeochemical processing of substrates and nutrients (C, N, P), while remobilization of pathogenic microbes during flood events presents a hazard to downstream uses such as water supplies and recreation. We are conducting studies to gain insights into the dynamics of fine particles and microbes in streams, with a campaign of experiments and modeling. The results improve understanding of fine sediment transport, carbon cycling, nutrient spiraling, and microbial hazards in streams. We developed a stochastic model to describe the transport and retention of fine particles and microbes in rivers that accounts for hyporheic exchange and transport through porewaters, reversible filtration within the streambed, and microbial inactivation in the water column and subsurface. This model framework is an advance over previous work in that it incorporates detailed transport and retention processes that are amenable to measurement. Solute, particle, and microbial transport were observed both locally within sediment and at the whole-stream scale. A multi-tracer whole-stream injection experiment compared the transport and retention of a conservative solute, fluorescent fine particles, and the fecal indicator bacterium Escherichia coli. Retention occurred within both the underlying sediment bed and stands of submerged macrophytes. The results demonstrate that the combination of local measurements, whole-stream tracer experiments, and advanced modeling

  17. Causes, prevention and treatment of Escherichia coli infections.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gould, Dinah

    Escherichia coli is a normal inhabitant of the human gastrointestinal tract and can cause healthcare-associated infections. The organism is most frequently responsible for urinary tract infections and it is the bacterium most often implicated in the cause of diarrhoea in people travelling overseas. In recent years, a strain called Ecoli O157 has gained notoriety for causing foodborne infection, which can have severe health consequences, especially in young children. This article describes the range of different infections caused by Ecoli in healthcare settings and the community and discusses the characteristics of the different strains of the bacteria that explain variations in their pathogenicity.

  18. Microbial Adhesion and Biofilm Formation on Microfiltration Membranes: A Detailed Characterization Using Model Organisms with Increasing Complexity

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    L. Vanysacker

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Since many years, membrane biofouling has been described as the Achilles heel of membrane fouling. In the present study, an ecological assay was performed using model systems with increasing complexity: a monospecies assay using Pseudomonas aeruginosa or Escherichia coli separately, a duospecies assay using both microorganisms, and a multispecies assay using activated sludge with or without spiked P. aeruginosa. The microbial adhesion and biofilm formation were evaluated in terms of bacterial cell densities, species richness, and bacterial community composition on polyvinyldifluoride, polyethylene, and polysulfone membranes. The data show that biofouling formation was strongly influenced by the kind of microorganism, the interactions between the organisms, and the changes in environmental conditions whereas the membrane effect was less important. The findings obtained in this study suggest that more knowledge in species composition and microbial interactions is needed in order to understand the complex biofouling process. This is the first report describing the microbial interactions with a membrane during the biofouling development.

  19. Microbial Adhesion and Biofilm Formation on Microfiltration Membranes: A Detailed Characterization Using Model Organisms with Increasing Complexity

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vanysacker, L.; Denis, C.; Declerck, P.; Piasecka, A.; Vankelecom, I. F. J.

    2013-01-01

    Since many years, membrane biofouling has been described as the Achilles heel of membrane fouling. In the present study, an ecological assay was performed using model systems with increasing complexity: a monospecies assay using Pseudomonas aeruginosa or Escherichia coli separately, a duospecies assay using both microorganisms, and a multispecies assay using activated sludge with or without spiked P. aeruginosa. The microbial adhesion and biofilm formation were evaluated in terms of bacterial cell densities, species richness, and bacterial community composition on polyvinyldifluoride, polyethylene, and polysulfone membranes. The data show that biofouling formation was strongly influenced by the kind of microorganism, the interactions between the organisms, and the changes in environmental conditions whereas the membrane effect was less important. The findings obtained in this study suggest that more knowledge in species composition and microbial interactions is needed in order to understand the complex biofouling process. This is the first report describing the microbial interactions with a membrane during the biofouling development. PMID:23986906

  20. Detection of Escherichia Coli O157:H7 in Fecal Samples in Meat Goats

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mobley, Ray; Madden, Uford; Brooks-Walter, Alexis

    2004-01-01

    Studies have reported the isolation of Escherichia coli (E. coli)O157:H7 from pork, lamb and poultry products, and from other animals including deer, horses, dogs, birds and humans. There is limited or no information on the presence of the organism in goats. The objectives of this study were to determine if E. coli O157:H7 was naturally occurring…

  1. A two reservoir model to predict Escherichia coli losses to water from pastures grazed by dairy cows.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Muirhead, R W; Monaghan, R M

    2012-04-01

    Animal agriculture has been identified as an important source of diffuse faecal microbial pollution of water. Our current understanding of the losses of faecal microbes from grazed pasture systems is however poor. To help synthesise our current knowledge, a simple two reservoir model was constructed to represent the faecal and environmental sources of Escherichia coli found in a grazed pastoral system. The size of the faecal reservoir was modelled on a daily basis with inputs from grazing animals, and losses due to die-off of E. coli and decomposition of the faecal material. Estimates were made of transport coefficients of E. coli losses from the two reservoirs. The concentration of E. coli measured in overland flow and artificial drainage from grazed plots, used for calibration of the model, showed a significant (Ppasture systems. Research is needed to understand the behaviour and impact of this environmental reservoir. Scenario analysis using the model indicated that rather than manipulating the faecal material itself post defecation, mitigation options should focus on manipulating grazing management. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  2. Inactivation of Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Salmonella on fresh herbs by plant essential oils

    Science.gov (United States)

    Consumer awareness of fresh herbs and its demand has increased in recent years due to health benefits and distinct aroma in prepared food. There are specific markets for local growers, especially for organically grown herbs. Shiga-toxigenic Escherichia coli and Salmonella spp. have been detected and...

  3. Effect of the oyster contaminated in Salmonella typhimurium and Escherichia coli; Efecto del ostion contaminado en Salmonella typhimurium y Escherichia coli

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Brena V, M

    1992-08-15

    In this work the effect of the oyster contaminated in the species of bacteria better studied by its genetic composition these are the Salmonella typhimurium and the Escherichia coli and that its have been starting point for later radiobiological studies in superior organisms. Of this its have arisen two general lines. The research about the genotoxic effect of substances or mixtures in bacteria with the collaboration of the groups of Drosophila and X-ray Fluorescence analysis and on the other hand the study of the low doses of radiation also in bacteria. It is also treated the topic about the genetic effect of aromatic hydrocarbons in different biological systems. (Author)

  4. Impact of seasonal variation on Escherichia coli concentrations in the riverbed sediments in the Apies River, South Africa

    CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

    Abia, ALK

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available quality of riverbed sediments in the Apies River, Gauteng Province, South Africa, using Escherichia coli as a faecal indicator organism and to investigate the impact of seasonal variation on its abundance. Weekly samples were collected at 10 sampling sites...

  5. An Effect of Cadmium and Lead Ions on Escherichia coli with the Cloned Gene for Metallothionein (MT-3) Revealed by Electrochemistry

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Adam, Vojtech; Chudobova, Dagmar; Tmejova, Katerina; Cihalova, Kristyna; Krizkova, Sona; Guran, Roman; Kominkova, Marketa; Zurek, Michal; Kremplova, Monika; Jimenez, Ana Maria Jimenez; Konecna, Marie

    2014-01-01

    This study was focused on the application of electrochemical methods for studying of bacterial strains Escherichia coli and Escherichia coli expressing human metallothionein gene (MT-3) before and after the application of cadmium and/or lead ions in four concentrations (25, 50, 75 and 150 μM). Bacterial strains Escherichia coli and Escherichia coli expressing human metallothionein gene (MT-3) were used like model organisms for studying of metals influence to metallothionein expression. Metallothionein was isolated using fast protein liquid chromatography and quantified by electrochemical methods. The occurrence of metallothionein in E.coli was confirmed by gel electrophoresis by the presence of the bands at 15 (MT dimer) and 22 kDa (MT trimer). The changes in electrochemical records due to the interactions of metallothioneins (MT-3 and MT-2A) with cadmium and lead ions showed decline of Cat2 signal of MT with the increasing interaction time because of metal ions binding to cysteines. Electrochemical determination also revealed that Cd(II) remains in E. coli cells in the higher amount than Pb (II). Opposite situation was found at E. coli–MT-3 strain. The antimicrobial effect of cadmium ions was determined by IC 50 and was statistically calculated as 39.2 and 95.5 μM for E. coli without cloned MT-3 and E. coli carrying MT-3 gene, respectively. High provided concentration IC 50 in strains after lead ions application (352.5 μM for E. coli without cloning and 207.0 μM for E. coli carrying cloned MT-3 gene) indicates lower toxicity of lead ions on bacterial strains compared to the cadmium ions

  6. Escherichia Coli

    Science.gov (United States)

    Goodsell, David S.

    2009-01-01

    Diverse biological data may be used to create illustrations of molecules in their cellular context. I describe the scientific results that support a recent textbook illustration of an "Escherichia coli cell". The image magnifies a portion of the bacterium at one million times, showing the location and form of individual macromolecules. Results…

  7. Effect of volumetric water content and clover (Trifolium incarnatum) on the survival of Escherichia coli O157:H7 in a soil matrix

    Science.gov (United States)

    Due to the inevitable introduction of zoonotic manure-born human pathogens, such as Escherichia coli O157:H7, into minimally processed, ready-to-eat and organic vegetable production systems via animal manure-based organic fertilizer, studies aimed at understanding the survival dynamics of these path...

  8. 99mTechnetium labelled Escherichia coli

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Diniz, S.O.F.; Cardoso, V.N.; Resende, B.M.; Nunan, E.A.; Simal, C.J.R.

    1999-01-01

    Samples of a culture of unlabeled Escherichia coli were incubated with different concentrations of stannous chloride for various time periods. 99m Tc (26.0 MBq) was added to each preparation and the results showed a labelling yield of 98% for E. coli. Since the bacterial viability of 99m Tc-E. coli and E. coli did not show any statistical differences, these results demonstrate that labelling of E. coli with 99m Tc does not modify the bacterial viability, and the radiolabelled bacteria may be a good model to study bacterial translocation

  9. Spatial Clustering of Escherichia coli with Reduced Susceptibility to Cefotaxime and Ciprofloxacin among Dairy Cattle Farms Relative to European Starling Night Roosts.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Medhanie, G A; Pearl, D L; McEwen, S A; Guerin, M T; Jardine, C M; Schrock, J; LeJeune, J T

    2017-05-01

    European starlings (Sturnus vulgaris) have been implicated in the dispersal of zoonotic enteric pathogens. However, their role in disseminating antimicrobial-resistant organisms through their home range has not been clearly established. The aim of this study was to determine whether starling night roosts served as foci for spreading organisms with reduced susceptibility to antimicrobials among dairy cattle farms. Bovine faecal pats were collected from 150 dairy farms in Ohio. Each farm was visited twice (in summer and fall) between 2007 and 2009. A total of 1490 samples (10 samples/farm over two visits) were tested for Escherichia coli with reduced susceptibility to cefotaxime and ciprofloxacin. Using a spatial scan statistic, focal scans were conducted to determine whether clusters of farms with a high prevalence of organisms with reduced susceptibility to cefotaxime and ciprofloxacin surrounded starling night roosts. Faecal pats 13.42% and 13.56% of samples carried Escherichia coli with reduced susceptibility to cefotaxime and ciprofloxacin, respectively. Statistically significant (P Escherichia coli showing reduced susceptibility to cefotaxime and ciprofloxacin were identified around these night roosts. This finding suggests that the risk of carriage of organisms with reduced susceptibility to antimicrobials in cattle closer to starling night roosts was higher compared to cattle located on farms further from these sites. Starlings might have an important role in spreading antimicrobial-resistant E. coli to livestock environments, thus posing a threat to animal and public health. © 2016 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

  10. Complex Systems and Self-organization Modelling

    CERN Document Server

    Bertelle, Cyrille; Kadri-Dahmani, Hakima

    2009-01-01

    The concern of this book is the use of emergent computing and self-organization modelling within various applications of complex systems. The authors focus their attention both on the innovative concepts and implementations in order to model self-organizations, but also on the relevant applicative domains in which they can be used efficiently. This book is the outcome of a workshop meeting within ESM 2006 (Eurosis), held in Toulouse, France in October 2006.

  11. Adsorption of Escherichia coli Using Bone Char | Rezaee | Journal ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The aim of study was providing a novel adsorbent for the removal of Escherichia coli (E.coli) as a microbial model from contaminated air especially in hospital units using bone char (BC). The BC was prepared from cattle animal bone by pyrolysis in a furnace at 450°C for 2 h. The characteristics of BC have been determined ...

  12. Prevalence and diversity of Escherichia coli isolated from a barley trial supplemented with bulky organic soil amendments: green compost and bovine slurry.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Holden, N J; Wright, F; Mackenzie, K; Marshall, J; Mitchell, S; Mahajan, A; Wheatley, R; Daniell, T J

    2014-03-01

    A barley field trial supplemented with bulky organic soil amendments, municipal compost or bovine slurry was sampled for Escherichia coli to test the hypothesis that E. coli isolated from the soil or from barley plants were derived from bovine slurry. A qualitative analysis showed that a total of 12% of the bulk soil cores and 16% of harvested grain samples yielded E. coli. The strongest association for positive detection of E. coli from soil was with time of year and for slurry-treated plots, with irrigation. However, E. coli were detected in plots from all treatment types and not exclusively associated with bovine slurry. Phylogroup, plasmid profiling and population genetics analysis (multilocus sequence typing) revealed extensive genetic diversity. Identical sequence types for slurry and soil isolates were detected, indicative of direct transfer into the soil, although not frequently. Host interaction assays with selected isolates showed a variation in the ability to colonize barley roots, but not in interactions with bovine cells. The work has implications in appropriate use of E. coli as a faecal indicator as isolates were widespread and diverse, reinforcing the view that some are a natural part of the microflora in agricultural systems. Faecal deposition is considered to be the main process that introduces Escherichia coli into soil, giving rise to their use as a faecal indication species and the potential for cycling pathogens in agricultural systems. We found that bovine slurry was not the main source of E. coli in a barley trial and a high degree of diversity was present in the collection. The findings support the hypothesis that the population structure of E. coli in secondary habitats is shaped by the environment and highlight the drawbacks of its use as a faecal indicator species. © 2013 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

  13. Metabolic evolution of Escherichia coli strains that produce organic acids

    Science.gov (United States)

    Grabar, Tammy; Gong, Wei; Yocum, R Rogers

    2014-10-28

    This invention relates to the metabolic evolution of a microbial organism previously optimized for producing an organic acid in commercially significant quantities under fermentative conditions using a hexose sugar as sole source of carbon in a minimal mineral medium. As a result of this metabolic evolution, the microbial organism acquires the ability to use pentose sugars derived from cellulosic materials for its growth while retaining the original growth kinetics, the rate of organic acid production and the ability to use hexose sugars as a source of carbon. This invention also discloses the genetic change in the microorganism that confers the ability to use both the hexose and pentose sugars simultaneously in the production of commercially significant quantities of organic acids.

  14. Escherichia coli at Ohio Bathing Beaches--Distribution, Sources, Wastewater Indicators, and Predictive Modeling

    Science.gov (United States)

    Francy, Donna S.; Gifford, Amie M.; Darner, Robert A.

    2003-01-01

    Results of studies during the recreational seasons of 2000 and 2001 strengthen the science that supports monitoring of our Nation?s beaches. Water and sediment samples were collected and analyzed for concentrations of Escherichia coli (E. coli). Ancillary water-quality and environmental data were collected or compiled to determine their relation to E. coli concentrations. Data were collected at three Lake Erie urban beaches (Edgewater, Villa Angela, and Huntington), two Lake Erie beaches in a less populated area (Mentor Headlands and Fairport Harbor), and one inland-lake beach (Mosquito Lake). The distribution of E. coli in water and sediments within the bathing area, outside the bathing area, and near the swash zone was investigated at the three Lake Erie urban beaches and at Mosquito Lake. (The swash zone is the zone that is alternately covered and exposed by waves.) Lake-bottom sediments from outside the bathing area were not significant deposition areas for E. coli. In contrast, interstitial water and subsurface sediments from near the swash zone were enriched with E. coli. For example, E. coli concentrations were as high as 100,000 colonies per 100 milliliters in some interstitial waters. Although there are no standards for E. coli in swash-zone materials, the high concentrations found at some locations warrant concern for public health. Studies were done at Mosquito Lake to identify sources of fecal contamination to the lake and bathing beach. Escherichia coli concentrations decreased with distance from a suspected source of fecal contamination that is north of the beach but increased at the bathing beach. This evidence indicated that elevated E. coli concentrations at the bathing beach are of local origin rather than from transport of bacteria from sites to the north. Samples collected from the three Lake Erie urban beaches and Mosquito Lake were analyzed to determine whether wastewater indicators could be used as surrogates for E. coli at bathing beaches

  15. QSAR study of benzimidazole derivatives inhibition on escherichia coli methionine Aminopeptidase

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zahra Garkani-Nejad

    2010-06-01

    Full Text Available The paper describes a quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR study of IC50 values of benzimidazole derivatives on escherichia coli methionine aminopeptidase. The activity of the 32 inhibitors has been estimated by means of multiple linear regression (MLR and artificial neural network (ANN techniques. The results obtained using the MLR method indicate that the activity of derivatives of benzimidazoles on CoII-loaded escherichia coli methionine aminopeptidase depend on different parameters containing topological descriptors, Burden eigen values, 3D MoRSE descriptors and 2D autocorrelation descriptors. The best artificial neural network model is a fully-connected, feed forward back propagation network with a 5-4-1 architecture. Standard error for the training set using this network was 0.193 with correlation coefficient 0.996 and for the prediction set standard error was 1.41 with correlation coefficient 0.802. Comparison of the quality of the ANN with different MLR models showed that ANN has a better predictive power.

  16. How a routine checking of Escherichia coli in retailed food of animal origin can protect consumers against exposition to Campylobacter spp. and Listeria monocytogenes?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Trajković-Pavlović Ljiljana

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available Background/Aim. According to the literature that has been published over the last two decades Campylobacter spp i Listeria monocitogens can be identified as causes of numerous diseases derived by consuming food of animal origin. The purpose of this paper was to find out how established national microbiological criteria of the Republic of Serbia on food safety in retailed food of animal origin could contribute to consumer's protection against exposition to foodborne pathogens such as Campylobacter spp. and Listeria monocytogenes. Methods. During a routine microbiological safety control of randomly selected 60 samples of fresh poultry meat, 30 samples of other fresh meat readymade for grilling, 30 samples of sausage products, 37 samples of heattreated meat, 39 samples of toppings for fast food of animal origin and 31 samples of dairy products a national food safety criteria (Escherichia coli, aerobic plate count, Salmonella spp., coagulasa positive Staphylococcus, Proteus spp., sulphitoreducting Clostridia were applied and, as well as, testing to Campylobacter spp. and Listeria monocitogens. In determination of Campylobacter spp. and Listeria monocytogenes, food quality control methods of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO were applied, while in determination of the other above motioned bacteria, national provisions on microbiological methods were applied who are adjusted to the FAO ones. Results. Related to the national criteria on microbiological food safety, 88 (38.8% samples, out of the total 227 tested, were rejected. When to these results, the results of laboratory tests on Listeria monocytogens were added, a terminal number of rejected samples were not changed. When to these results, the results of Campylobacter spp. testing were added, 91 (40.1% out of the 227 samples were unsatisfied. Results of logistic regression model with occurrence of Escherichia coli as dependent variable indicated that Escherichia coli was 4.5 times likely

  17. How a routine checking of Escherichia coli in retailed food of animal origin can protect consumers against exposition to Campylobacter spp. and Listeria monocytogenes?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Trajković-Pavlović, Ljiljana; Novaković, Budimka; Martinov-Cvejin, Mirjana; Gusman, Vera; Bijelović, Sanja; Dragnić, Natasa; Balać, Dragana

    2010-08-01

    According to the literature that has been published over the last two decades Campylobacter spp i Listeria monocitogens can be identified as causes of numerous diseases derived by consuming food of animal origin. The purpose of this paper was to find out how established national microbiological criteria of the Republic of Serbia on food safety in retailed food of animal origin could contribute to consumer's protection against exposition to foodborne pathogens such as Campylobacter spp. and Listeria monocytogenes. During a routine microbiological safety control of randomly selected 60 samples of fresh poultry meat, 30 samples of other fresh meat readymade for grilling, 30 samples of sausage products, 37 samples of heat-treated meat, 39 samples of toppings for fast food of animal origin and 31 samples of dairy products a national food safety criteria (Escherichia coli, aerobic plate count, Salmonella spp., coagulasa positive Staphylococcus, Proteus spp., sulphito-reducting Clostridia) were applied and, as well as, testing to Campylobacter spp. and Listeria monocitogens. In determination of Campylobacter spp. and Listeria monocytogenes, food quality control methods of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) were applied, while in determination of the other above motioned bacteria, national provisions on microbiological methods were applied who are adjusted to the FAO ones. Related to the national criteria on microbiological food safety, 88 (38.8%) samples, out of the total 227 tested, were rejected. When to these results, the results of laboratory tests on Listeria monocytogens were added, a terminal number of rejected samples were not changed. When to these results, the results of Campylobacter spp. testing were added, 91 (40.1%) out of the 227 samples were unsatisfied. Results of logistic regression model with occurrence of Escherichia coli as dependent variable indicated that Escherichia coli was 4.5 times likely to occur among samples with Campylobacter spp

  18. Saccharomyces cerevisiae as a model organism: a comparative study.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hiren Karathia

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Model organisms are used for research because they provide a framework on which to develop and optimize methods that facilitate and standardize analysis. Such organisms should be representative of the living beings for which they are to serve as proxy. However, in practice, a model organism is often selected ad hoc, and without considering its representativeness, because a systematic and rational method to include this consideration in the selection process is still lacking. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: In this work we propose such a method and apply it in a pilot study of strengths and limitations of Saccharomyces cerevisiae as a model organism. The method relies on the functional classification of proteins into different biological pathways and processes and on full proteome comparisons between the putative model organism and other organisms for which we would like to extrapolate results. Here we compare S. cerevisiae to 704 other organisms from various phyla. For each organism, our results identify the pathways and processes for which S. cerevisiae is predicted to be a good model to extrapolate from. We find that animals in general and Homo sapiens in particular are some of the non-fungal organisms for which S. cerevisiae is likely to be a good model in which to study a significant fraction of common biological processes. We validate our approach by correctly predicting which organisms are phenotypically more distant from S. cerevisiae with respect to several different biological processes. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: The method we propose could be used to choose appropriate substitute model organisms for the study of biological processes in other species that are harder to study. For example, one could identify appropriate models to study either pathologies in humans or specific biological processes in species with a long development time, such as plants.

  19. Design of homo-organic acid producing strains using multi-objective optimization

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kim, Tae Yong; Park, Jong Myoung; Kim, Hyun Uk

    2015-01-01

    Production of homo-organic acids without byproducts is an important challenge in bioprocess engineering to minimize operation cost for separation processes. In this study, we used multi-objective optimization to design Escherichia coli strains with the goals of maximally producing target organic ...

  20. Conjugation in Escherichia coli

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boyer, Herbert

    1966-01-01

    Boyer, Herbert (Yale University, New Haven, Conn.). Conjugation in Escherichia coli. J. Bacteriol. 91:1767–1772. 1966.—The sex factor of Escherichia coli K-12 was introduced into an E. coli B/r strain by circumventing the host-controlled modification and restriction incompatibilities known to exist between these closely related strains. The sexual properties of the constructed F+ B strain and its Hfr derivatives were examined. These studies showed that the E. coli strain B/r F+ and Hfr derivatives are similar to the E. coli strain K-12 F+ and Hfr derivatives. However, the site of sex factor integration was found to be dependent on the host genome. PMID:5327905

  1. Pathological And Immunological Study On Infection With Escherichia Coli In ale BALB/c mice

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ali, Intisar H.; Jabir, Majid S.; Al-Shmgani, Hanady S. A.; Sulaiman, Ghassan M.; Sadoon, Ali H.

    2018-05-01

    Escherichia coli bacteria is considered as one of the common responsible for the frequency and severity of infections that it hospitalized patients. E. coli simultaneously carries a harmful side in which only a slight genetic recombination can bring about a highly pathogenic strain that most frequently causes the scourge of bacterial infections worldwide including sepsis, neonatal meningitis, pneumonia, bacteremia and traveler’s diarrhea. This study was carried out to assess Escherichia coli infection induced pathologically and immunologically. Following Escherichia coli isolation, identification and counting, the lethal dose (LD-50) was determined before infection. Twenty-two mice were used in this study for 21 days infection, the animals were sacrificed at 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18 and 21 days, and tissues of different tissue were collected, examined for bacterial infection. Bacteria and mice immunization and ELISA were used to detect immunoglobulin G level in serum as well. For histological study, different infected organs were used. The results indicated that the LH50 was 1×109 cell; and all organs were infected after 3 days followed by decreased in infection level shown in brain at day 12, lung, kidney and intestine at day 15 and in liver, spleen and heart at day 21. Moreover, ELISA results revealed that concentration 1:200 of serum in positive and negative state and optimum concentration of Ag 1:40 dilution and compact dilution is 1:1000. In addition, diversity of histopathological alteration occurs in tissue on time-depended manner. This study concluded that the ability of activated E.coli to stimulate the intestinal secretory immune system of germ might result from a retardation of immunological maturity.

  2. Molecular mechanisms of adaptive response to alkylating agents in Escherichia coli and some remarks on O(6)-methylguanine DNA-methyltransferase in other organisms.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kleibl, Karol

    2002-09-01

    Alkylating agents are environmental genotoxic agents with mutagenic and carcinogenic potential, however, their properties are also exploited in the treatment of malignant diseases. O(6)-Methylguanine is an important adduct formed by methylating agents that, if not repaired, can lead to mutations and death. Its repair is carried out by O(6)-methylguanine DNA-methyltransferase (MTase) in an unique reaction in which methyl groups are transferred to the cysteine acceptor site of the protein itself. Exposure of Escherichia coli cells to sublethal concentrations of methylating agents triggers the expression of a set of genes, which allows the cells to tolerate DNA lesions, and this kind of inducible repair is called the adaptive response. The MTase of E. coli, encoded by the ada gene was the first MTase to be discovered and one of best characterised. Its repair and regulatory mechanisms are understood in considerable detail and this bacterial protein played a key role in identification of its counterparts in other living organisms. This review summarises the nature of alkylation damage in DNA and our current knowledge about the adaptive response in E. coli. I also include a brief mention of MTases from other organisms with the emphasis on the human MTase, which could play a crucial role in both cancer prevention and cancer treatment.

  3. Pharmacokinetic-Pharmacodynamic Modeling of Enrofloxacin Against Escherichia coli in Broilers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sang, KaNa; Hao, HaiHong; Huang, LingLi; Wang, Xu; Yuan, ZongHui

    2015-01-01

    The purpose of the present study was to establish a pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) modeling approach for the dosage schedule design and decreasing the emergence of drug-resistant bacteria. The minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 929 Escherichia coli isolates from broilers to enrofloxacin and ciprofloxacin was determined following CLSI guidance. The MIC50 was calculated as the populational PD parameter for enrofloxacin against E. coli in broilers. The 101 E. coli strains with MIC closest to the MIC50 (0.05 μg/mL) were submitted for serotype identification. The 13 E. coli strains with O and K serotype were further utilized for determining pathogencity in mice. Of all the strains tested, the E. coli designated strain Anhui 112 was selected for establishing the disease model and PK/PD study. The PKs of enrofloxacin after oral administration at the dose of 10 mg/kg body weights (BW) in healthy and infected broilers was evaluated with high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method. For intestinal contents after oral administration, the peak concentration (C max), the time when the maximum concentration reached (T max), and the area under the concentration-time curve (AUC) were 21.69-31.69 μg/mL, 1.13-1.23 h, and 228.97-444.86 μg h/mL, respectively. The MIC and minimal bactericidal concentration (MBC) of enrofloxacin against E. coli (Anhui 112) in Mueller-Hinton (MH) broth and intestinal contents were determined to be similar, 0.25 and 0.5 μg/mL respectively. In this study, the sum of concentrations of enrofloxacin and its metabolite (ciprofloxacin) was used for the PK/PD integration and modeling. The ex vivo growth inhibition data were fitted to the sigmoid E max (Hill) equation to provide values for intestinal contents of 24 h area under concentration-time curve/MIC ratios (AUC0-24 h/MIC) producing, bacteriostasis (624.94 h), bactericidal activity (1065.93 h) and bacterial eradication (1343.81 h). PK/PD modeling was

  4. Damage-induced DNA repair processes in Escherichia coli cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Slezarikova, V.

    1986-01-01

    The existing knowledge is summed up of the response of Escherichia coli cells to DNA damage due to various factors including ultraviolet radiation. So far, three inducible mechanisms caused by DNA damage are known, viz., SOS induction, adaptation and thermal shock induction. Greatest attention is devoted to SOS induction. Its mechanism is described and the importance of the lexA recA proteins is shown. In addition, direct or indirect role is played by other proteins, such as the ssb protein binding the single-strand DNA sections. The results are reported of a study of induced repair processes in Escherichia coli cells repeatedly irradiated with UV radiation. A model of induction by repeated cell irradiation discovered a new role of induced proteins, i.e., the elimination of alkali-labile points in the daughter DNA synthetized on a damaged model. The nature of the alkali-labile points has so far been unclear. In the adaptation process, regulation proteins are synthetized whose production is induced by the presence of alkylation agents. In the thermal shock induction, new proteins synthetize in cells, whose function has not yet been clarified. (E.S.)

  5. Heat shock and thermotolerance of Escherichia coli O157:H7 in a model beef gravy system and ground beef.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Juneja, V K; Klein, P G; Marmer, B S

    1998-04-01

    Duplicate beef gravy or ground beef samples inoculated with a suspension of a four-strain cocktail of Escherichia coli O157:H7 were subjected to sublethal heating at 46 degrees C for 15-30 min, and then heated to a final internal temperature of 60 degrees C. Survivor curves were fitted using a linear model that incorporated a lag period (TL), and D-values and 'time to a 4D inactivation' (T4D) were calculated. Heat-shocking allowed the organism to survive longer than non-heat-shocked cells; the T4D values at 60 degrees C increased 1.56- and 1.50-fold in beef gravy and ground beef, respectively. In ground beef stored at 4 degrees C, thermotolerance was lost after storage for 14 h. However, heat-shocked cells appeared to maintain their thermotolerance for at least 24 h in ground beef held to 15 or 28 degrees C. A 25 min heat shock at 46 degrees C in beef gravy resulted in an increase in the levels of two proteins with apparent molecular masses of 60 and 69 kDa. These two proteins were shown to be immunologically related to GroEL and DnaK, respectively. Increased heat resistance due to heat shock must be considered while designing thermal processes to assure the microbiological safety of thermally processed foods.

  6. Escherichia coli pathotypes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Escherichia coli strains are important commensals of the intestinal tract of humans and animals; however, pathogenic strains, including diarrhea-inducing E. coli and extraintestinal pathogenic E. coli. Intestinal E. coli pathotypes may cause a dehydrating watery diarrhea, or more severe diseases su...

  7. Self-organizing map models of language acquisition

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Ping; Zhao, Xiaowei

    2013-01-01

    Connectionist models have had a profound impact on theories of language. While most early models were inspired by the classic parallel distributed processing architecture, recent models of language have explored various other types of models, including self-organizing models for language acquisition. In this paper, we aim at providing a review of the latter type of models, and highlight a number of simulation experiments that we have conducted based on these models. We show that self-organizing connectionist models can provide significant insights into long-standing debates in both monolingual and bilingual language development. We suggest future directions in which these models can be extended, to better connect with behavioral and neural data, and to make clear predictions in testing relevant psycholinguistic theories. PMID:24312061

  8. Gap-filling analysis of the iJO1366 Escherichia coli metabolic network reconstruction for discovery of metabolic functions

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Orth Jeffrey D

    2012-05-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The iJO1366 reconstruction of the metabolic network of Escherichia coli is one of the most complete and accurate metabolic reconstructions available for any organism. Still, because our knowledge of even well-studied model organisms such as this one is incomplete, this network reconstruction contains gaps and possible errors. There are a total of 208 blocked metabolites in iJO1366, representing gaps in the network. Results A new model improvement workflow was developed to compare model based phenotypic predictions to experimental data to fill gaps and correct errors. A Keio Collection based dataset of E. coli gene essentiality was obtained from literature data and compared to model predictions. The SMILEY algorithm was then used to predict the most likely missing reactions in the reconstructed network, adding reactions from a KEGG based universal set of metabolic reactions. The feasibility of these putative reactions was determined by comparing updated versions of the model to the experimental dataset, and genes were predicted for the most feasible reactions. Conclusions Numerous improvements to the iJO1366 metabolic reconstruction were suggested by these analyses. Experiments were performed to verify several computational predictions, including a new mechanism for growth on myo-inositol. The other predictions made in this study should be experimentally verifiable by similar means. Validating all of the predictions made here represents a substantial but important undertaking.

  9. Organic production in a dynamic CGE model

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jacobsen, Lars Bo

    2004-01-01

    for conventional production into land for organic production, a period of two years must pass before the land being transformed can be used for organic production. During that time, the land is counted as land of the organic industry, but it can only produce the conventional product. To handle this rule, we make......Concerns about the impact of modern agriculture on the environment have in recent years led to an interest in supporting the development of organic farming. In addition to environmental benefits, the aim is to encourage the provision of other “multifunctional” properties of organic farming...... such as rural amenities and rural development that are spillover benefit additional to the supply of food. In this paper we further develop an existing dynamic general equilibrium model of the Danish economy to specifically incorporate organic farming. In the model and input-output data each primary...

  10. Pathogenic Escherichia coli and food handlers in luxury hotels in Nairobi, Kenya.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Onyango, Abel O; Kenya, Eucharia U; Mbithi, John J N; Ng'ayo, Musa O

    2009-11-01

    The epidemiology and virulence properties of pathogenic Escherichia coli among food handlers in tourist destination hotels in Kenya are largely uncharacterized. This cross-sectional study among consenting 885 food handlers working in nine luxurious tourist hotels in Nairobi, Kenya determined the epidemiology, virulence properties, antibiotics susceptibility profiles and conjugation abilities of pathogenic Escherichia coli. Pathogenic Escherichia coli was detected among 39 (4.4%) subjects, including 1.8% enteroaggregative Escherichia coli (EAEC) harboring aggR genes, 1.2% enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) expressing both LT and STp toxins, 1.1% enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC) and 0.2% Shiga-like Escherichia coli (EHEC) both harboring eaeA and stx2 genes respectively. All the pathotypes had increased surface hydrophobicity. Using multivariate analyses, food handlers with loose stools were more likely to be infected with pathogenic Escherichia coli. Majority 53.8% of the pathotypes were resistant to tetracycline with 40.2% being multi-drug resistant. About 85.7% pathotypes trans-conjugated with Escherichia coli K12 F(-) NA(r) LA. The carriage of multi-drug resistant, toxin expressing pathogenic Escherichia coli by this population is of public health concern because exposure to low doses can result in infection. Screening food handlers and implementing public awareness programs is recommended as an intervention to control transmission of enteric pathogens.

  11. Modeling post-transcriptional regulation activity of small non-coding RNAs in Escherichia coli.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Rui-Sheng; Jin, Guangxu; Zhang, Xiang-Sun; Chen, Luonan

    2009-04-29

    Transcriptional regulation is a fundamental process in biological systems, where transcription factors (TFs) have been revealed to play crucial roles. In recent years, in addition to TFs, an increasing number of non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) have been shown to mediate post-transcriptional processes and regulate many critical pathways in both prokaryotes and eukaryotes. On the other hand, with more and more high-throughput biological data becoming available, it is possible and imperative to quantitatively study gene regulation in a systematic and detailed manner. Most existing studies for inferring transcriptional regulatory interactions and the activity of TFs ignore the possible post-transcriptional effects of ncRNAs. In this work, we propose a novel framework to infer the activity of regulators including both TFs and ncRNAs by exploring the expression profiles of target genes and (post)transcriptional regulatory relationships. We model the integrated regulatory system by a set of biochemical reactions which lead to a log-bilinear problem. The inference process is achieved by an iterative algorithm, in which two linear programming models are efficiently solved. In contrast to available related studies, the effects of ncRNAs on transcription process are considered in this work, and thus more reasonable and accurate reconstruction can be expected. In addition, the approach is suitable for large-scale problems from the viewpoint of computation. Experiments on two synthesized data sets and a model system of Escherichia coli (E. coli) carbon source transition from glucose to acetate illustrate the effectiveness of our model and algorithm. Our results show that incorporating the post-transcriptional regulation of ncRNAs into system model can mine the hidden effects from the regulation activity of TFs in transcription processes and thus can uncover the biological mechanisms in gene regulation in a more accurate manner. The software for the algorithm in this paper is available

  12. Virtual Organizations: Trends and Models

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nami, Mohammad Reza; Malekpour, Abbaas

    The Use of ICT in business has changed views about traditional business. With VO, organizations with out physical, geographical, or structural constraint can collaborate with together in order to fulfill customer requests in a networked environment. This idea improves resource utilization, reduces development process and costs, and saves time. Virtual Organization (VO) is always a form of partnership and managing partners and handling partnerships are crucial. Virtual organizations are defined as a temporary collection of enterprises that cooperate and share resources, knowledge, and competencies to better respond to business opportunities. This paper presents an overview of virtual organizations and main issues in collaboration such as security and management. It also presents a number of different model approaches according to their purpose and applications.

  13. Draft Genome Sequence of Escherichia coli K-12 (ATCC 10798)

    OpenAIRE

    Dimitrova, Daniela; Engelbrecht, Kathleen C.; Putonti, Catherine; Koenig, David W.; Wolfe, Alan J.

    2017-01-01

    ABSTRACT Here, we present the draft genome sequence of Escherichia coli ATCC 10798. E.?coli ATCC 10798 is a K-12 strain, one of the most well-studied model microorganisms. The size of the genome was 4,685,496?bp, with a G+C content of 50.70%. This assembly consists of 62 contigs and the F plasmid.

  14. Frequency and organization of papA homologous DNA sequences among uropathogenic digalactoside-binding Escherichia coli strains.

    OpenAIRE

    Denich, K; Craiu, A; Rugo, H; Muralidhar, G; O'Hanley, P

    1991-01-01

    The frequency of selected papA DNA sequences among 89 digalactoside-binding, uropathogenic Escherichia coli strains was evaluated with 12 different synthetic 15-base probes corresponding to papA genes from four digalactoside-binding piliated recombinant strains (HU849, 201B, and 200A). The papA probes encode amino acids which are common at the carboxy terminus of all strains, adjacent to the proximal portion of the intramolecular disulfide loop of strain 210B, or predicted to constitute the t...

  15. Chromatin architecture and gene expression in Escherichia coli

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Willenbrock, Hanni; Ussery, David

    2004-01-01

    Two recent genome-scale analyses underscore the importance of DNA topology and chromatin structure in regulating transcription in Escherichia coli.......Two recent genome-scale analyses underscore the importance of DNA topology and chromatin structure in regulating transcription in Escherichia coli....

  16. Identification, cloning, and expression of the Escherichia coli pyrazinamidase and nicotinamidase gene, pncA.

    OpenAIRE

    Frothingham, R; Meeker-O'Connell, W A; Talbot, E A; George, J W; Kreuzer, K N

    1996-01-01

    Pyrazinamide (PZA) is one of the three most important drugs for treatment of Mycobacterium tuberculosis infections. The antibacterial activity of PZA requires a bacterial enzyme, pyrazinamidase (PZAase), which hydrolyzes PZA to form pyrazinoic acid and ammonia. Most PZA-resistant clinical M. tuberculosis isolates lack PZAase activity. With the goal of eventually identifying and characterizing the M.tuberculosis PZAase gene, we began with the more tractable organism, Escherichia coli, which al...

  17. Escherichia coli O26 IN RAW BUFFALO MILK: PRELIMINARY RESULTS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    A. Rella

    2013-02-01

    Full Text Available Escherichia coli O26 is considered to be one of the most important food-borne pathogen. In this study, 120 buffalo milk samples collected in Lazio and in Apulia regions were tested for the presence of E. coli O26. One buffalo milk sample (0,8% tested positive for E. coli O26; the isolate was positive at the verocytotoxicity test and it showed resistance properties to different antimicrobial classes. These preliminary results highlight the need to monitor the foods of animal origin used for production and eaten by a wide range of persons, respect VTEC organism.

  18. prevalence of escherichia coli 0157:h7 in fresh and roasted beef

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    DR. AMINU

    The prevalence of Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli 0157:H7 in 300 fresh beef and 150 roasted beef samples from ... likely cause of E. coli O157:H7 infection is undercooked ground beef. ..... coli O157:H7 in a sheep model. Appl. Environ.

  19. Pharmacodynamic Model To Describe the Concentration-Dependent Selection of Cefotaxime-Resistant Escherichia coli

    Science.gov (United States)

    Olofsson, Sara K.; Geli, Patricia; Andersson, Dan I.; Cars, Otto

    2005-01-01

    Antibiotic dosing regimens may vary in their capacity to select mutants. Our hypothesis was that selection of a more resistant bacterial subpopulation would increase with the time within a selective window (SW), i.e., when drug concentrations fall between the MICs of two strains. An in vitro kinetic model was used to study the selection of two Escherichia coli strains with different susceptibilities to cefotaxime. The bacterial mixtures were exposed to cefotaxime for 24 h and SWs of 1, 2, 4, 8, and 12 h. A mathematical model was developed that described the selection of preexisting and newborn mutants and the post-MIC effect (PME) as functions of pharmacokinetic parameters. Our main conclusions were as follows: (i) the selection between preexisting mutants increased with the time within the SW; (ii) the emergence and selection of newborn mutants increased with the time within the SW (with a short time, only 4% of the preexisting mutants were replaced by newborn mutants, compared to the longest times, where 100% were replaced); and (iii) PME increased with the area under the concentration-time curve (AUC) and was slightly more pronounced with a long elimination half-life (T1/2) than with a short T1/2 situation, when AUC is fixed. We showed that, in a dynamic competition between strains with different levels of resistance, the appearance of newborn high-level resistant mutants from the parental strains and the PME can strongly affect the outcome of the selection and that pharmacodynamic models can be used to predict the outcome of resistance development. PMID:16304176

  20. Antimicrobial activity of intraurethrally administered probiotic Lactobacillus casei in a murine model of Escherichia coli urinary tract infection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Asahara, T; Nomoto, K; Watanuki, M; Yokokura, T

    2001-06-01

    The antimicrobial activity of the intraurethrally administered probiotic Lactobacillus casei strain Shirota against Escherichia coli in a murine urinary tract infection (UTI) model was examined. UTI was induced by intraurethral administration of Escherichia coli strain HU-1 (a clinical isolate from a UTI patient, positive for type 1 and P fimbriae), at a dose of 1 x 10(6) to 2 x 10(6) CFU in 20 microl of saline, into a C3H/HeN mouse bladder which had been traumatized with 0.1 N HCl followed immediately by neutralization with 0.1 N NaOH 24 h before the challenge infection. Chronic infection with the pathogen at 10(6) CFU in the urinary tract (bladder and kidneys) was maintained for more than 3 weeks after the challenge, and the number of polymorphonuclear leukocytes and myeloperoxidase activity in the urine were markedly elevated during the infection period. A single administration of L. casei Shirota at a dose of 10(8) CFU 24 h before the challenge infection dramatically inhibited E. coli growth and inflammatory responses in the urinary tract. Multiple daily treatments with L. casei Shirota during the postinfection period also showed antimicrobial activity in this UTI model. A heat-killed preparation of L. casei Shirota exerted significant antimicrobial effects not only with a single pretreatment (100 microg/mouse) but also with multiple daily treatments during the postinfection period. The other Lactobacillus strains tested, i.e., L. fermentum ATCC 14931(T), L. jensenii ATCC 25258(T), L. plantarum ATCC 14917(T), and L. reuteri JCM 1112(T), had no significant antimicrobial activity. Taken together, these results suggest that the probiotic L. casei strain Shirota is a potent therapeutic agent for UTI.

  1. Modeling the influence of organic acids on soil weathering

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lawrence, Corey R.; Harden, Jennifer W.; Maher, Kate

    2014-01-01

    Biological inputs and organic matter cycling have long been regarded as important factors in the physical and chemical development of soils. In particular, the extent to which low molecular weight organic acids, such as oxalate, influence geochemical reactions has been widely studied. Although the effects of organic acids are diverse, there is strong evidence that organic acids accelerate the dissolution of some minerals. However, the influence of organic acids at the field-scale and over the timescales of soil development has not been evaluated in detail. In this study, a reactive-transport model of soil chemical weathering and pedogenic development was used to quantify the extent to which organic acid cycling controls mineral dissolution rates and long-term patterns of chemical weathering. Specifically, oxalic acid was added to simulations of soil development to investigate a well-studied chronosequence of soils near Santa Cruz, CA. The model formulation includes organic acid input, transport, decomposition, organic-metal aqueous complexation and mineral surface complexation in various combinations. Results suggest that although organic acid reactions accelerate mineral dissolution rates near the soil surface, the net response is an overall decrease in chemical weathering. Model results demonstrate the importance of organic acid input concentrations, fluid flow, decomposition and secondary mineral precipitation rates on the evolution of mineral weathering fronts. In particular, model soil profile evolution is sensitive to kaolinite precipitation and oxalate decomposition rates. The soil profile-scale modeling presented here provides insights into the influence of organic carbon cycling on soil weathering and pedogenesis and supports the need for further field-scale measurements of the flux and speciation of reactive organic compounds.

  2. Putting "Organizations" into an Organization Theory Course: A Hybrid CAO Model for Teaching Organization Theory

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hannah, David R.; Venkatachary, Ranga

    2010-01-01

    In this article, the authors present a retrospective analysis of an instructor's multiyear redesign of a course on organization theory into what is called a hybrid Classroom-as-Organization model. It is suggested that this new course design served to apprentice students to function in quasi-real organizational structures. The authors further argue…

  3. Overexpression of functional human oxidosqualene cyclase in Escherichia coli

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kürten, Charlotte; Uhlén, Mathias; Syrén, Per-Olof

    2015-01-01

    The generation of multicyclic scaffolds from linear oxidosqualene by enzymatic polycyclization catalysis constitutes a cornerstone in biology for the generation of bioactive compounds. Human oxidosqualene cyclase (hOSC) is a membrane-bound triterpene cyclase that catalyzes the formation of the te......The generation of multicyclic scaffolds from linear oxidosqualene by enzymatic polycyclization catalysis constitutes a cornerstone in biology for the generation of bioactive compounds. Human oxidosqualene cyclase (hOSC) is a membrane-bound triterpene cyclase that catalyzes the formation...... of the tetracyclic steroidal backbone, a key step in cholesterol biosynthesis. Protein expression of hOSC and other eukaryotic oxidosqualene cyclases has traditionally been performed in yeast and insect cells, which has resulted in protein yields of 2.7mg protein/g cells (hOSC in Pichia pastoris) after 48h...... of expression. Herein we present, to the best of our knowledge, the first functional expression of hOSC in the model organism Escherichia coli. Using a codon-optimized gene and a membrane extraction procedure for which detergent is immediately added after cell lysis, a protein yield of 2.9mg/g bacterial cells...

