Pro Android 2

CERN Document Server

Hashimi, S; MacLean, Dave

2010-01-01

Pro Android 2 shows you how to build real-world and fun mobile applications using Google's latest Android SDK. This new edition is fully updated for Android 2, covering everything from the fundamentals of building applications for embedded devices to advanced concepts such as custom 3D components, OpenGL, and touchscreens including gestures. While other Android development guides simply discuss topics, Pro Android 2 offers the combination of expert insight and real sample applications that work. * Discover the design and architecture of the Android SDK through practical examples, and how to bu

IPTV program recommendation based on combination strategies

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Li Hao

2018-01-01

Full Text Available As a new interactive service technology, IPTV has been extensively studying in the field of TV pro-gram recommendation, but the sparse of the user-program rating matrix and the cold-start problem is a bottleneck that the program recommended accurately. In this paper, a flexible combination of two recommendation strategies proposed, which explored the sparse and cold-start problem as well as the issue of user interest change over time. This paper achieved content-based filtering section and collaborative filtering section according to the two combination strategies, which effectively solved the cold-start program and over the sparse problem and the problem of users interest change over time. The experimental results showed that this combinational recommendation system in optimal parameters compared by using any one of two combination strategies or not using any combination strategy at all, and the reducing range of MAE is [2.7%,3%].The increasing range of precision and recall is [13.8%95.5%] and [0,97.8%], respectively. The experiment showed better results when using combinational recommendation system in optimal parameters than using each combination strategies individually or not using any combination strategy.

Silver enhances antibiotic activity against gram-negative bacteria.

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Morones-Ramirez, J Ruben; Winkler, Jonathan A; Spina, Catherine S; Collins, James J

2013-06-19

A declining pipeline of clinically useful antibiotics has made it imperative to develop more effective antimicrobial therapies, particularly against difficult-to-treat Gram-negative pathogens. Silver has been used as an antimicrobial since antiquity, yet its mechanism of action remains unclear. We show that silver disrupts multiple bacterial cellular processes, including disulfide bond formation, metabolism, and iron homeostasis. These changes lead to increased production of reactive oxygen species and increased membrane permeability of Gram-negative bacteria that can potentiate the activity of a broad range of antibiotics against Gram-negative bacteria in different metabolic states, as well as restore antibiotic susceptibility to a resistant bacterial strain. We show both in vitro and in a mouse model of urinary tract infection that the ability of silver to induce oxidative stress can be harnessed to potentiate antibiotic activity. Additionally, we demonstrate in vitro and in two different mouse models of peritonitis that silver sensitizes Gram-negative bacteria to the Gram-positive-specific antibiotic vancomycin, thereby expanding the antibacterial spectrum of this drug. Finally, we used silver and antibiotic combinations in vitro to eradicate bacterial persister cells, and show both in vitro and in a mouse biofilm infection model that silver can enhance antibacterial action against bacteria that produce biofilms. This work shows that silver can be used to enhance the action of existing antibiotics against Gram-negative bacteria, thus strengthening the antibiotic arsenal for fighting bacterial infections.

Methods for Confirming the Gram Reaction of Gram-variable Bacillus Species Isolated from Tobacco

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Morin A

2014-12-01

Full Text Available Bacillus is a predominant genus of bacteria isolated from tobacco. The Gram stain is the most commonly used and most important of all diagnostic staining techniques in microbiology. In order to help confirm the Gram positivity of Bacillus isolates from tobacco, three methods using the chemical differences of the cell wall and membrane of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria were investigated: the KOH (potassium hydroxide, the LANA (L-alanine-4-nitroanilide, and the vancomycin susceptibility tests. When colonies of Gram-negative bacteria are treated with 3% KOH solution, a slimy suspension is produced, probably due to destruction of the cell wall and liberation of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA. Gram-positive cell walls resist KOH treatment. The LANA test reveals the presence of a cell wall aminopeptidase that hydrolyzes the L-alanine-4-nitroanilide in Gram-negative bacteria. This enzyme is absent in Gram-positive bacteria. Vancomycin is a glycopeptide antibiotic inhibiting the cell wall peptido-glycan synthesis of Gram-positive microorganisms. Absence of lysis with KOH, absence of hydrolysis of LANA, and susceptibility to vancomycin were used with the Gram reaction to confirm the Gram positivity of various Bacillus species isolated from tobacco. B. laevolacticus excepted, all Bacillus species tested showed negative reactions to KOH and LANA tests, and all species were susceptible to vancomycin (5 and 30 µg.

Prediction of severe pre-eclampsia/HELLP syndrome by combination of sFlt-1, CT-pro-ET-1 and blood pressure: exploratory study.

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Lind Malte, A; Uldbjerg, N; Wright, D; Tørring, N

2018-06-01

To evaluate the performance of a combination of angiogenic and vasoactive biomarkers to predict the development of severe pre-eclampsia (PE)/HELLP syndrome in the third trimester. Included were 215 women referred in the third trimester to an obstetric outpatient clinic with suspected PE (mean gestational age, 35 + 4 weeks), and 94 with normal pregnancy attending a midwife clinic. Cases were categorized as having subclinical PE, essential hypertension, gestational hypertension, moderate PE, and severe PE/HELLP syndrome. Blood samples were analyzed by immunoassay and groups were compared with respect to potential clinical and biochemical biomarkers, with the primary outcome being development of severe PE/HELLP syndrome within 1 week and within 2 weeks of analysis. The most promising markers were also assessed in combination. In the patients presenting with mild to moderate symptoms of PE, the individual markers which performed best for the prediction of progression to severe PE/HELLP syndrome within 1 week and within 2 weeks of biomarker evaluation were C-terminal pro-endothelin-1 (CT-pro-ET-1) (area under the receiver-operating characteristics curve (AUC), 0.82 and 0.78, respectively), soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase-1 (sFlt-1) (AUC, 0.81 and 0.76), systolic blood pressure (AUC, 0.80 and 0.68) and midregional pro-atrial natriuretic peptide (AUC, 0.79 and 0.77). The combination of biomarkers with the best performance was CT-pro-ET-1, sFlt-1 and systolic blood pressure, achieving an AUC of 0.94 for prediction of development of severe PE/HELLP syndrome within 1 week and an AUC of 0.83 for prediction of their development within 2 weeks of biomarker evaluation. The performance of CT-pro-ET-1 for prediction of the development of PE/HELLP syndrome in the third trimester was promising, especially in combination with sFlt-1 and systolic blood pressure. This was an exploratory study and our findings should be confirmed in further studies. Copyright © 2017

Dual beta-lactam therapy for serious Gram-negative infections: is it time to revisit?

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Rahme, Christine; Butterfield, Jill M; Nicasio, Anthony M; Lodise, Thomas P

2014-12-01

We are rapidly approaching a crisis in antibiotic resistance, particularly among Gram-negative pathogens. This, coupled with the slow development of novel antimicrobial agents, underscores the exigency of redeploying existing antimicrobial agents in innovative ways. One therapeutic approach that was heavily studied in the 1980s but abandoned over time is dual beta-lactam therapy. This article reviews the evidence for combination beta-lactam therapy. Overall, in vitro, animal and clinical data are positive and suggest that beta-lactam combinations produce a synergistic effect against Gram-negative pathogens that rivals that of beta-lactam-aminoglycoside or beta-lactam-fluoroquinolone combination therapy. Although the precise mechanism of improved activity is not completely understood, it is likely attributable to an enhanced affinity to the diverse penicillin-binding proteins found among Gram negatives. The collective data indicate that dual beta-lactam therapy should be revisited for serious Gram-negative infections, especially in light of the near availability of potent beta-lactamase inhibitors, which neutralize the effect of problematic beta-lactamases. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A flow-cytometric gram-staining technique for milk-associated bacteria.

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Holm, Claus; Jespersen, Lene

2003-05-01

A Gram-staining technique combining staining with two fluorescent stains, Oregon Green-conjugated wheat germ agglutinin (WGA) and hexidium iodide (HI) followed by flow-cytometric detection is described. WGA stains gram-positive bacteria while HI binds to the DNA of all bacteria after permeabilization by EDTA and incubation at 50 degrees C for 15 min. For WGA to bind to gram-positive bacteria, a 3 M potassium chloride solution was found to give the highest fluorescence intensity. A total of 12 strains representing some of the predominant bacterial species in bulk tank milk and mixtures of these were stained and analyzed by flow cytometry. Overall, the staining method showed a clear differentiation between gram-positive and gram-negative bacterial populations. For stationary-stage cultures of seven gram-positive bacteria and five gram-negative bacteria, an average of 99% of the cells were correctly interpreted. The method was only slightly influenced by the growth phase of the bacteria or conditions such as freezing at -18 degrees C for 24 h. For any of these conditions, an average of at least 95% of the cells were correctly interpreted. When stationary-stage cultures were stored at 5 degrees C for 14 days, an average of 86% of the cells were correctly interpreted. The Gram-staining technique was applied to the flow cytometry analysis of bulk tank milk inoculated with Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. These results demonstrate that the technique is suitable for analyzing milk samples without precultivation.

The Causes of Post-Operative Meningitis: The Comparison Of Gram-Negative and Gram-Positive Pathogens.

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Kurtaran, Behice; Kuscu, Ferit; Ulu, Aslihan; Inal, Ayse Seza; Komur, Suheyla; Kibar, Filiz; Cetinalp, Nuri Eralp; Ozsoy, Kerem Mazhar; Arslan, Yusuf Kemal; Aksu, Hasan Salih; Tasova, Yesim

2017-06-20

In this study, we aim to determine the microbiological etiology in critically ill neurosurgical patients with nosocomial meningitis (NM) and show the impact of Gram-negative rods and differences of patient's characteristics, clinical and prognostic measures between Gram-negative and Gram-positive meningitis. In this prospective, one center study we reviewed all adult patients hospitalized during a 12-year period and identified pathogens isolated from post-neurosurgical cases of NM. Demographic, clinical, and treatment characteristics were noted from the medical records. Of the 134 bacterial NM patients, 78 were male and 56 were female, with a mean age of 46±15.9 and median age of 50 (18-80) years. 141 strains isolated; 82 (58.2%) were Gram negative, 59 (41.8%) were Gram positive. Most common isolated microorganism was Acinetobacter baumannii (%34.8). In comparison of mortality data shows that the patients who have meningitis with Gram-negative pathogens have higher mortality than with Gram positives (p=0.034). The duration between surgery and meningitis was shorter in Gram negative meningitis cases compared to others (p=0.045) but the duration between the diagnosis and death was shorter in Gram-positive meningitis cases compared to Gram negatives (p= 0.017). CSF protein and lactate level were higher and glucose level was lower in cases of NM with Gram negatives (p value were respectively, 0.022, 0.039 and 0.049). As conclusions; in NM, Gram-negative pathogens were seen more frequently; A.baumanni was the predominant pathogen; and NM caused by Gram negatives had worse clinical and laboratory characteristic and prognostic outcome than Gram positives.

proBAMconvert: A Conversion Tool for proBAM/proBed.

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Olexiouk, Volodimir; Menschaert, Gerben

2017-07-07

The introduction of new standard formats, proBAM and proBed, improves the integration of genomics and proteomics information, thus aiding proteogenomics applications. These novel formats enable peptide spectrum matches (PSM) to be stored, inspected, and analyzed within the context of the genome. However, an easy-to-use and transparent tool to convert mass spectrometry identification files to these new formats is indispensable. proBAMconvert enables the conversion of common identification file formats (mzIdentML, mzTab, and pepXML) to proBAM/proBed using an intuitive interface. Furthermore, ProBAMconvert enables information to be output both at the PSM and peptide levels and has a command line interface next to the graphical user interface. Detailed documentation and a completely worked-out tutorial is available at http://probam.biobix.be .

An optimized staining technique for the detection of Gram positive and Gram negative bacteria within tissue.

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Becerra, Sandra C; Roy, Daniel C; Sanchez, Carlos J; Christy, Robert J; Burmeister, David M

2016-04-12

Bacterial infections are a common clinical problem in both acute and chronic wounds. With growing concerns over antibiotic resistance, treatment of bacterial infections should only occur after positive diagnosis. Currently, diagnosis is delayed due to lengthy culturing methods which may also fail to identify the presence of bacteria. While newer costly bacterial identification methods are being explored, a simple and inexpensive diagnostic tool would aid in immediate and accurate treatments for bacterial infections. Histologically, hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) and Gram stains have been employed, but are far from optimal when analyzing tissue samples due to non-specific staining. The goal of the current study was to develop a modification of the Gram stain that enhances the contrast between bacteria and host tissue. A modified Gram stain was developed and tested as an alternative to Gram stain that improves the contrast between Gram positive bacteria, Gram negative bacteria and host tissue. Initially, clinically relevant strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus were visualized in vitro and in biopsies of infected, porcine burns using routine Gram stain, and immunohistochemistry techniques involving bacterial strain-specific fluorescent antibodies as validation tools. H&E and Gram stain of serial biopsy sections were then compared to a modification of the Gram stain incorporating a counterstain that highlights collagen found in tissue. The modified Gram stain clearly identified both Gram positive and Gram negative bacteria, and when compared to H&E or Gram stain alone provided excellent contrast between bacteria and non-viable burn eschar. Moreover, when applied to surgical biopsies from patients that underwent burn debridement this technique was able to clearly detect bacterial morphology within host tissue. We describe a modification of the Gram stain that provides improved contrast of Gram positive and Gram negative microorganisms within host

Space Efficient Data Structures for N-gram Retrieval

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Fotios Kounelis

2017-10-01

Full Text Available A significant problem in computer science is the management of large data strings and a great number of works dealing with the specific problem has been published in the scientific literature. In this article, we use a technique to store efficiently biological sequences, making use of data structures like suffix trees and inverted files and also employing techniques like n-grams, in order to improve previous constructions. In our attempt, we drastically reduce the space needed to store the inverted indexes, by representing the substrings that appear more frequently in a more compact inverted index. Our technique is based on n-gram indexing, providing us the extra advantage of indexing sequences that cannot be separated in words. Moreover, our technique combines classical one level with two-level n-gram inverted file indexing. Our results suggest that the new proposed algorithm can compress the data more efficiently than previous attempts.

n-Gram-Based Text Compression

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Duong, Hieu N.; Snasel, Vaclav

2016-01-01

We propose an efficient method for compressing Vietnamese text using n-gram dictionaries. It has a significant compression ratio in comparison with those of state-of-the-art methods on the same dataset. Given a text, first, the proposed method splits it into n-grams and then encodes them based on n-gram dictionaries. In the encoding phase, we use a sliding window with a size that ranges from bigram to five grams to obtain the best encoding stream. Each n-gram is encoded by two to four bytes accordingly based on its corresponding n-gram dictionary. We collected 2.5 GB text corpus from some Vietnamese news agencies to build n-gram dictionaries from unigram to five grams and achieve dictionaries with a size of 12 GB in total. In order to evaluate our method, we collected a testing set of 10 different text files with different sizes. The experimental results indicate that our method achieves compression ratio around 90% and outperforms state-of-the-art methods. PMID:27965708

n-Gram-Based Text Compression

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Vu H. Nguyen

2016-01-01

Full Text Available We propose an efficient method for compressing Vietnamese text using n-gram dictionaries. It has a significant compression ratio in comparison with those of state-of-the-art methods on the same dataset. Given a text, first, the proposed method splits it into n-grams and then encodes them based on n-gram dictionaries. In the encoding phase, we use a sliding window with a size that ranges from bigram to five grams to obtain the best encoding stream. Each n-gram is encoded by two to four bytes accordingly based on its corresponding n-gram dictionary. We collected 2.5 GB text corpus from some Vietnamese news agencies to build n-gram dictionaries from unigram to five grams and achieve dictionaries with a size of 12 GB in total. In order to evaluate our method, we collected a testing set of 10 different text files with different sizes. The experimental results indicate that our method achieves compression ratio around 90% and outperforms state-of-the-art methods.

Differential staining of bacteria: gram stain.

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Moyes, Rita B; Reynolds, Jackie; Breakwell, Donald P

2009-11-01

In 1884, Hans Christian Gram, a Danish doctor, developed a differential staining technique that is still the cornerstone of bacterial identification and taxonomic division. This multistep, sequential staining protocol separates bacteria into four groups based on cell morphology and cell wall structure: Gram-positive cocci, Gram-negative cocci, Gram-positive rods, and Gram-negative rods. The Gram stain is useful for assessing bacterial contamination of tissue culture samples or for examining the Gram stain status and morphological features of bacteria isolated from mixed or isolated bacterial cultures. (c) 2009 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Mid-infrared spectroscopic assessment of nanotoxicity in gram-negative vs. gram-positive bacteria.

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Heys, Kelly A; Riding, Matthew J; Strong, Rebecca J; Shore, Richard F; Pereira, M Glória; Jones, Kevin C; Semple, Kirk T; Martin, Francis L

2014-03-07

Nanoparticles appear to induce toxic effects through a variety of mechanisms including generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), physical contact with the cell membrane and indirect catalysis due to remnants from manufacture. The development and subsequent increasing usage of nanomaterials has highlighted a growing need to characterize and assess the toxicity of nanoparticles, particularly those that may have detrimental health effects such as carbon-based nanomaterials (CBNs). Due to interactions of nanoparticles with some reagents, many traditional toxicity tests are unsuitable for use with CBNs. Infrared (IR) spectroscopy is a non-destructive, high throughput technique, which is unhindered by such problems. We explored the application of IR spectroscopy to investigate the effects of CBNs on Gram-negative (Pseudomonas fluorescens) and Gram-positive (Mycobacterium vanbaalenii PYR-1) bacteria. Two types of IR spectroscopy were compared: attenuated total reflection Fourier-transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) and synchrotron radiation-based FTIR (SR-FTIR) spectroscopy. This showed that Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria exhibit differing alterations when exposed to CBNs. Gram-positive bacteria appear more resistant to these agents and this may be due to the protection afforded by their more sturdy cell wall. Markers of exposure also vary according to Gram status; Amide II was consistently altered in Gram-negative bacteria and carbohydrate altered in Gram-positive bacteria. ATR-FTIR and SR-FTIR spectroscopy could both be applied to extract biochemical alterations induced by each CBN that were consistent across the two bacterial species; these may represent potential biomarkers of nanoparticle-induced alterations. Vibrational spectroscopy approaches may provide a novel means of fingerprinting the effects of CBNs in target cells.

Distribution of multi-resistant Gram-negative versus Gram-positive bacteria in the hospital inanimate environment.

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Lemmen, S W; Häfner, H; Zolldann, D; Stanzel, S; Lütticken, R

2004-03-01

We prospectively studied the difference in detection rates of multi-resistant Gram-positive and multi-resistant Gram-negative bacteria in the inanimate environment of patients harbouring these organisms. Up to 20 different locations around 190 patients were surveyed. Fifty-four patients were infected or colonized with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) or vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) and 136 with multi-resistant Gram-negative bacteria. The environmental detection rate for MRSA or VRE was 24.7% (174/705 samples) compared with 4.9% (89/1827 samples) for multi-resistant Gram-negative bacteria (PGram-positive bacteria were isolated more frequently than Gram-negatives from the hands of patients (PGram-positive and Gram-negative isolates. Our results suggest that the inanimate environment serves as a secondary source for MRSA and VRE, but less so for Gram-negative bacteria. Thus, strict contact isolation in a single room with complete barrier precautions is recommended for MRSA or VRE; however, for multi-resistant Gram-negative bacteria, contact isolation with barrier precautions for close contact but without a single room seems sufficient. This benefits not only the patients, but also the hospital by removing some of the strain placed on already over-stretched resources.

Utility of gram staining for evaluation of the quality of cystic fibrosis sputum samples.

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Nair, Bindu; Stapp, Jenny; Stapp, Lynn; Bugni, Linda; Van Dalfsen, Jill; Burns, Jane L

2002-08-01

The microscopic examination of Gram-stained sputum specimens is very helpful in the evaluation of patients with community-acquired pneumonia and has also been recommended for use in cystic fibrosis (CF) patients. This study was undertaken to evaluate that recommendation. One hundred one sputum samples from CF patients were cultured for gram-negative bacilli and examined by Gram staining for both sputum adequacy (using the quality [Q] score) and bacterial morphology. Subjective evaluation of adequacy was also performed and categorized. Based on Q score evaluation, 41% of the samples would have been rejected despite a subjective appearance of purulence. Only three of these rejected samples were culture negative for gram-negative CF pathogens. Correlation between culture results and quantitative Gram stain examination was also poor. These data suggest that subjective evaluation combined with comprehensive bacteriology is superior to Gram staining in identifying pathogens in CF sputum.

TGFbeta1 (Leu10Pro), p53 (Arg72Pro) can predict for increased risk for breast cancer in south Indian women and TGFbeta1 Pro (Leu10Pro) allele predicts response to neo-adjuvant chemo-radiotherapy.

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Rajkumar, Thangarajan; Samson, Mani; Rama, Ranganathan; Sridevi, Veluswami; Mahji, Urmila; Swaminathan, Rajaraman; Nancy, Nirmala K

2008-11-01

The breast cancer incidence has been increasing in the south Indian women. A case (n=250)-control (n=500) study was undertaken to investigate the role of Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNP's) in GSTM1 (Present/Null); GSTP1 (Ile105Val), p53 (Arg72Pro), TGFbeta1 (Leu10Pro), c-erbB2 (Ile655Val), and GSTT1 (Null/Present) in breast cancer. In addition, the value of the SNP's in predicting primary tumor's pathologic response following neo-adjuvant chemo-radiotherapy was assessed. Genotyping was done using PCR (GSTM1, GSTT1), Taqman Allelic discrimination assay (GSTP1, c-erbB2) and PCR-CTPP (p53 and TGFbeta1). None of the gene SNP's studied were associated with a statistically significant increased risk for the breast cancer. However, combined analysis of the SNP's showed that p53 (Arg/Arg and Arg/Pro) with TGFbeta1 (Pro/Pro and Leu/Pro) were associated with greater than 2 fold increased risk for breast cancer in Univariate (P=0.01) and Multivariate (P=0.003) analysis. There was no statistically significant association for the GST family members with the breast cancer risk. TGFbeta1 (Pro/Pro) allele was found to predict complete pathologic response in the primary tumour following neo-adjuvant chemo-radiotherapy (OR=6.53 and 10.53 in Univariate and Multivariate analysis respectively) (P=0.004) and was independent of stage. This study suggests that SNP's can help predict breast cancer risk in south Indian women and that TGFbeta1 (Pro/Pro) allele is associated with a better pCR in the primary tumour.

Combined measurement of copeptin, high-sensitivity troponin T, and N-terminal proBNP improves the identification of patients at risk of cardiovascular death

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Alehagen, Urban; Dahlström, Ulf; Carstensen, John

2012-01-01

and all mortality was registered. Cardiovascular mortality was evaluated using Kaplan–Meier plots and multivariate Cox proportional hazard regression analyses. Results: Copeptin, HS-TnT, and NT-proBNP measurements provided independent prognostic information in a multivariate setting over 5 years (hazard......Objectives: A multimarker strategy for the handling of patients with heart failure has been suggested in the literature. Therefore, the potential prognostic relevance of combined copeptin, high-sensitivity troponin T (HS-TnT), and N-terminal proBNP (NT-proBNP) measurement in plasma from elderly...... patients with symptoms of heart failure was evaluated. Methods: This study included 470 elderly patients (mean age 73 years) from a rural municipality with symptoms of heart failure. Clinical examination, echocardiography, and biomarker measurements were performed. All patients were followed for 13 years...

Gram positive and Gram negative bacteria differ in their sensitivity to cold plasma

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Mai-Prochnow, Anne; Clauson, Maryse; Hong, Jungmi; Murphy, Anthony B.

2016-12-01

Cold atmospheric-pressure plasma (CAP) is a relatively new method being investigated for antimicrobial activity. However, the exact mode of action is still being explored. Here we report that CAP efficacy is directly correlated to bacterial cell wall thickness in several species. Biofilms of Gram positive Bacillus subtilis, possessing a 55.4 nm cell wall, showed the highest resistance to CAP, with less than one log10 reduction after 10 min treatment. In contrast, biofilms of Gram negative Pseudomonas aeruginosa, possessing only a 2.4 nm cell wall, were almost completely eradicated using the same treatment conditions. Planktonic cultures of Gram negative Pseudomonas libanensis also had a higher log10 reduction than Gram positive Staphylococcus epidermidis. Mixed species biofilms of P. aeruginosa and S. epidermidis showed a similar trend of Gram positive bacteria being more resistant to CAP treatment. However, when grown in co-culture, Gram negative P. aeruginosa was more resistant to CAP overall than as a mono-species biofilm. Emission spectra indicated OH and O, capable of structural cell wall bond breakage, were present in the plasma. This study indicates that cell wall thickness correlates with CAP inactivation times of bacteria, but cell membranes and biofilm matrix are also likely to play a role.

Prognostic factors and monomicrobial necrotizing fasciitis: gram-positive versus gram-negative pathogens

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Hsu Wei-Hsiu

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Monomicrobial necrotizing fasciitis is rapidly progressive and life-threatening. This study was undertaken to ascertain whether the clinical presentation and outcome for patients with this disease differ for those infected with a gram-positive as compared to gram-negative pathogen. Methods Forty-six patients with monomicrobial necrotizing fasciitis were examined retrospectively from November 2002 to January 2008. All patients received adequate broad-spectrum antibiotic therapy, aggressive resuscitation, prompt radical debridement and adjuvant hyperbaric oxygen therapy. Eleven patients were infected with a gram-positive pathogen (Group 1 and 35 patients with a gram-negative pathogen (Group 2. Results Group 2 was characterized by a higher incidence of hemorrhagic bullae and septic shock, higher APACHE II scores at 24 h post-admission, a higher rate of thrombocytopenia, and a higher prevalence of chronic liver dysfunction. Gouty arthritis was more prevalent in Group 1. For non-survivors, the incidences of chronic liver dysfunction, chronic renal failure and thrombocytopenia were higher in comparison with those for survivors. Lower level of serum albumin was also demonstrated in the non-survivors as compared to those in survivors. Conclusions Pre-existing chronic liver dysfunction, chronic renal failure, thrombocytopenia and hypoalbuminemia, and post-operative dependence on mechanical ventilation represent poor prognostic factors in monomicrobial necrotizing fasciitis. Patients with gram-negative monobacterial necrotizing fasciitis present with more fulminant sepsis.

Development of a Multiplexed Microsphere PCR for Culture-Free Detection and Gram-Typing of Bacteria in Human Blood Samples.

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Liang, Fang; Browne, Daniel J; Gray, Megan J; Gartlan, Kate H; Smith, David D; Barnard, Ross T; Hill, Geoffrey R; Corrie, Simon R; Markey, Kate A

2018-05-11

Bloodstream infection is a significant clinical problem, particularly in vulnerable patient groups such as those undergoing chemotherapy and bone marrow transplantation. Clinical diagnostics for suspected bloodstream infection remain centered around blood culture (highly variable timing, in the order of hours to days to become positive), and empiric use of broad-spectrum antibiotics is therefore employed for patients presenting with febrile neutropenia. Gram-typing provides the first opportunity to target therapy (e.g., combinations containing vancomycin or teicoplanin for Gram-positives; piperacillin-tazobactam or a carbapenem for Gram-negatives); however, current approaches require blood culture. In this study, we describe a multiplexed microsphere-PCR assay with flow cytometry readout, which can distinguish Gram-positive from Gram-negative bacterial DNA in a 3.5 h time period. The combination of a simple assay design (amplicon-dependent release of Gram-type specific Cy3-labeled oligonucleotides) and the Luminex-based readout (for quantifying each specific Cy3-labeled sequence) opens opportunities for further multiplexing. We demonstrate the feasibility of detecting common Gram-positive and Gram-negative organisms after spiking whole bacteria into healthy human blood prior to DNA extraction. Further development of DNA extraction methods is required to reach detection limits comparable to blood culture.

Gram staining for the treatment of peritonsillar abscess.

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Takenaka, Yukinori; Takeda, Kazuya; Yoshii, Tadashi; Hashimoto, Michiko; Inohara, Hidenori

2012-01-01

Objective. To examine whether Gram staining can influence the choice of antibiotic for the treatment of peritonsillar abscess. Methods. Between 2005 and 2009, a total of 57 cases of peritonsillar abscess were analyzed with regard to cultured bacteria and Gram staining. Results. Only aerobes were cultured in 16% of cases, and only anaerobes were cultured in 51% of cases. Mixed growth of aerobes and anaerobes was observed in 21% of cases. The cultured bacteria were mainly aerobic Streptococcus, anaerobic Gram-positive cocci, and anaerobic Gram-negative rods. Phagocytosis of bacteria on Gram staining was observed in 9 cases. The bacteria cultured from these cases were aerobic Streptococcus, anaerobic Gram-positive cocci, and anaerobic Gram-negative rods. The sensitivity of Gram staining for the Gram-positive cocci and Gram-negative rods was 90% and 64%, respectively. The specificity of Gram staining for the Gram-positive cocci and Gram-negative rods was 62% and 76%, respectively. Most of the Gram-positive cocci were sensitive to penicillin, but some of anaerobic Gram-negative rods were resistant to penicillin. Conclusion. When Gram staining shows only Gram-positive cocci, penicillin is the treatment of choice. In other cases, antibiotics effective for the penicillin-resistant organisms should be used.

Antimicrobial Photodynamic Therapy to Kill Gram-negative Bacteria

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Sperandio, Felipe F; Huang, Ying-Ying; Hamblin, Michael R

2013-01-01

Antimicrobial photodynamic therapy (PDT) or photodynamic inactivation (PDI) is a new promising strategy to eradicate pathogenic microorganisms such as Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, yeasts and fungi. The search for new approaches that can kill bacteria but do not induce the appearance of undesired drug-resistant strains suggests that PDT may have advantages over traditional antibiotic therapy. PDT is a non-thermal photochemical reaction that involves the simultaneous presence of visible light, oxygen and a dye or photosensitizer (PS). Several PS have been studied for their ability to bind to bacteria and efficiently generate reactive oxygen species (ROS) upon photostimulation. ROS are formed through type I or II mechanisms and may inactivate several classes of microbial cells including Gram-negative bacteria such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa, which are typically characterized by an impermeable outer cell membrane that contains endotoxins and blocks antibiotics, dyes, and detergents, protecting the sensitive inner membrane and cell wall. This review covers significant peer-reviewed articles together with US and World patents that were filed within the past few years and that relate to the eradication of Gram-negative bacteria via PDI or PDT. It is organized mainly according to the nature of the PS involved and includes natural or synthetic food dyes; cationic dyes such as methylene blue and toluidine blue; tetrapyrrole derivatives such as phthalocyanines, chlorins, porphyrins, chlorophyll and bacteriochlorophyll derivatives; functionalized fullerenes; nanoparticles combined with different PS; other formulations designed to target PS to bacteria; photoactive materials and surfaces; conjugates between PS and polycationic polymers or antibodies; and permeabilizing agents such as EDTA, PMNP and CaCl2. The present review also covers the different laboratory animal models normally used to treat Gram-negative bacterial infections with antimicrobial PDT. PMID

Combined effects of NQO1 Pro187Ser or SULT1A1 Arg213His polymorphism and smoking on bladder cancer risk: Two meta-analyses.

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Wang, Xiao-Chun; Wang, Jian; Tao, Hui-Hui; Zhang, Chao; Xu, Li-Fa

2017-07-14

Objectives: Cigarette smoking is the major risk factor of bladder cancer via exposure to chemical carcinogens. Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADP+): quinine oxidoreductase 1 (NQO1) and sulfotransferase 1A1 (SULT1A1) have been reported to involve in the metabolism of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and aromatic amines. Therefore, the risk of bladder cancer (BC) may be influenced by polymorphisms in the genes that modulate metabolic detoxification in particular by interacting with cigarette smoking. Considering the limited power by the individual studies with a relatively small sample size, especially when analyzing the combined effect of polymorphisms in NQO1 and SULT1A1 genes and smoking, these 2 meta-analyses have aimed to clarify the combined effects of them on BC risk by integrating related studies. Two meta-analyses included 1341 cases and 1346 controls concerning NQO1 Pro187Ser and smoking, and 1921 cases and 1882 controls on SULT1A1 Arg213His and smoking were performed. Odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were used for assessing the strength of the association. The result has demonstrated that smokers with NQO1 Pro/Ser or Ser/Ser genotypes have a prominent association with the risk of BC as compared with non-smokers with NQO1 Pro/Pro genotype, with OR equal to 3.71 (95% CI: 2.87-4.78, pheterogeneity = 0.376). Besides, smokers carrying SULT1A1 Arg/Arg genotypes were observed to confer 2.38 fold increased risk of BC (95% CI: 1.44-3.93, pheterogeneity = 0.001) when compared with non-smokers with SULT1A1 Arg/Arg or His/His genotypes. These findings have suggested that the NQO1 Pro187Ser or SULT1A1 Arg213His polymorphism combination with smoking significantly confer susceptibility to BC. Int J Occup Med Environ Health 2017;30(5):791-802. This work is available in Open Access model and licensed under a CC BY-NC 3.0 PL license.

Combined effects of NQO1 Pro187Ser or SULT1A1 Arg213His polymorphism and smoking on bladder cancer risk: Two meta-analyses

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xiao-Chun Wang

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Objectives: Objectives: Cigarette smoking is the major risk factor of bladder cancer via exposure to chemical carcinogens. Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADP+: quinine oxidoreductase 1 (NQO1 and sulfotransferase 1A1 (SULT1A1 have been reported to involve in the metabolism of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs and aromatic amines. Therefore, the risk of bladder cancer (BC may be influenced by polymorphisms in the genes that modulate metabolic detoxification in particular by interacting with cigarette smoking. Considering the limited power by the individual studies with a relatively small sample size, especially when analyzing the combined effect of polymorphisms in NQO1 and SULT1A1 genes and smoking, these 2 meta-analyses have aimed to clarify the combined effects of them on BC risk by integrating related studies. Material and Methods: Two meta-analyses included 1341 cases and 1346 controls concerning NQO1 Pro187Ser and smoking, and 1921 cases and 1882 controls on SULT1A1 Arg213His and smoking were performed. Odds ratios (OR and 95% confidence intervals (CI were used for assessing the strength of the association. Results: The result has demonstrated that smokers with NQO1 Pro/Ser or Ser/Ser genotypes have a prominent association with the risk of BC as compared with non-smokers with NQO1 Pro/Pro genotype, with OR equal to 3.71 (95% CI: 2.87–4.78, pheterogeneity = 0.376. Besides, smokers carrying SULT1A1 Arg/Arg genotypes were observed to confer 2.38 fold increased risk of BC (95% CI: 1.44–3.93, pheterogeneity = 0.001 when compared with non-smokers with SULT1A1 Arg/Arg or His/His genotypes. Conclusions: These findings have suggested that the NQO1 Pro187Ser or SULT1A1 Arg213His polymorphism combination with smoking significantly confer susceptibility to BC. Int J Occup Med Environ Health 2017;30(5:791–802

Synergistic antibacterial effect of silver and ebselen against multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacterial infections.

Science.gov (United States)

Zou, Lili; Lu, Jun; Wang, Jun; Ren, Xiaoyuan; Zhang, Lanlan; Gao, Yu; Rottenberg, Martin E; Holmgren, Arne

2017-08-01

Multidrug-resistant (MDR) Gram-negative bacteria account for a majority of fatal infections, and development of new antibiotic principles and drugs is therefore of outstanding importance. Here, we report that five most clinically difficult-to-treat MDR Gram-negative bacteria are highly sensitive to a synergistic combination of silver and ebselen. In contrast, silver has no synergistic toxicity with ebselen on mammalian cells. The silver and ebselen combination causes a rapid depletion of glutathione and inhibition of the thioredoxin system in bacteria. Silver ions were identified as strong inhibitors of Escherichia coli thioredoxin and thioredoxin reductase, which are required for ribonucleotide reductase and DNA synthesis and defense against oxidative stress. The bactericidal efficacy of silver and ebselen was further verified in the treatment of mild and acute MDR E. coli peritonitis in mice. These results demonstrate that thiol-dependent redox systems in bacteria can be targeted in the design of new antibacterial drugs. The silver and ebselen combination offers a proof of concept in targeting essential bacterial systems and might be developed for novel efficient treatments against MDR Gram-negative bacterial infections. © 2017 The Authors. Published under the terms of the CC BY 4.0 license.

Comparative activity of ceftobiprole against Gram-positive and Gram-negative isolates from Europe and the Middle East: the CLASS study.

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Rossolini, Gian M; Dryden, Matthew S; Kozlov, Roman S; Quintana, Alvaro; Flamm, Robert K; Läuffer, Jörg M; Lee, Emma; Morrissey, Ian; CLASS Study Group

2011-01-01

to assess the in vitro activity of ceftobiprole and comparators against a recent collection of Gram-positive and Gram-negative pathogens, in order to detect potential changes in susceptibility patterns, and to evaluate the Etest assay for ceftobiprole susceptibility testing. contemporary Gram-positive and Gram-negative isolates (excluding extended-spectrum β-lactamase-producing isolates) from across Europe and the Middle East were collected, and their susceptibility to ceftobiprole, vancomycin, teicoplanin, linezolid, ceftazidime and cefepime was assessed using the Etest method. Quality testing [using Etest and broth microdilution (BMD)] was conducted at a central reference laboratory. some 5041 Gram-positive and 4026 Gram-negative isolates were included. Against Gram-positive isolates overall, ceftobiprole had the lowest MIC50 (0.5 mg/L), compared with 1 mg/L for its comparators (vancomycin, teicoplanin and linezolid). Against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, all four agents had a similar MIC90 (2 mg/L), but ceftobiprole had a 4-fold better MIC90 (0.5 mg/L) against methicillin-susceptible strains. Only 38 Gram-positive isolates were confirmed as ceftobiprole resistant. Among Gram-negative strains, 86.9%, 91.7% and 95.2% were susceptible to ceftobiprole, ceftazidime and cefepime, respectively. Pseudomonas aeruginosa was less susceptible to all three antimicrobials than any other Gram-negative pathogen. There was generally good agreement between local Etest results and those obtained at the reference laboratory (for ceftobiprole: 86.8% with Gram-negatives; and 94.7% with Gram-positives), as well as between results obtained by BMD and Etest methods (for ceftobiprole: 98.2% with Gram-negatives; and 98.4% with Gram-positives). ceftobiprole exhibits in vitro activity against a wide range of Gram-positive and Gram-negative pathogens, including multidrug-resistant strains. No changes in its known susceptibility profile were identified.

Protamine-induced permeabilization of cell envelopes of gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Johansen, Charlotte; Verheul, A.; Gram, Lone

1997-01-01

carboxyfluorescein and ATP after 2 to 5 min. Maximum antibacterial activity was reached at alkaline pH and in the absence of divalent cations. The efficient permeabilization of cell envelopes of both gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria suggests that protamine causes a general disruption of the cell envelope...

Numerical Gram-Schmidt orthonormalization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Werneth, Charles M; Dhar, Mallika; Maung, Khin Maung; Sirola, Christopher; Norbury, John W

2010-01-01

A numerical Gram-Schmidt orthonormalization procedure is presented for constructing an orthonormal basis function set from a non-orthonormal set, when the number of basis functions is large. This method will provide a pedagogical illustration of the Gram-Schmidt procedure and can be presented in classes on numerical methods or computational physics.

Probing interaction of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacterial cells with ZnO nanorods

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jain, Aanchal; Bhargava, Richa; Poddar, Pankaj, E-mail: p.poddar@ncl.res.in

2013-04-01

In the present work, the physiological effects of the ZnO nanorods on the Gram positive (Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus subtilis) and Gram-negative (Escherichia coli and Aerobacter aerogenes) bacterial cells have been studied. The analysis of bacterial growth curves for various concentrations of ZnO nanorods indicates that Gram positive and Gram negative bacterial cells show inhibition at concentrations of ∼ 64 and ∼ 256 μg/mL respectively. The marked difference in susceptibility towards nanorods was also validated by spread plate and disk diffusion methods. In addition, the scanning electron micrographs show a clear damage to the cells via changed morphology of the cells from rod to coccoid etc. The confocal optical microscopy images of these cells also demonstrate the reduction in live cell count in the presence of ZnO nanorods. These, results clearly indicate that the antibacterial activity of ZnO nanorods is higher towards Gram positive bacterium than Gram negative bacterium which indicates that the structure of the cell wall might play a major role in the interaction with nanostructured materials and shows high sensitivity to the particle concentration. Highlights: ► Effect of ZnO nanorods on the growth cycles of four bacterial strains. ► A relation has been established between growth rate of bacteria and concentration. ► Serious damage in the morphology of bacterial cells in the presence of ZnO nanorods. ► Microscopic studies to see the time dependent effect on bacterial cells.

Gram staining apparatus for space station applications

Science.gov (United States)

Molina, T. C.; Brown, H. D.; Irbe, R. M.; Pierson, D. L.

1990-01-01

A self-contained, portable Gram staining apparatus (GSA) has been developed for use in the microgravity environment on board the Space Station Freedom. Accuracy and reproducibility of this apparatus compared with the conventional Gram staining method were evaluated by using gram-negative and gram-positive controls and different species of bacteria grown in pure cultures. A subsequent study was designed to assess the performance of the GSA with actual specimens. A set of 60 human and environmental specimens was evaluated with the GSA and the conventional Gram staining procedure. Data obtained from these studies indicated that the GSA will provide the Gram staining capability needed for the microgravity environment of space.

Antimicrobial Activity of Carbon Nanoparticles Isolated from Natural Sources against Pathogenic Gram-Negative and Gram-Positive Bacteria

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Varghese, S.; Jose, S.; Varghese, S.; Kuriakose, S.; Jose, S.

2013-01-01

This paper describes the isolation of carbon nanoparticles (CNPs) from kitchen soot, characterization of the CNPs by UV/visible spectroscopy, SEM and XRD, and their antimicrobial action. The antibacterial activity of the isolated carbon nanoparticles was tested against various pathogenic bacterial strains such as Gram-negative Proteus refrigere and Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus haemolyticus. The inhibition zones were measured, and it was found that the carbon nanoparticles isolated from natural sources are active against these Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacterial strains

Distinguishing Isomeric Peptides: The Unimolecular Reactivity and Structures of (LeuPro)M+ and (ProLeu)M+ (M = Alkali Metal).

Science.gov (United States)

Jami-Alahmadi, Yasaman; Linford, Bryan D; Fridgen, Travis D

2016-12-29

The unimolecular chemistries and structures of gas-phase (ProLeu)M + and (LeuPro)M + complexes when M = Li, Na, Rb, and Cs have been explored using a combination of SORI-CID, IRMPD spectroscopy, and computational methods. CID of both (LeuPro)M + and (ProLeu)M + showed identical fragmentation pathways and could not be differentiated. Two of the fragmentation routes of both peptides produced ions at the same nominal mass as (Pro)M + and (Leu)M + , respectively. For the litiated peptides, experiments revealed identical IRMPD spectra for each of the m/z 122 and 138 ions coming from both peptides. Comparison with computed IR spectra identified them as the (Pro)Li + and (Leu)Li + , and it is concluded that both zwitterionic and canonical forms of (Pro)Li + exist in the ion population from CID of both (ProLeu)Li + and (LeuPro)Li + . The two isomeric peptide complexes could be distinguished using IRMPD spectroscopy in both the fingerprint and the CH/NH/OH regions. The computed IR spectra for the lowest energy structures of each charge solvated complexes are consistent with the IRMPD spectra in both regions for all metal cation complexes. Through comparison between the experimental spectra, it was determined that in lithiated and sodiated ProLeu, metal cation is bound to both carbonyl oxygens and the amine nitrogen. In contrast, the larger metal cations are bound to the two carbonyls, while the amine nitrogen is hydrogen bonded to the amide hydrogen. In the lithiated and sodiated LeuPro complexes, the metal cation is bound to the amide carbonyl and the amine nitrogen while the amine nitrogen is hydrogen bonded to the carboxylic acid carbonyl. However, there is no hydrogen bond in the rubidiated and cesiated complexes; the metal cation is bound to both carbonyl oxygens and the amine nitrogen. Details of the position of the carboxylic acid C═O stretch were especially informative in the spectroscopic confirmation of the lowest energy computed structures.

Effects of Pro-Gly-Pro tripeptide on the dopamine system.

Science.gov (United States)

Meshavkin, V K; Batishcheva, E Yu; Kost, N V; Sokolov, O Yu; Trufanova, A V; Samonina, G E

2011-08-01

Tripeptide Pro-Gly-Pro interacted with dopamine receptors in vitro and reduced behavioral manifestations of apomorphine-induced hyperfunction of the dopamine system in verticalization, stereotypy, and yawning tests. Presumably, the behavioral effects of Pro-Gly-Pro tripeptide were mediated through post- and presynaptic D(2)and D(3)receptors.

Veillonella, Firmicutes: Microbes disguised as Gram negatives

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Vesth, Tammi Camilla; Ozen, Asli; Andersen, Sandra Christine

2013-01-01

Negativicutes, including the genus Veillonella, stain Gram negative. Veillonella are among the most abundant organisms of the oral and intestinal microflora of animals and humans, in spite of being strict anaerobes. In this work, the genomes of 24 Negativicutes, including eight Veillonella spp., are compared......, with the exception of a shared LPS biosynthesis pathway. The clade within the class Negativicutes to which the genus Veillonella belongs exhibits unique properties, most of which are in common with Gram-positives and some with Gram negatives. They are only distantly related to Clostridia, but are even less closely...... related to Gram-negative species. Though the Negativicutes stain Gram-negative and possess two membranes, the genome and proteome analysis presented here confirm their place within the (mainly) Gram positive phylum of the Firmicutes. Further studies are required to unveil the evolutionary history...

Blood culture gram stain, acridine orange stain and direct sensitivity-based antimicrobial therapy of bloodstream infection in patients with trauma.

Science.gov (United States)

Behera, B; Mathur, P; Gupta, B

2010-01-01

The purpose of this study was to ascertain if the simple practice of Gram stain, acridine orange stain and direct sensitivity determination of positive blood culture bottles could be used to guide early and appropriate treatment in trauma patients with clinical suspicion of sepsis. The study also aimed to evaluate the error in interpreting antimicrobial sensitivity by direct method when compared to standard method and find out if specific antibiotic-organism combination had more discrepancies. Findings from consecutive episodes of blood stream infection at an Apex Trauma centre over a 12-month period are summarized. A total of 509 consecutive positive blood cultures were subjected to Gram staining. AO staining was done in BacT/ALERT-positive Gram-stain negative blood cultures. Direct sensitivity was performed from 369 blood culture broths, showing single type of growth in Gram and acridine orange staining. Results of direct sensitivity were compared to conventional sensitivity for errors. No 'very major' discrepancy was found in this study. About 5.2 and 1.8% minor error rates were noted in gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria, respectively, while comparing the two methods. Most of the discrepancies in gram-negative bacteria were noted in beta lactam - beta lactamase inhibitor combinations. Direct sensitivity testing was not reliable for reporting of methicillin and vancomycin resistance in Staphylococci. Gram stain result together with direct sensitivity testing is required for optimizing initial antimicrobial therapy in trauma patients with clinical suspicion of sepsis. Gram staining and AO staining proved particularly helpful in the early detection of candidaemia.

Dustborne and airborne gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria in high versus low ERMI homes

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The study aimed at investigating Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria in moldy and non-moldy homes, as defined by the home's Environmental Relative Moldiness Index (ERMI) value. The ERMI values were determined from floor dust samples in 2010 and 2011 and homes were classified...

Diagnosing periprosthetic infection: false-positive intraoperative Gram stains.

Science.gov (United States)

Oethinger, Margret; Warner, Debra K; Schindler, Susan A; Kobayashi, Hideo; Bauer, Thomas W

2011-04-01

Intraoperative Gram stains have a reported low sensitivity but high specificity when used to help diagnose periprosthetic infections. In early 2008, we recognized an unexpectedly high frequency of apparent false-positive Gram stains from revision arthroplasties. The purpose of this report is to describe the cause of these false-positive test results. We calculated the sensitivity and specificity of all intraoperative Gram stains submitted from revision arthroplasty cases during a 3-month interval using microbiologic cultures of the same samples as the gold standard. Methods of specimen harvesting, handling, transport, distribution, specimen processing including tissue grinding/macerating, Gram staining, and interpretation were studied. After a test modification, results of specimens were prospectively collected for a second 3-month interval, and the sensitivity and specificity of intraoperative Gram stains were calculated. The retrospective review of 269 Gram stains submitted from revision arthroplasties indicated historic sensitivity and specificity values of 23% and 92%, respectively. Systematic analysis of all steps of the procedure identified Gram-stained but nonviable bacteria in commercial broth reagents used as diluents for maceration of periprosthetic membranes before Gram staining and culture. Polymerase chain reaction and sequencing showed mixed bacterial DNA. Evaluation of 390 specimens after initiating standardized Millipore filtering of diluent fluid revealed a reduced number of positive Gram stains, yielding 9% sensitivity and 99% specificity. Clusters of false-positive Gram stains have been reported in other clinical conditions. They are apparently rare related to diagnosing periprosthetic infections but have severe consequences if used to guide treatment. Even occasional false-positive Gram stains should prompt review of laboratory methods. Our observations implicate dead bacteria in microbiologic reagents as potential sources of false-positive Gram

Fixed-dose combination PRO 160/120 of sabal and urtica extracts improves nocturia in men with LUTS suggestive of BPH: re-evaluation of four controlled clinical studies.

Science.gov (United States)

Oelke, Matthias; Berges, Richard; Schläfke, Sandra; Burkart, Martin

2014-10-01

To determine the effects of the herbal fixed-dose combination PRO 160/120 (extracts from saw palmetto fruits and stinging nettle roots) on nocturnal voiding frequency, as measured by question 7 of the IPSS questionnaire, in patients with moderate-to-severe LUTS/BPH after 24 weeks of treatment compared to placebo, to the α-blocker tamsulosin, or to the 5α-reductase inhibitor finasteride. The study is about post hoc evaluation of four published randomized, double-blind clinical trials on PRO 160/120, two compared with placebo, one with finasteride and one with tamsulosin. In addition, a pooled data analysis of the two placebo-controlled trials was conducted. We analyzed data from a total of 922 patients with a mean age of 66 years and a mean baseline nocturnal voiding frequency of 2.1. In the pooled analysis of placebo-controlled trials, nocturnal voids improved by 0.8 (29 %) with PRO 160/120 compared to 0.6 (18 %) with placebo (p = 0.015, Wilcoxon test, one-tailed). The 69 % responder rate to PRO 160/120 was significantly superior to the placebo response (52 %; p = 0.003, χ (2)-test, two-tailed). The majority of responders improved by 1 void/night. Absolute improvements and response rates were consistently higher with PRO 160/120 than with placebo over a range of baseline nocturnal voiding frequencies. There were no differences between PRO 160/120 and finasteride or tamsulosin regarding absolute improvement of nocturnal voids or responds rates. PRO 160/120 significantly improved nocturnal voiding frequency compared to placebo and similar to tamsulosin or finasteride.

High-throughput hydrophilic interaction chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry for the optimized quantification of the anti-Gram-negatives antibiotic colistin A/B and its pro-drug colistimethate.

Science.gov (United States)

Mercier, Thomas; Tissot, Fréderic; Gardiol, Céline; Corti, Natascia; Wehrli, Stéphane; Guidi, Monia; Csajka, Chantal; Buclin, Thierry; Couet, William; Marchetti, Oscar; Decosterd, Laurent A

2014-11-21

Colistin is a last resort's antibacterial treatment in critically ill patients with multi-drug resistant Gram-negative infections. As appropriate colistin exposure is the key for maximizing efficacy while minimizing toxicity, individualized dosing optimization guided by therapeutic drug monitoring is a top clinical priority. Objective of the present work was to develop a rapid and robust HPLC-MS/MS assay for quantification of colistin plasma concentrations. This novel methodology validated according to international standards simultaneously quantifies the microbiologically active compounds colistin A and B, plus the pro-drug colistin methanesulfonate (colistimethate, CMS). 96-well micro-Elution SPE on Oasis Hydrophilic-Lipophilic-Balanced (HLB) followed by direct analysis by Hydrophilic Interaction Liquid Chromatography (HILIC) with Ethylene Bridged Hybrid--BEH--Amide phase column coupled to tandem mass spectrometry allows a high-throughput with no significant matrix effect. The technique is highly sensitive (limit of quantification 0.014 and 0.006 μg/mL for colistin A and B), precise (intra-/inter-assay CV 0.6-8.4%) and accurate (intra-/inter-assay deviation from nominal concentrations -4.4 to +6.3%) over the clinically relevant analytical range 0.05-20 μg/mL. Colistin A and B in plasma and whole blood samples are reliably quantified over 48 h at room temperature and at +4°C (<6% deviation from nominal values) and after three freeze-thaw cycles. Colistimethate acidic hydrolysis (1M H2SO4) to colistin A and B in plasma was completed in vitro after 15 min of sonication while the pro-drug hydrolyzed spontaneously in plasma ex vivo after 4 h at room temperature: this information is of utmost importance for interpretation of analytical results. Quantification is precise and accurate when using serum, citrated or EDTA plasma as biological matrix, while use of heparin plasma is not appropriate. This new analytical technique providing optimized quantification in real

Multicenter Assessment of Gram Stain Error Rates.

Science.gov (United States)

Samuel, Linoj P; Balada-Llasat, Joan-Miquel; Harrington, Amanda; Cavagnolo, Robert

2016-06-01

Gram stains remain the cornerstone of diagnostic testing in the microbiology laboratory for the guidance of empirical treatment prior to availability of culture results. Incorrectly interpreted Gram stains may adversely impact patient care, and yet there are no comprehensive studies that have evaluated the reliability of the technique and there are no established standards for performance. In this study, clinical microbiology laboratories at four major tertiary medical care centers evaluated Gram stain error rates across all nonblood specimen types by using standardized criteria. The study focused on several factors that primarily contribute to errors in the process, including poor specimen quality, smear preparation, and interpretation of the smears. The number of specimens during the evaluation period ranged from 976 to 1,864 specimens per site, and there were a total of 6,115 specimens. Gram stain results were discrepant from culture for 5% of all specimens. Fifty-eight percent of discrepant results were specimens with no organisms reported on Gram stain but significant growth on culture, while 42% of discrepant results had reported organisms on Gram stain that were not recovered in culture. Upon review of available slides, 24% (63/263) of discrepant results were due to reader error, which varied significantly based on site (9% to 45%). The Gram stain error rate also varied between sites, ranging from 0.4% to 2.7%. The data demonstrate a significant variability between laboratories in Gram stain performance and affirm the need for ongoing quality assessment by laboratories. Standardized monitoring of Gram stains is an essential quality control tool for laboratories and is necessary for the establishment of a quality benchmark across laboratories. Copyright © 2016, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Expanding the potential of NAI-107 for treating serious ESKAPE pathogens: synergistic combinations against Gram-negatives and bactericidal activity against non-dividing cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Brunati, Cristina; Thomsen, Thomas T; Gaspari, Eleonora; Maffioli, Sonia; Sosio, Margherita; Jabes, Daniela; Løbner-Olesen, Anders; Donadio, Stefano

2018-02-01

To characterize NAI-107 and related lantibiotics for their in vitro activity against Gram-negative pathogens, alone or in combination with polymyxin, and against non-dividing cells or biofilms of Staphylococcus aureus. NAI-107 was also evaluated for its propensity to select or induce self-resistance in Gram-positive bacteria. We used MIC determinations and chequerboard experiments to establish the antibacterial activity of the examined compounds against target microorganisms. Time-kill assays were used to evaluate killing of exponential and stationary-phase cells. The effects on biofilms (growth inhibition and biofilm eradication) were evaluated using biofilm-coated pegs. The frequency of spontaneous resistant mutants was evaluated by either direct plating or by continuous sub-culturing at 0.5 × MIC levels, followed by population analysis profiles. The results showed that NAI-107 and its brominated variant are highly active against Neisseria gonorrhoeae and some other fastidious Gram-negative pathogens. Furthermore, all compounds strongly synergized with polymyxin against Acinetobacter baumannii, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and showed bactericidal activity. Surprisingly, NAI-107 alone was bactericidal against non-dividing A. baumannii cells. Against S. aureus, NAI-107 and related lantibiotics showed strong bactericidal activity against dividing and non-dividing cells. Activity was also observed against S. aureus biofilms. As expected for a lipid II binder, no significant resistance to NAI-107 was observed by direct plating or serial passages. Overall, the results of the current work, along with previously published results on the efficacy of NAI-107 in experimental models of infection, indicate that this lantibiotic represents a promising option in addressing the serious threat of antibiotic resistance. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Society for Antimicrobial

How bacterial cell division might cheat turgor pressure - a unified mechanism of septal division in Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria.

Science.gov (United States)

Erickson, Harold P

2017-08-01

An important question for bacterial cell division is how the invaginating septum can overcome the turgor force generated by the high osmolarity of the cytoplasm. I suggest that it may not need to. Several studies in Gram-negative bacteria have shown that the periplasm is isoosmolar with the cytoplasm. Indirect evidence suggests that this is also true for Gram-positive bacteria. In this case the invagination of the septum takes place within the uniformly high osmotic pressure environment, and does not have to fight turgor pressure. A related question is how the V-shaped constriction of Gram-negative bacteria relates to the plate-like septum of Gram-positive bacteria. I collected evidence that Gram-negative bacteria have a latent capability of forming plate-like septa, and present a model in which septal division is the basic mechanism in both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. © 2017 WILEY Periodicals, Inc.

2-D Difference in gel electrophoresis combined with Pro-Q Diamond staining: a successful approach for the identification of kinase/phosphatase targets.

Science.gov (United States)

Orsatti, Laura; Forte, Eleonora; Tomei, Licia; Caterino, Marianna; Pessi, Antonello; Talamo, Fabio

2009-07-01

The protein tyrosine phosphatase PRL-3 is an appealing therapeutic cancer target for its well described involvement in the metastasis progression. Nevertheless, very little is known about PRL-3 role in tumorigenesis. In the attempt to identify the protein target of this phosphatase we have devised a model system based on the use of highly invasive HCT116 colon cancer cells over-expressing PRL-3. We used 2-D difference gel electrophoresis combined with the fluorescence staining Pro-Q Diamond selective for phosphorylated proteins to monitor changes in the phosphorylation status of possible substrates. Proteins whose phosphorylation level was negatively affected by PRL-3 over-expression were identified by MS. Two proteins were found to be significantly dephosphorylated in this condition, the cytoskeletal protein ezrin and elongation factor 2. Ezrin has already been described as having a proactive role in cancer metastasis through control of its phosphorylation status, and the PRL-3-induced modulation of ezrin phosphorylation in HCT116 and human umblical vascular endothelial cells is the subject of a separate paper by Forte et al. [Biochim. Biophys. Acta 2008, 1783, 334-344]. The combination of 2-D difference in gel electrophoresis and Pro-Q Diamond was hence confirmed successful in analyzing changes of protein phosphorylation which enable the identification of kinase/phosphatase targets.

Antibacterial Activity of Silver-Graphene Quantum Dots Nanocomposites Against Gram-Positive and Gram-Negative Bacteria

Science.gov (United States)

Habiba, Khaled (Inventor); Makarov, Vladimir (Inventor); Weiner, Brad R (Inventor); Morell, Gerardo (Inventor)

2018-01-01

The invention provides a composite of silver nanoparticles decorated with graphene quantum dots (Ag-GQDs) using pulsed laser synthesis. The nanocomposites were functionalized with polyethylene glycol (PEG). A concentration of 150 .mu.g/mL of Ag-GQDs, a non-toxic level for human cells, exhibits strong antibacterial activity against both Gram-Positive and Gram-Negative Bacteria.

Gram-scale production of a basidiomycetous laccase in Aspergillus niger.

Science.gov (United States)

Mekmouche, Yasmina; Zhou, Simeng; Cusano, Angela M; Record, Eric; Lomascolo, Anne; Robert, Viviane; Simaan, A Jalila; Rousselot-Pailley, Pierre; Ullah, Sana; Chaspoul, Florence; Tron, Thierry

2014-01-01

We report on the expression in Aspergillus niger of a laccase gene we used to produce variants in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Grams of recombinant enzyme can be easily obtained. This highlights the potential of combining this generic laccase sequence to the yeast and fungal expression systems for large-scale productions of variants. Copyright © 2013 The Society for Biotechnology, Japan. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria induce different patterns of cytokine production in human mononuclear cells irrespective of taxonomic relatedness.

Science.gov (United States)

Skovbjerg, Susann; Martner, Anna; Hynsjö, Lars; Hessle, Christina; Olsen, Ingar; Dewhirst, Floyd E; Tham, Wilhelm; Wold, Agnes E

2010-01-01

Upon bacterial stimulation, tissue macrophages produce a variety of cytokines that orchestrate the immune response that clears the infection. We have shown that Gram-positives induce higher levels of interleukin-12 (IL-12), interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma), and tumor necrosis factor (TNF) from human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) than do Gram-negatives, which instead induce more of IL-6, IL-8, and IL-10. Here, we study whether these patterns follows or crosses taxonomic borders. PBMCs from blood donors were incubated with UV-inactivated bacteria representing 37 species from five phyla. IL-12, TNF, IL-1beta, IL-6, IL-8, and IL-10 were measured in the supernatants after 24 h and IFN-gamma after 5 days. Irrespective of phylogenetic position, Gram-positive bacteria induced much more IL-12 (nine times more on average) and IFN-gamma (seven times), more TNF (three times), and slightly more IL-1beta (1.5 times) than did Gram-negatives, which instead induced more IL-6 (1.5 times), IL-8 (1.9 times), and IL-10 (3.3 times) than did Gram-positives. A notable exception was the Gram-positive Listeria monocytogenes, which induced very little IL-12, IFN-gamma, and TNF. The results confirm the fundamental difference in innate immune responses to Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, which crosses taxonomic borders and probably reflects differences in cell wall structure.

Impact of round-the-clock CSF Gram stain on empirical therapy for suspected central nervous system infections.

Science.gov (United States)

Tissot, F; Prod'hom, G; Manuel, O; Greub, G

2015-09-01

The impact of round-the-clock cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) Gram stain on overnight empirical therapy for suspected central nervous system (CNS) infections was investigated. All consecutive overnight CSF Gram stains between 2006 and 2011 were included. The impact of a positive or a negative test on empirical therapy was evaluated and compared to other clinical and biological indications based on institutional guidelines. Bacterial CNS infection was documented in 51/241 suspected cases. Overnight CSF Gram stain was positive in 24/51. Upon validation, there were two false-positive and one false-negative results. The sensitivity and specificity were 41 and 99 %, respectively. All patients but one had other indications for empirical therapy than Gram stain alone. Upon obtaining the Gram result, empirical therapy was modified in 7/24, including the addition of an appropriate agent (1), addition of unnecessary agents (3) and simplification of unnecessary combination therapy (3/11). Among 74 cases with a negative CSF Gram stain and without formal indication for empirical therapy, antibiotics were withheld in only 29. Round-the-clock CSF Gram stain had a low impact on overnight empirical therapy for suspected CNS infections and was associated with several misinterpretation errors. Clinicians showed little confidence in CSF direct examination for simplifying or withholding therapy before definite microbiological results.

