Suspending loads decreases load stability but may slightly improve body stability

Here, we seek to determine how compliantly suspended loads could affect the dynamic stability of legged locomotion. We theoretically model the dynamic stability of a human carrying a load using a coupled spring-mass-damper model and an actuated spring-loaded inverted pendulum model, as these models have demonstrated the ability to correctly predict other aspects of locomotion with a load in prior work, such as body forces and energetic cost. We report that minimizing the load suspension natural frequency and damping ratio significantly reduces the stability of the load mass but may slightly improve the body stability of locomotion when compared to a rigidly attached load. These results imply that a highly-compliant load suspension could help stabilize body motion during human, animal, or robot load carriage, but at the cost of a more awkward (less stable) load.     

Ankle and knee moment and power adaptations are elicited through load carriage conditioning in males

Soldiers routinely conduct load carriage and physical training to meet occupational requirements. These tasks are physically arduous and are believed to be the primary cause of musculoskeletal injury. Physical training can help mitigate injury risk when specifically designed to address injury mechanisms and meet task demands. This study aimed to assess lower-limb biomechanics and neuromuscular adaptations during load carriage walking in response to a 10-week evidence-based physical training program. Thirteen male civilian participants donned 23 kg and completed 5 km of load carriage treadmill walking, at 5.5 km h⁻¹ before and after a 10-week physical training program. Three-dimensional motion capture and force plate data were acquired in over-ground walking trials before and after treadmill walking. These data were inputs to a musculoskeletal model which estimated lower-limb joint kinematics and kinetics (i.e., moments and powers) using inverse kinematics and dynamics, respectively. A two-way analysis of variance revealed significant main effect of training for kinematic and kinetics parameters at the knee and ankle joints (p < 0.05). Post-Hoc comparisons demonstrated a significant decrease (4.2%) in total negative knee power between pre- and post-March 5 km measures after training (p < 0.05). Positive power contribution shifted distally after training, increasing at the post-march measure from 39.9% to 43.6% at the ankle joint (p < 0.05). These findings demonstrate that a periodised training program may reduce injury risk through favourable ankle and knee joint adaptations.     

Molecular genetic and phenotypic alteration of Escherichia coli in natural water microcosms containing toxic chemicals

Abstract Microcosms of sterile Chesapeake Bay water were used to study effects of sub-lethal concentrations (1 μl/l) of nitrobenzene, m -cresol, and dibutyl phthalate on Escherichia coli H10407. E. coli remained viable during the 19-day test period in estuarine water, both in the presence and absence of the chemicals, long after it became non-culturable. Analysis of membrane proteins revealed changes in the protein composition. Carbohydrate and amino acid utilization was affected by these changes. Plasmids in E. coli H10407 could not be detected following microcosm exposure. When the cells were transferred to rich medium without toxic chemicals, growth resumed and plasmid bands were again detectable.     

白花鬼针草中多烯炔类成分的分离及其生物活性研究

为了解白花鬼针草(Bidens pilosa var.radiata)的化学成分,采用多种色谱技术从其提取物中分离多烯炔类成分,并对其生物活性进行研究.结果表明,从白花鬼针草乙酸乙酯提取部位中分离鉴定出4个多烯炔类化合物,分别为5-acetoxy-2-phenyl-ethinyl-thiophene(1)、1-phen...     

Structure-activity relationships of pyrazole-4-carbodithioates as antibacterials against methicillin–resistant Staphylococcus aureus

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a major cause of serious hospital-acquired infections and is responsible for significant morbidity and mortality in residential care facilities. New agents against MRSA are needed to combat rising resistance to current antibiotics. We recently reported 5-hydroxy-3-methyl-1-phenyl-1H-pyrazole-4-carbodithioate (HMPC) as a new bacteriostatic agent against MRSA that appears to act via a novel mechanism. Here, twenty nine analogs of HMPC were synthesized, their anti-MRSA structure-activity relationships evaluated and selectivity versus human HKC-8 cells determined. Minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) ranged from 0.5 to 64?μg/mL and up to 16-fold selectivity was achieved. The 4-carbodithioate function was found to be essential for activity but non-specific reactivity was ruled out as a contributor to antibacterial action. The study supports further work aimed at elucidating the molecular targets of this interesting new class of anti-MRSA agents.     