  4. Quantitative analysis of relationships between fluxome and metabolome in Escherichia coli

    OpenAIRE

    Taymaz Nikerel, H.

    2010-01-01

    Kinetic models, which predict the behaviour of metabolic reaction networks under different conditions, are indispensible to fully and quantitatively understand the relation between a product pathway and connected central metabolism. In this thesis the focus was to develop tools for future in vivo kinetic modeling in Escherichia coli. The relations between fluxome and metabolome at steady-state or transient state but where enzyme levels can be assumed constant are investigated. In addition, we...

  5. Mechanisms of antibiotic resistance to enrofloxacin in uropathogenic Escherichia coli in dog

    Science.gov (United States)

    Escherichia coli (E. coli) urinary tract infections (UTIs) are becoming a serious problem both for pets and humans (zoonosis) due to the close contact and to the increasing resistance to antibiotics. Canine E. coli represents a good experimental model useful to study this pathology. Moreover, as des...

  6. Healing models for organizations: description, measurement, and outcomes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Malloch, K

    2000-01-01

    Healthcare leaders are continually searching for ways to improve their ability to provide optimal healthcare services, be financially viable, and retain quality caregivers, often feeling like such goals are impossible to achieve in today's intensely competitive environment. Many healthcare leaders intuitively recognize the need for more humanistic models and the probable connection with positive patient outcomes and financial success but are hesitant to make significant changes in their organizations because of the lack of model descriptions or documented recognition of the clinical and financial advantages of humanistic models. This article describes a study that was developed in response to the increasing work in humanistic or healing environment models and the need for validation of the advantages of such models. The healthy organization model, a framework for healthcare organizations that incorporates humanistic healing values within the traditional structure, is presented as a result of the study. This model addresses the importance of optimal clinical services, financial performance, and staff satisfaction. The five research-based organizational components that form the framework are described, and key indicators of organizational effectiveness over a five-year period are presented. The resulting empirical data are strongly supportive of the healing model and reflect positive outcomes for the organization.

  7. Growth and Extended Survival of Escherichia coli O157:H7 in Soil Organic Matter

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gitanjali NandaKafle

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available Enterohaemorrhagic Escherichia coli, such as serotype O157:H7, are a leading cause of food-associated outbreaks. While the primary reservoir is associated with cattle, plant foods have been associated as sources of human infection. E. coli is able to grow in the tissue of food plants such as spinach. While fecal contamination is the primary suspect, soil has been underestimated as a potential reservoir. Persistence of bacterial populations in open systems is the product of growth, death, predation, and competition. Here we report that E. coli O157:H7 can grow using the soluble compounds in soil, and characterize the effect of soil growth on the stationary phase proteome. E. coli 933D (stxII− was cultured in Soil Extracted Soluble Organic Matter (SESOM and the culturable count determined for 24d. The proteomes of exponential and stationary phase populations were characterized by 2D gel electrophoresis and protein spots were identified by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry. While LB controls displayed a death phase, SESOM grown population remained culturable for 24d, indicating an altered physiological state with superior longevity. This was not due to decreased cell density on entry to stationary phase as 24 h SESOM populations concentrated 10-fold retained their longevity. Principal component analysis showed that stationary phase proteomes from SESOM and LB were different. Differences included proteins involved in stress response, motility, membrane and wall composition, nutrient uptake, translation and protein turnover, and anabolic and catabolic pathways, indicating an altered physiological state of soil-grown cells entering stationary phase. The results suggest that E. coli may be a soil commensal that, in absence of predation and competition, maintains stable populations in soil.

  8. Initiation of Replication in Escherichia coli

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Frimodt-Møller, Jakob

    The circular chromosome of Escherichia coli is replicated by two replisomes assembled at the unique origin and moving in the opposite direction until they meet in the less well defined terminus. The key protein in initiation of replication, DnaA, facilitates the unwinding of double-stranded DNA...... to single-stranded DNA in oriC. Although DnaA is able to bind both ADP and ATP, DnaA is only active in initiation when bound to ATP. Although initiation of replication, and the regulation of this, is thoroughly investigated it is still not fully understood. The overall aim of the thesis was to investigate...... the regulation of initiation, the effect on the cell when regulation fails, and if regulation was interlinked to chromosomal organization. This thesis uncovers that there exists a subtle balance between chromosome replication and reactive oxygen species (ROS) inflicted DNA damage. Thus, failure in regulation...

  9. Resistant plasmid profile analysis of multidrug resistant Escherichia ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Background: Multi-drug resistant Escherichia coli has become a major threat and cause of many urinary tract infections (UTIs) in Abeokuta, Nigeria. Objectives: This study was carried out to determine the resistant plasmids of multidrug resistant Escherichia coli isolated from (Urinary tract infections)UTIs in Abeokuta.

  10. Antibiotic resistant Salmonella and Escherichia coli isolated from ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Results: A hundred and four indigenous chicken rectal swabs were analysed, of which 67.3% were contaminated with Escherichia coli and 12.5% with Salmonella typhimurium. Seventy Escherichia coli isolates showed resistance phenotypes to one, two or more antibiotics. The most common antimicrobial resistance pattern ...

  11. Temperature control of fimbriation circuit switch in uropathogenic Escherichia coli: quantitative analysis via automated model abstraction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kuwahara, Hiroyuki; Myers, Chris J; Samoilov, Michael S

    2010-03-26

    Uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC) represent the predominant cause of urinary tract infections (UTIs). A key UPEC molecular virulence mechanism is type 1 fimbriae, whose expression is controlled by the orientation of an invertible chromosomal DNA element-the fim switch. Temperature has been shown to act as a major regulator of fim switching behavior and is overall an important indicator as well as functional feature of many urologic diseases, including UPEC host-pathogen interaction dynamics. Given this panoptic physiological role of temperature during UTI progression and notable empirical challenges to its direct in vivo studies, in silico modeling of corresponding biochemical and biophysical mechanisms essential to UPEC pathogenicity may significantly aid our understanding of the underlying disease processes. However, rigorous computational analysis of biological systems, such as fim switch temperature control circuit, has hereto presented a notoriously demanding problem due to both the substantial complexity of the gene regulatory networks involved as well as their often characteristically discrete and stochastic dynamics. To address these issues, we have developed an approach that enables automated multiscale abstraction of biological system descriptions based on reaction kinetics. Implemented as a computational tool, this method has allowed us to efficiently analyze the modular organization and behavior of the E. coli fimbriation switch circuit at different temperature settings, thus facilitating new insights into this mode of UPEC molecular virulence regulation. In particular, our results suggest that, with respect to its role in shutting down fimbriae expression, the primary function of FimB recombinase may be to effect a controlled down-regulation (rather than increase) of the ON-to-OFF fim switching rate via temperature-dependent suppression of competing dynamics mediated by recombinase FimE. Our computational analysis further implies that this down

  12. Modeling the growth dynamics of multiple Escherichia coli strains in the pig intestine following intramuscular ampicillin treatment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ahmad, Amais; Zachariasen, Camilla; Christiansen, Lasse Engbo; Græsbøll, Kaare; Toft, Nils; Matthews, Louise; Nielsen, Søren Saxmose; Olsen, John Elmerdahl

    2016-09-06

    This study evaluated how dosing regimen for intramuscularly-administered ampicillin, composition of Escherichia coli strains with regard to ampicillin susceptibility, and excretion of bacteria from the intestine affected the level of resistance among Escherichia coli strains in the intestine of nursery pigs. It also examined the dynamics of the composition of bacterial strains during and after the treatment. The growth responses of strains to ampicillin concentrations were determined using in vitro growth curves. Using these results as input data, growth predictions were generated using a mathematical model to simulate the competitive growth of E. coli strains in a pig intestine under specified plasma concentration profiles of ampicillin. In vitro growth results demonstrated that the resistant strains did not carry a fitness cost for their resistance, and that the most susceptible strains were more affected by increasing concentrations of antibiotics that the rest of the strains. The modeling revealed that short treatment duration resulted in lower levels of resistance and that dosing frequency did not substantially influence the growth of resistant strains. Resistance levels were found to be sensitive to the number of competing strains, and this effect was enhanced by longer duration of treatment. High excretion of bacteria from the intestine favored resistant strains over sensitive strains, but at the same time it resulted in a faster return to pre-treatment levels after the treatment ended. When the duration of high excretion was set to be limited to the treatment time (i.e. the treatment was assumed to result in a cure of diarrhea) resistant strains required longer time to reach the previous level. No fitness cost was found to be associated with ampicillin resistance in E. coli. Besides dosing factors, epidemiological factors (such as number of competing strains and bacterial excretion) influenced resistance development and need to be considered further in

  13. Organization model and formalized description of nuclear enterprise information system

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yuan Feng; Song Yafeng; Li Xudong

    2012-01-01

    Organization model is one of the most important models of Nuclear Enterprise Information System (NEIS). Scientific and reasonable organization model is the prerequisite that NEIS has robustness and extendibility, and is also the foundation of the integration of heterogeneous system. Firstly, the paper describes the conceptual model of the NEIS on ontology chart, which provides a consistent semantic framework of organization. Then it discusses the relations between the concepts in detail. Finally, it gives the formalized description of the organization model of NEIS based on six-tuple array. (authors)

  14. Modelling the interactions between Pseudomonas putida and Escherichia coli O157:H7 in fish-burgers: use of the lag-exponential model and of a combined interaction index.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Speranza, B; Bevilacqua, A; Mastromatteo, M; Sinigaglia, M; Corbo, M R

    2010-08-01

    The objective of the current study was to examine the interactions between Pseudomonas putida and Escherichia coli O157:H7 in coculture studies on fish-burgers packed in air and under different modified atmospheres (30 : 40 : 30 O(2) : CO(2) : N(2), 5 : 95 O(2) : CO(2) and 50 : 50 O(2) : CO(2)), throughout the storage at 8 degrees C. The lag-exponential model was applied to describe the microbial growth. To give a quantitative measure of the occurring microbial interactions, two simple parameters were developed: the combined interaction index (CII) and the partial interaction index (PII). Under air, the interaction was significant (P exponential growth phase (CII, 1.72), whereas under the modified atmospheres, the interactions were highly significant (P exponential and in the stationary phase (CII ranged from 0.33 to 1.18). PII values for E. coli O157:H7 were lower than those calculated for Ps. putida. The interactions occurring into the system affected both E. coli O157:H7 and pseudomonads subpopulations. The packaging atmosphere resulted in a key element. The article provides some useful information on the interactions occurring between E. coli O157:H7 and Ps. putida on fish-burgers. The proposed index describes successfully the competitive growth of both micro-organisms, giving also a quantitative measure of a qualitative phenomenon.

  15. The weathervane model, a functional and structural organization of the two-component alkanesulfonate oxidoreductase SsuD from Xanthomonas citri

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pegos, V.R.; Oliveira, P.S.L.; Balan, A.

    2012-01-01

    Full text: In Xanthomonas citri, the phytopathogen responsible for the canker citrus disease, we identified in the ssuABCDE operon, genes encoding the alkanesulfonate ABC transporter as well as the two enzymes responsible for oxido reduction of the respective substrates. SsuD and SsuE proteins represent a two-component system that can be assigned to the group of FMNH 2 -dependent monooxygenases. How- ever, despite of the biochemical information about SsuD and SsuE orthologs from Escherichia coli, there is no structural information of how the two proteins work together. In this work, we used ultracentrifugation, SAXS data and molecular modeling to construct a structural/functional model, which consists of eight molecules organized in a weathervane shape. Through this model, SsuD ligand-binding site for NADPH 2 and FMN substrates is clearly exposed, in a way that might allow the protein-protein interactions with SsuE. Moreover, based on molecular dynamics simulations of SsuD in apo state, docked with NADPH 2 , FMN or both substrates, we characterized the residues of the pocket, the mechanism of substrate interaction and transfer of electrons from NADPH 2 to FMN. This is the first report that links functional and biochemical data with structural analyses. (author)

  16. The System Dynamics Model for Development of Organic Agriculture

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rozman, Črtomir; Škraba, Andrej; Kljajić, Miroljub; Pažek, Karmen; Bavec, Martina; Bavec, Franci

    2008-10-01

    Organic agriculture is the highest environmentally valuable agricultural system, and has strategic importance at national level that goes beyond the interests of agricultural sector. In this paper we address development of organic farming simulation model based on a system dynamics methodology (SD). The system incorporates relevant variables, which affect the development of the organic farming. The group decision support system (GDSS) was used in order to identify most relevant variables for construction of causal loop diagram and further model development. The model seeks answers to strategic questions related to the level of organically utilized area, levels of production and crop selection in a long term dynamic context and will be used for simulation of different policy scenarios for organic farming and their impact on economic and environmental parameters of organic production at an aggregate level.

  17. Genome-wide Escherichia coli stress response and improved tolerance towards industrially relevant chemicals

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Rau, Martin Holm; Calero Valdayo, Patricia; Lennen, Rebecca

    2016-01-01

    Economically viable biobased production of bulk chemicals and biofuels typically requires high product titers. During microbial bioconversion this often leads to product toxicity, and tolerance is therefore a critical element in the engineering of production strains. Here, a systems biology...... approach was employed to understand the chemical stress response of Escherichia coli, including a genome-wide screen for mutants with increased fitness during chemical stress. Twelve chemicals with significant production potential were selected, consisting of organic solvent-like chemicals (butanol......, hydroxy-γ-butyrolactone, 1,4-butanediol, furfural), organic acids (acetate, itaconic acid, levulinic acid, succinic acid), amino acids (serine, threonine) and membrane-intercalating chemicals (decanoic acid, geraniol). The transcriptional response towards these chemicals revealed large overlaps...

  18. Control of the Biofilms Formed by Curli- and Cellulose-Expressing Shiga Toxin-Producing Escherichia coli Using Treatments with Organic Acids and Commercial Sanitizers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Park, Yoen Ju; Chen, Jinru

    2015-05-01

    Biofilms are a mixture of bacteria and extracellular products secreted by bacterial cells and are of great concern to the food industry because they offer physical, mechanical, and biological protection to bacterial cells. This study was conducted to quantify biofilms formed by different Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) strains on polystyrene and stainless steel surfaces and to determine the effectiveness of sanitizing treatments in control of these biofilms. STEC producing various amounts of cellulose (n = 6) or curli (n = 6) were allowed to develop biofilms on polystyrene and stainless steel surfaces at 28°C for 7 days. The biofilms were treated with 2% acetic or lactic acid and manufacturer-recommended concentrations of acidic or alkaline sanitizers, and residual biofilms were quantified. Treatments with the acidic and alkaline sanitizers were more effective than those with the organic acids for removing the biofilms. Compared with their counterparts, cells expressing a greater amount of cellulose or curli formed more biofilm mass and had greater residual mass after sanitizing treatments on polystyrene than on stainless steel. Research suggests that the organic acids and sanitizers used in the present study differed in their ability to control biofilms. Bacterial surface components and cell contact surfaces can influence both biofilm formation and the efficacy of sanitizing treatments. These results provide additional information on control of biofilms formed by STEC.

  19. Transcriptome Changes of Escherichia coli, Enterococcus faecalis, and Escherichia coli O157:H7 Laboratory Strains in Response to Photo-Degraded DOM

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Adelumola Oladeinde

    2018-05-01

    Full Text Available In this study, we investigated gene expression changes in three bacterial strains (Escherichia coli C3000, Escherichia coli O157:H7 B6914, and Enterococcus faecalis ATCC 29212, commonly used as indicators of water quality and as control strains in clinical, food, and water microbiology laboratories. Bacterial transcriptome responses from pure cultures were monitored in microcosms containing water amended with manure-derived dissolved organic matter (DOM, previously exposed to simulated sunlight for 12 h. We used RNA sequencing (RNA-seq and quantitative real-time reverse transcriptase (qRT-PCR to compare differentially expressed temporal transcripts between bacteria incubated in microcosms containing sunlight irradiated and non-irradiated DOM, for up to 24 h. In addition, we used whole genome sequencing simultaneously with RNA-seq to identify single nucleotide variants (SNV acquired in bacterial populations during incubation. These results indicate that E. coli and E. faecalis have different mechanisms for removal of reactive oxygen species (ROS produced from irradiated DOM. They are also able to produce micromolar concentrations of H2O2 from non-irradiated DOM, that should be detrimental to other bacteria present in the environment. Notably, this study provides an assessment of the role of two conjugative plasmids carried by the E. faecalis and highlights the differences in the overall survival dynamics of environmentally-relevant bacteria in the presence of naturally-produced ROS.

  20. Neutral forces acting on intragenomic variability shape the Escherichia coli regulatory network topology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ruths, Troy; Nakhleh, Luay

    2013-05-07

    Cis-regulatory networks (CRNs) play a central role in cellular decision making. Like every other biological system, CRNs undergo evolution, which shapes their properties by a combination of adaptive and nonadaptive evolutionary forces. Teasing apart these forces is an important step toward functional analyses of the different components of CRNs, designing regulatory perturbation experiments, and constructing synthetic networks. Although tests of neutrality and selection based on molecular sequence data exist, no such tests are currently available based on CRNs. In this work, we present a unique genotype model of CRNs that is grounded in a genomic context and demonstrate its use in identifying portions of the CRN with properties explainable by neutral evolutionary forces at the system, subsystem, and operon levels. We leverage our model against experimentally derived data from Escherichia coli. The results of this analysis show statistically significant and substantial neutral trends in properties previously identified as adaptive in origin--degree distribution, clustering coefficient, and motifs--within the E. coli CRN. Our model captures the tightly coupled genome-interactome of an organism and enables analyses of how evolutionary events acting at the genome level, such as mutation, and at the population level, such as genetic drift, give rise to neutral patterns that we can quantify in CRNs.

  1. Gene encoding virulence markers among Escherichia coli isolates ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    River water sources and diarrhoeic stools of residents in the Venda Region, Limpopo Province of South Africa were analysed for the prevalence of Escherichia coli (E. coli) and the presence of virulence genes among the isolates. A control group of 100 nondiarrhoeic stool samples was included. Escherichia coli was ...

  2. Prediction of recombinant protein overexpression in Escherichia coli using a machine learning based model (RPOLP).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Habibi, Narjeskhatoon; Norouzi, Alireza; Mohd Hashim, Siti Z; Shamsir, Mohd Shahir; Samian, Razip

    2015-11-01

    Recombinant protein overexpression, an important biotechnological process, is ruled by complex biological rules which are mostly unknown, is in need of an intelligent algorithm so as to avoid resource-intensive lab-based trial and error experiments in order to determine the expression level of the recombinant protein. The purpose of this study is to propose a predictive model to estimate the level of recombinant protein overexpression for the first time in the literature using a machine learning approach based on the sequence, expression vector, and expression host. The expression host was confined to Escherichia coli which is the most popular bacterial host to overexpress recombinant proteins. To provide a handle to the problem, the overexpression level was categorized as low, medium and high. A set of features which were likely to affect the overexpression level was generated based on the known facts (e.g. gene length) and knowledge gathered from related literature. Then, a representative sub-set of features generated in the previous objective was determined using feature selection techniques. Finally a predictive model was developed using random forest classifier which was able to adequately classify the multi-class imbalanced small dataset constructed. The result showed that the predictive model provided a promising accuracy of 80% on average, in estimating the overexpression level of a recombinant protein. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. Serogroups and antimicrobial susceptibility among Escherichia coli isolated from farmed mink (Mustela vison Schreiber) in Denmark

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Vulfson, L.; Pedersen, Karl; Chriel, M.

    2001-01-01

    Escherichia coli is commonly found in outbreaks of diarrhoea in mink during the production season although its role as a primary causal organism remains unclear. The present study was undertaken to determine the serogroups and antimicrobial susceptibility of E. coli isolates from healthy and diar......Escherichia coli is commonly found in outbreaks of diarrhoea in mink during the production season although its role as a primary causal organism remains unclear. The present study was undertaken to determine the serogroups and antimicrobial susceptibility of E. coli isolates from healthy...... diseased. All isolates were serotyped and MICs were determined for nine antimicrobial compounds. Non-haemolytic isolates numbered 147, whereas 63 were haemolytic. Both haemolytic and non-haemolytic isolates were isolated from both healthy and diseased animals. A wide range of serogroups was detected...... among the six mink farms, for tetracycline (0-16.4%. average 21.9), ampicillin (2.9-50.0%. average 23.3), spectinomycin (8.0-35.7%. average 21.9), sulfamethoxazole (8.6-57.7%. average 30.0) and trimethoprim (0-35.7%. average 9.5). Resistance to tetracycline was statistically more prevalent among...

  4. Variability in the characterization of total coliforms, fecal coliforms, and escherichia coli in recreational water supplies of North Mississippi, USA

    Science.gov (United States)

    The fecal coliform, Escherichia coli, is a historical organism for the detection of fecal pollution in water supplies. The presence of E. coli indicates a potential contamination of the water supply by other more hazardous human pathogens. In order to accurately determine the presence and degree o...

  5. Model of organ dose combination

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Valley, J.-F.; Lerch, P.

    1977-01-01

    The ICRP recommendations are based on the limitation of the dose to each organ. In the application and for a unique source the critical organ concept allows to limit the calculation and represents the irradiation status of an individuum. When several sources of radiation are involved the derivation of the dose contribution of each source to each organ is necessary. In order to represent the irradiation status a new parameter is to be defined. Propositions have been made by some authors, in particular by Jacobi introducing at this level biological parameters like the incidence rate of detriment and its severity. The new concept is certainly richer than a simple dose notion. However, in the actual situation of knowledge about radiation effects an intermediate parameter, using only physical concepts and the maximum permissible doses to the organs, seems more appropriate. The model, which is a generalization of the critical organ concept and shall be extended in the future to take the biological effects into account, will be presented [fr

  6. Draft Genome Sequence of Escherichia coli K-12 (ATCC 10798).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dimitrova, Daniela; Engelbrecht, Kathleen C; Putonti, Catherine; Koenig, David W; Wolfe, Alan J

    2017-07-06

    Here, we present the draft genome sequence of Escherichia coli ATCC 10798. E. coli ATCC 10798 is a K-12 strain, one of the most well-studied model microorganisms. The size of the genome was 4,685,496 bp, with a G+C content of 50.70%. This assembly consists of 62 contigs and the F plasmid. Copyright © 2017 Dimitrova et al.

  7. Effectiveness of chlorine, organic acids and UV treatments in reducing Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Yersinia enterocolitica on apples.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Escudero, M E; Velázquez, L; Favier, G; de Guzmán, A M

    2003-06-01

    This study assessed the effectiveness of 200 and 500 ppm of chlorine and organic acids (0.5% lactic acid and 0.5% citric acid) in wash solutions, and UV radiation for reducing Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Yersinia enterocolitica on apples contaminated by two different methods. Residual levels of these pathogens after different treatments were compared. On dip inoculated apples, Y. enterocolitica reductions of 2.66 and 2.77 logs were obtained with 200 and 500 ppm chlorine combined with 0.5% lactic acid, respectively. The E. coli O157:H7 population decreased 3.35 log with 0.5% lactic acid wash solution, and 2.72 and 2.62 logs after 500 ppm chlorine and 500 ppm chlorine plus 0.5% lactic acid treatments, respectively. Similar reductions were obtained with UV radiation. On spot inoculated apples, significant (p acid treatment as compared with the control. In sectioned apples, microorganisms infiltrated in inner core region and pulp were not significantly (p apples. Reductions such as those obtained with 500 ppm chlorine plus 0.5% lactic acid solution were very proximal to the 5-log score required by FDA for apple disinfection.

  8. Polyphenol Extracts from Punica granatum and Terminalia chebula are anti-inflammatory and increase the survival rate of chickens challenged with Escherichia coli

    Science.gov (United States)

    Avian pathogenic Escherichia coli (APEC) causes avian colibacillosis, inflammation in multi-organs of chickens, and results in serious economic loss to the chicken industry. Polyphenolic compounds possess a wide range of physiological activities that may contribute to their beneficial effects again...

  9. using stereochemistry models in teaching organic compounds

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

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    The purpose of the study was to find out the effect of stereochemistry models on students' ... consistent with the names given to organic compounds. Some of ... Considering class level, what is the performance of the students in naming organic.

  10. Kinetic Modeling of Ethanol Batch Fermentation by Escherichia Coli FBWHR Using Hot-Water Sugar Maple Wood Extract Hydrolyzate as Substrate

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yang Wang

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available A recombinant strain of Escherichia coli FBWHR was used for ethanol fermentation from hot-water sugar maple wood extract hydrolyzate in batch experiments. Kinetic studies of cell growth, sugar utilization and ethanol production were investigated at different initial total sugar concentrations of wood extract hydrolyzate. The highest ethanol concentration of 24.05 g/L was obtained using an initial total sugar concentration of 70.30 g/L. Unstructured models were developed to describe cell growth, sugar utilization and ethanol production and validated by comparing the predictions of model and experimental data. The results from this study could be expected to provide insights into the process performance, optimize the process and aid in the design of processes for large-scale production of ethanol fermentation from woody biomass.

  11. Compound toxicity screening and structure-activity relationship modeling in Escherichia coli.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Planson, Anne-Gaëlle; Carbonell, Pablo; Paillard, Elodie; Pollet, Nicolas; Faulon, Jean-Loup

    2012-03-01

    Synthetic biology and metabolic engineering are used to develop new strategies for producing valuable compounds ranging from therapeutics to biofuels in engineered microorganisms. When developing methods for high-titer production cells, toxicity is an important element to consider. Indeed the production rate can be limited due to toxic intermediates or accumulation of byproducts of the heterologous biosynthetic pathway of interest. Conversely, highly toxic molecules are desired when designing antimicrobials. Compound toxicity in bacteria plays a major role in metabolic engineering as well as in the development of new antibacterial agents. Here, we screened a diversified chemical library of 166 compounds for toxicity in Escherichia coli. The dataset was built using a clustering algorithm maximizing the chemical diversity in the library. The resulting assay data was used to develop a toxicity predictor that we used to assess the toxicity of metabolites throughout the metabolome. This new tool for predicting toxicity can thus be used for fine-tuning heterologous expression and can be integrated in a computational-framework for metabolic pathway design. Many structure-activity relationship tools have been developed for toxicology studies in eukaryotes [Valerio (2009), Toxicol Appl Pharmacol, 241(3): 356-370], however, to the best of our knowledge we present here the first E. coli toxicity prediction web server based on QSAR models (EcoliTox server: http://www.issb.genopole.fr/∼faulon/EcoliTox.php). Copyright © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  12. MUTATIONAL SYNERGISM BETWEEN RADIATIONS AND METHYLATED PURINES IN ESCHERICHIA COLI

    Science.gov (United States)

    Doneson, Ira N.; Shankel, Delbert M.

    1964-01-01

    Doneson, Ira N. (University of Kansas, Lawrence), and Delbert M. Shankel. Mutational synergism between radiations and methylalted purines in Escherichia coli. J. Bacteriol. 87:61–67. 1964.—A synergistic mutational effect was demonstrated between low doses of ultraviolet light and the methylated purines caffeine, theophylline, and theobromine. Caffeine produced the greatest effect and theobromine the least effect. The magnitude of the synergism was inversely related to the ultraviolet dosage. A large percentage of the synergistic effect could be “photoprevented” by exposure of the ultraviolet-treated cells to white light prior to exposure to the analogues. The consequence of the combined treatment occurred only when the chemical treatment followed the ultraviolet treatment. Furthermore, it was necessary to administer the chemical treatment soon after the ultraviolet treatment or the mutants were “lost.” When cells were treated with low dosages of ultraviolet light and of X irradiation (X ray), the result was merely additive, and combinations of X ray and chemical treatment yielded no synergism. Synchronous growth studies indicated that a particular growth stage of the organisms was most susceptible to the synergistic effect. The mutation studied was that of Escherichia coli B/r to high-level streptomycin resistance. PMID:14102875

  13. OBJECT ORIENTED MODELLING, A MODELLING METHOD OF AN ECONOMIC ORGANIZATION ACTIVITY

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    TĂNĂSESCU ANA

    2014-05-01

    Full Text Available Now, most economic organizations use different information systems types in order to facilitate their activity. There are different methodologies, methods and techniques that can be used to design information systems. In this paper, I propose to present the advantages of using the object oriented modelling at the information system design of an economic organization. Thus, I have modelled the activity of a photo studio, using Visual Paradigm for UML as a modelling tool. For this purpose, I have identified the use cases for the analyzed system and I have presented the use case diagram. I have, also, realized the system static and dynamic modelling, through the most known UML diagrams.

  14. Modeling the surface tension of complex, reactive organic-inorganic mixtures

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schwier, A. N.; Viglione, G. A.; Li, Z.; McNeill, V. Faye

    2013-11-01

    Atmospheric aerosols can contain thousands of organic compounds which impact aerosol surface tension, affecting aerosol properties such as heterogeneous reactivity, ice nucleation, and cloud droplet formation. We present new experimental data for the surface tension of complex, reactive organic-inorganic aqueous mixtures mimicking tropospheric aerosols. Each solution contained 2-6 organic compounds, including methylglyoxal, glyoxal, formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, oxalic acid, succinic acid, leucine, alanine, glycine, and serine, with and without ammonium sulfate. We test two semi-empirical surface tension models and find that most reactive, complex, aqueous organic mixtures which do not contain salt are well described by a weighted Szyszkowski-Langmuir (S-L) model which was first presented by Henning et al. (2005). Two approaches for modeling the effects of salt were tested: (1) the Tuckermann approach (an extension of the Henning model with an additional explicit salt term), and (2) a new implicit method proposed here which employs experimental surface tension data obtained for each organic species in the presence of salt used with the Henning model. We recommend the use of method (2) for surface tension modeling of aerosol systems because the Henning model (using data obtained from organic-inorganic systems) and Tuckermann approach provide similar modeling results and goodness-of-fit (χ2) values, yet the Henning model is a simpler and more physical approach to modeling the effects of salt, requiring less empirically determined parameters.

  15. Escherichia coli Attenuation by Fe Electrocoagulation in Synthetic Bengal Groundwater: Effect of pH and Natural Organic Matter.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Delaire, Caroline; van Genuchten, Case M; Nelson, Kara L; Amrose, Susan E; Gadgil, Ashok J

    2015-08-18

    Technologies addressing both arsenic and microbial contamination of Bengal groundwater are needed. Fe electrocoagulation (Fe-EC), a simple process relying on the dissolution of an Fe(0) anode to produce Fe(III) precipitates, has been shown to efficiently remove arsenic from groundwater at low cost. We investigated Escherichia coli (E. coli) attenuation by Fe-EC in synthetic Bengal groundwater as a function of Fe dosage rate, total Fe dosed, pH, and presence of natural organic matter (NOM). A 2.5 mM Fe dosage simultaneously achieved over 4-log E. coli attenuation and arsenic removal from 450 to below 10 μg/L. E. coli reduction was significantly enhanced at pH 6.6 compared to pH 7.5, which we linked to the decreased rate of Fe(II) oxidation at lower pH. 3 mg/L-C of NOM (Suwanee River fulvic acid) did not significantly affect E. coli attenuation. Live-dead staining and comparisons of Fe-EC with chemical coagulation controls showed that the primary mechanism of E. coli attenuation is physical removal with Fe(III) precipitates, with inactivation likely contributing as well at lower pH. Transmission electron microscopy showed that EC precipitates adhere to and bridge individual E. coli cells, resulting in large bacteria-Fe aggregates that can be removed by gravitational settling. Our results point to the promising ability of Fe-EC to treat arsenic and bacterial contamination simultaneously at low cost.

  16. Translation activity of chimeric ribosomes composed of Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis or Geobacillus stearothermophilus subunits

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sayaka Tsuji

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available Ribosome composition, consisting of rRNA and ribosomal proteins, is highly conserved among a broad range of organisms. However, biochemical studies focusing on ribosomal subunit exchangeability between organisms remain limited. In this study, we show that chimeric ribosomes, composed of Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis or E. coli and Geobacillus stearothermophilus subunits, are active for β-galactosidase translation in a highly purified E. coli translation system. Activities of the chimeric ribosomes showed only a modest decrease when using E. coli 30 S subunits, indicating functional conservation of the 50 S subunit between these bacterial species.

  17. Emergent organization in a model market

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yadav, Avinash Chand; Manchanda, Kaustubh; Ramaswamy, Ramakrishna

    2017-09-01

    We study the collective behaviour of interacting agents in a simple model of market economics that was originally introduced by Nørrelykke and Bak. A general theoretical framework for interacting traders on an arbitrary network is presented, with the interaction consisting of buying (namely consumption) and selling (namely production) of commodities. Extremal dynamics is introduced by having the agent with least profit in the market readjust prices, causing the market to self-organize. In addition to examining this model market on regular lattices in two-dimensions, we also study the cases of random complex networks both with and without community structures. Fluctuations in an activity signal exhibit properties that are characteristic of avalanches observed in models of self-organized criticality, and these can be described by power-law distributions when the system is in the critical state.

  18. Occurrence and growth characteristics of Escherichia coli and enterococci within the accumulated fluid of the northern pitcher plant (Sarracenia purpurea L.).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Whitman, Richard L; Byers, Stacey E; Shively, Dawn A; Ferguson, Donna M; Byappanahalli, Muruleedhara

    2005-12-01

    Sarracenia purpurea L., a carnivorous bog plant (also known as the pitcher plant), represents an excellent model of a well-defined, self-contained ecosystem; the individual pitchers of the plant serve as a microhabitat for a variety of micro- and macro-organisms. Previously, fecal indicator bacteria (Escherichia coli and enterococci) were shown as incidental contaminants in pitcher fluid; however, whether their occurrence in pitcher fluid is incidental or common has not been established. The purpose of this study was to investigate the occurrence, distribution, and growth potential of E. coli and enterococci in pitcher plant fluid from a protected bog in northwest Indiana. Escherichia coli and enterococci were recovered in pitcher fluids (n=43 plants), with mean densities (log CFU mL-1) of 1.28+/-0.23 and 1.97+/-0.27, respectively. In vitro experiments showed that E. coli growth in fluid not containing insects or indigenous organisms was directly proportional to the fluid concentration (growth was 10-fold in 24 h in 100% fluid); however, in the presence of other indigenous organisms, E. coli and enterococci were only sustained for 5 days at 26 degrees C. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) analysis showed that the plant Enterococcus faecalis isolates were genetically distinct from the human isolates; identical PFGE patterns were observed among plant isolates that fell into one of six clonal groups. These findings suggest that (i) E. coli and enterococci occurrence in pitcher plants is rather common in the bog studied, although their originating source is unclear, and (ii) the pitcher fluid contains adequate nutrients, especially carbon and energy sources, to promote the growth of indicator bacteria; however, under natural conditions, the biotic factors (e.g., competition for nutrients) may restrict their growth.

  19. An Ising model for metal-organic frameworks

    Science.gov (United States)

    Höft, Nicolas; Horbach, Jürgen; Martín-Mayor, Victor; Seoane, Beatriz

    2017-08-01

    We present a three-dimensional Ising model where lines of equal spins are frozen such that they form an ordered framework structure. The frame spins impose an external field on the rest of the spins (active spins). We demonstrate that this "porous Ising model" can be seen as a minimal model for condensation transitions of gas molecules in metal-organic frameworks. Using Monte Carlo simulation techniques, we compare the phase behavior of a porous Ising model with that of a particle-based model for the condensation of methane (CH4) in the isoreticular metal-organic framework IRMOF-16. For both models, we find a line of first-order phase transitions that end in a critical point. We show that the critical behavior in both cases belongs to the 3D Ising universality class, in contrast to other phase transitions in confinement such as capillary condensation.

  20. An Instructional Development Model for Global Organizations: The GOaL Model.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hara, Noriko; Schwen, Thomas M.

    1999-01-01

    Presents an instructional development model, GOaL (Global Organization Localization), for use by global organizations. Topics include gaps in language, culture, and needs; decentralized processes; collaborative efforts; predetermined content; multiple perspectives; needs negotiation; learning within context; just-in-time training; and bilingual…

  1. Participation of different genes in the ruptures repair of double chain in Escherichia coli stumps exposed to gamma radiation; Participacion de diferentes genes en la reparacion de rupturas de doble cadena en cepas de Escherichia coli expuestas a radiacion gamma

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Serment G, J. H.; Martinez M, E.; Alcantara D, D., E-mail: jorge.serment@inin.gob.mx [ININ, Departamento de Biologia, Carretera Mexico-Toluca s/n, 52750 Ocoyoacac, Estado de Mexico (Mexico)

    2013-05-01

    All living organisms are naturally exposed to radiation from different sources. Ionizing radiation produces a plethora of lesions upon DNA that can be categorized as single and double strand breaks and base damage. Among them, unrepaired double strand breaks (Dbs) have the greatest biological significance, since they are responsible of cell death. In Escherichia coli this kind of lesions are repaired mostly by homologous recombination. In this work the participation of some recombination genes in the repair of Dbs is evaluated. Escherichia coli defective strains were exposed to gamma radiation and incubated for different periods in ideal conditions. Both micro electrophoresis and pulse field gel electrophoresis techniques were used to evaluate the kinetics of repair of such lesions, reflecting the importance of each defective gene in the process. (Author)

  2. Authentication in Virtual Organizations: A Reputation Based PKI Interconnection Model

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wazan, Ahmad Samer; Laborde, Romain; Barrere, Francois; Benzekri, Abdelmalek

    Authentication mechanism constitutes a central part of the virtual organization work. The PKI technology is used to provide the authentication in each organization involved in the virtual organization. Different trust models are proposed to interconnect the different PKIs in order to propagate the trust between them. While the existing trust models contain many drawbacks, we propose a new trust model based on the reputation of PKIs.

  3. Modelling the fate of oxidisable organic contaminants in groundwater

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Barry, D.A.; Prommer, H.; Miller, C.T.

    2002-01-01

    modelling framework is illustrated by pertinent examples, showing the degradation of dissolved organics by microbial activity limited by the availability of nutrients or electron acceptors (i.e., changing redox states), as well as concomitant secondary reactions. Two field-scale modelling examples......Subsurface contamination by organic chemicals is a pervasive environmental problem, susceptible to remediation by natural or enhanced attenuation approaches or more highly engineered methods such as pump-and-treat, amongst others. Such remediation approaches, along with risk assessment...... are discussed, the Vejen landfill (Denmark) and an example where metal contamination is remediated by redox changes wrought by injection of a dissolved organic compound. A summary is provided of current and likely future challenges to modelling of oxidisable organics in the subsurface. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science...

  4. Virulence variations in Shigella and enteroinvasive Escherichia coli using the Caenorhabditis elegans model.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fung, Crystal Ching; Octavia, Sophie; Mooney, Anne-Marie; Lan, Ruiting

    2015-01-01

    Shigella species and enteroinvasive Escherichia coli (EIEC) belong to the same species genetically, with remarkable phenotypic and genomic similarities. Shigella is the main cause of bacillary dysentery with around 160 million annual cases, while EIEC generally induces a milder disease compared to Shigella. This study aimed to determine virulence variations between Shigella and EIEC using the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans as a model host. Caenorhabditis elegans killing- and bacterial colonization assays were performed to examine the potential difference in virulence between Shigella and EIEC strains. Statistically significant difference in the survival rates of nematodes was demonstrated, with Shigella causing death at 88.24 ± 1.20% and EIEC at 94.37 ± 0.70%. The intestinal load of bacteria in the nematodes was found to be 7.65 × 10(4) ± 8.83 × 10(3) and 2.92 × 10(4) ± 6.26 × 10(3) CFU ml(-1) per nematode for Shigella and EIEC, respectively. Shigella dysenteriae serotype 1 which carries the Shiga toxin showed the lowest nematode survival rate at 82.6 ± 3.97% and highest bacterial colonization of 1.75 × 10(5) ± 8.17 × 10(4) CFU ml(-1), whereas a virulence plasmid-negative Shigella strain demonstrated 100 ± 0% nematode survival and lowest bacterial accumulation of 1.02 × 10(4) ± 7.23 × 10(2) CFU ml(-1). This study demonstrates C. elegans as an effective model for examining and comparing Shigella and EIEC virulence variation. © FEMS 2014. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  5. Ultrasonic enhancement of antibiotic action on Escherichia coli biofilms: an in vivo model.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rediske, A M; Roeder, B L; Brown, M K; Nelson, J L; Robison, R L; Draper, D O; Schaalje, G B; Robison, R A; Pitt, W G

    1999-05-01

    Biofilm infections are a common complication of prosthetic devices in humans. Previous in vitro research has determined that low-frequency ultrasound combined with aminoglycoside antibiotics is an effective method of killing biofilms. We report the development of an in vivo model to determine if ultrasound enhances antibiotic action. Two 24-h-old Escherichia coli (ATCC 10798) biofilms grown on polyethylene disks were implanted subcutaneously on the backs of New Zealand White female rabbits, one on each side of the spine. Low-frequency (28.48-kHz) and low-power-density (100- and 300-mW/cm2) continuous ultrasound treatment was applied for 24 h with and without systemic administration of gentamicin. The disks were then removed, and the number of viable bacteria on each disk was determined. At the low ultrasonic power used in this study, exposure to ultrasound only (no gentamicin) caused no significant difference in bacterial viability. In the presence of antibiotic, there was a significant reduction due to 300-mW/cm2 ultrasound (P = 0.0485) but no significant reduction due to 100-mW/cm2 ultrasound. Tissue damage to the skin was noted at the 300-mW/cm2 treatment level. Further development of this technique has promise in treatment of clinical implant infections.

  6. Modelling the fate of organic micropollutants in stormwater ponds

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Vezzaro, Luca; Eriksson, Eva; Ledin, Anna

    2011-01-01

    ). The four simulated organic stormwater MP (iodopropynyl butylcarbamate — IPBC, benzene, glyphosate and pyrene) were selected according to their different urban sources and environmental fate. This ensures that the results can be extended to other relevant stormwater pollutants. All three models use......Urban water managers need to estimate the potential removal of organic micropollutants (MP) in stormwater treatment systems to support MP pollution control strategies. This study documents how the potential removal of organic MP in stormwater treatment systems can be quantified by using multimedia...... models. The fate of four different MP in a stormwater retention pond was simulated by applying two steady-state multimedia fate models (EPI Suite and SimpleBox) commonly applied in chemical risk assessment and a dynamic multimedia fate model (Stormwater Treatment Unit Model for Micro Pollutants — STUMP...

  7. A model-independent view of the mature organization

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hanna, M.; Langston, D.

    1996-12-31

    Over the last 10 years, industry has been dealing with the issues of process and organizational maturity. This focus on process is driven by the success that manufacturing organizations have had implementing the management principles of W. Edwards Deming and Joseph M. Juran. The organizational-maturity focus is driven by organizations striving to be ISO 9000 compliant or to achieve a specific level on one of the maturity models. Unfortunately, each of the models takes a specific view into what is a very broad arena. That is to say, each model addresses only a specific subset of the characteristics of maturity. This paper attempts to extend beyond these specific views to answer the general question, What is a mature organization and its relationship to Quantitative management and statistical process control?

  8. A Mathematical Model of Metabolism and Regulation Provides a Systems-Level View of How Escherichia coli Responds to Oxygen

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Michael eEderer

    2014-03-01

    Full Text Available The efficient redesign of bacteria for biotechnological purposes, such as biofuel production, waste disposal or specific biocatalytic functions, requires a quantitative systems-level understanding of energy supply, carbon and redox metabolism. The measurement of transcript levels, metabolite concentrations and metabolic fluxes per se gives an incomplete picture. An appreciation of the interdependencies between the different measurement values is essential for systems-level understanding. Mathematical modeling has the potential to provide a coherent and quantitative description of the interplay between gene expression, metabolite concentrations and metabolic fluxes. Escherichia coli undergoes major adaptations in central metabolism when the availability of oxygen changes. Thus, an integrated description of the oxygen response provides a benchmark of our understanding of carbon, energy and redox metabolism. We present the first comprehensive model of the central metabolism of E. coli that describes steady-state metabolism at different levels of oxygen availability. Variables of the model are metabolite concentrations, gene expression levels, transcription factor activities, metabolic fluxes and biomass concentration. We analyze the model with respect to the production capabilities of central metabolism of E. coli. In particular, we predict how precursor and biomass concentration are affected by product formation.

  9. Nondeterministic computational fluid dynamics modeling of Escherichia coli inactivation by peracetic acid in municipal wastewater contact tanks.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Santoro, Domenico; Crapulli, Ferdinando; Raisee, Mehrdad; Raspa, Giuseppe; Haas, Charles N

    2015-06-16

    Wastewater disinfection processes are typically designed according to heuristics derived from batch experiments in which the interaction among wastewater quality, reactor hydraulics, and inactivation kinetics is often neglected. In this paper, a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) study was conducted in a nondeterministic (ND) modeling framework to predict the Escherichia coli inactivation by peracetic acid (PAA) in municipal contact tanks fed by secondary settled wastewater effluent. The extent and variability associated with the observed inactivation kinetics were both satisfactorily predicted by the stochastic inactivation model at a 95% confidence level. Moreover, it was found that (a) the process variability induced by reactor hydraulics is negligible when compared to the one caused by inactivation kinetics, (b) the PAA dose required for meeting regulations is dictated equally by the fixed limit of the microbial concentration as well as its probability of occurrence, and (c) neglecting the probability of occurrence during process sizing could lead to an underestimation of the PAA dose required by as much as 100%. Finally, the ND-CFD model was used to generate sizing information in the form of probabilistic disinfection curves relating E. coli inactivation and probability of occurrence with the average PAA dose and PAA residual concentration at the outlet of the contact tank.

  10. Consequences of concurrent Ascaridia galli and Escherichia coli infections in chickens

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Permin A

    2006-03-01

    Full Text Available Three experiments were carried out to examine the consequences of concurrent infections with Ascaridia galli and Escherichia coli in chickens raised for table egg production. Characteristic pathological lesions including airsacculitis, peritonitis and/or polyserositis were seen in all groups infected with E. coli. Furthermore, a trend for increased mortality rates was observed in groups infected with both organisms which, however, could not be confirmed statistically. The mean worm burden was significantly lower in combined infection groups compared to groups infected only with A. galli. It was also shown that combined infections of E. coli and A. galli had an added significant negative impact on weight gain.

  11. Effect of the oyster contaminated in Salmonella typhimurium and Escherichia coli

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Brena V, M.

    1992-08-01

    In this work the effect of the oyster contaminated in the species of bacteria better studied by its genetic composition these are the Salmonella typhimurium and the Escherichia coli and that its have been starting point for later radiobiological studies in superior organisms. Of this its have arisen two general lines. The research about the genotoxic effect of substances or mixtures in bacteria with the collaboration of the groups of Drosophila and X-ray Fluorescence analysis and on the other hand the study of the low doses of radiation also in bacteria. It is also treated the topic about the genetic effect of aromatic hydrocarbons in different biological systems. (Author)

  12. Labour Quality Model for Organic Farming Food Chains

    OpenAIRE

    Gassner, B.; Freyer, B.; Leitner, H.