Pro-anorexia and pro-recovery photo sharing: a tale of two warring tribes.

Science.gov (United States)

Yom-Tov, Elad; Fernandez-Luque, Luis; Weber, Ingmar; Crain, Steven P

2012-11-07

There is widespread use of the Internet to promote anorexia as a lifestyle choice. Pro-anorexia content can be harmful for people affected or at risk of having anorexia. That movement is actively engaged in sharing photos on social networks such as Flickr. To study the characteristics of the online communities engaged in disseminating content that encourages eating disorders (known as "pro-anorexia") and to investigate if the posting of such content is discouraged by the posting of recovery-oriented content. The extraction of pro-anorexia and pro-recovery photographs from the photo sharing site Flickr pertaining to 242,710 photos from 491 users and analyzing four separate social networks therein. Pro-anorexia and pro-recovery communities interact to a much higher degree among themselves than what is expected from the distribution of contacts (only 59-72% of contacts but 74-83% of comments are made to members inside the community). Pro-recovery users employ similar words to those used by pro-anorexia users to describe their photographs, possibly in order to ensure that their content appears when pro-anorexia users search for images. Pro-anorexia users who are exposed to comments from the opposite camp are less likely to cease posting pro-anorexia photographs than those who do not receive such comments (46% versus 61%), and if they cease, they do so approximately three months later. Our observations show two highly active communities, where most interaction is within each community. However, the pro-recovery community takes steps to ensure that their content is visible to the pro-anorexia community, both by using textual descriptions of their photographs that are similar to those used by the pro-anorexia group and by commenting to pro-anorexia content. The latter activity is, however, counterproductive, as it entrenches pro-anorexia users in their stance. Our results highlight the nature of pro-anorexia and pro-recovery photo sharing and accentuate the need for

Pro-Anorexia and Pro-Recovery Photo Sharing: A Tale of Two Warring Tribes

Science.gov (United States)

Yom-Tov, Elad; Weber, Ingmar; Crain, Steven P

2012-01-01

Background There is widespread use of the Internet to promote anorexia as a lifestyle choice. Pro-anorexia content can be harmful for people affected or at risk of having anorexia. That movement is actively engaged in sharing photos on social networks such as Flickr. Objective To study the characteristics of the online communities engaged in disseminating content that encourages eating disorders (known as “pro-anorexia”) and to investigate if the posting of such content is discouraged by the posting of recovery-oriented content. Methods The extraction of pro-anorexia and pro-recovery photographs from the photo sharing site Flickr pertaining to 242,710 photos from 491 users and analyzing four separate social networks therein. Results Pro-anorexia and pro-recovery communities interact to a much higher degree among themselves than what is expected from the distribution of contacts (only 59-72% of contacts but 74-83% of comments are made to members inside the community). Pro-recovery users employ similar words to those used by pro-anorexia users to describe their photographs, possibly in order to ensure that their content appears when pro-anorexia users search for images. Pro-anorexia users who are exposed to comments from the opposite camp are less likely to cease posting pro-anorexia photographs than those who do not receive such comments (46% versus 61%), and if they cease, they do so approximately three months later. Our observations show two highly active communities, where most interaction is within each community. However, the pro-recovery community takes steps to ensure that their content is visible to the pro-anorexia community, both by using textual descriptions of their photographs that are similar to those used by the pro-anorexia group and by commenting to pro-anorexia content. The latter activity is, however, counterproductive, as it entrenches pro-anorexia users in their stance. Conclusions Our results highlight the nature of pro-anorexia and pro

Transformation of gram positive bacteria by sonoporation

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Yunfeng; Li, Yongchao

2014-03-11

The present invention provides a sonoporation-based method that can be universally applied for delivery of compounds into Gram positive bacteria. Gram positive bacteria which can be transformed by sonoporation include, for example, Bacillus, Streptococcus, Acetobacterium, and Clostridium. Compounds which can be delivered into Gram positive bacteria via sonoporation include nucleic acids (DNA or RNA), proteins, lipids, carbohydrates, viruses, small organic and inorganic molecules, and nano-particles.

Bioengineered nisin A derivatives with enhanced activity against both Gram positive and Gram negative pathogens.

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Des Field

Full Text Available Nisin is a bacteriocin widely utilized in more than 50 countries as a safe and natural antibacterial food preservative. It is the most extensively studied bacteriocin, having undergone decades of bioengineering with a view to improving function and physicochemical properties. The discovery of novel nisin variants with enhanced activity against clinical and foodborne pathogens has recently been described. We screened a randomized bank of nisin A producers and identified a variant with a serine to glycine change at position 29 (S29G, with enhanced efficacy against S. aureus SA113. Using a site-saturation mutagenesis approach we generated three more derivatives (S29A, S29D and S29E with enhanced activity against a range of Gram positive drug resistant clinical, veterinary and food pathogens. In addition, a number of the nisin S29 derivatives displayed superior antimicrobial activity to nisin A when assessed against a range of Gram negative food-associated pathogens, including E. coli, Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium and Cronobacter sakazakii. This is the first report of derivatives of nisin, or indeed any lantibiotic, with enhanced antimicrobial activity against both Gram positive and Gram negative bacteria.

Bioengineered Nisin A Derivatives with Enhanced Activity against Both Gram Positive and Gram Negative Pathogens

Science.gov (United States)

Field, Des; Begley, Maire; O’Connor, Paula M.; Daly, Karen M.; Hugenholtz, Floor; Cotter, Paul D.; Hill, Colin; Ross, R. Paul

2012-01-01

Nisin is a bacteriocin widely utilized in more than 50 countries as a safe and natural antibacterial food preservative. It is the most extensively studied bacteriocin, having undergone decades of bioengineering with a view to improving function and physicochemical properties. The discovery of novel nisin variants with enhanced activity against clinical and foodborne pathogens has recently been described. We screened a randomized bank of nisin A producers and identified a variant with a serine to glycine change at position 29 (S29G), with enhanced efficacy against S. aureus SA113. Using a site-saturation mutagenesis approach we generated three more derivatives (S29A, S29D and S29E) with enhanced activity against a range of Gram positive drug resistant clinical, veterinary and food pathogens. In addition, a number of the nisin S29 derivatives displayed superior antimicrobial activity to nisin A when assessed against a range of Gram negative food-associated pathogens, including E. coli, Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium and Cronobacter sakazakii. This is the first report of derivatives of nisin, or indeed any lantibiotic, with enhanced antimicrobial activity against both Gram positive and Gram negative bacteria. PMID:23056510

Rationalizing the permeation of polar antibiotics into Gram-negative bacteria

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Scorciapino, Mariano Andrea; Acosta-Gutierrez, Silvia; Benkerrou, Dehbia; D’Agostino, Tommaso; Malloci, Giuliano; Samanta, Susruta; Bodrenko, Igor; Ceccarelli, Matteo

2017-01-01

The increasing level of antibiotic resistance in Gram-negative bacteria, together with the lack of new potential drug scaffolds in the pipeline, make the problem of infectious diseases a global challenge for modern medicine. The main reason that Gram-negative bacteria are particularly challenging is the presence of an outer cell-protecting membrane, which is not present in Gram-positive species. Such an asymmetric bilayer is a highly effective barrier for polar molecules. Several protein systems are expressed in the outer membrane to control the internal concentration of both nutrients and noxious species, in particular: (i) water-filled channels that modulate the permeation of polar molecules and ions according to concentration gradients, and (ii) efflux pumps to actively expel toxic compounds. Thus, besides expressing specific enzymes for drugs degradation, Gram-negative bacteria can also resist by modulating the influx and efflux of antibiotics, keeping the internal concentration low. However, there are no direct and robust experimental methods capable of measuring the permeability of small molecules, thus severely limiting our knowledge of the molecular mechanisms that ultimately control the permeation of antibiotics through the outer membrane. This is the innovation gap to be filled for Gram-negative bacteria. This review is focused on the permeation of small molecules through porins, considered the main path for the entry of polar antibiotics into Gram-negative bacteria. A fundamental understanding of how these proteins are able to filter small molecules is a prerequisite to design/optimize antibacterials with improved permeation. The level of sophistication of modern molecular modeling algorithms and the advances in new computer hardware has made the simulation of such complex processes possible at the molecular level. In this work we aim to share our experience and perspectives in the context of a multidisciplinary extended collaboration within the IMI

Rationalizing the permeation of polar antibiotics into Gram-negative bacteria

Science.gov (United States)

Scorciapino, Mariano Andrea; Acosta-Gutierrez, Silvia; Benkerrou, Dehbia; D'Agostino, Tommaso; Malloci, Giuliano; Samanta, Susruta; Bodrenko, Igor; Ceccarelli, Matteo

2017-03-01

The increasing level of antibiotic resistance in Gram-negative bacteria, together with the lack of new potential drug scaffolds in the pipeline, make the problem of infectious diseases a global challenge for modern medicine. The main reason that Gram-negative bacteria are particularly challenging is the presence of an outer cell-protecting membrane, which is not present in Gram-positive species. Such an asymmetric bilayer is a highly effective barrier for polar molecules. Several protein systems are expressed in the outer membrane to control the internal concentration of both nutrients and noxious species, in particular: (i) water-filled channels that modulate the permeation of polar molecules and ions according to concentration gradients, and (ii) efflux pumps to actively expel toxic compounds. Thus, besides expressing specific enzymes for drugs degradation, Gram-negative bacteria can also resist by modulating the influx and efflux of antibiotics, keeping the internal concentration low. However, there are no direct and robust experimental methods capable of measuring the permeability of small molecules, thus severely limiting our knowledge of the molecular mechanisms that ultimately control the permeation of antibiotics through the outer membrane. This is the innovation gap to be filled for Gram-negative bacteria. This review is focused on the permeation of small molecules through porins, considered the main path for the entry of polar antibiotics into Gram-negative bacteria. A fundamental understanding of how these proteins are able to filter small molecules is a prerequisite to design/optimize antibacterials with improved permeation. The level of sophistication of modern molecular modeling algorithms and the advances in new computer hardware has made the simulation of such complex processes possible at the molecular level. In this work we aim to share our experience and perspectives in the context of a multidisciplinary extended collaboration within the IMI

In vitro activity and in vivo animal model efficacy of IB-367 alone and in combination with imipenem and colistin against Gram-negative bacteria.

Science.gov (United States)

Simonetti, Oriana; Cirioni, Oscar; Ghiselli, Roberto; Orlando, Fiorenza; Silvestri, Carmela; Mazzocato, Susanna; Kamysz, Wojciech; Kamysz, Elzbieta; Provinciali, Mauro; Giacometti, Andrea; Guerrieri, Mario; Offidani, Annamaria

2014-05-01

The aim of our study was to evaluate the in vitro activity of IB-367 and its bactericidal effect for Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Escherichia coli, associated to a synergic study to test the antibiotic combinations between the peptide and colistin or imipenem. Minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs), the minimum bactericidal concentrations (MBCs), the synergy test and killing study were carried out to evaluate the IB-367 activity. In the in vivo model, a wound was incised through the panniculus carnosus of BALB/c mice, and then inoculated with 5 × 107 colony-forming units of P. aeruginosa and E. coli. For each strain, the study included an infected or not infected group that did not receive any treatment, and five contaminated groups treated with local IB- 367, intraperitoneal imipenem, intraperitoneal colistin, topical IB-367 local plus intraperitoneal imipenem or intraperitoneal colistin. All isolates were inhibited by IB-367 at concentrations of 4-64 mg/l. Killing by IB-367 was shown to be very rapid: its activity on all Gram-negative bacteria was completed within a 40 min exposure period at a concentration of 2 × MIC/l. Synergy was demonstrated when IB-367 was combined with colistin or imipenem. In in vivo studies, the groups treated with topical IB-367 and intraperitoneal colistin showed the best results in terms of bacterial load inhibition either for Pseudomonas or for E. coli. The good in vitro activity and in vivo efficacy, as well as, the synergic interactions with antibiotics suggest that IB-367 is a promising candidate for potential application in the treatment of wound Gram-negative infections. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Utility of Procalcitonin (PCT and Mid regional pro-Adrenomedullin (MR-proADM in risk stratification of critically ill febrile patients in Emergency Department (ED. A comparison with APACHE II score

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Travaglino Francesco

2012-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The aim of our study was to evaluate the prognostic value of MR-proADM and PCT levels in febrile patients in the ED in comparison with a disease severity index score, the APACHE II score. We also evaluated the ability of MR-proADM and PCT to predict hospitalization. Methods This was an observational, multicentric study. We enrolled 128 patients referred to the ED with high fever and a suspicion of severe infection such as sepsis, lower respiratory tract infections, urinary tract infections, gastrointestinal infections, soft tissue infections, central nervous system infections, or osteomyelitis. The APACHE II score was calculated for each patient. Results MR-proADM median values in controls were 0.5 nmol/l as compared with 0.85 nmol/l in patients (P P . MR-proADM and PCT levels were significantly increased in accordance with the Apache II quartiles (P  respectively. In the respiratory infections, urinary infections, and sepsis-septic shock groups we found a correlation between the Apache II and MR-proADM respectively and MR-proADM and PCT respectively. We evaluated the ability of MR-proADM and PCT to predict hospitalization in patients admitted to our emergency departments complaining of fever. MR-proADM alone had an AUC of 0.694, while PCT alone had an AUC of 0.763. The combined use of PCT and MR-proADM instead showed an AUC of 0.79. Conclusions The present study highlights the way in which MR-proADM and PCT may be helpful to the febrile patient’s care in the ED. Our data support the prognostic role of MR-proADM and PCT in that setting, as demonstrated by the correlation with the APACHE II score. The combined use of the two biomarkers can predict a subsequent hospitalization of febrile patients. The rational use of these two molecules could lead to several advantages, such as faster diagnosis, more accurate risk stratification, and optimization of the treatment, with consequent benefit to the patient and

Low-fat papadams from black gram-tapioca blends.

Science.gov (United States)

Annapure, U S; Michael, M; Singhal, R S; Kulkarni, P R

1997-07-01

Papadams, made from black gram (Phaseolus mungo) and largely manufactured on cottage scale are popular in the Indian dietary. Escalating prices of black gram coupled with abundant availability of tapioca flour at almost 1/8th the price of black gram prompted the study of papadam characteristics using blends of black gram and tapioca flour. Tapioca flour up to 25% substitution did not alter the sensory attributes. However, the expansibility of the product decreased on addition of tapioca flour; a fact which could be overcome by using carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) at 3% level of black gram flour. This decreased the oil content to 19.7% and also increased the expansibility to 5.539%.

Evaluation of the ProPublica Surgeon Scorecard "Adjusted Complication Rate" Measure Specifications.

Science.gov (United States)

Ban, Kristen A; Cohen, Mark E; Ko, Clifford Y; Friedberg, Mark W; Stulberg, Jonah J; Zhou, Lynn; Hall, Bruce L; Hoyt, David B; Bilimoria, Karl Y

2016-10-01

The ProPublica Surgeon Scorecard is the first nationwide, multispecialty public reporting of individual surgeon outcomes. However, ProPublica's use of a previously undescribed outcome measure (composite of in-hospital mortality or 30-day related readmission) and inclusion of only inpatients have been questioned. Our objectives were to (1) determine the proportion of cases excluded by ProPublica's specifications, (2) assess the proportion of inpatient complications excluded from ProPublica's measure, and (3) examine the validity of ProPublica's outcome measure by comparing performance on the measure to well-established postoperative outcome measures. Using ACS-NSQIP data (2012-2014) for 8 ProPublica procedures and for All Operations, the proportion of cases meeting all ProPublica inclusion criteria was determined. We assessed the proportion of complications occurring inpatient, and thus not considered by ProPublica's measure. Finally, we compared risk-adjusted performance based on ProPublica's measure specifications to established ACS-NSQIP outcome measure performance (eg, death/serious morbidity, mortality). ProPublica's inclusion criteria resulted in elimination of 82% of all operations from assessment (range: 42% for total knee arthroplasty to 96% for laparoscopic cholecystectomy). For all ProPublica operations combined, 84% of complications occur during inpatient hospitalization (range: 61% for TURP to 88% for total hip arthroplasty), and are thus missed by the ProPublica measure. Hospital-level performance on the ProPublica measure correlated weakly with established complication measures, but correlated strongly with readmission (R = 0.834, P Scorecard is questionable.

Type I and Type II mechanisms of antimicrobial photodynamic therapy: an in vitro study on gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria.

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Liyi; Xuan, Yi; Koide, Yuichiro; Zhiyentayev, Timur; Tanaka, Masamitsu; Hamblin, Michael R

2012-08-01

Antimicrobial photodynamic therapy (APDT) employs a non-toxic photosensitizer (PS) and visible light, which in the presence of oxygen produce reactive oxygen species (ROS), such as singlet oxygen ((1) O(2), produced via Type II mechanism) and hydroxyl radical (HO(.), produced via Type I mechanism). This study examined the relative contributions of (1) O(2) and HO(.) to APDT killing of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. Fluorescence probes, 3'-(p-hydroxyphenyl)-fluorescein (HPF) and singlet oxygen sensor green reagent (SOSG) were used to determine HO(.) and (1) O(2) produced by illumination of two PS: tris-cationic-buckminsterfullerene (BB6) and a conjugate between polyethylenimine and chlorin(e6) (PEI-ce6). Dimethylthiourea is a HO(.) scavenger, while sodium azide (NaN(3)) is a quencher of (1) O(2). Both APDT and killing by Fenton reaction (chemical generation of HO(.)) were carried out on Gram-positive bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus and Enterococcus faecalis) and Gram-negative bacteria (Escherichia coli, Proteus mirabilis, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa). Conjugate PEI-ce6 mainly produced (1) O(2) (quenched by NaN(3)), while BB6 produced HO(.) in addition to (1) O(2) when NaN(3) potentiated probe activation. NaN(3) also potentiated HPF activation by Fenton reagent. All bacteria were killed by Fenton reagent but Gram-positive bacteria needed a higher concentration than Gram-negatives. NaN(3) potentiated Fenton-mediated killing of all bacteria. The ratio of APDT killing between Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria was 2 or 4:1 for BB6 and 25:1 for conjugate PEI-ce6. There was a NaN(3) dose-dependent inhibition of APDT killing using both PEI-ce6 and BB6 against Gram-negative bacteria while NaN(3) almost failed to inhibit killing of Gram-positive bacteria. Azidyl radicals may be formed from NaN(3) and HO(.). It may be that Gram-negative bacteria are more susceptible to HO(.) while Gram-positive bacteria are more susceptible to (1) O(2). The differences in Na

Pro Android games

CERN Document Server

Nardone, Massimo

2016-01-01

Combining actionable, real-world source code with graphics, Pro Android Games, Third Edition shows you how to build more sophisticated and addictive Android game apps with minimum effort. Harness the power of the latest Android 5.0 SDK to bring countless legendary, action-packed PC games to the Android platform. With actionable real-world source code, this one of a kind book shows you how to build more sophisticated and addictive Android game apps, by leveraging the power of the recent advancements found in the new Android 5.0 software development kit as well as those you've counted on in e

Pro Tools HD

CERN Document Server

Camou, Edouard

2013-01-01

An easy-to-follow guide for using Pro Tools HD 11 effectively.This book is ideal for anyone who already uses ProTools and wants to learn more, or is new to Pro Tools HD and wants to use it effectively in their own audio workstations.

A thermostable Salmonella phage endolysin, Lys68, with broad bactericidal properties against gram-negative pathogens in presence of weak acids.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hugo Oliveira

Full Text Available Resistance rates are increasing among several problematic Gram-negative pathogens, a fact that has encouraged the development of new antimicrobial agents. This paper characterizes a Salmonella phage endolysin (Lys68 and demonstrates its potential antimicrobial effectiveness when combined with organic acids towards Gram-negative pathogens. Biochemical characterization reveals that Lys68 is more active at pH 7.0, maintaining 76.7% of its activity when stored at 4°C for two months. Thermostability tests showed that Lys68 is only completely inactivated upon exposure to 100°C for 30 min, and circular dichroism analysis demonstrated the ability to refold into its original conformation upon thermal denaturation. It was shown that Lys68 is able to lyse a wide panel of Gram-negative bacteria (13 different species in combination with the outer membrane permeabilizers EDTA, citric and malic acid. While the EDTA/Lys68 combination only inactivated Pseudomonas strains, the use of citric or malic acid broadened Lys68 antibacterial effect to other Gram-negative pathogens (lytic activity against 9 and 11 species, respectively. Particularly against Salmonella Typhimurium LT2, the combinatory effect of malic or citric acid with Lys68 led to approximately 3 to 5 log reductions in bacterial load/CFUs after 2 hours, respectively, and was also able to reduce stationary-phase cells and bacterial biofilms by approximately 1 log. The broad killing capacity of malic/citric acid-Lys68 is explained by the destabilization and major disruptions of the cell outer membrane integrity due to the acidity caused by the organic acids and a relatively high muralytic activity of Lys68 at low pH. Lys68 demonstrates good (thermostability properties that combined with different outer membrane permeabilizers, could become useful to combat Gram-negative pathogens in agricultural, food and medical industry.

Glycosaminoglycans are involved in pathogen adherence to corneal epithelial cells differently for Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria

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Beatriz García

2016-11-01

Full Text Available The epithelium of the cornea is continuously exposed to pathogens, and adhesion to epithelial cells is regarded as an essential first step in bacterial pathogenesis. In this article, the involvement of glycosaminoglycans in the adhesion of various pathogenic bacteria to corneal epithelial cells is analyzed. All microorganisms use glycosaminoglycans as receptors, but arranged in different patterns depending on the Gram-type of the bacterium. The heparan sulfate chains of syndecans are the main receptors, though other molecular species also seem to be involved, particularly in Gram-negative bacteria. Adherence is inhibited differentially by peptides, including heparin binding sequences, indicating the participation of various groups of Gram-positive and -negative adhesins. The length of the saccharides produces a major effect, and low molecular weight chains inhibit the binding of Gram-negative microorganisms but increase the adherence of Gram-positives. Pathogen adhesion appears to occur preferentially through sulfated domains, and is very dependent on N- and 6-O-sulfation of the glucosamine residue and, to a lesser extent, 2-O sulfation of uronic acid. These data show the differential use of corneal receptors, which could facilitate the development of new anti-infective strategies.

A new technique for Gram staining paraffin-embedded tissue.

Science.gov (United States)

Engbaek, K; Johansen, K S; Jensen, M E

1979-01-01

Five techniques for Gram staining bacteria in paraffin sections were compared on serial sections of pulmonary tissues from eight bacteriological necropsies. Brown and Hopp's method was the most satisfactory for distinguishing Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. However, this method cannot be recommended as the preparations were frequently overstained, and the Gram-negative bacteria were stained indistinctly. A modification of Brown and Hopps' method was developed which stains larger numbers of Gram-negative bacteria and differentiates well between different cell types and connective tissue, and there is no risk of overstaining. PMID:86548

Alternate gram staining technique using a fluorescent lectin.

Science.gov (United States)

Sizemore, R K; Caldwell, J J; Kendrick, A S

1990-01-01

Fluorescence-labeled wheat germ agglutinin binds specifically to N-acetylglucosamine in the outer peptidoglycan layer of gram-positive bacteria. The peptidoglycan layer of gram-negative bacteria is covered by a membrane and is not labeled by the lectin. By exploiting this phenomenon, an alternative Gram staining technique has been developed. Images PMID:1697149

The Neural Basis of and a Common Neural Circuitry in Different Types of Pro-social Behavior

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Jun Luo

2018-06-01

Full Text Available Pro-social behaviors are voluntary behaviors that benefit other people or society as a whole, such as charitable donations, cooperation, trust, altruistic punishment, and fairness. These behaviors have been widely described through non self-interest decision-making in behavioral experimental studies and are thought to be increased by social preference motives. Importantly, recent studies using a combination of neuroimaging and brain stimulation, designed to reveal the neural mechanisms of pro-social behaviors, have found that a wide range of brain areas, specifically the prefrontal cortex, anterior insula, anterior cingulate cortex, and amygdala, are correlated or causally related with pro-social behaviors. In this review, we summarize the research on the neural basis of various kinds of pro-social behaviors and describe a common shared neural circuitry of these pro-social behaviors. We introduce several general ways in which experimental economics and neuroscience can be combined to develop important contributions to understanding social decision-making and pro-social behaviors. Future research should attempt to explore the neural circuitry between the frontal lobes and deeper brain areas.

Veillonella, Firmicutes: Microbes disguised as Gram negatives.

Science.gov (United States)

Vesth, Tammi; Ozen, Aslı; Andersen, Sandra C; Kaas, Rolf Sommer; Lukjancenko, Oksana; Bohlin, Jon; Nookaew, Intawat; Wassenaar, Trudy M; Ussery, David W

2013-12-20

The Firmicutes represent a major component of the intestinal microflora. The intestinal Firmicutes are a large, diverse group of organisms, many of which are poorly characterized due to their anaerobic growth requirements. Although most Firmicutes are Gram positive, members of the class Negativicutes, including the genus Veillonella, stain Gram negative. Veillonella are among the most abundant organisms of the oral and intestinal microflora of animals and humans, in spite of being strict anaerobes. In this work, the genomes of 24 Negativicutes, including eight Veillonella spp., are compared to 20 other Firmicutes genomes; a further 101 prokaryotic genomes were included, covering 26 phyla. Thus a total of 145 prokaryotic genomes were analyzed by various methods to investigate the apparent conflict of the Veillonella Gram stain and their taxonomic position within the Firmicutes. Comparison of the genome sequences confirms that the Negativicutes are distantly related to Clostridium spp., based on 16S rRNA, complete genomic DNA sequences, and a consensus tree based on conserved proteins. The genus Veillonella is relatively homogeneous: inter-genus pair-wise comparison identifies at least 1,350 shared proteins, although less than half of these are found in any given Clostridium genome. Only 27 proteins are found conserved in all analyzed prokaryote genomes. Veillonella has distinct metabolic properties, and significant similarities to genomes of Proteobacteria are not detected, with the exception of a shared LPS biosynthesis pathway. The clade within the class Negativicutes to which the genus Veillonella belongs exhibits unique properties, most of which are in common with Gram-positives and some with Gram negatives. They are only distantly related to Clostridia, but are even less closely related to Gram-negative species. Though the Negativicutes stain Gram-negative and possess two membranes, the genome and proteome analysis presented here confirm their place within the

Synergistic effect of Carum copticum and Mentha piperita essential oils with ciprofloxacin, vancomycin, and gentamicin on Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria

Science.gov (United States)

Talei, Gholam-Reza; Mohammadi, Mohsen; Bahmani, Mahmoud; Kopaei, Mahmoud Rafieian

2017-01-01

Background: Infectious diseases have always been an important health issue in human communities. In the recent years, much research has been conducted on antimicrobial effects of nature-based compounds because of increased prevalence of antibiotic resistance. The present study was conducted to investigate synergistic effect of Carum copticum and Mentha piperita essential oils with ciprofloxacin, vancomycin, and gentamicin on Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria. Materials and Methods: In this experimental study, the synergistic effects of C. copticum and M. piperita essential oils with antibiotics on Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 25923), Enterococcus faecalis (ATCC 29212), Escherichia coli (ATCC 8739), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (ATCC 9027), Staphylococcus epidermidis (ATCC 14990), and Listeria monocytogenes (ATCC 7644) were studied according to broth microdilution and the MIC and fractional inhibitory concentration (FIC) of these two essential oils determined. Results: C. copticum essential oil at 30 μg/ml could inhibit S. aureus, and in combination with vancomycin, decreased MIC from 0.5 to 0.12 μg/ml. Moreover, the FIC was derived 0.24 μg/ml which represents a potent synergistic effect with vancomycin against S. aureus growth. C. copticum essential oil alone or combined with other antibiotics is effective in treating bacterial infections. Conclusions: In addition, C. copticum essential oil can strengthen the activities of certain antibiotics, which makes it possible to use this essential oil, especially in drug resistance or to lower dosage or toxicity of the drugs. PMID:28929050

A Thermostable Salmonella Phage Endolysin, Lys68, with Broad Bactericidal Properties against Gram-Negative Pathogens in Presence of Weak Acids

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Oliveira, Hugo; Thiagarajan, Viruthachalam; Walmagh, Maarten

2014-01-01

Resistance rates are increasing among several problematic Gram-negative pathogens, a fact that has encouraged the development of new antimicrobial agents. This paper characterizes a Salmonella phage endolysin (Lys68) and demonstrates its potential antimicrobial effectiveness when combined...... with organic acids towards Gram-negative pathogens. Biochemical characterization reveals that Lys68 is more active at pH 7.0, maintaining 76.7% of its activity when stored at 4°C for two months. Thermostability tests showed that Lys68 is only completely inactivated upon exposure to 100°C for 30 min......, and circular dichroism analysis demonstrated the ability to refold into its original conformation upon thermal denaturation. It was shown that Lys68 is able to lyse a wide panel of Gram-negative bacteria (13 different species) in combination with the outer membrane permeabilizers EDTA, citric and malic acid...

Induction of intestinal pro-inflammatory immune responses by lipoteichoic acid

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zadeh Mojgan

2012-03-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The cellular and molecular mechanisms of inflammatory bowel disease are not fully understood; however, data indicate that uncontrolled chronic inflammation induced by bacterial gene products, including lipoteichoic acid (LTA, may trigger colonic inflammation resulting in disease pathogenesis. LTA is a constituent glycolipid of Gram-positive bacteria that shares many inflammatory properties with lipopolysaccharide and plays a critical role in the pathogenesis of severe inflammatory responses via Toll-like receptor 2. Accordingly, we elucidate the role of LTA in immune stimulation and induced colitis in vivo. Methods To better understand the molecular mechanisms utilized by the intestinal microbiota and their gene products to induce or subvert inflammation, specifically the effect(s of altered surface layer protein expression on the LTA-mediated pro-inflammatory response, the Lactobacillus acidophilus surface layer protein (Slp genes encoding SlpB and SlpX were deleted resulting in a SlpB- and SlpX- mutant that continued to express SlpA (assigned as NCK2031. Results Our data show profound activation of dendritic cells by NCK2031, wild-type L. acidophilus (NCK56, and purified Staphylococcus aureus-LTA. In contrary to the LTA-deficient strain NCK2025, the LTA-expressing strains NCK2031 and NCK56, as well as S. aureus-LTA, induce pro-inflammatory innate and T cell immune responses in vivo. Additionally, neither NCK2031 nor S. aureus-LTA supplemented in drinking water protected mice from DSS-colitis, but instead, induced significant intestinal inflammation resulting in severe colitis and tissue destruction. Conclusions These findings suggest that directed alteration of two of the L. acidophilus NCFM-Slps did not ameliorate LTA-induced pro-inflammatory signals and subsequent colitis.

Gram staining with an automatic machine.

Science.gov (United States)

Felek, S; Arslan, A

1999-01-01

This study was undertaken to develop a new Gram-staining machine controlled by a micro-controller and to investigate the quality of slides that were stained in the machine. The machine was designed and produced by the authors. It uses standard 220 V AC. Staining, washing, and drying periods are controlled by a timer built in the micro-controller. A software was made that contains a certain algorithm and time intervals for the staining mode. One-hundred and forty smears were prepared from Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Neisseria sp., blood culture, trypticase soy broth, direct pus and sputum smears for comparison studies. Half of the slides in each group were stained with the machine, the other half by hand and then examined by four different microbiologists. Machine-stained slides had a higher clarity and less debris than the hand-stained slides (p stained slides, some Gram-positive organisms showed poor Gram-positive staining features (p Gram staining with the automatic machine increases the staining quality and helps to decrease the work load in a busy diagnostic laboratory.

Antimicrobial activity of metal oxide nanoparticles against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria: a comparative study

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Azam A

2012-12-01

Full Text Available Ameer Azam,1,2 Arham S Ahmed,2 Mohammad Oves,3 Mohammad S Khan,3 Sami S Habib,1 Adnan Memic11Centre of Nanotechnology, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia; 2Centre of Excellence in Materials Science (Nanomaterials, 3Department of Agricultural Microbiology, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh, IndiaBackground: Nanomaterials have unique properties compared to their bulk counterparts. For this reason, nanotechnology has attracted a great deal of attention from the scientific community. Metal oxide nanomaterials like ZnO and CuO have been used industrially for several purposes, including cosmetics, paints, plastics, and textiles. A common feature that these nanoparticles exhibit is their antimicrobial behavior against pathogenic bacteria. In this report, we demonstrate the antimicrobial activity of ZnO, CuO, and Fe2O3 nanoparticles against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria.Methods and results: Nanosized particles of three metal oxides (ZnO, CuO, and Fe2O3 were synthesized by a sol–gel combustion route and characterized by X-ray diffraction, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, and transmission electron microscopy techniques. X-ray diffraction results confirmed the single-phase formation of all three nanomaterials. The particle sizes were observed to be 18, 22, and 28 nm for ZnO, CuO, and Fe2O3, respectively. We used these nanomaterials to evaluate their antibacterial activity against both Gram-negative (Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus subtilis bacteria.Conclusion: Among the three metal oxide nanomaterials, ZnO showed greatest antimicrobial activity against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria used in this study. It was observed that ZnO nanoparticles have excellent bactericidal potential, while Fe2O3 nanoparticles exhibited the least bactericidal activity. The order of antibacterial activity was demonstrated to be the following: ZnO > CuO > Fe2O3

Neutrophil Gelatinase-Associated Lipocalin (NGAL, Pro-Matrix Metalloproteinase-9 (pro-MMP-9 and Their Complex Pro-MMP-9/NGAL in Leukaemias

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Sandrine Bouchet

2014-04-01

Full Text Available Matrix metalloproteinase (MMP-9 and neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL have gained attention as cancer biomarkers. The inactive zymogen form of MMP-9 (pro-MMP-9 also exists as a disulphide-linked heterodimer bound to NGAL in humans. Leukaemias represent a heterogeneous group of neoplasms, which vary in their clinical behavior and pathophysiology. In this review, we summarize the current literature on the expression profiles of pro-MMP-9 and NGAL as prognostic factors in leukaemias. We also report the expression of the pro-MMP-9/NGAL complex in these diseases. We discuss the roles of (pro-MMP-9 (active and latent forms and NGAL in tumour development, and evaluate the mechanisms by which pro-MMP-9/NGAL may influence the actions of (pro-MMP-9 and NGAL in cancer. Emerging knowledge about the coexpression and the biology of (pro-MMP-9, NGAL and their complex in cancer including leukaemia may improve treatment outcomes.

Neutrophil Gelatinase-Associated Lipocalin (NGAL), Pro-Matrix Metalloproteinase-9 (pro-MMP-9) and Their Complex Pro-MMP-9/NGAL in Leukaemias

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bouchet, Sandrine; Bauvois, Brigitte, E-mail: brigitte.bauvois@crc.jussieu.fr [INSERM U1138, Université Pierre et Marie Curie, Université Paris-Descartes, Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers, Paris 75006 (France)

2014-04-04

Matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-9 and neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) have gained attention as cancer biomarkers. The inactive zymogen form of MMP-9 (pro-MMP-9) also exists as a disulphide-linked heterodimer bound to NGAL in humans. Leukaemias represent a heterogeneous group of neoplasms, which vary in their clinical behavior and pathophysiology. In this review, we summarize the current literature on the expression profiles of pro-MMP-9 and NGAL as prognostic factors in leukaemias. We also report the expression of the pro-MMP-9/NGAL complex in these diseases. We discuss the roles of (pro)-MMP-9 (active and latent forms) and NGAL in tumour development, and evaluate the mechanisms by which pro-MMP-9/NGAL may influence the actions of (pro)-MMP-9 and NGAL in cancer. Emerging knowledge about the coexpression and the biology of (pro)-MMP-9, NGAL and their complex in cancer including leukaemia may improve treatment outcomes.

Mechanistic antimicrobial approach of extracellularly synthesized silver nanoparticles against gram positive and gram negative bacteria

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tamboli, Dhawal P.; Lee, Dae Sung, E-mail: daesung@knu.ac.kr

2013-09-15

Highlights: • Bacterial extracelluar enzymes stabilized the silver nanoparticles (AgNPs). • AgNPs formation was characterized by analytical techniques such as UV–vis, TEM, and FTIR. • AgNPs showed obvious antimicrobial activity against both gram positive and gram negative microorganisms. • A mechanism of AgNPs’ antimicrobial activity was proposed. -- Abstract: The development of eco-friendly and reliable processes for the synthesis of nanoparticles has attracted considerable interest in nanotechnology. In this study, an extracellular enzyme system of a newly isolated microorganism, Exiguobacterium sp. KNU1, was used for the reduction of AgNO{sub 3} solutions to silver nanoparticles (AgNPs). The extracellularly biosynthesized AgNPs were characterized by UV–vis spectroscopy, Fourier transform infra-red spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy. The AgNPs were approximately 30 nm (range 5–50 nm) in size, well-dispersed and spherical. The AgNPs were evaluated for their antimicrobial effects on different gram negative and gram positive bacteria using the minimum inhibitory concentration method. Reasonable antimicrobial activity against Salmonella typhimurium, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus was observed. The morphological changes occurred in all the microorganisms tested. In particular, E. coli exhibited DNA fragmentation after being treated with the AgNPs. Finally, the mechanism for their bactericidal activity was proposed according to the results of scanning electron microscopy and single cell gel electrophoresis.

Mechanistic antimicrobial approach of extracellularly synthesized silver nanoparticles against gram positive and gram negative bacteria

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tamboli, Dhawal P.; Lee, Dae Sung

2013-01-01

Highlights: • Bacterial extracelluar enzymes stabilized the silver nanoparticles (AgNPs). • AgNPs formation was characterized by analytical techniques such as UV–vis, TEM, and FTIR. • AgNPs showed obvious antimicrobial activity against both gram positive and gram negative microorganisms. • A mechanism of AgNPs’ antimicrobial activity was proposed. -- Abstract: The development of eco-friendly and reliable processes for the synthesis of nanoparticles has attracted considerable interest in nanotechnology. In this study, an extracellular enzyme system of a newly isolated microorganism, Exiguobacterium sp. KNU1, was used for the reduction of AgNO 3 solutions to silver nanoparticles (AgNPs). The extracellularly biosynthesized AgNPs were characterized by UV–vis spectroscopy, Fourier transform infra-red spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy. The AgNPs were approximately 30 nm (range 5–50 nm) in size, well-dispersed and spherical. The AgNPs were evaluated for their antimicrobial effects on different gram negative and gram positive bacteria using the minimum inhibitory concentration method. Reasonable antimicrobial activity against Salmonella typhimurium, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus was observed. The morphological changes occurred in all the microorganisms tested. In particular, E. coli exhibited DNA fragmentation after being treated with the AgNPs. Finally, the mechanism for their bactericidal activity was proposed according to the results of scanning electron microscopy and single cell gel electrophoresis

Techniques for controlling variability in gram staining of obligate anaerobes.

Science.gov (United States)

Johnson, M J; Thatcher, E; Cox, M E

1995-01-01

Identification of anaerobes recovered from clinical samples is complicated by the fact that certain gram-positive anaerobes routinely stain gram negative; Peptostreptococcus asaccharolyticus, Eubacterium plautii, Clostridium ramosum, Clostridium symbiosum, and Clostridium clostridiiforme are among the nonconformists with regard to conventional Gram-staining procedures. Accurate Gram staining of American Type Culture Collection strains of these anaerobic bacteria is possible by implementing fixing and staining techniques within a gloveless anaerobic chamber. Under anaerobic conditions, gram-positive staining occurred in all test organisms with "quick" fixing techniques with both absolute methanol and formalin. The results support the hypothesis that, when anaerobic bacteria are exposed to oxygen, a breakdown of the physical integrity of the cell wall occurs, introducing Gram stain variability in gram-positive anaerobes. PMID:7538512

Suetônio, dos gramáticos

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Marcos Martinho

2014-12-01

Full Text Available O Dos gramáticos de Suetônio divide-se em duas partes: na primeira, o autor narra a introdução, desenvolvimento, florescimento e declínio da gramática em Roma (1-4; na segunda, expõe a biografia de vinte professores de gramática, que ensinaram na Cidade entre o início do séc.  I a.C. e meados do século seguinte (5-24. Quanto à primeira parte, procuro mostrar que Suetônio adota conceitos fisicistas ou naturalistas para narrar a história da gramática em Roma, de modo que aquela se possa comparar à vida de um ser vivo. Assim, a exposição de Suetônio revela-se, na verdade, antes biográfica que historicista. Quanto à segunda parte, procuro mostrar que o Biógrafo se interessa por gramáticos que não só escreveram sobre sua arte no ócio, mas a ensinaram por ofício, isto é, por professores de gramática. Daí, seleciono e comento os elementos narrativos relacionados à docência, a saber: os métodos de ensino, o lugar de ensino, o número e qualidade dos alunos, os preços e honorários dos professores. Por fim, apresento tradução anotada do texto de Suetônio.

Gramática Hipertextual

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Francilaine Munhoz Moraes

2011-07-01

Full Text Available No meio digital, a construção da notícia se dá pelo hipertexto. Uma linguagem própria ao suporte consolida-se nas duas últimas décadas. Este artigo se dedica a discutir regularidades linguísticas do discurso jornalístico na web. Se há uma linguagem peculiar ao meio, existe também uma gramática correspondente: a gramática hipertextual. Nesse viés, levantamos traços linguísticos da estrutura sintático-semântica, com base na organização da informação em páginas noticiosas eletrônicas. 

Simultaneous fluorescent gram staining and activity assessment of activated sludge bacteria.

Science.gov (United States)

Forster, Scott; Snape, Jason R; Lappin-Scott, Hilary M; Porter, Jonathan

2002-10-01

Wastewater treatment is one of the most important commercial biotechnological processes, and yet the component bacterial populations and their associated metabolic activities are poorly understood. The novel fluorescent dye hexidium iodide allows assessment of Gram status by differential absorption through bacterial cell walls. Differentiation between gram-positive and gram-negative wastewater bacteria was achieved after flow cytometric analysis. This study shows that the relative proportions of gram-positive and gram-negative bacterial cells identified by traditional microscopy and hexidium iodide staining were not significantly different. Dual staining of cells for Gram status and activity proved effective in analyzing mixtures of cultured bacteria and wastewater populations. Levels of highly active organisms at two wastewater treatment plants, both gram positive and gram negative, ranged from 1.5% in activated sludge flocs to 16% in the activated sludge fluid. Gram-positive organisms comprised Gram status and activity within activated sludge samples over a 4-day period showed significant differences over time. This method provides a rapid, quantitative measure of Gram status linked with in situ activity within wastewater systems.

Non-pro-vitamin A and pro-vitamin A carotenoids in atopy development.

Science.gov (United States)

Rühl, R

2013-01-01

Carotenoids are important derivatives of the human diet and occur in high concentrations in the human organism. Various carotenoids are also present in human breast milk and are transferred to breast-fed children. The alternative to breastfeeding is supplementation with an infant milk formula, but these formulas contain only a limited variety of carotenoids. Our question is: 'What is the function of various carotenoids in human nutrition with a special emphasis on child development and the development of atopy?' In this review, the mechanisms of action of the most important non-pro-vitamin A and pro-vitamin A carotenoids: α-carotene, β-carotene, β-cryptoxanthin, lutein, zeaxanthin, lycopene and retinoids are discussed. In summary, the combination of carotenoids, especially lycopene, seems to be of great importance, and exclusive usage of β-carotene in infant formula may yield in an increased atopy prevalence mediated in various target organs like the skin, lungs and immune competent cells. We conclude that the determination of novel bioactive metabolites of various carotenoids, at various stages in different organs during atopy development, might be the key to understanding the potential importance of carotenoids on atopy development. Copyright © 2013 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Different Use of Cell Surface Glycosaminoglycans As Adherence Receptors to Corneal Cells by Gram Positive and Gram Negative Pathogens

Science.gov (United States)

García, Beatriz; Merayo-Lloves, Jesús; Rodríguez, David; Alcalde, Ignacio; García-Suárez, Olivia; Alfonso, José F.; Baamonde, Begoña; Fernández-Vega, Andrés; Vazquez, Fernando; Quirós, Luis M.

2016-01-01

The epithelium of the cornea is continuously exposed to pathogens, and adhesion to epithelial cells is regarded as an essential first step in bacterial pathogenesis. In this article, the involvement of glycosaminoglycans in the adhesion of various pathogenic bacteria to corneal epithelial cells is analyzed. All microorganisms use glycosaminoglycans as receptors, but arranged in different patterns depending on the Gram-type of the bacterium. The heparan sulfate chains of syndecans are the main receptors, though other molecular species also seem to be involved, particularly in Gram-negative bacteria. Adherence is inhibited differentially by peptides, including heparin binding sequences, indicating the participation of various groups of Gram-positive, and -negative adhesins. The length of the saccharides produces a major effect, and low molecular weight chains inhibit the binding of Gram-negative microorganisms but increase the adherence of Gram-positives. Pathogen adhesion appears to occur preferentially through sulfated domains, and is very dependent on N- and 6-O-sulfation of the glucosamine residue and, to a lesser extent, 2-O sulfation of uronic acid. These data show the differential use of corneal receptors, which could facilitate the development of new anti-infective strategies. PMID:27965938

Prediction about severity and outcome of sepsis by pro-atrial natriuretic peptide and pro-adrenomedullin.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Rui-lan; Kang, Fu-xin

2010-06-01

Measurement of biomarkers is a potential approach to early prediction of the risk of mortality in patients with sepsis. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the prognostic value of pro-atrial natriuretic peptide (pro-ANP) and pro-adrenomedullin (pro-ADM) levels in a cohort of medical intensive care patients and to compare it with that of other known biomarkers and physiological scores. Blood samples of 51 consecutive critically ill patients admitted to the intensive care unit and 53 age-matched healthy control people were evaluated in this prospective study. The prognostic value of pro-ANP and pro-ADM levels was compared with that of acute physiology and chronic health evaluation (APACHE) II scores and various biomarkers such as C-reactive protein, interleukin-6 and procalcitonin. Pro-ANP and pro-ADM were detected by a new sandwich immunoassay. On admission, 25 patients had systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS), 12 sepsis, 9 severe sepsis and 5 septic shock. At that time, the median levels (ng/ml) of pro-ANP and pro-ADM were 87.22 and 0.34 respectively in patients with SIRS, 1533.30 and 2.23 in those with sepsis, 1098.73 and 4.57 in those with severe sepsis, and 1933.94 and 8.21 in those with septic shock. With the increasing severity of disease, the levels of pro-ANP and pro-ADM were gradually increased. On admission, the circulating levels of pro-ANP and pro-ADM in patients with sepsis, severe sepsis, or septic shock were significantly higher in non-survivors than in survivors (P less than 0.05). In a receiver operating characteristic curve analysis for the survival of patients with sepsis, the areas under the curve (AUCs) for pro-ANP and pro-ADM were 0.89 and 0.87 respectively, which was similar to the AUCs for procalcitonin and APACHE II scores. Pro-ANP and pro-ADM are valuable biomarkers for prediction of severity of septic patients.

Emerging Gram negative resistance to last-line antimicrobial agents fosfomycin, colistin and ceftazidime-avibactam - epidemiology, laboratory detection and treatment implications.

Science.gov (United States)

Sherry, Norelle; Howden, Benjamin

2018-04-01

Multidrug-resistant (MDR) and extensively-drug-resistant (XDR) Gram-negative bacteria have emerged as a major threat to human health globally. This has resulted in the 're-discovery' of some older antimicrobials and development of new agents, however resistance has also rapidly emerged to these agents. Areas covered: Here we describe recent developments in resistance to three of the most important last-line antimicrobials for treatment of MDR and XDR Gram negatives: fosfomycin, colistin and ceftazidime-avibactam. Expert commentary: A key challenge for microbiologists and clinicians using these agents for treating patients with MDR and XDR Gram negative infections is the need to ensure appropriate reference methods are being used to test susceptibility to these agents, especially colistin and fosfomycin. These methods are not available in all laboratories meaning accurate results are either delayed, or potentially inaccurate as non-reference methods are employed. Combination therapy for MDR and XDR Gram negatives is likely to become more common, and future studies should focus on the clinical effects of monotherapy vs combination therapy, as well as validation of synergy testing methods. Effective national and international surveillance systems to detect and respond to resistance to these last line agents are also critical.

Price reactions when consumers are concerned about pro-social reputation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kahsay, Goytom Abraha; Andersen, Laura Mørch; Hansen, Lars Gårn

In this paper, we propose a reputation-signalling model of demand for consumer goods containing pro-social characteristics such as a ‘fair trade’ or ‘organic’ certification. We show that reputation signalling can reverse price reactions resembling the crowding-out of pre-existing motives for pro-......-social behavior seen in situations of volunteering and charitable giving. Finally, using a unique combination of questionnaire and purchase panel data, we present evidence of such reputation-driven reversal of price reactions in the Danish market for organic milk....

Pleural effusion adenosine deaminase: a candidate biomarker to discriminate between Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacterial infections of the pleural space

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Ruolin Li

2016-05-01

Full Text Available OBJECTIVES: Delay in the treatment of pleural infection may contribute to its high mortality. In this retrospective study, we aimed to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of pleural adenosine deaminase in discrimination between Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacterial infections of the pleural space prior to selecting antibiotics. METHODS: A total of 76 patients were enrolled and grouped into subgroups according to Gram staining: 1 patients with Gram-negative bacterial infections, aged 53.2±18.6 years old, of whom 44.7% had empyemas and 2 patients with Gram-positive bacterial infections, aged 53.5±21.5 years old, of whom 63.1% had empyemas. The pleural effusion was sampled by thoracocentesis and then sent for adenosine deaminase testing, biochemical testing and microbiological culture. The Mann-Whitney U test was used to examine the differences in adenosine deaminase levels between the groups. Correlations between adenosine deaminase and specified variables were also quantified using Spearman’s correlation coefficient. Moreover, receiver operator characteristic analysis was performed to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of pleural effusion adenosine deaminase. RESULTS: Mean pleural adenosine deaminase levels differed significantly between Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacterial infections of the pleural space (191.8±32.1 U/L vs 81.0±16.9 U/L, p<0.01. The area under the receiver operator characteristic curve was 0.689 (95% confidence interval: 0.570, 0.792, p<0.01 at the cutoff value of 86 U/L. Additionally, pleural adenosine deaminase had a sensitivity of 63.2% (46.0-78.2%; a specificity of 73.7% (56.9-86.6%; positive and negative likelihood ratios of 2.18 and 0.50, respectively; and positive and negative predictive values of 70.6% and 66.7%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Pleural effusion adenosine deaminase is a helpful alternative biomarker for early and quick discrimination of Gram-negative from Gram-positive bacterial infections of the

Orbit Classification of Qutrit via the Gram Matrix

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tay, B. A.; Zainuddin, Hishamuddin

2008-01-01

We classify the orbits generated by unitary transformation on the density matrices of the three-state quantum systems (qutrits) via the Gram matrix. The Gram matrix is a real symmetric matrix formed from the Hilbert–Schmidt scalar products of the vectors lying in the tangent space to the orbits. The rank of the Gram matrix determines the dimensions of the orbits, which fall into three classes for qutrits. (general)

[Usefulness of sputum Gram staining in community-acquired pneumonia].

Science.gov (United States)

Sato, Tadashi; Aoshima, Masahiro; Ohmagari, Norio; Tada, Hiroshi; Chohnabayashi, Naohiko

2002-07-01

To evaluate the usefulness of sputum gram staining in community-acquired pneumonia (CAP), we reviewed 144 cases requiring hospitalization in the last 4 years. The sensitivity was 75.5%, specificity 68.2%, positive predictive value 74.1%, negative predictive value 69.8%, positive likelihood ratio 2.37, negative likelihood ratio 0.36 and accuracy 72.2% in 97 cases. Both sputum gram staining and culture were performed. Concerning bacterial pneumonia (65 cases), we compared the Gram staining group (n = 33), which received initial antibiotic treatment, based on sputum gram staining with the Empiric group (n = 32) that received antibiotics empirically. The success rates of the initial antibiotic treatment were 87.9% vs. 78.1% (P = 0.473); mean hospitalization periods were 9.67 vs. 11.75 days (P = 0.053); and periods of intravenous therapy were 6.73 vs. 7.91 days (P = 0.044), respectively. As for initial treatment, penicillins were used in the Gram staining group more frequently (P gram staining is useful for the shortening of the treatment period and the appropriate selection of initial antibiotics in bacterial pneumonia. We believe, therefore, that sputum gram staining is indispensable as a diagnostic tool CAP.

Drug-resistant gram-negative uropathogens: A review.

Science.gov (United States)

Khoshnood, Saeed; Heidary, Mohsen; Mirnejad, Reza; Bahramian, Aghil; Sedighi, Mansour; Mirzaei, Habibollah

2017-10-01

Urinary tract infection(UTI) caused by Gram-negative bacteria is the second most common infectious presentation in community medical practice. Approximately 150 million people are diagnosed with UTI each year worldwide. Drug resistance in Gram-negative uropathogens is a major global concern which can lead to poor clinical outcomes including treatment failure, development of bacteremia, requirement for intravenous therapy, hospitalization, and extended length of hospital stay. The mechanisms of drug resistance in these bacteria are important due to they are often not identified by routine susceptibility tests and have an exceptional potential for outbreaks. Treatment of UTIs depends on the access to effective drugs, which is now threatened by antibiotic resistant Gram-negative uropathogens. Although several effective antibiotics with activity against highly resistant Gram-negatives are available, there is not a unique antibiotic with activity against the high variety of resistance. Therefore, antimicrobial susceptibility tests, correlation between clinicians and laboratories, development of more rapid diagnostic methods, and continuous monitoring of drug resistance are urgent priorities. In this review, we will discuss about the current global status of drug-resistant Gram-negative uropathogens and their mechanisms of drug resistance to provide new insights into their treatment options. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Gram staining in the diagnosis of acute septic arthritis.

Science.gov (United States)

Faraj, A A; Omonbude, O D; Godwin, P

2002-10-01

This study aimed at determining the sensitivity and specificity of Gram staining of synovial fluid as a diagnostic tool in acute septic arthritis. A retrospective study was made of 22 patients who had arthroscopic lavage following a provisional diagnosis of acute septic arthritis of the knee joint. Gram stains and cultures of the knee aspirates were compared with the clinical and laboratory parameters, to evaluate their usefulness in diagnosing acute arthritis. All patients who had septic arthritis had pain, swelling and limitation of movement. CRP was elevated in 90% of patients. The incidence of elevated white blood cell count was higher in the group of patients with a positive Gram stain study (60%) as compared to patients with a negative Gram stain study (33%). Gram staining sensitivity was 45%. Its specificity was however 100%. Gram staining is an unreliable tool in early decision making in patients requiring urgent surgical drainage and washout.

Similar pro-NT and pro-RLX2 levels after preeclampsia and after uncomplicated pregnancy

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Zoet, G. A.(Gerbrand); van Rijn, B. B.(Bas); Rehfeldt, M. (Miriam); Franx, A. (Arie); Maas, Angela H E M

2017-01-01

OBJECTIVE: Women are at increased risk of developing cardiovascular disease (CVD) after preeclampsia. Proneurotensin 1-117 (pro-NT) and prorelaxin 2 connecting peptide (pro-RLX2) have recently emerged as potential biomarkers for CVD risk in women. We assessed pro-NT and pro-RLX2 levels in women with

Similar pro-NT and pro-RLX2 levels after preeclampsia and after uncomplicated pregnancy

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Zoet, G. A.(Gerbrand); van Rijn, B. B.(Bas); Rehfeldt, M. (Miriam); Franx, A. (Arie); Maas, Angela H E M

2017-01-01

Objective Women are at increased risk of developing cardiovascular disease (CVD) after preeclampsia. Proneurotensin 1-117 (pro-NT) and prorelaxin 2 connecting peptide (pro-RLX2) have recently emerged as potential biomarkers for CVD risk in women. We assessed pro-NT and pro-RLX2 levels in women with

NT-proBNP (N-Terminal pro-B-Type Natriuretic Peptide)-Guided Therapy in Acute Decompensated Heart Failure: PRIMA II Randomized Controlled Trial (Can NT-ProBNP-Guided Therapy During Hospital Admission for Acute Decompensated Heart Failure Reduce Mortality and Readmissions?).

Science.gov (United States)

Stienen, Susan; Salah, Khibar; Moons, Arno H; Bakx, Adrianus L; van Pol, Petra; Kortz, R A Mikael; Ferreira, João Pedro; Marques, Irene; Schroeder-Tanka, Jutta M; Keijer, Jan T; Bayés-Genis, Antoni; Tijssen, Jan G P; Pinto, Yigal M; Kok, Wouter E

2018-04-17

The concept of natriuretic peptide guidance has been extensively studied in patients with chronic heart failure (HF), with only limited success. The effect of NT-proBNP (N-terminal probrain natriuretic peptide)-guided therapy in patients with acute decompensated HF using a relative NT-proBNP target has not been investigated. This study aimed to assess whether NT-proBNP-guided therapy of patients with acute decompensated HF using a relative NT-proBNP target would lead to improved outcomes compared with conventional therapy. We conducted a prospective randomized controlled trial to study the impact of in-hospital guidance for acute decompensated HF treatment by a predefined NT-proBNP target (>30% reduction from admission to discharge) versus conventional treatment. Patients with acute decompensated HF with NT-proBNP levels >1700 ng/L were eligible. After achieving clinical stability, 405 patients were randomized to either NT-proBNP-guided or conventional treatment (1:1). The primary end point was dual: a composite of all-cause mortality and HF readmissions in 180 days and the number of days alive out of the hospital in 180 days. Secondary end points were all-cause mortality within 180 days, HF readmissions within 180 days, and a composite of all-cause mortality and HF readmissions within 90 days. Significantly more patients in the NT-proBNP-guided therapy group were discharged with an NT-proBNP reduction of >30% (80% versus 64%, P =0.001). Nonetheless, NT-proBNP-guided therapy did not significantly improve the combined event rate for all-cause mortality and HF readmissions (hazard ratio, 0.96; 95% confidence interval, 0.72-1.37; P =0.99) or the median number of days alive outside of the hospital (178 versus 179 days for NT-proBNP versus conventional patients, P =0.39). Guided therapy also did not significantly improve any of the secondary end points. The PRIMA II trial (Can NT-ProBNP-Guided Therapy During Hospital Admission for Acute Decompensated Heart Failure

Raman Spectroscopy of Xylitol Uptake and Metabolism in Gram-Positive and Gram-Negative Bacteria▿

Science.gov (United States)

Palchaudhuri, Sunil; Rehse, Steven J.; Hamasha, Khozima; Syed, Talha; Kurtovic, Eldar; Kurtovic, Emir; Stenger, James

2011-01-01

Visible-wavelength Raman spectroscopy was used to investigate the uptake and metabolism of the five-carbon sugar alcohol xylitol by Gram-positive viridans group streptococcus and the two extensively used strains of Gram-negative Escherichia coli, E. coli C and E. coli K-12. E. coli C, but not E. coli K-12, contains a complete xylitol operon, and the viridans group streptococcus contains an incomplete xylitol operon used to metabolize the xylitol. Raman spectra from xylitol-exposed viridans group streptococcus exhibited significant changes that persisted even in progeny grown from the xylitol-exposed mother cells in a xylitol-free medium for 24 h. This behavior was not observed in the E. coli K-12. In both viridans group streptococcus and the E. coli C derivative HF4714, the metabolic intermediates are stably formed to create an anomaly in bacterial normal survival. The uptake of xylitol by Gram-positive and Gram-negative pathogens occurs even in the presence of other high-calorie sugars, and its stable integration within the bacterial cell wall may discontinue bacterial multiplication. This could be a contributing factor for the known efficacy of xylitol when taken as a prophylactic measure to prevent or reduce occurrences of persistent infection. Specifically, these bacteria are causative agents for several important diseases of children such as pneumonia, otitis media, meningitis, and dental caries. If properly explored, such an inexpensive and harmless sugar-alcohol, alone or used in conjunction with fluoride, would pave the way to an alternative preventive therapy for these childhood diseases when the causative pathogens have become resistant to modern medicines such as antibiotics and vaccine immunotherapy. PMID:21037297

Comparative Evaluation of Smear Layer and Debris on the Canal Walls prepared with a Combination of Hand and Rotary ProTaper Technique using Scanning Electron Microscope.

Science.gov (United States)

Kiran, S; Prakash, Sandeep; Siddharth, Pujari R; Saha, Supradip; Geojan, Naiza E; Ramachandran, Mookambika

2016-07-01

The effect of smear layer and debris on the success rate of endodontic treatment has not yet been definitely determined. So the present study was aimed to evaluate the amount of smear layer and debris on the canal walls prepared with a combination of hand and rotary ProTaper technique using NaOCl and ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) alternately as root canal irrigants using scanning electron microscope (SEM). Eighty intact freshly extracted human permanent mandibular premolar teeth were collected and randomly divided equally into four groups. In group I canals were prepared with hand K-Flexofiles; group II with rotary ProTaper instruments; group III with rotary ProTaper instruments and final instrumentation was done with hand K-Flexofile; group IV with rotary ProTaper instruments and final instrumentation was done with RC-Prep and irrigated with 1 mL of normal saline. In all groups canals were irrigated using NaOCl and EDTA alternately. After instrumentation, the teeth were prepared for SEM examination using five-score indices for debris and smear layer at coronal, middle, and apical third levels. Statistical analysis was performed using chi-square test (p hand files after automated rotary preparation could result in cleaner canal walls. Alternate irrigation with NaOCl and EDTA is effective in the removal of debris and smear layer in the coronal and middle level, but the effectiveness in the apical third is less.

Aplikace pro výuku jazyků pro Firefox OS

OpenAIRE

Chudík, Jakub

2015-01-01

Tato práce se zabývá vytvořením aplikace pro výuku jazyků specificky pro mobilní operační systém Firefox OS. Vzhledem k své povaze, uživatelské rozhraní aplikace se snaží uspokojit ergonomické potřeby aplikací určených pro kapesní zařízení. Aplikuje několik konceptů gamifikace ke zlepšení procesu učení, jehož výsledky jsou prezentovány a vyhodnoceny. Aplikace také přináší své vlastní jedinečné vlastnosti, které jí pomáhají vyniknout mezi ostatními aplikacemi pro výuku jazyků. This thesis d...

Stool Gram stain

Science.gov (United States)

... stool sample. The Gram stain method is sometimes used to quickly diagnose bacterial infections. How the Test is Performed You will need to collect a stool sample. There are many ways to collect the sample. You can catch the stool on plastic wrap that is loosely placed over the toilet bowl ...

Pro-Anorexia and Anti-Pro-Anorexia Videos on YouTube: Sentiment Analysis of User Responses.

