Multidrug-resistant Opportunistic and Pathogenic Bacteria Contaminate Algerian Banknotes Currency

Currency is one of the most exchanged items in human communities as it is used daily in exchange for goods and services. It is handled by persons with different hygiene standards and can transit in different environments. Hence, money can constitute a reservoir for different types of human pathogens. This study aimed to evaluate the potential of Algerian banknotes to shelter opportunistic pathogenic and multiresistant bacteria. To that end, 200 circulating notes of four different denominations were collected from various places and analyzed for their bacterial loads and contents. Besides, predominant strains were identified and characterized by biochemical and molecular methods, and their resistance profiles against 34 antibiotics were determined. Our results indicated that 100% of the studied banknotes were contaminated with bacteria. The total bacterial concentrations were relatively high, and different bacterial groups were grown, showing important diversity. In total, 48 predominant strains were identified as belonging to 17 genera. Staphylococcus and Micrococcus were the most prevalent genera, followed by Bacillus, Pseudomonas, and Acinetobacter. Antibiotic susceptibility testing showed that all the isolates harbored resistance to at least two molecules, and worrying resistance levels were observed. These findings prove that Algerian currency harbors opportunistic multiresistant bacteria and could potentially act as a vehicle for the spread of bacterial diseases and as a reservoir for antibiotic resistance genes among the community. Therefore, no cash payment systems should be developed and generalized to minimize cash handling and subsequent potential health risks.Key words: currency, Algeria, opportunistic bacteria, antibiotic resistance, circulating resistance genes     

拉萨河流域亏组山植物物种丰富度和群落特征研究

为研究草地植物群落、物种丰富度及其分布格局与影响因子之间的关系,该文以拉萨河流域林周县卡孜乡亏组山为研究地点,对山体垂直样带(3900～5100 m)植物群落特征、植物物种丰富度与各影响因子之间的关系进行了研究.研究区域共设置了13个样带(每隔100 m设一个样带),每样带设置0.5 m×0.5 m的5个样方进行植被调...     

Sensitive fluorescent quantitation of myo-inositol 1,2-cyclic phosphate and myo-inositol 1-phosphate by high-performance thin-layer chromatography

A non-radioactive micro-assay for the cyclic phosphodiesterase reaction catalyzed by Bacillus cereus phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C is described. The assay involves high-performance thin-layer chromatography on silica gel to resolve the substrate (myo-inositol 1,2-cyclic phosphate) and the product (myo-inositol 1-phosphate), followed by detection with a lead tetraacetate–fluorescein stain. The quantitation of these inositol phosphates in sample spots relative to a series of standards is accomplished by analysis of the fluorescent plate image with a commercial phosphoimager and associated software. The experimental considerations for reliable quantitation of inositol monophosphates in the range of 0.1 to 50 nmol are presented.     

Inhibition of the phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C from Bacillus cereus by a monoclonal antibody binding to a region with sequence similarity to eukaryotic phospholipases.

Bacterial phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipases C (PI-PLC) display similar substrate specificity as their eukaryotic counterparts involved in signal transduction of insulin and Ca2(+)-mobilizing hormones, and are used in the study of the novel glycosylphosphatidylinositol-protein anchors (GPI-anchors). For the investigation of structure-function aspects of the PI-PLC secreted from Bacillus cereus cells, a panel of murine monoclonal antibodies was generated and shown to be specific for the PI-PLC polypeptide in enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays and Western blots. Two of the monoclonals inhibited reactions catalyzed by the bacterial enzyme in vitro: hydrolysis of phosphatidylinositol and the release of bovine erythrocyte acetylcholinesterase from its GPI-anchor. At saturating concentrations of inhibitory antibody only a few percent of the enzyme activity remained. The epitope recognized by one of the inhibitory antibodies, A72-24, was mapped by proteolytic digestion, protein sequencing, and Western blotting of the generated fragments. The data indicate that at least part of the epitope resides within an 8 kDa-stretch of the bacterial PI-PLC (Gln-45 - Lys-122). Essentially the same segment of the bacterial polypeptide has previously been shown to display limited amino acid sequence similarity with several eukaryotic PI-specific phospholipases C (Kuppe, A., Evans, L.M., McMillen, D.A. and Griffith, O.H. (1989) J. Bacteriol. 171, 6077-6083). The results reported here suggest that the conserved peptide of these enzymes may contain functionally important residues.     

Studies in the genus Polycarpaea (Caryophyllaceae) in Ethiopia

Hedberg, O. 1995. Studies in the genus Polycarpaea (Caryophyllaceae) in Ethiopia. -Nord. J. Bot. 15: 513–517. Copenhagen. ISSN 0107–055X.
A case study is presented of a small critical group of Polycarpaea species in Ethiopia, comprising P. eriantha, P. corymbosa and P. linearifolia . Absence of clear discontinuities in individual features between the three species concerned invited the lumping of them, but studies of the integrated variation in several taxonomic features support their taxonomic independence.     

The genus Colpodium (Gramineae) in Africa

Recent collections of the genus Colpodium from Ethiopia and South Africa made a renewed revision of the African material of this genus desirable. Apart from the two earlier recognized African species ( C. chionogeiton and C. hedbergii ) a third one is described (C. drakensbergense ), restricted to the Drakensberg area of eastern Lesotho and amply distinct both in morphology and chromosome number. The phytogeographical position of Colpodium is briefly discussed.