Novel fastidious, partially acid-fast, anaerobic Gram-positive bacillus associated with abscess formation and recovered from multiple medical centers.

PubMed

Harrington, S M; Bell, M; Bernard, K; Lagacé-Wiens, P; Schuetz, A N; Hartman, B; McQuiston, J R; Wilson, D; Lasalvia, M; Ng, B; Richter, S; Taege, A

2013-11-01

We report a novel anaerobe causing abscess in four patients at three hospitals. In the clinical specimen, bacilli were branching, Gram positive, and acid fast. The organism grew slowly and was not identified by 16S rRNA sequencing. Our findings support the description of a new genus and species of the suborder Corynebacterineae.

The quality of sputum smear microscopy in public-private mix directly observed treatment laboratories in West Amhara region, Ethiopia.

PubMed

Manalebh, Almaw; Demissie, Meaza; Mekonnen, Daniel; Abera, Bayeh

2015-01-01

Ethiopia adopted Public-Private Mix Directly Observed Treatment Short Course Chemotherapy (PPM-DOTS) strategy for tuberculosis (TB) control program. Quality of sputum smear microscopy has paramount importance for tuberculosis control program in resource-poor countries like Ethiopia. A cross-sectional study was conducted to assess the quality of sputum smear microscopy in 37 Public-Private Mix laboratories in West Amhara, Ethiopia. The three external quality assessment methods (onsite evaluation, panel testing and blind rechecking) were employed. Onsite assessment revealed that 67.6% of PPM-DOTS laboratories were below the standard physical space (5 X 6) m2. The average monthly workload per laboratory technician was 19.5 (SD±2.9) slides with 12.8% positivity rate. The quality of Acid Fast Bacilli (AFB) staining reagents was sub-standard. The overall agreement for blind rechecking of 1,123 AFB slides was 99.4% (Kappa = 0.97). Reading of 370 AFB panel slides showed 3.5% false reading (Kappa = 0.92). Moreover, the consistency of reading scanty bacilli slides was lower (93%) compared to 1+, 2+ and 3+ bacilli. Based on blind rechecking and panel testing results, PPM-DOTS site laboratories showed good agreement with the reference laboratory. Physical space and qualities of AFB reagents would be areas of intervention to sustain the quality of sputum smear microscopy. Therefore, regular external quality assessment and provision of basic laboratory supplies for TB diagnosis would be the way forward to improve the quality of sputum smear microscopy services in PPM-DOTS laboratories.

The Quality of Sputum Smear Microscopy in Public-Private Mix Directly Observed Treatment Laboratories in West Amhara Region, Ethiopia

PubMed Central

Manalebh, Almaw; Demissie, Meaza; Mekonnen, Daniel; Abera, Bayeh

2015-01-01

Ethiopia adopted Public-Private Mix Directly Observed Treatment Short Course Chemotherapy (PPM-DOTS) strategy for tuberculosis (TB) control program. Quality of sputum smear microscopy has paramount importance for tuberculosis control program in resource-poor countries like Ethiopia. A cross-sectional study was conducted to assess the quality of sputum smear microscopy in 37 Public-Private Mix laboratories in West Amhara, Ethiopia. The three external quality assessment methods (onsite evaluation, panel testing and blind rechecking) were employed. Onsite assessment revealed that 67.6% of PPM-DOTS laboratories were below the standard physical space (5 X 6) m2. The average monthly workload per laboratory technician was 19.5 (SD±2.9) slides with 12.8% positivity rate. The quality of Acid Fast Bacilli (AFB) staining reagents was sub-standard. The overall agreement for blind rechecking of 1,123 AFB slides was 99.4% (Kappa = 0.97). Reading of 370 AFB panel slides showed 3.5% false reading (Kappa = 0.92). Moreover, the consistency of reading scanty bacilli slides was lower (93%) compared to 1+, 2+ and 3+ bacilli. Based on blind rechecking and panel testing results, PPM-DOTS site laboratories showed good agreement with the reference laboratory. Physical space and qualities of AFB reagents would be areas of intervention to sustain the quality of sputum smear microscopy. Therefore, regular external quality assessment and provision of basic laboratory supplies for TB diagnosis would be the way forward to improve the quality of sputum smear microscopy services in PPM-DOTS laboratories. PMID:25849516

An Environmental Evaluation of Acid Scrubbers; Building 628, McClellan AFB CA

DTIC Science & Technology

1975-08-01

found collection efficiencies ranging from 42 to 80% for 1 pm particles in low energy scrubbers . High energy scrubbers , venturi and wet dynamic, had...collection elliciency ctyi be obtained but not with low energy wet scrubbers . High energy wet scrubbers ( venturi , wet dynamic, wet fabric nitrations, etc...ENVIRONMENTAL EVALUATION OF ACID SCRUBBERS Building 628. McClellan AFB CA Jerry W. Jackson. Capt, USAF, BSC William £. Normington. Capt, USAF August 1975

Histopathological examination of nerve samples from pure neural leprosy patients: obtaining maximum information to improve diagnostic efficiency.

PubMed

Antunes, Sérgio Luiz Gomes; Chimelli, Leila; Jardim, Márcia Rodrigues; Vital, Robson Teixeira; Nery, José Augusto da Costa; Corte-Real, Suzana; Hacker, Mariana Andréa Vilas Boas; Sarno, Euzenir Nunes

2012-03-01

Nerve biopsy examination is an important auxiliary procedure for diagnosing pure neural leprosy (PNL). When acid-fast bacilli (AFB) are not detected in the nerve sample, the value of other nonspecific histological alterations should be considered along with pertinent clinical, electroneuromyographical and laboratory data (the detection of Mycobacterium leprae DNA with polymerase chain reaction and the detection of serum anti-phenolic glycolipid 1 antibodies) to support a possible or probable PNL diagnosis. Three hundred forty nerve samples [144 from PNL patients and 196 from patients with non-leprosy peripheral neuropathies (NLN)] were examined. Both AFB-negative and AFB-positive PNL samples had more frequent histopathological alterations (epithelioid granulomas, mononuclear infiltrates, fibrosis, perineurial and subperineurial oedema and decreased numbers of myelinated fibres) than the NLN group. Multivariate analysis revealed that independently, mononuclear infiltrate and perineurial fibrosis were more common in the PNL group and were able to correctly classify AFB-negative PNL samples. These results indicate that even in the absence of AFB, these histopathological nerve alterations may justify a PNL diagnosis when observed in conjunction with pertinent clinical, epidemiological and laboratory data.

Long-Term Storage at -80°C: Effect on Rate of Recovery of Mycobacterium tuberculosis From Direct Acid-Fast Bacilli Smear-Positive Sputum Samples.

PubMed

Shinu, Pottathil; AshokKumar Singh, Varsha; Nair, Anroop; Farooq, Rumana; Ishaq, Sheikh

2016-09-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the difference in the rate of recovery of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) from routinely cultured sputum and long-term stored sputum specimens (at -80°C) using Löwenstein-Jensen (LJ) media, Mycobacterium Growth Indicator Tube (BBL MGIT(TM) ), and Middlebrook 7H11 (MB 7H11) agar. Direct acid-fast bacilli smear-positive sputum specimens (both before and after storage [n = 136]) were studied (after culturing on LJ media, BBL MGIT(TM) , and MB 7H11 agar) and the performances were compared. For the detection of MTB, BBL MGIT(TM) and MB 7H11 agar (before storage) demonstrated a sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV) of 98.28%, 30.77%, 92.68%, 66.67%, and negative predictive value (NPV) of 97.41%, 30.77%, 92.62%, 57.14%, respectively, when compared to LJ media (before storage). Similarly, BBL MGIT(TM) and MB 7H11 agar (after storage) demonstrated a sensitivity, specificity, PPV, and NPV of 95.5%, 38.89%, 90.6%, 58.33%, and 95.5%, 66.67 %, 94.64%, 70.59%, respectively, when compared to LJ media (after storage) for the detection of MTB. None of the culture techniques independently (both before and after storage) detected growth of MTB from all the sputum specimens studied. However, BBL MGIT(TM) system and LJ media combination (both before and after storage) effectively detected the growth of MTB from sputum specimens when compared to other culture technique combinations. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

External quality assessment of AFB smear microscopy performances and its associated factors in selected private health facilities in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

PubMed

Mosissa, Lemi; Kebede, Abebaw; Mindaye, Tedla; Getahun, Muluwork; Tulu, Sisay; Desta, Kassu

2016-01-01

Tuberculosis (TB) is still a public health problem in sub Saharan African countries. In resource-limited settings, TB diagnosis relies on sputum smear microscopy, with low and variable sensitivities, especially in paucibacillary pediatric and HIV-associated TB patients. Tuberculosis microscopy centers have several weaknesses like overworking, insufficiently trained personnel, inconsistent reagent supplies, and poorly maintained equipments; thus, there is a critical need for investments in laboratory infrastructure, capacity building, and quality assurance schemes. The performance of TB microscopy centers in the private health facilities in Addis Ababa is not known so far. The main objective of the study was to assess laboratory performance of acid fast bacilli (AFB) smear microscopy and its associated factors in selected private health facilities in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. A cross-sectional study was conducted in 33 selected private health facilities of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia comprising 7 hospitals, 2 NGO health centers, 23 higher clinics and 1 diagnostic laboratory that provide AFB smear microscopy services. The study was conducted from January to April 2014. A total of 283 stained sputum smears were randomly collected from participant laboratories for blinded rechecking, 320 panel slides were sent to 32 microscopy centers to evaluate their performance on AFB reading, staining and reporting. Checklists were used to assess quality issues of laboratories. Data were captured, cleaned, and analyzed using SPSS version 16.0; χ(2) tests, kappa statistics were used for comparison purpose. P value < 0.05 considered statistically significant. Among the 32 participant laboratories, 2-scored 100%, 15 scored 80-95% & the remaining 15 scored 50-75% for overall proficiency test performance. There were 10 (3.15%) major errors and 121 (37.8%) minor errors. The sensitivity, specificity, PPV and NPV of panel reading by microscopy centers were 89%, 96%, 96%, and 90% respectively. Out

External quality assessment of AFB smear microscopy performances and its associated factors in selected private health facilities in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

PubMed Central

Mosissa, Lemi; Kebede, Abebaw; Mindaye, Tedla; Getahun, Muluwork; Tulu, Sisay; Desta, Kassu

2016-01-01

Tuberculosis (TB) is still a public health problem in sub Saharan African countries. In resource-limited settings, TB diagnosis relies on sputum smear microscopy, with low and variable sensitivities, especially in paucibacillary pediatric and HIV-associated TB patients. Tuberculosis microscopy centers have several weaknesses like overworking, insufficiently trained personnel, inconsistent reagent supplies, and poorly maintained equipments; thus, there is a critical need for investments in laboratory infrastructure, capacity building, and quality assurance schemes. The performance of TB microscopy centers in the private health facilities in Addis Ababa is not known so far. The main objective of the study was to assess laboratory performance of acid fast bacilli (AFB) smear microscopy and its associated factors in selected private health facilities in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. A cross-sectional study was conducted in 33 selected private health facilities of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia comprising 7 hospitals, 2 NGO health centers, 23 higher clinics and 1 diagnostic laboratory that provide AFB smear microscopy services. The study was conducted from January to April 2014. A total of 283 stained sputum smears were randomly collected from participant laboratories for blinded rechecking, 320 panel slides were sent to 32 microscopy centers to evaluate their performance on AFB reading, staining and reporting. Checklists were used to assess quality issues of laboratories. Data were captured, cleaned, and analyzed using SPSS version 16.0; χ2 tests, kappa statistics were used for comparison purpose. P value < 0.05 considered statistically significant. Among the 32 participant laboratories, 2-scored 100%, 15 scored 80-95% & the remaining 15 scored 50-75% for overall proficiency test performance. There were 10 (3.15%) major errors and 121 (37.8%) minor errors. The sensitivity, specificity, PPV and NPV of panel reading by microscopy centers were 89%, 96%, 96%, and 90% respectively. Out of

Co-infection of Scedosporium apiospermum and Mycobacterium chelonae in an immunocompetent host.

PubMed

Kim, Ji Seok; Choi, Misoo; Nam, Chan Hee; Kim, Jee Young; Hong, Seung Phil; Kim, Myung Hwa; Park, Byung Cheol

2014-10-01

A 75-year-old man presented with multiple, scaly, erythematous, grouped papules, nodules and plaques with tenderness ranging from the right forearm to hand dorsum and the right lower leg for 2-3 months. Five months prior to presentation, the patient had received an antibiotic skin test on his right forearm. Lesions appeared approximately 2-3 months after the antibiotic skin test, slowly progressing without clinical improvement. Culture for fungus on the right forearm revealed growth of Scedosporium apiospermum. The tissue acid-fast bacilli (AFB) culture for the right forearm and right leg revealed growth of non-tuberculous mycobacteria which was Mycobacterium chelonae, and subsequent tissue polymerase chain reaction of both sites reported positive signs of M. chelonae. On diastase periodic acid-Schiff stain of the biopsy specimen of the right forearm, fungal hyphae were found while rod-shaped bacilli could be seen in AFB stain for the biopsy specimen of the right leg. The patient was treated with oral clarithromycin and ciprofloxacin along with an oral antifungal agent for 13 weeks. After the treatment, the lesions subsided and left a scar. We report a rare case of co-infection of S. apiospermum and M. chelonae in an immunocompetent host. © 2014 Japanese Dermatological Association.

Thyroid tuberculosis: presenting symptom of mediastinal tuberculous lymphadenitis--an unusual case.

PubMed

Chandanwale, Shirish S; Buch, Archana C; Vimal, Shruti S; Sachdeva, Punita

2014-01-01

Tuberculosis of thyroid gland is extremely rare. It spreads to thyroid by lymphogenous or heamatogenous route or from adjacent focus, either from larynx or cervical and mediastinal adenitis. We report an unusual case of a 33-year-old male with thyroid swelling. Fine needle aspiration (FNA) smears showed epithelioid cells without necrosis and acid fast bacilli (AFB). Subsequent investigation revealed mediastinal tuberculous lymphadenitis on Computerized Tomography (CT) scan. FNA confirmed the diagnosis of mediastinal tuberculous lymphadenitis. We conclude, when epithelioid cells are seen on FNA thyroid, tuberculosis must be ruled out especially in regions where there is high prevalence of tuberculosis.

Morphological characteristics of developmental stages of Acanthamoeba and Naegleria species before and after staining by various techniques.

PubMed

Ithoi, Init; Ahmad, Arine-Fadzlun; Mak, J W; Nissapatorn, Veeranoot; Lau, Yee-Ling; Mahmud, Rohela

2011-11-01

Seven stains were studied to determine the best color and contrast for staining the developmental stages of free living pathogenic Acanthamoeba and Naegleria species. The acid-fast bacilli stain (AFB) produced a blue color without contrast; trichrome-eosin and modified Field's showed various color contrasts; Giemsa, iron-hematoxylin, modified AFB and Gram produced only one color which distinguished the nucleus, nucleolus, cytoplasm, food- and water-vacuoles. The motile organs (acanthopodia, pseudopodia, lobopodia and flagella) were also clearly differentiated but produced a similar color as the cytoplasm. These motile organelles were first induced by incubating at 37 degrees C for at least 15 minutes and then fixing with methanol in order to preserve the protruding morphology prior to staining. The trichrome-eosin and iron-hematoxylin stains showed good color contrast for detecting all three stages, the trophozoite, cyst and flagellate; Giemsa and Gram stained the trophozoite and flagellate stages; the modified Field's and modified AFB stains stained only the trophozoite stage. Depending on the purpose, all these stains (except the AFB stain) can be used to identify the developmental stages of Acanthamoeba and Naegleria for clinical, epidemiological or public health use.

A direct determination of AFBs in vinegar by aptamer-based surface plasmon resonance biosensor.

PubMed

Wu, Wenbo; Zhu, Zhiling; Li, Bingjie; Liu, Zhuqing; Jia, Lili; Zuo, Limin; Chen, Long; Zhu, Zhentai; Shan, Guangzhi; Luo, Shi-Zhong

2018-05-01

Aflatoxin (AFB) is one of the most toxic fungal metabolites produced by Aspergillus flavus, which may contaminate food and agricultural products. Herein, an aptamer-based surface plasmon resonance (SPR) biosensor was developed to detect AFBs. The chosen aptamer showed comparable interaction with the two AFBs, namely aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) and aflatoxin B2 (AFB2). Such phenomenon was rarely reported, and might lead to a simultaneous detection of both AFBs. In this study, AFB1 was used to systematically establish the detection method. In the SPR system, streptavidin proteins were immobilized on the surface of a CM5 sensor chip as a cross-linker and biotin-aptamers were captured through streptavidin-biotin interaction. After optimization, the assay showed a dynamic range between 0.09 and 200 ng mL -1 (linear range from 1.5 to 50 ng mL -1 and a LOD of 0.19 ng mL -1 ) of AFB1 in buffer. As expected, the aptasensor showed high specificity towards AFB1 and AFB2, but hardly bound to other toxins with similar structures, including ochratoxin A (OTA), ochratoxin B (OTB), Zeralenone (ZEA) and T-2 toxin (T-2). Determination of AFB1 in vinegar was further performed using the SPR biosensor. Recoveries of AFB1 from spiked samples ranged from 96.3 to 117.8%. The developed SPR assay is a simple, fast and sensitive approach for the detection of residual AFBs in agricultural products and foodstuffs like vinegar. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Tuberculous brain abscess and subdural empyema in an immunocompetent child: Significance of AFB staining in aspirated pus

PubMed Central

Vijayakumar, B.; Sarin, K.; Mohan, Girija

2012-01-01

Tuberculous brain abscess and subdural empyema are extremely rare manifestations of central nervous system tuberculosis. Here, we report a case of an 11-year-old immunocompetent child who developed temporal lobe abscess and subdural empyema following chronic otitis media. A right temporal craniotomy was performed and the abscess was excised. The Ziehl Nielsen staining of the aspirated pus from the temporal lobe abscess yielded acid fast bacilli. Prompt administration of antituberculous treatment resulted in complete recovery of the child. Even though the subdural abscess was not drained, we presume that to be of tubercular aetiology. Ours is probably the first case of brain abscess and subdural empyema due to Mycobacterium tuberculosis reported in the same child. This case is being reported because of its rarity and to stress the importance of routine staining for tubercle bacilli in all cases of brain abscess, especially in endemic areas, as it is difficult to differentiate tuberculous from pyogenic abscess clinically as well as histopathologically. PMID:22566728

Tuberculous brain abscess and subdural empyema in an immunocompetent child: Significance of AFB staining in aspirated pus.

PubMed

Vijayakumar, B; Sarin, K; Mohan, Girija

2012-04-01

Tuberculous brain abscess and subdural empyema are extremely rare manifestations of central nervous system tuberculosis. Here, we report a case of an 11-year-old immunocompetent child who developed temporal lobe abscess and subdural empyema following chronic otitis media. A right temporal craniotomy was performed and the abscess was excised. The Ziehl Nielsen staining of the aspirated pus from the temporal lobe abscess yielded acid fast bacilli. Prompt administration of antituberculous treatment resulted in complete recovery of the child. Even though the subdural abscess was not drained, we presume that to be of tubercular aetiology. Ours is probably the first case of brain abscess and subdural empyema due to Mycobacterium tuberculosis reported in the same child. This case is being reported because of its rarity and to stress the importance of routine staining for tubercle bacilli in all cases of brain abscess, especially in endemic areas, as it is difficult to differentiate tuberculous from pyogenic abscess clinically as well as histopathologically.

Limited Susceptibility of Cynomolgus Monkeys (Macaca fascicularis) to Leprosy after Experimental Administration of Mycobacterium leprae

PubMed Central

Walsh, Gerald P.; Dela Cruz, Eduardo C.; Abalos, Rodolfo M.; Tan, Esterlina V.; Fajardo, Tranquilino T.; Villahermosa, Laarni G.; Cellona, Roland V.; Balagon, Maria V.; White, Valerie A.; Saunderson, Paul R.; Walsh, Douglas S.

2012-01-01

Cynomolgus monkeys are a useful model for human tuberculosis, but susceptibility to M. leprae is unknown. A cynomolgus model of leprosy could increase understanding of pathogenesis—importantly, neuritis and nerve-damaging reactions. We administered viable Mycobacterium leprae to 24 cynomolgus monkeys by three routes, with a median follow-up period of 6 years (range = 1–19 years) involving biopsies, nasal smears, antiphenolic glycolipid-1 (PGL-1) antibody serology, and lepromin skin testing. Most developed evanescent papules at intradermal M. leprae inoculation sites that, on biopsy, showed a robust cellular immune response akin to a lepromin skin test reaction; many produced PGL-1 antibodies. At necropsy, four monkeys, without cutaneous or gross neurological signs of leprosy but with elevated PGL-1 antibodies, including three with nasal smears (+) for acid fast bacilli (AFB), showed histological features, including AFB, suggestive of leprosy at several sites. Overall, however, cynomolgus monkeys seem minimally susceptible to leprosy after experimental M. leprae administration. PMID:22855766

[Isolation of environmental mycobacteria from soils of Córdoba city Argentina].

PubMed

Ballarino, Guillermo J; Eseverri, M Verónica; Salas, Andrea V; Giayetto, Víctor O; González, Silvia; Wolff, Lidia; Pessah, Oscar

2002-01-01

The interest for the research on enviromental mycobacteria has risen over the last decades, in part, due to a significant incidence rate rise. Reports from all over the world address the soil as the major source for human contamination. In Argentina two documents report the prevalence of atypical mycobacteriosis at Córdoba (1997), and the isolation of enviromental mycobacteria from soils of the Province of La Pampa (1999) respectively. The aim of our study was to confirm the presence of enviromental mycobacteria in soil of the city of Córdoba. The map of the city was divided in 9 regions according to avenues and major streets distribution. A total of 120 soil samples were recollected with spatula from a 10 x 10 cm square up to 1 cm deep. Samples were kept at 4 degrees C no more than 7 days. Soil samples were homogenized with destilled water in a 1:1 proportion, and decontaminated according to Petroff's method. The cultures were made in Lowestein-Jehnsen media and incubated at 37 degrees C controlling development every 7 days for 2 months. An acid-fast-bacilli smear was made from colonies obtained. Twenty three cultures (19%) were discarded due to contamination. Twenty cultures (17%) developed acid fast bacilli (AFB). Colonies obtained were sent to the Mycobacteria Service of the Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Infecciosas Dr. Carlos G. Malbrán, in the city of Buenos Aires, for identification. A single isolation was identified as Mycobacterium triviale. A positive correlation was observed between the frequency of positive AFB isolation and the number of samples taken from park areas. The presence of enviromental mycobacteria in soils of Córdoba was confirmed. Results suggest higher odds of isolation in parklands and soils where animals live. Extensive works are needed to asset the features that allow and contribute the proliferation of mycobacteria in soils.

Evaluation of nutrient agar for the culture of Mycobacterium tuberculosis using the microcolony detection method.

PubMed

Satti, L; Abbasi, S; Faiz, U

2012-07-01

We evaluated nutrient agar using the microcolony detection method for the recovery of Mycobacterium tuberculosis on 37 acid-fast bacilli (AFB) positive sputum specimens, and compared it with conventional Löwenstein-Jensen (LJ) medium. Nutrient agar detected 35 isolates compared to 34 on LJ medium. The mean time to detection of mycobacteria on nutrient agar and LJ medium was respectively 9.6 and 21.4 days. The contamination rate on nutrient agar and LJ medium was respectively 5.4% and 2.7%. Nutrient agar detects M. tuberculosis more rapidly than LJ medium, and could be an economical, rapid culture method in resource-poor settings, provided our findings are confirmed by further studies.

Association of reduction of AFB1-induced liver tumours by antioxidants with increased activity of microsomal enzymes.

PubMed

Nyandieka, H S; Wakhis, J; Kilonzo, M M

1990-10-01

The influence of nutritional factors on aflatoxin B1 (AFB1)-induced liver tumours was investigated in rats. When a dose of 500 micrograms AFB1/kg body weight was given to rats in the absence of any anticarcinogen, 80 per cent of the rats developed liver tumours as compared to 0 to 40 per cent in those which received anticarcinogens. While beta-carotene totally inhibited the development of liver tumours ascorbic acid, selenium, and uric acid reduced the percentages of tumour-bearing rats to 13 per cent each. GSH and vitamin E also reduced these percentages to 20 and 40 per cent respectively. The reduction of tumour incidence by each anticarcinogen was associated with induction of increased microsomal enzyme activity. Inhibition of AFB1-induced liver cancer development thus seems to occur through microsomal enzyme induction and AFB1 activation.

Presence and destruction of tubercle bacilli in sewage*

PubMed Central

Jensen, K. Erik

1954-01-01

The author examined the sewage from 5 towns with tuberculosis sanatoria and from one institution for the care of the feeble-minded, which had a tuberculosis ward, for the presence of tubercle bacilli. The 6 effluents were treated in biological-purification plants and average samples taken. These were centrifuged, and the sediment treated for 1 hour at 37°C with 4% NaOH before inoculation into guinea-pigs. Tubercle bacilli were demonstrated in the influent to all the plants and in the digested sludge of all those operating on sewage where the ratio of infective patients to all persons connected with the plant was up to 1:600. Experiments with cultivated tubercle bacilli showed that centrifuging of sewage resulted in only an insignificant loss of bacilli, but that NaOH treatment caused a loss of over 99%. After consideration of the risk of infection to both man and cattle from the sewage of tuberculosis institutions, the author reports on his own studies on the killing of tubercle bacilli in sewage. It took about 11½-15 months before tubercle bacilli could no longer be demonstrated in sludge that had been kept on the drying beds. The addition of 10 mg of chlorine per litre of biologically purified effluent from an activated-sludge plant was found effectively to destroy tubercle bacilli. Disinfection of sludge was also carried out with 0.5% lysol and 0.1%-0.2% formol; 3.1% copper sulfate proved ineffective. The author concludes that the disinfection of sewage from tuberculosis institutions presents no special difficulties, but that work on this subject in different countries should be co-ordinated in an effort to improve plant and reduce costs. PMID:13160757

Identification and sequence analyses of novel lipase encoding novel thermophillic bacilli isolated from Armenian geothermal springs.

PubMed

Shahinyan, Grigor; Margaryan, Armine; Panosyan, Hovik; Trchounian, Armen

2017-05-02

Among the huge diversity of thermophilic bacteria mainly bacilli have been reported as active thermostable lipase producers. Geothermal springs serve as the main source for isolation of thermostable lipase producing bacilli. Thermostable lipolytic enzymes, functioning in the harsh conditions, have promising applications in processing of organic chemicals, detergent formulation, synthesis of biosurfactants, pharmaceutical processing etc. In order to study the distribution of lipase-producing thermophilic bacilli and their specific lipase protein primary structures, three lipase producers from different genera were isolated from mesothermal (27.5-70 °C) springs distributed on the territory of Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh. Based on phenotypic characteristics and 16S rRNA gene sequencing the isolates were identified as Geobacillus sp., Bacillus licheniformis and Anoxibacillus flavithermus strains. The lipase genes of isolates were sequenced by using initially designed primer sets. Multiple alignments generated from primary structures of the lipase proteins and annotated lipase protein sequences, conserved regions analysis and amino acid composition have illustrated the similarity (98-99%) of the lipases with true lipases (family I) and GDSL esterase family (family II). A conserved sequence block that determines the thermostability has been identified in the multiple alignments of the lipase proteins. The results are spreading light on the lipase producing bacilli distribution in geothermal springs in Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh. Newly isolated bacilli strains could be prospective source for thermostable lipases and their genes.

Smear-positive pulmonary tuberculosis and AFB examination practices according to the standard checklist of WHO's tuberculosis laboratory assessment tool in three governmental hospitals, Eastern Ethiopia.

PubMed

Mekonnen, Abiyu

2014-05-13

Using the Directly Observed Treatment-Short course (DOTS) program the World Health Organization's global target was to detect 70% of new sputum-smear positive PTB cases. Smear positive PTB cases are more infectious than the smear negative cases. The TB case detection rate remains very low in Ethiopia, but there are increases in smear-negative PTB diagnosis which could be attributed to several factors including poor quality of sputum smear-microscopy. A five years retrospective record review of data between September, 2007 and August, 2012 and an in-depth assessment of AFB staining practices of sputum smear using a standard checklist were made. The proportion of smear positive cases relative to overall Acid Fast Bacilli (AFB) screened was determined over a five year period to indicate the overall prevalence and the trend. Odds ratio with 95 percent confidence interval was calculated for categorical variables using multivariate Logistic Regression model to assess the strength of association. A total of 1266 individuals' data were reviewed. The majority of the study participants were male, 704 (55.6%), and rural residents, 690 (54.5%). The overall prevalence rate of smear positive PTB was 21.6%. Age categories between 15-24 and 25-34 years were independent predictors of smear positive PTB with adjusted odds ratio of 2.246 [95% CI (1.098-4.597)] and 2.267 [95% CI (1.107-4.642)], respectively. More males were affected by PTB than females with an adjusted odds ratio of 1.426 [95% CI (1.083-1.879)]. An in-depth interview with the respective laboratory chiefs showed that quality control measures for sputum smear microscopy were used at different levels of the testing activities; however, equipment function verification as a quality control measure was not accomplished regularly in all of the study hospital laboratories. The smear positive PTB case detection rate indicated in this study is significantly lower than the countries which met the 70% target of the World Health

Multicenter Evaluation of a New Shortened Peptide Nucleic Acid Fluorescence In Situ Hybridization Procedure for Species Identification of Select Gram-Negative Bacilli from Blood Cultures▿

PubMed Central

Morgan, Margie; Marlowe, Elizabeth; Della-Latta, Phyllis; Salimnia, Hossein; Novak-Weekley, Susan; Wu, Fann; Crystal, Benjamin S.

2010-01-01

A shortened protocol for two peptide nucleic acid fluorescence in situ hybridization (PNA FISH) assays for the detection of Gram-negative bacilli from positive blood cultures was evaluated in a multicenter trial. There was 100% concordance between the two protocols for each assay (368 of 368 and 370 of 370 results) and 99.7% (367 of 368 and 369 of 370 results) agreement with routine laboratory techniques. PMID:20357212

Enhancement and Analysis of Human Antiaflatoxin B1 (AFB1) scFv Antibody-Ligand Interaction Using Chain Shuffling.

PubMed

Rangnoi, Kuntalee; Choowongkomon, Kiattawee; O'Kennedy, Richard; Rüker, Florian; Yamabhai, Montarop

2018-06-06

A human antiaflatoxin B1 (AFB1) scFv antibody (yAFB1-c3), selected from a naı̈ve human phage-displayed scFv library, was used as a template for improving and analysis of antibody-ligand interactions using the chain-shuffling technique. The variable-heavy and variable-light (VH/VL)-shuffled library was constructed from the VH of 25 preselected clones recombined with the VL of yAFB1-c3 and vice versa. Affinity selection from these libraries demonstrated that the VH domain played an important role in the binding of scFv to free AFB1. Therefore, in the next step, VH-shuffled scFv library was constructed from variable-heavy (VH) chain repertoires, amplified from the naı̈ve library, recombined with the variable-light (VL) chain of the clone yAFB1-c3. This library was then used to select a specific scFv antibody against soluble AFB1 by a standard biopanning method. Three clones that showed improved binding properties were isolated. Amino acid sequence analysis indicated that the improved clones have amino acid mutations in framework 1 (FR1) and the complementarity determining region (CDR1) of the VH chain. One clone, designated sAFH-3e3, showed 7.5-fold improvement in sensitivity over the original scFv clone and was selected for molecular binding studies with AFB1. Homology modeling and molecular docking were used to compare the binding of this and the original clones. The results confirmed that VH is more important than VL for AFB1 binding.

Computer laboratory notification system via short message service to reduce health care delays in management of tuberculosis in Taiwan.

PubMed

Chen, Tun-Chieh; Lin, Wei-Ru; Lu, Po-Liang; Lin, Chun-Yu; Lin, Shu-Hui; Lin, Chuen-Ju; Feng, Ming-Chu; Chiang, Horn-Che; Chen, Yen-Hsu; Huang, Ming-Shyan

2011-06-01

We investigated the impacts of introducing an expedited acid-fast bacilli (AFB) smear laboratory procedure and an automatic, real-time laboratory notification system by short message with mobile phones on delays in prompt isolation of patients with pulmonary tuberculosis (TB). We analyzed the data for all patients with active pulmonary tuberculosis at a hospital in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, a 1,600-bed medical center, during baseline (January 2004 to February 2005) and intervention (July 2005 to August 2006) phases. A total of 96 and 127 patients with AFB-positive TB was reported during the baseline and intervention phases, respectively. There were significant decreases in health care system delays (ie, laboratory delays: reception of sputum to reporting, P < .001; response delays: reporting to patient isolation, P = .045; and interval from admission to patient isolation, P < .001) during the intervention phase. Significantly fewer nurses were exposed to each patient with active pulmonary TB during the intervention phase (P = .039). Implementation of expedited AFB smear laboratory procedures and an automatic, real-time laboratory mobile notification system significantly decreased delays in the diagnosis and isolation of patients with active TB. Copyright © 2011 Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

Acidity of biomass fast pyrolysis bio-oils

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Oasmaa, Anja; Elliott, Douglas C.; Korhonen, Jaana

2010-12-17

The use of the TAN method for measuring the acidity of biomass fast pyrolysis bio-oil was evaluated. Suggestions for carrying out the analysis have been made. The TAN method by ASTM D664 or D3339 can be used for measuring the acidity of fast pyrolysis bio-oils and their hydrotreating products. The main difference between the methods is that ASTM D664 is specified for higher TAN values than ASTM D3339. Special focus should be placed on the interpretation of the TAN curves because they differ significantly from those of mineral oils. The curve for bio-oils is so gentle that the automatic detectionmore » may not observe the end point properly and derivatization should be used. The acidity of fast pyrolysis bio-oils is mainly derived (60-70%) from volatile acids. Other groups of compounds in fast pyrolysis bio-oils that influence acidity include phenolics, fatty and resin acids, and hydroxy acids.« less

Fasting hypochlorhydria with gram positive gastric flora is highly prevalent in healthy old people.

PubMed Central

Husebye, E; Skar, V; Høverstad, T; Melby, K

1992-01-01

Fifteen healthy old people mean age 84 years (range 80-91 years), were examined to assess the effect of advanced age on the microecology of the upper gastrointestinal tract. Twelve of 15 (80%) were hypochlorhydric with pH 6.6 (0.3) (mean (SEM) and a mean bacterial count of 10(8) colony forming units (CFU) per ml (range 10(5)-10(10)) in fasting gastric aspirate. Normochlorhydric subjects had low counts (< or = 10(1) CFU/ml). The microbial flora was dominated by viridans streptococci, coagulase negative staphylococci, and Haemophilus sp. Only one subject harboured significant concentrations of Gram negative bacilli with Escherichia coli (10(4-5) CFU/ml) and Klebsiella (10(4-5)). Strict anaerobes were not found. The total concentration of short chain fatty acids in gastric aspirate was 10.6 (2.9) mmol/l (mean (SEM). Absence of significant, intraluminal fermentation of xylose to CO2 was shown by the 14C-d Xylose breath test, and ambulatory manometry showed preserved fasting motility pattern of the small intestine. Serum immunoglobulins were normal. Advanced age is accompanied by fasting hypochlorhydria and colonisation with mainly Gram positive flora in the upper gut. Other factors than old age and fasting hypochlorhydria are required for colonisation with Gram negative bacilli. PMID:1446855

A 14-year-old girl with tuberculous otitis media and brain abscess

PubMed Central

Oberdorfer, Peninnah; Kongthavonsakul, Kritsana; Intachumpoo, Jintana; Odell, Shaun

2012-01-01

Tuberculosis is a rare cause of chronic suppurative otitis media and mastoiditis. Intracranial complications are rare. The authors report a case of a 14-year-old girl with chronic otitis media of her right ear for 2 years. Her presentation was as follows: 10 days before admission she had a high fever, headache, alteration of consciousness and a generalised seizure. CT scanning of her brain showed right otomastoiditis with early brain abscess of the right cerebellum. She underwent right radical mastoidectomy and aspiration of the cerebellar abscess. The pus from the mastoid and cerebellar abscess was stained positive for acid-fast bacilli (AFB). The pus culture grew Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB). Her discharge diagnosis was tuberculous mastoiditis (TM) with cerebellar abscess. Long-term treatment plans included antituberculous drugs for 1 year. PMID:22828175

Bovine tuberculosis in South Darfur State, Sudan: an abattoir study based on microscopy and molecular detection methods.

PubMed

Asil, El Tigani A; El Sanousi, Sulieman M; Gameel, Ahmed; El Beir, Haytham; Fathelrahman, Maha; Terab, Nasir M; Muaz, Magzoub A; Hamid, Mohamed E

2013-02-01

Bovine tuberculosis (BTB) is a widespread zoonosis in developing countries but has received little attention in many sub-Saharan African countries including Sudan and particularly in some parts such as Darfur states. This study aimed to detect bovine tuberculosis among caseous materials of cattle slaughtered in abattoirs in South Darfur State, Sudan by using microscopic and PCR-based methods. The study was a cross-sectional abattoir-based study which examined a total of 6,680 bovine carcasses for caseous lesions in South Darfur State between 2007 and 2009. Collected specimens were examined for the presence of acid-fast bacilli (AFB) by using microscopic and culture techniques. Isolated mycobacteria were identified by selected conventional cultural and biochemical tests in comparison to a single tube multiplex PCR (m-PCR) assay which detect Mycobacterium bovis-specific 168-bp amplicons. Of the total 6,680 slaughtered cattle examined in South Darfur, 400 (6 %) showed caseations restricted to lymph nodes (86.8 %) or generalized (13.2 %). Bovine tuberculosis was diagnosed in 12 (0.18 %), bovine farcy in 59 (0.88 %), unidentified mycobacteria in 6 (0.09 %), and missed or contaminated cultures in 7 (0.1 %). Out of 18 cultures with nonbranching acid-fast rods, 12 amplified unique 168-bp sequence specific for M. bovis and subsequently confirmed as M. bovis. With the exception of the reference M. tuberculosis strains, none of the remaining AFB amplified the 337-bp amplicon specific for M. tuberculosis. It could be concluded that bovine tuberculosis is prevalent among cattle in South Darfur representing 4.5 % from all slaughtered cattle with caseous lesions. The study sustains microscopy as a useful and accessible technique for detecting AFB. m-PCR assay proved to be valuable for confirmation of BTB and its differentiation from other related mycobacteriosis, notably bovine farcy.

On the nature of Mycobacterium tuberculosis-latent bacilli.

PubMed

Cardona, P-J; Ruiz-Manzano, J

2004-12-01

Mycobacterium tuberculosis-latent bacilli are microorganisms that adapt to stressful conditions generated by the infected host against them. By slowing metabolism or becoming dormant, they may counterbalance these conditions and appear as silent to the immune system. Moreover, the dynamic turnover of the infected cells provokes a constant reactivation of the latent bacilli when the environmental conditions are favourable, or an activation after being dormant in necrotic and fibrotic lesions for a long period of time. Since there is no in vivo nor in vitro evidence for quick resuscitation of dormant bacilli, the current authors strongly favour the possibility that latent tuberculosis infection can be maintained for no longer than approximately 10 yrs, which is, nowadays, a time period very close to that considered for "primary" tuberculosis. This concept may also be helpful for newer epidemiological considerations regarding the real impact of reinfection in tuberculosis.

Ulcerative cutaneous mycobacteriosis due to Mycobacterium ulcerans: report of two Mexican cases.

PubMed

Coloma, Josefa Novales-Santa; Navarrete-Franco, Gisela; Iribe, Pedro; López-Cepeda, Larissa Dorina

2005-03-01

We report two patients from Central Mexico, with ulcerated cutaneous lesions containing acid-fast bacilli (AFB) and ultimately diagnosed as Mycobacterium ulcerans disease. The first patient had a long history (11 years) of disease involving multiple lesions of both upper and lower extremities. Histopathological changes included necrosis of the subcutaneous tissue with large numbers of extracellular AFB. Cultures at 32 degrees C were "positive for mycobacteria," but were not further identified. The polymerase chain reaction for M. ulcerans performed on skin bopsies was positive. The lesions improved after treatment with rifampin and isoniazid (INH) for one month, followed by ethambutol and streptomycin. The second case followed trauma to the right hand, which spread over 2 years to the right upper extremity, the back, and both legs, with a loss of digits and metacarpal bones of the right hand. The histopathological findings were similar to the first case, including presence of AFB. PCR for M. ulcerans on extracts of skin biopsies was positive. Rifampin, INH, pyrazinamide, and levofloxacin resulted in marked improvement of the ulcer; ethambutol and streptomycin were later used, also. We report these cases because they are rare (approximately 6 previous cases were reported from Mexico), and both are unusually disseminated. They are significant in alerting the medical community to M. ulcerans infection, which is still active in Mexico, and the treatment used has not been reported previously.

Improving the diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis in HIV-infected individuals in Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam.

PubMed

Nguyen, D T M; Hung, N Q; Giang, L T; Dung, N H; Lan, N T N; Lan, N N; Yen, N T B; Bang, N D; Ngoc, D V; Trinh, L T T; Beasley, R P; Ford, C E; Hwang, L-Y; Graviss, E A

2011-11-01

District 6, An Hoa Clinic in Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC), Viet Nam. To evaluate the performance of various algorithms in tuberculosis (TB) screening and diagnosis in a human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infected population in HCMC, Viet Nam. A cross-sectional study of 397 consecutive HIV-infected patients seeking care at the An Hoa Clinic from August 2009 to June 2010. Data on participant demographics, clinical status, chest radiography (CXR) and laboratory results were collected. A multiple logistic regression model was developed to assess the association of covariates and pulmonary TB (PTB). The prevalence of sputum culture-confirmed PTB, acid-fast bacilli (AFB) positive TB, and multidrugresistant TB among the 397 HIV-infected patients was respectively 7%, 2%, and 0.3%. Adjusted odds ratios for low CD4+ cell count, positive sputum smear, and CXR to positive sputum culture were respectively 3.17, 32.04 and 4.28. Clinical findings alone had poor sensitivity, but combining CD4+ cell count, AFB sputum smear and CXR had a more accurate diagnostic performance. Results suggest that symptom screening had poor clinical performance, and support the routine use of sputum culture to improve the detection of TB disease in HIV-infected individuals in Viet Nam. However, when routine sputum culture is not available, an algorithm combining CD4+ cell count, AFB sputum smear and CXR is recommended for diagnosing PTB.

Effect of diabetes on tuberculosis presentation and outcomes in Kiribati.

PubMed

Cavanaugh, J; Viney, K; Kienene, T; Harley, D; Kelly, P M; Sleigh, A; O'Connor, J; Mase, S

2015-05-01

To determine the association between diabetes and the clinical features and treatment outcomes of TB in Kiribati. We enrolled consecutive patients with TB who presented from August 2010 to February 2012 and compared clinical features and TB treatment outcomes for patients with and without diabetes, as measured by haemoglobin A1c assay. Poor outcome was defined as death, default or treatment failure, and good outcome as treatment success or cure. Two hundred and seventy-five eligible persons with TB disease were enrolled; 101 (37%) had diabetes. TB patients with diabetes were more likely to have acid-fast bacilli (AFB) seen on sputum smear microscopy (RR: 1.3; 95% CI: 1.03-1.62). The risk of poor outcome did not differ between patients with or without diabetes (RR: 1.1; 95% CI: 0.5-2.7). TB patients with diabetes are more likely than those without to have sputum with AFB on microscopy. This could increase transmission in the community. Early detection of TB by screening patients with diabetes, and the converse, could be important public health interventions where diabetes and TB are prevalent. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Prevalence of bovine tuberculosis in slaughter cattle in Kenya: a postmortem, microbiological and DNA molecular study.

PubMed

Gathogo, Stephen M; Kuria, Joseph K N; Ombui, Jackson N

2012-10-01

A study to determine the presence and prevalence of bovine tuberculosis in slaughter cattle in Kenya was carried out in two abattoirs from July to November 2009. Routine postmortem meat inspection was performed on a subpopulation of 929 cattle selected randomly from among 4,984. Carcases were inspected for gross tuberculous lesions which were then examined for acid-fast bacilli, (AFB), cultured for isolation of mycobacteria and the isolates characterised by DNA molecular analysis. Of the carcases examined, 176 (18.95 %, 95 % CI) had lesions suggestive of tuberculosis. AFB were observed in 63/176 of the lesioned cattle and mycobacteria were isolated from 64 of them. The isolates were identified as Mycobacterium bovis (19/64), Mycobacterium tuberculosis, (2/64) and mycobacteria other than tuberculosis (43/64). The prevalence of M. bovis by molecular analysis was 2.05 % (95 % CI). This study documents for the first time the presence of bovine tuberculosis among slaughter cattle in Kenya. There is therefore a need to formulate and implement control programmes in order to minimise transmission among animals and to humans. Isolation of M. tuberculosis from cattle underscores the risk tuberculous humans pose to animals.

Pharmacodynamic Modeling of Bacillary Elimination Rates and Detection of Bacterial Lipid Bodies in Sputum to Predict and Understand Outcomes in Treatment of Pulmonary Tuberculosis

PubMed Central

Sloan, Derek J.; Mwandumba, Henry C.; Garton, Natalie J.; Khoo, Saye H.; Butterworth, Anthony E.; Allain, Theresa J.; Heyderman, Robert S.; Corbett, Elizabeth L.; Barer, Mike R.; Davies, Geraint R.

2015-01-01

Background. Antibiotic-tolerant bacterial persistence prevents treatment shortening in drug-susceptible tuberculosis, and accumulation of intracellular lipid bodies has been proposed to identify a persister phenotype of Mycobacterium tuberculosis cells. In Malawi, we modeled bacillary elimination rates (BERs) from sputum cultures and calculated the percentage of lipid body–positive acid-fast bacilli (%LB + AFB) on sputum smears. We assessed whether these putative measurements of persistence predict unfavorable outcomes (treatment failure/relapse). Methods. Adults with pulmonary tuberculosis received standard 6-month therapy. Sputum samples were collected during the first 8 weeks for serial sputum colony counting (SSCC) on agar and time-to positivity (TTP) measurement in mycobacterial growth indicator tubes. BERs were extracted from nonlinear and linear mixed-effects models, respectively, fitted to these datasets. The %LB + AFB counts were assessed by fluorescence microscopy. Patients were followed until 1 year posttreatment. Individual BERs and %LB + AFB counts were related to final outcomes. Results. One hundred and thirty-three patients (56% HIV coinfected) participated, and 15 unfavorable outcomes were reported. These were inversely associated with faster sterilization phase bacillary elimination from the SSCC model (odds ratio [OR], 0.39; 95% confidence interval [CI], .22–.70) and a faster BER from the TTP model (OR, 0.71; 95% CI, .55–.94). Higher %LB + AFB counts on day 21–28 were recorded in patients who suffered unfavorable final outcomes compared with those who achieved stable cure (P = .008). Conclusions. Modeling BERs predicts final outcome, and high %LB + AFB counts 3–4 weeks into therapy may identify a persister bacterial phenotype. These methods deserve further evaluation as surrogate endpoints for clinical trials. PMID:25778753

Prevalence and risk factors of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex infection in slaughtered cattle at Jos South Abattoir, Plateau State, Nigeria.

PubMed

Okeke, Lilian Akudo; Cadmus, Simeon; Okeke, Ikenna Osemeka; Muhammad, Maryam; Awoloh, Oluchi; Dairo, David; Waziri, Endie Ndadilnasiya; Olayinka, Adebola; Nguku, Patrick Mboyo; Fawole, Olufunmilayo

2014-01-01

Bovine tuberculosis (BTB) is widespread yet poorly controlled in Nigeria hence posing a public health threat. This study determined the prevalence of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTC) and factors associated with MTC among slaughtered cattle at Jos South Abattoir in Plateau State, Nigeria. We conducted a cross sectional study in which we collected 168 lung samples systematically from 485 slaughtered cattle from May-June, 2012, and tested for acid fast bacilli (AFB) using Ziehl-Neelsen test and a duplex polymerase chain reaction technique (PCR) for MTC detection. Data on cattle socio-demographic characteristics and risk factors for zoonotic BTB infection was obtained and analyzed using Epi info version 3.5.3 to determine frequency, proportions, and prevalence odds ratios. Multiple logistic regression was done at 95% Confidence Interval (CI). The mean age of the cattle was 5.6 ± 1.3 years and (108) 64.3% were females. Majority were indigenous White Fulani breed of cattle (58.5%) and about half (54.8%) were slightly emaciated. Prevalence of MTB complex was 21.4% by AFB test and 16.7% by duplex PCR. Of 33 (19.6%) lungs with lesions, 27 (81.8%) were positive for AFB; while of 135 (80.4%) lungs without lesions, 9 (6.7%) were positive for AFB. Lungs with lesions were 52 times more likely to test positive to AFB test compared to tissues without lesions (AOR=52.3; 95% CI: 16.4-191.8). The presence of MTC in cattle signifies its potential risk to public health. Presence of lesions on lungs is a reliable indicator of MTC infection that meat inspectors should look out for.

Brain tuberculomas: a case report.

PubMed

Saleh, Maryam; Saeedi, Ali Asghar; Ali Pooran, Ali

2014-07-01

An unusual incidence of tuberculosis in different parts of the body is called tuberculomas. The rate of brain tuberculosis is rare. The following case of tuberculamas of the brain, presented by enhancing rings of meninges, is reported because of its rarity. It was a case of brain tuberculomas in a 15-year-old girl with primary symptoms of headache and general weakness, and no signs of primary pulmonary infection. The subject underwent computerized tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain. Microbiological tests (acid fast bacilli smear-AFB, and culture of biopsy specimen) were applied subsequently. According to the results, the problem was diagnosed as brain tuberculomas. After operation she was completely treated with anti-TB drugs. Although brain tuberculosis is rare, it was diagnosed on the basis of histopathology and the patient's successful response to anti-tuberculous drug treatment.

A 14-year-old girl with tuberculous otitis media and brain abscess.

PubMed

Oberdorfer, Peninnah; Kongthavonsakul, Kritsana; Intachumpoo, Jintana; Odell, Shaun

2012-07-24

Tuberculosis is a rare cause of chronic suppurative otitis media and mastoiditis. Intracranial complications are rare. The authors report a case of a 14-year-old girl with chronic otitis media of her right ear for 2 years. Her presentation was as follows: 10 days before admission she had a high fever, headache, alteration of consciousness and a generalised seizure. CT scanning of her brain showed right otomastoiditis with early brain abscess of the right cerebellum. She underwent right radical mastoidectomy and aspiration of the cerebellar abscess. The pus from the mastoid and cerebellar abscess was stained positive for acid-fast bacilli (AFB). The pus culture grew Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB). Her discharge diagnosis was tuberculous mastoiditis (TM) with cerebellar abscess. Long-term treatment plans included antituberculous drugs for 1 year.

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

PubMed

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.

Association between level of interferon gamma and acid-fast bacillipositivity in pulmonary tuberculosis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Priwahyuningtyas, N. B.; Sinaga, B. Y. M.; Pandia, P.; Eyanoer, P. C.

2018-03-01

Tuberculosis is an infectious disease which caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M. tuberculosis) that infected numerous organ especially the lung. A person’s immunity is very affecting for a person exposed to pulmonary tuberculosis. T-helper-1 cell (Th1) is very influential in the immune system especially in interfering intracellular bacterial infection. One of the cytokines known produced by Th1 cell is interferon gamma (IFN-γ) which is in eliminating M. tuberculosis. The study aims to identify the association between level of IFN-γ and AFB positivity in pulmonary tuberculosis patients in Medan. It is a case-control study. The subjects of the study were 60 new cases of pulmonary tuberculosis with AFB sputum smear- positive that never received ATT consisting 20 cases AFB (+1), 20 cases AFB (+2) and 20 cases AFB (+3).Samples were plasma collected from the venous blood of pulmonary tuberculosis patients. The plasma then underwent laboratory assay with ELISA techniques. Independent t-test was p<0.05 considered significant. Level of IFN-γ in TB AFB (+1) is higher than TB AFB (+2) and (+3), with thesignificant statistical result (p=0.001).

Differential staining of bacteria: acid fast stain.

PubMed

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

2009-11-01

Acid-fastness is an uncommon characteristic shared by the genera Mycobacterium (Section 10A) and Nocardia. Because of this feature, this stain is extremely helpful in identification of these bacteria. Although Gram positive, acid-fast bacteria do not take the crystal violet into the wall well, appearing very light purple rather than the deep purple of normal Gram-positive bacteria. (c) 2009 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Evaluation of a rapid culture method for tuberculosis diagnosis: a Latin American multi-center study.

PubMed

Robledo, J A; Mejía, G I; Morcillo, N; Chacón, L; Camacho, M; Luna, J; Zurita, J; Bodon, A; Velasco, M; Palomino, J C; Martin, A; Portaels, F

2006-06-01

Tuberculosis (TB) diagnostic laboratories in Latin America. Evaluation of thin-layer agar (TLA) compared to Löwenstein-Jensen (LJ) culture for the diagnosis of TB. Phase II prospective study in six laboratories. Samples included sputum and extra-pulmonary specimens from patients with a clinical diagnosis of TB. Respiratory samples were decontaminated using NaOH/ NALC; all samples were centrifuged, stained with Ziehl-Neelsen for acid-fast bacilli (AFB), cultured on LJ and TLA and identified according to recommended procedures. Sensitivity and likelihood ratios (LR), growth detection time and contamination rate were calculated for both media. A total of 1118 clinical specimens were studied. Cultures detected Mycobacterium tuberculosis in all AFB-positive samples, whereas for AFB-negative specimens LJ detected 3.2% and TLA 4.4%. Sensitivity was 92.6% (95%CI 87.9-95.9) and 84.7% (95%CI 78.8-89.0) for TLA and LJ, respectively. Positive and negative LRs were similar. Contamination was 5.1% for TLA and 3.0% for LJ. Median time to detection of a positive culture was 11.5 days (95%CI 9.3-15.0) for TLA and 30.5 days (95%CI 26.9-39.0) for LJ (P < 0.0001). Difference in the characteristics of the participating laboratories, the disease prevalence and the number and type of specimens processed did not affect the overall performance of TLA as compared to LJ, supporting the robustness of the method and its feasibility in different laboratory settings.

Brain Tuberculomas: A Case Report

PubMed Central

Saleh, Maryam; Saeedi, Ali Asghar; Ali Pooran, Ali

2014-01-01

Introduction: An unusual incidence of tuberculosis in different parts of the body is called tuberculomas. The rate of brain tuberculosis is rare. Case Presentation: The following case of tuberculamas of the brain, presented by enhancing rings of meninges, is reported because of its rarity. It was a case of brain tuberculomas in a 15-year-old girl with primary symptoms of headache and general weakness, and no signs of primary pulmonary infection. Discussion: The subject underwent computerized tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain. Microbiological tests (acid fast bacilli smear-AFB, and culture of biopsy specimen) were applied subsequently. According to the results, the problem was diagnosed as brain tuberculomas. After operation she was completely treated with anti-TB drugs. Although brain tuberculosis is rare, it was diagnosed on the basis of histopathology and the patient's successful response to anti-tuberculous drug treatment. PMID:25368795

Genomic determinants of sporulation in Bacilli and Clostridia: towards the minimal set of sporulation-specific genes

PubMed Central

Galperin, Michael Y; Mekhedov, Sergei L; Puigbo, Pere; Smirnov, Sergey; Wolf, Yuri I; Rigden, Daniel J

2012-01-01

Three classes of low-G+C Gram-positive bacteria (Firmicutes), Bacilli, Clostridia and Negativicutes, include numerous members that are capable of producing heat-resistant endospores. Spore-forming firmicutes include many environmentally important organisms, such as insect pathogens and cellulose-degrading industrial strains, as well as human pathogens responsible for such diseases as anthrax, botulism, gas gangrene and tetanus. In the best-studied model organism Bacillus subtilis, sporulation involves over 500 genes, many of which are conserved among other bacilli and clostridia. This work aimed to define the genomic requirements for sporulation through an analysis of the presence of sporulation genes in various firmicutes, including those with smaller genomes than B. subtilis. Cultivable spore-formers were found to have genomes larger than 2300 kb and encompass over 2150 protein-coding genes of which 60 are orthologues of genes that are apparently essential for sporulation in B. subtilis. Clostridial spore-formers lack, among others, spoIIB, sda, spoVID and safA genes and have non-orthologous displacements of spoIIQ and spoIVFA, suggesting substantial differences between bacilli and clostridia in the engulfment and spore coat formation steps. Many B. subtilis sporulation genes, particularly those encoding small acid-soluble spore proteins and spore coat proteins, were found only in the family Bacillaceae, or even in a subset of Bacillus spp. Phylogenetic profiles of sporulation genes, compiled in this work, confirm the presence of a common sporulation gene core, but also illuminate the diversity of the sporulation processes within various lineages. These profiles should help further experimental studies of uncharacterized widespread sporulation genes, which would ultimately allow delineation of the minimal set(s) of sporulation-specific genes in Bacilli and Clostridia. PMID:22882546

Genomic determinants of sporulation in Bacilli and Clostridia: towards the minimal set of sporulation-specific genes.

PubMed

Galperin, Michael Y; Mekhedov, Sergei L; Puigbo, Pere; Smirnov, Sergey; Wolf, Yuri I; Rigden, Daniel J

2012-11-01

Three classes of low-G+C Gram-positive bacteria (Firmicutes), Bacilli, Clostridia and Negativicutes, include numerous members that are capable of producing heat-resistant endospores. Spore-forming firmicutes include many environmentally important organisms, such as insect pathogens and cellulose-degrading industrial strains, as well as human pathogens responsible for such diseases as anthrax, botulism, gas gangrene and tetanus. In the best-studied model organism Bacillus subtilis, sporulation involves over 500 genes, many of which are conserved among other bacilli and clostridia. This work aimed to define the genomic requirements for sporulation through an analysis of the presence of sporulation genes in various firmicutes, including those with smaller genomes than B. subtilis. Cultivable spore-formers were found to have genomes larger than 2300 kb and encompass over 2150 protein-coding genes of which 60 are orthologues of genes that are apparently essential for sporulation in B. subtilis. Clostridial spore-formers lack, among others, spoIIB, sda, spoVID and safA genes and have non-orthologous displacements of spoIIQ and spoIVFA, suggesting substantial differences between bacilli and clostridia in the engulfment and spore coat formation steps. Many B. subtilis sporulation genes, particularly those encoding small acid-soluble spore proteins and spore coat proteins, were found only in the family Bacillaceae, or even in a subset of Bacillus spp. Phylogenetic profiles of sporulation genes, compiled in this work, confirm the presence of a common sporulation gene core, but also illuminate the diversity of the sporulation processes within various lineages. These profiles should help further experimental studies of uncharacterized widespread sporulation genes, which would ultimately allow delineation of the minimal set(s) of sporulation-specific genes in Bacilli and Clostridia. Published 2012. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.

INACTIVATION OF SOME SEMISYNTHETIC PENICILLINS BY GRAM-NEGATIVE BACILLI

PubMed Central

Sabath, Leon; Finland, Maxwell

1963-01-01

Sabath, Leon (Boston City Hospital, Boston, Mass.) and Maxwell Finland. Inactivation of some semisynthetic penicillins by gram-negative bacilli. J. Bacteriol. 85:314–321. 1963.—An agar diffusion method was used to test 55 strains of gram-negative bacilli for their ability to inactivate penicillin G, methicillin, biphenylpenicillin, oxacillin, and ampicillin; 26 strains inactivated one or more of them. All strains of Klebsiella-Aerobacter, nearly all of Escherichia coli, and some of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, but not those of Proteus or Salmonella, were active by this method. Penicillin G was inactivated by the largest number of strains, biphenylpenicillin and ampicillin by somewhat fewer, and oxacillin and methicillin by about half as many. When the five penicillins were incubated with four strains of different bacteria in broth at 37 C, all were inactivated to a considerable extent by all the strains, each penicillin to a different degree, but to about the same extent by all the strains. Adsorption alone did not account for the loss of activity. The results suggest that there are qualitative, as well as quantitative, differences among species or even strains of gram-negative bacilli in their ability to inactivate the various penicillins. Images PMID:13975857

Environmental Assessment Deicer Recovery at Grand Forks AFB, North Dakota

DTIC Science & Technology

2004-12-15

Air Force Base (AFB), North Dakota. Contacts: 319 CES/CEVA 525 Tuskegee Airmen Boulevard (Blvd) Grand Forks AFB, ND...ACRONYMS, ABBREVIATIONS, AND TERMS AAM Annual Arithmetic Mean ACM Asbestos Containing Material AFB Air Force Base AFI Air Force Instruction AICUZ...meter 10 GFAFB Grand Forks Air Force Base HAP Hazardous Air Pollutants hr Hour H2S Hydrogen Sulfide IRP Installation Restoration

AFB (Acid-Fast Bacillus) Smear and Culture

MedlinePlus

... area of the body that is affected. Some examples include back pain and paralysis (spinal TB), weakness ... be helpful in deciding what to do. For example, if there is a presumptive diagnosis of TB ...

Sputum stain for mycobacteria

MedlinePlus

... results show that the stain is positive for: Mycobacterium tuberculosis Mycobacterium avium-intracellular Other mycobacteria or acid-fast bacteria Risks There are no risks, unless bronchoscopy is performed. Alternative Names Acid fast bacilli ... Sputum test References Hopewell ...

Evaluation of bleach-sedimentation for sterilising and concentrating Mycobacterium tuberculosis in sputum specimens

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Bleach-sedimentation may improve microscopy for diagnosing tuberculosis by sterilising sputum and concentrating Mycobacterium tuberculosis. We studied gravity bleach-sedimentation effects on safety, sensitivity, speed and reliability of smear-microscopy. Methods This blinded, controlled study used sputum specimens (n = 72) from tuberculosis patients. Bleach concentrations and exposure times required to sterilise sputum (n = 31) were determined. In the light of these results, the performance of 5 gravity bleach-sedimentation techniques that sterilise sputum specimens (n = 16) were compared. The best-performing of these bleach-sedimentation techniques involved adding 1 volume of 5% bleach to 1 volume of sputum, shaking for 10-minutes, diluting in 8 volumes distilled water and sedimenting overnight before microscopy. This technique was further evaluated by comparing numbers of visible acid-fast bacilli, slide-reading speed and reliability for triplicate smears before versus after bleach-sedimentation of sputum specimens (n = 25). Triplicate smears were made to increase precision and were stained using the Ziehl-Neelsen method. Results M. tuberculosis in sputum was successfully sterilised by adding equal volumes of 15% bleach for 1-minute, 6% for 5-minutes or 3% for 20-minutes. Bleach-sedimentation significantly decreased the number of acid-fast bacilli visualised compared with conventional smears (geometric mean of acid-fast bacilli per 100 microscopy fields 166, 95%CI 68-406, versus 346, 95%CI 139-862, respectively; p = 0.02). Bleach-sedimentation diluted paucibacillary specimens less than specimens with higher concentrations of visible acid-fast bacilli (p = 0.02). Smears made from bleach-sedimented sputum were read more rapidly than conventional smears (9.6 versus 11.2 minutes, respectively, p = 0.03). Counting conventional acid-fast bacilli had high reliability (inter-observer agreement, r = 0.991) that was significantly reduced (p = 0.03) by bleach

Profiling persistent tubercule bacilli from patient sputa during therapy predicts early drug efficacy.

PubMed

Honeyborne, Isobella; McHugh, Timothy D; Kuittinen, Iitu; Cichonska, Anna; Evangelopoulos, Dimitrios; Ronacher, Katharina; van Helden, Paul D; Gillespie, Stephen H; Fernandez-Reyes, Delmiro; Walzl, Gerhard; Rousu, Juho; Butcher, Philip D; Waddell, Simon J

2016-04-07

New treatment options are needed to maintain and improve therapy for tuberculosis, which caused the death of 1.5 million people in 2013 despite potential for an 86 % treatment success rate. A greater understanding of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M.tb) bacilli that persist through drug therapy will aid drug development programs. Predictive biomarkers for treatment efficacy are also a research priority. Genome-wide transcriptional profiling was used to map the mRNA signatures of M.tb from the sputa of 15 patients before and 3, 7 and 14 days after the start of standard regimen drug treatment. The mRNA profiles of bacilli through the first 2 weeks of therapy reflected drug activity at 3 days with transcriptional signatures at days 7 and 14 consistent with reduced M.tb metabolic activity similar to the profile of pre-chemotherapy bacilli. These results suggest that a pre-existing drug-tolerant M.tb population dominates sputum before and after early drug treatment, and that the mRNA signature at day 3 marks the killing of a drug-sensitive sub-population of bacilli. Modelling patient indices of disease severity with bacterial gene expression patterns demonstrated that both microbiological and clinical parameters were reflected in the divergent M.tb responses and provided evidence that factors such as bacterial load and disease pathology influence the host-pathogen interplay and the phenotypic state of bacilli. Transcriptional signatures were also defined that predicted measures of early treatment success (rate of decline in bacterial load over 3 days, TB test positivity at 2 months, and bacterial load at 2 months). This study defines the transcriptional signature of M.tb bacilli that have been expectorated in sputum after two weeks of drug therapy, characterizing the phenotypic state of bacilli that persist through treatment. We demonstrate that variability in clinical manifestations of disease are detectable in bacterial sputa signatures, and that the changing M.tb m

Improving tuberculosis control through public-private collaboration in India: literature review.

PubMed

Dewan, Puneet K; Lal, S S; Lonnroth, Knut; Wares, Fraser; Uplekar, Mukund; Sahu, Suvanand; Granich, Reuben; Chauhan, Lakhbir Singh

2006-03-11

To review the characteristics of public-private mix projects in India and their effect on case notification and treatment outcomes for tuberculosis. Literature review. Review of surveillance records from Indian tuberculosis programme project, evaluation reports, and medical literature for public-private mix projects in India. Project characteristics, tuberculosis case notification of new patients with sputum smear results positive for acid fast bacilli, and treatment outcome. Of 24 identified public-private mix projects, data were available from 14 (58%), involving private practitioners, corporations, and non-governmental organisations. In all reviewed projects, the public sector tuberculosis programme provided training and supervision of private providers. Among the five projects with available data on historical controls, case notification rates were higher after implementation of a public-private mix project. Among seven projects involving private practitioners, 2796 of 12 147 (23%) new patients positive for acid fast bacilli were attributed to private providers. Corporate based and non-governmental organisations served as the main source for tuberculosis programme services in seven project areas, detecting 9967 new patients positive for acid fast bacilli. In nine of 12 projects with data on treatment outcomes, private providers exceeded the programme target of 85% treatment success for new patients positive for acid fast bacilli. Public-private mix activities were associated with increased case notification, while maintaining acceptable treatment outcomes. Collaborations between public and private providers of health care hold considerable potential to improve tuberculosis control in India.

Identification and characterization of non-tuberculous mycobacteria isolated from tuberculosis suspects in Southern-central China.