Science.gov (United States)

Oksanen, Atte; Garcia, David; Sirola, Anu; Näsi, Matti; Kaakinen, Markus; Keipi, Teo; Räsänen, Pekka

2015-11-12

Pro-anorexia communities exist online and encourage harmful weight loss and weight control practices, often through emotional content that enforces social ties within these communities. User-generated responses to videos that directly oppose pro-anorexia communities have not yet been researched in depth. The aim was to study emotional reactions to pro-anorexia and anti-pro-anorexia online content on YouTube using sentiment analysis. Using the 50 most popular YouTube pro-anorexia and anti-pro-anorexia user channels as a starting point, we gathered data on users, their videos, and their commentators. A total of 395 anorexia videos and 12,161 comments were analyzed using positive and negative sentiments and ratings submitted by the viewers of the videos. The emotional information was automatically extracted with an automatic sentiment detection tool whose reliability was tested with human coders. Ordinary least squares regression models were used to estimate the strength of sentiments. The models controlled for the number of video views and comments, number of months the video had been on YouTube, duration of the video, uploader's activity as a video commentator, and uploader's physical location by country. The 395 videos had more than 6 million views and comments by almost 8000 users. Anti-pro-anorexia video comments expressed more positive sentiments on a scale of 1 to 5 (adjusted prediction [AP] 2.15, 95% CI 2.11-2.19) than did those of pro-anorexia videos (AP 2.02, 95% CI 1.98-2.06). Anti-pro-anorexia videos also received more likes (AP 181.02, 95% CI 155.19-206.85) than pro-anorexia videos (AP 31.22, 95% CI 31.22-37.81). Negative sentiments and video dislikes were equally distributed in responses to both pro-anorexia and anti-pro-anorexia videos. Despite pro-anorexia content being widespread on YouTube, videos promoting help for anorexia and opposing the pro-anorexia community were more popular, gaining more positive feedback and comments than pro-anorexia videos

[Diagnostic and therapeutic management of Gram-negative infections].

Science.gov (United States)

Bassetti, Matteo; Repetto, Ernestina

2008-04-01

Among Gram negative bacteria, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, the extended spectrum beta-lactamases (ESBL)-producing strains, Acinetobacter spp, in particular the multiresistant Acinetobacter baumannii, and Stenotrophomonas maltophilia are the most implicated micrororganisms in the ever more increasing problem of bacterial resistance. Possible solutions have to be searched, on one hand, in the use of new drugs but, on the other hand, in the re-evaluation of those already available drugs, possibly considering a new role for old drugs such as colistine and fosfomycin. Concerning ESBL-producing strains, the most recent data provided by EARSS report, in Italy, an incidence rate of 10-25 percent. The insurgence of an infection sustained by an ESBL+ve strain is strictly related to some well known risk factors, like the hospital stay itself, the disease severity, the length of stay in ICU, intubation and mechanical ventilation, catheterization, urinary or artery, and the past exposure to antibiotics. The raise in ESBL producing strains is closely related to the increasing use of cephalosporins. In the setting of a Gram negative infection, the combination therapy guarantees a higher coverage by reducing insurgence of possible resistance mechanisms, possibly resulting synergistic, and allowing a de-escalation therapy, although to this latter other problems, such as tolerability, costs and compliance, can be related. Another basic aspect to take into account of, in order to achieve the maximal efficacy of the antibiotic treatment, is the right dosage. In the idea to look for the best approach for the antibiotic treatment of a severe infection in a hospital setting, when a Gram negative aetiology is implicated, it can be possibly presumed that the right way consists in avoiding inappropriate antibiotic therapies, making therapeutic choices based on guidelines resulted from local epidemiological data, initiating the therapy promptly, avoiding excessive use of antibiotics, possibly

Prediction of lipoprotein signal peptides in Gram-negative bacteria.

Science.gov (United States)

Juncker, Agnieszka S; Willenbrock, Hanni; Von Heijne, Gunnar; Brunak, Søren; Nielsen, Henrik; Krogh, Anders

2003-08-01

A method to predict lipoprotein signal peptides in Gram-negative Eubacteria, LipoP, has been developed. The hidden Markov model (HMM) was able to distinguish between lipoproteins (SPaseII-cleaved proteins), SPaseI-cleaved proteins, cytoplasmic proteins, and transmembrane proteins. This predictor was able to predict 96.8% of the lipoproteins correctly with only 0.3% false positives in a set of SPaseI-cleaved, cytoplasmic, and transmembrane proteins. The results obtained were significantly better than those of previously developed methods. Even though Gram-positive lipoprotein signal peptides differ from Gram-negatives, the HMM was able to identify 92.9% of the lipoproteins included in a Gram-positive test set. A genome search was carried out for 12 Gram-negative genomes and one Gram-positive genome. The results for Escherichia coli K12 were compared with new experimental data, and the predictions by the HMM agree well with the experimentally verified lipoproteins. A neural network-based predictor was developed for comparison, and it gave very similar results. LipoP is available as a Web server at www.cbs.dtu.dk/services/LipoP/.

Selective bowel decontamination results in gram-positive translocation.

Science.gov (United States)

Jackson, R J; Smith, S D; Rowe, M I

1990-05-01

Colonization by enteric gram-negative bacteria with subsequent translocation is believed to be a major mechanism for infection in the critically ill patient. Selective bowel decontamination (SBD) has been used to control gram-negative infections by eliminating these potentially pathogenic bacteria while preserving anaerobic and other less pathogenic organisms. Infection with gram-positive organisms and anaerobes in two multivisceral transplant patients during SBD led us to investigate the effect of SBD on gut colonization and translocation. Twenty-four rats received enteral polymixin E, tobramycin, amphotericin B, and parenteral cefotaxime for 7 days (PTA + CEF); 23 received parenteral cefotaxime alone (CEF), 19 received the enteral antibiotics alone (PTA), 21 controls received no antibiotics. Cecal homogenates, mesenteric lymph node (MLN), liver, and spleen were cultured. Only 8% of the PTA + CEF group had gram-negative bacteria in cecal culture vs 52% CEF, 84% PTA, and 100% in controls. Log Enterococcal colony counts were higher in the PTA + CEF group (8.0 + 0.9) vs controls (5.4 + 0.4) P less than 0.01. Translocation of Enterococcus to the MLN was significantly increased in the PTA + CEF group (67%) vs controls (0%) P less than 0.01. SBD effectively eliminates gram-negative organisms from the gut in the rat model. Overgrowth and translocation of Enterococcus suggests that infection with gram-positive organisms may be a limitation of SBD.

PRO development: rigorous qualitative research as the crucial foundation.

Science.gov (United States)

Lasch, Kathryn Eilene; Marquis, Patrick; Vigneux, Marc; Abetz, Linda; Arnould, Benoit; Bayliss, Martha; Crawford, Bruce; Rosa, Kathleen

2010-10-01

Recently published articles have described criteria to assess qualitative research in the health field in general, but very few articles have delineated qualitative methods to be used in the development of Patient-Reported Outcomes (PROs). In fact, how PROs are developed with subject input through focus groups and interviews has been given relatively short shrift in the PRO literature when compared to the plethora of quantitative articles on the psychometric properties of PROs. If documented at all, most PRO validation articles give little for the reader to evaluate the content validity of the measures and the credibility and trustworthiness of the methods used to develop them. Increasingly, however, scientists and authorities want to be assured that PRO items and scales have meaning and relevance to subjects. This article was developed by an international, interdisciplinary group of psychologists, psychometricians, regulatory experts, a physician, and a sociologist. It presents rigorous and appropriate qualitative research methods for developing PROs with content validity. The approach described combines an overarching phenomenological theoretical framework with grounded theory data collection and analysis methods to yield PRO items and scales that have content validity.

Clinical Significance of Determination of the Serum Levels of NT-proBNP and hs-CRP in Patients with Acute Coronary Syndrome

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zheng Zhaojun; Zheng Jing; Sun Weili; Yuan Yuan; Tao Jian; Li Weipeng

2010-01-01

To explore the clinical significance the serum levels of N-Terminal proB-Type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) in patients with acute coronary syndrome,the serum levels of NT-proBNP and hs-CRP in patients and normal controls were determined by ECi Immunity Analyzer and radioimmunoassay respectively. The results showed that the serum levels of NT-proBNP and hs-CRP in patients with acute coronary syndrome were significantly higher than that of controls (P<0.05). The diagnostic specificity for acute coronary syndrome was 100% by combined detection of NT-proBNP and hs-CRP. The results suggest that the combined detection of serum NT-proBNP and hs-CRP levels are very important to evaluate heart function in patients with acute coronary syndrome. (authors)

Energy recovery by pressure retarded osmosis (PRO) in SWRO–PRO integrated processes

KAUST Repository

Wan, Chun Feng

2015-11-11

Pressure retarded osmosis (PRO) is a promising technology to reduce the specific energy consumption of a seawater reverse osmosis (SWRO) plant. In this study, it is projected that 25.6-40.7millionkWh/day of energy can be recovered globally, if the brines from SWRO are used as the draw solution and diluted to the seawater level in a PRO system. Detailed integrated SWRO-PRO processes are developed in this study with the option to form a closed-loop SWRO-PRO process that can substantially reduce the pretreatment cost of desalination. The governing mathematical models that describe both the transport phenomena on a module level and the energy flow on a system level are developed to evaluate the performances of the SWRO-PRO processes. The model aims to investigate the performance of the hollow fibers as dilution occurs and provides guidelines on hollow fiber module design and process operation. Determining the dilution factor and the corresponding operating pressure of PRO is the key to optimize the integrated process. The specific energy consumptions of three SWRO-involved processes; namely, (1) SWRO without a pressure exchanger, (2) SWRO with a pressure exchanger, and (3) SWRO with pressure exchangers and PRO are compared. The results show that the specific energy consumptions for the above three processes are 5.51, 1.79 and 1.08kWh/(m of desalinated water) for a 25% recovery SWRO plant; and 4.13, 2.27 and 1.14kWh/(m of desalinated water) for a 50% recovery SWRO plant, using either freshwater or wastewater as the feed solution in PRO.

The emotional consequences of pro-social behavior in markets

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Fosgaard, Toke Reinholt

that emotional responses are important explanations of this finding. It is first argued that the emotional response to a pro-social decision combined with private good purchase is different from the response to a similar decision in a non-market situation. Through evidence from a laboratory experiment...

Organo-Selenium Coatings Inhibit Gram-Negative and Gram-Positive Bacterial Attachment to Ophthalmic Scleral Buckle Material.

Science.gov (United States)

Tran, Phat; Arnett, Avery; Jarvis, Courtney; Mosley, Thomas; Tran, Khien; Hanes, Rob; Webster, Dan; Mitchell, Kelly; Dominguez, Leo; Hamood, Abdul; Reid, Ted W

2017-09-01

Biofilm formation is a problem for solid and sponge-type scleral buckles. This can lead to complications that require removal of the buckle, and result in vision loss due to related ocular morbidity, primarily infection, or recurrent retinal detachment. We investigate the ability of a covalent organo-selenium coating to inhibit biofilm formation on a scleral buckle. Sponge and solid Labtican brand scleral buckles were coated with organo-selenium coupled to a silyation reagent. Staphylococcus aureus biofilm formation was monitored by a standard colony-forming unit assay and the confocal laser scanning microscopy, while Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilm formation was examined by scanning electron microscopy. Stability studies were done, by soaking in phosphate buffer saline (PBS) at room temperature for 2 months. Toxicity against human corneal epithelial cell was examined by growing the cells in the presence of organo-selenium-coated scleral buckles. The organo-selenium coating inhibited biofilm formation by gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria. The buckle coatings also were shown to be fully active after soaking in PBS for 2 months. The organo-selenium coatings had no effect on the viability of human corneal epithelial cells. Organo-selenium can be used to covalently coat a scleral buckle, which is stable and inhibits biofilm formation for gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria. The organo-selenium buckle coating was stable and nontoxic to cell culture. This technology provides a means to inhibit bacterial attachment to devices attached to the eye, without damage to ocular cells.

Physico-Chemical-Managed Killing of Penicillin-Resistant Static and Growing Gram-Positive and Gram-Negative Vegetative Bacteria

Science.gov (United States)

Richmond, Robert Chaffee (Inventor); Schramm, Jr., Harry F. (Inventor); Defalco, Francis G. (Inventor); Farris, III, Alex F. (Inventor)

2012-01-01

Systems and methods for the use of compounds from the Hofmeister series coupled with specific pH and temperature to provide rapid physico-chemical-managed killing of penicillin-resistant static and growing Gram-positive and Gram-negative vegetative bacteria. The systems and methods represent the more general physico-chemical enhancement of susceptibility for a wide range of pathological macromolecular targets to clinical management by establishing the reactivity of those targets to topically applied drugs or anti-toxins.

Utility of Gram staining for diagnosis of Malassezia folliculitis.

Science.gov (United States)

Tu, Wei-Ting; Chin, Szu-Ying; Chou, Chia-Lun; Hsu, Che-Yuan; Chen, Yu-Tsung; Liu, Donald; Lee, Woan-Ruoh; Shih, Yi-Hsien

2018-02-01

Malassezia folliculitis (MalF) mimics acne vulgaris and bacterial folliculitis in clinical presentations. The role of Gram staining in rapid diagnosis of MalF has not been well studied. In our study, 32 patients were included to investigate the utility of Gram staining for MalF diagnosis. The final diagnoses of MalF were determined according to clinical presentation, pathological result and treatment response to antifungal agents. Our results show that the sensitivity and specificity of Gram staining are 84.6% and 100%, respectively. In conclusion, Gram staining is a rapid, non-invasive, sensitive and specific method for MalF diagnosis. © 2017 Japanese Dermatological Association.

The milk-derived peptides Val-Pro-Pro and Ile-Pro-Pro attenuate arterial dysfunction in L-NAME-treated rats.

Science.gov (United States)

Nonaka, Atsuko; Nakamura, Teppei; Hirota, Tatsuhiko; Matsushita, Akiko; Asakura, Masanori; Ohki, Kohji; Kitakaze, Masafumi

2014-08-01

Both endothelial dysfunction and arterial stiffness are surrogate markers of atherosclerosis and thus cardiovascular (CV) events. The milk-derived peptides Val-Pro-Pro (VPP) and Ile-Pro-Pro (IPP) inhibit angiotensin-converting enzyme, dilate blood vessels ex vivo and stimulate nitric oxide (NO) production in cells. In this study, we investigated the effects of either VPP or IPP on arterial function and on target organ damage in vivo. Male Wistar rats were treated with N(G)-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester hydrochloride (L-NAME, 1 g l(-1)), L-NAME+VPP (0.3 g l(-1)) or L-NAME+IPP (0.3 g l(-1)) in their drinking water for 8 weeks. Plasma nitrite and nitrate (NOx) levels were significantly increased in normal Wistar rats after supplementation with either VPP or IPP but not in rats that were chronically treated with L-NAME. Acetylcholine-induced vasorelaxation in the thoracic aorta ring was impaired by L-NAME, whereas vasorelaxation was significantly greater in mice treated with L-NAME+VPP for 1 or 4 weeks or L-NAME+IPP for 4 weeks than in mice treated with L-NAME alone. Four weeks of treatment with either VPP or IPP attenuated the increase in pulse wave velocity (PWV) that was induced by L-NAME. Cardiac and renal damage were observed after 8 weeks of treatment with L-NAME, and either VPP or IPP attenuated this damage. These results show that VPP or IPP attenuates arterial dysfunction and suggest that milk-derived peptides might prevent CV damage.

Defining a role for Hfq in Gram-positive bacteria

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, Jesper Sejrup; Lei, Lisbeth Kristensen; Ebersbach, Tine

2010-01-01

Small trans-encoded RNAs (sRNAs) modulate the translation and decay of mRNAs in bacteria. In Gram-negative species, antisense regulation by trans-encoded sRNAs relies on the Sm-like protein Hfq. In contrast to this, Hfq is dispensable for sRNA-mediated riboregulation in the Gram-positive species......-dependent and -independent mechanisms, thus adding another layer of complexity to sRNA-mediated riboregulation in Gram-positive species....

In vitro activity of XF-73, a novel antibacterial agent, against antibiotic-sensitive and -resistant Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacterial species.

Science.gov (United States)

Farrell, David J; Robbins, Marion; Rhys-Williams, William; Love, William G

2010-06-01

The antibacterial activity of XF-73, a dicationic porphyrin drug, was investigated against a range of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria with known antibiotic resistance profiles, including resistance to cell wall synthesis, protein synthesis, and DNA and RNA synthesis inhibitors as well as cell membrane-active antibiotics. Antibiotic-sensitive strains for each of the bacterial species tested were also included for comparison purposes. XF-73 was active [minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) 0.25-4 mg/L] against all of the Gram-positive bacteria tested, irrespective of the antibiotic resistance profile of the isolates, suggesting that the mechanism of action of XF-73 is unique compared with the major antibiotic classes. Gram-negative activity was lower (MIC 1 mg/L to > 64 mg/L). Minimum bactericidal concentration data confirmed that the activity of XF-73 was bactericidal. Time-kill kinetics against healthcare-associated and community-associated meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus isolates demonstrated that XF-73 was rapidly bactericidal, with > 5 log(10) kill obtained after 15 min at 2 x MIC, the earliest time point sampled. The post-antibiotic effect (PAE) for XF-73 under conditions where the PAE for vancomycin was 5.4 h. XF-73 represents a novel broad-spectrum Gram-positive antibacterial drug with potentially beneficial characteristics for the treatment and prevention of Gram-positive bacterial infections. 2010. Published by Elsevier B.V.

A Synthetic Dual Drug Sideromycin Induces Gram-Negative Bacteria To Commit Suicide with a Gram-Positive Antibiotic.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Rui; Miller, Patricia A; Vakulenko, Sergei B; Stewart, Nichole K; Boggess, William C; Miller, Marvin J

2018-05-10

Many antibiotics lack activity against Gram-negative bacteria because they cannot permeate the outer membrane or suffer from efflux and, in the case of β-lactams, are degraded by β-lactamases. Herein, we describe the synthesis and studies of a dual drug conjugate (1) of a siderophore linked to a cephalosporin with an attached oxazolidinone. The cephalosporin component of 1 is rapidly hydrolyzed by purified ADC-1 β-lactamase to release the oxazolidinone. Conjugate 1 is active against clinical isolates of Acinetobacter baumannii as well as strains producing large amounts of ADC-1 β-lactamase. Overall, the results are consistent with siderophore-mediated active uptake, inherent activity of the delivered dual drug, and in the presence of β-lactamases, intracellular release of the oxazolidinone upon cleavage of the cephalosporin to allow the freed oxazolidinone to inactivate its target. The ultimate result demonstrates that Gram-positive oxazolidinone antibiotics can be made to be effective against Gram-negative bacteria by β-lactamase triggered release.

Antimicrobial Activities of Leaf Extracts of Guava (Psidium guajava L.) on Two Gram-Negative and Gram-Positive Bacteria

Science.gov (United States)

Biswas, Bipul; Rogers, Kimberly; McLaughlin, Fredrick; Yadav, Anand

2013-01-01

Aim. To determine the antimicrobial potential of guava (Psidium guajava) leaf extracts against two gram-negative bacteria (Escherichia coli and Salmonella enteritidis) and two gram-positive bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus cereus) which are some of foodborne and spoilage bacteria. The guava leaves were extracted in four different solvents of increasing polarities (hexane, methanol, ethanol, and water). The efficacy of these extracts was tested against those bacteria through a well-diffusion method employing 50 μL leaf-extract solution per well. According to the findings of the antibacterial assay, the methanol and ethanol extracts of the guava leaves showed inhibitory activity against gram-positive bacteria, whereas the gram-negative bacteria were resistant to all the solvent extracts. The methanol extract had an antibacterial activity with mean zones of inhibition of 8.27 and 12.3 mm, and the ethanol extract had a mean zone of inhibition of 6.11 and 11.0 mm against B. cereus and S. aureus, respectively. On the basis of the present finding, guava leaf-extract might be a good candidate in the search for a natural antimicrobial agent. This study provides scientific understanding to further determine the antimicrobial values and investigate other pharmacological properties. PMID:24223039

Antimicrobial Activities of Leaf Extracts of Guava (Psidium guajava L. on Two Gram-Negative and Gram-Positive Bacteria

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bipul Biswas

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Aim. To determine the antimicrobial potential of guava (Psidium guajava leaf extracts against two gram-negative bacteria (Escherichia coli and Salmonella enteritidis and two gram-positive bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus cereus which are some of foodborne and spoilage bacteria. The guava leaves were extracted in four different solvents of increasing polarities (hexane, methanol, ethanol, and water. The efficacy of these extracts was tested against those bacteria through a well-diffusion method employing 50 μL leaf-extract solution per well. According to the findings of the antibacterial assay, the methanol and ethanol extracts of the guava leaves showed inhibitory activity against gram-positive bacteria, whereas the gram-negative bacteria were resistant to all the solvent extracts. The methanol extract had an antibacterial activity with mean zones of inhibition of 8.27 and 12.3 mm, and the ethanol extract had a mean zone of inhibition of 6.11 and 11.0 mm against B. cereus and S. aureus, respectively. On the basis of the present finding, guava leaf-extract might be a good candidate in the search for a natural antimicrobial agent. This study provides scientific understanding to further determine the antimicrobial values and investigate other pharmacological properties.

[Expression of proBNP and NT-proBNP in Sudden Death of Coronary Heart Disease].

Science.gov (United States)

Zeng, Q; Sun, R F; Li, Z; Zhai, L Q; Liu, M Z; Guo, X J; Gao, C R

2017-10-01

To study the expression change of pro-brain natriuretic peptide （proBNP） and N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide （NT-proBNP） in sudden death of coronary atherosclerotic heart disease, and to explore its application in forensic diagnosis. Myocardial and blood samples were collected from normal control group, sudden death of coronary atherosclerotic heart disease group and single coronary stenosis group （20 cases in each group）. The expression of proBNP in myocardial samples were detected by immunohistochemical staining and Western blotting, and that of BNP mRNA were detected by reverse transcription PCR （RT-PCR）. The content of NT-proBNP in plasma were detected by ELISA. Immunohistochemical staining showed positive expression of proBNP in both sudden death of coronary atherosclerotic heart disease group and single coronary stenosis group. There was no positive expression in normal control group. For sudden death of coronary atherosclerotic heart disease group and single coronary stenosis group, the relative expression of proBNP protein and BNP mRNA in myocardial tissue and the NT-proBNP content in plasma were higher than that of normal control group （ P heart disease group was higher than that of single coronary stenosis group （ P heart disease and determine whether the sudden death due to coronary atherosclerotic heart disease. Copyright© by the Editorial Department of Journal of Forensic Medicine

Anti- versus Pro-Competitive Mergers

OpenAIRE

Fridolfsson, Sven-Olof

2007-01-01

In a framework where mergers are mutually excluding, I show that firms pursue anti- rather than (alternative) pro-competitive mergers. Potential outsiders to anti-competitive mergers refrain from pursuing pro-competitive mergers if the positive externalities from anti-competitive mergers are strong enough. Potential outsiders to pro-competitive mergers pursue anti-competitive mergers if the negative externalities from the pro-competitive mergers are strong enough. Potential participants in an...

Methods for targetted mutagenesis in gram-positive bacteria

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Yunfeng

2014-05-27

The present invention provides a method of targeted mutagenesis in Gram-positive bacteria. In particular, the present invention provides a method that effectively integrates a suicide integrative vector into a target gene in the chromosome of a Gram-positive bacterium, resulting in inactivation of the target gene.

Revisiting the Gram-negative lipoprotein paradigm.

Science.gov (United States)

LoVullo, Eric D; Wright, Lori F; Isabella, Vincent; Huntley, Jason F; Pavelka, Martin S

2015-05-01

The processing of lipoproteins (Lpps) in Gram-negative bacteria is generally considered an essential pathway. Mature lipoproteins in these bacteria are triacylated, with the final fatty acid addition performed by Lnt, an apolipoprotein N-acyltransferase. The mature lipoproteins are then sorted by the Lol system, with most Lpps inserted into the outer membrane (OM). We demonstrate here that the lnt gene is not essential to the Gram-negative pathogen Francisella tularensis subsp. tularensis strain Schu or to the live vaccine strain LVS. An LVS Δlnt mutant has a small-colony phenotype on sucrose medium and increased susceptibility to globomycin and rifampin. We provide data indicating that the OM lipoprotein Tul4A (LpnA) is diacylated but that it, and its paralog Tul4B (LpnB), still sort to the OM in the Δlnt mutant. We present a model in which the Lol sorting pathway of Francisella has a modified ABC transporter system that is capable of recognizing and sorting both triacylated and diacylated lipoproteins, and we show that this modified system is present in many other Gram-negative bacteria. We examined this model using Neisseria gonorrhoeae, which has the same Lol architecture as that of Francisella, and found that the lnt gene is not essential in this organism. This work suggests that Gram-negative bacteria fall into two groups, one in which full lipoprotein processing is essential and one in which the final acylation step is not essential, potentially due to the ability of the Lol sorting pathway in these bacteria to sort immature apolipoproteins to the OM. This paper describes the novel finding that the final stage in lipoprotein processing (normally considered an essential process) is not required by Francisella tularensis or Neisseria gonorrhoeae. The paper provides a potential reason for this and shows that it may be widespread in other Gram-negative bacteria. Copyright © 2015, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

GramHealth: a bottom-up approach to provide preventive healthcare services for unreached community.

Science.gov (United States)

Ahmed, Ashir; Kabir, Lutfe; Kai, Eiko; Inoue, Sozo

2013-01-01

Insufficient healthcare facilities and unavailability of medical experts in rural areas are the two major reasons that kept the people unreached to healthcare services. Recent penetration of mobile phone and the demand to basic healthcare services, remote health consultancy over mobile phone became popular in developing countries. In this paper, we introduce two such representative initiatives from Bangladesh and discuss the technical challenges they face to serve a remote patient. To solve these issues, we have prototyped a box with necessary diagnostic tools, we call it a "portable clinic" and a software tool, "GramHealth" for managing the patient information. We carried out experiments in three villages in Bangladesh to observe the usability of the portable clinic and verify the functionality of "GramHealth". We display the qualitative analysis of the results obtained from the experiment. GramHealth DB has a unique combination of structured, semi-structured and un-structured data. We are currently looking at these data to see whether these can be treated as BigData and if yes, how to analyze the data and what to expect from these data to make a better clinical decision support.

Multi-location gram-positive and gram-negative bacterial protein subcellular localization using gene ontology and multi-label classifier ensemble.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Xiao; Zhang, Jun; Li, Guo-Zheng

2015-01-01

It has become a very important and full of challenge task to predict bacterial protein subcellular locations using computational methods. Although there exist a lot of prediction methods for bacterial proteins, the majority of these methods can only deal with single-location proteins. But unfortunately many multi-location proteins are located in the bacterial cells. Moreover, multi-location proteins have special biological functions capable of helping the development of new drugs. So it is necessary to develop new computational methods for accurately predicting subcellular locations of multi-location bacterial proteins. In this article, two efficient multi-label predictors, Gpos-ECC-mPLoc and Gneg-ECC-mPLoc, are developed to predict the subcellular locations of multi-label gram-positive and gram-negative bacterial proteins respectively. The two multi-label predictors construct the GO vectors by using the GO terms of homologous proteins of query proteins and then adopt a powerful multi-label ensemble classifier to make the final multi-label prediction. The two multi-label predictors have the following advantages: (1) they improve the prediction performance of multi-label proteins by taking the correlations among different labels into account; (2) they ensemble multiple CC classifiers and further generate better prediction results by ensemble learning; and (3) they construct the GO vectors by using the frequency of occurrences of GO terms in the typical homologous set instead of using 0/1 values. Experimental results show that Gpos-ECC-mPLoc and Gneg-ECC-mPLoc can efficiently predict the subcellular locations of multi-label gram-positive and gram-negative bacterial proteins respectively. Gpos-ECC-mPLoc and Gneg-ECC-mPLoc can efficiently improve prediction accuracy of subcellular localization of multi-location gram-positive and gram-negative bacterial proteins respectively. The online web servers for Gpos-ECC-mPLoc and Gneg-ECC-mPLoc predictors are freely accessible

The use of Gram stain and matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry on positive blood culture: synergy between new and old technology.

Science.gov (United States)

Fuglsang-Damgaard, David; Nielsen, Camilla Houlberg; Mandrup, Elisabeth; Fuursted, Kurt

2011-10-01

Matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS) is promising as an alternative to more costly and cumbersome methods for direct identifications in blood cultures. We wanted to evaluate a simplified pre-treatment method for using MALDI-TOF-MS directly on positive blood cultures using BacT/Alert blood culture system, and to test an algorithm combining the result of the initial microscopy with the result suggested by MALDI-TOF-MS. Using the recommended cut-off score of 1.7 the best results were obtained among Gram-negative rods with correct identifications in 91% of Enterobacteriaceae, 83% in aerobic/non-fermentative Gram-negative rods, whereas results were more modest among Gram-positive cocci with correct identifications in 52% of Staphylococci, 54% in Enterococci and only 20% in Streptococci. Combining the results of Gram stain with the top reports by MALDI-TOF-MS, increased the sensitivity from 91% to 93% in the score range from 1.5 to 1.7 and from 48% to 85% in the score range from 1.3 to 1.5. Thus, using this strategy and accepting a cut-off at 1.3 instead of the suggested 1.7, overall sensitivity could be increased from 88.1% to 96.3%. MALDI-TOF-MS is an efficient method for direct routine identification of bacterial isolates in blood culture, especially when combined with the result of the Gram stain. © 2011 The Authors. APMIS © 2011 APMIS.

Platelet lysate-based pro-angiogenic nanocoatings.

Science.gov (United States)

Oliveira, Sara M; Pirraco, Rogério P; Marques, Alexandra P; Santo, Vítor E; Gomes, Manuela E; Reis, Rui L; Mano, João F

2016-03-01

Human platelet lysate (PL) is a cost-effective and human source of autologous multiple and potent pro-angiogenic factors, such as vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGF A), fibroblast growth factor b (FGF b) and angiopoietin-1. Nanocoatings previously characterized were prepared by layer-by-layer assembling incorporating PL with marine-origin polysaccharides and were shown to activate human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). Within 20 h of incubation, the more sulfated coatings induced the HUVECS to the form tube-like structures accompanied by an increased expression of angiogenic-associated genes, such as angiopoietin-1 and VEGF A. This may be a cost-effective approach to modify 2D/3D constructs to instruct angiogenic cells towards the formation of neo-vascularization, driven by multiple and synergistic stimulations from the PL combined with sulfated polysaccharides. The presence, or fast induction, of a stable and mature vasculature inside 3D constructs is crucial for new tissue formation and its viability. This has been one of the major tissue engineering challenges, limiting the dimensions of efficient tissue constructs. Many approaches based on cells, growth factors, 3D bioprinting and channel incorporation have been proposed. Herein, we explored a versatile technique, layer-by-layer assembling in combination with platelet lysate (PL), that is a cost-effective source of many potent pro-angiogenic proteins and growth factors. Results suggest that the combination of PL with sulfated polyelectrolytes might be used to introduce interfaces onto 2D/3D constructs with potential to induce the formation of cell-based tubular structures. Copyright © 2015 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

HyPro: A Multi-DoF Hybrid-Powered Transradial Robotic Prosthesis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

C. L. Semasinghe

2018-01-01

Full Text Available This paper proposes a multi-DoF hybrid-powered transradial robotic prosthesis, named HyPro. The HyPro consists of two prosthetic units: hand and wrist that can achieve five grasping patterns such as power grasp, tip grasp, lateral grasp, hook grasp, and index point. It is an underactuated device with 15 degrees of freedom. A hybrid powering concept is proposed and implemented on hand unit of HyPro where the key focus is on restoration of grasp functions of biological hand. A novel underactuated mechanism is introduced to achieve the required hand preshaping for a given grasping pattern using electric power in the pregrasp stage and body power is used in grasp stage to execute the final grasping action with the selected fingers. Unlike existing hybrid prostheses where each of the joints is separately controlled by either electric or body power, the proposed prosthesis is capable of delivering grasping power in combination. The wrist unit of HyPro is designed and developed to achieve flexion-extension and supination-pronation using electric power. Experiments were carried out to evaluate the functionality and performance of the proposed hybrid-powered robotic prosthesis. The results verified the potential of HyPro to perform intended grasping patterns effectively and efficiently.

Detection and Antibiotic Susceptibility Pattern of Biofilm Producing Gram Positive and Gram Negative Bacteria Isolated From a Tertiary Care Hospital of Pakistan

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Iqbal, M.

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Microorganisms adhere to non-living material or living tissue, and form biofilms made up of extracellular polymers/slime. Biofilm-associated microorganisms behave differently from free-floating bacteria with respect to growth rates and ability to resist antimicrobial treatments and therefore pose a public health problem. The objective of this study is to detect the prevalence of biofilm producers among Gram positive and Gram negative bacteria isolated from clinical specimens, and to study their antimicrobial susceptibility pattern. The study was carried out from October 2009 to March 2010, at the Department of Microbiology, Army Medical College/ National University of Sciences and Technology (NUST, Rawalpindi, Pakistan. Clinical specimens were received from various wards of a tertiary care hospital. These were dealt by standard microbiological procedures. Gram positive and Gram negative bacteria isolated were subjected to biofilm detection by congo red agar method (CRA. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing of those isolates, which showed positive results (slime production, was done according to the Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion technique. A total of 150 isolates were tested for the production of biofilm/slime. Among them, 81 isolates showed positive results. From these 81, 51 were Gram positive and 30 were Gram negative. All the 81(54% slime producers showed reduced susceptibility to majority of antibiotics. Bacterial biofilms are an important virulence factor associated with chronic nosocomial infection. Detection of biofilm forming organisms can help in appropriate antibiotic choice.

'Trial Exegesis': Methods for Synthesizing Clinical and Patient Reported Outcome (PRO Data in Trials to Inform Clinical Practice. A Systematic Review.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Angus G K McNair

Full Text Available The CONSORT extension for patient reported outcomes (PROs aims to improve reporting, but guidance on the optimal integration with clinical data is lacking. This study examines in detail the reporting of PROs and clinical data from randomized controlled trials (RCTs in gastro-intestinal cancer to inform design and reporting of combined PRO and clinical data from trials to improve the 'take home' message for clinicians to use in practice.The case study was undertaken in gastro-intestinal cancer trials. Well-conducted RCTs reporting PROs with validated instruments were identified and categorized into those combining PRO and clinical data in a single paper, or those separating data into linked primary and supplemental papers. Qualitative methods were developed to examine reporting of the critical interpretation of the trial results (trial exegesis in the papers in relation of the PRO and clinical outcomes and applied to each publication category. Results were used to inform recommendations for practice.From 1917 screened abstracts, 49 high quality RCTs were identified reported in 36 combined and 15 linked primary and supplemental papers. In-depth analysis of manuscript text identified three categories for understanding trial exegesis: where authors reported a "detailed", "general", or absent PRO rationale and integrated interpretation of clinical and PRO results. A total of 11 (30% and 6 (16% combined papers reported "detailed" PRO rationale and integrated interpretation of results although only 2 (14% and 1 (7% primary papers achieved the same standard respectively. Supplemental papers provide better information with 11 (73% and 3 (20% achieving "detailed" rationale and integrated interpretation of results. Supplemental papers, however, were published a median of 20 months after the primary RCT data in lower impact factor journals (median 16.8 versus 5.2.It is recommended that single papers, with detailed PRO rationale and integrated PRO and

Comparison of the Cathra Repliscan II, the AutoMicrobic system Gram-Negative General Susceptibility-Plus Card, and the Micro-Media System Fox Panel for dilution susceptibility testing of gram-negative bacilli.

Science.gov (United States)

Reiber, N E; Kelly, M T; Latimer, J M; Tison, D L; Hysmith, R M

1985-06-01

A comparative evaluation was done to test the accuracy of the Cathra Repliscan II agar dilution system (Diagnostic Equipment, Inc., St. Paul, Minn.), the AutoMicrobic system with Gram-Negative General Susceptibility-Plus Card (Vitek Systems, Inc., Hazelwood, Mo.), and the Micro-Media Fox Panel micro broth dilution system (Micro-Media Systems, Inc., San Jose, Calif.) in determining MICs of 12 antibiotics for 200 gram-negative bacilli. Of the 200 strains tested, 12 isolates did not grow in one of the three systems. The 188 remaining organisms included 158 members of the family Enterobacteriaceae, 20 Pseudomonas spp., 5 Acinetobacter sp., 3 Aeromonas spp., and 2 Vibrio spp. A total of 2,256 organism-antibiotic combinations were analyzed for each system. An MIC was considered correct if two of the three systems were in agreement. When disagreements occurred, correct MICs were determined by the standard agar dilution method. With this criterion, overall agreements of the Cathra Repliscan II system, AutoMicrobic system, and Micro-Media Fox Panel system were 94.7, 94.9, and 95.5%, respectively. Tetracycline (20%), nitrofurantoin (20%), and ampicillin (16%) accounted for 56% of the discrepancies observed. These results indicate that all three systems perform with a high degree of accuracy for susceptibility testing of gram-negative bacilli.

Pro Android Apps Performance Optimization

CERN Document Server

Guihot, Hervé

2012-01-01

Today's Android apps developers are often running into the need to refine, improve and optimize their apps performances. As more complex apps can be created, it is even more important for developers to deal with this critical issue. Android allows developers to write apps using Java, C or a combination of both with the Android SDK and the Android NDK. Pro Android Apps Performance Optimization reveals how to fine-tune your Android apps, making them more stable and faster. In this book, you'll learn the following: * How to optimize your Java code with the SDK, but also how to write and optimize

Should gram stains have a role in diagnosing hip arthroplasty infections?

Science.gov (United States)

Johnson, Aaron J; Zywiel, Michael G; Stroh, D Alex; Marker, David R; Mont, Michael A

2010-09-01

The utility of Gram stains in diagnosing periprosthetic infections following total hip arthroplasty has recently been questioned. Several studies report low sensitivity of the test, and its poor ability to either confirm or rule out infection in patients undergoing revision total hip arthroplasty. Despite this, many institutions including that of the senior author continue to perform Gram stains during revision total hip arthroplasty. We assessed the sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, and positive and negative predictive values of Gram stains from surgical-site samplings taken from procedures on patients with both infected and aseptic revision total hip arthroplasties. A review was performed on patients who underwent revision total hip arthroplasty between 2000 and 2007. Eighty-two Gram stains were performed on patients who had infected total hip arthroplasties and underwent revision procedures. Additionally, of the 410 revision total hip arthroplasties performed on patients who were confirmed infection-free, 120 Gram stains were performed. Patients were diagnosed as infected using multiple criteria at the time of surgery. Sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values, and accuracy were calculated from these Gram stain results. The Gram stain demonstrated a sensitivity and specificity of 9.8% and 100%, respectively. In this series, the Gram stain had a negative predictive value of 62%, a positive predictive value of 100%, and an accuracy of 63%. Gram stains obtained from surgical-site samples had poor sensitivity and poor negative predictive value. Based on these findings, as well as those of other authors, we believe that Gram stains should no longer be considered for diagnosing infections in revision total hip arthroplasty. Level III, diagnostic study. See Guidelines for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

ProCKSI: a decision support system for Protein (Structure Comparison, Knowledge, Similarity and Information

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Błażewicz Jacek

2007-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background We introduce the decision support system for Protein (Structure Comparison, Knowledge, Similarity and Information (ProCKSI. ProCKSI integrates various protein similarity measures through an easy to use interface that allows the comparison of multiple proteins simultaneously. It employs the Universal Similarity Metric (USM, the Maximum Contact Map Overlap (MaxCMO of protein structures and other external methods such as the DaliLite and the TM-align methods, the Combinatorial Extension (CE of the optimal path, and the FAST Align and Search Tool (FAST. Additionally, ProCKSI allows the user to upload a user-defined similarity matrix supplementing the methods mentioned, and computes a similarity consensus in order to provide a rich, integrated, multicriteria view of large datasets of protein structures. Results We present ProCKSI's architecture and workflow describing its intuitive user interface, and show its potential on three distinct test-cases. In the first case, ProCKSI is used to evaluate the results of a previous CASP competition, assessing the similarity of proposed models for given targets where the structures could have a large deviation from one another. To perform this type of comparison reliably, we introduce a new consensus method. The second study deals with the verification of a classification scheme for protein kinases, originally derived by sequence comparison by Hanks and Hunter, but here we use a consensus similarity measure based on structures. In the third experiment using the Rost and Sander dataset (RS126, we investigate how a combination of different sets of similarity measures influences the quality and performance of ProCKSI's new consensus measure. ProCKSI performs well with all three datasets, showing its potential for complex, simultaneous multi-method assessment of structural similarity in large protein datasets. Furthermore, combining different similarity measures is usually more robust than

Glass bead transformation method for gram-positive bacteria

OpenAIRE

Rattanachaikunsopon, Pongsak; Phumkhachorn, Parichat

2009-01-01

A simple, inexpensive and reproducible transformation method was developed for Gram-positive bacteria. It was based on agitation of bacterial protoplasts with glass beads in the presence of DNA and polyethylene glycol. By using this method, introduction of pGK12 into protoplasts of several strains of Gram-positive bacteria was achieved.

Neuronal release of proBDNF

OpenAIRE

Yang, Jianmin; Siao, Chia-Jen; Nagappan, Guhan; Marinic, Tina; Jing, Deqiang; McGrath, Kelly; Chen, Zhe-Yu; Mark, Willie; Tessarollo, Lino; Lee, Francis S; Lu, Bai; Hempstead, Barbara L

2009-01-01

Pro–brain-derived neurotrophic factor (proBDNF) and mature BDNF utilize distinct receptors to mediate divergent neuronal actions. Using new tools to quantitate endogenous BDNF isoforms, we found that mouse neurons secrete both proBDNF and mature BDNF. The highest levels of proBDNF and p75 were observed perinatally and declined, but were still detectable, in adulthood. Thus, BDNF actions are developmentally regulated by secretion of proBDNF or mature BDNF and by local expression of p75 and Trk...

Intracerebroventricular Infusion of the (Pro)renin Receptor Antagonist PRO20 Attenuates Deoxycorticosterone Acetate-Salt–Induced Hypertension

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Wencheng; Sullivan, Michelle N.; Zhang, Sheng; Worker, Caleb J.; Xiong, Zhenggang; Speth, Robert C.; Feng, Yumei

2016-01-01

We previously reported that binding of prorenin to the (pro)renin receptor (PRR) plays a major role in brain angiotensin II formation and the development of deoxycorticosterone acetate (DOCA)-salt hypertension. Here, we designed and developed an antagonistic peptide, PRO20, to block prorenin binding to the PRR. Fluorescently labeled PRO20 bound to both mouse and human brain tissues with dissociation constants of 4.4 and 1.8 nmol/L, respectively. This binding was blocked by coincubation with prorenin and was diminished in brains of neuron-specific PRR-knockout mice, indicating specificity of PRO20 for PRR. In cultured human neuroblastoma cells, PRO20 blocked prorenin-induced calcium influx in a concentration- and AT1 receptor–dependent manner. Intracerebroventricular infusion of PRO20 dose-dependently inhibited prorenin-induced hypertension in C57Bl6/J mice. Furthermore, acute intracerebroventricular infusion of PRO20 reduced blood pressure in both DOCA-salt and genetically hypertensive mice. Chronic intracerebroventricular infusion of PRO20 attenuated the development of hypertension and the increase in brain hypothalamic angiotensin II levels induced by DOCA-salt. In addition, chronic intracerebroventricular infusion of PRO20 improved autonomic function and spontaneous baroreflex sensitivity in mice treated with DOCA-salt. In summary, PRO20 binds to both mouse and human PRRs and decreases angiotensin II formation and hypertension induced by either prorenin or DOCA-salt. Our findings highlight the value of the novel PRR antagonist, PRO20, as a lead compound for a novel class of antihypertensive agents and as a research tool to establish the validity of brain PRR antagonism as a strategy for treating hypertension. PMID:25421983

Intracerebroventricular infusion of the (Pro)renin receptor antagonist PRO20 attenuates deoxycorticosterone acetate-salt-induced hypertension.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Wencheng; Sullivan, Michelle N; Zhang, Sheng; Worker, Caleb J; Xiong, Zhenggang; Speth, Robert C; Feng, Yumei

2015-02-01

We previously reported that binding of prorenin to the (pro)renin receptor (PRR) plays a major role in brain angiotensin II formation and the development of deoxycorticosterone acetate (DOCA)-salt hypertension. Here, we designed and developed an antagonistic peptide, PRO20, to block prorenin binding to the PRR. Fluorescently labeled PRO20 bound to both mouse and human brain tissues with dissociation constants of 4.4 and 1.8 nmol/L, respectively. This binding was blocked by coincubation with prorenin and was diminished in brains of neuron-specific PRR-knockout mice, indicating specificity of PRO20 for PRR. In cultured human neuroblastoma cells, PRO20 blocked prorenin-induced calcium influx in a concentration- and AT(1) receptor-dependent manner. Intracerebroventricular infusion of PRO20 dose-dependently inhibited prorenin-induced hypertension in C57Bl6/J mice. Furthermore, acute intracerebroventricular infusion of PRO20 reduced blood pressure in both DOCA-salt and genetically hypertensive mice. Chronic intracerebroventricular infusion of PRO20 attenuated the development of hypertension and the increase in brain hypothalamic angiotensin II levels induced by DOCA-salt. In addition, chronic intracerebroventricular infusion of PRO20 improved autonomic function and spontaneous baroreflex sensitivity in mice treated with DOCA-salt. In summary, PRO20 binds to both mouse and human PRRs and decreases angiotensin II formation and hypertension induced by either prorenin or DOCA-salt. Our findings highlight the value of the novel PRR antagonist, PRO20, as a lead compound for a novel class of antihypertensive agents and as a research tool to establish the validity of brain PRR antagonism as a strategy for treating hypertension. © 2014 American Heart Association, Inc.

A pathway closely related to the (D)-tagatose pathway of gram-negative enterobacteria identified in the gram-positive bacterium Bacillus licheniformis.

Science.gov (United States)

Van der Heiden, Edwige; Delmarcelle, Michaël; Lebrun, Sarah; Freichels, Régine; Brans, Alain; Vastenavond, Christian M; Galleni, Moreno; Joris, Bernard

2013-06-01

We report the first identification of a gene cluster involved in d-tagatose catabolism in Bacillus licheniformis. The pathway is closely related to the d-tagatose pathway of the Gram-negative bacterium Klebsiella oxytoca, in contrast to the d-tagatose 6-phosphate pathway described in the Gram-positive bacterium Staphylococcus aureus.

A Pathway Closely Related to the d-Tagatose Pathway of Gram-Negative Enterobacteria Identified in the Gram-Positive Bacterium Bacillus licheniformis

OpenAIRE

Van der Heiden, Edwige; Delmarcelle, Michaël; Lebrun, Sarah; Freichels, Régine; Brans, Alain; Vastenavond, Christian M.; Galleni, Moreno; Joris, Bernard

2013-01-01

We report the first identification of a gene cluster involved in d-tagatose catabolism in Bacillus licheniformis. The pathway is closely related to the d-tagatose pathway of the Gram-negative bacterium Klebsiella oxytoca, in contrast to the d-tagatose 6-phosphate pathway described in the Gram-positive bacterium Staphylococcus aureus.

A Pathway Closely Related to the d-Tagatose Pathway of Gram-Negative Enterobacteria Identified in the Gram-Positive Bacterium Bacillus licheniformis

Science.gov (United States)

Van der Heiden, Edwige; Lebrun, Sarah; Freichels, Régine; Brans, Alain; Vastenavond, Christian M.; Galleni, Moreno; Joris, Bernard

2013-01-01

We report the first identification of a gene cluster involved in d-tagatose catabolism in Bacillus licheniformis. The pathway is closely related to the d-tagatose pathway of the Gram-negative bacterium Klebsiella oxytoca, in contrast to the d-tagatose 6-phosphate pathway described in the Gram-positive bacterium Staphylococcus aureus. PMID:23524682

Decreased mortality associated with prompt Gram staining of blood cultures.

Science.gov (United States)

Barenfanger, Joan; Graham, Donald R; Kolluri, Lavanya; Sangwan, Gaurav; Lawhorn, Jerry; Drake, Cheryl A; Verhulst, Steven J; Peterson, Ryan; Moja, Lauren B; Ertmoed, Matthew M; Moja, Ashley B; Shevlin, Douglas W; Vautrain, Robert; Callahan, Charles D

2008-12-01

Gram stains of positive blood cultures are the most important factor influencing appropriate therapy. The sooner appropriate therapy is initiated, the better. Therefore, it is reasonable to expect that the sooner Gram stains are performed, the better. To determine the value of timely Gram stains and whether improvement in Gram stain turnaround time (TAT) is feasible, we compared data for matched pairs of patients with cultures processed promptly ( or =1 hour TAT) and then monitored TAT by control charting.In 99 matched pairs, average difference in time to detection of positive blood cultures within a pair of patients was less than 0.1 hour. For the less than 1 hour TAT group, the average TAT and crude mortality were 0.1 hour and 10.1%, respectively; for the 1 hour or longer TAT group, they were 3.3 hours and 19.2%, respectively (P Gram stains.

Embedded Lattice and Properties of Gram Matrix

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Futa Yuichi

2017-03-01

Full Text Available In this article, we formalize in Mizar [14] the definition of embedding of lattice and its properties. We formally define an inner product on an embedded module. We also formalize properties of Gram matrix. We formally prove that an inverse of Gram matrix for a rational lattice exists. Lattice of Z-module is necessary for lattice problems, LLL (Lenstra, Lenstra and Lov´asz base reduction algorithm [16] and cryptographic systems with lattice [17].

Pro Puppet

CERN Document Server

Turnbull, James

2011-01-01

Pro Puppet is an in-depth guide to installing, using, and developing the popular configuration management tool Puppet. The book is a comprehensive follow-up to the previous title Pulling Strings with Puppet. Puppet provides a way to automate everything from user management to server configuration. You'll learn how to create Puppet recipes, extend Puppet, and use Facter to gather configuration data from your servers. Puppet is a must-have tool for system administrators, and Pro Puppet will teach you how to maximize its capabilities and customize it for your environment. * Install and configure

N-terminal pro brain natriuretic peptide in arterial hypertension--a marker for left ventricular dimensions and prognosis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hildebrandt, Per; Boesen, Mikael; Olsen, Michael

2004-01-01

In arterial hypertension risk factor evaluation, including LV mass measurements, and risk stratification using risk charts or programs, is generally recommended. In heart failure NT-proBNP has been shown to be a marker of LV dimensions and of prognosis. If the same diagnostic and prognostic value...... is present in arterial hypertension, risk factor evaluation would be easier. In 36 patients with arterial hypertension, electrocardiographic LV hypertrophy and preserved left ventricular function, NT-proBNP was eight-fold higher than in healthy subjects. The log NT-proBNP correlated with LV mass index (R=0...... and preserved LV function demonstrated that NT-proBNP was a very strong prognostic marker, especially combined with a history of cardiovascular disease. Patients with high NT-proBNP and known cardiovascular disease had a seven-fold increase in CV events compared to patients with low NT-proBNP and no CV disease...

Burdock (Arctium lappa Leaf Extracts Increase the In Vitro Antimicrobial Efficacy of Common Antibiotics on Gram-positive and Gram-negative Bacteria

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pirvu Lucia

2017-04-01

Full Text Available This work aimed to study the potential effects of four Arctii folium extracts, 5 mg gallic [GAE] acid equivalents per 1 mL sample, on six antibiotics (Ampicillin/AM, Tetracycline/TE, Ciprofloxacin/CIP, Sulfamethoxazole-Trimethoprim/SXT, Chloramphenicol/C and Gentamicin/CN tested on four Gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 6538, Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923, Enterococcus faecalis ATCC 29212, and Staphylococcus epidermidis ATCC 12228 and five Gram-negative (Proteus mirabilis ATCC 29245, Escherichia coli ATCC 35218, E. coli ATCC 11229, E. coli ATCC 8739, and Bacillus cereus ATCC 11778 bacteria. Arctii folium extracts were the whole ethanol extract/W and subsequent ethyl acetate/EA, aqueous/AQ, and chloroform/CHL fractions. Chemical qualitative analysis (HPTLC method emphasized five main polyphenol compounds in Arctii folium polar extracts: chlorogenic acid (Rf≈0.52/0.55 and its isomer, 1,5-di-O-caffeoylquinic acid (Rf≈0.90/0.92, plus cynarin (Rf≈0.77, hyperoside (Rf≈0.68/0.64 and isoquercitrin (Rf≈0.69/0.71. Microbiological screening indicated Arctii folium polar extracts (AQ and W efficacy on S. epidermidis ATCC 12228; the MIC values were in the range of common antibiotics, being 32 and 128 μg GAE per mL sample respectively. The unpredictable effects (stimulatory or inhibitory of Arctii folium extracts in combination with typical antibiotics as well as a potential use of the whole ethanol extract/W for restoring the antimicrobial potency of susceptible antibiotics have also been evidenced.

Add-On Therapy with Ertapenem in Infections with Multidrug Resistant Gram-Negative Bacteria: Pediatric Experience

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sevgen Tanır Basaranoglu

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Optimal therapy for infections with carbapenem resistant GNB is not well established due to the weakness of data. Patients presenting with bloodstream infections caused by multidrug resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae were treated with a combination treatment. Optimal therapy for infections with carbapenem resistant Gram-negative bacteria is a serious problem in pediatric patients. We presented three cases who were successfully treated with addition of ertapenem to the combination treatment for bacteremia with multidrug resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae. Dual carbapenem treatment approach is a new approach for these infections and requires more data in children.

Gram-positive bacteria persisting in the food production environment

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Knøchel, Susanne; Harmsen, Morten; Knudsen, Bettina

2008-01-01

Many gram-positive bacteria are able to form aggregates or biofilms and resist external stress factors and some gram-positive pathogenic bacteria such as Listeria monocytogenes and Bacillus cereus may persist in the food production environment for extended periods. Most research has focussed...

Pulmonary infiltrates during community acquired Gram-negative bacteremia

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Fjeldsøe-Nielsen, Hans; Gjeraa, Kirsten; Berthelsen, Birgitte G

2013-01-01

The primary aim of this study was to describe the frequency of pulmonary infiltrates on chest X-ray (CXR) during community acquired Gram-negative bacteremia at a single centre in Denmark.......The primary aim of this study was to describe the frequency of pulmonary infiltrates on chest X-ray (CXR) during community acquired Gram-negative bacteremia at a single centre in Denmark....

Technical Training: Programmation Unity-Pro pour utilisateurs de Schneider PL7-Pro et Concept

CERN Multimedia

Monique Duval

2005-01-01

Un nouveau cours pratique sur les environnements Premium et Quantum de Schneider est proposé aux automaticiens concepteurs ou installateurs, et aux techniciens de bureau d'études, pour découvrir l'outil de programmation Unity. La prochaine session aura lieu du 24 au 28 janvier 2005. Le cours est ouvert aux personnes capables de développer sous PL7-Pro ou Concept. Objectifs : Maîtriser les différences fonctionnelles d'Unity-Pro par rapport à PL7 et Concept ; programmer en Unity-Pro sur Base Premium et Quantum. Programme : Environnement Quantum et Coupleur Profibus (1 journée) : configuration d'un automate sous Unity Pro et d'un coupleur Profibus DP. Conversion à Unity sur base Quantum et Premium (3,5 jours) : l'offre globale Unity, evolution par rapport à PL7 et Concept ; conversion d'application depuis PL7 Pro ; outils de mise au point ; manipulation des variables structurées ; utilisation des fonctions ; gestion des DF...

Gram-positive rods prevailing in teeth with apical periodontitis undergoing root canal treatment.

Science.gov (United States)

Chávez de Paz, L E; Molander, A; Dahlén, G

2004-09-01

To identify Gram-positive rods from root canals of teeth with apical periodontitis and to examine their associations with other species. Consecutive root canal samples (RCSs) from 139 teeth undergoing root canal treatment were analyzed prospectively for cultivable microbes. Gram-positive rods in the first RCS submitted after chemo-mechanical preparation were categorised to genus level by selective media and gas-liquid chromatography (GLC), and identified to species level by sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). Associations between organisms were measured by odds ratios (OR). In the first samples submitted a total of 158 Gram-positive rods, 115 Gram-positive cocci, 26 Gram-negative rods and 9 Gram-negative cocci, were identified. At genus levels Gram-positive rods were classified into: Lactobacillus spp. (38%), Olsenella spp. (18%), Propionibacterium spp. (13%), Actinomyces spp. (12%), Bifidobacterium spp. (13%) and Eubacterium spp. (6%). The most frequent species were Olsenella uli, Lactobacillus paracasei and Propionibacterium propionicum. In subsequent samples taken during treatment, Gram-positive rods were also identified, although the number of strains was considerably reduced. Positive associations were observed between members of the genus lactobacilli and Gram-positive cocci (OR>2). Olsenella uli and Lactobacillus spp. predominated over other Gram-positive rods. A possible association exists between Lactobacillus spp. and Gram-positive cocci in root canals of teeth with apical periodontitis receiving treatment.

Is the gram stain useful in the microbiologic diagnosis of VAP? A meta-analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

O'Horo, John C; Thompson, Deb; Safdar, Nasia

2012-08-01

In a meta-analysis examining respiratory specimen Gram stain for diagnosis of ventilator-associated pneumonia, absence of bacteria on Gram stain had a high negative predictive value, but a positive Gram stain correlated poorly with organisms recovered in culture. Rapid and accurate diagnosis of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) is a major challenge and no generally accepted gold standard exists for VAP diagnosis. We conducted a meta-analysis to examine the role of respiratory specimen Gram stain to diagnose VAP, and the correlation with final culture results. In 21 studies, pooled sensitivity of Gram stain for VAP was 0.79 (95% confidence interval [CI], .77-0.81; P Gram stain for a VAP prevalence of 20%-30% was 91%, suggesting that VAP is unlikely with a negative Gram stain but the positive predictive value of Gram stain was only 40%. Pooled kappa was 0.42 for gram-positive organisms and 0.34 for gram-negative organisms, suggesting fair concordance between organisms on Gram stain and recovery by culture. Therefore, a positive Gram stain should not be used to narrow anti-infective therapy until culture results become available.

ClubSub-P: Cluster-Based Subcellular Localization Prediction for Gram-Negative Bacteria and Archaea

Science.gov (United States)

Paramasivam, Nagarajan; Linke, Dirk

2011-01-01

The subcellular localization (SCL) of proteins provides important clues to their function in a cell. In our efforts to predict useful vaccine targets against Gram-negative bacteria, we noticed that misannotated start codons frequently lead to wrongly assigned SCLs. This and other problems in SCL prediction, such as the relatively high false-positive and false-negative rates of some tools, can be avoided by applying multiple prediction tools to groups of homologous proteins. Here we present ClubSub-P, an online database that combines existing SCL prediction tools into a consensus pipeline from more than 600 proteomes of fully sequenced microorganisms. On top of the consensus prediction at the level of single sequences, the tool uses clusters of homologous proteins from Gram-negative bacteria and from Archaea to eliminate false-positive and false-negative predictions. ClubSub-P can assign the SCL of proteins from Gram-negative bacteria and Archaea with high precision. The database is searchable, and can easily be expanded using either new bacterial genomes or new prediction tools as they become available. This will further improve the performance of the SCL prediction, as well as the detection of misannotated start codons and other annotation errors. ClubSub-P is available online at http://toolkit.tuebingen.mpg.de/clubsubp/ PMID:22073040

NT-proBNP in unstable coronary artery disease--experiences from the FAST, GUSTO IV and FRISC II trials.

Science.gov (United States)

Jernberg, Tomas; James, Stefan; Lindahl, Bertil; Stridsberg, Mats; Venge, Per; Wallentin, Lars

2004-03-15

Risk stratification is important in patients with unstable coronary artery disease (CAD), i.e. unstable angina or non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction. This article focuses on the emerging role of N-terminal pro brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) and the results from the FAST, GUSTO IV and FRISC II trials. In the FAST study, NT-proBNP was measured on admission in 755 patients admitted because of symptoms suggestive of unstable CAD. Follow up was performed after 40 months. The GUSTO IV and the FRISC II-trials included patients with unstable CAD and NT-proBNP was analyzed in 6806 and 2019 patients, with follow up after 1 and 2 years, respectively. In the FAST study, patients in the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th NT-proBNP quartile had a relative risk of subsequent death of 4.2 (1.6-11.1), 10.7 (4.2-26.8) and 26.6 (10.8-65.5), respectively. In the GUSTO IV trial, increasing quartiles of NT-proBNP were related to short and long term mortality which at 1 year was; 1.8%, 3.9%, 7.7% and 19.2% (P<0.001), respectively. In multivariable analyses including well-known predictors of outcome, NT-proBNP level was independently associated to mortality in all three studies. In the FRISC II trial, the NT-proBNP level, especially if combined with a marker of inflammation, identified those with the greatest benefit from an early invasive strategy. NT-proBNP is strongly associated with mortality in patients with suspected or confirmed unstable CAD and, combined with a marker of inflammation, seems helpful in identifying those with greatest benefit from an early invasive strategy.

Amplifiable DNA from Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria by a low strength pulsed electric field method

Science.gov (United States)

Vitzthum, Frank; Geiger, Georg; Bisswanger, Hans; Elkine, Bentsian; Brunner, Herwig; Bernhagen, Jürgen

2000-01-01

An efficient electric field-based procedure for cell disruption and DNA isolation is described. Isoosmotic suspensions of Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria were treated with pulsed electric fields of Pulses had an exponential decay waveform with a time constant of 3.4 µs. DNA yield was linearly dependent on time or pulse number, with several thousand pulses needed. Electrochemical side-effects and electrophoresis were minimal. The lysates contained non-fragmented DNA which was readily amplifiable by PCR. As the method was not limited to samples of high specific resistance, it should be applicable to physiological fluids and be useful for genomic and DNA diagnostic applications. PMID:10734214

Potential strategies for the eradication of multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacterial infections.

Science.gov (United States)

Huwaitat, Rawan; McCloskey, Alice P; Gilmore, Brendan F; Laverty, Garry

2016-07-01

Antimicrobial resistance is one of the leading threats to society. The increasing burden of multidrug-resistant Gram-negative infection is particularly concerning as such bacteria are demonstrating resistance to nearly all currently licensed therapies. Various strategies have been hypothesized to treat multidrug-resistant Gram-negative infections including: targeting the Gram-negative outer membrane; neutralization of lipopolysaccharide; inhibition of bacterial efflux pumps and prevention of protein folding. Silver and silver nanoparticles, fusogenic liposomes and nanotubes are potential strategies for extending the activity of licensed, Gram-positive selective, antibiotics to Gram-negatives. This may serve as a strategy to fill the current void in pharmaceutical development in the short term. This review outlines the most promising strategies that could be implemented to solve the threat of multidrug-resistant Gram-negative infections.

Pro Puppet

CERN Document Server

Krum, Spencer; Kero, Ben; Turnbull, James; McCune, Jeffrey

2013-01-01

Pro Puppet, Second Edition, now updated for Puppet 3, is an in-depth guide to installing, using, and developing the popular configuration management tool Puppet. Puppet provides a way to automate everything from user management to server configuration. You'll learn how Puppet has changed in the latest version, how to use it on a variety of platforms, including Windows, how to work with Puppet modules, and how to use Hiera. Puppet is a must-have tool for system administrators, and Pro Puppet will teach you how to maximize its capabilities and customize it for your environment.