金黄色葡萄球菌引起食物中毒的作用机制与其耐药性的研究进展

葡萄球菌广泛分布于自然界中,如空气、土壤、水以及物体的表面,在人和动物的皮肤表面部、鼻咽、肠道也常可发现葡萄球菌。大部分葡萄球菌是非致病菌,少数可引起人或动物致病,金黄色葡萄球菌（Staphylococcus aureus,金葡菌）即为最主要的致病性葡萄球菌。金葡菌是一种革兰氏阳性球菌,是医院感染常见的病原体之一,同时也是引起食品污染和细菌性食物中毒的一种重要细菌,其产生的毒素可使人中毒,带来非常严重的公共卫生负担。本文拟对金葡菌的病原与病理学特性,金葡菌与食物中毒,抗生素滥用与金葡菌耐药性等方面做简要综述。     

2009—2012年金黄色葡萄球菌血液分离株的临床分布和耐药性研究

目的调查和分析金黄色葡萄球菌败血症患者的临床特点和菌株的耐药情况,为临床诊断和合理用药提供参考。方法收集并分析2009年至2012年血培养确诊为金黄色葡萄球菌败血症患者的临床及菌株资料。结果2009年至2012年金黄色葡萄球菌血液分离株共80株,其中甲氧西林耐药金黄色葡萄球菌（methieillin resistant Staphylococcus,MRSA）占50％。2009年至2011年对甲氧西林的耐药率逐年提高,2012年呈下降趋势。其中MRSA血流感染患者多为合并基础疾病的老年人,留置静脉导管及体腔引流管、气管插管、联合使用抗生素、住院时间长为易感因素。结论金黄色葡萄球菌血液分离株中,MRSA检出率高,占50％,临床表现大多较重,合并多种基础疾病。加强抗生素的管理及重视和预防院内感染后能明显降低MRSA的检出率。     

Detection of antimicrobial substances from larvae of the black soldier fly,Hermetia illucens (Diptera: Stratiomyidae)

Maggots have become highly successful in the treatment of non‐healing wounds and multidrug‐resistant pathogen infections. The main objective of this study was to extract antibacterial substances from larvae of the black soldier fly, Hermetia illucens. To induce immune responses, we septically injured the larvae with a contaminated needle. Lyophilized H. illucens larvae were homogenized and extracted with acidic methanol. We examined the antifungal and antibacterial effects of the low molecular weight antimicrobial factors within the larval extract on the growth of a broad range of microorganisms, including Gram‐positive Staphylococcus aureus, methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), and Gram‐negative Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Furthermore, we isolated the anti‐MRSA substances from the larval extract using high performance liquid chromatography. These investigations revealed that the larval extract possessed a broad‐spectrum of antibacterial activity, demonstrating that secretions of H. illucens larvae prove useful in the fight against MRSA and can potentially be a source of novel antibiotic‐like compounds for infection control.     

染料木素对MRSA外排蛋白表达的影响

[目的] 研究染料木素对耐甲氧西林金黄色葡萄球菌（MRSA）外排蛋白的影响。[方法] 通过联合药敏实验检测染料木素影响MRSA对环丙沙星的敏感性;利用等重同位素多标签相对定量蛋白质组学（iTRAQ）技术,检测染料木素作用MRSA41577后菌体蛋白表达量的变化;通过生物信息学方法对差异显著的蛋白进行系统分析;通过qPCR和尼罗红外排实验,探讨耐药相关的蛋白介导细菌耐药的作用机制。[结果] 联合药敏实验结果显示,染料木素能增强MRSA对环丙沙星的敏感性;通过iTRAQ技术检测到差异显著蛋白共有129个,包括60个表达上调的蛋白和69个表达下调的蛋白;生物信息学分析结果显示,与细菌耐药相关的蛋白约有14个,其中,通过主动外排系统介导细菌耐药的蛋白主要有PstB、PstS等;qPCR结果显示,与对照组相比,PstB、PstS的基因表达量分别下降了51.6%和78.6%;尼罗红外排实验结果显示,染料木素与尼罗红之间存在竞争关系,为MRSA41577的竞争性抑制剂。[结论] 染料木素可通过降低MRSA41577外排基因pstB和pstS的mRNA表达量,进而影响PstB、PstS外排蛋白的表达来逆转细菌耐药;此外,染料木素还是MRSA41577的竞争性外排抑制剂,可通过与底物竞争外排的方式,使抗菌药物留在菌体内发挥抗菌作用。