PubMed

Yu, Xiao-li; Lu, Lian; Chen, Gao-zhan; Liu, Zhi-Guo; Lei, Hang; Song, Yan-zheng; Zhang, Shu-lin

2014-01-01

The incidence of non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM)-related death has increased globally recently. To obtain information of the species and characterization of pathogens involved in NTM pulmonary infection in Southern-central China, we identified 160 non-tuberculous infection cases from 3995 acid-fast bacilli (AFB)-positive tuberculous suspects. We then randomly selected 101 non-tuberculous patients, isolated bacteria from their sputa and genotyped the pathogens using the 16S rRNA gene and 16S-23S rRNA internal transcribed spacer sequences. M. intracellulare (32.67%, 33/101), M. abscessus (32.67%, 33/101) and M. fortuitum (7.92%, 8/101) are identified in these isolates. Surprisingly, non-mycobacteria including Gordonia (8.91%, 9/101), Nocardia (5.94%, 6/101) and Tsukamurella (0.99%, 1/101) are also discovered, and the case of Tsukamurella pulmonis infection is first discovered in Southern-central China. Moreover, species of M. mucogenicum group, M. chubuense, M. kansasii, M. gastri, M. avium, M. porcinum and M. smegmatis are identified. In addition, nine immune compromised cases (8.91%, 9/101), including type two diabetes mellitus and HIV/AIDS are found to be infected with non-tuberculous bacteria. This study revealed the distribution and characteristics of non-tuberculous AFB pathogen infection occurred in Southern-central China, and suggested that physicians should be alert of the emerging of NTM and non-mycobacteria infection in AFB positive cases and take caution when choosing chemotherapy for tuberculosis-like pulmonary infections. Generally, this study may help with the development of new strategy for the diagnosis and treatment of mycobacterial infection.

Fluorescent microscopy and Ziehl-Neelsen staining of bronchoalveolar lavage, bronchial washings, bronchoscopic brushing and post bronchoscopic sputum along with cytological examination in cases of suspected tuberculosis.

PubMed

Bodal, Vijay Kumar; Bal, Manjit S; Bhagat, Sunita; Kishan, Jai; Brar, Rupinder K

2015-01-01

Ever since the discovery of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in 1882, many diagnostic methods have been developed. However "The gold standard" for the diagnosis of tuberculosis (TB) is still the demonstration of acid fast Bacilli (AFB) by microscopic examination of smear or bacteriological confirmation by culture method. In suspected 75 patients with active pulmonary TB, the materials obtained bronchoscopically, were bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL), bronchial brushings, bronchial washings and post bronchoscopic sputum. Four smears were made from each of the specimen. Fluorescent Staining, Ziehl-Neelsen (ZN), Pap and May Grunwald-Giemsa (MGG) stains were carried out for cytological examination. Fluorescent stain yielded maximum AFB positivity in all the methods, that is 36 (48%) in post fibre-optic bronchoscopy (FOB) sputum and 19 (25.33%) by fluorescence microscopy in both bronchial brushings and bronchial washings. Maximum yield of AFB with ZN staining 12 (16%) was equal to the post FOB sputum and bronchial brushings samples. It was followed by 6 cases (8%) in BAL and 4 (5.3%) in bronchial washings. The cytological examination was suggestive of TB in only 8 (10.66%) cases in bronchial washings and 6 (8%) cases in post FOB collection. It was equal in BAL and Bronchial brushings each that is 5 (6.67%). Bronchoscopy is a useful diagnostic tool and fluorescent microscopy is more sensitive than ZN and cytology. On X-ray examination, other diseases like malignancy or fungus can also mimick TB. So apart from ZN staining or fluorescence microscopy, Pap and MGG stain will be worthwhile to identify other microorganisms.

[Clinical application of testing methods on acid-fast bacteria].

PubMed

Ichiyama, Satoshi; Suzuki, Katsuhiro

2005-02-01

Clinical bacteriology pertaining to acid-fast bacteria has made marked advances over the past decade, initiated by the development of a DNA probe kit for identification of acid-fast bacteria. Wide-spread use of nucleic acid amplification for rapid detection of tubercle bacillus contributed more greatly than any other factor to such advances in this field. At present, 90% of all kits used for nucleic acid amplification in the world are consumed in Japan. Unfortunately, not a few clinicians in Japan have a false idea that the smear method and nucleic acid amplification are necessary but culture is not. In any event nucleic acid amplification has exerted significant impacts on the routine works at bacteriology laboratories. Among others, collecting bacteria by pretreatment with NALC-NaOH has simplified the introduction of the collective mode smear method and liquid media. Furthermore, as clinicians have become increasingly more experienced with various methods of molecular biology, it now seems possible to apply these techniques for detection of genes encoding drug resistance and for utilization of molecular epidemiology in routine laboratory works. Meanwhile, attempts to diagnose acid-fast bacteriosis by checking blood for antibody have also been made, primarily in Japan. At present, two kits for detecting antibodies to glycolipids (LAM, TDM, etc.) are covered by national health insurance in Japan. We have an impression that in Japan clinicians do not have adequate knowledge and skill to make full use of these new testing methods clinically. We, as the chairmen of this symposium, hope that this symposium will help clinicians increase their skill related to new testing methods, eventually leading to stimulation of advances in clinical practices related to acid-fast bacteria in Japan. 1. Smear microscopy by concentration method and broth culture system: Kazunari TSUYUGUCHI (Clinical Research Center, National Hospital Organization Kinki-chuo Chest Medical Center) Smear

Proposed Closure of Myrtle Beach AFB, South Carolina

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-07-01

pesticides to provide greater protection to humans and the environment. * Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act, as amended...UST testing done by subordinate elements. Pesticides /Herbicides. A variety of chemicals are also used at Myrtle AFB to control pest infestations and...ground foliage. A list of the pesticides and herbicides stored on the base is included as part of Annex I of the Myrtle Beach AFB SPRP (April 1987) under

Ground winds and winds aloft for Edwards AFB, California (1978 revision)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Johnson, D. L.; Brown, S. C.

1978-01-01

Ground level runway wind statistics for the Edwards AFB, California area are presented. Crosswind, headwind, tailwind, and headwind reversal percentage frequencies are given with respect to month and hour for the two major Edwards AFB runways. Also presented are Edwards AFB bivariate normal wind statistics for a 90 degree flight azimuth for altitudes 0 through 27 km. Wind probability distributions and statistics for any rotation of axes can be computed from the five given parameters.

Comparative Study of GeneXpert with ZN Stain and Culture in Samples of Suspected Pulmonary Tuberculosis

PubMed Central

Bajaj, Ashish; Bhatia, Vinay; Dutt, Sarjana

2016-01-01

Introduction Tuberculosis remains one of the deadliest communicable diseases. There are number of tests available for the diagnosis of tuberculosis but conventional microscopy has low sensitivity and culture although gold standard, but takes longer time for positivity. On the other side, Nucleic acid amplification techniques due to its rapidity and sensitivity not only help in early diagnosis and management of tuberculosis especially in patients with high clinical suspicion like immunocompromised patients, history of contact with active tuberculosis patient etc., but also curtail the transmission of the disease. Aim To evaluate the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value of Nucleic acid amplification assay (GeneXpert) using respiratory samples in patients with suspected pulmonary tuberculosis and compare with AFB smear microscopy (Ziehl Neelsen stain) and Acid Fast Bacilli (AFB) culture. Materials and Methods We retrospectively reviewed the respiratory samples of suspected pulmonary tuberculosis (including Bronchoalveolar lavage and sputum) of 170 patients from Jan 2015 to Nov 2015 for ZN stain, culture and GeneXpert (Xpert® MTB/Rif assay). The sensitivity, specificity, PPV and NPV of GeneXpert and ZN microscopy were calculated using Liquid culture of Mycobacterium tuberculosis as gold standard. Results A total of 170 patient samples were evaluated in final analysis. Of these, 14 samples were positive by all three methods used in our study. The overall sensitivity, specificity, PPV and NPV of GeneXpert were 86.8%, 93.1%, 78.5% and 96% respectively and for BAL sample, 81.4%, 93.4%, 73.3% and 95.7% respectively. The overall sensitivity and specificity of AFB smear microscopy were 22.2%, % and 78.5% respectively and for BAL sample 22.2% and 100% respectively. For AFB negative samples sensitivity and specificity were 79.1% and 93.1% respectively. Conclusion GeneXpert has a higher sensitivity than AFB smear microscopy in

Wastewater Characterization Survey, Little Rock AFB, Arizona

DTIC Science & Technology

1989-05-01

ACCESSION NO •• 1 1 . TITLE (Include Security Clas~sficauton) Wastewater Characterization Survey, Little Rock AFB AR 12. PERSONAL AUTHOR(S) Scott...Rock AFB. 0.. 5., 1 ",.’ -- ’--: ... ’ Recommendations: ( 1 ) Cleaning of the grease traps at the dining facilities, i.e., the dining hall, NCO Club, and...USAF, BSC. I~ *8M/tt t("’O " ’ I 2(’t_/ ° DO Form 1473, JUN 86 Prr, ous editions -,e obsolete SE 1 4 k: (OfMTION OF T-,S PAGE i Item 19 Cont’d solids

AFB/open cycle gas turbine conceptual design study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dickinson, T. W.; Tashjian, R.

1983-01-01

Applications of coal fired atmospheric fluidized bed gas turbine systems in industrial cogeneration are identified. Based on site-specific conceptual designs, the potential benefits of the AFB/gas turbine system were compared with an atmospheric fluidized design steam boiler/steam turbine system. The application of these cogeneration systems at four industrial plant sites is reviewed. A performance and benefit analysis was made along with a study of the representativeness of the sites both in regard to their own industry and compared to industry as a whole. A site was selected for the conceptual design, which included detailed site definition, AFB/gas turbine and AFB/steam turbine cogeneration system designs, detailed cost estimates, and comparative performance and benefit analysis. Market and benefit analyses identified the potential market penetration for the cogeneration technologies and quantified the potential benefits.

AFB/open cycle gas turbine conceptual design study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dickinson, T. W.; Tashjian, R.

1983-09-01

Applications of coal fired atmospheric fluidized bed gas turbine systems in industrial cogeneration are identified. Based on site-specific conceptual designs, the potential benefits of the AFB/gas turbine system were compared with an atmospheric fluidized design steam boiler/steam turbine system. The application of these cogeneration systems at four industrial plant sites is reviewed. A performance and benefit analysis was made along with a study of the representativeness of the sites both in regard to their own industry and compared to industry as a whole. A site was selected for the conceptual design, which included detailed site definition, AFB/gas turbine and AFB/steam turbine cogeneration system designs, detailed cost estimates, and comparative performance and benefit analysis. Market and benefit analyses identified the potential market penetration for the cogeneration technologies and quantified the potential benefits.

Comparison of clinical and laboratory findings between those with pulmonary tuberculosis and those with nontuberculous mycobacterial lung disease.

PubMed

Thanachartwet, Vipa; Desakorn, Varunee; Duangrithi, Duangjai; Chunpongthong, Pongsak; Phojanamongkolkij, Kamol; Jitruckthai, Pasakorn; Kasetjaroen, Yuttichai; Pitisuttithum, Punnee

2014-01-01

In tuberculosis endemic areas, patients with sputum positive for acid-fast bacilli (AFB) are usually diagnosed and treated for pulmonary tuberculosis. The diagnosis of nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) lung disease is often ascertained only after lung disease progression occurs, increasing the risk of severe morbidity and mortality. We conducted a matched case-control study among a prospective cohort of 300 patients with newly diagnosed AFB-positive sputum in Thailand during 2010-2012. We compared clinical and laboratory parameters and outcomes among patients with pulmonary tuberculosis, NTM lung disease and NTM colonization. A mycobacterial culture was performed in all patients. Ten patients with NTM lung disease were compared to 50 patients with pulmonary tuberculosis and 10 patients with NTM colonization. The presence of diabetes mellitus or human immunodeficiency virus infection, were associated with NTM lung disease (p = 0.030). Patients with NTM lung disease had a significantly lower body weight prior to treatment (p = 0.021), a higher body weight change from baseline (p = 0.038), and were more likely to have cavitations on chest radiograph (p = 0.033) than those with NTM colonization. In tuberculosis endemic areas, mycobacterial identification should be performed among patients with impaired immune function. NTM lung disease treatment should be considered in patients with NTM sputum isolates who have a history of significant weight loss or cavitations on chest radiography.

Standard Operating Procedure Utilization for Tuberculosis Microscopy in Mekelle City, North Ethiopia.

PubMed

Weldu, Yemane; Gebru, Hagos; Kahsay, Getahun; Teweldemedhn, Gebremichael; Hagos, Yifter; Kahsay, Amlsha

2017-01-01

The aim of this study was to assess the utilization of standard operating procedures for acid-fast bacilli (AFB) smear microscopy. A facility-based cross-sectional study was conducted in select health institutions in Mekelle City, Ethiopia, from July 1, 2015, through August 30, 2015. Using a simple random sampling technique, 18 health facilities were included in the study. Data were collected using a standard checklist and entered into Epi Info version 3.5.4 (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA) for editing. Analysis was done using SPSS version 20 (SPSS, Chicago, IL). Of the 18 laboratory facilities, only seven (38.9%) had a legible AFB registration book. In three (16.7%) of the laboratories, heat fixation was not applied before adding primary staining reagent. In 12 (66.7%), the staining reagents had precipitates. Two laboratories had microscopes with mechanical stages that could not move freely on both axes. Seven (38.9%) of the laboratories reported samples to be negative before examining all required fields. Most laboratories, 16 (88.9%) and 17 (94.4%), respectively, did not run positive and negative controls after new batch reagent preparation. Tuberculosis microscopy was found to be substandard with clear gaps in documentation, sample collection, and processing. © American Society for Clinical Pathology, 2017. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com

Improving Diagnostic of Pulmonary Tuberculosis in HIV Patients by Bronchoscopy: A Cross Sectional Study.

PubMed

Santoso, Prayudi; Soeroto, Arto Y; Juniati, Rianita; Hartantri, Yovita; Wisaksana, Rudi; Alisjabana, Bachti; Nataprawira, Heda M; Parwati, Ida

2017-10-01

diagnostic of pulmonary TB in HIV patients is a problem due to non specific clinical features, or radiological appearance. HIV patients with CD4≤200 cells/mL infected with M. tuberculosis have less capacity in containing M. tuberculosis, developing granulomas, casseous necrosis, or cavities. This condition is caused by weakend inflammatory which later reduced sputum production and may cause false negative result. This study aimed to assess differences in the positivity level of acid fast bacilli (AFB) and cultures of M. tuberculosis from non-bronchoscopic sputum (spontaneous and induced sputum) compared to bronchoscopic sputum (bronchoalveolar lavage) in HIV positive patients suspected pulmonary tuberculosis with CD4<200 cells/μL. this cross sectional study was conducted in adult HIV patients treated in Hasan Sadikin Hospital with CD4≤200 cells/μL suspected with pulmonary tuberculosis by using paired comparative analytic test. All patients expelled sputum spontaneously or with sputum induction on the first day. On the next day, bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) was performed. The two samples obtained from two methods were examined by AFB examination with staining Ziehl Neelsen (ZN) and cultured of M. tuberculosis on solid media Ogawa on all patients. Positivity, sensitivity and increased sensitivity of AFB and culture of M. tuberculosis in the non bronchoscopic and bronchoscopic groups were compared. there were differences in the positivity level of AFB with ZN staining between non-bronchoscopic and bronchoscopic groups which were 7/40 (17.5%) vs 20/40 (50.0%) (p<0.001). The differences between the cultures of non-bronchoscopic and bronchoscopic groups were 16/40 (40.0%) vs 23/40 (57.5%) (p=0.039). Bronchoscopic sputum increased the positivity level of the ZN AFB examination by 32.5% (from 17.5% to 50.0%) as well as on culture examination by 17.5% (from 40.0% to 57.5%). Bronchoalveolar lavage can improve the positivity level of smears and cultures in patients

Identification of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in Clinical Specimens of Patients Suspected of Having Extrapulmonary Tuberculosis by Application of Nested PCR on Five Different Genes

PubMed Central

Khosravi, Azar D.; Alami, Ameneh; Meghdadi, Hossein; Hosseini, Atta A.

2017-01-01

Definitive and rapid diagnosis of extrapulmonary tuberculosis (EPTB) is challenging since conventional techniques have limitations due to the paucibacillary nature of the disease. To increase the sensitivity of detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) in EPTB specimens, we performed a nested PCR assay targeting several genes of MTB on EPTB specimens. A total of 100 clinical specimens from suspected cases of EPTB were processed. Standard staining for acid fast bacilli (AFB) was performed as the preliminary screening test. Extracted DNAs from specimens were subjected to Nested PCR technique for the detection of five different MTB target genes of IS6110, IS1081, hsp65kd, mbp64, and mtp40. On performing AFB staining, only 13% of specimens were positive, of which ascites fluid (33.3%), followed by pleural effusion (30.8%) showed the greatest AFB positivity rate. We demonstrated slight improvement in yields in lymph node which comprised the majority of specimens in this study, by employing PCR targeted to IS6110- and hsp65-genes in comparison to AFB staining. However, the yields in ascites fluid and pleural effusion were not substantially improved by PCR, but those from bone and wound were, as in nested PCR employing either gene, the same positivity rate were obtained for ascites fluid (33.3%), while for pleural effusion specimens only IS1081 based PCR showed identical positivity rate with AFB stain (30.8%). The results for bone and wound specimens, however, demonstrated an improved yield mainly by employing IS1081 gene. Here, we report higher detection rate of EPTB in clinical specimens using five different targeted MTB genes. This nested PCR approach facilitates the comparison and the selection of the most frequently detected genes. Of course this study demonstrated the priority of IS1081 followed by mtp40 and IS6110, among the five tested genes and indicates the effectiveness of any of the three genes in the design of an efficient nested-PCR test that facilitates

Identification of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in Clinical Specimens of Patients Suspected of Having Extrapulmonary Tuberculosis by Application of Nested PCR on Five Different Genes.

PubMed

Khosravi, Azar D; Alami, Ameneh; Meghdadi, Hossein; Hosseini, Atta A

2017-01-01

Definitive and rapid diagnosis of extrapulmonary tuberculosis (EPTB) is challenging since conventional techniques have limitations due to the paucibacillary nature of the disease. To increase the sensitivity of detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) in EPTB specimens, we performed a nested PCR assay targeting several genes of MTB on EPTB specimens. A total of 100 clinical specimens from suspected cases of EPTB were processed. Standard staining for acid fast bacilli (AFB) was performed as the preliminary screening test. Extracted DNAs from specimens were subjected to Nested PCR technique for the detection of five different MTB target genes of IS6110, IS1081, hsp65kd, mbp64 , and mtp40 . On performing AFB staining, only 13% of specimens were positive, of which ascites fluid (33.3%), followed by pleural effusion (30.8%) showed the greatest AFB positivity rate. We demonstrated slight improvement in yields in lymph node which comprised the majority of specimens in this study, by employing PCR targeted to IS6110 - and hsp65-genes in comparison to AFB staining. However, the yields in ascites fluid and pleural effusion were not substantially improved by PCR, but those from bone and wound were, as in nested PCR employing either gene, the same positivity rate were obtained for ascites fluid (33.3%), while for pleural effusion specimens only IS1081 based PCR showed identical positivity rate with AFB stain (30.8%). The results for bone and wound specimens, however, demonstrated an improved yield mainly by employing IS1081 gene. Here, we report higher detection rate of EPTB in clinical specimens using five different targeted MTB genes. This nested PCR approach facilitates the comparison and the selection of the most frequently detected genes. Of course this study demonstrated the priority of IS1081 followed by mtp40 and IS6110 , among the five tested genes and indicates the effectiveness of any of the three genes in the design of an efficient nested-PCR test that

Spectra analysis of coating antigen: A possible explanation for difference in anti-AFB1 polyclonal antibody sensitivity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ye, Yang; Liu, Aiping; Wang, Xiaohong; Chen, Fusheng

2016-10-01

For the detection of small hapten molecules, indirect competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (icELISA) is a preferred method. However, diverse coating antigen might bring different antiserum titer and sensitivity for the identical antiserum. In the present study, four AFB1-protein (aflatoxin B1-carrier protein) conjugates were prepared by activated ester method (AFB1O-BSA/AFB1O-OVA) and mannich method (AFB1-cBSA/AFB1-cOVA), and then applied as coating antigen for titer and sensitivity detection of the identical antiserum obtained from rabbit immunized by AFB1-KLH. Afterwards, the ultraviolet-visible, fluorescence and far-ultraviolet circular dichroism (far-UV CD) spectra were recorded for understanding the difference in titer and sensitivity obtained. Results revealed that AFB1O-BSA/AFB1O-OVA showed a strong intrinsic fluorescence band centered at 450 nm that originated from the emission of AFB1, which differed from AFB1-cBSA/AFB1-cOVA, while the decrease of α-helical and increase of β-sheet in AFB1-cBSA was the most remarkable. This indicated that the better sensitivity obtained by using AFB1O-BSA as coating antigen might be caused by its extended structure, because such structure affect the binding between AFB1 and antibody. The study might offer structural information for understanding the titer and sensitivity difference caused by coating antigen.

McClellan AFB, California, RI/FS Quality Assurance Project Plan. Installation Restoration Program (IRP) Stage 3.

DTIC Science & Technology

1992-08-07

AD-A5 6 ... 1... . .. .. .... INSTALLATION RESTORATION PROGRAM (IRP) STAGE 3 7m~ QUALITY ASSURANCE -k- PROJECT PLAN for McCLELLAN AFB , CALIFORNIA...FINAL.. S AUG 2. 1 1992 L PREPARED FOR: .... ... McCLELLAN AFB IEM McCLELLAN AFB , CALIFORNIA 9652-599 ................... fr pu licrele se...PLAN FINAL ’’ : " FOR McCLELLAN AFB /EM McCLELLAN AFB , CALIFORNIA 95652-5990 August 1992 AUG 2 11992 PREPARED BY: DI Radian Corporation10389 Old

CT-Guided Transthoracic Core Biopsy for Pulmonary Tuberculosis: Diagnostic Value of the Histopathological Findings in the Specimen

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Fukuda, Hozumi, E-mail: fkdhzmrad@mitsuihosp.or.jp; Ibukuro, Kenji; Tsukiyama, Toshitaka

We evaluated the value of CT-guided transthoracic core biopsy for the diagnosis of mycobacterial pulmonary nodules. The 30 subjects in this study had pulmonary nodules that had been either diagnosed histopathologically as tuberculosis or were suspected as tuberculosis based on a specimen obtained by CT-guided transthoracic core biopsy. The histopathological findings, the existence of acid-fast bacilli in the biopsy specimens, and the clinical course of the patients after the biopsy were reviewed retrospectively. Two of the three histological findings for tuberculosis that included epithelioid cells, multinucleated giant cells and caseous necrosis were observed in 21 of the nodules which weremore » therefore diagnosed as histological tuberculosis. Six of these 21 nodules were positive for acid-fast bacilli, confirming the diagnosis of tuberculosis. Thirteen of the 21 nodules did not contain acid-fast bacilli but decreased in size in response to antituberculous treatment and were therefore diagnosed as clinical tuberculosis. Seven nodules with only caseous necrosis were diagnosed as suspected tuberculosis, with a final diagnosis of tuberculosis being made in 4 of the nodules and a diagnosis of old tuberculosis in 2 nodules. Two nodules with only multinucleated giant cells were diagnosed as suspected tuberculosis with 1 of these nodules being diagnosed finally as tuberculosis and the other nodule as a nonspecific granuloma. When any two of the three following histopathological findings - epithelioid cells, multinucleated giant cells or caseous necrosis - are observed in a specimen obtained by CT-guided transthoracic core biopsy, the diagnosis of tuberculosis can be established without the detection of acid-fast bacilli or Mycobacterium tuberculosis.« less

Performance of diagnostic tests for bovine tuberculosis in North American furbearers and implications for surveillance.

PubMed

O'Brien, D J; Fierke, J S; Cooley, T M; Fitzgerald, S D; Cosgrove, M K; Schmitt, S M

2013-11-01

Risks of bovine tuberculosis (bTB) transmission from free-ranging wildlife to livestock remain a concern in the United States, in both known endemic areas and where spillover from recently-infected livestock herds occurs. Federal agriculture officials in the United States (US) have recommended surveillance of non-cervid furbearers to determine whether free-ranging wildlife in the vicinity of cattle herd breakdowns are bTB infected, yet the efficacy of common diagnostic tests in these species is largely unknown. We calculated the sensitivity, specificity, predictive values and positive likelihood ratios for bTB infection in carcasses of sixteen species of furbearers tested via: (i) the presence of gross lesions compatible with bTB; (ii) histopathology consistent with bTB; and (iii) the presence of acid-fast bacilli (AFB) on histopathology. The gold standard comparison test was mycobacterial culture of cranial ± visceral lymph nodes pooled for each animal. Forty-two animals distributed across six species cultured bTB positive from among 1522 furbearers tested over thirteen years. The sensitivity of all three tests was poor (10%, 22% and 24% for gross lesions, AFB and histopathology, respectively), while specificities (all ≥ 99%) and negative predictive values (all ≥ 97%) were high. Positive predictive values varied widely (31-75%). Likelihood ratios for culture positivity given a positive test result showed AFB on histopathology to be the most reliable test, and gross lesions the least, though confidence intervals were wide and overlapping. While non-cervid furbearers may prove useful in North American bTB surveillance, wildlife managers should be aware of factors that may abate their utility and complicate interpretation of surveillance. © 2013 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Performance of a Novel Algorithm Using Automated Digital Microscopy for Diagnosing Tuberculosis.

PubMed

Ismail, Nazir A; Omar, Shaheed V; Lewis, James J; Dowdy, David W; Dreyer, Andries W; van der Meulen, Hermina; Nconjana, George; Clark, David A; Churchyard, Gavin J

2015-06-15

TBDx automated microscopy is a novel technology that processes digital microscopic images to identify acid-fast bacilli (AFB). Use of TBDx as part of a diagnostic algorithm could improve the diagnosis of tuberculosis (TB), but its performance characteristics have not yet been formally tested. To evaluate the performance of the TBDx automated microscopy system in algorithms for diagnosis of TB. Prospective samples from patients with presumed TB were processed in parallel with conventional smear microscopy, TBDx microscopy, and liquid culture. All TBDx-positive specimens were also tested with the Xpert MTB/RIF (GXP) assay. We evaluated the sensitivity and specificity of two algorithms-(1) TBDx-GXP (TBDx with positive specimens tested by Xpert MTB/RIF) and (2) TBDx alone-against the gold standard liquid media culture. Of 1,210 samples, 1,009 were eligible for evaluation, of which 109 were culture positive for Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The TBDx system identified 70 specimens (68 culture positive) as having 10 or more putative AFB (high positive) and 207 (19 culture positive) as having 1-9 putative AFB (low positive). An algorithm in which "low-positive" results on TBDx were confirmed by GXP had 78% sensitivity (85 of 109) and 99.8% specificity (889 of 900), requiring 21% (207 of 1,009) specimens to be processed by GXP. As a stand-alone test, a "high-positive" result on TBDx had 62% sensitivity and 99.7% specificity. TBDx used in diagnostic algorithms with GXP provided reasonable sensitivity and high specificity for active TB while dramatically reducing the number GXP tests performed. As a stand-alone microscopy system, its performance was equivalent to that of a highly experienced TB microscopist.

Relocation of the Air National Guard 176th Wing to Elmendorf AFB, Alaska

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-09-01

originally based at Elmendorf AFB under the command of Alaskan Air Command. The next 35 years witnessed the relocation of AKANG functions to Kulis ... Kulis ANGB closure, to support future mission growth, and realize efficiencies gained through integrating the operations and support functions of...support elements would relocate from Kulis ANGB to Elmendorf AFB resulting in a complete functioning AKANG Wing embedded within Elmendorf AFB

Environmental Assessment for Management of South End of Runway Wetlands, Moody AFB, Georgia

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-11-01

implement a management program for the wetlands at the south end of runway (EOR) at Moody AFB to reduce the bird/wildlife aircraft strike hazard (BASH) risk...because birds and other wildlife pose an increased bird/wildlife aircraft strike hazard (BASH) risk to aircraft utilizing the Moody AFB airfield. ln...support ofthe military mission, Moody AFB has implemented a BASH management program designed to minimize aircraft exposure to potentially hazardous

Detection of serum AFB1-lysine adduct in Malaysia and its association with liver and kidney functions.

PubMed

Mohd Redzwan, S; Rosita, Jamaluddin; Mohd Sokhini, A M; Nurul 'Aqilah, A R; Wang, Jia-Sheng; Kang, Min-Su; Zuraini, Ahmad

2014-01-01

Aflatoxin is ubiquitously found in many foodstuffs and produced by Aspergillus species of fungi. Of many aflatoxin metabolites, AFB1 is classified by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) as group one carcinogen and linked to the development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The study on molecular biomarker of aflatoxin provides a better assessment on the extent of human exposure to aflatoxin. In Malaysia, the occurrences of aflatoxin-contaminated foods have been documented, but there is a lack of data on human exposure to aflatoxin. Hence, this study investigated the occurrence of AFB1-lysine adduct in serum samples and its association with liver and kidney functions. 5ml fasting blood samples were collected from seventy-one subjects (n=71) for the measurement of AFB1-lysine adduct, albumin, total bilirubin, AST (aspartate aminotransferase), ALT (alanine transaminase), ALP (alkaline phosphatase), GGT (gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase), creatinine and BUN (blood urea nitrogen). The AFB1-lysine adduct was detected in all serum samples (100% detection rate) with a mean of 6.85±3.20pg/mg albumin (range: 1.13-18.85pg/mg albumin). Male subjects (mean: 8.03±3.41pg/mg albumin) had significantly higher adduct levels than female subjects (mean: 5.64±2.46pg/mg albumin) (p<0.01). It was noteworthy that subjects with adduct levels greater than average (>6.85pg/mg albumin) had significantly elevated level of total bilirubin (p<0.01), GGT (p<0.05) and creatinine (p<0.01). Nevertheless, only the level of total bilirubin, (r=0.347, p-value=0.003) and creatinine (r=0.318, p-value=0.007) showed significant and positive correlation with the level of AFB1-lysine adduct. This study provides a valuable insight on human exposure to aflatoxin in Malaysia. Given that aflatoxin can pose serious problem to the health, intervention strategies should be implemented to limit/reduce human exposure to aflatoxin. Besides, a study with a big sample size should be warranted in

Chronic Mycobacterium abscessus infection and lung function decline in cystic fibrosis.

PubMed

Esther, Charles R; Esserman, Denise A; Gilligan, Peter; Kerr, Alan; Noone, Peadar G

2010-03-01

Although nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) are recognized pathogens in cystic fibrosis (CF), associations with clinical outcomes remain unclear. Microbiological data was obtained from 1216 CF patients over 8years (481+/-55patients/year). Relationships to clinical outcomes were examined in the subset (n=271, 203+/-23 patients/year) with longitudinal data. Five hundred thirty-six of 4862 (11%) acid-fast bacilli (AFB) cultures grew NTM, with Mycobacterium abscessus (n=298, 55.6%) and Mycobacterium avium complex (n=190, 35.4%) most common. Associated bacterial cultures grew Stenotrophomonas or Aspergillus species more often when NTM were isolated (18.2% vs. 8.4% and 13.9% vs. 7.2%, respectively, p<0.01). After controlling for confounders, patients with chronic M. abscessus infection had greater rates of lung function decline than those with no NTM infection (-2.52 vs. -1.64% predicted FEV(1)/year, p<0.05). NTM infection is common in CF and associated with particular pathogens. Chronic M. abscessus infection is associated with increased lung function decline. Copyright (c) 2009 European Cystic Fibrosis Society. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Mycobacteria and allograft heart valve banking: an international survey.

PubMed

Warwick, R M; Magee, J G; Leeming, J P; Graham, J C; Hannan, M M; Chadwick, M; Crook, D W; Yearsley, C P; Rayner, A; Parker, R

2008-03-01

Since the 1970s many tissue banks have been testing allograft heart valves (HVs) for Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB). Donor selection for low risk of tuberculosis (TB) was introduced in the 1980s and appears to have reduced the risk of TB transmission. Regulatory guidance does not specify testing for TB, but does exclude donors with a recent history of TB. This survey of HV international bank practices revealed variations in donor selection, testing and processing of valves. Participant banks (from Europe and the USA) reported that over a period of 15 years, HV tissues from 38,413 donors were banked and 32,289 donors were tested for TB, none being positive. HV-associated tissue from 27,840 donors was stained and underwent microscopy; none of these were positive for acid-fast bacilli (AFB). Non-tuberculosis mycobacteria (NTBM) were detected by culture on 24 HVs. It is recommended that HV banks employ donor selection to exclude donors at risk of TB, to culture material for mycobacteria, and to investigate potential sources when clusters of NTBM are found to facilitate corrective and preventative actions.

Combining PCR with Microscopy to Reduce Costs of Laboratory Diagnosis of Buruli Ulcer

PubMed Central

Yeboah-Manu, Dorothy; Asante-Poku, Adwoa; Asan-Ampah, Kobina; Ampadu, Emelia Danso Edwin; Pluschke, Gerd

2011-01-01

The introduction of antibiotic therapy as first-line treatment of Buruli ulcer underlines the importance of laboratory confirmation of clinical diagnosis. Because smear microscopy has very limited sensitivity, the technically demanding and more expensive IS2404 diagnostic polymerase chain reaction (PCR) has become the main method for confirmation. By optimization of the release of mycobacteria from swab specimen and concentration of bacterial suspensions before smearing, we were able to improve the detection rate of acid-fast bacilli by microscopy after Ziehl–Neelsen staining. Compared with IS2404 PCR, which is the gold standard diagnostic method, the sensitivity and specificity of microscopy with 100 concentrated specimens were 58.4% and 95.7%, respectively. We subsequently evaluated a stepwise laboratory confirmation algorithm with detection of AFB as first-line method and IS2404 PCR performed only with those samples that were negative in microscopic analysis. This stepwise approach reduced unit cost by more than 50% to $5.41, and the total costs were reduced from $917 to $433. PMID:22049046

Cold active hydrolytic enzymes production by psychrotrophic Bacilli isolated from three sub-glacial lakes of NW Indian Himalayas.

PubMed

Yadav, Ajar Nath; Sachan, Shashwati Ghosh; Verma, Priyanka; Kaushik, Rajeev; Saxena, Anil Kumar

2016-03-01

The diversity of culturable, cold-active enzymes producing Bacilli was investigated from three sub-glacial lakes of north western Indian Himalayas. Amplified ribosomal DNA restriction analysis (ARDRA) using three restriction enzymes Alu I, Msp I, and Hae III led to the clustering of 136 Bacilli into 26, 23, and 22 clusters at 75% similarity index from Chandratal Lake, Dashair Lake, and Pangong Lake, respectively. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequencing led to the identification of 35 Bacilli that could be grouped in seven families viz.: Bacillaceae (48%), Staphylococcaceae (14%), Bacillales incertae sedis (13%), Planococcaceae (12%), Paenibacillaceae (9%), Sporolactobacillaceae (3%), and Carnobacteriaceae (1%), which included twelve different genera Bacillus, Desemzia, Exiguobacterium, Jeotgalicoccus, Lysinibacillus, Paenibacillus, Planococcus, Pontibacillus, Sinobaca, Sporosarcina, Staphylococcus, and Virgibacillus. Based on their optimal temperature for growth, 35 Bacilli were grouped as psychrophilic (11 strains), psychrotrophic (17 strains), or psychrotolerant (7 strains), respectively. The representative isolates from each cluster were screened for cold-active enzyme activities. Amylase, β-glucosidase, pectinase, and protease activities at 4 °C were detected in more than 80% of the strains while approximately 40, 31, 23, 14, 11, and 9% of strains possessed cellulase, xylanase, β-galactosidase, laccase, chitinase, and lipase activity, respectively. Among 35 Bacilli, Bacillus amyloliquefaciens, Bacillus marisflavi, Exiguobacterium indicum, Paenibacillus terrae, Pontibacillus sp., Sporosarcina globispora, and Sporosarcina psychrophila were efficient producers of different cold-active enzymes. These cold-adapted Bacilli could play an important role in industrial and agricultural processes. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Effects of fasting on intestinal transfer of sugars and amino acids in vitro

PubMed Central

Newey, H.; Sanford, P. A.; Smyth, D. H.

1970-01-01

1. Transfer of sugars, amino acids and fluid and metabolism of glucose were studied with everted sacs of small intestine prepared from fed and 3-day fasted rats. 2. In the absence of glucose there was some evidence for increased intestinal transfer of sugars and amino acids in fasted animals. In the presence of glucose there was in general decrease in transfer of amino acids and fluid. 3. In fasted animals glucose transfer was reduced except in the lower ileum, and there was a general reduction in glucose metabolism. 4. Because of the large reduction in gut weight in fasted animals, expressing transfer on a weight basis is considered not to be a valid procedure in studying the effects of fasting on intestinal transfer. 5. The results have been discussed in relation to effects of fasting on energy availability, efficiency of transfer mechanisms, permeability of the intestine and the value of in vitro methods in the study of physiological absorption. PMID:5499792

Reduced importation of tuberculosis after the implementation of an enhanced pre-immigration screening protocol.

PubMed

Lowenthal, P; Westenhouse, J; Moore, M; Posey, D L; Watt, J P; Flood, J

2011-06-01

Importation of infectious tuberculosis (TB) threatens TB control in California and the United States. To assess the effectiveness of an enhanced pre-immigration screening and treatment protocol to prevent the importation of infectious TB. Retrospective analysis of immigrants ≥ 15 years of age with TB suspect classifications who were screened for TB in their countries of origin before (pre-intervention cohort) and after (post-intervention cohort) implementation of enhanced pre-immigration screening. Enhanced pre-immigration screening added sputum cultures to the existing screening system based on sputum smears for persons with abnormal chest radiographs. The pre- and post-intervention cohorts included respectively 2049 and 1430 immigrants. The occurrence of tuberculosis ≤ 6 months after US arrival in this population decreased following the intervention, from 4.2% (86 cases) to 1.5% (22 cases, P < 0.001). Among pre-intervention cohort cases, 14% were sputum acid-fast bacilli (AFB) smear-positive and 81% were sputum culture-positive for TB, compared with 5% sputum AFB smear-positive (P = 0.46) and 68% sputum culture-positive (P = 0.18) among the post-intervention cohort cases. The enhanced pre-immigration screening was associated with a decline in the proportion of immigrants with TB suspect classifications identified with TB within 6 months of arrival in the United States. Continued state and national surveillance is critical to monitor the effectiveness of the revised pre-immigration screening as it is implemented in additional countries.

Epidemiology of Rifampicin Resistant Tuberculosis and Common Mutations in rpoB Gene of Mycobacterium tuberculosis: A Retrospective Study from Six Districts of Punjab (India) Using Xpert MTB/RIF Assay.

PubMed

Kaur, Ramandeep; Jindal, Neerja; Arora, Shilpa; Kataria, Shajla

2016-01-01

Xpert MTB/RIF assay has revolutionized the diagnosis of tuberculosis (TB) by simultaneously detecting the bacteria and resistance to rifampicin (RIF), a surrogate marker for multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB) in <2 h. The RIF resistance pattern in Malwa region of Punjab, India, is not documented. Here, we report the epidemiology of RIF-resistant TB and mutations in rpoB gene of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB). A total of 1612 specimens received between October 2013 and February 2015 were tested by Xpert MTB/RIF assay following manufacturer's instructions. The results thus obtained were analyzed using SPSS version 20.0.0 (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL, USA) statistical software. RIF resistance was statistically higher in previously treated patients in comparison to the new patients (P = 0.006) and in patients with acid fast-Bacilli (AFB) positive smears to AFB-negative smears (P = 0.048). RIF resistance mutations in 130 specimens revealed frequency of E 73/130 (56%), B 28/130 (21.5%), D 18/130 (13.8%), A 11/130 (8.4%), and C 1/130 (0.7%) while in one specimen, mutation combination, i.e., mutations associated with more than one probe (A and B both) was present. Xpert MTB/RIF assay is a user-friendly screening tool for detection of MTB and RIF resistance from suspected TB/MDR cases in a shorter period of time. It could also serve as a useful technique to have simultaneous preliminary information regarding the mutation pattern of RIF resistance in MTB isolates.

Cost-effectiveness analysis of the Xpert MTB/RIF assay for rapid diagnosis of suspected tuberculosis in an intermediate burden area.

PubMed

You, Joyce H S; Lui, Grace; Kam, Kai Man; Lee, Nelson L S

2015-04-01

We examined, from a Hong Kong healthcare providers' perspective, the cost-effectiveness of rapid diagnosis with Xpert in patients hospitalized for suspected active pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB). A decision tree was designed to simulate outcomes of three diagnostic assessment strategies in adult patients hospitalized for suspected active PTB: conventional approach, sputum smear plus Xpert for acid-fast bacilli (AFB) smear-negative, and a single sputum Xpert test. Model inputs were derived from the literature. Outcome measures were direct medical cost, one-year mortality rate, quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) and incremental cost per QALY (ICER). In the base-case analysis, Xpert was more effective with higher QALYs gained and a lower mortality rate when compared with smear plus Xpert by an ICER of USD99. A conventional diagnostic approach was the least preferred option with the highest cost, lowest QALYs gained and highest mortality rate. Sensitivity analysis showed that Xpert would be the most cost-effective option if the sensitivity of sputum AFB smear microscopy was ≤74%. The probabilities of Xpert, smear plus Xpert and a conventional approach to be cost-effective were 94.5%, 5.5% and 0%, respectively, in 10,000 Monte Carlo simulations. The Xpert sputum test appears to be a highly cost-effective diagnostic strategy for patients with suspected active PTB in an intermediate burden area like Hong Kong. Copyright © 2015 The British Infection Association. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of risk factors for false-negative results with an antigen-specific peripheral blood-based quantitative T cell assay (T-SPOT®. TB) in the diagnosis of active tuberculosis: A large-scale retrospective study in China.

PubMed

Yang, Chi; Zhang, Shaojun; Yao, Lan; Fan, Lin

2018-05-01

Objective To investigate the diagnostic efficacy of an interferon-γ release assay, T-SPOT ® . TB, for diagnosing active tuberculosis (TB) and to identify risk factors for false-negative results. Methods This retrospective study enrolled consecutive patients with active TB and with non-TB respiratory diseases to evaluate the risk factors for false-negative results when using the T-SPOT ® . TB assay for the diagnosis of active TB. Patients with active TB were categorized as having confirmed pulmonary TB, clinically diagnosed pulmonary TB or extrapulmonary TB (EPTB). Results This study analysed 4964 consecutive patients; 2425 with active TB and 2539 with non-TB respiratory diseases. Multivariate logistic regression analyses identified the following five factors that were all associated with an increased false-negative rate with the T-SPOT ® . TB assay: increased age (odds ratio [OR] 1.018; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.013, 1.024); decreased CD8+ count (OR 0.307; 95% CI 0.117, 0.803); negative sputum acid-fast bacilli (AFB) smear staining (OR 1.821; 95% CI 1.338, 2.477); negative mycobacterial cultures (OR 1.379; 95% CI 1.043, 1.824); and absence of EPTB (OR 1.291; 95% CI 1.026, 1.623). Conclusions Increased age, decreased CD8+ count, negative sputum AFB smear results, negative sputum mycobacterial cultures and absence of EPTB might lead to an increased false-negative rate when using the T-SPOT ® . TB assay.

Installation Restoration Program. Phase 1. Records Search, Lowry AFB, Colorado

DTIC Science & Technology

1983-08-01

donated to the * Federal Government by the City and County of Denver. By 1940, two hang- , ers had been constructed . Nine hundred and sixty adjoining...facility was under construccion . In 1958, preparation for the Titan I Missile began with the activa- tion of the 703rd Strategic Missile Wing at Lowry AFB...last T-29 departed from Lowry AFB, ending Lowry’s years as an active flying base. * . Since 1966 significant construction of dormatories and offices

Evaluation of Xpert MTB/RIF assay in children with presumed pulmonary tuberculosis in Papua New Guinea.

PubMed

Kasa Tom, Sharon; Welch, Henry; Kilalang, Cornelia; Tefuarani, Nakapi; Vince, John; Lavu, Evelyn; Johnson, Karen; Magaye, Ruth; Duke, Trevor

2018-05-01

The Gene Xpert MTB/ RIF assay (Xpert) is used for rapid, simultaneous detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) and rifampicin resistance. This study examined the accuracy of Xpert in children with suspected pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB). Children admitted to Port Moresby General Hospital with suspected PTB were prospectively enrolled between September 2014 and March 2015. They were classified into probable, possible and TB-unlikely groups. Sputum or gastric aspirates were tested by Xpert and smear microscopy; mycobacterial culture was undertaken on a subset. Children were diagnosed with TB on the basis of standard criteria which were used as the primary reference standard. Xpert, smear for acid-fast bacilli (AFB) and the Edwards TB score were compared with the primary reference standard. A total of 93 children ≤14 years with suspected PTB were enrolled; 67 (72%) were classified as probable, 21 (22%) possible and 5 (5.4%) TB-unlikely. Eighty were treated for TB based on the primary reference standard. Xpert was positive in 26/93 (28%) MTB cases overall, including 22/67 (33%) with probable TB and 4/21 (19%) with possible TB. Three (13%) samples identified rifampicin resistance. Xpert confirmed more cases of TB than AFB smear (26 vs 13, p = 0.019). The sensitivity of Xpert, AFB smear and an Edwards TB score of ≥7 was 31% (25/80), 16% (13/80) and 90% (72/80), respectively, and the specificity was 92% (12/13), 100% (13/13) and 31% (4/13), respectively, when compared with the primary reference standard. Xpert sensitivity is sub-optimal and cannot be relied upon for diagnosing TB, although a positive result is confirmatory. A detailed history and examination, standardised clinical criteria, radiographs and available tests remain the most appropriate way of diagnosing TB in children in resource-limited countries. Xpert helps confirm PTB better than AFB smear, and identifies rifampicin resistance. Practical guidelines should be used to identify children who

The toxicity and decreased concentration of aflatoxin B in natural lactic acid fermented maize meal.

PubMed

Mokoena, M P; Chelule, P K; Gqaleni, N

2006-04-01

Aflatoxin B(1) (AFB(1)) is a mycotoxin which is known to frequently contaminate poorly stored food products destined for human consumption. This study was carried out to investigate the potential activity of lactic acid fermentation in reducing AFB(1) level in fermented maize meal products. Maize meal was spiked with 60 mug g(-1) AFB(1) and fermented, with or without starter culture, for 4 days at 25 degrees C. Unbound AFB(1) in solution and the pH of the media were monitored daily. A significant decrease (P < 0.05) in the level of unbound AFB(1) was observed (75% in the fourth day). Simultaneously, a progressive decrease in the pH of the media from 6.5 to 3.1 was also observed. AFB(1) was below the detection limit in commercial fermented porridge (amahewu) samples. Cytotoxicity tests on AFB(1)-spiked fermented extracts showed that those with a starter culture were comparatively less toxic (30-36%) than those with no added starter culture (24-30%). However, this difference was not significant (P > 0.05). These results indicate that lactic acid fermentation can significantly reduce the concentration of AFB(1) in maize to trace levels. However, the safety of fermented products has not been well studied, as the mechanism of AFB(1) removal is not well understood. Natural fermentation may potentially reduce exposure to natural toxins occurring in food.

Pathology of pulmonary tuberculosis and non-tuberculous mycobacterial lung disease: Facts, misconceptions, and practical tips for pathologists.

PubMed

Jain, Deepali; Ghosh, Subha; Teixeira, Lucileia; Mukhopadhyay, Sanjay

2017-11-01

Most pathologists are familiar with the microscopic features of tuberculosis and the need to examine special stains for acid-fast bacteria (AFB) in cases of granulomatous lung disease. However, misconceptions do exist, including the concept that finding AFB in "caseating granulomas" confirms the diagnosis of tuberculosis. This dogma is attributable to the high prevalence of tuberculosis in many countries, as well as unfamiliarity with the microscopic spectrum of non-tuberculous mycobacterial lung disease. This review aims to provide surgical pathologists with practical tips to identify AFB, illustrate the histologic overlap between pulmonary tuberculosis and non-tuberculous mycobacterial lung disease, and highlight the importance of cultures in this setting. M. tuberculosis and non-tuberculous mycobacteria cannot be reliably differentiated either on the basis of the tissue reaction or by bacterial morphology on acid-fast stains. Although a presumptive clinical diagnosis of tuberculosis can be made without culture-confirmation, the only definitive means to determine the true identity of AFB is by cultures or molecular methods. Making this distinction is most critical when AFB are found in incidentally detected lung nodules in geographic locations where the incidence of tuberculosis is low, because in such settings AFB in necrotizing granulomas of the lung are more likely to be non-tuberculous mycobacteria than M. tuberculosis. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Molecular identification of nontuberculous mycobacteria isolated from pyogenic bovine tissues in South Darfur State and Alsabalouga slaughterhouse at Omdurman area, Sudan.

PubMed

Tigani-Asil, A E El; Sanousi, S M El; Aljameel, M A; Beir, H El; Adam, A; Abdallatif, M M; Hamid, M E

2014-01-01

This study identified nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) recovered from bovine pyogenic affections obtained at necropsy using the molecular target 16S-23S rDNA internal transcribed spacer region. Postmortem inspection of cattle was conducted at South Darfur State abattoirs and Alsabalouga Slaughterhouse at Omdurman area during 2007-2009. Specimens were examined for the presence of acid fast bacteria (AFB) using microscopic and standard culturing techniques. AFB were identified phenotypically and confirmed by 16S-23S rDNA ITS. Fifty nine NTM were recovered and confirmed as acid fast filaments out of 165 positive AFB specimens, of which 52 isolates were identified as bovine farcy causative agents, while 7 cultures were excluded due to drying. 16S-23S rDNA ITS of NTM revealed three different amplicons 500 bp. (32) isolates, 550 bp. (2) isolates and 600 bp. (14) isolates. Four isolates were contaminated.

Molecular identification of nontuberculous mycobacteria isolated from pyogenic bovine tissues in South Darfur State and Alsabalouga slaughterhouse at Omdurman area, Sudan

PubMed Central

Tigani-Asil, A.E. El; Sanousi, S.M. EL; Aljameel, M.A.; Beir, H. El; Adam, A.; Abdallatif, M.M.; Hamid, M.E.

2014-01-01

This study identified nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) recovered from bovine pyogenic affections obtained at necropsy using the molecular target 16S-23S rDNA internal transcribed spacer region. Postmortem inspection of cattle was conducted at South Darfur State abattoirs and Alsabalouga Slaughterhouse at Omdurman area during 2007-2009. Specimens were examined for the presence of acid fast bacteria (AFB) using microscopic and standard culturing techniques. AFB were identified phenotypically and confirmed by 16S-23S rDNA ITS. Fifty nine NTM were recovered and confirmed as acid fast filaments out of 165 positive AFB specimens, of which 52 isolates were identified as bovine farcy causative agents, while 7 cultures were excluded due to drying. 16S-23S rDNA ITS of NTM revealed three different amplicons 500 bp. (32) isolates, 550 bp. (2) isolates and 600 bp. (14) isolates. Four isolates were contaminated. PMID:26623334

Multiplex PCR technique could be an alternative approach for early detection of leprosy among close contacts--a pilot study from India.

PubMed

Banerjee, Surajita; Sarkar, Kamalesh; Gupta, Soma; Mahapatra, Prasanta Sinha; Gupta, Siddhartha; Guha, Samudra; Bandhopadhayay, Debasis; Ghosal, Chaitry; Paine, Suman Kalyan; Dutta, Rathindra Nath; Biswas, Nibir; Bhattacharya, Basudev

2010-08-24

Implementation of Multi drug Therapy (MDT) regimen has resulted in the decline of the total number of leprosy cases in the world. Though the prevalence rate has been declining, the incidence rate remains more or less constant and high in South East Asian countries particularly in India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Srilanka. Leprosy, particularly that of multibacillary type spreads silently before it is clinically detected. An early detection and treatment would help to prevent transmission in the community. Multiplex PCR (M-PCR) technique appears to be promising towards early detection among contacts of leprosy cases. A total of 234 paucibacillary (PB) and 205 multibacillary (MB) leprosy cases were studied in a community of an endemic area of Bankura district of West Bengal (Eastern India). They were assessed by smear examination for acid-fast bacilli (AFB) and M-PCR technique. These patients were treated with Multidrug Therapy (MDT) as prescribed by WHO following detection. A total of 110 MB and 72 PB contacts were studied by performing M-PCR in their nasal swab samples. 83.4% of MB patients were observed to be positive by smear examination for AFB and 89.2% by M-PCR. While 22.2% of PB patients were found to be positive by smear examination for AFB, 80.3% of these patients were positive by M-PCR. Among leprosy contacts (using M-PCR), 10.9% were found to be positive among MB contacts and 1.3% among PB contacts. Interestingly, two contacts of M-PCR positive MB cases developed leprosy during the period of two years follow up. The M-PCR technique appears to be an efficient tool for early detection of leprosy cases in community based contact tracing amongst close associates of PB and MB cases. Early contact tracing using a molecular biology tool can be of great help in curbing the incidence of leprosy further.

76 FR 38580 - Proposed Amendment of Class D Airspace; Eglin AFB, FL

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-07-01

...-0087; Airspace Docket No. 11-ASO-12] Proposed Amendment of Class D Airspace; Eglin AFB, FL AGENCY... action proposes to amend Class D Airspace in the Eglin Air Force Base (AFB), FL airspace area. The Destin... amendment to Title 14, Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR) part 71 to amend Class D airspace in the Eglin...

Increased ophthalmic acid production is supported by amino acid catabolism under fasting conditions in mice.

PubMed

Kobayashi, Sho; Lee, Jaeyong; Takao, Toshifumi; Fujii, Junichi

2017-09-23

Glutathione (GSH) plays pivotal roles in antioxidation and detoxification. The transsulfuration pathway, in conjunction with methionine metabolism, produces equimolar amounts of cysteine (Cys) and 2-oxobutyric acid (2OB). The resulting 2OB is then converted into 2-aminobutyric acid (2AB) by a transaminase and is utilized as a substitute for Cys by the GSH-synthesizing machinery to produce ophthalmic acid (OPT). By establishing a method for simultaneously measuring Cys, GSH, and OPT by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, we found that fasting causes an elevation in OPT levels in the liver and blood plasma, even though the levels of Cys and GSH are decreased. Autophagy was activated, but the levels of GSH/OPT-synthesizing enzymes remained unchanged. After 6 h of fasting, the mice were given 1% 2AB and/or 5% glucose in the drinking water for an additional 24 h and the above metabolites analyzed. 2AB administration caused an increase in OPT levels, and, when glucose was co-administered with 2AB, the levels of OPT were elevated further but GSH levels were decreased somewhat. These results suggest that, while Cys is utilized for glyconeogenesis under fasting conditions, reaching levels that were insufficient for the synthesis of GSH, 2OB was preferentially converted to 2AB via amino acid catabolism and was utilized as a building block for OPT. Thus the consumption of Cys and the parallel elevation of 2AB under fasting conditions appeared to force γ-glutamylcysteine synthetase to form γ-glutamyl-2AB, despite the fact that the enzyme has a higher Km value for 2AB than Cys. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Maternal adipose tissue becomes a source of fatty acids for the fetus in fasted pregnant rats given diets with different fatty acid compositions.

PubMed

López-Soldado, Iliana; Ortega-Senovilla, Henar; Herrera, Emilio

2017-11-10

The utilization of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFA) by the fetus may exceed its capacity to synthesize them from essential fatty acids, so they have to come from the mother. Since adipose tissue lipolytic activity is greatly accelerated under fasting conditions during late pregnancy, the aim was to determine how 24 h fasting in late pregnant rats given diets with different fatty acid compositions affects maternal and fetal tissue fatty acid profiles. Pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats were given isoenergetic diets containing 10% palm-, sunflower-, olive- or fish-oil. Half the rats were fasted from day 19 of pregnancy and all were studied on day 20. Triacylglycerols (TAG), glycerol and non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA) were analyzed by enzymatic methods and fatty acid profiles were analyzed by gas chromatography. Fasting caused increments in maternal plasma NEFA, glycerol and TAG, indicating increased adipose tissue lipolytic activity. Maternal adipose fatty acid profiles paralleled the respective diets and, with the exception of animals on the olive oil diet, maternal fasting increased the plasma concentration of most fatty acids. This maintains the availability of LCPUFA to the fetus during brain development. The results show the major role played by maternal adipose tissue in the storage of dietary fatty acids during pregnancy, thus ensuring adequate availability of LCPUFA to the fetus during late pregnancy, even when food supply is restricted.

Pseudoclavibacter otitis media in a 3-year-old boy with pulmonary and spinal tuberculosis.

PubMed

Ayuthaya, Satja Issaranggoon na; Leelaporn, Amornrut; Kiratisin, Pattarachai; Oberdorfer, Peninnah

2015-05-01

Pseudoclavibacter has rarely been documented as an etiologic agent of infection in humans. We presented the first case report of Pseudoclavibacter otitis media in a boy with pulmonary and spinal tuberculosis.A 3-year-old boy was referred to our hospital due to prolonged fever and progressive paraplegia for 3 months. He had yellowish discharge from both ear canals. The pleural fluid culture was positive for Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The discharge from both ears culture yielded yellow colonies of gram-positive bacilli with branching. This organism was positive for modified acid-fast bacilli stain but negative for acid-fast bacilli stain. Biochemical characteristics of this isolate were positive for catalase test but negative for oxidase, nitrate, esculin, and sugar utilization tests. The organism was further subjected to be identified by 16S ribosomal deoxyribonucleic acid gene sequencing. The result yielded Pseudoclavibacter species (99.4% identical), which could be most likely a potential pathogen in immunocompromised host like this patient. He responded well with intravenous trimetroprim-sulfamethoxazole for 6 weeks.This is the first case report of Pseudoclavibacter otitis media in children, and this case could emphasize Pseudoclavibacter species as a potential pathogen in immunocompromised host.

Pseudoclavibacter Otitis Media in a 3-Year-Old Boy With Pulmonary and Spinal Tuberculosis

PubMed Central

Ayuthaya, Satja Issaranggoon na; Leelaporn, Amornrut; Kiratisin, Pattarachai; Oberdorfer, Peninnah

2015-01-01

Abstract Pseudoclavibacter has rarely been documented as an etiologic agent of infection in humans. We presented the first case report of Pseudoclavibacter otitis media in a boy with pulmonary and spinal tuberculosis. A 3-year-old boy was referred to our hospital due to prolonged fever and progressive paraplegia for 3 months. He had yellowish discharge from both ear canals. The pleural fluid culture was positive for Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The discharge from both ears culture yielded yellow colonies of gram-positive bacilli with branching. This organism was positive for modified acid-fast bacilli stain but negative for acid-fast bacilli stain. Biochemical characteristics of this isolate were positive for catalase test but negative for oxidase, nitrate, esculin, and sugar utilization tests. The organism was further subjected to be identified by 16S ribosomal deoxyribonucleic acid gene sequencing. The result yielded Pseudoclavibacter species (99.4% identical), which could be most likely a potential pathogen in immunocompromised host like this patient. He responded well with intravenous trimetroprim-sulfamethoxazole for 6 weeks. This is the first case report of Pseudoclavibacter otitis media in children, and this case could emphasize Pseudoclavibacter species as a potential pathogen in immunocompromised host. PMID:25929901

Space Launch Complex 6 Wastewater Treatment Facilities Evaluation, Vandenberg AFB, California.

DTIC Science & Technology

1987-02-01

Sgt Tammy Johnson, AiC Roberto Rolon and AlC Pete Davis without whose valuable assistance this survey could never have been accomplished. We also...lLt Francis E. Slavich, MSgt Horace C. Burbage, Sgt Tammy Johnson, AlCs Roberto Rolon and Pete Davis. The objectives of the survey were to evaluate the...TSK Brooks AFB TX 78235-5301 Defense Technical Information Center (DTIC) 2 Cameron Station Alexandria VA 22319 HQ USAF/LEEV 1 Bolling AFB DC 20330

Impact of dietary branched chain amino acids concentration on broiler chicks during aflatoxicosis.

PubMed

Chen, X; Zhang, Q; Applegate, T J

2016-06-01

A 20-day trial was conducted to determine the effects of dietary branched-chain amino acids (BCAA) on performance, nutrient digestibility, and gene expression of the mTOR pathway in broiler chicks when exposed to aflatoxin B1 (AFB1). The 6 dietary treatments were arranged in a 2 × 3 factorial with 3 BCAA concentrations (1.16, 1.94, and 2.73%) with or without 1.5 mg/kg AFB1 (1.77 mg/kg analyzed). Each diet was fed to 8 replicate cages (6 chicks per cage) from 6 to 20 d of age. Exposure to AFB1 significantly reduced gain:feed ratio and breast muscle weight (P < 0.05), and tended to decrease cumulative BW gain (P = 0.087), while increasing dietary BCAA improved all performance measures (P ≤ 0.0002), except relative breast muscle weight. Apparent ileal digestibility of N and 9 amino acids were increased by AFB1 (P ≤ 0.05), but were reduced by higher dietary BCAA (P ≤ 0.023). Jejunum histology was not affected by AFB1, while higher dietary BCAA tended to increase villus height (P = 0.08). Additionally, the gene expression of mTOR pathway (mTOR, 4EBP1, and S6K1) from liver and jejunum were not affected by dietary treatments, while muscle expression of S6K1 tended to be increased by AFB1 (P = 0.07). No significant interaction between AFB1 and dietary BCAA were observed for any measures in the current study. Results from this study suggested that feed AFB1 contamination can significantly reduce growth performance and breast muscle growth in broiler chicks at 20 d. Higher BCAA supply may have beneficial impact on bird performance, but this effect is independent of AFB1 exposure. © 2016 Poultry Science Association Inc.

Compliance through pollution prevention opportunity assessments at Edwards AFB -- Development, results and lessons learned

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Beutelman, H.P.; Lawrence, A.

1999-07-01

Edwards Air Force Base (AFB), located in the Mojave Desert of southern California, is required to comply with environmental requirements for air pollution emissions, hazardous waste disposal, and clean water. The resources required to meet these many compliance requirements represents an ever increasing financial burden to the base, and to the Department of Defense. A recognized superior approach to environmental management is to achieve compliance through a proactive pollution prevention (P2) program which mitigates, and when possible, eliminates compliance requirements and costs, while at the same time reducing pollution released to the environment. At Edwards AFB, the Environmental Management Officemore » P2 Branch developed and implemented a strategy that addresses this concept, better known as Compliance Through Pollution Prevention (CTP2). At the 91st AWMA Annual Meeting and Exhibition, Edwards AFB presented a paper on its strategy and implementation of its CTP2 concept. Part of that strategy and implementation included accomplishment of process specific focused P2 opportunity assessments (OAs). Starting in 1998, Edwards AFB initiated a CTP2 OA project where OAs were targeted on those operational processes, identified as compliance sites, that contributed most to the compliance requirements and costs at Edwards AFB. The targeting of these compliance sites was accomplished by developing a compliance matrix that prioritized processes in accordance with an operational risk management approach. The Edwards AFB CTP2 PPOA project is the first of its kind within the Air Force Material Command, and is serving as a benchmark for establishment of the CTP2 OA process.« less

TRACALS Evaluation Report. Initial Evaluation Report (AN/GPN-24) Nellis AFB, Nevada, 10 December 1979-6 Mar 1980.

DTIC Science & Technology

1980-05-16

Scott AFB, IL 62225 1 1842 EEG /EEIT, Scott AFB, IL 62225 1 1843 EES/EIELT, H-ickam AFB, H-I 96853 1 1844 EES/EIELT, Griffiss AFB, NY 13441 I HQ AFCC/DAPL...Time Control TDC Target Data Computer TO Technical Order TRACALS Traffic Cortrol and Landing Systems TSDA Transfer Switch Drawer Assembly TWT Traveling...the designated targets. The error detector outputs are fed to the TDC to update the beam position data during the next track interval. (b) Processor

Variations in gastric acid secretion during periods of fasting between two species of shark.

PubMed

Papastamatiou, Yannis P; Lowe, Christopher G

2005-06-01

Vertebrates differ in their regulation of gastric acid secretion during periods of fasting, yet it is unknown why these differences occur. Elasmobranch fishes are the earliest known vertebrates to develop an acid secreting stomach and as such may make a good comparative model for determining the causative factors behind these differences. We measured gastric pH and temperature continuously during periods of fasting in captive free-swimming nurse sharks (Ginglymostoma cirratum) using autonomous pH/temperature data-loggers. All nurse sharks secreted strong gastric acids (minimum pH 0.4) after feeding; however, for most of the sharks, pH increased to 8.2-8.7, 2-3 days after feeding. Half of the sharks also exhibited periodic oscillations in pH when the stomach was empty that ranged from 1.1 to 8.7 (acid secretion ceased for 11.3 +/- 4.3 h day(-1)). This is in contrast to the gastric pH changes observed from leopard sharks (Triakis semifasciata) in a previous study, where the stomach remains acidic during fasting. The leopard shark is a relatively active, more frequently feeding predator, and continuous acid secretion may increase digestive efficiency. In contrast, the nurse shark is less active and is thought to feed less frequently. Periodic cessation of acid secretion may be an energy conserving mechanism used by animals that feed infrequently and experience extended periods of fasting.

[Virchowian Hansen's disease, Lucio's phenomenon, cryptococcosis].

PubMed

1988-12-01

A 75 years old white male, for 3 years on treatment for virchowian hanseniasis, was admitted with active HD lesions, infiltration on the base of right lung, leg ulcer and malaise. After two days he developed purpura and hemorrhagic blisters in the limbs. The biopsy of these lesions revealed Lucio phenomenon. The patient worsened with mental confusion, psychomotor agitation and anisocoric pupils. In the 18th day of internation the patient died. Necropsy revealed virchowian infiltration plenty of bacilli in the skin and viscera as well as tuberculoid granuloma with acid-fast bacilli in the liver, spleen and bone marrow. These findings lead us to review the patient's classification from virchowian to borderline. In the lungs, leptomeninge, renal papile, prostate and thyroid it was found loose tuberculoid granuloma with a great amount of fungi surrounded by a gelly halo resembling Criptococcus neoformans. These findings and the onset of Lucio phenomenon are discussed in a patient that has been treated for 3 years and still having several virchowian lesions and a great amount of acid-fast bacilli.

Endoscopic Ultrasound (EUS) Guided Fine Needle Aspiration: A New Modality to Diagnose Peritoneal Tuberculosis in Presence of Decompensated Cirrhosis-A Case Series and Review of Literature.

PubMed

Daswani, Ravi; Kumar, Ashish; Singla, Vikas; Kaur, Gagandeep; Sharma, Praveen; Bansal, Naresh; Arora, Anil

2018-06-01

The gold-standard for diagnosis is growth of Mycobacterium tuberculosis on ascitic fluid or peritoneal culture. Due to the non-specific signs and symptoms of disease, its early diagnosis is difficult, especially in patients with decompensated cirrhosis. The reported sensitivity of ascitic fluid is low and to obtain tissue for peritoneal biopsy in patients with cirrhosis is difficult. Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) guided fine needle aspiration (FNA) is a good alternative to obtain peritoneal tissue for establishing the diagnosis of peritoneal TB. To assess the role of EUS-FNA in the diagnosis of peritoneal tuberculosis in patients with decompensated cirrhosis. Consecutive patients with peritoneal thickening, ascites and decompensated cirrhosis underwent EUS-FNA from the thickened omentum. Presence of granuloma or demonstration of acid fast bacilli was diagnostic of peritoneal tuberculosis. A total of 5 patients with CLD underwent EUS-FNA from omentum. FNA cytology revealed granuloma with multinucleated cells in all patients (100%) and AFB stain was positive in 2 of them (40%). We hereby report the use of EUS guided fine needle aspiration (FNA) of peritoneum as a newer, safe and unexplored technique for diagnosis of peritoneal TB.