Multiparametric Profiling for Identification of Chemosensitizers against Gram-Negative Bacteria

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vincent Lôme

2018-02-01

Full Text Available Antibiotic resistance is now a worldwide therapeutic problem. Since the beginning of anti-infectious treatment bacteria have rapidly shown an incredible ability to develop and transfer resistance mechanisms. In the last decades, the design variation of pioneer bioactive molecules has strongly improved their activity and the pharmaceutical companies partly won the race against the clock. Since the 1980s, the new classes of antibiotics that emerged were mainly directed to Gram-positive bacteria. Thus, we are now facing to multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacteria, with no therapeutic options to deal with them. These bacteria are mainly resistant because of their double membrane that conjointly impairs antibiotic accumulation and extrudes these molecules when entered. The main challenge is to allow antibiotics to cross the impermeable envelope and reach their targets. One promising solution would be to associate, in a combination therapy, a usual antibiotic with a non-antibiotic chemosensitizer. Nevertheless, for effective drug discovery, there is a prominent lack of tools required to understand the rules of permeation and accumulation into Gram-negative bacteria. By the use of a multidrug-resistant enterobacteria, we introduce a high-content screening procedure for chemosensitizers discovery by quantitative assessment of drug accumulation, alteration of barriers, and deduction of their activity profile. We assembled and analyzed a control chemicals library to perform the proof of concept. The analysis was based on real-time monitoring of the efflux alteration and measure of the influx increase in the presence of studied compounds in an automatized bio-assay. Then, synergistic activity of compounds with an antibiotic was studied and kinetic data reduction was performed which led to the calculation of a score for each barrier to be altered.

Comparative activity of tigecycline and tetracycline on Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria revealed by a multicentre study in four North European countries

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nilsson, Lennart E; Frimodt-Møller, Niels; Vaara, Martti

2011-01-01

This study involves a multicentre surveillance of tigecycline and tetracycline activity against Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria from primary care centres (PCCs), general hospital wards (GHWs) and intensive care units (ICUs) in Denmark (n = 9), Finland (n = 10), Norway (n = 7) and Sweden (n...

Procalcitonin, MR-Proadrenomedullin, and Cytokines Measurement in Sepsis Diagnosis: Advantages from Test Combination

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Silvia Angeletti

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Background. Elevated cytokines levels correlate with sepsis severity and mortality but their role in the diagnosis is controversial, whereas Procalcitonin (PCT has been largely used. Recently, the mid-regional proadrenomedullin (MR-proADM has been combined with PCT for diagnosis optimization. In this study the combined measurement of PCT, MR-proADM, and cytokines in patients with sepsis was evaluated. Methods. One hundred and four septic patients and 101 controls were enrolled. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC analysis and multiple logistic regression were used to evaluate applicant markers for sepsis diagnosis. Markers with best Odds Ratio (OR were combined, and the posttest probability and a composite score were computed. Results. Based upon ROC curves analysis, PCT, MR-proADM, IL-6, IL-10, TNF-α, and MCP-1 were considered applicant for sepsis diagnosis. Among these PCT, MR-proADM , IL-6, and TNF-α showed the best OR. A better posttest probability was found with the combination of PCT with MR-proADM and PCT with IL-6 or TNF-α compared to the single marker. A composite score of PCT, MR-proADM, and TNF-α showed the best ROC curve in the early diagnosis of sepsis. Conclusion. The combination of PCT with other markers should expedite diagnosis and treatment of sepsis optimizing clinical management.

Energy consumption of ProTaper Next X1 after glide path with PathFiles and ProGlider.

Science.gov (United States)

Berutti, Elio; Alovisi, Mario; Pastorelli, Michele Angelo; Chiandussi, Giorgio; Scotti, Nicola; Pasqualini, Damiano

2014-12-01

Instrument failure caused by excessive torsional stress can be controlled by creating a manual or mechanical glide path. The ProGlider single-file system (Dentsply Maillefer, Ballaigues, Switzerland) was recently introduced to perform a mechanical glide path. This study was designed to compare the effect of a glide path performed with PathFiles (Dentsply Maillefer) and ProGlider on torque, time, and pecking motion required for ProTaper Next X1 (Dentsply Maillefer) to reach the full working length in simulated root canals. Forty Endo Training Blocks (Dentsply Maillefer) were used. Twenty were prepared with a mechanical glide path using PathFiles 1 and 2 (the PathFile group), and 20 were prepared with a mechanical glide path using a ProGlider single file (the ProGlider group). All samples were shaped with ProTaper Next X1 driven by an endodontic motor connected to a digital wattmeter. The required torque for root canal instrumentation was analyzed by evaluating the electrical power consumption of the endodontic engine. Electric power consumption (mW/h), elapsed time (seconds), and number of pecking motions required to reach the full working length with ProTaper Next X1 were calculated. Differences among groups were analyzed with the parametric Student t test for independent data (P < .05). Elapsed time and electric power consumption were significantly different between groups (P = .0001 for both). ProGlider appears to perform more efficiently than PathFiles in decreasing electric power consumption of ProTaper Next X1 to reach the full working length. This study confirmed the ability of ProGlider to reduce stress in ProTaper Next X1 during shaping through a glide path and preliminary middle and coronal preflaring. Copyright © 2014 American Association of Endodontists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Sistema de tareas para la enseñanza combinada de la gramática comunicativa y la gramática tradicional de lengua inglesa

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nancy del Carmen Jiménez Figueredo

2015-03-01

Full Text Available Se realizó el diseño de un sistema de tareas para la enseñanza combinada de la gramática comunicativa y la gramática tradicional de lengua inglesa, con metodología cuali-cuantitativa, en la Facultad de Ciencias Médicas “Zoilo Marinello Vidaurreta” de la Universidad de Ciencias Médicas de Las Tunas, durante el período comprendido entre septiembre de 2011 y julio de 2014. El objetivo estuvo direccionado a perfeccionar la corrección lingüística en el proceso de enseñanza-aprendizaje del idioma Inglés. La realización del diseño contó con: una revisión bibliográfica de los principales enfoques utilizados en la enseñanza-aprendizaje del Inglés; la revisión documental, que permitió determinar las insuficiencias lingüísticas y la necesidad de combinar la gramática comunicativa con la gramática tradicional, en los estudiantes del cuarto año de la carrera de Estomatología; el intercambio con profesionales con más de quince años de experiencia, para obtener información acerca del proceso de enseñanza-aprendizaje de la gramática; y la aplicación de una valoración equivalente al juicio de expertos, método de agregados individuales, para valorar la propuesta. Los principales resultados fueron: la caracterización de las insuficiencias provocadas por la absolutización del enfoque comunicativo en la enseñanza de la gramática de la lengua inglesa y el diseño de un sistema de tareas para el proceso de enseñanza-aprendizaje de la gramática inglesa en estos estudiantes

Towards ProAlcool II - a review of the Brazilian bioethanol programme

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rosillo-Calle, F.; Cortez, L.A.B.

1998-01-01

Since the creation of the National Alcohol Programme (NAP) in 1975, commonly known as ''ProAlcool'', it has gone through a number of fluctuations reflecting Brazilian political, economic and energy priorities. In 1996-1997 over 175 Mt of sugarcane (65% of 270 Mt harvested) was converted to ethanol fuel. The ProAlcool started as a highly innovative programme, but in recent years has lost part of its technological zeal and in certain areas is becoming stagnant. This is due to a combination of reasons, e.g. unclear energy policy, high sugar prices in the international market and lower investment in ethanol production as a result of low international oil prices. A new impetus is needed to reflect changing economic and energy policy in Brazil. This paper reviews the implications for ProAlcool of the new economic policies and the possibilities for restructuring the programme to guarantee its survival as a pioneering and sustainable renewable energy source. (author)

Antiadhesion agents against Gram-positive pathogens.

Science.gov (United States)

Cascioferro, Stella; Cusimano, Maria Grazia; Schillaci, Domenico

2014-01-01

A fundamental step of Gram-positive pathogenesis is the bacterial adhesion to the host tissue involving interaction between bacterial surface molecules and host ligands. This review is focused on antivirulence compounds that target Gram-positive adhesins and on their potential development as therapeutic agents alternative or complementary to conventional antibiotics in the contrast of pathogens. In particular, compounds that target the sortase A, wall theicoic acid inhibitors, carbohydrates able to bind bacterial proteins and proteins capable of influencing the bacterial adhesion, were described. We further discuss the advantages and disadvantages of this strategy in the development of novel antimicrobials and the future perspective of this research field still at its first steps.

Value of amino-terminal pro B-natriuretic peptide in diagnosing Kawasaki disease.

Science.gov (United States)

McNeal-Davidson, Ariane; Fournier, Anne; Spigelblatt, Linda; Saint-Cyr, Claire; Mir, Thomas S; Nir, Amiram; Dallaire, Frédéric; Cousineau, Jocelyne; Delvin, Edgard; Dahdah, Nagib

2012-10-01

The aim of the present study was to investigate the diagnostic value of the N-terminal B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) in acute Kawasaki disease (KD) given that the clinical criteria and the current basic laboratory tests lack the necessary specificity for accurate diagnosis. Basic biological tests and serum NT-proBNP levels obtained from acute KD patients were compared to that of febrile controls. NT-proBNP was considered abnormal based on the following definitions: above a cut-off determined on receiver operator characteristic (ROC) analysis, above the upper limit for age, or above 2 SD calculated from healthy children. Analyses were also performed for KD cases with complete or incomplete criteria combined and separately. There were 81 patients and 49 controls aged 3.60 ± 2.77 versus 4.25 ± 3.88 years (P= 0.69). ROC analysis yielded significant area under the curve for NT-proBNP. The sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values were 70.4-88.9%, 69.4-91.8%, 82.8-93.4%, and 65.2-79.1%. The odds ratios based on NT-proBNP definitions varied between 18.13 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 7.21-45.57), 20.82 (95%CI: 8.18-53.0), and 26.71 (95%CI: 8.64-82.57; P < 0.001). Results were reproducible for cases with complete or incomplete criteria separately. NT-proBNP is a reliable marker for the diagnosis of KD. Prospective clinical studies with emphasis on NT-proBNP in a diagnostic algorithm are needed. © 2012 The Authors. Pediatrics International © 2012 Japan Pediatric Society.

Pro-Elderly Welfare States within Child-Oriented Societies

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gal, Robert Ivan; Vanhuysse, Pieter; Vargha, Lili

societies, we employ National Transfer Accounts to include public and private transfers and National Time Transfer Accounts to value unpaid household labour. All three channels combined, children receive more per capita resources (73 percent of prime-age labour income) than older persons (31 percent......). Europe is a continent of pro-elderly welfare states and strongly child-oriented parents. Since children are public goods, why has investment in them not been socialized more?...

Prognostic value of plasma midregional pro-adrenomedullin and C-terminal-pro-endothelin-1 in chronic heart failure outpatients.

Science.gov (United States)

Adlbrecht, Christopher; Hülsmann, Martin; Strunk, Guido; Berger, Rudolf; Mörtl, Deddo; Struck, Joachim; Morgenthaler, Nils G; Bergmann, Andreas; Jakowitsch, Johannes; Maurer, Gerald; Lang, Irene M; Pacher, Richard

2009-04-01

The identification of chronic heart failure (CHF) patients at high risk of adverse outcome remains a challenge. New peptides are emerging that may give additional information. In CHF patients, endothelin (ET) levels predict mortality risk. Adrenomedullin has been shown to predict mortality in ischaemic heart failure, but not in unselected or non-ischaemic CHF patients. Moreover, ADM and ET have never been assessed in one model. The aim of the present study was to assess the prognostic value of midregional-pro-adrenomedullin (MR-proADM) and C-terminal-pro-endothelin-1 (CT-proET-1) in outpatients with CHF. We measured plasma MR-proADM and CT-proET-1 levels in 786 consecutive CHF outpatients and compared them with B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) levels. At 24-month follow-up, 233 patients had died. A stepwise forward Cox regression model with age, sex, estimated glomerular filtration rate, NYHA > II, left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), MR-proADM, CT-proET-1, and BNP as possible predictors revealed that MR-proADM levels [hazard ratio (HR) = 1.77, P II (HR = 1.86, P < 0.001) were predictors of death at 24 months. When the analysis was repeated dependent on NYHA-stage, MR-proADM (HR = 2.12, P < 0.001) and LVEF (HR = 0.96, P = 0.006) were significant markers, but only in patients with mild/moderate CHF. Our data suggest that MR-proADM may be an important prognostic humoral marker, especially in mild/moderately symptomatic and non-ischaemic CHF patients.

Cytokine profile in severe gram-positive and gram-negative abdominal sepsis

Science.gov (United States)

Surbatovic, Maja; Popovic, Nada; Vojvodic, Danilo; Milosevic, Ivan; Acimovic, Gordana; Stojicic, Milan; Veljovic, Milic; Jevdjic, Jasna; Djordjevic, Dragan; Radakovic, Sonja

2015-01-01

Sepsis is a principal cause of death in critical care units worldwide and consumes considerable healthcare resources. The aim of our study was to determine whether the early cytokine profile can discriminate between Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteraemia (GPB and GNB, respectively) and to assess the prognostic value regarding outcome in critically ill patients with severe abdominal sepsis. The outcome measure was hospital mortality. Blood samples were obtained from 165 adult patients with confirmed severe abdominal sepsis. Levels of the proinflammatory mediators TNF-α, IL-8, IL-12 and IFN-γ and the anti-inflammatory mediators IL-1ra, IL-4, IL-10 and TGF-β1 were determined and correlated with the nature of the bacteria isolated from the blood culture and outcome. The cytokine profile in our study indicated that the TNF-α levels were 2-fold, IL-8 were 3.3-fold, IFN-γ were 13-fold, IL-1ra were 1.05-fold, IL-4 were 1.4-fold and IL-10 were 1.83-fold higher in the GNB group compared with the GPB group. The TNF-α levels were 4.7-fold, IL-8 were 4.6-fold, IL-1ra were 1.5-fold and IL-10 were 3.3-fold higher in the non-survivors compared with the survivors. PMID:26079127

Will new antimicrobials overcome resistance among Gram-negatives?

Science.gov (United States)

Bassetti, Matteo; Ginocchio, Francesca; Mikulska, Małgorzata; Taramasso, Lucia; Giacobbe, Daniele Roberto

2011-10-01

The spread of resistance among Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria represents a growing challenge for the development of new antimicrobials. The pace of antibiotic drug development has slowed during the last decade and, especially for Gram-negatives, clinicians are facing a dramatic shortage in the availability of therapeutic options to face the emergency of the resistance problem throughout the world. In this alarming scenario, although there is a shortage of compounds reaching the market in the near future, antibiotic discovery remains one of the keys to successfully stem and maybe overcome the tide of resistance. Analogs of already known compounds and new agents belonging to completely new classes of antimicrobials are in early stages of development. Novel and promising anti-Gram-negative antimicrobials belong both to old (cephalosporins, carbapenems, β-lactamase inhibitors, monobactams, aminoglycosides, polymyxin analogues and tetracycline) and completely new antibacterial classes (boron-containing antibacterial protein synthesis inhibitors, bis-indoles, outer membrane synthesis inhibitors, antibiotics targeting novel sites of the 50S ribosomal subunit and antimicrobial peptides). However, all of these compounds are still far from being introduced into clinical practice. Therefore, infection control policies and optimization in the use of already existing molecules are still the most effective approaches to reduce the spread of resistance and preserve the activity of antimicrobials.

Pro Python

CERN Document Server

Alchin, Marty

2010-01-01

You've learned the basics of Python, but how do you take your skills to the next stage? Even if you know enough to be productive, there are a number of features that can take you to the next level in Python. Pro Python explores concepts and features normally left to experimentation, allowing you to be even more productive and creative. In addition to pure code concerns, Pro Python will develop your programming techniques and approaches, which will help make you a better Python programmer. Not only will this book help your code, it will also help you understand and interact with the many establ

Outcomes of single organism peritonitis in peritoneal dialysis: gram negatives versus gram positives in the Network 9 Peritonitis Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Bunke, C M; Brier, M E; Golper, T A

1997-08-01

The use of the "peritonitis rate" in the management of patients undergoing peritoneal dialysis is assuming importance in comparing the prowess of facilities, care givers and new innovations. For this to be a meaningful outcome measure, the type of infection (causative pathogen) must have less clinical significance than the number of infections during a time interval. The natural history of Staphylococcus aureus, pseudomonas, and fungal peritonitis would not support that the outcome of an episode of peritonitis is independent of the causative pathogen. Could this concern be extended to other more frequently occurring pathogens? To address this, the Network 9 Peritonitis Study identified 530 episodes of single organism peritonitis caused by a gram positive organism and 136 episodes caused by a single non-pseudomonal gram negative (NPGN) pathogen. Coincidental soft tissue infections (exit site or tunnel) occurred equally in both groups. Outcomes of peritonitis were analyzed by organism classification and by presence or absence of a soft tissue infection. NPGN peritonitis was associated with significantly more frequent catheter loss, hospitalization, and technique failure and was less likely to resolve regardless of the presence or absence of a soft tissue infection. Hospitalization and death tended to occur more frequently with enterococcal peritonitis than with other gram positive peritonitis. The outcomes in the NPGN peritonitis group were significantly worse (resolution, catheter loss, hospitalization, technique failure) compared to coagulase negative staphylococcal or S. aureus peritonitis, regardless of the presence or absence of a coincidental soft tissue infection. Furthermore, for the first time, the poor outcomes of gram negative peritonitis are shown to be independent of pseudomonas or polymicrobial involvement or soft tissue infections. The gram negative organism appears to be the important factor. In addition, the outcome of peritonitis caused by S. aureus

CSSI-PRO: a method for secondary structure type editing, assignment and estimation in proteins using linear combination of backbone chemical shifts

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Swain, Monalisa; Atreya, Hanudatta S.

2009-01-01

Estimation of secondary structure in polypeptides is important for studying their structure, folding and dynamics. In NMR spectroscopy, such information is generally obtained after sequence specific resonance assignments are completed. We present here a new methodology for assignment of secondary structure type to spin systems in proteins directly from NMR spectra, without prior knowledge of resonance assignments. The methodology, named Combination of Shifts for Secondary Structure Identification in Proteins (CSSI-PRO), involves detection of specific linear combination of backbone 1 H α and 13 C' chemical shifts in a two-dimensional (2D) NMR experiment based on G-matrix Fourier transform (GFT) NMR spectroscopy. Such linear combinations of shifts facilitate editing of residues belonging to α-helical/β-strand regions into distinct spectral regions nearly independent of the amino acid type, thereby allowing the estimation of overall secondary structure content of the protein. Comparison of the predicted secondary structure content with those estimated based on their respective 3D structures and/or the method of Chemical Shift Index for 237 proteins gives a correlation of more than 90% and an overall rmsd of 7.0%, which is comparable to other biophysical techniques used for structural characterization of proteins. Taken together, this methodology has a wide range of applications in NMR spectroscopy such as rapid protein structure determination, monitoring conformational changes in protein-folding/ligand-binding studies and automated resonance assignment

COLLIDE Pro Helvetia Award

CERN Multimedia

2016-01-01

The COLLIDE Pro Helvetia Award is run in partnership with Pro Helvetia, giving the opportunity to Swiss artists to do research at CERN for three months.   From left to right: Laura Perrenoud, Marc Dubois and Simon de Diesbach. The photo shows their VR Project, +2199. Fragment.In are the winning artists of COLLIDE Pro Helvetia. They came to CERN for two months in 2015, and will now continue their last month in the laboratory. Fragment.In is a Swiss based interaction design studio. They create innovative projects, interactive installations, video and game design. Read more about COLLIDE here.

Pro Kapital sihib ida suunas / Raigo Neudorf

Index Scriptorium Estoniae

Neudorf, Raigo

2007-01-01

Peamiselt itaallastele kuuluv kinnisvaraarendaja Pro Kapital Group suunab edaspidi oma põhitegevuse Venemaale ja Ukrainasse, kuid jätkab kinnisvaraprojektide arendamisega Eestis ja Lätis. Vt. samas: Preatoni juhib Domina tegevust; Pro Kapital laiendab Kristiine keskust; Arco Vara juht kiidab Pro Kapitali ning nende projekte; Kümme aastat Pro Kapitali juhina

MacBook Pro Portable Genius

CERN Document Server

Miser, Brad

2011-01-01

Tips and techniques for forward-thinking MacBook Pro users Now that you have a MacBook Pro, you need just one more accessory, your very own copy of MacBook Pro Portable Genius, Third Edition. This handy, compact book lets you in on a wealth of tips and tricks, so you get the very most out of Apple's very popular notebook. Discover the latest on the most recent release of iLife, get the skinny on the new Intel Core i7 and i5 processors in the Pro, see how to go wireless in a smart way, and much more. The book is easy to navigate, doesn't skimp on the essentials, and helps you save time and avoi

Is there an additional benefit of serial NT-proBNP measurements in patients with stable chronic heart failure receiving individually optimized therapy?

Science.gov (United States)

Franke, Jennifer; Frankenstein, Lutz; Schellberg, Dieter; Bajrovic, Amer; Wolter, Jan Sebastian; Ehlermann, Philipp; Doesch, Andreas O; Nelles, Manfred; Katus, Hugo A; Zugck, Christian

2011-12-01

The role of serial NT-proBNP measurements in patients suffering from chronic systolic heart failure (CHF) who already receive individually optimized pharmacotherapy is still unresolved. NT-proBNP was assessed at baseline and at 6 months follow-up in 504 stable CHF patients treated with individually optimized pharmacotherapy. After assessment of clinical stability at 6 months, patients were followed up for at least 1 year. The combined primary endpoint was defined as death, hospitalization due to cardiac reasons or heart transplantation in 1-year follow-up. We stratified our patients according to two principles: first, a percent change of value (CV) between the first and second measurement of NT-proBNP and secondly, the transformed logarithm of NT-proBNP measured at 6 months. During the follow-up period of 1 year, 50 patients (9.9%) reached the combined primary endpoint. Stratification according to percentage CV was less accurate in predicting endpoint-free survival compared to a classification in categories of lnNT-proBNP measured at 6 months (ROC AUC = 0.615; 95% CI 0.525-0.70 vs. ROC AUC = 0.790; 95% CI 0.721-0.856, respectively). When entered into proportional hazard regression analysis, lnNT-proBNP measured at 6 months remained an independent predictor of the combined primary endpoint with an associated HR of 2.53 (95% CI 1.385-4.280). To date, this is the largest analysis of serial NT-proBNP measurements in patients with CHF receiving individually optimized medical therapy. These data suggest that a single NT-proBNP measurement after 6 months in stable clinical conditions may have higher predictive value than stratification of change in serial measurements.

ClubSub-P: Cluster-based subcellular localization prediction for Gram-negative bacteria and Archaea.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nagarajan eParamasivam

2011-11-01

Full Text Available The subcellular localization of proteins provides important clues to their function in a cell. In our efforts to predict useful vaccine targets against Gram-negative bacteria, we noticed that misannotated start codons frequently lead to wrongly assigned subcellular localizations. This and other problems in subcellular localization prediction, such as the relatively high false positive and false negative rates of some tools, can be avoided by applying multiple prediction tools to groups of homologous proteins. Here we present ClubSub-P, an online database that combines existing subcellular localization prediction tools into a consensus pipeline from more than 600 proteomes of fully sequenced microorganisms. On top of the consensus prediction at the level of single sequences, the tool uses clusters of homologous proteins from Gram-negative bacteria and from Archaea to eliminate false positive and false negative predictions. ClubSub-P can assign the subcellular localization of proteins from Gram-negative bacteria and Archaea with high precision. The database is searchable, and can easily be expanded using either new bacterial genomes or new prediction tools as they become available. This will further improve the performance of the subcellular localization prediction, as well as the detection of misannotated start codons and other annotation errors. ClubSub-P is available online at http://toolkit.tuebingen.mpg.de/clubsubp/

PRO/Mapper: a plotting program for the DEC PRO/300 personal computers utilizing the MAPPER graphics language

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wachter, J.W.

1986-05-01

PRO/Mapper is an application for the Digital Equipment Corporation PRO/300 series of personal computers that facilitates the preparation of visuals such as graphs, charts, and maps in color or black and white. The user prepares an input data file containing English-language commands and writes it into a file using standard editor. PRO/Mapper then reads these files and draws graphs, maps, boxes, and complex line segments onto the computer screen. Axes, curves, and error bars may be plotted in graphical presentations. The commands of PRO/Mapper are a subset of the commands of the more sophisticated MAPPER program written for mainframe computers. The PRO/Mapper commands were chosen primarily for the production of linear graphs. Command files written for the PRO/300 are upward compatible with the Martin Marietta Energy Systems version of MAPPER and can be used to produce publication-quality slides, drawings, and maps on the various output devices of the Oak Ridge National Laboratory mainframe computers

ProCom middleware

OpenAIRE

Kunčar, Jiří

2013-01-01

The goal of this thesis is to develop and implement parts of a middleware that provides necessary support for the execution of ProCom components on top of the real-time operating system FreeRTOS. The ProCom is a component model for embedded systems developed at Mälardalen University. The primary problem is finding an appropriate balance between the level of abstraction and thoughtful utilization of system resources in embedded devices. The defined target platform has limitations in comparison...

ProCom middleware

OpenAIRE

Kuncar, Jiri

2011-01-01

The goal of this thesis is to develop and implement parts of a middleware that provides necessary support for the execution of ProCom components on top of the real-time operating system FreeRTOS. ProCom is a component model for embedded systems developed at Mälardalen University. The primary problem is finding an appropriate balance between the level of abstraction and thoughtful utilization of system resources in embedded devices. The defined target platform has limitations in comparison to ...

Subcellular localization for Gram positive and Gram negative bacterial proteins using linear interpolation smoothing model.

Science.gov (United States)

Saini, Harsh; Raicar, Gaurav; Dehzangi, Abdollah; Lal, Sunil; Sharma, Alok

2015-12-07

Protein subcellular localization is an important topic in proteomics since it is related to a protein׳s overall function, helps in the understanding of metabolic pathways, and in drug design and discovery. In this paper, a basic approximation technique from natural language processing called the linear interpolation smoothing model is applied for predicting protein subcellular localizations. The proposed approach extracts features from syntactical information in protein sequences to build probabilistic profiles using dependency models, which are used in linear interpolation to determine how likely is a sequence to belong to a particular subcellular location. This technique builds a statistical model based on maximum likelihood. It is able to deal effectively with high dimensionality that hinders other traditional classifiers such as Support Vector Machines or k-Nearest Neighbours without sacrificing performance. This approach has been evaluated by predicting subcellular localizations of Gram positive and Gram negative bacterial proteins. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Nivalenol induces oxidative stress and increases deoxynivalenol pro-oxidant effect in intestinal epithelial cells

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Del Regno, Marisanta; Adesso, Simona; Popolo, Ada [Department of Pharmacy, School of Pharmacy, University of Salerno, Via Giovanni Paolo II, 132–84084 Fisciano, Salerno (Italy); Quaroni, Andrea [Department of Biomedical Sciences, Cornell University, Veterinary Research Tower, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853–6401 (United States); Autore, Giuseppina [Department of Pharmacy, School of Pharmacy, University of Salerno, Via Giovanni Paolo II, 132–84084 Fisciano, Salerno (Italy); Severino, Lorella [Department of Pathology and Animal Health, Division of Toxicology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Naples “Federico II”, Via Delpino 1, 80137 Naples (Italy); Marzocco, Stefania, E-mail: smarzocco@unisa.it [Department of Pharmacy, School of Pharmacy, University of Salerno, Via Giovanni Paolo II, 132–84084 Fisciano, Salerno (Italy)

2015-06-01

Mycotoxins are secondary fungal metabolites often found as contaminants in almost all agricultural commodities worldwide, and the consumption of food or feed contaminated by mycotoxins represents a major risk for human and animal health. Reactive oxygen species are normal products of cellular metabolism. However, disproportionate generation of reactive oxygen species poses a serious problem to bodily homeostasis and causes oxidative tissue damage. In this study we analyzed the effect of two trichothecenes mycotoxins: nivalenol and deoxynivalenol, alone and in combination, on oxidative stress in the non-tumorigenic intestinal epithelial cell line IEC-6. Our results indicate the pro-oxidant nivalenol effect in IEC-6, the stronger pro-oxidant effect of nivalenol when compared to deoxynivalenol and, interestingly, that nivalenol increases deoxynivalenol pro-oxidative effects. Mechanistic studies indicate that the observed effects were mediated by NADPH oxidase, calcium homeostasis alteration, NF-kB and Nrf2 pathways activation and by iNOS and nitrotyrosine formation. The toxicological interaction by nivalenol and deoxynivalenol reported in this study in IEC-6, points out the importance of the toxic effect of these mycotoxins, mostly in combination, further highlighting the risk assessment process of these toxins that are of growing concern. - Highlights: • Nivalenol induces oxidative stress in intestinal epithelial cells (IECs). • Nivalenol increases deoxynivalenol pro-oxidant effects in IECs. • Nivalenol and deoxynivalenol trigger antioxidant response IECs. • These results indicate the importance of mycotoxins co-contamination.

Validation of the LupusPRO version 1.8: an update to a disease-specific patient-reported outcome tool for systemic lupus erythematosus.

Science.gov (United States)

Azizoddin, D R; Weinberg, S; Gandhi, N; Arora, S; Block, J A; Sequeira, W; Jolly, M

2018-04-01

Objectives LupusPRO has shown good measurement properties as a disease-specific patient-reported outcome tool in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). For the purpose of clinical trials, the version 1.7 (v1.7) domain of Pain-Vitality was separated into distinct Pain, Vitality and Sleep domains in v1.8, and the psychometric properties examined. Methods A total of 131 consecutive SLE patients were self-administered surveys assessing fatigue (FACIT, SF-36), pain (Pain Inventory, SF-36), insomnia (Insomnia Severity Index), emotional health (PHQ-9, SF-36) and quality of life (SF-36, LupusPRO) at routine care visits. Internal consistency reliability (ICR) for each domain was obtained using Cronbach's alpha. The convergent construct validity of LupusPRO domains with corresponding SF-36 domains or tools were tested using Spearman correlation. Varimax rotations were conducted to assess factor structures of the LupusPRO v1.8. Results Mean (SD) age was 40.04 (14.10) years. Scores from the LupusPRO-Sleep domain strongly correlated with insomnia scores, while LupusPRO-Vitality correlated strongly with fatigue (FACIT) and SF-36 vitality. The LupusPRO-Pain domain correlated strongly with pain (SF36 Bodily-Pain, Pain Inventory) scores. Similarly, the LupusPRO domains of Physical and Emotional Health had significant correlations with corresponding SF-36 domains. The ICR for HRQoL and non-HRQoL were 0.96 and 0.81. LupusPRO (domains HRQoL and QoL) scores correlated with disease activity. Principal component analysis included seven factor loadings presenting for the HRQOL subscales (combined Sleep, Vitality, and Pain), and three factors for the NHRQoL (Combined Coping and Social Support). Conclusions LupusPRO v1.8 (including its Sleep, Vitality, and Pain domains) has acceptable reliability and validity. Use of LupusPRO as an outcome measure in clinical trials would facilitate responsiveness assessment.

RNases and Helicases in Gram-Positive Bacteria.

Science.gov (United States)

Durand, Sylvain; Condon, Ciaran

2018-04-01

RNases are key enzymes involved in RNA maturation and degradation. Although they play a crucial role in all domains of life, bacteria, archaea, and eukaryotes have evolved with their own sets of RNases and proteins modulating their activities. In bacteria, these enzymes allow modulation of gene expression to adapt to rapidly changing environments. Today, >20 RNases have been identified in both Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis , the paradigms of the Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria, respectively. However, only a handful of these enzymes are common to these two organisms and some of them are essential to only one. Moreover, although sets of RNases can be very similar in closely related bacteria such as the Firmicutes Staphylococcus aureus and B. subtilis , the relative importance of individual enzymes in posttranscriptional regulation in these organisms varies. In this review, we detail the role of the main RNases involved in RNA maturation and degradation in Gram-positive bacteria, with an emphasis on the roles of RNase J1, RNase III, and RNase Y. We also discuss how other proteins such as helicases can modulate the RNA-degradation activities of these enzymes.

Selenoproteins in Archaea and Gram-positive bacteria.

Science.gov (United States)

Stock, Tilmann; Rother, Michael

2009-11-01

Selenium is an essential trace element for many organisms by serving important catalytic roles in the form of the 21st co-translationally inserted amino acid selenocysteine. It is mostly found in redox-active proteins in members of all three domains of life and analysis of the ever-increasing number of genome sequences has facilitated identification of the encoded selenoproteins. Available data from biochemical, sequence, and structure analyses indicate that Gram-positive bacteria synthesize and incorporate selenocysteine via the same pathway as enterobacteria. However, recent in vivo studies indicate that selenocysteine-decoding is much less stringent in Gram-positive bacteria than in Escherichia coli. For years, knowledge about the pathway of selenocysteine synthesis in Archaea and Eukarya was only fragmentary, but genetic and biochemical studies guided by analysis of genome sequences of Sec-encoding archaea has not only led to the characterization of the pathways but has also shown that they are principally identical. This review summarizes current knowledge about the metabolic pathways of Archaea and Gram-positive bacteria where selenium is involved, about the known selenoproteins, and about the respective pathways employed in selenoprotein synthesis.

EFFECT OF SILICATE ON GRAM STAINING AND VIABILITY OF PNEUMOCOCCI AND OTHER BACTERIA

Science.gov (United States)

MacLeod, Colin M.; Roe, Amy S.

1956-01-01

Application of silicate solutions to living or heat-killed pneumococci and to certain "viridans" streptococci causes their conversion from a Gram-positive to a Gram-negative state. The original staining properties can be restored by suspending the silicate-treated bacteria in alkaline solutions of various salts but not by simple washing in water. Living pneumococci and the strains of streptococci whose staining properties are similarly affected are killed when suspended in silicate solutions. In other Gram-positive species silicate causes conversion to Gram negativity but restoration to positivity occurs upon washing in water. In a third group of Gram-positive organisms silicate has no effect on the Gram reaction. The viability of organisms in these two groups is unaffected by silicate under the conditions employed. No effect on staining or viability of Gram-negative bacteria has been observed. The effects of silicate on staining and viability are inhibited by nutrient broth or whole serum but not by purified serum albumin. Lecithin, choline, and other substituted ammonium compounds also inhibit the effects of silicate on pneumococci. PMID:13306854

Use of magnetic beads for Gram staining of bacteria in aqueous suspension.

Science.gov (United States)

Yazdankhah, S P; Sørum, H; Larsen, H J; Gogstad, G

2001-12-01

A Gram staining technique was developed using monodisperse magnetic beads in concentrating bacteria in suspension for downstream application. The technique does not require heat fixation of organisms, electrical power, or a microscope. Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria were identified macroscopically based on the colour of the suspension. The bacteria concentrated on magnetic beads may also be identified microscopically.

Oleuropein potentiates anti-tumor activity of cisplatin against HepG2 through affecting proNGF/NGF balance.

Science.gov (United States)

Sherif, Iman O; Al-Gayyar, Mohammed M H

2018-04-01

Oleuropein is considered as a new chemotherapeutic agent in human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) while, its exact underlying molecular mechanism still not yet explored. In addition, cisplatin is a standard anticancer drug against solid tumors with toxic side effects. Therefore, we conducted this study to assess antitumor activity of oleuropein either alone or in combination with cisplatin against HepG2, human HCC cell lines, via targeting pro-NGF/NGF signaling pathway. HepG2 cells were treated with cisplatin (20, 50, 100 μM) and oleuropein (100, 200, 300 and 400 μM) as well as some of the cells were treated with 50 μM cisplatin and different concentrations of oleuropein. Gene expressions of nerve growth factor (NGF), matrix metalloproteinase-7 (MMP-7) and caspase-3 were evaluated by real time-PCR. In addition, protein levels of NGF and pro-form of NGF (pro-NGF) were measured by ELISA while, nitric oxide (NO) content was determined colorimetrically. Cisplatin treatment showed a significant elevation of NO content and pro-NGF protein level with a marked reduction of NGF protein level in addition to the upregulation of caspase-3 along with downregulation of MMP-7 gene expressions in a dose-dependent manner. However, the combination of 50 μM cisplatin and 200 μM oleuropein showed the most potent effect on the molecular level when compared with oleuropein or cisplatin alone. Our results showed for the first time that the anti-tumor activity of oleuropein against HCC could be attributed to influencing the pro-NGF/NGF balance via affecting MMP-7 activity without affecting the gene expression of NGF. Concurrent treatment with both oleuropein and cisplatin could lead to more effective chemotherapeutic combination against HCC. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Horse gram- an underutilized nutraceutical pulse crop: a review.

Science.gov (United States)

Prasad, Saroj Kumar; Singh, Manoj Kumar

2015-05-01

Horse gram is an underutilized pulse crop grown in wide range of adverse climatic conditions. It occupies an important place in human nutrition and has rich source of protein, minerals, and vitamins. Besides nutritional importance, it has been linked to reduced risk of various diseases due to presence of non-nutritive bioactive substances. These bioactive substances such as phytic acid, phenolic acid, fiber, enzymatic/proteinase inhibitors have significant metabolic and/or physiological effects. The importance of horse gram was well recognized by the folk/alternative/traditional medicine as a potential therapeutic agent to treat kidney stones, urinary diseases, piles, common cold, throat infection, fever etc. The inception of nutraceutical concept and increasing health consciousness the demand of nutraceutical and functional food is increased. In recent years, isolation and utilization of potential antioxidants from legumes including horse gram are increased as it decreases the risk of intestinal diseases, diabetes, coronary heart disease, prevention of dental caries etc. Keeping in view the increasing demand of food having nutraceutical values, the present review ascribed with recent scientific knowledge towards the possibilities of exploring the horse gram, as a source of food and nutraceuticals compounds.

Genetic diversity in green gram accessions as revealed by STMS ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Molecular characterization of green gram (Vigna radiata (L.) Wilczek) germplasm is essential for scientific assessment of variability and diversity for its better utilization in breeding programs. In this study, 120 accessions of green gram were analysed for 27 Sequence Tagged Microsatellites (STMS) loci. For data analysis ...

ABORTION AND VIOLENCE IN JANE MARTIN’S KEELY AND DU: PRO-CHOICE, PRO-LIFE, OR MERELY PROVOCATIVE?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Eta Farmacelia Nurulhady

2017-04-01

Full Text Available Abortion and violence are global issues, yet different culture might respond to the issues somewhat differently. This study aims to reveal the abortion and violence issues in Jane Martin’s Keely and Du in terms of pro-choice and pro life movements and see how Indonesian students reading the play respond to the issues. In the United States of America, the discussion of abortion issue can be grouped into two major categories: the pro-life and pro-choice. In Indonesia, the majority of people would be against abortion when it is not for medical reasons. The students reading Keely and Du find the play challenging their beliefs as religious people still keeping hold of eastern values. Having discussed the nature of pro-life and pro-choice movements, it is difficult for them to decide whether they are proponent of either one. Keely and Du is successfully provocative in offering insight on how abortion and violence issues cannot be judged in a black and white manner.

Gram-typing of mastitis bacteria in milk samples using flow cytometry

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Langerhuus, Sine Nygaard; Ingvartsen, Klaus Lønne; Bennedsgaard, Torben Werner

2013-01-01

Fast identification of pathogenic bacteria in milk samples from cows with clinical mastitis is central to proper treatment. In Denmark, time to bacterial diagnosis is typically 24 to 48 h when using traditional culturing methods. The PCR technique provides a faster and highly sensitive identifica......Fast identification of pathogenic bacteria in milk samples from cows with clinical mastitis is central to proper treatment. In Denmark, time to bacterial diagnosis is typically 24 to 48 h when using traditional culturing methods. The PCR technique provides a faster and highly sensitive...... cytometry-based method, which can detect and distinguish gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria in mastitis milk samples. The differentiation was based on bacterial fluorescence intensities upon labeling with biotin-conjugated wheat germ agglutinin and acridine orange. Initially 19 in-house bacterial...... characteristic curves for the 19 bacterial cultures. The method was then tested on 53 selected mastitis cases obtained from the department biobank (milk samples from 6 gram-negative and 47 gram-positive mastitis cases). Gram-negative bacteria in milk samples were detected with a sensitivity of 1...

Rapid and reliable identification of Gram-negative bacteria and Gram-positive cocci by deposition of bacteria harvested from blood cultures onto the MALDI-TOF plate.

Science.gov (United States)

Barnini, Simona; Ghelardi, Emilia; Brucculeri, Veronica; Morici, Paola; Lupetti, Antonella

2015-06-18

Rapid identification of the causative agent(s) of bloodstream infections using the matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF) methodology can lead to increased empirical antimicrobial therapy appropriateness. Herein, we aimed at establishing an easier and simpler method, further referred to as the direct method, using bacteria harvested by serum separator tubes from positive blood cultures and placed onto the polished steel target plate for rapid identification by MALDI-TOF. The results by the direct method were compared with those obtained by MALDI-TOF on bacteria isolated on solid media. Identification of Gram-negative bacilli was 100 % concordant using the direct method or MALDI-TOF on isolated bacteria (96 % with score > 2.0). These two methods were 90 % concordant on Gram-positive cocci (32 % with score > 2.0). Identification by the SepsiTyper method of Gram-positive cocci gave concordant results with MALDI-TOF on isolated bacteria in 87 % of cases (37 % with score > 2.0). The direct method herein developed allows rapid identification (within 30 min) of Gram-negative bacteria and Gram-positive cocci from positive blood cultures and can be used to rapidly report reliable and accurate results, without requiring skilled personnel or the use of expensive kits.

Hra pro Android OS

OpenAIRE

Salvet, Lukáš

2017-01-01

Tato práce se zabývá tvorbou 2D hry pro zařízení s operačním systémem Android. Popisuje možnost tvorby her v tomto prostředí. Hlavně pak využití knihovny OpenGL ES 2.0, kterou jsem pro implementaci použil. Dále je v práci popsáno renderování textu, použití Google play games services pro achievementy a leaderboard, testování hry, atd. Beta verze hry byla vydána na Google Play. This work deals with creating 2D games for devices running Android. It describes the ability to create games in thi...

Pro JavaScript for web apps

CERN Document Server

Freeman, Adam

2012-01-01

JavaScript is the engine behind every web app, and a solid knowledge of it is essential for all modern web developers. Pro JavaScript for Web Apps gives you all of the information that you need to create professional, optimized, and efficient JavaScript applications that will run across all devices. It takes you through all aspects of modern JavaScript application creation, showing you how to combine JavaScript with the new features of HTML5 and CSS3 to make the most of the new web technologies. The focus of the book is on creating professional web applications, ensuring that your app provides

Pro-C5, a marker of true type V collagen formation and fibrillation, correlates with portal hypertension in patients with alcoholic cirrhosis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Leeming, Diana J; Veidal, Sanne S; Karsdal, Morten A

2015-01-01

Pro-C5 reflects liver hemodynamics, liver function, disease stage and clinically significant portal hypertension (PH). A multimarker model in combination with clinical scores predicted HVPG and separated clinical relevant HVPG thresholds. Plasma Pro-C5 may be suitable for the noninvasive evaluation...

Pro Android UI

CERN Document Server

Jackson, Wallace

2014-01-01

If you're an Android application developer, chances areyou're using fixed, scrolling, swipe-able, and other cutting-edge custom UIDesigns in your Android development projects. These UI Design approaches aswell as other Android ViewGroup UI layout containers are the bread and butterof Pro Android User Interface (UI) design and Android User Experience (UX)design and development.Using a top down approach, Pro Android UI shows you how todesign and develop the best user interface for your app, while taking intoaccount the varying device form factors in the increasingly fragmented Androidenvironment

A prospective study of the diagnostic utility of sputum Gram stain in pneumonia.

Science.gov (United States)

Anevlavis, Stavros; Petroglou, Niki; Tzavaras, Athanasios; Maltezos, Efstratios; Pneumatikos, Ioannis; Froudarakis, Marios; Anevlavis, Eleftherios; Bouros, Demosthenes

2009-08-01

Sputum Gram stain and culture have been said to be unreliable indicators of the microbiological diagnosis of bacterial pneumonia. The etiological diagnosis of pneumonia is surrounded by great degree of uncertainty. This uncertainty should be and can be calculated and incorporated in the diagnosis and treatment. To determine the diagnostic accuracy and diagnostic value of sputum Gram stain in etiological diagnosis and initial selection of antimicrobial therapy of bacterial community acquired pneumonia (CAP). DESIGN-METHOD: Prospective study of 1390 patients with CAP admitted January 2002-June 2008, to our institutions. Of the 1390 patients, 178 (12.8%) fulfilled the criteria for inclusion into this study (good-quality sputa and presence of the same microorganism in blood and sputum cultures which was used as gold standard for assessing the diagnostic accuracy and diagnostic value of sputum Gram stain). The sensitivity of sputum Gram stain was 0.82 for Pneumococcal pneumonia, 0.76 for Staphylococcal pneumonia, 0.79 for Haemophilus influenzae pneumonia and 0.78 for Gram-negative bacilli pneumonia. The specificity of sputum Gram stain was 0.93 for Pneumococcal pneumonia, 0.96 for Staphylococcal pneumonia, 0.96 for H. influenzae pneumonia and 0.95 for Gram-negative bacilli pneumonia. The positive likelihood ratio (LR+) was 11.58 for Pneumococcal pneumonia, 19.38 for Staphylococcal pneumonia, 16.84 for H. influenzae pneumonia, 14.26 for Gram-negative bacilli pneumonia. The negative likelihood ratio (LR-) was 0.20 for Pneumococcal pneumonia, 0.25 for Staphylococcal pneumonia, 0.22 for H. influenzae pneumonia, and 0.23 for Gram-negative bacilli pneumonia. Sputum Gram stain is a dependable diagnostic test for the early etiological diagnosis of bacterial CAP that helps in choosing orthological and appropriate initial antimicrobial therapy.

Study of bacterial meningitis in children below 5 years with comparative evaluation of gram staining, culture and bacterial antigen detection.

Science.gov (United States)

Yadhav Ml, Kala

2014-04-01

Bacterial meningitis is one of the most serious infections seen in infants and children, which is associated with acute complications and chronic morbidity. Infections of Central Nervous System (CNS) still dominate the scene of childhood neurological disorders in most of the developing tropical countries. To isolate, identify and determine the antibiotic susceptibility patterns of pathogens associated with bacterial meningitis. We also aimed to comparatively evaluate of Gram staining, culture and bacterial antigen detection in cerebrospinal fluid samples. Present comparative study included 100 CSF samples of children below the age of 5 years, who were clinically suspected meningitis cases. The samples were subjected to Gram staining, culture and Latex agglutination test (LAT). The organisms isolated in the study were characterized and antibiotic susceptibility test was done according to standard guidelines. It was done by using Gaussian test. Of the 100 cases, 24 were diagnosed as Acute bacterial meningitis (ABM) cases by. Gram staining, culture and latex agglutination test. 21 (87.5%) cases were culture positive, with 2 cases being positive for polymicrobial isolates. Gram staining was positive in 17 (70.53%) cases and LAT was positive in 18 (33.33%) cases. Streptococcus pneumoniae was the predominant organism which was isolated and it was sensitive to antibiotics. In the present study, male to female ratio was 1.27:1, which showed a male preponderance. With the combination of Gram staining, culture, and LAT, 100% sensitivity and specificity can be achieved (p Gram staining and LAT can detect 85% of cases of ABM. Bacterial meningitis is a medical emergency and making an early diagnosis and providing treatment early are life saving and they reduce chronic morbidity.

Pengungkapan Pro Forma, Mendukung atau Menyesatkan Investor?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yohanis Rura

2010-12-01

Full Text Available Pro forma is originated from Latin. It contains different meaning depends on which discipline it is used. In accounting, pro forma disclosure is used to show effect of important transaction which occurs after the end of periods, or which occurs during period but not fully reflected in historical cost financial statement of a firm. Pro forma disclosure has the objective to support (but might mislead investor in decision making focused on particular influence of important transaction. Company with low GAAP profit information; less profitable company and has higher level of debt but more liquid, whose P-E ratio and market to book is higher than other companies in the industry; has the tendency to do pro forma disclosure. Pro forma disclosure has been supported by several theories such as: efficient market theory, catering theory, agency theory, signaling theory, and stakeholder theory. However, there are problems in reporting pro forma figures. There is no standard to it. Therefore, information on pro forma disclosure might also mislead less sophisticated investor.

BDNF pro-peptide regulates dendritic spines via caspase-3

OpenAIRE

Guo, J; Ji, Y; Ding, Y; Jiang, W; Sun, Y; Lu, B; Nagappan, G

2016-01-01

The precursor of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) (proBDNF) is enzymatically cleaved, by either intracellular (furin/PC1) or extracellular proteases (tPA/plasmin/MMP), to generate mature BDNF (mBDNF) and its pro-peptide (BDNF pro-peptide). Little is known about the function of BDNF pro-peptide. We have developed an antibody that specifically detects cleaved BDNF pro-peptide, but not proBDNF or mBDNF. Neuronal depolarization elicited a marked increase in extracellular BDNF pro-peptide,...

Personal and social factors that influence pro-environmental concern and behaviour: a review.

Science.gov (United States)

Gifford, Robert; Nilsson, Andreas

2014-06-01

We review the personal and social influences on pro-environmental concern and behaviour, with an emphasis on recent research. The number of these influences suggests that understanding pro-environmental concern and behaviour is far more complex than previously thought. The influences are grouped into 18 personal and social factors. The personal factors include childhood experience, knowledge and education, personality and self-construal, sense of control, values, political and world views, goals, felt responsibility, cognitive biases, place attachment, age, gender and chosen activities. The social factors include religion, urban-rural differences, norms, social class, proximity to problematic environmental sites and cultural and ethnic variations We also recognize that pro-environmental behaviour often is undertaken based on none of the above influences, but because individuals have non-environmental goals such as to save money or to improve their health. Finally, environmental outcomes that are a result of these influences undoubtedly are determined by combinations of the 18 categories. Therefore, a primary goal of researchers now should be to learn more about how these many influences moderate and mediate one another to determine pro-environmental behaviour. © 2014 International Union of Psychological Science.

Enhanced fouling by inorganic and organic foulants on pressure retarded osmosis (PRO) hollow fiber membranes under high pressures

KAUST Repository

Chen, Sicong; Wan, Chunfeng; Chung, Neal Tai-Shung

2015-01-01

We have studied, for the first time, the fouling behavior of pressure retarded osmosis (PRO) hollow fiber membranes under low, moderate and high hydraulic pressures. The thin film composite (TFC) polyethersulfone (PES) membrane has a high water permeability and good mechanical strength. Membrane fouling by gypsum (CaSO4·2H2O) scalants, sodium alginate, and the combined foulants was examined under various pressures up to an ultrahigh hydraulic pressure of 18bar. In the combined fouling experiments, the membranes were conditioned by one of foulants followed by the other. Flux decline results suggested that such conditioning could increase the rate of combined fouling because of the change in membrane surface chemistry. Specially, the co-existence of gypsum crystals and alginate under 0bar led to the synergistic combined fouling and resulted in a greater flux decline than the sum of individual fouling. Interestingly, such gypsum-alginate synergistic fouling was not observed under high pressure PRO tests because the increased reverse salt flux inhibited the formation of gypsum crystals. Therefore, alginate fouling could be the dominant fouling mechanism for both (1) alginate conditioning and then scalants fouling, and (2) scalants conditioning and then alginate fouling PRO processes under 8bar and 18bar. Since the reverse salt flux increases from 5.6±1.1g/m2h at 0bar to 74.3±9.7g/m2h at 8bar, and finally to 150.5±2.5g/m2h under 18bar, the reverse salt ions lead to substantial declines of normalized flux under 8bar and 18bar because the reverse sodium ions not only reduce the effective driving force across the PRO membrane but also induce a significant cake-enhanced sodium concentration polarization layer and facilitate alginate gelation near the membrane surface. Therefore, the removal of alginate type foulants from the feed water stream may become essential for the success of PRO processes under high pressures.

Enhanced fouling by inorganic and organic foulants on pressure retarded osmosis (PRO) hollow fiber membranes under high pressures

KAUST Repository

Chen, Sicong

2015-04-01

We have studied, for the first time, the fouling behavior of pressure retarded osmosis (PRO) hollow fiber membranes under low, moderate and high hydraulic pressures. The thin film composite (TFC) polyethersulfone (PES) membrane has a high water permeability and good mechanical strength. Membrane fouling by gypsum (CaSO4·2H2O) scalants, sodium alginate, and the combined foulants was examined under various pressures up to an ultrahigh hydraulic pressure of 18bar. In the combined fouling experiments, the membranes were conditioned by one of foulants followed by the other. Flux decline results suggested that such conditioning could increase the rate of combined fouling because of the change in membrane surface chemistry. Specially, the co-existence of gypsum crystals and alginate under 0bar led to the synergistic combined fouling and resulted in a greater flux decline than the sum of individual fouling. Interestingly, such gypsum-alginate synergistic fouling was not observed under high pressure PRO tests because the increased reverse salt flux inhibited the formation of gypsum crystals. Therefore, alginate fouling could be the dominant fouling mechanism for both (1) alginate conditioning and then scalants fouling, and (2) scalants conditioning and then alginate fouling PRO processes under 8bar and 18bar. Since the reverse salt flux increases from 5.6±1.1g/m2h at 0bar to 74.3±9.7g/m2h at 8bar, and finally to 150.5±2.5g/m2h under 18bar, the reverse salt ions lead to substantial declines of normalized flux under 8bar and 18bar because the reverse sodium ions not only reduce the effective driving force across the PRO membrane but also induce a significant cake-enhanced sodium concentration polarization layer and facilitate alginate gelation near the membrane surface. Therefore, the removal of alginate type foulants from the feed water stream may become essential for the success of PRO processes under high pressures.

Higher order structure in the 3'-minor domain of small subunit ribosomal RNAs from a gram negative bacterium, a gram positive bacterium and a eukaryote

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Douthwaite, S; Christensen, A; Garrett, R A

1983-01-01

of additional higher order structure in the renatured free RNA. It can be concluded that a high level of conservation of higher order structure has occurred during the evolution of the gram negative and gram positive eubacteria and the eukaryote in both the double helical regions and the "unstructured" regions...

The Experience of Bulimic College Students Who Use "Pro-Ana/Pro-Mia" Web Sites: A Two-Phase Mixed-Method Study

Science.gov (United States)

Davis, Blair J.

2010-01-01

Eating disorders (EDs) are a serious problem in the U.S. due to their rise in prevalence during the 20th century and high morbidity and mortality rates. A relatively new, controversial phenomenon, "pro-Ana" (pro-anorexia) and "pro-Mia" (pro-bulimia) Web sites, came to the public's attention around 2000. These sites are created by and for people…

Pro Forma Registration of Companies

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Werlauff, Erik

2010-01-01

The article analyses the view taken by Community law on companies' pro forma registration in another EU or EEA country. Community law recognises pro forma registration under company law, i.e. a brass plate is sufficient, whereas it does not recognise pro forma registration under tax law, i.......e. a brass plate is not sufficient. The article provides reasons for the differential treatment of the two contexts and clarifies the difference on the basis of the Hubbard criterion, in which it was ruled that the effectiveness of Community law cannot vary according to the various branches of national law....

Improved early risk stratification of patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention using a combination of serum soluble ST2 and NT-proBNP.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jongwook Yu

Full Text Available Although soluble suppression of tumorigenicity 2 (sST2 in serum is known to be associated with ischemic heart disease and heart failure, data regarding its prognostic impact in ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI is limited. We evaluated the prognostic impacts of serum sST2 and other serum biomarkers in STEMI patients undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI.Consecutive all 323 patients with STEMI that underwent primary PCI were enrolled. Blood tests and samples were obtained in an emergency room. The primary endpoint was 1-year major adverse cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events (MACCEs, defined as a composite of cardiovascular death, non-fatal MI, non-fatal stroke, and ischemia-driven revascularization.Mean age was 59.1±13.1 years (men 84%. MACCE (20 cardiovascular deaths, 7 non-fatal MI, 4 non-fatal stroke, 7 ischemia-driven revascularizations occurred in 38 patients (12%. After adjusting for confounding factors, Cox regression analysis revealed that high serum sST2 (>75.8 ng/mL mean value, adjusted hazard ratio 2.098, 95% CI 1.008-4.367, p = 0.048 and high serum NT-proBNP level (>400 pg/mL, adjusted hazard ratio 2.606, 95% CI 1.086-6.257, p = 0.032 at the time of presentation independently predicted MACCE within a year of primary PCI. Furthermore, when high serum sST2 level was combined with high serum NT-proBNP level, the hazard ratio of MACCE was highest (adjusted hazard ratio 7.93, 95% CI 2.97-20.38, p<0.001.Elevated serum levels of sST2 or NT-proBNP at the time of presentation were found to predict 1-year MACCE independently and elevated serum levels of sST2 plus NT-proBNP were associated with even poorer prognosis in patients with STEMI undergoing primary PCI.

Bio sorption of some Rare Earth Elements and Yttrium by Gram Positive and Gram Negative Bacteria

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ibrahim, H.A.

2012-01-01

The separate bio sorption of the REEs La, Sm, Eu and Dy together with yttrium upon the Gram positive bacteria Bacillus subtilis (B.subtilis) and Bacillus Licheniformis (B. Licheniformis),the Gram negative bacterium Escherichia coli (E. coli ) and Saccharomyces cervisiae (Yeast) was studied. The revelant factors of ph 1-6, contact time (30-180 min), the initial rare earth concentration (50-200 mg/l) have been studied. The amount of the accumulated element was strongly affected by its concentration.In addition, bio sorptive fractionation of Y and the studied REEs from a solution containing a mixture of these elements was also studied. From the obtained data, it was found that Langmuir isotherm model for both B.licheniformis and E.coli gives a best fit for the studied elements over the working range of concentration (50-200 mg/I). Transmission electron microscopy exhibited accumulation throughout the bacterial cell with some granular deposits in both the cell periphery and cytoplasm

Pro Android 3

CERN Document Server

Hashimi, Sayed Ibrahim; MacLean, Dave

2011-01-01

Pro Android 3 starts with the basics, giving you a firm foundation in Android development. It then builds on this foundation to teach you how to build real-world and fun mobile applications using the new Android 3.0 SDK. This book covers advanced concepts in detail including maps, geocoding, services, live folders, drag and drop, touchscreens, and the new Android 3.0 features: fragments and ActionBar. Pro Android 3 is uniquely comprehensive: it covers sensors, text to speech, OpenGL, live widgets, search, and the audio and video APIs. Using the code-heavy tutorials and expert advice, you'll qu

Clinical utility of an automated instrument for gram staining single slides.

Science.gov (United States)

Baron, Ellen Jo; Mix, Samantha; Moradi, Wais

2010-06-01

Gram stains of 87 different clinical samples were prepared by the laboratory's conventional methods (automated or manual) and by a new single-slide-type automated staining instrument, GG&B AGS-1000. Gram stains from either heat- or methanol-fixed slides stained with the new instrument were easy to interpret, and results were essentially the same as those from the methanol-fixed slides prepared as a part of the routine workflow. This instrument is well suited to a rapid-response laboratory where Gram stain requests are commonly received on a stat basis.

Mining for constructions in texts using N-gram and network analysis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Shibuya, Yoshikata; Jensen, Kim Ebensgaard

2015-01-01

N-gram analysis to Lewis Carroll's novel Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Mark Twain's novelThe Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and extrapolate a number of likely constructional phenomena from recurring N-gram patterns in the two texts. In addition to simple N-gram analysis, the following....... The main premise is that, if constructions are functional units, then configurations of words that tend to recur together in discourse are likely to have some sort of function that speakers utilize in discourse. Writers of fiction, for instance, may use constructions in characterizations, mind-styles, text...

The Importance of Pro-Environmental Behavior in Adolescent

Science.gov (United States)

Palupi, Tyas; Sawitri, Dian R.

2018-02-01

Studies regarding pro-environmental behavior in adolescents are lacking. This study aimed to examine the importance of pro-environmental behavior in adolescents (high school and university students) by conducting literature review from previous studies on pro environmental behavior. Pro-environmental behavior is the behavior of individuals that contributes towards environmental preservation. Based on previous studies, measurement of pro-environmental behavior were investigated on several theories, namely theory of planned behavior (TPB) and value, belief, norms (VBN) by using aspects of pro environmental behavior. Young people with critical thinking, and good environmental education, are expected to behave more environmentally friendly for creating a sustainable future.

Efficient n-gram, Skipgram and Flexgram Modelling with Colibri Core

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maarten van Gompel

2016-08-01

Full Text Available Counting n-grams lies at the core of any frequentist corpus analysis and is often considered a trivial matter. Going beyond consecutive n-grams to patterns such as skipgrams and flexgrams increases the demand for efficient solutions. The need to operate on big corpus data does so even more. Lossless compression and non-trivial algorithms are needed to lower the memory demands, yet retain good speed. Colibri Core is software for the efficient computation and querying of n-grams, skipgrams and flexgrams from corpus data. The resulting pattern models can be analysed and compared in various ways. The software offers a programming library for C++ and Python, as well as command-line tools.

Sex differences in reinstatement of cocaine-seeking with combination treatments of progesterone and atomoxetine.

Science.gov (United States)

Swalve, Natashia; Smethells, John R; Zlebnik, Natalie E; Carroll, Marilyn E

2016-06-01

Two repurposed medications have been proposed to treat cocaine abuse. Progesterone, a gonadal hormone, and atomoxetine, a medication commonly used to treat attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, have both been separately shown to reduce cocaine self-administration and reinstatement (i.e., relapse). The goal of the present study was to examine sex differences in the individual effects of PRO and ATO as well as the combination PRO+ATO treatment on cocaine (COC), caffeine (CAF), and/or cue-primed reinstatement of cocaine-seeking. Adult male and female Wistar rats lever-pressed under a FR 1 schedule for cocaine infusions (0.4mg/kg/inf). After 14 sessions of stable responding in daily 2-h sessions, rats underwent a 21-day extinction period when no drug or drug-related stimuli were present. Rats were then separated into four groups that received PRO (0.5mg/kg) alone (PRO+SAL), ATO (1.5mg/kg) alone (VEH+ATO), control (VEH+SAL) or combination (PRO+ATO) treatments prior to the reinstatement condition. Reinstatement of cocaine-seeking to cues and/or drug injections of cocaine or caffeine was tested after extinction. During maintenance, females self-administered more cocaine than males, but no sex differences were seen during extinction. Females showed greater cocaine-seeking than males after a CAF priming injection. Individual treatment with ATO did not decrease reinstatement under any priming condition; however, the combination treatment decreased cocaine-seeking under the COC+CUES priming condition in males, and both PRO alone and the combination treatment decreased cocaine-seeking in the CAF+CUES condition in females. Overall, PRO alone was only effective in reducing reinstatement in females, while the combination treatment was consistently effective in reducing reinstatement in both sexes. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Revisiting the gram-negative lipoprotein paradigm

Science.gov (United States)

The processing of lipoproteins (lpps) in Gram-negative bacteria is generally considered to be an essential pathway. Mature lipoproteins in these bacteria are triacylated, with the final fatty acid addition performed by Lnt, an apolipoprotein n-acyltransferase. The mature lipoproteins are then sorted...