    2008-01-01

    The debate on labour quality in science is controversial as well as in the organic agriculture community. Therefore, we reviewed literature on different labour quality models and definitions, and had key informant interviews on labour quality issues with stakeholders in a regional oriented organic agriculture bread food chain. We developed a labour quality model with nine quality categories and discussed linkages to labour satisfaction, ethical values and IFOAM principles.

  13. Analysis of L-glutamic acid fermentation by using a dynamic metabolic simulation model of Escherichia coli.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nishio, Yousuke; Ogishima, Soichi; Ichikawa, Masao; Yamada, Yohei; Usuda, Yoshihiro; Masuda, Tadashi; Tanaka, Hiroshi

    2013-09-22

    Understanding the process of amino acid fermentation as a comprehensive system is a challenging task. Previously, we developed a literature-based dynamic simulation model, which included transcriptional regulation, transcription, translation, and enzymatic reactions related to glycolysis, the pentose phosphate pathway, the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle, and the anaplerotic pathway of Escherichia coli. During simulation, cell growth was defined such as to reproduce the experimental cell growth profile of fed-batch cultivation in jar fermenters. However, to confirm the biological appropriateness of our model, sensitivity analysis and experimental validation were required. We constructed an L-glutamic acid fermentation simulation model by removing sucAB, a gene encoding α-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase. We then performed systematic sensitivity analysis for L-glutamic acid production; the results of this process corresponded with previous experimental data regarding L-glutamic acid fermentation. Furthermore, it allowed us to predicted the possibility that accumulation of 3-phosphoglycerate in the cell would regulate the carbon flux into the TCA cycle and lead to an increase in the yield of L-glutamic acid via fermentation. We validated this hypothesis through a fermentation experiment involving a model L-glutamic acid-production strain, E. coli MG1655 ΔsucA in which the phosphoglycerate kinase gene had been amplified to cause accumulation of 3-phosphoglycerate. The observed increase in L-glutamic acid production verified the biologically meaningful predictive power of our dynamic metabolic simulation model. In this study, dynamic simulation using a literature-based model was shown to be useful for elucidating the precise mechanisms involved in fermentation processes inside the cell. Further exhaustive sensitivity analysis will facilitate identification of novel factors involved in the metabolic regulation of amino acid fermentation.

  14. Surface modification of PLGA nanoparticles to deliver nitric oxide to inhibit Escherichia coli growth

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Reger, Nina A. [Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Duquesne University, Pittsburgh, PA 15282 (United States); Meng, Wilson S. [Division of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Duquesne University, Pittsburgh, PA 15282 (United States); Gawalt, Ellen S., E-mail: gawalte@duq.edu [Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Duquesne University, Pittsburgh, PA 15282 (United States); McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15219 (United States)

    2017-04-15

    Highlights: • Thin film functionalized PLGA nanoparticles were modified to release nitric oxide from an s-nitrosothiol donor. • The nitric oxide modified nanoparticles were bacteriostatic against Escherichia coli. • The nitric oxide modified nanoparticles increased the effectiveness of tetracycline against Escherichia coli. • The modified nitric oxide nanoparticles did not exhibit cytotoxic effects against fibroblasts. - Abstract: Polymer nanoparticles consisting of poly (DL-lactic-co-glycolic acid) were surface functionalized to deliver nitric oxide. These biodegradable and biocompatible nanoparticles were modified with an S-nitrosothiol molecule, S-nitrosocysteamine, as the nitric oxide delivery molecule. S-nitrosocysteamine was covalently immobilized on the nanoparticle surface using small organic molecule linkers and carbodiimide coupling. Nanoparticle size, zeta potential, and morphology were determined using dynamic light scattering and scanning electron microscopy, respectively. Subsequent attachment of the S-nitrosothiol resulted in a nitric oxide release of 37.1 ± 1.1 nmol per milligram of nanoparticles under physiological conditions. This low concentration of nitric oxide reduced Escherichia coli culture growth by 31.8%, indicating that the nitric oxide donor was effective at releasing nitric oxide even after attachment to the nanoparticle surface. Combining the nitric oxide modified nanoparticles with tetracycline, a commonly prescribed antibiotic for E. coli infections, increased the effectiveness of the antibiotic by 87.8%, which allows for lower doses of antibiotics to be used in order to achieve the same effect. The functionalized nanoparticles were not cytotoxic to mouse fibroblasts.

  15. Surface modification of PLGA nanoparticles to deliver nitric oxide to inhibit Escherichia coli growth

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Reger, Nina A.; Meng, Wilson S.; Gawalt, Ellen S.

    2017-01-01

    Highlights: • Thin film functionalized PLGA nanoparticles were modified to release nitric oxide from an s-nitrosothiol donor. • The nitric oxide modified nanoparticles were bacteriostatic against Escherichia coli. • The nitric oxide modified nanoparticles increased the effectiveness of tetracycline against Escherichia coli. • The modified nitric oxide nanoparticles did not exhibit cytotoxic effects against fibroblasts. - Abstract: Polymer nanoparticles consisting of poly (DL-lactic-co-glycolic acid) were surface functionalized to deliver nitric oxide. These biodegradable and biocompatible nanoparticles were modified with an S-nitrosothiol molecule, S-nitrosocysteamine, as the nitric oxide delivery molecule. S-nitrosocysteamine was covalently immobilized on the nanoparticle surface using small organic molecule linkers and carbodiimide coupling. Nanoparticle size, zeta potential, and morphology were determined using dynamic light scattering and scanning electron microscopy, respectively. Subsequent attachment of the S-nitrosothiol resulted in a nitric oxide release of 37.1 ± 1.1 nmol per milligram of nanoparticles under physiological conditions. This low concentration of nitric oxide reduced Escherichia coli culture growth by 31.8%, indicating that the nitric oxide donor was effective at releasing nitric oxide even after attachment to the nanoparticle surface. Combining the nitric oxide modified nanoparticles with tetracycline, a commonly prescribed antibiotic for E. coli infections, increased the effectiveness of the antibiotic by 87.8%, which allows for lower doses of antibiotics to be used in order to achieve the same effect. The functionalized nanoparticles were not cytotoxic to mouse fibroblasts.

  16. Towards Increased Relevance: Context-Adapted Models of the Learning Organization

    Science.gov (United States)

    Örtenblad, Anders

    2015-01-01

    Purpose: The purposes of this paper are to take a closer look at the relevance of the idea of the learning organization for organizations in different generalized organizational contexts; to open up for the existence of multiple, context-adapted models of the learning organization; and to suggest a number of such models.…

  17. A self-organized criticality model for plasma transport

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Carreras, B.A.; Newman, D.; Lynch, V.E.

    1996-01-01

    Many models of natural phenomena manifest the basic hypothesis of self-organized criticality (SOC). The SOC concept brings together the self-similarity on space and time scales that is common to many of these phenomena. The application of the SOC modelling concept to the plasma dynamics near marginal stability opens new possibilities of understanding issues such as Bohm scaling, profile consistency, broad band fluctuation spectra with universal characteristics and fast time scales. A model realization of self-organized criticality for plasma transport in a magnetic confinement device is presented. The model is based on subcritical resistive pressure-gradient-driven turbulence. Three-dimensional nonlinear calculations based on this model show the existence of transport under subcritical conditions. This model that includes fluctuation dynamics leads to results very similar to the running sandpile paradigm

  18. Hydrodynamic modelling of recreational water quality using Escherichia coli as an indicator of microbial contamination

    Science.gov (United States)

    Eregno, Fasil Ejigu; Tryland, Ingun; Tjomsland, Torulv; Kempa, Magdalena; Heistad, Arve

    2018-06-01

    Microbial contamination of recreational beaches is often at its worst after heavy rainfall events due to storm floods that carry fecal matter and other pollutants from the watershed. Similarly, overflows of untreated sewage from combined sewerage systems may discharge directly into coastal water or via rivers and streams. In order to understand the effect of rainfall events, wind-directions and tides on the recreational water quality, GEMSS, an integrated 3D hydrodynamic model was applied to assess the spreading of Escherichia coli (E. coli) at the Sandvika beaches, located in the Oslo fjord. The model was also used to theoretically investigate the effect of discharges from septic tanks from boats on the water quality at local beaches. The model make use of microbial decay rate as the main input representing the survival of microbial pathogens in the ocean, which vary widely depending on the type of pathogen and environmental stress. The predicted beach water quality was validated against observed data after a heavy rainfall event using Nash-Sutcliffe coefficient (E) and the overall result indicated that the model performed quite well and the simulation was in - good agreement with the observed E. coli concentrations for all beaches. The result of this study indicated that: 1) the bathing water quality was poor according to the EU bathing water directive up to two days after the heavy rainfall event depending on the location of the beach site. 2) The discharge from a boat at 300-meter distance to the beaches slightly increased the E. coli levels at the beaches. 3) The spreading of microbial pathogens from its source to the different beaches depended on the wind speed and the wind direction.

  19. Peptidoglycan transpeptidase inhibition in Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Escherichia coli by Penicillins and Cephalosporins.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moore, B A; Jevons, S; Brammer, K W

    1979-04-01

    Peptidoglycan transpeptidase activity has been studied in cells of Escherichia coli 146 and Pseudomonas aeruginosa 56 made permeable to exogenous, nucleotide-sugar peptidoglycan precursors by ether treatment. Transpeptidase activity was inhibited, in both organisms, by a range of penicillins and cephalosporins, the Pseudomonas enzyme being more sensitive to inhibition in each case. Conversely, growth of E. coli 146 was more susceptible to these antibiotics than growth of P. aeruginosa 56. Furthermore, similar transpeptidase inhibition values were ob-obtained for the four penicillins examined against the Pseudomonas enzyme, although only two of these (carbenicillin and pirbenicillin) inhibited the growth of this organism. We therefore conclude that the high resistance of P. aeruginosa 56 to growth inhibition by most beta-lactam antibiotics cannot be due to an insensitive peptidoglycan transpeptidase.

  20. Evaluation of the Weibull and log normal distribution functions as survival models of Escherichia coli under isothermal and non isothermal conditions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aragao, Glaucia M F; Corradini, Maria G; Normand, Mark D; Peleg, Micha

    2007-11-01

    Published survival curves of Escherichia coli in two growth media, with and without the presence of salt, at various temperatures and in a Greek eggplant salad having various levels of essential oil, all had a characteristic downward concavity when plotted on semi logarithmic coordinates. Some also exhibited what appeared as a 'shoulder' of considerable length. Regardless of whether a shoulder was noticed, the survival pattern could be considered as a manifestation of an underlying unimodal distribution of the cells' death times. Mathematically, the data could be described equally well by the Weibull and log normal distribution functions, which had similar modes, means, standard deviations and coefficients of skewness. When plotted in their probability density function (PDF) form, the curves also appeared very similar visually. This enabled us to quantify and compare the effect of temperature or essential oil concentration on the organism's survival in terms of these temporal distributions' characteristics. Increased lethality was generally expressed in a shorter mean and mode, a smaller standard deviation and increased overall symmetry as judged by the distributions' degree of skewness. The 'shoulder', as expected, simply indicated that the distribution's standard deviation was much smaller than its mode. Rate models based on the two distribution functions could be used to predict non isothermal survival patterns. They were derived on the assumption that the momentary inactivation rate is the isothermal rate at the momentary temperature at a time that corresponds to the momentary survival ratio. In this application, however, the Weibullian model with a fixed power was not only simpler and more convenient mathematically than the one based on the log normal distribution, but it also provided more accurate estimates of the dynamic inactivation patterns.

  1. Temperature control of fimbriation circuit switch in uropathogenic Escherichia coli: quantitative analysis via automated model abstraction.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hiroyuki Kuwahara

    2010-03-01

    Full Text Available Uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC represent the predominant cause of urinary tract infections (UTIs. A key UPEC molecular virulence mechanism is type 1 fimbriae, whose expression is controlled by the orientation of an invertible chromosomal DNA element-the fim switch. Temperature has been shown to act as a major regulator of fim switching behavior and is overall an important indicator as well as functional feature of many urologic diseases, including UPEC host-pathogen interaction dynamics. Given this panoptic physiological role of temperature during UTI progression and notable empirical challenges to its direct in vivo studies, in silico modeling of corresponding biochemical and biophysical mechanisms essential to UPEC pathogenicity may significantly aid our understanding of the underlying disease processes. However, rigorous computational analysis of biological systems, such as fim switch temperature control circuit, has hereto presented a notoriously demanding problem due to both the substantial complexity of the gene regulatory networks involved as well as their often characteristically discrete and stochastic dynamics. To address these issues, we have developed an approach that enables automated multiscale abstraction of biological system descriptions based on reaction kinetics. Implemented as a computational tool, this method has allowed us to efficiently analyze the modular organization and behavior of the E. coli fimbriation switch circuit at different temperature settings, thus facilitating new insights into this mode of UPEC molecular virulence regulation. In particular, our results suggest that, with respect to its role in shutting down fimbriae expression, the primary function of FimB recombinase may be to effect a controlled down-regulation (rather than increase of the ON-to-OFF fim switching rate via temperature-dependent suppression of competing dynamics mediated by recombinase FimE. Our computational analysis further implies

  2. ELECTROPHORETIC MOBILITIES OF ESCHERICHIA COLI 0157:H7 AND WILD-TYPE ESCHERICHIA COLI STRAINS

    Science.gov (United States)

    The electrophoretic mobility (EPM) of a number of human-virulent and "wild-type" Escherichia coli strains in phosphate buffered water was measured. The impact of pH, ionic strength, cation type (valence) and concentration, and bacterial strain on the EPM was investigated. Resul...

  3. The Zebrafish Model Organism Database (ZFIN)

    Data.gov (United States)

    U.S. Department of Health & Human Services — ZFIN serves as the zebrafish model organism database. It aims to: a) be the community database resource for the laboratory use of zebrafish, b) develop and support...

  4. Participation of different genes in the ruptures repair of double chain in Escherichia coli stumps exposed to gamma radiation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Serment G, J. H.; Martinez M, E.; Alcantara D, D.

    2013-01-01

    All living organisms are naturally exposed to radiation from different sources. Ionizing radiation produces a plethora of lesions upon DNA that can be categorized as single and double strand breaks and base damage. Among them, unrepaired double strand breaks (Dbs) have the greatest biological significance, since they are responsible of cell death. In Escherichia coli this kind of lesions are repaired mostly by homologous recombination. In this work the participation of some recombination genes in the repair of Dbs is evaluated. Escherichia coli defective strains were exposed to gamma radiation and incubated for different periods in ideal conditions. Both micro electrophoresis and pulse field gel electrophoresis techniques were used to evaluate the kinetics of repair of such lesions, reflecting the importance of each defective gene in the process. (Author)

  5. The initiative on Model Organism Proteomes (iMOP) Session

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Schrimpf, Sabine P; Mering, Christian von; Bendixen, Emøke

    2012-01-01

    iMOP – the Initiative on Model Organism Proteomes – was accepted as a new HUPO initiative at the Ninth HUPO meeting in Sydney in 2010. A goal of iMOP is to integrate research groups working on a great diversity of species into a model organism community. At the Tenth HUPO meeting in Geneva...

  6. IT Business Value Model for Information Intensive Organizations

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Antonio Carlos Gastaud Maçada

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Many studies have highlighted the capacity Information Technology (IT has for generating value for organizations. Investments in IT made by organizations have increased each year. Therefore, the purpose of the present study is to analyze the IT Business Value for Information Intensive Organizations (IIO - e.g. banks, insurance companies and securities brokers. The research method consisted of a survey that used and combined the models from Weill and Broadbent (1998 and Gregor, Martin, Fernandez, Stern and Vitale (2006. Data was gathered using an adapted instrument containing 5 dimensions (Strategic, Informational, Transactional, Transformational and Infra-structure with 27 items. The instrument was refined by employing statistical techniques such as Exploratory and Confirmatory Factorial Analysis through Structural Equations (first and second order Model Measurement. The final model is composed of four factors related to IT Business Value: Strategic, Informational, Transactional and Transformational, arranged in 15 items. The dimension Infra-structure was excluded during the model refinement process because it was discovered during interviews that managers were unable to perceive it as a distinct dimension of IT Business Value.

  7. Charge carrier relaxation model in disordered organic semiconductors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lu, Nianduan; Li, Ling; Sun, Pengxiao; Liu, Ming

    2013-01-01

    The relaxation phenomena of charge carrier in disordered organic semiconductors have been demonstrated and investigated theoretically. An analytical model describing the charge carrier relaxation is proposed based on the pure hopping transport theory. The relation between the material disorder, electric field and temperature and the relaxation phenomena has been discussed in detail, respectively. The calculated results reveal that the increase of electric field and temperature can promote the relaxation effect in disordered organic semiconductors, while the increase of material disorder will weaken the relaxation. The proposed model can explain well the stretched-exponential law by adopting the appropriate parameters. The calculation shows a good agreement with the experimental data for organic semiconductors

  8. Escherichia coli pollution in a Baltic Sea lagoon: a model-based source and spatial risk assessment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schippmann, Bianca; Schernewski, Gerald; Gräwe, Ulf

    2013-07-01

    Tourism around the Oder (Szczecin) Lagoon, at the southern Baltic coast, has a long tradition, is an important source of income and shall be further developed. Insufficient bathing water quality and frequent beach closings, especially in the Oder river mouth, hamper tourism development. Monitoring data gives only an incomplete picture of Escherichia coli (E. coli) bacteria sources, spatial transport patterns, risks and does neither support an efficient bathing water quality management nor decision making. We apply a 3D ocean model and a Lagrangian particle tracking model to analyse pollution events and to obtain spatial E. coli pollution maps based on scenario simulations. Model results suggests that insufficient sewage treatment in the city of Szczecin is the major source of faecal pollution, even for beaches 20km downstream. E. coli mortality rate and emission intensity are key parameters for concentration levels downstream. Wind and river discharge play a modifying role. Prevailing southwestern wind conditions cause E. coli transport along the eastern coast and favour high concentration levels at the beaches. Our simulations indicate that beach closings in 2006 would not have been necessary according to the new EU-Bathing Water Quality Directive (2006/7/EC). The implementation of the new directive will, very likely, reduce the number of beach closings, but not the risk for summer tourists. Model results suggest, that a full sewage treatment in Szczecin would allow the establishment of new beaches closer to the city (north of Dabie lake). Copyright © 2013 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

  9. Drosophila melanogaster as a model organism to study nanotoxicity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ong, Cynthia; Yung, Lin-Yue Lanry; Cai, Yu; Bay, Boon-Huat; Baeg, Gyeong-Hun

    2015-05-01

    Drosophila melanogaster has been used as an in vivo model organism for the study of genetics and development since 100 years ago. Recently, the fruit fly Drosophila was also developed as an in vivo model organism for toxicology studies, in particular, the field of nanotoxicity. The incorporation of nanomaterials into consumer and biomedical products is a cause for concern as nanomaterials are often associated with toxicity in many in vitro studies. In vivo animal studies of the toxicity of nanomaterials with rodents and other mammals are, however, limited due to high operational cost and ethical objections. Hence, Drosophila, a genetically tractable organism with distinct developmental stages and short life cycle, serves as an ideal organism to study nanomaterial-mediated toxicity. This review discusses the basic biology of Drosophila, the toxicity of nanomaterials, as well as how the Drosophila model can be used to study the toxicity of various types of nanomaterials.

  10. Characterizing the Final Steps of Chromosomal Replication at the Single-molecule Level in the Model System Escherichia coli

    KAUST Repository

    Elshenawy, Mohamed

    2015-01-01

    In the circular Escherichia coli chromosome, two replisomes are assembled at the unique origin of replication and drive DNA synthesis in opposite directions until they meet in the terminus region across from the origin. Despite the difference

  11. Characterization of Escherichia coli Phylogenetic Groups ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    tract infection (UTI), bacteremia, pneumonia, soft-tissue infection, and ... Keywords: Drug resistance, Escherichia coli, Extraintestinal infections, Polymerase chain reaction, .... gynecology, 12 from orthopedics and 5 from pediatrics units.

  12. Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene meeting at Manson House, London, 14 December 1995. Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli--mucosal infection models.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Frankel, G; Phillips, A D; Hicks, S; Dougan, G

    1996-01-01

    The formation of attaching and effacing (A/E) lesions is central to the pathogenesis of enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC)-mediated disease in humans and Citrobacter rodentium-mediated transmissible colonic hyperplasia in mice. Closely related outer membrane proteins, known as intimins, are required for formation of the A/E lesion by both EPEC and C. rodentium. In this study we found similar ultrastructural damage in small intestinal biopsies from an EPEC-infected child and large bowel specimens from C. rodentium-infected mice. The C. rodentium-infected large bowel biopsies revealed massive hyperplastic reactions and the infected human small intestinal biopsies showed an increase in total crypt cell number and mitotic index. EPEC-infected small intestinal organ cultures revealed bacteria adhering in a localized pattern and evidence of A/E lesions. Covaspheres coated with a biologically active cell-binding domain of intimin also adhered to cells in a localized fashion but did not induce the characteristic A/E lesions.

  13. Lotka-Volterra competition models for sessile organisms.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Spencer, Matthew; Tanner, Jason E

    2008-04-01

    Markov models are widely used to describe the dynamics of communities of sessile organisms, because they are easily fitted to field data and provide a rich set of analytical tools. In typical ecological applications, at any point in time, each point in space is in one of a finite set of states (e.g., species, empty space). The models aim to describe the probabilities of transitions between states. In most Markov models for communities, these transition probabilities are assumed to be independent of state abundances. This assumption is often suspected to be false and is rarely justified explicitly. Here, we start with simple assumptions about the interactions among sessile organisms and derive a model in which transition probabilities depend on the abundance of destination states. This model is formulated in continuous time and is equivalent to a Lotka-Volterra competition model. We fit this model and a variety of alternatives in which transition probabilities do not depend on state abundances to a long-term coral reef data set. The Lotka-Volterra model describes the data much better than all models we consider other than a saturated model (a model with a separate parameter for each transition at each time interval, which by definition fits the data perfectly). Our approach provides a basis for further development of stochastic models of sessile communities, and many of the methods we use are relevant to other types of community. We discuss possible extensions to spatially explicit models.

  14. Analysis of l-glutamic acid fermentation by using a dynamic metabolic simulation model of Escherichia coli

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-01-01

    Background Understanding the process of amino acid fermentation as a comprehensive system is a challenging task. Previously, we developed a literature-based dynamic simulation model, which included transcriptional regulation, transcription, translation, and enzymatic reactions related to glycolysis, the pentose phosphate pathway, the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle, and the anaplerotic pathway of Escherichia coli. During simulation, cell growth was defined such as to reproduce the experimental cell growth profile of fed-batch cultivation in jar fermenters. However, to confirm the biological appropriateness of our model, sensitivity analysis and experimental validation were required. Results We constructed an l-glutamic acid fermentation simulation model by removing sucAB, a gene encoding α-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase. We then performed systematic sensitivity analysis for l-glutamic acid production; the results of this process corresponded with previous experimental data regarding l-glutamic acid fermentation. Furthermore, it allowed us to predicted the possibility that accumulation of 3-phosphoglycerate in the cell would regulate the carbon flux into the TCA cycle and lead to an increase in the yield of l-glutamic acid via fermentation. We validated this hypothesis through a fermentation experiment involving a model l-glutamic acid-production strain, E. coli MG1655 ΔsucA in which the phosphoglycerate kinase gene had been amplified to cause accumulation of 3-phosphoglycerate. The observed increase in l-glutamic acid production verified the biologically meaningful predictive power of our dynamic metabolic simulation model. Conclusions In this study, dynamic simulation using a literature-based model was shown to be useful for elucidating the precise mechanisms involved in fermentation processes inside the cell. Further exhaustive sensitivity analysis will facilitate identification of novel factors involved in the metabolic regulation of amino acid fermentation. PMID

  15. (Tropical) soil organic matter modelling: problems and prospects

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Keulen, van H.

    2001-01-01

    Soil organic matter plays an important role in many physical, chemical and biological processes. However, the quantitative relations between the mineral and organic components of the soil and the relations with the vegetation are poorly understood. In such situations, the use of models is an

  16. Metabolic Recruitment and Directed Evolution of Nucleoside Triphosphate Uptake in Escherichia coli.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pezo, Valérie; Hassan, Camille; Louis, Dominique; Sargueil, Bruno; Herdewijn, Piet; Marlière, Philippe

    2018-05-18

    We report the design and elaboration of a selection protocol for importing a canonical substrate of DNA polymerase, thymidine triphosphate (dTTP) in Escherichia coli. Bacterial strains whose growth depend on dTTP uptake, through the action of an algal plastid transporter expressed from a synthetic gene inserted in the chromosome, were constructed and shown to withstand the simultaneous loss of thymidylate synthase and thymidine kinase. Such thyA tdk dual deletant strains provide an experimental model of tight nutritional containment for preventing dissemination of microbial GMOs. Our strains transported the four canonical dNTPs, in the following order of preference: dCTP > dATP ≥ dGTP > dTTP. Prolonged cultivation under limitation of exogenous dTTP led to the enhancement of dNTP transport by adaptive evolution. We investigated the uptake of dCTP analogues with altered sugar or nucleobase moieties, which were found to cause a loss of cell viability and an increase of mutant frequency, respectively. E. coli strains equipped with nucleoside triphosphate transporters should be instrumental for evolving organisms whose DNA genome is morphed chemically by fully substituting its canonical nucleotide components.

  17. Metabolic investigation of host/pathogen interaction using MS2-infected Escherichia coli

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jain Rishi

    2009-12-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background RNA viruses are responsible for a variety of illnesses among people, including but not limited to the common cold, the flu, HIV, and ebola. Developing new drugs and new strategies for treating diseases caused by these viruses can be an expensive and time-consuming process. Mathematical modeling may be used to elucidate host-pathogen interactions and highlight potential targets for drug development, as well providing the basis for optimizing patient treatment strategies. The purpose of this work was to determine whether a genome-scale modeling approach could be used to understand how metabolism is impacted by the host-pathogen interaction during a viral infection. Escherichia coli/MS2 was used as the host-pathogen model system as MS2 is easy to work with, harmless to humans, but shares many features with eukaryotic viruses. In addition, the genome-scale metabolic model of E. coli is the most comprehensive model at this time. Results Employing a metabolic modeling strategy known as "flux balance analysis" coupled with experimental studies, we were able to predict how viral infection would alter bacterial metabolism. Based on our simulations, we predicted that cell growth and biosynthesis of the cell wall would be halted. Furthermore, we predicted a substantial increase in metabolic activity of the pentose phosphate pathway as a means to enhance viral biosynthesis, while a break down in the citric acid cycle was predicted. Also, no changes were predicted in the glycolytic pathway. Conclusions Through our approach, we have developed a technique of modeling virus-infected host metabolism and have investigated the metabolic effects of viral infection. These studies may provide insight into how to design better drugs. They also illustrate the potential of extending such metabolic analysis to higher order organisms, including humans.

  18. An in vitro model to study interactions between Escherichia coli and lactic acid bacterial inoculants for silage in rumen fluid.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Weinberg, Z G; Chen, Y; Volchinski, V; Sela, S; Ogunade, I M; Adesogan, A

    2016-07-01

    Previous studies have shown that silages treated with lactic acid bacteria (LAB) inoculants enhance ruminants' performance. The objective of the current experiments was to develop an in vitro model to study interactions between LAB silage inoculants and inoculated silages and Escherichia coli (EC) in rumen fluid (RF). Our hypothesis was that some inoculants inhibit EC in RF. For that purpose buffered RF was incubated under anaerobic conditions at 39°C with commercial strains of LAB silage inoculants or with laboratory corn and wheat silages treated with these LAB, an EC strain and with various ruminant feed ingredients. The EC strain was originally isolated from cattle manure and tagged with a plasmid expressing the green fluorescence protein and kanamycin and streptomycin resistance. Results indicate that the LAB or the treated silages did not suppress EC numbers in the RF. When the pH of the RF decreased below 5·0 the EC disappeared. We conclude that both LAB inoculants for silage and EC survived in RF for several days; however, the inoculants and silages treated with such inoculants did not inhibit EC in RF in vitro. Forage crops, silage and hay are initial stages of the food chain for humans. Cattle harbours and sheds enterobacteria regularly, some strains of which are pathogens. These can contaminate forage crops through field fertilization with cattle manure. The objective of this study was to develop an in vitro model to test whether lactic acid bacteria, which are used in silage inoculants, alone or in treated silages can inhibit Escherichia coli in rumen fluid. This study presents safety aspects and it is also part of a broad research effort aimed at finding out how LAB silage inoculants and inoculated silages enhance ruminant performance or exert probiotic effects in ruminants. © 2016 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

  19. Development of a statistical shape model of multi-organ and its performance evaluation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nakada, Misaki; Shimizu, Akinobu; Kobatake, Hidefumi; Nawano, Shigeru

    2010-01-01

    Existing statistical shape modeling methods for an organ can not take into account the correlation between neighboring organs. This study focuses on a level set distribution model and proposes two modeling methods for multiple organs that can take into account the correlation between neighboring organs. The first method combines level set functions of multiple organs into a vector. Subsequently it analyses the distribution of the vectors of a training dataset by a principal component analysis and builds a multiple statistical shape model. Second method constructs a statistical shape model for each organ independently and assembles component scores of different organs in a training dataset so as to generate a vector. It analyses the distribution of the vectors of to build a statistical shape model of multiple organs. This paper shows results of applying the proposed methods trained by 15 abdominal CT volumes to unknown 8 CT volumes. (author)

  20. Cancerous patients and outbreak of Escherichia coli: an important issue in oncology

    OpenAIRE

    Joob, Beuy; Wiwanitkit, Viroj

    2014-01-01

    The widespread of the Escherichia coli outbreak in Europe becomes an important public concern at global level. The infection can be serious and might result in death. The retrospective literature review on this specific topic is performed. In this specific brief article, the author presented and discussed on the problem of Escherichia coli infection in the cancerous patients. This is an actual important issue in medical oncology for the scenario of Escherichia coli epidemic.

  1. The conceptual model of organization social responsibility

    OpenAIRE

    LUO, Lan; WEI, Jingfu

    2014-01-01

    With the developing of the research of CSR, people more and more deeply noticethat the corporate should take responsibility. Whether other organizations besides corporatesshould not take responsibilities beyond their field? This paper puts forward theconcept of organization social responsibility on the basis of the concept of corporate socialresponsibility and other theories. And the conceptual models are built based on theconception, introducing the OSR from three angles: the types of organi...

  2. Resilient organizations: matrix model and service line management.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Westphal, Judith A

    2005-09-01

    Resilient organizations modify structures to meet the demands of the marketplace. The author describes a structure that enables multihospital organizations to innovate and rapidly adapt to changes. Service line management within a matrix model is an evolving organizational structure for complex systems in which nurses are pivotal members.

  3. Scalability of Sustainable Business Models in Hybrid Organizations

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Adam Jabłoński

    2016-02-01

    Full Text Available The dynamics of change in modern business create new mechanisms for company management to determine their pursuit and the achievement of their high performance. This performance maintained over a long period of time becomes a source of ensuring business continuity by companies. An ontological being enabling the adoption of such assumptions is such a business model that has the ability to generate results in every possible market situation and, moreover, it has the features of permanent adaptability. A feature that describes the adaptability of the business model is its scalability. Being a factor ensuring more work and more efficient work with an increasing number of components, scalability can be applied to the concept of business models as the company’s ability to maintain similar or higher performance through it. Ensuring the company’s performance in the long term helps to build the so-called sustainable business model that often balances the objectives of stakeholders and shareholders, and that is created by the implemented principles of value-based management and corporate social responsibility. This perception of business paves the way for building hybrid organizations that integrate business activities with pro-social ones. The combination of an approach typical of hybrid organizations in designing and implementing sustainable business models pursuant to the scalability criterion seems interesting from the cognitive point of view. Today, hybrid organizations are great spaces for building effective and efficient mechanisms for dialogue between business and society. This requires the appropriate business model. The purpose of the paper is to present the conceptualization and operationalization of scalability of sustainable business models that determine the performance of a hybrid organization in the network environment. The paper presents the original concept of applying scalability in sustainable business models with detailed

  4. Modeling the Explicit Chemistry of Anthropogenic and Biogenic Organic Aerosols

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Madronich, Sasha [Univ. Corporation for Atmospheric Research, Boulder, CO (United States)

    2015-12-09

    The atmospheric burden of Secondary Organic Aerosols (SOA) remains one of the most important yet uncertain aspects of the radiative forcing of climate. This grant focused on improving our quantitative understanding of SOA formation and evolution, by developing, applying, and improving a highly detailed model of atmospheric organic chemistry, the Generation of Explicit Chemistry and Kinetics of Organics in the Atmosphere (GECKO-A) model. Eleven (11) publications have resulted from this grant.

  5. Translational coupling in Escherichia coli of a heterologous Bacillus subtilis-Escherichia coli gene fusion.

    OpenAIRE

    Zaghloul, T I; Doi, R H

    1986-01-01

    The efficient expression in Escherichia coli of the Tn9-derived chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (EC 2.3.1.28) gene fused distal to the promoter and N terminus of the Bacillus subtilis aprA gene was dependent on the initiation of translation from the ribosome-binding site in the aprA gene.

  6. Identification and Prevalence of Escherichia coli and Escherichia coli O157: H7 in Foods

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ancuta Mihaela Rotar

    2013-11-01

    Full Text Available The objective of this study is to investigate the incidence of Escherichia coli in animal and non-animal foods, and mainly the incidence of the serotype O157: H7 producing verotoxin. The presence of common Escherichia coli and Escherichia coli O157: H7 in various foods (of animal and non animal origin was performed in Transylvania area. We analyzed a total of one hundred forty-one samples of minced meat, one hundred twenty-six samples of meat , twenty six samples of meat products, five samples of alcoholic beverages, three samples of seafood, one hundred samples of cheese from pasteurized milk, seventeen samples of butter, four samples of vegetables and one sample of milk powder, using the standard cultural method and Vidas Eco method for E. coli O157: H7 strains. E. coli was identified in 50 samples of minced meat, 55 samples of meat prepared, 4 samples of meat products, 2 samples of alcoholic beverages, 25 samples of cheese from pasteurized milk, 6 samples of butter and 1 sample of vegetables. In this study were not been identified any foods contaminated with the E. coli O157: H7 serotype. The results of this reasearch have demostrated that E. coli wich represents a hygienic indicator of recent food contamination, can be destroyed with heat treatment and hygienic handling of foods. Our country over the years has been among the few countries where the incidence of the E. coli O157: H7 serotype has been minimal.

  7. An engineered non-oxidative glycolysis pathway for acetone production in Escherichia coli.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Xiaoyan; Yuan, Qianqian; Zheng, Yangyang; Ma, Hongwu; Chen, Tao; Zhao, Xueming

    2016-08-01

    To find new metabolic engineering strategies to improve the yield of acetone in Escherichia coli. Results of flux balance analysis from a modified Escherichia coli genome-scale metabolic network suggested that the introduction of a non-oxidative glycolysis (NOG) pathway would improve the theoretical acetone yield from 1 to 1.5 mol acetone/mol glucose. By inserting the fxpk gene encoding phosphoketolase from Bifidobacterium adolescentis into the genome, we constructed a NOG pathway in E.coli. The resulting strain produced 47 mM acetone from glucose under aerobic conditions in shake-flasks. The yield of acetone was improved from 0.38 to 0.47 mol acetone/mol glucose which is a significant over the parent strain. Guided by computational analysis of metabolic networks, we introduced a NOG pathway into E. coli and increased the yield of acetone, which demonstrates the importance of modeling analysis for the novel metabolic engineering strategies.

  8. 76 FR 20542 - Escherichia coli

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-04-13

    ... beef, Escherichia coli and coliphages were found in chicken, fresh pork, fresh oyster, fresh mushrooms, lettuce, chicken pot pie, biscuit dough, deli loaf, deli roasted turkey, and package roasted chicken... surfaces, and in foods such as ground beef, pork sausage, chicken, oysters, cheese, fresh mushrooms, and...

  9. Xanthusbase: adapting wikipedia principles to a model organism database

    OpenAIRE

    Arshinoff, Bradley I.; Suen, Garret; Just, Eric M.; Merchant, Sohel M.; Kibbe, Warren A.; Chisholm, Rex L.; Welch, Roy D.

    2006-01-01

    xanthusBase () is the official model organism database (MOD) for the social bacterium Myxococcus xanthus. In many respects, M.xanthus represents the pioneer model organism (MO) for studying the genetic, biochemical, and mechanistic basis of prokaryotic multicellularity, a topic that has garnered considerable attention due to the significance of biofilms in both basic and applied microbiology research. To facilitate its utility, the design of xanthusBase incorporates open-source software, leve...

  10. Inactivation of Escherichia coli in soil by solarization

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wu, S.; Nishihara, M.; Kawasaki, Y.; Yokoyama, A.; Matsuura, K.; Koga, T.; Ueno, D.; Inoue, K.; Someya, T.

    2009-01-01

    Contamination of agricultural soil by fecal pathogenic bacteria poses a potential risk of infection to humans. For the biosafety control of field soil, soil solarization in an upland field was examined to determine the efficiency of solarization on the inactivation of Escherichia coli inoculated into soil as a model microorganism for human pathogenic bacteria. Soil solarization, carried out by sprinkling water and covering the soil surface with thin plastic sheets, greatly increased the soil temperature. The daily average temperature of the solarized soil was 4–10°C higher than that of the non-solarized soil and fluctuated between 31 and 38°C. The daily highest temperature reached more than 40°C for 8 days in total in the solarized soil during the second and third weeks of the experiment. Escherichia coli in the solarized soil became undetectable (< 0.08 c.f.u. g −1 dry soil) within 4 weeks as a result, whereas E. coli survived for more than 6 weeks in the non-solarized soil. Soil solarization, however, had little influence on the total direct count and total viable count of bacteria in the soil. These results indicate that soil solarization would be useful for the biosafety control of soil contaminated by human pathogens via immature compost or animal feces. (author)

  11. Single particle tracking reveals spatial and dynamic organization of the Escherichia coli biofilm matrix

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Birjiniuk, Alona; Doyle, Patrick S; Billings, Nicole; Ribbeck, Katharina; Nance, Elizabeth; Hanes, Justin

    2014-01-01

    Biofilms are communities of surface-adherent bacteria surrounded by secreted polymers known as the extracellular polymeric substance. Biofilms are harmful in many industries, and thus it is of great interest to understand their mechanical properties and structure to determine ways to destabilize them. By performing single particle tracking with beads of varying surface functionalization it was found that charge interactions play a key role in mediating mobility within biofilms. With a combination of single particle tracking and microrheological concepts, it was found that Escherichia coli biofilms display height dependent charge density that evolves over time. Statistical analyses of bead trajectories and confocal microscopy showed inter-connecting micron scale channels that penetrate throughout the biofilm, which may be important for nutrient transfer through the system. This methodology provides significant insight into a particular biofilm system and can be applied to many others to provide comparisons of biofilm structure. The elucidation of structure provides evidence for the permeability of biofilms to microscale objects, and the ability of a biofilm to mature and change properties over time. (paper)

  12. Photoreactivable sector of lethal damage in ultraviolet-irradiated Escherichia coli cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Balgavy, P.

    1976-01-01

    The photoreactivable sector of lethal damage in Escherichia coli Bsub(s-1), Escherichia coli B/r Hcr - and Escherichia coli B/r Hcr + cells after ultraviolet irradiation at 254 nm is 0.823 +- 0.004, 0.70 +- 0.01 and 0.53 +- 0.06, respectively, at 99% confidence limits. For the low values of the photoreactivable sector in the B/r Hcr - and B/r Hcr + strains are likely to be responsible dark repair processes which eliminate lethal damage, brought about by pyrimidine dimers, preferably in comparison with lethal damage caused by photoproducts of another type. (author)

  13. Is Escherichia coli urinary tract infection a zoonosis?

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jacobsen, L.; Garneau, P.; Bruant, G.

    2012-01-01

    Recently, it has been suggested that the Escherichia coli causing urinary tract infection (UTI) may come from meat and animals. The purpose was to investigate if a clonal link existed between E. coli from animals, meat and UTI patients. Twenty-two geographically and temporally matched B2 E. coli...... from UTI patients, community-dwelling humans, broiler chicken meat, pork, and broiler chicken, previously identified to exhibit eight virulence genotypes by microarraydetection of approximately 300 genes, were investigated for clonal relatedness by PFGE. Nine isolates were selected and tested...... for in vivo virulence in the mouse model of ascending UTI. UTI and community-dwelling human strains were closely clonally related to meat strains. Several human derived strains were also clonally interrelated. All nine isolates regardless of origin were virulent in the UTI model with positive urine, bladder...

  14. A model of the transmission of micro-organisms in a public setting and its correlation to pathogen infection risks.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gerhardts, A; Hammer, T R; Balluff, C; Mucha, H; Hoefer, D

    2012-03-01

    Gastro-intestinal infections are widespread in the community and have considerable economic consequences. In this study, we followed chains of infection from a public toilet scenario, looking at infection risks by correlating the transmission of bacteria, fungi and viruses to our current knowledge of infectious doses. Transmission of Escherichia coli, Bacillus atrophaeus spores, Candida albicans and bacteriophage MS2 from hands to surfaces was examined in a transmission model, that is toilet brush, door handle to water tap. The load of viable pathogens was significantly reduced during transfer from hands to objects. Nevertheless, it was shown that pathogens were successfully transferred to other people in contagious doses by contact with contaminated surfaces. Our results suggest that infection risks are mainly dependent on current infectious doses of pathogens. For enteritic viruses or bacteria, for example Norovirus or EHEC, only a few particles or cells are sufficient for infection in public lavatories, thus bearing a high risk of infection for other persons. However, there seems to be only a low probability of becoming infected with pathogens that have a high infectious dose whilst sharing the same bathroom. The transmission model for micro-organisms enables a risk assessment of gastro-intestinal infections on the basis of a practical approach. © 2012 The Authors. Journal of Applied Microbiology © 2012 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

  15. Effects of antecedent fermentative and respiratory growth on the detection of chloramine-stressed Escherichia coil and Salmonella typhimurium.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thunberg, R L; Sexstone, A J; Calabrese, J P; Bissonnette, G K

    2001-08-01

    In vitro laboratory studies were performed to assess the effects of antecedent growth conditions on the recovery of Escherichia coli ATCC 25922 and Salmonella typhimurium ATCC 14028 following chloramine disinfection. Six- and 18-h cultures of each organism were grown under aerobic, fermentative, and nitrate-reducing conditions prior to disinfection. At predetermined time intervals during a 10-min exposure to chloramine, survivors were surface plated on nonselective recovery media to determine C(n)t values. It was observed that nitrate-reducing growth predisposed the test organisms towards an increased sensitivity to chloramine stress over cells grown under fermentation or aerobic conditions (p < 0.01).

  16. MATRIX-VBS Condensing Organic Aerosols in an Aerosol Microphysics Model

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gao, Chloe Y.; Tsigaridis, Konstas; Bauer, Susanne E.

    2015-01-01

    The condensation of organic aerosols is represented in a newly developed box-model scheme, where its effect on the growth and composition of particles are examined. We implemented the volatility-basis set (VBS) framework into the aerosol mixing state resolving microphysical scheme Multiconfiguration Aerosol TRacker of mIXing state (MATRIX). This new scheme is unique and advances the representation of organic aerosols in models in that, contrary to the traditional treatment of organic aerosols as non-volatile in most climate models and in the original version of MATRIX, this new scheme treats them as semi-volatile. Such treatment is important because low-volatility organics contribute significantly to the growth of particles. The new scheme includes several classes of semi-volatile organic compounds from the VBS framework that can partition among aerosol populations in MATRIX, thus representing the growth of particles via condensation of low volatility organic vapors. Results from test cases representing Mexico City and a Finish forrest condistions show good representation of the time evolutions of concentration for VBS species in the gas phase and in the condensed particulate phase. Emitted semi-volatile primary organic aerosols evaporate almost completely in the high volatile range, and they condense more efficiently in the low volatility range.

  17. Democracy versus dictatorship in self-organized models of financial markets

    Science.gov (United States)

    D'Hulst, R.; Rodgers, G. J.

    2000-06-01

    Models to mimic the transmission of information in financial markets are introduced. As an attempt to generate the demand process, we distinguish between dictatorship associations, where groups of agents rely on one of them to make decision, and democratic associations, where each agent takes part in the group decision. In the dictatorship model, agents segregate into two distinct populations, while the democratic model is driven towards a critical state where groups of agents of all sizes exist. Hence, both models display a level of organization, but only the democratic model is self-organized. We show that the dictatorship model generates less-volatile markets than the democratic model.

  18. Table of 3D organ model IDs and organ names (PART-OF Tree) - BodyParts3D | LSDB Archive [Life Science Database Archive metadata

    Lifescience Database Archive (English)

    Full Text Available List Contact us BodyParts3D Table of 3D organ model IDs and organ names (PART-OF Tree) Data detail Data name Table of 3D org...an model IDs and organ names (PART-OF Tree) DOI 10.18908/lsdba.nbdc00837-002 Description of ...data contents List of downloadable 3D organ models in a tab-delimited text file format, describing the correspondence between 3D org...an model IDs and organ names available in PART-OF Tree. D...atabase Site Policy | Contact Us Table of 3D organ model IDs and organ names (PART-OF Tree) - BodyParts3D | LSDB Archive ...

  19. Escherichia coli as a probiotic?

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Jansen, GJ; Wildeboer-Veloo, ACM; van der Waaij, D; Degener, JE

    1998-01-01

    The influence of oral treatment with a suspension of non-pathogenic Escherichia coli cells (commercially available as: Symbioflor II(R)) on the morphological composition of the gut microflora and on the systemic humoral immune response (the IgG-, IgA- and IgM-isotype) against the bacterial cells in

  20. Life-History Traits of the Model Organism Pristionchus pacificus Recorded Using the Hanging Drop Method: Comparison with Caenorhabditis elegans.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gilarte, Patricia; Kreuzinger-Janik, Bianca; Majdi, Nabil; Traunspurger, Walter

    2015-01-01

    The nematode Pristionchus pacificus is of growing interest as a model organism in evolutionary biology. However, despite multiple studies of its genetics, developmental cues, and ecology, the basic life-history traits (LHTs) of P. pacificus remain unknown. In this study, we used the hanging drop method to follow P. pacificus at the individual level and thereby quantify its LHTs. This approach allowed direct comparisons with the LHTs of Caenorhabditis elegans recently determined using this method. When provided with 5×10(9) Escherichia coli cells ml(-1) at 20°C, the intrinsic rate of natural increase of P. pacificus was 1.125 (individually, per day); mean net production was 115 juveniles produced during the life-time of each individual, and each nematode laid an average of 270 eggs (both fertile and unfertile). The mean age of P. pacificus individuals at first reproduction was 65 h, and the average life span was 22 days. The life cycle of P. pacificus is therefore slightly longer than that of C. elegans, with a longer average life span and hatching time and the production of fewer progeny.