Identification of aerobic Gram-positive bacilli by use of Vitek MS.

PubMed

Navas, Maria; Pincus, David H; Wilkey, Kathy; Sercia, Linda; LaSalvia, Margaret; Wilson, Deborah; Procop, Gary W; Richter, Sandra S

2014-04-01

The accuracy of Vitek MS mass spectrometric identifications was assessed for 206 clinically significant isolates of aerobic Gram-positive bacilli representing 20 genera and 38 species. The Vitek MS identifications were correct for 85% of the isolates (56.3% to the species level, 28.6% limited to the genus level), with misidentifications occurring for 7.3% of the isolates.

Environmental Assessment: Peterson AFB Military Housing Privatization Initiative, El Paso County, Colorado

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-06-08

would sublease the land from Peterson AFB, and would maintain and manage the housing area for a minimum of 723 military families for 50 years. Under...housing area for a minimum of 723 military families for 50 years. Under the no action alternative, the Air Force would not implement the MHPI at...Peterson AFB, and would maintain and manage the housing area for a minimum of 723 military families for 50 years. No Action Alternative Under the no

Multidrug-Resistant Gram-Negative Bacilli: Infection Control Implications.

PubMed

Adler, Amos; Friedman, N Deborah; Marchaim, Dror

2016-12-01

Antimicrobial resistance is a common iatrogenic complication of both modern life and medical care. Certain multidrug resistant and extensively drug resistant Gram-negative organisms pose the biggest challenges to health care today, predominantly owing to a lack of therapeutic options. Containing the spread of these organisms is challenging, and in reality, the application of multiple control measures during an evolving outbreak makes it difficult to measure the relative impact of each measure. This article reviews the usefulness of various infection control measures in containing the spread of multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacilli. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Installation Restoration Program. Phase 1. Records Search, Hazardous Materials Disposal Sites, Eglin AFB, Florida

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-10-01

Okaloosa Co. 3-12 Crestview South Quadrangle, Florida-Okaloosa Co. -13 Mossy ead Quadrangle, Florida-Walton Co 3-14 E-1 EGUN AFB 4,h aa V, WRAMATIO...I) Um AYPM hIN1DS SP * So". AM T 0 Tou A is a O I. h E-2 ES ENGINEERING -SCIENCE V%777-7NN7 .7-7 EGUN AFB 0.4 .m ... (1) WMg LAN DOSAMU *Y* CO u...r Oumm *p S(S Ann~ Il~~O 0*aAMa 2-3 ES ENGINEER ING - SCIENCE EGUN AFB %Tt MAR ESTHER * : . . - . - ~ - ~ r W R G H T L A N D F I L L 3 SITE 0296

[Test evaluation and strategy proposal to detect and to characterize carbapenemase-producing gram negative bacilli].

PubMed

Muñoz, Constanza; Zumarán, Cecilia; González, Tamara; Wozniak, Aniela; Castillo, Claudia; García, Patricia

2017-08-01

The detection of carbapenemase-producing gram negative bacilli is complicated, because there are available multiple options of test. The confirmation of the enzyme by molecular characterization is not available in all laboratories in our country. To propose a fast, efficient and simple strategy to detect and confirm CPB. 39 CPB isolates and 8 non-producing were used to evaluate the phenotypic test Carba NP, CarbAcineto NP and Blue-Carba, validating the test Xpert® Carba-R, to be used directly with bacterial colonies with conventional PCR. The sensitivity of Carba NP, CarbAcineto NP and Blue-Carba was 79,5; 87,2 y 84,6%, respectively; and specificity was 79.5; 87.2 and 84.6%, respectively. The limit of detection of Xpert® Carba-R was different for each carbapenemasa: 40.8 ufc/reaction to KPC and NDM and 30.6 ufc/reaction to VIM. On isolates with decreased susceptibility to carbapenems we propose to use as screening the test CarbAcineto NP, follow by Xpert®Carba-R to characterize the carbapenemase and adopt specific infection control measures.

Identification of Aerobic Gram-Positive Bacilli by Use of Vitek MS

PubMed Central

Navas, Maria; Pincus, David H.; Wilkey, Kathy; Sercia, Linda; LaSalvia, Margaret; Wilson, Deborah; Procop, Gary W.

2014-01-01

The accuracy of Vitek MS mass spectrometric identifications was assessed for 206 clinically significant isolates of aerobic Gram-positive bacilli representing 20 genera and 38 species. The Vitek MS identifications were correct for 85% of the isolates (56.3% to the species level, 28.6% limited to the genus level), with misidentifications occurring for 7.3% of the isolates. PMID:24501030

Environmental Assessment for Expansion of Combat Arms Training and Maintenance Range Moody AFB, Georgia

DTIC Science & Technology

2003-09-01

TRAINING AND MAINTENANCE RANGE AT MOODY AIR FORCE BASE, GA TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY...1999). 3.1.3 Soils Soils found within Moody AFB are associated with the Tifton Upland District of the Lower Coastal Plain. Characteristics of...dominant soil associations on Moody AFB include the Tifton -Pelham-Fuquay and the Dasher associations. The majority of the main base consists of the

Fuel Cell Hybrid Bus Lands at Hickam AFB

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2004-09-22

A FUEL CELL HYBRID ELECTRIC BUS was unveiled at Honolulus Hickam Air Force Base (Hickam AFB) in February 2004, becoming the first fuel cell vehicle in Hawaii and the first in the U.S. Air Force. The 30-foot flight crew shuttle bus will undergo 1 y...

Cerebral metabolism of amino acids and glucose in fed and fasted sheep.

PubMed

Pell, J M; Bergman, E N

1983-03-01

Net cerebral uptake from or release into whole blood of oxygen, carbon dioxide, glucose, amino acids, lactate, pyruvate, ketone bodies, and acetate was estimated in fed, 3-day-fasted, and 6-day-fasted sheep. The respiratory quotient was similar in all three groups of sheep (approximately 0.95). Glucose uptake (35 mumol X min-1 X 100 g-1) was maintained during fasting, and about 94% of the cerebral oxygen consumption could have been accounted for by glucose oxidation in all sheep. A cerebral uptake of the branched-chain amino acids (leucine, isoleucine, and valine) and proline also was observed with a concomitant production of glutamine and asparagine. The brains of fed and 3-day-fasted sheep were in nitrogen balance, but a small net release of nitrogen occurred in 6-day-fasted sheep (2 mumol N. min-1 X 100 g-1). A small amount of pyruvate was always released (1.4 mumol X min-1 X 100 g-1) into the blood, whereas lactate was released (6 mumol X min-1 X 100 g-1) only in 6-day-fasted sheep. Ketone body and acetate utilization always was negligible when compared with that for glucose. The total cerebral nonglucose carbon release found for 6-day-fasted sheep was equivalent to 23% of the glucose carbon taken up, although only 8% could have been derived directly from glucose. Thus, metabolism by the ovine brain seems resistant to prolonged periods of hypoglycemia with only small adaptations occurring after a 6-day fast.

Postprandial Levels of Branch Chained and Aromatic Amino Acids Associate with Fasting Glycaemia.

PubMed

Ottosson, Filip; Ericson, Ulrika; Almgren, Peter; Nilsson, Jeanette; Magnusson, Martin; Fernandez, Céline; Melander, Olle

2016-01-01

High fasting plasma concentrations of isoleucine, phenylalanine, and tyrosine have been associated with increased risk of hyperglycaemia and incidence of type 2 diabetes. Whether these associations are diet or metabolism driven is unknown. We examined how the dietary protein source affects the postprandial circulating profile of these three diabetes associated amino acids (DMAAs) and tested whether the postprandial DMAA profiles are associated with fasting glycaemia. We used a crossover design with twenty-one healthy individuals and four different isocaloric test meals, containing proteins from different dietary sources (dairy, fish, meat, and plants). Analysis of the postprandial DMAAs concentrations was performed using targeted mass spectrometry. A DMAA score was defined as the sum of all the three amino acid concentrations. The postprandial area under the curve (AUC) of all the three amino acids and the DMAA score was significantly greater after intake of the meal with dairy protein compared to intake of the three other meals. The postprandial AUC for the DMAA score and all the three amino acids strongly associated with fasting glucose level and insulin resistance. This indicates the importance of the postprandial kinetics and metabolism of DMAAs in understanding the overall association between DMAAs and glycaemia.

The integration of dilute acid hydrolysis of xylan and fast pyrolysis of glucan to obtain fermentable sugars.

PubMed

Jiang, Liqun; Wu, Nannan; Zheng, Anqing; Zhao, Zengli; He, Fang; Li, Haibin

2016-01-01

Fermentable sugars are important intermediates in the biological conversion of biomass. Hemicellulose and amorphous cellulose are easily hydrolyzed to fermentable sugars in dilute acid, whereas crystalline cellulose is more difficult to be hydrolyzed. Cellulose fast pyrolysis is an alternative method to liberate valuable fermentable sugars from biomass. The amount of levoglucosan generated from lignocellulose by fast pyrolysis is usually lower than the theoretical yield based on the cellulose fraction. Pretreatment is a promising route to improve the yield of levoglucosan from lignocellulose. The integration of dilute sulfuric acid hydrolysis and fast pyrolysis to obtain fermentable sugars was evaluated in this study. Dilute sulfuric acid hydrolysis could remove more than 95.1 and 93.4 % of xylan (the main component of hemicellulose) from sugarcane bagasse and corncob with high yield of xylose. On the other hand, dilute sulfuric acid hydrolysis was also an effective pretreatment to enhance levoglucosan yield from lignocellulose. Dilute acid hydrolysis could accumulate glucan (the component of cellulose) and remove most of the alkali and alkaline earth metals which were powerful catalysts during fast pyrolysis. Further increase in dilute acid concentration (from 0 to 2 %) in pretreatment could promote the yield of levoglucosan in fast pyrolysis. The acid pretreated sugarcane bagasse and corncob gave levoglucosan yields of 43.8 and 35.2 % which were obvious higher than those of raw sugarcane bagasse (12.0 %) and corncob (7.0 %). Obtaining fermentable sugars by combination dilute acid hydrolysis of xylan and fast pyrolysis of glucan could make full utilization of biomass, and get fermentable sugars economically from biomass for bio-refinery.

Pyridoxic acid excretion during low vitamin B-6 intake, total fasting, and bed rest

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Coburn, S. P.; Thampy, K. G.; Lane, H. W.; Conn, P. S.; Ziegler, P. J.; Costill, D. L.; Mahuren, J. D.; Fink, W. J.; Pearson, D. R.; Schaltenbrand, W. E.

1995-01-01

Vitamin B-6 metabolism in 10 volunteers during 21 d of total fasting was compared with results from 10 men consuming a diet low only in vitamin B-6 (1.76 mumol/d) and with men consuming a normal diet during bed rest. At the end of the fast mean plasma concentrations of vitamin B-6 metabolites and urinary excretion of 4-pyridoxic acid tended to be higher in the fasting subjects than in the low-vitamin B-6 group. The fasting subjects lost approximately 10% of their total vitamin B-6 pool and approximately 13% of their body weight. The low-vitamin B-6 group lost only approximately 4% of their vitamin B-6 pool. Compared with baseline, urinary excretion of pyridoxic acid was significantly increased during 17 wk of bed rest. There was no increase in pyridoxic acid excretion during a second 15-d bed rest study. These data suggest the possibility of complex interactions between diet and muscle metabolism that may influence indexes that are frequently used to assess vitamin B-6 status.

CloudSat Safety Operations at Vandenberg AFB

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Greenberg, Steve

2006-01-01

CloudSat safety operations at Vendenberg AFB is given. The topics include: 1) CloudSat Project Overview; 2) Vandenberg Ground Operations; 3) Delta II Launch Vehicle; 4) The A-Train; 5) System Safety Management; 6) CALIPSO Hazards Assessment; 7) CALIPSO Supplemental Safeguards; 8) Joint System Safety Operations; 9) Extended Stand-down; 10) Launch Delay Safety Concerns; and 11) Lessons Learned.

Detect-to-treat: development of analysis of bacilli spores in nasal mucus by surfaced-enhanced Raman spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Inscore, Frank E.; Gift, Alan D.; Farquharson, Stuart

2004-12-01

As the war on terrorism in Afghanistan and Iraq continue, future attacks both abroad and in the U.S.A. are expected. In an effort to aid civilian and military personnel, we have been investigating the potential of using a surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) sampling device to detect Bacillus anthracis spores in nasal swab samples. Such a device would be extremely beneficial to medical responders and management in assessing the extent of a bioterrorist attack and making detect-to-treat decisions. The disposable sample device consists of a glass capillary filled with a silver-doped sol-gel that is capable of extracting dipicolinic acid (DPA), a chemical signature of Bacilli, and generating SERS spectra. The sampling device and preliminary measurements of DPA extracted from spores and nasal mucus will be presented.

Tuberculin skin testing: determinants and reaction.

PubMed

Lao, L Y; De Guia, T

1999-09-01

Mantoux purified protein derivative (PPD) skin testing was performed in schoolchildren who were grouped according to positive (Group I, n = 205) and negative (Group II, n = 79) exposure to recent acid-fast bacilli (AFB) smear-positive tuberculosis (TB) family contact. A prospective case-control study was undertaken to evaluate whether repeat bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccination, nutritional state, presence/absence of BCG scar, and degree of AFB positivity of sputum of adult TB cases affect PPD skin reactivity in these two groups. Group I with TB contacts had larger induration (13.00 +/- 11.29 mm) than the Group II control group of 4.52 +/- 6.20; P = 0.000. Purified protein derivative reaction as to the number of BCG vaccination(s) received showed an increase in size as the BCG vaccination is repeated with significantly larger induration in Group I than in Group II (P = 0.048). The nutritional status was subgrouped into A (weight < 10 percentile), B (weight 50-75 percentile), and C (weight > 90 percentile), which were comparable for both groups. The mean PPD induration of subgroup A in Groups I and II was not statistically different. However, the mean PPD induration was highly significant between Groups I and II in subgroup B (12.46 +/- 10.70 vs 3.80 +/- 5.71 mm; P = 0.000) and subgroup C (14.31 +/- 11.54 vs 5.42 +/- 6.70 mm; P = 0.000). Children in group I with the BCG scar were noted to have significantly greater PPD induration size than in group II (14.14 +/- 11.23 vs 5.05 +/- 6.24 mm; P = 0.000). The degree of AFB positivity of sputum of TB adult cases (1+ to 4+ and cavitary TB) has no effect on PPD size (P = 0.766). Close contact with individuals with active TB (AFB smear positive) is a very important factor for PPD skin conversion. Repeat BCG vaccination, malnutrition, and BCG with scars present difficulties in making a diagnosis of TB infection but did not affect PPD reactivity and did highlight the need for thorough clinical evaluation.

Fasting rapidly increases fatty acid oxidation in white adipose tissue of young broiler chickens.

PubMed

Torchon, Emmanuelle; Ray, Rodney; Hulver, Matthew W; McMillan, Ryan P; Voy, Brynn H

2017-01-02

Upregulating the fatty acid oxidation capacity of white adipose tissue in mice protects against diet-induced obesity, inflammation and insulin resistance. Part of this capacity results from induction of brown-like adipocytes within classical white depots, making it difficult to determine the oxidative contribution of the more abundant white adipocytes. Avian genomes lack a gene for uncoupling protein 1 and are devoid of brown adipose cells, making them a useful model in which to study white adipocyte metabolism in vivo. We recently reported that a brief (5 hour) period of fasting significantly upregulated many genes involved in mitochondrial and peroxisomal fatty acid oxidation pathways in white adipose tissue of young broiler chickens. The objective of this study was to determine if the effects on gene expression manifested in increased rates of fatty acid oxidation. Abdominal adipose tissue was collected from 21 day-old broiler chicks that were fasted for 3, 5 or 7 hours or fed ad libitum (controls). Fatty acid oxidation was determined by measuring and summing 14 CO 2 production and 14 C-labeled acid-soluble metabolites from the oxidation of [1- 14 C] palmitic acid. Fasting induced a progressive increase in complete fatty acid oxidation and citrate synthase activity relative to controls. These results confirm that fatty acid oxidation in white adipose tissue is dynamically controlled by nutritional status. Identifying the underlying mechanism may provide new therapeutic targets through which to increase fatty acid oxidation in situ and protect against the detrimental effects of excess free fatty acids on adipocyte insulin sensitivity.

Urine Metanephrines

MedlinePlus

... Not Listed? Not Listed? 5-HIAA 17-Hydroxyprogesterone Acetaminophen Acetylcholine Receptor (AChR) Antibody Acid-Fast Bacillus (AFB) ... the rate at which the body uses energy ( metabolism ). After completing their actions, the catecholamines are broken ...

BMP (Basic Metabolic Panel)

MedlinePlus

... Not Listed? Not Listed? 5-HIAA 17-Hydroxyprogesterone Acetaminophen Acetylcholine Receptor (AChR) Antibody Acid-Fast Bacillus (AFB) ... your healthcare provider important information about your body's metabolism , including the current status of your kidneys as ...

Reticulocyte Count Test

MedlinePlus

... Acid-Fast Bacillus (AFB) Testing Activated Clotting Time Acute Viral Hepatitis Panel Adenosine Deaminase Adrenocorticotropic Hormone (ACTH) ... Guillain-Barré Syndrome Hashimoto Thyroiditis Heart Attack and Acute Coronary Syndrome Heart Disease Hemochromatosis Hemoglobin Abnormalities Hepatitis ...

WBC (White Blood Cell) Differential Count

MedlinePlus

... Acid-Fast Bacillus (AFB) Testing Activated Clotting Time Acute Viral Hepatitis Panel Adenosine Deaminase Adrenocorticotropic Hormone (ACTH) ... Guillain-Barré Syndrome Hashimoto Thyroiditis Heart Attack and Acute Coronary Syndrome Heart Disease Hemochromatosis Hemoglobin Abnormalities Hepatitis ...

Index of Glossary Terms

MedlinePlus

... Acid-Fast Bacillus (AFB) Testing Activated Clotting Time Acute Viral Hepatitis Panel Adenosine Deaminase Adrenocorticotropic Hormone (ACTH) ... Guillain-Barré Syndrome Hashimoto Thyroiditis Heart Attack and Acute Coronary Syndrome Heart Disease Hemochromatosis Hemoglobin Abnormalities Hepatitis ...

BCR-ABL1: Test

MedlinePlus

... Acid-Fast Bacillus (AFB) Testing Activated Clotting Time Acute Viral Hepatitis Panel Adenosine Deaminase Adrenocorticotropic Hormone (ACTH) ... Guillain-Barré Syndrome Hashimoto Thyroiditis Heart Attack and Acute Coronary Syndrome Heart Disease Hemochromatosis Hemoglobin Abnormalities Hepatitis ...

White Blood Cell Count

MedlinePlus

... Acid-Fast Bacillus (AFB) Testing Activated Clotting Time Acute Viral Hepatitis Panel Adenosine Deaminase Adrenocorticotropic Hormone (ACTH) ... Guillain-Barré Syndrome Hashimoto Thyroiditis Heart Attack and Acute Coronary Syndrome Heart Disease Hemochromatosis Hemoglobin Abnormalities Hepatitis ...

THE HISTOLOGICAL EXPRESSION OF THE NATURAL RESISTANCE OF RABBITS TO INFECTION WITH HUMAN AND BOVINE TYPE TUBERCLE BACILLI.

PubMed

Lewis, P A; Sanderson, E S

1927-01-31

From the foregoing description it is evident that when rabbits are inoculated intravenously with equal amounts of tubercle bacilli of bovine and human type respectively, they are subject to an immediate reaction in the form of an interstitial pulmonary exudation, which, being of equal severity and character does not serve to distinguish the type. There is an hyperplasia of the lymphoid tissue which is much more pronounced in the bovine series and which may distinguish this type. Opinion on this point may well be reserved until other typical cultures are examined for this response. The two types are sharply distinguished by the behavior of the tubercle bacillus and by the progression of tubercle formation. Tubercles are formed by both types and for about I week after inoculation they are not distinguishable. Progressively thereafter those formed as a response to the bovine bacillus become more numerous; they caseate and become conglomerate, finally coming to occupy the major part of the pulmonary tissue and its associated lymph nodes. With the human type the tubercles do not progress to caseation, do not become more numerous after their first well defined formation, and finally tend to disappear. The human type bacillus does not multiply considerably, if at all, and disappears early. The bovine bacillus suffers little or no restraint in growth and finally multiplies enormously. It seems clear that so far as histologic evidence goes the fundamental difference in the reaction of the rabbit to the two types of tubercle bacilli is referable to the ability of the animal to restrain the growth of the human type or to the prevalence of conditions which permit a most vigorous multiplication of the bovine type. The initial cellular responses seem to be qualitatively of the same order and their quantitative distinctions are for the most part developed coincidently with the manifest growth of the bovine type bacillus. If we undertake to state the observed results in the

THE HISTOLOGICAL EXPRESSION OF THE NATURAL RESISTANCE OF RABBITS TO INFECTION WITH HUMAN AND BOVINE TYPE TUBERCLE BACILLI

PubMed Central

Lewis, Paul A.; Sanderson, Everett S.

1927-01-01

From the foregoing description it is evident that when rabbits are inoculated intravenously with equal amounts of tubercle bacilli of bovine and human type respectively, they are subject to an immediate reaction in the form of an interstitial pulmonary exudation, which, being of equal severity and character does not serve to distinguish the type. There is an hyperplasia of the lymphoid tissue which is much more pronounced in the bovine series and which may distinguish this type. Opinion on this point may well be reserved until other typical cultures are examined for this response. The two types are sharply distinguished by the behavior of the tubercle bacillus and by the progression of tubercle formation. Tubercles are formed by both types and for about I week after inoculation they are not distinguishable. Progressively thereafter those formed as a response to the bovine bacillus become more numerous; they caseate and become conglomerate, finally coming to occupy the major part of the pulmonary tissue and its associated lymph nodes. With the human type the tubercles do not progress to caseation, do not become more numerous after their first well defined formation, and finally tend to disappear. The human type bacillus does not multiply considerably, if at all, and disappears early. The bovine bacillus suffers little or no restraint in growth and finally multiplies enormously. It seems clear that so far as histologic evidence goes the fundamental difference in the reaction of the rabbit to the two types of tubercle bacilli is referable to the ability of the animal to restrain the growth of the human type or to the prevalence of conditions which permit a most vigorous multiplication of the bovine type. The initial cellular responses seem to be qualitatively of the same order and their quantitative distinctions are for the most part developed coincidently with the manifest growth of the bovine type bacillus. If we undertake to state the observed results in the

Determination of the aflatoxin AFB1 from corn by direct analysis in real time-mass spectrometry (DART-MS).

PubMed

Busman, Mark; Liu, Jihong; Zhong, Hongjian; Bobell, John R; Maragos, Chris M

2014-01-01

Direct analysis in real time (DART) ionisation coupled to a high-resolution mass spectrometer (MS) was used for screening of aflatoxins from a variety of surfaces and the rapid quantitative analysis of a common form of aflatoxin, AFB1, extracted from corn. Sample preparation procedure and instrument parameter settings were optimised to obtain sensitive and accurate determination of aflatoxin AFB1. 84:16 acetonitrile water extracts of corn were analysed by DART-MS. The lowest calibration level (LCL) for aflatoxin AFB1 was 4 μg kg⁻¹. Quantitative analysis was performed with the use of matrix-matched standards employing the ¹³C-labelled internal standard for AFB1. DART-MS of spiked corn extracts gave linear response in the range 4-1000 μg kg⁻¹. Good recoveries (94-110%) and repeatabilities (RSD = 0.7-6.9%) were obtained at spiking levels of 20 and 100 μg kg⁻¹ with the use of an isotope dilution technique. Trueness of data obtained for AFB1 in maize by DART-MS was demonstrated by analysis of corn certified reference materials.

Environmental Assessment for Construction/Replacement Military Family Housing- Phase 5 MacDill AFB, Florida

DTIC Science & Technology

2003-12-01

Action can be divided into demolition activities and construction activities. Demolition activities would include the complete removal of 13 multi...that protects those most affected by noise and that can often be achieved on a practical basis. Base activities that have the highest potential...Family Housing – Phase V MacDill AFB, Florida has been approved by the state and Federal fish and wildlife agencies. Land use on MacDill AFB

Comparison of Integrated Gasifier-Combined Cycle and AFB-steam turbine systems for industrial cogeneration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nainiger, J. J.; Abbott, J. M.; Burns, R. K.

1981-01-01

In the cogeneration technology alternatives study (CTAS) a number of advanced coal fired systems were examined and systems using a integrated coal gasifier IGCC or a fluid bed combustor AFB were found to yield attractive cogeneration results in industrial cogeneration applications. A range of site requirements and cogeneration sizing strategies using ground rules based on CTAS were used in comparing an IGCC and an AFB. The effect of time variations in site requirements and the sensitivity to fuel and electricity price assumptions are examined. The economic alternatives of industrial or utility ownership are also considered. The results indicate that the IGCC system has potentially higher fuel and emission savings and could be an attractive option for utility ownership. The AFB steam turbine system has a potentially higher return on investment and could be attractive assuming industrial ownership.

Benzeneboronic acid selectively inhibits sporulation of Bacillis subtilis.

PubMed Central

Davis-Mancini, K; Lopez, I P; Hageman, J H

1978-01-01

m-Aminobenzeneboronic acid at levels of 0.2 mM in nutrient broth medium selectively inhibited sporulation without appreciably altering vegetative growth. Significant inhibitory effects were seen even when it was added as late as 6 h after the end of logarithmic growth. The pH changes associated with growth and sporulation of Bacillus subtilis in nutrient broth were not significantly altered by the inhibitor. When it was present in cultures of actively growing cells, its inhibitory effect could not be reversed by simple dilution. The compound caused extensive clumping, of cells, which appeared not to be related to the ability of boronates to esterify to diols. Images PMID:30755

Environmental Assessment: Conversion of the 820th Security Forces Group at Moody AFB, Georgia to a Contingency Response Group

DTIC Science & Technology

2003-08-01

Contingency Response Group (CRG) at Moody Air Force Base (AFB), GA . DESCRIPTION OF THE PROPOSED ACTION AND ALTERNATIVES. The United States Air Force...sinkhole formation. 3.5.3.3 Soils Moody AFB Moody AFB is located in the Tifton Upland District of the Lower Coastal Plain. In general, soils on...base. Arsenic, barium, chromium, copper, iron, selenium, and zinc have been found to be naturally occurring in the area. Predominant soils are Tifton

Influence of Bacillus spp. isolated from maize agroecosystem on growth and aflatoxin B(1) production by Aspergillus section Flavi.

PubMed

Bluma, Romina V; Etcheverry, Miriam G

2006-03-01

A total of 59 bacteria of the Bacillus genus were isolated from different components of a maize agroecosystem and their antifungal activity against Aspergillus section Flavi was evaluated. Thirty-three and 46% of these bacteria were able to inhibit Aspergillus flavus Link and A. parasiticus Speare respectively at water activity (a(w)) 0.982; however, when a(w) was 0.955, these percentages were decreased and only three isolates were able to inhibit Aspergillus section Flavi. The majority of bacilli acted as contact antagonists, while a small number of isolates were able to form inhibition zones. In maize meal extract agar, Aspergillus section Flavi growth rate and aflatoxin B(1) (AFB(1)) production were significantly reduced when these strains were paired at a(w) 0.982 with bacilli at all inoculum levels studied. However, two bacilli isolated were able to reduce growth rate and aflatoxin production when a(w) was 0.955. Lag phase increase followed the same general pattern as growth rate reduction. When Aspergillus section Flavi was grown in sterile maize in the presence of three Bacillus strains at a(w) 0.982, the reduction in count (colony-forming units (cfu) g(-1) maize) was less than 30%, except when Aspergillus section Flavi grew with Bacillus amyloliquefaciens UNRCLR. However, levels of detectable AFB(1) were significantly reduced in these interactions at a(w) 0.982.

Active detection of tuberculosis and paragonimiasis in the remote areas in North-Eastern India using cough as a simple indicator.

PubMed

Rekha Devi, Kangjam; Narain, Kanwar; Mahanta, Jagadish; Deori, Rumi; Lego, Kabang; Goswami, Dibyajyoti; Kumar Rajguru, Sanjib; Agatsuma, Takeshi

2013-04-01

One of the essential steps in targeting tuberculosis (TB) intervention is early diagnosis and treatment of patients by reducing the reservoir of infection in the community. In the North-Eastern (NE) region of India pulmonary TB and paragonimiasis are overlapping public health issues. We performed a cross-sectional study in 63 remote villages from the two states Arunachal Pradesh (AP) and Assam to determine the prevalence of undiagnosed TB and paragonimiasis cases using cough as a simple indicator. In AP, 2961 individuals aged five years and above were examined and 1108 (37·4%) were found to have cough for one week or more. Of the 417 individuals who provided sputum, 11 (2·64%) were smear positive for acid-fast bacilli (AFB). All these cases were yet undiagnosed, thus the prevalence of new smear positive TB in AP was 0·37%. In Assam on the other hand 331 (23·5%) subjects out of 1410 individuals who were examined had a cough for one week or more and of the 112 individuals who provided sputum, 13 (11·6%) were smear positive for AFB. The prevalence of new smear positive TB cases was 0·78% in Assam. Sero-positivity of paragonimiasis in coughers of AP was 7·6% (n = 1091), which was significantly higher (p < 0·01) as compared to that in Assam (1·2%, n = 321). The findings of the present study suggest that TB remains a major public health concern in the NE region of India especially in the remote places and there is need to strengthen early case detection of TB.

Active detection of tuberculosis and paragonimiasis in the remote areas in North-Eastern India using cough as a simple indicator

PubMed Central

Rekha Devi, Kangjam; Narain, Kanwar; Mahanta, Jagadish; Deori, Rumi; Lego, Kabang; Goswami, Dibyajyoti; Kumar Rajguru, Sanjib; Agatsuma, Takeshi

2013-01-01

One of the essential steps in targeting tuberculosis (TB) intervention is early diagnosis and treatment of patients by reducing the reservoir of infection in the community. In the North-Eastern (NE) region of India pulmonary TB and paragonimiasis are overlapping public health issues. We performed a cross-sectional study in 63 remote villages from the two states Arunachal Pradesh (AP) and Assam to determine the prevalence of undiagnosed TB and paragonimiasis cases using cough as a simple indicator. In AP, 2961 individuals aged five years and above were examined and 1108 (37.4%) were found to have cough for one week or more. Of the 417 individuals who provided sputum, 11 (2.64%) were smear positive for acid-fast bacilli (AFB). All these cases were yet undiagnosed, thus the prevalence of new smear positive TB in AP was 0.37%. In Assam on the other hand 331 (23.5%) subjects out of 1410 individuals who were examined had a cough for one week or more and of the 112 individuals who provided sputum, 13 (11.6%) were smear positive for AFB. The prevalence of new smear positive TB cases was 0.78% in Assam. Sero-positivity of paragonimiasis in coughers of AP was 7.6% (n  =  1091), which was significantly higher (p < 0.01) as compared to that in Assam (1.2%, n  =  321). The findings of the present study suggest that TB remains a major public health concern in the NE region of India especially in the remote places and there is need to strengthen early case detection of TB. PMID:23683370

Frequency of tuberculous and non-tuberculous mycobacteria in HIV infected patients from Bogota, Colombia

PubMed Central

Murcia-Aranguren, Martha I; Gómez-Marin, Jorge E; Alvarado, Fernando S; Bustillo, José G; de Mendivelson, Ellen; Gómez, Bertha; León, Clara I; Triana, William A; Vargas, Erwing A; Rodríguez, Edgar

2001-01-01

Background The prevalence of infections by Mycobacterium tuberculosis and non-tuberculous Mycobacterium species in the HIV-infected patient population in Colombia was uncertain despite some pilot studies. We determined the frequency of isolation of Mycobacterium tuberculosis and of non-tuberculous Mycobacterium species in diverse body fluids of HIV-infected patients in Bogota, Colombia. Methods Patients who attended the three major HIV/AIDS healthcare centres in Bogota were prospectively studied over a six month period. A total of 286 patients were enrolled, 20% of them were hospitalized at some point during the study. Sixty four percent (64%) were classified as stage C, 25% as stage B, and 11% as stage A (CDC staging system, 1993). A total of 1,622 clinical samples (mostly paired samples of blood, sputum, stool, and urine) were processed for acid-fast bacilli (AFB) stain and culture. Results Overall 43 of 1,622 cultures (2.6%) were positive for mycobacteria. Twenty-two sputum samples were positive. Four patients were diagnosed with M. tuberculosis (1.4%). All isolates of M. tuberculosis were sensitive to common anti-tuberculous drugs. M. avium was isolated in thirteen patients (4.5%), but only in three of them the cultures originated from blood. The other isolates were obtained from stool, urine or sputum samples. In three cases, direct AFB smears of blood were positive. Two patients presented simultaneously with M. tuberculosis and M. avium. Conclusions Non-tuberculous Mycobacterium infections are frequent in HIV infected patients in Bogota. The diagnostic sensitivity for infection with tuberculous and non-tuberculous mycobacteria can be increased when diverse body fluids are processed from each patient. PMID:11722797

Transcriptome, antioxidant enzyme activity and histopathology analysis of hepatopancreas from the white shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei fed with aflatoxin B1(AFB1).

PubMed

Zhao, Wei; Wang, Lei; Liu, Mei; Jiang, Keyong; Wang, Mengqiang; Yang, Guang; Qi, Cancan; Wang, Baojie

2017-09-01

Aflatoxin produced by Aspergillus flavus or Aspergillus parasiticus fungi during grain and feed processing and storage. Aflatoxins cause severe health problems reducing the yield and profitability of shrimp cultures. We sought to understand the interaction between shrimp immunity and aflatoxin B1 (AFB1), analyzing transcriptome expression, antioxidant enzyme activity, and histological features of the hepatopancreas of shrimp fed with AFB1. From over 4 million high-quality reads, de novo unigene assembly produced 103,644 fully annotated genes. A total of 1024 genes were differentially expressed in shrimp fed with AFB1, being involved in functions, such as peroxidase metabolism, signal transduction, transcriptional control, apoptosis, proteolysis, endocytosis, and cell adhesion and cell junction. Upon AFB1 challenge, there were severe histological alterations in shrimp hepatopancreas. AFB1 challenge increased the activity of several antioxidant enzymes. Our data contribute to improve the current understanding of host-AFB1 interaction, providing an abundant source for identification of novel genes. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

33 CFR 334.1130 - Pacific Ocean, Western Space and Missile Center (WSMC), Vandenberg AFB, Calif.; danger zones.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... Missile Center (WSMC), Vandenberg AFB, Calif.; danger zones. 334.1130 Section 334.1130 Navigation and... RESTRICTED AREA REGULATIONS § 334.1130 Pacific Ocean, Western Space and Missile Center (WSMC), Vandenberg AFB... Point Arguello, unless prior permission is obtained from the Commander, Western Space and Missile Center...

33 CFR 334.1130 - Pacific Ocean, Western Space and Missile Center (WSMC), Vandenberg AFB, Calif.; danger zones.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... Missile Center (WSMC), Vandenberg AFB, Calif.; danger zones. 334.1130 Section 334.1130 Navigation and... RESTRICTED AREA REGULATIONS § 334.1130 Pacific Ocean, Western Space and Missile Center (WSMC), Vandenberg AFB... Point Arguello, unless prior permission is obtained from the Commander, Western Space and Missile Center...

33 CFR 334.1130 - Pacific Ocean, Western Space and Missile Center (WSMC), Vandenberg AFB, Calif.; danger zones.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... Missile Center (WSMC), Vandenberg AFB, Calif.; danger zones. 334.1130 Section 334.1130 Navigation and... RESTRICTED AREA REGULATIONS § 334.1130 Pacific Ocean, Western Space and Missile Center (WSMC), Vandenberg AFB... Point Arguello, unless prior permission is obtained from the Commander, Western Space and Missile Center...

33 CFR 334.1130 - Pacific Ocean, Western Space and Missile Center (WSMC), Vandenberg AFB, Calif.; danger zones.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... Missile Center (WSMC), Vandenberg AFB, Calif.; danger zones. 334.1130 Section 334.1130 Navigation and... RESTRICTED AREA REGULATIONS § 334.1130 Pacific Ocean, Western Space and Missile Center (WSMC), Vandenberg AFB... Point Arguello, unless prior permission is obtained from the Commander, Western Space and Missile Center...

33 CFR 334.1130 - Pacific Ocean, Western Space and Missile Center (WSMC), Vandenberg AFB, Calif.; danger zones.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... Missile Center (WSMC), Vandenberg AFB, Calif.; danger zones. 334.1130 Section 334.1130 Navigation and... RESTRICTED AREA REGULATIONS § 334.1130 Pacific Ocean, Western Space and Missile Center (WSMC), Vandenberg AFB... Point Arguello, unless prior permission is obtained from the Commander, Western Space and Missile Center...

VHF-UHF Noise Surveys at Gulkana, Elmendorf AFB, Galena AFB, Kotzebue and Cape Lisburne, Alaska and NRL, Pomonkey, Maryland

DTIC Science & Technology

1993-02-01

61 6.6 Galena AFB Meteor Scatter Site ...... ............. .. 66 6.7 Kotzebue Meteor Scatter and Army National Guard ...Measurement Setup at the Army National Guard 75 Facility inh Kotzebue 6.7-3 Kotzebue 5 August 1992 (a) Cumulative Spectra 77 40-50 MHYz; (b) Time Series...signals originating from any place on Earth can be expected throughout the day and night . At frequencies above approximately 15 MHz propagation is still

Radon Sampling, Building 54, Nellis AFB, NV

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-07-13

BEF) performed radon testing in response to a concern of elevated radon levels in Building 54. The building was previously remediated to reduce the... TESTING METHODOLOGY: a. Test Scenario: Building 54 was chosen to test for radon gas levels. Radon detectors were placed in the test ...Consultative Letter 3. DATES COVERED (From – To) 22-24 March 2012 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE Radon Sampling, Building 54, Nellis AFB, NV 5a. CONTRACT

Acid-fast intranuclear inclusion bodies in the kidneys of mallards fed lead shot

USGS Publications Warehouse

Locke, L.N.; Bagley, George E.; Irby, H.D.

1966-01-01

Acid-fast intranuclear inclusion bodies were found in the cells of the proximal convoluted tubules of the kidneys of mallards fed one, two, three or eight number 6 lead shot and maintained on cracked or whole corn and on grain-duck pellet diets. No acid-fast inclusion bodies were found in mallards fed one or three lead shot but maintained on a duck pellet ration. Dietary factors may be responsible for the failure of mallards fed a duck pellet ration to develop lead Inclusion bodies when treated with one or three lead shot. The authors suggest these inclusion bodies can be used as presumptive evidence for lead intoxication in mallards.

Environmental Assessment of Beale AFB Grazing Lease Program

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-12-01

Beale AFB will use livestock (cattle, sheep and goats ) on its properties throughout the year as needed for the control of noxious weeds, reduction...initiating a wildfire. California Farm Bureau Federation policy recognizes that grazing is the most practical and environmentally acceptable way to...Site Monitoring Well Installation and Annual Targeted Goat Grazing Project, Placer County, California. 21 September 2011.  

Usefulness of acr expression for monitoring latent Mycobacterium tuberculosis bacilli in 'in vitro' and 'in vivo' experimental models.

PubMed

Gordillo, S; Guirado, E; Gil, O; Díaz, J; Amat, I; Molinos, S; Vilaplana, C; Ausina, V; Cardona, P-J

2006-07-01

Real-time RT-PCR was used to quantify the expression of genes possibly involved in Mycobacterium tuberculosis latency in in vitro and murine models. Exponential and stationary phase (EP and SP) bacilli were exposed to decreasing pH levels (from 6.5 to 4.5) in an unstirred culture, and mRNA levels for 16S rRNA, sigma factors sigA,B,E,F,G,H and M, Rv0834c, icl, nirA, narG, fpbB, acr, rpoA, recA and cysH were quantified. The expression of acr was the one that best correlated with the CFU decrease observed in SP bacilli. In the murine model, the expressions of icl, acr and sigF tended to decrease when bacillary counts increased and vice versa. Values from immunodepressed mice (e.g. alpha/beta T cells, TNF, IFN-gamma and iNOs knock out strains), with accelerated bacillary growth rate, confirmed this fact. Finally, the expression of acr was maintained in mice following long-term treatment with antibiotics. The quantification of acr expression could be useful for monitoring the presence of latent bacilli in some murine models of tuberculosis.

Performance evaluation and bacteria analysis of AFB-MFC enriched with high-strength synthetic wastewater.

PubMed

Huang, Jian-sheng; Guo, Yong; Yang, Ping; Li, Chong-ming; Gao, Hui; Feng, Li; Zhang, Yun

2014-01-01

In order to study the performance and bacterial communities of an anaerobic fluidized bed microbial fuel cell (AFB-MFC) system, the 16S rDNA gene sequencing was applied, and high-strength synthetic wastewater was treated by the AFB-MFC system. The high-strength synthetic wastewater, in which the concentrations of chemical oxygen demand (COD), nitrite nitrogen, and nitrate nitrogen were above 19,000, 2,516-3,871 and 927-1,427 mg/L, was treated by the AFB-MFC system. The removal efficiency of COD, nitrite nitrogen, and nitrate nitrogen reached 70-89, 98 and 98%, while the maximum voltage was 394 mV. The bacteria analysis revealed the presence of Alistipes putredinis, Carnobacterium sp., Victivallis vadensis, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Thauera sp., Parabacteroides merdae, Parvimonas micra, Parabacteroides sp., and Desulfomicrobium baculatum in the anode chamber. In addition, the Klebsiella pneumoniae was observed to have the capability of organic degradation and electricity generation, while the Thauera sp. has the capability of denitrification.

Isolation and Characterization of Thermophilic Bacilli Degrading Cinnamic, 4-Coumaric, and Ferulic Acids

PubMed Central

Peng, Xue; Misawa, Norihiko; Harayama, Shigeaki

2003-01-01

Thirty-four thermophilic Bacillus sp. strains were isolated from decayed wood bark and a hot spring water sample based on their ability to degrade vanillic acid under thermophilic conditions. It was found that these bacteria were able to degrade a wide range of aromatic acids such as cinnamic, 4-coumaric, 3-phenylpropionic, 3-(p-hydroxyphenyl)propionic, ferulic, benzoic, and 4-hydroxybenzoic acids. The metabolic pathways for the degradation of these aromatic acids at 60°C were examined by using one of the isolates, strain B1. Benzoic and 4-hydroxybenzoic acids were detected as breakdown products from cinnamic and 4-coumaric acids, respectively. The β-oxidative mechanism was proposed to be responsible for these conversions. The degradation of benzoic and 4-hydroxybenzoic acids was determined to proceed through catechol and gentisic acid, respectively, for their ring fission. It is likely that a non-β-oxidative mechanism is the case in the ferulic acid catabolism, which involved 4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl-β-hydroxypropionic acid, vanillin, and vanillic acid as the intermediates. Other strains examined, which are V0, D1, E1, G2, ZI3, and H4, were found to have the same pathways as those of strain B1, except that strains V0, D1, and H4 had the ability to transform 3-hydroxybenzoic acid to gentisic acid, which strain B1 could not do. PMID:12620824

Distribution of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in Korea in the preceding decade.

PubMed

Jeon, Jae-Sik; Kim, Jae Kyung; Choi, Qute; Kim, Jong Wan

2018-05-01

Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease caused by the bacillus Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB); it is transmitted among people through air. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of TB and its clinical trends by collecting and analyzing data on specimens in Korea. All clinical specimens referred to the Dankook University Hospital Laboratory in Cheonan, Korea, from September 2005 to June 2016 were tested to isolate MTB using solid and liquid cultures, acid-fast bacilli (AFB) smears, and polymerase chain reactions (PCR). In total, 146 150 specimens were collected; the mean TB positivity rate was 7.8%. The highest positivity rate was observed among patients 30-39 years of age (12.6%), followed by those 20-29 years of age (12.2%). The mean positivity rate was highest in 2010 and lowest in 2016 (10.7% and 6.7%, respectively). When comparing 2015-2011, we saw a decrease in the number of TB-positive patients of 3.4%; this represented an annual decrease in 0.9%. Our data revealed a trend for a decrease in TB prevalence over time. Moreover, TB positivity rates were highest among the younger age groups in our study. Therefore, rapid diagnosis and treatment of TB in younger individuals are crucial. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Squamous cell lung cancer in a male with pulmonary tuberculosis.

PubMed

Skowroński, Marcin; Iwanik, Katarzyna; Halicka, Anna; Barinow-Wojewódzki, Aleksander

2015-01-01

Lung cancer and pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) are highly prevalent and representing major public health issues. They share common risk factors and clinical manifestations. It is also suggested that TB predicts raised lung cancer risk likely related to chronic inflammation in the lungs. However, it does not seem to influence the clinical course of lung cancer provided that it is properly treated. We present a case report of a 57-year old male with concurrent TB and lung cancer. He was diagnosed with positive sputum smear for acid fast bacilli (AFB) and subsequent culture of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Besides, his comorbid conditions were chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and peripheral artery disease (PAD). Later while on anti-tuberculous treatment (ATT) squamous cell lung cancer (SCC) was confirmed with computed tomography (CT) guided biopsy. Due to poor general condition the patient was not fit for either surgery or radical chemo- and radiotherapy. He was transferred to hospice for palliative therapy. We want to emphasize that both TB and lung cancer should be actively sought for in patients with either disorder. In addition, there is no doubt that these patients with lung cancer and with good response to TB treatment should be promptly considered for appropriate anticancer therapy.

Pattern of secondary acquired drug resistance to antituberculosis drug in Mumbai, India--1991-1995.

PubMed

Chowgule, R V; Deodhar, L

1998-01-01

A retrospective observational study was conducted to find out whether secondary acquired drug resistance to isoniazid and ethambutol is high and to rifamycin and pyrazinamide is low, as is commonly believed in India. There were 2033 patients, whose sputum samples (6099) were reviewed from a specimen registry of the microbiology laboratory for the years 1991 to 1995. Of these, 521 (25.6%) patients [335 males and 186 females; age ranged from 11 to 75 years] had sputum positive culture and sensitivity for acid-fast bacilli (AFB). The drug resistance patterns in our study were: isoniazid (H) 15%, rifamycin (R) 66.8%, pyrazinamide (Z) 72.2%, ethambutol (E) 8.4%, streptomycin (S) 53.6%, cycloserine (C) 39.2% kanamycin (K) 25.1% and ethionamide (Eth) 65.3%. The resistance to streptomycin showed a significant fall over a year while there was a rise in resistance to cycloserine and kanamycin which is significant. The rate of secondary acquired resistance of isoniazid and ethambutol was low, and the rate of secondary acquired resistance to rifamycin and pyrazinamide was high, which is contarary to the common belief regarding these drugs in India. This implies that isoniazid is still a valuable drug in the treatment of multidrug resistance in India.

Modifiable factors associated with active pulmonary tuberculosis in a Kenyan prison.

PubMed

Amwayi, A S; Kikuvi, G M; Muchiri, E M

2010-02-01

To establish modifiable factors associated with active pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) among prisoners. Retrospective matched case-control study. Nakuru GK prison in Kenya. A total of 144 subjects (48 cases and 96 controls) were recruited into the study. Cases were adult prisoners who had at least two initial sputum specimens being Acid Fast Bacilli-positive (AFB+) on direct smear microscopy and hence recruited to PTB WHO DOTS Programme. Controls were adults with no chronic cough and not on PTB treatment six months prior to the study. Independent factors significantly associated with active PTB disease were: self reported HIV+ status (OR=11; 95% CI = 2.42-47.77), evidence of BCG vaccination (OR = 0.20; 95% CI = 0.05-0.60), contact with PTB case (OR = 7.0; 95% CI = 1.17-38.23), unemployment (OR = 9.0; 95% CI = 1.84-43.97) and sharing linen (OR = 4.32; 95%CI = 1.08-17.29). Modifiable factors associated with active PTB in Nakuru G.K prison are: HIV status, BCG vaccination, PTB case contact, poverty and poor personal hygiene. We recommend HIV counselling and testing of all PTB patients, screening for TB upon prison entry and TB contact investigation and improving personal hygiene of prisoners.

Dietary linolenic acid and fasting glucose and insulin: the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Family Heart Study.

PubMed

Djoussé, Luc; Hunt, Steven C; Tang, Weihong; Eckfeldt, John H; Province, Michael A; Ellison, R Curtis

2006-02-01

To assess whether dietary linolenic acid is associated with fasting insulin and glucose. In a cross-sectional design, we studied 3993 non-diabetic participants of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Family Heart Study 25 to 93 years of age. Linolenic acid was assessed through a food frequency questionnaire, and laboratory data were obtained after at least a 12-hour fast. We used generalized linear models to calculate adjusted means of insulin and glucose across quartiles of dietary linolenic acid. From the lowest to the highest sex-specific quartile of dietary linolenic acid, means +/- standard error for logarithmic transformed fasting insulin were 4.06 +/- 0.02 (reference), 4.09 +/- 0.02, 4.13 +/- 0.02, and 4.17 +/- 0.02 pM, respectively (trend, p < 0.0001), after adjustment for age, sex, energy intake, waist-to-hip ratio, smoking, and high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol. When dietary linolenic acid was used as a continuous variable, the multivariable adjusted regression coefficient was 0.42 +/- 0.08. There was no association between dietary linolenic acid and fasting glucose (trend p = 0.82). Our data suggest that higher consumption of dietary linolenic acid is associated with higher plasma insulin, but not glucose levels, in non-diabetic subjects. Additional studies are needed to assess whether higher intake of linolenic acid results in an increased insulin secretion and improved glucose use in vivo.

Liver abscess caused by tuberculosis and melioidosis.

PubMed

Azali, Hafiz Yafee Amar; Norly, Salleh; Wong, Leh Meng; Tan, Kia Sin; Safian, Naim Muhammad

2007-04-01

We report an unusual co-existence of Burkholderia pseudomallei and acid fast bacilli in a young Malay gentleman with liver abscess. He was treated with antibiotics and surgical drainage. This phenomenon has not been reported in previous literature and the dilemma of its management is discussed.

Towards a phenotypic screening strategy for emerging β-lactamases in Gram-negative bacilli.

PubMed

Willems, Elise; Verhaegen, Jan; Magerman, Koen; Nys, Sita; Cartuyvels, Reinoud

2013-02-01

The purpose of this manuscript was to review recent literature and guidelines regarding phenotypic detection of emerging β-lactamases [extended-spectrum β-lactamases (ESBLs), AmpC β-lactamases and carbapenemases] in Gram-negative bacilli (GNB) in order to formulate recommendations on best practice to screen for them. We conclude that chromogenic ESBL screening agar plates are suitable to screen for ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae directly from clinical samples. Furthermore, ceftazidime (CAZ) and ceftriaxone or cefotaxime (CTX) are the indicator antimicrobial agents of choice for ESBL detection in GNB. In non-inducible Enterobacteriaceae, the combined double-disk synergy test (CDDST) with at least CTX and CAZ and additionally cefepime as indicators is the preferred ESBL confirmation assay. The two most suitable ESBL confirmation strategies in AmpC co-producing Enterobacteriaceae are adapted CDDSTs: (i) with addition of 3-aminophenylboronic acid to CTX and CAZ disks; and (ii) with addition of cloxacillin (CLOX) to Mueller-Hinton agar. Reduced cefoxitin susceptibility and decreased susceptibility to cefotetan are regarded as suitable screening tests for plasmid-mediated and derepressed AmpC production. A CLOX-based CDDST with CTX and CAZ as indicators is considered to be the best AmpC confirmation assay. Finally, in Enterobacteriaceae isolates we suggest to screen for carbapenemases with a 0.5 μg/mL meropenem screening breakpoint. For class A carbapenemase confirmation, the home-prepared as well as the commercially available boronic acid-based CDDST can be considered. For metallo-β-lactamase confirmation, ethylene diamine tetra-acetic-acid-based home-prepared assays are recommended. The most suitable method (CDDST or DDST) and indicator antimicrobial agent(s) vary depending on the bacterial genus. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. and the International Society of Chemotherapy. All rights reserved.

Fast mass spectrometry-based enantiomeric excess determination of proteinogenic amino acids.

PubMed

Fleischer, Heidi; Thurow, Kerstin

2013-03-01

A rapid determination of the enantiomeric excess of proteinogenic amino acids is of great importance in various fields of chemical and biologic research and industries. Owing to their different biologic effects, enantiomers are interesting research subjects in drug development for the design of new and more efficient pharmaceuticals. Usually, the enantiomeric composition of amino acids is determined by conventional analytical methods such as liquid or gas chromatography or capillary electrophoresis. These analytical techniques do not fulfill the requirements of high-throughput screening due to their relative long analysis times. The method presented allows a fast analysis of chiral amino acids without previous time consuming chromatographic separation. The analytical measurements base on parallel kinetic resolution with pseudoenantiomeric mass tagged auxiliaries and were carried out by mass spectrometry with electrospray ionization. All 19 chiral proteinogenic amino acids were tested and Pro, Ser, Trp, His, and Glu were selected as model substrates for verification measurements. The enantiomeric excesses of amino acids with non-polar and aliphatic side chains as well as Trp and Phe (aromatic side chains) were determined with maximum deviations of the expected value less than or equal to 10ee%. Ser, Cys, His, Glu, and Asp were determined with deviations lower or equal to 14ee% and the enantiomeric excess of Tyr were calculated with 17ee% deviation. The total screening process is fully automated from the sample pretreatment to the data processing. The method presented enables fast measurement times about 1.38 min per sample and is applicable in the scope of high-throughput screenings.

Osteomyelitis associated with Nocardiopsis composta in a dog.

PubMed

Salas, Elisa N; Royal, Debra; Kurz, Lance; Loy, J Dustin

2015-05-01

We report the first detection of Nocardiopsis composta in association with osteomyelitis in a young male miniature Australian shepherd dog. Findings included suppurative osteomyelitis containing intralesional Fite's acid fast bacilli, aerobic culture of branching Gram-positive rods, and positive identification via phenotypic analysis and 16S rDNA sequencing.

Smooth Tubercle Bacilli: Neglected Opportunistic Tropical Pathogens.

PubMed

Aboubaker Osman, Djaltou; Bouzid, Feriel; Canaan, Stéphane; Drancourt, Michel

2015-01-01

Smooth tubercle bacilli (STB) including "Mycobacterium canettii" are members of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBC), which cause non-contagious tuberculosis in human. This group comprises <100 isolates characterized by smooth colonies and cordless organisms. Most STB isolates have been obtained from patients exposed to the Republic of Djibouti but seven isolates, including the three seminal ones obtained by Georges Canetti between 1968 and 1970, were recovered from patients in France, Madagascar, Sub-Sahara East Africa, and French Polynesia. STB form a genetically heterogeneous group of MTBC organisms with large 4.48 ± 0.05 Mb genomes, which may link Mycobacterium kansasii to MTBC organisms. Lack of inter-human transmission suggested a yet unknown environmental reservoir. Clinical data indicate a respiratory tract route of contamination and the digestive tract as an alternative route of contamination. Further epidemiological and clinical studies are warranted to elucidate areas of uncertainty regarding these unusual mycobacteria and the tuberculosis they cause.

Smooth Tubercle Bacilli: Neglected Opportunistic Tropical Pathogens

PubMed Central

Aboubaker Osman, Djaltou; Bouzid, Feriel; Canaan, Stéphane; Drancourt, Michel

2016-01-01

Smooth tubercle bacilli (STB) including “Mycobacterium canettii” are members of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBC), which cause non-contagious tuberculosis in human. This group comprises <100 isolates characterized by smooth colonies and cordless organisms. Most STB isolates have been obtained from patients exposed to the Republic of Djibouti but seven isolates, including the three seminal ones obtained by Georges Canetti between 1968 and 1970, were recovered from patients in France, Madagascar, Sub-Sahara East Africa, and French Polynesia. STB form a genetically heterogeneous group of MTBC organisms with large 4.48 ± 0.05 Mb genomes, which may link Mycobacterium kansasii to MTBC organisms. Lack of inter-human transmission suggested a yet unknown environmental reservoir. Clinical data indicate a respiratory tract route of contamination and the digestive tract as an alternative route of contamination. Further epidemiological and clinical studies are warranted to elucidate areas of uncertainty regarding these unusual mycobacteria and the tuberculosis they cause. PMID:26793699

Interpretation Criteria for Comparative Intradermal Tuberculin Test for Diagnosis of Bovine Tuberculosis in Cattle in Maroua Area of Cameroon

PubMed Central

Temwa, J.; Mouiche, M. M.; Iyawa, D.; Zoli, P. A.

2016-01-01

Intradermal tuberculin test (TST) is the choice method for diagnosis of bovine tuberculosis (Tb) in live animals. This work was done to assess the performance of single intradermal comparative cervical tuberculin (SICCT) test in randomly selected cattle in Maroua, Cameroon, against detection of Tb lesions and detection of Tb lesions plus acid fast bacilli in lesions. While 22.28% of slaughtered cattle presented Tb lesions at meat inspection, detection rates of anti-bovine-Tb antibody, Tb lesions, and Tb lesions plus acid fast bacilli were 68.57%, 32.95%, and 22.35%, respectively. SICCT-bovine-Tb positive cattle were 35.29%, 29.41%, 25.88%, 24.7%, and 21.18% at ≥2 mm, ≥2.5 mm, ≥3 mm, ≥3.5 mm, and ≥4 mm cut-offs, respectively. Higher sensitivity and predictive values were obtained at severe interpretations. The best performance was at ≥3 mm and ≥3.5 mm cut-offs. Against detection of Tb lesions, ≥3 mm and ≥3.5 mm showed sensitivity of 67.8% and specificity of 94.7% and 96.5%, respectively. For detection of Tb lesions accompanied with acid fast bacilli in lesions, ≥3 mm and ≥3.5 mm showed sensitivity of 89.4% and specificity of 92.4% and 93.9%, respectively. These findings revealed that interpretations of SICCT-bovine-Tb should be at ≥3 mm and/or ≥3.5 mm cut-offs. Severe interpretation of TST is essential for optimal diagnosis of bovine Tb in cattle in Maroua, Cameroon. PMID:27563481

Final Environmental Assessment: Replace Hanscom AFB Middle School

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-04-01

term impacts on wastewater facilities are anticipated during the demolition/construction of the Middle School. Portable toilets may be available for...7.14. CUMULATIVE IMPACTS 7-18 SECTION 8. MEASURES TO REDUCE POTENTIAL FOR IMPACT 8-1 SECTION 9. CONSULTATION LETTERS, EMAILS, AND PUBLIC NOTICE 9-1...U.S. Air Force April 2012 1 FINDING OF NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT Name of Action: Replace Hanscom AFB Middle School Hanscom Air Force Base

Extending food deprivation reverses the short-term lipolytic response to fasting: role of the triacylglycerol/fatty acid cycle.

PubMed

Weber, Jean-Michel; Reidy, Shannon P

2012-05-01

The effects of short-term food deprivation on lipid metabolism are well documented, but little is known about prolonged fasting. This study monitored the kinetics of glycerol (rate of appearance, R(a) glycerol) and non-esterified fatty acids (R(a) NEFA) in fasting rabbits. Our goals were to determine whether lipolysis is stimulated beyond values seen for short-term fasting, and to characterize the roles of primary (intracellular) and secondary (with transit through the circulation) triacylglycerol/fatty acid cycling (TAG/FA cycling) in regulating fatty acid allocation to oxidation or re-esterification. R(a) glycerol (9.62±0.72 to 15.29±0.96 μmol kg(-1) min(-1)) and R(a) NEFA (18.05±2.55 to 31.25±1.93 μmol kg(-1) min(-1)) were stimulated during the first 2 days of fasting, but returned to baseline after 4 days. An initial increase in TAG/FA cycling was followed by a reduction below baseline after 6 days without food, with primary and secondary cycling contributing to these responses. We conclude that the classic activation of lipolysis caused by short-term fasting is abolished when food deprivation is prolonged. High rates of re-esterification may become impossible to sustain, and TAG/FA cycling could decrease to reduce its cost to 3% of total energy expenditure. Throughout prolonged fasting, fatty acid metabolism gradually shifts towards increased oxidation and reduced re-esterification. Survival is achieved by pressing fuel selection towards the fatty acid dominance of energy metabolism and by slowing substrate cycles to assist metabolic suppression. However, TAG/FA cycling remains active even after prolonged fasting, suggesting that re-esterification is a crucial mechanism that cannot be stopped without harmful consequences.

Revised Uniform Summary of Surface Weather Observations (RUSSWO) for Wheeler AFB, Wahiawa, Hawaii. Parts A-F

DTIC Science & Technology

1980-01-11

OBSERVATIONS) 225 :1 LIEELER AFB HI 68-70,73-79 JUL STATION STI* k-t 11Ot- ALL wEAT,4ER 1530-1700 CLASS ko ~z7 ILS i.- CONDITION rI 1’E 1.1 . SPEED .MEAN...AND SPEED (FROM HOURLY OBSERVATIONS) 225f_8 ,HEELER AFB HI 67-70,73-76 NOV MSATION STATION vults IZARS lONth ALL WEATHER 1800-2000 chit , mo02s (L 5

Impact of the Mycobaterium africanum West Africa 2 Lineage on TB Diagnostics in West Africa: Decreased Sensitivity of Rapid Identification Tests in The Gambia.

PubMed

Ofori-Anyinam, Boatema; Kanuteh, Fatoumatta; Agbla, Schadrac C; Adetifa, Ifedayo; Okoi, Catherine; Dolganov, Gregory; Schoolnik, Gary; Secka, Ousman; Antonio, Martin; de Jong, Bouke C; Gehre, Florian

2016-07-01

MPT64 rapid speciation tests are increasingly being used in diagnosis of tuberculosis (TB). Mycobacterium africanum West Africa 2 (Maf 2) remains an important cause of TB in West Africa and causes one third of disease in The Gambia. Since the introduction of MPT64 antigen tests, a higher than expected rate of suspected non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) was seen among AFB smear positive TB suspects, which led us to prospectively assess sensitivity of the MPT64 antigen test in our setting. We compared the abundance of mRNA encoded by the mpt64 gene in sputa of patients with untreated pulmonary TB caused by Maf 2 and Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb). Subsequently, prospectively collected sputum samples from presumptive TB patients were inoculated in the BACTEC MGIT 960 System. One hundred and seventy-three acid fast bacilli (AFB)-positive and blood agar negative MGIT cultures were included in the study. Cultures were tested on the day of MGIT positivity with the BD MGIT TBc Identification Test. A random set of positives and all negatives were additionally tested with the SD Bioline Ag MPT64 Rapid. MPT64 negative cultures were further incubated at 37°C and retested until positive. Bacteria were spoligotyped and assigned to different lineages. Maf 2 isolates were 2.52-fold less likely to produce a positive test result and sensitivity ranged from 78.4% to 84.3% at the beginning and end of the recommended 10 day testing window, respectively. There was no significant difference between the tests. We further showed that the decreased rapid test sensitivity was attributable to variations in mycobacterial growth behavior and the smear grades of the patient. In areas where Maf 2 is endemic MPT64 tests should be cautiously used and MPT64 negative results confirmed by a second technique, such as nucleic acid amplification tests, to avoid their misclassification as NTMs.

Pathology of the Emerging Mycobacterium tuberculosis Complex Pathogen, Mycobacterium mungi, in the Banded Mongoose ( Mungos mungo).

PubMed

Alexander, Kathleen A; Laver, Peter N; Williams, Mark C; Sanderson, Claire E; Kanipe, Carly; Palmer, Mitchell V

2018-03-01

Wild banded mongooses ( Mungos mungo) in northeastern Botswana and northwest Zimbabwe are infected with a novel Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTC) pathogen, Mycobacterium mungi. We evaluated gross and histologic lesions in 62 infected mongooses (1999-2017). Many tissues contained multifocal irregular, lymphohistiocytic to granulomatous infiltrates and/or multifocal or coalescing noncaseating to caseating granulomas with variable numbers of intralesional acid-fast bacilli. Over one-third of nasal turbinates examined had submucosal lymphohistiocytic to granulomatous infiltrates, erosion and ulceration of the nasal mucosa, bony remodeling, and nasal distortion. Similar inflammatory cell infiltrates expanded the dermis of the nasal planum with frequent ulceration. However, even in cases with intact epidermis, acid-fast bacilli were present in variable numbers among dermal infiltrates and on the epidermal surface among desquamated cells and debris, most commonly in small crevices or folds. In general, tissue involvement varied among cases but was highest in lymph nodes (50/54, 93%), liver (39/53, 74%), spleen (37/51, 73%), and anal glands/sacs (6/8, 75%). Pulmonary lesions were present in 67% of sampled mongooses (35/52) but only in advanced disseminated disease. The pathological presentation of M. mungi in the banded mongoose is consistent with pathogen shedding occurring through scent-marking behaviors (urine and anal gland secretions) with new infections arising from contact with these contaminated olfactory secretions and percutaneous movement of the pathogen through breaks in the skin, nasal planum, and/or skin of the snout. Given the character and distribution of lesions and the presence of intracellular acid-fast bacilli, we hypothesize that pathogen spread occurs within the body through a hematogenous and/or lymphatic route. Features of prototypical granulomas such as multinucleated giant cells and peripheral fibrosis were rarely present in affected

Building Energy Audit Report, for Hickam AFB, HI

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chvala, William D.; De La Rosa, Marcus I.; Brown, Daryl R.

2010-09-30

A building energy assessment was performed by a team of engineers from Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) under contract to the Department of Energy/Federal Energy Management program (FEMP). The effort used the Facility Energy Decision System (FEDS) model to determine how energy is consumed at Hickam AFB, identify the most cost-effective energy retrofit measures, and calculate the potential energy and cost savings. This documents reports the results of that assessment.

Hydroprocessed Esters and Fatty Acids (HEFA) Bio-Based Jet Fuels: Sensory Irritation Study and Human Health Hazard Assessment

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-06-30

AFRL-RH-FS-TR-2014-0001 Hydroprocessed Esters and Fatty Acids (HEFA) Bio -Based Jet Fuels: Sensory Irritation Study and Human Health Hazard...Karen L. Mumy Brian A. Wong R. Arden James James Reboulet Brian Sharits Michael Grimm Nathan Gargas Naval Medical Research Unit - Dayton...Wright-Patterson AFB OH Richard C. Striebich AFRL/RQTF Wright-Patterson AFB OH David R. Mattie Bioeffects Division Molecular Bioeffects Branch

Performance of the Xpert MTB/RIF assay for the diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis and rifampin resistance in a low-incidence, high-resource setting.