Transient sensitivity to nisin in cold-shocked Gram negatives.

Science.gov (United States)

Boziaris, I S; Adams, M R

2000-09-01

Rapid chilling in the presence of nisin caused a dose-dependent reduction in the populations of several Gram-negative bacteria, despite the fact that appreciable structural injury to the outer membrane was not detected. Pseudomonas aeruginosa was most affected, followed by Pseudomonas fragi, Salmonella enteritidis PT4, PT7 and Escherichia coli, respectively. Addition of nisin after the chilling treatment had no effect. The results are ascribed to a transient susceptibility caused by phase changes in the lipids associated with the outer membrane, which are rapidly reversed when the cells return to higher temperatures. Combinations of chilling shock, nisin and EDTA gave much lower reductions of Salmonella and Pseudomonas on chicken skin in comparison with broths. This is attributed to a buffering of the temperature shock experienced by adherent bacteria and binding of the nisin by food particles.

Theoretical perspectives on pro-environmental behaviours

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mariela PAVALACHE-ILIE

2017-07-01

Full Text Available The paper outlines a synthesis of the models (The rationalist models, models based on Theory of Reasoned Action/ Theory of Planned Behavior, prosocial models and antecedents of pro-environmental behaviors. The values models applicable for the study of pro-environmental behaviours (Rokeach’s; Schwartz’s; Kollmus and Agyeman synthesis, are presented afterwards, as the results of the studies which confirm the predictive role of values when it comes to pro-environmental behaviour.

Distinguishing dimensions of pro-environmental behaviour

OpenAIRE

Lynn, Peter

2014-01-01

This study empirically identifies dimensions of behaviour that are distinct in terms of the extent to which people act pro-environmentally. Three dimensions are identified, relating to at-home, transport-related and purchasing behaviour. The correlation between behaviour in each dimension is explored and the characteristics and attitudes associated with the extent to which behaviour is pro-environmental in each dimension are compared. The correlates of pro-environmental behaviour are found to...

The Toll pathway underlies host sexual dimorphism in resistance to both Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria in mated Drosophila.

Science.gov (United States)

Duneau, David F; Kondolf, Hannah C; Im, Joo Hyun; Ortiz, Gerardo A; Chow, Christopher; Fox, Michael A; Eugénio, Ana T; Revah, J; Buchon, Nicolas; Lazzaro, Brian P

2017-12-21

Host sexual dimorphism is being increasingly recognized to generate strong differences in the outcome of infectious disease, but the mechanisms underlying immunological differences between males and females remain poorly characterized. Here, we used Drosophila melanogaster to assess and dissect sexual dimorphism in the innate response to systemic bacterial infection. We demonstrated sexual dimorphism in susceptibility to infection by a broad spectrum of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. We found that both virgin and mated females are more susceptible than mated males to most, but not all, infections. We investigated in more detail the lower resistance of females to infection with Providencia rettgeri, a Gram-negative bacterium that naturally infects D. melanogaster. We found that females have a higher number of phagocytes than males and that ablation of hemocytes does not eliminate the dimorphism in resistance to P. rettgeri, so the observed dimorphism does not stem from differences in the cellular response. The Imd pathway is critical for the production of antimicrobial peptides in response to Gram-negative bacteria, but mutants for Imd signaling continued to exhibit dimorphism even though both sexes showed strongly reduced resistance. Instead, we found that the Toll pathway is responsible for the dimorphism in resistance. The Toll pathway is dimorphic in genome-wide constitutive gene expression and in induced response to infection. Toll signaling is dimorphic in both constitutive signaling and in induced activation in response to P. rettgeri infection. The dimorphism in pathway activation can be specifically attributed to Persephone-mediated immune stimulation, by which the Toll pathway is triggered in response to pathogen-derived virulence factors. We additionally found that, in absence of Toll signaling, males become more susceptible than females to the Gram-positive Enterococcus faecalis. This reversal in susceptibility between male and female Toll

Technical Training: Programmation Unity-Pro pour utilisateurs de Schneider PL7-Pro

CERN Multimedia

Monique Duval

2004-01-01

Annonce de nouveau cours pour l'environnement d'automatisme Schneider Un nouveau cours sur les environnements d'automatisme Premium et Quantum de Schneider est maintenant offert dans le cadre de l'Enseignement technique du CERN, afin de découvrir le nouvel outil de programmation Unity. Cette formation, mise en place par le GUAPI (Groupe des utilisateurs d'automates programmables industriels du CERN), sera essentiellement technique et pratique, destinée aux automaticiens concepteurs, metteurs en oeuvre, installateurs, intégrateurs et techniciens de bureau d'études. Ce cours est ouvert aux personnes étant déjà capables de développer une application PL7-Pro sur TSX Premium, ou ayant suivi le stage AP571. Objectifs : Maîtriser rapidement les différences fonctionnelles d'Unity-Pro par rapport à PL7-Pro; programmer en PLC TSX Premium sous Unity, et notamment connaître l'ensemble des l...

Pro-poor growth and gender inequality

OpenAIRE

Klasen, Stephan

2006-01-01

This paper examines to what extent gender gaps in education, health, employment, productive assets and inputs can affect pro poor growth (in the sense of increasing monetary incomes of the poor). After discussing serious methodological problems with examining gender issues in the context of an income-based pro-poor growth framework, the paper considers theory and evidence on the impact of gender inequality on pro poor growth. While there is a considerable literature suggesting negative impact...

Pro Tools All-in-One For Dummies

CERN Document Server

Strong, Jeff

2012-01-01

A professional musician guides serious hobbyists through Pro Tool Pro Tools puts professional recording and music production software in the hands of anyone with the appropriate hardware and the knowledge to use it. Musician and recording engineer Jeff Strong guides you through the latest version of this complex program, offering twice the content of the official guide at a lower price. Eight minibooks cover recording basics, getting started with Pro Tools, recording audio, editing audio, managing MIDI, mixing, mastering, and getting your music to the masses.The latest version of Pro Tools off

Pro-ana versus Pro-recovery: A Content Analytic Comparison of Social Media Users’ Communication about Eating Disorders on Twitter and Tumblr

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dawn B. Branley

2017-08-01

Full Text Available Objectives: To compare how people communicate about eating disorders on two popular social media platforms – Twitter and Tumblr.Materials and Methods: Thematic analysis was conducted to characterize the types of communications posted, and a content analysis was undertaken of between-platform differences.Results: Three types of content (pro-ana, anti-ana, and pro-recovery were posted on each platform. Overall, across both platforms, extreme pro-ana posts were in the minority compared to anti-ana and pro-recovery. Pro-ana posts (including ‘thinspiration’ were more common on Twitter than Tumblr, whereas anti-ana and pro-recovery posts were more common on Tumblr.Conclusion: The findings have implications for future research and health care relating to the treatment and prevention of eating disorders. Developers of future interventions targeting negative pro-ana content should remain aware of the need to avoid any detrimental impact on positive online support.

Pro-ana versus Pro-recovery: A Content Analytic Comparison of Social Media Users' Communication about Eating Disorders on Twitter and Tumblr.

Science.gov (United States)

Branley, Dawn B; Covey, Judith

2017-01-01

Objectives: To compare how people communicate about eating disorders on two popular social media platforms - Twitter and Tumblr. Materials and Methods: Thematic analysis was conducted to characterize the types of communications posted, and a content analysis was undertaken of between-platform differences. Results: Three types of content (pro-ana, anti-ana, and pro-recovery) were posted on each platform. Overall, across both platforms, extreme pro-ana posts were in the minority compared to anti-ana and pro-recovery. Pro-ana posts (including 'thinspiration') were more common on Twitter than Tumblr, whereas anti-ana and pro-recovery posts were more common on Tumblr. Conclusion: The findings have implications for future research and health care relating to the treatment and prevention of eating disorders. Developers of future interventions targeting negative pro-ana content should remain aware of the need to avoid any detrimental impact on positive online support.

Incidence of carbapenem-resistant gram negatives in Italian transplant recipients: a nationwide surveillance study.

Science.gov (United States)

Lanini, Simone; Costa, Alessandro Nanni; Puro, Vincenzo; Procaccio, Francesco; Grossi, Paolo Antonio; Vespasiano, Francesca; Ricci, Andrea; Vesconi, Sergio; Ison, Michael G; Carmeli, Yehuda; Ippolito, Giuseppe

2015-01-01

Bacterial infections remain a challenge to solid organ transplantation. Due to the alarming spread of carbapenem-resistant gram negative bacteria, these organisms have been frequently recognized as cause of severe infections in solid organ transplant recipients. Between 15 May and 30 September 2012 we enrolled 887 solid organ transplant recipients in Italy with the aim to describe the epidemiology of gram negative bacteria spreading, to explore potential risk factors and to assess the effect of early isolation of gram negative bacteria on recipients' mortality during the first 90 days after transplantation. During the study period 185 clinical isolates of gram negative bacteria were reported, for an incidence of 2.39 per 1000 recipient-days. Positive cultures for gram negative bacteria occurred early after transplantation (median time 26 days; incidence rate 4.33, 1.67 and 1.14 per 1,000 recipient-days in the first, second and third month after SOT, respectively). Forty-nine of these clinical isolates were due to carbapenem-resistant gram negative bacteria (26.5%; incidence 0.63 per 1000 recipient-days). Carbapenems resistance was particularly frequent among Klebsiella spp. isolates (49.1%). Recipients with longer hospital stay and those who received either heart or lung graft were at the highest risk of testing positive for any gram negative bacteria. Moreover recipients with longer hospital stay, lung recipients and those admitted to hospital for more than 48h before transplantation had the highest probability to have culture(s) positive for carbapenem-resistant gram negative bacteria. Forty-four organ recipients died (0.57 per 1000 recipient-days) during the study period. Recipients with at least one positive culture for carbapenem-resistant gram negative bacteria had a 10.23-fold higher mortality rate than those who did not. The isolation of gram-negative bacteria is most frequent among recipient with hospital stays >48 hours prior to transplant and in those

Incidence of carbapenem-resistant gram negatives in Italian transplant recipients: a nationwide surveillance study.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Simone Lanini

Full Text Available Bacterial infections remain a challenge to solid organ transplantation. Due to the alarming spread of carbapenem-resistant gram negative bacteria, these organisms have been frequently recognized as cause of severe infections in solid organ transplant recipients.Between 15 May and 30 September 2012 we enrolled 887 solid organ transplant recipients in Italy with the aim to describe the epidemiology of gram negative bacteria spreading, to explore potential risk factors and to assess the effect of early isolation of gram negative bacteria on recipients' mortality during the first 90 days after transplantation. During the study period 185 clinical isolates of gram negative bacteria were reported, for an incidence of 2.39 per 1000 recipient-days. Positive cultures for gram negative bacteria occurred early after transplantation (median time 26 days; incidence rate 4.33, 1.67 and 1.14 per 1,000 recipient-days in the first, second and third month after SOT, respectively. Forty-nine of these clinical isolates were due to carbapenem-resistant gram negative bacteria (26.5%; incidence 0.63 per 1000 recipient-days. Carbapenems resistance was particularly frequent among Klebsiella spp. isolates (49.1%. Recipients with longer hospital stay and those who received either heart or lung graft were at the highest risk of testing positive for any gram negative bacteria. Moreover recipients with longer hospital stay, lung recipients and those admitted to hospital for more than 48h before transplantation had the highest probability to have culture(s positive for carbapenem-resistant gram negative bacteria. Forty-four organ recipients died (0.57 per 1000 recipient-days during the study period. Recipients with at least one positive culture for carbapenem-resistant gram negative bacteria had a 10.23-fold higher mortality rate than those who did not.The isolation of gram-negative bacteria is most frequent among recipient with hospital stays >48 hours prior to transplant

Gram negative wound infection in hospitalised adult burn patients--systematic review and metanalysis-.

Science.gov (United States)

Azzopardi, Ernest A; Azzopardi, Elayne; Camilleri, Liberato; Villapalos, Jorge; Boyce, Dean E; Dziewulski, Peter; Dickson, William A; Whitaker, Iain S

2014-01-01

Gram negative infection is a major determinant of morbidity and survival. Traditional teaching suggests that burn wound infections in different centres are caused by differing sets of causative organisms. This study established whether Gram-negative burn wound isolates associated to clinical wound infection differ between burn centres. Studies investigating adult hospitalised patients (2000-2010) were critically appraised and qualified to a levels of evidence hierarchy. The contribution of bacterial pathogen type, and burn centre to the variance in standardised incidence of Gram-negative burn wound infection was analysed using two-way analysis of variance. Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumanni, Enterobacter spp., Proteus spp. and Escherichia coli emerged as the commonest Gram-negative burn wound pathogens. Individual pathogens' incidence did not differ significantly between burn centres (F (4, 20) = 1.1, p = 0.3797; r2 = 9.84). Gram-negative infections predominate in burn surgery. This study is the first to establish that burn wound infections do not differ significantly between burn centres. It is the first study to report the pathogens responsible for the majority of Gram-negative infections in these patients. Whilst burn wound infection is not exclusive to these bacteria, it is hoped that reporting the presence of this group of common Gram-negative "target organisms" facilitate clinical practice and target research towards a defined clinical demand.

Mortality and preoperative cardiac function in vascular amputees: an N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) pilot study

OpenAIRE

Riemersma, Marcel; Dijkstra, Pieter U.; van Veldhuisen, Dirk Jan; Muskiet, Frits A. J.; van den Dungen, Jan A. M. M.; Geertzen, Jan H. B.

2008-01-01

Objective: To determine preoperative ventricular function in vascular amputees by measuring N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) and to analyse the relationship between NT-proBNP levels and 30-day postoperative mortality. Design: Prospective pilot study. Subjects and methods: In 19 patients planned for a lower limb amputation for nonreconstructable peripheral arterial disease NT-proBNP was measured the day before amputation. Results: Four amputees died within 30 days after the...

Undergraduate Students' Pro-Environmental Behavior in Daily Practice

Science.gov (United States)

Dewi, Widiaswati; Sawitri, Dian R.

2018-02-01

Pro-environmental behavior is an individual action as a manifestation of one's responsibility to create a sustainable environment. University students as one of the agent of change can adopt pro-environmental behaviors concept, even through simple things to do on daily activities such as ride a bicycle or walk for short distance, reuse the shopping bags, separate waste, learn about environmental issues etc. Many studies have examined pro-environmental behavior from various approaches. However, the study about university students' pro-environmental behavior is lacking. The aim of this paper is to examine the undergraduate students' pro-environmental behaviors level. We surveyed 364 first year undergraduate students from a state university in Semarang. The survey included six aspects of pro-environmental behavior in daily practice which include energy conservation, mobility and transportation, waste avoidance, recycling, consumerism, and vicarious behaviors toward conservation. Findings of this study showed the level of pro-environmental behavior of first year undergraduate students is medium. Recommendations for undergraduate students and future researchers are discussed.

Measurement properties of ThyPRO short-form (ThyPRO-39) for use in Chinese patients with benign thyroid diseases.

Science.gov (United States)

Wong, Carlos K H; Choi, Edmond P H; Woo, Y C; Lang, Brian H H

2018-04-18

To evaluate the validity and reliability of a newly-translated Thyroid-specific Patient-Reported Outcome short-form (ThyPRO-39) instrument for ethnic-Chinese patients suffering from benign thyroid diseases. The translation and cross-cultural adaptation of the English ThyPRO-39 were performed using the double forward translation, reconciliation, single backward translation, and cognitive debriefing, followed by a panel review. Cross-sectional data of 308 patients with benign thyroid diseases were utilized for this psychometric evaluation of ThyPRO-39 instrument. Convergent validity between similar construct in the ThyPRO-39, SF-6D, and SF-12v2 was assessed using Spearman correlations. The internal construct validity was assessed by corrected item-total correlations. Sensitivity of the ThyPRO-39 domain scores was determined by performing known group comparisons by independent t test. The internal consistency reliability was assessed by Cronbach's alpha coefficient. Significant floor effects were observed in 9 out of 13 domains of the ThyPRO-39. The hypothesized correlations between similar constructs in the ThyPRO-39 and the SF-12v2 and SF-6D were generally observed, supporting convergent validity. The internal construct validity was supported in most items, except eight items in six scales. Scale score of hyperthyroid symptoms of the ThyPRO-39 was significantly higher in the group with Graves' disease or hyperthyroid disease than the group without Graves' disease nor hyperthyroid disease. Scale scores of eye symptoms and impaired daily life were significantly higher in the incidental group than the non-incidental group. For six domains (hyperthyroid symptoms, hypothyroid symptoms, eye symptoms, tiredness, depressivity, and emotional susceptibility), Cronbach's alpha did not reach the recommended standard of 0.7. This was the first psychometric study to translate and adapt the ThyPRO-39 instrument for non-Caucasian patients, and report its validity and reliability

Antithrombotic Protective Effects of Arg-Pro-Gly-Pro Peptide during Emotional Stress Provoked by Forced Swimming Test in Rats.

Science.gov (United States)

Grigor'eva, M E; Lyapina, L A

2017-01-01

Blood coagulation was enhanced and all factors (total, enzyme, and non-enzyme) of the fibrinolytic system were suppressed in rats in 60 min after forced swimming test. Argininecontaining tetrapeptide glyproline Arg-Pro-Gly-Pro administered prior to this test activated fibrinolysis and prevented hypercoagulation. Administration of this peptide in 5 min after swimming test also enhanced anticoagulant, fibrinolytic, and antithrombotic activity of the blood. Therefore, glyproline Arg-Pro-Gly-Pro exerted both preventive and curative effects on the hemostasis system and prevented enhancement of blood coagulation provoked by emotional stress modeled by forced swimming test.

Human melioidosis reported by ProMED

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Katherinn Melissa Nasner-Posso

2015-06-01

Conclusions: Internet-based reporting systems such as ProMED are useful to gather information and synthesize knowledge on emerging infections. Although certain areas need to be improved, ProMED provided good information about melioidosis.

The pestivirus N terminal protease N(pro) redistributes to mitochondria and peroxisomes suggesting new sites for regulation of IRF3 by N(pro.).

Science.gov (United States)

Jefferson, Matthew; Whelband, Matthew; Mohorianu, Irina; Powell, Penny P

2014-01-01

The N-terminal protease of pestiviruses, N(pro) is a unique viral protein, both because it is a distinct autoprotease that cleaves itself from the following polyprotein chain, and also because it binds and inactivates IRF3, a central regulator of interferon production. An important question remains the role of N(pro) in the inhibition of apoptosis. In this study, apoptotic signals induced by staurosporine, interferon, double stranded RNA, sodium arsenate and hydrogen peroxide were inhibited by expression of wild type N(pro), but not by mutant protein N(pro) C112R, which we show is less efficient at promoting degradation of IRF3, and led to the conclusion that N(pro) inhibits the stress-induced intrinsic mitochondrial pathway through inhibition of IRF3-dependent Bax activation. Both expression of N(pro) and infection with Bovine Viral Diarrhea Virus (BVDV) prevented Bax redistribution and mitochondrial fragmentation. Given the role played by signaling platforms during IRF3 activation, we have studied the subcellular distribution of N(pro) and we show that, in common with many other viral proteins, N(pro) targets mitochondria to inhibit apoptosis in response to cell stress. N(pro) itself not only relocated to mitochondria but in addition, both N(pro) and IRF3 associated with peroxisomes, with over 85% of N(pro) puncta co-distributing with PMP70, a marker for peroxisomes. In addition, peroxisomes containing N(pro) and IRF3 associated with ubiquitin. IRF3 was degraded, whereas N(pro) accumulated in response to cell stress. These results implicate mitochondria and peroxisomes as new sites for IRF3 regulation by N(pro), and highlight the role of these organelles in the anti-viral pathway.

Pro-social Motivation beyond Firm Boundaries

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Foss, Nicolai; Milagres, Rosileia

2014-01-01

, contradicting the above argument. More constructively, the case of the Genolyptus network points to the importance of intensive communication, rewards that are tied to joint outcomes, knowledge-based authority and consensual decision-making as support arrangements that can build and sustain pro......An influential body of literature in macro-management research (notably, organization theory and strategic management) associates pro-social motivation solely with firm-like organizations, suggesting that such motivation cannot thrive under more market-like arrangements. We question this argument...... on theoretical, as well as empirical, grounds. As to the latter, we discuss the specific case of a network of firms in Brazil, the Genolyptus network. We argue that this particular network manifests strong pro-social motivations. This implies that pro-social motivations may thrive beyond corporate boundaries...

Improving Gram stain proficiency in hospital and satellite laboratories that do not have microbiology.

Science.gov (United States)

Guarner, Jeannette; Street, Cassandra; Matlock, Margaret; Cole, Lisa; Brierre, Francoise

2017-03-01

Consolidation of laboratories has left many hospitals and satellite laboratories with minimal microbiologic testing. In many hospitals and satellite laboratories, Gram stains on primary specimens are still performed despite difficultly in maintaining proficiency. To maintain Gram stain proficiency at a community 450-bed hospital with an active emergency room we designed bimonthly challenges that require reporting Gram staining and morphology of different organisms. The challenges consist of five specimens prepared by the reference microbiology laboratory from cultures and primary specimens. Twenty to 23 medical laboratory scientists participate reading the challenges. Results from the challenges are discussed with each medical laboratory scientists. In addition, printed images from the challenges are presented at huddle to add microbiology knowledge. On the first three challenges, Gram staining was read correctly in 71%-77% of the time while morphology 53%-66%. In the last six challenges correct answers for Gram stain were 77%-99% while morphology 73%-96%. We observed statistically significant improvement when reading Gram stains by providing frequent challenges to medical laboratory scientists. The clinical importance of Gram stain results is emphasized during huddle presentations increasing knowledge and motivation to perform the test for patients.

N-terminal pro-B-type Natriuretic Peptide in three different mechanisms of dysnatremia onset after a child's craniopharyngioma surgery.

Science.gov (United States)

Spatenkova, Vera; Hradil, Jan; Suchomel, Petr

2017-10-01

Craniopharyngioma, due to its sellar location, can be perioperatively complicated by different types of dysnatremia. We present a rare postoperative onset of a combination of three different mechanisms of dysnatremia with N-terminal pro-B-type Natriuretic Peptide (NT-proBNP) and renal function parameters in a boy with a good outcome after craniopharyngioma surgery: 1/ Central diabetes insipidus (CDI) onset immediately after the operation, hypernatremia with peak serum sodium (SNa) 158 mmol/l) caused by free water polyuria (electrolyte-free water clearance, EWC 0.104 ml/s), NT-proBNP 350 pg/ml; 2/ cerebral salt wasting (CSW) onset on day 7, hyponatremia (SNa 128 mmol/l) with hypoosmolality (measured serum osmolality, SOsm 265 mmol/kg) caused by natriuresis (sodium - daily output 605 mmol/day, fractional excretion 0.035), NT-proBNP 191 pg/ml; 3/ Polydypsia onset on day 11 caused hyponatremia (SNa 132 mmol/l), EWC 0.015, NT-proBNP 68 pg/ml.

A Comparison of Heat versus Methanol Fixation for Gram Staining Bacteria

Science.gov (United States)

Minnerath, Jeanne M.; Roland, Jenna M.; Rossi, Lucas C.; Weishalla, Steven R.; Wolf, Melissa M.

2009-01-01

Gram staining bacteria is a fundamental technique introduced in general biology and microbiology laboratory courses. Two common problems students encounter when Gram staining bacteria are (1) having a difficult time locating bacterial cells on the microscope slide and (2) over-decolorizing bacterial cells during the staining procedure such that…

Keywords in Context (Using n-grams with Python

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

William J. Turkel

2012-07-01

Full Text Available Like in Output Data as HTML File, this lesson takes the frequency pairs collected in Counting Frequencies and outputs them in HTML. This time the focus is on keywords in context (KWIC which creates n-grams from the original document content – in this case a trial transcript from the Old Bailey Online. You can use your program to select a keyword and the computer will output all instances of that keyword, along with the words to the left and right of it, making it easy to see at a glance how the keyword is used. Once the KWICs have been created, they are then wrapped in HTML and sent to the browser where they can be viewed. This reinforces what was learned in Output Data as HTML File, opting for a slightly different output. At the end of this lesson, you will be able to extract all possible n-grams from the text. In the next lesson, you will be learn how to output all of the n-grams of a given keyword in a document downloaded from the Internet, and display them clearly in your browser window.

Risk factors for multidrug-resistant Gram-negative infection in burn patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Vickers, Mark L; Dulhunty, Joel M; Ballard, Emma; Chapman, Paul; Muller, Michael; Roberts, Jason A; Cotta, Menino O

2018-05-01

Infection with multidrug-resistant (MDR) Gram-negative organisms leads to poorer outcomes in the critically ill burn patient. The aim of this study was to identify the risk factors for MDR Gram-negative pathogen infection in critically ill burn patients admitted to a major tertiary referral intensive care unit (ICU) in Australia. A retrospective case-control study of all adult burn patients admitted over a 7-year period was conducted. Twenty-one cases that cultured an MDR Gram-negative organism were matched with 21 controls of similar age, gender, burn size and ICU stay. Multivariable conditional logistic regression was used to individually assess risk factors after adjusting for Acute Burn Severity Index. Adjusted odds ratios (ORs) were reported. P-values negative infection included superficial partial thickness burn size (OR: 1.08; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.01-1.16; P-value: 0.034), prior meropenem exposure (OR: 10.39; 95% CI: 0.96-112.00; P-value: 0.054), Gram-negative colonization on admission (OR: 9.23; 95% CI: 0.65-130.15; P-value: 0.10) and escharotomy (OR: 2.66; 95% CI: 0.52-13.65; P-value: 0.24). For cases, mean age was 41 (SD: 13) years, mean total body surface area burned was 47% (SD: 18) and mean days in ICU until MDR specimen collection was 17 (SD: 10) days. Prior meropenem exposure, Gram-negative colonization on admission, escharotomy and superficial partial thickness burn size may be potentially important factors for increasing the risk of MDR Gram-negative infection in the critically ill burn patient. © 2017 Royal Australasian College of Surgeons.

Silver-doped manganese dioxide and trioxide nanoparticles inhibit both gram positive and gram negative pathogenic bacteria.

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Kunkalekar, R K; Prabhu, M S; Naik, M M; Salker, A V

2014-01-01

Palladium, ruthenium and silver-doped MnO2 and silver doped Mn2O3 nanoparticles were synthesized by simple co-precipitation technique. SEM-TEM analysis revealed the nano-size of these synthesized samples. XPS data illustrates that Mn is present in 4+ and 3+ oxidation states in MnO2 and Mn2O3 respectively. Thermal analysis gave significant evidence for the phase changes with increasing temperature. Antibacterial activity of these synthesized nanoparticles on three Gram positive bacterial cultures (Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 6538, Streptococcus epidermis ATCC 12228, Bacillus subtilis ATCC 6633) and three Gram negative cultures (Escherichia coli ATCC 8739, Salmonella abony NCTC 6017 and Klebsiella pneumoniae ATCC 1003) was investigated using a disc diffusion method and live/dead assay. Only Ag-doped MnO2 and Ag-doped Mn2O3 nanoparticles showed antibacterial property against all six-test bacteria but Ag-doped MnO2 was found to be more effective than Ag-doped Mn2O3. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Nanoparticle targeting of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria for magnetic-based separations of bacterial pathogens

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Lu, Hoang D.; Yang, Shirley S.; Wilson, Brian K.; McManus, Simon A.; Chen, Christopher V. H.-H.; Prud'homme, Robert K.

2017-04-01

Antimicrobial resistance is a healthcare problem of increasing significance, and there is increasing interest in developing new tools to address bacterial infections. Bacteria-targeting nanoparticles hold promise to improve drug efficacy, compliance, and safety. In addition, nanoparticles can also be used for novel applications, such as bacterial imaging or bioseperations. We here present the use of a scalable block-copolymer-directed self-assembly process, Flash NanoPrecipitation, to form zinc(II)-bis(dipicolylamine) modified nanoparticles that bind to both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria with specificity. Particles have tunable surface ligand densities that change particle avidity and binding efficacy. A variety of materials can be encapsulated into the core of the particles, such as optical dyes or iron oxide colloids, to produce imageable and magnetically active bacterial targeting constructs. As a proof-of-concept, these particles are used to bind and separate bacteria from solution in a magnetic column. Magnetic manipulation and separation would translate to a platform for pathogen identification or removal. These magnetic and targeted nanoparticles enable new methods to address bacterial infections.

Cystic neutrophilic granulomatous mastitis: an underappreciated pattern strongly associated with gram-positive bacilli.

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Renshaw, Andrew A; Derhagopian, Robert P; Gould, Edwin W

2011-09-01

Although granulomatous lobular mastitis is associated with gram-positive bacilli such as Corynebacterium, this association is not well known. We report 3 cases of mastitis caused by gram-positive bacilli. All 3 abscesses were suppurative with distinct enlarged cystic spaces in which rare gram-positive bacilli were identified. Two cases were also granulomatous. Cultures in all 3 cases were negative. All 3 patients recovered after biopsy and tetracycline-based therapy. Infection in the breast by gram-positive bacilli is associated with a distinct histologic pattern, including cystic spaces in the setting of neutrophilic/granulomatous inflammation that can be recognized and should prompt careful search for the organism within enlarged vacuoles.

The pestivirus N terminal protease N(pro redistributes to mitochondria and peroxisomes suggesting new sites for regulation of IRF3 by N(pro..

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Matthew Jefferson

Full Text Available The N-terminal protease of pestiviruses, N(pro is a unique viral protein, both because it is a distinct autoprotease that cleaves itself from the following polyprotein chain, and also because it binds and inactivates IRF3, a central regulator of interferon production. An important question remains the role of N(pro in the inhibition of apoptosis. In this study, apoptotic signals induced by staurosporine, interferon, double stranded RNA, sodium arsenate and hydrogen peroxide were inhibited by expression of wild type N(pro, but not by mutant protein N(pro C112R, which we show is less efficient at promoting degradation of IRF3, and led to the conclusion that N(pro inhibits the stress-induced intrinsic mitochondrial pathway through inhibition of IRF3-dependent Bax activation. Both expression of N(pro and infection with Bovine Viral Diarrhea Virus (BVDV prevented Bax redistribution and mitochondrial fragmentation. Given the role played by signaling platforms during IRF3 activation, we have studied the subcellular distribution of N(pro and we show that, in common with many other viral proteins, N(pro targets mitochondria to inhibit apoptosis in response to cell stress. N(pro itself not only relocated to mitochondria but in addition, both N(pro and IRF3 associated with peroxisomes, with over 85% of N(pro puncta co-distributing with PMP70, a marker for peroxisomes. In addition, peroxisomes containing N(pro and IRF3 associated with ubiquitin. IRF3 was degraded, whereas N(pro accumulated in response to cell stress. These results implicate mitochondria and peroxisomes as new sites for IRF3 regulation by N(pro, and highlight the role of these organelles in the anti-viral pathway.

Mortality and preoperative cardiac function in vascular amputees : an N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) pilot study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Riemersma, Marcel; Dijkstra, Pieter U.; van Veldhuisen, Dirk Jan; Muskiet, Frits A. J.; van den Dungen, Jan A. M. M.; Geertzen, Jan H. B.

Objective: To determine preoperative ventricular function in vascular amputees by measuring N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) and to analyse the relationship between NT-proBNP levels and 30-day postoperative mortality. Design: Prospective pilot study. Subjects and methods: In 19

Nucleotide sequence alignment of hdcA from Gram-positive bacteria.

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Diaz, Maria; Ladero, Victor; Redruello, Begoña; Sanchez-Llana, Esther; Del Rio, Beatriz; Fernandez, Maria; Martin, Maria Cruz; Alvarez, Miguel A

2016-03-01

The decarboxylation of histidine -carried out mainly by some gram-positive bacteria- yields the toxic dietary biogenic amine histamine (Ladero et al. 2010 〈10.2174/157340110791233256〉 [1], Linares et al. 2016 〈http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2015.11.013〉〉 [2]). The reaction is catalyzed by a pyruvoyl-dependent histidine decarboxylase (Linares et al. 2011 〈10.1080/10408398.2011.582813〉 [3]), which is encoded by the gene hdcA. In order to locate conserved regions in the hdcA gene of Gram-positive bacteria, this article provides a nucleotide sequence alignment of all the hdcA sequences from Gram-positive bacteria present in databases. For further utility and discussion, see 〈http://dx.doi.org/ 10.1016/j.foodcont.2015.11.035〉〉 [4].

MR-proANP improves prediction of mortality and cardiovascular events in patients with STEMI

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lindberg, Søren; Jensen, Jan Skov; Pedersen, Sune H

2015-01-01

drawn immediately before PCI. Plasma MR-proANP was measured using an automated processing assay. Endpoints were all-cause mortality (n = 137) and the combined endpoint (n = 170) of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) defined as cardiovascular mortality and admission due to recurrent MI, ischaemic...

PPARγ Pro12Ala and ACE ID polymorphisms are associated with BMI and fat distribution, but not metabolic syndrome

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Passaro Angela

2011-12-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Metabolic Syndrome (MetS results from the combined effect of environmental and genetic factors. We investigated the possible association of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ2 (PPARγ2 Pro12Ala and Angiotensin Converting Enzyme (ACE I/D polymorphisms with MetS and interaction between these genetic variants. Methods Three hundred sixty four unrelated Caucasian subjects were enrolled. Waist circumference, blood pressure, and body mass index (BMI were recorded. Body composition was estimated by impedance analysis; MetS was diagnosed by the NCEP-ATPIII criteria. A fasting blood sample was obtained for glucose, insulin, lipid profile determination, and DNA isolation for genotyping. Results The prevalence of MetS did not differ across PPARγ2 or ACE polymorphisms. Carriers of PPARγ2 Ala allele had higher BMI and fat-mass but lower systolic blood pressure compared with Pro/Pro homozygotes. A significant PPARγ2 gene-gender interaction was observed in the modulation of BMI, fat mass, and blood pressure, with significant associations found in women only. A PPARγ2-ACE risk genotype combination for BMI and fat mass was found, with ACE DD/PPARγ2 Ala subjects having a higher BMI (p = 0.002 and Fat Mass (p = 0.002. Pro12Ala was independently associated with waist circumference independent of BMI and gender. Conclusions Carriers of PPARγ2 Ala allele had higher BMI and fat-mass but not a worse metabolic profile, possibly because of a more favorable adipose tissue distribution. A gene interaction exists between Pro12Ala and ACE I/D on BMI and fat mass. Further studies are needed to assess the contribution of Pro12Ala polymorphism in adiposity distribution.

Discordant expression of pro-B-type and pro-C-type natriuretic peptide in newborn infants of mothers with type 1 diabetes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nybo, Mads; Nielsen, Lars Bo; Nielsen, Søren Junge

2007-01-01

CNP-derived peptides in newborn infants. METHODS: Plasma concentrations of proCNP-derived peptides were measured in umbilical cord plasma and human placental tissue extracts using sequence-specific radioimmunoassays raised against N-terminal and C-terminal proCNP regions, respectively. RESULTS: The median pro...... in umbilical cord plasma compared to adult plasma (4.6 vs. 1.1), which parallels our earlier findings for proBNP and BNP peptides. CONCLUSIONS: There is a discordant expression of CNP and BNP peptides in newborn infants of mothers with diabetes. Moreover, fetal metabolism of proCNP and CNP appears to differ...

Extruded black gram flour: Partial substitute for improving quality characteristics of Indian traditional snack

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Laxmi Ananthanarayan

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Background: During extrusion of black gram flour, formation of amylose-lipid complexes lowers down the gelatinization enthalpy of extrudates, and the partially gelatinized black gram starch leads to lowering down the water-holding capacity and alters functional properties resulting in changing quality attributes of the end product on frying/microwaving/roasting. Methods: Attempts have been made to improve the quality of an Indian traditional snack (e.g., papad by incorporating extruded black gram flour as partial substitute for raw (unextruded black gram flour. In present work, overall quality improvement was achieved by analyzing prefrying and postfrying characteristics (diameter, moisture content, expansion ratio, oil uptake, texture, and color of papad and physical properties (color and viscosity of fried oil. Results: Four different papad samples were prepared (control papads without addition of papadkhar, papads with use of 3% papadkhar, papads with incorporation of extruded black gram flour at 25% concentration, papads with incorporation of extruded black gram flour at 50% concentration along with 1% papadkhar and analyzed along standard market sample. Incorporation of extruded black gram flour in papad resulted in greater expansion with less oil uptake in fried papad. Further addition of extruded black gram flour permitted the use of lower concentration of papadkhar. After frying, the quality of oil was characterized after numerous frying cycles. Conclusion: Oil used for frying of papads containing highest concentration of papadkhar was effective only up to two frying cycles, after which color and viscosity increased significantly, adversely affecting the quality of fried oil. Keywords: Black gram flour, Extrusion, Prefrying and postfrying characteristics of papad, Quality of fried oil

Gram stains: a resource for retrospective analysis of bacterial pathogens in clinical studies.

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Srinivasan, Usha; Ponnaluri, Sreelatha; Villareal, Lisa; Gillespie, Brenda; Wen, Ai; Miles, Arianna; Bucholz, Brigette; Marrs, Carl F; Iyer, Ram K; Misra, Dawn; Foxman, Betsy

2012-01-01

We demonstrate the feasibility of using qPCR on DNA extracted from vaginal Gram stain slides to estimate the presence and relative abundance of specific bacterial pathogens. We first tested Gram stained slides spiked with a mix of 10(8) cfu/ml of Escherichia coli and 10(5) cfu/ml of Lactobacillus acidophilus. Primers were designed for amplification of total and species-specific bacterial DNA based on 16S ribosomal gene regions. Sample DNA was pre-amplified with nearly full length 16S rDNA ribosomal gene fragment, followed by quantitative PCR with genera and species-specific 16S rDNA primers. Pre-amplification PCR increased the bacterial amounts; relative proportions of Escherichia coli and Lactobacillus recovered from spiked slides remained unchanged. We applied this method to forty two archived Gram stained slides available from a clinical trial of cerclage in pregnant women at high risk of preterm birth. We found a high correlation between Nugent scores based on bacterial morphology of Lactobacillus, Gardenerella and Mobiluncus and amounts of quantitative PCR estimated genus specific DNA (rrn copies) from Gram stained slides. Testing of a convenience sample of eight paired vaginal swabs and Gram stains freshly collected from healthy women found similar qPCR generated estimates of Lactobacillus proportions from Gram stained slides and vaginal swabs. Archived Gram stained slides collected from large scale epidemiologic and clinical studies represent a valuable, untapped resource for research on the composition of bacterial communities that colonize human mucosal surfaces.

Gram negative wound infection in hospitalised adult burn patients--systematic review and metanalysis-.

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Ernest A Azzopardi

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Gram negative infection is a major determinant of morbidity and survival. Traditional teaching suggests that burn wound infections in different centres are caused by differing sets of causative organisms. This study established whether Gram-negative burn wound isolates associated to clinical wound infection differ between burn centres. METHODS: Studies investigating adult hospitalised patients (2000-2010 were critically appraised and qualified to a levels of evidence hierarchy. The contribution of bacterial pathogen type, and burn centre to the variance in standardised incidence of Gram-negative burn wound infection was analysed using two-way analysis of variance. PRIMARY FINDINGS: Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumanni, Enterobacter spp., Proteus spp. and Escherichia coli emerged as the commonest Gram-negative burn wound pathogens. Individual pathogens' incidence did not differ significantly between burn centres (F (4, 20 = 1.1, p = 0.3797; r2 = 9.84. INTERPRETATION: Gram-negative infections predominate in burn surgery. This study is the first to establish that burn wound infections do not differ significantly between burn centres. It is the first study to report the pathogens responsible for the majority of Gram-negative infections in these patients. Whilst burn wound infection is not exclusive to these bacteria, it is hoped that reporting the presence of this group of common Gram-negative "target organisms" facilitate clinical practice and target research towards a defined clinical demand.

GPU PRO 3 Advanced rendering techniques

CERN Document Server

Engel, Wolfgang

2012-01-01

GPU Pro3, the third volume in the GPU Pro book series, offers practical tips and techniques for creating real-time graphics that are useful to beginners and seasoned game and graphics programmers alike. Section editors Wolfgang Engel, Christopher Oat, Carsten Dachsbacher, Wessam Bahnassi, and Sebastien St-Laurent have once again brought together a high-quality collection of cutting-edge techniques for advanced GPU programming. With contributions by more than 50 experts, GPU Pro3: Advanced Rendering Techniques covers battle-tested tips and tricks for creating interesting geometry, realistic sha

Developing an Integrated Conceptual Framework of Pro-Environmental Behavior in the Workplace through Synthesis of the Current Literature

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Faye V. McDonald

2014-08-01

Full Text Available Recent studies have begun to bridge the gap between general and workplace pro-environmental behavior by adapting specific existing behavioral models to the workplace environment. This conceptual article proposes a different approach by synthesizing the current general and workplace literature to develop a new model of the antecedents to pro-environmental behavior. Guided by this approach, this paper combines the insights of the current general and workplace models to develop an integrated framework of pro-environmental behavior in the workplace. In doing so, an overview of the current general and workplace literatures will be provided as well as their similarities and differences highlighted. The proposed framework will provide further insights into the antecedents of workplace pro-environmental behavior and identify common findings across the different existing workplace models. This theory can be the basis for further research in order to provide a comprehensive picture of the antecedents of pro-environmental behavior in the workplace. Lastly, implications for specific interventions to develop targeted Human Resource Management practices and work towards achieving environmental sustainability will be discussed.

Combined exposure of diesel exhaust particles and respirable Soufrière Hills volcanic ash causes a (pro-)inflammatory response in an in vitro multicellular epithelial tissue barrier model

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Tomašek, Ines; Horwell, Claire J.; Damby, David; Barošová, Hana; Geers, Christoph; Petri-Fink, Alke; Rothen-Rutishauser, Barbara; Clift, Martin J. D.

2016-01-01

BackgroundThere are justifiable health concerns regarding the potential adverse effects associated with human exposure to volcanic ash (VA) particles, especially when considering communities living in urban areas already exposed to heightened air pollution. The aim of this study was, therefore, to gain an imperative, first understanding of the biological impacts of respirable VA when exposed concomitantly with diesel particles.MethodsA sophisticated in vitro 3D triple cell co-culture model of the human alveolar epithelial tissue barrier was exposed to either a single or repeated dose of dry respirable VA (deposited dose of 0.26 ± 0.09 or 0.89 ± 0.29 μg/cm2, respectively) from Soufrière Hills volcano, Montserrat for a period of 24 h at the air-liquid interface (ALI). Subsequently, co-cultures were exposed to co-exposures of single or repeated VA and diesel exhaust particles (DEP; NIST SRM 2975; 0.02 mg/mL), a model urban pollutant, at the pseudo-ALI. The biological impact of each individual particle type was also analysed under these precise scenarios. The cytotoxic (LDH release), oxidative stress (depletion of intracellular GSH) and (pro-)inflammatory (TNF-α, IL-8 and IL-1β) responses were assessed after the particulate exposures. The impact of VA exposure upon cell morphology, as well as its interaction with the multicellular model, was visualised via confocal laser scanning microscopy (LSM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), respectively.ResultsThe combination of respirable VA and DEP, in all scenarios, incited an heightened release of TNF-α and IL-8 as well as significant increases in IL-1β, when applied at sub-lethal doses to the co-culture compared to VA exposure alone. Notably, the augmented (pro-)inflammatory responses observed were not mediated by oxidative stress. LSM supported the quantitative assessment of cytotoxicity, with no changes in cell morphology within the barrier model evident. A direct interaction of the VA with all

Recommendations on evidence needed to support measurement equivalence between electronic and paper-based patient-reported outcome (PRO) measures: ISPOR ePRO Good Research Practices Task Force report.

Science.gov (United States)

Coons, Stephen Joel; Gwaltney, Chad J; Hays, Ron D; Lundy, J Jason; Sloan, Jeff A; Revicki, Dennis A; Lenderking, William R; Cella, David; Basch, Ethan

2009-06-01

, a draft version of the full report was distributed to roughly 220 members of a reviewer group. The reviewer group comprised individuals who had responded to an emailed invitation to the full membership of ISPOR. This Task Force report reflects the extensive internal and external input received during the 16-month good research practices development process. RESULTS/RECOMMENDATIONS: An ePRO questionnaire that has been adapted from a paper-based questionnaire ought to produce data that are equivalent or superior (e.g., higher reliability) to the data produced from the original paper version. Measurement equivalence is a function of the comparability of the psychometric properties of the data obtained via the original and adapted administration mode. This comparability is driven by the amount of modification to the content and format of the original paper PRO questionnaire required during the migration process. The magnitude of a particular modification is defined with reference to its potential effect on the content, meaning, or interpretation of the measure's items and/or scales. Based on the magnitude of the modification, evidence for measurement equivalence can be generated through combinations of the following: cognitive debriefing/testing, usability testing, equivalence testing, or, if substantial modifications have been made, full psychometric testing. As long as only minor modifications were made to the measure during the migration process, a substantial body of existing evidence suggests that the psychometric properties of the original measure will still hold for the ePRO version. Hence, an evaluation limited to cognitive debriefing and usability testing only may be sufficient. However, where more substantive changes in the migration process has occurred, confirming that the adaptation to the ePRO format did not introduce significant response bias and that the two modes of administration produce essentially equivalent results is necessary. Recommendations

Employee-Organization Pro-environmental Values Fit and Pro-environmental Behavior: The Role of Supervisors' Personal Values.

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Lu, Hui; Liu, Xia; Chen, Hong; Long, Ruyin

2017-12-18

This study examines the relationship among the employees-organization pro-environmental values fit (E-O PEVs fit), supervisors' PEVs and employees' pro-environmental behaviors (PEB). Informed by the PEB, organizational values and employee-organization fit literature, we propose and test hypotheses that under egoistic, altruistic and biosphere-value orientations, E-O PEVs fit versus non-fit have significant effects on employees' private-sphere PEB and public-sphere PEB, identifying supervisors' PEVs as a moderator. An empirical investigation indicates that the effect of E-O PEVs fit on employees' private-sphere PEB and public-sphere PEB varies as the value orientation differs. More specifically, under the context of altruistic and biosphere-value orientations, if the organizational PEVs do not match the employees' PEVs, especially when the former exceeds the latter, employees' PEB will rise as the organizational PEVs increase. As for egoistic value orientation, when organizational PEVs exceed employees' PEVs, not only will public-sphere PEB stop decreasing and tend to stabilize, but also private-sphere PEB will rise to a slight degree. Furthermore, compared with altruistic and biospheric values dimensions, supervisors who promote egoistic PEVs will have a more significant effect on the relationship between global E-O PEVs fit and employees' PEB. Finally, we suggest that the goals of an organization and its supervisors need to be combined within the actual situation of Chinese corporations to truly implement corporate green practices by balancing the profit goal and the environmental goal.

Role of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines in activation of inflammation at community-acquired pneumonia of children with different level of physical development

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Tetyana Frolova

2018-05-01

Full Text Available Background: With the aim of better predicting the course of the community-acquired uncomplicated pneumonia (CAUP the study presents the results of research of the cytokine profile based on the obtained rates of pro- (interleukin 1-beta [IL-1β], tumor necrosis factor-alpha [TNF-α] and anti-inflammatory (interleukin 4 [IL-4] cytokines in blood serum as well as results of the combined bacteriological and serological research of children with different level of physical development (PD, sick on CAUP.Methods: In order to reach the purpose of the research the work was carried out by controlled computer-generated randomization schedule in 2 stages. At the 1st stage the examination of 151 children with CAUP aged from 3 to 14 years from the onset of the disease and of 20 apparently healthy children (control group was held. All children passed a study of sputum using staining of swabs according to Gram, culture test and determination of causative agents of pneumonia by the method of enzyme multiplied immunoassay (ELISA; in addition, the cytokine profile (IL-1β, IL-4 and TNF-α was determined by the method of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. At the 2nd stage, according to the inclusion/exclusion criteria, 151 children in the dynamics of the disease were examined: on 7.2 ± 0.9 day from the onset of the disease, the cytokine profile rates were evaluated, and on 12.6 ± 0.9 day the level of IgM, IgG to atypical causative agents of pneumonia were recorded.Results: The results obtained during the research of the indices of the pro-inflammatory (IL-1β and TNF-α and anti-inflammatory (IL-4 cytokines in blood serum of the children with CAUP and having different level of PD can be considered as factors for individually predicting the course of the CAUP of children with different PD.Conclusion: Data suggest that the ratio of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines during in­flammatory process in children with CAUP with different PD can be one of the additional

Microbiology of liver abscesses and the predictive value of abscess gram stain and associated blood cultures.

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Chemaly, Roy F; Hall, Gerri S; Keys, Thomas F; Procop, Gary W

2003-08-01

Although rare, pyogenic liver abscesses are potentially fatal. We evaluated the predictive value of Gram stain of liver abscess aspirates and temporally associated blood cultures. Gram stains detected bacteria in 79% of the liver abscesses tested. The sensitivity and specificity of Gram stain of the liver abscesses were 90% and 100% for Gram-positive cocci (GPC) and 52% and 94% for Gram-negative bacilli (GNB). The sensitivities of the blood cultures for any GPC and GNB present in the liver abscess were 30% and 39%, respectively. Although, Gram stains and blood cultures offer incomplete detection of the microbial contents of pyogenic liver abscesses, both tests should always accompany liver abscess cultures.

Clinical Utility of an Automated Instrument for Gram Staining Single Slides ▿

Science.gov (United States)

Baron, Ellen Jo; Mix, Samantha; Moradi, Wais

2010-01-01

Gram stains of 87 different clinical samples were prepared by the laboratory's conventional methods (automated or manual) and by a new single-slide-type automated staining instrument, GG&B AGS-1000. Gram stains from either heat- or methanol-fixed slides stained with the new instrument were easy to interpret, and results were essentially the same as those from the methanol-fixed slides prepared as a part of the routine workflow. This instrument is well suited to a rapid-response laboratory where Gram stain requests are commonly received on a stat basis. PMID:20410348

One Small Step for the Gram Stain, One Giant Leap for Clinical Microbiology.

Science.gov (United States)

Thomson, Richard B

2016-06-01

The Gram stain is one of the most commonly performed tests in the clinical microbiology laboratory, yet it is poorly controlled and lacks standardization. It was once the best rapid test in microbiology, but it is no longer trusted by many clinicians. The publication by Samuel et al. (J. Clin. Microbiol. 54:1442-1447, 2016, http://dx.doi.org/10.1128/JCM.03066-15) is a start for those who want to evaluate and improve Gram stain performance. In an age of emerging rapid molecular results, is the Gram stain still relevant? How should clinical microbiologists respond to the call to reduce Gram stain error rates? Copyright © 2016, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Combating multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacterial infections.

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Ze-Qi; Flavin, Michael T; Flavin, John

2014-02-01

Multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacterial infections, especially those caused by Gram-negative pathogens, have emerged as one of the world's greatest health threats. The development of novel antibiotics to treat MDR Gram-negative bacteria has, however, stagnated over the last half century. This review provides an overview of recent R&D activities in the search for novel antibiotics against MDR Gram-negatives. It provides emphasis in three key areas. First, the article looks at new analogs of existing antibiotic molecules such as β-lactams, tetracyclines, and aminoglycoside as well as agents against novel bacterial targets such as aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase and peptide deformylase. Second, it also examines alternative strategies to conventional approaches including cationic antimicrobial peptides, siderophores, efflux pump inhibitors, therapeutic antibodies, and renewed interest in abandoned treatments or those with limited indications. Third, the authors aim to provide an update on the current clinical development status for each drug candidate. The traditional analog approach is insufficient to meet the formidable challenge brought forth by MDR superbugs. With the disappointing results of the genomics approach for delivering novel targets and drug candidates, alternative strategies to permeate the bacterial cell membrane, enhance influx, disrupt efflux, and target specific pathogens via therapeutic antibodies are attractive and promising. Coupled with incentivized business models, governmental policies, and a clarified regulatory pathway, it is hoped that the antibiotic pipeline will be filled with an effective armamentarium to safeguard global health.

LexGram - a practical categorial grammar formalism -

OpenAIRE

Koenig, Esther

1995-01-01

We present the LexGram system, an amalgam of (Lambek) categorial grammar and Head Driven Phrase Structure Grammar (HPSG), and show that the grammar formalism it implements is a well-structured and useful tool for actual grammar development.

Volatile metabolites from some gram-negative bacteria

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Schöller, Charlotte; Molin, Søren; Wilkins, Ken

1997-01-01

A survey of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) excreted from various Gram-negative bacteria (Pseudomonas spp., Serratia spp. and Enterobacter spp.) was carried out. Compounds were identified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. VOCs identified included dimethyl disulphide, dimethyl trisulphide...

Multiplex identification of sepsis-causing Gram-negative pathogens from the plasma of infected blood.

Science.gov (United States)

Chung, Boram; Park, Chulmin; Cho, Sung-Yeon; Shin, Juyoun; Shin, Sun; Yim, Seon-Hee; Lee, Dong-Gun; Chung, Yeun-Jung

2018-02-01

Early and accurate detection of bacterial pathogens in the blood is the most crucial step for sepsis management. Gram-negative bacteria are the most common organisms causing severe sepsis and responsible for high morbidity and mortality. We aimed to develop a method for rapid multiplex identification of clinically important Gram-negative pathogens and also validated whether our system can identify Gram-negative pathogens with the cell-free plasm DNA from infected blood. We designed five MLPA probe sets targeting the genes specific to major Gram-negative pathogens (uidA and lacY for E. coli, ompA for A. baumannii, phoE for K. pneumoniae, and ecfX for P. aeruginosa) and one set targeting the CTX-M group 1 to identify the ESBL producing Gram-negative pathogens. All six target-specific peaks were clearly separated without any non-specific peaks in a multiplex reaction condition. The minimum detection limit was 100 fg of pathogen DNA. When we tested 28 Gram-negative clinical isolates, all of them were successfully identified without any non-specific peaks. To evaluate the clinical applicability, we tested seven blood samples from febrile patients. Three blood culture positive cases showed E. coli specific peaks, while no peak was detected in the other four culture negative samples. This technology can be useful for detection of major sepsis-causing, drug-resistant Gram-negative pathogens and also the major ESBL producing Gram-negatives from the blood of sepsis patients in a clinical setting. This system can help early initiation of effective antimicrobial treatment against Gram-negative pathogens for sepsis patients, which is very crucial for better treatment outcomes. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Pro NET Best Practices

CERN Document Server

Ritchie, Stephen D

2011-01-01

Pro .NET Best Practices is a practical reference to the best practices that you can apply to your .NET projects today. You will learn standards, techniques, and conventions that are sharply focused, realistic and helpful for achieving results, steering clear of unproven, idealistic, and impractical recommendations. Pro .NET Best Practices covers a broad range of practices and principles that development experts agree are the right ways to develop software, which includes continuous integration, automated testing, automated deployment, and code analysis. Whether the solution is from a free and

[Antimicrobial therapy in severe infections with multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacterias].

Science.gov (United States)

Duszyńska, Wiesława

2010-01-01

Multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacteria pose a serious and rapidly emerging threat to patients in healthcare settings, and are especially prevalent and problematic in intensive therapy units. Recently, the emergence of pandrug-resistance in Gram-negative bacteria poses additional concerns. This review examines the clinical impact and epidemiology of multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacteria as a cause of increased morbidity and mortality among ITU patients. Beta-lactamases, cephalosporinases and carbapenemases play the most important role in resistance to antibiotics. Despite the tendency to increased resistance, carbapenems administered by continuous infusion remain the most effective drugs in severe sepsis. Drug concentration monitoring, albeit rarely used in practice, is necessary to ensure an effective therapeutic effect.

Lack of clinical utility of urine gram stain for suspected urinary tract infection in pediatric patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Cantey, Joseph B; Gaviria-Agudelo, Claudia; McElvania TeKippe, Erin; Doern, Christopher D

2015-04-01

Urinary tract infection (UTI) is one of the most common infections in children. Urine culture remains the gold standard for diagnosis, but the utility of urine Gram stain relative to urinalysis (UA) is unclear. We reviewed 312 pediatric patients with suspected UTI who had urine culture, UA, and urine Gram stain performed from a single urine specimen. UA was considered positive if ≥10 leukocytes per oil immersion field were seen or if either nitrates or leukocyte esterase testing was positive. Urine Gram stain was considered positive if any organisms were seen. Sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values were calculated using urine culture as the gold standard. Thirty-seven (12%) patients had a culture-proven UTI. Compared to urine Gram stain, UA had equal sensitivity (97.3% versus 97.5%) and higher specificity (85% versus 74%). Empirical therapy was prescribed before the Gram stain result was known in 40 (49%) patients and after in 42 (51%) patients. The antibiotics chosen did not differ between the two groups (P=0.81), nor did they differ for patients with Gram-negative rods on urine Gram stain compared to those with Gram-positive cocci (P=0.67). From these data, we conclude that UA has excellent negative predictive value that is not enhanced by urine Gram stain and that antibiotic selection did not vary based on the urine Gram stain result. In conclusion, the clinical utility of urine Gram stain does not warrant the time or cost it requires. Copyright © 2015, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

DMPD: Cellular reprogramming by gram-positive bacterial components: a review. [Dynamic Macrophage Pathway CSML Database

Lifescience Database Archive (English)

Full Text Available 16885502 Cellular reprogramming by gram-positive bacterial components: a review. Bu...(.csml) Show Cellular reprogramming by gram-positive bacterial components: a review. PubmedID 16885502 Title... Cellular reprogramming by gram-positive bacterial components: a review. Authors

PRoMoTo 2013 proceedings

OpenAIRE

Bishop, Judith; Tillmann, Nikolai; Puder, Arno; Naik, Vinayak

2013-01-01

Programming for Mobile and Touch (PRoMoTo'13) was held at the 2013 ACM SIGPLAN conference on Systems, Programming, Languages and Applications (SPLASH 2013), October 2013 in Indianapolis, USA. Submissions for this event were invited in the general area of mobile and touch-oriented programming languages and programming environments, and teaching of programming for mobile devices. These are proceedings of the PRoMoTo'13.

Can venous ProBNP levels predict placenta accreta?

Science.gov (United States)

Ersoy, Ali Ozgur; Oztas, Efser; Ozler, Sibel; Ersoy, Ebru; Erkenekli, Kudret; Uygur, Dilek; Caglar, Ali Turhan; Danisman, Nuri

2016-12-01

Placenta previa (PP) is a potential life-threatening pregnancy complication. Pro-brain natriuretic peptide (ProBNP), creatine kinase (CK), cardiac form of CK (CK-MB) and Troponin I are circulatory biomarkers related to cardiac functions. We aimed to determine whether these biomarkers are related to PP and placenta accreta. In this case-control study, fifty-four pregnant women who attended our tertiary care center for perinatology with the diagnosis of PP totalis, and of them, 14 patients with placenta accreta were recruited as the study groups. Forty-six uncomplicated control patients who were matched for age, BMI were also included. Maternal venous ProBNP, CK, CK-MB and Troponin I levels were compared between the three groups. Obstetric history characteristics were comparable among groups, generally. CK and CK-MB levels were similar among three groups. Troponin I levels in the previa and accreta groups were significantly higher than the controls. ProBNP levels in the accreta group were significantly higher than other two groups. The multivariate regression model revealed that ProBNP could predict placental adhesion anomalies. Troponin I and ProBNP levels in PP cases were higher than controls and ProBNP could predict placenta accreta.

In vitro activity of tigecycline and comparator agents against a global collection of Gram-negative and Gram-positive organisms: tigecycline Evaluation and Surveillance Trial 2004 to 2007.

Science.gov (United States)

Garrison, Mark W; Mutters, Reinier; Dowzicky, Michael J

2009-11-01

The Tigecycline Evaluation and Surveillance Trial began in 2004 to monitor the in vitro activity of tigecycline and comparator agents against a global collection of Gram-negative and Gram-positive pathogens. Against Gram negatives (n = 63 699), tigecycline MIC(90)'s ranged from 0.25 to 2 mg/L for Escherichia coli, Haemophilus influenzae, Acinetobacter baumannii, Klebsiella oxytoca, Enterobacter cloacae, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Serratia marcescens (but was > or =32 for Pseudomonas aeruginosa). Against Gram-positive organisms (n = 32 218), tigecycline MIC(90)'s were between 0.06 and 0.25 mg/L for Streptococcus pneumoniae, Enterococcus faecium, Streptococcus agalactiae, Staphylococcus aureus, and Enterococcus faecalis. The in vitro activity of tigecycline was maintained against resistant phenotypes, including multidrug-resistant A. baumannii (9.2% of isolates), extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing E. coli (7.0%) and K. pneumoniae (14.0%), beta-lactamase-producing H. influenzae (22.2%), methicillin-resistant S. aureus (44.5%), vancomycin-resistant E. faecium (45.9%) and E. faecalis (2.8%), and penicillin-resistant S. pneumoniae (13.8%). Tigecycline represents a welcome addition to the armamentarium against difficult to treat organisms.

Textualidad y gramática argumentativa

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

RAÚL FIRACATIVE-RUIZ

2014-01-01

Full Text Available La argumentación es un modo de organizar el discurso, cuya orientación se da para lograr el convencimiento del otro. El presente artículo acoge este precepto para abordar la propuesta argumentativa del autor italiano Vincenzo Lo Cascio desde la noción de textualidad . Gramática argumentativa es el nombre dado a esta apuesta teórica y surge de las ideas de la Nueva Retórica de Perelman. Lo Cascio propone la existencia de categorías sintácticas finitas, denominadas reglas categoriales e indicadores de fuerza , las cuales permiten orientar la información de los enunciados y analizar multiplicidad de discursos; por ello, es una teoría que sigue la línea de la sintaxis generativa de Noam Chomsky. El artículo plantea la necesidad de reconocer, desde la Gramática argumentativa, el potencial enunciativo de la palabra en situaciones comunicativas cotidianas, donde es preciso que los enunciadores sean conscientes del uso que hacen de la palabra.

Human melioidosis reported by ProMED.