  1. Life-History Traits of the Model Organism Pristionchus pacificus Recorded Using the Hanging Drop Method: Comparison with Caenorhabditis elegans.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Patricia Gilarte

    Full Text Available The nematode Pristionchus pacificus is of growing interest as a model organism in evolutionary biology. However, despite multiple studies of its genetics, developmental cues, and ecology, the basic life-history traits (LHTs of P. pacificus remain unknown. In this study, we used the hanging drop method to follow P. pacificus at the individual level and thereby quantify its LHTs. This approach allowed direct comparisons with the LHTs of Caenorhabditis elegans recently determined using this method. When provided with 5×10(9 Escherichia coli cells ml(-1 at 20°C, the intrinsic rate of natural increase of P. pacificus was 1.125 (individually, per day; mean net production was 115 juveniles produced during the life-time of each individual, and each nematode laid an average of 270 eggs (both fertile and unfertile. The mean age of P. pacificus individuals at first reproduction was 65 h, and the average life span was 22 days. The life cycle of P. pacificus is therefore slightly longer than that of C. elegans, with a longer average life span and hatching time and the production of fewer progeny.

  2. Synergistic effects in mixed Escherichia coli biofilms

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Reisner, A.; Holler, B.M.; Molin, Søren

    2006-01-01

    Bacterial biofilms, often composed of multiple species and genetically distinct strains, develop under complex influences of cell-cell interactions. Although detailed knowledge about the mechanisms underlying formation of single-species laboratory biofilms has emerged, little is known about...... the pathways governing development of more complex heterogeneous communities. In this study, we established a laboratory model where biofilm-stimulating effects due to interactions between genetically diverse strains of Escherichia coli were monitored. Synergistic induction of biofilm formation resulting from...... the cocultivation of 403 undomesticated E. coli strains with a characterized E. coli K-12 strain was detected at a significant frequency. The survey suggests that different mechanisms underlie the observed stimulation, yet synergistic development of biofilm within the subset of E. coli isolates (n = 56) exhibiting...

  3. Stage-structured matrix models for organisms with non-geometric development times

    Science.gov (United States)

    Andrew Birt; Richard M. Feldman; David M. Cairns; Robert N. Coulson; Maria Tchakerian; Weimin Xi; James M. Guldin

    2009-01-01

    Matrix models have been used to model population growth of organisms for many decades. They are popular because of both their conceptual simplicity and their computational efficiency. For some types of organisms they are relatively accurate in predicting population growth; however, for others the matrix approach does not adequately model...

  4. Modeling organic aerosols during MILAGRO: importance of biogenic secondary organic aerosols

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    A. Hodzic

    2009-09-01

    Full Text Available The meso-scale chemistry-transport model CHIMERE is used to assess our understanding of major sources and formation processes leading to a fairly large amount of organic aerosols – OA, including primary OA (POA and secondary OA (SOA – observed in Mexico City during the MILAGRO field project (March 2006. Chemical analyses of submicron aerosols from aerosol mass spectrometers (AMS indicate that organic particles found in the Mexico City basin contain a large fraction of oxygenated organic species (OOA which have strong correspondence with SOA, and that their production actively continues downwind of the city. The SOA formation is modeled here by the one-step oxidation of anthropogenic (i.e. aromatics, alkanes, biogenic (i.e. monoterpenes and isoprene, and biomass-burning SOA precursors and their partitioning into both organic and aqueous phases. Conservative assumptions are made for uncertain parameters to maximize the amount of SOA produced by the model. The near-surface model evaluation shows that predicted OA correlates reasonably well with measurements during the campaign, however it remains a factor of 2 lower than the measured total OA. Fairly good agreement is found between predicted and observed POA within the city suggesting that anthropogenic and biomass burning emissions are reasonably captured. Consistent with previous studies in Mexico City, large discrepancies are encountered for SOA, with a factor of 2–10 model underestimate. When only anthropogenic SOA precursors were considered, the model was able to reproduce within a factor of two the sharp increase in OOA concentrations during the late morning at both urban and near-urban locations but the discrepancy increases rapidly later in the day, consistent with previous results, and is especially obvious when the column-integrated SOA mass is considered instead of the surface concentration. The increase in the missing SOA mass in the afternoon coincides with the sharp drop in POA

  5. ESBL-Producing Escherichia coli

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hertz, Frederik Boetius

    Urinary tract infection (UTI) is one the most common bacterial infections and is regularly treated in primary health care. The most common cause of UTI is extraintestinal pathogenic Escherichia coli (ExPEC) already present in the intestinal microflora, often as the dominating strain. Resistance...... in E.coli is increasing and especially isolates producing Extended-Spectrum Beta-Lactamases (ESBL) have been reported worldwide. Treatment of UTI is usually initiated by the general practitioners and a significant proportion of clinical isolates are now resistant to first line antibiotics. The global...... to investigate (i) antibiotics involved in selection of ESBL-producing E.coli, in an experimental mouse model in vivo, (ii) risk factors for UTI with ESBL-producing E.coli and (iii) to describe the phylogenetic composition of E.coli populations with different resistance patterns. We found that different...

  6. Predicting long-term organic carbon dynamics in organically amended soils using the CQESTR model

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Plaza, Cesar; Polo, Alfredo [Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas, Madrid (Spain). Inst. de Ciencias Agrarias; Gollany, Hero T. [Columbia Plateau Conservation Research Center, Pendleton, OR (United States). USDA-ARS; Baldoni, Guido; Ciavatta, Claudio [Bologna Univ. (Italy). Dept. of Agroenvironmental Sciences and Technologies

    2012-04-15

    Purpose: The CQESTR model is a process-based C model recently developed to simulate soil organic matter (SOM) dynamics and uses readily available or easily measurable input parameters. The current version of CQESTR (v. 2.0) has been validated successfully with a number of datasets from agricultural sites in North America but still needs to be tested in other geographic areas and soil types under diverse organic management systems. Materials and methods: We evaluated the predictive performance of CQESTR to simulate long-term (34 years) soil organic C (SOC) changes in a SOM-depleted European soil either unamended or amended with solid manure, liquid manure, or crop residue. Results and discussion: Measured SOC levels declined over the study period in the unamended soil, remained constant in the soil amended with crop residues, and tended to increase in the soils amended with manure, especially with solid manure. Linear regression analysis of measured SOC contents and CQESTR predictions resulted in a correlation coefficient of 0.626 (P < 0.001) and a slope and an intercept not significantly different from 1 and 0, respectively (95% confidence level). The mean squared deviation and root mean square error were relatively small. Simulated values fell within the 95% confidence interval of the measured SOC, and predicted errors were mainly associated with data scattering. Conclusions: The CQESTR model was shown to predict, with a reasonable degree of accuracy, the organic C dynamics in the soils examined. The CQESTR performance, however, could be improved by adding an additional parameter to differentiate between pre-decomposed organic amendments with varying degrees of stability. (orig.)

  7. Model-driven discovery of synergistic inhibitors against E. coli and S. enterica serovar Typhimurium targeting a novel synthetic lethal pair, aldA and prpC

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Aziz, Ramy K.; Khaw, Valerie L.; Monk, Jonathan M.

    2015-01-01

    Mathematical models of biochemical networks form a cornerstone of bacterial systems biology. Inconsistencies between simulation output and experimental data point to gaps in knowledge about the fundamental biology of the organism. One such inconsistency centers on the gene aldA in Escherichia col...

  8. Predicting The Exit Time Of Employees In An Organization Using Statistical Model

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ahmed Al Kuwaiti

    2015-08-01

    Full Text Available Employees are considered as an asset to any organization and each organization provide a better and flexible working environment to retain its best and resourceful workforce. As such continuous efforts are being taken to avoid or extend the exitwithdrawal of employees from the organization. Human resource managers are facing a challenge to predict the exit time of employees and there is no precise model existing at present in the literature. This study has been conducted to predict the probability of exit of an employee in an organization using appropriate statistical model. Accordingly authors designed a model using Additive Weibull distribution to predict the expected exit time of employee in an organization. In addition a Shock model approach is also executed to check how well the Additive Weibull distribution suits in an organization. The analytical results showed that when the inter-arrival time increases the expected time for the employees to exit also increases. This study concluded that Additive Weibull distribution can be considered as an alternative in the place of Shock model approach to predict the exit time of employee in an organization.

  9. ESCHERICHIA COLI AND STAPHYLOCOCCUS AUREUS

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    DR. AMINU

    ABSTRACT. The bio-effects of the ethanol extracts from the leaf and stem of Momordica charantia were studied with the view to ascertain the medical usefulness ascribed to the plant by the locals. The plant parts, stem and leaf, revealed remarkable activity against Escherichia coli and Staphlococcus aureus. The leaves ...

  10. Conjugal Pairing in Escherichia Coli

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    Home; Journals; Resonance – Journal of Science Education; Volume 13; Issue 8. Conjugal Pairing in Escherichia Coli. Joshua Lederberg. Classics Volume 13 Issue 8 August 2008 pp 793-794. Fulltext. Click here to view fulltext PDF. Permanent link: https://www.ias.ac.in/article/fulltext/reso/013/08/0793-0794 ...

  11. Selective Permeation and Organic Extraction of Recombinant Green Fluorescent Protein (gfpuv from Escherichia coli

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ishii Marina

    2002-04-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Transformed cells of Escherichia coli DH5-α with pGFPuv, induced by IPTG (isopropyl-β-d-thiogalactopyranoside, express the green fluorescent protein (gfpuv during growth phases. E. coli subjected to the combination of selective permeation by freezing/thawing/sonication cycles followed by the three-phase partitioning extraction (TPP method were compared to the direct application of TPP to the same culture of E. coli on releasing gfpuv from the over-expressing cells. Material and Methods Cultures (37°C/100 rpm/ 24 h; μ = 0.99 h-1 - 1.10 h-1 of transformed (pGFP Escherichia coli DH5-α, expressing the green fluorescent protein (gfpuv, absorbance at 394 nm and emission at 509 nm were sonicated in successive intervals of sonication (25 vibrations/pulse to determine the maximum amount of gfpuv released from the cells. For selective permeation, the transformed previously frozen (-75°C cells were subjected to three freeze/thaw (-20°C/ 0.83°C/min cycles interlaid by sonication (3 pulses/ 6 seconds/ 25 vibrations. The intracellular permeate with gfpuv in extraction buffer (TE solution (25 mM Tris-HCl, pH 8.0, 1 mM β-mercaptoethanol β-ME, 0.1 mM PMSF was subjected to the three-phase partitioning (TPP method with t-butanol and 1.6 M ammonium sulfate. Sonication efficiency was verified on the application to the cells previously treated by the TPP method. The intra-cell releases were mixed and eluted through methyl HIC column with a buffer solution (10 mM Tris-HCl, 10 mM EDTA, pH 8.0. Results The sonication maximum released amount obtained from the cells was 327.67 μg gfpuv/mL (20.73 μg gfpuv/mg total proteins – BSA, after 9 min of treatment. Through the selective permeation by three repeated freezing/thawing/sonication cycles applied to the cells, a close content of 241.19 μg gfpuv/mL (29.74 μg gfpuv/mg BSA was obtained. The specific mass range of gfpuv released from the same cultures, by the three-phase partitioning (TPP

  12. Synthetic operon for (R,R)-2,3-butanediol production in Bacillus subtilis and Escherichia coli.

    Science.gov (United States)

    de Oliveira, Rafael R; Nicholson, Wayne L

    2016-01-01

    To reduce dependence on petroleum, an alternative route to production of the chemical feedstock 2,3-butanediol (2,3-BD) from renewable lignocellulosic sources is desirable. In this communication, the genes encoding the pathway from pyruvate to 2,3-BD (alsS, alsD, and bdhA encoding acetolactate synthase, acetolactate decarboxylase, and butanediol dehydrogenase, respectively) from Bacillus subtilis were engineered into a single tricistronic operon under control of the isopropyl β-D-1-thiogalactopyranoside (IPTG)-inducible Pspac promoter in a shuttle plasmid capable of replication and expression in either B. subtilis or Escherichia coli. We describe the construction and performance of a shuttle plasmid carrying the IPTG-inducible synthetic operon alsSDbdhA coding for 2,3-BD pathway capable of (i) expression in two important representative model microorganisms, the gram-positive B. subtilis and the gram-negative E. coli; (ii) increasing 2,3-BD production in B. subtilis; and (iii) successfully introducing the B. subtilis 2,3-BD pathway into E. coli. The synthetic alsSDbdhA operon constructed using B. subtilis native genes not only increased the 2,3-BD production in its native host but also efficiently expressed the pathway in the heterologous organism E. coli. Construction of an efficient shuttle plasmid will allow investigation of 2,3-BD production performance in related organisms with industrial potential for production of bio-based chemicals.

  13. Relevance of the ICRP biokinetic model for dietary organically bound tritium

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Trivedi, A.

    1999-10-01

    Ingested dietary tritium can participate in metabolic processes, and become synthesized into organically bound tritium in the tissues and organs. The distribution and retention of the organically bound tritium throughout the body are much different than tritium in the body water. The International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) Publication 56 (1989) has a biokinetic model to calculate dose from the ingestion of organically bound dietary tritium. The model predicts that the dose from the ingestion of organically bound dietary tritium is about 2.3 times higher than from the ingestion of the same activity of tritiated water. Under steady-state conditions, the calculated dose rate (using the first principle approach) from the ingestion of dietary organically bound tritium can be twice that from the ingestion of tritiated water. For an adult, the upper-bound dose estimate for the ingestion of dietary organically bound tritium is estimated to be close to 2.3 times higher than that of tritiated water. Therefore, given the uncertainty in the dose calculation with respect to the actual relevant dose, the ICRP biokinetic model for organically bound tritium is sufficient for dosimetry for adults. (author)

  14. Modeling the acid-base chemistry of organic solutes in Adirondack, New York, lakes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Driscoll, Charles T.; Lehtinen, Michael D.; Sullivan, Timothy J.

    1994-02-01

    Data from the large and diverse Adirondack Lake Survey were used to calibrate four simple organic acid analog models in an effort to quantify the influence of naturally occurring organic acids on lake water pH and acid-neutralizing capacity (ANC). The organic acid analog models were calibrated to observations of pH, dissolved organic carbon (DOC), and organic anion (An-) concentrations from a reduced data set representing 1128 individual lake samples, expressed as 41 observations of mean pH, in intervals of 0.1 pH units from pH 3.9 to 7.0. Of the four organic analog approaches examined, including the Oliver et al. (1983) model, as well as monoprotic, diprotic, and triprotic representations, the triprotic analog model yielded the best fit (r2 = 0.92) to the observed data. Moreover, the triprotic model was qualitatively consistent with observed patterns of change in organic solute charge density as a function of pH. A low calibrated value for the first H+ dissociation constant (pKal = 2.62) and the observation that organic anion concentrations were significant even at very low pH (acidic functional groups. Inclusion of organic acidity in model calculations resulted in good agreement between measured and predicted values of lake water pH and ANC. Assessments to project the response of surface waters to future changes in atmospheric deposition, through the use of acidification models, will need to include representations of organic acids in model structure to make accurate predictions of pH and ANC.

  15. Similarity-based search of model organism, disease and drug effect phenotypes

    KAUST Repository

    Hoehndorf, Robert

    2015-02-19

    Background: Semantic similarity measures over phenotype ontologies have been demonstrated to provide a powerful approach for the analysis of model organism phenotypes, the discovery of animal models of human disease, novel pathways, gene functions, druggable therapeutic targets, and determination of pathogenicity. Results: We have developed PhenomeNET 2, a system that enables similarity-based searches over a large repository of phenotypes in real-time. It can be used to identify strains of model organisms that are phenotypically similar to human patients, diseases that are phenotypically similar to model organism phenotypes, or drug effect profiles that are similar to the phenotypes observed in a patient or model organism. PhenomeNET 2 is available at http://aber-owl.net/phenomenet. Conclusions: Phenotype-similarity searches can provide a powerful tool for the discovery and investigation of molecular mechanisms underlying an observed phenotypic manifestation. PhenomeNET 2 facilitates user-defined similarity searches and allows researchers to analyze their data within a large repository of human, mouse and rat phenotypes.

  16. Electrochemical model of the polyaniline based organic memristive device

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Demin, V. A.; Erokhin, V. V.; Kashkarov, P. K.; Kovalchuk, M. V.

    2014-01-01

    The electrochemical organic memristive device with polyaniline active layer is a stand-alone device designed and realized for reproduction of some synapse properties in the innovative electronic circuits, including the neuromorphic networks capable for learning. In this work, a new theoretical model of the polyaniline memristive is presented. The developed model of organic memristive functioning was based on the detailed consideration of possible electrochemical processes occuring in the active zone of this device. Results of the calculation have demonstrated not only the qualitative explanation of the characteristics observed in the experiment but also the quantitative similarities of the resultant current values. It is shown how the memristive could behave at zero potential difference relative to the reference electrode. This improved model can establish a basis for the design and prediction of properties of more complicated circuits and systems (including stochastic ones) based on the organic memristive devices

  17. Research on killing Escherichia Coli by reactive oxygen species based on strong ionization discharging plasma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Li, Y J; Tian, Y P; Zhang, Z T; Li, R H; Cai, L J; Gao, J Y

    2013-01-01

    Reactive oxygen species solution produced by strong ionization discharging plasma was used to kill Escherichia coli by spraying. Several effect factors such as pH value, solution temperature, spraying time and exposure time were observed in this study, and their effects on killing rate of Escherichia coli were discussed and analysed. Results show that the treating efficiency of ROS solution for Escherichia coli is higher in alkaline solution than that in acid solution. The killing rate of Escherichia coli increases while the spraying time and exposure time are longer and the temperature is lower. The effects of different factors on killing rate of Escherichia coli are as follows: spraying time > pH value > exposure time > solution temperature.

  18. [Virulence markers of Escherichia coli O1 strains].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Makarova, M A; Kaftyreva, L A; Grigor'eva, N S; Kicha, E V; Lipatova, L A

    2011-01-01

    To detect virulence genes in clinical isolates of Escherichia coli O1 using polymerase chain reaction (PCR). One hundred and twenty strains of E.coli O1 strains isolated from faeces of patients with acute diarrhea (n = 45) and healthy persons (n = 75) were studied. PCR with primers for rfb and fliC genes, which control synthesis of O- and H- antigens respectively, was used. Fourteen virulence genes (pap, aaf, sfa, afa, eaeA, bfpA, ial, hly, cnf, stx1, stx2, lt, st, and aer) were detected by PCR primers. K1-antigen was determined by Pastorex Meningo B/E. coli O1 kit (Bio-Rad). rfb gene controlling O-antigen synthesis in serogroup O1 as well as fliC gene controlling synthesis of H7 and K1 antigens were detected in all strains. Thus all E. coli strains had antigenic structure O1:K1 :H-:F7. Virulence genes aafl, sfa, afa, eaeA, bfpA, ial, hly, cnf, stx1, stx2, lt, and st were not detected. All strains owned pap and aer genes regardless of the presence of acute diarrhea symptoms. It was shown that E. coli O1:KI:H-:F7 strains do not have virulence genes which are characteristic for diarrhea-causing Escherichia. In accordance with the presence of pap and aer genes they could be attributed to uropathogenic Escherichia (UPEC) or avian-pathogenic Escherichia (APEC). It is necessary to detect virulence factors in order to determine E. coli as a cause of intestinal infection.

  19. A model to accumulate fractionated dose in a deforming organ

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yan Di; Jaffray, D.A.; Wong, J.W.

    1999-01-01

    Purpose: Measurements of internal organ motion have demonstrated that daily organ deformation exists throughout the course of radiation treatment. However, a method of constructing the resultant dose delivered to the organ volume remains a difficult challenge. In this study, a model to quantify internal organ motion and a method to construct a cumulative dose in a deforming organ are introduced. Methods and Materials: A biomechanical model of an elastic body is used to quantify patient organ motion in the process of radiation therapy. Intertreatment displacements of volume elements in an organ of interest is calculated by applying an finite element method with boundary conditions, obtained from multiple daily computed tomography (CT) measurements. Therefore, by incorporating also the measurements of daily setup error, daily dose delivered to a deforming organ can be accumulated by tracking the position of volume elements in the organ. Furthermore, distribution of patient-specific organ motion is also predicted during the early phase of treatment delivery using the daily measurements, and the cumulative dose distribution in the organ can then be estimated. This dose distribution will be updated whenever a new measurement becomes available, and used to reoptimize the ongoing treatment. Results: An integrated process to accumulate dosage in a daily deforming organ was implemented. In this process, intertreatment organ motion and setup error were systematically quantified, and incorporated in the calculation of the cumulative dose. An example of the rectal wall motion in a prostate treatment was applied to test the model. The displacements of volume elements in the rectal wall, as well as the resultant doses, were calculated. Conclusion: This study is intended to provide a systematic framework to incorporate daily patient-specific organ motion and setup error in the reconstruction of the cumulative dose distribution in an organ of interest. The realistic dose

  20. Safety Cultural Competency Modeling in Nuclear Organizations

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kim, Sa Kil; Oh, Yeon Ju; Luo, Meiling; Lee, Yong Hee [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

    2014-05-15

    The nuclear safety cultural competency model should be supplemented through a bottom-up approach such as behavioral event interview. The developed model, however, is meaningful for determining what should be dealt for enhancing safety cultural competency of nuclear organizations. The more details of the developing process, results, and applications will be introduced later. Organizational culture include safety culture in terms of its organizational characteristics.

  1. Development of a dynamic growth-death model for Escherichia coli O157:H7 in minimally processed leafy green vegetables.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McKellar, Robin C; Delaquis, Pascal

    2011-11-15

    Escherichia coli O157:H7, an occasional contaminant of fresh produce, can present a serious health risk in minimally processed leafy green vegetables. A good predictive model is needed for Quantitative Risk Assessment (QRA) purposes, which adequately describes the growth or die-off of this pathogen under variable temperature conditions experienced during processing, storage and shipping. Literature data on behaviour of this pathogen on fresh-cut lettuce and spinach was taken from published graphs by digitization, published tables or from personal communications. A three-phase growth function was fitted to the data from 13 studies, and a square root model for growth rate (μ) as a function of temperature was derived: μ=(0.023*(Temperature-1.20))(2). Variability in the published data was incorporated into the growth model by the use of weighted regression and the 95% prediction limits. A log-linear die-off function was fitted to the data from 13 studies, and the resulting rate constants were fitted to a shifted lognormal distribution (Mean: 0.013; Standard Deviation, 0.010; Shift, 0.001). The combined growth-death model successfully predicted pathogen behaviour under both isothermal and non-isothermal conditions when compared to new published data. By incorporating variability, the resulting model is an improvement over existing ones, and is suitable for QRA applications. Crown Copyright © 2011. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  2. Complete Genome Sequence of Escherichia coli Strain WG5

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Imamovic, Lejla; Misiakou, Maria-Anna; van der Helm, Eric

    2018-01-01

    Escherichia coli strain WG5 is a widely used host for phage detection, including somatic coliphages employed as standard ISO method 10705-1 (2000). Here, we present the complete genome sequence of a commercial E. coli WG5 strain.......Escherichia coli strain WG5 is a widely used host for phage detection, including somatic coliphages employed as standard ISO method 10705-1 (2000). Here, we present the complete genome sequence of a commercial E. coli WG5 strain....

  3. Simulating Results of Experiments on Gene Regulation of the Lactose Operon in Escherichia coli; a Problem-Solving Exercise.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hitchen, Trevor; Metcalfe, Judith

    1987-01-01

    Describes a simulation of the results of real experiments which use different strains of Escherichia coli. Provides an inexpensive practical problem-solving exercise to aid the teaching and understanding of the Jacob and Monod model of gene regulation. (Author/CW)

  4. Stages in the development of a model organism as a platform for mechanistic models in developmental biology: Zebrafish, 1970-2000.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meunier, Robert

    2012-06-01

    Model organisms became an indispensable part of experimental systems in molecular developmental and cell biology, constructed to investigate physiological and pathological processes. They are thought to play a crucial role for the elucidation of gene function, complementing the sequencing of the genomes of humans and other organisms. Accordingly, historians and philosophers paid considerable attention to various issues concerning this aspect of experimental biology. With respect to the representational features of model organisms, that is, their status as models, the main focus was on generalization of phenomena investigated in such experimental systems. Model organisms have been said to be models for other organisms or a higher taxon. This, however, presupposes a representation of the phenomenon in question. I will argue that prior to generalization, model organisms allow researchers to built generative material models of phenomena - structures, processes or the mechanisms that explain them - through their integration in experimental set-ups that carve out the phenomena from the whole organism and thus represent them. I will use the history of zebrafish biology to show how model organism systems, from around 1970 on, were developed to construct material models of molecular mechanisms explaining developmental or physiological processes. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  5. Modelling the behaviour of organic degradation products

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cross, J.E.; Ewart, F.T.; Greenfield, B.F.

    1989-03-01

    Results are presented from recent studies at Harwell which show that the degradation products which are formed when certain organic waste materials are exposed to the alkaline conditions typical of a cementitious environment, can enhance the solubility of plutonium, even at pH values as high as 12, by significant factors. Characterisation of the degradation products has been undertaken but the solubility enhancement does not appear to be related to the concentration of any of the major organic species that have been identified in the solutions. While it has not been possible to identify by analysis the organic ligand responsible for the increased solubility of plutonium, the behaviour of D-Saccharic acid does approach the behaviour of the degradation products. The PHREEQE code has been used to simulate the solubility of plutonium in the presence of D-Saccharic acid and other model degradation products, in order to explain the solubility enhancement. The extrapolation of the experimental conditions to the repository is the major objective, but in this work the ability of a model to predict the behaviour of plutonium over a range of experimental conditions has been tested. (author)

  6. Antimicrobial activity of some of the south-Indian spices against serotypes of Escherichia coli, Salmonella, Listeria monocytogenes and Aeromonas hydrophila Atividade antimicrobiana de condimentos do sul da India sobre Escherichia coli, Salmonella, Listeria monocytogenes e Aeromonas hydrophila

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M.N. Indu

    2006-06-01

    Full Text Available Antibacterial activity of extracts of Allium sativum (garlic, Myristica fragrans (nutmeg, Zingiber officinale (ginger, Allium cepa (onion and Piper nigrum (pepper has been evaluated against 20 different serogroups of Escherichia coli, 8 serotypes of Salmonella, Listeria monocytogenes and Aeromonas hydrophila. Garlic extract showed excellent antibacterial activity against all the test organisms, except L. monocytogenes. Nutmeg showed good anti-listerial activity, although activity against E. coli and Salmonella were serotype dependent. Both garlic and nutmeg extracts were effective against A. hydrophila. Extracts of ginger showed inhibitory activity against two serogroups of E. coli: as O8 (enterotoxigenic E. coli and O88 only. Extracts of onion and pepper did not show any antibacterial activity against the test organisms.Avaliou-se a atividade antimicrobiana de extratos de alho (Allium sativum, noz-moscada (Mysritica frangrans, gengibre (Zingiber officinale cebola (Allium cepa e pimenta do reino (Piper nigrum sobre 20 sorotipos de Escherichia coli, 8 sorotipos de Salmonella, Listeria monocytogenes e Aeromonas hydrophila. O alho apresentou atividade antimicrobiana excelente sobre todos os microrganismos testados, excepto L. monocytogenes. A noz-moscada apresentou boa atividade antilisteria, emboara atividade sobre E. coli e Salmonella tenha sido sorotipo-dependente. Tanto alho como noz-moscada foram eficientes contra A. hydrophila. O extrato de gengibre apresentou atividade inibitória sobre dois sorotipos de E. coli: 08 (enterotoxigenico e 088. Os extratos de cebola e pimenta do reino não apresentaram nenhuma atividade contra os microrganismos testados.

  7. Modification of SWAT model for simulation of organic matter in Korean watersheds.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jang, Jae-Ho; Jung, Kwang-Wook; Gyeong Yoon, Chun

    2012-01-01

    The focus of water quality modeling of Korean streams needs to be shifted from dissolved oxygen to algae or organic matter. In particular, the structure of water quality models should be modified to simulate the biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), which is a key factor in calculating total maximum daily loads (TMDLs) in Korea, using 5-day BOD determined in the laboratory (Bottle BOD(5)). Considering the limitations in simulating organic matter under domestic conditions, we attempted to model total organic carbon (TOC) as well as BOD by using a watershed model. For this purpose, the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) model was modified and extended to achieve better correspondence between the measured and simulated BOD and TOC concentrations. For simulated BOD in the period 2004-2008, the Nash-Sutcliffe model efficiency coefficient increased from a value of -2.54 to 0.61. Another indicator of organic matter, namely, the simulated TOC concentration showed that the modified SWAT adequately reflected the observed values. The improved model can be used to predict organic matter and hence, may be a potential decision-making tool for TMDLs. However, it needs further testing for longer simulation periods and other catchments.

  8. Evaluating the toxicity of TiO2-based nanoparticles to Chinese hamster ovary cells and Escherichia coli: a complementary experimental and computational approach

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alicja Mikolajczyk

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available Titania-supported palladium, gold and bimetallic nanoparticles (second-generation nanoparticles demonstrate promising photocatalytic properties. However, due to unusual reactivity, second-generation nanoparticles can be hazardous for living organisms. Considering the ever-growing number of new types of nanoparticles that can potentially contaminate the environment, a determination of their toxicity is extremely important. The main aim of presented study was to investigate the cytotoxic effect of surface modified TiO2-based nanoparticles, to model their quantitative nanostructure–toxicity relationships and to reveal the toxicity mechanism. In this context, toxicity tests for surface-modified TiO2-based nanoparticles were performed in vitro, using Gram-negative bacteria Escherichia coli and Chinese hamster ovary (CHO-K1 cells. The obtained cytotoxicity data were analyzed by means of computational methods (quantitative structure–activity relationships, QSAR approach. Based on a combined experimental and computational approach, predictive models were developed, and relationships between cytotoxicity, size, and specific surface area (Brunauer–Emmett–Teller surface, BET of nanoparticles were discussed.

  9. A neural model of figure-ground organization.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Craft, Edward; Schütze, Hartmut; Niebur, Ernst; von der Heydt, Rüdiger

    2007-06-01

    Psychophysical studies suggest that figure-ground organization is a largely autonomous process that guides--and thus precedes--allocation of attention and object recognition. The discovery of border-ownership representation in single neurons of early visual cortex has confirmed this view. Recent theoretical studies have demonstrated that border-ownership assignment can be modeled as a process of self-organization by lateral interactions within V2 cortex. However, the mechanism proposed relies on propagation of signals through horizontal fibers, which would result in increasing delays of the border-ownership signal with increasing size of the visual stimulus, in contradiction with experimental findings. It also remains unclear how the resulting border-ownership representation would interact with attention mechanisms to guide further processing. Here we present a model of border-ownership coding based on dedicated neural circuits for contour grouping that produce border-ownership assignment and also provide handles for mechanisms of selective attention. The results are consistent with neurophysiological and psychophysical findings. The model makes predictions about the hypothetical grouping circuits and the role of feedback between cortical areas.

  10. Assessment of the bacterial organisms in water from a lead-zinc ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Twenty-four (24) bulk water samples collected from a lead-zinc mining pit in Ishiagu, Ebonyi State, Nigeria over a period of 2 years were used to assess the bacterial population of the mining pit water. Nine bacterial organisms, which included Bacillus sp., Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Proteus sp., Escherichia coli, ...

  11. Principales características y diagnóstico de los grupos patógenos de Escherichia coli Diagnosis and main characteristics of Escherichia coli pathogenic groups

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Guadalupe Rodríguez-Angeles

    2002-09-01

    Full Text Available Escherichia coli coloniza el intestino del hombre pocas horas después del nacimiento y se considera de flora normal, pero hay descritos seis grupos de E. coli productora de diarrea: enterotoxigénica (ETEC, enterohemorrágica (EHEC, enteroinvasiva (EIEC, enteropatógena (EPEC, enteroagregativa (EAEC y de adherencia difusa (DAEC. La bacteria se puede aislar e identificar tradicionalmente con base en sus características bioquímicas o serológicas, pero también se pueden estudiar sus mecanismos de patogenicidad mediante ensayos en cultivos celulares o modelos animales y, más recientemente, empleando técnicas de biología molecular que evidencian la presencia de genes involucrados en dichos mecanismos. La intención del presente trabajo es resaltar la importancia del estudio y diagnóstico de E. coli como patógeno capaz de causar casos aislados o brotes de diarrea, síndrome urémico hemolítico, colitis hemorrágica y cuadros de disentería, principalmente en niños; por esto es necesario conocer mejor a la bacteria y mantener la vigilancia epidemiológica.Escherichia coli colonizes the human intestinal tract within hours of birth and is considered a non-pathogenic member of the normal intestinal flora. However, there are six pathogenic groups that may produce diarrhea: enterotoxigenic (ETEC, enterohemorrhagic (EHEC, enteroinvasive (EIEC, enteropathogenic (EPEC, enteroaggregative (EAEC and diffusely adherent (DAEC groups. E. coli can be isolated and classified using traditional methods, by identifying its biochemical or serum characteristics. The pathogenic mechanisms may be studied in cell cultures and animal model assays, as well as more up to date molecular biology methods for study and diagnosis. The latter have proven that genes are involved in pathogenesis. The objective of the present work is to draw attention to the importance of E. coli as a pathogenic organism. This microorganism is an etiologic agent of sporadic cases of diarrhea

  12. Modeling of iodine radiation chemistry in the presence of organic compounds

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Taghipour, Fariborz; Evans, Greg J.

    2002-01-01

    A kinetic-based model was developed that simulates the radiation chemistry of iodine in the presence of organic compounds. The model's mechanistic description of iodine chemistry and generic semi-mechanistic reactions for various classes of organics, provided a reasonable representation of experimental results. The majority of the model and experimental results of iodine volatilization rates were in agreement within an order of magnitude

  13. Multiplex PCR Study of Plasmid-Mediated AmpC Beta-Lactamases Genes in Clinical Isolates of Escherichia coli

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Maryam Dehghani

    2017-02-01

    Full Text Available Background:   AmpC β-lactamases are important cephalosporinases chromosomally encoded in many of Enterobacteriaceae and a few other organisms where they mediate resistance to cephalothin, cefazolin, cefoxitin and penicillins. The six different families of plasmid-mediated AmpC β-lactamases have been described, but no phenotypic test can discriminate among them. AmpC multiplex PCR has been successfully used to discriminate plasmid-mediated ampC specific families in organisms such as Klebsiella pneumonia and Escherichia coli. The aim of this study was to indicate the prevalence of AmpC β-lactamase genes by specifically designed primers through PCR test.Methods:   243 total clinical urine samples were collected, and 227 isolates were identified as Escherichia coli based on standard biochemical tests. Subsequently, the isolates were screened by disc diffusion and combined disc test for β-lactamase production. Resistant isolates were evaluated by PCR for ampC family determination. Results:  Antibiotic resistance pattern were observed as follows: cefepime (%25, ceftazidime (%31, ceftriaxone (%37, cefotaxime (%38. The ratio of isolates was detected as ESBLs and AmpC producers were 34% and 5.2%, respectively. PCR performed on 12 selected isolates via phenotypic tests and the results revealed that among 12 isolates, 11 contained blaCMY-42. Conclusion:  Unfortunately, antibiotic resistance has become an increasingly critical problem in many countries like Iran and occurrence of isolates co-expressing AmpC-β-lactamases and ESBLs can create serious problems in the future. As antibiotic options in the treatment of AmpC β-lactamases and ESBLs producing organisms are extremely limited, molecular screening by laboratories is suggested to reduce the risk of therapeutic defeat.

  14. Quantitative Microbial Risk Assessment for Escherichia coli O157:H7 in Fresh-Cut Lettuce.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pang, Hao; Lambertini, Elisabetta; Buchanan, Robert L; Schaffner, Donald W; Pradhan, Abani K

    2017-02-01

    Leafy green vegetables, including lettuce, are recognized as potential vehicles for foodborne pathogens such as Escherichia coli O157:H7. Fresh-cut lettuce is potentially at high risk of causing foodborne illnesses, as it is generally consumed without cooking. Quantitative microbial risk assessments (QMRAs) are gaining more attention as an effective tool to assess and control potential risks associated with foodborne pathogens. This study developed a QMRA model for E. coli O157:H7 in fresh-cut lettuce and evaluated the effects of different potential intervention strategies on the reduction of public health risks. The fresh-cut lettuce production and supply chain was modeled from field production, with both irrigation water and soil as initial contamination sources, to consumption at home. The baseline model (with no interventions) predicted a mean probability of 1 illness per 10 million servings and a mean of 2,160 illness cases per year in the United States. All intervention strategies evaluated (chlorine, ultrasound and organic acid, irradiation, bacteriophage, and consumer washing) significantly reduced the estimated mean number of illness cases when compared with the baseline model prediction (from 11.4- to 17.9-fold reduction). Sensitivity analyses indicated that retail and home storage temperature were the most important factors affecting the predicted number of illness cases. The developed QMRA model provided a framework for estimating risk associated with consumption of E. coli O157:H7-contaminated fresh-cut lettuce and can guide the evaluation and development of intervention strategies aimed at reducing such risk.

  15. Actin Cytoskeleton Manipulation by Effector Proteins Secreted by Diarrheagenic Escherichia coli Pathotypes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fernando Navarro-Garcia

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available The actin cytoskeleton is a dynamic structure necessary for cell and tissue organization, including the maintenance of epithelial barriers. Disruption of the epithelial barrier coincides with alterations of the actin cytoskeleton in several disease states. These disruptions primarily affect the paracellular space, which is normally regulated by tight junctions. Thereby, the actin cytoskeleton is a common and recurring target of bacterial virulence factors. In order to manipulate the actin cytoskeleton, bacteria secrete and inject toxins and effectors to hijack the host cell machinery, which interferes with host-cell pathways and with a number of actin binding proteins. An interesting model to study actin manipulation by bacterial effectors is Escherichia coli since due to its genome plasticity it has acquired diverse genetic mobile elements, which allow having different E. coli varieties in one bacterial species. These E. coli pathotypes, including intracellular and extracellular bacteria, interact with epithelial cells, and their interactions depend on a specific combination of virulence factors. In this paper we focus on E. coli effectors that mimic host cell proteins to manipulate the actin cytoskeleton. The study of bacterial effector-cytoskeleton interaction will contribute not only to the comprehension of the molecular causes of infectious diseases but also to increase our knowledge of cell biology.

  16. RNA degradation in Archaea and Gram-negative bacteria different from Escherichia coli.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Evguenieva-Hackenberg, Elena; Klug, Gabriele

    2009-01-01

    Exoribonucleolytic and endoribonucleolytic activities are important for controlled degradation of RNA and contribute to the regulation of gene expression at the posttranscriptional level by influencing the half-lives of specific messenger RNAs. The RNA half-lives are determined by the characteristics of the RNA substrates and by the availability and the properties of the involved proteins-ribonucleases and assisting polypeptides. Much is known about RNA degradation in Eukarya and Bacteria, but there is limited information about RNA-degrading enzymes and RNA destabilizing or stabilizing elements in the domain of the Archaea. The recent progress in the understanding of the structure and function of the archaeal exosome, a protein complex with RNA-degrading and RNA-tailing capabilities, has given some first insights into the mechanisms of RNA degradation in the third domain of life and into the evolution of RNA-degrading enzymes. Moreover, other archaeal RNases with degrading potential have been described and a new mechanism for protection of the 5'-end of RNA in Archaea was discovered. Here, we summarize the current knowledge on RNA degradation in the Archaea. Additionally, RNA degradation mechanisms in Rhodobacter capsulatus and Pseudomonas syringae are compared to those in the major model organism for Gram-negatives, Escherichia coli, which dominates our view on RNA degradation in Bacteria.

  17. Modeling the effect of Rose Bengal on growth and decay patterns of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus

    Science.gov (United States)

    Al-Akhras, M.-Ali H.; Shorman, Mohammad Al; Masadeh, Majed M.; Aljarrah, Khaled; Ababneh, Zaid

    2018-02-01

    Most infections caused by (Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus) are hospital and community acquired infections in patients. Bacterial growths incorporated with photosensitizing material (Rose Bengal) with and without light were investigated. The results demonstrated that the viable counts are increasing in absence of light (in dark) for all samples incorporated with Rose Bengal. Variation in growth phases were noticed as expected, but there is no significant change in decay phases. Convenient and adequate mathematical modeling is in very good agreement with the experimental results and showed to be a very good approach of characterization the growth behaviors of the bacteria. Bandwidths are independent of bacteria group (gram-positive or gram-negative) but it seems totally dependent on the oxygen requirements; an anaerobic bacterium takes broader bandwidths than aerobic bacteria. This concludes that the growth and lethal rates of anaerobic are much greater than aerobic.

  18. An Ontology for Modeling Complex Inter-relational Organizations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wautelet, Yves; Neysen, Nicolas; Kolp, Manuel

    This paper presents an ontology for organizational modeling through multiple complementary aspects. The primary goal of the ontology is to dispose of an adequate set of related concepts for studying complex organizations involved in a lot of relationships at the same time. In this paper, we define complex organizations as networked organizations involved in a market eco-system that are playing several roles simultaneously. In such a context, traditional approaches focus on the macro analytic level of transactions; this is supplemented here with a micro analytic study of the actors' rationale. At first, the paper overviews enterprise ontologies literature to position our proposal and exposes its contributions and limitations. The ontology is then brought to an advanced level of formalization: a meta-model in the form of a UML class diagram allows to overview the ontology concepts and their relationships which are formally defined. Finally, the paper presents the case study on which the ontology has been validated.

  19. Inference of expanded Lrp-like feast/famine transcription factor targets in a non-model organism using protein structure-based prediction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ashworth, Justin; Plaisier, Christopher L; Lo, Fang Yin; Reiss, David J; Baliga, Nitin S

    2014-01-01

    Widespread microbial genome sequencing presents an opportunity to understand the gene regulatory networks of non-model organisms. This requires knowledge of the binding sites for transcription factors whose DNA-binding properties are unknown or difficult to infer. We adapted a protein structure-based method to predict the specificities and putative regulons of homologous transcription factors across diverse species. As a proof-of-concept we predicted the specificities and transcriptional target genes of divergent archaeal feast/famine regulatory proteins, several of which are encoded in the genome of Halobacterium salinarum. This was validated by comparison to experimentally determined specificities for transcription factors in distantly related extremophiles, chromatin immunoprecipitation experiments, and cis-regulatory sequence conservation across eighteen related species of halobacteria. Through this analysis we were able to infer that Halobacterium salinarum employs a divergent local trans-regulatory strategy to regulate genes (carA and carB) involved in arginine and pyrimidine metabolism, whereas Escherichia coli employs an operon. The prediction of gene regulatory binding sites using structure-based methods is useful for the inference of gene regulatory relationships in new species that are otherwise difficult to infer.

  20. An empirical approach for quantifying loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP using Escherichia coli as a model system.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sowmya Subramanian

    Full Text Available Loop mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP is a highly efficient, selective and rapid DNA amplification technique for genetic screening of pathogens. However, despite its popularity, there is yet no mathematical model to quantify the outcome and no well-defined metric for comparing results that are available. LAMP is intrinsically complex and involves multiple pathways for gene replication, making fundamental modelling nearly intractable. To circumvent this difficulty, an alternate, empirical model is introduced that will allow one to extract a set of parameters from the concentration versus time curves. A simple recipe to deduce the time to positive, Tp--a parameter analogous to the threshold cycling time in polymerase chain reaction (PCR, is also provided. These parameters can be regarded as objective and unambiguous indicators of LAMP amplification. The model is exemplified on Escherichia coli strains by using the two gene fragments responsible for vero-toxin (VT production and tested against VT-producing (O157 and O45 and non-VT producing (DH5 alpha strains. Selective amplification of appropriate target sequences was made using well established LAMP primers and protocols, and the concentrations of the amplicons were measured using a Qubit 2.0 fluorometer at specific intervals of time. The data is fitted to a generalized logistic function. Apart from providing precise screening indicators, representing the data with a small set of numbers offers significant advantages. It facilitates comparisons of LAMP reactions independently of the sampling technique. It also eliminates subjectivity in interpretation, simplifies data analysis, and allows easy data archival, retrieval and statistical analysis for large sample populations. To our knowledge this work represents a first attempt to quantitatively model LAMP and offer a standard method that could pave the way towards high throughput automated screening.

  1. Application of several activity coefficient models to water-organic-electrolyte aerosols of atmospheric interest

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    T. Raatikainen

    2005-01-01

    Full Text Available In this work, existing and modified activity coefficient models are examined in order to assess their capabilities to describe the properties of aqueous solution droplets relevant in the atmosphere. Five different water-organic-electrolyte activity coefficient models were first selected from the literature. Only one of these models included organics and electrolytes which are common in atmospheric aerosol particles. In the other models, organic species were solvents such as alcohols, and important atmospheric ions like NH4+ could be missing. The predictions of these models were compared to experimental activity and solubility data in aqueous single electrolyte solutions with 31 different electrolytes. Based on the deviations from experimental data and on the capabilities of the models, four predictive models were selected for fitting of new parameters for binary and ternary solutions of common atmospheric electrolytes and organics. New electrolytes (H+, NH4+, Na+, Cl-, NO3- and SO42- and organics (dicarboxylic and some hydroxy acids were added and some modifications were made to the models if it was found useful. All new and most of the existing parameters were fitted to experimental single electrolyte data as well as data for aqueous organics and aqueous organic-electrolyte solutions. Unfortunately, there are very few data available for organic activities in binary solutions and for organic and electrolyte activities in aqueous organic-electrolyte solutions. This reduces model capabilities in predicting solubilities. After the parameters were fitted, deviations from measurement data were calculated for all fitted models, and for different data types. These deviations and the calculated property values were compared with those from other non-electrolyte and organic-electrolyte models found in the literature. Finally, hygroscopic growth factors were calculated for four 100 nm organic-electrolyte particles and these predictions were compared to

  2. Coliform and Escherichia coli contamination of desserts served in public restaurants from Guadalajara, Mexico, and Houston, Texas.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vigil, Karen J; Jiang, Zhi-Dong; Chen, Jaclyn J; Palumbo, Kathryn L; Galbadage, Thushara; Brown, Eric L; Yiang, Jing; Koo, Hoonmo; DuPont, Margaret W; Ericsson, Charles; Adachi, Javier A; DuPont, Herbert L

    2009-04-01

    Bacterial enteropathogens acquired from contaminated food are the principal causes of travelers' diarrhea (TD). We evaluated desserts obtained from popular restaurants in the tourist city of Guadalajara, Mexico, and Houston, Texas, to determine coliform and Escherichia coli contamination levels and presence of diarrheagenic E. coli known to be important in TD. Contamination for all organisms was seen for desserts served in Guadalajara restaurants. Desserts should be considered as potentially risky foods for development of TD among international visitors to developing regions of the world.

  3. Self-organized quantum rings : Physical characterization and theoretical modeling

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Fomin, V.M.; Gladilin, V.N.; Devreese, J.T.; Koenraad, P.M.; Fomin, V.M.