PubMed

Rice, Jason P; Seifert, Marva; Moser, Kathleen S; Rodwell, Timothy C

2017-01-01

Performance of the Xpert MTB/RIF assay, designed to simultaneously detect Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBC) and rifampin (RIF) resistance, has been well documented in low-resource settings with high TB-incidence. However, few studies have assessed its accuracy in low TB incidence settings. We evaluated the performance of Xpert MTB/RIF using clinical sputum specimens routinely collected from suspect pulmonary TB patients over a 4-year time period in San Diego County, California. Xpert MTB/RIF results were compared to acid-fast bacilli (AFB) smear microscopy, mycobacterial culture, and phenotypic drug susceptibility testing (DST). Of 751 sputum specimens, 134 (17.8%) were MTBC culture-positive and 2 (1.5%) were multidrug-resistant (MDR). For the detection of MTBC, Xpert MTB/RIF sensitivity was 89.6% (97.7% and 74.5% in smear-positive and -negative sputa, respectively) and specificity was 97.2%; while AFB smear sensitivity and specificity were 64.9% and 77.8%, respectively. Xpert MTB/RIF detected 35 of 47 smear-negative culture-positive specimens, and excluded 124 of 137 smear-positive culture-negative specimens. Xpert MTB/RIF also correctly excluded 99.2% (121/122) of nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) specimens, including all 33 NTM false-positives by smear microscopy. For the detection of RIF resistance, Xpert MTB/RIF sensitivity and specificity were 100% and 98.3%, respectively. Our findings demonstrate that Xpert MTB/RIF is able to accurately detect MTBC and RIF resistance in routinely collected respiratory specimens in a low TB-incidence setting, with comparable performance to that achieved in high-incidence settings; and suggest that under these conditions the assay has particular utility in detecting smear-negative TB cases, excluding smear-positive patients without MTBC disease, and differentiating MTBC from NTM.

Performance of the Xpert MTB/RIF assay for the diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis and rifampin resistance in a low-incidence, high-resource setting

PubMed Central

Rice, Jason P.; Moser, Kathleen S.; Rodwell, Timothy C.

2017-01-01

Performance of the Xpert MTB/RIF assay, designed to simultaneously detect Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBC) and rifampin (RIF) resistance, has been well documented in low-resource settings with high TB-incidence. However, few studies have assessed its accuracy in low TB incidence settings. We evaluated the performance of Xpert MTB/RIF using clinical sputum specimens routinely collected from suspect pulmonary TB patients over a 4-year time period in San Diego County, California. Xpert MTB/RIF results were compared to acid-fast bacilli (AFB) smear microscopy, mycobacterial culture, and phenotypic drug susceptibility testing (DST). Of 751 sputum specimens, 134 (17.8%) were MTBC culture-positive and 2 (1.5%) were multidrug-resistant (MDR). For the detection of MTBC, Xpert MTB/RIF sensitivity was 89.6% (97.7% and 74.5% in smear-positive and -negative sputa, respectively) and specificity was 97.2%; while AFB smear sensitivity and specificity were 64.9% and 77.8%, respectively. Xpert MTB/RIF detected 35 of 47 smear-negative culture-positive specimens, and excluded 124 of 137 smear-positive culture-negative specimens. Xpert MTB/RIF also correctly excluded 99.2% (121/122) of nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) specimens, including all 33 NTM false-positives by smear microscopy. For the detection of RIF resistance, Xpert MTB/RIF sensitivity and specificity were 100% and 98.3%, respectively. Our findings demonstrate that Xpert MTB/RIF is able to accurately detect MTBC and RIF resistance in routinely collected respiratory specimens in a low TB-incidence setting, with comparable performance to that achieved in high-incidence settings; and suggest that under these conditions the assay has particular utility in detecting smear-negative TB cases, excluding smear-positive patients without MTBC disease, and differentiating MTBC from NTM. PMID:29016684

The utility of Xpert MTB/RIF performed on bronchial washings obtained in patients with suspected pulmonary tuberculosis in a high prevalence setting.

PubMed

Barnard, Dewald A; Irusen, Elvis M; Bruwer, Johannes W; Plekker, Danté; Whitelaw, Andrew C; Deetlefs, Jacobus D; Koegelenberg, Coenraad F N

2015-09-16

Xpert MTB/RIF has been shown to have a superior sensitivity to microscopy for acid fast bacilli (AFB) in sputum and has been recommended as a standard first line investigation for pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB). Bronchoscopy is a valuable tool in diagnosing PTB in sputum negative patients. There is limited data on the utility of Xpert MTB/RIF performed on bronchial lavage specimens. Our aim was to evaluate the diagnostic efficiency of Xpert MTB/RIF performed on bronchial washings in sputum scarce/negative patients with suspected PTB. All patients with a clinical and radiological suspicion of PTB who underwent bronchoscopy between January 2013 and April 2014 were included. The diagnostic efficiencies of Xpert MTB/RIF and microscopy for AFB were compared to culture for Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Thirty nine of 112 patients were diagnosed with culture-positive PTB. Xpert MTB/RIF was positive in 36/39 with a sensitivity of 92.3% (95% CI 78-98%) for PTB, which was superior to that of smear microscopy (41%; 95% CI 26.0-57.8%, p = 0.005). The specificities of Xpert MTB/RIF and smear microscopy were 87.7% (95% CI 77.4-93.9%) and 98.6% (95% CI 91.6%-99.9%) respectively. Xpert MTB/RIF had a positive predictive value of 80% (95% CI; 65-89.9%) and negative predictive value of 95.5% (95% CI 86.6-98.8%). 3/9 patients with Xpert MTB/RIF positive culture negative results were treated for PTB based on clinical and radiological findings. Xpert MTB/RIF has a higher sensitivity than smear microscopy and similar specificity for the immediate confirmation of PTB in specimens obtained by bronchial washing, and should be utilised in patients with a high suspicion of pulmonary tuberculosis.

A comparison between the efficiency of the Xpert MTB/RIF assay and nested PCR in identifying Mycobacterium tuberculosis during routine clinical practice.

PubMed

Kim, Cheol-Hong; Woo, Heungjeong; Hyun, In Gyu; Kim, Changhwan; Choi, Jeong-Hee; Jang, Seung-Hun; Park, Sang Myeon; Kim, Dong-Gyu; Lee, Myung Goo; Jung, Ki-Suck; Hyun, Jeongwon; Kim, Hyun Soo

2014-06-01

Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for the detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) is more sensitive, specific, and rapid than the conventional methods of acid-fast bacilli (AFB) smear and culture. The aim of this study was to determine if the Xpert MTB/rifampicin (RIF) assay had additional advantages over nested PCR for the detection of MTB in a geographical area with intermediate tuberculosis (TB) incidence. Between February and December 2013, the Xpert MTB/RIF assay and MTB nested PCR, as well as AFB smear and culture, were simultaneously performed on 198 clinical samples (160 pulmonary and 38 non-pulmonary specimens) collected from 171 patients hospitalized at Hallym University Medical Center for possible TB. The accuracy of the diagnosis of MTB culture-positive TB and the turnaround time of reporting laboratory results were calculated and compared. Rifampin resistance by the Xpert MTB/RIF assay was reviewed with that of conventional drug susceptibility testing (DST). The sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values of the Xpert MTB/RIF assay and MTB nested PCR for diagnosis of MTB culture-positive pulmonary TB were 86.1% vs. 69.4% (P=0.1563), 97.8% vs. 94.1% (P=0.2173), 91.2% vs. 75.8% (P=0.1695), and 96.4% vs. 92.0% (P=0.2032), respectively. The median turnaround times of the Xpert MTB/RIF assay and MTB nested PCR were 0 [0-4] days and 4 [1-11] days, respectively (P<0.001). Two cases of rifampin resistance, as determined by the Xpert MTB/RIF assay, were found to be multi-drug resistant (MDR) pulmonary TB by DST. The Xpert MTB/RIF assay seemed to be sensitive, specific, and comparable to nested PCR for identifying MTB among clinically suspected TB patients, and the assay can be valuable in giving a timely identification of resistance to rifampin.

Utility of bone marrow examination for workup of fever of unknown origin in patients with HIV/AIDS.

PubMed

Quesada, Andrés E; Tholpady, Ashok; Wanger, Audrey; Nguyen, Andy N D; Chen, Lei

2015-03-01

The utility of bone marrow aspiration and biopsy (BMAB) as a diagnostic tool in patients with HIV/AIDS and fever of unknown origin (FUO) is a subject of debate. Because highly active antiretroviral therapy has reduced incidence of opportunistic infections, it is important to reassess the efficacy of BMAB for this diagnostic purpose. To our knowledge, no such studies have been performed in Harris County which has the highest incidence of HIV in the state of Texas. We reviewed all BMABs from patients with HIV/AIDS and FUO or persistent cytopenia(s) from 2007 to 2011. Of 57 evaluable patients, BMAB was positive in 24 samples by acid fast bacilli (AFB) or Gomori methenamine silver (GMS) stains (17.5%), presence of granuloma and/or lymphohistiocytic aggregates (31.6%), culture (21.0%) or a combination. Cultures demonstrated Mycobacterium avium/intracellulare (4), M tuberculosis (2), M gordonae (1), Histoplasma capsulatum (3) and Cryptococcus neoformans (2). There were three cases in which a pathogen was grown in culture but that had a negative of 'direct examination' on tissue sections (negative AFB and GMS special stains, no morphological evidence of granuloma/lymphohistiocytic infiltrates). This study supports the use of diagnostic BMAB as a rapid decision-making tool in patients with HIV and FUO in the proper clinical setting. BMAB demonstrated infection-related evidence prior to positive bone marrow culture in 75% of cases. Special stains and blood cultures had similar diagnostic yield, but BMAB offers faster results. Thus, this procedure assists in clinical decision making and the refinement of treatment in a more timely manner. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

A first insight into high prevalence of undiagnosed smear-negative pulmonary tuberculosis in Northern Ethiopian prisons: implications for greater investment and quality control.

PubMed

Biadglegne, Fantahun; Rodloff, Arne C; Sack, Ulrich

2014-01-01

Tuberculosis (TB) transmission in prisons poses significant risks to inmates as well as the general population. Currently, there are no data on smear-negative pulmonary TB cases in prisons and by extension no data on the impact such cases have on TB incidence. This study was designed to obtain initial data on the prevalence of smear-negative cases of TB in prisons as well as preliminary risk factor analysis for such TB cases. This cross-sectional survey was conducted in November 2013 at eight main prisons located in the state of Amhara, Ethiopia. Interviews using a structured and pretested questionnaire were done first to identify symptomatic prisoners. Three consecutive sputum samples were collected and examined using acid fast bacilli (AFB) microscopy at the point of care. All smear-negative sputum samples were taken for culture and Xpert testing. Descriptive and multivariate analysis was done using SPSS version 16. Overall the prevalence of smear-negative pulmonary TB cases in the study prisons was 8% (16/200). Using multivariate analysis, a contact history to TB patients in prison, educational level, cough and night sweating were found to be predictors of TB positivity among smear-negative pulmonary TB cases (p ≤ 0.05). In the studied prisons, high prevalence of undiagnosed TB cases using AFB microscopy was documented, which is an important public health concern that urgently needs to be addressed. Furthermore, patients with night sweating, non-productive cough, a contact history with TB patients and who are illiterate merit special attention, larger studies are warranted in the future to assess the associations more precisely. Further studies are also needed to examine TB transmission dynamics by patients with smear-negative pulmonary TB in a prison setting.

In Situ Soil Venting - Full Scale Test Hill AFB, Guidance Document, Literature Review. Volume 1

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-08-01

AD-A254 924 1’) VOL I IN SITU SOIL VENTING - FULL SCALE TEST HILL AFB, GUIDANCE DOCUMENT, LITERATURE REVIEW D. W. DEPAO, S. E. HERBES, J. H . WILSON...D. K. SOLOMON, AND H . L. JENNINGS MARTIN-MARIETTA ENERGY SYSTEMS OAK RIDGE NATIONAL LABORATORY P. O. BOX 2008 OAK RIDGE TN 37831 OTI AUGUST 1991 S...sificat,cn) (U) In Situ Soil Ver.ting - Full Scale Test Hill AFB, Guidance Document, Literature Review 2 PERSO’.AL AUTH-O’.S, a W ApP li- S_ T’.- erber:. H

Environmental Assessment Housing Transfer at Grand Forks AFB, North Dakota

DTIC Science & Technology

2005-01-27

AIR FORCE BASE ...Equipment…………. 28 9 ACRONYMS, ABBREVIATIONS, AND TERMS AAM Annual Arithmetic Mean ACM Asbestos-Containing Material AFB Air Force Base AFI Air ...of No Significant Impact ft Feet ft3/s feet cubed per meter 10 GFAFB Grand Forks Air Force Base HAP Hazardous Air Pollutants hr Hour

Diagnosis of bile acid diarrhoea by fasting and postprandial measurements of fibroblast growth factor 19.

PubMed

Borup, Christian; Syversen, Charlotte; Bouchelouche, Pierre; Damgaard, Morten; Graff, Jesper; Rumessen, Jüri Johannes; Munck, Lars Kristian

2015-12-01

A deficiency in the ileal hormone fibroblast growth factor 19 (FGF19) has been described in patients with bile acid diarrhoea (BAD), but fasting FGF19 levels have insufficient diagnostic power. We assess whether single postprandial sampling of FGF19 has greater discriminative value than fasting FGF19 for detection of BAD and we evaluate the reproducibility of fasting FGF19. Twenty-six patients consecutively referred to Se homocholic acid retention test (SeHCAT) were included. Serum FGF19 was measured after an overnight fast and again 1 h postprandially and again in the fasting state 1 week later. Nine of 26 patients had SeHCAT less than 10% and fasting FGF19 was lower [median 62 pg/ml, interquartile range (IQR): 47-67] than in the 17 diarrhoea controls with SeHCAT at least 10% (median 103 pg/ml, IQR: 77-135, P=0.006). Postprandial FGF19 in BAD patients (61 pg/ml, IQR: 48-69) was similar to fasting values (P=0.59) and increased insignificantly in diarrhoea controls (137 pg/ml, IQR: 88-182; P=0.25). The difference in postprandial FGF19 between patients with BAD and diarrhoea controls was highly significant (P<0.001). The difference in serum FGF19 between groups of patients with BAD and diarrhoea controls is amplified postprandially. Within each group, the difference between fasting and postprandial FGF19 was not statistically significant. Further investigations are warranted on stimulated FGF19 response to elucidate its role in BAD.

COMPARISON OF GeneXpert MTB/RIF ASSAY WITH CONVENTIONAL AFB SMEAR FOR DIAGNOSIS OF PULMONARY TUBERCULOSIS IN NORTHEASTERN THAILAND.

PubMed

Reechaipichitkul, Wipa; Suleesathira, Tanapong; Chaimanee, Prajaub

2017-03-01

Among infectious agents, Mycobacterium tuberculosis remains one of the most significant causes of death worldwide. Rapid and accurate diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) remains a great challenge. GeneXpert MTB/RIF assay is a novel integrated diagnostic system for rapid diagnosis of TB and particularly of rifampicin-resistant strains. A study was conducted between January 2010 and December 2014 to compare the performance of the sputum GeneXpert MTB/RIF assay with the conventional sputum AFB smear for diagnosis of active pulmonary TB in Thailand, a country with a high burden of this disease. Of the 125 patients who had cough and/or prolonged fever together with abnormal chest radiograph, 63 were diagnosed as having pulmonary TB by mycobacterium culture assay, while the remaining subjects were considered of having TB-like conditions, viz non-tuberculous mycobacterium infection (NTM), bacterial pneumonia or bronchogenic carcinoma. Two-thirds of the patients had underlying diseases, eg, diabetes mellitus (19 patients), autoimmune diseases (14), and HIV (6). Among patients with positive diagnosis of M. tuberculosis infection, 30 were AFB smear positive and 53 by sputum GeneXpert MTB/RIF method; among patients negative for M. tuberculosis infection, 4 were AFB smear positive and 5 by GeneXpert MTB/ RIF assay. Sensitivity and specificity of the sputum AFB smear and GeneXpertMTB/ RIF assay test were 48% (95% CI: 35-61) and 84% (95% CI: 73-92), and 94% (95% CI: 84-98) and 92% (95% CI: 82-97), respectively. Diagnostic performance of the GeneXpert MTB/RIF assay among AFB smear positive patients was higher than among AFB smear negative patients (adjusted OR 6.7; 95% CI: 2.3-19.9). Earlier diagnosis of pulmonary TB using GeneXpert MTB/RIF assay will lead to earlier appropriate treatment and provide opportunities to interrupt TB transmission.

Osteomyelitis associated with Nocardiopsis composta in a dog

PubMed Central

Salas, Elisa N.; Royal, Debra; Kurz, Lance; Loy, J. Dustin

2015-01-01

We report the first detection of Nocardiopsis composta in association with osteomyelitis in a young male miniature Australian shepherd dog. Findings included suppurative osteomyelitis containing intralesional Fite’s acid fast bacilli, aerobic culture of branching Gram-positive rods, and positive identification via phenotypic analysis and 16S rDNA sequencing. PMID:25969577

Results and Lessons Learned Interim Report: Altus AFB Site

DTIC Science & Technology

2005-07-07

from the Altus AFB RFI Report Attachment B: Geologic Logs and Static Water Levels Attachment C: Results of Groundwater Analyses Attachment D: Results...including: soil lithology, depth to groundwater , height of capillary fringe, soil hydraulic conductivity and air permeability, soil water retention...were gauged to determine whether groundwater had infiltrated the well and to measure the static water level. Monitoring wells installed for the

Normal probabilities for Vandenberg AFB wind components - monthly reference periods for all flight azimuths, 0- to 70-km altitudes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Falls, L. W.

1975-01-01

Vandenberg Air Force Base (AFB), California, wind component statistics are presented to be used for aerospace engineering applications that require component wind probabilities for various flight azimuths and selected altitudes. The normal (Gaussian) distribution is presented as a statistical model to represent component winds at Vandenberg AFB. Head tail, and crosswind components are tabulated for all flight azimuths for altitudes from 0 to 70 km by monthly reference periods. Wind components are given for 11 selected percentiles ranging from 0.135 percent to 99.865 percent for each month. The results of statistical goodness-of-fit tests are presented to verify the use of the Gaussian distribution as an adequate model to represent component winds at Vandenberg AFB.

Finding No Significant Impact: Aircraft Weather Shelter at Laughlin AFB, TX

DTIC Science & Technology

2004-06-01

surface water flow is southeast into the Ro Grande and down toward the Gulf of Mexico. Lake Amistad reservoir, located approximately 12 miles northwest...characterized Lake Amistad reservoir as having excellent water quality (USAF, 1997). Laughlin AFB contains a total of 19 acres of surface water

78 FR 17085 - Amendment of Multiple Restricted Areas; Eglin AFB, FL

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-03-20

... DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION Federal Aviation Administration 14 CFR Part 73 [Docket No. FAA-2013... date: 0901 UTC, May 2, 2013. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Paul Gallant, Airspace Policy and ATC... [Amended] By removing the words ``Using agency. U.S. Air Force, Commander, Air Armament Center, Eglin AFB...

Sustainability of TCE Removal in the Mulch Biowalls at Altus AFB

EPA Science Inventory

A permeable mulch biowall was installed in June 2002 at Landfill 3 (LF-03), Operable Unit 1 (OU-1), Altus AFB, Oklahoma. The demonstration was conducted by Parsons for the AFCEE Technology Transfer Outreach Office. The biowall is approximately 455 feet long, by 24 feet deep, by...

Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) and Finding of No Practicable Alternative (FONPA) for the Stone Road Widening Environmental Assessment, Moody AFB, GA

DTIC Science & Technology

2004-10-18

No Practicable Alternative (FONPA) for the Stone Road Widening Environmental Assessment, Moody AFB, GA 18 Oct 04 SUMMARY l. PURPOSE: Acquire AFSOC...AFB, GA 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER 5b. GRANT NUMBER 5c. PROGRAM ELEMENT NUMBER 6. AUTHOR(S) 5d. PROJECT NUMBER 5e. TASK NUMBER 5f. WORK UNIT NUMBER 7...PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES) 347th Civil Engineer Squadron (347 CES/CEV),3485 Georgia Street,Moody AFB, GA ,31699 8. PERFORMING

Molecular diversity and multifarious plant growth promoting attributes of Bacilli associated with wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) rhizosphere from six diverse agro-ecological zones of India.

PubMed

Verma, Priyanka; Yadav, Ajar Nath; Khannam, Kazy Sufia; Kumar, Sanjay; Saxena, Anil Kumar; Suman, Archna

2016-01-01

The diversity of culturable Bacilli was investigated in six wheat cultivating agro-ecological zones of India viz: northern hills, north western plains, north eastern plains, central, peninsular, and southern hills. These agro-ecological regions are based on the climatic conditions such as pH, salinity, drought, and temperature. A total of 395 Bacilli were isolated by heat enrichment and different growth media. Amplified ribosomal DNA restriction analysis using three restriction enzymes AluI, MspI, and HaeIII led to the clustering of these isolates into 19-27 clusters in the different zones at >70% similarity index, adding up to 137 groups. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequencing led to the identification of 55 distinct Bacilli that could be grouped in five families, Bacillaceae (68%), Paenibacillaceae (15%), Planococcaceae (8%), Staphylococcaceae (7%), and Bacillales incertae sedis (2%), which included eight genera namely Bacillus, Exiguobacterium, Lysinibacillus, Paenibacillus, Planococcus, Planomicrobium, Sporosarcina, and Staphylococcus. All 395 isolated Bacilli were screened for their plant growth promoting attributes, which included direct-plant growth promoting (solubilization of phosphorus, potassium, and zinc; production of phytohormones; 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate deaminase activity and nitrogen fixation), and indirect-plant growth promotion (antagonistic, production of lytic enzymes, siderophore, hydrogen cyanide, and ammonia). To our knowledge, this is the first report for the presence of Bacillus endophyticus, Paenibacillus xylanexedens, Planococcus citreus, Planomicrobium okeanokoites, Sporosarcina sp., and Staphylococcus succinus in wheat rhizosphere and exhibit multifunctional PGP attributes. These niche-specific and multifarious PGP Bacilli may serve as inoculants for crops growing in respective climatic conditions. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

A simple whole cell based high throughput screening protocol using Mycobacterium bovis BCG for inhibitors against dormant and active tubercle bacilli.

PubMed

Khan, Arshad; Sarkar, Dhiman

2008-04-01

This study aimed at developing a whole cell based high throughput screening protocol to identify inhibitors against both active and dormant tubercle bacilli. A respiratory type of nitrate reductase (NarGHJI), which was induced during dormancy, could reflect the viability of dormant bacilli of Mycobacterium bovis BCG in microplate adopted model of in vitro dormancy. Correlation between reduction in viability and nitrate reductase activity was seen clearly when dormant stage inhibitor metronidazole and itaconic anhydride were applied in this in vitro microplate model. Active replicating stage could also be monitored in the same assay by measuring the A(620) of the culture. MIC values of 0.08, 0.075, 0.3 and 3.0 microg/ml, determined through monitoring A(620) in this assay for rifampin, isoniazid, streptomycin and ethambutol respectively, were well in agreement with previously reported by BACTEC and Bio-Siv assays. S/N ratio and Z' factor for the assay were 8.5 and 0.81 respectively which indicated the robustness of the protocol. Altogether the assay provides an easy, inexpensive, rapid, robust and high content screening tool to search novel antitubercular molecules against both active and dormant bacilli.

Effect of 6-8 weeks of oral ursodeoxycholic acid administration on serum concentrations of fasting and postprandial bile acids and biochemical analytes in healthy dogs.

PubMed

Deitz, Krysta L; Makielski, Kelly M; Williams, Jackie M; Lin, Hui; Morrison, Jo Ann

2015-09-01

Ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) is commonly used for the treatment of hepatobiliary disease. UDCA is a bile acid that can be detected in the bile acid assay. Its effect on biochemical analytes is unknown. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of 6-8 weeks of UDCA administration on fasting and postprandial concentrations of serum bile acids (SBA), cholesterol, triglycerides, bilirubin, and liver enzyme activities in healthy dogs. Twenty healthy dogs received UDCA for 6-8 weeks. CBC, biochemistry profile, urinalysis, fasting and postprandial SBA, and hepatobiliary ultrasound examination were performed prior to starting UDCA (timepoint 0) and after 6-8 weeks of therapy, while animals were still receiving UDCA (timepoint 1). Timepoint 0 and timepoint 1 values were compared with a paired t-test. SBA were remeasured 72 hours after UDCA discontinuation. Only mean fasting SBA at timepoint 1 increased significantly (P = .03) from timepoint 0 (2.26 μmol/L at time 0 and 3.81 μmol/L at time 1) but were not elevated above the normal reference interval (0-9 μmol/L). Two dogs had timepoint 1 fasting SBA above the reference interval (10 and 11.7 μmol/L). One dog had timepoint 1 postprandial SBA above the reference interval at 20.1 μmol/L (reference interval 0-17 μmol/L). Repeat SBA 72 hours after UDCA discontinuation were normal. Long-term administration of UDCA to healthy dogs may increase fasting SBA above pretreatment values (typically within the reference interval). Long-term administration of UDCA to healthy dogs does not alter liver enzyme activities, and bilirubin, cholesterol, or triglyceride concentrations. © 2015 American Society for Veterinary Clinical Pathology.

'Nano-immuno test' for the detection of live Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis bacilli in the milk samples using magnetic nano-particles and chromogen.

PubMed

Singh, Manju; Singh, Shoor Vir; Gupta, Saurabh; Chaubey, Kundan Kumar; Stephan, Bjorn John; Sohal, Jagdip Singh; Dutta, Manali

2018-04-26

Early rapid detection of Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP) bacilli in milk samples is the major challenge since traditional culture method is time consuming and laboratory dependent. We report a simple, sensitive and specific nano-technology based 'Nano-immuno test' capable of detecting viable MAP bacilli in the milk samples within 10 h. Viable MAP bacilli were captured by MAP specific antibody-conjugated magnetic nano-particles using resazurin dye as chromogen. Test was optimized using true culture positive (10-bovine and 12-goats) and true culture negative (16-bovine and 25-goats) raw milk samples. Domestic livestock species in India are endemically infected with MAP. After successful optimization, sensitivity and specificity of the 'nano-immuno test' in goats with respect to milk culture was 91.7% and 96.0%, respectively. Whereas, it was 90.0% (sensitivity) and 92.6% (specificity) with respect to IS900 PCR. In bovine milk samples, sensitivity and specificity of 'nano-immuno test' with respect to milk culture was 90.0% and 93.7%, respectively. However, with respect to IS900 PCR, the sensitivity and specificity was 88.9% and 94.1%, respectively. Test was validated with field raw milk samples (goats-258 and bovine-138) collected from domestic livestock species to detect live/viable MAP bacilli. Of 138 bovine raw milk samples screened by six diagnostic tests, 81 (58.7%) milk samples were positive for MAP infection in one or more than one diagnostic tests. Of 81 (58.7%) positive bovine raw milk samples, only 24 (17.4%) samples were detected positive for the presence of viable MAP bacilli. Of 258 goats raw milk samples screened by six diagnostic tests, 141 (54.6%) were positive for MAP infection in one or more than one test. Of 141 (54.6%) positive raw milk samples from goats, only 48 (34.0%) were detected positive for live MAP bacilli. Simplicity and efficiency of this novel 'nano-immuno test' makes it suitable for wide-scale screening of milk

Efficacy of BACTEC TB in the rapid confirmatory diagnosis of mycobacterial infections. A Lebanese tertiary care center experience.

PubMed

Itani, Lina Y; Cherry, Mohamad A; Araj, George F

2005-01-01

Rapid detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB), especially multidrug-resistant strains, is of importance for prompt clinical management and initiation of public health control measures. Culture remains the "gold" standard in the confirmatory laboratory diagnosis of mycobacterial infections. The reliability of the automated radiometric BACTEC 460 TB (BACTEC) system for the rapid detection of mycobacteria in clinical specimens was evaluated and compared to the conventional culture on Lowenstein-Jensen (LJ) medium. All clinical specimens submitted for mycobacterial culture were processed and simultaneously cultured on both BACTEC broth medium and LJ solid medium. Acid-fast bacilli (AFB) smears were also performed on the sediments. Differentiation of mycobacterial isolates as MTB or Mycobacterium sp. other than tuberculosis (MOTT) was based on the BACTEC NAP test. All positive culture findings recovered between January 1997 and December 2003 were analyzed in this study. A total of 3300 specimens were tested of which 355 (10.7%) yielded positive cultures consisting of 233 (65.6%) MTB and 122 (34.4%) MOTT. The percentages of AFB smear-positive were 45% and 49% in clinical specimens yielding MTB & MOTT, respectively. Though several types of specimens were cultured, most isolates (72% of MTB & 91% of MOTT) were recovered from respiratory specimens. Overall, the BACTEC showed significantly higher mycobacteria recovery rate (91%) than LJ (77%). In terms of times to detection, BACTEC showed significantly shorter detection time of isolates than LJ for the overall (mean 9.6 days for BACTEC vs. 22.8 days for LJ) and for each category of AFB smear finding. The detection time is shortened for BACTEC with the increasing grade of smear positivity. BACTEC is substantially more sensitive, efficient and rapid than LJ in the laboratory diagnosis of mycobacterial infections. This system also provides rapid differentiation of MTB from MOTT and susceptibility test results on MTB

Evaluation of the GeneXpert MTB/RIF assay on extrapulmonary and respiratory samples other than sputum: a low burden country experience.

PubMed

Pandey, Sushil; Congdon, Jacob; McInnes, Bradley; Pop, Alina; Coulter, Christopher

2017-01-01

The aim of this study was to assess the performance of the GeneXpert MTB/RIF assay on extrapulmonary (EP) and respiratory (non-sputum) clinical samples of patients suspected of having tuberculosis (TB) from Queensland, Australia. A total of 269 EP and respiratory (non-sputum) clinical samples collected from Qld patients who were suspected of having TB were subjected to the GeneXpert MTB/RIF analysis, Ziehl-Neelsen (ZN) staining, Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) culture and drug susceptibility testing. Phenotypic and genotypic data were compared. The overall performance analysis of the GeneXpert MTB/RIF assay for detection of MTB complex demonstrated sensitivity of 89%, specificity of 95%, PPV of 89% and NPV of 95% using culture as a reference standard. The GeneXpert MTB/RIF analysis of acid-fast bacilli (AFB) smear positive samples and AFB smear negative samples showed sensitivities of 100% and 77%, respectively. Looking at individual EP and respiratory (non-sputum) sample types, the sensitivity ranged from 60% to 100% although the specificity ranged from 33% to 100% with the specificity of lymph node tissue biopsy being the lowest. The GeneXpert MTB/RIF assay detected 11% more TB cases than culture and 27% more cases than ZN microscopy. Due to insufficient numbers of presenting rifampicin resistance cases, performance analysis of the GeneXpert MTB/RIF assay on rifampicin resistance could not be carried out. The GeneXpert MTB/RIF assay is potentially valuable for TB diagnosis in the majority of the EP and respiratory (other than sputum) samples in our setting. Although the GeneXpert MTB/RIF assay provides rapid diagnostic results, the overall sensitivity to rule out the disease is suboptimal for some specimen types. Performance varied according to specimen type and AFB smear status. The sensitivity and specificity of lymph node tissue was 63% and 33%. Care must be taken when using the GeneXpert MTB/RIF assay for detection of MTB in lymph node tissue samples. All

Tuberculosis in fennec foxes.

PubMed

Himes, E M; Luchsinger, D W; Jarnagin, J L; Thoen, C O; Hood, H B; Ferrin, D A

1980-11-01

Fennec foxes (Fennecus zerda) in 2 zoos were found on necropsy to have lesions typical of those found in canine tuberculosis. Histologic examination revealed numerous acid-fast bacilli in lesions of liver, portal lymph node, spleen, kidney, and lung. Mycobacterium bovis isolated from tissues was identified by biochemical methods and by pathogenicity tests in guinea pigs and rabbits.

Fast high-throughput method for the determination of acidity constants by capillary electrophoresis: I. Monoprotic weak acids and bases.

PubMed

Fuguet, Elisabet; Ràfols, Clara; Bosch, Elisabeth; Rosés, Martí

2009-04-24

A new and fast method to determine acidity constants of monoprotic weak acids and bases by capillary zone electrophoresis based on the use of an internal standard (compound of similar nature and acidity constant as the analyte) has been developed. This method requires only two electrophoretic runs for the determination of an acidity constant: a first one at a pH where both analyte and internal standard are totally ionized, and a second one at another pH where both are partially ionized. Furthermore, the method is not pH dependent, so an accurate measure of the pH of the buffer solutions is not needed. The acidity constants of several phenols and amines have been measured using internal standards of known pK(a), obtaining a mean deviation of 0.05 pH units compared to the literature values.

The Protective Role of Selenium in AFB1-Induced Tissue Damage and Cell Cycle Arrest in Chicken's Bursa of Fabricius.

PubMed

Hu, Ping; Zuo, Zhicai; Wang, Fengyuan; Peng, Xi; Guan, Ke; Li, Hang; Fang, Jing; Cui, Hengmin; Su, Gang; Ouyang, Ping; Zhou, Yi

2018-03-06

Aflatoxin B 1 (AFB 1 ) is a naturally occurring secondary metabolites of Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus, and is the most toxic form of aflatoxins. Selenium (Se) with antioxidant and detoxification functions is one of the essential trace elements for human beings and animals. This study aims to evaluate the protective effects of Se on AFB 1 -induced tissue damage and cell cycle arrest in bursa of Fabricius (BF) of chickens. The results showed that a dietary supplement of 0.4 mg·kg -1 Se alleviated the histological lesions induced by AFB 1 , as demonstrated by decreasing vacuoles and nuclear debris, and relieving oxidative stress. Furthermore, flow cytometry studies showed that a Se supplement protected AFB 1 -induced G 2 M phase arrest at 7 days and G 0 G 1 phase arrest at 14 and 21 days. Moreover, the mRNA expression results of ATM, Chk2, p53, p21, cdc25, PCNA, cyclin D 1 , cyclin E 1 , cyclin B 3 , CDK6, CDK2, and cdc2 indicated that Se supplement could restore these parameters to be close to those in the control group. It is concluded that a dietary supplement of 0.4 mg kg -1 Se could diminish AFB 1 -induced immune toxicity in chicken's BF by alleviating oxidative damage and cell cycle arrest through an ATM-Chk2-cdc25 route and the ATM-Chk2-p21 pathway.

Microfasciculation: a morphological pattern in leprosy nerve damage.

PubMed

Antunes, Sérgio L G; Medeiros, Mildred F; Corte-Real, Suzana; Jardim, Márcia R; Nery, José A da Costa; Hacker, Mariana A V B; Valentim, Vânia da Costa; Amadeu, Thaís Porto; Sarno, Euzenir N

2011-01-01

To study Microfasciculation, a perineurial response found in neuropathies, emphasizing its frequency, detailed morphological characteristics and biological significance in pure neural leprosy (PNL), post-treatment leprosy neuropathy (PTLN) and non-leprosy neuropathies (NLN). Morphological characteristics of microfascicles were examined via histological staining methods, immunohistochemical expression of neural markers and transmission electronmicroscopy. The detection of microfasciculation in 18 nerve biopsy specimens [12 PNL, six PTLN but not in the NLN group, was associated strongly with perineurial damage and the presence of a multibacillary inflammatory process in the nerves, particularly in the perineurium. Immunoreactivity to anti-S100 protein, anti-neurofilament, anti-nerve growth receptor and anti-myelin basic protein immunoreactivity was found within microfascicles. Ultrastructural examination of three biopsies showed that fibroblast-perineurial cells were devoid of basement membrane despite perineurial-like NGFr immunoreactivity. Morphological evidence demonstrated that multipotent pericytes from inflammation-activated microvessels could be the origin of fibroblast-perineurial cells. A microfasciculation pattern was found in 10% of leprosy-affected nerves. The microfascicles were composed predominantly of unmyelinated fibres and denervated Schwann cells (SCs) surrounded by fibroblast-perineurial cells. This pattern was found more frequently in leprosy nerves with acid-fast bacilli (AFB) and perineurial damage while undergoing an inflammatory process. Further experimental studies are necessary to elucidate microfascicle formation. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Limited.

Sustained elevated levels of C-reactive protein and ferritin in pulmonary tuberculosis patients remaining culture positive upon treatment initiation

PubMed Central

Oliveira, Marina G.; Mesquita, Eliene D. D.; Silva, Elisangela; Rauwerdink, Anneloek; Cobelens, Frank; Oliveira, Martha M.; Kritski, Afrânio

2017-01-01

Background Clinical trials that evaluate new anti-tubercular drugs and treatment regimens take years to complete due to the slow clearance of Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection and the lack of early biomarkers that predict treatment outcomes. Host Inflammation markers have been associated with tuberculosis (TB) pathogenesis. In the present study, we tested if circulating levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) and ferritin reflect mycobacterial loads and inflammation in pulmonary TB (PTB) patients undergoing anti-tuberculous therapy (ATT). Methods Prospective measurements of CRP and ferritin, used as readouts of systemic inflammation, were performed in cryopreserved serum samples from 165 Brazilian patients with active PTB initiating ATT. Associations between levels of these laboratory parameters with mycobacterial loads in sputum as well as with sputum conversion at day 60 of ATT were tested. Results Circulating levels of both ferritin and CRP gradually decreased over time on ATT. At pre-treatment, concentrations of these parameters were unable to distinguish patients with positive from those with negative acid-fast bacilli (AFB) in sputum cultures. However, patients who remained with positive cultures at day 60 of ATT exhibited heightened levels of these inflammatory markers compared to those with negative cultures at that time point. Conclusions CRP and Ferritin levels in serum may be useful to identify patients with positive cultures at day 60 of ATT. PMID:28384354

Prevalence of tuberculous lymphadenitis in slaughtered cattle in Eastern Cape, South Africa.

PubMed

Bhembe, Nolwazi L; Jaja, Ishmael F; Nwodo, Uchechukwu U; Okoh, Anthony I; Green, Ezekiel

2017-08-01

To detect the prevalence of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBC) in the lymph nodes of slaughtered cattle collected from selected abattoirs in Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. A total of 376 lymph nodes were collected from slaughtered cattle over a period of 12 months. Certain characteristics (sex, age, body condition score, and breed) were observed to be associated with MTBC among slaughtered cattle. Collected samples were cultured and tested for acid-fast bacilli (AFB). DNA was isolated, purified, and quantified using a spectrophotometer. Quantified DNA was confirmed to be MTBC by multiplex PCR targeting two genes (IS6110 and mpb64). Of the 376 collected lymph nodes, 182 were positive when tested by Ziehl-Neelsen stain and 162 were confirmed positive for MTBC by PCR. MTBC was isolated from lymph nodes with nodular lesions (72.8%, 118/162) and inflamed lymph nodes (27.1%, 44/162). All detected MTBC isolates were positive for region of deletion 1 (RD1). No isolate was detected to have Mycobacterium bovis bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG). However, 3.1% had M. bovis and 96.9% had M. tuberculosis. The presence of live Mycobacterium strains in slaughtered cattle poses a health risk to beef consumers and abattoir workers. Copyright © 2017 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Risk factors associated with default among new pulmonary TB patients and social support in six Russian regions.

PubMed

Jakubowiak, W M; Bogorodskaya, E M; Borisov, S E; Borisov, E S; Danilova, I D; Danilova, D I; Kourbatova, E V; Kourbatova, E K

2007-01-01

Tuberculosis (TB) services in six Russian regions in which social support programmes for TB patients were implemented. To identify risk factors for default and to evaluate possible impact of social support. Retrospective study of new pulmonary smear-positive and smear-negative TB patients registered during the second and third quarters of the 2003. Data were analysed in a case-control study including default patients as cases and successfully treated patients as controls, using multivariate logistic regression modelling. A total of 1805 cases of pulmonary TB were enrolled. Default rates in the regions were 2.3-6.3%. On multivariate analysis, risk factors independently associated with default outcome included: unemployment (OR 4.44; 95%CI 2.23-8.86), alcohol abuse (OR 1.99; 95%CI 1.04-3.81), and homelessness (OR 3.49; 95%CI 1.25-9.77). Social support reduced the default outcome (OR 0.13; 95%CI 0.06-0.28), controlling for age, sex, region, residence and acid-fast bacilli (AFB) smear of sputum. Unemployment, alcohol abuse and homelessness were associated with increased default outcome among new TB patients, while social support for TB patients reduced default. Further prospective randomised studies are necessary to evaluate the impact and to determine the most cost-effective social support for improving treatment outcomes of TB in patients in Russia, especially among populations at risk of default.

Characterization of fungal antagonistic bacilli isolated from aerial roots of banyan (Ficus benghalensis) using intact-cell MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry (ICMS).

PubMed

Pathak, K V; Keharia, H

2013-05-01

To characterize fungal antagonistic bacilli isolated from aerial roots of banyan tree and identify the metabolites responsible for their antifungal activity. Seven gram positive, endospore-forming, rod-shaped endophytic bacterial strains exhibiting a broad-spectrum antifungal activity were isolated from the surface-sterilized aerial roots of banyan tree. The isolates designated as K1, A2, A4 and A12 were identified as Bacillus subtilis, whereas isolates A11 and A13 were identified as Bacillus amyloliquefaciens using Biolog Microbial Identification System. The antifungal lipopeptides, surfactins, iturins and fengycins with masses varying in the range from m/z 900 to m/z 1550 could be detected using intact-cell MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry (ICMS). On the basis of mass spectral and carbon source utilization profile, all seven endophytes could be distinguished from each other. Furthermore, ICMS analysis revealed higher extent of heterogeneity among iturins and fengycins produced by B. subtilis K1, correlating well with its higher antifungal activity in comparison with other isolates. Seven fungal antagonistic bacilli were isolated from aerial roots of banyan tree, exhibiting broad spectrum of antifungal activity, among which B. subtilis K1 isolate was found to be most potent. The ICMS analysis revealed that all these isolates produced cyclic lipopeptides belonging to surfactin, iturin and fengycin families and exhibited varying degree of heterogeneity. The endophytes are considered as a potential source of novel bioactive metabolites, and this study describes the potent fungal antagonistic bacilli from aerial roots of banyan tree. The isolates described in this study have a prospective application as biocontrol agents. Also ICMS analysis described in this study for characterization of antifungal metabolites produced by banyan endophytic bacilli may be used as a high throughput tool for screening of microbes producing novel cyclic lipopeptides. © 2013 The Society for

[Left-sided endocarditis due to gram-negative bacilli: epidemiology and clinical characteristics].

PubMed

Noureddine, Mariam; de la Torre, Javier; Ivanova, Radka; Martínez, Francisco José; Lomas, Jose María; Plata, Antonio; Gálvez, Juan; Reguera, Jose María; Ruiz, Josefa; Hidalgo, Carmen; Luque, Rafael; García-López, María Victoria; de Alarcón, Arístides

2011-04-01

The aim of this study is to describe the epidemiological, clinical characteristics, and outcome of patients with left-side endocarditis caused by gram-negative bacteria. Prospective multicenter study of left-sided infective endocarditis reported in the Andalusian Cohort for the Study of Cardiovascular Infections between 1984 and 2008. Among the 961 endocarditis, 24 (2.5%) were caused by gram-negative bacilli. The most common pathogens were Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Salmonella enterica. Native valves (85.7%) were mainly affected, most of them with previous valve damage (57%). Comorbidity was greater (90% vs 39%; P=.05) than in endocarditis due to other microorganism, the most frequent being, diabetes, hepatic cirrhosis and neoplasm. A previous manipulation was found in 47.6% of the cases, and 37% were considered hospital-acquired. Renal failure (41%), central nervous system involvement (33%) and ventricular dysfunction (45%) were the most frequent complications. Five cases (21%) required cardiac surgery, mostly due to ventricular dysfunction. More than 50% of cases were treated with aminoglycosides, but this did not lead to a better outcome or prognosis. Mortality (10 patients) was higher than that reported with other microorganisms (41% vs 35%; P=.05). Left-sided endocarditis due to gram-negative bacilli is a rare disease, which affects patients with major morbidities and often with a previous history of hospital manipulations. Cardiac, neurological and renal complications are frequent and associated with a high mortality. The association of aminoglycosides in the antimicrobial treatment did not involve a better outcome or prognosis. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier España, S.L. All rights reserved.

Group 13, 1990 ASCAN Cockrell during Elgin AFB water survival training

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1990-01-01

Group 13, 1990 Astronaut Candidate (ASCAN) Kenneth D. Cockrell (center), wearing flight suit, treads water in Elgin Air Force Base (AFB) pool during water survival exercises. In the foreground is Daniel W. Bursch. Ronald M. Sega appears behind Cockrell. 22 ASCANs participated in water survival training from 08-14-90 through 08-17-90.

Ferulic Acid Promotes Hypertrophic Growth of Fast Skeletal Muscle in Zebrafish Model.

PubMed

Wen, Ya; Ushio, Hideki

2017-09-26

As a widely distributed and natural existing antioxidant, ferulic acid and its functions have been extensively studied in recent decades. In the present study, hypertrophic growth of fast skeletal myofibers was observed in adult zebrafish after ferulic acid administration for 30 days, being reflected in increased body weight, body mass index (BMI), and muscle mass, along with an enlarged cross-sectional area of myofibers. qRT-PCR analyses demonstrated the up-regulation of relative mRNA expression levels of myogenic transcriptional factors (MyoD, myogenin and serum response factor (SRF)) and their target genes encoding sarcomeric unit proteins involved in muscular hypertrophy (skeletal alpha-actin, myosin heavy chain, tropomyosin, and troponin I). Western blot analyses detected a higher phosphorylated level of zTOR (zebrafish target of rapamycin), p70S6K, and 4E-BP1, which suggests an enhanced translation efficiency and protein synthesis capacity of fast skeletal muscle myofibers. These changes in transcription and translation finally converge and lead to higher protein contents in myofibers, as confirmed by elevated levels of myosin heavy chain (MyHC), and an increased muscle mass. To the best of our knowledge, these findings have been reported for the first time in vivo and suggest potential applications of ferulic acid as functional food additives and dietary supplements owing to its ability to promote muscle growth.

Time-course of germination, initiation of mycelium proliferation and probability of visible growth and detectable AFB1 production of an isolate of Aspergillus flavus on pistachio extract agar.

PubMed

Aldars-García, Laila; Sanchis, Vicente; Ramos, Antonio J; Marín, Sonia

2017-06-01

The aim of this work was to assess the temporal relationship among quantified germination, mycelial growth and aflatoxin B 1 (AFB1) production from colonies coming from single spores, in order to find the best way to predict as accurately as possible the presence of AFB1 at the early stages of contamination. Germination, mycelial growth, probability of growth and probability of AFB1 production of an isolate of Aspergillus flavus were determined at 25 °C and two water activities (0.85 and 0.87) on 3% Pistachio Extract Agar (PEA). The percentage of germinated spores versus time was fitted to the modified Gompertz equation for the estimation of the germination parameters (geometrical germination time and germination rate). The radial growth curve for each colony was fitted to a linear model for the estimation of the apparent lag time for growth and the growth rate, and besides the time to visible growth was estimated. Binary data obtained from growth and AFB1 studies were modeled using logistic regression analysis. Both water activities led to a similar fungal growth and AFB1 production. In this study, given the suboptimal set conditions, it has been observed that germination is a stage far from the AFB1 production process. Once the probability of growth started to increase it took 6 days to produce AFB1, and when probability of growth was 100%, only a 40-57% probability of detection of AFB1 production was predicted. Moreover, colony sizes with a radius of 1-2 mm could be a helpful indicator of the possible AFB1 contamination in the commodity. Despite growth models may overestimate the presence of AFB1, their use would be a helpful tool for producers and manufacturers; from our data 5% probability of AFB1 production (initiation of production) would occur when a minimum of 60% probability of growth is observed. Legal restrictions are quite severe for these toxins, thus their control from the early stages of contamination throughout the food chain is of paramount

Installation Restoration Program. Phase I. Records. Loring AFB, Maine.

DTIC Science & Technology

1984-01-01

forest, mixed forest, forested bogs, streams, and ponds. Managed timber lands total 4,635 acres on Loring AFB. Major harvested tree species include...Habitat 111-22 2. Threatened and Endangered Species 111-23 IV. FINDINGS IV-1 A. Activity Review IV-l 1. Industrial Waste Disposal Practices IV-1 2...Site No. 13, the BX Service Station, a number of cedar trees in the area of the fuel-saturated soil appear to have been dead for several years. 3

Fasting and postprandial serum bile acid concentrations in 10 healthy female red-eared terrapins (Trachemys scripta elegans).

PubMed

Knotkova, Z; Dorrestein, G M; Jekl, V; Janouskova, J; Knotek, Z

2008-10-25

The fasting and postprandial serum concentrations of bile acids and other blood constituents were measured in a group of 10 clinically healthy, female, six-year-old captive red-eared terrapins (Trachemys scripta elegans). The terrapins were housed in a temperate room and maintained in four aquaria in which the water temperature ranged from 24 to 27 degrees C and the temperature above the basking site ranged from 27 to 30 degrees C. The serum concentrations of bile acids were measured four times in a period of five months, and at the second sampling the fasting and two postprandial (after 24 and 48 hours) serum concentrations of total protein, albumin, glucose, uric acid, cholesterol, triglycerides, alkaline phosphatase, alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, lactate dehydrogenase, and bile acids were determined. Coelioscopy revealed vitellogenic and previtellogenic follicles on the ovaries of all the terrapins, and eggs with calcified shells were detected in two of them. The livers were mostly pink to deep yellow in colour, with sharp edges, a smooth serosal surface, distinct large superficial vessels, and multifocal melanin deposits. Liver biopsies revealed fine, more or less oil red O-positive lipid droplets in all the hepatocytes, but in none of the cases was it considered to be pathological lipidosis. The mean (sd) bile acid concentrations ranged from 7.35 (4.52) to 10.04 (7.40) micromol/l. The fasting and postprandial concentrations were 3.1 (2.3), 4.5 (5.4) (24 hours) and 2.2 (1.5) (48 hours) micromol/l. High concentrations between 27.6 and 66.6 micromol/l were associated with lipaemia. There were no significant differences between the biochemical profiles of the fasting and postprandial serum samples.

Prececal amino acid digestibility of soybean cake in fast- and slow-growing broiler chickens.

PubMed

Ganzer, C; Siegert, W; Kluth, H; Bennewitz, J; Rodehutscord, M

2017-08-01

The objective of the present study was to determine whether there are differences in prececal amino acid digestibility between commonly used slow- and fast-growing broiler strains when the regression approach is applied. ISA J-275 and Ross 308 were selected as common representatives of slow- and fast-growing broiler strains, respectively. The experimental diets with soybean cake at levels of 0, 100, and 200 g/kg were offered for ad libitum consumption between 22 and 29 d post-hatch. Titanium dioxide was used as an indigestible marker. Each treatment was tested with six pens comprising 10 birds each. Digesta samples were collected on a pen basis from the distal two-thirds of the intestine section between Meckel's diverticulum and 2 cm anterior to the ileocecal-colonic junction. The prececal amino acid digestibility of soybean cake was calculated by linear regression simultaneously for both strains. There was no significant interaction between broiler strain and inclusion level of soybean cake with respect to the prececal CP and amino acid digestibility of complete diets; there was a significant strain effect for 5 out of the 16 measured amino acids. The prececal CP and amino acid digestibility of soybean cake did not differ significantly between strains and was numerically almost identical. The results of the present study provide evidence of the transferability between broiler strains of prececal amino acid digestibility data, determined using the regression approach, thus improving the accuracy of diet formulation without drawbacks. © 2017 Poultry Science Association Inc.

Installation Restoration Program. Phase 1, Records Search. Chanute AFB, Illinois

DTIC Science & Technology

1983-12-01

Ogle County in northern Illinois to Wabash County in the southeast part of the state. It occurs approximately two miles west of Chanute Air Force Base...AFB) Station I Oil & Ammonia Cadmium Chromium Copper Iron Lead Mercury Nickel Silver Date COD Grease (*) Phosphorus (50)* (1000)* (20)* (1000) • (100...MONITORING DATA SALT FORK CREEK BEFORE TRIBUTARY CONFLUENCE (Before Entering Chanute APB) Station 2 Oil & Ammonia Cadmium Chromium Copper Iron Lead Mercury

[Research of preparation craft of Danshen phenolic acid fast release unit in multi-drug delivery system of Tongmai micro-pellets].

PubMed

Chen, Bin; Xiao, Wei; Jia, Xiao-Bin; Huang, Yang

2012-07-01

To prepare Danshen phenolic acid fast release micro-pellets and study its preparation craft. The factors which could impact yield, extrude shaping, dissolution of Danshen phenolic acid micro-pellets such as wetting agent, drug loading dose, adjuvant, lactose dose, disintegrant, CMS-Na dose and wetting agent dose was investigated. The optimum preparation craft of Danshen phenolic acid fast release micro-pellets was screened out by orhogonal design. Formula of Danshen phenolic acid fast release micro-pellets was calculated as volume dose 50 g. The formula was as follows: principal agent 22.5 g, lactose 5 g, CMS-Na 2 g, MCC 20.5 g, 27 mL 30% ethanol as wetting agent. Extrusion-spheronization was applied. The optimum conditions were screened out as follows: extrusion frequency (25 Hz), spheronization machine frequency (50 Hz), spheronization time (4 min). The process was scientific and rational. The preparation is stable settles basis for multi-drug delivery system of Tongmai micro-pellets.

Terminal Forecast Reference Notebook (TFRN) for George AFB, California.

DTIC Science & Technology

1980-09-04

Sierrai Ne-vadal ranEgo to thle northi. Seventy mi les west-northwest Is Tehachapi Pass (ci cv. 3,800’ MSI.) * lie gnteWay Loii t lo I.wer San Joia ~qin... designed to provide aIgencieos soift icient time. to accomplish protect ive mteasures. Under Phasie 1, non-destructive weather condit ions (scich as...orge AFB. Action Taken to Resolve Problem: a. Trljectory htlletIn Information Is being plott.I for po;sible storm signatures as des - cribed on page 36

Rational Design of a Green-Light-Mediated Unimolecular Platform for Fast Switchable Acidic Sensing.

PubMed

Zhou, Yunyun; Zou, Qi; Qiu, Jing; Wang, Linjun; Zhu, Liangliang

2018-02-01

A controllable sensing ability strongly connects to complex and precise events in diagnosis and treatment. However, imposing visible light into the molecular-scale mediation of sensing processes is restricted by the lack of structural relevance. To address this critical challenge, we present the rational design, synthesis, and in vitro studies of a novel cyanostyryl-modified azulene system for green-light-mediated fast switchable acidic sensing. The advantageous features of the design include a highly efficient green-light-driven Z/E-isomerization (a quantum yield up to 61.3%) for fast erasing chromatic and luminescent expressions and a superior compatibility with control of ratiometric protonation. Significantly, these merits of the design enable the development of a microfluidic system to perform a green-light-mediated reusable sensing function toward a gastric acid analyte in a miniaturized platform. The results may provide new insights for building future integrated green materials.

An Evaluation of the Limited Contract Warrant Experiment at March AFB.

DTIC Science & Technology

1986-09-01

as booking entertainment, and contracting for food and beverages . (66:12) The only time a contracting officer was consulted was when the purchase...34-, , • % . , •, ", ’,. .. . - - "."- .- - ,- -~. .-.• - . *- *** -.- -, ~ -, v -,- .,- • ,.-, .- ,- % S% j%’..’ ,..p S-. AFIT/GLM/LSM/86S-70 AN EVALUATION OF THE LIMITED CONTRACT WARRANT EXPERIMENT AT MARCH AFB THESIS... v List of Abbreviations ........................................................... vi :% Abstract

ASCAN Helms sets up tent during survival training at Fairchild AFB

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1990-01-01

1990 Group 13 Astronaut Candidate (ASCAN) Susan J. Helms gathers pine branches to create bedding under a tent she has constructed from a parachute. Helms, along with her classmates, is participating in wilderness survival training at Fairchild Air Force Base (AFB) Spokane, Washington. The training was conducted in the mountain forests of Washington from 08-26-90 through 08-30-90.

ASCAN Helms sets up tent during survival training at Fairchild AFB

NASA Image and Video Library

1990-09-24

1990 Group 13 Astronaut Candidate (ASCAN) Susan J. Helms gathers pine branches to create bedding under a tent she has constructed from a parachute. Helms, along with her classmates, is participating in wilderness survival training at Fairchild Air Force Base (AFB) Spokane, Washington. The training was conducted in the mountain forests of Washington from 08-26-90 through 08-30-90.

Evidence for a structural role for acid-fast lipids in oocyst walls of Cryptosporidium, Toxoplasma, and Eimeria.

PubMed

Bushkin, G Guy; Motari, Edwin; Carpentieri, Andrea; Dubey, Jitender P; Costello, Catherine E; Robbins, Phillips W; Samuelson, John

2013-09-03

Coccidia are protozoan parasites that cause significant human disease and are of major agricultural importance. Cryptosporidium spp. cause diarrhea in humans and animals, while Toxoplasma causes disseminated infections in fetuses and untreated AIDS patients. Eimeria is a major pathogen of commercial chickens. Oocysts, which are the infectious form of Cryptosporidium and Eimeria and one of two infectious forms of Toxoplasma (the other is tissue cysts in undercooked meat), have a multilayered wall. Recently we showed that the inner layer of the oocyst walls of Toxoplasma and Eimeria is a porous scaffold of fibers of β-1,3-glucan, which are also present in fungal walls but are absent from Cryptosporidium oocyst walls. Here we present evidence for a structural role for lipids in the oocyst walls of Cryptosporidium, Toxoplasma, and Eimeria. Briefly, oocyst walls of each organism label with acid-fast stains that bind to lipids in the walls of mycobacteria. Polyketide synthases similar to those that make mycobacterial wall lipids are abundant in oocysts of Toxoplasma and Eimeria and are predicted in Cryptosporidium. The outer layer of oocyst wall of Eimeria and the entire oocyst wall of Cryptosporidium are dissolved by organic solvents. Oocyst wall lipids are complex mixtures of triglycerides, some of which contain polyhydroxy fatty acyl chains like those present in plant cutin or elongated fatty acyl chains like mycolic acids. We propose a two-layered model of the oocyst wall (glucan and acid-fast lipids) that resembles the two-layered walls of mycobacteria (peptidoglycan and acid-fast lipids) and plants (cellulose and cutin). Oocysts, which are essential for the fecal-oral spread of coccidia, have a wall that is thought responsible for their survival in the environment and for their transit through the stomach and small intestine. While oocyst walls of Toxoplasma and Eimeria are strengthened by a porous scaffold of fibrils of β-1,3-glucan and by proteins cross

Response of Intestinal Bacterial Flora to the Long-term Feeding of Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) in Mice.

PubMed

Yang, Xiai; Liu, Liangliang; Chen, Jing; Xiao, Aiping

2017-10-12

In order to investigate the influence of aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) on intestinal bacterial flora, 24 Kunming mice (KM mice) were randomly placed into four groups, which were labeled as control, low-dose, medium-dose, and high-dose groups. They were fed intragastrically with 0.4 mL of 0 mg/L, 2.5 mg/L, 4 mg/L, or 10 mg/L of AFB1 solutions, twice a day for 2 months. The hypervariable region V3 + V4 on 16S rDNA of intestinal bacterial flora was sequenced by the use of a high-flux sequencing system on a Miseq Illumina platform; then, the obtained sequences were analyzed. The results showed that, when compared with the control group, both genera and phyla of intestinal bacteria in the three treatment groups decreased. About one third of the total genera and one half of the total phyla remained in the high-dose group. The dominant flora were Lactobacillus and Bacteroides in all groups. There were significant differences in the relative abundance of intestinal bacterial flora among groups. Most bacteria decreased as a whole from the control to the high-dose groups, but several beneficial and pathogenic bacterial species increased significantly with increasing dose of AFB1. Thus, the conclusion was that intragastric feeding with 2.5~10 mg/mL AFB1 for 2 months could decrease the majority of intestinal bacterial flora and induce the proliferation of some intestinal bacteria flora.

Keap1-knockdown decreases fasting-induced fatty liver via altered lipid metabolism and decreased fatty acid mobilization from adipose tissue.

PubMed

Xu, Jialin; Donepudi, Ajay C; Moscovitz, Jamie E; Slitt, Angela L

2013-01-01

The purpose of this study was to determine whether Nrf2 activation, via Keap1-knockdown (Keap1-KD), regulates lipid metabolism and mobilization induced by food deprivation (e.g. fasting). Male C57BL/6 (WT) and Keap1-KD mice were either fed ad libitum or food deprived for 24 hours. After fasting, WT mice exhibited a marked increase in hepatic lipid accumulation, but Keap1-KD mice had an attenuated increase of lipid accumulation, along with reduced expression of lipogenic genes (acetyl-coA carboxylase, stearoyl-CoA desaturase-1, and fatty acid synthase) and reduced expression of genes related to fatty acid transport, such as fatty acid translocase/CD36 (CD36) and Fatty acid transport protein (FATP) 2, which may attribute to the reduced induction of Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (Ppar) α signaling in the liver. Additionally, enhanced Nrf2 activity by Keap1-KD increased AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) phosphorylation in liver. In white adipose tissue, enhanced Nrf2 activity did not change the lipolysis rate by fasting, but reduced expression of fatty acid transporters--CD36 and FATP1, via a PPARα-dependent mechanism, which impaired fatty acid transport from white adipose tissue to periphery circulation system, and resulted in increased white adipose tissue fatty acid content. Moreover, enhanced Nrf2 activity increased glucose tolerance and Akt phosphorylation levels upon insulin administration, suggesting Nrf2 signaling pathway plays a key role in regulating insulin signaling and enhanced insulin sensitivity in skeletal muscle. Enhanced Nrf2 activity via Keap1-KD decreased fasting-induced steatosis, pointing to an important function of Nrf2 on lipid metabolism under the condition of nutrient deprivation.

Impact of Macroporosity on Catalytic Upgrading of Fast Pyrolysis Bio-Oil by Esterification over Silica Sulfonic Acids.

PubMed

Manayil, Jinesh C; Osatiashtiani, Amin; Mendoza, Alvaro; Parlett, Christopher M A; Isaacs, Mark A; Durndell, Lee J; Michailof, Chrysoula; Heracleous, Eleni; Lappas, Angelos; Lee, Adam F; Wilson, Karen

2017-09-11

Fast pyrolysis bio-oils possess unfavorable physicochemical properties and poor stability, in large part, owing to the presence of carboxylic acids, which hinders their use as biofuels. Catalytic esterification offers an atom- and energy-efficient route to upgrade pyrolysis bio-oils. Propyl sulfonic acid (PrSO 3 H) silicas are active for carboxylic acid esterification but suffer mass-transport limitations for bulky substrates. The incorporation of macropores (200 nm) enhances the activity of mesoporous SBA-15 architectures (post-functionalized by hydrothermal saline-promoted grafting) for the esterification of linear carboxylic acids, with the magnitude of the turnover frequency (TOF) enhancement increasing with carboxylic acid chain length from 5 % (C 3 ) to 110 % (C 12 ). Macroporous-mesoporous PrSO 3 H/SBA-15 also provides a two-fold TOF enhancement over its mesoporous analogue for the esterification of a real, thermal fast-pyrolysis bio-oil derived from woodchips. The total acid number was reduced by 57 %, as determined by GC×GC-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GC×GC-ToFMS), which indicated ester and ether formation accompanying the loss of acid, phenolic, aldehyde, and ketone components. © 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Fermentation of polysaccharides by Klebsiella and other facultative bacilli

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ochuba, G.U.; Von Riesen, V.L.

1980-05-01

Fermentations of 10 polysaccharides by species of the family Enterobacteriaceae were examined. Algin, guar, karaya, xanthan, and xylan were not fermented by any of the strains tested. Most of the activity was found in the tribe Klebsielleae. Klebseilla oxytoca fermented amylopectin (97% of the strains studied), carrageenan (100%), inulin (68%), polypectate (100%), and tragacanth (100%). Klebsiella pneumoniae fermented amylopectin (91%), carrageenan (100%), and tragacanth (86%). Carraggeenan was also fermented by Enterobacter aerogenes (100%), Enterobacter agglomerans (63%), Enterobacter cloacae (95%), and pectobacterium (38%). pectobacterium shared polypectate fermentation (100%) with K. oxytoca. With one exception, Serratia strains were negative on all polysaccharides.more » These results, along with other evidence, indicate that (i) the genus Klebsiella is biochemically the most versatile genus of the tribe, (ii) because of its distinct characteristics, K. oxytoca warrants species designation separate from K. pneumoniae, and (iii) some food additives generally considered indigestible can be metabolized by a few species of facultative bacilli, whereas others appear to be resistant.« less

Isolation and Screening of Thermophilic Bacilli from Compost for Electrotransformation and Fermentation: Characterization of Bacillus smithii ET 138 as a New Biocatalyst

PubMed Central

Bosma, Elleke F.; van de Weijer, Antonius H. P.; Daas, Martinus J. A.; van der Oost, John; de Vos, Willem M.

2015-01-01

Thermophilic bacteria are regarded as attractive production organisms for cost-efficient conversion of renewable resources to green chemicals, but their genetic accessibility is a major bottleneck in developing them into versatile platform organisms. In this study, we aimed to isolate thermophilic, facultatively anaerobic bacilli that are genetically accessible and have potential as platform organisms. From compost, we isolated 267 strains that produced acids from C5 and C6 sugars at temperatures of 55°C or 65°C. Subsequently, 44 strains that showed the highest production of acids were screened for genetic accessibility by electroporation. Two Geobacillus thermodenitrificans isolates and one Bacillus smithii isolate were found to be transformable with plasmid pNW33n. Of these, B. smithii ET 138 was the best-performing strain in laboratory-scale fermentations and was capable of producing organic acids from glucose as well as from xylose. It is an acidotolerant strain able to produce organic acids until a lower limit of approximately pH 4.5. As genetic accessibility of B. smithii had not been described previously, six other B. smithii strains from the DSMZ culture collection were tested for electroporation efficiencies, and we found the type strain DSM 4216T and strain DSM 460 to be transformable. The transformation protocol for B. smithii isolate ET 138 was optimized to obtain approximately 5 × 103 colonies per μg plasmid pNW33n. Genetic accessibility combined with robust acid production capacities on C5 and C6 sugars at a relatively broad pH range make B. smithii ET 138 an attractive biocatalyst for the production of lactic acid and potentially other green chemicals. PMID:25556192

Keap1-Knockdown Decreases Fasting-Induced Fatty Liver via Altered Lipid Metabolism and Decreased Fatty Acid Mobilization from Adipose Tissue

PubMed Central

Xu, Jialin; Donepudi, Ajay C.; Moscovitz, Jamie E.; Slitt, Angela L.

2013-01-01

Aims The purpose of this study was to determine whether Nrf2 activation, via Keap1-knockdown (Keap1-KD), regulates lipid metabolism and mobilization induced by food deprivation (e.g. fasting). Methods and Results Male C57BL/6 (WT) and Keap1-KD mice were either fed ad libitum or food deprived for 24 hours. After fasting, WT mice exhibited a marked increase in hepatic lipid accumulation, but Keap1-KD mice had an attenuated increase of lipid accumulation, along with reduced expression of lipogenic genes (acetyl-coA carboxylase, stearoyl-CoA desaturase-1, and fatty acid synthase) and reduced expression of genes related to fatty acid transport, such as fatty acid translocase/CD36 (CD36) and Fatty acid transport protein (FATP) 2, which may attribute to the reduced induction of Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (Ppar) α signaling in the liver. Additionally, enhanced Nrf2 activity by Keap1-KD increased AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) phosphorylation in liver. In white adipose tissue, enhanced Nrf2 activity did not change the lipolysis rate by fasting, but reduced expression of fatty acid transporters — CD36 and FATP1, via a PPARα-dependent mechanism, which impaired fatty acid transport from white adipose tissue to periphery circulation system, and resulted in increased white adipose tissue fatty acid content. Moreover, enhanced Nrf2 activity increased glucose tolerance and Akt phosphorylation levels upon insulin administration, suggesting Nrf2 signaling pathway plays a key role in regulating insulin signaling and enhanced insulin sensitivity in skeletal muscle. Conclusion Enhanced Nrf2 activity via Keap1-KD decreased fasting-induced steatosis, pointing to an important function of Nrf2 on lipid metabolism under the condition of nutrient deprivation. PMID:24224011

ASCANs Harris, Helms, and McArthur during survival training at Fairchild AFB

NASA Image and Video Library

1990-09-24

1990 Group 13 Astronaut Candidates (ASCANs) (left to right) Bernard J. Harris, Jr, Susan J. Helms, and William S. McArthur, Jr open dehydrated food packages during wilderness survival training at Fairchild Air Force Base (AFB) in Spokane, Washington. The training was conducted in the mountain forests of Washington from 08-26-90 through 08-30-90.