Science.gov (United States)

Nasner-Posso, Katherinn Melissa; Cruz-Calderón, Stefania; Montúfar-Andrade, Franco E; Dance, David A B; Rodriguez-Morales, Alfonso J

2015-06-01

There are limited sources describing the global burden of emerging diseases. A review of human melioidosis reported by ProMED was performed and the reliability of the data retrieved assessed in comparison to published reports. The effectiveness of ProMED was evaluated as a source of epidemiological data by focusing on melioidosis. Using the keyword 'melioidosis' in the ProMED search engine, all of the information from the reports and collected data was reviewed using a structured form, including the year, country, gender, occupation, number of infected individuals, and number of fatal cases. One hundred and twenty-four entries reported between January 1995 and October 2014 were identified. A total of 4630 cases were reported, with death reported in 505 cases, suggesting a misleadingly low overall case fatality rate (CFR) of 11%. Of 20 cases for which the gender was reported, 12 (60%) were male. Most of the cases were reported from Australia, Thailand, Singapore, Vietnam, and Malaysia, with sporadic reports from other countries. Internet-based reporting systems such as ProMED are useful to gather information and synthesize knowledge on emerging infections. Although certain areas need to be improved, ProMED provided good information about melioidosis. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Effect of silver/copper and copper oxide nanoparticle powder on growth of Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria and their toxicity against the normal human dermal fibroblasts

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Peszke, Jerzy; Nowak, Anna; Szade, Jacek; Szurko, Agnieszka; Zygadło, Dorota; Michałowska, Marlena; Krzyściak, Paweł; Zygoń, Patrycja; Ratuszna, Alicja; Ostafin, Marek M.

2016-01-01

Engineered nanomaterials, especially metallic nanoparticles, are the most popular system applied in daily life products. The study of their biological and toxicity properties seems to be indispensable. In this paper, we present results of biological activity of Ag/Cu nanoparticles. These nanoparticles show more promising killing/inhibiting properties on Gram-negative bacteria than for Gram-positive ones. The Gram-negative bacteria show strong effect already at the concentration of 1 ppm after 15 min of incubation. Moreover, in vitro tests of toxicity made on normal human dermal fibroblast cultures showed that after 72 h of incubation with Ag/Cu nanoparticles, they are less toxic then Cu 2 O/CuO nanoparticles.

Effect of silver/copper and copper oxide nanoparticle powder on growth of Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria and their toxicity against the normal human dermal fibroblasts

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Peszke, Jerzy; Nowak, Anna, E-mail: ana.maria.nowak@gmail.com; Szade, Jacek; Szurko, Agnieszka; Zygadło, Dorota; Michałowska, Marlena [University of Silesia, A. Chelkowski Institute of Physics (Poland); Krzyściak, Paweł [Jagiellonian University Medical College, Department of Mycology Chair of Microbiology (Poland); Zygoń, Patrycja [Czestochowa University of Technology, Institute of Materials Engineering (Poland); Ratuszna, Alicja [University of Silesia, A. Chelkowski Institute of Physics (Poland); Ostafin, Marek M. [Department of Microbiology University of Agriculture (Poland)

2016-12-15

Engineered nanomaterials, especially metallic nanoparticles, are the most popular system applied in daily life products. The study of their biological and toxicity properties seems to be indispensable. In this paper, we present results of biological activity of Ag/Cu nanoparticles. These nanoparticles show more promising killing/inhibiting properties on Gram-negative bacteria than for Gram-positive ones. The Gram-negative bacteria show strong effect already at the concentration of 1 ppm after 15 min of incubation. Moreover, in vitro tests of toxicity made on normal human dermal fibroblast cultures showed that after 72 h of incubation with Ag/Cu nanoparticles, they are less toxic then Cu{sub 2}O/CuO nanoparticles.

Nicaragua - ProNicaragua

Data.gov (United States)

Millennium Challenge Corporation — The focus of this performance evaluation was whether or not the ProNicaragua Activity’s program logic was sound and successful and had the intended benefits related...

Comparison of Gram and Kopeloff stains in the diagnosis of bacterial vaginosis in pregnancy.

Science.gov (United States)

Libman, Michael D; Kramer, Michael; Platt, Robert

2006-03-01

Bacterial vaginosis (BV) is commonly diagnosed by using the Nugent score, a semiquantitative scoring system to evaluate bacterial morphotypes on Gram stain of vaginal secretions. Some authors have suggested using the Kopeloff modification of the Gram stain. Asymptomatic BV in pregnancy has been associated with adverse outcomes. We performed both stains on simultaneously collected vaginal smears from 2652 women at 24-26 weeks of gestation. Gram staining gave significantly higher (more abnormal) Nugent scores than Kopeloff staining. Compared to the Kopeloff stain, the number of specimens graded as indeterminate or consistent with BV by Gram stain increased by 29% (469 versus 364, Pstaining was significantly better than Gram staining (agreement=74% versus 63%, intraclass correlation coefficient=0.87 versus 0.79, P<.05, 95% confidence intervals 0.85-0.89 and 0.75-0.82, respectively).

Automated Interpretation of Blood Culture Gram Stains by Use of a Deep Convolutional Neural Network.

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, Kenneth P; Kang, Anthony D; Kirby, James E

2018-03-01

Microscopic interpretation of stained smears is one of the most operator-dependent and time-intensive activities in the clinical microbiology laboratory. Here, we investigated application of an automated image acquisition and convolutional neural network (CNN)-based approach for automated Gram stain classification. Using an automated microscopy platform, uncoverslipped slides were scanned with a 40× dry objective, generating images of sufficient resolution for interpretation. We collected 25,488 images from positive blood culture Gram stains prepared during routine clinical workup. These images were used to generate 100,213 crops containing Gram-positive cocci in clusters, Gram-positive cocci in chains/pairs, Gram-negative rods, or background (no cells). These categories were targeted for proof-of-concept development as they are associated with the majority of bloodstream infections. Our CNN model achieved a classification accuracy of 94.9% on a test set of image crops. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis indicated a robust ability to differentiate between categories with an area under the curve of >0.98 for each. After training and validation, we applied the classification algorithm to new images collected from 189 whole slides without human intervention. Sensitivity and specificity were 98.4% and 75.0% for Gram-positive cocci in chains and pairs, 93.2% and 97.2% for Gram-positive cocci in clusters, and 96.3% and 98.1% for Gram-negative rods. Taken together, our data support a proof of concept for a fully automated classification methodology for blood-culture Gram stains. Importantly, the algorithm was highly adept at identifying image crops with organisms and could be used to present prescreened, classified crops to technologists to accelerate smear review. This concept could potentially be extended to all Gram stain interpretive activities in the clinical laboratory. Copyright © 2018 American Society for Microbiology.

Integrated Programs and Pro-Environmental Behaviour

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, Tiffany

2008-01-01

Research suggested that "nature experience as an education method played a role in developing environmental value and attitudes, and was influential in pro-environmental behaviour." Few of these studies however, assessed the long-term influences of outdoor education experiences on participants' pro-environmental behaviour. The Outward…

iPro user : a case study of pro-am photographers in Malaysia travel magazine

OpenAIRE

Teh, Chree Yee

2012-01-01

In the digital era, centralized media is moving towards de-centralized and globalized network. This development changes the relationship between mass media and their audiences, remodels the connection among media users and expands traditional roles of consumers. Consumer behavior changes blur the distinction between producer-consumer, professional-amateur, and work-leisure. With a title of ‘iPro User’ which refers to ‘I am a productive and professional user’, this paper is applying ‘pro-am’ m...

Seismic classification through sparse filter dictionaries

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hickmann, Kyle Scott [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States); Srinivasan, Gowri [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)

2017-09-13

We tackle a multi-label classi cation problem involving the relation between acoustic- pro le features and the measured seismogram. To isolate components of the seismo- grams unique to each class of acoustic pro le we build dictionaries of convolutional lters. The convolutional- lter dictionaries for the individual classes are then combined into a large dictionary for the entire seismogram set. A given seismogram is classi ed by computing its representation in the large dictionary and then comparing reconstruction accuracy with this representation using each of the sub-dictionaries. The sub-dictionary with the minimal reconstruction error identi es the seismogram class.

Cadmium Toxicity Induced Alterations in the Root Proteome of Green Gram in Contrasting Response towards Iron Supplement

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sowbiya Muneer

2014-04-01

Full Text Available Cadmium signifies a severe threat to crop productivity and green gram is a notably iron sensitive plant which shows considerable variation towards cadmium stress. A gel-based proteomics analysis was performed with the roots of green gram exposed to iron and cadmium combined treatments. The resulting data show that twenty three proteins were down-regulated in iron-deprived roots either in the absence (−Fe/−Cd or presence (−Fe/+Cd of cadmium. These down-regulated proteins were however well expressed in roots under iron sufficient conditions, even in the presence of cadmium (+Fe/+Cd. The functional classification of these proteins determined that 21% of the proteins are associated with nutrient metabolism. The other proteins in higher quantities are involved in either transcription or translation regulation, and the rest are involved in biosynthesis metabolism, antioxidant pathways, molecular chaperones and stress response. On the other hand, several protein spots were also absent in roots in response to iron deprivation either in absence (−Fe/−Cd or presence (−Fe/+Cd of cadmium but were well expressed in the presence of iron (+Fe/+Cd. Results suggest that green gram plants exposed to cadmium stress are able to change the nutrient metabolic balance in roots, but in the mean time regulate cadmium toxicity through iron supplements.

Clinical update on linezolid in the treatment of Gram-positive bacterial infections

Science.gov (United States)

Ager, Sally; Gould, Kate

2012-01-01

Gram-positive pathogens are a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in both community and health care settings. Glycopeptides have traditionally been the antibiotics of choice for multiresistant Gram-positive pathogens but there are problems with their use, including the emergence of glycopeptide-resistant strains, tissue penetration, and achieving and monitoring adequate serum levels. Newer antibiotics such as linezolid, a synthetic oxazolidinone, are available for the treatment of resistant Gram-positive bacteria. Linezolid is active against a wide range of Gram-positive bacteria and has been generally available for the treatment of Gram-positive infections since 2000. There are potential problems with linezolid use, including its bacteriostatic action and the relatively high incidence of reported adverse effects, particularly with long-term use. Long-term use may also be complicated by the development of resistance. However, linezolid has been shown to be clinically useful in the treatment of several serious infections where traditionally bacteriocidal agents have been required and many of its adverse effects are reversible on cessation. It has also been shown to be a cost-effective treatment option in several studies, with its high oral bioavailability allowing an early change from intravenous to oral formulations with consequent earlier patient discharge and lower inpatient costs. PMID:22787406

NT-proBNP concentrations in mountain marathoners.

Science.gov (United States)

Banfi, Giuseppe; Lippi, Giuseppe; Susta, Daniele; Barassi, Alessandra; D'Eril, Gianvico Melzi; Dogliotti, Giada; Corsi, Massimiliano M

2010-05-01

The 76 amino acid N-terminal proB-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) is proposed for evaluating and monitoring heart pathologies characterized by myocardial wall stress. Strenuous exercise might generate transitory ischemia, myocardial stress, and diastolic left ventricular dysfunction, possibly inducing an increase of some biochemical parameter concentrations. An alert has been claimed owing to biochemical and instrumental signs of heart dysfunction in recreational athletes during marathon races. We studied the behaviour of NT-proBNP in 15 mountain marathoners before and after a race. The concentrations of the parameter were lower than that observed in controls at rest and were similar to that observed in professional soccer and rugby players. The concentrations significantly increased after the race. NT-proBNP is low at rest in professional athletes, and the increase after physical exercise is physiological. The marathoners, even when performing races in a high-altitude environment, show NT-proBNP concentrations similar to those of athletes from other sports disciplines, characterized by low levels of effort and by a mix of aerobic and anaerobic metabolism. The increase of NT-proBNP is linked to strenuous physical exercise and to heavy heart effort, testified also by an increase of troponin I. However, the role of the NT-proBNP could be important to screen recreational and professional marathoners to avoid possible heart problems and sudden cardiac death in subjects with occult heart disease. The results of the present study are relevant to the design and evaluation of training programs for improving strength and function of professional marathoners.

Inhibition of various gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria growth on selenium nanoparticle coated paper towels.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Qi; Larese-Casanova, Philip; Webster, Thomas J

2015-01-01

There are wide spread bacterial contamination issues on various paper products, such as paper towels hanging in sink splash zones or those used to clean surfaces, filter papers used in water and air purifying systems, and wrappings used in the food industry; such contamination may lead to the potential spread of bacteria and consequent severe health concerns. In this study, selenium nanoparticles were coated on normal paper towel surfaces through a quick precipitation method, introducing antibacterial properties to the paper towels in a healthy way. Their effectiveness at preventing biofilm formation was tested in bacterial assays involving Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, and Staphylococcus epidermidis. The results showed significant and continuous bacteria inhibition with about a 90% reduction from 24 to 72 hours for gram-positive bacteria including S. aureus and S. epidermidis. The selenium coated paper towels also showed significant inhibition of gram-negative bacteria like P. aeruginosa and E. coli growth at about 57% and 84%, respectively, after 72 hours of treatment. Therefore, this study established a promising selenium-based antibacterial strategy to prevent bacterial growth on paper products, which may lead to the avoidance of bacteria spreading and consequent severe health concerns.

Cellular reprogramming by gram-positive bacterial components: a review.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Buckley, Julliette M

2012-02-03

LPS tolerance has been the focus of extensive scientific and clinical research over the last several decades in an attempt to elucidate the sequence of changes that occur at a molecular level in tolerized cells. Tolerance to components of gram-positive bacterial cell walls such as bacterial lipoprotein and lipoteichoic acid is a much lesser studied, although equally important, phenomenon. This review will focus on cellular reprogramming by gram-positive bacterial components and examines the alterations in cell surface receptor expression, changes in intracellular signaling, gene expression and cytokine production, and the phenomenon of cross-tolerance.

Miniaturized bead-beating device to automate full DNA sample preparation processes for gram-positive bacteria.

Science.gov (United States)

Hwang, Kyu-Youn; Kwon, Sung Hong; Jung, Sun-Ok; Lim, Hee-Kyun; Jung, Won-Jong; Park, Chin-Sung; Kim, Joon-Ho; Suh, Kahp-Yang; Huh, Nam

2011-11-07

We have developed a miniaturized bead-beating device to automate nucleic acids extraction from Gram-positive bacteria for molecular diagnostics. The microfluidic device was fabricated by sandwiching a monolithic flexible polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) membrane between two glass wafers (i.e., glass-PDMS-glass), which acted as an actuator for bead collision via its pneumatic vibration without additional lysis equipment. The Gram-positive bacteria, S. aureus and methicillin-resistant S. aureus, were captured on surface-modified glass beads from 1 mL of initial sample solution and in situ lyzed by bead-beating operation. Then, 10 μL or 20 μL of bacterial DNA solution was eluted and amplified successfully by real-time PCR. It was found that liquid volume fraction played a crucial role in determining the cell lysis efficiency in a confined chamber by facilitating membrane deflection and bead motion. The miniaturized bead-beating operation disrupted most of S. aureus within 3 min, which turned out to be as efficient as the conventional benchtop vortexing machine or the enzyme-based lysis technique. The effective cell concentration was significantly enhanced with the reduction of initial sample volume by 50 or 100 times. Combination of such analyte enrichment and in situ bead-beating lysis provided an excellent PCR detection sensitivity amounting to ca. 46 CFU even for the Gram-positive bacteria. The proposed bead-beating microdevice is potentially useful as a nucleic acid extraction method toward a PCR-based sample-to-answer system. This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry 2011

[Comparison of the quick Gram stain method to the B&M modified and favor methods].

Science.gov (United States)

Osawa, Kayo; Kataoka, Nobumasa; Maruo, Toshio

2011-01-01

The Gram stain is an established method for bacterial identification, but the time needed to carry out this stain is 2-3 min. We attempted to shorten this time and stained a total of 70 clinical specimens isolated from using the Bartholomew & Mittwer (B&M) modified or Favor methods with a 3 s duration for washing and staining steps. Results were plotted and analyzed using a Hue Saturation Intensity (HSI) model. The range based on a plot of the two methods with the HSI model was presented as a reference interval. Our results indicated that 100% (35/35) of strains were Gram positive and 97.1% (34/35) were Gram negative for the quick B&M modified method. In the quick Favor method, 80.0% (28/35) were Gram positive and 68.6% (24/35) of strains were Gram negative. We propose that the quick B&M modified method is equivalent to the standard Gram staining method and is superior to the quick Favor method.

Breaking barriers: expansion of the use of endolysins as novel antibacterials against Gram-negative bacteria.

Science.gov (United States)

Briers, Yves; Lavigne, Rob

2015-01-01

The emergence and spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria drives the search for novel classes of antibiotics to replenish our armamentarium against bacterial infections. This is particularly critical for Gram-negative pathogens, which are intrinsically resistant to many existing classes of antibiotics due to the presence of a protective outer membrane. In addition, the antibiotics development pipeline is mainly oriented to Gram-positive pathogens such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. A promising novel class of antibacterials is endolysins. These enzymes encoded by bacterial viruses hydrolyze the peptidoglycan layer with high efficiency, resulting in abrupt osmotic lysis and cell death. Their potential as novel antibacterials to treat Gram-positive bacteria has been extensively demonstrated; however, the Gram-negative outer membrane has presented a formidable barrier for the use of endolysins against Gram-negatives until recently. This review reports on the most recent advances in the development of endolysins to kill Gram-negative species with a special focus on endolysin-engineered Artilysins(®).

Pro-Lie Groups: A Survey with Open Problems

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Karl H. Hofmann

2015-07-01

Full Text Available A topological group is called a pro-Lie group if it is isomorphic to a closed subgroup of a product of finite-dimensional real Lie groups. This class of groups is closed under the formation of arbitrary products and closed subgroups and forms a complete category. It includes each finite-dimensional Lie group, each locally-compact group that has a compact quotient group modulo its identity component and, thus, in particular, each compact and each connected locally-compact group; it also includes all locally-compact Abelian groups. This paper provides an overview of the structure theory and the Lie theory of pro-Lie groups, including results more recent than those in the authors’ reference book on pro-Lie groups. Significantly, it also includes a review of the recent insight that weakly-complete unital algebras provide a natural habitat for both pro-Lie algebras and pro-Lie groups, indeed for the exponential function that links the two. (A topological vector space is weakly complete if it is isomorphic to a power RX of an arbitrary set of copies of R. This class of real vector spaces is at the basis of the Lie theory of pro-Lie groups. The article also lists 12 open questions connected to pro-Lie groups.

The accuracy of Gram stain of respiratory specimens in excluding Staphylococcus aureus in ventilator-associated pneumonia.

Science.gov (United States)

Gottesman, Tamar; Yossepowitch, Orit; Lerner, Evgenia; Schwartz-Harari, Orna; Soroksky, Arie; Yekutieli, Daniel; Dan, Michael

2014-10-01

To evaluate the Gram stain of deep tracheal aspirate as a tool to direct empiric antibiotic therapy, and more specifically as a tool to exclude the need for empiric antibiotic coverage against Staphylococcus aureus in ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP). A prospective, single-center, observational, cohort study. All wards at a community hospital. Adult patients requiring mechanical ventilation, identified as having VAP in a 54-month prospective surveillance database. Sampling of lower airway secretions by deep endotracheal aspiration was taken from each patient who developed VAP. Samples were sent immediately for Gram stain and qualitative bacterial cultures. Demographic and relevant clinical data were collected; Gram stain, culture, and antibiotic susceptibility results were documented; and outcome was followed prospectively. The analysis included 114 consecutive patients with 115 episodes of VAP from June 2007 to January 2012. Sensitivity of Gram stain compared with culture was 90.47% for gram-positive cocci, 69.6% for gram-negative rods, and 50% for sterile cultures. Specificity was 82.5%, 77.8%, and 79%, respectively. Negative predictive value was high for gram-positive cocci (97%) and sterile cultures (96%) but low for gram-negative rods (20%). Acinetobacter baumanii (45%) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (38 %) were the prevailing isolates. S aureus was found in 18.3% of the patients. Most isolates were multiresistant. Absence of gram-positive bacteria on Gram stain had a high negative predictive value. These data can be used to narrow the initial empiric antibiotic regimen and to avoid unnecessary exposure of patients to vancomycin and other antistaphyloccocal agents. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Antimicrobial-resistant Gram-negative bacteria in febrile neutropenic patients with cancer: current epidemiology and clinical impact.

Science.gov (United States)

Trecarichi, Enrico M; Tumbarello, Mario

2014-04-01

In the recent years, several studies involving cancer patients have demonstrated a clear trend in the epidemiology of bacterial infections showing a shift in the prevalence from Gram-positive to Gram-negative bacteria and the extensive emergence of antimicrobial-resistant strains among Gram-negatives isolated from the blood. The aim of this systematic review was to examine the recent trends in epidemiology and antimicrobial resistance in Gram-negatives recovered from neutropenic cancer patients, with particular emphasis on the impact of antimicrobial resistance on the clinical outcome of severe infections caused by such microorganisms. Overall, from 2007 to date, the rate of Gram-negative bacteria recovery ranged from 24.7 to 75.8% (mean 51.3%) in cancer patient cohorts. Escherichia coli represented the most common species (mean frequency of isolation 32.1%) among the Gram-negatives, followed by Pseudomonas aeruginosa (mean frequency of isolation 20.1%). An increasing frequency of Acinetobacter spp. and Stenotrophomonas maltophilia was also reported. Increased rates of multidrug-resistant Gram-negative strains have been highlighted among Enterobacteriaceae and nonfermenting Gram-negative rods, despite discontinuation of fluoroquinolone-based antibacterial prophylaxis for neutropenic patients. In addition, antimicrobial resistance and/or the inadequacy of empirical antibiotic treatment have been frequently linked to a worse outcome in cancer patients with bloodstream infections caused by Gram-negative isolates. Sound knowledge of the local distribution of pathogens and their susceptibility patterns and prompt initiation of effective antimicrobial treatment for severe infections caused by Gram-negative bacteria are essential in cancer patients.

Effects of Tillage Systems on Changes of Soil Nutrients, Yield and Land Equivalent Ratio in Roselle – Green Gram Intercropping

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A Hodiani mehr

2017-10-01

amount of magnesium of soil after harvest. The comparison of means showed that the highest and the lowest magnesium content were observed in conventional tillage (17.9 ppm and zero tillage (16.7 ppm respectively, (Table 2. The calcium amount in a pure culture of green gram (17.9 ppm was higher than the net cultivation of Roselle (15.5 ppm. The Most of potassium soil of intercropping 25 % Roselle +75% green gram (480.1 ppm and the lowest amount of pure cultures of Roselle (401.8 ppm, were obtained (Table 2. Bohrani et al., (2 were reported that no tillage systems compared with conventional tillage with crop residue have increases soil organic carbon content. With the increase of Roselle in intercropping reduced soil potassium and with increase the proportion of green gram in intercropping, potassium was increased. Tillage systems, planting ratio and interactions (tillage system × planting ratio had a significant effect on soil water content and soil temperature. Comparison of means showed that maximum and minimum soil water content of the soil related to the zero tillage (18.6 % and conventional tillage (12.6 %. soil water content pure culture of green gram was the greater than intercropping and pure culture of Roselle. Soil temperature in pure culture of Roselle was greater than of pure culture of green gram. Effect of planting ratio was significant on LER in 1% probability level. The highest and lowest of LER was obtained in 75 %green gram + 25% (1.36 and 25 % green gram +75 % Roselle (1.15. Beheshti and Soltaniyan (2012 reported that LER in various combinations of sorghum and beans intercropping was higher than of unit. Conclusions Investigation showed that the zero tillage treatments and intercropping increased the efficiency of environmental resources and improved the soil nutrient, significantly. The highest LER was achieved 75% green gram + 25% Roselle, which is indicative of the excellence of intercropping compared to monoculture. The amount of organic carbon has

Sada testů pro projekt OpenLDAP/NSS

OpenAIRE

Špůrek, David

2011-01-01

Cílem práce je vytvořit sadu testů pro projekt OpenLDAP/NSS. Práce objasňuje principy testování, možnosti automatizace testování v prostředí GNU/Linux a vysvětluje pojmy LDAP i NSS. Testy jsou navrženy pro distribuci Fedora/Red Hat Enterprise Linux a jsou automatizovány pomocí skriptování v shellu s využitím knihovny Beakerlib pro testování. Pro návrh testů je použita metoda black box. Testy se zaměřují na integraci OpenLDAP a NSS. V práci jsou navrhnuty a implementovány testy pro balíky open...

Prospects and challenges of developing new agents for tough Gram-negatives.

Science.gov (United States)

Meyer, Annette L

2005-10-01

Historically, the medical profession has been successful in treating most bacterial infections in humans with synthetic second- and third-generation antibiotics. Recently, the prospects for continued success have dimmed with the increase in multidrug-resistant stains of bacteria. Infections caused by the Gram-negative bacteria Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter spp. in particular have increased in frequency and severity, and become progressively more difficult to treat. Contributors to disease severity include chronic infections due to mutator strains, persister cells and biofilms. The worst-case scenario of infections susceptible only to toxic polymixins is now a reality. The need to address the treatment of multidrug-resistant pathogens with innovative combination approaches and/or novel antibacterial agents is occurring in the context of reduced investment in antimicrobial drug discovery by the pharmaceutical industry.

48 CFR 352.237-70 - Pro-Children Act.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 4 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Pro-Children Act. 352.237...-Children Act. As prescribed in 337.103-70(a), the Contracting Officer shall insert the following clause: Pro-Children Act (January 2006) (a) Public Law 103-227, Title X, Part C, also known as the Pro...

Changing epidemiology of central venous catheter-related bloodstream infections: increasing prevalence of Gram-negative pathogens.

Science.gov (United States)

Marcos, Miguel; Soriano, Alex; Iñurrieta, Amaia; Martínez, José A; Romero, Alberto; Cobos, Nazaret; Hernández, Cristina; Almela, Manel; Marco, Francesc; Mensa, Josep

2011-09-01

Gram-positive microorganisms have been the predominant pathogens in central venous catheter-related bloodstream infections (CRBSIs). Recent guidelines recommend empirical therapy according to this and restrict coverage for Gram-negatives to specific circumstances. This study aimed to analyse the epidemiological changes in CRBSIs over the 1991-2008 period and to analyse predictors of Gram-negative CRBSIs. A prospectively collected cohort of patients with confirmed CRBSIs was analysed. Strains isolated and antimicrobial susceptibility, as well as clinical and demographic variables were recorded. Differences observed during the study period were analysed by means of a χ² trend test and factors associated with Gram-negative CRBSIs by means of multivariable analysis. Between 1991 and 2008, 1129 episodes of monomicrobial CRBSIs were recorded. There was an increase in the incidence of CRBSIs, from 0.10 (1991-92) to 0.31 (2007-08) episodes/1000 patient-days. A significant increase in the number of Gram-negative strains among the total isolates was also found, from 3 (4.7%) in 1991-92 to 70 (40.23%) in 2007-08, with a parallel decrease in the percentage of Gram-positives. Solid organ transplantation, prior use of penicillins and hospital stay longer than 11 days were independently associated with a significantly higher risk of Gram-negative CRBSIs, while cirrhosis, diabetes and use of quinolones were associated with a higher risk of Gram-positives. Gram-negative strains are an increasing cause of CRBSIs, reaching a prevalence of 40% in the 2007-08 period in our hospital. If this trend is confirmed in other centres, a broad-spectrum empirical therapy should be considered in managing these infections.

Pro forma: impact on communication skills?

Science.gov (United States)

Morris, Marie; Donohoe, Gary; Hennessy, Martina; O Ciardha, Caoilte

2013-10-01

A doctor performs 160 000-300 000 interviews during a lifetime career, thus making the medical interview the most common procedure in clinical medicine. It is reported that 60-80 per cent of diagnosis is based on history taking, yet there is little published data advising on the best method for medical students to initially attain and further refine these core skills during their medical degree. Medical students interviewed two patients: using an open interview first, based on the Calgary-Cambridge approach, and then using a structured pro forma. The students' medical data were assessed by a senior lecturer, and their communication skills were assessed by a behavioural scientist and by the patients. An exact Wilcoxon paired signed rank test was conducted to determine whether there was a difference between the open interview and pro forma methods for history taking and communication skills. The test yielded p-values of 0.0017 and 0.069, respectively, with the pro forma method providing a statistically significantly higher history-taking score and communication score than the open interview method. Subjectively, patients reported the pro forma method as being preferable. Medical students in the early years of training benefit from a structured history-taking pro forma to assist them gather an accurate data set without compromising their interpersonal and communication skills. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Gram staining of protected pulmonary specimens in the early diagnosis of ventilator-associated pneumonia.

Science.gov (United States)

Mimoz, O; Karim, A; Mazoit, J X; Edouard, A; Leprince, S; Nordmann, P

2000-11-01

We evaluated prospectively the use of Gram staining of protected pulmonary specimens to allow the early diagnosis of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP), compared with the use of 60 bronchoscopic protected specimen brushes (PSB) and 126 blinded plugged telescopic catheters (PTC) obtained from 134 patients. Gram stains were from Cytospin slides; they were studied for the presence of microorganisms in 10 and 50 fields by two independent observers and classified according to their Gram stain morphology. Quantitative cultures were performed after serial dilution and plating on appropriate culture medium. A final diagnosis of VAP, based on a culture of > or = 10(3) c.f.u. ml-1, was established after 81 (44%) samplings. When 10 fields were analysed, a strong relationship was found between the presence of bacteria on Gram staining and the final diagnosis of VAP (for PSB and PTC respectively: sensitivity 74 and 81%, specificity 94 and 100%, positive predictive value 91 and 100%, negative predictive value 82 and 88%). The correlation was less when we compared the morphology of microorganisms observed on Gram staining with those of bacteria obtained from quantitative cultures (for PSB and PTC respectively: sensitivity 54 and 69%, specificity 86 and 89%, positive predictive value 72 and 78%, negative predictive value 74 and 84%). Increasing the number of fields read to 50 was associated with a slight decrease in specificity and positive predictive value of Gram staining, but with a small increase in its sensitivity and negative predictive value. The results obtained by the two observers were similar to each other for both numbers of fields analysed. Gram staining of protected pulmonary specimens performed on 10 fields predicted the presence of VAP and partially identified (using Gram stain morphology) the microorganisms growing at significant concentrations, and could help in the early choice of the treatment of VAP. Increasing the number of fields read or having the Gram

The structures of lipopolysaccharides from plant-associated gram-negative bacteria

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Molinaro, Antonio; Newman, Mari-Anne; Lanzetta, Rosa

2009-01-01

Gram-negative bacterial lipopolysaccharides (LPSs) have multiple roles in plant-microbe interactions. LPSs contribute to the low permeabilities of bacterial outer membranes, which act as barriers to protect bacteria from plant-derived antimicrobial substances. Conversely, perception of LPSs...... is an important prerequisite for any further understanding of the biological processes in plant-microbe interactions. Moreover, the LPSs from Gram-negative bacteria - especially those originating from plant-associated bacteria - are a great source of novel monosaccharides with unusual and occasionally astounding...

Pro Tools 9 music production, recording, editing and mixing

CERN Document Server

Collins, Mike

2012-01-01

Prepare yourself to be a great producer when using Pro Tools in your studio. Pro Tools 9: Music Production, Recording, Editing & Mixing is the definitive guide to the software for new and professional users, providing you with all the vital techniques that you need to know. Covering both Pro Tools HD 9 and Pro Tools 9 software, this book is extensively illustrated in color and packed with time saving hints and tips - making it a great reference to keep on hand.* Become an expert Pro Tools user and fully unlock the potential of your system! * Discover how to achieve complete co

Surface Chirality of Gly-Pro Dipeptide Adsorbed on a Cu(110) Surface.

Science.gov (United States)

Cruguel, Hervé; Méthivier, Christophe; Pradier, Claire-Marie; Humblot, Vincent

2015-07-01

The adsorption of chiral Gly-Pro dipeptide on Cu(110) has been characterized by combining in situ polarization modulation infrared reflection absorption spectroscopy (PM-RAIRS) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The chemical state of the dipeptide, and its anchoring points and adsorption geometry, were determined at various coverage values. Gly-Pro molecules are present on Cu(110) in their anionic form (NH2 /COO(-)) and adsorb under a 3-point binding via both oxygen atoms of the carboxylate group and via the nitrogen atom of the amine group. Low-energy electron diffraction (LEED) and scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) have shown the presence of an extended 2D chiral array, sustained via intermolecular H-bonds interactions. Furthermore, due to the particular shape of the molecule, only one homochiral domain is formed, creating thus a truly chiral surface. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Gram and acridine orange staining for diagnosis of septic arthritis in different patient populations.

Science.gov (United States)

Cunningham, Gregory; Seghrouchni, Khalid; Ruffieux, Etienne; Vaudaux, Pierre; Gayet-Ageron, Angèle; Cherkaoui, Abdessalam; Godinho, Eduardo; Lew, Daniel; Hoffmeyer, Pierre; Uçkay, Ilker

2014-06-01

The sensitivity of Gram staining is known to be suboptimal for the diagnosis of native joint septic arthritis. We lack information about the accuracy of Gram compared to other microscopic staining techniques for predicting infection in different patient populations. This was a cohort study with cost evaluations at the Orthopaedic Service of Geneva University Hospitals (January 1996-October 2012). Among 500 episodes of arthritis (196 with immunosuppression, 227 with underlying arthroplasties and 69 with gout or other crystals in synovial fluid), Gram staining revealed pathogens in 146 episodes (146/500, 29 %) or in 146 of the 400 culture-positive episodes (37 %). Correlation between the Gram and acridine staining of the same sample was good (Spearman 0.85). Overall, the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value of Gram stain for rapid diagnosis of septic arthritis was 0.37, 0.99, 0.99 and 0.28, respectively, compared to microbiological cultures. Quite similar values were recorded across the different patient subpopulations, in particular for sensitivity values that were 0.33 for patients with prosthetic joint infections, 0.40 for immunosuppressed patients, 0.36 for patients under antibiotic administration and 0.52 for patients with concomitant crystalline disease. The sensitivity of Gram or acridine orange staining for a rapid diagnosis of episodes of septic arthritis is suboptimal compared to microbiological culture, regardless of underlying conditions, immunosuppression or antibiotic therapy. The sensitivity in the presence of synovial fluid crystals is moderate. Acridine orange and Gram stains are equivalent.

Fast Structural Alignment of Biomolecules Using a Hash Table, N-Grams and String Descriptors

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Robert Preissner

2009-04-01

Full Text Available This work presents a generalized approach for the fast structural alignment of thousands of macromolecular structures. The method uses string representations of a macromolecular structure and a hash table that stores n-grams of a certain size for searching. To this end, macromolecular structure-to-string translators were implemented for protein and RNA structures. A query against the index is performed in two hierarchical steps to unite speed and precision. In the first step the query structure is translated into n-grams, and all target structures containing these n-grams are retrieved from the hash table. In the second step all corresponding n-grams of the query and each target structure are subsequently aligned, and after each alignment a score is calculated based on the matching n-grams of query and target. The extendable framework enables the user to query and structurally align thousands of protein and RNA structures on a commodity machine and is available as open source from http://lajolla.sf.net.

Processing-independent proANP measurement for low concentrations in plasma

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mark, Peter D; Hunter, Ingrid; Terzic, Dijana

2018-01-01

BACKGROUND: Decreased concentrations of pro-atrial-derived natriuretic peptides (proABP) in plasma have been associated with obesity and suggested as a predictor of type 2 diabetes. However, assays for measuring proANP are generally aimed to quantitate higher concentrations of proANP associated...

Tundmatud kohad ja asjade loomus / Katrine Gram Sloth, Johna Hansen ; intervjueerinud Laura Põld

Index Scriptorium Estoniae

Gram Sloth, Katrine, 1983-

2016-01-01

Taani kunstnik Katrine Gram Sloth ja Rootsi arhitekt Johna Hansen räägivad oma lapsepõlvest, kunstnikuteest, loomingust. Johna Hanseni jaapanipärasest einelaua installatsioonist "Laud" (2015-2016), Katrine Gram Slothi Islandil loodud teosest "Vista Revisited" (2015)

Green Gram Rotation Effects on Maize Growth Parameters and Soil Quality in Myanmar

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Myo Kywe

2008-10-01

Full Text Available At present maize–green gram crop rotations are not widely practiced among farmers in Myanmar. However, this cropping system might become more popular in the future given raising prices for green gram and maize grain and scarcity of mineral nitrogen (N fertilizers in this Asian country. The results of a cropping systems experiment with continuous maize versus a green gram-maize rotation, manure application (0 and 2 t ha−1 and phosphorus (P fertilization (0 and 15 kg P ha−1 in each of five consecutive seasons revealed a strong decline in total dry matter and grains yields for both crops irrespective of the treatment. Treatment effects on yield components, nutrient concentrations, mycorrhizal infection and nematode infestation were small or negligible. The data show that in addition to manure used at 2 t ha−1, application of mineral N fertilizers is essential to maintain particularly maize yields. A comparison of different green gram cultivars did not indicate genotype specific effects on maize growth. The incorporation of legume residues, unless they are used as animal feed, is recommended to increase the recycling of N and to balance N fluxes when green gram is cultivated for seed.

Bacteremias in liver transplant recipients: shift toward gram-negative bacteria as predominant pathogens.

Science.gov (United States)

Singh, Nina; Wagener, Marilyn M; Obman, Asia; Cacciarelli, Thomas V; de Vera, Michael E; Gayowski, Timothy

2004-07-01

During the 1990s, gram-positive bacteria emerged as major pathogens after liver transplantation. We sought to determine whether the pathogens associated with bacteremias in liver transplant recipients have changed. Patients included 233 liver transplant recipients transplanted between 1989 and 2003. The proportion of all infections due to bacteremias increased significantly over time (P gram-negatives increased from 25% in the period of 1989-1993 to 51.8% in 1998-03, that of gram-positive bacteria decreased from 75% in the period of 1989-93 to 48.2% in the period of 1998-2003. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa were the most frequent pathogens in bacteremic patients. The incidence of bacteremias due to MRSA and Pseudomonas aeruginosa has remained unchanged (P gram-negative bacteria, particularly Klebsiella pneumoniae has increased (P =.02). Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates in the current quartile were not clonally related. In conclusion, bacteremias as a proportion of all infections in liver transplant recipients have increased significantly over time, due in part to a decline in infections due to other major pathogens, e.g., fungi, primarily Candida species, and CMV. Gram-negative bacteria have emerged as predominant pathogens in bacteremic liver transplant recipients.

Evaluation of the Combined Therapy of DA-7218, a New Oxazolidinone, and Trimethoprim/ Sulfamethoxazole in the Treatment of Experimental Actinomycetoma by Nocardia brasiliensis.

Science.gov (United States)

Espinoza-Gonzalez, N A; Welsh, O; Ocampo-Candiani, J; Said-Fernandez, S; Lozano-Garza, G; Choi, S H; Vera-Cabrera, L

2010-07-01

Currently, for actinomycetoma, combined antimicrobial therapy is preferred to the use of a single compound. This is in order to provide a broader-spectrum coverage due to a combinatory or synergistic effect between the drugs, and to decrease the possibility of emergence of natural resistant strains. A new oxazolidinone pro-drug, DA-7218 [(R)-3-(4-(2-(2-methyltetrazol-5-yl)-pyridin-5-yl)-3-fluorophenyl)-2-oxo-5-oxazolidinyl) methyl-disodium-phosphate] (recently re-named TR-701), has shown very good in vitro and in vivo activities against several gram-positive bacteria including Nocardia spp. In the present work we evaluated the effect of DA-7218 at two different doses, alone and combined with trimethoprim/ sulfamethoxazole (SXT), in an experimental Nocardia brasiliensis actinomycetoma murine model. We also included a negative and a positive control group (linezolid and saline solution respectively). At the end of the treatment period, we observed a clinically and statistically significant difference among the drug receiving groups (combined, alone and linezolid) and the control group (P=0.004). The difference was higher (P= 0.004) between the groups receiving DA-7218 (25mg/kg) alone or combined with SXT, and the control group (saline solution). In this work we proved that DA-7218 alone and combined with SXT is effective in the treatment of experimental actinomycetoma by Nocardia brasiliensis and that it could be potentially useful in the treatment of human actinomycetoma.

Daptomycin treatment in Gram-positive vascular graft infections

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Francisco Arnaiz de las Revillas

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Background: Daptomycin is a bactericidal antibiotic approved for the treatment of skin and soft tissue infections and right-side endocarditis. However, there is a lack of published data outlining its usefulness in vascular graft infections (VGI. The aim of this study was to describe the clinical experience of daptomycin use in the treatment of VGI caused by Gram-positive bacteria. Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study of patients diagnosed with VGI receiving daptomycin at a tertiary care hospital during the period January 2010 to December 2012. Results: Of a total 1066 consecutive patients who had undergone vascular grafts (VG, 25 were diagnosed with VGI. Fifteen of these patients (11 prosthetic VG, three autologous VG, one both types received daptomycin (median dose 6.7 mg/kg/day, range 4.1–7.1 mg/kg/day; median age 69 years, range 45–83 years; 80% male. The infected bypass was removed in 13 cases. The most common reason for selecting daptomycin was kidney failure (53%. The Gram-positive organisms isolated were coagulase-negative Staphylococcus (n = 10, Staphylococcus aureus (n = 3 (two methicillin-resistant S. aureus, Enterococcus faecium (n = 2, and Enterococcus faecalis (n = 1. The mean follow-up was 69 months (interquartile range 48–72 months. Ten patients (66.7% achieved complete healing of the VGI. A recurrence of the infection was observed in 100% of patients in whom the bypass was not removed. Among patients who did not achieve complete healing, one needed a supracondylar amputation and one died as a consequence of infection. Five patients received treatment with rifampicin in addition to daptomycin and they were all cured. Conclusions: The use of daptomycin and surgery for Gram-positive VGI was effective and well tolerated, and this may be a good alternative for the treatment of VGI in patients with peripheral arterial disease in whom renal insufficiency is common. Keywords: Daptomycin, Gram-positive, Vascular

Value of Combining Left Atrial Diameter and Amino-terminal Pro-brain Natriuretic Peptide to the CHA2DS2-VASc Score for Predicting Stroke and Death in Patients with Sick Sinus Syndrome after Pacemaker Implantation.

Science.gov (United States)

Mo, Bin-Feng; Lu, Qiu-Fen; Lu, Shang-Biao; Xie, Yu-Quan; Feng, Xiang-Fei; Li, Yi-Gang

2017-08-20

The CHA2DS2-VASc score is used clinically for stroke risk stratification in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). We sought to investigate whether the CHA2DS2-VASc score predicts stroke and death in Chinese patients with sick sinus syndrome (SSS) after pacemaker implantation and to evaluate whether the predictive power of the CHA2DS2-VASc score could be improved by combining it with left atrial diameter (LAD) and amino-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP). A total of 481 consecutive patients with SSS who underwent pacemaker implantation from January 2004 to December 2014 in our department were included. The CHA2DS2-VASc scores were retrospectively calculated according to the hospital medical records before pacemaker implantation. The outcome data (stroke and death) were collected by pacemaker follow-up visits and telephonic follow-up until December 31, 2015. During 2151 person-years of follow-up, 46 patients (9.6%) suffered stroke and 52 (10.8%) died. The CHA2DS2-VASc score showed a significant association with the development of stroke (hazard ratio [HR] 1.45, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.20-1.75, Ppacemaker implantation. The addition of LAD and NT-proBNP to the CHA2DS2-VASc score improved its predictive power for stroke and death, respectively, in this patient cohort. Future prospective studies are warranted to validate the benefit of adding LAD and NT-proBNP to the CHA2DS2-VASc score for predicting stroke and death risk in non-AF populations.

Processing-independent analysis for pro-C-type natriuretic peptide

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lippert, Solvej Kølvraa; Rehfeld, Jens F.; Gøtze, Jens Peter

2010-01-01

proCNP 11-27. Samples were incubated with trypsin prior to immunoassay, which allows for the measurement of "total" proCNP irrespective of the degree of post-translational processing. Seminal plasma from normal young men and vasectomized men were collected and quantitated; the molecular heterogeneity...... was evaluated by gel chromatography. The antiserum displayed high binding affinity. Preanalytical trypsin treatment fully exposed the proCNP 11-27 epitope detected by the antiserum. Seminal plasma from healthy men (n=120) contained ~8-fold higher proCNP concentrations compared to blood plasma (range 104......-933 pmol/L, age 18-25 years); gel chromatography suggested the presence of several molecular forms. Parameters associated to male fertility, proCNP concentrations in blood plasma and time of abstinence did not correlate to the seminal proCNP concentrations. Measurement in vasectomized men disclosed seminal...

Gramáticas de grafos y su aplicación en inferencia gramatical

OpenAIRE

Jeltsch F., Eric

1997-01-01

En este trabajo se presentan las gramáticas de grafos en particular un tipo de gramáticas de grafo las cuales tienen un contexto libre en el mecanismo de derivación al igual que las gramáticas de Chomsky proporcionando de esta manera un simple mecanismo para generar lenguajes de grafos. Para hacer transparente el proceso de generación de grafos se introducen los grafos decorados que son grafos equipados con una información adicional llamada hiperlíneal las cuales al ser reemplazadas en forma ...

Measuring the Level of Agreement Between Cloacal Gram's Stains and Bacterial Cultures in Hispaniolan Amazon Parrots ( Amazona ventralis ).

Science.gov (United States)

Evans, Erika E; Mitchell, Mark A; Whittington, Julia K; Roy, Alma; Tully, Thomas N

2014-12-01

Cloacal or fecal Gram's stains and bacterial cultures are routinely performed during avian physical examinations to assess the microbial flora of the gastrointestinal tract. Although cloacal or fecal Gram's stains and bacterial cultures are considered routine diagnostic procedures, the level of agreement between the individual tests has not been determined. To investigate the level of agreement between results from Gram's stain and bacterial culture when used to assess cloacal or fecal samples from psittacine birds, samples were taken from 21 clinically healthy Hispaniolan Amazon parrots ( Amazona ventralis ) and tested by Gram's stain cytology and bacterial culture. Most bacteria (97.2%) identified by Gram's stain were gram positive. However, gram-negative organisms were identified in 7 of 21 (33.3%; 95% confidence interval: 13.3%-53.3%) birds. Escherichia coli was the only gram-negative organism identified on culture. Agreement between results of Gram's stain and culture was fair (weighted κ = 0.27). The results of this study suggest that Gram's stains and bacterial culture may need to be performed with a parallel testing strategy to limit the likelihood of misclassifying the microbial flora of psittacine patients.

Antibacterial activity of sphingoid bases and fatty acids against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria.

Science.gov (United States)

Fischer, Carol L; Drake, David R; Dawson, Deborah V; Blanchette, Derek R; Brogden, Kim A; Wertz, Philip W

2012-03-01

There is growing evidence that the role of lipids in innate immunity is more important than previously realized. How lipids interact with bacteria to achieve a level of protection, however, is still poorly understood. To begin to address the mechanisms of antibacterial activity, we determined MICs and minimum bactericidal concentrations (MBCs) of lipids common to the skin and oral cavity--the sphingoid bases D-sphingosine, phytosphingosine, and dihydrosphingosine and the fatty acids sapienic acid and lauric acid--against four Gram-negative bacteria and seven Gram-positive bacteria. Exact Kruskal-Wallis tests of these values showed differences among lipid treatments (P 500 μg/ml). Sapienic acid (MBC range, 31.3 to 375.0 μg/ml) was active against Streptococcus sanguinis, Streptococcus mitis, and Fusobacterium nucleatum but not active against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, S. marcescens, P. aeruginosa, Corynebacterium bovis, Corynebacterium striatum, and Corynebacterium jeikeium (MBC > 500 μg/ml). Lauric acid (MBC range, 6.8 to 375.0 μg/ml) was active against all bacteria except E. coli, S. marcescens, and P. aeruginosa (MBC > 500 μg/ml). Complete killing was achieved as early as 0.5 h for some lipids but took as long as 24 h for others. Hence, sphingoid bases and fatty acids have different antibacterial activities and may have potential for prophylactic or therapeutic intervention in infection.

FileMaker Pro 9

CERN Document Server

Coffey, Geoff

2007-01-01

FileMaker Pro 9: The Missing Manual is the clear, thorough and accessible guide to the latest version of this popular desktop database program. FileMaker Pro lets you do almost anything with the information you give it. You can print corporate reports, plan your retirement, or run a small country -- if you know what you're doing. This book helps non-technical folks like you get in, get your database built, and get the results you need. Pronto.The new edition gives novices and experienced users the scoop on versions 8.5 and 9. It offers complete coverage of timesaving new features such as the Q

Protein consensus-based surface engineering (ProCoS): a computer-assisted method for directed protein evolution.

Science.gov (United States)

Shivange, Amol V; Hoeffken, Hans Wolfgang; Haefner, Stefan; Schwaneberg, Ulrich

2016-12-01

Protein consensus-based surface engineering (ProCoS) is a simple and efficient method for directed protein evolution combining computational analysis and molecular biology tools to engineer protein surfaces. ProCoS is based on the hypothesis that conserved residues originated from a common ancestor and that these residues are crucial for the function of a protein, whereas highly variable regions (situated on the surface of a protein) can be targeted for surface engineering to maximize performance. ProCoS comprises four main steps: ( i ) identification of conserved and highly variable regions; ( ii ) protein sequence design by substituting residues in the highly variable regions, and gene synthesis; ( iii ) in vitro DNA recombination of synthetic genes; and ( iv ) screening for active variants. ProCoS is a simple method for surface mutagenesis in which multiple sequence alignment is used for selection of surface residues based on a structural model. To demonstrate the technique's utility for directed evolution, the surface of a phytase enzyme from Yersinia mollaretii (Ymphytase) was subjected to ProCoS. Screening just 1050 clones from ProCoS engineering-guided mutant libraries yielded an enzyme with 34 amino acid substitutions. The surface-engineered Ymphytase exhibited 3.8-fold higher pH stability (at pH 2.8 for 3 h) and retained 40% of the enzyme's specific activity (400 U/mg) compared with the wild-type Ymphytase. The pH stability might be attributed to a significantly increased (20 percentage points; from 9% to 29%) number of negatively charged amino acids on the surface of the engineered phytase.

The additive value of N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide testing at the emergency department in patients with acute dyspnoea.

Science.gov (United States)

van der Burg-de Graauw, N; Cobbaert, C M; Middelhoff, C J F M; Bantje, T A; van Guldener, C

2009-05-01

B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) and its inactive counterpart NT-proBNP can help to identify or rule out heart failure in patients presenting with acute dyspnoea. It is not well known whether measurement of these peptides can be omitted in certain patient groups. We conducted a prospective observational study of 221 patients presenting with acute dyspnoea at the emergency department. The attending physicians estimated the probability of heart failure by clinical judgement. NT-proBNP was measured, but not reported. An independent panel made a final diagnosis of all available data including NT-proBNP level and judged whether and how NT-proBNP would have altered patient management. NT-proBNP levels were highest in patients with heart failure, alone or in combination with pulmonary failure. Additive value of NT-proBNP was present in 40 of 221 (18%) of the patients, and it mostly indicated that a more intensive treatment for heart failure would have been needed. Clinical judgement was an independent predictor of additive value of NT-proBNP with a maximum at a clinical probability of heart failure of 36%. NT-proBNP measurement has additive value in a substantial number of patients presenting with acute dyspnoea, but can possibly be omitted in patients with a clinical probability of heart failure of >70%.

The usefulness of changing focus during examination using Gram staining as initial diagnostic clue for infective tuberculosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Atsukawa, Yoshiko; Kawakami, Sayoko; Asahara, Miwa; Ishigaki, Shinobu; Tanaka, Takashi; Ono, Yasuo; Nishiya, Hajime; Fujisaki, Ryuichi; Koga, Ichiro; Ota, Yasuo; Miyazawa, Yukihisa

2011-08-01

Gram staining is a useful technique for detecting bacteria but is highly questionable in detecting Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Its detection generally requires special staining, such as Ziehl-Neelsen staining. We experienced three cases in which tuberculosis was first suggested by Gram staining of sputum or pus, confirmed by Ziehl-Neelsen staining, and diagnosed by polymerase chain reaction or culture. To find colorless tubercle bacilli in clinical samples with various organisms, varying the focus to slightly longer and shorter during study of the slides is indispensable. We present criteria for detecting infective pulmonary tuberculosis in Gram staining. First, in the ordinary focus, weakly stained, thin, gram-positive bacilli are found; second, with a slightly longer focus distance, the thin, cord-like, conspicuous gram-positive bacilli can be observed; and third, with a shorter focus distance, the gram-positive bacilli have changed into the brightened, colorless, or ghost ones. Four laboratory technologists each evaluated 20 Gram-stained samples after being lectured on the criteria, with no prior information about the sample. They accurately evaluated the presence of the bacilli in Gram-stained preparations in more than 90% of samples containing 3+ bacilli on Ziehl-Neelsen staining. Gram staining is available as an easy and rapid initial clue to recognize highly infective tuberculosis.

A Trojan-Horse Strategy Including a Bacterial Suicide Action for the Efficient Use of a Specific Gram-Positive Antibiotic on Gram-Negative Bacteria.

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Schalk, Isabelle J

2018-05-10

In the alarming context of rising bacterial antibiotic resistance, there is an urgent need to discover new antibiotics or increase and/or enlarge the activity of those currently in use. The need for new antibiotics is even more urgent in the case of Gram-negative bacteria, such as Acinetobacter, Pseudomonas, and Enterobacteria, which have become resistant to many antibiotics and have an outer membrane with very low permeability to drugs. Vectorization of antibiotics using siderophores may be a solution to bypass such a bacterial wall: the drugs use the iron transporters of the outer membrane as gates to enter bacteria in a Trojan-horse strategy. Designing siderophore-antibiotics that can cross outer membranes has become almost routine, but their transport across the inner membrane is still a limiting step, as well as a strategy that allows dissociation of the antibiotic from the siderophore once inside the bacteria. Liu et al. ( J. Med. Chem. 2018 , DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.8b00218 ) report the synthesis of a siderophore-cephalosporin compound and demonstrate that β-lactams, such as cephalosporins, can serve as β-lactamase-triggered releasable linkers to allow intracellular delivery of Gram-positive antibiotics to Gram-negative bacteria.

The target of daptomycin is absent from Escherichia coli and other gram-negative pathogens.

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Randall, Christopher P; Mariner, Katherine R; Chopra, Ian; O'Neill, Alex J

2013-01-01

Antistaphylococcal agents commonly lack activity against Gram-negative bacteria like Escherichia coli owing to the permeability barrier presented by the outer membrane and/or the action of efflux transporters. When these intrinsic resistance mechanisms are artificially compromised, such agents almost invariably demonstrate antibacterial activity against Gram negatives. Here we show that this is not the case for the antibiotic daptomycin, whose target appears to be absent from E. coli and other Gram-negative pathogens.

Direct comparison of mid-regional pro-atrial natriuretic peptide with N-terminal pro B-type natriuretic peptide in the diagnosis of patients with atrial fibrillation and dyspnoea.

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Eckstein, Jens; Potocki, Mihael; Murray, Karsten; Breidthardt, Tobias; Ziller, Ronny; Mosimann, Tamina; Klima, Theresia; Hoeller, Rebeca; Moehring, Berit; Sou, Seoung Mann; Rubini Gimenez, Maria; Morgenthaler, Nils G; Mueller, Christian

2012-10-01

Due to different release mechanisms, mid-regional pro-atrial natriuretic peptide (MR proANP) may be superior to N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT proBNP) in the diagnosis of acute heart failure (AHF) in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). We compared MR proANP and NT proBNP for their diagnostic value in patients with AF and sinus rhythm (SR). Prospective cohort study. University hospital, emergency department. 632 consecutive patients presenting with acute dyspnoea. MR proANP and NT proBNP plasma levels were determined. The diagnosis of AHF was adjudicated by two independent cardiologists using all available data. Patients received long-term follow-up. AF was present in 151 patients (24%). MR proANP and NT proBNP levels were significantly higher in the AF group compared with the SR group (385 (258-598) versus 201 (89-375) pmol/l for MR proANP, pvalue for the diagnosis of AHF. The rhythm at presentation has to be taken into account because plasma levels of both peptides are significantly higher in patients with AF compared with SR.

Combined use of flow cytometry and microscopy to study the interactions between the gram-negative betaproteobacterium Acidovorax facilis and uranium(VI)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gerber, U., E-mail: u.gerber@hzdr.de [Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, Institute of Resource Ecology, P.O. Box 510119, 01314 Dresden (Germany); Zirnstein, I. [Research Institute of Leather and Plastic Sheeting (FILK) gGmbH, Meissner Ring 1-5, 09599 Freiberg (Germany); Krawczyk-Bärsch, E. [Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, Institute of Resource Ecology, P.O. Box 510119, 01314 Dresden (Germany); Lünsdorf, H. [Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Central Facility for Microscopy, Inhoffenstr. 7, D-38124 Braunschweig (Germany); Arnold, T. [Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, Institute of Resource Ecology, P.O. Box 510119, 01314 Dresden (Germany); Merroun, M.L. [University of Granada, Department of Microbiology, Campus Fuentenueva, E-18071 Granada (Spain)

2016-11-05

Highlights: • Acidovorax facilis is able to remove 130 mg U/g dry biomass from solution. • Kinetically temperature-dependent uranium removal was studied. • Cell viability and metabolic activity was tested by flow cytometry. • Uranium was removed by active biosorption and passive bioaccumulation. - Abstract: The former uranium mine Königstein (Saxony, Germany) is currently in the process of remediation by means of controlled underground flooding. Nevertheless, the flooding water has to be cleaned up by a conventional wastewater treatment plant. In this study, the uranium(VI) removal and tolerance mechanisms of the gram-negative betaproteobacterium Acidovorax facilis were investigated by a multidisciplinary approach combining wet chemistry, flow cytometry, and microscopy. The kinetics of uranium removal and the corresponding mechanisms were investigated. The results showed a biphasic process of uranium removal characterized by a first phase where 95% of uranium was removed within the first 8 h followed by a second phase that reached equilibrium after 24 h. The bacterial cells displayed a total uranium removal capacity of 130 mg U/g dry biomass. The removal of uranium was also temperature-dependent, indicating that metabolic activity heavily influenced bacterial interactions with uranium. TEM analyses showed biosorption on the cell surface and intracellular accumulation of uranium. Uranium tolerance tests showed that A. facilis was able to withstand concentrations up to 0.1 mM. This work demonstrates that A. facilis is a suitable candidate for in situ bioremediation of flooding water in Königstein as well as for other contaminated waste waters.

Multidirectional testing of one- and two-level ProDisc-L versus simulated fusions.

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Panjabi, Manohar; Henderson, Gweneth; Abjornson, Celeste; Yue, James

2007-05-20

An in vitro human cadaveric biomechanical study. To evaluate intervertebral rotation changes due to lumbar ProDisc-L compared with simulated fusion, using follower load and multidirectional testing. Artificial discs, as opposed to the fusions, are thought to decrease the long-term accelerated degeneration at adjacent levels. A biomechanical assessment can be helpful, as the long-term clinical evaluation is impractical. Six fresh human cadaveric lumbar specimens (T12-S1) underwent multidirectional testing in flexion-extension, bilateral lateral bending, and bilateral torsion using the Hybrid test method. First, intact specimen total range of rotation (T12-S1) was determined. Second, using pure moments again, this range of rotation was achieved in each of the 5 constructs: A) ProDisc-L at L5-S1; B) fusion at L5-S1; C) ProDisc-L at L4-L5 and fusion at L5-S1; D) ProDisc-L at L4-L5 and L5-S1; and E) 2-level fusion at L4-L5 to L5-S1. Significant changes in the intervertebral rotations due to each construct were determined at the operated and nonoperated levels using repeated measures single factor ANOVA and Bonferroni statistical tests (P < 0.05). Adjacent-level effects (ALEs) were defined as the percentage changes in intervertebral rotations at the nonoperated levels due to the constructs. One- and 2-level ProDisc-L constructs showed only small ALE in any of the 3 rotations. In contrast, 1- and 2-level fusions showed increased ALE in all 3 directions (average, 7.8% and 35.3%, respectively, for 1 and 2 levels). In the disc plus fusion combination (construct C), the ALEs were similar to the 1-level fusion alone. In general, ProDisc-L preserved physiologic motions at all spinal levels, while the fusion simulations resulted in significant ALE.

La Gramática Discursivo-Funcional

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hengeveld, K.; Mackenzie, J.L.

2011-01-01

La Gramática Discursivo-Funcional (GDF) es una teoría funcional del lenguaje de inspiración tipológica que presenta una organización descendente (top-down) con el objeto de alcanzar la adecuación psicológica y que toma el Acto Discursivo como unidad básica de análisis para lograr la adecuación

Combinatorial events of insertion sequences and ICE in Gram-negative bacteria.

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Toleman, Mark A; Walsh, Timothy R

2011-09-01

The emergence of antibiotic and antimicrobial resistance in Gram-negative bacteria is incremental and linked to genetic elements that function in a so-called 'one-ended transposition' manner, including ISEcp1, ISCR elements and Tn3-like transposons. The power of these elements lies in their inability to consistently recognize one of their own terminal sequences, while recognizing more genetically distant surrogate sequences. This has the effect of mobilizing the DNA sequence found adjacent to their initial location. In general, resistance in Gram-negatives is closely linked to a few one-off events. These include the capture of the class 1 integron by a Tn5090-like transposon; the formation of the 3' conserved segment (3'-CS); and the fusion of the ISCR1 element to the 3'-CS. The structures formed by these rare events have been massively amplified and disseminated in Gram-negative bacteria, but hitherto, are rarely found in Gram-positives. Such events dominate current resistance gene acquisition and are instrumental in the construction of large resistance gene islands on chromosomes and plasmids. Similar combinatorial events appear to have occurred between conjugative plasmids and phages constructing hybrid elements called integrative and conjugative elements or conjugative transposons. These elements are beginning to be closely linked to some of the more powerful resistance mechanisms such as the extended spectrum β-lactamases, metallo- and AmpC type β-lactamases. Antibiotic resistance in Gram-negative bacteria is dominated by unusual combinatorial mistakes of Insertion sequences and gene fusions which have been selected and amplified by antibiotic pressure enabling the formation of extended resistance islands. © 2011 Federation of European Microbiological Societies. Published by Blackwell Publishing Ltd. All rights reserved.

In vitro susceptibility of gram-negative bacterial isolates to chlorhexidine gluconate.

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Mengistu, Y; Erge, W; Bellete, B

1999-05-01

To investigate the susceptibility of clinical isolates of gram-negative bacteria to chlorhexidine gluconate. Prospective laboratory study. Tikur Anbessa Hospital, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Clinical specimens from 443 hospital patients. Significant number of gram negative bacteria were not inhibited by chlorhexidine gluconate (0.02-0.05%) used for antisepsis. Four hundred and forty three strains of gram-negative bacteria were isolated from Tikur Anbessa Hospital patients. Escherichia coli (31.6%) and Klebsiella pneumoniae (23%) were the most frequently isolated bacteria followed by Proteus species (13.3%), Pseudomonas species (9.2%), and Citrobacter species (6.1%). Each organism was tested to chlorhexidine gluconate (CHG), minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) ranging from 0.0001% to 1%w/v. All Salmonella species and E. coli were inhibited by CHG, MIC or = 0.1%). Our results showed that a significant number of the gram-negative bacterial isolates were not inhibited by CHG at the concentration used for disinfection of wounds or instruments (MIC 0.02-0.05% w/v). It is therefore important to select appropriate concentration of this disinfectant and rationally use it for disinfection and hospital hygiene. Continuing follow up and surveillance is also needed to detect resistant bacteria to chlorhexidine or other disinfectants in time.