    2014-01-01

    An adequate modeling of the self-organized quantum rings is possible only on the basis of the modern characterization of those nanostructures.We discuss an atomic-scale analysis of the indium distribution of self-organized InGaAs quantum rings (QRs). The analysis of the shape, size and composition

  4. Fimbrial adhesins from extraintestinal Escherichia coli

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Klemm, Per; Hancock, Viktoria; Schembri, Mark A.

    2010-01-01

    Extraintestinal pathogenic Escherichia coli (ExPEC) represent an important subclass of E. coli that cause a wide spectrum of diseases in human and animal hosts. Fimbriae are key virulence factors of ExPEC strains. These long surface located rod-shaped organelles mediate receptor-specific attachment...

  5. Serological cross-reaction between O-antigens of Shigella dysenteriae type 4 and an environmental Escherichia albertii isolate.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rahman, Mohammed Ziaur; Akter, Selina; Azmuda, Nafisa; Sultana, Munawar; Weill, François-Xavier; Khan, Sirajul Islam; Grimont, Patrick A D; Birkeland, Nils-Kåre

    2013-11-01

    An environmental freshwater bacterial isolate, DM104, appearing as Shigella-like colonies on selective agar plates was found to show strong and specific serological cross-reactivity with Shigella dysenteriae type 4. Biochemical identification according to the analytical profile index, molecular serotyping by restriction of the amplified O-antigen gene cluster (rfb-RFLP), together with phylogenetic analysis of the 16S rRNA gene and multi-locus sequence analysis, identified the isolate as Escherichia albertii. rfb-RFLP of DM104, revealed a profile different from that of S. dysenteriae type 4. However, western blot analysis of extracted lipopolysaccharides demonstrated strong cross-reactivity with S. dysenteriae type 4 using specific monovalent antisera and a lipopolysaccharide gel banding profile similar to that of S. dysenteriae type 4. The observed O-antigen cross-reaction between an E. albertii isolate and S. dysenteriae extends our knowledge of the extent of O-antigen cross-reaction within the Escherichia/Shigella group of organisms, and offers the possibility of using DM104 and similar cross-reacting strains as shigellosis vaccine candidates.

  6. Genomic Comparison of Escherichia coli K1 Strains Isolated from the Cerebrospinal Fluid of Patients with Meningitis †

    OpenAIRE

    Yao, Yufeng; Xie, Yi; Kim, Kwang Sik

    2006-01-01

    Escherichia coli is a major cause of enteric/diarrheal diseases, urinary tract infections, and sepsis. E. coli K1 is the leading gram-negative organism causing neonatal meningitis, but the microbial basis of E. coli K1 meningitis is incompletely understood. Here we employed comparative genomic hybridization to investigate 11 strains of E. coli K1 isolated from the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of patients with meningitis. These 11 strains cover the majority of common O serotypes in E. coli K1 iso...

  7. Organized versus self-organized criticality in the abelian sandpile model

    OpenAIRE

    Fey-den Boer, AC Anne; Redig, FHJ Frank

    2005-01-01

    We define stabilizability of an infinite volume height configuration and of a probability measure on height configurations. We show that for high enough densities, a probability measure cannot be stabilized. We also show that in some sense the thermodynamic limit of the uniform measures on the recurrent configurations of the abelian sandpile model (ASM) is a maximal element of the set of stabilizable measures. In that sense the self-organized critical behavior of the ASM can be understood in ...

  8. Detecção de fatores de virulência de Escherichia coli e análise de Salmonella spp. em psitacídeos Detection of virulence factors in Escherichia coli and analysis of Salmonella spp. in psittacines

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Isadora M. de O. Corrêa

    2013-02-01

    Full Text Available A flora entérica dos psitacídeos é composta principalmente por bactérias Gram positivas. Bactérias Gram negativas, como Escherichia coli e Salmonella spp., apresentam elevado potencial patogênico, sendo consideradas indicativo de problemas de manejo, que poderão culminar em manifestação de doenças em decorrência de fatores estressantes, dietas deficientes e superlotação, combinados com alta carga bacteriana no ambiente. O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a presença de Salmonella spp., Escherichia coli e os fatores de virulência dos genes iss e iutA dos isolados de E. coli. Analisou-se um total de 44 amostras provenientes de psitacídeos criados em cativeiro, sendo estas 15 fragmentos de órgãos de aves submetidas a exame de necropsia e também 29 amostras de swabs de cloaca e inglúvio de papagaios-charão (Amazona pretrei criados em cativeiro. Nenhuma amostra foi positiva para Salmonella spp. Nas amostras de E. coli detectou-se ambos os fatores de virulência pesquisados.The enteric flora of psittacines is mainly composed of Gram positive bacteria. Gram negative bacteria, like Escherichia coli and Salmonella spp., have a high pathogenic potential and can be considerate as an indicative of management problems that may culminate in disease manifestation due to stress factors, poor diets and overcrowding, in combination with a high bacterial load on the environment. The objective of this study was evaluated the presence of Salmonella spp., Escherichia coli and the virulence genes iss and iutA from E. coli isolates. Forty-four samples were analyzed from psittacines living in captivity, which fifteen samples were from organs fragments of necropsied birds, and twenty-nine were from cloacal and crop swabs of red-spectacled parrots (Amazona pretrei keeping in captivity. No samples were positive for Salmonella spp. In the samples in which E. coli was detected, both virulence factors (genes iss and iutA were present.

  9. Model of sustainable utilization of organic solids waste in Cundinamarca, Colombia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Solanyi Castañeda Torres

    2017-05-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: This article considers a proposal of a model of use of organic solids waste for the department of Cundinamarca, which responds to the need for a tool to support decision-making for the planning and management of organic solids waste. Objective: To perform an approximation of a conceptual technical and mathematician optimization model to support decision-making in order to minimize environmental impacts. Materials and methods: A descriptive study was applied due to the fact that some fundamental characteristics of the studied homogeneous phenomenon are presented and it is also considered to be quasi experimental. The calculation of the model for plants of the department is based on three axes (environmental, economic and social, that are present in the general equation of optimization. Results: A model of harnessing organic solids waste in the techniques of biological treatment of composting aerobic and worm cultivation is obtained, optimizing the system with the emissions savings of greenhouse gases spread into the atmosphere, and in the reduction of the overall cost of final disposal of organic solids waste in sanitary landfill. Based on the economic principle of utility that determines the environmental feasibility and sustainability in the plants of harnessing organic solids waste to the department, organic fertilizers such as compost and humus capture carbon and nitrogen that reduce the tons of CO2.

  10. Ames Culture Chamber System: Enabling Model Organism Research Aboard the international Space Station

    Science.gov (United States)

    Steele, Marianne

    2014-01-01

    Understanding the genetic, physiological, and behavioral effects of spaceflight on living organisms and elucidating the molecular mechanisms that underlie these effects are high priorities for NASA. Certain organisms, known as model organisms, are widely studied to help researchers better understand how all biological systems function. Small model organisms such as nem-atodes, slime mold, bacteria, green algae, yeast, and moss can be used to study the effects of micro- and reduced gravity at both the cellular and systems level over multiple generations. Many model organisms have sequenced genomes and published data sets on their transcriptomes and proteomes that enable scientific investigations of the molecular mechanisms underlying the adaptations of these organisms to space flight.

  11. Integrating centralized and decentralized organization structures: an education and development model.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sheriff, R; Banks, A

    2001-01-01

    Organization change efforts have led to critically examining the structure of education and development departments within hospitals. This qualitative study evaluated an education and development model in an academic health sciences center. The model combines centralization and decentralization. The study results can be used by staff development educators and administrators when organization structure is questioned. This particular model maximizes the benefits and minimizes the limitations of centralized and decentralized structures.

  12. NEW MODEL FOR QUANTIFICATION OF ICT DEPENDABLE ORGANIZATIONS RESILIENCE

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zora Arsovski

    2011-03-01

    Full Text Available Business environment today demands high reliable organizations in every segment to be competitive on the global market. Beside that, ICT sector is becoming irreplaceable in many fields of business, from the communication to the complex systems for process control and production. To fulfill those requirements and to develop further, many organizations worldwide are implementing business paradigm called - organizations resilience. Although resilience is well known term in many science fields, it is not well studied due to its complex nature. This paper is dealing with developing the new model for assessment and quantification of ICT dependable organizations resilience.

  13. PENGARUH PERASAN DAUN BELIMBING WULUH (Averrhoa bilimbi TERHADAP PERTUMBUHAN BAKTERI Escherichia coli PATOGEN

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fitrotin Azizah

    2017-12-01

    abstract  (Averrhoa bilimbi is one of the plants that can be used as an antibacterial, good flowers, stems, leaves and stems have benefits and efficacy. Chemical constituents of the leaves starfruit are tannins, flavonoids, saponins. The active ingredient in the leaves starfruit is tannin. Escherichia coli is a bacterium that causes diarrhea. From the above discussion, the authors raised the theme of Influence starfruit juice of the leaves on the growth of pathogenic E. coli bacteria. Formulation of the problem researchers is whether there is influence starfruit juice of the leaves on the growth of Escherichia coli pathogens. This study aims to determine the concentration that could inhibit and kill Esherichia coli Escherichia coli. This research is experimental. The sample used is leaf green starfruit not so young in a fresh state taken in the area around the boarding author Sutorejo 11B stay. In this study, the sample size for each treatment as much as 3 100%, 90%, 80%, 70%, 60%, 50%, 40%, 30%, 20%, 10% and C (control. Independent variables are starfruit juice of the leaves, while the dependent variable growth of Escherichia coli. When the study carried out in January and July 2012. Data on the effect of starfruit juice of the leaves on the growth of Escherichia coli tested by laboratory examination and data collection techniques using Chi-Square 0:05. Based on the results it appears that at a concentration of 100% and 90% were able to kill the bacteria Escherichia coli, whereas the inhibitory power ranging from a concentration of 80%, 70%, 60%, 50%, 40%, 30%, 20%, 10%. From Chi-Square test was obtained λ2 count Escherichia coli pathogenic bacteria. Keyword : Leaves starfruit, E. Coli

  14. Model potential for the description of metal/organic interface states

    Science.gov (United States)

    Armbrust, Nico; Schiller, Frederik; Güdde, Jens; Höfer, Ulrich

    2017-01-01

    We present an analytical one-dimensional model potential for the description of electronic interface states that form at the interface between a metal surface and flat-lying adlayers of π-conjugated organic molecules. The model utilizes graphene as a universal representation of these organic adlayers. It predicts the energy position of the interface state as well as the overlap of its wave function with the bulk metal without free fitting parameters. We show that the energy of the interface state depends systematically on the bond distance between the carbon backbone of the adayers and the metal. The general applicability and robustness of the model is demonstrated by a comparison of the calculated energies with numerous experimental results for a number of flat-lying organic molecules on different closed-packed metal surfaces that cover a large range of bond distances. PMID:28425444

  15. (ESBL) producing Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    use

    2011-11-21

    Nov 21, 2011 ... the most common serious bacterial infections in infants ... UTI is a common cause of morbidity .... of ESBL and non-ESBL producing Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumonia. ... in hospital and community acquired infections.

  16. Mutant mice: experimental organisms as materialised models in biomedicine.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huber, Lara; Keuck, Lara K

    2013-09-01

    Animal models have received particular attention as key examples of material models. In this paper, we argue that the specificities of establishing animal models-acknowledging their status as living beings and as epistemological tools-necessitate a more complex account of animal models as materialised models. This becomes particularly evident in animal-based models of diseases that only occur in humans: in these cases, the representational relation between animal model and human patient needs to be generated and validated. The first part of this paper presents an account of how disease-specific animal models are established by drawing on the example of transgenic mice models for Alzheimer's disease. We will introduce an account of validation that involves a three-fold process including (1) from human being to experimental organism; (2) from experimental organism to animal model; and (3) from animal model to human patient. This process draws upon clinical relevance as much as scientific practices and results in disease-specific, yet incomplete, animal models. The second part of this paper argues that the incompleteness of models can be described in terms of multi-level abstractions. We qualify this notion by pointing to different experimental techniques and targets of modelling, which give rise to a plurality of models for a specific disease. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. An In Vitro Chicken Gut Model Demonstrates Transfer of a Multidrug Resistance Plasmid from Salmonella to Commensal Escherichia coli.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Card, Roderick M; Cawthraw, Shaun A; Nunez-Garcia, Javier; Ellis, Richard J; Kay, Gemma; Pallen, Mark J; Woodward, Martin J; Anjum, Muna F

    2017-07-18

    The chicken gastrointestinal tract is richly populated by commensal bacteria that fulfill various beneficial roles for the host, including helping to resist colonization by pathogens. It can also facilitate the conjugative transfer of multidrug resistance (MDR) plasmids between commensal and pathogenic bacteria which is a significant public and animal health concern as it may affect our ability to treat bacterial infections. We used an in vitro chemostat system to approximate the chicken cecal microbiota, simulate colonization by an MDR Salmonella pathogen, and examine the dynamics of transfer of its MDR plasmid harboring several genes, including the extended-spectrum beta-lactamase bla CTX-M1 We also evaluated the impact of cefotaxime administration on plasmid transfer and microbial diversity. Bacterial community profiles obtained by culture-independent methods showed that Salmonella inoculation resulted in no significant changes to bacterial community alpha diversity and beta diversity, whereas administration of cefotaxime caused significant alterations to both measures of diversity, which largely recovered. MDR plasmid transfer from Salmonella to commensal Escherichia coli was demonstrated by PCR and whole-genome sequencing of isolates purified from agar plates containing cefotaxime. Transfer occurred to seven E. coli sequence types at high rates, even in the absence of cefotaxime, with resistant strains isolated within 3 days. Our chemostat system provides a good representation of bacterial interactions, including antibiotic resistance transfer in vivo It can be used as an ethical and relatively inexpensive approach to model dissemination of antibiotic resistance within the gut of any animal or human and refine interventions that mitigate its spread before employing in vivo studies. IMPORTANCE The spread of antimicrobial resistance presents a grave threat to public health and animal health and is affecting our ability to respond to bacterial infections

  18. A community model of ciliate Tetrahymena and bacteria E. coli. Part 1: Individual-based models of Tetrahymena and E. coli populations

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Jaworska, J.S.; Hallam, T.G.; Schultz, T.W. [Univ. of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN (United States)

    1996-03-01

    The dynamics of a microbial community consisting of a eucaryotic ciliate Tetrahymena pyriformis and procaryotic. Escherichia coli in a batch culture is explored by employing an individual-based approach. In this portion of the article, Part 1, population models are presented. Because both models are individual-based, models of individual organisms are developed prior to construction of the population models. The individual models use an energy budget method in which growth depends on energy gain from feeding and energy sinks such as maintenance and reproduction. These models are not limited by simplifying assumptions about constant yield, constant energy sinks and Monod growth kinetics as are traditional models of microbial organisms. Population models are generated from individual models by creating distinct individual types and assigning to each type the number of real individuals they represent. A population is a compilation of individual types that vary in a phase of cell cycle and physiological parameters such as filtering rate for ciliates and maximum anabolic rate for bacteria. An advantage of the developed models is that they realistically describe the growth of the individual cells feeding on resource which varies in density and composition. Part 2, the core of the project, integrates models into a dynamic microbial community and provides model analysis based upon available data.

  19. Modelling the impacts of global change on concentrations of Escherichia coli in an urban river

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jalliffier-Verne, Isabelle; Leconte, Robert; Huaringa-Alvarez, Uriel; Heniche, Mourad; Madoux-Humery, Anne-Sophie; Autixier, Laurène; Galarneau, Martine; Servais, Pierre; Prévost, Michèle; Dorner, Sarah

    2017-10-01

    Discharges of combined sewer system overflows (CSOs) affect water quality in drinking water sources despite increasing regulation and discharge restrictions. A hydrodynamic model was applied to simulate the transport and dispersion of fecal contaminants from CSO discharges and to quantify the impacts of climate and population changes on the water quality of the river used as a drinking water source in Québec, Canada. The dispersion model was used to quantify Escherichia coli (E. coli) concentrations at drinking water intakes. Extreme flows during high and low water events were based on a frequency analysis in current and future climate scenarios. The increase of the number of discharges was quantified in current and future climate scenarios with regards to the frequency of overflows observed between 2009 and 2012. For future climate scenarios, effects of an increase of population were estimated according to current population growth statistics, independently of local changes in precipitation that are more difficult to predict than changes to regional scale hydrology. Under ;business-as-usual; scenarios restricting increases in CSO discharge frequency, mean E. coli concentrations at downstream drinking water intakes are expected to increase by up to 87% depending on the future climate scenario and could lead to changes in drinking water treatment requirements for the worst case scenarios. The greatest uncertainties are related to future local discharge loads. Climate change adaptation with regards to drinking water quality must focus on characterizing the impacts of global change at a local scale. Source water protection planning must consider the impacts of climate and population change to avoid further degradation of water quality.

  20. Global gene expression profiling of the asymptomatic bacteriuria Escherichia coli strain 83972 in the human urinary tract

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hancock, Viktoria; Klemm, Per

    2006-01-01

    Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are an important health problem worldwide, with many million cases each year. Escherichia coli is the most common organism causing UTIs in humans. The asymptomatic bacteriuria E. coli strain 83972 is an excellent colonizer of the human urinary tract, where it causes...... long-term bladder colonization. The strain has been used for prophylactic purposes in patients prone to more severe and recurrent UTIs. For this study, we used DNA microarrays to monitor the expression profile of strain 83972 in the human urinary tract. Significant differences in expression levels were...

  1. Antibacterial effects of Apis mellifera and stingless bees honeys on susceptible and resistant strains of Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Klebsiella pneumoniae in Gondar, Northwest Ethiopia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ewnetu, Yalemwork; Lemma, Wossenseged; Birhane, Nega

    2013-10-19

    Honey is a natural substance produced by honeybees and has nutritional and therapeutic uses. In Ethiopia, honeys are used traditionally to treat wounds, respiratory infections and diarrhoea. Recent increase of drug resistant bacteria against the existing antibiotics forced investigators to search for alternative natural remedies and evaluate their potential use on scientific bases. Thus, the aim of this study was to evaluate the antibacterial effects of different types of honeys in Ethiopia which are used traditionally to treat different types of respiratory and gastrointestinal infections. Mueller Hinton agar (70191) diffusion and nutrient broth culture medium assays were performed to determine susceptibility of Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 25923), Escherichia coli (ATCC 25922) and resistant clinical isolates (Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus(MRSA), Escherichia coli(R) and Klebsiella pneumoniae (R), using honeys of Apis mellifera and stingless bees in northern and north western Ethiopia. Honey of the stingless bees produced the highest mean inhibition (22.27 ± 3.79 mm) compared to white honey (21.0 ± 2.7 mm) and yellow honey (18.0 ± 2.3 mm) at 50% (v/v) concentration on all the standard and resistant strains. Stingless bees honey was found to have Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) of 6.25% (6.25 mg/ml) for 80% of the test organisms compared to 40% for white and yellow Apis mellifera honeys. All the honeys were found to have minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) of 12.5% (12.5 mg/ml) against all the test organisms. Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 25923) was susceptible to amoxicillin, methicillin, kanamycine, tetracycline, and vancomycine standard antibiotic discs used for susceptibility tests. Similarly, Escherichia coli (ATCC 25922) was found susceptible for kanamycine, tetracycline and vancomycine. Escherichia coli (ATCC 25922) has not been tested for amoxicillin ampicillin and methicillin. The susceptibility tests performed against

  2. A STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT MODEL FOR SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS

    OpenAIRE

    Andreea ZAMFIR

    2013-01-01

    This paper provides a knowledge-based strategic management of services model, with a view to emphasise an approach to gaining competitive advantage through knowledge, people and networking. The long-term evolution of the service organization is associated with the way in which the strategic management is practised.

  3. Expanding on Successful Concepts, Models, and Organization

    Science.gov (United States)

    If the goal of the AEP framework was to replace existing exposure models or databases for organizing exposure data with a concept, we would share Dr. von Göetz concerns. Instead, the outcome we promote is broader use of an organizational framework for exposure science. The f...

  4. Simulating Escherichia coli O157:H7 transmission to assess effectiveness of interventions in Dutch dairy-beef slaughterhouses

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Vosough Ahmadi, B.; Velthuis, A.G.J.; Hogeveen, H.; Huirne, R.B.M.

    2006-01-01

    Beef contamination with Escherichia coli O157:H7 (VTEC) is an important food-safety issue. To investigate the effectiveness of interventions against VTEC in Dutch beef industrial slaughterhouses that slaughter 500 dairy cattle per day, a Monte Carlo simulation model was built. We examined seven

  5. Mutagenic DNA repair in Escherichia coli

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bridges, B.A.; Sharif, Firdaus

    1986-01-01

    The authors report a study of the misincorporation step in excision proficient umuC Escherichia coli as revealed by delayed photoreversal and show that it parallels the loss of photoreversibility of mutations induced in isogenic umu + bacteria; in both cases the end-point was mutation to streptomycin resistance. (author)

  6. Progressive segregation of the Escherichia coli chromosome

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nielsen, Henrik Jørck; Youngren, Brenda; Hansen, Flemming G.

    2006-01-01

    We have followed the fate of 14 different loci around the Escherichia coli chromosome in living cells at slow growth rate using a highly efficient labelling system and automated measurements. Loci are segregated as they are replicated, but with a marked delay. Most markers segregate in a smooth...... temporal progression from origin to terminus. Thus, the overall pattern is one of continuous segregation during replication and is not consistent with recently published models invoking extensive sister chromosome cohesion followed by simultaneous segregation of the bulk of the chromosome. The terminus......, and a region immediately clockwise from the origin, are exceptions to the overall pattern and are subjected to a more extensive delay prior to segregation. The origin region and nearby loci are replicated and segregated from the cell centre, later markers from the various positions where they lie...

  7. A model to incorporate organ deformation in the evaluation of dose/volume relationship

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yan, D.; Jaffray, D.; Wong, J.; Brabbins, D.; Martinez, A. A.

    1997-01-01

    Purpose: Measurements of internal organ motion have demonstrated that daily organ deformation exists during the course of radiation treatment. However, a model to evaluate the resultant dose delivered to a daily deformed organ remains a difficult challenge. Current methods which model such organ deformation as rigid body motion in the dose calculation for treatment planning evaluation are incorrect and misleading. In this study, a new model for treatment planning evaluation is introduced which incorporates patient specific information of daily organ deformation and setup variation. The model was also used to retrospectively analyze the actual treatment data measured using daily CT scans for 5 patients with prostate treatment. Methods and Materials: The model assumes that for each patient, the organ of interest can be measured during the first few treatment days. First, the volume of each organ is delineated from each of the daily measurements and cumulated in a 3D bit-map. A tissue occupancy distribution is then constructed with the 50% isodensity representing the mean, or effective, organ volume. During the course of treatment, each voxel in the effective organ volume is assumed to move inside a local 3D neighborhood with a specific distribution function. The neighborhood and the distribution function are deduced from the positions and shapes of the organ in the first few measurements using the biomechanics model of viscoelastic body. For each voxel, the local distribution function is then convolved with the spatial dose distribution. The latter includes also the variation in dose due to daily setup error. As a result, the cumulative dose to the voxel incorporates the effects of daily setup variation and organ deformation. A ''variation adjusted'' dose volume histogram, aDVH, for the effective organ volume can then be constructed for the purpose of treatment evaluation and optimization. Up to 20 daily CT scans and daily portal images for 5 patients with prostate

  8. A Framework for Formal Modeling and Analysis of Organizations

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Jonker, C.M.; Sharpanskykh, O.; Treur, J.; P., Yolum

    2007-01-01

    A new, formal, role-based, framework for modeling and analyzing both real world and artificial organizations is introduced. It exploits static and dynamic properties of the organizational model and includes the (frequently ignored) environment. The transition is described from a generic framework of

  9. Biotin-independent strains of Escherichia coli for enhanced streptavidin production.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jeschek, Markus; Bahls, Maximilian O; Schneider, Veronika; Marlière, Philippe; Ward, Thomas R; Panke, Sven

    2017-03-01

    Biotin is an archetypal vitamin used as cofactor for carboxylation reactions found in all forms of life. However, biotin biosynthesis is an elaborate multi-enzymatic process and metabolically costly. Moreover, many industrially relevant organisms are incapable of biotin synthesis resulting in the requirement to supplement defined media. Here we describe the creation of biotin-independent strains of Escherichia coli and Corynebacterium glutamicum through installation of an optimized malonyl-CoA bypass, which re-routes natural fatty acid synthesis, rendering the previously essential vitamin completely obsolete. We utilize biotin-independent E. coli for the production of the high-value protein streptavidin which was hitherto restricted because of toxic effects due to biotin depletion. The engineered strain revealed significantly improved streptavidin production resulting in the highest titers and productivities reported for this protein to date. Copyright © 2017 International Metabolic Engineering Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  10. Engineering the biosynthesis of novel rhamnolipids in Escherichia coli for enhanced oil recovery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Han, L; Liu, P; Peng, Y; Lin, J; Wang, Q; Ma, Y

    2014-07-01

    The interfacial tension of rhamnolipids and their applications in enhanced oil recovery are dependent on their chemical structures and compositions. To improve their performances of interfacial tension and enhanced oil recovery, the engineered strategies were applied to produce novel rhamnolipids with different chemical structures and compositions. By introducing different key genes for rhamnolipid biosynthesis, Escherichia coli was firstly constructed to produce rhamnolipids that showed different performances in interfacial tension from those from Pseudomonas aeruginosa due to the different fatty acyl compositions. Then, the mutant RhlBs were created by directed evolution and subsequent site-directed mutagenesis and resulted in the production of the novel rhamnolipids with the different performances in interfacial tension as well as enhanced oil recovery. Lastly, computational modelling elucidates that the single amino acid mutation at the position 168 in RhlB would change the volume of binding pocket for substrate and thus affect the selectivity of rhamnolipid formation in E. coli. The novel rhamnolipids that showed the improved performances of interfacial tension and the potential different applications in enhanced oil recovery were successfully produced by engineered E. coli. This study proved that the combination of metabolic engineering and protein engineering is an important engineered strategy to produce many novel metabolites in micro-organisms. © 2014 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

  11. Colonization of Enteroaggregative Escherichia coli and Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli in chickens and humans in southern Vietnam

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Trung, Nguyen Vinh; Nhung, Hoang Ngoc; Carrique-Mas, Juan J.; Mai, Ho Huynh; Tuyen, Ha Thanh; Campbell, James; Nhung, Nguyen Thi; van Minh, Pham; Wagenaar, Jaap A.; Mai, Nguyen Thi Nhu; Hieu, Thai Quoc; Schultsz, Constance; Hoa, Ngo Thi

    2016-01-01

    Enteroaggregative (EAEC) and Shiga-toxin producing Escherichia coli (STEC) are a major cause of diarrhea worldwide. E. coli carrying both virulence factors characteristic for EAEC and STEC and producing extended-spectrum beta-lactamase caused severe and protracted disease during an outbreak of E.

  12. A forward-design approach to increase the production of poly-3-hydroxybutyrate in genetically engineered Escherichia coli.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Richard Kelwick

    Full Text Available Biopolymers, such as poly-3-hydroxybutyrate (P(3HB are produced as a carbon store in an array of organisms and exhibit characteristics which are similar to oil-derived plastics, yet have the added advantages of biodegradability and biocompatibility. Despite these advantages, P(3HB production is currently more expensive than the production of oil-derived plastics, and therefore, more efficient P(3HB production processes would be desirable. In this study, we describe the model-guided design and experimental validation of several engineered P(3HB producing operons. In particular, we describe the characterization of a hybrid phaCAB operon that consists of a dual promoter (native and J23104 and RBS (native and B0034 design. P(3HB production at 24 h was around six-fold higher in hybrid phaCAB engineered Escherichia coli in comparison to E. coli engineered with the native phaCAB operon from Ralstonia eutropha H16. Additionally, we describe the utilization of non-recyclable waste as a low-cost carbon source for the production of P(3HB.

  13. A forward-design approach to increase the production of poly-3-hydroxybutyrate in genetically engineered Escherichia coli.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kelwick, Richard; Kopniczky, Margarita; Bower, Iain; Chi, Wenqiang; Chin, Matthew Ho Wai; Fan, Sisi; Pilcher, Jemma; Strutt, James; Webb, Alexander J; Jensen, Kirsten; Stan, Guy-Bart; Kitney, Richard; Freemont, Paul

    2015-01-01

    Biopolymers, such as poly-3-hydroxybutyrate (P(3HB)) are produced as a carbon store in an array of organisms and exhibit characteristics which are similar to oil-derived plastics, yet have the added advantages of biodegradability and biocompatibility. Despite these advantages, P(3HB) production is currently more expensive than the production of oil-derived plastics, and therefore, more efficient P(3HB) production processes would be desirable. In this study, we describe the model-guided design and experimental validation of several engineered P(3HB) producing operons. In particular, we describe the characterization of a hybrid phaCAB operon that consists of a dual promoter (native and J23104) and RBS (native and B0034) design. P(3HB) production at 24 h was around six-fold higher in hybrid phaCAB engineered Escherichia coli in comparison to E. coli engineered with the native phaCAB operon from Ralstonia eutropha H16. Additionally, we describe the utilization of non-recyclable waste as a low-cost carbon source for the production of P(3HB).

  14. Integrated modelling of two xenobiotic organic compounds

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lindblom, Erik Ulfson; Gernaey, K.V.; Henze, Mogens

    2006-01-01

    This paper presents a dynamic mathematical model that describes the fate and transport of two selected xenobiotic organic compounds (XOCs) in a simplified representation. of an integrated urban wastewater system. A simulation study, where the xenobiotics bisphenol A and pyrene are used as reference...... compounds, is carried out. Sorption and specific biological degradation processes are integrated with standardised water process models to model the fate of both compounds. Simulated mass flows of the two compounds during one dry weather day and one wet weather day are compared for realistic influent flow...... rate and concentration profiles. The wet weather day induces resuspension of stored sediments, which increases the pollutant load on the downstream system. The potential of the model to elucidate important phenomena related to origin and fate of the model compounds is demonstrated....

  15. Genotype variation and genetic relationship among Escherichia coli from nursery pigs located in different pens in the same farm

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Herrero-Fresno, Ana; Ahmed, Shahana; Hansen, Monica Hegstad

    2017-01-01

    BACKGROUND: So far, little is known about the genetic diversity and relatedness among Escherichia coli (E. coli) populations in the gut of swine. Information on this is required to improve modeling studies on antimicrobial resistance aiming to fight its occurrence and development. This work evalu...

  16. Modified Vero cell induced by Bifidobacterium bifidum inhibits enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli O157:H7 cytopathic effect

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tahamtan, Y.

    2014-11-01

    Full Text Available Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC, such as E. coli O157:H7, are emerging food-borne pathogens worldwide. This micro-organism can damage the epithelial tissue of the large intestine. The cytotoxic effects can be neutralized by probiotics such as Bifidobacterium bifidum. Probiotics are viable cells that have beneficial effects on the health of the host. The preventing activity of B. bifidum against E. coli O157 was studied using a Vero cell model. Vero cell was pretreated with viable B. bifidum and incubated for either 3 h to 24 h and then collected from the cell to make modified Vero cell (MVC. Indirect antibacterial effects of B. bifidum were demonstrated by reduction of attachment of E. coli O157:H7 to MVC. The maximum reduction was resulted in pretreatment of Vero cell with B. bifidum for 24 h before infection. B. bifidum attenuated E. coli O157:H7 attachment to MVC up to 10 days of incubation. To our knowledge, MCV prevented Vero cell line injury induced by E. coli O157:H7. Therefore, B. bifidum can be used for inhibition of E. coli O157:H7 cytopathic effect (CPE in Vero cell model, even as pretreatment of the cell line.

  17. Laos Organization Name Using Cascaded Model Based on SVM and CRF

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Duan Shaopeng

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available According to the characteristics of Laos organization name, this paper proposes a two layer model based on conditional random field (CRF and support vector machine (SVM for Laos organization name recognition. A layer of model uses CRF to recognition simple organization name, and the result is used to support the decision of the second level. Based on the driving method, the second layer uses SVM and CRF to recognition the complicated organization name. Finally, the results of the two levels are combined, And by a subsequent treatment to correct results of low confidence recognition. The results show that this approach based on SVM and CRF is efficient in recognizing organization name through open test for real linguistics, and the recalling rate achieve 80. 83%and the precision rate achieves 82. 75%.

  18. The treatment of irradiated mice with polymicrobial infection caused by Bacteroides fragilis and Escherichia coli

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Brook, Itzhak; Ledney, G.D.

    1994-01-01

    The effects on the faecal flora and the efficacies of various antibiotic regimens administered as treatment for a mixed infection caused by Bacteroides fragilis and Escherichia coli in the irradiated host were investigated in a subcutaneous abscess model with C 3 H/HeN mice which had been exposed to 60 Co. The regimens used included imipenem, ofloxacin, metronidazole and the combination of ofloxacin and metronidazole. (author)

  19. Elongation factor P is dispensable in Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Balibar, Carl J; Iwanowicz, Dorothy; Dean, Charles R

    2013-09-01

    Elongation factor P (EF-P) is a highly conserved ribosomal initiation factor responsible for stimulating formation of the first peptide bond. Its essentiality has been debated and may differ depending on the organism. Here, we demonstrate that EF-P is dispensable in Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa under laboratory growth conditions. Although knockouts are viable, growth rates are diminished compared with wild-type strains. Despite this cost in fitness, these mutants are not more susceptible to a wide range of antibiotics; including ribosome targeting antibiotics, such as lincomycin, chloramphenicol, and streptomycin, which have been shown previously to disrupt EF-P function in vitro. In Pseudomonas, knockout of efp leads to an upregulation of mexX, a phenotype previously observed with other genetic lesions affecting ribosome function and that can be induced by the treatment with antibiotics affecting protein synthesis.

  20. Evaluation of Biological Toxicity of CdTe Quantum Dots with Different Coating Reagents according to Protein Expression of Engineering Escherichia coli

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wei Xu

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available The results obtained from toxicity assessment of quantum dots (QDs can be used to establish guidelines for the application of QDs in bioimaging. This paper focused on the design of a novel method to evaluate the toxicity of CdTe QDs using engineering Escherichia coli as a model. The toxicity of mercaptoacetic acid (MPA, glutathione (GSH, and L-cysteine (Cys capped CdTe QDs was analyzed according to the heterologous protein expression in BL21/DE3, engineering Escherichia coli extensively used for protein expression. The results showed that the MPA-CdTe QDs had more serious toxicity than the other two kinds of CdTe QDs. The microscopic images and SEM micrographs further proved that both the proliferation and the protein expression of engineering Escherichia coli were inhibited after treatment with MPA-CdTe QDs. The proposed method is important to evaluate biological toxicity of both QDs and other nanoparticles.

  1. Aging, neurogenesis, and caloric restriction in different model organisms.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Arslan-Ergul, Ayca; Ozdemir, A Tugrul; Adams, Michelle M

    2013-08-01

    Brain aging is a multifactorial process that is occurring across multiple cognitive domains. A significant complaint that occurs in the elderly is a decrement in learning and memory ability. Both rodents and zebrafish exhibit a similar problem with memory during aging. The neurobiological changes that underlie this cognitive decline are complex and undoubtedly influenced by many factors. Alterations in the birth of new neurons and neuron turnover may contribute to age-related cognitive problems. Caloric restriction is the only non-genetic intervention that reliably increases life span and healthspan across multiple organisms although the molecular mechanisms are not well-understood. Recently the zebrafish has become a popular model organism for understanding the neurobiological consequences but to date very little work has been performed. Similarly, few studies have examined the effects of dietary restriction in zebrafish. Here we review the literature related to memory decline, neurogenesis, and caloric restriction across model organisms and suggest that zebrafish has the potential to be an important animal model for understanding the complex interactions between age, neurobiological changes in the brain, and dietary regimens or their mimetics as interventions.

  2. Towards a paradigm shift in the modeling of soil organic carbon decomposition for earth system models

    Science.gov (United States)

    He, Yujie

    Soils are the largest terrestrial carbon pools and contain approximately 2200 Pg of carbon. Thus, the dynamics of soil carbon plays an important role in the global carbon cycle and climate system. Earth System Models are used to project future interactions between terrestrial ecosystem carbon dynamics and climate. However, these models often predict a wide range of soil carbon responses and their formulations have lagged behind recent soil science advances, omitting key biogeochemical mechanisms. In contrast, recent mechanistically-based biogeochemical models that explicitly account for microbial biomass pools and enzyme kinetics that catalyze soil carbon decomposition produce notably different results and provide a closer match to recent observations. However, a systematic evaluation of the advantages and disadvantages of the microbial models and how they differ from empirical, first-order formulations in soil decomposition models for soil organic carbon is still needed. This dissertation consists of a series of model sensitivity and uncertainty analyses and identifies dominant decomposition processes in determining soil organic carbon dynamics. Poorly constrained processes or parameters that require more experimental data integration are also identified. This dissertation also demonstrates the critical role of microbial life-history traits (e.g. microbial dormancy) in the modeling of microbial activity in soil organic matter decomposition models. Finally, this study surveys and synthesizes a number of recently published microbial models and provides suggestions for future microbial model developments.

  3. Multiple-Resistant Commensal Escherichia Coli from Nigerian ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Purpose: The antimicrobial susceptibility and virulence traits of 150 strains of Escherichia coli ... and ethical approval was obtained from the Health .... persist in the guts by virtue of the ability of such ... cases of diarrhoea in Ile-Ife and environs.

  4. A novel model to study neonatal Escherichia coli sepsis and the effect of treatment on the human immune system using humanized mice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schlieckau, Florian; Schulz, Daniela; Fill Malfertheiner, Sara; Entleutner, Kathrin; Seelbach-Goebel, Birgit; Ernst, Wolfgang

    2018-04-19

    Neonatal sepsis is a serious threat especially for preterm infants. As existing in vitro and in vivo models have limitations, we generated a novel neonatal sepsis model using humanized mice and tested the effect of Betamethasone and Indomethacin which are used in the clinic in case of premature birth. Humanized mice were infected with Escherichia coli (E. coli). Subsequently, the effect of the infection itself, and treatment with Betamethasone and Indomethacin on survival, recovery, bacterial burden, leukocyte populations, and cytokine production, was analyzed. The human immune system in the animals responded with leukocyte trafficking to the site of infection and granulopoiesis in the bone marrow. Treatment with Indomethacin had no pronounced effect on the immune system or bacterial burden. Betamethasone induced a decline of splenocytes. The human immune system in humanized mice responds to the infection, making them a suitable model to study neonatal E. coli sepsis and the immune response of the neonatal immune system. Treatment with Betamethasone could have potential negative long-term effects for the immune system of the child. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  5. Multiple organ definition in CT using a Bayesian approach for 3D model fitting

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boes, Jennifer L.; Weymouth, Terry E.; Meyer, Charles R.

    1995-08-01

    Organ definition in computed tomography (CT) is of interest for treatment planning and response monitoring. We present a method for organ definition using a priori information about shape encoded in a set of biometric organ models--specifically for the liver and kidney-- that accurately represents patient population shape information. Each model is generated by averaging surfaces from a learning set of organ shapes previously registered into a standard space defined by a small set of landmarks. The model is placed in a specific patient's data set by identifying these landmarks and using them as the basis for model deformation; this preliminary representation is then iteratively fit to the patient's data based on a Bayesian formulation of the model's priors and CT edge information, yielding a complete organ surface. We demonstrate this technique using a set of fifteen abdominal CT data sets for liver surface definition both before and after the addition of a kidney model to the fitting; we demonstrate the effectiveness of this tool for organ surface definition in this low-contrast domain.

  6. Ethical models in bioethics: theory and application in organ allocation policies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Petrini, C

    2010-12-01

    Policies for allocating organs to people awaiting a transplant constitute a major ethical challenge. First and foremost, they demand balance between the principles of beneficence and justice, but many other ethically relevant principles are also involved: autonomy, responsibility, equity, efficiency, utility, therapeutic outcome, medical urgency, and so forth. Various organ allocation models can be developed based on the hierarchical importance assigned to a given principle over the others, but none of the principles should be completely disregarded. An ethically acceptable organ allocation policy must therefore be in conformity, to a certain extent, with the requirements of all the principles. Many models for organ allocation can be derived. The utilitarian model aims to maximize benefits, which can be of various types on a social or individual level, such as the number of lives saved, prognosis, and so forth. The prioritarian model favours the neediest or those who suffer most. The egalitarian model privileges equity and justice, suggesting that all people should have an equal opportunity (casual allocation) or priority should be given to those who have been waiting longer. The personalist model focuses on each individual patient, attempting to mesh together all the various aspects affecting the person: therapeutic needs (urgency), fairness, clinical outcomes, respect for persons. In the individualistic model the main element is free choice and the system of opting-in is privileged. Contrary to the individualistic model, the communitarian model identities in the community the fundamental elements for the legitimacy of choices: therefore, the system of opting-out is privileged. This article does not aim at suggesting practical solutions. Rather, it furnishes to decision makers an overview on the possible ethical approach to this matter.

  7. Survival of bioluminescent Listeria monocytogenes and Escherichia coli O157:H7 in soft cheeses.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ramsaran, H; Chen, J; Brunke, B; Hill, A; Griffiths, M W

    1998-07-01

    Pasteurized and raw milks that had been inoculated at 10(4) cfu/ml with bioluminescent strains of Listeria monocytogenes and Escherichia coli O157:H7 were used in the manufacture of Camembert and Feta cheeses with or without nisin-producing starter culture. Survival of both organisms was determined during the manufacture and storage of Camembert and Feta cheeses at 2 +/- 1 degree C for 65 and 75 d, respectively. Bacterial bioluminescence was used as an indicator to enumerate the colonies plated on selective Listeria agar and on MacConkey agar. Escherichia coli O157:H7 survived the manufacturing process of both cheeses and was present at the end of the storage period in greater numbers than in the initial inoculum. At the end of 75 d of storage, E. coli O157:H7 was found in the brine of Feta cheese. The counts of L. monocytogenes increased as the pH of the Camembert cheese increased, and there were significant differences between the counts from samples taken from the inside and the counts from samples obtained near the surface of the cheese. The Feta cheese that contained nisin was the only cheese in which L. monocytogenes was at the level of the initial inoculum after 75 d of storage.

  8. Utilization of evolutionary model, bioinformatics and heuristics for development of a multiplex Escherichia coli O157:H7 PCR assay

    Science.gov (United States)

    Introduction: Escherichia coli O157:H7 is a devastating foodborne pathogen causing many foodborne outbreaks worldwide with significant morbidity and mortality. The plasticity of the E. coli O157:H7 genome, inconsistent expression of surface antigens, and sharing of genetic elements with other non-...

  9. Effects of Aronia melanocarpa Constituents on Biofilm Formation of Escherichia coli and Bacillus cereus

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marie Bräunlich

    2013-12-01

    Full Text Available Many bacteria growing on surfaces form biofilms. Adaptive and genetic changes of the microorganisms in this structure make them resistant to antimicrobial agents. Biofilm-forming organisms on medical devices can pose serious threats to human health. Thus, there is a need for novel prevention and treatment strategies. This study aimed to evaluate the ability of Aronia melanocarpa extracts, subfractions and compounds to prevent biofilm formation and to inhibit bacterial growth of Escherichia coli and Bacillus cereus in vitro. It was found that several aronia substances possessed anti-biofilm activity, however, they were not toxic to the species screened. This non-toxic inhibition may confer a lower potential for resistance development compared to conventional antimicrobials.

  10. Development and evaluation of a skin organ model for the analysis of radiation effects

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Meineke, V.; Mueller, K.; Ridi, R.; Cordes, N.; Beuningen, D. van; Koehn, F.M.; Ring, J.; Mayerhofer, A.

    2004-01-01

    Background and purpose: the reaction of tissues to ionizing radiation involves alterations in cell-cell and cell-matrix interactions mediated by cellular adhesion molecules. The aim of this study was to develop and evaluate an artificial skin organ model for the analysis of radiation effects. Material and methods: a human co-culture system consisting of the spontaneously immortalized keratinocyte cell line HaCaT and primary HDFa fibroblasts embedded into a collagen sponge was established. This skin organ model has been characterized and evaluated for its suitability for radiobiological investigations. For that purpose, expression of β 1 -integrin following irradiation was compared in the skin organ model and in HaCaT monolayer cells (FACScan and immunohistochemistry). Furthermore, the influence of ionizing radiation on DNA fragmentation was investigated in the skin organ model (TUNEL assay). Results: the novel skin organ model showed characteristics of human skin as demonstrated by cytokeratin and Ki-67 immunoreactivity and by electron microscopy. A single dose of 5 Gy X-irradiation induced an upregulation of β 1 -integrin expression both in the skin organ model and in HaCaT cells. Following irradiation, β 1 -integrin immunoreactivity was intensified in the upper layers of the epidermis equivalent whereas it was almost absent in the deeper layers. Additionally, irradiation of the skin organ model also caused a marked increase of DNA fragmentation. Conclusion: these results demonstrate that the novel skin organ model is suitable to investigate cellular radiation effects under three-dimensional conditions. This allows to investigate radiation effects which cannot be demonstrated in monolayer cell cultures. (orig.)

  11. Application of dynamic flux balance analysis to an industrial Escherichia coli fermentation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meadows, Adam L; Karnik, Rahi; Lam, Harry; Forestell, Sean; Snedecor, Brad

    2010-03-01

    We have developed a reactor-scale model of Escherichia coli metabolism and growth in a 1000 L process for the production of a recombinant therapeutic protein. The model consists of two distinct parts: (1) a dynamic, process specific portion that describes the time evolution of 37 process variables of relevance and (2) a flux balance based, 123-reaction metabolic model of E. coli metabolism. This model combines several previously reported modeling approaches including a growth rate-dependent biomass composition, maximum growth rate objective function, and dynamic flux balancing. In addition, we introduce concentration-dependent boundary conditions of transport fluxes, dynamic maintenance demands, and a state-dependent cellular objective. This formulation was able to describe specific runs with high-fidelity over process conditions including rich media, simultaneous acetate and glucose consumption, glucose minimal media, and phosphate depleted media. Furthermore, the model accurately describes the effect of process perturbations--such as glucose overbatching and insufficient aeration--on growth, metabolism, and titer. (c) 2009 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  12. Plausible carrier transport model in organic-inorganic hybrid perovskite resistive memory devices

    Science.gov (United States)

    Park, Nayoung; Kwon, Yongwoo; Choi, Jaeho; Jang, Ho Won; Cha, Pil-Ryung

    2018-04-01

    We demonstrate thermally assisted hopping (TAH) as an appropriate carrier transport model for CH3NH3PbI3 resistive memories. Organic semiconductors, including organic-inorganic hybrid perovskites, have been previously speculated to follow the space-charge-limited conduction (SCLC) model. However, the SCLC model cannot reproduce the temperature dependence of experimental current-voltage curves. Instead, the TAH model with temperature-dependent trap densities and a constant trap level are demonstrated to well reproduce the experimental results.