ASCANs Harris, Helms, and McArthur during survival training at Fairchild AFB

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1990-01-01

1990 Group 13 Astronaut Candidates (ASCANs) (left to right) Bernard J. Harris, Jr, Susan J. Helms, and William S. McArthur, Jr open dehydrated food packages during wilderness survival training at Fairchild Air Force Base (AFB) in Spokane, Washington. The training was conducted in the mountain forests of Washington from 08-26-90 through 08-30-90.

The aflatoxin B1 -fumonisin B1 toxicity in BRL-3A hepatocytes is associated to induction of cytochrome P450 activity and arachidonic acid metabolism.

PubMed

Mary, Verónica S; Arias, Silvina L; Otaiza, Santiago N; Velez, Pilar A; Rubinstein, Héctor R; Theumer, Martín G

2017-06-01

Human oral exposure to aflatoxin B 1 (AFB 1 ) and fumonisin B 1 (FB 1 ) is associated with increased hepatocellular carcinoma. Although evidence suggested interactive AFB 1 -FB 1 hepatotoxicity, the underlying mechanisms remain mostly unidentified. This work was aimed at evaluating the possible AFB 1 -FB 1 interplay to induce genetic and cell cycle toxicities in BRL-3A rat hepatocytes, reactive oxygen species (ROS) involvement, and the AFB 1 metabolizing pathways cytochrome P450 (CYP) and arachidonic acid (ArAc) metabolism as ROS contributors. Flow cytometry of stained BRL-3A hepatocytes was used to study the cell cycle (propidium iodide), ROS intracellular production (DCFH-DA, HE, DAF-2 DA), and phospholipase A activity (staining with bis-BODIPY FL C11-PC). The CYP1A activity was assessed by the 7-ethoxyresorufin-O-deethylase (EROD) assay. Despite a 48-h exposure to FB 1 (30 μM) not being genotoxic, the AFB 1 (20 μM)-induced micronucleus frequency was overcome by the AFB 1 -FB 1 mixture (MIX), presumably showing toxin interaction. The mycotoxins blocked G1/S-phase, but only MIX caused cell death. Overall, the oxidative stress led these alterations as the pretreatment with N-acetyl-l-cysteine reduced such toxic effects. While AFB 1 had a major input to the MIX pro-oxidant activity, with CYP and ArAc metabolism being ROS contributors, these pathways were not involved in the FB 1 -elicited weak oxidative stress. The MIX-induced micronucleus frequency in N-acetyl-l-cysteine pretreated cells was greater than that caused by AFB 1 without antioxidants, suggesting enhanced AFB 1 direct genotoxicity probably owing to the higher CYP activity and ArAc metabolism found in MIX. The metabolic pathways modulation by AFB 1 -FB 1 mixtures could raise its hepatocarcinogenic properties. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Genome analysis of smooth tubercle bacilli provides insights into ancestry and pathoadaptation of the etiologic agent of tuberculosis

PubMed Central

Supply, Philip; Marceau, Michael; Mangenot, Sophie; Roche, David; Rouanet, Carine; Khanna, Varun; Majlessi, Laleh; Criscuolo, Alexis; Tap, Julien; Pawlik, Alexandre; Fiette, Laurence; Orgeur, Mickael; Fabre, Michel; Parmentier, Cécile; Frigui, Wafa; Simeone, Roxane; Boritsch, Eva C.; Debrie, Anne-Sophie; Willery, Eve; Walker, Danielle; Quail, Michael A.; Ma, Laurence; Bouchier, Christiane; Salvignol, Grégory; Sayes, Fadel; Cascioferro, Alessandro; Seemann, Torsten; Barbe, Valérie; Locht, Camille; Gutierrez, Maria-Cristina; Leclerc, Claude; Bentley, Stephen; Stinear, Timothy P.; Brisse, Sylvain; Médigue, Claudine; Parkhill, Julian; Cruveiller, Stéphane; Brosch, Roland

2013-01-01

Global spread and genetic monomorphism are hallmarks of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the agent of human tuberculosis. In contrast, Mycobacterium canettii, and related tubercle bacilli that also cause human tuberculosis and exhibit unusual smooth colony morphology, are restricted to East-Africa. Here, we sequenced and analyzed the genomes of five representative strains of smooth tubercle bacilli (STB) using Sanger (4-5x coverage), 454/Roche (13-18x coverage) and/or Illumina DNA sequencing (45-105x coverage). We show that STB are highly recombinogenic and evolutionary early-branching, with larger genome sizes, 25-fold more SNPs, fewer molecular scars and distinct CRISPR-Cas systems relative to M. tuberculosis. Despite the differences, all tuberculosis-causing mycobacteria share a highly conserved core genome. Mouse-infection experiments revealed that STB are less persistent and virulent than M. tuberculosis. We conclude that M. tuberculosis emerged from an ancestral, STB-like pool of mycobacteria by gain of persistence and virulence mechanisms and we provide genome-wide insights into the molecular events involved. PMID:23291586

Fasting-induced liver GADD45β restrains hepatic fatty acid uptake and improves metabolic health.

PubMed

Fuhrmeister, Jessica; Zota, Annika; Sijmonsma, Tjeerd P; Seibert, Oksana; Cıngır, Şahika; Schmidt, Kathrin; Vallon, Nicola; de Guia, Roldan M; Niopek, Katharina; Berriel Diaz, Mauricio; Maida, Adriano; Blüher, Matthias; Okun, Jürgen G; Herzig, Stephan; Rose, Adam J

2016-06-01

Recent studies have demonstrated that repeated short-term nutrient withdrawal (i.e. fasting) has pleiotropic actions to promote organismal health and longevity. Despite this, the molecular physiological mechanisms by which fasting is protective against metabolic disease are largely unknown. Here, we show that, metabolic control, particularly systemic and liver lipid metabolism, is aberrantly regulated in the fasted state in mouse models of metabolic dysfunction. Liver transcript assays between lean/healthy and obese/diabetic mice in fasted and fed states uncovered "growth arrest and DNA damage-inducible" GADD45β as a dysregulated gene transcript during fasting in several models of metabolic dysfunction including ageing, obesity/pre-diabetes and type 2 diabetes, in both mice and humans. Using whole-body knockout mice as well as liver/hepatocyte-specific gain- and loss-of-function strategies, we revealed a role for liver GADD45β in the coordination of liver fatty acid uptake, through cytoplasmic retention of FABP1, ultimately impacting obesity-driven hyperglycaemia. In summary, fasting stress-induced GADD45β represents a liver-specific molecular event promoting adaptive metabolic function. © 2016 The Authors. Published under the terms of the CC BY 4.0 license.

Comparative effects of single-dose ceftriaxone versus three oral antibiotic regimens on stool colonization by resistant bacilli in children.

PubMed

Toltzis, Philip; Dul, Michael; O'Riordan, Mary Ann; Toltzis, Hasida; Blumer, Jeffrey L

2007-01-01

The use of short-term intramuscular ceftriaxone for pediatric ambulatory conditions raises concerns regarding the promotion of resistance among colonizing enteric bacteria. This study was designed to assess the prevalence of stool colonization with resistant Gram-negative bacilli after single-dose ceftriaxone treatment compared with other regimens for acute otitis media. Children age 3 months to 7 years and diagnosed with acute otitis media were randomized to receive treatment with single-dose ceftriaxone or with oral cefprozil, amoxicillin or azithromycin. Stool samples were obtained at enrollment and then 3-5 days, 10-14 days, and 28-30 days after therapy was initiated and screened for the presence of facultative Gram-negative bacilli resistant to ceftriaxone, cefprozil, amoxicillin, piperacillin, piperacillin-tazobactam and tobramycin. Mean prevalence of colonization by resistant organisms for each treatment group was compared at each time point. One thousand nine subjects were enrolled. The prevalence of colonization by a Gram-negative bacillus resistant to at least 1 of the screening antibiotics decreased after receipt of ceftriaxone but returned close to values measured at study entry by 30 days. A qualitatively similar pattern was noted for the 3 other regimens, but a quantitatively greater decrease in the prevalence of colonization by a resistant bacterium was noted at the 3- to 5-day and 10- to 14-day visits among azithromycin recipients (P < 0.001). Colonization by a Gram-negative bacillus resistant specifically to ceftriaxone was unusual at each study visit, regardless of treatment assignment. A single intramuscular dose of ceftriaxone had a similar effect on the prevalence of antibiotic-resistant Gram-negative facultative bacilli in the stool of healthy children when compared with commonly used oral agents.

ASCAN Helms with instructor during Elgin AFB water survival training

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1990-01-01

1990 Group 13 Astronaut Candidate (ASCAN) Susan J. Helms, wearing helmet with oxygen mask and inflated life jacket, is assisted by training instructor during water survival exercises at Elgin Air Force Base (AFB) in Pensacola, Florida. Helms looks on as the instructor adjusts her parachute harness. When ready, Helms will be dropped from the harness into the pool (in background) to simulate a water landing after T-38 ejection. ASCANs participated in the exercises from 08-14-90 through 08-17-90.

ASCAN Helms with instructor during Elgin AFB water survival training

NASA Image and Video Library

1990-09-20

1990 Group 13 Astronaut Candidate (ASCAN) Susan J. Helms, wearing helmet with oxygen mask and inflated life jacket, is assisted by training instructor during water survival exercises at Elgin Air Force Base (AFB) in Pensacola, Florida. Helms looks on as the instructor adjusts her parachute harness. When ready, Helms will be dropped from the harness into the pool (in background) to simulate a water landing after T-38 ejection. ASCANs participated in the exercises from 08-14-90 through 08-17-90.

STS-29 Discovery, OV-103, lands on Edwards AFB concrete runway 22

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1989-01-01

STS-29 Discovery, Orbiter Vehicle (OV) 103, main landing gear (MLG) touches down at a speed of approximately 205 knots (235 miles per hour) on concrete runway 22 at Edwards Air Force Base (AFB), California. Nose landing gear (NLG) is deployed and rides above runway surface prior touchdown. Mojave desert scrub brush appears in the foreground with mountain range appearing in the background.

Fast analysis of domoic acid using microchip electrophoresis with laser-induced fluorescence detection.

PubMed

Cheng, Yongqiang; Guo, Cuilian; Zhao, Bin; Yang, Li

2017-04-01

A fast and effective method was developed to detect domoic acid based upon microchip electrophoresis combined with laser-induced fluorescence detection. Through study of the gated injection process on the cross channel of the microchip, the low-voltage mode with relatively longer sample loading time was adopted to reduce the sample discrimination and improve the signal sensitivity. Fluorescein isothiocyanate was used as the derivatizing reagent for domoic acid. Under the optimized conditions, domoic acid was completely separated in 60 s with separation efficiency of 1.35 × 10 5  m -1 . The calibration curve was obtained in the range of 1.0 × 10 -9 to 1.0 × 10 -7  mol/L, and the detection limit reached 2.8 × 10 -10  mol/L. This developed method was successfully applied to analyze domoic acid in real samples. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Surface to 90 km winds for Kennedy Space Center, Florida, and Vandenberg AFB, California

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Johnson, D. L.; Brown, S. C.

1979-01-01

Bivariate normal wind statistics for a 90 degree flight azimuth, from 0 through 90 km altitude, for Kennedy Space Center, Florida, and Vandenberg AFB, California are presented. Wind probability distributions and statistics for any rotation of axes can be computed from the five given parameters.

The genotypic diversity and lipase production of some thermophilic bacilli from different genera

PubMed Central

Koc, Melih; Cokmus, Cumhur; Cihan, Arzu Coleri

2015-01-01

Abstract Thermophilic 32 isolates and 20 reference bacilli were subjected to Rep-PCR and ITS-PCR fingerprinting for determination of their genotypic diversity, before screening lipase activities. By these methods, all the isolates and references could easily be differentiated up to subspecies level from each other. In screening assay, 11 isolates and 7 references were found to be lipase producing. Their extracellular lipase activities were measured quantitatively by incubating in both tributyrin and olive oil broths at 60 °C and pH 7.0. During the 24, 48 and 72-h period of incubation, the changes in the lipase activities, culture absorbance, wet weight of biomass and pH were all measured. The activity was determined by using pNPB in 50 mM phosphate buffer at pH 7.0 at 60 °C. The lipase production of the isolates in olive oil broths varied between 0.008 and 0.052, whereas these values were found to be 0.002-0.019 (U/mL) in the case of tyributyrin. For comparison, an index was established by dividing the lipase activities to cell biomass (U/mg). The maximum thermostable lipase production was achieved by the isolates F84a, F84b, and G. thermodenitrificans DSM 465T (0.009, 0.008 and 0.008 U/mg) within olive oil broth, whereas G. stearothermophilus A113 displayed the highest lipase activity than its type strain in tyributyrin. Therefore, as some of these isolates displayed higher activities in comparison to references, new lipase producing bacilli were determined by presenting their genotypic diversity with DNA fingerprinting techniques. PMID:26691464

Metabolic profiles and bile acid extraction rate in the liver of cows with fasting-induced hepatic lipidosis.

PubMed

Mohamed, T; Oikawa, S; Iwasaki, Y; Mizunuma, Y; Takehana, K; Endoh, D; Kurosawa, T; Sato, H

2004-04-01

This study was designed to monitor lipid profile in the portal and hepatic blood of cows with fasting-induced hepatic lipidosis, and to compare the results with those in the jugular blood. The work was also carried out to investigate bile acid (BA) in these vessels, and further to investigate BA extraction rate in the liver. Five cows were equipped with catheters in the portal, hepatic and jugular veins (day 0), fasted for 4 days (day 1-day 4) and then refed (day 5-day 11). Before morning feeding, blood was sampled before, during and after fasting from the catheterized vessels. In the portal blood, the concentration of non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA) showed a progressive increase and at day 5 there was an approximate twofold rise. Increased NEFA concentrations were also found similarly in the other two veins. At day 5, beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHBA) in the portal, hepatic and jugular blood rose to 197, 190 and 186% of the pre-fasting value, respectively. However, the concentrations of NEFA and BHBA in the three veins gradually returned to pre-fasting concentration during the refeeding period. Compared with the pre-fasting value at day 0, the content of liver triglyceride (TG) increased significantly at day 5 (P < 0.01). In the liver, the hepatic extraction rate of BA dropped from 3.1 times pre-fasting to 2.2 times during fasting. There were no significant differences in the concentrations of glucose, TG, total cholesterol, cholesterol esters, free cholesterol and phospholipids. The results of the current study show that metabolic alterations occur in the portal, hepatic and jugular veins during induction of hepatic lipidosis in cows, and mostly metabolites, with exception of BA concentration, run parallel. The decreased BA extraction rate in the liver of fasted cows was considered to reflect hepatic cell impairment caused by TG accumulation. Hopefully, the findings, at least in part, contribute to the explanation of the pathophysiology of hepatic lipidosis in dairy

Clinical value of whole-blood interferon-gamma assay in patients with suspected pulmonary tuberculosis and AFB smear- and polymerase chain reaction-negative bronchial aspirates.

PubMed

Lee, Jaehee; Lee, Shin Yup; Yoo, Seung Soo; Cha, Seung Ick; Won, Dong Il; Park, Jae Yong; Lee, Won-Kil; Kim, Chang Ho

2012-07-01

Combining a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test with bronchoscopy is frequently performed to allow a rapid diagnosis of smear-negative pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB). However, limited data are available concerning clinical judgment in patients with suspected PTB and AFB smear- and PCR-negative bronchial aspirates (BA). The present study evaluated the usefulness of whole-blood QuantiFERON-TB Gold In-Tube (QFT) testing in these patients. Of 166 patients with suspected PTB who had undergone bronchoscopy because of smear-negative sputum or inadequate sputum production, 93 (56%) were diagnosed with culture-positive PTB. Seventy-four patients were either AFB smear- or PCR-positive. In the 75 patients whose BA AFB smear and PCR results were both negative, 19 were finally diagnosed with PTB by culture. The QFT test had a negative predictive value of 91% for PTB. The QFT test may be useful for excluding PTB in patients with suspected PTB whose BA AFB smear and PCR results are both negative. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Aerospace medicine at Brooks AFB, TX: hail and farewell.

PubMed

Nunneley, Sarah A; Webb, James T

2011-05-01

With the impending termination of USAF operations at Brooks Air Force Base (AFB) in San Antonio, TX, it is time to consider its historic role in Aerospace Medicine. The base was established in 1917 as a flight training center for the U.S. Army Air Service and in 1926 became home to its School of Aviation Medicine. The school moved to San Antonio's Randolph Field in 1931, but in 1959 it returned to Brooks where it occupied new facilities to support its role as a national center for U.S. Air Force aerospace medicine, including teaching, clinical medicine, and research. The mission was then expanded to encompass support of U.S. military and civilian space programs. With the abrupt termination of the military space program in 1969, research at Brooks focused on clinical aviation medicine and support of advanced military aircraft while continuing close cooperation with NASA in support of orbital spaceflight and the journey to the Moon. Reorganization in the 1990s assigned all research functions at Brooks to the Human Systems Division and its successors, leaving to USAFSAM the missions related to clinical work and teaching. In 2002 the USAF and the city of San Antonio implemented shared operation of Brooks as a "City-Base" in the hope of deflecting threatened closure. Nevertheless, under continuing pressure to consolidate military facilities in the United States, the 2005 Base Closure and Realignment Commission ordered Brooks closed by 2011, with its aerospace medicine functions relocated to new facilities at Wright-Patterson AFB in Dayton, OH.

Identification of gram-negative bacilli using the Autobac IDX.

PubMed

Burdash, N M; Welborn, A L; Teti, G; Bannister, E R; Manos, J P

1985-01-01

The Autobac IDX is a new system for the rapid identification of clinically significant members of the Enterobacteriaceae and Aeromonas, Acinetobacter, Alcaligenes, Flavobacterium, Moraxella, and Pseudomonas species. The use of 18 differentially inhibitory compounds such as dyes and antibiotics along with a computerized algorithm based on a multivariate analysis provides the basis for the identification of 30 different groups of gram-negative bacilli. Required preliminary tests include observations on the presence or absence of swarming on a sheep blood agar plate and noting the following: growth, lactose fermentation, and bile precipitation from a MacConkey plate. Spot indole and spot oxidase tests must be performed as well. Identification by the Autobac IDX System takes 3-6 hr after completion of the preliminary tests. From a total of 403 isolates tested, the Autobac system agreed with the MicroID AND N/F systems on 382 identifications (94.8%). Four isolates, two Acinetobacter anitratus, one Serratia marcescens and one Moraxella osloensis could not be identified by IDX. Additional testing was required on 35 (8.7%) of the isolates.

Installation Restoration Program for Richards-Gebaur AFB. Phase 2. Field Evaluation

DTIC Science & Technology

1983-12-01

of the Phase I--Records Search. "ýThe specific task was to determine whether environmental contamination of groundwater or surface water had resulted...concentrations (4 and 5 ug/L, respectively) which exceeded the Missouri Water Quality Standards for groundwater (I ug/L). A limited followup study was...contamination of groundwater and surface water had resulted from waste handling and disposal at two ’and- fills on Richards-Gebaur Air Force Base (AFB

Environmental Assessment for the Expansion of the Elmendorf AFB Gravel Pit

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-04-01

the C-17 and F-22A aircraft; siting industrial functions just south of the flightline; and, redeveloping the base interior as a contiguous community...for a military reservation. BLM’s role is to manage the vegetative and mineral resources if put to non -military uses. 1.2 Purpose and Need The...fracture on material being produced for non -airfield uses. Using these criteria, Elmendorf AFB has identified two action alternatives as potential

Environmental Assessment for Renovation and Small Addition for AGE Facility MacDill AFB, Florida

DTIC Science & Technology

2005-05-01

one lift station, all of the sanitary sewer lines have, in essence , at least one check valve to stop the inflow of floodwater to the WWTP. The...Force Base Installation Restoration Program 7621 Hillsborough Loop Dr. MacDill AFB, FL 33621-5207 Jasmine Raffington FL Coastal Management

Evidence for a Structural Role for Acid-Fast Lipids in Oocyst Walls of Cryptosporidium, Toxoplasma, and Eimeria

PubMed Central

Bushkin, G. Guy; Motari, Edwin; Carpentieri, Andrea; Dubey, Jitender P.; Costello, Catherine E.; Robbins, Phillips W.; Samuelson, John

2013-01-01

ABSTRACT Coccidia are protozoan parasites that cause significant human disease and are of major agricultural importance. Cryptosporidium spp. cause diarrhea in humans and animals, while Toxoplasma causes disseminated infections in fetuses and untreated AIDS patients. Eimeria is a major pathogen of commercial chickens. Oocysts, which are the infectious form of Cryptosporidium and Eimeria and one of two infectious forms of Toxoplasma (the other is tissue cysts in undercooked meat), have a multilayered wall. Recently we showed that the inner layer of the oocyst walls of Toxoplasma and Eimeria is a porous scaffold of fibers of β-1,3-glucan, which are also present in fungal walls but are absent from Cryptosporidium oocyst walls. Here we present evidence for a structural role for lipids in the oocyst walls of Cryptosporidium, Toxoplasma, and Eimeria. Briefly, oocyst walls of each organism label with acid-fast stains that bind to lipids in the walls of mycobacteria. Polyketide synthases similar to those that make mycobacterial wall lipids are abundant in oocysts of Toxoplasma and Eimeria and are predicted in Cryptosporidium. The outer layer of oocyst wall of Eimeria and the entire oocyst wall of Cryptosporidium are dissolved by organic solvents. Oocyst wall lipids are complex mixtures of triglycerides, some of which contain polyhydroxy fatty acyl chains like those present in plant cutin or elongated fatty acyl chains like mycolic acids. We propose a two-layered model of the oocyst wall (glucan and acid-fast lipids) that resembles the two-layered walls of mycobacteria (peptidoglycan and acid-fast lipids) and plants (cellulose and cutin). PMID:24003177

Initial experience with GeneXpert MTB/RIF assay in the Arkansas Tuberculosis Control Program.

PubMed

Patil, Naveen; Saba, Hamida; Marco, Asween; Samant, Rohan; Mukasa, Leonard

2014-01-01

Mycobacterium tuberculosis remains one of the most significant causes of death from an infectious agent. Rapid and accurate diagnosis of pulmonary and extra-pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) is still a great challenge. The GeneXpert MTB/RIF assay is a novel integrated diagnostic system for the diagnosis of tuberculosis and rapid detection of Rifampin (RIF) resistance in clinical specimens. In 2012, the Arkansas Tuberculosis Control Program introduced GeneXpert MTB/RIF assay to replace the labour-intensive Mycobacterium Tuberculosis Direct (MTD) assay. To rapidly diagnose TB within two hours and to simultaneously detect RIF resistance. Describe the procedure used to introduce GeneXpert MTB/RIF assay in the Arkansas Tuberculosis Control Program.Characterise the current gap in rapid M. tuberculosis diagnosis in Arkansas.Assess factors that predict acid fast bacilli (AFB) smearnegative but culture-positive cases in Arkansas.Illustrate, with two case reports, the role of GeneXpert MTB/RIF assay in reduction of time to confirmation of M. tuberculosis diagnosis in the first year of implementation. Between June 2012 and June 2013, all AFB sputum smearpositive cases and any others, on request by the physician, had GeneXpert MTB/RIF assay performed as well as traditional M. tuberculosis culture and susceptibilities using Mycobacteria Growth Indicator Tube (MGIT) 960 and Löwenstein-Jensen (LJ) slants. Surveillance data for January 2009-June 2013 was analysed to characterise sputum smear-negative but culture-positive cases. Seventy-one TB cases were reported from June 2012- June 2013. GeneXpert MTB/RIF assay identified all culture-positive cases as well as three cases that were negative on culture. Also, this rapid assay identified all six smear-negative but M. tuberculosis culture-positive cases; two of these cases are described as case reports. GeneXpert MTB/RIF assay has made rapid TB diagnosis possible, with tremendous potential in determining isolation of TB suspects on one

Bovine Tuberculosis at the Wildlife-Livestock-Human Interface in Hamer Woreda, South Omo, Southern Ethiopia

PubMed Central

Tschopp, Rea; Aseffa, Abraham; Schelling, Esther; Berg, Stefan; Hailu, Elena; Gadisa, Endalamaw; Habtamu, Meseret; Argaw, Kifle; Zinsstag, Jakob

2010-01-01

Bovine tuberculosis (BTB) is endemic in cattle in the Ethiopian Highlands but no studies have been done so far in pastoralists in South Omo. This study assessed the prevalence of bovine tuberculosis (BTB) at an intensive interface of livestock, wildlife and pastoralists in Hamer Woreda (South Omo), Ethiopia. A cross-sectional survey including a comparative intradermal skin testing (CIDT) was conducted in 499 zebu cattle and 186 goats in 12 settlements. Sputum samples from 26 symptomatic livestock owners were cultured for TB. Fifty-one wildlife samples from 13 different species were also collected in the same area and tested with serological (lateral flow assay) and bacteriological (culture of lymph nodes) techniques. Individual BTB prevalence in cattle was 0.8% (CI: 0.3%–2%) with the >4 mm cut-off and 3.4% (CI: 2.1%–5.4%) with the >2 mm cut-off. Herd prevalence was 33.3% and 83% when using the >4 and the >2 mm cut-off respectively. There was no correlation between age, sex, body condition and positive reactors upon univariate analysis. None of the goats were reactors for BTB. Acid fast bacilli (AFB) were detected in 50% of the wildlife cultures, 79.2% of which were identified as Mycobacterium terrae complex. No M. bovis was detected. Twenty-seven percent of tested wildlife were sero-positive. Four sputum cultures (15.4%) yielded AFB positive colonies among which one was M. tuberculosis and 3 non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM). The prevalence of M. avium-complex (MAC) was 4.2% in wildlife, 2.5% in cattle and 0.5% in goats. In conclusion, individual BTB prevalence was low, but herd prevalence high in cattle and BTB was not detected in goats, wildlife and humans despite an intensive contact interface. On the contrary, NTMs were highly prevalent and some Mycobacterium spp were more prevalent in specific species. The role of NTMs in livestock and co-infection with BTB need further research. PMID:20808913

Tuberculous otitis media: a clinical and radiologic analysis of 52 patients.

PubMed

Cho, Yang-Sun; Lee, Hyun-Seok; Kim, Sang-Woo; Chung, Kyu-Hwan; Lee, Dong-Kyung; Koh, Won-Jung; Kim, Myung-Gu

2006-06-01

This retrospective study reports on the clinical and radiologic features and the treatment outcomes of patients with tuberculous otitis media (TOM). We reviewed the medical records of 52 patients (53 ears) with TOM between 1993 and 2005 and analyzed temporal bone computed tomography scans of 23 patients. The diagnosis of TOM was made if a specimen of the middle ear revealed the presence of acid fast bacilli (AFB), grew Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M. Tb) on a culture, revealed characteristic histology, and/or was positive for polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for M. Tb. The highest incidence of the disease was observed among patients in their 30s. The main symptom was otorrhea, and the duration of symptoms was shorter than with nonspecific chronic otitis media. Most patients demonstrated a moderate to severe hearing loss. Five patients (9.6%) demonstrated a peripheral-type facial palsy. Temporal bone CT scans demonstrated relatively well-pneumatized mastoids and occupation by soft tissue of the entire tympanum and mastoid air cells. Six patients demonstrated bone destruction that involved the cortex of the mastoid bone. In most patients, antituberculous medication was effective treatment. The patients who underwent chemotherapy after surgery achieved more rapid healing of the ear and more frequent closure of the tympanic membrane than those who did not receive surgery. Clinicians should have a high index of suspicion and be aware of the clinical and radiologic characteristics of TOM.

Environmental Assessment for Construct/Demolish Dog Kennel Facility MacDill AFB, Florida

DTIC Science & Technology

2003-04-01

on-base wastewater treatment plant is applied by spray irrigation. 26 APRIL 2003 Affected Environment Environmental Assessment for Construct...undecimalis sse Plants No State or Federally listed plant species are known to exist on MacDill AFB - - T =Threatened, T(SA) Threatcncd/Stmllanty of...Base-related economic impacts. The area includes all or part of Hillsborough, Pinellas , Polk, Pasco, Hardee, Manatee, Sarasota, and DeSoto Counties

ASCANs Helms and Gregory swim in pool during Elgin AFB survival training

NASA Image and Video Library

1990-09-20

1990 Group 13 Astronaut Candidates (ASCANs) Susan J. Helms (foreground) and William G. Gregory, wearing helmets and flight suits, swim in pool at Elgin Air Force Base (AFB) in Pensacola, Florida, during water survival exercises. The training familiarized the candidates with survival techniques necessary in the event of a water landing. ASCANs participated in the exercises from 08-14-90 through 08-17-90.

Disseminated tuberculous myositis in a child with acute myelogenous leukemia.

PubMed

Chen, Yu-Chieh; Sheen, Jiunn-Ming; Huang, Li-Tung; Wu, Kuan-Sheng; Hsiao, Chih-Cheng

2009-04-01

Tuberculous myositis is extremely rare, even in immunocompromised hosts. We present a case of disseminated tuberculous myositis in a girl with secondary acute myelogenous Leukemia following successful chemotherapy for undifferentiated sarcoma of the maxillary sinus. The diagnosis was established by direct visualization of acid-fast bacilli in the biopsied nodule and by typical pathologic findings. Three weeks after initiation of antituberculosis treatment, the patient experienced both clinical and radiologic improvement.

Superfund Reauthorization 1994: DoD’s Opportunity to Clean Up Its Hazardous Waste Act

DTIC Science & Technology

1994-04-01

AFB AR x Edwards AFB CA x Eielson AFB AK x Ellsworth AFB SD x Elmendorf AFB AK x England AFB LA x Fairchild AFB WA x F.E. Warren AFB WY x George AFB CA...amount of toxins produced, substances such as PCBs, dioxins , cyanides, heavy metals, pesticides, residues, alkalines, and acids have been emitted into...4 TX x *AFP 144 AZ x AFP PKUS CO x Andersen AFB GU x Bergstrom AFB TX x Carswell AFB TX x Castle AFB

Subcutaneous aspergillosis with coexisting atypical mycobacterial infection.

PubMed

Duraipandian, Jeyakumari; Rengasamy, Gopal; Madasamy, Balamurugan; Kulanthaivelu, Ambedkarraj; Subramanian, Girija

2010-01-01

A 60-year-old woman, a known diabetic and asthmatic, was admitted for acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Physical examination revealed two soft nodules in the left infra axillary region. Fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) showed fungal granulomatous reaction suggestive of fungal infection. Periodic acid Schiff stain (PAS stain) revealed PAS positive, acutely branching, septate fungal hyphae. Wet mount of the aspirate revealed plenty of pus cells and branching septate hyphae. Ziehl-Neelsen (ZN) stain showed moderate numbers of acid fast bacilli. Culture yielded Aspergillus flavus and Mycobacterium fortuitum.

Aflatoxin B1 in eggs and chicken livers by dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction and HPLC.

PubMed

Amirkhizi, Behzad; Arefhosseini, Seyed Rafie; Ansarin, Masoud; Nemati, Mahboob

2015-01-01

A rapid, low-cost and simple technique has been developed for the determination of aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) in eggs and livers using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with UV detection. In this study, the presence of AFB1 was investigated in 150 eggs and 50 chicken livers from the local market of Tabriz, Iran. AFB1 was extracted with a mixture of acetonitrile:water (80:20) and cleaned up by dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction which is a very economical, fast and sensitive method. AFB1 was quantified by HPLC-UV without need for any complex derivatisation in samples to enhance the detection. The results showed that 72% of the liver and 58% of the egg samples were contaminated with AFB1 ranging from 0.30 to 16.36 µg kg (̶1). limit of detection and limit of quantification for AFB1 were 0.08 and 0.28 µg kg (̶ 1), respectively. The proposed method is suitable for fast analysing of AFB1 in egg and liver samples.

Environmental Assessment Construction of a New Hazardous Cargo Pad Davis-Monthan AFB

DTIC Science & Technology

2002-11-07

PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES) 355th Civil Engineer Squadron (CES/CEVA),710 Third Street,Davis-Monthan AFB,AZ,85707 8. PERFORMING...agency for certain projects. Details of the preparation of this EA are mandated by the Council of Enviromental Quality (CEQ) in the series of...Base, Tucson, Arizona." October 1996. James M. Montgomery, Consulting Engineers for US army Corps of Engineers , Omaha Dist., Apri11990

ASCAN Precourt floats on life raft during Elgin AFB water survival training

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1990-01-01

1990 Group 13 Astronaut Candidate (ASCAN) Charles J. Precourt, wearing helmet and flight suit, floats in pool using an underarm flotation device and a single person life raft at Elgin Air Force Base (AFB) in Pensacola, Florida, during water survival exercises. The training familiarized the candidates with survival techniques necessary in the event of a water landing. ASCANs participated in the exercises from 08-14-90 through 08-17-90.

Development of a simple and convenient cell-based electrochemical biosensor for evaluating the individual and combined toxicity of DON, ZEN, and AFB1.

PubMed

Xia, Shuang; Zhu, Pei; Pi, Fuwei; Zhang, Yinzhi; Li, Yun; Wang, Jiasheng; Sun, Xiulan

2017-11-15

A simple and convenient cell-based electrochemical biosensor was developed to assess the individual and combined toxicity of deoxynivalenol (DON), zearalenone (ZEN), and Aflatoxin B 1 (AFB 1 ) on Hep G2 cells. The sensor was modified in succession with AuNPs (gold nanoparticles), cysteamine, and laminin. The cells interacting with laminin formed tight cell-to-electrode contacts, and collagen was used to maintain cell adhesion and viability. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) was developed to evaluate mycotoxin toxicity. Experimental results show that DON, ZEN, and AFB 1 caused a significant decrease in cell viability in a dose dependent manner. The EIS value decreased with concentrations of DON, ZEN, and AFB 1 in the range of 0.01-20, 0.1-50, and 0.1-3.5μg/mL, and IC 50 obtained using the developed method was 48.5, 59.0, and 3.10μg/mL, respectively. A synergistic effect was observed between DON and ZEN, an additive effect was observed between DON and AFB 1 , and an antagonism effect was found in the binary mixtures of ZEN and AFB 1 and ternary mixtures. These results were confirmed via CCK-8 assay. Utilizing SEM, we found that cells treated with mycotoxins caused significant changes in cell morphology, thus lessening cell adsorption and impedance reduction. Biological assay indicated that EIS patterns correlated with [Ca 2+ ] i concentrations and apoptosis and necrotic cells ratios, thus effecting electrochemical signals. This method is simpler, more convenient, sensitive, and has a quicker response rate than most conventional cytotoxicity evaluation methods. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Salivary sIg-A response against the recombinant Ag38 antigen of Mycobacterium tuberculosis Indonesian strain.

PubMed

Raras, Tri Yudani Mardining; Sholeh, Gamal; Lyrawati, Diana

2014-01-01

An evaluation of the humoral response based on secretory immunoglobulin A levels in the saliva of pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) acid-fast bacillus-positive (TB-AFB+) patients against a recombinant 38 kDa antigen (Ag38-rec) is reported. A total of 60 saliva samples consist of 30 TB-AFB+ patients and 30 healthy controls were tested against 500 ng of semi-purified antigen using the dot blot method. Results showed that the protein antigen could differentiate between healthy individuals and TB-AFB(+) patients. Whole saliva demonstrated better reactivity than centrifuged saliva. The Ag38-rec protein indicated statistically comparable sensitivity (80% versus 90%), but lower specificity (36.6% versus 70%) compared with purified protein derivative (PPD). Surprisingly, both antigens similarly recognized secretory immunoglobulin A in the saliva of the healthy group (50% versus 50%, respectively). These findings suggest that the Ag38-rec protein originating from a local strain of Mycobacterium tuberculosis may be used for TB screening, however require purity improvement.

Use of fine needle aspirate from peripheral nerves of pure-neural leprosy for cytology and PCR to confirm the diagnosis: a pilot study.

PubMed

Reja, Abu Hena Hasanoor; De, Abhishek; Biswas, Supratik; Chattopadhyay, Amitabha; Chatterjee, Gobinda; Bhattacharya, Basudev; Sarda, Aarti; Aggarwal, Ishad

2013-01-01

The diagnosis of pure neural leprosy (PNL) remained subjective because of over-dependence of clinical expertise and a lack of simple yet reliable diagnostic tool. The criteria for diagnosis, proposed by Jardim et al., are not routinely done by clinicians in developing country as it involves invasive nerve biopsy and sophisticated anti-PGL-1 detection. We conducted a study using fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) coupled with Ziehl Neelsen staining (ZN staining) and Multiplex-Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) specific for M. leprae for an objective diagnosis of pure neural leprosy (PNL), which may be simpler and yet reliable. The aim of the study is to couple FNAC with ZN staining and multiplex PCR to diagnose pure neural leprosy patients rapidly, in simpler and yet reliable way. Thirteen patients of PNL as diagnosed by two independent consultants were included as case, and 5 patients other than PNL were taken as control in the study. Fine needle aspiration was done on the affected nerve, and aspirates were evaluated for cytology, ZN staining and multiplex-PCR. Out of the 13 cases where fine needle aspiration was done, M. leprae could be elicited in the nerve tissue aspirates in 5 cases (38.4%) with the help of conventional acid-fast staining and 11 cases (84.6%) with the help of multiplex PCR. On cytological examination of the aspirates, only 3 (23%) cases showed specific epithelioid cells, whereas 8 (61.5%) cases showed non-specific inflammation, and 2 (15.3%) cases had no inflammatory cells. Our study demonstrates that in the field of laboratory diagnosis of PNL cases, FNAC in combination with ZN staining for acid-fast bacilli (AFB) and Multiplex-PCR can provide a rapid and definitive diagnosis for the majority of PNL cases. FNAC is a less-invasive, outdoor-based and simpler technique than invasive nerve biopsy procedure. Thus, this study may enlighten the future path for easy and reliable diagnosis of PNL.

STS-47 Payload Specialist Mohri parasails during Homestead AFB water training

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1990-01-01

STS-47 Endeavour, Orbiter Vehicle (OV) 105, Payload Specialist Mamoru Mohri parasails during a special survival training course hosted by Homestead Air Force Base (AFB) in Florida. Mohri simulates a paraglide into water. The exercise was part of an overall course on water survival, attended by the STS-47 prime and alternate (backup) payload specialists shortly after they were announced for the scheduled summer of 1992 Spacelab Japan (SLJ) mission. Mohri represents the National Space Development Agency of Japan (NASDA).

[Current biosafety in clinical laboratories in Japan: report of questionnaires' data obtained from clinical laboratory personnel in Japan].

PubMed

Goto, Mieko; Yamashita, Tomonari; Misawa, Shigeki; Komori, Toshiaki; Okuzumi, Katsuko; Takahashi, Takashi

2007-01-01

To determine the status of biosafety in clinical laboratories in Japan, we conducted a survey using questionnaires on the biosafety of laboratory personnel in 2004. We obtained data from 431 hospitals (response: 59.5%). Respondents were 301 institutions (70%) having biological safety cabinets (BSCs). BSCs were held in 78% of microbiological laboratories, 7.9% of genetic laboratories, 2.7% of histopathological laboratories, and 1% or less at other laboratories. A clean bench in examination rooms for acid-fast bacilli was applied at 20 hospitals. We found 28 cases of possible laboratory-associated tuberculosis infection, 25 of which were associated with lack of BSC. Other risk factors were immature skills and insufficiently skilled eguipment operation. The frequency of rupture accidents during specimen centrifugation was 67% in dealing with blood and 9.7% in collecting acid-fast bacilli. Half or more accidents were related to inadequate sample tube materials. Technologists were shown to be working on blood collection in many hospitals (75%), and 1,534 events of self-inflicted needle puncture developed in the last 5 years. These results suggest that biosafety systems are woefully lacking or inadequate in clinical laboratories in Japan and must be established at the earliest possible opportunity.

Absorption of thiamine and nicotinic acid in the rat intestine during fasting and immobilization stress

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kirilyuk, O. G.; Khmelevskiy, Y. V.

1980-01-01

By perfusion of isolated sections of intestine with a solution containing thiamine at a concentration of 3.1 micromole, it was established that thiamine absorption in animals fasted for 72 hours decreased by 28 percent, whereas absorption increased by 12 percent in rats after 24 hour immobilization. After immobilization, absorption of label in the intestinal mucosa increased. Na K ATPase activity in the intestinal mucosa decreased by 10 percent during fasting, and it increased with immobilization of the animals. Activity of Na K ATPase in the intestinal mucosa cells determined the absorption rate of thiamine and nicotinic acid at the level of vitamin transport through the plasma membranes of the enterocytes.

A pilot, short-term dietary manipulation of branched chain amino acids has modest influence on fasting levels of branched chain amino acids.

PubMed

Cavallaro, Nicole Landa; Garry, Jamie; Shi, Xu; Gerszten, Robert E; Anderson, Ellen J; Walford, Geoffrey A

2016-01-01

Elevated fasting levels of branched chain amino acids (BCAAs: valine, isoleucine, leucine) in venous blood are associated with a variety of metabolic impairments, including increased risk of type 2 diabetes (T2D). Fasting BCAA levels are influenced by non-dietary factors. However, it is unknown whether fasting BCAAs can be altered through manipulation of dietary intake alone. To test whether a specific dietary intervention, using differences in BCAA intake, alters fasting BCAA levels independent of other factors. Five healthy male volunteers underwent 4 days of a low and 4 days of a high BCAA content dietary intervention (ClinicalTrials.gov [NCT02110602]). All food and supplements were provided. Fasting BCAAs were measured from venous blood samples by mass spectrometry at baseline and after each intervention. Diets were isocaloric; contained equal percentages of calories from carbohydrate, fats, and protein; and differed from each other in BCAA content (1.5±0.1 vs. 14.0±0.6 g for valine; 4.5±0.9 g vs. 13.8±0.5 g for isoleucine; 2.1±0.2 g vs. 27.1±1.0 g for leucine; p<0.0001 for all). Fasting valine was significantly lower (p=0.02) and fasting isoleucine and leucine were numerically lower following the low BCAA content vs. the high BCAA content diet levels. The inter-individual response to the dietary interventions was variable and not explained by adherence. Short-term dietary manipulation of BCAA intake led to modest changes in fasting levels of BCAAs. The approach from our pilot study can be expanded to test the metabolic implications of dietary BCAA manipulation.

A randomized controlled study on the effects of acetate-free biofiltration on organic anions and acid-base balance in hemodialysis patients.

PubMed

Sánchez-Canel, Juan J; Hernández-Jaras, Julio; Pons-Prades, Ramón

2015-02-01

Metabolic acidosis correction is achieved by the transfer of bicarbonate and other buffer anions in dialysis. The aim of this study was to evaluate changes in the main anions of intermediary metabolism on standard hemodiafiltration (HDF) and on acetate-free biofiltration (AFB). A prospective, in-center, crossover study was carried out with 22 patients on maintenance dialysis. Patients were randomly assigned to start with 12 successive sessions of standard HDF with bicarbonate (34 mmol/L) and acetate dialysate (3 mmol/L) or 12 successive sessions of AFB without base in the dialysate. Acetate increased significantly during the standard HDF session from 0.078 ± 0.062 mmol/L to 0.156 ± 0.128 mmol/L (P < 0.05) and remained unchanged at 0.044 ± 0.034 mmol and 0.055 ± 0.028 mmol/L in AFB modality. Differences in the acetate levels were observed at two hours (P < 0.005), at the end (P < 0.005) and thirty minutes after the session between HDF and AFB (P < 0.05). There were significantly more patients above the normal range in HDF group than AFB group (68.1% vs 4.5% P < 0.005) postdialysis and 30 minutes later. Serum lactate and pyruvate concentrations decreased during the sessions without differences between modalities. Citrate decreased only in the AFB group (P < 0.05). Acetoacetate and betahydroxybutyrate increased in both modalities, but the highest betahydroxybutyrate values were detected in HDF (P < 0.05). The sum of postdialysis unusual measured organic anions (OA) were higher in HDF compared to AFB (P < 0.05). AFB achieves an optimal control of acid-base equilibrium through a bicarbonate substitution fluid. It also prevents hyperacetatemia and restores internal homeostasis with less production of intermediary metabolites. © 2014 The Authors. Therapeutic Apheresis and Dialysis © 2014 International Society for Apheresis.

Environmental Assessment: Demolition of Munitions Storage Area Facilities at Ellsworth AFB, South Dakota

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-11-01

Eglin Parkway,Shalimar,FL,32579 8. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION REPORT NUMBER 9. SPONSORING/MONITORING AGENCY NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES) 10. SPONSOR...separately secured installation between 1950 and 1962 responsible for the storage, maintenance, and loading of atomic and thermonuclear weapons. The...portion of Ellsworth AFB and was operational between 1950 and 1962 (ACC 1997). It was operated by Air Force Materiel Command (AFMC), Armed Forces

Cost Analysis of a Nucleic Acid Amplification Test in the Diagnosis of Pulmonary Tuberculosis at an Urban Hospital with a High Prevalence of TB/HIV

PubMed Central

Wang, Yun F.; Leonard, Michael K.; White, Nancy; McFarland, Deborah A.; Blumberg, Henry M.

2014-01-01

Introduction The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has recommended using a nucleic acid amplification test (NAAT) for diagnosing pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) but there is a lack of data on NAAT cost-effectiveness. Methods We conducted a prospective cohort study that included all patients with an AFB smear-positive respiratory specimen at Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta, GA, USA between January 2002 and June 2008. We determined the sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive value of a commercially available and FDA-approved NAAT (amplified MTD, Gen-Probe) compared to the gold standard of culture. A cost analysis was performed and included costs related to laboratory tests, hospital charges, anti-TB medications, and contact investigations. Average cost per patient was calculated under two conditions: (1) using a NAAT on all AFB smear-postive respiratory specimens and (2) not using a NAAT. One-way sensitivity analyses were conducted to determine sensitivity of cost difference to reasonable ranges of model inputs. Results During a 6 1/2 year study period, there were 1,009 patients with an AFB smear-positive respiratory specimen at our public urban hospital. We found the NAAT to be highly sensitive (99.6%) and specific (99.1%) on AFB smear-positive specimens compared to culture. Overall, the positive predictive value (PPV) of an AFB smear-positive respiratory specimen for culture-confirmed TB was 27%. The PPV of an AFB smear-positive respiratory specimen for culture-confirmed TB was significantly higher for HIV-uninfected persons compared to those who were HIV-seropositive (152/271 [56%] vs. 85/445 [19%]; RR = 2.94, 95% CI 2.36–3.65, p<0.001). The cost savings of using the NAAT was $2,003 per AFB smear-positive case. Conclusions Routine use of the NAAT on AFB smear-positive respiratory specimens was highly cost-saving in our setting at a U.S. urban public hospital with a high prevalence of TB and HIV because of the low PPV of an AFB

ASCAN Ochoa floats in pool during Elgin AFB water survival training

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1990-01-01

1990 Group 13 Astronaut Candidate (ASCAN) Ellen Ochoa, wearing helmet and flight suit, climbs into a single person life raft while floating in a pool at Elgin Air Force Base (AFB) in Pensacola, Florida, during water survival exercises. Ochoa's underarm flotation device holds her above the water as she pulls herself into the life raft. The training familiarized the candidates with survival techniques necessary in the event of a water landing. ASCANs participated in the exercises from 08-14-90 through 08-17-90.

Low frequency of endemic patient-to-patient transmission of antibiotic-resistant gram-negative bacilli in a pediatric intensive care unit.

PubMed

Zoltanski, Joan; Dul, Michael; O'Riordan, Mary Ann; Blumer, Jeffrey; Toltzis, Philip

2011-09-01

We sought to determine the frequency of horizontal transmission of antibiotic-resistant gram-negative bacilli (ARGNB) in a pediatric intensive care unit during a nonoutbreak period. Among 5,300 admissions over 39 consecutive months, 13 ARGNB clusters involving 35 children were identified by pulsed-filed gel electrophoresis analysis, which suggests that person-to-person transmission was uncommon.

Phenotypic and genotypic diversity of dominant lactic acid bacteria isolated from traditional yoghurts produced by tribes of Iran

PubMed Central

RoushanZadeh, S; Eskandari, M. H.; Shekarforoush, S. S.; Hosseini, A

2014-01-01

Morphological, biochemical and molecular characteristics were studied to identify dominant lactic acid bacteria (LAB), isolated from traditional yoghurts produced by tribes of Iran. From 60 yoghurt samples, a total of 137 LAB isolates were determined, in which 66 and 71 were identified as lactic acid cocci and bacilli, respectively. Biochemical tests showed the occurrence of 9.76% mesophilic homofermentative, 10.98% mesophilic hetrofermentative, 26.83% thermophilic homofermentative and 47.56% mesophilic homofermentative cocci. As for lactic acid bacilli, mesophilic facultative hetrofermentative (26%); thermophilic obligate homofermentative (56%); mesophilic obligate hetrofermentative (18%) were found. Genetically the presence of the following species were verified: E. faecium; E. faecalis; E. durans; L. lactis subsp. lactis; St. thermophilus; Lb. delbruecki subsp. bulgaricus; Lb. brevis; Lb. diolivorans; Lb. helveticus; Lb. jensenii; Lb. plantarum. 9% of the Lactobacillus isolates showed incompatible results between phenotypic and genotypic characteristics. From the cocci isolates, 38.46% showed identical results between phylogenetic characteristics. The current study constitutes the first step in the designing process of LAB starter cultures, to protect the typical organoleptic characteristics of traditional yoghurt. The results could also be used to introduce new starter cultures for commercial use. PMID:27175129

Theory of ion transport with fast acid-base equilibrations in bioelectrochemical systems.

PubMed

Dykstra, J E; Biesheuvel, P M; Bruning, H; Ter Heijne, A

2014-07-01

Bioelectrochemical systems recover valuable components and energy in the form of hydrogen or electricity from aqueous organic streams. We derive a one-dimensional steady-state model for ion transport in a bioelectrochemical system, with the ions subject to diffusional and electrical forces. Since most of the ionic species can undergo acid-base reactions, ion transport is combined in our model with infinitely fast ion acid-base equilibrations. The model describes the current-induced ammonia evaporation and recovery at the cathode side of a bioelectrochemical system that runs on an organic stream containing ammonium ions. We identify that the rate of ammonia evaporation depends not only on the current but also on the flow rate of gas in the cathode chamber, the diffusion of ammonia from the cathode back into the anode chamber, through the ion exchange membrane placed in between, and the membrane charge density.

Decreased expression of adipose CD36 and FATP1 are associated with increased plasma nonesterified fatty acids during prolonged fasting in northern elephant seal pups (Mirounga angustirostris)

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The northern elephant seal undergoes a 2-3 month post-weaning fast during which it depends primarily on the oxidation of fatty acids to meet its energetic demands. The concentration of plasma free fatty acids (FFA) increases and is associated with the development of insulin resistance in late-fasted...

A pilot, short-term dietary manipulation of branched chain amino acids has modest influence on fasting levels of branched chain amino acids

PubMed Central

Cavallaro, Nicole Landa; Garry, Jamie; Shi, Xu; Gerszten, Robert E.; Anderson, Ellen J.; Walford, Geoffrey A.

2016-01-01

Background Elevated fasting levels of branched chain amino acids (BCAAs: valine, isoleucine, leucine) in venous blood are associated with a variety of metabolic impairments, including increased risk of type 2 diabetes (T2D). Fasting BCAA levels are influenced by non-dietary factors. However, it is unknown whether fasting BCAAs can be altered through manipulation of dietary intake alone. Objective To test whether a specific dietary intervention, using differences in BCAA intake, alters fasting BCAA levels independent of other factors. Design Five healthy male volunteers underwent 4 days of a low and 4 days of a high BCAA content dietary intervention (ClinicalTrials.gov [NCT02110602]). All food and supplements were provided. Fasting BCAAs were measured from venous blood samples by mass spectrometry at baseline and after each intervention. Results Diets were isocaloric; contained equal percentages of calories from carbohydrate, fats, and protein; and differed from each other in BCAA content (1.5±0.1 vs. 14.0±0.6 g for valine; 4.5±0.9 g vs. 13.8±0.5 g for isoleucine; 2.1±0.2 g vs. 27.1±1.0 g for leucine; p<0.0001 for all). Fasting valine was significantly lower (p=0.02) and fasting isoleucine and leucine were numerically lower following the low BCAA content vs. the high BCAA content diet levels. The inter-individual response to the dietary interventions was variable and not explained by adherence. Conclusion Short-term dietary manipulation of BCAA intake led to modest changes in fasting levels of BCAAs. The approach from our pilot study can be expanded to test the metabolic implications of dietary BCAA manipulation. PMID:26781817

In vitro/in vivo evaluation of an optimized fast dissolving oral film containing olanzapine co-amorphous dispersion with selected carboxylic acids.

PubMed

Maher, Eman Magdy; Ali, Ahmed Mahmoud Abdelhaleem; Salem, Heba Farouk; Abdelrahman, Ahmed Abdelbary

2016-10-01

Improvement of water solubility, dissolution rate, oral bioavailability, and reduction of first pass metabolism of OL (OL), were the aims of this research. Co-amorphization of OL carboxylic acid dispersions at various molar ratios was carried out using rapid solvent evaporation. Characterization of the dispersions was performed using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), Fourier transform infrared spectrometry (FTIR), X-ray diffractometry (XRD), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Dispersions with highest equilibrium solubility were formulated as fast dissolving oral films. Modeling and optimization of film formation were undertaken using artificial neural networks (ANNs). The results indicated co-amorphization of OL-ascorbic acid through H-bonding. The co-amorphous dispersions at 1:2 molar ratio showed more than 600-fold increase in solubility of OL. The model optimized fast dissolving film prepared from the dispersion was physically and chemically stable, demonstrated short disintegration time (8.5 s), fast dissolution (97% in 10 min) and optimum tensile strength (4.9 N/cm 2 ). The results of in vivo data indicated high bioavailability (144 ng h/mL) and maximum plasma concentration (14.2 ng/mL) compared with the marketed references. Therefore, the optimized co-amorphous OL-ascorbic acid fast dissolving film could be a valuable solution for enhancing the physicochemical and pharmacokinetic properties of OL.

Longitudinal Evaluation of Myocardial Fatty Acid and Glucose Metabolism in Fasted and Nonfasted Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats Using MicroPET/CT

DOE PAGES

Huber, Jennifer S.; Hernandez, Andrew M.; Janabi, Mustafa; ...

2017-09-06

Using longitudinal micro positron emission tomography (microPET)/computed tomography (CT) studies, we quantified changes in myocardial metabolism and perfusion in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs), a model of left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH). Fatty acid and glucose metabolism were quantified in the hearts of SHRs and Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) normotensive rats using long-chain fatty acid analog 18F-fluoro-6-thia heptadecanoic acid ( 18F-FTHA) and glucose analog 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose ( 18F-FDG) under normal or fasting conditions. We also used 18F-fluorodihydrorotenol ( 18F-FDHROL) to investigate perfusion in their hearts without fasting. Rats were imaged at 4 or 5 times over their life cycle. Compartment modeling was used to estimatemore » the rate constants for the radiotracers. Blood samples were obtained and analyzed for glucose and free fatty acid concentrations. SHRs demonstrated no significant difference in 18F-FDHROL wash-in rate constant (P = .1) and distribution volume (P = .1), significantly higher 18F-FDG myocardial influx rate constant (P = 4×10 –8), and significantly lower 18F-FTHA myocardial influx rate constant (P = .007) than WKYs during the 2009-2010 study without fasting. SHRs demonstrated a significantly higher 18F-FDHROL wash-in rate constant (P = 5×10 –6) and distribution volume (P = 3×10 –8), significantly higher 18F-FDG myocardial influx rate constant (P = 3×10 –8), and a higher trend of 18F-FTHA myocardial influx rate constant (not significant, P = .1) than WKYs during the 2011–2012 study with fasting. Changes in glucose plasma concentrations were generally negatively correlated with corresponding radiotracer influx rate constant changes. The study indicates a switch from preferred fatty acid metabolism to increased glucose metabolism with hypertrophy. Increased perfusion during the 2011-2012 study may be indicative of increased aerobic metabolism in the SHR model of LVH.« less

Longitudinal Evaluation of Myocardial Fatty Acid and Glucose Metabolism in Fasted and Nonfasted Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats Using MicroPET/CT

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Huber, Jennifer S.; Hernandez, Andrew M.; Janabi, Mustafa

Using longitudinal micro positron emission tomography (microPET)/computed tomography (CT) studies, we quantified changes in myocardial metabolism and perfusion in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs), a model of left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH). Fatty acid and glucose metabolism were quantified in the hearts of SHRs and Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) normotensive rats using long-chain fatty acid analog 18F-fluoro-6-thia heptadecanoic acid ( 18F-FTHA) and glucose analog 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose ( 18F-FDG) under normal or fasting conditions. We also used 18F-fluorodihydrorotenol ( 18F-FDHROL) to investigate perfusion in their hearts without fasting. Rats were imaged at 4 or 5 times over their life cycle. Compartment modeling was used to estimatemore » the rate constants for the radiotracers. Blood samples were obtained and analyzed for glucose and free fatty acid concentrations. SHRs demonstrated no significant difference in 18F-FDHROL wash-in rate constant (P = .1) and distribution volume (P = .1), significantly higher 18F-FDG myocardial influx rate constant (P = 4×10 –8), and significantly lower 18F-FTHA myocardial influx rate constant (P = .007) than WKYs during the 2009-2010 study without fasting. SHRs demonstrated a significantly higher 18F-FDHROL wash-in rate constant (P = 5×10 –6) and distribution volume (P = 3×10 –8), significantly higher 18F-FDG myocardial influx rate constant (P = 3×10 –8), and a higher trend of 18F-FTHA myocardial influx rate constant (not significant, P = .1) than WKYs during the 2011–2012 study with fasting. Changes in glucose plasma concentrations were generally negatively correlated with corresponding radiotracer influx rate constant changes. The study indicates a switch from preferred fatty acid metabolism to increased glucose metabolism with hypertrophy. Increased perfusion during the 2011-2012 study may be indicative of increased aerobic metabolism in the SHR model of LVH.« less

Environmental Assessment (EA) for Construct Base Civil Engineering Complex at McConnell AFB

DTIC Science & Technology

2003-07-14

Engineer Squadron (22 CES/ CEVA ),53000 Hutchinson Street, Suite 109,McConnell AFB,KS,67221-3617 8. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION REPORT NUMBER 9. SPONSORING...Command Air Refueling Group Air Refueling Squadron Air Refueling Wing Bird Aircraft Strike Hazard Base Civil Engineer Best Management Practices...1991, in an "Economic Analysis", performed by Wilson and Company , dated 14 October 1993, and a repeat "Economic Analysis", dated 10 February 2000

Effects of lactic acid bacteria and smectite after aflatoxin B1 challenge on the growth performance, nutrient digestibility and blood parameters of broilers.

PubMed

Liu, N; Ding, K; Wang, J; Deng, Q; Gu, K; Wang, J

2018-04-11

This study aimed to investigate the effect of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and smectite on the growth performance, nutrient digestibility and blood parameters of broilers that were fed diets contaminated with aflatoxin B 1 (AFB 1 ). A total of 480 newly hatched male Arbor Acres broilers were randomly allocated into four groups with six replicates of 20 chicks each. The broilers were fed diets with the AFB 1 (40 μg/kg) challenge or without (control) it and supplemented with smectite (3.0 g/kg) or LAB (4.0 × 10 10  CFU/kg) based on the AFB 1 diet. The trial lasted for 42 days. The results showed that during days 1-42 of AFB 1 challenge, the feed intake (FI) and body weight gain (BWG) were depressed (p < .05). The inclusion of LAB and smectite increased (p < .05) the BWG by 71.58 and 41.89 g/bird, respectively, which reached the level of the control diet (p ≥ .05), but there were no differences (p ≥ .05) in performance between LAB and smectite. LAB and smectite also increased (p < .05) the apparent total tract digestibility of the crude protein. Regarding the blood parameters, AFB 1 decreased (p < .05) the levels of red blood cell count, haematocrit, mean corpuscular volume, haemoglobin, albumin and total protein. In the meantime, the AFB 1 increased (p < .05) leucocyte counts, urea nitrogen, cholesterol, total bilirubin, creatinine, glutamic-pyruvic transaminase, glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase and alkaline phosphatase. By contrast, LAB and smectite affected (p < .05) these parameters in the opposite direction. It can be concluded that after the AFB 1 challenge, LAB and smectite have similar effects on the growth and health of the broilers, suggesting that LAB could be an alternative against AFB 1 in commercial animal feeds. © 2018 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Homologue gene of bile acid transporters ntcp, asbt, and ost-alpha in rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss: tissue expression, effect of fasting, and response to bile acid administration.

PubMed

Murashita, Koji; Yoshiura, Yasutoshi; Chisada, Shin-Ichi; Furuita, Hirofumi; Sugita, Tsuyoshi; Matsunari, Hiroyuki; Iwashita, Yasuro; Yamamoto, Takeshi

2014-04-01

Bile acid transporters belonging to the SLC10A protein family, Na+ taurocholate cotransporting polypeptide (NTCP or SLC10A1), apical sodium-dependent bile salt transporter (ASBT or SLC10A2), and organic solute transporter alpha (Ost-alpha) have been known to play critical roles in the enterohepatic circulation of bile acids in mammals. In this study, ntcp, asbt, and ost-alpha-1/-2 cDNA were cloned, their tissue distributions were characterized, and the effects of fasting and bile acid administration on their expression were examined in rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss. The structural characteristics of Ntcp, Asbt, and Ost-alpha were well conserved in trout, and three-dimensional structure analysis showed that Ntcp and Asbt were similar to each other. Tissue distribution analysis revealed that trout asbt was primarily expressed in the hindgut, while ntcp expression occurred in the brain, and ost-alpha-1/-2 was mainly expressed in the liver or ovary. Although asbt and ost-alpha-1 mRNA levels in the gut increased in response to fasting for 4 days, ost-alpha-1 expression in the liver decreased. Similarly, bile acid administration increased asbt and ost-alpha-1 expression levels in the gut, while those of ntcp and ost-alpha-2 in the liver decreased. These results suggested that the genes asbt, ntcp, and ost-alpha are involved in bile acid transport in rainbow trout.

Intracerebral Mycobacterium bovis bacilli Calmette-Guerin infection-induced immune responses in the CNS 1

PubMed Central

Lee, JangEun; Ling, Changying; Kosmalski, Michelle M.; Hulseberg, Paul; Schreiber, Heidi A.; Sandor, Matyas; Fabry, Zsuzsanna

2010-01-01

To study whether cerebral mycobacterial infection induces granuloma and protective immunity similar to systemic infection, we intracerebrally infected mice with Mycobacterium bovis bacilli Calmette-Guerin. Granuloma and IFN-γ+CD4+ T cell responses are induced in the central nervous system (CNS) similar to periphery, but the presence of IFN-γIL-17 double-positive CD4+ T cells is unique to the CNS. The major CNS source of TNF-α is microglia, with modest production by CD4+ T cells and macrophage. Protective immunity is accompanied by accumulation of Foxp3+CD4+ T cells and PD-L2+ dendritic cells, suggesting that both inflammatory and anti-inflammatory responses develop in the CNS following mycobacterial infection. PMID:19535154

Margarines and Fast-Food French Fries: Low Content of trans Fatty Acids.

PubMed

Astiasarán, Iciar; Abella, Elena; Gatta, Giulia; Ansorena, Diana

2017-06-28

The lipid fraction of margarines and fast food French fries, two types of foods traditionally high in trans fatty acids (TFA), is assessed. TFA data reported worldwide during the last 20 years have been gathered and show that some countries still report high TFA amounts in these products. The content of TFA was analysed in margarines (two store and four premium brands) and French-fries from fast-food restaurants (five chains). All samples were collected in Pamplona (Navarra, Spain). The margarines showed mean values of 0.68% and 0.43% (g TFA/100 g fat) for the store and premium brands, respectively. The French fries' values ranged from 0.49% to 0.89%. All samples were lower than the 2% set by some European countries as the maximum legal content of TFA in fats, and contained less than 0.5 g/serving, so they could also be considered " trans free products". This work confirmed that the presence of TFA is not significant in the two analysed products and contributes updated food composition tables, key tools for epidemiological and nutrition studies.

Margarines and Fast-Food French Fries: Low Content of trans Fatty Acids

PubMed Central

Astiasarán, Iciar; Abella, Elena; Gatta, Giulia; Ansorena, Diana

2017-01-01

The lipid fraction of margarines and fast food French fries, two types of foods traditionally high in trans fatty acids (TFA), is assessed. TFA data reported worldwide during the last 20 years have been gathered and show that some countries still report high TFA amounts in these products. The content of TFA was analysed in margarines (two store and four premium brands) and French-fries from fast-food restaurants (five chains). All samples were collected in Pamplona (Navarra, Spain). The margarines showed mean values of 0.68% and 0.43% (g TFA/100 g fat) for the store and premium brands, respectively. The French fries’ values ranged from 0.49% to 0.89%. All samples were lower than the 2% set by some European countries as the maximum legal content of TFA in fats, and contained less than 0.5 g/serving, so they could also be considered “trans free products”. This work confirmed that the presence of TFA is not significant in the two analysed products and contributes updated food composition tables, key tools for epidemiological and nutrition studies. PMID:28657612

Evidence that vesicles containing living, virulent Mycobacterium tuberculosis or Mycobacterium avium in cultured human macrophages are not acidic.

PubMed Central

Crowle, A J; Dahl, R; Ross, E; May, M H

1991-01-01

Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Mycobacterium avium multiply in cultured human macrophages (MP) within membrane-enclosed vesicles. These vesicles are generally assumed to be acidic. The evidence most frequently cited for this assumption is that pyrazinamide, which requires an acid pH to be effective, is effective and streptomycin, which loses most of its activity at a low pH, is poorly effective against tubercle bacilli. This assumption was tested by using the two weak bases chloroquine and NH4Cl to raise the pH of acidic vesicles in MP experimentally infected with M. tuberculosis or M. avium. An immunocytochemical locator of acidic regions in the MP was used to monitor the association of intracellular bacilli with acidity. MP were infected with M. tuberculosis or M. avium and incubated with various combinations of the drugs and the weak bases. Replication of the bacteria in the MP was measured by culture counts. Intracellular associations of the mycobacteria with acidity were assessed by electron micrographs and by using the weak base 3-(2,4-dinitroanilino)-3'-amino-N-methyl dipropylamine, which was detected with colloidal gold-labeled antibodies. It was confirmed by immunocytochemistry that both chloroquine and NH4Cl raise the pH of acidic vesicles in the infected MP. However, neither caused any pH-related change in the antimycobacterial activities of pyrazinamide or streptomycin or of the pH-independent drug isoniazid. Immunochemical analyses showed acidity to be associated with killed but not living mycobacteria in the MP. These findings suggest that living M. tuberculosis and M. avium are located in human MP in vesicles which are not acidic. Images PMID:1902198

Long-term outcome of acute prosthetic joint infections due to gram-negative bacilli treated with retention of prosthesis.