Gram-negative folliculitis. A rare problem or is it underdiagnosed? Case report and literature review

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sierra-Téllez Daniela, Ponce-Olivera Rosa María, Tirado-Sánchez Andrés

2011-07-01

Full Text Available AbstractGram-negative folliculitis may be the result of prolonged antibacterial treatments in patients with acne and rosacea. It is caused by alteration of facial skin flora and the nasal mucous, a decrease of Gram-positive bacteria and a proliferation of Gram-negative bacteria (for example Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Serratia marcescens, Klebsiella sp. and Proteus mirabilis. It should be considered in patients with acne who have not had a clinical improvement after 3-6 months of treatment with tetracyclines. The disease is underestimated, probably because bacteriological studies are rarely requested and the increased use of oral isotretinoin for acne management. One of the most effective treatments for Gram-negative folliculitis is oral isotretinoin (0.5-1 mg / kg / day for 4-5 months. We report the case of Gram negative folliculitis successfully treated with oral isotretinoin.

Selektivitas Beberapa Insektisida Terhadap Hama Liriomyza Huidobrensis Blanchard (Diptera : Agromyzidae) Dan Parasitoid Hemiptarsenus Varicornis Girault (Hymenoptera : Eulophidae)

OpenAIRE

Setiawati, Wiwin; Somantri, Aang

2002-01-01

Liriomyza huidobrensis merupakan hama baru pada tanaman kentang. Hama ini pertama kali dilaporkan menyerangtanaman kentang di Puncak, Jawa Barat pada tahun 1994 dan diduga telah resisten terhadap berbagai jenis insektisidadari golongan organofosfat, karbamat, dan piretroid sintetik. Upaya pengendalian hama tersebut diarahkan pada pro -gram pengendalian hama terpadu (PHT). Dalam pro gram tersebut penggunaan insektisida hanya dilakukan apabilapopulasi hama sudah mencapai ambang pengendalian dan...

Rapid, highly sensitive detection of Gram-negative bacteria with lipopolysaccharide based disposable aptasensor.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Jian; Oueslati, Rania; Cheng, Cheng; Zhao, Ling; Chen, Jiangang; Almeida, Raul; Wu, Jayne

2018-07-30

Gram-negative bacteria are one of the most common microorganisms in the environment. Their differential detection and recognition from Gram-positive bacteria has been attracting much attention over the years. Using Escherichia coli (E. coli) as a model, we demonstrated on-site detection of Gram-negative bacteria by an AC electrokinetics-based capacitive sensing method using commercial microelectrodes functionalized with an aptamer specific to lipopolysaccharides. Dielectrophoresis effect was utilized to enrich viable bacteria to the microelectrodes rapidly, achieving a detection limit of 10 2 cells/mL within a 30 s' response time. The sensor showed a negligible response to Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus), a Gram-positive species. The developed sensor showed significant advantages in sensitivity, selectivity, cost, operation simplicity, and response time. Therefore, this sensing method has shown great application potential for environmental monitoring, food safety, and real-time diagnosis. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Extended spectrum beta-lactamases in urinary gram-negative bacilli and their susceptibility pattern

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mumtaz, S.

2008-01-01

Beta-lactamases of gram-negative bacteria are the most important mechanism of resistance against beta lactams. Two types of beta-lactamases can confer resistance against third generation cephalosporins inducible Chromosomal beta -lactamases and extended-spectrum beta-lactamases. The extended-spectrum beta lactamases producing Strains of Enterobacteriaceae have emerged as a major problem in hospitalized as well as community based infections resulting in range of infections from uncomplicated urinary tract infection to life threatening sepsis. The study was conducted at the Microbiology Department of Fauji Foundation Hospital, Rawalpindi over a period of two years (April 2004-March 2006). Multidrug resistance and extended spectrum beta-lactamases production was studied in 111 enteric Gram-negative bacilli isolated from urine of symptomatic patients (1- 70 years) including males and females from indoor and outdoor patients by using double disc diffusion technique. Prevalence of extended-spectrum beta-lactamases production was seen in 71 (61.2%) enteric gram-negative organisms, the most prevalent gram-negative organism was Klebsiella pneumoniae 40 (71.4%) followed by Escherichia coli 27 (62.8%) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa 3 (25%). The extended-spectrum beta-lactamases producers were more prevalent in indoor patients 63 (88.7%) compared to outdoor patients 8 (11.3%), more in females 43 (60.6%) than males, 28 (39.4%). The extended-spectrum beta-lactamases producing gram-negative rods had more antibiotic-resistant profile than non-producers. All enteric gram negative rods should be tested for the production of extended-spectrum beta-lactamases in routine microbiology laboratory. (author)

The Interplay among Environmental Attitudes, Pro-Environmental Behavior, Social Identity, and Pro-Environmental Institutional Climate. A Longitudinal Study

Science.gov (United States)

Prati, Gabriele; Albanesi, Cinzia; Pietrantoni, Luca

2017-01-01

By using a panel design in a sample of 298 undergraduate/master students at an Italian public university, the present study aimed to test longitudinally the interplay among environmental attitudes, pro-environmental behavior, social identity, and pro-environmental institutional climate. The relationships were tested with cross-lagged analysis…

Effectiveness of oral antibiotics for definitive therapy of Gram-negative bloodstream infections.

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Kutob, Leila F; Justo, Julie Ann; Bookstaver, P Brandon; Kohn, Joseph; Albrecht, Helmut; Al-Hasan, Majdi N

2016-11-01

There is paucity of data evaluating intravenous-to-oral antibiotic switch options for Gram-negative bloodstream infections (BSIs). This retrospective cohort study examined the effectiveness of oral antibiotics for definitive treatment of Gram-negative BSI. Patients with Gram-negative BSI hospitalised for antibiotics were included in this study. The cohort was stratified into three groups based on bioavailability of oral antibiotics prescribed (high, ≥95%; moderate, 75-94%; and low, antibiotics were prescribed to 106, 179 and 77 patients, respectively, for definitive therapy of Gram-negative BSI. Mean patient age was 63 years, 217 (59.9%) were women and 254 (70.2%) had a urinary source of infection. Treatment failure rates were 2%, 12% and 14% in patients receiving oral antibiotics with high, moderate and low bioavailability, respectively (P = 0.02). Risk of treatment failure in the multivariate Cox model was higher in patients receiving antibiotics with moderate [adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) = 5.9, 95% CI 1.6-38.5; P = 0.005] and low bioavailability (aHR = 7.7, 95% CI 1.9-51.5; P = 0.003) compared with those receiving oral antimicrobial agents with high bioavailability. These data demonstrate the effectiveness of oral antibiotics with high bioavailability for definitive therapy of Gram-negative BSI. Risk of treatment failure increases as bioavailability of the oral regimen declines. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. and International Society of Chemotherapy. All rights reserved.

A New Family of Capsule Polymerases Generates Teichoic Acid-Like Capsule Polymers in Gram-Negative Pathogens.

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Litschko, Christa; Oldrini, Davide; Budde, Insa; Berger, Monika; Meens, Jochen; Gerardy-Schahn, Rita; Berti, Francesco; Schubert, Mario; Fiebig, Timm

2018-05-29

Group 2 capsule polymers represent crucial virulence factors of Gram-negative pathogenic bacteria. They are synthesized by enzymes called capsule polymerases. In this report, we describe a new family of polymerases that combine glycosyltransferase and hexose- and polyol-phosphate transferase activity to generate complex poly(oligosaccharide phosphate) and poly(glycosylpolyol phosphate) polymers, the latter of which display similarity to wall teichoic acid (WTA), a cell wall component of Gram-positive bacteria. Using modeling and multiple-sequence alignment, we showed homology between the predicted polymerase domains and WTA type I biosynthesis enzymes, creating a link between Gram-negative and Gram-positive cell wall biosynthesis processes. The polymerases of the new family are highly abundant and found in a variety of capsule-expressing pathogens such as Neisseria meningitidis , Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae , Haemophilus influenzae , Bibersteinia trehalosi , and Escherichia coli with both human and animal hosts. Five representative candidates were purified, their activities were confirmed using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, and their predicted folds were validated by site-directed mutagenesis. IMPORTANCE Bacterial capsules play an important role in the interaction between a pathogen and the immune system of its host. During the last decade, capsule polymerases have become attractive tools for the production of capsule polymers applied as antigens in glycoconjugate vaccine formulations. Conventional production of glycoconjugate vaccines requires the cultivation of the pathogen and thus the highest biosafety standards, leading to tremendous costs. With regard to animal husbandry, where vaccines could avoid the extensive use of antibiotics, conventional production is not sufficiently cost-effective. In contrast, enzymatic synthesis of capsule polymers is pathogen-free and fast, offers high stereo- and regioselectivity, and works with high efficacy

Experience With Rapid Microarray-Based Diagnostic Technology and Antimicrobial Stewardship for Patients With Gram-Positive Bacteremia.

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Neuner, Elizabeth A; Pallotta, Andrea M; Lam, Simon W; Stowe, David; Gordon, Steven M; Procop, Gary W; Richter, Sandra S

2016-11-01

OBJECTIVE To describe the impact of rapid diagnostic microarray technology and antimicrobial stewardship for patients with Gram-positive blood cultures. DESIGN Retrospective pre-intervention/post-intervention study. SETTING A 1,200-bed academic medical center. PATIENTS Inpatients with blood cultures positive for Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus faecalis, E. faecium, Streptococcus pneumoniae, S. pyogenes, S. agalactiae, S. anginosus, Streptococcus spp., and Listeria monocytogenes during the 6 months before and after implementation of Verigene Gram-positive blood culture microarray (BC-GP) with an antimicrobial stewardship intervention. METHODS Before the intervention, no rapid diagnostic technology was used or antimicrobial stewardship intervention was undertaken, except for the use of peptide nucleic acid fluorescent in situ hybridization and MRSA agar to identify staphylococcal isolates. After the intervention, all Gram-positive blood cultures underwent BC-GP microarray and the antimicrobial stewardship intervention consisting of real-time notification and pharmacist review. RESULTS In total, 513 patients with bacteremia were included in this study: 280 patients with S. aureus, 150 patients with enterococci, 82 patients with stretococci, and 1 patient with L. monocytogenes. The number of antimicrobial switches was similar in the pre-BC-GP (52%; 155 of 300) and post-BC-GP (50%; 107 of 213) periods. The time to antimicrobial switch was significantly shorter in the post-BC-GP group than in the pre-BC-GP group: 48±41 hours versus 75±46 hours, respectively (P<.001). The most common antimicrobial switch was de-escalation and time to de-escalation, was significantly shorter in the post-BC-GP group than in the pre-BC-GP group: 53±41 hours versus 82±48 hours, respectively (P<.001). There was no difference in mortality or hospital length of stay as a result of the intervention. CONCLUSIONS The combination of a rapid microarray diagnostic test with an antimicrobial

Antibiotic susceptibility of Gram-negatives isolated from bacteremia in children with cancer. Implications for empirical therapy of febrile neutropenia.

Science.gov (United States)

Castagnola, Elio; Caviglia, Ilaria; Pescetto, Luisa; Bagnasco, Francesca; Haupt, Riccardo; Bandettini, Roberto

2015-01-01

Monotherapy is recommended as the first choice for initial empirical therapy of febrile neutropenia, but local epidemiological and antibiotic susceptibility data are now considered pivotal to design a correct management strategy. To evaluate the proportion of Gram-negative rods isolated in bloodstream infections in children with cancer resistant to antibiotics recommended for this indication. The in vitro susceptibility to ceftazidime, piperacillin-tazobactam, meropenem and amikacin of Gram-negatives isolated in bacteremic episodes in children with cancer followed at the Istituto "Giannina Gaslini", Genoa, Italy in the period of 2001-2013 was retrospectively analyzed using the definitions recommended by EUCAST in 2014. Data were analyzed for any single drug and to the combination of amikacin with each β-lactam. The combination was considered effective in absence of concomitant resistance to both drugs, and not evaluated by means of in vitro analysis of antibiotic combinations (e.g., checkerboard). A total of 263 strains were evaluated: 27% were resistant to piperacillin-tazobactam, 23% to ceftazidime, 12% to meropenem and 13% to amikacin. Concomitant resistance to β-lactam and amikacin was detected in 6% of strains for piperacillin-tazobactam, 5% for ceftazidime and 5% for meropenem. During the study period there was a nonsignificant increase in the proportions of strains resistant to β-lactams indicated for monotherapy, and also increase in the resistance to combined therapies. in an era of increasing resistance to antibiotics guideline-recommended monotherapy could be not appropriate for initial empirical therapy of febrile neutropenia. Strict local survey on etiology and antibiotic susceptibility is mandatory for a correct management of this complication in cancer patients.

Widespread Fosfomycin Resistance in Gram-Negative Bacteria Attributable to the Chromosomal fosA Gene

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ryota Ito

2017-08-01

Full Text Available Fosfomycin is a decades-old antibiotic which is being revisited because of its perceived activity against many extensively drug-resistant Gram-negative pathogens. FosA proteins are Mn2+ and K+-dependent glutathione S-transferases which confer fosfomycin resistance in Gram-negative bacteria by conjugation of glutathione to the antibiotic. Plasmid-borne fosA variants have been reported in fosfomycin-resistant Escherichia coli strains. However, the prevalence and distribution of fosA in other Gram-negative bacteria are not known. We systematically surveyed the presence of fosA in Gram-negative bacteria in over 18,000 published genomes from 18 Gram-negative species and investigated their contribution to fosfomycin resistance. We show that FosA homologues are present in the majority of genomes in some species (e.g., Klebsiella spp., Enterobacter spp., Serratia marcescens, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, whereas they are largely absent in others (e.g., E. coli, Acinetobacter baumannii, and Burkholderia cepacia. FosA proteins in different bacterial pathogens are highly divergent, but key amino acid residues in the active site are conserved. Chromosomal fosA genes conferred high-level fosfomycin resistance when expressed in E. coli, and deletion of chromosomal fosA in S. marcescens eliminated fosfomycin resistance. Our results indicate that FosA is encoded by clinically relevant Gram-negative species and contributes to intrinsic fosfomycin resistance.

Gram-Positive Uropathogens, Polymicrobial Urinary Tract Infection, and the Emerging Microbiota of the Urinary Tract.

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Kline, Kimberly A; Lewis, Amanda L

2016-04-01

Gram-positive bacteria are a common cause of urinary-tract infection (UTI), particularly among individuals who are elderly, pregnant, or who have other risk factors for UTI. Here we review the epidemiology, virulence mechanisms, and host response to the most frequently isolated Gram-positive uropathogens: Staphylococcus saprophyticus, Enterococcus faecalis, and Streptococcus agalactiae. We also review several emerging, rare, misclassified, and otherwise underreported Gram-positive pathogens of the urinary tract including Aerococcus, Corynebacterium, Actinobaculum, and Gardnerella. The literature strongly suggests that urologic diseases involving Gram-positive bacteria may be easily overlooked due to limited culture-based assays typically utilized for urine in hospital microbiology laboratories. Some UTIs are polymicrobial in nature, often involving one or more Gram-positive bacteria. We herein review the risk factors and recent evidence for mechanisms of bacterial synergy in experimental models of polymicrobial UTI. Recent experimental data has demonstrated that, despite being cleared quickly from the bladder, some Gram-positive bacteria can impact pathogenic outcomes of co-infecting organisms. When taken together, the available evidence argues that Gram-positive bacteria are important uropathogens in their own right, but that some can be easily overlooked because they are missed by routine diagnostic methods. Finally, a growing body of evidence demonstrates that a surprising variety of fastidious Gram-positive bacteria may either reside in or be regularly exposed to the urinary tract and further suggests that their presence is widespread among women, as well as men. Experimental studies in this area are needed; however, there is a growing appreciation that the composition of bacteria found in the bladder could be a potentially important determinant in urologic disease, including susceptibility to UTI.

Gram-negative and -positive bacteria differentiation in blood culture samples by headspace volatile compound analysis.

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Dolch, Michael E; Janitza, Silke; Boulesteix, Anne-Laure; Graßmann-Lichtenauer, Carola; Praun, Siegfried; Denzer, Wolfgang; Schelling, Gustav; Schubert, Sören

2016-12-01

Identification of microorganisms in positive blood cultures still relies on standard techniques such as Gram staining followed by culturing with definite microorganism identification. Alternatively, matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry or the analysis of headspace volatile compound (VC) composition produced by cultures can help to differentiate between microorganisms under experimental conditions. This study assessed the efficacy of volatile compound based microorganism differentiation into Gram-negatives and -positives in unselected positive blood culture samples from patients. Headspace gas samples of positive blood culture samples were transferred to sterilized, sealed, and evacuated 20 ml glass vials and stored at -30 °C until batch analysis. Headspace gas VC content analysis was carried out via an auto sampler connected to an ion-molecule reaction mass spectrometer (IMR-MS). Measurements covered a mass range from 16 to 135 u including CO2, H2, N2, and O2. Prediction rules for microorganism identification based on VC composition were derived using a training data set and evaluated using a validation data set within a random split validation procedure. One-hundred-fifty-two aerobic samples growing 27 Gram-negatives, 106 Gram-positives, and 19 fungi and 130 anaerobic samples growing 37 Gram-negatives, 91 Gram-positives, and two fungi were analysed. In anaerobic samples, ten discriminators were identified by the random forest method allowing for bacteria differentiation into Gram-negative and -positive (error rate: 16.7 % in validation data set). For aerobic samples the error rate was not better than random. In anaerobic blood culture samples of patients IMR-MS based headspace VC composition analysis facilitates bacteria differentiation into Gram-negative and -positive.

Development of the Flu-PRO: a patient-reported outcome (PRO) instrument to evaluate symptoms of influenza.

Science.gov (United States)

Powers, John H; Guerrero, M Lourdes; Leidy, Nancy Kline; Fairchok, Mary P; Rosenberg, Alice; Hernández, Andrés; Stringer, Sonja; Schofield, Christina; Rodríguez-Zulueta, Patricia; Kim, Katherine; Danaher, Patrick J; Ortega-Gallegos, Hilda; Bacci, Elizabeth Dansie; Stepp, Nathaniel; Galindo-Fraga, Arturo; St Clair, Kristina; Rajnik, Michael; McDonough, Erin A; Ridoré, Michelande; Arnold, John C; Millar, Eugene V; Ruiz-Palacios, Guillermo M

2016-01-05

To develop content validity of a comprehensive patient-reported outcome (PRO) measure following current best scientific methodology to standardize assessment of influenza (flu) symptoms in clinical research. Stage I (Concept Elicitation): 1:1 telephone interviews with influenza-positive adults (≥18 years) in the US and Mexico within 7 days of diagnosis. Participants described symptom type, character, severity, and duration. Content analysis identified themes and developed the draft Flu-PRO instrument. Stage II (Cognitive Interviewing): The Flu-PRO was administered to a unique set of influenza-positive adults within 14 days of diagnosis; telephone interviews addressed completeness, respondent interpretation of items and ease of use. Samples: Stage I: N = 46 adults (16 US, 30 Mexico); mean (SD) age: 38 (19), 39 (14) years; % female: 56%, 73%; race: 69% White, 97% Mestizo. Stage II: N = 34 adults (12 US, 22 Mexico); age: 37 (14), 39 (11) years; % female: 50%, 50%; race: 58% White, 100% Mestizo. Symptoms identified by >50%: coughing, weak or tired, throat symptoms, congestion, headache, weakness, sweating, chills, general discomfort, runny nose, chest (trouble breathing), difficulty sleeping, and body aches or pains. No new content was uncovered during Stage II; participants easily understood the instrument. Results show the 37-item Flu-PRO is a content valid measure of influenza symptoms in adults with a confirmed diagnosis of influenza. Research is underway to evaluate the suitability of the instrument for children and adolescents. This work can form the basis for future quantitative tests of reliability, validity, and responsiveness to evaluate the measurement properties of Flu-PRO for use in clinical trials and epidemiology studies.

Effect of gamma radiation on physico-chemical characteristics of red gram (Cajanus cajan) starch

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nene, S.P.; Vakil, U.K.; Sreenivasan, A.

1975-01-01

Total reducing and nonreducing sugars in red gram (Cajanus cajan) are not affected by radiation treatment (1 Mrad). Oligosaccharides, reported as flatulence factors in legumes, namely stachyose and raffinose, are slightly decreased on cooking the irradiated samples. Irradiated and cooked red gram starch is more susceptible to alpha-amylase action than the unirradiated sample. Rheological properties of red gram starch, such as gelatinization viscosity, swelling power and solubility improve on irradiation resulting in a final cooked product with better textural properties. (U.S.)

Biofortified cassava with pro-vitamin A is sensory and culturally acceptable for consumption by primary school children in Kenya.

Science.gov (United States)

Talsma, Elise F; Melse-Boonstra, Alida; de Kok, Brenda P H; Mbera, Gloria N K; Mwangi, Alice M; Brouwer, Inge D

2013-01-01

Biofortification of cassava with pro-vitamin A can potentially reduce vitamin A deficiency in low-income countries. However, little is known about consumer acceptance of this deep yellow variety of cassava compared to the commonly available white varieties. We aimed to determine the sensory and cultural acceptability of the consumption of pro-vitamin A rich cassava in order to identify key factors predicting the intention to consume pro-vitamin A rich cassava by families with school-aged children in Eastern Kenya. Sensory acceptability was measured by replicated discrimination tests and paired preference tests among 30 children (7-12 yr) and 30 caretakers (18-45 yr) in three primary schools. Cultural acceptability was assessed with a questionnaire based on the combined model of The Theory of Planned Behavior and The Health Belief Model in one primary school among 140 caretakers of children aged 6 to 12 years. Correlations and multivariate analyses were used to determine associations between summed scores for model constructs. Caretakers and children perceived a significant difference in taste between white and pro-vitamin A rich cassava. Both preferred pro-vitamin A rich cassava over white cassava because of its soft texture, sweet taste and attractive color. Knowledge about pro-vitamin A rich cassava and it's relation to health ('Knowledge' ((β = 0.29, P = behavior identity'. Worries related to bitter taste and color ('Perceived barriers 1' (β = -0.21, P = .02)), the belief of the caretaker about having control to prepare cassava ('Control beliefs' (β = 0.18, P = .02)) and activities like information sessions about pro-vitamin A rich cassava and recommendations from health workers ('Cues to action'(β = 0.51, P = consume pro-vitamin A rich cassava. Pro-vitamin A rich cassava is well accepted by school children in our study population.

GeoPro: Technology to Enable Scientific Modeling

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

C. Juan

2004-01-01

Development of the ground-water flow model for the Death Valley Regional Groundwater Flow System (DVRFS) required integration of numerous supporting hydrogeologic investigations. The results from recharge, discharge, hydraulic properties, water level, pumping, model boundaries, and geologic studies were integrated to develop the required conceptual and 3-D framework models, and the flow model itself. To support the complex modeling process and the needs of the multidisciplinary DVRFS team, a hardware and software system called GeoPro (Geoscience Knowledge Integration Protocol) was developed. A primary function of GeoPro is to manage the large volume of disparate data compiled for the 100,000-square-kilometer area of southern Nevada and California. The data are primarily from previous investigations and regional flow models developed for the Nevada Test Site and Yucca Mountain projects. GeoPro utilizes relational database technology (Microsoft SQL Server(trademark)) to store and manage these tabular point data, groundwater flow model ASCII data, 3-D hydrogeologic framework data, 2-D and 2.5-D GIS data, and text documents. Data management consists of versioning, tracking, and reporting data changes as multiple users access the centralized database. GeoPro also supports the modeling process by automating the routine data transformations required to integrate project software. This automation is also crucial to streamlining pre- and post-processing of model data during model calibration. Another function of GeoPro is to facilitate the dissemination and use of the model data and results through web-based documents by linking and allowing access to the underlying database and analysis tools. The intent is to convey to end-users the complex flow model product in a manner that is simple, flexible, and relevant to their needs. GeoPro is evolving from a prototype system to a production-level product. Currently the DVRFS pre- and post-processing modeling tools are being re

NT-proBNP

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andersen, Charlotte; Mellemkjær, Søren; Hilberg, Ole

2016-01-01

BACKGROUND: Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a serious complication to interstitial lung disease (ILD) and has a poor prognosis. PH is often diagnosed by screening with echocardiography followed by right heart catheterisation. A previous study has shown that a value of NT-pro-brain natriuretic...

Teaching with ArcGIS Pro

OpenAIRE

Theller, Larry

2016-01-01

For Fall semester 2016 the ABE department moved the course ASM 540 Basic GIS from ArcGIS Desktop 10.2 to ArcGIS Pro 1.3. This software from ESRI has a completely new look and feel, (ribbon-based rather than cascading menus) and is a true 64 bit application, capable of multi-threading, and built on Python 3. After ArcGIS Desktop 10.5 is released, desktop ends and the future release will be ArcGIS Pro; so it makes sense to switch sooner rather than later. This talk will discuss some issues and...

Resistance trends in gram-negative bacteria: surveillance results from two Mexican hospitals, 2005–2010

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Morfin-Otero Rayo

2012-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Hospital-acquired infections caused by multiresistant gram-negative bacteria are difficult to treat and cause high rates of morbidity and mortality. The analysis of antimicrobial resistance trends of gram-negative pathogens isolated from hospital-acquired infections is important for the development of antimicrobial stewardship programs. The information obtained from antimicrobial resistant programs from two hospitals from Mexico will be helpful in the selection of empiric therapy for hospital-acquired gram-negative infections. Findings Two thousand one hundred thirty two gram-negative bacteria collected between January 2005 and December 2010 from hospital-acquired infections occurring in two teaching hospitals in Mexico were evaluated. Escherichia coli was the most frequently isolated gram-negative bacteria, with >50% of strains resistant to ciprofloxacin and levofloxacin. Klebsiella spp. showed resistance rates similar to Escherichia coli for ceftazidime (33.1% vs 33.2%, but exhibited lower rates for levofloxacin (18.2% vs 56%. Of the samples collected for the third most common gram-negative bacteria, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, >12.8% were resistant to the carbapenems, imipenem and meropenem. The highest overall resistance was found in Acinetobacter spp. Enterobacter spp. showed high susceptibility to carbapenems. Conclusions E. coli was the most common nosocomial gram-negative bacilli isolated in this study and was found to have the second-highest resistance to fluoroquinolones (>57.9%, after Acinetobacter spp. 81.2%. This finding represents a disturbing development in a common nosocomial and community pathogen.

The effects of autoclave sterilization on the cyclic fatigue resistance of ProTaper Universal, ProTaper Next, and ProTaper Gold nickel-titanium instruments.

Science.gov (United States)

Özyürek, Taha; Yılmaz, Koray; Uslu, Gülşah

2017-11-01

It was aimed to compare the cyclic fatigue resistances of ProTaper Universal (PTU), ProTaper Next (PTN), and ProTaper Gold (PTG) and the effects of sterilization by autoclave on the cyclic fatigue life of nickel-titanium (NiTi) instruments. Eighty PTU, 80 PTN, and 80 PTG were included to the present study. Files were tested in a simulated canal. Each brand of the NiTi files were divided into 4 subgroups: group 1, as received condition; group 2, pre-sterilized instruments exposed to 10 times sterilization by autoclave; group 3, instruments tested were sterilized after being exposed to 25%, 50%, and 75% of the mean cycles to failure, then cycled fatigue test was performed; group 4, instruments exposed to the same experiment with group 3 without sterilization. The number of cycles to failure (NCF) was calculated. The data was statistically analyzed by using one-way analysis of variance and post hoc Tukey tests. PTG showed significantly higher NCF than PTU and PTN in group 1 ( p Autoclaving increased the cyclic fatigue resistances of PTN and PTG.

Regional differences in the expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) pro-peptide, proBDNF and preproBDNF in the brain confer stress resilience.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Bangkun; Yang, Chun; Ren, Qian; Zhang, Ji-Chun; Chen, Qian-Xue; Shirayama, Yukihiko; Hashimoto, Kenji

2016-12-01

Using learned helplessness (LH) model of depression, we measured protein expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) pro-peptide, BDNF precursors (proBDNF and preproBDNF) in the brain regions of LH (susceptible) and non-LH rats (resilience). Expression of preproBDNF, proBDNF and BDNF pro-peptide in the medial prefrontal cortex of LH rats, but not non-LH rats, was significantly higher than control rats, although expression of these proteins in the nucleus accumbens of LH rats was significantly lower than control rats. This study suggests that regional differences in conversion of BDNF precursors into BDNF and BDNF pro-peptide by proteolytic cleavage may contribute to stress resilience.

Synthesis of the tritium labelled β-casomorphine analogues 3H-Phe-Pro-Gly-OH and 3H2-Tyr-Pro-3H-Phe-pyrrolidide

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oehlke, J.; Niedrich, H.; Born, I.; Neubert, K.; Mittag, E.

1991-01-01

The precursor peptides H-Phe(I)-Pro-Gly-OH (III) and H-Tyr(I 2 )-Pro-Phe(I)-pyrrolidide (VIII) were synthesized by stepwise elongation from the C-terminal end and by coupling of Boc-Tyr(I 2 )-Pro-OH with H-Phe(I)-pyrrolidide and following deprotection of the Boc-residue respectively. Catalytic dehalotritiation yielded tritated peptides with specific radioactivities of 450 and 1500 GBq/mmol respectively. Cleavage of 3 H 2 -Tyr-Pro- 3 H-Phe-pyrrolidide by dipeptidylpeptidase IV resulted in fragments with specific radioactivities of 950 ( 3 H 2 -Tyr-Pro) and 590 GBq/ mmol ( 3 H-Phe-pyrrolidide). (author)

Assessing High School Students’ Pro-Environmental Behaviour

Science.gov (United States)

Hidayah, N.; Agustin, R. R.

2017-09-01

This paper aims to reveal students’ pro-environmental behavior in a High School. Self-reported behavior assessment was administered in this study involving students with age range 15 to 18 years. Pro-environmental behavior in this study comprises six domains. Those are recycling, waste avoidance, consumerism, energy conservation, mobility and transportation, and vicarious conservation behavior. Pro-environmental behavior (PEB) of science class students was compared to behavior of non-science class students. Effect of students’ grade level and extracurricular activity on the behavior was evaluated. Study revealed that science could improve students’ PEB. It is because environmental topics are covered in science class. Student’s involvement in extracurricular activity may enhance PEB as well. In conclusion, students’ PEB is influenced by class program (science or non-science) but it is not influenced by time length in learning science. This finding could be consider by science educator in choosing strategy to enhance student’s pro-environmental behaviour.

Diversity of pigmented Gram-positive bacteria associated with marine macroalgae from Antarctica.

Science.gov (United States)

Leiva, Sergio; Alvarado, Pamela; Huang, Ying; Wang, Jian; Garrido, Ignacio

2015-12-01

Little is known about the diversity and roles of Gram-positive and pigmented bacteria in Antarctic environments, especially those associated with marine macroorganisms. This work is the first study about the diversity and antimicrobial activity of culturable pigmented Gram-positive bacteria associated with marine Antarctic macroalgae. A total of 31 pigmented Gram-positive strains were isolated from the surface of six species of macroalgae collected in the King George Island, South Shetland Islands. On the basis of 16S rRNA gene sequence similarities ≥99%, 18 phylotypes were defined, which were clustered into 11 genera of Actinobacteria (Agrococcus, Arthrobacter, Brachybacterium, Citricoccus, Kocuria, Labedella, Microbacterium, Micrococcus, Rhodococcus, Salinibacterium and Sanguibacter) and one genus of the Firmicutes (Staphylococcus). It was found that five isolates displayed antimicrobial activity against a set of macroalgae-associated bacteria. The active isolates were phylogenetically related to Agrococcus baldri, Brachybacterium rhamnosum, Citricoccus zhacaiensis and Kocuria palustris. The results indicate that a diverse community of pigmented Gram-positive bacteria is associated with Antartic macroalgae and suggest its potential as a promising source of antimicrobial and pigmented natural compounds. © FEMS 2015. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Computing symmetrical strength of N-grams: a two pass filtering approach in automatic classification of text documents.

Science.gov (United States)

Agnihotri, Deepak; Verma, Kesari; Tripathi, Priyanka

2016-01-01

The contiguous sequences of the terms (N-grams) in the documents are symmetrically distributed among different classes. The symmetrical distribution of the N-Grams raises uncertainty in the belongings of the N-Grams towards the class. In this paper, we focused on the selection of most discriminating N-Grams by reducing the effects of symmetrical distribution. In this context, a new text feature selection method named as the symmetrical strength of the N-Grams (SSNG) is proposed using a two pass filtering based feature selection (TPF) approach. Initially, in the first pass of the TPF, the SSNG method chooses various informative N-Grams from the entire extracted N-Grams of the corpus. Subsequently, in the second pass the well-known Chi Square (χ(2)) method is being used to select few most informative N-Grams. Further, to classify the documents the two standard classifiers Multinomial Naive Bayes and Linear Support Vector Machine have been applied on the ten standard text data sets. In most of the datasets, the experimental results state the performance and success rate of SSNG method using TPF approach is superior to the state-of-the-art methods viz. Mutual Information, Information Gain, Odds Ratio, Discriminating Feature Selection and χ(2).

Platelet adhesion and degranulation induce pro-survival and pro-angiogenic signalling in ovarian cancer cells.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Karl Egan

Full Text Available Thrombosis is common in ovarian cancer. However, the interaction of platelets with ovarian cancer cells has not been critically examined. To address this, we investigated platelet interactions in a range of ovarian cancer cell lines with different metastatic potentials [HIO-80, 59M, SK-OV-3, A2780, A2780cis]. Platelets adhered to ovarian cancer cells with the most significant adhesion to the 59M cell line. Ovarian cancer cells induced platelet activation [P-selectin expression] in a dose dependent manner, with the most significant activation seen in response to the 59M cell line. The platelet antagonists [cangrelor, MRS2179, and apyrase] inhibited 59M cell induced activation suggesting a P2Y12 and P2Y1 receptor mediated mechanism of platelet activation dependent on the release of ADP by 59M cells. A2780 and 59M cells potentiated PAR-1, PAR-4, and TxA2 receptor mediated platelet activation, but had no effect on ADP, epinephrine, or collagen induced activation. Analysis of gene expression changes in ovarian cancer cells following treatment with washed platelets or platelet releasate showed a subtle but valid upregulation of anti-apoptotic, anti-autophagy pro-angiogenic, pro-cell cycle and metabolic genes. Thus, ovarian cancer cells with different metastatic potential adhere and activate platelets differentially while both platelets and platelet releasate mediate pro-survival and pro-angiogenic signals in ovarian cancer cells.

Pro OpenSSH

CERN Document Server

Stahnke, Michael

2006-01-01

SSH, acronym for Secure Socket Shell, is for users and administrators wishing to establish secure communication between disparate networks. 'Pro OpenSSH', authored by two Fortune 100 system administrators, provides readers with a highly practical reference for configuring and deploying OpenSSH in their own environment.

Trajectories in higher education: ProUni in focus

OpenAIRE

Felicetti,Vera Lucia; Cabrera,Alberto F.

2017-01-01

Abstract Trajectories in higher education and the University for All Program (ProUni) are the central theme of this paper. The research question was: To what extent were some factors experienced during university difficulties in the academic trajectory of ProUni and non-ProUni graduates? The approach was quantitative with an explanatory goal. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used in the data analysis. The research subjects were 197 higher education graduates from a Southern Brazil ...

A molecular gram stain using broad range PCR and pyrosequencing technology: a potentially useful tool for diagnosing orthopaedic infections.

Science.gov (United States)

Kobayashi, Naomi; Bauer, Thomas W; Togawa, Daisuke; Lieberman, Isador H; Sakai, Hiroshige; Fujishiro, Takaaki; Tuohy, Marion J; Procop, Gary W

2005-06-01

The bacteria associated with orthopaedic infections are usually common gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. This fundamental grouping of bacteria is a necessary first step in the selection of appropriate antibiotics. Since polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is more rapid and may be more sensitive than culture, we developed a postamplification pyrosequencing method to subcategorize bacteria based on a few nucleotide polymorphisms in the 16S rRNA gene. We validated this method using well-characterized strains of bacteria and applied it to specimens from spinal surgery cases with suspected infections. Lysates of 114 bacteria including 75 species were created following standard cultivation to obtain DNA. The DNA was amplified by a broad-range real-time PCR. The amplicons were evaluated by pyrosequencing and were classified as gram-positive, gram-negative, or acid-fast bacilli based on the first three to five nucleotides sequenced. In addition, clinical cases of suspected infection were obtained from spinal surgery. The results of the "molecular Gram stain" were compared with the results of traditional Gram stain and culture. The lysates of 107 (93.9%) of the bacteria extracts tested were appropriately categorized as gram-positive and gram-negative or as acid-fast bacilli on the basis of this assay. The sensitivity and specificity of this assay were 100% and 97.4% for gram-positive and 88.3% and 100% for gram-negative isolates. All of the five clinical samples were appropriately categorized as containing gram-positive or gram-negative bacteria with this assay. This study demonstrates that high sensitivity and specificity of a molecular gram stain may be achieved using broad-range real-time PCR and pyrosequencing.

Effects of amaranth addition on the pro-vitamin A content, and physical and antioxidant properties of extruded pro-vitamin A-biofortified maize snacks.

Science.gov (United States)

Beswa, Daniso; Dlamini, Nomusa R; Amonsou, Eric O; Siwela, Muthulisi; Derera, John

2016-01-15

Pro-vitamin A-biofortified maize snacks with added leafy vegetable may have a potential as nutritious and health-promoting products, especially in addressing vitamin A deficiency, which is prevalent in developing regions. The objective of the study was to determine the effects of adding amaranth leaf powder on the physical, antioxidant properties and pro-vitamin A content of extruded pro-vitamin A-biofortified maize snacks. Extruded snacks were processed using four pro-vitamin A-biofortified maize varieties that were composited with amaranth leaf powder at 0%, 1% and 3% (w/w) substitution levels. At higher amaranth concentration, the expansion ratio of the snacks decreased, while their hardness increased by as much as 93%. The physical quality of the snacks may therefore need improvement. As amaranth was increased, the phenolic content and antioxidant activity of the snacks increased as well as the pro-vitamin A content. Pro-vitamin A-biofortified maize with added amaranth has a potential for use in nutritious and healthy extruded snacks. There are limited studies reporting on processing pro-vitamin A maize with complementary plant foods, which is common with white maize in southern Africa; thus the current study serves as a baseline. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry.

Bioaccessibility of pro-vitamin A carotenoids is minimally affected by non pro-vitamin a xanthophylls in maize (Zea mays sp.).

Science.gov (United States)

Thakkar, Sagar K; Failla, Mark L

2008-12-10

The absorption of some carotenoids has been reported to be decreased by coingestion of relatively high concentrations of other carotenoids. It is unclear if such interactions occur among carotenoids during the digestion of plant foods. Current varieties of maize contain limited amounts of the pro-vitamin A (pro-VA) carotenoids beta-carotene (BC) and beta-cryptoxanthin (BCX) and relatively higher levels of their oxygenated metabolites lutein (LUT) and zeaxanthin (ZEA). Here, we examined if LUT and ZEA attenuate the bioaccessibility of pro-VA carotenoids at amounts and ratios present in maize. BC incorporation into bile salt mixed micelles during chemical preparation and during simulated small intestinal digestion of carotenoid-enriched oil was slightly increased when the concentration of LUT was sixfold or more greater than BC. Likewise, the efficiency of BC micellarization was slightly increased during simulated small intestinal digestion of white maize porridge supplemented with oil containing ninefold molar excess of LUT to BC. Mean efficiencies of micellarization of BC, BCX, LUT, and ZEA were 16.7, 27.7, 30.3, and 27.9%, respectively, and independent of the ratio of LUT plus ZEA to pro-VA carotenoids during simulated digestion of maize porridge prepared from flours containing 0.4-11.3 microg/g endogenous pro-VA carotenoids. LUT attenuated uptake of BC by differentiated cultures of Caco-2 human cells from medium-containing micelles in a dose-dependent manner with inhibition reaching 35% when the molar ratio of LUT to BC was 13. Taken together, these results suggest that the bioaccessibility of pro-VA carotenoids in maize is likely to be minimally affected by the relative levels of xanthophylls lacking pro-VA activity present in cultivars of maize.

[Influence of serious infections due to Gram-negative bacteria on the hospital economy].

Science.gov (United States)

Martínez, B; Gómez, J; Gómez Vargas, J; Guerra, B; Ruiz Gómez, J; Simarro, E; Baños, V; Canteras, M; Valdes, M

2000-12-01

Nosocomial infections due to Gram-negative bacteria are very important since they are associated with high morbidity and high hospital costs. A prospective study of 250 inpatients was carried out, 200 of whom had Gram-negative bacterial infections. Patients were divided into groups of 50 according to the localization of the infection (urinary, surgical wound, respiratory tract and bacteremia), with a control group of 50 patients with similar characteristics but no infection. We calculated the cost for the different groups by multiplying the average length of hospital stay in days by the daily cost of the stay. Significant differences were observed in the average length of stay per patient according to the type of infection and how it was acquired. In terms of cost, nosocomial infection due to Gram-negative bacteria was 1,049,139 pesetas more expensive than community-acquired infection. The cost of the stay for patients with postsurgical infection due to Gram-negative bacteria was 1,108, 252 pesetas more expensive than for the group of control patients. Nosocomial infection due to Gram-negative bacteria is associated with a prolongation in hospital stay of 9 to 28 days, which is the factor that most reflects the cost that can be attributed to nosocomial infection. Consensual and protocolized measures which allow for better clinical management need to be developed.

Bruchid egg induced transcript dynamics in developing seeds of black gram (Vigna mungo.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Indrani K Baruah

Full Text Available Black gram (Vigna mungo seeds are a rich source of digestible proteins, however, during storage these seeds are severely damaged by bruchids (Callosobruchus spp., reducing seed quality and yield losses. Most of the cultivated genotypes of black gram are susceptible to bruchids, however, few tolerant genotypes have also been identified but the mechanism of tolerance is poorly understood. We employed Suppression Subtractive Hybridization (SSH to identify specifically, but rarely expressed bruchid egg induced genes in black gram. In this study, Suppression Subtractive Hybridization (SSH library was constructed to study the genes involved in defense response in black gram against bruchid infestation. An EST library of 277 clones was obtained for further analyses. Based on CAP3 assembly, 134 unigenes were computationally annotated using Blast2GOPRO software. In all, 20 defense related genes were subject to quantitative PCR analysis (qPCR out of which 12 genes showed up-regulation in developing seeds of the pods oviposited by bruchids. Few major defense genes like defensin, pathogenesis related protein (PR, lipoxygenase (LOX showed high expression levels in the oviposited population when compared with the non-oviposited plants. This is the first report on defense related gene transcript dynamics during the bruchid-black gram interaction using SSH library. This library would be useful to clone defense related gene(s such as defensin as represented in our library for crop improvement.

Detection of Extended-Spectrum Β-Lactamases among Gram ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Biochemical tests confirmed the identity of the Gram-negative isolates to be members of the enterobactericeae, which included Klebsiella pneumoniae (60), Escherichia coli (98), Providencia Spp. (32), Morganella moganii (32), Shigella Spp. (14), Citrobacter freundii (14), Serratia marcescens (10), Salmonella paratyphi A ...

Combination of IL-6, IL-10, and MCP-1 with traditional serum tumor markers in lung cancer diagnosis and prognosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Pan, Y W; Zhou, Z G; Wang, M; Dong, J Q; Du, K P; Li, S; Liu, Y L; Lv, P J; Gao, J B

2016-11-03

Early detection and treatment is critically important for lung cancer patients. Inflammatory mediators such as IL-6, IL-10, and MCP-1 participate in lung cancer regulation. CEA, CA125, and ProGRP are commonly used serum tumor markers for lung cancer. In this study, we assessed the sensitivity and specificity of CEA, CA125, and ProGRP when used in combination with IL-6, IL-10, and MCP in lung cancer diagnosis. Serum from three different groups (healthy controls, individuals with high risk for lung cancer, and lung cancer patients) was collected. Electrochemiluminescence was used to detect expressions of CEA, CA125, and ProGRP; ELISA was used to examine serum levels of IL-6, IL-10, and MCP-1. Specificity and sensitivity of single as well as combination markers in lung cancer diagnosis were determined. Results indicated that CEA, CA125, ProGRP, and MCP-1 were significantly up-regulated in lung cancer patients as compared to those in controls and high risk individuals. Higher IL-6 and IL-10 levels were observed in both lung cancer patients and high-risk individuals as compared to those in controls. Highest sensitivity (95.2%) in cancer diagnosis was achieved when all six markers were used. This was followed by a combination of IL-6, IL-10, CEA, CA125, and ProGRP (92.6%). The most sensitive (88.6%). Four-marker combination was composed of IL-6, CEA, CA125, and ProGRP. As the combined usage of CEA, CA125, ProGRP, IL-6, IL-10, and MCP-1 significantly improved sensitivity of lung cancer detection; this biomarker arrangement may be beneficial for early diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis of lung cancer.

Is product diversification the Ultimate Quid Pro Quo for Gender sensitive Poverty Alleviation? Adverse Social Externalities from Combined Microfinance in Latin America and the Caribbean

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

ROSSEL-CAMBIER, Koen

2013-11-01

Full Text Available Documented deficiencies in traditional social transfer mechanisms have led to the emergence of alternative methods for reducing poverty. In many countries, microfinance institutions (MFIs have become popular instruments for redistributive propoor policies. However, they are also criticised for not being inclusive enough. This paper explores if product diversification has an effect on poverty outreach, in particular when combining micro- credit with savings and insurance. It applies cross-sectional analysis of 250 microfinance schemes in Latin America and the Caribbean. By focusing on elements of the depth of poverty outreach, the research highlights a number of possible effects of combined microfinance (CMF. Product diversification can significantly contribute to increased social outreach («breadth» of poverty outreach. However, the findings suggest that, in the case of combining credit with savings, this is leading to a relatively lower participation of poor and female clients («depth» of poverty outreach. Exclusionary and discriminatory vulnerabilities and dynamics, linked to specific financial products, may apply double or even reinforce each other. Cumulative financial, cultural, geographical or communication barriers can make participation in multiple financial products more challenging. These findings have not been adequately tackled by academic literature, but are most relevant for MFI stakeholders and policy makers. If gender-sensitive or pro-poor income generation is at the heart of the mission of MFIs, corrective measures to these forms of adverse externalities should be considered.

Programmable lithography engine (ProLE) grid-type supercomputer and its applications

Science.gov (United States)

Petersen, John S.; Maslow, Mark J.; Gerold, David J.; Greenway, Robert T.

2003-06-01

There are many variables that can affect lithographic dependent device yield. Because of this, it is not enough to make optical proximity corrections (OPC) based on the mask type, wavelength, lens, illumination-type and coherence. Resist chemistry and physics along with substrate, exposure, and all post-exposure processing must be considered too. Only a holistic approach to finding imaging solutions will accelerate yield and maximize performance. Since experiments are too costly in both time and money, accomplishing this takes massive amounts of accurate simulation capability. Our solution is to create a workbench that has a set of advanced user applications that utilize best-in-class simulator engines for solving litho-related DFM problems using distributive computing. Our product, ProLE (Programmable Lithography Engine), is an integrated system that combines Petersen Advanced Lithography Inc."s (PAL"s) proprietary applications and cluster management software wrapped around commercial software engines, along with optional commercial hardware and software. It uses the most rigorous lithography simulation engines to solve deep sub-wavelength imaging problems accurately and at speeds that are several orders of magnitude faster than current methods. Specifically, ProLE uses full vector thin-mask aerial image models or when needed, full across source 3D electromagnetic field simulation to make accurate aerial image predictions along with calibrated resist models;. The ProLE workstation from Petersen Advanced Lithography, Inc., is the first commercial product that makes it possible to do these intensive calculations at a fraction of a time previously available thus significantly reducing time to market for advance technology devices. In this work, ProLE is introduced, through model comparison to show why vector imaging and rigorous resist models work better than other less rigorous models, then some applications of that use our distributive computing solution are shown

Prevention of radiation emesis in dogs by combinations of drugs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mattsson, J.L.; Cordts, R.E.; Yochmowitz, M.G.; Hardy, K.A.

1984-01-01

Male mixed-breed dogs were used to evaluate the effectiveness of cimetidine (Cim), promethazine (Pro), and thiethylperazine (Thi), singly and in combination, to raise the threshold for radiation-induced emesis. Cim was chosen as an H 2 antihistamine, Pro as an H 1 antihistamine, and Thi as a phenothiazine derivative dopamine blocker. Doses were calculated to approximate doses for an average human. Exposure was to 60 Co at 60 rad (midline) per min. The dogs were fed 0.4 kg canned dog food 1 hour before exposure, and injected with the appropriate drugs 30 minutes prior to exposure. Emesis onset times, number of episodes, and time to last episode were recorded. The radiation dose (midline tissue rad) to cause a 50% incidence of emesis (ED 50 ) was calculated using an up-and-down procedure. The ED 50 were: 258 (212-315) for controls; 240 (151-380) for Cim; 313 (256-384) for Pro; 405 (319-514) for Thi; 334 (284-394) for Cim + Pro; 446 (365-546) for Cim + Thi; 347 (306-399) for Pro + Thi; and 478 (428-539) for Cim + Pro + Thi

Usability test of the ImPRO, computer-based procedure system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jung, Y.; Lee, J.

2006-01-01

ImPRO is a computer based procedure in both flowchart and success logic tree. It is evaluated on the basis of computer based procedure guidelines. It satisfies most requirements such as presentations and functionalities. Besides, SGTR has been performed with ImPRO to evaluate reading comprehension and situation awareness. ImPRO is a software engine which can interpret procedure script language, so that ImPRO is reliable by nature and verified with formal method. One bug, however, had hidden one year after release, but it was fixed. Finally backup paper procedures can be prepared on the same format as VDU in case of ImPRO failure. (authors)

Pro asynchronous programming with .NET

CERN Document Server

Blewett, Richard; Ltd, Rock Solid Knowledge

2014-01-01

Pro Asynchronous Programming with .NET teaches the essential skill of asynchronous programming in .NET. It answers critical questions in .NET application development, such as: how do I keep my program responding at all times to keep my users happy how do I make the most of the available hardware how can I improve performanceIn the modern world, users expect more and more from their applications and devices, and multi-core hardware has the potential to provide it. But it takes carefully crafted code to turn that potential into responsive, scalable applications.With Pro Asynchronous Programming

An unusual class of anthracyclines potentiate Gram-positive antibiotics in intrinsically resistant Gram-negative bacteria

Science.gov (United States)

Cox, Georgina; Koteva, Kalinka; Wright, Gerard D.

2014-01-01

Objectives An orthogonal approach taken towards novel antibacterial drug discovery involves the identification of small molecules that potentiate or enhance the activity of existing antibacterial agents. This study aimed to identify natural-product rifampicin adjuvants in the intrinsically resistant organism Escherichia coli. Methods E. coli BW25113 was screened against 1120 actinomycete fermentation extracts in the presence of subinhibitory (2 mg/L) concentrations of rifampicin. The active molecule exhibiting the greatest rifampicin potentiation was isolated using activity-guided methods and identified using mass and NMR spectroscopy. Susceptibility testing and biochemical assays were used to determine the mechanism of antibiotic potentiation. Results The anthracycline Antibiotic 301A1 was isolated from the fermentation broth of a strain of Streptomyces (WAC450); the molecule was shown to be highly synergistic with rifampicin (fractional inhibitory concentration index = 0.156) and moderately synergistic with linezolid (FIC index = 0.25) in both E. coli and Acinetobacter baumannii. Activity was associated with inhibition of efflux and the synergistic phenotype was lost when tested against E. coli harbouring mutations within the rpoB gene. Structure–activity relationship studies revealed that other anthracyclines do not synergize with rifampicin and removal of the sugar moiety of Antibiotic 301A1 abolishes activity. Conclusions Screening only a subsection of our natural product library identified a small-molecule antibiotic adjuvant capable of sensitizing Gram-negative bacteria to antibiotics to which they are ordinarily intrinsically resistant. This result demonstrates the great potential of this approach in expanding antibiotic effectiveness in the face of the growing challenge of resistance in Gram-negatives. PMID:24627312

Energy recovery by pressure retarded osmosis (PRO) in SWRO–PRO integrated processes

KAUST Repository

Wan, Chun Feng; Chung, Neal Tai-Shung

2015-01-01

Pressure retarded osmosis (PRO) is a promising technology to reduce the specific energy consumption of a seawater reverse osmosis (SWRO) plant. In this study, it is projected that 25.6-40.7millionkWh/day of energy can be recovered globally

Epidemiology of infections caused by multiresistant gram-negatives: ESBLs, MBLs, panresistant strains.

Science.gov (United States)

Rossolini, Gian Maria; Mantengoli, Elisabetta; Docquier, Jean-Denis; Musmanno, Rosa Anna; Coratza, Grazietta

2007-07-01

Microbial drug resistance is a growing problem of global magnitude. In gram-negative pathogens, the most important resistance problems are encountered in Enterobacteriaceae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter, with increasing trends observed for all major anti-gram-negative agents (beta-lactams, fluoroquinolones and aminoglycosides). A matter of major concern is the emergence of new beta-lactamases capable of degrading the expanded-spectrum cephalosporins and/or carbapenems, such as the extended-spectrum beta-lactamases (ESBLs) and the carbapenemases. These beta-lactamase genes are often associated with resistance determinants to non-beta-lactam agents (e.g. aminoglycosides and fluoroquinolones), and strains producing ESBLs or carbapenemases often exhibit complex multidrug resistant phenotypes and sometimes are panresistant. The problem is worsened by the dearth of new agents active on multidrug-resistant Gram-negatives in the pipeline. The importance to develop better strategies to control resistance is underscored.

STUDY ON SURGICAL SITE INFECTIONS CAUSED BY ESBL PRODUCING GRAM NEGATIVE BACTERIA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rambabu

2015-09-01

Full Text Available Surgical site infections have been a major problem, because of the emergence of drug resistant bacteria, in particular B - lactamase producing bacteria. Extended spectrum beta lactamase producing gram negative organisms pose a great challenge in treatment o f SSI present study is aimed at determining multiple drug resistance in gram negative bacteria & to find out ESBL producers, in correlation with treatment outcome. A total of 120 wound infected cases were studied. Staphylococcus aureus was predominant bact erium - 20.Among gram negative bacteria, Pseudomonas species is predominant (14 followed by Escherichia coli (13 , Klebsiella species (12 , Proteus (9 Citrobacter (4 Providencia (2 & Acinetobacter species (2 . Out of 56 gramnegative bacteria isolated, 20 were i dentified as ESBL producers, which was statistically significant. Delay in wound healing correlated with infection by ESBL producers, which alarms the need of abstinence from antibiotic abuse

Prevalence of Gram-negative Pathogens and their antimicrobial ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The present study was conducted to find out the prevalence and spectrum of Gram negative pathogens causing bacterial meningitis and their antimicrobial susceptibility pattern in a tertiary care hospital. The cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) (3-5 ml) was collected from 638 admitted children clinically suspected of septic meningitis.

Sinus surgery postpones chronic gram-negative lung infection

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Alanin, M C; Aanaes, K; Høiby, N

2016-01-01

Background: In patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) the sinuses are a bacterial reservoir for Gram-negative bacteria (GNB). From the sinuses the GNB can repeatedly migrate to the lungs. In a one-year follow-up study, endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS) with adjuvant therapy reduced the frequency...

The In Vitro Antimicrobial Effects of Lavandula angustifolia Essential Oil in Combination with Conventional Antimicrobial Agents

Science.gov (United States)

de Rapper, Stephanie; Viljoen, Alvaro

2016-01-01

The paper focuses on the in vitro antimicrobial activity of Lavandula angustifolia Mill. (lavender) essential oil in combination with four commercial antimicrobial agents. Stock solutions of chloramphenicol, ciprofloxacin, nystatin, and fusidic acid were tested in combination with L. angustifolia essential oil. The antimicrobial activities of the combinations were investigated against the Gram-positive bacterial strain Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 6538) and Gram-negative Pseudomonas aeruginosa (ATCC 27858) and Candida albicans (ATCC 10231) was selected to represent the yeasts. The antimicrobial effect was performed using the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) microdilution assay. Isobolograms were constructed for varying ratios. The most prominent interaction was noted when L. angustifolia essential oil was combined with chloramphenicol and tested against the pathogen P. aeruginosa (ΣFIC of 0.29). Lavendula angustifolia essential oil was shown in most cases to interact synergistically with conventional antimicrobials when combined in ratios where higher volumes of L. angustifolia essential oil were incorporated into the combination. PMID:27891157

The In Vitro Antimicrobial Effects of Lavandula angustifolia Essential Oil in Combination with Conventional Antimicrobial Agents

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Stephanie de Rapper

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The paper focuses on the in vitro antimicrobial activity of Lavandula angustifolia Mill. (lavender essential oil in combination with four commercial antimicrobial agents. Stock solutions of chloramphenicol, ciprofloxacin, nystatin, and fusidic acid were tested in combination with L. angustifolia essential oil. The antimicrobial activities of the combinations were investigated against the Gram-positive bacterial strain Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 6538 and Gram-negative Pseudomonas aeruginosa (ATCC 27858 and Candida albicans (ATCC 10231 was selected to represent the yeasts. The antimicrobial effect was performed using the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC microdilution assay. Isobolograms were constructed for varying ratios. The most prominent interaction was noted when L. angustifolia essential oil was combined with chloramphenicol and tested against the pathogen P. aeruginosa (ΣFIC of 0.29. Lavendula angustifolia essential oil was shown in most cases to interact synergistically with conventional antimicrobials when combined in ratios where higher volumes of L. angustifolia essential oil were incorporated into the combination.

Uso del sistema E-test per lo studio di combinazioni antibiotiche verso batteri Gram-negativi multiresistenti in Fibrosi Cistica

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Antonietta Lambiase

2006-06-01

Full Text Available Objectives: Cystic Fibrosis patients are prone to infection by Gram-negative bacteria, such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Burkholderia cepacia, which become very resistant with recurrent antibiotic treatments.The purpose of this study was to evaluate the susceptibility patterns of 12 isolates of Burkholderia cepacia and 8 isolates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, isolated from Cystic Fibrosis patients to five individual antibiotics (ceftazidime, ciprofloxacin, piperacillin/tazobactam, levofloxacin and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole and to four antibiotic combinations (ceftazidime associated with one of the other antibiotics. Methods: Susceptibility tests were carried out using an agar diffusion method, the E-test (AB Biodisk, Solna, Sweden. Results: Strains were selected because of their resistance to individual antimicrobial agents, tested with automated system (Phoenix, BD, which ranged from 41.6% for ceftazidime to 83.3% for ciprofloxacin for Burkholderia cepacia and from 25% for ceftazidime to 100% for trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole for Pseudomonas aeruginosa. By using E-test,we were able to demonstrate synergy against 2 strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa (25% with ceftazidime- piperacillin/tazobactam. No synergy was detected against all strains of Burkholderia cepacia. Conclusions:These results suggest that the E-test offers a simple, labour-efficient and accurate method for MIC determination on agar medium and the susceptibility to antibiotic combinations greatly improves the guide to antibiotic therapy for infections to Gram-negative bacteria in Cystic Fibrosis patients.

Black-pigmented gram-negative anaerobes in endodontic infections.

Science.gov (United States)

Haapasalo, M

1993-03-01

Necrotic dental root canal infections are polymicrobial infections dominated by anaerobic bacteria. The number of different species in one canal is usually low, approx. 4-7 species. The species isolated most frequently belong to the genera Prevotella, Porphyromonas, Fusobacterium, Peptostreptococcus, Eubacterium and Streptococcus. The frequency of isolation of black-pigmented Gram-negative anaerobes in endodontic infections varies from 25% to > 50%. Pr. intermedia is the most commonly found pigmented species, followed by Pr. denticola and two Porphyromonas species, P. gingivalis and P. endodontalis. Several studies have shown that P. gingivalis and P. endodontalis are closely related to the presence of acute symptoms in endodontic infections, whereas other black-pigmented Gram-negative anaerobes are not. However, several other species may also be involved in acute infections. Moreover, Porphyromonas species have occasionally been isolated from cases with no symptoms. Although Porphyromonas spp. are clearly related to symptoms at the beginning of therapy, they are not important for the prognosis of the treatment.

A classification system for plasmids from Enterococci and other Gram-positive bacteria

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jensen, Lars Bogø; Garcia-Migura, Lourdes; Valenzuela, Antonio Jesus Sanchez

2010-01-01

A classification system for plasmids isolated from enterococci and other Gram-positive bacteria was developed based on 111 published plasmid sequences from enterococci and other Gram-positive bacteria; mostly staphylococci. Based on PCR amplification of conserved areas of the replication initiating....... Furthermore, conjugation experiments were performed obtaining 30 transconjugants when selecting for antimicrobial resistance. Among them 19 gave no positive amplicons indicating presence of rep-families not tested for in this experimental setup....

Community-acquired multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacterial infective endocarditis.

Science.gov (United States)

Naha, Sowjanya; Naha, Kushal; Acharya, Vasudev; Hande, H Manjunath; Vivek, G

2014-08-05

We describe two cases of bacterial endocarditis secondary to multidrug-resistant Gram-negative organisms. In both cases, the diagnosis was made in accordance with the modified Duke's criteria and confirmed by histopathological analysis. Furthermore, in both instances there were no identifiable sources of bacteraemia and no history of contact with hospital or other medical services prior to the onset of symptoms. The patients were managed in similar fashion with prolonged broad-spectrum antibiotic therapy and surgical intervention and made complete recoveries. These cases highlight Gram-negative organisms as potential agents for endocarditis, as well as expose the dissemination of such multidrug-resistant bacteria into the community. The application of an integrated medical and surgical approach and therapeutic dilemmas encountered in managing these cases are described. 2014 BMJ Publishing Group Ltd.