  13. MIANN models in medicinal, physical and organic chemistry.

    Science.gov (United States)

    González-Díaz, Humberto; Arrasate, Sonia; Sotomayor, Nuria; Lete, Esther; Munteanu, Cristian R; Pazos, Alejandro; Besada-Porto, Lina; Ruso, Juan M

    2013-01-01

    Reducing costs in terms of time, animal sacrifice, and material resources with computational methods has become a promising goal in Medicinal, Biological, Physical and Organic Chemistry. There are many computational techniques that can be used in this sense. In any case, almost all these methods focus on few fundamental aspects including: type (1) methods to quantify the molecular structure, type (2) methods to link the structure with the biological activity, and others. In particular, MARCH-INSIDE (MI), acronym for Markov Chain Invariants for Networks Simulation and Design, is a well-known method for QSAR analysis useful in step (1). In addition, the bio-inspired Artificial-Intelligence (AI) algorithms called Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs) are among the most powerful type (2) methods. We can combine MI with ANNs in order to seek QSAR models, a strategy which is called herein MIANN (MI & ANN models). One of the first applications of the MIANN strategy was in the development of new QSAR models for drug discovery. MIANN strategy has been expanded to the QSAR study of proteins, protein-drug interactions, and protein-protein interaction networks. In this paper, we review for the first time many interesting aspects of the MIANN strategy including theoretical basis, implementation in web servers, and examples of applications in Medicinal and Biological chemistry. We also report new applications of the MIANN strategy in Medicinal chemistry and the first examples in Physical and Organic Chemistry, as well. In so doing, we developed new MIANN models for several self-assembly physicochemical properties of surfactants and large reaction networks in organic synthesis. In some of the new examples we also present experimental results which were not published up to date.

  14. Chemotactic response and adaptation dynamics in Escherichia coli.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Diana Clausznitzer

    2010-05-01

    Full Text Available Adaptation of the chemotaxis sensory pathway of the bacterium Escherichia coli is integral for detecting chemicals over a wide range of background concentrations, ultimately allowing cells to swim towards sources of attractant and away from repellents. Its biochemical mechanism based on methylation and demethylation of chemoreceptors has long been known. Despite the importance of adaptation for cell memory and behavior, the dynamics of adaptation are difficult to reconcile with current models of precise adaptation. Here, we follow time courses of signaling in response to concentration step changes of attractant using in vivo fluorescence resonance energy transfer measurements. Specifically, we use a condensed representation of adaptation time courses for efficient evaluation of different adaptation models. To quantitatively explain the data, we finally develop a dynamic model for signaling and adaptation based on the attractant flow in the experiment, signaling by cooperative receptor complexes, and multiple layers of feedback regulation for adaptation. We experimentally confirm the predicted effects of changing the enzyme-expression level and bypassing the negative feedback for demethylation. Our data analysis suggests significant imprecision in adaptation for large additions. Furthermore, our model predicts highly regulated, ultrafast adaptation in response to removal of attractant, which may be useful for fast reorientation of the cell and noise reduction in adaptation.

  15. Regional Persistent Organic Pollutants' Environmental Impact Assessment and Control Model

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jurgis Staniskis

    2008-10-01

    Full Text Available The sources of formation, environmental distribution and fate of persistent organic pollutants (POPs are increasingly seen as topics to be addressed and solved at the global scale. Therefore, there are already two international agreements concerning persistent organic pollutants: the Protocol of 1998 to the 1979 Convention on the Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution on Persistent Organic Pollutants (Aarhus Protocol; and the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants. For the assessment of environmental pollution of POPs, for the risk assessment, for the evaluation of new pollutants as potential candidates to be included in the POPs list of the Stokholmo or/and Aarhus Protocol, a set of different models are developed or under development. Multimedia models help describe and understand environmental processes leading to global contamination through POPs and actual risk to the environment and human health. However, there is a lack of the tools based on a systematic and integrated approach to POPs management difficulties in the region.

  16. Characterization of Escherichia coli Phylogenetic Groups ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Background: Escherichia coli strains mainly fall into four phylogenetic groups (A, B1, B2, and D) and that virulent extra‑intestinal strains mainly belong to groups B2 and D. Aim: The aim was to determine the association between phylogenetic groups of E. coli causing extraintestinal infections (ExPEC) regarding the site of ...

  17. Genetic Structure and Antimicrobial Resistance of Escherichia coli and Cryptic Clades in Birds with Diverse Human Associations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Blyton, Michaela D J; Pi, Hongfei; Vangchhia, Belinda; Abraham, Sam; Trott, Darren J; Johnson, James R; Gordon, David M

    2015-08-01

    The manner and extent to which birds associate with humans may influence the genetic attributes and antimicrobial resistance of their commensal Escherichia communities through strain transmission and altered selection pressures. In this study, we determined whether the distribution of the different Escherichia coli phylogenetic groups and cryptic clades, the occurrence of 49 virulence associated genes, and/or the prevalence of resistance to 12 antimicrobials differed between four groups of birds from Australia with contrasting types of human association. We found that birds sampled in suburban and wilderness areas had similar Escherichia communities. The Escherichia communities of backyard domestic poultry were phylogenetically distinct from the Escherichia communities sourced from all other birds, with a large proportion (46%) of poultry strains belonging to phylogenetic group A and a significant minority (17%) belonging to the cryptic clades. Wild birds sampled from veterinary and wildlife rehabilitation centers (in-care birds) carried Escherichia isolates that possessed particular virulence-associated genes more often than Escherichia isolates from birds sampled in suburban and wilderness areas. The Escherichia isolates from both the backyard poultry and in-care birds were more likely to be multidrug resistant than the Escherichia isolates from wild birds. We also detected a multidrug-resistant E. coli strain circulating in a wildlife rehabilitation center, reinforcing the importance of adequate hygiene practices when handling and caring for wildlife. We suggest that the relatively high frequency of antimicrobial resistance in the in-care birds and backyard poultry is due primarily to the use of antimicrobials in these animals, and we recommend that the treatment protocols used for these birds be reviewed. Copyright © 2015, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

  18. Escherichia coli survival in waters: Temperature dependence

    Science.gov (United States)

    Knowing the survival rates of water-borne Escherichia coli is important in evaluating microbial contamination and making appropriate management decisions. E. coli survival rates are dependent on temperature, a dependency that is routinely expressed using an analogue of the Q10 mo...

  19. Lamination of organic solar cells and organic light emitting devices: Models and experiments

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Oyewole, O. K.; Yu, D.; Du, J.; Asare, J.; Fashina, A.; Anye, V. C.; Zebaze Kana, M. G.; Soboyejo, W. O.

    2015-01-01

    In this paper, a combined experimental, computational, and analytical approach is used to provide new insights into the lamination of organic solar cells and light emitting devices at macro- and micro-scales. First, the effects of applied lamination force (on contact between the laminated layers) are studied. The crack driving forces associated with the interfacial cracks (at the bi-material interfaces) are estimated along with the critical interfacial crack driving forces associated with the separation of thin films, after layer transfer. The conditions for successful lamination are predicted using a combination of experiments and computational models. Guidelines are developed for the lamination of low-cost organic electronic structures

  20. Publicly available models to predict normal boiling point of organic compounds

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Oprisiu, Ioana; Marcou, Gilles; Horvath, Dragos; Brunel, Damien Bernard; Rivollet, Fabien; Varnek, Alexandre

    2013-01-01

    Quantitative structure–property models to predict the normal boiling point (T b ) of organic compounds were developed using non-linear ASNNs (associative neural networks) as well as multiple linear regression – ISIDA-MLR and SQS (stochastic QSAR sampler). Models were built on a diverse set of 2098 organic compounds with T b varying in the range of 185–491 K. In ISIDA-MLR and ASNN calculations, fragment descriptors were used, whereas fragment, FPTs (fuzzy pharmacophore triplets), and ChemAxon descriptors were employed in SQS models. Prediction quality of the models has been assessed in 5-fold cross validation. Obtained models were implemented in the on-line ISIDA predictor at (http://infochim.u-strasbg.fr/webserv/VSEngine.html)

  1. A review of modelling the interaction between natural organic matter and metal cations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Falck, W.E.

    1989-01-01

    This report reviews techniques available to model the interaction between natural organic matter (mainly fulvic and humic acids) and metal cations and protons. A comprehensive overview over the properties of natural organic matter is given and experimental techniques are presented briefly. Two major concepts of modelling have been identified: discrete ligand models and continuous distribution model. Different modelling approaches like Discrete Ligand Models (s.s.), Random-Structure Model, Affinity Spectra, Statistical Distribution Models, Continuous Stability Function Models and surface sorption models and their advantages/disadvantages are discussed. (author)

  2. Tracking the long-distance dispersal of marine organisms: sensitivity to ocean model resolution

    OpenAIRE

    Putman, Nathan F.; He, Ruoying

    2013-01-01

    Ocean circulation models are widely used to simulate organism transport in the open sea, where challenges of directly tracking organisms across vast spatial and temporal scales are daunting. Many recent studies tout the use of ‘high-resolution’ models, which are forced with atmospheric data on the scale of several hours and integrated with a time step of several minutes or seconds. However, in many cases, the model's outputs that are used to simulate organism movement have been averaged to co...

  3. Plausible carrier transport model in organic-inorganic hybrid perovskite resistive memory devices

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nayoung Park

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available We demonstrate thermally assisted hopping (TAH as an appropriate carrier transport model for CH3NH3PbI3 resistive memories. Organic semiconductors, including organic-inorganic hybrid perovskites, have been previously speculated to follow the space-charge-limited conduction (SCLC model. However, the SCLC model cannot reproduce the temperature dependence of experimental current-voltage curves. Instead, the TAH model with temperature-dependent trap densities and a constant trap level are demonstrated to well reproduce the experimental results.

  4. Genomic diversity of Escherichia isolates from diverse habitats.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Seungdae Oh

    Full Text Available Our understanding of the Escherichia genus is heavily biased toward pathogenic or commensal isolates from human or animal hosts. Recent studies have recovered Escherichia isolates that persist, and even grow, outside these hosts. Although the environmental isolates are typically phylogenetically distinct, they are highly related to and phenotypically indistinguishable from their human counterparts, including for the coliform test. To gain insights into the genomic diversity of Escherichia isolates from diverse habitats, including freshwater, soil, animal, and human sources, we carried out comparative DNA-DNA hybridizations using a multi-genome E. coli DNA microarray. The microarray was validated based on hybridizations with selected strains whose genome sequences were available and used to assess the frequency of microarray false positive and negative signals. Our results showed that human fecal isolates share two sets of genes (n>90 that are rarely found among environmental isolates, including genes presumably important for evading host immune mechanisms (e.g., a multi-drug transporter for acids and antimicrobials and adhering to epithelial cells (e.g., hemolysin E and fimbrial-like adhesin protein. These results imply that environmental isolates are characterized by decreased ability to colonize host cells relative to human isolates. Our study also provides gene markers that can distinguish human isolates from those of warm-blooded animal and environmental origins, and thus can be used to more reliably assess fecal contamination in natural ecosystems.

  5. On the influence of the exposure model on organ doses

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Drexler, G.; Eckerl, H.

    1988-01-01

    Based on the design characteristics of the MIRD-V phantom, two sex-specific adult phantoms, ADAM and EVA were introduced especially for the calculation of organ doses resulting from external irradiation. Although the body characteristics of all the phantoms are in good agreement with those of the reference man and woman, they have some disadvantages related to the location and shape of organs and the form of the whole body. To overcome these disadvantages related to the location and shape of organs and form of the whole body. To overcome these disadvantages related to the location and shape of organs and the form of the whole body. To overcome these disadvantages and to obtain more realistic phantoms, a technique based on computer tomographic data (voxel-phantom) was developed. This technique allows any physical phantom or real body to be converted into computer files. The improvements are of special importance with regard to the skeleton, because a better modeling of the bone surfaces and separation of hard bone and bone marrow can be achieved. For photon irradiation, the sensitivity of the model on organ doses or the effective dose equivalent is important for operational radiation protection

  6. The treatment of irradiated mice with polymicrobial infection caused by Bacteroides fragilis and Escherichia coli

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Brook, Itzhak (Naval Medical Research Inst., Bethesda, MD (United States)); Ledney, G.D. (Armed Forces Radiobiology Research Inst., Bethesda, MD (United States))

    1994-02-01

    The effects on the faecal flora and the efficacies of various antibiotic regimens administered as treatment for a mixed infection caused by Bacteroides fragilis and Escherichia coli in the irradiated host were investigated in a subcutaneous abscess model with C[sub 3]H/HeN mice which had been exposed to [sup 60]Co. The regimens used included imipenem, ofloxacin, metronidazole and the combination of ofloxacin and metronidazole. (author).

  7. (ESBL) producing Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Emerging antibiotic resistance due to extended spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL) production limited the use of β-lactam antibiotics against Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae. This observational study was conducted at the Microbiology department of the Children's Hospital, Lahore Pakistan, from June, 2009 to ...

  8. Antibiotic resistance properties of uropathogenic Escherichia coli ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Purpose: To investigate the antibiotic resistance pattern of uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC) strains isolated from pregnant women with history of recurrent urinary tract infections (RUTIs) and healthy pregnant women. Methods: A total of 485 high vaginal swab specimens were collected from pregnant women with ...

  9. Altered membrane permeability in multidrug resistant Escherichia ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    PRECIOUS

    2009-11-02

    Nov 2, 2009 ... involvement during the transport of β - lactams in multidrug resistant Escherichia coli isolated from extra-intestinal infections. Also, the ... lactam resistance in multidrug resistant E. coli in ESBL and non-ESBL isolates. .... and decreased susceptibility to carbapenems, particularly ertapenem (Perez et al.,.

  10. lactamase in clinical isolates of Escherichia coli

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Jane

    2011-08-22

    Aug 22, 2011 ... The beta lactamase enzyme producing E. coli, resistant to β-lactam antibiotics, created many problems ... Key words: Escherichia coli, β-lactamase enzymes, TEM-type extended spectrum ... difficulties in treatment using antibiotics that are currently ... and chloramphenicol (30 µg) (Mast Diagnostics Ltd., UK).

  11. Expression, crystallization and preliminary X-ray crystallographic studies of the outer membrane protein OmpW from Escherichia coli

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Albrecht, Reinhard; Zeth, Kornelius; Söding, Johannes; Lupas, Andrei; Linke, Dirk

    2006-01-01

    The outer membrane protein OmpW from E. coli was overexpressed in inclusion bodies and refolded with the help of detergent. The protein has been crystallized and the crystals diffract to 3.5 Å resolution. OmpW is an eight-stranded 21 kDa molecular-weight β-barrel protein from the outer membrane of Gram-negative bacteria. It is a major antigen in bacterial infections and has implications in antibiotic resistance and in the oxidative degradation of organic compounds. OmpW from Escherichia coli was cloned and the protein was expressed in inclusion bodies. A method for refolding and purification was developed which yields properly folded protein according to circular-dichroism measurements. The protein has been crystallized and crystals were obtained that diffracted to a resolution limit of 3.5 Å. The crystals belong to space group P422, with unit-cell parameters a = 122.5, c = 105.7 Å. A homology model of OmpW is presented based on known structures of eight-stranded β-barrels, intended for use in molecular-replacement trials

  12. The propagation of Escherichia Coli and of conservative tracers. A comparison

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Alexander, I.; Seiler, K.P.

    1982-01-01

    The propagation of Escherichia Coli (ATCC 11229, Gelsenkirchen) is compared with that of conservative tracers in groundwater. The experiments were performed with injection quantities of 10 7 , 10 8 , 10 10 and 10 11 of Escherichia Coli. Both, bacteria and conservative tracers pass their maximum at the same instant in the observation gauges. With injection quantities of more than 10 8 , the propagation of the Escherichia Coli sets in at the same time as it begins with the dyes. When the quantities range below 10 8 , the propagation begins after that of conservative tracers, because Coli bacteria were measured with a lower degree of detecting sensitivity than the tracers. With Coli injection quantities ranging above 10 10 , an increased filtering of these bacteria can be observed. Coli bacteria propagate more laterally than conservative tracers, however it could not be proved that this lateral propagation depends on the bacteria concentration. (orig.) [de

  13. Difference in melting profiles of gamma irradiated DNA from chicken erythrocytes and from Escherichia coli B/r

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kopff, J.; Miller, G.; Leyko, W.

    1977-01-01

    Effects of gamma irradiation on melting curves of DNA from chicken erythrocytes and Escherichia coli B/r were compared. Considerable changes, following gamma irradiation in the case of chicken erythrocytes DNA and no changes in the case of DNA from Escherichia coli B/r were observed. To explain the lack of changes in gamma irradiated samples of DNA from Escherichia coli B/r it was assumed that the original effects of irradiation were obscured by the process of renaturation of DNA. To exclude the above mentioned effect, examination of gamma irradiated DNA from Escherichia coli B/r was carried out with the addition of formaldehyde immediately after irradiation of the sample. Using this procedure changes of melting profiles of DNA from Escherichia coli B/r were demonstrated. (author)

  14. Prevalence of Antibiotic Resistance in Escherichia coli Isolated from Poultry Meat Supply in Isfahan

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Farhad Safarpordehkordi

    2014-08-01

    Conclusions: Despite the high contamination rate of chicken meat with Escherichia coli, majority of isolates had high resistance to common antibiotics. Complete cooking of meat and avoid indiscriminate prescribing of antibiotics, preventing the occurrence of food poisoning due to resistant Escherichia coli.

  15. On agent cooperation : the relevance of cognitive plausibility for multiagent simulation models of organizations

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van den Broek, J.

    2001-01-01

    Human organizations and computational multiagent systems both are social systems because they are both made up of a large number of interacting parts. Since human organizations are arrangements of distributed real intelligence, any DAI model is in some sense a model of an organization. This

  16. On agent cooperation : The relevance of cognitive plausibility for multiagent simulation models of organizations

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Broek, J. van den

    2001-01-01

    Human organizations and computational multiagent systems both are social systems because they are both made up of a large number of interacting parts. Since human organizations are arrangements of distributed real intelligence, any DAI model is in some sense a model of an organization. This

  17. MODELLING CONSUMERS' DEMAND FOR ORGANIC FOOD PRODUCTS: THE SWEDISH EXPERIENCE

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Manuchehr Irandoust

    2016-07-01

    Full Text Available This paper attempts to examine a few factors characterizing consumer preferences and behavior towards organic food products in the south of Sweden using a proportional odds model which captures the natural ordering of dependent variables and any inherent nonlinearities. The findings show that consumer's choice for organic food depends on perceived benefits of organic food (environment, health, and quality and consumer's perception and attitudes towards labelling system, message framing, and local origin. In addition, high willingness to pay and income level will increase the probability to buy organic food, while the cultural differences and socio-demographic characteristics have no effect on consumer behaviour and attitudes towards organic food products. Policy implications are offered.

  18. Knowledge Loss: A Defensive Model In Nuclear Research Organization Memory

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mohamad Safuan Bin Sulaiman; Muhd Noor Muhd Yunus

    2013-01-01

    Knowledge is an essential part of research based organization. It should be properly managed to ensure that any pitfalls of knowledge retention due to knowledge loss of both tacit and explicit is mitigated. Audit of the knowledge entities exist in the organization is important to identify the size of critical knowledge. It is very much related to how much know-what, know-how and know-why experts exist in the organization. This study conceptually proposed a defensive model for Nuclear Malaysia's organization memory and application of Knowledge Loss Risk Assessment (KLRA) as an important tool for critical knowledge identification. (author)

  19. Role of wild birds as carriers of multi-drug resistant Escherichia coli and Escherichia vulneris

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mohammed Y. Shobrak

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available Emergence and distribution of multi-drug resistant (MDR bacteria in environments pose a risk to human and animal health. A total of 82 isolates of Escherichia spp. were recovered from cloacal swabs of migrating and non-migrating wild birds. All bacterial isolates were identified and characterized morphologically and biochemically. 72% and 50% of isolates recovered from non-migrating and migrating birds, respectively, showed positive congo red dye binding (a virulence factor. Also, hemolysin production (a virulence factor was showed in 8% of isolates recovered from non-migrating birds and 75% of isolates recovered from migrating birds. All isolates recovered from non-migrating birds were found resistant to Oxacillin while all isolates recovered from migrating birds demonstrated resistance to Oxacillin, Chloramphenicol, Oxytetracycline and Lincomycin. Some bacterial isolates recovered from non-migrating birds and migrating birds exhibited MDR phenotype. The MDR isolates were further characterized by API 20E and 16S rRNA as E. coli and E. vulneris. MDR Escherichia isolates contain ~1-5 plasmids of high-molecular weights. Accordingly, wild birds could create a potential threat to human and animal health by transmitting MDR bacteria to water streams and other environmental sources through their faecal residues, and to remote regions by migration.

  20. Role of wild birds as carriers of multi-drug resistant Escherichia coli and Escherichia vulneris

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shobrak, Mohammed Y.; Abo-Amer, Aly E.

    2014-01-01

    Emergence and distribution of multi-drug resistant (MDR) bacteria in environments pose a risk to human and animal health. A total of 82 isolates of Escherichia spp. were recovered from cloacal swabs of migrating and non-migrating wild birds. All bacterial isolates were identified and characterized morphologically and biochemically. 72% and 50% of isolates recovered from non-migrating and migrating birds, respectively, showed positive congo red dye binding (a virulence factor). Also, hemolysin production (a virulence factor) was showed in 8% of isolates recovered from non-migrating birds and 75% of isolates recovered from migrating birds. All isolates recovered from non-migrating birds were found resistant to Oxacillin while all isolates recovered from migrating birds demonstrated resistance to Oxacillin, Chloramphenicol, Oxytetracycline and Lincomycin. Some bacterial isolates recovered from non-migrating birds and migrating birds exhibited MDR phenotype. The MDR isolates were further characterized by API 20E and 16S rRNA as E. coli and E. vulneris. MDR Escherichia isolates contain ~1–5 plasmids of high-molecular weights. Accordingly, wild birds could create a potential threat to human and animal health by transmitting MDR bacteria to water streams and other environmental sources through their faecal residues, and to remote regions by migration. PMID:25763023

  1. [Biomechanical modeling of pelvic organ mobility: towards personalized medicine].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cosson, Michel; Rubod, Chrystèle; Vallet, Alexandra; Witz, Jean-François; Brieu, Mathias

    2011-11-01

    Female pelvic mobility is crucial for urinary, bowel and sexual function and for vaginal delivery. This mobility is ensured by a complex organ suspension system composed of ligaments, fascia and muscles. Impaired pelvic mobility affects one in three women of all ages and can be incapacitating. Surgical management has a high failure rate, largely owing to poor knowledge of the organ support system, including the barely discernible ligamentous system. We propose a 3D digital model of the pelvic cavity based on MRI images and quantitative tools, designed to locate the pelvic ligaments. We thus obtain a coherent anatomical and functional model which can be used to analyze pelvic pathophysiology. This work represents a first step towards creating a tool for localizing and characterizing the source of pelvic imbalance. We examine possible future applications of this model, in terms of personalized therapy and prevention.

  2. Bacteraemia Caused by Escherichia Coli in Cancer Patients at a Specialist Center in Pakistan

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Parveen, A.; Sultan, F.; Saleem, S.; Nazeer, S. H.; Raza, A.; Zafar, W.; Nizamuddin, S.; Mahboob, A.

    2015-01-01

    Objective: To analyse the antimicrobial susceptibility patterns of Escherichia coli bacteraemia among cancer patients, and to assess the risk factors and outcomes of multidrug-resistant Escherichia coli bacteraemia. Methods: The retrospective study was conducted at Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital and Research Centre, Lahore, and comprised medical records of patients with Escherichia coli bacteraemia presenting between December 2012 and November 2013. Multivariable logistic regression analyses were used to determine the factors associated with the development and 30-day mortality of multidrug-resistant Escherichia coli bacteraemia. Results: Out of 1603 episodes of bacteraemia, 227(35.6 percent) were caused by E.coli, of which 98(43.2 percent) were multidrug-resistant. In multivariable analysis, age less than 18 years (adjusted odds ratio 3.92; 95 percent confidence interval 1.43-10.68), presence of central venous catheter (adjusted odds ratio 2.12; 95 percent confidence interval 1.04-4.33) and exposure to piperacillin/tazobactam within 90 days prior to infection (adjusted odds ratio 2.37; 95 percent confidence interval 1.15-4.86) were identified as independent risk factors for acquisition of multidrug-resistant Escherichia coli bacteraemia. The overall 30 day mortality rate was 35.2 percent (80/227). Risk factors for mortality were intensive care unit admission (adjusted odds ratio 3.95; 95 percent confidence interval 1.79-8.71) and profound neutropenia (adjusted odds ratio 4.03; 95 percent confidence interval 1.55-10.49). Conclusion: Bloodstream infections with multidrug-resistant Escherichia coli were common in cancer patients. However it was not a predictor of mortality. (author)

  3. RecA-independent resistance to irradiation with u.v. light in acid-habituated Escherichia coli

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Goodson, M.; Rowbury, R.J.

    1991-01-01

    Growth of Escherichia coli 1829 ColV, I-K94 at pH 5.0 led to an increase in u.v. resistance compared with cells grown at pH 7.0. This was due to a phenotypic change, since organisms grown at pH 7.0 showed increased resistance after only 2.5-5.0 min incubation at the mildly acid pH. Other E. coli K12 derivatives became more u.v.-resistant at pH 5.0 including uvrA, recA and polAl mutants. Organisms grown at pH 5.0 also showed increased Weigle reactivation of u.v. irradiated λ phage and this applied to the repair-deficient mutants as well as the parent strains. Both the increased u.v. resistance of acid-habituated cells and their increased ability to bring about Weigle reactivation appear to involve RecA-independent processes and are presumably, therefore, independent of the SOS response. (author)

  4. DESIGNING A DATA GOVERNANCE MODEL BASED ON SOFT SYSTEM METHODOLOGY (SSM) IN ORGANIZATION

    OpenAIRE

    Hanung Nindito Prasetyo; Kridanto surendro

    2015-01-01

    Today, many emerging various models of data governance like DAMA, DGI and the latest is a model from IBM. Model DAMA International is a data governance model designed by industry associations. The model requires the fulfillment of the entire artifact in a matrix that has been determined that too many components that must be built in data governance in an organization. While the data governance model is built from the data DGI consulting organization which requires the development of data gove...

  5. Self-organized Criticality Model for Ocean Internal Waves

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang Gang; Hou Yijun; Lin Min; Qiao Fangli

    2009-01-01

    In this paper, we present a simple spring-block model for ocean internal waves based on the self-organized criticality (SOC). The oscillations of the water blocks in the model display power-law behavior with an exponent of -2 in the frequency domain, which is similar to the current and sea water temperature spectra in the actual ocean and the universal Garrett and Munk deep ocean internal wave model [Geophysical Fluid Dynamics 2 (1972) 225; J. Geophys. Res. 80 (1975) 291]. The influence of the ratio of the driving force to the spring coefficient to SOC behaviors in the model is also discussed. (general)

  6. There Is No Simple Model of the Plasma Membrane Organization

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bernardino de la Serna, Jorge; Schütz, Gerhard J.; Eggeling, Christian; Cebecauer, Marek

    2016-01-01

    Ever since technologies enabled the characterization of eukaryotic plasma membranes, heterogeneities in the distributions of its constituents were observed. Over the years this led to the proposal of various models describing the plasma membrane organization such as lipid shells, picket-and-fences, lipid rafts, or protein islands, as addressed in numerous publications and reviews. Instead of emphasizing on one model we in this review give a brief overview over current models and highlight how current experimental work in one or the other way do not support the existence of a single overarching model. Instead, we highlight the vast variety of membrane properties and components, their influences and impacts. We believe that highlighting such controversial discoveries will stimulate unbiased research on plasma membrane organization and functionality, leading to a better understanding of this essential cellular structure. PMID:27747212

  7. Plasmid-Mediated Quinolone Resistance Genes in Escherichia coli ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Erah

    PMQR) genes and the prevalence of extended spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL) types in Escherichia coli clinical isolates. Methods: Sixty-one ESBL-producing urinary E. coli isolates were studied. An antibiotic susceptibility test was performed ...

  8. Applicability of Socio-Technical Model (STM in Working System of Modern Organizations

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rosmaini Tasmin

    2011-10-01

    Full Text Available Knowledge has been identified as one of the most important resources in organization that contributes to competitive advantages. Organizations around the world realize and put into practice an approach that bases on technological and sociological aspects to fill-up the gaps in their workplaces. The Socio-Technical Model (STM is an established organizational model introduced by Trist since 1960s at Tavistock Institute, London. It relates two most common components exist in all organizations, namely social systems (human and technological systems (information technology, machinery and equipment in organizations over many decades. This paper reviews the socio-technical model from various perspectives of its developmental stages and ideas written by researchers. Therefore, several literature reviews on socio-technical model have been compiled and discussed to justify whether its basic argument matches with required practices in Techno-Social environments. Through a socio-technical perspective on Knowledge Management, this paper highlights the interplay between social systems and technological system. It also suggests that management and leadership play critical roles in establishing the techno-social perspective for the effective assimilation of Knowledge Management practices.

  9. Optimization of plasmid electrotransformation into Escherichia coli ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    In order to improve electroporation, optical density of bacteria, recovery time and electrical parameter (field strength and capacitance) were optimized using the Taguchi statistical method. ANOVA of obtained data indicated that the optimal conditions of electrotransformation of pET-28a (+) plasmid into Escherichia coli ...

  10. Altered membrane permeability in multidrug resistant Escherichia ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The study was conducted with the objective of examining the outer membrane proteins and their involvement during the transport of β - lactams in multidrug resistant Escherichia coli isolated from extra-intestinal infections. Also, the response of gram negative bacterial biomembrane alteration was studied using extended ...

  11. Russia’s 2015 BRICS Presidency: Models of Engagement with International Organizations

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marina Larionova

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available Six years after the first 2009 summit in Yekaterinburg, the BRICS grouping of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa has established its identity as an informal global governance forum. The members have consistently consolidated their cooperation, expanded and deepened their agenda, coordinated efforts aimed at the recovery and growth of their economies, and engaged with other international organizations. This work continued during the Russian presidency in 2015. This article focuses on one dimension of BRICS performance: its engagement with international organizations. Atleast three reasons define the relevance of this analysis. First, since its launch the BRICS members collectively committed tobuilding a multipolar, fair and democratic world order, which would not be possible without cooperating with key international organizations. Second, the objective of enhancing the sustainability, legitimacy and effectiveness of the global governance architecture defines the need for the flexible combination of different models of engagement of summit institutions with other international institutions. Third, according to Russia’s BRICS Presidency Concept, one of its priorities was to transition to a qualitatively new level of engagement with international organizations.The analytical framework for this study thus builds on the theory of rational choice institutionalism. The calculus approach fits the analysis of summit institutions bringing together states from a wide range of cultures, continents and economic development. Its distinctive features clearly apply to the analysis of the origin and performance of the BRICS. First, members act in a highly strategic manner to attain their priorities. Second, summitry presents an arrangement where strategic interaction among leaders plays a major role in determining political outcomes. Third, rational choice institutionalism offers the greatest analytical leverage to settings where consensus among

  12. Identification of Escherichia coli and Shigella Species from Whole-Genome Sequences.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chattaway, Marie A; Schaefer, Ulf; Tewolde, Rediat; Dallman, Timothy J; Jenkins, Claire

    2017-02-01

    Escherichia coli and Shigella species are closely related and genetically constitute the same species. Differentiating between these two pathogens and accurately identifying the four species of Shigella are therefore challenging. The organism-specific bioinformatics whole-genome sequencing (WGS) typing pipelines at Public Health England are dependent on the initial identification of the bacterial species by use of a kmer-based approach. Of the 1,982 Escherichia coli and Shigella sp. isolates analyzed in this study, 1,957 (98.4%) had concordant results by both traditional biochemistry and serology (TB&S) and the kmer identification (ID) derived from the WGS data. Of the 25 mismatches identified, 10 were enteroinvasive E. coli isolates that were misidentified as Shigella flexneri or S. boydii by the kmer ID, and 8 were S. flexneri isolates misidentified by TB&S as S. boydii due to nonfunctional S. flexneri O antigen biosynthesis genes. Analysis of the population structure based on multilocus sequence typing (MLST) data derived from the WGS data showed that the remaining discrepant results belonged to clonal complex 288 (CC288), comprising both S. boydii and S. dysenteriae strains. Mismatches between the TB&S and kmer ID results were explained by the close phylogenetic relationship between the two species and were resolved with reference to the MLST data. Shigella can be differentiated from E. coli and accurately identified to the species level by use of kmer comparisons and MLST. Analysis of the WGS data provided explanations for the discordant results between TB&S and WGS data, revealed the true phylogenetic relationships between different species of Shigella, and identified emerging pathoadapted lineages. © Crown copyright 2017.

  13. Turbulence and Self-Organization Modeling Astrophysical Objects

    CERN Document Server

    Marov, Mikhail Ya

    2013-01-01

    This book focuses on the development of continuum models of natural turbulent media. It provides a theoretical approach to the solutions of different problems related to the formation, structure and evolution of astrophysical and geophysical objects. A stochastic modeling approach is used in the mathematical treatment of these problems, which reflects self-organization processes in open dissipative systems. The authors also consider examples of ordering for various objects in space throughout their evolutionary processes. This volume is aimed at graduate students and researchers in the fields of mechanics, astrophysics, geophysics, planetary and space science.

  14. Short communication: The role of autoinducer 2 (AI-2) on antibiotic resistance regulation in an Escherichia coli strain isolated from a dairy cow with mastitis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xue, Ting; Yu, Lumin; Shang, Fei; Li, Wenchang; Zhang, Ming; Ni, Jingtian; Chen, Xiaolin

    2016-06-01

    Extended spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL)-positive Escherichia coli is a major etiological organism responsible for bovine mastitis. The autoinducer 2 (AI-2) quorum sensing system is widely present in many species of gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria and has been proposed to be involved in interspecies communication. In E. coli model strains, the functional mechanisms of AI-2 have been well studied; however, in clinical antibiotic-resistant E. coli strains, whether AI-2 affects the expression of antibiotic resistance genes has not been reported. In this study, we report that exogenous AI-2 increased the antibiotic resistance of a clinical E. coli strain isolated from a dairy cow with mastitis by upregulating the expression of TEM-type enzyme in an LsrR (LuxS regulated repressor)-dependent manner. Copyright © 2016 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  15. Antibiotic resistance of Verotoxigenic Escherichia coli isolated from vegetables

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    mojtaba boniadian

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: Human gastrointestinal disease caused by verotoxigenic Escherichia coli has been diagnosed for recent decades. Escherichia coli O157:H7 is the most important serotype of verotoxigenic Escherichia coli that cause hemolytic uremic syndrome and hemorrhagic colitis in humans. This study was conducted to determine the occurrence of verotoxigenic E. coli and antibiotic resistance of the isolates from vegetables. Materials and methods: A total of 500 fresh vegetable samples were collected randomly from retail shops in Shahrekord, Iran. E. coli was isolated and identified using bacteriological and biochemical tests. PCR method was used to identify the rbfE, stx1, stx2 and eae genes. Also, antibiotic resistance of the isolates was determined by disk diffusion method. Results: The results represented that among 25 isolates possess virulence genes, 40, 12 and 4% of the isolates contained eaeA, STx2, and both genes, respectively. But none of them contained H7, STx1, and rfbE genes. The antibiotic resistance pattern demonstrated that the isolates were highly resistant to Gentamycin and cefotoxime. Discussion and conclusion: The results of this study showed that the presence of verotoxigenic E.coli in vegetables; and high resistance of the isolates to antibiotics could be hazardous for public health.

  16. Inhibition of Escherichia Coli, Salmonella and Staphylococcus ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Escherichia coli O157:H7, Salmonella typhimurium and Staphylococcus. aureus are of great concern to the food industry, especially in foods stored under refrigerated conditions where, unlike most food-borne pathogens are able to multiply. This investigation was conducted to study the inhibitory effect of some spice ...

  17. Antimicrobial resistance among commensal Escherichia coli from ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Commensal bacteria contribute to the distribution and persistence of antimicrobial resistance in the environment. This study monitored antimicrobial resistance in commensal Escherichia coli from the faeces of on-farm and slaughter cattle and beef. A total of 342 (89.5%) E. coli isolates were obtained from 382 samples.

  18. Antimicrobial resistance among commensal Escherichia coli from ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    user1

    2012-07-19

    Jul 19, 2012 ... Commensal bacteria contribute to the distribution and persistence of antimicrobial resistance in the environment. This study monitored antimicrobial resistance in commensal Escherichia coli from the faeces of on-farm and slaughter cattle and beef. A total of 342 (89.5%) E. coli isolates were obtained.

  19. Prevalence of Arcobacter, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    In this study, varying level of resistance of Escherichia coli 66(84.6%), Salmonella 6(100%) and Arcobacter 57(100%) to amoxicillin was observed. The susceptibility pattern indicates that the bacterial isolates exhibited a varying level of resistance to two or more antimicrobial agents with maximum resistance to amoxicillin.

  20. Leaner and meaner genomes in Escherichia coli

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ussery, David

    2006-01-01

    A 'better' Escherichia coli K-12 genome has recently been engineered in which about 15% of the genome has been removed by planned deletions. Comparison with related bacterial genomes that have undergone a natural reduction in size suggests that there is plenty of scope for yet more deletions....

  1. Global forecast of antimicrobial resistance in invasive isolates of Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alvarez-Uria, Gerardo; Gandra, Sumanth; Mandal, Siddhartha; Laxminarayan, Ramanan

    2018-03-01

    To project future antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae. Mixed linear models were constructed from a sample of countries with AMR data in the ResistanceMap database. Inverse probability weighting methods were used to account for countries without AMR data. The estimated prevalence of AMR in 2015 was 64.5% (95% confidence interval (CI) 42-87%) for third-generation cephalosporin-resistant (3GCR) Escherichia coli, 5.8% (95% CI 1.8-9.7%) for carbapenem-resistant (CR) E. coli, 66.9% (95% CI 47.1-86.8%) for 3GCR Klebsiella pneumoniae, and 23.4% (95% CI 7.4-39.4%) for CR K. pneumoniae. The projected AMR prevalence in 2030 was 77% (95% CI 55-99.1%) for 3GCR E. coli, 11.8% (95% CI 3.7-19.9%) for CR E. coli, 58.2% (95% CI 50.2-66.1%) for 3GCR K. pneumoniae, and 52.8% (95% CI 16.3-89.3%) for CR K. pneumoniae. The models suggest that third-generation cephalosporins and carbapenems could be ineffective against a sizeable proportion of infections by E. coli and K. pneumoniae in most parts of the world by 2030, supporting both the need to enhance stewardship efforts and to prioritize research and development of new antibiotics for resistant Enterobacteriaceae. Copyright © 2018 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

  2. Mathematical modeling of atmospheric fine particle-associated primary organic compound concentrations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rogge, Wolfgang F.; Hildemann, Lynn M.; Mazurek, Monica A.; Cass, Glen R.; Simoneit, Bernd R. T.

    1996-08-01

    An atmospheric transport model has been used to explore the relationship between source emissions and ambient air quality for individual particle phase organic compounds present in primary aerosol source emissions. An inventory of fine particulate organic compound emissions was assembled for the Los Angeles area in the year 1982. Sources characterized included noncatalyst- and catalyst-equipped autos, diesel trucks, paved road dust, tire wear, brake lining dust, meat cooking operations, industrial oil-fired boilers, roofing tar pots, natural gas combustion in residential homes, cigarette smoke, fireplaces burning oak and pine wood, and plant leaf abrasion products. These primary fine particle source emissions were supplied to a computer-based model that simulates atmospheric transport, dispersion, and dry deposition based on the time series of hourly wind observations and mixing depths. Monthly average fine particle organic compound concentrations that would prevail if the primary organic aerosol were transported without chemical reaction were computed for more than 100 organic compounds within an 80 km × 80 km modeling area centered over Los Angeles. The monthly average compound concentrations predicted by the transport model were compared to atmospheric measurements made at monitoring sites within the study area during 1982. The predicted seasonal variation and absolute values of the concentrations of the more stable compounds are found to be in reasonable agreement with the ambient observations. While model predictions for the higher molecular weight polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) are in agreement with ambient observations, lower molecular weight PAH show much higher predicted than measured atmospheric concentrations in the particle phase, indicating atmospheric decay by chemical reactions or evaporation from the particle phase. The atmospheric concentrations of dicarboxylic acids and aromatic polycarboxylic acids greatly exceed the contributions that

  3. Explaining and modeling the concentration and loading of Escherichia coli in a stream-A case study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Chaozi; Schneider, Rebecca L; Parlange, Jean-Yves; Dahlke, Helen E; Walter, M Todd

    2018-09-01

    Escherichia coli (E. coli) level in streams is a public health indicator. Therefore, being able to explain why E. coli levels are sometimes high and sometimes low is important. Using citizen science data from Fall Creek in central NY we found that complementarily using principal component analysis (PCA) and partial least squares (PLS) regression provided insights into the drivers of E. coli and a mechanism for predicting E. coli levels, respectively. We found that stormwater, temperature/season and shallow subsurface flow are the three dominant processes driving the fate and transport of E. coli. PLS regression modeling provided very good predictions under stormwater conditions (R 2  = 0.85 for log (E. coli concentration) and R 2  = 0.90 for log (E. coli loading)); predictions under baseflow conditions were less robust. But, in our case, both E. coli concentration and E. coli loading were significantly higher under stormwater condition, so it is probably more important to predict high-flow E. coli hazards than low-flow conditions. Besides previously reported good indicators of in-stream E. coli level, nitrate-/nitrite-nitrogen and soluble reactive phosphorus were also found to be good indicators of in-stream E. coli levels. These findings suggest management practices to reduce E. coli concentrations and loads in-streams and, eventually, reduce the risk of waterborne disease outbreak. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  4. A Genetic Algorithms Based Approach for Identification of Escherichia coli Fed-batch Fermentation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Olympia Roeva

    2004-10-01

    Full Text Available This paper presents the use of genetic algorithms for identification of Escherichia coli fed-batch fermentation process. Genetic algorithms are a directed random search technique, based on the mechanics of natural selection and natural genetics, which can find the global optimal solution in complex multidimensional search space. The dynamic behavior of considered process has known nonlinear structure, described with a system of deterministic nonlinear differential equations according to the mass balance. The parameters of the model are estimated using genetic algorithms. Simulation examples for demonstration of the effectiveness and robustness of the proposed identification scheme are included. As a result, the model accurately predicts the process of cultivation of E. coli.

  5. Modeling the contamination of lettuce with Escherichia coli 157:H7 from manure-amended soil and the effect of intervention strategies

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Franz, E.; Semenov, A.V.; Bruggen, van A.H.C.

    2008-01-01

    Aims: A growing number of foodborne illnesses has been associated with the consumption of fresh produce. In this study, the probability of lettuce contamination with Escherichia coli O157:H7 from manure-amended soil and the effect of intervention strategies was determined. Methods and Results:

  6. Virtuous organization: A structural equation modeling approach

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Majid Zamahani

    2013-02-01

    Full Text Available For years, the idea of virtue was unfavorable among researchers and virtues were traditionally considered as culture-specific, relativistic and they were supposed to be associated with social conservatism, religious or moral dogmatism, and scientific irrelevance. Virtue and virtuousness have been recently considered seriously among organizational researchers. The proposed study of this paper examines the relationships between leadership, organizational culture, human resource, structure and processes, care for community and virtuous organization. Structural equation modeling is employed to investigate the effects of each variable on other components. The data used in this study consists of questionnaire responses from employees in Payam e Noor University in Yazd province. A total of 250 questionnaires were sent out and a total of 211 valid responses were received. Our results have revealed that all the five variables have positive and significant impacts on virtuous organization. Among the five variables, organizational culture has the most direct impact (0.80 and human resource has the most total impact (0.844 on virtuous organization.

  7. Participatory plant breeding and organic agriculture: A synergistic model for organic variety development in the United States

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Adrienne C. Shelton

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Organic farmers require improved varieties that have been adapted to their unique soils, nutrient inputs, management practices, and pest pressures. One way to develop adapted varieties is to situate breeding programs in the environment of intended use, such as directly on organic farms, and in collaboration with organic farmers. This model is a form of participatory plant breeding, and was originally created in order to meet the needs of under-served, small-scale farmers in developing countries. A robust body of literature supports the quantitative genetic selection theory of participatory plant breeding, and helps to explain its increasing prevalence among organic breeding projects in the United States. The history of the organic farming movement in the United States highlights the cultural relevance of engaging organic farmers in the breeding process, complementing the biological rationale for participatory plant breeding. In addition, limited private investment in organic plant breeding encourages the involvement of plant breeders at public institutions. This paper synthesizes the biological, cultural, and economic justifications for utilizing participatory plant breeding as an appropriate methodology for organic cultivar development.

  8. Detection of Extended-Spectrum Beta-Lactamase-Producing Escherichia coli in Market-Ready Chickens in Zambia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chishimba, K; Hang'ombe, B M; Muzandu, K; Mshana, S E; Matee, M I; Nakajima, C; Suzuki, Y

    2016-01-01

    The frequent administering of antibiotics in the treatment of poultry diseases may contribute to emergence of antimicrobial-resistant strains. The objective of this study was to detect the presence of extended-spectrum β-lactamase- (ESBL-) producing Escherichia coli in poultry in Zambia. A total of 384 poultry samples were collected and analyzed for ESBL-producing Escherichia coli. The cultured E. coli isolates were subjected to antimicrobial susceptibility tests and the polymerase chain reaction for detection of bla CTX-M, bla SHV, and bla TEM genes. Overall 20.1%, 77/384, (95% CI; 43.2-65.5%) of total samples analyzed contained ESBL-producing Escherichia coli. The antimicrobial sensitivity test revealed that 85.7% (66/77; CI: 75.7-92) of ESBL-producing E. coli isolates conferred resistance to beta-lactam and other antimicrobial agents. These results indicate that poultry is a potential reservoir for ESBL-producing Escherichia coli. The presence of ESBL-producing Escherichia coli in poultry destined for human consumption requires strengthening of the antibiotic administering policy. This is important as antibiotic administration in food animals is gaining momentum for improved animal productivity in developing countries such as Zambia.

  9. Detection of Extended-Spectrum Beta-Lactamase-Producing Escherichia coli in Market-Ready Chickens in Zambia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    K. Chishimba

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available The frequent administering of antibiotics in the treatment of poultry diseases may contribute to emergence of antimicrobial-resistant strains. The objective of this study was to detect the presence of extended-spectrum β-lactamase- (ESBL- producing Escherichia coli in poultry in Zambia. A total of 384 poultry samples were collected and analyzed for ESBL-producing Escherichia coli. The cultured E. coli isolates were subjected to antimicrobial susceptibility tests and the polymerase chain reaction for detection of blaCTX-M, blaSHV, and blaTEM genes. Overall 20.1%, 77/384, (95% CI; 43.2–65.5% of total samples analyzed contained ESBL-producing Escherichia coli. The antimicrobial sensitivity test revealed that 85.7% (66/77; CI: 75.7–92 of ESBL-producing E. coli isolates conferred resistance to beta-lactam and other antimicrobial agents. These results indicate that poultry is a potential reservoir for ESBL-producing Escherichia coli. The presence of ESBL-producing Escherichia coli in poultry destined for human consumption requires strengthening of the antibiotic administering policy. This is important as antibiotic administration in food animals is gaining momentum for improved animal productivity in developing countries such as Zambia.