PubMed

Jaén, N; Martínez-Pastor, J C; Muñoz-Mahamud, E; García-Ramiro, S; Bosch, J; Mensa, J; Soriano, A

2012-09-01

To update the clinical information of the 47 patients with a prosthetic joint infection due to Gram-negative bacilli included in a previous study and to reassess the predictors of failure after a longer follow-up. Using the electronic files of our hospital, all the information regarding readmissions to the hospital, new surgical procedures and the reason for the new surgery (infection, aseptic loosening), and the last visit in the hospital were registered. The medical chart of the 35 patients that were considered in remission in the previous publication was reviewed. In 30 patients no clinical evidence of failure was detected and no additional surgery on the previously infected prosthesis was necessary and they were considered in long-term remission. In 5 cases a late complication was identified. One case had a reinfection due to coagulase-negative staphylococci after 22 months from the open debridement and required a 2-stage revision surgery. The other 4 cases developed an aseptic loosening and it was necessary to perform a 1-stage exchange. Receiving a fluoroquinolone when all the Gram-negatives involved in the infection were susceptible to fluoroquinolones was the only factor associated with remission in the univariate analysis (p=0.002). After a long-term follow-up, our results support the importance of using fluoroquinolones in acute PJI due to Gram-negative bacilli.

Impact of GeneXpert MTB/RIF assay on triage of respiratory isolation rooms for inpatients with presumed tuberculosis: a hypothetical trial.

PubMed

Chaisson, Lelia H; Roemer, Marguerite; Cantu, David; Haller, Barbara; Millman, Alexander J; Cattamanchi, Adithya; Davis, J Lucian

2014-11-15

Placing inpatients with presumed active pulmonary tuberculosis in respiratory isolation pending results of serial sputum acid-fast bacilli (AFB) smear microscopy is standard practice in high-income countries. However, this diagnostic strategy is slow and yields few tuberculosis diagnoses. We sought to determine if replacing microscopy with the GeneXpert MTB/RIF (Xpert) nucleic acid amplification assay could reduce testing time and usage of isolation rooms. We prospectively followed inpatients at San Francisco General Hospital undergoing tuberculosis evaluation. We performed smear microscopy and Xpert testing on concentrated sputum, and calculated diagnostic accuracy for both strategies in reference to serial sputum mycobacterial culture. We measured turnaround time for microscopy and estimated hypothetical turnaround times for Xpert on concentrated and unconcentrated sputum. We compared median and total isolation times for microscopy to those estimated for the 2 Xpert strategies. Among 139 patients with 142 admissions, median age was 54 years (interquartile range [IQR], 43-60 years); 32 (23%) patients were female, and 42 (30%) were HIV seropositive. Serial sputum smear microscopy and a single concentrated sputum Xpert had identical sensitivity (89%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 52%-100%) and similar specificity (99% [95% CI, 96%-100%] vs 100% [95% CI, 97%-100%]). A single concentrated sputum Xpert could have saved a median of 35 hours (IQR, 24-36 hours) in unnecessary isolation compared with microscopy, and a single unconcentrated sputum Xpert, 45 hours (IQR, 35-46 hours). Replacing serial sputum smear microscopy with a single sputum Xpert could eliminate most unnecessary isolation for inpatients with presumed tuberculosis, greatly benefiting patients and hospitals. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Infectious Diseases Society of America. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Tuberculous pleural effusions: advances and controversies

PubMed Central

Allwood, Brian W.; Diacon, Andreas H.; Koegelenberg, Coenraad F. N.

2015-01-01

On a global scale, tuberculosis (TB) remains one of the most frequent causes of pleural effusions. Our understanding of the pathogenesis of the disease has evolved and what was once thought to be an effusion as a result of a pure delayed hypersensitivity reaction is now believed to be the consequence of direct infection of the pleural space with a cascade of events including an immunological response. Pulmonary involvement is more common than previously believed and induced sputum, which is grossly underutilised, can be diagnostic in approximately 50%. The gold standard for the diagnosis of tuberculous pleuritis remains the detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in pleural fluid, or pleural biopsy specimens, either by microscopy and/or culture, or the histological demonstration of caseating granulomas in the pleura along with acid fast bacilli (AFB). In high burden settings, however, the diagnosis is frequently inferred in patients who present with a lymphocytic predominant exudate and a high adenosine deaminase (ADA) level, which is a valuable adjunct in the diagnostic evaluation. ADA is generally readily accessible, and together with lymphocyte predominance justifies treatment initiation in patients with a high pre-test probability. Still, false-negative and false-positive results remain an issue. When adding closed pleural biopsy to ADA and lymphocyte count, diagnostic accuracy approaches that of thoracoscopy. The role of other biomarkers is less well described. Early pleural drainage may have a role in selected cases, but more research is required to validate its use and to define the subpopulation that may benefit from such interventions. PMID:26150911

Need for Different Cutoff Values for Reading Mantoux Test with 2TU and 5TU PPD.

PubMed

Ramaraj, Savitha M; Nagendra, K; Gopal, Girish; Majgi, Sumanth Mallikarjuna

2017-09-01

To compare the tuberculin reaction of 2 tuberculin unit (TU) with 5TU purified protein derivative (PPD) (both calibrated against RT 23) in healthy children. This was a cross sectional study done in the pediatric outpatient department of a tertiary care teaching hospital. Seventy healthy siblings of the children attending pediatric outpatient department in the age group of 1 to 12 y were enrolled. The exclusion criteria included previously diagnosed tuberculosis patients, malnutrition diagnosed according to the WHO classification, history of drug intake like steroids, recent history of measles, any skin lesions over forearm, history of fever, contact with tuberculosis and previous mantoux testing. The study was conducted wherein each child was subjected to simultaneous testing with 2TU and 5TU by standard technique. The reactions to both the tests was read at 48-72 h. Children with induration ≥10 mm were evaluated for tuberculosis by taking chest x-ray, gastric lavage or sputum smear examination for acid fast bacilli (AFB). Considering ≥10 mm induration as positive, subjects positive with 5TU were 7 (10%) and 2TU was 1(p value = 0.031); thus, there is no agreement between the two methods (McNemar's test). Comparing the mean diameter of induration of 2TU and 5TU (p < 0.001, Wilcoxon test), signified no agreement between the two strengths. Bland-Altman plot and kappa statistic showed no agreement between the two strengths. Cutaneous hypersensitivity to 2TU PPD is not comparable to that of 5TU PPD.

PubMed Central

Monga, S.; Jan, S.; Bahadur, S.; Jetley, S.; Kaur, H.

2017-01-01

SUMMARY Tuberculosis (TB) of the head and neck region is quite common in endemic countries, but is still misdiagnosed due to its varied presentation and different sites of involvement. The aims of the present study were to present the diversities of presentation of head and neck tuberculosis with the diagnostic predicaments faced during evaluation and to assess treatment response to anti-tubercular treatment (ATT). We analysed 48 patients with head and neck tuberculosis who presented to the Department of Otorhinolaryngology in our tertiary care urban hospital over a period of two years from 2013 to 2015 and recorded their data, which included presenting complaints, local and systemic examination findings, investigation results and treatment outcomes. The results showed that majority (64.5%) of cases were female and none of the patients were HIV positive. The most common manifestation was cervical lymphadenopathy (81.25%) with level II being the most commonly affected (31.3%). Three of the 48 patients had coexisting pulmonary TB. Fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC), histopathological diagnosis and acid fast bacilli (AFB) staining were used to confirm diagnosis. All patients were treated with Category I ATT, which achieved cure in 96.8% of cases. Though cervical lymphadenitis is the most common presentation of head and neck TB, isolated involvement of the sinonasal region, larynx, oral cavity and other sub-sites are not solely unknown entities. It is, therefore, important for clinicians to be aware of atypical and misleading presentations and consider TB as a major differential diagnosis in the head and neck region, even in non-immunocompromised individuals. PMID:29327734

Wastewater characterization survey, Victor Valley Wastewater Reclamation Authority and hazardous-waste survey at George AFB, California. Final report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Binovi, R.D.; Ng, E.K.; Tetla, R.A.

1987-01-01

This is a report of a survey of the Victor Wastewater Reclamation Authority Sewerage system, the sewage treatment plant, and effluent from the various operations at George AFB, California. The scope of work included the characterization of the wastewater from George AFB, as well as characterization of effluents from 29 oil/water separators servicing industrial operations on base, flow measurements at three locations on base, a microbiological evaluation of aeration basin foam, bench-scale activated-sludge studies, and a review of results from previous surveys. Recommendations: (1) AFFF (Aqueous Film Forming Foam) should never be discharged to the sewer. (2) Programming for pretreatmentmore » should proceed at selected operations. (3) More waste and wastestream analysis be performed. (4) Upgrade waste accumulation points. (5) Implement an aggressive inspection program for oil/water separators. (6) Cut down on nonessential washing.« less

Effects of a 3-day fast and of ethanol on splanchnic metabolism of FFA, amino acids, and carbohydrates in healthy young men.

PubMed

Wolfe, B M; Havel, J R; Marliss, E B; Kane, J P; Seymour, J; Ahuja, S P

1976-02-01

Splanchnic metabolism was studied to quantify changes underlying the fatty liver, hyperlipemia, and hypoglycemia produced by ethanol. Four subjects fasted for 15 h were compared with five subjects fasted for 69 h under basal conditions and during continuous intravenous infusion of sufficient ethanol to give a concentration of 3-5 mM in arterial blood plasma. Splanchnic storage of fatty acids was estimated from the difference between uptake of FFA and secretion of derived products. Basal values for splanchnic uptake of FFA were twofold higher after the 69-h fast while splanchnic storage of fatty acids and production of ketone bodies increased threefold. Values for basal secreation into the blood of triglycerides derived from FFA were similar in the two groups. In both nutritional states, the fraction of FFA taken up in the splanchnic region oxidized to ketone bodies and to CO2 fell when ethanol was given because of preferential oxidation of ethanol to acetate, and the fraction esterified rose. However, systemic transport and splanchnic uptake of FFA fell with ethanol in subjects fasted 15 h, so that neither storage of triglycerides in splanchnic tissues nor secretion into the blood increased. In subjects fasted 69 h, ethanol increased transport of FFA and splanchnic storage of fat. In all but one subject it also increased secretion of triglycerides into the blood. The concentration of glucose in blood fell during ethanol infusion in all five subjects undergoing the 69-h fast. Mean splanchnic glucose production was maintained at about one-half of the pre-ethanol value, despite virtual cessation of splanchnic uptake of lactate and of those amino acids that are metabolized via malate. Quantitative estimates of extrasplanchnic metabolism suggest that enhanced formation of alpha-glycerophosphate from glucose, in addition to impaired hepatic gluconeogenesis, may contribute to ethanol-induced hypoglycemia in man.

Comparison of variants of carbol-fuchsin solution in Ziehl-Neelsen for detection of acid-fast bacilli.

PubMed

Selvakumar, N; Sekar, M Gomathi; Rahman, F; Syamsunder, A; Duraipandian, M; Wares, F; Narayanan, P R

2005-02-01

To evaluate Ziehl-Neelsen (ZN) staining using variants of carbol-fuchsin solution, duplicate smears from 416 samples were stained with ZN, one set with 1% basic fuchsin and the other 0.3%. Another set of duplicate smears from 398 samples were stained with ZN, one with 1% basic fuchsin and the other 0.1%. The coded smears were read and discrepancies resolved. All samples underwent mycobacterial culture. The sensitivity of ZN using 0.3% (65%) and 1% basic fuchsin (62%) was comparable, while it was reduced using 0.1% (74%) compared to 1% basic fuchsin (83%). Reducing the concentration of basic fuchsin below 0.3% in ZN staining was found to significantly reduce its sensitivity.

STS-47 Payload Specialist Mohri during Homestead AFB water survival training

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1990-01-01

STS-47 Endeavour, Orbiter Vehicle (OV) 105, Payload Specialist Mamoru Mohri is pictured during training at Homestead Air Force Base (AFB) in Florida. Mohri is pulled behind a motor boat to simulate being drug by a parachute through water. The exercise is part of a course in water survival training at the Florida United States Air Force (USAF) installation. The brief course was attended by the STS-47 prime and alternate payload specialists shortly after they were announced for the scheduled summer of 1992 Spacelab Japan (SLJ) mission. Mohri represents the National Space Development Agency of Japan (NASDA).

Value of the polymerase chain reaction method for detecting tuberculosis in the bronchial tissue involved by anthracosis.

PubMed

Mirsadraee, Majid; Shafahie, Ahmad; Reza Khakzad, Mohammad; Sankian, Mojtaba

2014-04-01

Anthracofibrosis is the black discoloration of the bronchial mucosa with deformity and obstruction. Association of this disease with tuberculosis (TB) was approved. The objective of this study was to find the additional benefit of assessment of TB by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method. Bronchoscopy was performed on 103 subjects (54 anthracofibrosis and 49 control subjects) who required bronchoscopy for their pulmonary problems. According to bronchoscopic findings, participants were classified to anthracofibrosis and nonanthracotic groups. They were examined for TB with traditional methods such as direct smear (Ziehl-Neelsen staining), Löwenstein-Jensen culture, and histopathology and the new method "PCR" for Mycobacterium tuberculosis genome (IS6110). Age, sex, smoking, and clinical findings were not significantly different in the TB and the non-TB groups. Acid-fast bacilli could be detected by a direct smear in 12 (25%) of the anthracofibrosis subjects, and adding the results of culture and histopathology traditional tests indicated TB in 27 (31%) of the cases. Mycobacterium tuberculosis was diagnosed by PCR in 18 (33%) patients, but the difference was not significant. Detection of acid-fast bacilli in control nonanthracosis subjects was significantly lower (3, 6%), but PCR (20, 40%) and accumulation of results from all traditional methods (22, 44%) showed a nonsignificant difference. The PCR method showed a result equal to traditional methods including accumulation of smear, culture, and histopathology.

Mixed metazoan and bacterial infection of the gas bladder of the lined seahorse-a case report.

PubMed

Anderson, Paul A; Petty, Barbara D

2013-03-01

Five wild-caught Lined Seahorses Hippocampus erectus from an aquarium system presented with altered buoyancy and distended upper trunks. Radiography of one specimen revealed a reduced air volume in the gas bladder. Pneumocystocentesis revealed a brown exudate of numerous leukocytes, parasite ova, and Gram- and acid-fast-positive bacilli under wet mounts and stains. Necropsies revealed enlarged, friable kidneys and distended gas bladders containing copious purulent exudate, necrotic tissue, and adult digeneans Dictysarca virens. Bacterial isolates from exudate cultures grown on Lowenstein-Jensen medium were identified as Gordonia sp. and Mycobacterium poriferae by high-performance liquid chromatography and 16S ribosomal DNA sequencing. Histopathology demonstrated a histiocytic response in kidney and gas bladder exudate, inflammation of the gas bladder wall, and infection of the gas bladder lumen with parasite ova and acid-fast-positive and Gomori's methenamine silver-positive bacilli. Praziquantel is prescribed for digenean infections but dissolves incompletely in seawater and is toxic to this host. Eradication of intermediate host vectors is a management option. Treatment of Gordonia infection has not been addressed in nonhuman animals, and there is no known effective treatment for Mycobacterium spp. infection in fishes. This is the first case report of digenean infection of the gas bladder in a syngnathid, Gordonia sp. infection in a nonhuman animal, and M. poriferae infection in a fish.

Final Environmental Assessment- Air Traffic Control Tower and Fire Station Pope AFB, NC

DTIC Science & Technology

2004-06-01

collection of information if it does not display a currently valid OMB control number. 1. REPORT DATE JUN 2004 2. REPORT TYPE 3. DATES COVERED 00-00...of undeveloped land are located east of the base. Pope AFB covers approximately 2,140 acres, of which 151 acres are owned by the Air Force. The...protection against decreased visibility and damage to animals, crops , vegetation, and buildings. 4 PM2.s = Particulate matter less than 2.5 microns in

Gluconeogenesis is associated with high rates of tricarboxylic acid and pyruvate cycling in fasting northern elephant seals.

PubMed

Champagne, Cory D; Houser, Dorian S; Fowler, Melinda A; Costa, Daniel P; Crocker, Daniel E

2012-08-01

Animals that endure prolonged periods of food deprivation preserve vital organ function by sparing protein from catabolism. Much of this protein sparing is achieved by reducing metabolic rate and suppressing gluconeogenesis while fasting. Northern elephant seals (Mirounga angustirostris) endure prolonged fasts of up to 3 mo at multiple life stages. During these fasts, elephant seals maintain high levels of activity and energy expenditure associated with breeding, reproduction, lactation, and development while maintaining rates of glucose production typical of a postabsorptive mammal. Therefore, we investigated how fasting elephant seals meet the requirements of glucose-dependent tissues while suppressing protein catabolism by measuring the contribution of glycogenolysis, glycerol, and phosphoenolpyruvate (PEP) to endogenous glucose production (EGP) during their natural 2-mo postweaning fast. Additionally, pathway flux rates associated with the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle were measured specifically, flux through phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK) and pyruvate cycling. The rate of glucose production decreased during the fast (F(1,13) = 5.7, P = 0.04) but remained similar to that of postabsorptive mammals. The fractional contributions of glycogen, glycerol, and PEP did not change with fasting; PEP was the primary gluconeogenic precursor and accounted for ∼95% of EGP. This large contribution of PEP to glucose production occurred without substantial protein loss. Fluxes through the TCA cycle, PEPCK, and pyruvate cycling were higher than reported in other species and were the most energetically costly component of hepatic carbohydrate metabolism. The active pyruvate recycling fluxes detected in elephant seals may serve to rectify gluconeogeneic PEP production during restricted anaplerotic inflow in these fasting-adapted animals.

Bioremediation of a Large Chlorinated Solvent Plume, Dover AFB, DE

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bloom, Aleisa C

2015-01-01

Bioremediation of a Large Chlorinated Solvent Plume, Dover AFB, DE Aleisa Bloom, (Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, USA) Robert Lyon (bob.lyon@aecom.com), Laurie Stenberg, and Holly Brown (AECOM, Germantown, Maryland, USA) ABSTRACT: Past disposal practices at Dover Air Force Base (AFB), Delaware, created a large solvent plume called Area 6 (about 1 mile long, 2,000 feet wide, and 345 acres). The main contaminants are PCE, TCE, and their degradation products. The remedy is in-situ accelerated anaerobic bioremediation (AAB). AAB started in 2006 and is focusing on source areas and downgradient plume cores. Direct-push injections occurred in source areas wheremore » contamination is typically between 5 and 20 feet below ground surface. Lower concentration dissolved-phased contamination is present downgradient at 35 and 50 feet below ground surface. Here, permanent injection/extraction wells installed in transects perpendicular to the flow of groundwater are used to apply AAB. The AAB substrate is a mix of sodium lactate, emulsified vegetable oil, and nutrients. After eight years, dissolved contaminant mass within the main 80-acre treatment area has been reduced by over 98 percent. This successful application of AAB has stopped the flux of contaminants to the more distal portions of the plume. While more time is needed for effects to be seen in the distal plume, AAB injections will soon cease, and the remedy will transition to natural attenuation. INTRODUCTION Oak Ridge National Laboratory Environmental Science Division (ORNL) and AECOM (formerly URS Corporation) have successfully implemented in situ accelerated anaerobic bioremediation (AAB) to remediate chlorinated solvent contamination in a large, multi-sourced groundwater plume at Dover Air Force Base (AFB). AAB has resulted in significant reductions of dissolved phase chlorinated solvent concentrations. This plume, called Area 6, was originally over 1 mile in length and over 2,000 feet wide

Eielson AFB, Alaska. Revised Uniform Summary of Surface Weather Observations (RUSSWO). Parts A-F.

DTIC Science & Technology

1983-07-22

705s 930 TOTALS 2.0 *Z 23.3 2S.0 7.2 .0 .0 7.3 7 I0 ’,:" .mm~d USAMTAC -O. AJ. OI. IA pIO Porn *O UOi*I - - -- - - - - - -- - - - - - - * $LOBAL...3AL CLT7ATOLOGY BRANCH 𔃼 I.rTAC PSYCHROMETRIC SUMMARY A.;. FATHER SERVICE/MAC 7 550 EIELSON AFB AK 73-82 OCT STAtIO. NME YEARS boy . PAGE 1 . WIT

Williams AFB, Arizona Revised Uniform Summary of Surface Weather Observations (RUSSWO) Parts A-F.

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-10-21

N;I 1-L 9AL CLIMATOLOGY BRANCH ~.w~ .’ ETAC LJS. H A~(I EATV UMDT 2 f wEATHER SERVICE/MAC SEE FIRST HUMDIT 2 114 1 LLIAMS AFB AZ 69-70,73-80 JUL...4622 USAPETAC ’ol 0-87-5(01.A) , I roFql CL,-RAL CLIMATOLOGY BRANCH EATV 2 AFETAC SRVIE/ACATIVE UUTO HUMIDITY SEE FIRST PAGE Z Cl)4 AILLIAMS AFS AZ

Installation Restoration Program. Phase 1. Records Search, McGuire AFB, New Jersey

DTIC Science & Technology

1982-11-01

Raritan- Magothy System * 3.12 Log of Base Well OD" 3-23 3.13 Well no. 1 at McGuire Missile Site 3-25 3.14 Base Well Locations 3-26 3.15 Surface Water...in the Potomac-Raritan- Magothy outcrop area has been published. This is not expected to impact base water quality in the near term. o Flooding is not a...Potamac-Raritan- Magothy System (PRM) 3-13 FIGURE 3.7 McGUIRE AFB STANDARD LOG OF McGUIRE PENETRATION. TEST MISSILE SITE I TEST BORING 46 21 DEPTH BELOW

STS-29 Discovery, OV-103, lands on Edwards AFB concrete runway 22

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1989-01-01

STS-29 Discovery, Orbiter Vehicle (OV) 103, main landing gear (MLG) touches down at a speed of approximately 205 knots (235 miles per hour) on concrete runway 22 at Edwards Air Force Base (AFB), California. Nose landing gear (NLG) is deployed and rides above runway surface prior touchdown. Rear view captures OV-103 as it glides past photographer to wheel stop showing the tail section (speedbrake/rudder) and three space shuttle main engines (SSMEs). Mojave desert scrub brush appears in the foreground with aircraft hangar appearing in the background.

Fast Startup of Semi-Pilot-Scale Anaerobic Digestion of Food Waste Acid Hydrolysate for Biogas Production.

PubMed

Huang, Chao; Zhao, Cheng; Guo, Hai-Jun; Wang, Can; Luo, Mu-Tan; Xiong, Lian; Li, Hai-Long; Chen, Xue-Fang; Chen, Xin-De

2017-12-27

In this study, a fast startup of semi-pilot-scale anaerobic digestion of food waste acid hydrolysate for biogas production was carried out for the first time. During the period of fast startup, more than 85% of chemical oxygen demand (COD) can be degraded, and even more than 90% of COD can be degraded during the later stage of anaerobic digestion. During this anaerobic digestion process, the biogas yield, the methane yield, and the CH 4 content in biogas were 0.542 ± 0.056 m 3 /kg COD consumption , 0.442 ± 0.053 m 3 /kg COD consumption , and 81.52 ± 3.05%, respectively, and these values were high and stable. Besides, the fermentation pH was very stable, in which no acidification was observed during the anaerobic digestion process (outlet pH was 7.26 ± 0.05 for the whole anaerobic digestion). Overall, the startup of this anaerobic digestion can be completed in a short period (the system can be stable 2 days after the substrate was pumped into the bioreactor), and anaerobic digestion of food waste acid hydrolysate is feasible and attractive for industrial treatment of food waste and biogas production.

SCFTIR1/AFB-auxin signalling regulates PIN vacuolar trafficking and auxin fluxes during root gravitropism

PubMed Central

Baster, Paweł; Robert, Stéphanie; Kleine-Vehn, Jürgen; Vanneste, Steffen; Kania, Urszula; Grunewald, Wim; De Rybel, Bert; Beeckman, Tom; Friml, Jiří

2013-01-01

The distribution of the phytohormone auxin regulates many aspects of plant development including growth response to gravity. Gravitropic root curvature involves coordinated and asymmetric cell elongation between the lower and upper side of the root, mediated by differential cellular auxin levels. The asymmetry in the auxin distribution is established and maintained by a spatio-temporal regulation of the PIN-FORMED (PIN) auxin transporter activity. We provide novel insights into the complex regulation of PIN abundance and activity during root gravitropism. We show that PIN2 turnover is differentially regulated on the upper and lower side of gravistimulated roots by distinct but partially overlapping auxin feedback mechanisms. In addition to regulating transcription and clathrin-mediated internalization, auxin also controls PIN abundance at the plasma membrane by promoting their vacuolar targeting and degradation. This effect of elevated auxin levels requires the activity of SKP-Cullin-F-boxTIR1/AFB (SCFTIR1/AFB)-dependent pathway. Importantly, also suboptimal auxin levels mediate PIN degradation utilizing the same signalling pathway. These feedback mechanisms are functionally important during gravitropic response and ensure fine-tuning of auxin fluxes for maintaining as well as terminating asymmetric growth. PMID:23211744

Mishap Investigation Team (MIT) - Barksdale AFB, Louisiana

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stepaniak, Philip

2005-01-01

The Shuttle Program is organized to support a Shuttle mishap using the resources of the MIT. The afternoon of Feb. 1, 2003, the MIT deployed to Barksdale AFB. This location became the investigative center and interim storage location for crewmembers received from the Lufkin Disaster Field Office (DFO). Working under the leadership of the MIT Lead, the medical team executed a short-term plan that included search, recovery, and identification including coordination with the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology Temporary operations was set up at Barksdale Air Force Base for two weeks. During this time, coordination with the DFO field recovery teams, AFIP personnel, and the crew surgeons was on going. In addition, the crewmember families and NASA management were updated daily. The medical team also dealt with public reports and questions concerning biological and chemical hazards, which were coordinated with SPACEHAB, Inc., Kennedy Space Center (KSC) Medical Operations and the Johnson Space Center (JSC) Space Medicine office. After operations at Barksdale were concluded the medical team transitioned back to Houston and a long-term search, recovery and identification plan was developed.

Systems responses of rats to aflatoxin B1 exposure revealed with metabonomic changes in multiple biological matrices.

PubMed

Zhang, Limin; Ye, Yangfang; An, Yanpeng; Tian, Yuan; Wang, Yulan; Tang, Huiru

2011-02-04

Exposure to aflatoxins causes liver fibrosis and hepatocellular carcinoma posing a significant health risk for human populations and livestock. To understand the mammalian systems responses to aflatoxin-B1 (AFB1) exposure, we analyzed the AFB1-induced metabonomic changes in multiple biological matrices (plasma, urine, and liver) of rats using (1)H NMR spectroscopy together with clinical biochemistry and histopathologic assessments. We found that AFB1 exposure caused significant elevation of glucose, amino acids, and choline metabolites (choline, phosphocholine, and glycerophosphocholine) in plasma but reduction of plasma lipids. AFB1 also induced elevation of liver lipids, amino acids (tyrosine, histidine, phenylalanine, leucine, isoleucine, and valine), choline, and nucleic acid metabolites (inosine, adenosine, and uridine) together with reduction of hepatic glycogen and glucose. AFB1 further caused decreases in urinary TCA cycle intermediates (2-oxoglutarate and citrate) and elevation of gut microbiota cometabolites (phenylacetylglycine and hippurate). These indicated that AFB1 exposure caused hepatic steatosis accompanied with widespread metabolic changes including lipid and cell membrane metabolisms, protein biosynthesis, glycolysis, TCA cycle, and gut microbiota functions. This implied that AFB1 exposure probably caused oxidative-stress-mediated impairments of mitochondria functions. These findings provide an overview of biochemical consequences of AFB1 exposure and comprehensive insights into the metabolic aspects of AFB1-induced hepatotoxicity in rats.

Xpert MTB/RIF assay for diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis in sputum specimens in remote health care facility.

PubMed

Geleta, Dereje Assefa; Megerssa, Yoseph Cherinet; Gudeta, Adugna Negussie; Akalu, Gizachew Taddesse; Debele, Melaku Tesfaye; Tulu, Kassu Desta

2015-10-19

Xpert MTB/RIF assay is considered as a great advance over conventional smear and culture in the diagnosis of TB and MDR-TB by simultaneously detecting M.tuberculosis and rifampicin resistance bacilli. However, very little information regarding the performance characteristics of Xpert MTB/RIF assay is available in Ethiopia. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the performance of Xpert MTB/RIF assay compared to conventional sputum smear and culture methods for the diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis in remote health care facility. A paired expectorated sputum samples were obtained from 227 consecutively recruited patients with signs and symptoms suggestive of tuberculosis at Karamara hospital during December 2013 to May 2014. One of the sputum specimen was tested directly by Ziehl-Neelsen staining and Xpert MTB/RIF assay without NALC-NaOH decontamination. The other of pair of sputa specimen was cultured for isolation of TB bacilli by conventional methods. Diagnostic performance of Xpert MTB/RIF assay and AFB smear microscopy were calculated against culture as the gold standard. Overall 25.5% (58/227) samples were positive for Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBC) by MGIT and/or LJ media of which 36.2% (21/58) and 65.5% (35/58) were positive by AFB smear microscopy and Xpert MTB/RIF respectively. The sensitivity, specificity, as well as the positive and negative predictive value of Xpert MTB/RIF assay were 65.5% (95% CI: 53.3-77.7%), 96.3% (95% CI: 93.4-99.2%), 86.4% (95% CI: 76.2-96.5%), and 88.6% (95% CI: 83.9-93.3%) respectively. Eighteen of 58 (31%) cases that were smear microscopy negative, were positive by Xpert MTB/RIF assay. Although Xpert MTB/RIF assay demonstrated high sensitivity in detecting MTBC in sputum specimens compared with conventional AFB smear microscopy, it demonstrated suboptimal sensitivity in smear negative patients compared to conventional culture.

Antimicrobial Susceptibility of Enteric Gram Negative Facultative Anaerobe Bacilli in Aerobic versus Anaerobic Conditions

PubMed Central

Amachawadi, Raghavendra G.; Renter, David G.; Volkova, Victoriya V.

2016-01-01

Antimicrobial treatments result in the host’s enteric bacteria being exposed to the antimicrobials. Pharmacodynamic models can describe how this exposure affects the enteric bacteria and their antimicrobial resistance. The models utilize measurements of bacterial antimicrobial susceptibility traditionally obtained in vitro in aerobic conditions. However, in vivo enteric bacteria are exposed to antimicrobials in anaerobic conditions of the lower intestine. Some of enteric bacteria of food animals are potential foodborne pathogens, e.g., Gram-negative bacilli Escherichia coli and Salmonella enterica. These are facultative anaerobes; their physiology and growth rates change in anaerobic conditions. We hypothesized that their antimicrobial susceptibility also changes, and evaluated differences in the susceptibility in aerobic vs. anaerobic conditions of generic E. coli and Salmonella enterica of diverse serovars isolated from cattle feces. Susceptibility of an isolate was evaluated as its minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) measured by E-Test® following 24 hours of adaptation to the conditions on Mueller-Hinton agar, and on a more complex tryptic soy agar with 5% sheep blood (BAP) media. We considered all major antimicrobial drug classes used in the U.S. to treat cattle: β-lactams (specifically, ampicillin and ceftriaxone E-Test®), aminoglycosides (gentamicin and kanamycin), fluoroquinolones (enrofloxacin), classical macrolides (erythromycin), azalides (azithromycin), sulfanomides (sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim), and tetracyclines (tetracycline). Statistical analyses were conducted for the isolates (n≥30) interpreted as susceptible to the antimicrobials based on the clinical breakpoint interpretation for human infection. Bacterial susceptibility to every antimicrobial tested was statistically significantly different in anaerobic vs. aerobic conditions on both media, except for no difference in susceptibility to ceftriaxone on BAP agar. A satellite experiment

Insight into the evolution and origin of leprosy bacilli from the genome sequence of Mycobacterium lepromatosis

PubMed Central

Singh, Pushpendra; Benjak, Andrej; Schuenemann, Verena J.; Herbig, Alexander; Avanzi, Charlotte; Busso, Philippe; Nieselt, Kay; Krause, Johannes; Vera-Cabrera, Lucio; Cole, Stewart T.

2015-01-01

Mycobacterium lepromatosis is an uncultured human pathogen associated with diffuse lepromatous leprosy and a reactional state known as Lucio's phenomenon. By using deep sequencing with and without DNA enrichment, we obtained the near-complete genome sequence of M. lepromatosis present in a skin biopsy from a Mexican patient, and compared it with that of Mycobacterium leprae, which has undergone extensive reductive evolution. The genomes display extensive synteny and are similar in size (∼3.27 Mb). Protein-coding genes share 93% nucleotide sequence identity, whereas pseudogenes are only 82% identical. The events that led to pseudogenization of 50% of the genome likely occurred before divergence from their most recent common ancestor (MRCA), and both M. lepromatosis and M. leprae have since accumulated new pseudogenes or acquired specific deletions. Functional comparisons suggest that M. lepromatosis has lost several enzymes required for amino acid synthesis whereas M. leprae has a defective heme pathway. M. lepromatosis has retained all functions required to infect the Schwann cells of the peripheral nervous system and therefore may also be neuropathogenic. A phylogeographic survey of 227 leprosy biopsies by differential PCR revealed that 221 contained M. leprae whereas only six, all from Mexico, harbored M. lepromatosis. Phylogenetic comparisons indicate that M. lepromatosis is closer than M. leprae to the MRCA, and a Bayesian dating analysis suggests that they diverged from their MRCA approximately 13.9 Mya. Thus, despite their ancient separation, the two leprosy bacilli are remarkably conserved and still cause similar pathologic conditions. PMID:25831531

Chronic Mycobacterium infection of first dorsal web space after accidental Bacilli Calmette-Guérin injection in a health worker: case report.

PubMed

Vigler, Mordechai; Mulett, Hanan; Hausman, Michael R

2008-11-01

We present a case of inoculation of the first dorsal web space by a nurse practitioner who accidentally stuck herself while preparing Bacilli Calmette-Guérin vaccine for treatment of bladder tumor. We report the evolution and management of this resistant chronic Mycobacterium infection that ultimately required use of a vacuum wound management system followed by a microvascular free tissue transfer.

Evaluation of Xpert® MTB/RIF and Ustar EasyNAT™ TB IAD for diagnosis of tuberculous lymphadenitis of children in Tanzania: a prospective descriptive study.

PubMed

Bholla, Maira; Kapalata, Neema; Masika, Edward; Chande, Hassan; Jugheli, Levan; Sasamalo, Mohamed; Glass, Tracy R; Beck, Hans-Peter; Reither, Klaus

2016-06-06

Fine needle aspiration biopsy has become a standard approach for diagnosis of peripheral tuberculous lymphadenitis. The aim of this study was to compare the performance of Xpert MTB/RIF and Ustar EasyNAT TB IAD nucleic acid amplification assays, against acid-fast bacilli microscopy, cytology and mycobacterial culture for the diagnosis of TB lymphadenitis in children from a TB-endemic setting in Tanzania. Children of 8 weeks to 16 years of age, suspected of having TB lymphadenitis, were recruited at a district hospital in Tanzania. Fine needle aspirates of lymph nodes were analysed using acid-fast bacilli microscopy, liquid TB culture, cytology, Xpert MTB/RIF and EasyNAT. Latent class analysis and comparison against a composite reference standard comprising "culture and/or cytology" was done, to assess the performance of Xpert MTB/RIF and EasyNAT for the diagnosis of TB lymphadenitis. Seventy-nine children were recruited; 4 were excluded from analysis. Against a composite reference standard of culture and/or cytology, Xpert MTB/RIF and EasyNAT had a sensitivity and specificity of 58 % and 93 %; and 19 % and 100 % respectively. Relative to latent class definitions, cytology had a sensitivity of 100 % and specificity of 94.7 %. Combining clinical assessment, cytology and Xpert MTB/RIF may allow for a rapid and accurate diagnosis of childhood TB lymphadenitis. Larger diagnostic evaluation studies are recommended to validate these findings and on Xpert MTB/RIF to assess its use as a solitary initial test for TB lymphadenitis in children.

Plant protection and growth stimulation by microorganisms: biotechnological applications of Bacilli in agriculture.

PubMed

Pérez-García, Alejandro; Romero, Diego; de Vicente, Antonio

2011-04-01

The increasing demand for a steady, healthy food supply requires an efficient control of the major pests and plant diseases. Current management practices are based largely on the application of synthetic pesticides. The excessive use of agrochemicals has caused serious environmental and health problems. Therefore, there is a growing demand for new and safer methods to replace or at least supplement the existing control strategies. Biological control, that is, the use of natural antagonists to combat pests or plant diseases has emerged as a promising alternative to chemical pesticides. The Bacilli offer a number of advantages for their application in agricultural biotechnology. Several Bacillus-based products have been marketed as microbial pesticides, fungicides or fertilisers. Bacillus-based biopesticides are widely used in conventional agriculture, by contrast, implementation of Bacillus-based biofungicides and biofertilizers is still a pending issue. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Determination of the aflatoxin AFB1 from corn by direct analysis in real time-mass spectrometry (DART-MS)

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Direct analysis in real time (DART) ionization coupled to a high resolution mass spectrometer (MS) was used for screening of aflatoxins from a variety of surfaces and the rapid quantitative analysis of a common form of aflatoxin, AFB1, extracted from corn. Sample preparation procedure and instrument...

NOTES UPON AN EPIDEMIC OF FOWL CHOLERA AND UPON THE COMPARATIVE PRODUCTION OF ACID BY ALLIED BACTERIA

PubMed Central

Higgins, Charles H.

1898-01-01

(a). The bacillus isolated by me from the outbreak of choleraic diarrhœa corresponds closely in all essential particulars with that of European chicken cholera. (b). It differs, consequently, from that isolated from previous outbreaks of choleraic diarrhœa in the United States. (c). A study of the acid production by this and allied bacilli would seem to show that the amount of acid produced by so variable a microbe varies greatly and is incapable of affording a further means of distinguishing between allied forms. PMID:19866887

Pulmonary tuberculous: Symptoms, diagnosis and treatment. 19-year experience in a third level pediatric hospital.

PubMed

González Saldaña, Napoleón; Macías Parra, Mercedes; Hernández Porras, Marte; Gutiérrez Castrellón, Pedro; Gómez Toscano, Valeria; Juárez Olguin, Hugo

2014-07-19

Pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) is an infectious disease that involves the lungs and can be lethal in many cases. Tuberculosis (TB) in children represents 5 to 20% of the total TB cases. However, there are few updated information on pediatric TB, reason why the objective of the present study is to know the real situation of PTB in the population of children in terms of its diagnosis and treatment in a third level pediatric hospital. A retrospective study based on a revision of clinical files of patients less than 18 years old diagnosed with PTB from January 1994 to January 2013 at Instituto Nacional de Pediatria, Mexico City was carried out. A probable diagnosis was based on 3 or more of the following: two or more weeks of cough, fever, tuberculin purified protein derivative (PPD) +, previous TB exposure, suggestive chest X-ray, and favorable response to treatment. Definitive diagnosis was based on positive acid-fast bacilli (AFB) or culture. In the 19-year period of revision, 87 children were diagnosed with PTB; 57 (65.5%) had bacteriologic confirmation with ZN staining or culture positive (in fact, 22 were ZN and culture positive), and 30 (34.5%) had a probable diagnosis; 14(16.1%) were diagnosed with concomitant disease, while 69/81 were immunized. Median evolution time was 21 days (5-150). Fever was found in 94.3%, cough in 77%, and weight loss in 55.2%. History of contact with TB was established in 41.9%. Chest X-ray showed consolidation in 48.3% and mediastinal lymph node in 47.1%. PPD was positive in 59.2%, while positive AFB was found in 51.7% cases. Culture was positive in 24/79 patients (30.4%), PCR in 20/27 (74.1%). 39 (44.8%) patients were treated with rifampin, isoniazid, and pyrazinamide while 6 (6.9%) received the former drugs plus streptomycin and 42 (48.3%) the former plus ethambutol. There were three deaths. PTB in pediatric population represents a diagnostic challenge for the fact that clinical manifestations are unspecific and the diagnosis is not

Diagnostic accuracy of a point-of-care urine test for tuberculosis screening among newly-diagnosed HIV-infected adults: a prospective, clinic-based study.

PubMed

Drain, Paul K; Losina, Elena; Coleman, Sharon M; Giddy, Janet; Ross, Douglas; Katz, Jeffrey N; Walensky, Rochelle P; Freedberg, Kenneth A; Bassett, Ingrid V

2014-02-26

A rapid diagnostic test for active tuberculosis (TB) at the clinical point-of-care could expedite case detection and accelerate TB treatment initiation. We assessed the diagnostic accuracy of a rapid urine lipoarabinomannan (LAM) test for TB screening among HIV-infected adults in a TB-endemic setting. We prospectively enrolled newly-diagnosed HIV-infected adults (≥18 years) at 4 outpatient clinics in Durban from Oct 2011-May 2012, excluding those on TB therapy. A physician evaluated all participants and offered CD4 cell count testing. Trained study nurses collected a sputum sample for acid-fast bacilli smear microscopy (AFB) and mycobacterial culture, and performed urine LAM testing using Determine™ TB LAM in the clinic. The presence of a band regardless of intensity on the urine LAM test was considered positive. We defined as the gold standard for active pulmonary TB a positive sputum culture for Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Diagnostic accuracy of urine LAM was assessed, alone and in combination with smear microscopy, and stratified by CD4 cell count. Among 342 newly-diagnosed HIV-infected participants, 190 (56%) were male, mean age was 35.6 years, and median CD4 was 182/mm3. Sixty participants had culture-positive pulmonary TB, resulting in an estimated prevalence of 17.5% (95% CI 13.7-22.0%). Forty-five (13.2%) participants were urine LAM positive. Mean time from urine specimen collection to LAM test result was 40 minutes (95% CI 34-46 minutes). Urine LAM test sensitivity was 28.3% (95% CI 17.5-41.4) overall, and 37.5% (95% CI 21.1-56.3) for those with CD4 count <100/mm3, while specificity was 90.1% (95% CI 86.0-93.3) overall, and 86.9% (95% CI 75.8-94.2) for those with CD4 < 100/mm3. When combined with sputum AFB (either test positive), sensitivity increased to 38.3% (95% CI 26.0-51.8), but specificity decreased to 85.8% (95% CI 81.1-89.7). In this prospective, clinic-based study with trained nurses, a rapid urine LAM test had low sensitivity for TB

Response of a WB-47E Airplane to Runway Roughness at Eielson AFB, Alaska, September 1964

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Morris, Garland J.; Hall, Albert W.

1965-01-01

An investigation has been conducted to measure the response of a WB-47E airplane to the roughness of the runway at Eielson AFB, Alaska. The acceleration level in the pilot's compartment and the pitching oscillation of the airplane were found to be sufficiently high to possibly cause pilot discomfort and have an adverse effect on the precision of take-off.

Case report : tuberculosis liver abscess in male alcoholism patient

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Siahaan, W. P.; Ginting, F.

2018-03-01

A liver abscess often occurs in low-middle income countries such as Indonesia. Two most common liver abscesses are amoebic and pyogenic liver abscess. Data that reported tuberculosis liver abscess (TLA) is extremely rare. A diagnostic criterion for tuberculosis liver abscess is rare and remains unclear. A 52-year-old man developed a TLA which was not associated with any pulmonary or gastrointestinal tract foci of tuberculosis. An ultrasonogram and abdominal scan showed an abscess in the right lobe. We performed paracentesis, and the pus from the lesion was positive tubercular bacilli on acid-fast bacilli staining. The patient was started on systemic antitubercular therapy to which he responded favorably. This report emphasizes the fact that, although a TLA is a very rare entity, it should be included in the differential diagnosis of liver abscess especially in Indonesia where the prevalence of tuberculosis is extremely high.

Atypical post kala azar dermal leishmaniasis with "muzzle area" swelling.

PubMed

Arora, Sandeep; Bal, Arvinder Singh; Baveja, Sukriti; Sood, Aradhana; Rathi, Khushi Ram; Patil, Pradeep

2015-01-01

A 50-year-old male presented with recurrent swelling of the muzzle area of the face with history of low-grade intermittent fever of 3 year duration managed variously with antibiotics, systemic steroids, and antituberculous therapy. Skin biopsy revealed a granulomatous infiltration negative for acid-fast bacilli and leishmania donovan bodies. Immunochromatography test for rK 39 antigen and polymerase chain reaction for leishmania was positive. He was diagnosed as a case of post kala azar dermal leishmaniasis, managed with injection sodium stibogluconate and followed-up thereafter.

DIFFERENCES IN CULTURAL YIELD OF MYCOBACTERIUM TUBERCULOSIS ON MEDIA PREPARED USING COMMERCIAL AND HOUSEHOLD EGGS.

PubMed

Noori, Muhammad Yahya; AJi, Zaheer; Khan, Ghazala; Sharafat, Shaheen; Masroor, Muhammad

2015-01-01

Mycobacterial culture is considered as the gold standard for TB diagnosis. It is performed on egg-based media using commercially available eggs to grow Mycobacteria from clinical samples. These eggs are known to contain high concentration of antibiotics, including fluoroquinolones, given to chicken to prevent early mortality. This study was performed to compare Mycobacterial growth on media prepared from commercial and antibiotic free household eggs. Sputum samples from negative (No bacilli in 100 oil immersion field), scanty (1-9 AFB in 100 fields), 1+ (10-99 bacilli per field), 2+ (1-10 bacilli per field) and 3+ (>10 bacilli per field) were inoculated dually on Ogawa medium prepared from commercial and household eggs. Tubes were inspected every fourth day for the appearance of colonies till 60 days. Data tabulations and statistical analysis (F test for variation and unpaired Student's t test) were performed on Microsoft Excel. One microscopically negative sample showed growth on media prepared from household eggs, while all were negative on that prepared from commercial eggs. There were significant differences in time to culture positivity for samples graded 1+ (p = 0.02), 2+ (p = 0.002) and 3+ (p = 0.0003). Commercial eggs containing antibiotics can be a source of false negativity in cultures especially in microscopically negative samples. This can be of special concern in HIV patients who have high smear negativity. It is therefore important to either develop provision of antibiotic free eggs for media preparation or to develop and validate other laboratory investigations for smear negative TB patients.

A Nutritional Evaluation of the Experimental Food Service System at Travis AFB, California

DTIC Science & Technology

1974-07-01

food service experiment at Travis AFB, California was performed. The purpose of this evaluation was to determine the levels of selected nutrient elements provided by these meals and to compare them with established nutritional standards. In addition, the data provide for a comparison of the nutritional profiles of the meals served in the dining halls with those served in two new experimental food outlets. It is concluded that the meals served during the experiment were nutritionally adequate as compared to Air Force requirements, and that the meals served in the two new

Label Free QCM Immunobiosensor for AFB1 Detection Using Monoclonal IgA Antibody as Recognition Element.

PubMed

Ertekin, Özlem; Öztürk, Selma; Öztürk, Zafer Ziya

2016-08-11

This study introduces the use of an IgA isotype aflatoxin (AF) specific monoclonal antibody for the development of a highly sensitive Quartz Crystal Microbalance (QCM) immunobiosensor for the detection of AF in inhibitory immunoassay format. The higher molecular weight of IgA antibodies proved an advantage over commonly used IgG antibodies in label free immunobiosensor measurements. IgA and IgG antibodies with similar affinity for AF were used in the comparative studies. Sensor surface was prepared by covalent immobilization of AFB1, using self assembled monolayer (SAM) formed on gold coated Quartz Crystal, with 1-Ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl) carbodiimide/N-hydroxy succinimide (EDC/NHS) method using a diamine linker. Nonspecific binding to the surface was decreased by minimizing the duration of EDC/NHS activation. Sensor surface was chemically blocked after AF immobilization without any need for protein blocking. This protein free sensor chip endured harsh solutions with strong ionic detergent at high pH, which is required for the regeneration of the high affinity antibody-antigen interaction. According to the obtained results, the detection range with IgA antibodies was higher than IgG antibodies in QCM immunosensor developed for AFB1.

SCF(TIR1/AFB)-auxin signalling regulates PIN vacuolar trafficking and auxin fluxes during root gravitropism.

PubMed

Baster, Paweł; Robert, Stéphanie; Kleine-Vehn, Jürgen; Vanneste, Steffen; Kania, Urszula; Grunewald, Wim; De Rybel, Bert; Beeckman, Tom; Friml, Jiří

2013-01-23

The distribution of the phytohormone auxin regulates many aspects of plant development including growth response to gravity. Gravitropic root curvature involves coordinated and asymmetric cell elongation between the lower and upper side of the root, mediated by differential cellular auxin levels. The asymmetry in the auxin distribution is established and maintained by a spatio-temporal regulation of the PIN-FORMED (PIN) auxin transporter activity. We provide novel insights into the complex regulation of PIN abundance and activity during root gravitropism. We show that PIN2 turnover is differentially regulated on the upper and lower side of gravistimulated roots by distinct but partially overlapping auxin feedback mechanisms. In addition to regulating transcription and clathrin-mediated internalization, auxin also controls PIN abundance at the plasma membrane by promoting their vacuolar targeting and degradation. This effect of elevated auxin levels requires the activity of SKP-Cullin-F-box(TIR1/AFB) (SCF(TIR1/AFB))-dependent pathway. Importantly, also suboptimal auxin levels mediate PIN degradation utilizing the same signalling pathway. These feedback mechanisms are functionally important during gravitropic response and ensure fine-tuning of auxin fluxes for maintaining as well as terminating asymmetric growth.

Label Free QCM Immunobiosensor for AFB1 Detection Using Monoclonal IgA Antibody as Recognition Element

PubMed Central

Ertekin, Özlem; Öztürk, Selma; Öztürk, Zafer Ziya

2016-01-01

This study introduces the use of an IgA isotype aflatoxin (AF) specific monoclonal antibody for the development of a highly sensitive Quartz Crystal Microbalance (QCM) immunobiosensor for the detection of AF in inhibitory immunoassay format. The higher molecular weight of IgA antibodies proved an advantage over commonly used IgG antibodies in label free immunobiosensor measurements. IgA and IgG antibodies with similar affinity for AF were used in the comparative studies. Sensor surface was prepared by covalent immobilization of AFB1, using self assembled monolayer (SAM) formed on gold coated Quartz Crystal, with 1-Ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl) carbodiimide/N-hydroxy succinimide (EDC/NHS) method using a diamine linker. Nonspecific binding to the surface was decreased by minimizing the duration of EDC/NHS activation. Sensor surface was chemically blocked after AF immobilization without any need for protein blocking. This protein free sensor chip endured harsh solutions with strong ionic detergent at high pH, which is required for the regeneration of the high affinity antibody-antigen interaction. According to the obtained results, the detection range with IgA antibodies was higher than IgG antibodies in QCM immunosensor developed for AFB1. PMID:27529243

Rapid Determination of Bile Acids in Bile from Various Mammals by Reversed-Phase Ultra-Fast Liquid Chromatography.

PubMed

Si, Gu Leng Ri; Yao, Peng; Shi, Luwen

2015-08-01

A valid and efficient reversed-phase ultra-fast liquid chromatography method was developed for the simultaneous determination of 13 bile acids in the bile of three mammal species, including rat, pig and human gallstone patients. Chromatographic separation was performed with a Shim-pack XR-ODS column, and the mobile phase consisted of acetonitrile and potassium phosphate buffer (pH 2.6) at a flow rate of 0.5 mL min(-1). The linear detection range of most bile acids ranged from 2 to 600 ng µL(-1) with a good correlation coefficient (>0.9995). The precision of each bile acid was <1.8% for intraday and <4.8% for interday. All bile acids were separated in 15 min with satisfactory resolution, and the total analysis time was 18 min, including equilibration. The method was successfully applied in rapid screening of bile samples from the three mammals. Significant metabolic frameworks of bile acids among various species were observed, whereas considerable quantitative variations in both inter- and intraspecies were also observed, especially for gallstone patients. Our results suggest that detecting the change of bile acid profiles could be applied for the diagnosis of gallstone disease. © Crown copyright 2014.

Lot quality assurance sampling of sputum acid-fast bacillus smears for assessing sputum smear microscopy centers.

PubMed

Selvakumar, N; Murthy, B N; Prabhakaran, E; Sivagamasundari, S; Vasanthan, Samuel; Perumal, M; Govindaraju, R; Chauhan, L S; Wares, Fraser; Santha, T; Narayanan, P R

2005-02-01

Assessment of 12 microscopy centers in a tuberculosis unit by blinded checking of eight sputum smears selected by using a lot quality assurance sampling (LQAS) method and by unblinded checking of all positive and five negative slides, among the slides examined in a month in a microscopy centre, revealed that the LQAS method can be implemented in the field to monitor the performance of acid-fast bacillus microscopy centers in national tuberculosis control programs.

Decreasing high postprandial stearic acid in impaired fasting glucose by dietary regulation.

PubMed

Liu, L; Chu, X; Na, L; Yuan, F; Li, Y; Sun, C

2016-07-01

The objective of this study was to determine the postprandial change in free fatty acid (FFA) profiles in subjects with impaired fasting glucose (IFG), and to evaluate the effect of low glycemic index (GI) load on postprandial FFA profiles and inflammation. First, 50 IFG and 50 healthy subjects were recruited; and 2 -h postprandial changes in FFA profiles were determined. Second, the 50 IFG subjects then received three different loads: glucose load (GL), high glycemic index (HGI) load and low glycemic index (LGI) load, respectively. FFA profile, glucose, insulin, glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) and inflammatory biomarkers were assayed at 0, 30, 60, 90 and 120 min. Postprandial stearic acid (C18:0) increased compared with baseline in all subjects, whereas the change in postprandial C18:0 was more marked in IFG subjects than in healthy subjects. Compared with subjects who received the GL and HGI load, the area under the curve for insulin, GLP-1, C18:0 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha significantly decreased and adiponectin increased in subjects who received the LGI load. The rise in postprandial C18:0 in IFG subjects was inhibited by LGI load.

Detection of aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) in individual maize kernels using short wave infrared (SWIR) hyperspectral imaging

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Short wave infrared hyperspectral imaging (SWIR) (1000-2500 nm) was used to detect aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) in individual maize kernels. A total of 120 kernels of four varieties (or 30 kernels per variety) that had been artificially inoculated with a toxigenic strain of Aspergillus flavus and harvested f...

Fasting: The History, Pathophysiology and Complications

PubMed Central

Kerndt, Peter R.; Naughton, James L.; Driscoll, Charles E.; Loxterkamp, David A.

1982-01-01

An appreciation of the physiology of fasting is essential to the understanding of therapeutic dietary interventions and the effect of food deprivation in various diseases. The practice of prolonged fasting for political or religious purposes is increasing, and a physician is likely to encounter such circumstances. Early in fasting weight loss is rapid, averaging 0.9 kg per day during the first week and slowing to 0.3 kg per day by the third week; early rapid weight loss is primarily due to negative sodium balance. Metabolically, early fasting is characterized by a high rate of gluconeogenesis with amino acids as the primary substrates. As fasting continues, progressive ketosis develops due to the mobilization and oxidation of fatty acids. As ketone levels rise they replace glucose as the primary energy source in the central nervous system, thereby decreasing the need for gluconeogenesis and sparing protein catabolism. Several hormonal changes occur during fasting, including a fall in insulin and T3 levels and a rise in glucagon and reverse T3 levels. Most studies of fasting have used obese persons and results may not always apply to lean persons. Medical complications seen in fasting include gout and urate nephrolithiasis, postural hypotension and cardiac arrhythmias. ImagesFigure 4. PMID:6758355

McConnell AFB, Kansas Revised Uniform Summary of Surface Weather Observations (RUSSWO). Parts A-F.

DTIC Science & Technology

1987-04-07

OBSERVATIONS MCCONNELL AFB KS MSC f724505 N 37 37 W 097 lb ELEV 1371 FT KIAB PARTS A - F HOURS SUMMARIZED: 0000 - 230u LST PERIOD OF RECORD: HOURLY...the world. This is the provenance of the number (e.g., MSC 999999) which will appear on future OL-A standard products. NTIS ,.& - DCIC IAQ . y...STATICN NUMqLR: 724505 STAIION NAME: MCCONNELL AFR KS PEO0 UF [ COPD : 60-P6 ..... .......... °.. . ...... ....... .. .. .. .... . ,.... o

CD36 Modulates Fasting and Preabsorptive Hormone and Bile Acid Levels.

PubMed

Shibao, Cyndya A; Celedonio, Jorge E; Tamboli, Robyn; Sidani, Reem; Love-Gregory, Latisha; Pietka, Terri; Xiong, Yanhua; Wei, Yan; Abumrad, Naji N; Abumrad, Nada A; Flynn, Charles Robb

2018-05-01

Abnormal fatty acid (FA) metabolism contributes to diabetes and cardiovascular disease. The FA receptor CD36 has been linked to risk of metabolic syndrome. In rodents CD36 regulates various aspects of fat metabolism, but whether it has similar actions in humans is unknown. We examined the impact of a coding single-nucleotide polymorphism in CD36 on postprandial hormone and bile acid (BA) responses. To examine whether the minor allele (G) of coding CD36 variant rs3211938 (G/T), which reduces CD36 level by ∼50%, influences hormonal responses to a high-fat meal (HFM). Obese African American (AA) women carriers of the G allele of rs3211938 (G/T) and weight-matched noncarriers (T/T) were studied before and after a HFM. Two-center study. Obese AA women. HFM. Early preabsorptive responses (10 minutes) and extended excursions in plasma hormones [C-peptide, insulin, incretins, ghrelin fibroblast growth factor (FGF)19, FGF21], BAs, and serum lipoproteins (chylomicrons, very-low-density lipoprotein) were determined. At fasting, G-allele carriers had significantly reduced cholesterol and glycodeoxycholic acid and consistent but nonsignificant reductions of serum lipoproteins. Levels of GLP-1 and pancreatic polypeptide (PP) were reduced 60% to 70% and those of total BAs were 1.8-fold higher. After the meal, G-allele carriers displayed attenuated early (-10 to 10 minute) responses in insulin, C-peptide, GLP-1, gastric inhibitory peptide, and PP. BAs exhibited divergent trends in G allele carriers vs noncarriers concomitant with differential FGF19 responses. CD36 plays an important role in the preabsorptive hormone and BA responses that coordinate brain and gut regulation of energy metabolism.

Populations of latent Mycobacterium tuberculosis lack a cell wall: Isolation, visualization, and whole-genome characterization.

PubMed

Velayati, Ali Akbar; Abeel, Thomas; Shea, Terrance; Konstantinovich Zhavnerko, Gennady; Birren, Bruce; Cassell, Gail H; Earl, Ashlee M; Hoffner, Sven; Farnia, Parissa

2016-03-01

Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) causes active tuberculosis (TB) in only a small percentage of infected people. In most cases, the infection is clinically latent, where bacilli can persist in human hosts for years without causing disease. Surprisingly, the biology of such persister cells is largely unknown. This study describes the isolation, identification, and whole-genome sequencing (WGS) of latent TB bacilli after 782days (26months) of latency (the ability of MTB bacilli to lie persistent). The in vitro double-stress model of latency (oxygen and nutrition) was designed for MTB culture. After 26months of latency, MTB cells that persisted were isolated and investigated under light and atomic force microscopy. Spoligotyping and WGS were performed to verify the identity of the strain. We established a culture medium in which MTB bacilli arrest their growth, reduce their size (0.3-0.1μm), lose their acid fastness (85-90%) and change their shape. Spoligopatterns of latent cells were identical to original H37Rv, with differences observed at spacers two and 14. WGS revealed only a few genetic changes relative to the already published H37Rv reference genome. Among these was a large 2064-bp insertion (RvD6), which was originally detected in both H37Ra and CDC1551, but not H37Rv. Here, we show cell-wall free cells of MTB bacilli in their latent state, and the biological adaptation of these cells was more phenotypic in nature than genomic. These cell-wall free cells represent a good model for understanding the nature of TB latency. Copyright © 2015 Asian-African Society for Mycobacteriology. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Reliability of Serum Metabolites over a Two-Year Period: A Targeted Metabolomic Approach in Fasting and Non-Fasting Samples from EPIC

PubMed Central

Achaintre, David; Sacerdote, Carlotta; Vineis, Paolo; Key, Timothy J.; Onland Moret, N. Charlotte; Scalbert, Augustin; Rinaldi, Sabina; Ferrari, Pietro

2015-01-01

Objective Although metabolic profiles have been associated with chronic disease risk, lack of temporal stability of metabolite levels could limit their use in epidemiological investigations. The present study aims to evaluate the reliability over a two-year period of 158 metabolites and compare reliability over time in fasting and non-fasting serum samples. Methods Metabolites were measured with the AbsolueIDQp180 kit (Biocrates, Innsbruck, Austria) by mass spectrometry and included acylcarnitines, amino acids, biogenic amines, hexoses, phosphatidylcholines and sphingomyelins. Measurements were performed on repeat serum samples collected two years apart in 27 fasting men from Turin, Italy, and 39 non-fasting women from Utrecht, The Netherlands, all participating in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) study. Reproducibility was assessed by estimating intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) in multivariable mixed models. Results In fasting samples, a median ICC of 0.70 was observed. ICC values were <0.50 for 48% of amino acids, 27% of acylcarnitines, 18% of lysophosphatidylcholines and 4% of phosphatidylcholines. In non-fasting samples, the median ICC was 0.54. ICC values were <0.50 for 71% of acylcarnitines, 48% of amino acids, 44% of biogenic amines, 36% of sphingomyelins, 34% of phosphatidylcholines and 33% of lysophosphatidylcholines. Overall, reproducibility was lower in non-fasting as compared to fasting samples, with a statistically significant difference for 19–36% of acylcarnitines, phosphatidylcholines and sphingomyelins. Conclusion A single measurement per individual may be sufficient for the study of 73% and 52% of the metabolites showing ICCs >0.50 in fasting and non-fasting samples, respectively. ICCs were higher in fasting samples that are preferable to non-fasting. PMID:26274920

Johne's disease in a free-ranging white-tailed deer from Virginia and subsequent surveillance for Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis.

PubMed

Sleeman, Jonathan M; Manning, Elizabeth J B; Rohm, John H; Sims, Jerry P; Sanchez, Susan; Gerhold, Richard W; Keel, M Kevin

2009-01-01

Johne's disease (paratuberculosis) was diagnosed in a 2-yr-old, male, free-ranging white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) from Fauquier County, Virginia, USA, based on histopathology and culture for Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis. Clinical and pathologic findings included emaciation; loss of body fat; chronic diarrhea; severe, chronic, diffuse granulomatous colitis with intrahistiocytic acid-fast bacilli; moderate, chronic granulomatous lymphadenitis with intrahistiocytic acid-fast bacilli; as well as moderate chronic, multifocal, lymphoplasmacytic hepatitis. These findings are consistent with previous reports of Johne's disease in cervids. Subsequent targeted surveillance of 10 emaciated deer with diarrhea, as well as sampling of 72 asymptomatic deer for M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis using culture of multiple tissue types, as well as serology using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) optimized for cervid antibody detection, did not reveal any additional cases of infection in this geographic region. To date, this appears to be an isolated case of Johne's disease in a free-ranging white-tailed deer, and infection with the causative agent for Johne's disease appears to be an infrequent occurrence in deer from this region. The origin of infection was most likely domestic ruminants. This is the first report of clinical Johne's disease in a free-ranging white-tailed deer outside of the Florida Keys, USA. Stressors, such as high deer population density and low selenium levels, may have contributed to the development of clinical disease in this case and warrant further investigation.

Aflatoxin B1 inhibition in Aspergillus flavus by Aspergillus niger through down-regulating expression of major biosynthetic genes and AFB1 degradation by atoxigenic A. flavus.

PubMed

Xing, Fuguo; Wang, Limin; Liu, Xiao; Selvaraj, Jonathan Nimal; Wang, Yan; Zhao, Yueju; Liu, Yang

2017-09-01

Twenty Aspergillus niger strains were isolated from peanuts and 14 strains were able to completely inhibit AFB 1 production with co-cultivation. By using a Spin-X centrifuge system, it was confirmed that there are some soluble signal molecules or antibiotics involved in the inhibition by A. niger, although they are absent during the initial 24h of A. flavus growth when it is sensitive to inhibition. In A. flavus, 19 of 20 aflatoxin biosynthetic genes were down-regulated by A. niger. Importantly, the expression of aflS was significantly down-regulated, resulting in a reduction of AflS/AflR ratio. The results suggest that A. niger could directly inhibit AFB 1 biosynthesis through reducing the abundance of aflS to aflR mRNAs. Interestingly, atoxigenic A. flavus JZ2 and GZ15 effectively degrade AFB 1 . Two new metabolites were identified and the key toxic lactone and furofuran rings both were destroyed and hydrogenated, meaning that lactonase and reductase might be involved in the degradation process. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Determination of Acid Herbicides Using Modified QuEChERS with Fast Switching ESI(+)/ESI(-) LC-MS/MS.

PubMed

Sack, Chris; Vonderbrink, John; Smoker, Michael; Smith, Robert E

2015-11-04

A method for the determination of 35 acid herbicides in food matrices was developed, validated, and implemented. It utilizes a modified QuEChERS extraction procedure coupled with quantitation by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). The acid herbicides analyzed are all organic carboxylic acids, including the older chlorophenoxy acid herbicides such as 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D), dicamba, 4-chlorophenoxyacetic acid (4-CPA), quinclorac, and many of the newer imidazolinone herbicides such as imazethapyr and imazaquin. In the procedure, 10 mL of water is added to 5 g of sample and then extracted with 1% formic acid in acetonitrile for 1 min. The acetonitrile phase is salted out of the extract by adding sodium chloride and magnesium sulfate, followed by centrifugation. The acetonitrile is diluted 1:1 with water to enable quantitation by LC-MS/MS using fast switching between positive and negative electrospray ionization modes. The average recoveries for all the compounds except aminocyclopyrachlor were 95% with a precision of 8%. The method detection limits for all residues were less than 10 ng/g, and the correlation coefficients for the calibration curves was greater than 0.99 for all but two compounds tested. The method was used successfully for the quantitation of acid herbicides in the FDA's total diet study. The procedure proved to be accurate, precise, linear, sensitive, and rugged.

Lot Quality Assurance Sampling of Sputum Acid-Fast Bacillus Smears for Assessing Sputum Smear Microscopy Centers

PubMed Central

Selvakumar, N.; Murthy, B. N.; Prabhakaran, E.; Sivagamasundari, S.; Vasanthan, Samuel; Perumal, M.; Govindaraju, R.; Chauhan, L. S.; Wares, Fraser; Santha, T.; Narayanan, P. R.

2005-01-01

Assessment of 12 microscopy centers in a tuberculosis unit by blinded checking of eight sputum smears selected by using a lot quality assurance sampling (LQAS) method and by unblinded checking of all positive and five negative slides, among the slides examined in a month in a microscopy centre, revealed that the LQAS method can be implemented in the field to monitor the performance of acid-fast bacillus microscopy centers in national tuberculosis control programs. PMID:15695704

Diets high in palmitic acid (16:0), lauric and myristic acids (12:0 + 14:0), or oleic acid (18:1) do not alter postprandial or fasting plasma homocysteine and inflammatory markers in healthy Malaysian adults.

