Association between <Emphasis Type="Italic">IL-18</Emphasis>gene polymorphisms and biopsy-proven giant cell arteritis

Introduction  

The objective was to investigate the potential implication of the IL18 gene promoter polymorphisms in the susceptibility to giant-cell arteritis (GCA).     

Para‐psychobiotic Lactobacillus gasseri CP2305 ameliorates stress‐related symptoms and sleep quality

Aims

To confirm the stress‐relieving effects of heat‐inactivated, enteric‐colonizing Lactobacillus gasseri CP2305 (paraprobiotic CP2305) in medical students taking a cadaver dissection course.

Methods and Results

Healthy students (21 males and 11 females) took paraprobiotic CP2305 daily for 5 weeks during a cadaver dissection course. The General Health Questionnaire and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index were employed to assess stress‐related somatic symptoms and sleep quality respectively. The aggravation of stress‐associated somatic symptoms was observed in female students (P = 0·029). Sleep quality was improved in the paraprobiotic CP2305 group (P = 0·038), particularly in men (P = 0·004). Among men, paraprobiotic CP2305 shortened sleep latency (P = 0·035) and increased sleep duration (P = 0·048). Diarrhoea‐like symptoms were also effectively controlled with CP2305 (P = 0·005) in men. Thus, we observed sex‐related differences in the effects of paraprobiotic CP2305. In addition, CP2305 affected the growth of faecal Bacteroides vulgatus and Dorea longicatena, which are involved in intestinal inflammation.

Conclusions

CP2305 is a potential paraprobiotic that regulates stress responses, and its beneficial effects may depend on specific cell component(s).

Significance and Impact of the Study

This study characterizes the effects of a stress‐relieving para‐psychobiotic in humans.     

Comparative genotypic and pathogenic examination of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Campylobacter concisus</Emphasis>isolates from diarrheic and non-diarrheic humans

Background  

Campylobacter concisus is an emerging enteric pathogen, yet it is commonly isolated from feces and the oral cavities of healthy individuals. This genetically complex species is comprised of several distinct genomospecies which may vary in pathogenic potential.     

Synthesis and characterization of core-shell Fe<Subscript>3</Subscript>O<Subscript>4</Subscript>-gold-chitosan nanostructure

Background  

Fe₃O₄-gold-chitosan core-shell nanostructure can be used in biotechnological and biomedical applications such as magnetic bioseparation, water and wastewater treatment, biodetection and bioimaging, drug delivery, and cancer treatment.     

Herd prevalence of Enterobacteriaceae producing CTX‐M‐type and CMY‐2 β‐lactamases among Japanese dairy farms

Aims

To determine the herd prevalence of Enterobacteriaceae producing CTX‐M‐type extended‐spectrum β‐lactamases (ESBLs) among 381 dairy farms in Japan.

Methods and Results

Between 2007 and 2009, we screened 897 faecal samples using BTB lactose agar plates containing cefotaxime (2 μg ml^?1). Positive isolates were tested using ESBL confirmatory tests, PCR and sequencing for CTX‐M, AmpC, TEM and SHV. The incidence of Enterobacteriaceae producing CTX‐M‐15 (n = 7), CTX‐M‐2 (n = 12), CTX‐M‐14 (n = 3), CMY‐2 (n = 2) or CTX‐M‐15/2/14 and CMY‐2 (n = 4) in bovine faeces was 28/897 (3·1%) faecal samples. These genes had spread to Escherichia coli (n = 23) and three genera of Enterobacteriaceae (n = 5). Herd prevalence was found to be 20/381 (5·2%) dairy farms. The 23 E. coli isolates showed clonal diversity, as assessed by multilocus sequence typing and pulsed‐field gel electrophoresis. The pandemic E. coli strain ST131 producing CTX‐M‐15 or CTX‐M‐27 was not detected.

Conclusions

Three clusters of CTX‐M (CTX‐M‐15, CTX‐M‐2, CTX‐M‐14) had spread among Japanese dairy farms.

Significance and Impact of the Study

This is the first report on the prevalence of multidrug‐resistant CTX‐M‐15–producing E. coli among Japanese dairy farms.     

Non‐destructive allometric estimates of above‐ground and below‐ground biomass of high‐mountain vegetation in the Andes

Aim

Studies that monitor high‐mountain vegetation, such as paramo grasslands in the Andes, lack non‐destructive biomass estimation methods. We aimed to develop and apply allometric models for above‐ground, below‐ground and total biomass of paramo plants.

Location

The paramo of southern Colombia between 1°09′N and 077°50′W, at 3,400 and 3,700 m a.s.l.

Methods

We established 61 1‐m² plots at random locations, excluding disturbed, inaccessible and peat bog areas. We measured heights and basal diameters of all vascular plants in these plots and classified them into seven growth forms. Near each plot, we sampled the biomass from plants of abundant genera, after having measured their height and basal diameter. Hence, we measured the biomass of 476 plants (allometric set). For each growth form we applied power‐law functions to develop allometric models of biomass against basal diameter, height, height x basal diameter and height × basal area. The best models were selected using AIC_c weights. Using the observed and predicted plant biomass of the allometric set we calculated absolute percentage errors using cross‐validation. The biomass of a plot was estimated by summing the predicted biomass of all plants in a plot. Confidence limits around these sums were calculated by bootstrapping.