  10. 76 FR 34712 - Medicare Program; Pioneer Accountable Care Organization Model; Extension of the Submission...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-06-14

    ... stakeholders to develop initiatives to test innovative payment and service delivery models to reduce program...] Medicare Program; Pioneer Accountable Care Organization Model; Extension of the Submission Deadlines for... of the Pioneer Accountable Care Organization Model letters of intent to June 30, 2011 and the...

  11. Effectiveness of sanitizing agents in inactivating Escherichia coli (ATCC 25922 in food cutting board surfaces. Removal E. coli using different sanitizers

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    CEZAR AUGUSTO BELTRAME

    2016-03-01

    Full Text Available The objective of this study was to investigate Escherichia coli adhesion on new and used polyethylene cutting board surface and evaluate it’s removal using different sanitizer (peracetic acid,chlorhexidine, sodium hypochlorite and organic acids. Results indicated that the number of adherent cells increased with time in both surfaces evaluated. Evaluating the sanitizer action, 0.5%peracetic acid was more effective in removal E. coli than chlorhexidine and organic acids at same concentration in both surfaces. Peracetic acid and sodium hypochlorite also showed effectiveness at concentrations of 0.2% and 0.5% on new surfaces, respectively. 0.8% of chlorhexidine and 2.0% of organic acids showed similar effectiveness in the removal E. coli on new and used surfaces, respectively.These results suggest that peracetic acid is considerable promise sanitizer for application in surfaces of the food processing industry.

  12. ANTIBACTERIAL EFFECT OF GARLIC (ALLIUM SATIVUM AND GINGER (ZINGIBER OFFICINALE AGAINST STAPHYLOCOCCUS AUREUS, SALMONELLA TYPHI, ESCHERICHIA COLI AND BACILLUS CEREUS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bandna Chand

    2013-02-01

    Full Text Available Antibacterial activity of extracts of Allium sativum (garlic and Zingiber officinale (ginger has been evaluated against four different bacteria namely Escherichia coli, Salmonella Typhi, Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus cereus. Two methods were used to determine the antimicrobial activity of garlic and ginger extracts namely disk diffusion method and agar well diffusion method. Garlic extract exhibited excellent antibacterial activity against all four test organisms while ginger extract showed antibacterial activity against Bacillus cereus and Staphylococcus aureus only. In addition, agar well diffusion method showed higher zone in inhibition when compared with the zone of inhibition produced by the spice of same concentration against the test microorganism by disk diffusion method. Antibiotic sensitivity of the four different bacteria was tested with commercially available antibiotics namely Ciprofloxacin; Oxytetracycline; Vancomycin; Streptomycin; Gentamicin; Tetracycline; Novobiocin; Amikacin and Penicillin G. Penicillin G produced the highest zone of inhibition of 40.00±0.00against Staphylococcus aureus and the lowest zone of inhibition of 0.00±0.00against Escherichia coli.

  13. The Escherichia coli transcriptome linked to growth fitness

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bei-Wen Ying

    2016-03-01

    Full Text Available A series of Escherichia coli strains with varied genomic sequences were subjected to high-density microarray analyses to elucidate the fitness-correlated transcriptomes. Fitness, which is commonly evaluated by the growth rate during the exponential phase, is not only determined by the genome but is also linked to growth conditions, e.g., temperature. We previously reported genetic and environmental contributions to E. coli transcriptomes and evolutionary transcriptome changes in thermal adaptation. Here, we describe experimental details on how to prepare microarray samples that truly represent the growth fitness of the E. coli cells. A step-by-step record of sample preparation procedures that correspond to growing cells and transcriptome data sets that are deposited at the GEO database (GSE33212, GSE52770, GSE61739 are also provided for reference. Keywords: Transcriptome, Growth fitness, Escherichia coli, Microarray

  14. DamX Controls Reversible Cell Morphology Switching in Uropathogenic Escherichia coli

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Khandige, Surabhi; Antoinette Asferg, Cecilie; Rasmussen, Karina Juhl

    2016-01-01

    undertaking targeted investigations that are challenging to perform in animal infection models. IMPORTANCE: Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are most often caused by uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC) and account for a considerable health care burden. UPEC exhibits a dynamic lifestyle in the course....... In aiming to uncover genes underlying the phenomenon of UPEC morphotype switching, this study identifies damX, a cell division gene, as a mediator of reversible filamentation during UTI. DamX-mediated filamentation represents an additional pathway for bacterial cell shape control, an alternative to Sul......A-mediated FtsZ sequestration during E. coli uropathogenesis, and hence represents a potential target for combating UTI....

  15. Modeling cadmium in the feed chain and cattle organs

    OpenAIRE

    Fels-Klerx, van der, H.J.; Romkens, P.F.A.M.; Franz, E.; Raamsdonk, van, L.W.D.

    2011-01-01

    The objectives of this study were to estimate cadmium contamination levels in different scenarios related to soil characteristics and assumptions regarding cadmium accumulation in the animal tissues, using quantitative supply chain modeling. The model takes into account soil cadmium levels, soil pH, soil-to-plant transfer, animal consumption patterns, and transfer into animal organs (liver and kidneys). The model was applied to cattle up to the age of six years which were fed roughage (maize ...

  16. Purification and Characterization of Recombinant Vaccinia L1R Protein from Escherichia coli

    Science.gov (United States)

    2016-08-01

    RECOMBINANT VACCINIA L1R PROTEIN FROM ESCHERICHIA COLI 1. INTRODUCTION 1.1 Background Vaccinia virus (VACV) is the active component of the...the preparation of the recombinant VACV L1R protein fragment by denaturing , refolding, and purifying material expressed into inclusion bodies in...PURIFICATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF RECOMBINANT VACCINIA L1R PROTEIN FROM ESCHERICHIA COLI ECBC-TR-1370

  17. Strategies for Protein Overproduction in Escherichia coli.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mott, John E.

    1984-01-01

    Examines heterologous expression in Escherichia coli and the role of regulatory sequences which control gene expression at transcription resulting in abundant production of messenger RNA and regulatory sequences in mRNA which promote efficient translation. Also examines the role of E. coli cells in stabilizing mRNA and protein that is…

  18. Association of Antibiotic Resistance in Agricultural Escherichia coli Isolates with Attachment to Quartz▿

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Ping; Soupir, Michelle L.; Zwonitzer, Martha; Huss, Bridgette; Jarboe, Laura R.

    2011-01-01

    Surface water can be contaminated by bacteria from various sources, including manure from agricultural facilities. Attachment of these bacteria to soil and organic particles contributes to their transport through the environment, though the mechanism of attachment is unknown. As bacterial attachment to human tissues is known to be correlated with antibiotic resistance, we have investigated here the relationship between bacterial attachment to environmental particles and antibiotic resistance in agricultural isolates. We evaluated 203 Escherichia coli isolates collected from swine facilities for attachment to quartz, resistance to 13 antibiotics, and the presence of genes encoding 13 attachment factors. The genes encoding type I, EcpA, P pili, and Ag43 were detected, though none was significantly related to attachment. Quartz attachment was positively and significantly (P amoxicillin/streptomycin/tetracycline/sulfamethazine/tylosin/chlortetracycline and negatively and significantly (P < 0.0038) related to combined resistance to nalidixic acid/kanamycin/neomycin. These results provide clear evidence for a link between antibiotic resistance and attachment to quartz in agricultural isolates. We propose that this may be due to encoding by the responsible genes on a mobile genetic element. Further exploration of the relationship between antibiotic resistance and attachment to environmental particles will improve the understanding and modeling of environmental transport processes, with the goal of preventing human exposure to antibiotic-resistant or virulent microorganisms. PMID:21821756

  19. Association of antibiotic resistance in agricultural Escherichia coli isolates with attachment to quartz.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Ping; Soupir, Michelle L; Zwonitzer, Martha; Huss, Bridgette; Jarboe, Laura R

    2011-10-01

    Surface water can be contaminated by bacteria from various sources, including manure from agricultural facilities. Attachment of these bacteria to soil and organic particles contributes to their transport through the environment, though the mechanism of attachment is unknown. As bacterial attachment to human tissues is known to be correlated with antibiotic resistance, we have investigated here the relationship between bacterial attachment to environmental particles and antibiotic resistance in agricultural isolates. We evaluated 203 Escherichia coli isolates collected from swine facilities for attachment to quartz, resistance to 13 antibiotics, and the presence of genes encoding 13 attachment factors. The genes encoding type I, EcpA, P pili, and Ag43 were detected, though none was significantly related to attachment. Quartz attachment was positively and significantly (P amoxicillin/streptomycin/tetracycline/sulfamethazine/tylosin/chlortetracycline and negatively and significantly (P < 0.0038) related to combined resistance to nalidixic acid/kanamycin/neomycin. These results provide clear evidence for a link between antibiotic resistance and attachment to quartz in agricultural isolates. We propose that this may be due to encoding by the responsible genes on a mobile genetic element. Further exploration of the relationship between antibiotic resistance and attachment to environmental particles will improve the understanding and modeling of environmental transport processes, with the goal of preventing human exposure to antibiotic-resistant or virulent microorganisms.

  20. Spatial arrangement of organic compounds on a model mineral surface: implications for soil organic matter stabilization.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Petridis, Loukas; Ambaye, Haile; Jagadamma, Sindhu; Kilbey, S Michael; Lokitz, Bradley S; Lauter, Valeria; Mayes, Melanie A

    2014-01-01

    The complexity of the mineral-organic carbon interface may influence the extent of stabilization of organic carbon compounds in soils, which is important for global climate futures. The nanoscale structure of a model interface was examined here by depositing films of organic carbon compounds of contrasting chemical character, hydrophilic glucose and amphiphilic stearic acid, onto a soil mineral analogue (Al2O3). Neutron reflectometry, a technique which provides depth-sensitive insight into the organization of the thin films, indicates that glucose molecules reside in a layer between Al2O3 and stearic acid, a result that was verified by water contact angle measurements. Molecular dynamics simulations reveal the thermodynamic driving force behind glucose partitioning on the mineral interface: The entropic penalty of confining the less mobile glucose on the mineral surface is lower than for stearic acid. The fundamental information obtained here helps rationalize how complex arrangements of organic carbon on soil mineral surfaces may arise.

  1. GLYCOSYLATED YGHJ POLYPEPTIDES FROM ENTEROTOXIGENIC ESCHERICHIA COLI (ETEC)

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    2017-01-01

    The present invention relates to glycosylated YghJ polypeptides from or derived from enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) that are immunogenic. In particular, the present invention relates to compositions or vaccines comprising the polypeptides and their application in immunization, vaccination...

  2. Analisis Tingkat Motivasi Siswa Dalam Pembelajaran IPA Model Advance Organizer Berbasis Proyek

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tasiwan -

    2014-04-01

    Full Text Available atur kemajuan (advance organizer berbasis proyek. Sampel penelitian dipilih secara acak. Pada kelas  eksperimen diterapkan model pembelajaran advance organizer berbasis proyek sedangkan pada kelas kontrol diterapkan pembelajaran langsung (direct instruction tanpa advance organizer. Sebelum pembelajaran di kelas, siswa eksperimen dikelompokkan menjadi 8 kelompok yang terdiri atas 4 – 5 siswa. Setiap kelompok ditugaskan untuk merealisasikan proyek bel listrik, rangkaian arus seri – paralel, dan tuas. Produk proyek digunakan dalam pembelajaran dikelas sebagai advance organizer. Data diperoleh melalui observasi partisipatif, penilaian produk, peta konsep, laporan eksperimen, dan angket. Instrumen motivasi menggunakan skala motivasi ARCS. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa kelas eksperimen memiliki tingkat motivasi lebih baik dalam aspek perhatian, relevansi, kepercayaan diri, dan kepuasan pembelajaran dengan rata – rata tingkat motivasi sebesar 77,20, sedangkan tanpa advance organizer berbasis proyek sebesar 71,10. Disarankan siswa diberikan kemandirian penuh dalam proyek. This study was conducted to analyze the level of student motivation in learning science through models of advance organizer  based project . Samples were selected at random . In the experimental class advance organizer applied learning model based on a class project while learning control direct instruction without advance organizer . Prior learning in the classroom , students are grouped into 8 experimental groups consisting of 4-5 students . Each group was assigned a project to realize an electric bell , the circuit current series - parallel , and lever . Products used in a learning class project as advance organizer . The data obtained through participant observation , assessment product , concept maps , experimental reports , and questionnaires . Motivation instrument using ARCS motivation scale . Results showed that the experimental class had better motivation level

  3. Accounting for microbial habitats in modeling soil organic matter dynamics

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chenu, Claire; Garnier, Patricia; Nunan, Naoise; Pot, Valérie; Raynaud, Xavier; Vieublé, Laure; Otten, Wilfred; Falconer, Ruth; Monga, Olivier

    2017-04-01

    The extreme heterogeneity of soils constituents, architecture and inhabitants at the microscopic scale is increasingly recognized. Microbial communities exist and are active in a complex 3-D physical framework of mineral and organic particles defining pores of various sizes, more or less inter-connected. This results in a frequent spatial disconnection between soil carbon, energy sources and the decomposer organisms and a variety of microhabitats that are more or less suitable for microbial growth and activity. However, current biogeochemical models account for C dynamics at the macroscale (cm, m) and consider time- and spatially averaged relationships between microbial activity and soil characteristics. Different modelling approaches have intended to account for this microscale heterogeneity, based either on considering aggregates as surrogates for microbial habitats, or pores. Innovative modelling approaches are based on an explicit representation of soil structure at the fine scale, i.e. at µm to mm scales: pore architecture and their saturation with water, localization of organic resources and of microorganisms. Three recent models are presented here, that describe the heterotrophic activity of either bacteria or fungi and are based upon different strategies to represent the complex soil pore system (Mosaic, LBios and µFun). These models allow to hierarchize factors of microbial activity in soil's heterogeneous architecture. Present limits of these approaches and challenges are presented, regarding the extensive information required on soils at the microscale and to up-scale microbial functioning from the pore to the core scale.

  4. Pressure resistance of cold-shocked Escherichia coli O157:H7 in ground beef, beef gravy and peptone water.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baccus-Taylor, G S H; Falloon, O C; Henry, N

    2015-06-01

    (i) To study the effects of cold shock on Escherichia coli O157:H7 cells. (ii) To determine if cold-shocked E. coli O157:H7 cells at stationary and exponential phases are more pressure-resistant than their non-cold-shocked counterparts. (iii) To investigate the baro-protective role of growth media (0·1% peptone water, beef gravy and ground beef). Quantitative estimates of lethality and sublethal injury were made using the differential plating method. There were no significant differences (P > 0·05) in the number of cells killed; cold-shocked or non-cold-shocked. Cells grown in ground beef (stationary and exponential phases) experienced lowest death compared with peptone water and beef gravy. Cold-shock treatment increased the sublethal injury to cells cultured in peptone water (stationary and exponential phases) and ground beef (exponential phase), but decreased the sublethal injury to cells in beef gravy (stationary phase). Cold shock did not confer greater resistance to stationary or exponential phase cells pressurized in peptone water, beef gravy or ground beef. Ground beef had the greatest baro-protective effect. Real food systems should be used in establishing food safety parameters for high-pressure treatments; micro-organisms are less resistant in model food systems, the use of which may underestimate the organisms' resistance. © 2015 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

  5. Position-specific isotope modeling of organic micropollutants transformation through different reaction pathways

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jin, Biao; Rolle, Massimo

    2016-01-01

    The degradation of organic micropollutants occurs via different reaction pathways. Compound specific isotope analysis is a valuable tool to identify such degradation pathways in different environmental systems. We propose a mechanism-based modeling approach that provides a quantitative framework to simultaneously evaluate concentration as well as bulk and position-specific multi-element isotope evolution during the transformation of organic micropollutants. The model explicitly simulates position-specific isotopologues for those atoms that experience isotope effects and, thereby, provides a mechanistic description of isotope fractionation occurring at different molecular positions. To demonstrate specific features of the modeling approach, we simulated the degradation of three selected organic micropollutants: dichlorobenzamide (BAM), isoproturon (IPU) and diclofenac (DCF). The model accurately reproduces the multi-element isotope data observed in previous experimental studies. Furthermore, it precisely captures the dual element isotope trends characteristic of different reaction pathways as well as their range of variation consistent with observed bulk isotope fractionation. It was also possible to directly validate the model capability to predict the evolution of position-specific isotope ratios with available experimental data. Therefore, the approach is useful both for a mechanism-based evaluation of experimental results and as a tool to explore transformation pathways in scenarios for which position-specific isotope data are not yet available. - Highlights: • Mechanism-based, position-specific isotope modeling of micropollutants degradation. • Simultaneous description of concentration and primary and secondary isotope effects. • Key features of the model are demonstrated with three illustrative examples. • Model as a tool to explore reaction mechanisms and to design experiments. - We propose a modeling approach incorporating mechanistic information and

  6. Protective effects of lactoferrin chimera and bovine lactoferrin in a mouse model of enterohaemorrhagic Escherichia coli O157:H7 infection

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Flores-Villaseñor, H.; Canizalez-Román, A.; Velazquez-Roman, J.; Nazmi, K.; Bolscher, J.G.M.; Leon-Sicairos, N.

    2012-01-01

    Mice orally infected with enterohaemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) O157:H7 were used to evaluate the activity of bovine lactoferrin (bLF) and the synthetic peptide LFchimera. Groups of BALB/c mice inoculated intragastrically with EHEC O157:H7 showed chronic intestinal infection with the pathogen

  7. Applying torque to the Escherichia coli flagellar motor using magnetic tweezers

    Science.gov (United States)

    van Oene, Maarten M.; Dickinson, Laura E.; Cross, Bronwen; Pedaci, Francesco; Lipfert, Jan; Dekker, Nynke H.

    2017-01-01

    The bacterial flagellar motor of Escherichia coli is a nanoscale rotary engine essential for bacterial propulsion. Studies on the power output of single motors rely on the measurement of motor torque and rotation under external load. Here, we investigate the use of magnetic tweezers, which in principle allow the application and active control of a calibrated load torque, to study single flagellar motors in Escherichia coli. We manipulate the external load on the motor by adjusting the magnetic field experienced by a magnetic bead linked to the motor, and we probe the motor’s response. A simple model describes the average motor speed over the entire range of applied fields. We extract the motor torque at stall and find it to be similar to the motor torque at drag-limited speed. In addition, use of the magnetic tweezers allows us to force motor rotation in both forward and backward directions. We monitor the motor’s performance before and after periods of forced rotation and observe no destructive effects on the motor. Our experiments show how magnetic tweezers can provide active and fast control of the external load while also exposing remaining challenges in calibration. Through their non-invasive character and straightforward parallelization, magnetic tweezers provide an attractive platform to study nanoscale rotary motors at the single-motor level. PMID:28266562

  8. Stereospecific hydroxylation of indan by Escherichia coli containing the cloned toluene dioxygenase genes from Pseudomonas putida F1.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brand, J M; Cruden, D L; Zylstra, G J; Gibson, D T

    1992-01-01

    Escherichia coli JM109(pDTG601), containing the todC1C2BA genes encoding toluene dioxygenase from Pseudomonas putida F1, oxidizes indan to (-)-(1R)-indanol (83% R) and trans-1,3-indandiol. Under similar conditions, P. putida F39/D oxidizes indan to (-)-(1R)-indanol (96% R), 1-indanone, and trans-1,3-indandiol. The differences in the enantiomeric composition of the 1-indanols formed by the two organisms are due to the presence of a 1-indanol dehydrogenase in P. putida F39/D that preferentially oxidizes (+)-(1S)-indanol. PMID:1444374

  9. A Data-Driven, Integrated Flare Model Based on Self-Organized Criticality

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dimitropoulou, M.; Isliker, H.; Vlahos, L.; Georgoulis, M.

    2013-09-01

    We interpret solar flares as events originating in solar active regions having reached the self-organized critical state, by alternatively using two versions of an "integrated flare model" - one static and one dynamic. In both versions the initial conditions are derived from observations aiming to investigate whether well-known scaling laws observed in the distribution functions of characteristic flare parameters are reproduced after the self-organized critical state has been reached. In the static model, we first apply a nonlinear force-free extrapolation that reconstructs the three-dimensional magnetic fields from two-dimensional vector magnetograms. We then locate magnetic discontinuities exceeding a threshold in the Laplacian of the magnetic field. These discontinuities are relaxed in local diffusion events, implemented in the form of cellular-automaton evolution rules. Subsequent loading and relaxation steps lead the system to self-organized criticality, after which the statistical properties of the simulated events are examined. In the dynamic version we deploy an enhanced driving mechanism, which utilizes the observed evolution of active regions, making use of sequential vector magnetograms. We first apply the static cellular automaton model to consecutive solar vector magnetograms until the self-organized critical state is reached. We then evolve the magnetic field inbetween these processed snapshots through spline interpolation, acting as a natural driver in the dynamic model. The identification of magnetically unstable sites as well as their relaxation follow the same rules as in the static model after each interpolation step. Subsequent interpolation/driving and relaxation steps cover all transitions until the end of the sequence. Physical requirements, such as the divergence-free condition for the magnetic field vector, are approximately satisfied in both versions of the model. We obtain robust power laws in the distribution functions of the modelled

  10. SOMPROF: A vertically explicit soil organic matter model

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Braakhekke, M.C.; Beer, M.; Hoosbeek, M.R.; Kruijt, B.; Kabat, P.

    2011-01-01

    Most current soil organic matter (SOM) models represent the soil as a bulk without specification of the vertical distribution of SOM in the soil profile. However, the vertical SOM profile may be of great importance for soil carbon cycling, both on short (hours to years) time scale, due to

  11. Conceptual hierarchical modeling to describe wetland plant community organization

    Science.gov (United States)

    Little, A.M.; Guntenspergen, G.R.; Allen, T.F.H.

    2010-01-01

    Using multivariate analysis, we created a hierarchical modeling process that describes how differently-scaled environmental factors interact to affect wetland-scale plant community organization in a system of small, isolated wetlands on Mount Desert Island, Maine. We followed the procedure: 1) delineate wetland groups using cluster analysis, 2) identify differently scaled environmental gradients using non-metric multidimensional scaling, 3) order gradient hierarchical levels according to spatiotem-poral scale of fluctuation, and 4) assemble hierarchical model using group relationships with ordination axes and post-hoc tests of environmental differences. Using this process, we determined 1) large wetland size and poor surface water chemistry led to the development of shrub fen wetland vegetation, 2) Sphagnum and water chemistry differences affected fen vs. marsh / sedge meadows status within small wetlands, and 3) small-scale hydrologic differences explained transitions between forested vs. non-forested and marsh vs. sedge meadow vegetation. This hierarchical modeling process can help explain how upper level contextual processes constrain biotic community response to lower-level environmental changes. It creates models with more nuanced spatiotemporal complexity than classification and regression tree procedures. Using this process, wetland scientists will be able to generate more generalizable theories of plant community organization, and useful management models. ?? Society of Wetland Scientists 2009.

  12. Modelling the self-organization and collapse of complex networks

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    Modelling the self-organization and collapse of complex networks. Sanjay Jain Department of Physics and Astrophysics, University of Delhi Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research, Bangalore Santa Fe Institute, Santa Fe, New Mexico.

  13. Epidemiology and clinical manifestations of enteroaggregative Escherichia coli

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hebbelstrup Jensen, Betina; Olsen, Katharina E P; Struve, Carsten

    2014-01-01

    Enteroaggregative Escherichia coli (EAEC) represents a heterogeneous group of E. coli strains. The pathogenicity and clinical relevance of these bacteria are still controversial. In this review, we describe the clinical significance of EAEC regarding patterns of infection in humans, transmission...

  14. Modelization of tritium transfer into the organic compartments of algae

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bonotto, S.; Gerber, G.B.; Arapis, G.; Kirchmann, R.

    1982-01-01

    Uptake of tritium oxide and its conversion into organic tritium was studied in four different types of algae with widely varying size and growth characteristics (Acetabularia acetabulum, Boergesenia forbesii, two strains of Chlamydomonas and Dunaliella bioculata). Water in the cell and the vacuales equilibrates rapidly with external tritium water. Tritium is actively incorporated into organically bound form as the organisms grow. During the stationary phase, incorporation of tritium is slow. There exists a discrimination against the incorporation of tritium into organically bound form. A model has been elaborated taking in account these different factors. It appears that transfer of organic tritium by algae growing near the sites of release would be significant only for actively growing algae. Algae growing slowly may, however, be useful as cumulative indicators of discontinuous tritium release. (author)

  15. Simulation of Organic Matter and Pollutant Evolution during Composting: The COP-Compost Model.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lashermes, G; Zhang, Y; Houot, S; Steyer, J P; Patureau, D; Barriuso, E; Garnier, P

    2013-01-01

    Organic pollutants (OPs) are potentially present in composts and the assessment of their content and bioaccessibility in these composts is of paramount importance. In this work, we proposed a model to simulate the behavior of OPs and the dynamic of organic C during composting. This model, named COP-Compost, includes two modules. An existing organic C module is based on the biochemical composition of the initial waste mixture and simulates the organic matter transformation during composting. An additional OP module simulates OP mineralization and the evolution of its bioaccessibility. Coupling hypotheses were proposed to describe the interactions between organic C and OP modules. The organic C module, evaluated using experimental data obtained from 4-L composting pilots, was independently tested. The COP-Compost model was evaluated during composting experiments containing four OPs representative of the major pollutants detected in compost and targeted by current and future regulations. These OPs included a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (fluoranthene), two surfactants (4--nonylphenol and a linear alkylbenzene sulfonate), and an herbicide (glyphosate). Residues of C-labeled OP with different bioaccessibility were characterized by sequential extraction and quantified as soluble, sorbed, and nonextractable fractions. The model was calibrated and coupling the organic C and OP modules improved the simulation of the OP behavior and bioaccessibility during composting. Copyright © by the American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, and Soil Science Society of America, Inc.

  16. Molecular analysis of the replication program in unicellular model organisms.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Raghuraman, M K; Brewer, Bonita J

    2010-01-01

    Eukaryotes have long been reported to show temporal programs of replication, different portions of the genome being replicated at different times in S phase, with the added possibility of developmentally regulated changes in this pattern depending on species and cell type. Unicellular model organisms, primarily the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, have been central to our current understanding of the mechanisms underlying the regulation of replication origins and the temporal program of replication in particular. But what exactly is a temporal program of replication, and how might it arise? In this article, we explore this question, drawing again on the wealth of experimental information in unicellular model organisms.

  17. Presenting a comprehensive market oriented model and evaluating its impact on organization performance

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mohammad Taqi Amini

    2013-08-01

    Full Text Available Like other innovative strategies, companies have paid more attention to market oriented strategies in recent years. This has been focused by organizations for improved effectiveness and the organization performance accelerated a lot in business competition. In responding to this fact, organizations are trying to formulate many of the issues familiar to large organizations, which have involved with market oriented strategy planning. This paper reviews key elements in market-oriented strategy planning with regard to competitiveness and performance in large organizations and outlines a comprehensive model for strategy planning in profit organizations. These elements include environment, top management, organization structure and market oriented strategy. Professional question of this study has a particularly important role in formulating relations of this model. These elements are well positioned to evaluate the impact of market-oriented strategy planning on organizations and their expected impacts on organization performance. A well-organized questionnaire to help organizations with their planning is proposed in this survey. Based on the proposed questionnaire, data obtained from Tehran food industry experts and analyzed by using SEM method. Results accepted eight hypotheses and rejected one.

  18. Findings of Escherichia coli and Enterococcus spp. in homemade cheese

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tambur Zoran

    2007-01-01

    Full Text Available During the period from February until March 2004, 108 samples of soft cheese originating from markets of Pancevo, Subotica and Belgrade were examined. Microbiological analyses of the cheese samples to the presence of Escherichia coli was performed using methods described in the Regulations on methods for performing microbiological analyses and super analyses of consumer articles, while the presence of bacteria Enteroccocus spp. was performed on the dexter agar. From 108 samples of soft cheese from the territories of Pancevo, Belgrade and Subotica were isolated: Enterococcus spp. from 96% and Escherichia coli from 69%, cheese samples. Verocytotoxic E.coli was not isolated from any of the taken cheese samples.

  19. Modeling of secondary organic aerosol yields from laboratory chamber data

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M. N. Chan

    2009-08-01

    Full Text Available Laboratory chamber data serve as the basis for constraining models of secondary organic aerosol (SOA formation. Current models fall into three categories: empirical two-product (Odum, product-specific, and volatility basis set. The product-specific and volatility basis set models are applied here to represent laboratory data on the ozonolysis of α-pinene under dry, dark, and low-NOx conditions in the presence of ammonium sulfate seed aerosol. Using five major identified products, the model is fit to the chamber data. From the optimal fitting, SOA oxygen-to-carbon (O/C and hydrogen-to-carbon (H/C ratios are modeled. The discrepancy between measured H/C ratios and those based on the oxidation products used in the model fitting suggests the potential importance of particle-phase reactions. Data fitting is also carried out using the volatility basis set, wherein oxidation products are parsed into volatility bins. The product-specific model is most likely hindered by lack of explicit inclusion of particle-phase accretion compounds. While prospects for identification of the majority of SOA products for major volatile organic compounds (VOCs classes remain promising, for the near future empirical product or volatility basis set models remain the approaches of choice.

  20. Dubinin-Astakhov model for acetylene adsorption on metal-organic frameworks

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cheng, Peifu; Hu, Yun Hang

    2016-01-01

    Graphical abstract: It was demonstrated that Dubinin-Astakhov equation can be exploited as a general isotherm model for C2H2 adsorption on metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), including MOF-5, ZIF-8, HKUST-1, and MIL-53. - Highlights: • Dubinin-Astakhov equation is demonstrated to be a general model for C_2H_2 adsorption on metal-organic frameworks (MOFs). • Surface areas obtained with Dubinin-Astakhov equation from C_2H_2 adsorption on MOFs are consistent with BET surface areas from N_2 adsorption. • C_2H_2 on MOF-5, ZIF-8, and MIL-53 is a physical adsorption, whereas its adsorption on HKUST-1 is due to a chemical bonding. - Abstract: Acetylene (C_2H_2) is explosive at a pressure above 29 psi, causing a safety issue for its storage and applications. C_2H_2 adsorption on metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) has been explored to solve the issue. However, a suitable isotherm equation for C_2H_2 adsorption on various MOFs has not been found. In this paper, it was demonstrated that Dubinin-Astakhov equation can be exploited as a general isotherm model to depict C_2H_2 adsorption on MOF-5, ZIF-8, HKUST-1, and MIL-53. In contrast, commonly used Langmuir and BET models exhibited their inapplicability for C_2H_2 adsorption on those MOFs.

  1. Modelling energy level alignment at organic interfaces and density functional theory

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Flores, F.; Ortega, J.; Vazquez, Patricia

    2009-01-01

    A review of our theoretical understanding of the band alignment at organic interfaces is presented with particular emphasis on the metal/organic (MO) case. The unified IDIS (induced density of interface states) and the ICT (integer charge transfer) models are reviewed and shown to describe qualit...

  2. Prokaryotic regulatory systems biology: Common principles governing the functional architectures of Bacillus subtilis and Escherichia coli unveiled by the natural decomposition approach.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Freyre-González, Julio A; Treviño-Quintanilla, Luis G; Valtierra-Gutiérrez, Ilse A; Gutiérrez-Ríos, Rosa María; Alonso-Pavón, José A

    2012-10-31

    Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis are two of the best-studied prokaryotic model organisms. Previous analyses of their transcriptional regulatory networks have shown that they exhibit high plasticity during evolution and suggested that both converge to scale-free-like structures. Nevertheless, beyond this suggestion, no analyses have been carried out to identify the common systems-level components and principles governing these organisms. Here we show that these two phylogenetically distant organisms follow a set of common novel biologically consistent systems principles revealed by the mathematically and biologically founded natural decomposition approach. The discovered common functional architecture is a diamond-shaped, matryoshka-like, three-layer (coordination, processing, and integration) hierarchy exhibiting feedback, which is shaped by four systems-level components: global transcription factors (global TFs), locally autonomous modules, basal machinery and intermodular genes. The first mathematical criterion to identify global TFs, the κ-value, was reassessed on B. subtilis and confirmed its high predictive power by identifying all the previously reported, plus three potential, master regulators and eight sigma factors. The functionally conserved cores of modules, basal cell machinery, and a set of non-orthologous common physiological global responses were identified via both orthologous genes and non-orthologous conserved functions. This study reveals novel common systems principles maintained between two phylogenetically distant organisms and provides a comparison of their lifestyle adaptations. Our results shed new light on the systems-level principles and the fundamental functions required by bacteria to sustain life. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  3. Dispersal of micro-organisms in commercial defeathering systems.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Allen, V M; Tinker, D B; Hinton, M H; Wathes, C M

    2003-03-01

    1. The extent of cross contamination between carcases and the dispersal of micro-organisms to the environs during defeathering was measured in a commercial processing plant. 2. Defeathering reduced the numbers of a marker organism, a nalidixic acid-resistant strain of Escherichia coli K12, on inoculated carcases but dispersed the organism on to preceding and following carcases. 3. The pattern of microbial dispersal during defeathering was similar for naturally occurring bacteria on the carcase, for example, total aerobic counts and counts of presumptive coliforms, suggesting that the marker organism mimics the natural situation realistically. 4. The majority of feathers, together with micro-organisms, were removed during the first 10 s of the defeathering process, which was completed in 45 s, indicating that control measures to minimise cross contamination would be most effective if applied in the early stages of the process. 5. The method of defeathering used by the machine influenced the pattern of microbial dispersal and the extent of cross contamination to other carcases on the same processing line.

  4. An organizing model for recent cognitive science work on the self.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pageler, Ben

    2016-10-01

    An organizing model of 'the self' emerges from applying various kinds of brain injury to recent cognitive science and philosophical work on 'the self'. This model unifies various contents and mechanisms central to current notions of the self. The article then highlights several criteria and aspects of this notion of self. Qualities of the right type and level of psychological significance delineate 'the self' as an organizing concept useful for recent philosophical work and cognitive science research. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  5. [Incorporation of an organic MAGIC (Model of Acidification of Groundwater in Catchments) and testing of the revised model using independent data sources]. [MAGIC Model

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sullivan, T.J.

    1992-09-01

    A project was initiated in March, 1992 to (1) incorporate a rigorous organic acid representation, based on empirical data and geochemical considerations, into the MAGIC model of acidification response, and (2) test the revised model using three sets of independent data. After six months of performance, the project is on schedule and the majority of the tasks outlined for Year 1 have been successfully completed. Major accomplishments to data include development of the organic acid modeling approach, using data from the Adirondack Lakes Survey Corporation (ALSC), and coupling the organic acid model with MAGIC for chemical hindcast comparisons. The incorporation of an organic acid representation into MAGIC can account for much of the discrepancy earlier observed between MAGIC hindcasts and paleolimnological reconstructions of preindustrial pH and alkalinity for 33 statistically-selected Adirondack lakes. Additional work is on-going for model calibration and testing with data from two whole-catchment artificial acidification projects. Results obtained thus far are being prepared as manuscripts for submission to the peer-reviewed scientific literature.

  6. An Incremental Model for Cloud Adoption: Based on a Study of Regional Organizations

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Emre Erturk

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available Many organizations that use cloud computing services intend to increase this commitment. A survey was distributed to organizations in Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand to understand their adoption of cloud solutions, in comparison with global trends and practices. The survey also included questions on the benefits and challenges, and which delivery model(s they have adopted and are planning to adopt. One aim is to contribute to the cloud computing literature and build on the existing adoption models. This study also highlights additional aspects applicable to various organizations (small, medium, large and regional. Finally, recommendations are provided for related future research projects.

  7. The antibacterial effect of four mouthwashes against streptococcus mutans and escherichia coli.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ghapanchi, Janan; Lavaee, Fatemeh; Moattari, Afagh; Shakib, Mahmood

    2015-04-01

    To evaluate the antimicrobial properties of several mouthwash concentrations on oral Streptococcus mutans and Escherichia coli. The study was conducted at Shiraz Medicine School in 2011. Serial dilutions of Chlorohexidin, Oral B and Persica and Irsha (2,4,8,16,64,128) were prepared in Muller-Hinton media. Minimum inhibitory concentration was visually determined and defined as the lowest concentration of each oral washing which inhibited > 95% growth reduction compared to the growth control well. Chlorhexidine, Oral B and Irsha mouthwash inhibited Streptococcus mutans even with diluted concentrations. Also, Chlorhexidine and Oral B prohibited Escherichia coli with different potencies. But Persica had no antimicrobial activity against either Escherichia coli or Streptococcus mutans. Chlorhexidine, Irsha, and Oral B mouthwashes can be used for antimicrobial effects, especially on Streptococcus mutans. This chemical activity of mouthwashes is an adjuvant for mechanical removing of plaque. However, the antimicrobial effect of Persicaremains controversial.

  8. Fuzzy model for risk assessment of persistent organic pollutants in aquatic ecosystems

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Seguí, X.; Pujolasus, E.; Betrò, S.; Àgueda, A.; Casal, J.; Ocampo-Duque, W.; Rudolph, I.; Barra, R.; Páez, M.; Barón, E.; Eljarrat, E.; Barceló, D.; Darbra, R.M.

    2013-01-01

    We developed a model for evaluating the environmental risk of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) to aquatic organisms. The model is based on fuzzy theory and uses information provided by international experts through a questionnaire. It has been tested in two case studies for a particular type of POPs: brominated flame retardants (BFRs). The first case study is related to the EU-funded AQUATERRA project, with sampling campaigns carried out in two Ebro tributaries in Spain (the Cinca and Vero Rivers). The second one, named the BROMACUA project, assessed different aquatic ecosystems in Chile (San Vicente Bay) and Colombia (Santa Marta Marsh). In both projects, the BFRs under study were polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD). However, the model can be extrapolated to other POPs and to different aquatic ecosystems to provide useful results for decision-makers. -- The risk of POPs for aquatic organisms was assessed at several sites around the world, using a fuzzy-based model to provide useful results for decision-makers

  9. WGS accurately predicts antimicrobial resistance in Escherichia coli

    Science.gov (United States)

    Objectives: To determine the effectiveness of whole-genome sequencing (WGS) in identifying resistance genotypes of multidrug-resistant Escherichia coli (E. coli) and whether these correlate with observed phenotypes. Methods: Seventy-six E. coli strains were isolated from farm cattle and measured f...

  10. Similarity-based search of model organism, disease and drug effect phenotypes

    KAUST Repository

    Hoehndorf, Robert; Gruenberger, Michael; Gkoutos, Georgios V; Schofield, Paul N

    2015-01-01

    Background: Semantic similarity measures over phenotype ontologies have been demonstrated to provide a powerful approach for the analysis of model organism phenotypes, the discovery of animal models of human disease, novel pathways, gene functions

  11. Green Algae as Model Organisms for Biological Fluid Dynamics

    Science.gov (United States)

    Goldstein, Raymond E.

    2015-01-01

    In the past decade, the volvocine green algae, spanning from the unicellular Chlamydomonas to multicellular Volvox, have emerged as model organisms for a number of problems in biological fluid dynamics. These include flagellar propulsion, nutrient uptake by swimming organisms, hydrodynamic interactions mediated by walls, collective dynamics and transport within suspensions of microswimmers, the mechanism of phototaxis, and the stochastic dynamics of flagellar synchronization. Green algae are well suited to the study of such problems because of their range of sizes (from 10 μm to several millimeters), their geometric regularity, the ease with which they can be cultured, and the availability of many mutants that allow for connections between molecular details and organism-level behavior. This review summarizes these recent developments and highlights promising future directions in the study of biological fluid dynamics, especially in the context of evolutionary biology, that can take advantage of these remarkable organisms.

  12. Modeling heat transfer and inactivation of Escherichia coli O157:H7 in precooked meat products in Argentina using the finite element method.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Santos, M V; Zaritzky, N; Califano, A

    2008-07-01

    The presence of Escherichia coli is linked with sanitary deficiencies and undercooking of meat products. Recent studies have detected E. coli O157:H7 in black blood sausages. Minimum time-temperature specifications to kill the bacteria were obtained by numerical simulations of the microscopic heat conduction equation using the finite element method, and calculating the temperature profile of the sausage and the population of E. coli at the coldest point during heating. The model was validated by heating sausages in a water-bath. The effects of heat transfer coefficients and water temperatures on the required time to achieve an inactivation value (IV) of 12(log) are reported. Macroscopic heat balances were simultaneously solved to consider the temperature drop in the water batch as a function of the ratio between the mass of thermally treated sausage and the heat capacity of the system.

  13. From Learning Object to Learning Cell: A Resource Organization Model for Ubiquitous Learning

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yu, Shengquan; Yang, Xianmin; Cheng, Gang; Wang, Minjuan

    2015-01-01

    This paper presents a new model for organizing learning resources: Learning Cell. This model is open, evolving, cohesive, social, and context-aware. By introducing a time dimension into the organization of learning resources, Learning Cell supports the dynamic evolution of learning resources while they are being used. In addition, by introducing a…

  14. PENERAPAN MODEL PEMBELAJARAN ADVANCE ORGANIZER BERVISI SETS TERHADAP PENINGKATAN PENGUASAAN KONSEP KIMIA

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ilam Pratitis

    2015-11-01

    Full Text Available This study aims to determine the effect of the application of learning model with advance organizer envisions SETS to increase mastery of chemistry concepts in the high school in Semarang on buffer solution material. The design used in this research is the design of the control group non equivalent. Sampling was conducted with a purposive sampling technique, and obtained a XI 6 science grade as experimental class and class XI 5 science grade as control class. Data collection method used is the method of documentation, testing, observation, and questionnaires. The results showed that the average cognitive achievement of experimental class was 84, while the control class was 82. The result of data analysis showed that the effect of the application of learning model with advance organizer envisions SETS was able to increase the mastery of chemical concepts of 4%, with a correlation rate of 0.2. Based on the results, it can be concluded that the learning model with advance organizer envisions SETS had positive effect of increasing mastery of the concept of chemistry on buffer solution material. The advice given is learning model with organizer envisions SETS should also be applied to other chemistry materials. This is of course accompanied by a change in order to suit the needs of its effect on learning outcomes in the form of concept mastery of chemistry to be more increased.Keywords: Advance Organizer, Buffer Solution, Concept Mastery, SETS

  15. Modeling Secondary Organic Aerosol Formation From Emissions of Combustion Sources

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jathar, Shantanu Hemant

    Atmospheric aerosols exert a large influence on the Earth's climate and cause adverse public health effects, reduced visibility and material degradation. Secondary organic aerosol (SOA), defined as the aerosol mass arising from the oxidation products of gas-phase organic species, accounts for a significant fraction of the submicron atmospheric aerosol mass. Yet, there are large uncertainties surrounding the sources, atmospheric evolution and properties of SOA. This thesis combines laboratory experiments, extensive data analysis and global modeling to investigate the contribution of semi-volatile and intermediate volatility organic compounds (SVOC and IVOC) from combustion sources to SOA formation. The goals are to quantify the contribution of these emissions to ambient PM and to evaluate and improve models to simulate its formation. To create a database for model development and evaluation, a series of smog chamber experiments were conducted on evaporated fuel, which served as surrogates for real-world combustion emissions. Diesel formed the most SOA followed by conventional jet fuel / jet fuel derived from natural gas, gasoline and jet fuel derived from coal. The variability in SOA formation from actual combustion emissions can be partially explained by the composition of the fuel. Several models were developed and tested along with existing models using SOA data from smog chamber experiments conducted using evaporated fuel (this work, gasoline, fischertropschs, jet fuel, diesels) and published data on dilute combustion emissions (aircraft, on- and off-road gasoline, on- and off-road diesel, wood burning, biomass burning). For all of the SOA data, existing models under-predicted SOA formation if SVOC/IVOC were not included. For the evaporated fuel experiments, when SVOC/IVOC were included predictions using the existing SOA model were brought to within a factor of two of measurements with minor adjustments to model parameterizations. Further, a volatility

  16. Enteroaggregative Escherichia coli in Daycare

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hebbelstrup Jensen, Betina; Stensvold, Christen R.; Struve, Carsten

    2016-01-01

    Enteroaggregative Escherichia coli (EAEC) has been associated with persistent diarrhea, reduced growth acceleration, and failure to thrive in children living in developing countries and with childhood diarrhea in general in industrialized countries. The clinical implications of an EAEC carrier...... and answered a questionnaire regarding gastrointestinal symptoms and exposures. Exposures included foreign travel, consumption of antibiotics, and contact with a diseased animal. In the capital area of Denmark, a total of 179 children aged 0-6 years were followed in a cohort study, in the period between 2009...

  17. Optimising the anaerobic co-digestion of urban organic waste using dynamic bioconversion mathematical modelling

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Fitamo, Temesgen Mathewos; Boldrin, Alessio; Dorini, G.

    2016-01-01

    Mathematical anaerobic bioconversion models are often used as a convenient way to simulate the conversion of organic materials to biogas. The aim of the study was to apply a mathematical model for simulating the anaerobic co-digestion of various types of urban organic waste, in order to develop...... in a continuously stirred tank reactor. The model's outputs were validated with experimental results obtained in thermophilic conditions, with mixed sludge as a single substrate and urban organic waste as a co-substrate at hydraulic retention times of 30, 20, 15 and 10 days. The predicted performance parameter...... (methane productivity and yield) and operational parameter (concentration of ammonia and volatile fatty acid) values were reasonable and displayed good correlation and accuracy. The model was later applied to identify optimal scenarios for an urban organic waste co-digestion process. The simulation...