PubMed

Voon, Phooi Tee; Ng, Tony Kock Wai; Lee, Verna Kar Mun; Nesaretnam, Kalanithi

2011-12-01

Dietary fat type is known to modulate the plasma lipid profile, but its effects on plasma homocysteine and inflammatory markers are unclear. We investigated the effects of high-protein Malaysian diets prepared with palm olein, coconut oil (CO), or virgin olive oil on plasma homocysteine and selected markers of inflammation and cardiovascular disease (CVD) in healthy adults. A randomized-crossover intervention with 3 dietary sequences of 5 wk each was conducted in 45 healthy subjects. The 3 test fats, namely palmitic acid (16:0)-rich palm olein (PO), lauric and myristic acid (12:0 + 14:0)-rich CO, and oleic acid (18:1)-rich virgin olive oil (OO), were incorporated at two-thirds of 30% fat calories into high-protein Malaysian diets. No significant differences were observed in the effects of the 3 diets on plasma total homocysteine (tHcy) and the inflammatory markers TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, and IL-8, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, and interferon-γ. Diets prepared with PO and OO had comparable nonhypercholesterolemic effects; the postprandial total cholesterol for both diets and all fasting lipid indexes for the OO diet were significantly lower (P < 0.05) than for the CO diet. Unlike the PO and OO diets, the CO diet was shown to decrease postprandial lipoprotein(a). Diets that were rich in saturated fatty acids prepared with either PO or CO, and an OO diet that was high in oleic acid, did not alter postprandial or fasting plasma concentrations of tHcy and selected inflammatory markers. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT00941837.

The effect of abnormal colour vision on the ability to identify and outline coloured clinical signs and to count stained bacilli in sputum.

PubMed

Campbell, John L; Griffin, Lewis; Spalding, J Anthony B; Mir, Fraz A

2005-11-01

To determine if medical practitioners with congenital colour vision deficiencies (CCVD) are less able to identify and delineate the extent of coloured abnormal signs than those with normal colour vision. Twenty-two medical practitioners with CCVD and 17 with normal colour vision, matched for age and gender, were shown 10 photographs. They were asked to identify and outline the extent of the clinical sign in eight that were of vomit or stool (six of these showing fresh blood), one of a skin rash and for one to mark the position of bacilli in sputum stained by the Ziehl-Neelsen method. There were statistically significant differences between the CCVD practitioners and those with normal colour vision in their ability to outline abnormalities in five of the six photographs that showed fresh blood, in the photograph of a rash and in marking the position of bacilli in the photograph of a stained slide. Medical practitioners with CCVD are handicapped in their evaluation of the presence and extent of coloured clinical signs. Medical schools should ensure that students with CCVD are aware of their deficiency and know its severity, so they can take special care in clinical practice.

Dyess AFB, Texas. Revised Uniform Summary of Surface Weather Observations (RUSSWO). Parts A-F.

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-01-01

Observations (RUSSWO); Dyess AFB TX; Texas; Abilene TX; Army Airfield Abilene TX; USTX722665. 19 Abstract: A six-part statistical data summary of...ELAT. AND S TANDARD Di-V I AtIONjS PEEESNTCVIS [’j ,T INCLUDE INCOMPLETE MONTHS. FOUR OR MORE MONTHS ARE NEEDED TO ADMILTE THE SE STATISTIC S AND...TA L NLMMYt (,F OPSIRW8IONS: 93" 6LOfAL CLPUATOLOGV FRANC " PERCENTAGE FPEiUtICY OF OCCURRENCE OF SURFACE WIND DIRECTION VERSUS WIND SPEED LiSAF7 I

Pope AFB, Fayetteville, North Carolina Revised Uniform Summary of Surface Weather Observations (RUSSWO). Parts A-F.

DTIC Science & Technology

1984-06-01

TEMPERATURE DEPRESION (P) ITOTAL TOTAL ___ (F) * 1 .2 3.4 9.6 7-L 9.10 11.121* 1 3-1 I5 171,,IV.2021.2223.,42S.2627.209.2S 831 .S..SDyBb hWet b.Ib...WEATHIER SERVICE/MAC 723030 POPE AFB MC STINNM74-83 vm * PAGE I wnEDnn. T.... ____ ___ WET SUL& TEMPERATURE DEPRESION (F) TOTAL ___TOTAL *(F) 0 1.2

Multifocal tuberculous osteomyelitis in a 3-year-old child.

PubMed

Dewan, Pooja; Tandon, Anupama; Rohatgi, Smriti; Qureshi, Shuaib

2017-05-01

Multifocal skeletal tuberculosis accounts for less than 1% of all tuberculous lesions in children. A 3-year-old unimmunised child presented with painless symmetrical swelling of both arms, pallor and hepatosplenomegaly. A skeletal survey demonstrated lytic lesions of the metadiaphysis of both humeri, a rib and the sacrum. The possibility of Langerhans cell histiocytosis or multifocal fibrous dysplasia was considered; however, acid-fast bacilli were detected in the biopsy specimen and real-time polymerase chain reaction confirmed Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection. Culture for M. tuberculosis was negative. The patient responded to anti-tuberculous therapy.

Challenges encountered in the diagnosis of tuberculous otitis media: case report and literature review.

PubMed

Dale, O T; Clarke, A R; Drysdale, A J

2011-07-01

To report a rare case of tuberculous otitis media, and to highlight barriers to clinical and microbiological diagnosis. Case report and literature review. Tuberculous otitis media is a rare cause of chronic ear infection in the UK. Its symptoms may mimic a range of other otological conditions, including otitis media, chronic suppurative otitis media, cholesteatoma and necrotising otitis media. This case report highlights the challenges of obtaining a clinical diagnosis of tuberculous otitis media, and emphasises the fact that screening for acid-fast bacilli is not sufficient, in isolation, to rule out mycobacterial infection.

Atypical Post Kala Azar Dermal Leishmaniasis with “Muzzle Area” Swelling

PubMed Central

Arora, Sandeep; Bal, Arvinder Singh; Baveja, Sukriti; Sood, Aradhana; Rathi, Khushi Ram; Patil, Pradeep

2015-01-01

A 50-year-old male presented with recurrent swelling of the muzzle area of the face with history of low-grade intermittent fever of 3 year duration managed variously with antibiotics, systemic steroids, and antituberculous therapy. Skin biopsy revealed a granulomatous infiltration negative for acid-fast bacilli and leishmania donovan bodies. Immunochromatography test for rK 39 antigen and polymerase chain reaction for leishmania was positive. He was diagnosed as a case of post kala azar dermal leishmaniasis, managed with injection sodium stibogluconate and followed-up thereafter. PMID:25657406

Clinical Correlates and Drug Resistance in HIV-Infected and -Uninfected Pulmonary Tuberculosis Patients in South India

PubMed Central

Sara, Chandy; Elsa, Heylen; Baijayanti, Mishra; Lennartsdotter, Ekstrand Maria

2016-01-01

Objectives To examine demographics, clinical correlates, sputum AFB (acid fast bacilli) smear grading DOTS (Directly Observed Therapy Short Course) uptake, and drug resistance in a cohort of newly-diagnosed, smear positive pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) patients with respect to HIV status at baseline, and compare smear conversion rates, side effects and mortality after two months. Design A prospective study among 54 HIV positive and 41 HIV negative pulmonary TB patients. Data were collected via face-to-face interviews, review of medical records, and lab tests. Results HIVTB co-infected patients, though more symptomatic at baseline, showed more improvement in their symptoms compared to HIV-uninfected TB patients at follow-up. The HIV co-infected group had more prevalent perceived side effects, and sputum smear positivity was marginally higher compared to the HIV negative group at follow-up. Mortality was higher among the HIV-infected group. Both groups had high rates of resistance to first-line anti-tubercular drugs, particularly isoniazid. There was no significant difference in the drug resistance patterns between the groups. Conclusions Prompt initiation and provision of daily regimens of ATT (Anti-Tubercular treatment) along with ART (Anti-Retroviral treatment) via ART centers is urgently needed in India. As resistance to ART and/or ATT is directly linked to medication non-adherence, the use of counseling, regular reinforcement, early detection and appropriate intervention strategies to tackle this complex issue could help prevent premature mortality and development of resistance in HIV-TB co-infected patients. The high rate of isoniazid resistance might preclude its use in India as prophylaxis for latent TB in HIV infected persons as per the World Health Organization (WHO) guideline. PMID:27708985

Does neutralization of gastric aspirates from children with suspected intrathoracic tuberculosis affect mycobacterial yields on MGIT culture?

PubMed

Parashar, Deepak; Kabra, Sushil K; Lodha, Rakesh; Singh, Varinder; Mukherjee, Aparna; Arya, Tina; Grewal, Harleen M S; Singh, Sarman

2013-06-01

The microbiological confirmation of pulmonary tuberculosis in children relies on cultures of gastric aspirate (GA) specimens. Conventionally, GAs are neutralized to improve culture yields of mycobacteria. However, there are limited data to support this practice. To study the utility of neutralization of GAs with sodium bicarbonate in children with intrathoracic tuberculosis, a total of 116 children of either sex, aged 6 months to 14 years (median age, 120 months; interquartile range [IQR], 7 to 192 months), underwent gastric aspiration on 2 consecutive days. Gastric aspirates were divided into two aliquots, and only one aliquot was neutralized with 1% sodium bicarbonate. Both aliquots were processed for smear and culture examinations. Out of the 232 gastric aspirates, 12 (5.17%) were acid-fast bacilli (AFB) smear positive. There were no differences in smear positivity rates from samples with or without neutralization. The yield of Mycobacterium tuberculosis on a Bactec MGIT 960 culture system was significantly lower in the neutralized samples (16.3% [38/232]) than in the nonneutralized samples (21.5% [50/232]) (P = 0.023). There was no significant difference between the neutralized and the nonneutralized samples in time to detection using the MGIT 960 system (average, 24.6 days; IQR, 12 to 37 days) (P = 0.9). The contamination rates were significantly higher in the neutralized samples than in the nonneutralized samples (17.2% [40/232] versus 3.9% [9/232]) (P = 0.001). The agreement for positive mycobacterial culture between the two approaches was 66.5% (P = 0.001). Hence, we recommend that gastric aspirate samples not be neutralized with sodium bicarbonate prior to culture for M. tuberculosis.

Diversity and specificity: auxin perception and signaling through the TIR1/AFB pathway

DOE PAGES

Wang, Renhou; Estelle, Mark

2014-07-15

Auxin is a versatile plant hormone that plays an essential role in most aspects of plant growth and development. Auxin regulates various growth processes by modulating gene transcription through a SCF TIR1/AFB-Aux/IAA-ARF nuclear signaling module. Recent work has generated clues as to how multiple layers of regulation of the auxin signaling components may result in diverse and specific response outputs. Finally, in particular, interaction and structural studies of key auxin signaling proteins have produced novel insights into the molecular basis of auxin-regulated transcription and may lead to a refined auxin signaling model.

Fast and efficient detection of tuberculosis antigens using liposome encapsulated secretory proteins of Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

PubMed

Tiwari, Dileep; Haque, Shafiul; Tiwari, Ram P; Jawed, Arshad; Govender, Thavendran; Kruger, Hendrik G

2017-04-01

A rapid and efficient diagnostic test was developed for the detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis antigens in serum samples of active tuberculosis (TB) and extrapulmonary TB patients via a liposomal agglutination-based method. A rapid card test has been developed to facilitate the recognition of high-affinity binding rabbit raised purified culture filtrate protein antibodies coupled on the surface of activated liposomal preparation. In the presence of TB antigens, the polyclonal antibodies bound to the liposomal particles demonstrate a visible agglutination reaction. The developed assay was simple, rapid, reliable, sensitive, and specific as a diagnostic test for the detection of antigens in serum samples of clinically confirmed cases of TB within 4-5 minutes' duration. The test was evaluated at different hospitals, medical colleges, and pathology centers, and involved 1483 participants. This investigation was conducted to detect the presence of these antigens during the period of active growth of the microorganism in serum samples for pulmonary TB and processed tissue biopsy for other extrapulmonary TB. Results obtained using this test were compared with acid-fast bacilli smear and culture results. Our study demonstrated that the newly developed liposome tuberculosis antigen card test detected antigens in our study population with approximately 97.48% sensitivity and 95.79% specificity. This is the first study to report the liposomal encapsulation of culture filtrate proteins from M. tuberculosis for diagnostic application. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Reduction of aflatoxins (B₁, B₂, G₁, and G₂) in soybean-based model systems.

PubMed

Lee, Jongin; Her, Jae-Young; Lee, Kwang-Geun

2015-12-15

The effects of chemical, physical, and cooking treatments on the reduction of aflatoxin B1 (AFB1), B2, G1, and G2 in soybean matrix were investigated. A HPLC-FLD with a Kobra cell system was used for the quantitative analysis of aflatoxins (AFs). To decrease the level of AFs during the soaking process, the contaminated soybeans were submerged in organic acid solutions. The reduction rates of AFB1 in 1.0N citric acid, lactic acid, succinic acid, and tartaric acid for 18h were 94.1%, 92.7%, 62.0%, and 95.1%, respectively. In the case of pH and autoclave treatment, the level of AFB1 was significantly decreased during autoclaving process at pH 7.4, 9.0, and 11.1, compared with the non-autoclaved samples (p<0.05). In the case of physical treatment, the heating process at 100 and 150°C for 90min significantly decreased the level of AFB1 by 41.9% and 81.2%, respectively (p<0.05). The reduction rate of AFB1 after cooking was 97.9% for soybean milk and 33.6% for steamed soybeans. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Solvent-dependent transformation of aflatoxin B1 in soil.

PubMed

Starr, James M; Rushing, Blake R; Selim, Mustafa I

2017-08-01

To date, all studies of aflatoxin B 1 (AFB 1 ) transformation in soil or in purified mineral systems have identified aflatoxins B 2 (AFB 2 ) and G 2 (AFG 2 ) as the primary transformation products. However, identification in these studies was made using thin layer chromatography which has relatively low resolution, and these studies did not identify a viable mechanism by which such transformations would occur. Further, the use of methanol as the solvent delivery vehicle in these studies may have contributed to formation of artifactual transformation products. In this study, we investigated the role of the solvent vehicle in the transformation of AFB 1 in soil. To do this, we spiked soils with AFB 1 dissolved in water (93:7, water/methanol) or methanol and used HPLC-UV and HPLC-MS to identify the transformation products. Contrasting previous published reports, we did not detect AFB 2 or AFG 2 . In an aqueous-soil environment, we identified aflatoxin B 2a (AFB 2a ) as the single major transformation product. We propose that AFB 2a is formed from hydrolysis of AFB 1 with the soil acting as an acid catalyst. Alternatively, when methanol was used, we identified methoxy aflatoxin species likely formed via acid-catalyzed addition of methanol to AFB 1 . These results suggest that where soil moisture is adequate, AFB 1 is hydrolyzed to AFB 2a and that reactive organic solvents should be avoided when replicating natural conditions to study the fate of AFB 1 in soil.

Comparison of the recovery of Mycobacterium bovis isolates using the BACTEC MGIT 960 system, BACTEC 460 system, and Middlebrook 7H10 and 7H11 solid media.

PubMed

Hines, Nichole; Payeur, Janet B; Hoffman, Lorraine J

2006-05-01

The BACTEC Microbacteria Growth Indicator Tube (MGIT) 960 system was evaluated to determine how it compares with the BACTEC 460 radiometric system and solid media for recovery of Mycobacterium bovis from tissue samples. A total of 506 bovine lymph node samples were collected from abattoirs in the United States and Mexico between November 2003 and September 2004. Processed samples were inoculated into an MGIT 960 tube, BACTEC 460 vial, and Middlebrook 7H10 and Middlebrook 7H11 solid media. Ziehl-Neelsen slides were prepared to check for contaminants and confirm the presence of acid-fast positive bacilli. Samples containing acid-fast bacilli were confirmed as members of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex by a nucleic acid assay. Niacin and nitrate biochemical tests were used to distinguish M. bovis from M. tuberculosis isolates. Statistical analyses were performed to compare recovery rate, mean time to detection, contamination rates, as well as pair-wise comparisons in each category. The results showed that the MGIT 960 system had a higher recovery rate of M. bovis (122/129) than did the BACTEC 460 (102/129) and solid media system (96/129). The average time to detection was 15.8 days for the MGIT 960 system, 28.2 days for the BACTEC 460 system, and 43.4 days for solid media. Contamination rates were 6.9% for the MGIT 960 system, 3.4% for the BACTEC 460 system, and 21.7% for solid media. These results indicate the MGIT 960 system can be used as an alternative to the BACTEC 460 system for recovering M. bovis from tissue samples.

Westover AFB, Chicopee Falls, Massachusetts Revised Uniform Summary of Surface Weather Observations (RUSSWO) Parts A-F.

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-10-01

Chicopee Falls, Fia rpt Mass 6. PERFORMING ORG. REPORT NUMBER 7. AUTNOR(e) S. CONTRACT OR GRANT NUMBER(#) 9. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME AND ADDRESS 10...Chicopee Falls, Mass . * It contains the following parts: (A) Weather Conditions; Atmospheric Phenomena; (B) Precipitation, Snowfall and Snow Depth (daily...WESTOVER AFB/CHICOPEE FALLS MASS N 42 12 W 072 32 245 CEF 74491 STATION LOCATION AND INSTRUMENTATION HISTORY UNCEl TYPE AT TIS LOCATION ELEVATION ABOVE NSL

Decreased expression of adipose CD36 and FATP1 are associated with increased plasma non-esterified fatty acids during prolonged fasting in northern elephant seal pups (Mirounga angustirostris)

PubMed Central

Viscarra, Jose Abraham; Vázquez-Medina, José Pablo; Rodriguez, Ruben; Champagne, Cory D.; Adams, Sean H.; Crocker, Daniel E.; Ortiz, Rudy M.

2012-01-01

SUMMARY The northern elephant seal pup (Mirounga angustirostris) undergoes a 2–3 month post-weaning fast, during which it depends primarily on the oxidation of fatty acids to meet its energetic demands. The concentration of non-esterified fatty acids (NEFAs) increases and is associated with the development of insulin resistance in late-fasted pups. Furthermore, plasma NEFA concentrations respond differentially to an intravenous glucose tolerance test (ivGTT) depending on fasting duration, suggesting that the effects of glucose on lipid metabolism are altered. However, elucidation of the lipolytic mechanisms including lipase activity during prolonged fasting in mammals is scarce. To assess the impact of fasting and glucose on the regulation of lipid metabolism, adipose tissue and plasma samples were collected before and after ivGTTs performed on early (2 weeks, N=5) and late (6–8 weeks; N=8) fasted pups. Glucose administration increased plasma triglycerides and NEFA concentrations in late-fasted seals, but not plasma glycerol. Fasting decreased basal adipose lipase activity by 50%. Fasting also increased plasma lipase activity twofold and decreased the expressions of CD36, FAS, FATP1 and PEPCK-C by 22–43% in adipose tissue. Plasma acylcarnitine profiling indicated that late-fasted seals display higher incomplete LCFA β-oxidation. Results suggest that long-term fasting induces shifts in the regulation of lipolysis and lipid metabolism associated with the onset of insulin resistance in northern elephant seal pups. Delineation of the mechanisms responsible for this shift in regulation during fasting can contribute to a more thorough understanding of the changes in lipid metabolism associated with dyslipidemia and insulin resistance in mammals. PMID:22723485

Meropenem use and colonization by antibiotic-resistant Gram-negative bacilli in a pediatric intensive care unit.

PubMed

Toltzis, Philip; Dul, Michael; O'Riordan, Mary Ann; Melnick, David; Lo, Mathew; Blumer, Jeffrey

2009-01-01

The carbapenems are broad-spectrum beta-lactam antibiotics with activity against most organisms encountered in the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU). In anticipation of their increased use in critically ill children, we measured the effect of sustained meropenem use on the pattern of Gram-negative bacillus colonization in patients admitted to a tertiary care PICU. : Prospective preintervention/postintervention comparison. Medical/surgical PICU. Consecutive PICU admissions over 2.5 yrs. After a 6-mo baseline period, all children with serious infections admitted to the PICU during the subsequent 2 yrs were administered meropenem. The incidence of colonization by Gram-negative bacilli resistant to one of a battery of broad-spectrum parenteral agents, and by organisms resistant specifically to meropenem, during the baseline period was compared with the period of preferred meropenem use. During the period of preferred meropenem use, the amount of meropenem used increased >seven-fold, whereas the use of other advanced generation beta-lactams was reduced by nearly 80%. The mean prevalence of colonization by antibiotic-resistant bacilli in general was not statistically altered during the period of meropenem preference (7.3 organisms/100 patient-days, vs. 9.4 organisms/100 patient-days at baseline, p < 0.09). The prevalence of colonization by Gram-negative organisms resistant specifically to meropenem was 0.61 organisms/100 patient-days during the baseline period vs. 1.04 organisms/100 patient-days during the period of meropenem preference (p < 0.30). The incidence of nosocomial infections did not change, and the prevalence of nosocomial infections caused by meropenem-resistant organisms was always <1% of all admissions during the period of meropenem preference. There was no statistically detectable effect on the prevalence of colonization by Gram-negative organisms resistant to one or more classes of broad-spectrum parenteral antibiotics, or to colonization by organisms

Comparison of traditional phenotypic identification methods with partial 5' 16S rRNA gene sequencing for species-level identification of nonfermenting Gram-negative bacilli.

PubMed

Cloud, Joann L; Harmsen, Dag; Iwen, Peter C; Dunn, James J; Hall, Gerri; Lasala, Paul Rocco; Hoggan, Karen; Wilson, Deborah; Woods, Gail L; Mellmann, Alexander

2010-04-01

Correct identification of nonfermenting Gram-negative bacilli (NFB) is crucial for patient management. We compared phenotypic identifications of 96 clinical NFB isolates with identifications obtained by 5' 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Sequencing identified 88 isolates (91.7%) with >99% similarity to a sequence from the assigned species; 61.5% of sequencing results were concordant with phenotypic results, indicating the usability of sequencing to identify NFB.

Installation Restoration Program Stage 3. Remedial Investigation/ Feasibility Study Elmendorf AFB, Alaska. Volume 2. Section 5 - Bibliography Text

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-05-01

ELME’IDORF AFB, AK UNITED STATES AIR FORCE OCCUPATIONAL & ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH LABORATORY (AFSC) ilb(. IiCAL Sr.(VICES DIVISION (AFOEHLi £3) I BROOKS AIR...UNITED STATES AIR FORCE OCCUPATIONAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH LABORATORY (AFSC) TECHNICAL SERVICES DIVISION (AFOEHL/TS) BROOKS AIR FORCE BASE, TEXAS...the following criteria: technical feasibility, institutional requirements, environmental impacts, public health impacts, and cost. This Alternative

[News of antibiotic resistance among Gram-negative bacilli in Algeria].

PubMed

Baba Ahmed-Kazi Tani, Z; Arlet, G

2014-06-01

Antibiotic resistance has become a major public health problem in Algeria. Indeed the past decade, we have seen a significant increase in resistance to antibiotics especially in Gram-negative bacilli. Resistance to β-lactams in enterobacteria is dominated by the production of ESBL CTX-M-3 and CTX-M-15. The strains producing these enzymes are often the cause of potentially serious infections in both hospital and community settings. Identified plasmid cephalosporinases are CMY-2, CMY-12 and DHA-1. The isolation of strains of Enterobacteriaceae and Pseudomonas aeruginosa producing carbapenemases is rare in Algeria. Some Enterobacteriaceae producing OXA-48 or VIM-19 have been reported; so far, only VIM-2 has been identified in P. aeruginosa. However, the situation regarding the strains of Acinetobacter baumannii resistant to carbapenemases seems to be more disturbing. The carbapenemase OXA-23 is the most common and seems to be endemic in the north. The carbapenemase NDM-1 has also been identified. Resistance to aminoglycosides is marked by the identification armA gene associated with blaCTX-M genes in strains of Salmonella sp. Several other resistance genes have been identified sporadically in strains of Enterobacteriaceae, P. aeruginosa and A. baumannii. Resistance genes to fluoroquinolones are more recent identification in Algeria. The most common are the Qnr determinants followed by the bifunctional enzyme AAC[6']-Ib-cr. Resistance to sulfonamides and trimethoprim was also reported in Enterobacteriaceae strains in the west of the country. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier SAS.

Letter of Concern from EPA to Mr. Terry A. Yonkers, Assistant Administrator for Installations, Environment, and Logistics, USAF, Concerning Cleanup at Tyndall AFB, FL

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Letter from EPA's Assistant Administrator for Enforcement and Compliance Assurance expresses concern over Tyndall Air Force Base's August 19, 2010, Memorandum on Environmental Restoration Program Progress at Tyndall AFB, FL.

The secret trumps, impelling the pathogenicity of tubercle bacilli.

PubMed

Cardona, Pere-Joan; Ivanyi, Juraj

2011-03-01

Confrontation between invading microbial pathogens and host defense systems involves intricate cellular and molecular interactions. Here we discuss the virulence factors as trumps, overriding the contest in favor of the tubercle bacillus (Mycobacterium tuberculosis). It evolved a number of molecular constituents, which can interfere with antigen presentation and Toll receptor function, thus impairing immune defenses. It also evolved stress responses, which can drive its cell cycle into a non-replicating, low metabolic mode. Although the low counts of latent bacilli prevent their direct detection, we contend that they retain a capacity to survive for long periods in foamy macrophages and within the necrotic parts of lung granulomas. We attributed significance to drainage of M. tuberculosis by the alveolar fluid: while out-flow is responsible for the clearance, the reverse-flow has an important capacity to re-infect the lungs and to transmit the infection to new recipients. We consider the cycling between replicating and latent organisms to be a continuous process, which is a departure from the concept of long-lived dormant organisms, with a capacity to resuscitate. These aspects impinge also on the actions of isoniazid (INH) chemotherapy and on the topography of human lung lesions. Eventually, fibrosis of the connective tissue of the lungs is known to encapsulate lung lesions, thus limiting the impact of both outward and reverse drainage. In conclusion, the novelty of our views on M. tuberculosis-host interactions rests in the dynamic perception of M. tuberculosis latency and its evolutionary importance for the pathogenesis of tuberculosis. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier España S.L. All rights reserved.

Environmental Assessment Addressing Activities Associated with Development of a Regional Wastewater Treatment Plant Ellsworth AFB, South Dakota

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-05-01

WWTP and revegetation with native species. Long-term, minor, indirect, beneficial effects on wildlife (e.g., invertebrates, fish , and amphibians) and...30-day review period. One agency comment from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and one public comment were received during the subsequent 30-day...will become effective for Ellsworth AFB on October 1, 2014. The feasibility of constructing an RWWTP to support the sewage treatment needs of

Antimycobacterial activity of lecithin-cholesterol liposomes in the presence of phospholipase A2.

PubMed

Kondo, E; Kanai, K

1978-06-01

Tubercle bacilli were preincubated with lecithin-cholesterol liposomes to be subsequently exposed to phospholipase A2. After further incubation in the environment of acidic buffer, viable units in the final mixture were enumerated by inoculating the serial dilutions of an aliquot onto Kirchner agar medium containing horse serum in 5%. Another aliquot was used for lipid analyses to confirm hydrolysis of lecithin. In addition to this bactericidal type of experiments, bacteriostatic tests were also conducted with Kirchner semi-solid agar medium, into which liposome-treated bacilli were inoculated with the enzyme at a time. Various natural and synthetic lecithins different in constituent fatty acids were employed. The results indicated that toxic fatty acids released from lecithin acted to kill the bacilli or to inhibit their growth.

Wurtsmith AFB, Michigan. Revised Uniform Summary of Surface Weather Observations. Parts A-F.

DTIC Science & Technology

1987-06-12

UNIFORM SUMMARY OF ASURFACE WEATHER OBSERVATIONS WURTSMITH AFB MI MSC 726395 N 44 27 W 0 8 3 24 ELEV 634 FT KOSC PARTS A - F HOURS SUMMARIZED 0000...SNOaFA[ USAFETAC FWCM SJPMAPY Of DAY [ATA AIR AFATHtr 5!RVICE/MAC STATION NUMSLR: 726395 STAT1O N NAmE : wURTSMITH Arb MI PI 0 IOU Or Pt COPD : ,j-7...1 1 1 F U),,%! WVAI limb, : r UC ’,1iL (L7’AI7,LOGY PRANC*tH Pt.FP NIA’ - FPR(’U,7NCY OF OCCURr-NCL OF SUPFACE WINO UIRECrIPN V(R.SUS gIE . 7 Ajj L1

[Identification of anaerobic gram-negative bacilli isolated from various clinical specimens and determination of antibiotic resistance profiles with E-test methods].

PubMed

Demir, Cengiz; Keşli, Recep

2018-01-01

The aim of this study was to identify gram-negative anaerobic bacilli isolated from various clinical specimens that were obtained from patients with suspected anaerobic infections and to determine the antibiotic resistance profiles by using the antibiotic concentration gradient method. The study was performed in Afyon Kocatepe University Ahmet Necdet Sezer Research and Practice Hospital, Medical Microbiology Laboratory between 1 November 2014 and 30 October 2015. Two hundred and seventyeight clinical specimens accepted for anaerobic culture were enrolled in the study. All the samples were cultivated anaerobically by using Schaedler agar with 5% defibrinated sheep blood and Schaedler broth. The isolated anaerobic gram-negative bacilli were identified by using both the conventional methods and automated identification system (VITEK 2, bioMerieux, France). Antibiotic susceptibility tests were performed with antibiotic concentration gradient method (E-test, bioMerieux, France); against penicillin G, clindamycin, cefoxitin, metronidazole, moxifloxacin, imipenem, meropenem, ertapenem and doripenem for each isolate. Of the 28 isolated anaerobic gram-negative bacilli; 14 were identified as Bacteroides fragilis group, 9 were Prevotella spp., and 5 were Fusobacterium spp. The highest resistance rate was found against penicillin (78.5%) and resistance rates against clindamycin and cefoxitin were found as 17.8% and 21.4%, respectively. No resistance was found against metronidazole, moxifloxacin, imipenem, meropenem, ertapenem and doripenem. As a result, isolation and identification of anaerobic bacteria are difficult, time-consuming and more expensive when compared with the cost of aerobic culture. The rate of anaerobic bacteria isolation may be increased by obtaining the appropriate clinical specimen and appropriate transportation of these specimens. We believe that the data obtained from the study in our center may offer benefits for the follow up and treatment of infections

Pediatric tuberculosis-human immunodeficiency virus co-infection in the United Kingdom highlights the need for better therapy monitoring tools: a case report.

PubMed

Evangelopoulos, Dimitrios; Whittaker, Elizabeth; Honeyborne, Isobella; McHugh, Timothy D; Klein, Nigel; Shingadia, Delane

2017-02-26

Tuberculosis is an infection that requires at least 6 months of chemotherapy in order to clear the bacteria from the patient's lungs. Usually, therapeutic monitoring is dependent on smear microscopy where a decline in acid-fast bacilli is observed. However, this might not be indicative of the actual decline of bacterial load and thus other tools such as culture and molecular assays are required for patient management. Here, we report the case of a 12-year-old Black African boy co-infected with tuberculosis and human immunodeficiency virus who remained smear culture positive and liquid culture negative for a prolonged period of time following chemotherapy. In order to determine whether there was any live bacteria present in his specimens, we applied the newly developed molecular bacterial load assay that detects the presence of 16S ribosomal ribonucleic acid derived from the bacteria. Using this methodology, we were able to quantify his bacterial load and inform the management of his treatment in order to reduce the disease burden. Following this intervention he went on to make a complete recovery. This case report highlights the value of improved biomarkers for monitoring the treatment of tuberculosis and the role of molecular assays such as the molecular bacterial load assay applied here. The molecular bacterial load assay detects bacterial ribonucleic acid which corresponds closely with the number of live bacilli as compared with polymerase chain reaction that detects deoxyribonucleic acid and may include dead bacteria.

Association of branched and aromatic amino acids levels with metabolic syndrome and impaired fasting glucose in hypertensive patients.

PubMed

Weng, Liming; Quinlivan, Eoin; Gong, Yan; Beitelshees, Amber L; Shahin, Mohamed H; Turner, Stephen T; Chapman, Arlene B; Gums, John G; Johnson, Julie A; Frye, Reginald F; Garrett, Timothy J; Cooper-DeHoff, Rhonda M

2015-06-01

The three branched amino acids (valine, leucine, and isoleucine) and two aromatic amino acids (tyrosine and phenylalanine) have been associated with many adverse metabolic pathways, including diabetes. However, these associations have been identified primarily in otherwise healthy Caucasian populations. We aimed to investigate the association of this five-amino-acid signature with metabolic syndrome and impaired fasting glucose (IFG) in a hypertensive cohort of Caucasian and African Americans. We analyzed data from the Pharmacogenomic Evaluation of Antihypertensive Responses (PEAR) studies PEAR and PEAR2 conducted between 2005 and 2014. Subjects were enrolled at the University of Florida (Gainesville, FL), Emory University (Atlanta, GA), and Mayo Clinic (Rochester, MN). A total of 898 patients with essential hypertension were included in this study. Presence of metabolic syndrome and IFG at baseline were determined on the basis of measurements of demographic and biochemical data. Levels of the five amino acids were quantified by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectroscopy (LC-MS/MS). With a multiple logistic regression model, we found that all five amino acids were significantly associated with metabolic syndrome in both Caucasian and African Americans. IFG and the five amino acids were associated in the Caucasian Americans. Only valine was significantly associated with IFG in African Americans. In both Caucasian and African Americans with uncomplicated hypertension, plasma levels of the five-amino-acid signature are associated with metabolic syndrome. Additionally, in Caucasians we have confirmed the five-amino-acid signature was associated with IFG.

[Primary mucosal tuberculosis of head and neck region: a clinicopathologic analysis of 47 cases].

PubMed

Wang, Shu-yi; Zhu, Jia-xing

2013-10-01

To study the clinicopathologic features, histologic diagnosis and differential diagnosis of primary mucosal tuberculosis (TB) in the head and neck region. Forty-seven cases of primary mucosal TB of the head and neck region were studied by hematoxylin-eosin and Ziehl-Neelsen stains. The clinical and pathologic features were analyzed with review of the literature. The patients included 26 male and 21 female, with mean age 47.1 years (range 14-84 years). There were three sinonasal TB, 19 nasopharyngeal TB, two oropharyngeal TB, 18 laryngeal TB, four middle ear TB, one salivary gland TB and one laryngeal TB complicating laryngeal cancer. The initial symptoms were nasal obstruction, mucopurulent rhinorrhea, epistaxis, snoring, hoarseness, dysphagia, odynophagia, serous otitis, hearing loss, tinnitus, and otalgia. Physical examination result was variable, from an apparently normal mucosa, to an evident mass, or a mucosa with an adenotic or swollen appearance, ulcers, leukoplakic areas, and various combinations thereof. CT and MRI findings included diffuse thickening, a soft-tissue mass, calcification within the mass and bone destruction resembling malignancy. Histologic examination showed granulomas with a central necrotic focus surrounded by epithelioid histiocytes and multinucleated Langhan's giant cells. Acid-fast bacilli were difficult to demonstrate but found in 13/45 cases. Follow-up data were available in 42 patients. Primary TB arising in the head and neck mucosa is rare. It may mimic or co-exist with other conditions. The characteristic histopathology is a granuloma with central caseous necrosis and Langhans'giant cells. Identification of acid-fast bacilli and bacteriologic culture confirm the diagnosis of mycobacterial disease.

Impact of Laboratory Practice Changes on the Diagnosis of Tuberculosis with the Introduction of Xpert MTB/RIF in Kiribati.

PubMed

Tonganibeia, Alfred; Harries, Anthony D; Merilles, Onofre Edwin A; Tarataake, Tekaibeti; Tiira, Teatao; Kienene, Takeieta

2018-02-01

The Republic of Kiribati, Central Pacific, has the largest tuberculosis epidemic in the region. There is a national tuberculosis control program, which has used smear microscopy for acid-fast bacilli as the main diagnostic tool for many years. In 2015, an Xpert MTB/RIF machine was procured and became functional within the tuberculosis hospital. The aim of this cross-sectional study, using routinely collected data, was to determine the effects of introducing Xpert MTB/RIF on laboratory smear microscopy practices and the pattern of registered tuberculosis cases. Between February 2015 and January 2016, there were 220 Xpert MTB/RIF assays performed with 6.4% errors and 15% detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis: one patient showed rifampicin-resistance. One year before and after introducing Xpert MTB/RIF, the number of presumptive tuberculosis patients increased by 9% from 2,138 to 2,322. There were no changes in demographic characteristics, smear-positive results, or acid-fast bacilli grade between the two periods. The number of specimens cultured for Mycobacterium tuberculosis significantly declined from 638 to zero, with 76 positive MTB cultures before and none after introducing Xpert MTB/RIF. There was a significant change in the profile of registered tuberculosis cases with more children (34% versus 21%) and fewer bacteriologically-confirmed cases (29% versus 43%) - P < .001. Since the deployment of Xpert MTB/RIF in Kiribati, there have been a small number of assays performed and this has been associated with no adverse effects on smear microscopy, a stoppage in mycobacterial cultures, and a change in the types and categories of diagnosed tuberculosis.

Mycobacterium fortuitum Infection following Reconstructive Breast Surgery: Differentiation from Classically Described Red Breast Syndrome.

PubMed

Cicilioni, Orlando J; Foles, Van Brandon; Sieger, Barry; Musselman, Kelly

2013-10-01

Red breast syndrome (RBS) has been described as an erythema that may be associated with 2-stage prosthetic reconstructive breast surgery using biologic mesh. RBS is differentiated from infectious cellulitis through absence of fever and laboratory abnormalities and usually has a self-limiting course. There have been no clinical reports on etiology, risk factors, or management of RBS. This report describes patient data that raise the need to rule out mycobacterial infection when RBS is being considered as a diagnosis. We present 6 cases of Mycobacterium fortuitum infection occurring after prosthetic breast reconstruction performed with a human-derived acellular dermal matrix, including the timing and course of erythema, laboratory results, treatments used, and long-term outcomes. We also describe the differential diagnoses of RBS in the context of these cases, including emergence of acid-fast bacilli and diagnostic and treatment considerations. Exact two-tailed 95% confidence intervals based on the F-distribution are provided with estimates of the incidence rates of infection. The 6 cases presented here do not fit the typical description of RBS and were caused by mycobacterium infection. Statistical evaluation of the estimated incidence rate of M. fortuitum infection in a patient thought to have RBS, which occurred 100% of the time in this series, revealed a 95% confidence interval of 54.1-100%. When presented with possible RBS, surgeons must rule out cellulitis, culture for acid-fast bacilli such as mycobacterium species, and then determine the best course of treatment. Patient counseling regarding potential household sources of infection is warranted to minimize postoperative infection risk.

Essential role for uncoupling protein-3 in mitochondrial adaptation to fasting but not in fatty acid oxidation or fatty acid anion export.

PubMed

Seifert, Erin L; Bézaire, Véronic; Estey, Carmen; Harper, Mary-Ellen

2008-09-12

Uncoupling protein-3 (UCP3) is a mitochondrial inner membrane protein expressed most abundantly in skeletal muscle and to a lesser extent in heart and brown adipose tissue. Evidence supports a role for UCP3 in fatty acid oxidation (FAO); however, the underlying mechanism has not been explored. In 2001 we proposed a role for UCP3 in fatty acid export, leading to higher FAO rates (Himms-Hagen, J., and Harper, M. E. (2001) Exp. Biol. Med. (Maywood) 226, 78-84). Specifically, this widely held hypothesis states that during elevated FAO rates, UCP3 exports fatty acid anions, thereby maintaining mitochondrial co-enzyme A availability; reactivation of exported fatty acid anions would ultimately enable increased FAO. Here we tested mechanistic aspects of this hypothesis as well as its functional implications, namely increased FAO rates. Using complementary mechanistic approaches in mitochondria from wild-type and Ucp3(-/-) mice, we find that UCP3 is not required for FAO regardless of substrate type or supply rate covering a 20-fold range. Fatty acid anion export and reoxidation during elevated FAO, although present in skeletal muscle mitochondria, are independent of UCP3 abundance. Interestingly, UCP3 was found to be necessary for the fasting-induced enhancement of FAO rate and capacity, possibly via mitigated mitochondrial oxidative stress. Thus, although our observations indicate that UCP3 can impact FAO rates, the mechanistic basis is not via an integral function for UCP3 in the FAO machinery. Overall our data indicate a function for UCP3 in mitochondrial adaptation to perturbed cellular energy balance and integrate previous observations that have linked UCP3 to reduced oxidative stress and FAO.

Fast isotopic separation of 10 B and 11 B boric acid by capillary zone electrophoresis.

PubMed

Kamencev, Mikhail; Yakimova, Nina; Moskvin, Leonid; Kuchumova, Irina; Tkach, Kirill; Malinina, Yulia

2016-11-01

Fast isotopic separation of 10 B and 11 B boric acid by CZE was demonstrated. The BGE contained 25 mM phenylalanine and 5 mM putrescine (рН 8.95). The running conditions were +25 kV at 20°C with indirect photometric detection at 210 nm. Baseline separation was achieved in less than 9 min. RSD of migration times and corrected peak areas were less than 0.5 and 3%, respectively (n = 5). Linearity was demonstrated in the range 0.2-2 mM for 11 B and 0.2-0.5 mM for 10 B. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Exploring the links between quality assurance and laboratory resources. An audit-based study.

PubMed

Singh, Navjeevan; Panwar, Aru; Masih, Vipin Fazal; Arora, Vinod K; Bhatia, Arati

2003-01-01

To investigate and rectify the problems related to Ziehl-Neelsen (Z-N) staining in a cytology laboratory in the context of quality assurance. An audit based quality assurance study of 1,421 patients with clinical diagnoses of tubercular lymphadenopathy who underwent fine needle aspiration cytology. Data from 8 months were audited (group 1). Laboratory practices related to selection of smears for Z-N staining were studied. A 2-step corrective measure based on results of the audit was introduced for 2 months (group 2). Results were subjected to statistical analysis using the chi 2 test. Of 1,172 patients in group 1,368 had diagnoses other than tuberculosis. Overall acid-fast bacillus (AFB) positivity was 42%. AFB positivity in 249 patients in group 2 was 89% (P < .0001). Several issues in the laboratory are linked to quality assurance. Solving everyday problems can have far-reaching benefits for the performance of laboratory personnel, resources and work flow.

Rapid determination of caffeoylquinic acid derivatives in Cynara scolymus L. by ultra-fast liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry based on a fused core C18 column.

PubMed

Shen, Qing; Dai, Zhiyuan; Lu, Yanbin

2010-10-01

An ultra-fast high-performance LC-ESI-MS/MS method was developed for the analysis and quantification of caffeoylquinic acid derivatives, including chlorogenic acid, 1,3-di-O-caffeoylquinic acid (cynarin) and 1,5-di-O-caffeoylquinic acid, in artichoke (Cynara scolymus L.) heads and leaves. The rapid separation (less than 4  min) was achieved based on a Halo fused core C18-silica column (50  mm × 2.1  mm id, 2.7  μm). The target compounds were detected and quantified by a triple-quadrupole mass spectrometer in multiple-reaction monitoring mode. The calibration function is linear from 0.06 to 2800  ng/mL for chlorogenic acid, 0.3-3000  ng/mL for cynarin and 0.24-4800  ng/mL for 1,5-di-O-caffeoylquinic acid, respectively. The average recoveries ranged from 92.1 to 113.2% with RSDs ≤6.5%. Moreover, four batches of artichoke head and leaf extracts were analyzed using the established method. The results indicated that the Halo fused core column provided much faster separations and higher sample throughput without sacrificing column ruggedness and reliability, and triple-quadrupole MS provided extraordinarily lower LOQs for most of the target analytes. Comparing to conventional quantitative approaches, the established method was fast, sensitive and reliable for the determination of caffeoylquinic acid derivatives in artichoke.

[Quality assessment of microscopic examination in tuberculosis diagnostic laboratories: a preliminary study].

PubMed

Simşek, Hülya; Ceyhan, Ismail; Tarhan, Gülnur; Güner, Uğur

2010-10-01

Recently, the diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) has based on smear microscopy in the Direct Observed Treatment Strategy (DOTS) programme which provides the basis of treatment worldwide. Microscopic detection of AFB (Acid-Fast Bacilli) is one of the main components in the National TB Control Programmes (NTCP). Precision level in microscopy procedures and evaluations are the most important steps for accurate diagnosis of the disease and to initiate proper treatment. Therefore, the external quality assessment (EQA) is the most important implement to provide the reliability and validity of tests. In countries where NTCP are performed, this task is fulfilled by the National Reference Laboratories (NRL) according to the guidelines of the World Health Organization (WHO). For this purpose a pilot study was initiated by the central NRL of Turkey for EQA of AFB smear microscopy as part of the NTCP on January 1, 2005. A total of 5 laboratories of which 2 were district TB laboratories (A, B), 2 were tuberculosis control dispensaries (C, D), 1 was a national reference laboratory (E), participated in this study. Blind re-checking method (re-examination of randomly selected slides) was used for the evaluation, and the slides were sent to the central NRL with 3 months interval, four times a year, selected according to LQAS (Lot Quality Assurance Sampling) guides. In the re-evaluation of the slides, false positivity (FP), false negativity (FN) and quantification errors (QE) were noted. Laboratory A, sent totally 525 slides between January 1, 2005 and April 1, 2008. In the result of re-checking, 514 (97.9%) slides were found concordant, and 11 (2.1%) were discordant (10 FP, 1 FN). Laboratory B, participated in the study between October 1, 2005 and July 1, 2006 and of the 67 re-examined slides, 60 (89.5%) were concordant and 7 (10.5%) were discordant (2 FP, 0 FN, 5 QE). Laboratory C, sent 235 slides between January 1, 2005 and April 1, 2006; of them 218 (92.8%) were detected

Comparison of LED and Conventional Fluorescence Microscopy for Detection of Acid Fast Bacilli in a Low-Incidence Setting

PubMed Central

Minion, Jessica; Pai, Madhukar; Ramsay, Andrew; Menzies, Dick; Greenaway, Christina

2011-01-01

Introduction Light emitting diode fluorescence microscopes have many practical advantages over conventional mercury vapour fluorescence microscopes, which would make them the preferred choice for laboratories in both low- and high-resource settings, provided performance is equivalent. Methods In a nested case-control study, we compared diagnostic accuracy and time required to read slides with the Zeiss PrimoStar iLED, LW Scientific Lumin, and a conventional fluorescence microscope (Leica DMLS). Mycobacterial culture was used as the reference standard, and subgroup analysis by specimen source and organism isolated were performed. Results There was no difference in sensitivity or specificity between the three microscopes, and agreement was high for all comparisons and subgroups. The Lumin and the conventional fluorescence microscope were equivalent with respect to time required to read smears, but the Zeiss iLED was significantly time saving compared to both. Conclusions Light emitting diode microscopy should be considered by all tuberculosis diagnostic laboratories, including those in high income countries, as a replacement for conventional fluorescence microscopes. Our findings provide support to the recent World Health Organization policy recommending that conventional fluorescence microscopy be replaced by light emitting diode microscopy using auramine staining in all settings where fluorescence microscopy is currently used. PMID:21811622

Meningoencephalitis tuberculosa in a holstein cow.

PubMed

Oruç, E

2005-11-01

The gross and histopathologic lesions of meningoencephalitis tuberculosa in a 4-year-old Holstein cow showing clinical signs compatible with bovine spongiform encephalopathy are described in this report. Grossly, numerous gray to yellow, firm and caseous nodules were seen on the ventral surfaces of the brain and in the lateral and fourth ventricles. Histopathologically, foci of caseation and dystrophic mineralization were surrounded by multinucleated giant cells, epitheloid macrophages, plasma cells, lymphocytes and fibrous proliferation. Ziehl-Neelsen stains of the lesions revealed masses of slender acid-fast bacilli in the necrotic centers of lesions and within surrounding giant cells.

Tuberculosis post-liver transplantation: a rare but complicated disease.

PubMed

Lu, W; Wai, C T; Da Costa, M; Tambyah, P A; Prabhakaran, K; Lee, K H

2005-03-01

Tuberculosis is a rare but serious complication after transplantation. We report a case and discuss its presentation and management. A 60-year-old Indonesian male presented initially with fever, acute confusion and rapidly progressive right upper lobe pneumonia 3.5 months post-liver transplant, and was diagnosed with pulmonary tuberculosis by positive sputum smear for acid-fast bacilli and tuberculosis culture. Standard anti-tuberculosis therapy was administered but was complicated by interaction with cyclosporine and drug-induced cholestasis. A high level of suspicion, prompt antituberculosis treatment and close follow-up are essential in management of post-transplant tuberculosis.

Tuberculous Orbital Abscess Associated with Thyroid Tuberculosis

PubMed Central

Sharma, Kumudini; Kanaujia, Vikas; Jain, Anu; Bains, Sukhdeep; Suman, Suvarna

2011-01-01

Purpose To report an unusual presentation of tuberculosis. Case Report A six-year old boy presented with left upper lid swelling of 15 days’ duration and an asymptomatic midline neck mass from 2 months ago. Imaging studies, and microbiologic tests which demonstrated acid-fast bacilli in the fine needle aspirate of the thyroid mass, both confirmed a diagnosis of cold tuberculous thyroid abscess with presumed hematogenous spread to the orbit. The patient demonstrated marked improvement of both lesions with antitubercular drugs. Conclusion This case illustrates a very rare association of orbital and thyroid tuberculosis. PMID:22454737

Evaluation of whole blood IFNgamma test using PPD and recombinant antigen challenge for diagnosis of pulmonary and extra-pulmonary tuberculosis.

PubMed

Kalantri, Yatiraj; Hemvani, Nanda; Chitnis, D S

2009-06-01

Quantiferon TB gold (QFT-G) with recombinant antigen cocktail is well evaluated for diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB). However, diagnosis of extra-pulmonary tuberculosis (EPTB) is more difficult due to limitations of conventional techniques. This study compares recombinant antigens based QFT-G and low cost PPD based interferon test for the diagnosis of PTB and EPTB. IFNgamma release, with recombinant antigens and PPD, was assayed by ELISA from 140 cases of EPTB, 100 cases of PTB along with acid fast bacillus (AFB) detection, AFB culture on LJ and MGIT BACTEC. Sensitivity and specificity for QFT-G recombinant antigens was 84.29% and 96%, while for PPD based interferon was 70% and 84% for EPTB group. The sensitivity was far superior to AFB smear and culture for both the antigens. Nine samples were identified as non-tubercular mycobacteria (NTM) in the EPTB group and all were negative for QFT-G, but six of them were positive for PPD based test. Results of the study show that QFT-G using recombinant antigen is sensitive and specific for both PTB and EPTB diagnosis. The PPD based test is economic and offers comparable performance for PTB and EPTB diagnosis and also useful for diagnosis of NTM.

A critical role of fatty acid binding protein 4 and 5 (FABP4/5) in the systemic response to fasting.

PubMed

Syamsunarno, Mas Rizky A A; Iso, Tatsuya; Hanaoka, Hirofumi; Yamaguchi, Aiko; Obokata, Masaru; Koitabashi, Norimichi; Goto, Kosaku; Hishiki, Takako; Nagahata, Yoshiko; Matsui, Hiroki; Sano, Motoaki; Kobayashi, Masaki; Kikuchi, Osamu; Sasaki, Tsutomu; Maeda, Kazuhisa; Murakami, Masami; Kitamura, Tadahiro; Suematsu, Makoto; Tsushima, Yoshito; Endo, Keigo; Hotamisligil, Gökhan S; Kurabayashi, Masahiko

2013-01-01

During prolonged fasting, fatty acid (FA) released from adipose tissue is a major energy source for peripheral tissues, including the heart, skeletal muscle and liver. We recently showed that FA binding protein 4 (FABP4) and FABP5, which are abundantly expressed in adipocytes and macrophages, are prominently expressed in capillary endothelial cells in the heart and skeletal muscle. In addition, mice deficient for both FABP4 and FABP5 (FABP4/5 DKO mice) exhibited defective uptake of FA with compensatory up-regulation of glucose consumption in these tissues during fasting. Here we showed that deletion of FABP4/5 resulted in a marked perturbation of metabolism in response to prolonged fasting, including hyperketotic hypoglycemia and hepatic steatosis. Blood glucose levels were reduced, whereas the levels of non-esterified FA (NEFA) and ketone bodies were markedly increased during fasting. In addition, the uptake of the (125)I-BMIPP FA analogue in the DKO livers was markedly increased after fasting. Consistent with an increased influx of NEFA into the liver, DKO mice showed marked hepatic steatosis after a 48-hr fast. Although gluconeogenesis was observed shortly after fasting, the substrates for gluconeogenesis were reduced during prolonged fasting, resulting in insufficient gluconeogenesis and enhanced hypoglycemia. These metabolic responses to prolonged fasting in DKO mice were readily reversed by re-feeding. Taken together, these data strongly suggested that a maladaptive response to fasting in DKO mice occurred as a result of an increased influx of NEFA into the liver and pronounced hypoglycemia. Together with our previous study, the metabolic consequence found in the present study is likely to be attributed to an impairment of FA uptake in the heart and skeletal muscle. Thus, our data provided evidence that peripheral uptake of FA via capillary endothelial FABP4/5 is crucial for systemic metabolism and may establish FABP4/5 as potentially novel targets for the

A Critical Role of Fatty Acid Binding Protein 4 and 5 (FABP4/5) in the Systemic Response to Fasting

PubMed Central

Syamsunarno, Mas Rizky A. A.; Iso, Tatsuya; Hanaoka, Hirofumi; Yamaguchi, Aiko; Obokata, Masaru; Koitabashi, Norimichi; Goto, Kosaku; Hishiki, Takako; Nagahata, Yoshiko; Matsui, Hiroki; Sano, Motoaki; Kobayashi, Masaki; Kikuchi, Osamu; Sasaki, Tsutomu; Maeda, Kazuhisa; Murakami, Masami; Kitamura, Tadahiro; Suematsu, Makoto; YoshitoTsushima; Endo, Keigo; Hotamisligil, Gökhan S.; Kurabayashi, Masahiko

2013-01-01

During prolonged fasting, fatty acid (FA) released from adipose tissue is a major energy source for peripheral tissues, including the heart, skeletal muscle and liver. We recently showed that FA binding protein 4 (FABP4) and FABP5, which are abundantly expressed in adipocytes and macrophages, are prominently expressed in capillary endothelial cells in the heart and skeletal muscle. In addition, mice deficient for both FABP4 and FABP5 (FABP4/5 DKO mice) exhibited defective uptake of FA with compensatory up-regulation of glucose consumption in these tissues during fasting. Here we showed that deletion of FABP4/5 resulted in a marked perturbation of metabolism in response to prolonged fasting, including hyperketotic hypoglycemia and hepatic steatosis. Blood glucose levels were reduced, whereas the levels of non-esterified FA (NEFA) and ketone bodies were markedly increased during fasting. In addition, the uptake of the 125I-BMIPP FA analogue in the DKO livers was markedly increased after fasting. Consistent with an increased influx of NEFA into the liver, DKO mice showed marked hepatic steatosis after a 48-hr fast. Although gluconeogenesis was observed shortly after fasting, the substrates for gluconeogenesis were reduced during prolonged fasting, resulting in insufficient gluconeogenesis and enhanced hypoglycemia. These metabolic responses to prolonged fasting in DKO mice were readily reversed by re-feeding. Taken together, these data strongly suggested that a maladaptive response to fasting in DKO mice occurred as a result of an increased influx of NEFA into the liver and pronounced hypoglycemia. Together with our previous study, the metabolic consequence found in the present study is likely to be attributed to an impairment of FA uptake in the heart and skeletal muscle. Thus, our data provided evidence that peripheral uptake of FA via capillary endothelial FABP4/5 is crucial for systemic metabolism and may establish FABP4/5 as potentially novel targets for the

Mycobacteriosis due to Mycobacterium genavense in six pet birds.

PubMed Central

Hoop, R K; Böttger, E C; Ossent, P; Salfinger, M

1993-01-01

Six cases of mycobacteriosis due to Mycobacterium genavense in three budgerigars (Melopsittacus undulatus), one orange-winged amazon (Amazona amazonica), one flycatcher (Cyanoptila cyanomelana), and one zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata) are discussed. Gross lesions associated with the infection included a high degree of muscular wasting (five cases), hepatomegaly (four cases), and thickening of the wall of the small intestine (four cases). Granulomas were found in the lung (one case) and the subcutis (one case). Acid-fast bacilli were detected in the liver of all six birds. Only the use of acidic BACTEC mediums consistently led to growth, whereas the egg-based medium failed. These findings point to a possible role of the environment as a reservoir for M. genavense. Images PMID:8463407

Fast and accurate preparation fatty acid methyl esters by microwave-assisted derivatization in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

PubMed

Khoomrung, Sakda; Chumnanpuen, Pramote; Jansa-ard, Suwanee; Nookaew, Intawat; Nielsen, Jens

2012-06-01

We present a fast and accurate method for preparation of fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs) using microwave-assisted derivatization of fatty acids present in yeast samples. The esterification of free/bound fatty acids to FAMEs was completed within 5 min, which is 24 times faster than with conventional heating methods. The developed method was validated in two ways: (1) through comparison with a conventional method (hot plate) and (2) through validation with the standard reference material (SRM) 3275-2 omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids in fish oil (from the Nation Institute of Standards and Technology, USA). There were no significant differences (P>0.05) in yields of FAMEs with both validations. By performing a simple modification of closed-vessel microwave heating, it was possible to carry out the esterification in Pyrex glass tubes kept inside the closed vessel. Hereby, we are able to increase the number of sample preparations to several hundred samples per day as the time for preparation of reused vessels was eliminated. Pretreated cell disruption steps are not required, since the direct FAME preparation provides equally quantitative results. The new microwave-assisted derivatization method facilitates the preparation of FAMEs directly from yeast cells, but the method is likely to also be applicable for other biological samples.

Fast targeted analysis of 132 acidic and neutral drugs and poisons in whole blood using LC-MS/MS.

PubMed

Di Rago, Matthew; Saar, Eva; Rodda, Luke N; Turfus, Sophie; Kotsos, Alex; Gerostamoulos, Dimitri; Drummer, Olaf H

2014-10-01

The aim of this study was to develop an LC-MS/MS based screening technique that covers a broad range of acidic and neutral drugs and poisons by combining a small sample volume and efficient extraction technique with simple automated data processing. After protein precipitation of 100μL of whole blood, 132 common acidic and neutral drugs and poisons including non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, barbiturates, anticonvulsants, antidiabetics, muscle relaxants, diuretics and superwarfarin rodenticides (47 quantitated, 85 reported as detected) were separated using a Shimadzu Prominence HPLC system with a C18 separation column (Kinetex XB-C18, 4.6mm×150mm, 5μm), using gradient elution with a mobile phase of 25mM ammonium acetate buffer (pH 7.5)/acetonitrile. The drugs were detected using an ABSciex(®) API 2000 LC-MS/MS system (ESI+ and -, MRM mode, two transitions per analyte). The method was fully validated in accordance with international guidelines. Quantification data obtained using one-point calibration compared favorably to that using multiple calibrants. The presented LC-MS/MS assay has proven to be applicable for determination of the analytes in blood. The fast and reliable extraction method combined with automated processing gives the opportunity for high throughput and fast turnaround times for forensic and clinical toxicology. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effect of Ramadan fasting on urinary risk factors for calculus formation.

PubMed

Miladipour, Amir Hossein; Shakhssalim, Nasser; Parvin, Mahmoud; Azadvari, Mohaddeseh

2012-01-01

Even though dehydration could aggravate formation of urinary calculi, the effects of fluid and food restriction on calculus formation is not thoroughly defined. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effects of fluid and food restriction in Ramadan fasting on urinary factors in kidney and urinary calculus formation. Fifty-seven men aged 30 to 55 years old, including 37 recurrent calcium calculus formers and 20 with no history of kidney calculi were evaluated for blood tests, ultrasonography investigations, urinalysis, urine culture, and also 24-hour urine collection test. Metabolites including calcium, oxalate, citrate, uric acid, magnesium, phosphate, potassium, sodium, and creatinine were measured before and during Ramadan fasting. The values of calculus-precipitating solutes as well as inhibitory factors were documented thoroughly. Total excretion of calcium, phosphate, and magnesium in 24-hour urine and also urine volume during fasting were significantly lower than those in the nonfasting period. Urine concentration of calcium during fasting was significantly lower than nonfasting (P < .001). Urine concentrations of uric acid, citrate, phosphate, sodium, and potassium during fasting were significantly higher than nonfasting. Uric acid supersaturation was accentuated, and calcium phosphate supersaturation was decreased significantly during fasting. There was no significant increase in calcium oxalate supersaturation during the fasting period. Fasting during Ramadan has different effects on total excretion and concentrations of urinary precipitate and inhibitory factors contributing to calculus formation. We did not find enough evidence in favor of increased risks of calculus formation during Ramadan fasting.

Cytoprotective effect of palm kernel cake phenolics against aflatoxin B1-induced cell damage and its underlying mechanism of action.

PubMed

Oskoueian, Ehsan; Abdullah, Norhani; Zulkifli, Idrus; Ebrahimi, Mahdi; Karimi, Ehsan; Goh, Yong Meng; Oskoueian, Armin; Shakeri, Majid

2015-10-30

Palm kernel cake (PKC), a by-product of the palm oil industry is abundantly available in many tropical and subtropical countries. The product is known to contain high levels of phenolic compounds that may impede the deleterious effects of fungal mycotoxins. This study focused on the evaluation of PKC phenolics as a potential cytoprotective agent towards aflatoxin B1 (AFB1)-induced cell damage. The phenolic compounds of PKC were obtained by solvent extraction and the product rich in phenolic compounds was labeled as phenolic-enriched fraction (PEF). This fraction was evaluated for its phenolic compounds composition. The antioxidant activity of PEF was determined by using 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazil scavenging activity, ferric reducing antioxidant power, inhibition of ß-carotene bleaching, and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances assays. The cytotoxicity assay and molecular biomarkers analyses were performed to evaluate the cytoprotective effects of PEF towards aflatoxin B1 (AFB1)-induced cell damage. The results showed that PEF contained gallic acid, pyrogallol, vanillic acid, caffeic acid, syringic acid, epicatechin, catechin and ferulic acid. The PEF exhibited free radical scavenging activity, ferric reducing antioxidant power, ß-carotene bleaching inhibition and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances inhibition. The PEF demonstrated cytoprotective effects in AFB1-treated chicken hepatocytes by reducing the cellular lipid peroxidation and enhancing antioxidant enzymes production. The viability of AFB1-treated hepatocytes was improved by PEF through up-regulation of oxidative stress tolerance genes and down-regulation of pro-inflammatory and apoptosis associated genes. The present findings supported the proposition that the phenolic compounds present in PKC could be a potential cytoprotective agent towards AFB1 cytotoxicity.

Fasting Induces IL-1 Resistance and Free-Fatty Acid-Mediated Up-Regulation of IL-1R2 and IL-1RA

PubMed Central

Joesting, Jennifer J.; Moon, Morgan L.; Gainey, Stephen J.; Tisza, Brittany L.; Blevins, Neil A.; Freund, Gregory G.

2014-01-01

Objective: Weight-loss is a near societal obsession and many diet programs use significant calorie restriction including fasting/short term starvation to generate rapid effects. Fasting is also a well-recognized cause of immunosuppression especially within the innate immune system. In this study, we sought to determine if the IL-1 arm of the neuroimmune system was down-regulated by a 24 h fast and how fasting might generate this effect. Design: Mice were allowed ad libitum access to food or had food withheld for 24 h. Expression of the endogenous IL-1 antagonists, IL-1 receptor type 2 (IL-1R2), and IL-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1RA) was determined as were sickness behaviors before and after IL-1β administration. Results: Fasting markedly increased gene expression of IL-1R2 (83-fold in adipose tissue, 9.5-fold in liver) and IL-1RA (68-fold in liver). Fasted mice were protected from IL-1β-induced weight-loss, hypoglycemia, loss of locomotor, and social anxiety. These protections were coupled to a large positive interaction of fasting and IL-1β on IL-1R2 gene expression in adipose tissue and liver (2.6- and 1.6-fold, respectively). Fasting not only increased IL-1RA and IL-1R2 protein 2.5- and 3.2-fold, respectively, in liver but also increased IL-1R2 1.8-fold in adipose tissue. Fasting, in turn, triggered a 2.4-fold increase in plasma free-fatty acids (FFAs) and a 2.1-fold increase in plasma corticosterone. Inhibition, of glucocorticoid action with mifepristone did not impact fasting-dependent IL-1R2 or IL-1RA gene expression. Administration of the FFA, palmitate, to mice increased liver IL-1R2 and IL-1RA gene expression by 14- and 11-fold, respectively. Conclusion: These findings indicate that fasting augments expression of endogenous IL-1 antagonists inducing IL-1 resistance. Fasting-induced increases in plasma FFAs appears to be a signal that drives immunosuppression during fasting/short term starvation. PMID:25071776

Transcriptional and chromatin regulation during fasting – The genomic era

PubMed Central

Goldstein, Ido; Hager, Gordon L.

2015-01-01

An elaborate metabolic response to fasting is orchestrated by the liver and is heavily reliant upon transcriptional regulation. In response to hormones (glucagon, glucocorticoids) many transcription factors (TFs) are activated and regulate various genes involved in metabolic pathways aimed at restoring homeostasis: gluconeogenesis, fatty acid oxidation, ketogenesis and amino acid shuttling. We summarize the recent discoveries regarding fasting-related TFs with an emphasis on genome-wide binding patterns. Collectively, the summarized findings reveal a large degree of co-operation between TFs during fasting which occurs at motif-rich DNA sites bound by a combination of TFs. These new findings implicate transcriptional and chromatin regulation as major determinants of the response to fasting and unravels the complex, multi-TF nature of this response. PMID:26520657

Molecular characteristics of "Mycobacterium canettii" the smooth Mycobacterium tuberculosis bacilli.

PubMed

Fabre, Michel; Hauck, Yolande; Soler, Charles; Koeck, Jean-Louis; van Ingen, Jakko; van Soolingen, Dick; Vergnaud, Gilles; Pourcel, Christine

2010-12-01

Since the first discovery of the smooth tubercle (SmTB) bacilli "Mycobacterium canettii" less than 60 isolates have been reported, all but one originating from a limited geographical location, the Horn of Africa. In spite of its rarity, the SmTB lineage deserves special attention. Previous investigations suggested that SmTB isolates represent an ancestral lineage of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBC) and that consequently they might provide essential clues on the origin and evolution of the MTBC. There is evidence that unlike the rest of the MTBC, SmTB strains recombine chromosomal sequences with a yet unknown Mycobacterium species. This behavior contributes to the much larger genetic heterogeneity observed in the SmTB isolates compared to the other members of the MTBC. We have collected 59 SmTB isolates of which 14 were newly recovered since previous reports, and performed extensive phenotypical and genotypical characterization. We take advantage of these investigations to review the current knowledge of "M. canettii". Their characteristics and the apparent lack of human to human transmission are consistent with the previously proposed existence of non-human sources of infection. SmTB strains show remarkably common features together with secondary and taxonomically minor genetic differences such as the presence or absence of the CRISPR (Clustered Regularly Interspersed Palindromic Repeat) locus (usually called Direct Repeat or DR region) or number of IS sequences. Multiple Locus Variable number of tandem repeat Analysis (MLVA) and DR region analyses reveal one predominant clone, one minor clone and a number of more distantly related strains. This suggests that the two most frequent clones may represent successfully emerging lineages. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Aqueous stream characterization from biomass fast pyrolysis and catalytic fast pyrolysis

DOE PAGES

Black, Brenna A.; Michener, William E.; Ramirez, Kelsey J.; ...