Results

For groups of <20 plants the biomass predictions yielded large (>15%) errors. Applying groups that resembled the 1‐m² plots in density and composition, the errors for above‐ground and total biomass estimates were <15%. Across all plots, we obtained an above‐ground, below‐ground and total plot biomass of 329 ± 190, 743 ± 486 and 1011 ± 627 g/m² (mean ± SD), respectively. These values were within the range of biomass estimates obtained destructively in the tropical Andes.

Conclusions

In new applications, if target vegetation samples are similar regarding growth forms and genera to our allometric set, their biomass might be predicted applying our equations, provided they contain at least 50–100 plants. In other situations, we would recommend gathering additional biomass measurements from local plants to evaluate new regression equations.     

Expression of recombinant <Emphasis Type="Italic">Clostridium difficile</Emphasis> toxin A and B in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Bacillus megaterium</Emphasis>

Background  

Major Clostridium difficile virulence factors are the exotoxins TcdA and TcdB. Due to the large size and poor stability of the proteins, the active recombinant TcdA and TcdB have been difficult to produce.     

A longitudinal study on the occurrence of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Cryptosporidium</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Giardia</Emphasis> in dogs during their first year of life

Background  

The primary aim of this study was to obtain more knowledge about the occurrence of Cryptosporidium and Giardia in young dogs in Norway.     

Efficient display of active lipase LipB52 with a <Emphasis Type="Italic">Pichia pastoris</Emphasis> cell surface display system and comparison with the LipB52 displayed on <Emphasis Type="Italic">Saccharomyces cerevisiae</Emphasis> cell surface

Background  

For industrial bioconversion processes, the utilization of surface-displayed lipase in the form of whole-cell biocatalysts is more advantageous, because the enzymes are displayed on the cell surface spontaneously, regarded as immobilized enzymes.     

Characterization of exceptionally thermostable single-stranded DNA-binding proteins from <Emphasis Type="Italic">Thermotoga maritima</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Thermotoga neapolitana</Emphasis>

Background  

In recent years, there has been an increasing interest in SSBs because they find numerous applications in diverse molecular biology and analytical methods.     

Optical biosensor differentiates signaling of endogenous PAR<Subscript>1</Subscript> and PAR<Subscript>2</Subscript> in A431 cells

Background  

Protease activated receptors (PARs) consist of a family of four G protein-coupled receptors. Many types of cells express several PARs, whose physiological significance is mostly unknown.     

Insecticidal genes of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Yersinia</Emphasis> spp.: taxonomical distribution,contribution to toxicity towards <Emphasis Type="Italic">Manduca sexta</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Galleria mellonella</Emphasis>, and evolution

Background  

Toxin complex (Tc) proteins termed TcaABC, TcdAB, and TccABC with insecticidal activity are present in a variety of bacteria including the yersiniae.     

Plasma concentrations of cortisol and PGF<Subscript>2α</Subscript> metabolite in Danish sows during mating,and intrauterine and conventional insemination

Background  

The aims of the present work was to study whether there are any relationships between cortisol and PG-metabolite in mated sows or inseminated with the intrauterine technique and compare these to changes occurring in conventionally inseminated sow.     

Characterization of the dsDNA prophage sequences in the genome of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Neisseria gonorrhoeae</Emphasis> and visualization of productive bacteriophage

Background  

Bioinformatic analysis of the genome sequence of Neisseria gonorrhoeae revealed the presence of nine probable prophage islands. The distribution, conservation and function of many of these sequences, and their ability to produce bacteriophage particles are unknown.     

Molecular characterization of the PhoPQ-PmrD-PmrAB mediated pathway regulating polymyxin B resistance in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Klebsiella pneumoniae</Emphasis> CG43

Background  

The cationic peptide antibiotic polymyxin has recently been reevaluated in the treatment of severe infections caused by gram negative bacteria.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Leptospira</Emphasis> seroprevalence and associations between seropositivity,clinical disease and host factors in horses

Background  

A cross-sectional study was carried out to determine the seroprevalence of different serovars of Leptospira spp. and their association with clinical disease and host factors in Swedish horses.     

A comparative study of prenatal development in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Miniopterus schreibersii fuliginosus,Hipposideros armiger</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">H. pratti</Emphasis>

Background  

Bats comprise the second largest order of mammals. However, there are far fewer morphological studies of post-implantation embryonic development than early embryonic development in bats.     

Identification,cloning and characterization of <Emphasis Type="Italic">sis7</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">sis10</Emphasis> sugar-insensitive mutants of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Arabidopsis</Emphasis>

Background  

The levels of soluble sugars, such as glucose and sucrose, help regulate many plant metabolic, physiological and developmental processes. Genetic screens are helping identify some of the loci involved in plant sugar response and reveal extensive cross-talk between sugar and phytohormone response pathways.     

Ecological study of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Paracoccidioides brasiliensis</Emphasis> in soil: growth ability,conidia production and molecular detection

Background  

Paracoccidioides brasiliensis ecology is not completely understood, although several pieces of evidence point to the soil as its most probable habitat. The present study aimed to investigate the fungal growth, conidia production and molecular pathogen detection in different soil conditions.