RO-PRO desalination: An integrated low-energy approach to seawater desalination

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Prante, Jeri L.; Ruskowitz, Jeffrey A.; Childress, Amy E.; Achilli, Andrea

2014-01-01

Highlights: • In the novel RO-PRO system, the energy produced by PRO is utilized to offset the energy consumed by the RO. • The specific energy consumption of a RO-PRO system was modeled for the first time. • A novel module-based PRO model for full-scale applications was developed. • The minimum net specific energy consumption of the modeled RO-PRO system was 1.2 kW h/m 3 at 50% RO recovery. • A sensitivity analysis showed a min RO-PRO specific energy consumption of 1.0 kW h/m 3 and a max power density of 10 W/m 2 . - Abstract: Although reverse osmosis (RO) is currently the most energy efficient desalination technology, it still requires a great deal of energy to create the high pressures necessary to desalinate seawater. An opposite process of RO, called pressure retarded osmosis (PRO), utilizes the salinity gradient between a relatively fresh impaired water source and seawater to produce pressure and hence, energy. In this paper, PRO is evaluated in conjunction with RO, in a system called RO-PRO desalination, to reduce the energy requirement of seawater RO desalination. RO-PRO specific energy consumption was modeled using RO conditions at the thermodynamic restriction and a newly developed module-based PRO model. Using a well-characterized cellulose triacetate (CTA) membrane, the minimum net specific energy consumption of the system was found to be approximately 40% lower than state-of-the-art seawater RO. A sensitivity analysis was performed to determine the effects of membrane characteristics on the specific energy production of the PRO process in the RO-PRO system. The sensitivity analysis showed that the minimum specific energy consumption using virtual membranes is approximately 1.0 kW h per m 3 of RO permeate at 50% RO recovery and that a maximum power density of approximately 10 W/m 2 could be achieved

Altered expression of BDNF, BDNF pro-peptide and their precursor proBDNF in brain and liver tissues from psychiatric disorders: rethinking the brain?liver axis

OpenAIRE

Yang, B; Ren, Q; Zhang, J-c; Chen, Q-X; Hashimoto, K

2017-01-01

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) has a role in the pathophysiology of psychiatric disorders. The precursor proBDNF is converted to mature BDNF and BDNF pro-peptide, the N-terminal fragment of proBDNF; however, the precise function of these proteins in psychiatric disorders is unknown. We sought to determine whether expression of these proteins is altered in the brain and peripheral tissues from patients with psychiatric disorders. We measured protein expression of proBDNF, mature BDNF...

Comparison of debris extruded apically and working time used by ProTaper Universal rotary and ProTaper retreatment system during gutta-percha removal

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mary Kinue Nakamune Uezu

2010-12-01

Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the in vitro action of ProTaper retreatment files and ProTaper Universal in the retreatment of mandibular premolars. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The amount of debris extruded apically was measured and the time to reach the working length and to complete the removal of gutta-percha was observed. Thirty teeth had their canals prepared using ProTaper Universal files and were obturated by the single cone technique. The teeth were then stored at 37ºC in a humid environment for 7 days. During the use of the rotary instruments for root canal filling removal, the apical portions of the teeth were attached to the open end of a resin tube to collect the apically extruded debris. RESULTS: ProTaper Universal files were significantly faster (p=0.0011 than the ProTaper retreatment files to perform gutta-percha removal, but no significant difference was found between the files regarding the time to reach the working length or the amount of apical extrusion. CONCLUSIONS: ProTaper Universal rotary had better results for endodontic retreatment, and both techniques promote similar apical extrusion of debris.

Diagnostic and prognostic value of N-terminal pro B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) in patients with chronic aortic regurgitation.

Science.gov (United States)

Weber, Michael; Hausen, Michael; Arnold, Roman; Moellmann, Helge; Nef, Holger; Elsaesser, Albrecht; Mitrovic, Vesselin; Hamm, Christian

2008-07-21

BNP and its N-terminal fragment NT-proBNP have proven to be of diagnostic and prognostic value in patients with valvular aortic stenosis. Data regarding those biomarkers in patients with chronic aortic regurgitation (AR) are sparse. Thus it was the aim of the present study to evaluate the diagnostic and the long term prognostic value of NT-proBNP in patients presenting with AR. This study included 60 patients with isolated AR of varying severity (AR I mild, AR II moderate and AR III severe) and preserved left ventricular function. Patients were followed over a median period of 824 (770-921) days. NT-proBNP at baseline was related to disease severity and to functional status (161 (70-456) pg/ml in AR I, 226 (100-666) pg/ml in AR II and 1268 (522-5446) pg/ml in AR III (p=0.003)). Patients (n=6) experiencing an adverse event had higher NT-proBNP values at baseline as event free survivors (1271 (613-2992) pg/ml vs. 215 (92-534) pg/ml; p=0.034). The AUC of the ROC curve for NT-proBNP as a predictor for an adverse event was 0.76 (pvalue of 602 pg/ml. Consequently, in Kaplan-Meier analysis NT-proBNP values dichotomised at this cut-off were able to discriminate patients with an adverse outcome in the entire study group (Log rank 9.98, p=0.0016) and even better in the conservative group (Log rank 26.92, p<0.001). NT-proBNP is linked to disease severity in patients with chronic aortic regurgitation reflecting hemodynamic stress due to volume overload. It provides prognostic information for the clinical outcome and thus might be a useful biomarker for risk stratification.

Plasma pro-surfactant protein B and lung function decline in smokers.

Science.gov (United States)

Leung, Janice M; Mayo, John; Tan, Wan; Tammemagi, C Martin; Liu, Geoffrey; Peacock, Stuart; Shepherd, Frances A; Goffin, John; Goss, Glenwood; Nicholas, Garth; Tremblay, Alain; Johnston, Michael; Martel, Simon; Laberge, Francis; Bhatia, Rick; Roberts, Heidi; Burrowes, Paul; Manos, Daria; Stewart, Lori; Seely, Jean M; Gingras, Michel; Pasian, Sergio; Tsao, Ming-Sound; Lam, Stephen; Sin, Don D

2015-04-01

Plasma pro-surfactant protein B (pro-SFTPB) levels have recently been shown to predict the development of lung cancer in current and ex-smokers, but the ability of pro-SFTPB to predict measures of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) severity is unknown. We evaluated the performance characteristics of pro-SFTPB as a biomarker of lung function decline in a population of current and ex-smokers. Plasma pro-SFTPB levels were measured in 2503 current and ex-smokers enrolled in the Pan-Canadian Early Detection of Lung Cancer Study. Linear regression was performed to determine the relationship of pro-SFTPB levels to changes in forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1) over a 2-year period as well as to baseline FEV1 and the burden of emphysema observed in computed tomography (CT) scans. Plasma pro-SFTPB levels were inversely related to both FEV1 % predicted (p=0.024) and FEV1/forced vital capacity (FVC) (p<0.001), and were positively related to the burden of emphysema on CT scans (p<0.001). Higher plasma pro-SFTPB levels were also associated with a more rapid decline in FEV1 at 1 year (p=0.024) and over 2 years of follow-up (p=0.004). Higher plasma pro-SFTPB levels are associated with increased severity of airflow limitation and accelerated decline in lung function. Pro-SFTPB is a promising biomarker for COPD severity and progression. Copyright ©ERS 2015.

Inhaled Antibiotics for Gram-Negative Respiratory Infections

Science.gov (United States)

Fraidenburg, Dustin R.; Scardina, Tonya

2016-01-01

SUMMARY Gram-negative organisms comprise a large portion of the pathogens responsible for lower respiratory tract infections, especially those that are nosocomially acquired, and the rate of antibiotic resistance among these organisms continues to rise. Systemically administered antibiotics used to treat these infections often have poor penetration into the lung parenchyma and narrow therapeutic windows between efficacy and toxicity. The use of inhaled antibiotics allows for maximization of target site concentrations and optimization of pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic indices while minimizing systemic exposure and toxicity. This review is a comprehensive discussion of formulation and drug delivery aspects, in vitro and microbiological considerations, pharmacokinetics, and clinical outcomes with inhaled antibiotics as they apply to disease states other than cystic fibrosis. In reviewing the literature surrounding the use of inhaled antibiotics, we also highlight the complexities related to this route of administration and the shortcomings in the available evidence. The lack of novel anti-Gram-negative antibiotics in the developmental pipeline will encourage the innovative use of our existing agents, and the inhaled route is one that deserves to be further studied and adopted in the clinical arena. PMID:27226088

Test Reviews: Reynolds, C., & Voress, J. K. (2007). "Test of Memory and Learning: Second Edition." Austin, TX: PRO-ED

Science.gov (United States)

Schmitt, Ara J.; Decker, Scott L.

2009-01-01

This article reviews the Test of Memory and Learning: Second Edition (TOMAL-2), published by PRO-ED, which constitutes a recent revision of the Test of Memory and Learning (TOMAL; Reynolds & Bigler, 1994). Advertised as the "single most comprehensive memory battery available for the entire age range of 5 years through 59 years of age", the TOMAL-2…

Making Women the Subjects of the Abortion Debate: A Class Exercise that Moves beyond "Pro-Choice" and "Pro-Life"

Science.gov (United States)

Crawley, Sara L.; Willman, Rebecca K.; Clark, Leisa; Walsh, Clare

2009-01-01

In this article, the authors describe a classroom exercise designed to put women (and children and men) back at the center of the abortion debate, avoiding the standard rhetoric and engaging reflection on how everyone might find common political goals among the so-called pro-life and pro-choice sides. The exercise the authors offer in this article…

Profiling the ‘Pro-environmental Individual’: A Personality Perspective

Science.gov (United States)

Markowitz, Ezra M.; Goldberg, Lewis R.; Ashton, Michael C.; Lee, Kibeom

2011-01-01

There is considerable scientific interest in the psychological correlates of pro-environmental behaviors. Much research has focused on demographic and social-psychological characteristics of individuals who consistently perform such actions. Here, we report the results of two studies in which we explored relations between broad personality traits and pro-environmental actions. Using a wide variety of behavior and personality measures, we consistently found moderate positive relations between Openness to Experience and pro-environmental activities in both a community sample (Study 1: N = 778) and an undergraduate student sample (Study 2: N = 115). In Study 2 we showed that the effect of Openness on pro-environmental behaviors was fully mediated by individuals’ environmental attitudes and connection to nature. Our findings suggest that high levels of aesthetic appreciation, creativity, and inquisitiveness, but not personality traits associated with altruism, may have motivated the performance of pro-environmental actions among our respondents. Implications for intervention development are discussed. PMID:21241310

Genetic diversity in green gram [Vigna radiata (L.)] landraces ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

GRACE

2006-07-03

Jul 3, 2006 ... nitrogen fixer for maintaining soil fertility. However ... use of radioactive elements makes it more costly and tedious. ... Figure 1. Geographic distribution of sampling localities of wild green gram in Southern Tamil Nadu, India.

MacBook Pro portable genius

CERN Document Server

Gruman, Galen

2013-01-01

Learn the skills, tools and shortcuts you need in order to make the most of your MacBook Pro This easy-to-use, compact guide skips the fluff and gets right to the essentials so that you can maximize all the latest features of the MacBook Pro. Packed with savvy insights and tips on key tools and shortcuts, this handy book aims to help you increase your productivity and save you time and hassle. From desktop sharing and wireless networking to running Windows applications and more, this book shows you what you want to know. Includes the latest version of OS X, iCloud, FaceTime, and moreCovers al

MacBook Pro Portable Genius

CERN Document Server

Miser, Brad

2012-01-01

Discover loads of tips and techniques for the newest MacBook Pro You're already ahead of the game with a MacBook Pro. Now you can get even more out the popular Apple notebook with the new edition of this handy, compact book. Crammed with savvy insights and tips on key tools and shortcuts, this book will help you increase your productivity and keep your Apple digital lifestyle on track. From desktop sharing and wireless networking to running Windows applications, this book avoids fluff, doesn't skimp on the essentials, saves you time and hassle, and shows you what you most want to know. Include

Mastering Adobe Premiere Pro CS6

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Ekert, Paul

2013-01-01

Designed to be practical and engaging, Mastering Adobe Premiere Pro CS6 is a project-based book to help you truly augment your skills and become a film editing hotshot.If you're just starting out or even migrating from existing video editing software, then this book is for you. With rapid progression through practical examples constructed to be both engaging and useful, Mastering Adobe Premiere Pro CS6 is ideal for learning the sometimes complex workflows of this powerful application.

Biofortified cassava with pro-vitamin A is sensory and culturally acceptable for consumption by primary school children in Kenya.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Elise F Talsma

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Biofortification of cassava with pro-vitamin A can potentially reduce vitamin A deficiency in low-income countries. However, little is known about consumer acceptance of this deep yellow variety of cassava compared to the commonly available white varieties. We aimed to determine the sensory and cultural acceptability of the consumption of pro-vitamin A rich cassava in order to identify key factors predicting the intention to consume pro-vitamin A rich cassava by families with school-aged children in Eastern Kenya. METHODS: Sensory acceptability was measured by replicated discrimination tests and paired preference tests among 30 children (7-12 yr and 30 caretakers (18-45 yr in three primary schools. Cultural acceptability was assessed with a questionnaire based on the combined model of The Theory of Planned Behavior and The Health Belief Model in one primary school among 140 caretakers of children aged 6 to 12 years. Correlations and multivariate analyses were used to determine associations between summed scores for model constructs. RESULTS: Caretakers and children perceived a significant difference in taste between white and pro-vitamin A rich cassava. Both preferred pro-vitamin A rich cassava over white cassava because of its soft texture, sweet taste and attractive color. Knowledge about pro-vitamin A rich cassava and it's relation to health ('Knowledge' ((β = 0.29, P = <.01 was a strong predictor of 'Health behavior identity'. Worries related to bitter taste and color ('Perceived barriers 1' (β = -0.21, P = .02, the belief of the caretaker about having control to prepare cassava ('Control beliefs' (β = 0.18, P = .02 and activities like information sessions about pro-vitamin A rich cassava and recommendations from health workers ('Cues to action'(β = 0.51, P = <.01 were the best predictors of intention to consume pro-vitamin A rich cassava. CONCLUSIONS: Pro-vitamin A rich cassava is well

Biofortified Cassava with Pro-Vitamin A Is Sensory and Culturally Acceptable for Consumption by Primary School Children in Kenya

Science.gov (United States)

Talsma, Elise F.; Melse-Boonstra, Alida; de Kok, Brenda P. H.; Mbera, Gloria N. K.; Mwangi, Alice M.; Brouwer, Inge D.

2013-01-01

Background Biofortification of cassava with pro-vitamin A can potentially reduce vitamin A deficiency in low-income countries. However, little is known about consumer acceptance of this deep yellow variety of cassava compared to the commonly available white varieties. We aimed to determine the sensory and cultural acceptability of the consumption of pro-vitamin A rich cassava in order to identify key factors predicting the intention to consume pro-vitamin A rich cassava by families with school-aged children in Eastern Kenya. Methods Sensory acceptability was measured by replicated discrimination tests and paired preference tests among 30 children (7–12 yr) and 30 caretakers (18–45 yr) in three primary schools. Cultural acceptability was assessed with a questionnaire based on the combined model of The Theory of Planned Behavior and The Health Belief Model in one primary school among 140 caretakers of children aged 6 to 12 years. Correlations and multivariate analyses were used to determine associations between summed scores for model constructs. Results Caretakers and children perceived a significant difference in taste between white and pro-vitamin A rich cassava. Both preferred pro-vitamin A rich cassava over white cassava because of its soft texture, sweet taste and attractive color. Knowledge about pro-vitamin A rich cassava and it's relation to health (‘Knowledge’ ((β = 0.29, P = behavior identity’. Worries related to bitter taste and color (‘Perceived barriers 1’ (β = −0.21, P = .02)), the belief of the caretaker about having control to prepare cassava (‘Control beliefs’ (β = 0.18, P = .02)) and activities like information sessions about pro-vitamin A rich cassava and recommendations from health workers (‘Cues to action’(β = 0.51, P = consume pro-vitamin A rich cassava. Conclusions Pro-vitamin A rich cassava is well accepted by school children in our study population. PMID:24023681

Dose-Dependent Antimicrobial Activity of Silver Nanoparticles on Polycaprolactone Fibers against Gram-Positive and Gram-Negative Bacteria

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Erick Pazos-Ortiz

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The adhesion ability and adaptability of bacteria, coupled with constant use of the same bactericides, have made the increase in the diversity of treatments against infections necessary. Nanotechnology has played an important role in the search for new ways to prevent and treat infections, including the use of metallic nanoparticles with antibacterial properties. In this study, we worked on the design of a composite of silver nanoparticles (AgNPS embedded in poly-epsilon-caprolactone nanofibers and evaluated its antimicrobial properties against various Gram-positive and Gram-negative microorganisms associated with drug-resistant infections. Polycaprolactone-silver composites (PCL-AgNPs were prepared in two steps. The first step consisted in the reduction in situ of Ag+ ions using N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF in tetrahydrofuran (THF solution, and the second step involved the simple addition of polycaprolactone before electrospinning process. Antibacterial activity of PCL-AgNPs nanofibers against E. coli, S. mutans, K. pneumoniae, S. aureus, P. aeruginosa, and B. subtilis was evaluated. Results showed sensibility of E. coli, K. pneumoniae, S. aureus, and P. aeruginosa, but not for B. subtilis and S. mutans. This antimicrobial activity of PCL-AgNPs showed significant positive correlations associated with the dose-dependent effect. The antibacterial property of the PCL/Ag nanofibers might have high potential medical applications in drug-resistant infections.

Oxidized LDL Promotes Apoptosis and Expression of Pro ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Accumulation of lipid within non-adipose tissues can induce inflammation by promoting macrophage infiltration and activation. Oxidized lipoproteins (oxLDL) have been known to induce cellular dysfunction in resident macrophages through pro-inflammatory and pro-apoptotic properties. However research into the ...

The everyday challenges of Pro-environmental practices

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Berthou, Sara Kristine Gløjmar

2013-01-01

Much research and policy planning aimed at climate change mitigation currently focuses on individual behavioural change as a means to reduce carbon emissions. An often used approach in order to achieve this is the attempt to influence behaviour through transfers of knowledge and information...... guiding everyday pro-environmental practices, the aim was to examine the challenges experienced in this regard. Based on visits to households in Copenhagen, four major challenges are identified and discussed. The paper argues that everyday life, as the starting point of individual pro......-environmental practices, is characterised by a complexity which people have to navigate, and thus that pro-environmental practices should not be seen as one demarcated field, but as interlinked with other practices in everyday life....

In vitro activity of daptomycin against clinical isolates of Gram-positive bacteria.

Science.gov (United States)

Piper, Kerryl E; Steckelberg, James M; Patel, Robin

2005-08-01

We determined the activity of daptomycin, a recently FDA-approved antimicrobial agent, against clinical isolates of Gram-positive bacteria, including viridans group streptococci (16 Streptococcus mitis species group, 12 S. mutans species group, 9 S. anginosus species group, 8 S. sanguinis species group, 5 S. salivarius species group) from patients with infective endocarditis, 32 methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, 32 high-level penicillin-resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae, 38 vancomycin-resistant enterococci (including 1 linezolid-resistant isolate), and the following unusual Gram-positive bacteria: 3 Listeria monocytogenes, 4 Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae, 9 Corynebacterium species, 10 Abiotrophia/Granulicatella species, 2 Rothia (Stomatococcus) mucilaginosus, and 4 Gemella morbillorum. Daptomycin minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC)(90) values for the viridans group streptococci, methicillin-resistant S. aureus, penicillin-resistant S. pneumoniae, and Enterococcus species were 0.5, 0.5, endocarditis as well as against several types of unusual Gram-positive bacteria that can cause endocarditis.

c-di-GMP Regulates Various Phenotypes and Insecticidal Activity of Gram-Positive Bacillus thuringiensis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yang Fu

2018-02-01

Full Text Available C-di-GMP has been well investigated to play significant roles in the physiology of many Gram-negative bacteria. However, its effect on Gram-positive bacteria is less known. In order to more understand the c-di-GMP functions in Gram-positive bacteria, we have carried out a detailed study on the c-di-GMP-metabolizing enzymes and their physiological functions in Bacillus thuringiensis, a Gram-positive entomopathogenic bacterium that has been applied as an insecticide successfully. We performed a systematic study on the ten putative c-di-GMP-synthesizing enzyme diguanylate cyclases (DGCs and c-di-GMP-degrading enzyme phosphodiesterases (PDEs in B. thuringiensis BMB171, and artificially elevated the intracellular c-di-GMP level in BMB171 by deleting one or more pde genes. We found increasing level of intracellular c-di-GMP exhibits similar activities as those in Gram-negative bacteria, including altered activities in cell motility, biofilm formation, and cell-cell aggregation. Unexpectedly, we additionally found a novel function exhibited by the increasing level of c-di-GMP to promote the insecticidal activity of this bacterium against Helicoverpa armigera. Through whole-genome transcriptome profile analyses, we found that 4.3% of the B. thuringiensis genes were differentially transcribed when c-di-GMP level was increased, and 77.3% of such gene products are involved in some regulatory pathways not reported in other bacteria to date. In summary, our study represents the first comprehensive report on the c-di-GMP-metabolizing enzymes, their effects on phenotypes, and the transcriptome mediated by c-di-GMP in an important Gram-positive bacterium.

A case of perforated sigmoid diverticulitis in which gram staining of ascitic fluid was useful for diagnosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Tsuchida, Junko; Fujita, Shouhei; Kawano, Fumihiro; Tsukamoto, Ryoichi; Honjo, Kunpei; Naito, Shigetoshi; Ishiyama, Shun; Miyano, Shozo; Machida, Michio; Kitabatake, Toshiaki; Fujisawa, Minoru; Kojima, Kuniaki; Ogura, Kanako; Matsumoto, Toshiharu

2014-01-01

An 85-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital for steroid therapy for relapsing nephrotic syndrome. During hospitalization, she complained of sudden epigastric pain at night. Although there were signs of peritoneal irritation, CT showed a large amount of ascitic fluid, but no free intraperitoneal gas. Gram staining of ascitic fluid obtained by abdominal paracentesis showed Gram-negative rods, which raised a strong suspicion of gastrointestinal perforation and peritonitis. Therefore, emergency surgery was performed. Exploration of the colon showed multiple sigmoid diverticula, one of which was perforated. The patient underwent an emergency Hartmann's procedure. Imaging studies failed to reveal any evidence of gastrointestinal perforation, presenting a diagnostic challenge. However, a physician performed rapid Gram staining of ascitic fluid at night when laboratory technicians were absent, had a strong suspicion of gastrointestinal perforation, and performed emergency surgery. Gram staining is superior in rapidity, and ascitic fluid Gram staining can aid in diagnosis, suggesting that it should be actively performed. We report this case, with a review of the literature on the significance of rapid diagnosis by Gram staining.

Intrinsic, adaptive and acquired antimicrobial resistance in Gram-negative bacteria.

Science.gov (United States)

Arzanlou, Mohsen; Chai, Wern Chern; Venter, Henrietta

2017-02-28

Gram-negative bacteria are responsible for a large proportion of antimicrobial-resistant infections in humans and animals. Among this class of bacteria are also some of the most successful environmental organisms. Part of this success is their adaptability to a variety of different niches, their intrinsic resistance to antimicrobial drugs and their ability to rapidly acquire resistance mechanisms. These mechanisms of resistance are not exclusive and the interplay of several mechanisms causes high levels of resistance. In this review, we explore the molecular mechanisms underlying resistance in Gram-negative organisms and how these different mechanisms enable them to survive many different stress conditions. © 2017 The Author(s). Published by Portland Press Limited on behalf of the Biochemical Society.

Determination of the irradiation dose for the inhibition (D-10 radiation doses) of some gram negative and gram positive bacteria in peptone saline water

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ayhan, H.; Tutluer, H.

1994-01-01

Determination of the irradiation dose for the inhibition of some pathogenic bacteria which cause food poisoning and spoilage were aimed. For this purpose, Salmonella typhi, Salmonella typhimurium,Salmonella enteridits,Klebsiella pneumonia, Pseudomonas fluorescence,Proteus vulgaris, Aeromonas hydrophila ,(gram-negative bacteria) and Bacillus cereus, Staphylococcus aureus strain 24,Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 6538 P,Staphylococcus epidermidis strain 115 and Clostridium perfringens A4TTK,(gram-positive bacteria) were used.Sensitivity of above mentioned bacteria to gamma rays (source Cs-137) was examined in saline with 0.1% peptone at different temperatures.Survivor plots (log.10 number of survivors versus dose) were determined by regression analysis of the data.Decimal reduction doses (D values in kGy) were calculated as the slope obtained from the regression analysis

Protocol for ADDITION-PRO

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Johansen, Nanna Borup; Hansen, Anne-Louise Smidt; Jensen, Troels M

2012-01-01

disease and microvascular diabetic complications. We also require a better understanding of the mechanisms that underlie and drive early changes in cardiometabolic physiology. The ADDITION-PRO study was designed to address these issues among individuals at different levels of diabetes risk recruited from...... Danish primary care. METHODS/DESIGN: ADDITION-PRO is a population-based, longitudinal cohort study of individuals at high risk for diabetes. 16,136 eligible individuals were identified at high risk following participation in a stepwise screening programme in Danish general practice between 2001 and 2006....... All individuals with impaired glucose regulation at screening, those who developed diabetes following screening, and a random sub-sample of those at lower levels of diabetes risk were invited to attend a follow-up health assessment in 2009-2011 (n=4,188), of whom 2,082 (50%) attended. The health...

Separation of bismuth from gram amounts of thallium and silver by cation-exchange chromatography in nitric acid.

Science.gov (United States)

Meintjies, E; Strelow, F W; Victor, A H

1987-04-01

Traces and small amounts of bismuth can be separated from gram amounts of thallium and silver by successively eluting these elements with 0.3M and 0.6M nitric acid from a column containing 13 ml (3 g) of AG50W-X4, a cation-exchanger (100-200 mesh particle size) with low cross-linking. Bismuth is retained and can be eluted with 0.2M hydrobromic acid containing 20% v/v acetone, leaving many other trace elements absorbed. Elution of thallium is quite sharp, but silver shows a small amount of tailing (less than 1 gmg/ml silver in the eluate) when gram amounts are present, between 20 and 80 mug of silver appearing in the bismuth fraction. Relevant elution curves and results for the analysis of synthetic mixtures containing between 50 mug and 10 mg of bismuth and up to more than 1 g of thallium and silver are presented, as well as results for bismuth in a sample of thallium metal and in Merck thallium(I) carbonate. As little as 0.01 ppm of bismuth can be determined when the separation is combined with electrothermal atomic-absorption spectrometry.

Carbapenem-Resistant Non-Glucose-Fermenting Gram-Negative Bacilli: the Missing Piece to the Puzzle

Science.gov (United States)

Gniadek, Thomas J.; Carroll, Karen C.

2016-01-01

The non-glucose-fermenting Gram-negative bacilli Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter baumannii are increasingly acquiring carbapenem resistance. Given their intrinsic antibiotic resistance, this can cause extremely difficult-to-treat infections. Additionally, resistance gene transfer can occur between Gram-negative species, regardless of their ability to ferment glucose. Thus, the acquisition of carbapenemase genes by these organisms increases the risk of carbapenemase spread in general. Ultimately, infection control practitioners and clinical microbiologists need to work together to determine the risk carried by carbapenem-resistant non-glucose-fermenting Gram-negative bacilli (CR-NF) in their institution and what methods should be considered for surveillance and detection of CR-NF. PMID:26912753

False-Negative Rate of Gram-Stain Microscopy for Diagnosis of Septic Arthritis: Suggestions for Improvement

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Paul Stirling

2014-01-01

Full Text Available We quantify the false-negative diagnostic rate of septic arthritis using Gram-stain microscopy of synovial fluid and compare this to values reported in the peer-reviewed literature. We propose a method of improving the diagnostic value of Gram-stain microscopy using Lithium Heparin containers that prevent synovial fluid coagulation. Retrospective study of the Manchester Royal Infirmary microbiology database of patients undergoing synovial fluid Gram-stain and culture between December 2003 and March 2012 was undertaken. The initial cohort of 1896 synovial fluid analyses for suspected septic arthritis was reduced to 143 after exclusion criteria were applied. Analysis of our Gram-stain microscopy yielded 111 false-negative results from a cohort size of 143 positive synovial fluid cultures, giving a false-negative rate of 78%. We report a false-negative rate of Gram-stain microscopy for septic arthritis of 78%. Clinicians should therefore avoid the investigation until a statistically significant data set confirms its efficacy. The investigation's value could be improved by using Lithium Heparin containers to collect homogenous synovial fluid samples. Ongoing research aims to establish how much this could reduce the false-negative rate.

Combined effect of enterocin and lipase from Enterococcus faecium NCIM5363 against food borne pathogens: mode of action studies.

Science.gov (United States)

Ramakrishnan, Vrinda; Narayan, Bhaskar; Halami, Prakash M

2012-08-01

Food borne diseases have a major impact on public health whose epidemiology is rapidly changing. The whole cells of pathogens involved or their toxins/metabolites affect the human health apart from spoiling sensory properties of the food products finally affecting the food industry as well as consumer health. With pathogens developing mechanisms of antibiotic resistance, there has been an increased need to replace antibiotics as well as chemical additives with naturally occurring bacteriocins. Bacteriocins are known to act mainly against Gram-positive pathogens and with little or no effect towards Gram-negative enteric bacteria. In the present study, combination effect of lipase and bacteriocin produced by Enterococcus faecium NCIM5363, a highly lipolytic lactic acid bacterium against various food pathogens was assessed. The lipase in combination with enterocin exhibited a lethal effect against Gram-negative pathogens. Scanning electron microscopy studies carried out to ascertain the constitutive mode of action of lipase and enterocin revealed that the lipase degrades the cell wall of Gram-negative bacteria and creates a pore through which enterocin enters thereby resulting in cell death. The novelty of this work is the fact that this is the first report revealing the synergistic effect of lipase with enterocin against Gram-negative bacteria.

ProOpDB: Prokaryotic Operon DataBase.

Science.gov (United States)

Taboada, Blanca; Ciria, Ricardo; Martinez-Guerrero, Cristian E; Merino, Enrique

2012-01-01

The Prokaryotic Operon DataBase (ProOpDB, http://operons.ibt.unam.mx/OperonPredictor) constitutes one of the most precise and complete repositories of operon predictions now available. Using our novel and highly accurate operon identification algorithm, we have predicted the operon structures of more than 1200 prokaryotic genomes. ProOpDB offers diverse alternatives by which a set of operon predictions can be retrieved including: (i) organism name, (ii) metabolic pathways, as defined by the KEGG database, (iii) gene orthology, as defined by the COG database, (iv) conserved protein domains, as defined by the Pfam database, (v) reference gene and (vi) reference operon, among others. In order to limit the operon output to non-redundant organisms, ProOpDB offers an efficient method to select the most representative organisms based on a precompiled phylogenetic distances matrix. In addition, the ProOpDB operon predictions are used directly as the input data of our Gene Context Tool to visualize their genomic context and retrieve the sequence of their corresponding 5' regulatory regions, as well as the nucleotide or amino acid sequences of their genes.

Model to Evaluate Pro-Environmental Consumer Practices

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wendolyn Aguilar-Salinas

2017-02-01

Full Text Available The consumer plays a key role in resource conservation; therefore, it is important to know consumer behavior to identify consumer profiles and to promote pro-environmental practices in society that encourage resource conservation and reductions in waste generation. The purpose of this paper is to implement a fuzzy model to evaluate consumer behavior in relation to three pro-environmental practices that can be implemented at the household level, including reductions in resource consumption (reduce, reuse of resources (reuse, and recycling (recycle. To identify socio-demographic profiles that characterize an environmentally responsible consumer, 2831 surveys were applied on a representative sample of consumers residing in a Mexican city. Fuzzy logic and neural networks were applied using a Sugeno-type subtractive clustering to determine each profile. The model input variables were socioeconomic status, age, education level, monthly income, occupation and the type of organizations with which the consumer is affiliated. The output variables were represented by pro-environmental practices. Results show that the consumer practices are performed independently of each other, with the most frequent pro-environmental consumer practices being reduction and reuse.

A higher yielding mutant of black gram with improved nodule formation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Singh, R.K.; Raghuvanshi, S.S.

1987-01-01

Dry seeds of black gram (Vigna mungo (L) Hopper) var. T 9 with 12.2% moisture content were irradiated at 10, 20 and 30 krad of gamma rays. This was followed by combined treatment of one set in each dose with freshly prepared 0. 25% EMS in phosphate buffer at 7.0 pH at 30± deg. C for 6 hours. In M 2 population of 20 krad two mutants with pentafoliate instead of trifoliate leaves were found. This character was true breeding in M 3 M 6 generation. Crosses revealed monogenic recessive inheritance of this character. The proposed gene symbol is p5. This mutant has normal maturity period and the plant height is the same as T 9 (ca. 50 cm). Preliminary yield trials indicate superiority of the mutant line over control. The mutant line also shows a significant improvement in number and weight of root nodules, potentially improving green manuring value. Improvement of root nodulation in mungbean mutants was reported before by others

Pro-static Agents in Jet Fuels

Science.gov (United States)

1976-08-16

recent survey of jet fuels at 10 airports and 3 military bases in the United States [6]. Consequently , the results of the present study can be directly...as quickly as it is generated. Consequently , compounds that increase conductivity above 50 pS/m are not pro-static agents in the sense implied here...Additive Con, 1000 pPm CORROSION INHIBITORS UNiCOrn J COPIOCO T- 60 LU$RIZOL 541 TOLAD 245 OCI 4A] PRO ig ., NALCO 5400 TOLAD 244 , MALCO 5402 GULF 170 "Y2

N-terminal pro brain natriuretic peptide on admission for early risk stratification of patients with chest pain and no ST-segment elevation.

Science.gov (United States)

Jernberg, Tomas; Stridsberg, Mats; Venge, Per; Lindahl, Bertil

2002-08-07

The study evaluated the prognostic value of single measurement of N-terminal pro brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) obtained on admission in patients with symptoms suggestive of an acute coronary syndrome and no ST-segment elevation. Patients with symptoms suggestive of an acute coronary syndrome and no ST-segment elevation constitute a large and heterogeneous population. Early risk stratification has been based on clinical background factors, electrocardiography (ECG) and biochemical markers of myocardial damage. The neurohormonal activation has, so far, received less attention. The NT-proBNP was analyzed on admission in 755 patients admitted because of chest pain and no ST-segment elevation. Patients were followed concerning death for 40 months (median). The median NT-proBNP level was 400 (111 to 1646) ng/l. Compared to the lowest quartile, patients in the second, third and fourth quartiles had a relative risk of subsequent death of 4.2 (1.6 to 11.1), 10.7 (4.2 to 26.8) and 26.6 (10.8 to 65.5), respectively. When NT-proBNP was added to a Cox regression model including clinical background factors, ECG and troponin T, the NT-proBNP levels were independently associated with prognosis. A single measurement of NT-proBNP on admission will substantially improve the early risk stratification of patients with symptoms suggestive of an acute coronary syndrome and no ST-segment elevation. A combination of clinical background factors, ECG, troponin T and NT-proBNP obtained on admission will provide a highly discerning tool for risk stratification and further clinical decisions.

Numerically Stable Evaluation of Moments of Random Gram Matrices With Applications

KAUST Repository

Elkhalil, Khalil; Kammoun, Abla; Al-Naffouri, Tareq Y.; Alouini, Mohamed-Slim

2017-01-01

This paper focuses on the computation of the positive moments of one-side correlated random Gram matrices. Closed-form expressions for the moments can be obtained easily, but numerical evaluation thereof is prone to numerical stability, especially in high-dimensional settings. This letter provides a numerically stable method that efficiently computes the positive moments in closed-form. The developed expressions are more accurate and can lead to higher accuracy levels when fed to moment based-approaches. As an application, we show how the obtained moments can be used to approximate the marginal distribution of the eigenvalues of random Gram matrices.

Numerically Stable Evaluation of Moments of Random Gram Matrices With Applications

KAUST Repository

Elkhalil, Khalil

2017-07-31

This paper focuses on the computation of the positive moments of one-side correlated random Gram matrices. Closed-form expressions for the moments can be obtained easily, but numerical evaluation thereof is prone to numerical stability, especially in high-dimensional settings. This letter provides a numerically stable method that efficiently computes the positive moments in closed-form. The developed expressions are more accurate and can lead to higher accuracy levels when fed to moment based-approaches. As an application, we show how the obtained moments can be used to approximate the marginal distribution of the eigenvalues of random Gram matrices.

Nicotinoprotein methanol dehydrogenase enzymes in Gram-positive methylotrophic bacteria

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hektor, Harm J.; Kloosterman, Harm; Dijkhuizen, Lubbert

2000-01-01

A novel type of alcohol dehydrogenase enzyme has been characterized from Gram-positive methylotrophic (Bacillus methanolicus, the actinomycetes Amycolatopsis methanolica and Mycobacterium gastri) and non-methylotrophic bacteria (Rhodococcus strains). Its in vivo role is in oxidation of methanol and

A randomized clinical trial on the effectiveness of a symbiotic product to decolonize patients harboring multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacilli

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mariana Correa Coelho Salomão

Full Text Available Abstract INTRODUCTION: We aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a symbiotic product to decolonize the intestinal tract of patients harboring multidrug-resistant (MDR Gram-negative bacilli and to prevent nosocomial infections. METHODS: This was a randomized, double blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial, conducted in a tertiary-care university hospital. All adult hospitalized patients with a positive clinical culture and a positive rectal swab for any MDR Gram-negative bacilli were potentially eligible. Exclusion criteria were pregnancy, immunosuppression, and bowel obstruction/perforation. The intervention consisted of administering a symbiotic product (Lactobacillus bulgaricus, Lactobacillus rhamnosus, and fructo-oligosaccharides twice a day for seven days via the oral/enteral route. RESULTS: Between August 1, 2012 and December 22, 2013, 116 of 275 eligible patients were allocated to treatment (n=57 and placebo (n=59. Overall, 101 patients received at least four doses of the study products and were included in the modified intention-to-treat analysis. The primary study outcome, a negative rectal swab for MDR Gram-negative bacilli after treatment, was identified in 16.7% (8/48 and 20.7% (11/53 of patients in the experimental and placebo group, respectively (p=0.60. The secondary outcome, the combined incidence of nosocomial respiratory and urinary tract infections, was 37.5% (18/48 in the experimental group versus 22.6% (12/53 in the control group (adjusted odds ratio: 1.95, 95% confidence interval: 0.69-5.50, p=0.21. Length of stay after the beginning of the intervention, incidence of adverse events, and in-hospital mortality rates were similar in both study groups. CONCLUSIONS: Under the present study conditions, symbiotic administration was not effective for decolonizing hospitalized patients harboring MDR Gram-negative bacilli.

Evaluation of Inhibitory and Lethal Effects of Aqueous, Ethanolic and Hydroalcoholic Extracts of Aerial Parts of Salvia chorassanica against Some Gram-negative and Gram-positive Bacteria in Vitro

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Azam Mehraban

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background and Objectives: Development of bacterial resistance to antibiotics has led to an increased tendency to development of new more effective and non-toxic antimicrobial compounds. In this study, the inhibitory and lethal effects of aqueous, ethanolic, and hydroalcoholic extracts of aerial parts of Salvia chorassanica were evaluated against Listeria monocytogenes, Bacillus cereus, Salmonella typhi, and Escherichia coli O:157. Methods: In this study, Kirby–Bauer disk diffusion method was used to evaluate antimicrobial activity. In this method, bacteria were cultivated as grass culture in Mueller Hinton Agar (MHA media. To determine the minimum inhibitory concentration and minimum bactericidal concentration, micro-dilution method with ELISA and addition of phenyl tetrazolium chloride reagent, were used. Data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA and Duncan’s test at the significance level of p<0.05. Results: The highest diameter of inhibition in agar diffusion method was related to hydroalcoholic extract of aerial parts of Salvia chorassanica against Gram-positive bacteria Bacillus cereus. The amount of calculated MIC of hydro-alcoholic extract for Gram-positive bacteria was 30mg/ml. This amount was the lowest among other measured MIC. Conclusion: Based on the results of this study, Gram-negative bacteria showed more resistance to different extracts of aerial parts of Salvia chorassanica as compared to Gram-positive bacteria, so that Salmonella typhi was found to be the most resistant bacterium among the tested bacteria.

Neisseria meningitidis elicits a pro-inflammatory response involving IκBζ in a human blood-cerebrospinal fluid barrier model.

Science.gov (United States)

Borkowski, Julia; Li, Li; Steinmann, Ulrike; Quednau, Natascha; Stump-Guthier, Carolin; Weiss, Christel; Findeisen, Peter; Gretz, Norbert; Ishikawa, Hiroshi; Tenenbaum, Tobias; Schroten, Horst; Schwerk, Christian

2014-09-13

The human-specific, Gram-negative bacterium Neisseria meningitidis (Nm) is a leading cause of bacterial meningitis worldwide. The blood-cerebrospinal fluid barrier (BCSFB), which is constituted by the epithelial cells of the choroid plexus (CP), has been suggested as one of the potential entry sites of Nm into the CSF and can contribute to the inflammatory response during infectious diseases of the brain. Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are involved in mediating signal transduction caused by the pathogens. Using a recently established in vitro model of the human BCSFB based on human malignant CP papilloma (HIBCPP) cells we investigated the cellular response of HIBCPP cells challenged with the meningitis-causing Nm strain, MC58, employing transcriptome and RT-PCR analysis, cytokine bead array, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). In comparison, we analyzed the answer to the closely related unencapsulated carrier isolate Nm α14. The presence of TLRs in HIBCPP and their role during signal transduction caused by Nm was studied by RT-PCR and the use of specific agonists and mutant bacteria. We observed a stronger transcriptional response after infection with strain MC58, in particular with its capsule-deficient mutant MC58siaD-, which correlated with bacterial invasion levels. Expression evaluation and Gene Set Enrichment Analysis pointed to a NFκB-mediated pro-inflammatory immune response involving up-regulation of the transcription factor IκBζ. Infected cells secreted significant levels of pro-inflammatory chemokines and cytokines, including, among others, IL8, CXCL1-3, and the IκBζ target gene product IL6. The expression profile of pattern recognition receptors in HIBCPP cells and the response to specific agonists indicates that TLR2/TLR6, rather than TLR4 or TLR2/TLR1, is involved in the cellular reaction following Nm infection. Our data show that Nm can initiate a pro-inflammatory response in human CP epithelial cells probably involving TLR2/TLR6

Gram stain microbiological pattern of upper extremities suppuration at Baptist Medical Centre, Ogbomoso Nigeria: a fifteen month review.

Science.gov (United States)

Oke, A J; Olaolorun, D A; Meier, D E; Tarpley, J L

2011-06-01

Sixty-eight (68) patients with serious upper extremity suppurative infections, presenting within a period of fifteen (15) months, were prospectively studied clinically, Gram stain of aspirates/pus were performed, specimen cultured, planted, and where indicated glucose levels and haemoglobin genotype determined. Half of the patients had hand infections. Staphylococcus aureus was isolated from thirty-nine (39) patients. Gram Negative bacilli, including Salmonella were more isolated from patients with diabetes mellitus or Hgb SS or SC. The Gram stain results correlated with the culture result 90%. When Gram Positive cocci were demonstrated in the primary microscopic examination, cultures were not mandatory. When no organism was demonstrated on primary Gram stain or the patient was diabetic or a sickler, cultures of the specimens were done. The Gram stain, well performed, remains a useful, inexpensive, technologically appropriate laboratory test for abetting decision making in patients with upper extremity suppurative infections. Organisms encountered in this study included: Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pyogenes, Salmonella typhi, Proteus mirabilis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Coliforms.

Návrh e-marketingu pro Kitemaniacs.cz

OpenAIRE

Kinzel, Roman

2009-01-01

Cílem této bakalářské práce je návrh e-marketingu pro sportovní klub „kitemaniacs“. Práce se skládá z teoretické, analytické a praktické části. Získané data z analýz budou sloužit jako podklad pro praktickou část práce. V první části vypracuji návrh webové prezentace a implementuji ji do Word Wide Web. Následovně provedu optimalizaci webové prezentace pro internetové vyhledávače. V poslední části budu monitorovat a kontrolovat úspěch provedeného e-marketingu. The goal of this bachelor´s th...

A Prospective Open-label Pilot Study of Fluvastatin on Pro-inflammatory and Pro-thrombotic Biomarkers in Antiphospholipid Antibody Positive Patients

Science.gov (United States)

Erkan, Doruk; Willis, Rohan; Murthy, Vijaya L.; Basra, Gurjot; Vega, JoAnn; Ruiz Limón, Patricia; Carrera, Ana Laura; Papalardo, Elizabeth; Martínez-Martínez, Laura Aline; González, Emilio B.; Pierangeli, Silvia S.

2014-01-01

Objective: To determine if pro-inflammatory and pro-thrombotic biomarkers are differentially upregulated in persistently antiphospholipid antibody (aPL)-positive patients, and to examine the effects of fluvastatin on these biomarkers. Methods: Four groups of patients (age 18-65) were recruited: a) Primary Antiphospholipid Syndrome (PAPS); b) Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) with APS (SLE/APS); c) Persistent aPL positivity without SLE or APS (Primary aPL); and d) Persistent aPL positivity with SLE but no APS (SLE/aPL). The frequency-matched control group, used for baseline data comparison, was identified from a databank of healthy persons. Patients received fluvastatin 40 mg daily for three months. At three months, patients stopped the study medication and they were followed for another three months. Blood samples for 12 pro-inflammatory and pro-thrombotic biomarkers were collected monthly for six months. Results: Based on the comparison of the baseline samples of 41 aPL-positive patients with 30 healthy controls, 9/12 (75%) biomarkers (interleukin [IL]-6, IL1β, vascular endothelial growth factor [VEGF], tumor necrosis factor [TNF]-□α, interferon [IFN]-α, inducible protein-10 [IP10], soluble CD40 ligand [sCD40L], soluble tissue factor [sTF], and intracellular cellular adhesion molecule [ICAM]-1) were significantly elevated. Twenty-four patients completed the study; fluvastatin significantly and reversibly reduced the levels of 6/12 (50%) biomarkers (IL1β, VEGF, TNFα, IP10, sCD40L, and sTF). Conclusion: Our prospective mechanistic study demonstrates that pro-inflammatory and pro-thrombotic biomarkers, which are differentially upregulated in persistently aPL-positive patients, can be reversibly reduced by fluvastatin. Thus, statin-induced modulation of the aPL effects on target cells can be a valuable future approach in the management of aPL-positive patients. PMID:23933625

Test Review: Gilliam, J. E. (2015), "Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Test" (2nd Ed) [Assessment Instrument]. Austin, TX: Pro-Ed.

Science.gov (United States)

Perdue, Elizabeth A.

2016-01-01

The "Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Test-Second Edition" (ADHDT-2) is published through Pro-Ed in Austin, Texas. It was formally published in 2014, following critical revisions of the ADHDT, the reportedly popular initial version of this test that was published in 1995. The ADHDT-2 purports to act as a screener for individuals…

The Intersections of Science and Practice: Examples From FitnessGram® Programming.

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Welk, Gregory J

2017-12-01

The FitnessGram® program has provided teachers with practical tools to enhance physical education programming. A key to the success of the program has been the systematic application of science to practice. Strong research methods have been used to develop assessments and standards for use in physical education, but consideration has also been given to ensure that programming meets the needs of teachers, students, parents, and other stakeholders. This essay summarizes some of these complex and nuanced intersections between science and practice with the FitnessGram® program. The commentaries are organized into 5 brief themes: science informing practice; practice informing science; balancing science and practice; promoting evidence-based practice; and the integration of science and practice. The article draws on personal experiences with the FitnessGram® program and is prepared based on comments shared during the 37th Annual C. H. McCloy Research Lecture at the 2017 SHAPE America - Society of Health and Physical Educators Convention.

Channelling urban modernity to sustainable pro-poor tourism development in Indonesia

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Prasetyanti, R.

2017-06-01

Sustainable urban planning and development requires not only a fast-growing economic growth and modernity, but also social equity and environmental sustainability. Meanwhile, the global goals of sustainable development have fascinatingly set a promising urban development future by enhancing ecology based pro-poor policy program. Apparently, pro-poor development agenda has led to the notion of pro-poor tourism as part of urban development strategies on poverty alleviation. This research presents Jakarta Hidden Tour and Kampung Warna-warni as certain cases of pro-poor tourism in Indonesia. By the emergence of criticism on “pro-growth” paradigm, the critical analysis of this research focuses on the scenario of sustainable pro-poor tourism through eco-cultural based Kampung-Tour development. In accordance, debates and dilemma have been continuously arising as pros and cons regarding the ethical issues of poverty alleviation based Kampung-Tour development. Nevertheless, this paper tries to redefine Slum Kampung as potential; the writer wildly offers a concept of poverty alleviation by reinventing pro-poor tourism strategy; revitalizing slum site to eco-cultural based pro-poor tourism development as an embodiment of a sustainable urban development. By holding system thinking analysis as research method, sustainable pro-poor tourism highlights the urgency community based tourism and eco-tourism so that poverty alleviation based tourism can be tangibly perceived by the poor. In this sense, good local governance and public private partnership must be enhanced, it is due to, like any other development projects; sustainable pro-poor tourism needs a strong political commitment to alleviate urban poverty, as well as to pursue a better future of sustainable nation.

Pressure Retarded Osmosis (PRO): Past experiences, current developments, and future prospects

KAUST Repository

Sarp, S.; Li, Z.; Saththasivam, J.

2016-01-01

Pressure Retarded Osmosis (PRO) has attracted worldwide attention with respect to its salinity gradient energy production potential, and low energy desalination applications. PRO processes, which use Seawater Reverse Osmosis (SWRO) brine as draw solutions, have a higher potential of being applied to any new, and existing membrane based seawater desalination systems, as an energy production and/or conservation process. Hydraulic pressure is applied on a high salinity draw solution, and the hydraulic pressure of the high salinity draw solution can be kept relatively constant during operation, even though the volumetric flow rate is to be increased. Therefore, the draw side of the PRO process can be considered near-isobaric, in most cases. The harvested Gibbs free energy of mixing, and the volumetric expansion can explain this near-isobaric behavior of the draw side in the PRO process. Thus, PRO can be used to multiply the internal energy of the draw solution with respect to the ratio of the permeated water flux. Even though PRO has very high theoretical potential for energy production and/or recovery, there are several shortcomings, which should be answered before the realization of the scale up applications, such as; thermodynamic process optimization, high power density membranes, and high efficiency hydraulic pressure conversion and recovery systems. This review gives detailed information about the PRO process including; (1) theoretical background, (2) membranes for PRO, (3) experimental and large scale applications, and (4) economic feasibility of PRO applications.

Pressure Retarded Osmosis (PRO): Past experiences, current developments, and future prospects

KAUST Repository

Sarp, S.

2016-01-16

Pressure Retarded Osmosis (PRO) has attracted worldwide attention with respect to its salinity gradient energy production potential, and low energy desalination applications. PRO processes, which use Seawater Reverse Osmosis (SWRO) brine as draw solutions, have a higher potential of being applied to any new, and existing membrane based seawater desalination systems, as an energy production and/or conservation process. Hydraulic pressure is applied on a high salinity draw solution, and the hydraulic pressure of the high salinity draw solution can be kept relatively constant during operation, even though the volumetric flow rate is to be increased. Therefore, the draw side of the PRO process can be considered near-isobaric, in most cases. The harvested Gibbs free energy of mixing, and the volumetric expansion can explain this near-isobaric behavior of the draw side in the PRO process. Thus, PRO can be used to multiply the internal energy of the draw solution with respect to the ratio of the permeated water flux. Even though PRO has very high theoretical potential for energy production and/or recovery, there are several shortcomings, which should be answered before the realization of the scale up applications, such as; thermodynamic process optimization, high power density membranes, and high efficiency hydraulic pressure conversion and recovery systems. This review gives detailed information about the PRO process including; (1) theoretical background, (2) membranes for PRO, (3) experimental and large scale applications, and (4) economic feasibility of PRO applications.

LuFLA1PRO and LuBGAL1PRO promote gene expression in the phloem fibres of flax (Linum usitatissimum).

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Hobson, Neil; Deyholos, Michael K

2013-04-01

Cell type-specific promoters were identified that drive gene expression in an industrially important product. To identify flax (Linum usitatissimum) gene promoters, we analyzed the genomic regions upstream of a fasciclin-like arabinogalactan protein (LuFLA1) and a beta-galactosidase (LuBGAL1). Both of these genes encode transcripts that have been found to be highly enriched in tissues bearing phloem fibres. Using a beta-glucuronidase (GUS) reporter construct, we found that a 908-bp genomic sequence upstream of LuFLA1 (LuFLA1PRO) directed GUS expression with high specificity to phloem fibres undergoing secondary cell wall development. The DNA sequence upstream of LuBGAL1 (LuBGAL1PRO) likewise produced GUS staining in phloem fibres with developing secondary walls, as well as in tissues of developing flowers and seed bolls. These data provide further evidence of a specific role for LuFLA1 in phloem fibre development, and demonstrate the utility of LuFLA1PRO and LuBGAL1PRO as tools for biotechnology and further investigations of phloem fibre development.

FAKTOR-FAKTOR PERILAKU PRO-LINGKUNGAN DALAM MENDUKUNG PELAKSANAAN IMPLEMENTASI CAMPUS SUSTAINABILITY

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Asri Rachmawati

2014-09-01

Full Text Available Perguruan tinggi memiliki peran penting dalam melindungi lingkungan di masa depan. Untuk mengembangkan Program keberlanjutan kampus memerlukan pemahaman tentang faktor-faktor penentu yang mempengaruhi perilaku pro-lingkungan. Tujuan dari penelitian ini adalah mengidentifikasi karakteristik perilaku pro-lingkungan. Penelitian menggunakan analisis faktor ini untuk mengurangi faktor penentu dan dilakukan survei untuk pengumpulan data. Alat survei menggunakan theory of planned behaviour (TPB di seluruh kuesioner yang telah dibagikan kepada 400 mahasiswa. Hasil penelitian ini menyimpulkan perilaku pro-lingkungan dipengaruhi oleh sikap, norma subjektif, persepsi kendali perilaku, persepsi konsekuensi, faktor-faktor situasional, dan niat perilaku.   Kata Kunci : analisis faktor, campus sustainability, perilaku pro-lingkungan Abstract Universitieshave an important role in protecting the environment in the future. To develop campus sustainability programrequire an understanding about the determinant factors that influence pro-environmental behaviours. The purpose of this paper is identify characteristic pro-environmental behaviours. This study use factor analysis to reduce factor determinant and survei to collect the data. The survey tool used the theory of planned behaviour (TPB throughout the questionnaire which had shared to 400 college students.Result of this study conclude pro-environmental behaviours is influenced by attitudes, subjective norms, perceived control, perceived consequences, and situational factors, behaviour intention.   Keyword: pro-environmental behaviours; campus sustainability; factor analysis

St. John's wort attenuates irinotecan-induced diarrhea via down-regulation of intestinal pro-inflammatory cytokines and inhibition of intestinal epithelial apoptosis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hu Zeping; Yang Xiaoxia; Chan Suiyung; Xu Anlong; Duan Wei; Zhu Yizhun; Sheu, F.-S.; Boelsterli, Urs Alex; Chan, Eli; Zhang Qiang; Wang, J.-C.; Ee, Pui Lai Rachel; Koh, H.L.; Huang Min; Zhou Shufeng

2006-01-01

Diarrhea is a common dose-limiting toxicity associated with cancer chemotherapy, in particular for drugs such as irinotecan (CPT-11), 5-fluouracil, oxaliplatin, capecitabine and raltitrexed. St. John's wort (Hypericum perforatum, SJW) has anti-inflammatory activity, and our preliminary study in the rat and a pilot study in cancer patients found that treatment of SJW alleviated irinotecan-induced diarrhea. In the present study, we investigated whether SJW modulated various pro-inflammatory cytokines including interleukins (IL-1β, IL-2, IL-6), interferon (IFN-γ) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and intestinal epithelium apoptosis in rats. The rats were treated with irinotecan at 60 mg/kg for 4 days in combination with oral SJW or SJW-free control vehicle at 400 mg/kg for 8 days. Diarrhea, tissue damage, body weight loss, various cytokines including IL-1β, IL-2, IL-6, IFN-γ and TNF-α and intestinal epithelial apoptosis were monitored over 11 days. Our studies demonstrated that combined SJW markedly reduced CPT-11-induced diarrhea and intestinal lesions. The production of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as IL-1β, IFN-γ and TNF-α was significantly up-regulated in intestine. In the mean time, combined SJW significantly suppressed the intestinal epithelial apoptosis induced by CPT-11 over days 5-11. In particular, combination of SJW significantly inhibited the expression of TNF-α mRNA in the intestine over days 5-11. In conclusion, inhibition of pro-inflammatory cytokines and intestinal epithelium apoptosis partly explained the protective effect of SJW against the intestinal toxicities induced by irinotecan. Further studies are warranted to explore the potential for STW as an agent in combination with chemotherapeutic drugs to lower their dose-limiting toxicities

Statistically significant dependence of the Xaa-Pro peptide bond conformation on secondary structure and amino acid sequence

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Leitner Dietmar

2005-04-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background A reliable prediction of the Xaa-Pro peptide bond conformation would be a useful tool for many protein structure calculation methods. We have analyzed the Protein Data Bank and show that the combined use of sequential and structural information has a predictive value for the assessment of the cis versus trans peptide bond conformation of Xaa-Pro within proteins. For the analysis of the data sets different statistical methods such as the calculation of the Chou-Fasman parameters and occurrence matrices were used. Furthermore we analyzed the relationship between the relative solvent accessibility and the relative occurrence of prolines in the cis and in the trans conformation. Results One of the main results of the statistical investigations is the ranking of the secondary structure and sequence information with respect to the prediction of the Xaa-Pro peptide bond conformation. We observed a significant impact of secondary structure information on the occurrence of the Xaa-Pro peptide bond conformation, while the sequence information of amino acids neighboring proline is of little predictive value for the conformation of this bond. Conclusion In this work, we present an extensive analysis of the occurrence of the cis and trans proline conformation in proteins. Based on the data set, we derived patterns and rules for a possible prediction of the proline conformation. Upon adoption of the Chou-Fasman parameters, we are able to derive statistically relevant correlations between the secondary structure of amino acid fragments and the Xaa-Pro peptide bond conformation.

Linezolid: a promising option in the treatment of Gram-positives.

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Zahedi Bialvaei, Abed; Rahbar, Mohammad; Yousefi, Mehdi; Asgharzadeh, Mohammad; Samadi Kafil, Hossein

2017-02-01

Linezolid, an oxazolidinone antimicrobial agent that acts by inhibiting protein synthesis in a unique fashion, is used in the treatment of community-acquired pneumonia, skin and soft-tissue infections and other infections caused by Gram-positive bacteria including VRE and methicillin-resistant staphylococci. Currently, linezolid resistance among these pathogens remains low, commonly linezolid susceptibility testing for this important agent and should be taken into account when considering its therapeutic use. Considering the importance of linezolid in the treatment of infections caused by Gram-positive bacteria, this review was undertaken to optimize the clinical use of this antibiotic. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Dogs do not show pro-social preferences towards humans.

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Mylène Quervel-Chaumette

2016-10-01

Full Text Available Pro-social behaviors are defined as voluntary actions that benefit others. Comparative studies have mostly focused on investigating the presence of pro-sociality across species in an intraspecific context. Taken together, results on both primates and non-primate species indicate that reliance on cooperation may be at work in the selection and maintenance of pro-social sentiments. Dogs appear to be the ideal model when investigating a species’ propensity for pro-sociality in an interspecific context since it has been suggested that as a consequence of domestication, they evolved an underlying temperament encouraging greater propensity to cooperate with human partners. In a recent study, using a food delivery paradigm, dogs were shown to preferentially express pro-social choices towards familiar compared to unfamiliar conspecifics. Using the same set-up and methods in the current study, we investigated dogs’ pro-social preferences towards familiar and unfamiliar human partners. We found that dogs’ pro-social tendencies did not extend to humans and the identity of the human partners did not influence the rate of food delivery. Interestingly, dogs tested with their human partners spent more time gazing at humans, and did so for longer after food consumption had ended than dogs tested with conspecific partners in the initial study. To allow comparability between results from dogs tested with a conspecific and a human partner, the latter were asked not to communicate with dogs in any way. However, this lack of communication from the human may have been aversive to dogs, leading them to cease performing the task earlier compared to the dogs paired with familiar conspecifics in the prior study. This is in line with previous findings suggesting that human communication in such contexts highly affects dogs’ responses. Consequently, we encourage further studies to examine dogs’ pro-social behavior towards humans taking into consideration their

Pro-2-PAM therapy for central and peripheral cholinesterases.

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Demar, James C; Clarkson, Edward D; Ratcliffe, Ruthie H; Campbell, Amy J; Thangavelu, Sonia G; Herdman, Christine A; Leader, Haim; Schulz, Susan M; Marek, Elizabeth; Medynets, Marie A; Ku, Therese C; Evans, Sarah A; Khan, Farhat A; Owens, Roberta R; Nambiar, Madhusoodana P; Gordon, Richard K

2010-09-06

Novel therapeutics to overcome the toxic effects of organophosphorus (OP) chemical agents are needed due to the documented use of OPs in warfare (e.g. 1980-1988 Iran/Iraq war) and terrorism (e.g. 1995 Tokyo subway attacks). Standard OP exposure therapy in the United States consists of atropine sulfate (to block muscarinic receptors), the acetylcholinesterase (AChE) reactivator (oxime) pralidoxime chloride (2-PAM), and a benzodiazepine anticonvulsant to ameliorate seizures. A major disadvantage is that quaternary nitrogen charged oximes, including 2-PAM, do not cross the blood brain barrier (BBB) to treat brain AChE. Therefore, we have synthesized and evaluated pro-2-PAM (a lipid permeable 2-PAM derivative) that can enter the brain and reactivate CNS AChE, preventing seizures in guinea pigs after exposure to OPs. The protective effects of the pro-2-PAM after OP exposure were shown using (a) surgically implanted radiotelemetry probes for electroencephalogram (EEG), (b) neurohistopathology of brain, (c) cholinesterase activities in the PNS and CNS, and (d) survivability. The PNS oxime 2-PAM was ineffective at reducing seizures/status epilepticus (SE) in diisopropylfluorophosphate (DFP)-exposed animals. In contrast, pro-2-PAM significantly suppressed and then eliminated seizure activity. In OP-exposed guinea pigs, there was a significant reduction in neurological damage with pro-2-PAM but not 2-PAM. Distinct regional areas of the brains showed significantly higher AChE activity 1.5h after OP exposure in pro-2-PAM treated animals compared to the 2-PAM treated ones. However, blood and diaphragm showed similar AChE activities in animals treated with either oxime, as both 2-PAM and pro-2-PAM are PNS active oximes. In conclusion, pro-2-PAM can cross the BBB, is rapidly metabolized inside the brain to 2-PAM, and protects against OP-induced SE through restoration of brain AChE activity. Pro-2-PAM represents the first non-invasive means of administering a CNS therapeutic for

Allelopathic effects of eucalyptus camaldulensis leaf leachate on the growth of wheat and green gram and its control by farm yard manure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ibrahim, S.; Bibi, S.

2012-01-01

Farm Yard Manure (FYM) significantly reduced the allelopathic effects of Eucalyptus camaldulensis leachate. This influence was studied on morphological and physiological aspect of two taxonomically different plants (wheat and green gram). E. camaldulensis aqueous leachate applied (4), 1% and 5% alone and together with FYM and the results showed that E. camaldulensis leaf leachate had inhibitory effects on wheat growth, while promoted shoot and root growth in green gram when supplied in low concentration. The combined effects of litter and FYM reduced the inhibitory effects of leachate and supported the growth of both plants. These results suggested that, if both studied crops have to be cultivated in an agricultural land surrounded by E. camaldulensis tree, the possible growth rate could be supported by the application of FYM. But in the absence of this support, the plant growth was significantly arrested due to allelopathic effect of E. ctunaldulensis leaf leachate. (author)

Pro-torus actions on Poincaré duality spaces