  18. Use of the D-R model to define trends in the emergence of Ceftazidime-resistant Escherichia coli in China.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fan Ding

    Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: To assess the efficacy of the D-R model for defining trends in the appearance of Ceftazidime-resistant Escherichia coli. METHODS: Actual data related to the manifestation of Ceftazidime-resistant E. coli spanning years 1996-2009 were collected from the China National Knowledge Internet. These data originated from 430 publications encompassing 1004 citations of resistance. The GM(1,1 and the novel D-R models were used to fit current data and from this, predict trends in the appearance of the drug-resistant phenotype. The results were evaluated by Relative Standard Error (RSE, Mean Absolute Deviation (MAD and Mean Absolute Error (MAE. RESULTS: Results from the D-R model showed a rapid increase in the appearance of Ceftazidime-resistant E. coli in this region of the world. These results were considered accurate based upon the minor values calculated for RSE, MAD and MAE, and were equivalent to or better than those generated by the GM(1,1 model. CONCLUSION: The D-R model which was originally created to define trends in the transmission of swine viral diseases can be adapted to evaluating trends in the appearance of Ceftazidime-resistant E. coli. Using only a limited amount of data to initiate the study, our predictions closely mirrored the changes in drug resistance rates which showed a steady increase through 2005, a decrease between 2005 and 2008, and a dramatic inflection point and abrupt increase beginning in 2008. This is consistent with a resistance profile where changes in drug intervention temporarily delayed the upward trend in the appearance of the resistant phenotype; however, resistance quickly resumed its upward momentum in 2008 and this change was better predicted using the D-R model. Additional work is needed to determine if this pattern of "increase-control-increase" is indicative of Ceftazidime-resistant E. coli or can be generally ascribed to bacteria acquiring resistance to drugs in the absence of alternative

  19. Biosynthesis of antimycins with a reconstituted 3-formamidosalicylate pharmacophore in Escherichia coli.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Joyce; Zhu, Xuejun; Seipke, Ryan F; Zhang, Wenjun

    2015-05-15

    Antimycins are a family of natural products generated from a hybrid nonribosomal peptide synthetase (NRPS)-polyketide synthase (PKS) assembly line. Although they possess an array of useful biological activities, their structural complexity makes chemical synthesis challenging, and their biosynthesis has thus far been dependent on slow-growing source organisms. Here, we reconstituted the biosynthesis of antimycins in Escherichia coli, a versatile host that is robust and easy to manipulate genetically. Along with Streptomyces genetic studies, the heterologous expression of different combinations of ant genes enabled us to systematically confirm the functions of the modification enzymes, AntHIJKL and AntO, in the biosynthesis of the 3-formamidosalicylate pharmacophore of antimycins. Our E. coli-based antimycin production system can not only be used to engineer the increased production of these bioactive compounds, but it also paves the way for the facile generation of novel and diverse antimycin analogues through combinatorial biosynthesis.

  20. Engineering Escherichia coli for methanol conversion.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Müller, Jonas E N; Meyer, Fabian; Litsanov, Boris; Kiefer, Patrick; Potthoff, Eva; Heux, Stéphanie; Quax, Wim J; Wendisch, Volker F; Brautaset, Trygve; Portais, Jean-Charles; Vorholt, Julia A

    2015-03-01

    Methylotrophic bacteria utilize methanol and other reduced one-carbon compounds as their sole source of carbon and energy. For this purpose, these bacteria evolved a number of specialized enzymes and pathways. Here, we used a synthetic biology approach to select and introduce a set of "methylotrophy genes" into Escherichia coli based on in silico considerations and flux balance analysis to enable methanol dissimilation and assimilation. We determined that the most promising approach allowing the utilization of methanol was the implementation of NAD-dependent methanol dehydrogenase and the establishment of the ribulose monophosphate cycle by expressing the genes for hexulose-6-phosphate synthase (Hps) and 6-phospho-3-hexuloisomerase (Phi). To test for the best-performing enzymes in the heterologous host, a number of enzyme candidates from different donor organisms were selected and systematically analyzed for their in vitro and in vivo activities in E. coli. Among these, Mdh2, Hps and Phi originating from Bacillus methanolicus were found to be the most effective. Labeling experiments using (13)C methanol with E. coli producing these enzymes showed up to 40% incorporation of methanol into central metabolites. The presence of the endogenous glutathione-dependent formaldehyde oxidation pathway of E. coli did not adversely affect the methanol conversion rate. Taken together, the results of this study represent a major advancement towards establishing synthetic methylotrophs by gene transfer. Copyright © 2015 International Metabolic Engineering Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  1. QSAR study of benzimidazole derivatives inhibition on escherichia ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The paper describes a quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) study of IC50 values of benzimidazole derivatives on escherichia coli methionine aminopeptidase. The activity of the 32 inhibitors has been estimated by means of multiple linear regression (MLR) and artificial neural network (ANN) techniques.

  2. Protein export in bacillus subtilis and escherichia coli

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Dijl, Jan Maarten van

    1990-01-01

    The export of heterologous proteins in Bacillus subtilis and Escherichia coli is often inefficient. Frequently observed problems are: 1) accumulation of the precursor form of the exported protein in the cytoplasm or in the membrane; 2), inefficient or incorrect processing of the precursor; 3),

  3. In vivo screening platform for shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC using Caenorhabditis elegans as a model.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Su-Bin Hwang

    Full Text Available Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC strains are the main cause of bacillary dysentery, although STEC strains generally induce milder disease symptoms compared to Shigella species. This study aimed to determine the virulence of STEC using the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans as a model host. Worm killing, fertility and bacterial colonisation assays were performed to examine the potential difference in the virulence of STEC strains compared to that of the control E. coli OP50 strains on which worms were fed. A statistically significant difference in the survival rates of C. elegans was observed in that the STEC strains caused death in 8-10 days and the E. coli OP50 strains caused death in 15 days. STEC strains severely reduced the fertility of the worms. The intestinal load of bacteria in the adult stage nematodes harbouring the E. coli OP50 strains was found to be 3.5 log CFU mL-1. In contrast, the STEC strains E15, E18 and E22 harboured 4.1, 4.2 and 4.7 log CFU ml-1 per nematode, respectively. The heat-killed STEC strains significantly increased the longevity of the worms compared to the non-heated STEC strains. In addition, PCR-based genomic profiling of shiga toxin genes, viz., stx1 and stx2, identified in selected STEC strains revealed that these toxins may be associated with the virulence of the STEC strains. This study demonstrated that C. elegans is an effective model to examine and compare the pathogenicity and virulence variation of STEC strains to that of E. coli OP50 strains.

  4. Microfluidic Organ-on-a-Chip Models of Human IntestineSummary

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Amir Bein

    Full Text Available Microfluidic organ-on-a-chip models of human intestine have been developed and used to study intestinal physiology and pathophysiology. In this article, we review this field and describe how microfluidic Intestine Chips offer new capabilities not possible with conventional culture systems or organoid cultures, including the ability to analyze contributions of individual cellular, chemical, and physical control parameters one-at-a-time; to coculture human intestinal cells with commensal microbiome for extended times; and to create human-relevant disease models. We also discuss potential future applications of human Intestine Chips, including how they might be used for drug development and personalized medicine. Keywords: Organs-on-Chips, Gut-on-a-Chip, Intestine-on-a-Chip, Microfluidic

  5. Modeling growth of specific spoilage organisms in tilapia ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Tilapia is an important aquatic fish, but severe spoilage of tilapia is most likely related to the global aquaculture. The spoilage is mostly caused by specific spoilage organisms (SSO). Therefore, it is very important to use microbial models to predict the growth of SSO in tilapia. This study firstly verified Pseudomonas and Vibrio ...

  6. Fosfomycin Resistance in Escherichia coli, Pennsylvania, USA.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alrowais, Hind; McElheny, Christi L; Spychala, Caressa N; Sastry, Sangeeta; Guo, Qinglan; Butt, Adeel A; Doi, Yohei

    2015-11-01

    Fosfomycin resistance in Escherichia coli is rare in the United States. An extended-spectrum β-lactamase-producing E. coli clinical strain identified in Pennsylvania, USA, showed high-level fosfomycin resistance caused by the fosA3 gene. The IncFII plasmid carrying this gene had a structure similar to those found in China, where fosfomycin resistance is commonly described.

  7. Comparison of Metabolic Pathways in Escherichia coli by Using Genetic Algorithms

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Patricia Ortegon

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available In order to understand how cellular metabolism has taken its modern form, the conservation and variations between metabolic pathways were evaluated by using a genetic algorithm (GA. The GA approach considered information on the complete metabolism of the bacterium Escherichia coli K-12, as deposited in the KEGG database, and the enzymes belonging to a particular pathway were transformed into enzymatic step sequences by using the breadth-first search algorithm. These sequences represent contiguous enzymes linked to each other, based on their catalytic activities as they are encoded in the Enzyme Commission numbers. In a posterior step, these sequences were compared using a GA in an all-against-all (pairwise comparisons approach. Individual reactions were chosen based on their measure of fitness to act as parents of offspring, which constitute the new generation. The sequences compared were used to construct a similarity matrix (of fitness values that was then considered to be clustered by using a k-medoids algorithm. A total of 34 clusters of conserved reactions were obtained, and their sequences were finally aligned with a multiple-sequence alignment GA optimized to align all the reaction sequences included in each group or cluster. From these comparisons, maps associated with the metabolism of similar compounds also contained similar enzymatic step sequences, reinforcing the Patchwork Model for the evolution of metabolism in E. coli K-12, an observation that can be expanded to other organisms, for which there is metabolism information. Finally, our mapping of these reactions is discussed, with illustrations from a particular case.

  8. Biocontainment of genetically modified organisms by synthetic protein design

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mandell, Daniel J.; Lajoie, Marc J.; Mee, Michael T.; Takeuchi, Ryo; Kuznetsov, Gleb; Norville, Julie E.; Gregg, Christopher J.; Stoddard, Barry L.; Church, George M.

    2015-02-01

    Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) are increasingly deployed at large scales and in open environments. Genetic biocontainment strategies are needed to prevent unintended proliferation of GMOs in natural ecosystems. Existing biocontainment methods are insufficient because they impose evolutionary pressure on the organism to eject the safeguard by spontaneous mutagenesis or horizontal gene transfer, or because they can be circumvented by environmentally available compounds. Here we computationally redesign essential enzymes in the first organism possessing an altered genetic code (Escherichia coli strain C321.ΔA) to confer metabolic dependence on non-standard amino acids for survival. The resulting GMOs cannot metabolically bypass their biocontainment mechanisms using known environmental compounds, and they exhibit unprecedented resistance to evolutionary escape through mutagenesis and horizontal gene transfer. This work provides a foundation for safer GMOs that are isolated from natural ecosystems by a reliance on synthetic metabolites.

  9. Effects of dietary additives (potassium diformate/organic acids) as well as influences of grinding intensity (coarse/fine) of diets for weaned piglets experimentally infected with Salmonella Derby or Escherichia coli.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Taube, V A; Neu, M E; Hassan, Y; Verspohl, J; Beyerbach, M; Kamphues, J

    2009-06-01

    The aim of this study was to examine whether and to what extent the addition of potassium diformate (pdf) or free organic acids (fpa) to the diet and the grinding intensity might affect the course of infection and the passage of orally applied Salmonella and Escherichia coli in pigs. Experiments were carried out using 80 reared piglets allotted to four groups. Pigs were fed pelleted diets ad libitum (except during a 15 h feed-withholding-period before infection). The control diet contained finely ground cereals (2 mm screen). To two test diets (also finely ground) 1.2% pdf, 0.9% organic acids (75% formic and 25% propionic acid, fpa) respectively were added. The fourth diet (without acids) was based on coarsely ground cereals (6-mm screen). After experimental infection alternately with S. Derby or E. coli, the course of infection was examined (rectal swab technique). Pigs were sacrificed 4-5 h after a further oral application of approximately 10(9)-10(10) CFU S. Derby or E. coli to determine the counts of Salmonella or E. coli in chyme (classical culture methods). Adding pdf or fpa to the diet led to reduced Salmonella shedding and resulted in significantly lower counts of Salmonella and E. coli in the stomach content indicating an improved efficacy of the stomach barrier. In the distal parts of the digestive tract, the effect was less obvious concerning counts of E. coli, whereas counts of Salmonella were reduced markedly as well. The diet based on coarsely ground cereals failed to demonstrate positive effects concerning infection and passage of orally applied bacteria as well, but this diet was also pelleted and showed unintentionally, comparable amounts of fine particles. Results obtained in this study allow the recommendation of using pdf or organic acids as additives when dietary measures against Salmonella or E. coli in pigs are required.

  10. Device model investigation of bilayer organic light emitting diodes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Crone, B. K.; Davids, P. S.; Campbell, I. H.; Smith, D. L.

    2000-01-01

    Organic materials that have desirable luminescence properties, such as a favorable emission spectrum and high luminescence efficiency, are not necessarily suitable for single layer organic light-emitting diodes (LEDs) because the material may have unequal carrier mobilities or contact limited injection properties. As a result, single layer LEDs made from such organic materials are inefficient. In this article, we present device model calculations of single layer and bilayer organic LED characteristics that demonstrate the improvements in device performance that can occur in bilayer devices. We first consider an organic material where the mobilities of the electrons and holes are significantly different. The role of the bilayer structure in this case is to move the recombination away from the electrode that injects the low mobility carrier. We then consider an organic material with equal electron and hole mobilities but where it is not possible to make a good contact for one carrier type, say electrons. The role of a bilayer structure in this case is to prevent the holes from traversing the device without recombining. In both cases, single layer device limitations can be overcome by employing a two organic layer structure. The results are discussed using the calculated spatial variation of the carrier densities, electric field, and recombination rate density in the structures. (c) 2000 American Institute of Physics

  11. Simultaneous thigh muscle metastasis from lung cancer and Escherichia coli gas producing myonecrosis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Martinez, Gonzalo E.; Coursey, Courtney A.; Martinez, Salutario; Dodd, Leslie

    2008-01-01

    We present the case of a 41-year-old man with known large cell lung cancer who had undergone left pneumonectomy 7 months prior and who presented with a large intramuscular mass involving the posterior left thigh and upper calf. This thigh mass was ultimately surgically explored, and specimens yielded both Escherichia coli organisms and cells reflecting a skeletal muscle metastasis from the patient's known lung cancer. The patient was also found to have a rectal metastasis from his lung cancer. Intramuscular abscesses produced by gastrointestinal tract flora are a well-known presentation of colon cancer. To our knowledge, this is the first case report of the simultaneous occurrence of a skeletal muscle metastasis and an E. coli abscess in the same anatomic location. We believe the patient's rectal metastasis may have been the intermediate step in this process. (orig.)

  12. [Structural Equation Modeling on Living and Brain Death Organ Donation Intention in Nursing Students].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Eun A; Choi, So Eun

    2015-12-01

    The purpose of this study was to test and validate a model to predict living and brain death organ donation intention in nursing students. The conceptual model was based on the theory planned behavior. Quota sampling methodology was used to recruit 921 nursing students from all over the country and data collection was done from October 1 to December 20, 2013. The model fit indices for the hypothetical model were suitable for the recommended level. Knowledge, attitude, subjective norm and perceived behavioral control explained 40.2% and 40.1% respectively for both living and brain death organ donation intention. Subjective norm was the most direct influential factor for organ donation intention. Knowledge had significant direct effect on attitude and indirect effect on subjective norm and perceived behavioral control. These effects were higher in brain death organ donation intention than in living donation intention. The overall findings of this study suggest the need to develop systematic education programs to increases knowledge about brain death organ donation. The development, application, and evaluation of intervention programs are required to improve subjective norm.

  13. Transfer coefficient models for escherichia coli O157:H7 on contacts between beef tissue and high-density polyethylene surfaces.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Flores, Rolando A; Tamplin, Mark L; Marmer, Benne S; Phillips, John G; Cooke, Peter H

    2006-06-01

    Risk studies have identified cross-contamination during beef fabrication as a knowledge gap, particularly as to how and at what levels Escherichia coli O157:H7 transfers among meat and cutting board (or equipment) surfaces. The objectives of this study were to determine and model transfer coefficients (TCs) between E. coli O157:H7 on beef tissue and high-density polyethylene (HDPE) cutting board surfaces. Four different transfer scenarios were evaluated: (i) HDPE board to agar, (ii) beef tissue to agar, (iii) HDPE board to beef tissue to agar, and (iv) beef tissue to HDPE board to agar. Also, the following factors were studied for each transfer scenario: two HDPE surface roughness levels (rough and smooth), two beef tissues (fat and fascia), and two conditions of the initial beef tissue inoculation with E. coli O157:H7 (wet and dry surfaces), for a total of 24 treatments. The TCs were calculated as a function of the plated inoculum and of the cells recovered from the first contact. When the treatments were compared, all of the variables evaluated interacted significantly in determining the TC. An overall TC-per-treatment model did not adequately represent the reduction of the cells on the original surface after each contact and the interaction of the factors studied. However, an exponential model was developed that explained the experimental data for all treatments and represented the recontamination of the surfaces with E. coli O157:H7. The parameters for the exponential model for cross-contamination with E. coli O157:H7 between beef tissue and HDPE surfaces were determined, allowing for the use of the resulting model in quantitative microbial risk assessment.

  14. Sordaria macrospora, a model organism to study fungal cellular development.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Engh, Ines; Nowrousian, Minou; Kück, Ulrich

    2010-12-01

    During the development of multicellular eukaryotes, the processes of cellular growth and organogenesis are tightly coordinated. Since the 1940s, filamentous fungi have served as genetic model organisms to decipher basic mechanisms underlying eukaryotic cell differentiation. Here, we focus on Sordaria macrospora, a homothallic ascomycete and important model organism for developmental biology. During its sexual life cycle, S. macrospora forms three-dimensional fruiting bodies, a complex process involving the formation of different cell types. S. macrospora can be used for genetic, biochemical and cellular experimental approaches since diverse tools, including fluorescence microscopy, a marker recycling system and gene libraries, are available. Moreover, the genome of S. macrospora has been sequenced and allows functional genomics analyses. Over the past years, our group has generated and analysed a number of developmental mutants which has greatly enhanced our fundamental understanding about fungal morphogenesis. In addition, our recent research activities have established a link between developmental proteins and conserved signalling cascades, ultimately leading to a regulatory network controlling differentiation processes in a eukaryotic model organism. This review summarizes the results of our recent findings, thus advancing current knowledge of the general principles and paradigms underpinning eukaryotic cell differentiation and development. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

  15. Incidence of Escherichia coli O157:H7 in Thailand

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sukhumungoon, P.

    2015-01-01

    Entero hemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) especially serotype O157:H7 is one of the important food-borne pathogens because it is able to produce crucial toxins Shiga. However, the outbreak of this organism in Thailand has not been reported. Antibody to O157 antigen was detected in some Thai populations and Shiga toxin-producing E. coli were detected in low numbers of clinical specimens. Interestingly, some E. coli that showed positive to O157 fimbriae probe and lack of virulence gene were isolated from certain patients and one isolate of E. coli O157:H7 which possessed stx1, stx2v was detected in a normal child. In addition, the incidence of E. coli O157:H7 strains were monitored by the samples from cattle and retail beef in Thailand although their inability to produce toxins or produce in a low concentration was demonstrated. This review discusses the incidences of E. coli O157 in clinical and environmental samples of Thailand including the transmission possibility of this bacterium across the Thai border through food trade. (author)

  16. Expanded flux variability analysis on metabolic network of Escherichia coli

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    CHEN Tong; XIE ZhengWei; OUYANG Qi

    2009-01-01

    Flux balance analysis,based on the mass conservation law in a cellular organism,has been extensively employed to study the interplay between structures and functions of cellular metabolic networks.Consequently,the phenotypes of the metabolism can be well elucidated.In this paper,we introduce the Expanded Flux Variability Analysis (EFVA) to characterize the intrinsic nature of metabolic reactions,such as flexibility,modularity and essentiality,by exploring the trend of the range,the maximum and the minimum flux of reactions.We took the metabolic network of Escherichia coli as an example and analyzed the variability of reaction fluxes under different growth rate constraints.The average variability of all reactions decreases dramatically when the growth rate increases.Consider the noise effect on the metabolic system,we thus argue that the microorganism may practically grow under a suboptimal state.Besides,under the EFVA framework,the reactions are easily to be grouped into catabolic and anabolic groups.And the anabolic groups can be further assigned to specific biomass constitute.We also discovered the growth rate dependent essentiality of reactions.

  17. A taxonomy of nursing care organization models in hospitals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dubois, Carl-Ardy; D'Amour, Danielle; Tchouaket, Eric; Rivard, Michèle; Clarke, Sean; Blais, Régis

    2012-08-28

    Over the last decades, converging forces in hospital care, including cost-containment policies, rising healthcare demands and nursing shortages, have driven the search for new operational models of nursing care delivery that maximize the use of available nursing resources while ensuring safe, high-quality care. Little is known, however, about the distinctive features of these emergent nursing care models. This article contributes to filling this gap by presenting a theoretically and empirically grounded taxonomy of nursing care organization models in the context of acute care units in Quebec and comparing their distinctive features. This study was based on a survey of 22 medical units in 11 acute care facilities in Quebec. Data collection methods included questionnaire, interviews, focus groups and administrative data census. The analytical procedures consisted of first generating unit profiles based on qualitative and quantitative data collected at the unit level, then applying hierarchical cluster analysis to the units' profile data. The study identified four models of nursing care organization: two professional models that draw mainly on registered nurses as professionals to deliver nursing services and reflect stronger support to nurses' professional practice, and two functional models that draw more significantly on licensed practical nurses (LPNs) and assistive staff (orderlies) to deliver nursing services and are characterized by registered nurses' perceptions that the practice environment is less supportive of their professional work. This study showed that medical units in acute care hospitals exhibit diverse staff mixes, patterns of skill use, work environment design, and support for innovation. The four models reflect not only distinct approaches to dealing with the numerous constraints in the nursing care environment, but also different degrees of approximations to an "ideal" nursing professional practice model described by some leaders in the

  18. Dubinin-Astakhov model for acetylene adsorption on metal-organic frameworks

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Cheng, Peifu; Hu, Yun Hang, E-mail: yunhangh@mtu.edu

    2016-07-30

    Graphical abstract: It was demonstrated that Dubinin-Astakhov equation can be exploited as a general isotherm model for C2H2 adsorption on metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), including MOF-5, ZIF-8, HKUST-1, and MIL-53. - Highlights: • Dubinin-Astakhov equation is demonstrated to be a general model for C{sub 2}H{sub 2} adsorption on metal-organic frameworks (MOFs). • Surface areas obtained with Dubinin-Astakhov equation from C{sub 2}H{sub 2} adsorption on MOFs are consistent with BET surface areas from N{sub 2} adsorption. • C{sub 2}H{sub 2} on MOF-5, ZIF-8, and MIL-53 is a physical adsorption, whereas its adsorption on HKUST-1 is due to a chemical bonding. - Abstract: Acetylene (C{sub 2}H{sub 2}) is explosive at a pressure above 29 psi, causing a safety issue for its storage and applications. C{sub 2}H{sub 2} adsorption on metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) has been explored to solve the issue. However, a suitable isotherm equation for C{sub 2}H{sub 2} adsorption on various MOFs has not been found. In this paper, it was demonstrated that Dubinin-Astakhov equation can be exploited as a general isotherm model to depict C{sub 2}H{sub 2} adsorption on MOF-5, ZIF-8, HKUST-1, and MIL-53. In contrast, commonly used Langmuir and BET models exhibited their inapplicability for C{sub 2}H{sub 2} adsorption on those MOFs.

  19. Escherichia coli bacteria density in relation to turbidity, streamflow characteristics, and season in the Chattahoochee River near Atlanta, Georgia, October 2000 through September 2008—Description, statistical analysis, and predictive modeling

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lawrence, Stephen J.

    2012-01-01

    Water-based recreation—such as rafting, canoeing, and fishing—is popular among visitors to the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area (CRNRA) in north Georgia. The CRNRA is a 48-mile reach of the Chattahoochee River upstream from Atlanta, Georgia, managed by the National Park Service (NPS). Historically, high densities of fecal-indicator bacteria have been documented in the Chattahoochee River and its tributaries at levels that commonly exceeded Georgia water-quality standards. In October 2000, the NPS partnered with the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), State and local agencies, and non-governmental organizations to monitor Escherichia coli bacteria (E. coli) density and develop a system to alert river users when E. coli densities exceeded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) single-sample beach criterion of 235 colonies (most probable number) per 100 milliliters (MPN/100 mL) of water. This program, called BacteriALERT, monitors E. coli density, turbidity, and water temperature at two sites on the Chattahoochee River upstream from Atlanta, Georgia. This report summarizes E. coli bacteria density and turbidity values in water samples collected between 2000 and 2008 as part of the BacteriALERT program; describes the relations between E. coli density and turbidity, streamflow characteristics, and season; and describes the regression analyses used to develop predictive models that estimate E. coli density in real time at both sampling sites.

  20. Process based modelling of soil organic carbon redistribution on landscape scale

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schindewolf, Marcus; Seher, Wiebke; Amorim, Amorim S. S.; Maeso, Daniel L.; Jürgen, Schmidt

    2014-05-01

    Recent studies have pointed out the great importance of erosion processes in global carbon cycling. Continuous erosion leads to a massive loss of top soils including the loss of organic carbon accumulated over long time in the soil humus fraction. Lal (2003) estimates that 20% of the organic carbon eroded with top soils is emitted into atmosphere, due to aggregate breakdown and carbon mineralization during transport by surface runoff. Furthermore soil erosion causes a progressive decrease of natural soil fertility, since cation exchange capacity is associated with organic colloids. As a consequence the ability of soils to accumulate organic carbon is reduced proportionately to the drop in soil productivity. The colluvial organic carbon might be protected from further degradation depending on the depth of the colluvial cover and local decomposing conditions. Some colluvial sites can act as long-term sinks for organic carbon. The erosional transport of organic carbon may have an effect on the global carbon budget, however, it is uncertain, whether erosion is a sink or a source for carbon in the atmosphere. Another part of eroded soils and organic carbon will enter surface water bodies and might be transported over long distances. These sediments might be deposited in the riparian zones of river networks. Erosional losses of organic carbon will not pass over into atmosphere for the most part. But soil erosion limits substantially the potential of soils to sequester atmospheric CO2 by generating humus. The present study refers to lateral carbon flux modelling on landscape scale using the process based EROSION 3D soil loss simulation model, using existing parameter values. The selective nature of soil erosion results in a preferentially transport of fine particles while less carbonic larger particles remain on site. Consequently organic carbon is enriched in the eroded sediment compared to the origin soil. For this reason it is essential that EROSION 3D provides the

  1. Biofilm production and antibiotic susceptibility profile of Escherichia ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Samie.Amidou

    2012-04-26

    Apr 26, 2012 ... Full Length Research Paper. Biofilm production and antibiotic susceptibility profile of Escherichia coli isolates from HIV and AIDS patients in the Limpopo Province. Samie, A. and Nkgau, T. F.. Department of Microbiology, University of Venda, Private Bag X5050, Thohoyandou 0950, Limpopo, South Africa.

  2. A mathematical model for pressure-based organs behaving as biological pressure vessels.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Casha, Aaron R; Camilleri, Liberato; Gauci, Marilyn; Gatt, Ruben; Sladden, David; Chetcuti, Stanley; Grima, Joseph N

    2018-04-26

    We introduce a mathematical model that describes the allometry of physical characteristics of hollow organs behaving as pressure vessels based on the physics of ideal pressure vessels. The model was validated by studying parameters such as body and organ mass, systolic and diastolic pressures, internal and external dimensions, pressurization energy and organ energy output measurements of pressure-based organs in a wide range of mammals and birds. Seven rules were derived that govern amongst others, lack of size efficiency on scaling to larger organ sizes, matching organ size in the same species, equal relative efficiency in pressurization energy across species and direct size matching between organ mass and mass of contents. The lung, heart and bladder follow these predicted theoretical relationships with a similar relative efficiency across various mammalian and avian species; an exception is cardiac output in mammals with a mass exceeding 10kg. This may limit massive body size in mammals, breaking Cope's rule that populations evolve to increase in body size over time. Such a limit was not found in large flightless birds exceeding 100kg, leading to speculation about unlimited dinosaur size should dinosaurs carry avian-like cardiac characteristics. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  3. EFEK SUPLEMENTASI LAKTOFERIN PADA SUSU FORMULA TERHADAP AVAILABILITAS ZAT BESI, OKSIDASI LEMAK DAN PERTUMBUHAN Escherichia coli PADA SALURAN PENCERNAAN TIKUS [The Effects of Lactoferrin Supplementation to Infant Formula on Iron Availability, Lipid Oxidation and Escherichia coli Growth in RatsIntestine

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Enny Purwati Nurlaili 1

    2002-12-01

    Full Text Available A research on lactoferrin supplementation to infant formula has been conducted. The objectives of this research were to study the effects of consumption of the supplemented formula on iron availability, lipid oxidation and growth of Escherichia coli in the intestine. Fifthly newly born rats and their mother (10 rats were used.They were divided into 5 groups of 10 newly born and 2 mother rats, and were given five different infant formula respectivelly i.e. FEAN (inorganic Fe supplementation, FEOR ( lactoferrin supplementation, FECAMP (inorganic and lactoferrin supplementation, Control (no Fe supplementation and Placebo. FeSO4. 7 H2O and lactoferrin were used as the source of inorganic and organic Fe respectively. During the experiment the rat baby also got regular milk from their mothers which were fed by AIN 93 diet. After 30 days of intervention, blood were withdrawn from the retro orbital plexus for Hb, Fe and TBARS determination. The rats were executed and liver was taken for Fe and TBARS analysis and large intestine were withdrawn for Escherichia coli determination. It was found that Fe supplementation of the formula have no effects on the serum total Fe, increase the total hemoglobin of the baby but was not significantly different between the sources of the Fe. Total Fe of the liver was highest in FECAMP and FEOR rats (101.3 ppm and 83.38 ppm, respectively and lowest in the Placebo groups (58.1 ppm. Inorganic Fe supplementation increase TBARS of the serum and liver of the rats. Number of total Escherichia coli was lowest in FEOR groups (1.7 10 7 cfu and was highest in FEAN rats (7.5 10 7 cfu.

  4. Modeling of the transient mobility in disordered organic semiconductors

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Germs, W.C.; Van der Holst, J.M.M.; Van Mensfoort, S.L.M.; Bobbert, P.A.; Coehoorn, R.

    2011-01-01

    In non-steady-state experiments, the electrical response of devicesbased on disordered organic semiconductors often shows a large transient contribution due to relaxation of the out-of-equilibrium charge-carrier distribution. We have developed a model describing this process, based only on the

  5. Zebrabase: An intuitive tracking solution for aquatic model organisms

    OpenAIRE

    Oltova, Jana; Bartunek, Petr; Machonova, Olga; Svoboda, Ondrej; Skuta, Ctibor; Jindrich, Jindrich

    2018-01-01

    Small fish species, like zebrafish or medaka, are constantly gaining popularity in basic research and disease modeling as a useful alternative to rodent model organisms. However, the tracking options for fish within a facility are rather limited. Here, we present an aquatic species tracking database, Zebrabase, developed in our zebrafish research and breeding facility that represents a practical and scalable solution and an intuitive platform for scientists, fish managers and caretakers, in b...

  6. ANALISIS KANDUNGAN BORAKS DAN Escherichia coli PADA JAJANAN BAKSO SAPI YANG DIPERDAGANGKAN DI KOTA BANJARBARU

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nur Rahmi

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available This study aims to determine how the content of borax and Escherichia coli on meatballs snacks and the factors that affect the food security of meatballs snacks by using Easy Method of Borax Test and Method of Most Probable Number (MPN for Escherichia coli bacteria contamination. This research was conducted in Banjarbaru on 5 villages, and sampling technique used is stratified sampling. The results of the study showed that from 32 samples taken from five village location, it was not identified any borax based on PERMENKES No. 033 of 2012, while for the examination of Escherichia coli, there are 14 samples of meatballs (43.75% which were eligible, and 18 samples of meatballs (56.25% which containEscherichia coli ranges from 3.6 to 62 CFU /g or not meeting the criteria of ISO 7388: 2009. The factor that might not trigger the addition of borax is that the traders have a good knowledge and attitude toward borax which regarded as a toxic substance and can be harmful to health. Factors that cause microbial contamination of Escherichia coli on meatballs snacks is the lack of food hygiene and sanitation in the food processing, cooked food storage, transport, serving, sanitation facilities, and personnel handlers compared with the good supply of foodstuffs and food ingredients storage.

  7. Anaerobic Copper Toxicity and Iron-Sulfur Cluster Biogenesis in Escherichia coli.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tan, Guoqiang; Yang, Jing; Li, Tang; Zhao, Jin; Sun, Shujuan; Li, Xiaokang; Lin, Chuxian; Li, Jianghui; Zhou, Huaibin; Lyu, Jianxin; Ding, Huangen

    2017-08-15

    While copper is an essential trace element in biology, pollution of groundwater from copper has become a threat to all living organisms. Cellular mechanisms underlying copper toxicity, however, are still not fully understood. Previous studies have shown that iron-sulfur proteins are among the primary targets of copper toxicity in Escherichia coli under aerobic conditions. Here, we report that, under anaerobic conditions, iron-sulfur proteins in E. coli cells are even more susceptible to copper in medium. Whereas addition of 0.2 mM copper(II) chloride to LB (Luria-Bertani) medium has very little or no effect on iron-sulfur proteins in wild-type E. coli cells under aerobic conditions, the same copper treatment largely inactivates iron-sulfur proteins by blocking iron-sulfur cluster biogenesis in the cells under anaerobic conditions. Importantly, proteins that do not have iron-sulfur clusters (e.g., fumarase C and cysteine desulfurase) in E. coli cells are not significantly affected by copper treatment under aerobic or anaerobic conditions, indicating that copper may specifically target iron-sulfur proteins in cells. Additional studies revealed that E. coli cells accumulate more intracellular copper under anaerobic conditions than under aerobic conditions and that the elevated copper content binds to the iron-sulfur cluster assembly proteins IscU and IscA, which effectively inhibits iron-sulfur cluster biogenesis. The results suggest that the copper-mediated inhibition of iron-sulfur proteins does not require oxygen and that iron-sulfur cluster biogenesis is the primary target of anaerobic copper toxicity in cells. IMPORTANCE Copper contamination in groundwater has become a threat to all living organisms. However, cellular mechanisms underlying copper toxicity have not been fully understood up to now. The work described here reveals that iron-sulfur proteins in Escherichia coli cells are much more susceptible to copper in medium under anaerobic conditions than they

  8. The Development of a Portable SPR Bioanalyzer for Sensitive Detection of Escherichia coli O157:H7

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shun Wang

    2016-11-01

    Full Text Available The purpose of this study was to develop a portable surface plasmon resonance (SPR bioanalyzer for the sensitive detection of Escherichia coli O157:H7 in comparison with an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA. The experimental setup mainly consisted of an integrated biosensor and a homemade microfluidic cell with a three-way solenoid valve. In order to detect Escherichia coli O157:H7 using the SPR immunoassay, 3-mercaptopropionic acid (3-MPA was chemisorbed onto a gold surface via covalent bond for the immobilization of biological species. 1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl carbodiimide hydrochloride (EDC and N-hydroxysuccinimide (NHS were used as crosslinker reagents to enable the reaction between 3-MPA and Escherichia coli O157:H7 antibodies by covalent –CO–NH– amide bonding. The experimental results were obtained from the Escherichia coli O157:H7 positive samples prepared by 10-, 20-, 40-, 80-, and 160-fold dilution respectively, which show that a good linear relationship with the correlation coefficient R of 0.982 existed between the response units from the portable SPR bioanalyzer and the concentration of Escherichia coli O157:H7 positive samples. Moreover, the theoretical detection limit of 1.87 × 103 cfu/mL was calculated from the positive control samples. Compared with the Escherichia coli O157:H7 ELISA kit, the sensitivity of this portable SPR bioanalyzer is four orders of magnitude higher than the ELISA kit. The results demonstrate that the portable SPR bioanalyzer could provide an alternative method for the quantitative and sensitive determination of Escherichia coli O157:H7 in field.

  9. Model Stimulus-Organism-Response: Penentu Perilaku Pembelian Konsumen Secara Situasional

    OpenAIRE

    Magdalena, Nonie

    2005-01-01

    Understanding about consumer purchase behavior is an essential aspect for developing organization bussiness strategic, especially in retailing. S-O-R (Stimulus-Organism-Response) model helps the practision and academics to understand which stimulus will influence consumers and the reaction that comsumer gave. One of the stimulus that explained in this article is the situation. Situation is an aspect that had change and hardly to predict. In other words, situation will determine consumer purch...

  10. Regional modeling of carbonaceous aerosols over Europe-focus on secondary organic aerosols

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bessagnet, B.; Menut, L.; Curci, G.; Hodzic, A.; Guillaume, B.; Liousse, C.; Moukhtar, S.; Pun, B.; Seigneur, C.; Schulz, M.

    2008-01-01

    In this study, an improved and complete secondary organic aerosols (SOA) chemistry scheme was implemented in the CHIMERE model. The implementation of isoprene chemistry for SOA significantly improves agreement between long series of simulated and observed particulate matter concentrations. While simulated organic carbon concentrations are clearly improved at elevated sites by adding the SOA scheme, time correlation are impaired at low level sites in Portugal, Italy and Slovakia. At several sites a clear underestimation by the CHIMERE model is noticed in wintertime possibly due to missing wood burning emissions as shown in previous modeling studies. In Europe, the CHIMERE model gives yearly average SOA concentrations ranging from 0.5 μg m -3 in the Northern Europe to 4 μg m -3 over forested regions in Spain, France, Germany and Italy. In addition, our work suggests that during the highest fire emission periods, fires can be the dominant source of primary organic carbon over the Mediterranean Basin, but the SOA contribution from fire emissions is low. Isoprene chemistry has a strong impact on SOA formation when using current available kinetic schemes. (authors)

  11. lactamases genes among0 Escherichia coli from patients with ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    -lactamases (ESBLs) that mediate resistance to b-lactam drugs among Escherichia coli and other uropathogens have been reported worldwide. However, there is little information on the detection of ESBLs genes in E. coli from patients with ...

  12. Survival of Five Strains of Shiga Toxigenic Escherichia coli in a Sausage Fermentation Model and Subsequent Sensitivity to Stress from Gastric Acid and Intestinal Fluid

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tone Mari Rode

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available The ability of foodborne pathogens to exhibit adaptive responses to stressful conditions in foods may enhance their survival when passing through the gastrointestinal system. We aimed to determine whether Escherichia coli surviving stresses encountered during a model dry-fermented sausage (DFS production process exhibit enhanced tolerance and survival in an in vitro gastrointestinal model. Salami sausage batters spiked with five E. coli isolates, including enterohaemorrhagic E. coli strains isolated from different DFS outbreaks, were fermented in a model DFS process (20°C, 21 days. Control batters spiked with the same strains were stored at 4°C for the same period. Samples from matured model sausages and controls were thereafter exposed to an in vitro digestion challenge. Gastric exposure (pH 3 resulted in considerably reduced survival of the E. coli strains that had undergone the model DFS process. This reduction continued after entering intestinal challenge (pH 8, but growth resumed after 120 min. When subjected to gastric challenge for 120 min, E. coli that had undergone the DFS process showed about 2.3 log10⁡​ lower survival compared with those kept in sausage batter at 4°C. Our results indicated that E. coli strains surviving a model DFS process exhibited reduced tolerance to subsequent gastric challenge at low pH.

  13. Transcriptional organization of the DNA region controlling expression of the K99 gene cluster.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Roosendaal, B; Damoiseaux, J; Jordi, W; de Graaf, F K

    1989-01-01

    The transcriptional organization of the K99 gene cluster was investigated in two ways. First, the DNA region, containing the transcriptional signals was analyzed using a transcription vector system with Escherichia coli galactokinase (GalK) as assayable marker and second, an in vitro transcription system was employed. A detailed analysis of the transcription signals revealed that a strong promoter PA and a moderate promoter PB are located upstream of fanA and fanB, respectively. No promoter activity was detected in the intercistronic region between fanB and fanC. Factor-dependent terminators of transcription were detected and are probably located in the intercistronic region between fanA and fanB (T1), and between fanB and fanC (T2). A third terminator (T3) was observed between fanC and fanD and has an efficiency of 90%. Analysis of the regulatory region in an in vitro transcription system confirmed the location of the respective transcription signals. A model for the transcriptional organization of the K99 cluster is presented. Indications were obtained that the trans-acting regulatory polypeptides FanA and FanB both function as anti-terminators. A model for the regulation of expression of the K99 gene cluster is postulated.

  14. An empirically based model for knowledge management in health care organizations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sibbald, Shannon L; Wathen, C Nadine; Kothari, Anita

    2016-01-01

    Knowledge management (KM) encompasses strategies, processes, and practices that allow an organization to capture, share, store, access, and use knowledge. Ideal KM combines different sources of knowledge to support innovation and improve performance. Despite the importance of KM in health care organizations (HCOs), there has been very little empirical research to describe KM in this context. This study explores KM in HCOs, focusing on the status of current intraorganizational KM. The intention is to provide insight for future studies and model development for effective KM implementation in HCOs. A qualitative methods approach was used to create an empirically based model of KM in HCOs. Methods included (a) qualitative interviews (n = 24) with senior leadership to identify types of knowledge important in these roles plus current information-seeking behaviors/needs and (b) in-depth case study with leaders in new executive positions (n = 2). The data were collected from 10 HCOs. Our empirically based model for KM was assessed for face and content validity. The findings highlight the paucity of formal KM in our sample HCOs. Organizational culture, leadership, and resources are instrumental in supporting KM processes. An executive's knowledge needs are extensive, but knowledge assets are often limited or difficult to acquire as much of the available information is not in a usable format. We propose an empirically based model for KM to highlight the importance of context (internal and external), and knowledge seeking, synthesis, sharing, and organization. Participants who reviewed the model supported its basic components and processes, and potential for incorporating KM into organizational processes. Our results articulate ways to improve KM, increase organizational learning, and support evidence-informed decision-making. This research has implications for how to better integrate evidence and knowledge into organizations while considering context and the role of

  15. Calibration and analysis of genome-based models for microbial ecology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Louca, Stilianos; Doebeli, Michael

    2015-10-16

    Microbial ecosystem modeling is complicated by the large number of unknown parameters and the lack of appropriate calibration tools. Here we present a novel computational framework for modeling microbial ecosystems, which combines genome-based model construction with statistical analysis and calibration to experimental data. Using this framework, we examined the dynamics of a community of Escherichia coli strains that emerged in laboratory evolution experiments, during which an ancestral strain diversified into two coexisting ecotypes. We constructed a microbial community model comprising the ancestral and the evolved strains, which we calibrated using separate monoculture experiments. Simulations reproduced the successional dynamics in the evolution experiments, and pathway activation patterns observed in microarray transcript profiles. Our approach yielded detailed insights into the metabolic processes that drove bacterial diversification, involving acetate cross-feeding and competition for organic carbon and oxygen. Our framework provides a missing link towards a data-driven mechanistic microbial ecology.

  16. A system-level model for the microbial regulatory genome.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brooks, Aaron N; Reiss, David J; Allard, Antoine; Wu, Wei-Ju; Salvanha, Diego M; Plaisier, Christopher L; Chandrasekaran, Sriram; Pan, Min; Kaur, Amardeep; Baliga, Nitin S

    2014-07-15

    Microbes can tailor transcriptional responses to diverse environmental challenges despite having streamlined genomes and a limited number of regulators. Here, we present data-driven models that capture the dynamic interplay of the environment and genome-encoded regulatory programs of two types of prokaryotes: Escherichia coli (a bacterium) and Halobacterium salinarum (an archaeon). The models reveal how the genome-wide distributions of cis-acting gene regulatory elements and the conditional influences of transcription factors at each of those elements encode programs for eliciting a wide array of environment-specific responses. We demonstrate how these programs partition transcriptional regulation of genes within regulons and operons to re-organize gene-gene functional associations in each environment. The models capture fitness-relevant co-regulation by different transcriptional control mechanisms acting across the entire genome, to define a generalized, system-level organizing principle for prokaryotic gene regulatory networks that goes well beyond existing paradigms of gene regulation. An online resource (http://egrin2.systemsbiology.net) has been developed to facilitate multiscale exploration of conditional gene regulation in the two prokaryotes. © 2014 The Authors. Published under the terms of the CC BY 4.0 license.

  17. Cytokine response to Escherichia coli in gnotobiotic pigs

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Šplíchal, Igor; Šplíchalová, Alla; Trebichavský, Ilja

    2008-01-01

    Roč. 53, č. 2 (2008), s. 161-164 ISSN 0015-5632 R&D Projects: GA ČR GA523/05/0249 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z50200510 Keywords : germ-free pigs * escherichia coli * cytokine response Subject RIV: EE - Microbiology, Virology Impact factor: 1.172, year: 2008

  18. Escherichia coli and virus isolated from ''sticky kits''

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jørgensen, M.; Scheutz, F.; Strandbygaard, Bertel

    1996-01-01

    A total of 121 Escherichia coli strains isolated from 3-week-old mink kits were serotyped and examined for virulence factors. 56 strains were isolated from healthy kits while 65 were from ''sticky kits''. Among these, 34 different serotypes were detected. No difference in serotypes or the presenc...

  19. Pulsed electric field processing of different fruit juices: impact of pH and temperature on inactivation of spoilage and pathogenic micro-organisms.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Timmermans, R A H; Nierop Groot, M N; Nederhoff, A L; van Boekel, M A J S; Matser, A M; Mastwijk, H C

    2014-03-03

    Pulsed electrical field (PEF) technology can be used for the inactivation of micro-organisms and therefore for preservation of food products. It is a mild technology compared to thermal pasteurization because a lower temperature is used during processing, leading to a better retention of the quality. In this study, pathogenic and spoilage micro-organisms relevant in refrigerated fruit juices were studied to determine the impact of process parameters and juice composition on the effectiveness of the PEF process to inactivate the micro-organisms. Experiments were performed using a continuous-flow PEF system at an electrical field strength of 20 kV/cm with variable frequencies to evaluate the inactivation of Salmonella Panama, Escherichia coli, Listeria monocytogenes and Saccharomyces cerevisiae in apple, orange and watermelon juices. Kinetic data showed that under the same conditions, S. cerevisiae was the most sensitive micro-organism, followed by S. Panama and E. coli, which displayed comparable inactivation kinetics. L. monocytogenes was the most resistant micro-organism towards the treatment conditions tested. A synergistic effect between temperature and electric pulses was observed at inlet temperatures above 35 °C, hence less energy for inactivation was required at higher temperatures. Different juice matrices resulted in a different degree of inactivation, predominantly determined by pH. The survival curves were nonlinear and could satisfactorily be modeled with the Weibull model. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  20. Detection of Escherichia coli Shiga toxin-producing in viscera of animals bovine and chicken intended for human consumption

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zotta, Claudio Marcelo

    2016-05-01

    Full Text Available Escherichia coli producing-Shiga toxin (STEC is associated with foodborne illness (ETA. It can cause bloody diarrhea, hemorrhagic colitis, hemolytic uremic syndrome and thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura. The aim of the study was to detect the presence of STEC in samples of organs (offal of bovine animals and chicken intended for human consumption. Between 2008-2009, 76 samples bovine entrails and 22 chicken viscera samples, were processed and underwent, as screening technique, the polymerase chain reaction (PCR for detection of multiple genes coding for the factors virulence: Shiga toxin (stx1, stx2 and rfbO157 gene coding for capsular O157 lipopolysaccharide LPS. Samples from bovine offal development showed 84.2% for coliform bacteria. These isolates showed no virulence factor that characterized as STEC or Escherichia coli O157. The chicken offal samples showed 95.5% of development for coliform bacteria, being negative for the presence of genes encoding the Shiga toxins 1 and 2 (stx1, stx2 and rfbO157 gene. While this work does not STEC was detected, the presence of coliform bacteria in the samples studied makes these foods should be considered as potentially hazardous to consume undercooked with the consequent possibility of filing ETA.