2016-09-05

Here, biomass pyrolysis offers a promising means to rapidly depolymerize lignocellulosic biomass for subsequent catalytic upgrading to renewable fuels. Substantial efforts are currently ongoing to optimize pyrolysis processes including various fast pyrolysis and catalytic fast pyrolysis schemes. In all cases, complex aqueous streams are generated containing solubilized organic compounds that are not converted to target fuels or chemicals and are often slated for wastewater treatment, in turn creating an economic burden on the biorefinery. Valorization of the species in these aqueous streams, however, offers significant potential for substantially improving the economics and sustainability of thermochemical biorefineries. To that end, heremore » we provide a thorough characterization of the aqueous streams from four pilot-scale pyrolysis processes: namely, from fast pyrolysis, fast pyrolysis with downstream fractionation, in situ catalytic fast pyrolysis, and ex situ catalytic fast pyrolysis. These configurations and processes represent characteristic pyrolysis processes undergoing intense development currently. Using a comprehensive suite of aqueous-compatible analytical techniques, we quantitatively characterize between 12 g kg -1 of organic carbon of a highly aqueous catalytic fast pyrolysis stream and up to 315 g kg -1 of organic carbon present in the fast pyrolysis aqueous streams. In all cases, the analysis ranges between 75 and 100% of mass closure. The composition and stream properties closely match the nature of pyrolysis processes, with high contents of carbohydrate-derived compounds in the fast pyrolysis aqueous phase, high acid content in nearly all streams, and mostly recalcitrant phenolics in the heavily deoxygenated ex situ catalytic fast pyrolysis stream. Overall, this work provides a detailed compositional analysis of aqueous streams from leading thermochemical processes -- analyses that are critical for subsequent development of selective

Aqueous stream characterization from biomass fast pyrolysis and catalytic fast pyrolysis

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Black, Brenna A.; Michener, William E.; Ramirez, Kelsey J.

Here, biomass pyrolysis offers a promising means to rapidly depolymerize lignocellulosic biomass for subsequent catalytic upgrading to renewable fuels. Substantial efforts are currently ongoing to optimize pyrolysis processes including various fast pyrolysis and catalytic fast pyrolysis schemes. In all cases, complex aqueous streams are generated containing solubilized organic compounds that are not converted to target fuels or chemicals and are often slated for wastewater treatment, in turn creating an economic burden on the biorefinery. Valorization of the species in these aqueous streams, however, offers significant potential for substantially improving the economics and sustainability of thermochemical biorefineries. To that end, heremore » we provide a thorough characterization of the aqueous streams from four pilot-scale pyrolysis processes: namely, from fast pyrolysis, fast pyrolysis with downstream fractionation, in situ catalytic fast pyrolysis, and ex situ catalytic fast pyrolysis. These configurations and processes represent characteristic pyrolysis processes undergoing intense development currently. Using a comprehensive suite of aqueous-compatible analytical techniques, we quantitatively characterize between 12 g kg -1 of organic carbon of a highly aqueous catalytic fast pyrolysis stream and up to 315 g kg -1 of organic carbon present in the fast pyrolysis aqueous streams. In all cases, the analysis ranges between 75 and 100% of mass closure. The composition and stream properties closely match the nature of pyrolysis processes, with high contents of carbohydrate-derived compounds in the fast pyrolysis aqueous phase, high acid content in nearly all streams, and mostly recalcitrant phenolics in the heavily deoxygenated ex situ catalytic fast pyrolysis stream. Overall, this work provides a detailed compositional analysis of aqueous streams from leading thermochemical processes -- analyses that are critical for subsequent development of selective

A conventional chemical reaction for use in an unconventional assay: A colorimetric immunoassay for aflatoxin B1 by using enzyme-responsive just-in-time generation of a MnO2 based nanocatalyst.

PubMed

Lai, Wenqiang; Zeng, Qiao; Tang, Juan; Zhang, Maosheng; Tang, Dianping

2018-01-10

The authors describe a colorimetric immunoassay for the model nalyte aflatoxin B 1 (AFB 1 ). It is based on the just-in-time generation of an MnO 2 nanocatalyst. Unlike previously developed immunoassay, the chromogenic reaction relies on the just-in-time formation of an oxidase mimic without the aid of the substrate. Potassium permanganate (KMnO 4 ) is converted into manganese dioxide (MnO 2 ) which acts as an oxidase mimic that catalyzes the oxidation 3,3',5,5'-tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) by oxygen to give a blue colored product. In the presence of ascorbic acid (AA), KMnO 4 is reduced to Mn(II) ions. This results in a decrease in the amount of MnO 2 nanocatalyst. Hence, the oxidation of TMB does not take place. By adding ascorbate oxidase, AA is converted into dehydroascorbic acid which cannot reduce KMnO 4 . Based on these observations, a colorimetric competitive enzyme immunoassay was developed where ascorbate oxidase and gold nanoparticle-labeled antibody against AFB 1 and magnetic beads carrying bovine serum albumin conjugated to AFB 1 are used for the determination of AFB 1 . In presence of AFB 1 , it will compete with the BSA-conjugated AFB 1 (on the magnetic beads) for the labeled antibody against AFB 1 on the gold nanoparticles. This makes the amount of ascorbate oxidase/anti-AFB 1 antibody-labeled gold nanoparticles, which conjugated on magnetic beads, reduce, and resulted in an increase of ascorbic acid. Under optimal conditions, the absorbance (measured at 652 nm) decreases with increasing AFB 1 concentrations in the range from 0.1 to 100 ng mL -1 , with a 0.1 ng mL -1 detection limit (at the 3S blank level). The accuracy of the assay was validated by analyzing spiked peanut samples. The results matched well with those obtained with a commercial ELISA kit. Conceivably, the method is not limited to aflatoxins but has a wide scope in that it may be applied to many other analytes for which respective antibodies are available. Graphical abstract

Davis Monthan AFB Tucson, Arizona. Revised Uniform Summary of Surface Weather Observations (RUSSWO)

DTIC Science & Technology

1976-07-01

ATA PRUCCSSING BRANC𔃾 UAF ElA CEILING VERSUS VISIBILITY +-AIR W/ kAll ’ , SIRVICEI/1iC 2JIU9 D, V1S MU 1IMA, AFB AkIZONAUC51UCI) ,)-45peif8-75 DEC 5T+O... 1971 蔵 69j "l 1 .74 681 0 2 2 626 103 -42/;Ol3j 14 - 1120 L -,AN 4--- - -- - 27, 313 ____ ____- --- K -- --±-183 ni n 166 42 mn Wkl I _ 1 1...161 1971 187 5 1 541 53 1 1 .2 . .4 .1 .7 l.3 .4 .7 #. 1 1__6 L 1_0 11 2 58/ 47,*00 0 0 94 *l .2 iol2 5-- 49 .Q .49 . .7 .6 .7 .5 o0 10_

Effects of a westernized lifestyle on the association between fasting serum nonesterified fatty acids and insulin secretion in Japanese men.

PubMed

Kamei, Nozomu; Yamane, Kiminori; Nakanishi, Shuhei; Ishida, Kazufumi; Ohtaki, Megu; Okubo, Masamichi; Kohno, Nobuoki

2005-06-01

The effects of the prolonged elevation of nonesterified fatty acid (NEFA) levels on insulin secretion have been controversial and thought to be sex-specific. To investigate the association between a westernized lifestyle and the effects of NEFA on insulin secretion in Japanese men, we examined 67 nondiabetic Japanese-American men and 220 nondiabetic native Japanese men who underwent a 75-g oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT). Most Japanese Americans we surveyed are genetically identical to Japanese living in Japan, but their lifestyle is more westernized. Sets of multiple regression analyses were performed to evaluate the relationship between the sum of the immunoreactive insulin (IRI) levels during the OGTT ((Sigma)IRI) and clinical parameters. Japanese Americans had higher levels of fasting IRI, (Sigma)IRI, and a higher insulin resistance index (homeostasis model assessment for insulin resistance [HOMA-IR]) than native Japanese, whereas there were no significant differences in fasting NEFA and triglyceride levels. A multiple regression analysis adjusted for age, fasting triglycerides, and body mass index (BMI) demonstrated that the fasting NEFA level was an independent determinant of the (Sigma)IRI only in Japanese-American men ( P = .001), but not in native Japanese men ( P = .054). Even when HOMA-IR was included in models instead of BMI, the NEFA level was a significant variable of (Sigma)IRI only in Japanese Americans ( P < .001), and not in native Japanese ( P = .098). In addition, a multiple regression analysis adjusted for age, fasting triglycerides, and BMI demonstrated that the fasting NEFA level was the only independent determinant of (Sigma)C-peptide in Japanese-American men ( P = .041). In conclusion, NEFA seems to be associated with insulin secretion independent of obesity or HOMA-IR. A westernized lifestyle may increase the effects of serum fasting NEFA levels on total insulin secretion after a glucose load in Japanese men.

Performance improvement of the one-dot lateral flow immunoassay for aflatoxin B1 by using a smartphone-based reading system.

PubMed

Lee, Sangdae; Kim, Giyoung; Moon, Jihea

2013-04-18

This study was conducted to develop a simple, rapid, and accurate lateral flow immunoassay (LFIA) detection method for point-of-care diagnosis. The one-dot LFIA for aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) was based on the modified competitive binding format using competition between AFB1 and colloidal gold-AFB1-BSA conjugate for antibody binding sites in the test zone. A Smartphone-based reading system consisting of a Samsung Galaxy S2 Smartphone, a LFIA reader, and a Smartphone application for the image acquisition and data analysis. The detection limit of one-dot LFIA for AFB1 is 5 μg/kg. This method provided semi-quantitative analysis of AFB1 samples in the range of 5 to 1,000 μg/kg. Using combination of the one-dot LFIA and the Smartphone-based reading system, it is possible to conduct a more fast and accurate point-of-care diagnosis.

The impact of Ramadan fast on patients with gout.

PubMed

Habib, George; Badarny, Samih; Khreish, Maroun; Khazin, Fadi; Shehadeh, Vivian; Hakim, Geries; Artul, Suheil

2014-10-01

Ramadan fast is a religious custom in Islam. Increased serum uric acid level during this month had been reported in past studies of nongout patients. The objective of this study was to assess the impact of Ramadan fast on patients with gout. All Moslem patients with gout from the registry of Nazareth Hospital, who intended to fast during Ramadan, were asked to participate in our study (group 1). Data regarding age, gender, income, education, duration of gout, meds, adherence to low-purine diet, and gouty attacks were documented. Age- and gender matched Moslem patients from the same registry, but who did not intend to fast during Ramadan, were asked to participate as a control group (group 2). Just prior to and at the end of Ramadan, blood for uric acid, creatinine, and urea levels were obtained as well as body mass index, from all the patients. During Ramadan, patients were monitored for gouty arthritis or renal calculi attacks, as well as low-purine diet and medicine adherence. Twenty-one and 22 patients from groups 1 and 2, respectively, completed the study. Mean serum uric acid, urea, creatinine, and body mass index levels at the end of Ramadan fasts in group 1 patients were 8.11 mg/dL, 26.38 mmol/L, 0.87 mg/dL, and 31.0 kg/m, respectively, as compared with 7.92 mg/dL (P = 0.707), 24.54 mmol/L (P = 0.769), 0.84 mg/dL (P = 0.180), and 30.5 kg/m (P = 0.907) respectively, obtained just prior to the fast. No significant change in any parameter was seen also in group 2 patients. There also was no significant change between the 2 groups in arthritis or renal calculi attacks and also in medication and low-purine diet adherence, during Ramadan. There was no risk for a significant increase in gouty arthritic/renal calculi attacks or serum uric acid in patients with gout during Ramadan fast.

Longitudinal association between fasting blood glucose concentrations and first stroke in hypertensive adults in China: effect of folic acid intervention.

PubMed

Xu, Richard B; Kong, Xiangyi; Xu, Benjamin P; Song, Yun; Ji, Meng; Zhao, Min; Huang, Xiao; Li, Ping; Cheng, Xiaoshu; Chen, Fang; Zhang, Yan; Tang, Genfu; Qin, Xianhui; Wang, Binyan; Hou, Fan Fan; Dong, Qiang; Chen, Yundai; Yang, Tianlun; Sun, Ningling; Li, Xiaoying; Zhao, Lianyou; Ge, Junbo; Ji, Linong; Huo, Yong; Li, Jianping

2017-03-01

Background: Diabetes is a known risk factor for stroke, but data on its prospective association with first stroke are limited. Folic acid supplementation has been shown to protect against first stroke, but its role in preventing first stroke in diabetes is unknown. Objectives: This post hoc analysis of the China Stroke Primary Prevention Trial tested the hypotheses that the fasting blood glucose (FBG) concentration is positively associated with first stroke risk and that folic acid treatment can reduce stroke risk associated with elevated fasting glucose concentrations. Design: This analysis included 20,327 hypertensive adults without a history of stroke or myocardial infarction, who were randomly assigned to a double-blind daily treatment with 10 mg enalapril and 0.8 mg folic acid ( n = 10,160) or 10 mg enalapril alone ( n = 10,167). Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and Cox proportionate hazard models were used to test the hypotheses with adjustment for pertinent covariables. Results: During a median treatment duration of 4.5 y, 616 participants developed a first stroke (497 ischemic strokes). A high FBG concentration (≥7.0 mmol/L) or diabetes, compared with a low FBG concentration (<5.0 mmol/L), was associated with an increased risk of first stroke (6.0% compared with 2.6%, respectively; HR: 1.9; 95% CI: 1.3, 2.8; P < 0.001). Folic acid treatment reduced the risk of stroke across a wide range of FBG concentrations ≥5.0 mmol/L, but risk reduction was greatest in subjects with FBG concentrations ≥7.0 mmol/L or with diabetes (HR: 0.66; 95% CI: 0.46, 0.97; P < 0.05). There was a significant interactive effect of FBG and folic acid treatment on first stroke ( P = 0.01). Conclusions: In Chinese hypertensive adults, an FBG concentration ≥7.0 mmol/L or diabetes is associated with an increased risk of first stroke; this increased risk is reduced by 34% with folic acid treatment. These findings warrant additional investigation. This trial was registered at

Enhanced fasting and post-prandial plasma bile acid responses after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery.

PubMed

Werling, Malin; Vincent, Royce P; Cross, Gemma F; Marschall, Hanns-Ulrich; Fändriks, Lars; Lönroth, Hans; Taylor, David R; Alaghband-Zadeh, Jamshid; Olbers, Torsten; Le Roux, Carel W

2013-11-01

Exogenous bile acid (BA) administration is associated with beneficial metabolic effects very similar to those seen after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) surgery. Re-routing of bile into a biliopancreatic limb with simultaneous exclusion of food occurs after RYGB, with subsequent increased fasting plasma BAs. The study assessed fasting and post-prandial plasma BA response before and 15 months after RYGB. The prospective study recruited 63 obese individuals (43 females), aged 43 (36-56) [median (IQR)] years. Blood samples were collected before and every 30 min for 120 min after a standard 400 kcal meal. Fasting and post-prandial plasma BAs, glucagons like peptide-1 (GLP-1), -tyrosine (PYY), fasting C-reactive protein (CRP), glucose and insulin were measured and homeostasis model assessment-insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) was calculated. Following RYGB, body mass index, CRP, fasting glucose and HOMA-IR decreased; 43.7 (39.3-49.2) kg/m(2) to 29.2 (25.1-35.0) kg/m(2), 7.9 (4.1-11.9) mg/L to 0.4 (0.2-1.0) mg/L, 5.5 (5.0-6.0) mmol/L to 4.6 (4.3-4.9) mmol/L and 5.9 (3.5-9.2) to 1.7 (1.1-2.2), respectively, all P < 0.001. Fasting total BAs, GLP-1 and PYY increased after RYGB; 1.69 (0.70-2.56) µmol/L to 2.43 (1.23-3.82) µmol/L (P = 0.02), 6.8 (1.5-15.3) pmol/L to 17.1 (12.6-23.9) pmol/L (P < 0.001) and 4.0 (1.0-7.1) pmol/L to 15.2 (10.0-28.3) pmol/L (P < 0.001), respectively. The area under the curve for post-prandial total BAs, total glycine-conjugated BAs, GLP-1 and PYY were greater after RYGB; 486 (312-732) µmol/L/min versus 1012 (684-1921) µmol/L/min, 315 (221-466) µmol/L/min versus 686 (424-877) µmol/L/min, 3679 (3162-4537) pmol/L/min versus 5347 (4727-5781) pmol/L/min and 1887 (1423-2092) pmol/L/min versus 3296 (2534-3834) pmol/L/min, respectively, all P < 0.0001. Weight loss following RYGB is associated with an increase in post-prandial plasma BA response due to larger amounts of glycine-conjugated BAs. This suggests up regulation of BA production and conjugation

Co-production of furfural and acetic acid from corncob using ZnCl2 through fast pyrolysis in a fluidized bed reactor.

PubMed

Oh, Seung-Jin; Jung, Su-Hwa; Kim, Joo-Sik

2013-09-01

Corncob was pyrolyzed using ZnCl2 in a pyrolysis plant equipped with a fluidized bed reactor to co-produce furfural and acetic acid. The effects of reaction conditions, the ZnCl2 content and contacting method of ZnCl2 with corncob on the yields of furfural and acetic acid were investigated. The pyrolysis was performed within the temperature range between 310 and 410°C, and the bio-oil yield were 30-60 wt% of the product. The furfural yield increased up to 8.2 wt%. The acetic acid yield was maximized with a value of 13.1 wt%. A lower feed rate in the presence of ZnCl2 was advantageous for the production of acetic acid. The fast pyrolysis of a smaller corncob sample mechanically mixed with 20 wt% of ZnCl2 gave rise to a distinct increase in furfural. A high selectivity for furfural and acetic acid in bio-oil would make the pyrolysis of corncob with ZnCl2 very economically attractive. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The effect of growth rate on pyrazinamide activity in Mycobacterium tuberculosis - insights for early bactericidal activity?

PubMed

Pullan, Steven T; Allnutt, Jon C; Devine, Rebecca; Hatch, Kim A; Jeeves, Rose E; Hendon-Dunn, Charlotte L; Marsh, Philip D; Bacon, Joanna

2016-05-17

Pyrazinamide (PZA) plays an essential part in the shortened six-month tuberculosis (TB) treatment course due to its activity against slow-growing and non-replicating organisms. We tested whether PZA preferentially targets slow growing cells of Mycobacterium tuberculosis that could be representative of bacteria that remain after the initial kill with isoniazid (INH), by observing the response of either slow growing or fast growing bacilli to differing concentrations of PZA. M. tuberculosis H37Rv was grown in continuous culture at either a constant fast growth rate (Mean Generation Time (MGT) of 23.1 h) or slow growth rate (69.3 h MGT) at a controlled dissolved oxygen tension of 10 % and a controlled acidity at pH 6.3 ± 0.1. Cultures were exposed to step-wise increases in the concentration of PZA (25 to 500 μgml(-1)) every two MGTs, and bacterial survival was measured. PZA-induced global gene expression was explored for each increase in PZA-concentration, using DNA microarray. At a constant pH 6.3, actively dividing mycobacteria were susceptible to PZA, with similar responses to increasing concentrations of PZA at both growth rates. Three distinct phases of drug response could be distingished for both slow growing (69.3 h MGT) and fast growing (23.1 h MGT) bacilli. A bacteriostatic phase at a low concentration of PZA was followed by a recovery period in which the culture adapted to the presence of PZA and bacteria were actively dividing in steady-state. In contrast, there was a rapid loss of viability at bactericidal concentrations. There was a notable delay in the onset of the recovery period in quickly dividing cells compared with those dividing more slowly. Fast growers and slow growers adapted to PZA-exposure via very similar mechanisms; through reduced gene expression of tRNA, 50S, and 30S ribosomal proteins. PZA had an equivalent level of activity against fast growing and slow growing M. tuberculosis. At both growth rates drug-tolerance to sub

Genetic encoding of a bicyclo[6.1.0]nonyne-charged amino acid enables fast cellular protein imaging by metal-free ligation.

PubMed

Borrmann, Annika; Milles, Sigrid; Plass, Tilman; Dommerholt, Jan; Verkade, Jorge M M; Wiessler, Manfred; Schultz, Carsten; van Hest, Jan C M; van Delft, Floris L; Lemke, Edward A

2012-09-24

Visualizing biomolecules by fluorescent tagging is a powerful method for studying their behaviour and function inside cells. We prepared and genetically encoded an unnatural amino acid (UAA) that features a bicyclononyne moiety. This UAA offered exceptional reactivity in strain-promoted azide-alkyne cycloadditions. Kinetic measurements revealed that the UAA reacted also remarkably fast in the inverse-electron-demand Diels-Alder cycloaddition with tetrazine-conjugated dyes. Genetic encoding of the new UAA inside mammalian cells and its subsequent selective labeling at low dye concentrations demonstrate the usefulness of the new amino acid for future imaging studies. Copyright © 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Columbus AFB, Mississippi. Revised Uniform Summary of Surface Weather Observations (RUSSWO). Parts A-F.

DTIC Science & Technology

1982-02-16

E~ __ _ 1.0 a 3 ____ __ _ 1.4 3I. 4 ENE 1.7 . . .1 4 *1 2 1 .9 5. ,e i 101 * ’ 3 e!. 203 4.3 IE 1 1.6 1.9 . 4 3.9 .3_8 Se 1.9_ It.7 194 .3 1___...SERVICL/I4AC PERCENTAGE FREQUENCY OF WINDSU FC WID DIRECTION AND SPEED (FROM HOURLY OBSERVATIONS) .23 COLUMBUS AFB MS 7C73-1__ _____ $TAT"S STATION...1 3 4 __ _ I _ __________. NNE 1.4 .2 eI _ _ _. It? 29__8 NE .8 .3 1,__ _ _ 2.s ENE .8 . _ 1 .1 194 . _,_ 395E i . 7 . 8 . l i 2 .6: , 3 . 1 ESE 4.7

Radiation inactivation of Paenibacillus larvae and sterilization of American Foul Brood (AFB) infected hives using Co-60 gamma rays.

PubMed

De Guzman, Zenaida M; Cervancia, Cleofas R; Dimasuay, Kris Genelyn B; Tolentino, Mitos M; Abrera, Gina B; Cobar, Ma Lucia C; Fajardo, Alejandro C; Sabino, Noel G; Manila-Fajardo, Analinda C; Feliciano, Chitho P

2011-10-01

The effectiveness of gamma radiation in inactivating the Philippine isolate of Paenibacillus larvae was investigated. Spores of P. larvae were irradiated at incremental doses (0.1, 0.2, 0.4, 0.8 and 1.6 kGy) of gamma radiation emitted by a ⁶⁰Co source. Surviving spores were counted and used to estimate the decimal reduction (D₁₀) value. A dose of 0.2 kGy was sufficient to inactivate 90% of the total recoverable spores from an initial count of 10⁵- 9 × 10³ spores per glass plate. The sterilizing effect of high doses of gamma radiation on the spores of P. larvae in infected hives was determined. In this study, a minimum dose (D(min)) of 15 kGy was tested. Beehives with sub-clinical infections of AFB were irradiated and examined for sterility. All the materials were found to be free of P. larvae indicating its susceptibility to γ-rays. After irradiation, there were no visible changes in the physical appearance of the hives' body, wax and frames. Thus, a dose of 15 kGy is effective enough for sterilization of AFB-infected materials. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The pea branching RMS2 gene encodes the PsAFB4/5 auxin receptor and is involved in an auxin-strigolactone regulation loop

PubMed Central

Ligerot, Yasmine; de Saint Germain, Alexandre; Troadec, Christelle; Citerne, Sylvie; Pillot, Jean-Paul; Prigge, Michael; Aubert, Grégoire; Bendahmane, Abdelhafid; Estelle, Mark; Debellé, Frédéric

2017-01-01

Strigolactones (SLs) are well known for their role in repressing shoot branching. In pea, increased transcript levels of SL biosynthesis genes are observed in stems of highly branched SL deficient (ramosus1 (rms1) and rms5) and SL response (rms3 and rms4) mutants indicative of negative feedback control. In contrast, the highly branched rms2 mutant has reduced transcript levels of SL biosynthesis genes. Grafting studies and hormone quantification led to a model where RMS2 mediates a shoot-to-root feedback signal that regulates both SL biosynthesis gene transcript levels and xylem sap levels of cytokinin exported from roots. Here we cloned RMS2 using synteny with Medicago truncatula and demonstrated that it encodes a putative auxin receptor of the AFB4/5 clade. Phenotypes similar to rms2 were found in Arabidopsis afb4/5 mutants, including increased shoot branching, low expression of SL biosynthesis genes and high auxin levels in stems. Moreover, afb4/5 and rms2 display a specific resistance to the herbicide picloram. Yeast-two-hybrid experiments supported the hypothesis that the RMS2 protein functions as an auxin receptor. SL root feeding using hydroponics repressed auxin levels in stems and down-regulated transcript levels of auxin biosynthesis genes within one hour. This auxin down-regulation was also observed in plants treated with the polar auxin transport inhibitor NPA. Together these data suggest a homeostatic feedback loop in which auxin up-regulates SL synthesis in an RMS2-dependent manner and SL down-regulates auxin synthesis in an RMS3 and RMS4-dependent manner. PMID:29220348

The pea branching RMS2 gene encodes the PsAFB4/5 auxin receptor and is involved in an auxin-strigolactone regulation loop.

PubMed

Ligerot, Yasmine; de Saint Germain, Alexandre; Waldie, Tanya; Troadec, Christelle; Citerne, Sylvie; Kadakia, Nikita; Pillot, Jean-Paul; Prigge, Michael; Aubert, Grégoire; Bendahmane, Abdelhafid; Leyser, Ottoline; Estelle, Mark; Debellé, Frédéric; Rameau, Catherine

2017-12-01

Strigolactones (SLs) are well known for their role in repressing shoot branching. In pea, increased transcript levels of SL biosynthesis genes are observed in stems of highly branched SL deficient (ramosus1 (rms1) and rms5) and SL response (rms3 and rms4) mutants indicative of negative feedback control. In contrast, the highly branched rms2 mutant has reduced transcript levels of SL biosynthesis genes. Grafting studies and hormone quantification led to a model where RMS2 mediates a shoot-to-root feedback signal that regulates both SL biosynthesis gene transcript levels and xylem sap levels of cytokinin exported from roots. Here we cloned RMS2 using synteny with Medicago truncatula and demonstrated that it encodes a putative auxin receptor of the AFB4/5 clade. Phenotypes similar to rms2 were found in Arabidopsis afb4/5 mutants, including increased shoot branching, low expression of SL biosynthesis genes and high auxin levels in stems. Moreover, afb4/5 and rms2 display a specific resistance to the herbicide picloram. Yeast-two-hybrid experiments supported the hypothesis that the RMS2 protein functions as an auxin receptor. SL root feeding using hydroponics repressed auxin levels in stems and down-regulated transcript levels of auxin biosynthesis genes within one hour. This auxin down-regulation was also observed in plants treated with the polar auxin transport inhibitor NPA. Together these data suggest a homeostatic feedback loop in which auxin up-regulates SL synthesis in an RMS2-dependent manner and SL down-regulates auxin synthesis in an RMS3 and RMS4-dependent manner.

Antibiotic-Resistant Gram Negative Bacilli in Meals Delivered at a General Hospital, Italy

PubMed Central

Plano, Maria Rosa Anna; Di Noto, Anna Maria; Firenze, Alberto; Sciortino, Sonia; Mammina, Caterina

2009-01-01

This study aimed at detecting the presence of antibiotic-resistant Gram-negatives in samples of meals delivered at the University General Hospital of Palermo, Italy. Antibiotic resistant Gram negatives were isolated in July—September 2007 ffrom cold dishes and food contact surfaces and utensils. Bacterial strains were submitted to susceptibility test and subtyped by random amplification of polymorphic DNA (RAPD). Forty-six of 55 (83.6%) food samples and 14 of 17 (82.3%) environmental swabs were culture positive for Gram negative bacilli resistant to at least one group of antibacterial drugs. A total of 134 antibiotic resistant strains, 51 fermenters and 83 non-fermenters, were recovered. Fermenters and non-fermenters showed frequencies as high as 97.8% of resistance to two or more groups of antibiotics and non fermenters were 28.9% resistant to more than three groups. Molecular typing detected 34 different profiles among the fermenters and 68 among the non-fermenters. Antibiotic resistance was very common among both fermenters and non-fermenters. However, the wide heterogeneity of RAPD patterns seems to support a prominent role of cross-contamination rather than a clonal expansion of a few resistant isolates. A contribution of commensal Gram negatives colonizing foods to a common bacterial resistance pool should not been overlooked. PMID:19750189

Antibiotic-resistant gram negative bacilli in meals delivered at a general hospital, Italy.

PubMed

Plano, Maria Rosa Anna; Di Noto, Anna Maria; Firenze, Alberto; Sciortino, Sonia; Mammina, Caterina

2009-01-01

This study aimed at detecting the presence of antibiotic-resistant Gram-negatives in samples of meals delivered at the University General Hospital of Palermo, Italy. Antibiotic resistant Gram negatives were isolated in July-September 2007 ffrom cold dishes and food contact surfaces and utensils. Bacterial strains were submitted to susceptibility test and subtyped by random amplification of polymorphic DNA (RAPD). Forty-six of 55 (83.6%) food samples and 14 of 17 (82.3%) environmental swabs were culture positive for Gram negative bacilli resistant to at least one group of antibacterial drugs. A total of 134 antibiotic resistant strains, 51 fermenters and 83 non-fermenters, were recovered. Fermenters and non-fermenters showed frequencies as high as 97.8% of resistance to two or more groups of antibiotics and non fermenters were 28.9% resistant to more than three groups. Molecular typing detected 34 different profiles among the fermenters and 68 among the non-fermenters. Antibiotic resistance was very common among both fermenters and non-fermenters. However, the wide heterogeneity of RAPD patterns seems to support a prominent role of cross-contamination rather than a clonal expansion of a few resistant isolates. A contribution of commensal Gram negatives colonizing foods to a common bacterial resistance pool should not been overlooked.

The Soluble Plasminogen Activator Receptor as a Biomarker on Monitoring the Therapy Progress of Pulmonary TB-AFB(+) Patients

PubMed Central

Mardining Raras, Tri Yudani; Noor Chozin, Iin

2010-01-01

The role of soluble soluble urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor (suPAR) as a biological marker for TB treatment efficacy on active pulmonary TB-AFB(+) patients was investigated. Twenty pulmonary TB-AFB(+) patients participated in a cohort study for six months. The plasma suPAR level was measured using ELISA method before treatment, two months, four months and six months after treatment. At the same time clinical parameters were also measured. Results indicated that all patients (n = 20) showed highest plasma suPAR levels before treatment (median 12.775 ng/mL) and significantly decreased ( P = .0001<.05, R 2 = .890) after 2 months (median 8.019 ng/mL) and 4 months (median 5.771 ng/mL) of treatment, respectively. However, only slightly declined after 6 months therapy (median 5.009 ng/mL), near control group level (median 4.772 ng/mL). Interestingly, the significant reduced of suPAR level was parallel to treatment efficacy and correlated with other clinical and laboratory parameters, that is, decreasing of patients' complaints, increasing of BMI (r = −0.281), thoracic imaging improvement, sputum conversion, decreasing of ESR (r = 0.577) and monocytes count (r = 0.536) with exception the width of lesion in thoracic imaging. In conclusion, the suPAR level in could reflect the progress of TB therapy. PMID:22567258

Audit of the practice of sputum smear examination for patients with suspected pulmonary tuberculosis in Fiji.

PubMed

Gounder, Shakti; Tayler-Smith, Katherine; Khogali, Mohammed; Raikabula, Maopa; Harries, Anthony D

2013-07-01

In Fiji, patients with suspected pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) currently submit three sputum specimens for smear microscopy for acid-fast bacilli, but there is little information about how well this practice is carried out. A cross-sectional retrospective review was carried out in all four TB diagnostic laboratories in Fiji to determine among new patients presenting with suspected PTB in 2011: the quality of submitted sputum; the number of sputum samples submitted; the relationship between quality and number of submitted samples to smear-positivity; and positive yield from first, second and third samples. Of 1940 patients with suspected PTB, 3522 sputum samples were submitted: 997 (51.4%) patients submitted one sample, 304 (15.7%) patients submitted two samples and 639 (32.9%) submitted three samples. Sputum quality was recorded in 2528 (71.8%) of samples, of which 1046 (41.4%) were of poor quality. Poor quality sputum was more frequent in females, inpatients and children (0-14 years). Good quality sputum and a higher number of submitted samples positively correlated with smear-positivity for acid-fast bacilli. There were 122 (6.3%) patients with suspected PTB who were sputum smear positive. Of those, 89 had submitted three sputum samples: 79 (89%) were diagnosed based on the first sputum sample, 6 (7%) on the second sample and 4 (4%) on the third sample. This study shows that there are deficiencies in the practice of sputum smear examination in Fiji with respect to sputum quality and recommended number of submitted samples, although the results support the continued use of three sputum samples for TB diagnosis. Ways to improve sputum quality and adherence to recommended guidelines are needed.

[Identification of mycobacteria to the species level by molecular methods in the Public Health Laboratory of Bogotá, Colombia].

PubMed

Hernández-Toloza, Johana Esther; Rincón-Serrano, María de Pilar; Celis-Bustos, Yamile Adriana; Aguillón, Claudia Inés

2016-01-01

Global epidemiology of non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) is unknown due to the fact that notification is not required in many countries, however the number of infection reports and outbreaks caused by NTM suggest a significant increase in the last years. Traditionally, mycobacteria identification is made through biochemical profiles which allow to differentiate M. tuberculosis from NTM, and in some cases the mycobacteria species. Nevertheless, these methods are technically cumbersome and time consuming. On the other hand, the introduction of methods based on molecular biology has improved the laboratory diagnosis of NTM. To establish the NTM frequency in positive cultures for acid-fast bacilli (AAFB) which were sent to Laboratorio de Salud Pública de Bogotá over a 12 month period. A total of 100 positive cultures for acid-fast bacilli from public and private hospitals from Bogotá were identified by both biochemical methods and the molecular methods PRA (PCR-restriction enzyme analysis) and multiplex-PCR. Furthermore, low prevalence mycobacteria species and non-interpretable results were confirmed by 16SrDNA sequentiation analysis. Identification using the PRA method showed NMT occurrence in 11% of cultures. In addition, this molecular methodology allowed to detect the occurrence of more than one mycobacteria in 4% of the cultures. Interestingly, a new M. kubicae pattern of PCR-restriction analysis is reported in our study. Using a mycobacteria identification algorithm, which includes the molecular method PRA, improves the diagnostic power of conventional methods and could help to advance both NTM epidemiology knowledge and mycobacteriosis control. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier España, S.L.U. y Sociedad Española de Enfermedades Infecciosas y Microbiología Clínica. All rights reserved.

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

PubMed

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.

The Increasing Challenge of Multidrug-Resistant Gram-Negative Bacilli

PubMed Central

Giuffrè, Mario; Geraci, Daniela M.; Bonura, Celestino; Saporito, Laura; Graziano, Giorgio; Insinga, Vincenzo; Aleo, Aurora; Vecchio, Davide; Mammina, Caterina

2016-01-01

Abstract Colonization and infection by multidrug-resistant gram-negative bacilli (MDR GNB) in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) are increasingly reported. We conducted a 5-year prospective cohort surveillance study in a tertiary NICU of the hospital “Paolo Giaccone,” Palermo, Italy. Our objectives were to describe incidence and trends of MDR GNB colonization and the characteristics of the most prevalent organisms and to identify the risk factors for colonization. Demographic, clinical, and microbiological data were prospectively collected. Active surveillance cultures (ASCs) were obtained weekly. Clusters of colonization by extended spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL) producing Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae were analyzed by conventional and molecular epidemiological tools. During the study period, 1152 infants were enrolled in the study. Prevalences of colonization by MDR GNB, ESBL-producing GNB and multiple species/genera averaged, respectively, 28.8%, 11.7%, and 3.7%. Prevalence and incidence density of colonization by MDR GNB and ESBL-producing GNB showed an upward trend through the surveillance period. Rates of ESBL-producing E coli and K pneumoniae colonization showed wide fluctuations peaking over the last 2 years. The only independent variables associated with colonization by MDR GNB and ESBL-producing organisms and multiple colonization were, respectively, the days of NICU stay (odds ratio [OR] 1.041), the days of exposure to ampicillin–sulbactam (OR 1.040), and the days of formula feeding (OR 1.031). Most clusters of E coli and K pneumoniae colonization were associated with different lineages. Ten out of 12 clusters had an outborn infant as their index case. Our study confirms that MDR GNB are an increasing challenge to NICUs. The universal once-a-week approach allowed us to understand the epidemiology of MDR GNB, to timely detect new clones and institute contact precautions, and to assess risk factors. Collection of these data can be an

Affinity capture of aflatoxin B1 and B2 by aptamer-functionalized magnetic agarose microspheres prior to their determination by HPLC.

PubMed

Liu, Hongmei; Lu, Anxiang; Fu, Hailong; Li, Bingru; Yang, Meihua; Wang, Jihua; Luan, Yunxia

2018-06-12

A novel adsorbent is described for magnetic solid-phase extraction (MSPE) of the aflatoxins AFB 1 and AFB 2 (AFBs). Magnetic agarose microspheres (MAMs) were functionalized with an aptamer to bind the AFBs which then were quantified by HPLC and on-line post-column photochemical derivatization with fluorescence detection. Streptavidin-conjugated MAMs were synthesized first by a highly reproducible strategy. They possess strong magnetism and high surface area. The MAMs were characterized by transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, optical microscopy, laser diffraction particle size analyzer, Fourier transform infrared spectrometry, vibrating sample magnetometry and laser scanning confocal microscopy. Then, the AFB-aptamers were immobilized on MAMs through biotin-streptavidin interaction. Finally, the MSPE is performed by suspending the aptamer-modified MAMs in the sample. They are then collected by an external magnetic field and the AFBs are eluted with methanol/buffer (20:80). Several parameters affecting the coupling, capturing and eluting efficiency were optimized. Under the optimized conditions, the method is fast, has good linearity, high selectivity, and sensitivity. The LODs are 25 pg·mL -1 for AFB 1 and 10 pg·mL -1 for AFB 2 . The binding capacity is 350 ± 8 ng·g -1 for AFB 1 and 384 ± 8 ng·g -1 for AFB 2 , and the precision of the assay is <8%. The method was successfully applied to the analysis of AFBs in spiked maize samples. Graphical abstract Schematic of novel aptamer functionalized magnetic agarose microspheres (Apt-MAM) as magnetic adsorbents for simultaneous and specific affinity capture of aflatoxins B 1 and B 2 (AFBs).

Elevated Serum Beta-D-Glucan with Pseudomonas, Aspergillus, and a Partially Acid-Fast Organism in Respiratory Cultures: A Case of Hickam's Dictum Over Occam's Razor.

PubMed

Khan, Salman; Hamula, Camille; Rana, Meenakshi; Sullivan, Timothy; Dunn, Dallas; Patel, Pinki; Mishkin, Aaron; Huprikar, Shirish

2017-10-01

We describe a case of a man with ectopic Cushing's syndrome, elevated serum beta-D-glucan, and respiratory cultures with Pseudomonas, Aspergillus, and a partially acid-fast organism. Our case highlights challenges in diagnosis and management of coinfection in an immunocompromised host.

Soil microbial community responses to acid exposure and neutralization treatment.

PubMed

Shin, Doyun; Lee, Yunho; Park, Jeonghyun; Moon, Hee Sun; Hyun, Sung Pil

2017-12-15

Changes in microbial community induced by acid shock were studied in the context of potential release of acids to the environment due to chemical accidents. The responses of microbial communities in three different soils to the exposure to sulfuric or hydrofluoric acid and to the subsequent neutralization treatment were investigated as functions of acid concentration and exposure time by using 16S-rRNA gene based pyrosequencing and DGGE (Denaturing Gradient Gel Electrophoresis). Measurements of soil pH and dissolved ion concentrations revealed that the added acids were neutralized to different degrees, depending on the mineral composition and soil texture. Hydrofluoric acid was more effectively neutralized by the soils, compared with sulfuric acid at the same normality. Gram-negative ß-Proteobacteria were shown to be the most acid-sensitive bacterial strains, while spore-forming Gram-positive Bacilli were the most acid-tolerant. The results of this study suggest that the Gram-positive to Gram-negative bacterial ratio may serve as an effective bio-indicator in assessing the impact of the acid shock on the microbial community. Neutralization treatments helped recover the ratio closer to their original values. The findings of this study show that microbial community changes as well as geochemical changes such as pH and dissolved ion concentrations need to be considered in estimating the impact of an acid spill, in selecting an optimal remediation strategy, and in deciding when to end remedial actions at the acid spill impacted site. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Two-stage dilute acid prehydrolysis of biomass

DOEpatents

Grohmann, Karel; Torget, Robert W.

1992-01-01

A two-stage dilute acid prehydrolysis process on xylan containing hemicellulose in biomass is effected by: treating feedstock of hemicellulosic material comprising xylan that is slow hydrolyzable and xylan that is fast hydrolyzable under predetermined low temperature conditions with a dilute acid for a residence time sufficient to hydrolyze the fast hydrolyzable xylan to xylose; removing said xylose from said fast hydrolyzable xylan and leaving a residue; and treating said residue having a slow hydrolyzable xylan with a dilute acid under predetermined high temperature conditions for a residence time required to hydrolyze said slow hydrolyzable xylan to xylose.

Performance Improvement of the One-Dot Lateral Flow Immunoassay for Aflatoxin B1 by Using a Smartphone-Based Reading System

PubMed Central

Lee, Sangdae; Kim, Giyoung; Moon, Jihea

2013-01-01

This study was conducted to develop a simple, rapid, and accurate lateral flow immunoassay (LFIA) detection method for point-of-care diagnosis. The one-dot LFIA for aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) was based on the modified competitive binding format using competition between AFB1 and colloidal gold-AFB1-BSA conjugate for antibody binding sites in the test zone. A Smartphone-based reading system consisting of a Samsung Galaxy S2 Smartphone, a LFIA reader, and a Smartphone application for the image acquisition and data analysis. The detection limit of one-dot LFIA for AFB1 is 5 μg/kg. This method provided semi-quantitative analysis of AFB1 samples in the range of 5 to 1,000 μg/kg. Using combination of the one-dot LFIA and the Smartphone-based reading system, it is possible to conduct a more fast and accurate point-of-care diagnosis. PMID:23598499

Intracranial tuberculoma in a liver transplant patient: first reported case and review of the literature.

PubMed

Henderson, Corey; Meyers, Burt; Humayun Gultekin, S; Liu, Bin; Zhang, David Y

2003-01-01

A 66-year-old female who had undergone an orthotopic liver transplant two years before admission was admitted with fever and neurological symptoms of several days' duration. Following an extensive work-up, which revealed positive intracranial lesions on computed typography and magnetic resonance imaging, the patient was begun on broad spectrum antimicrobials including corticosteroids. The patient responded though the etiology of infection remained unclear. After a stereotactic biopsy was performed revealing granulomas and acid-fast bacilli, the patient was started on antituberculous medications. A review of the literature reveals that the rare occurrence of intracranial tuberculoma should be considered in an orthotopic liver transplant (OLT) patient with central nervous system pathology.

Evaluation of two line probe assays for rapid detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, tuberculosis (TB) drug resistance, and non-TB Mycobacteria in HIV-infected individuals with suspected TB.

PubMed

Luetkemeyer, Anne F; Kendall, Michelle A; Wu, Xingye; Lourenço, Maria Cristina; Jentsch, Ute; Swindells, Susan; Qasba, Sarojini S; Sanchez, Jorge; Havlir, Diane V; Grinsztejn, Beatriz; Sanne, Ian M; Firnhaber, Cynthia

2014-04-01

Limited performance data from line probe assays (LPAs), nucleic acid tests used for the rapid diagnosis of tuberculosis (TB), nontuberculosis mycobacteria (NTM), and Mycobacterium tuberculosis drug resistance are available for HIV-infected individuals, in whom paucibacillary TB is common. In this study, the strategy of testing sputum with GenoType MTBDRplus (MTBDR-Plus) and GenoType Direct LPA (Direct LPA) was compared to a gold standard of one mycobacterial growth indicator tube (MGIT) liquid culture. HIV-positive (HIV(+)) individuals with suspected TB from southern Africa and South America with <7 days of TB treatment had 1 sputum specimen tested with Direct LPA, MTBDR-Plus LPA, smear microscopy, MGIT, biochemical identification of mycobacterial species, and culture-based drug-susceptibility testing (DST). Of 639 participants, 59.3% were MGIT M. tuberculosis culture positive, of which 276 (72.8%) were acid-fast bacillus (AFB) smear positive. MTBDR-Plus had a sensitivity of 81.0% and a specificity of 100%, with sensitivities of 44.1% in AFB smear-negative versus 94.6% in AFB smear-positive specimens. For specimens that were positive for M. tuberculosis by MTBDR-Plus, the sensitivity and specificity for rifampin resistance were 91.7% and 96.6%, respectively, and for isoniazid (INH) they were 70.6% and 99.1%. The Direct LPA had a sensitivity of 88.4% and a specificity of 94.6% for M. tuberculosis detection, with a sensitivity of 72.5% in smear-negative specimens. Ten of 639 MGIT cultures grew Mycobacterium avium complex or Mycobacterium kansasii, half of which were detected by Direct LPA. Both LPA assays performed well in specimens from HIV-infected individuals, including in AFB smear-negative specimens, with 72.5% sensitivity for M. tuberculosis identification with the Direct LPA and 44.1% sensitivity with MTBDR-Plus. LPAs have a continued role for use in settings where rapid identification of INH resistance and clinically relevant NTM are priorities.

Cellular Fatty Acid Composition, Soluble-Protein Profile, and Antimicrobial Resistance Pattern of Eubacterium lentum

PubMed Central

Mosca, Adriana; Summanen, Paula; Finegold, Sydney M.; De Michele, Giampiero; Miragliotta, Giuseppe

1998-01-01

Phenotypic heterogeneity among isolates of Eubacterium lentum has been recognized for many years. To better delineate their taxonomic relatedness, 29 clinical isolates of E. lentum were examined for soluble-protein content, cellular fatty acid profile, and antimicrobial resistance pattern in order to ascertain whether differences in these characteristics could be correlated with differences in biochemical activities. Among 29 isolates we could identify 6 that were different from all the others. These strains were coccobacilli with translucent colonies; they were catalase and H2S negative, not fluorescent under UV light, and susceptible to beta-lactam drugs; growth was not stimulated by arginine; and fatty acid analysis revealed the presence of straight-chain fatty acids. The remainder of the strains, including the type species, were pleomorphic bacilli with speckled colonies and were catalase and H2S positive; all but two were fluorescent under UV light; they were resistant to beta-lactam antibiotics; growth was greatly stimulated by arginine; and they demonstrated saturated branched-chain fatty acids. Our data suggest that E. lentum can be further differentiated into different types. PMID:9508307

Enteric gram-negative bacilli bloodstream infections: 17 years' experience in a neonatal intensive care unit.

PubMed

Cordero, Leandro; Rau, Rachel; Taylor, David; Ayers, Leona W

2004-06-01

To assess the occurrence of enteric gram-negative bacilli (EGNB) bloodstream infections (BSI) in a neonatal intensive care setting during a 17-year period in which a consistent antibiotic treatment program was in place. To document infections, outbreaks, or epidemics, emergence of antibiotic resistance, clinical correlates, and outcomes of the most prevalent EGNB (Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Enterobacter cloacae). This study analyzed demographic, clinical, and bacteriologic information from 360 infants born 1986-2002 who developed 633 blood culture-proven BSI. A total of 121 EGNB were isolated (E coli, K pneumoniae, and E cloacae). Early-onset BSI were discovered within 48 hours from birth, and late-onset BSI were those that occurred thereafter. Suspected early-onset BSI were treated with ampicillin and gentamicin, suspected late-onset BSI with vancomycin and gentamicin. Antibiotics were changed on the basis of organism antimicrobial susceptibility. Early-onset BSI were noted in 52 of 21,336 (244/100,000) live births (1986-1991), 40 of 20,402 (196/100,000) live births (1992-1997), and 25 of 17,926 (139/100,000) live births (1998-2002). Of these cases, 39 were caused by E coli and 4 by K pneumoniae. Antibiograms for E coli isolated during the last 5 years of the study showed an increase in antibiotic resistance that coincided with obstetric group B streptococcus antepartum antibiotic prophylaxis. Group B streptococcus declined from 41 to 4 cases from the first to the last period. Late-onset BSI increased from 111 to 230 cases from the first to the second 6-year study period and declined modestly (171 cases) during the last. Fifteen percent (78 cases) of late-onset BSI were caused by EGNB, 5% by other gram-negative bacilli, 67% primarily by coagulase-negative staphylococcus, and 13% by fungus. Nonspecific clinical and hematologic signs of late-onset BSI were similar across EGNB species, but necrotizing enterocolitis was often associated with E coli

Enhancing Effects of Carbon Dioxide on the Primary Isolation of Acid-Fast Bacilli in a Modified Lowenstein-Jensen Medium

PubMed Central

Gruft, Howard; Loder, Arthur

1971-01-01

Specimens inoculated on modified Lowenstein-Jensen medium were incubated aerobically and in an atmosphere of 8% CO2. Sixteen per cent of the positive specimens grew Mycobacterium tuberculosis only after incubation in CO2. PMID:5002315

Proceedings of the Annual Conference on Manual Control (10th) held at Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio on 9-11 April 1974

DTIC Science & Technology

1974-04-01

A Jh .*H-M,fcflTlt FUTURE TERMINAL AIR TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT CONCEPTS John G. Kreifeldt Department of Engineering Design Tufts University,Medford...wright-patterson afb,ohio Hair force institute of technology > air force flight dynamics laboratory 1 V& t \\ jfr£ Approved for public release...report should not be returned unless return is required by security considerationsi contractual obligations, or notice on a specific document. AIR

The Burden of Mycobacterial Disease in Ethiopian Cattle: Implications for Public Health

PubMed Central

Berg, Stefan; Firdessa, Rebuma; Habtamu, Meseret; Gadisa, Endalamaw; Mengistu, Araya; Yamuah, Lawrence; Ameni, Gobena; Vordermeier, Martin; Robertson, Brian D.; Smith, Noel H.; Engers, Howard; Young, Douglas; Hewinson, R. Glyn; Aseffa, Abraham; Gordon, Stephen V.

2009-01-01

Background Bovine tuberculosis (bTB), caused by Mycobacterium bovis, is a debilitating disease of cattle. Ethiopia has one of the largest cattle populations in the world, with an economy highly dependent on its livestock. Furthermore, Ethiopia has one of the highest incidence rates of human extrapulmonary TB in the world, a clinical presentation that is often associated with transmission of M. bovis from cattle to humans. Methodology/Principal Findings Here we present a comprehensive investigation of the prevalence of bTB in Ethiopia based on cases identified at slaughterhouses. Out of approximately 32,800 inspected cattle, ∼4.7% showed suspect tuberculous lesions. Culture of suspect lesions yielded acid-fast bacilli in ∼11% of cases, with M. bovis accounting for 58 of 171 acid-fast cultures, while 53 isolates were non-tuberculous mycobacteria. Strikingly, M. tuberculosis was isolated from eight cattle, an unusual finding that suggests human to animal transmission. Conclusions/Significance Our analysis has revealed that bTB is widely spread throughout Ethiopia, albeit at a low prevalence, and provides underpinning evidence for public health policy formulation. PMID:19352493

Lactobacillus gasseri SBT2055 reduces postprandial and fasting serum non-esterified fatty acid levels in Japanese hypertriacylglycerolemic subjects.

PubMed

Ogawa, Akihiro; Kadooka, Yukio; Kato, Ken; Shirouchi, Bungo; Sato, Masao

2014-02-19

Lactobacillus gasseri SBT2055 (LG2055) inhibits dietary fat absorption in rats and exerts preventive effects on abdominal adiposity in rats and humans. The present study aimed to evaluate the effects of LG2055 on postprandial serum lipid responses in Japanese subjects with hypertriacylglycerolemia after the intake of oral fat-loading test (OFLT) meals. We conducted a single-blind, placebo-controlled, within-subject, repeated-measure intervention trial. Twenty subjects initially ingested the fermented milk (FM) without LG2055 for 4 weeks (control FM period), followed by a 4-week washout period, and then consumed FM containing LG2055 for 4 weeks (active FM period). The subjects were asked to consume FM at 200 g/day. At the end of each 4-week period, an 8-h OFLT was conducted. Blood samples were collected at fasting and every hour for 8 h after OFLT meal intake. Thereafter, postprandial serum non-esterified fatty acid (NEFA) and triacylglycerol (TAG) levels and fasting blood parameters were measured. The OFLT showed that the postprandial serum NEFA levels from 120 to 480 min and the postprandial serum TAG level at 120 min in the active FM period were significantly (P < 0.05) lower than those in the control FM period. The fasting serum NEFA level in the active FM period significantly (P < 0.001) decreased at week 4 from the initial period compared with the control FM period. The consumption of probiotic LG2055 reduced postprandial and fasting serum NEFA levels, suggesting its possible contribution to the reduction of the risk for obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus. UMIN000011605.

Issuance of a final RCRA Part B Subpart X permit for open burning/open detonation (OB/OD) of explosives at Eglin AFB, Florida

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Johnson, G.E.; Culp, J.C.; Jenness, S.R.

1997-12-31

Treatment and disposal of explosives and munitions items have represented a significant management challenge for Department of Defense (DOD) facilities, particularly in light of increased regulatory scrutiny under the Federal Facilities Compliance Act provisions of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). Subpart X of the RCRA regulations for storage, treatment, and disposal of hazardous wastes was drafted specifically to address explosive wastes. Until just recently, any DOD facility that was performing open burning/open detonation (OB/OD) of explosives was doing so under interim status for RCRA Part B Subpart X. In August 1996, Eglin Air Force Base (AFB), Florida becamemore » the first Air Force facility to be issued a final Part B Subpart X permit to perform OB/OD operations at two Eglin AFB active test ranges. This presentation will examine how Eglin AFB worked proactively with the State of Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) and EPA Region IV to develop permit conditions based upon risk assessment considerations for both air and ground-water exposure pathways. It will review the role of air emissions and air dispersion modeling in assessing potential exposure and impacts to both onsite and offsite receptors, and will discuss how air monitoring will be used to assure that the facility remains in compliance during OB/OD activities. The presentation will also discuss the soil and ground-water characterization program and associated risk assessment provisions for quarterly ground-water monitoring to assure permit compliance. The project is an excellent example of how a collaborative working relationship among the permittee, their consultant and state, and EPA can result in an environmentally protective permit that assures operational flexibility and mission sensitivity.« less

Fast quantitative analysis of boric acid by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry coupled with a simple and selective derivatization reaction using triethanolamine.

PubMed

Zeng, Li-Min; Wang, Hao-Yang; Guo, Yin-Long

2010-03-01

A fast, selective, and sensitive GC-MS method has been developed and validated for the determination of boric acid in the drinking water by derivatization with triethanolamine. This analytic strategy successfully converts the inorganic, nonvolatile boric acid B(OH)(3) present in the drinking water to a volatile triethanolamine borate B(OCH(2)CH(2))(3)N in a quantitative manner, which facilitates the GC measurement. The SIM mode was applied in the analysis and showed high accuracy, specificity, and reproducibility, as well as reducing the matrix effect effectively. The calibration curve was obtained from 0.01 microg/mL to 10.0 microg/mL with a satisfactory correlation coefficient of 0.9988. The limit of detection for boric acid was 0.04 microg/L. Then the method was applied for detection of the amount of boric acid in bottled drinking water and the results are in accordance with the reported concentration value of boric acid. This study offers a perspective into the utility of GC-MS as an alternate quantitative tool for detection of B(OH)(3), even for detection of boron in various other samples by digesting the boron compounds to boric acid. Copyright 2010 American Society for Mass Spectrometry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The lithostratigraphy of a marine kame delta-outwash fan complex at Pease AFB, Newington, NH

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dineen, R.J.; Manning, S.; McGeehan, K.

The overburden stratigraphy at Pease AFB is based on over 1,200 wells, borings, piezometers, and test pits, and includes five lithologic units: Fill, Upper Sand (US), Marine Clay and Silt (MCS), Lower Sand (LS), and Till (GT). The US is a yellow brown, poorly sorted sand to silty sand and is massive to laminated, and locally has hummocky bedding. The MCS (the Presumpscot Formation) is a dark gray, massive to laminated sandy to silty clay, and is locally interbedded with silty sand. The MCS contains a trace of organic matter, primarily as fine particles of peat. The LS is amore » gray to brown, poorly sorted, silty sand to gravelly sand that is massive to planar bedded and locally grades down into GT and/or upward into MCS. The GT consists of a massive to crudely bedded dark gray to dark brown, very poorly sorted, sandy silt to gravelly, silty sand. The US, MCS, LS and upper part of the GT were deposited in a marine environment at or near the ice margin. Pease AFB is built on two large fans of gravelly sand (LS plus US) that are bordered to the east by NW-SE till ridges (drumlins ). The northern-most fan is flat-topped with a surface elevation of 30 m ASL. The southern fan is more hummocky, with a surface elevation of 18.5 m ASL. Both fans coarsen towards the NW, and are interbedded with MCS towards the SE. The apices of the fans overlie deeply-scoured troughs in the rock surface. The fans are interpreted to be kame deltas or submarine outwash fans that are deposited along the retreating Wisconsinan ice margin by concentrated meltwater flow. Later, the US may have been deposited by marine shoreface erosion of the emergent fans as the ice front retreated and sea level fell.« less

Neurotuberculosis in cattle in southern Brazil.

PubMed

Konradt, Guilherme; Bassuino, Daniele Mariath; Bianchi, Matheus Viezzer; Bandinelli, Marcele Bettim; Driemeier, David; Pavarini, Saulo Petinatti

2016-06-01

Tuberculosis in cattle is a chronic infectious-contagious disease characterized by the development of nodular lesions (granulomas) in mainly the lungs and regional lymph nodes. It is caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex, an acid-fast bacillus (AFB). Tuberculosis in the central nervous system is a rare condition in cattle. Herein, we describe the clinical and pathological findings of six neurotuberculosis cases in cattle diagnosed in Southern Brazil. The average age of the cattle affected was 12 months, and they varied in breed and sex. The clinical history ranged from 5 to 30 days and was characterized by motor incoordination, opisthotonus, blindness, and progression to recumbency. The cattle were euthanized, and grossly, the leptomeninges at the basilar brain showed marked and diffuse expansion, with nodular yellowish lesions ranging in size. On microscopic examination, there were multifocal granulomas located mainly in the meninges, though sometimes extending to adjacent neuropil or existing as isolated granulomas in neuropil. AFBs were observed in the cytoplasm of epithelioid macrophages and multinucleated giant cells through Ziehl-Neelsen histochemical staining and identified as Mycobacterium sp. through immunohistochemistry.

Altered Bile Acid Metabolome in Patients with Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis.

PubMed

Ferslew, Brian C; Xie, Guoxiang; Johnston, Curtis K; Su, Mingming; Stewart, Paul W; Jia, Wei; Brouwer, Kim L R; Barritt, A Sidney

2015-11-01

The prevalence of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and steatohepatitis (NASH) is increasing at an alarming rate. The role of bile acids in the development and progression of NAFLD to NASH and cirrhosis is poorly understood. This study aimed to quantify the bile acid metabolome in healthy subjects and patients with non-cirrhotic NASH under fasting conditions and after a standardized meal. Liquid chromatography tandem mass spectroscopy was used to quantify 30 serum and 16 urinary bile acids from 15 healthy volunteers and 7 patients with biopsy-confirmed NASH. Bile acid concentrations were measured at two fasting and four post-prandial time points following a high-fat meal to induce gallbladder contraction and bile acid reabsorption from the intestine. Patients with NASH had significantly higher total serum bile acid concentrations than healthy subjects under fasting conditions (2.2- to 2.4-fold increase in NASH; NASH 2595-3549 µM and healthy 1171-1458 µM) and at all post-prandial time points (1.7- to 2.2-fold increase in NASH; NASH 4444-5898 µM and healthy 2634-2829 µM). These changes were driven by increased taurine- and glycine-conjugated primary and secondary bile acids. Patients with NASH exhibited greater variability in their fasting and post-prandial bile acid profile. Results indicate that patients with NASH have higher fasting and post-prandial exposure to bile acids, including the more hydrophobic and cytotoxic secondary species. Increased bile acid exposure may be involved in liver injury and the pathogenesis of NAFLD and NASH.

Optimizing anti-coking abilities of zeolites by ethylene diamine tetraacetie acid modification on catalytic fast pyrolysis of corn stalk

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Bo; Zhong, Zhaoping; Song, Zuwei; Ding, Kuan; Chen, Paul; Ruan, Roger

2015-12-01

In order to minimize coke yield during biomass catalytic fast pyrolysis (CFP) process, ethylene diamine tetraacetie acid (EDTA) chemical modification method is carried out to selectively remove the external framework aluminum of HZSM-5 catalyst. X-ray diffraction (XRD), nitrogen (N2)-adsorption and ammonia-temperature programmed desorption (NH3-TPD) techniques are employed to investigate the porosity and acidity characteristics of original and modified HZSM-5 samples. Py-GC/MS and thermo-gravimetric analyzer (TGA) experiments are further conducted to explore the catalytic effect of modified HZSM-5 samples on biomass CFP and to verify the positive effect on coke reduction. Results show that EDTA treatment does not damage the crystal structure of HZSM-5 zeolites, but leads to a slight increase of pore volume and pore size. Meanwhile, the elimination of the strong acid peak indicates the dealumination of outer surface of HZSM-5 zeolites. Treatment time of 2 h (labeled EDTA-2H) is optimal for acid removal and hydrocarbon formation. Among all modified catalysts, EDTA-2H performs the best for deacidification and can obviously increase the yields of positive chemical compositions in pyrolysis products. Besides, EDTA modification can improve the anti-coking properties of HZSM-5 zeolites, and EDTA-2H gives rise to the lowest coke yield.

Fast determination of phenoxy acid herbicides in carrots and apples using liquid chromatography coupled triple quadrupole mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Santilio, Angela; Stefanelli, Patrizia; Dommarco, Roberto

2009-08-01

A fast, simple and inexpensive method has been developed for the analysis of phenoxy acid herbicides: 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D), 4-chloro-2-methylphenoxyacetic acid (MCPA), 2-(4-chloro-o-tolyloxy)propionic acid (MCPP), 2-(4-aryloxyphenoxy)propionic acid (Fluazifop) and 2-(4-aryloxyphenoxy)propionic acid (Haloxyfop) in carrots and apples by liquid chromatography coupled to triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS). The compounds were analyzed by QuEChERS (quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged, safe) methodology without cleanup. The recoveries were performed at two spiked levels (0.05 and 0.5 mg/kg) for both matrices with six replicates for each level. The mean recoveries ranged from 70-92% for both apples and carrots. The precision of the method expressed as relative standard deviation (RSD%) was found to be in the range 3-15%. For all compounds, good linearity (r(2) > 0.99) was obtained over the range of concentration from 0.05 micro g/mL to 0.5 micro g/mL, corresponding to the pesticide concentrations of 0.05 mg/kg and 0.5 mg/kg, respectively. The determination limits (LOQs) ranged from 0.01 ng/mL to 1.3 ng/mL in solvent, whereas, the LOQs calculated in matrix ranged from 0.05 ng/g to 21.0 ng/g for apples and from 0.06 ng/g to 10.2 ng/g for carrots. The developed methodology combines the advantages of both QuEChERS and LC/MS/MS producing a very rapid, sensitive and cheap method useful for the routine analytical laboratories.

Minot AFB, North Dakota. Revised Uniform Summary of Surface Weather Observations (RUSSWO). Parts A-F.

DTIC Science & Technology

1987-12-01

MAC) REVISED UNIFORM SUMMARY OF SURFACE WEATHER OBSERVATIONS MINOT AFB ND MSC 727675 N 48 25 W 101 21 ELEV 1668 FT KMIB PARTS A - F HOURS SUMMARIZED...o . ... . . . . .. . * , . .*** . *.,, ,,.* .. OrALt NtUME3P OP OE sERvI TO js: uC 6 LOYlAL CLIMPIATIOLO0G Y BAp AN(CH Pt QLI 1.T1A(.E It L...OF P1- COPD : 7 7-P6 MONTH: OCT IHOUPS(LSTI: ALL I wIND SPCFJ3 IN KN015 DIPECTIIN 1-3 4-6 7-10 11-16 17-21 227 28-33 34-40 41-47 4F-1S GE S6 TCI&L MEAt

Ursolic and oleanolic acids as antimicrobial and immunomodulatory compounds for tuberculosis treatment.

PubMed

Jiménez-Arellanes, Adelina; Luna-Herrera, Julieta; Cornejo-Garrido, Jorge; López-García, Sonia; Castro-Mussot, María Eugenia; Meckes-Fischer, Mariana; Mata-Espinosa, Dulce; Marquina, Brenda; Torres, Javier; Hernández-Pando, Rogelio

2013-10-07

New alternatives for the treatment of Tuberculosis (TB) are urgently needed and medicinal plants represent a potential option. Chamaedora tepejilote and Lantana hispida are medicinal plants from Mexico and their hexanic extracts have shown antimycobacterial activity. Bioguided investigation of these extracts showed that the active compounds were ursolic acid (UA) and oleanolic acid (OA). The activity of UA and OA against Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv, four monoresistant strains, and two drug-resistant clinical isolates were determined by MABA test. The intracellular activity of UA and OA against M. tuberculosis H37Rv and a MDR clinical isolate were evaluated in a macrophage cell line. Finally, the antitubercular activity of UA and OA was tested in BALB/c mice infected with M. tuberculosis H37Rv or a MDR strain, by determining pulmonary bacilli loads, tissue damage by automated histomorphometry, and expression of IFN-γ, TNF-α, and iNOS by quantitative RT-PCR. The in vitro assay showed that the UA/OA mixture has synergistic activity. The intracellular activity of these compounds against M. tuberculosis H37Rv and a MDR clinical isolate in a macrophage cell line showed that both compounds, alone and in combination, were active against intracellular mycobacteria even at low doses. Moreover, when both compounds were used to treat BALB/c mice with TB induced by H37Rv or MDR bacilli, a significant reduction of bacterial loads and pneumonia were observed compared to the control. Interestingly, animals treated with UA and OA showed a higher expression of IFN-γ and TNF-α in their lungs, than control animals. UA and OA showed antimicrobial activity plus an immune-stimulatory effect that permitted the control of experimental pulmonary TB.

Ursolic and oleanolic acids as antimicrobial and immunomodulatory compounds for tuberculosis treatment

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background New alternatives for the treatment of Tuberculosis (TB) are urgently needed and medicinal plants represent a potential option. Chamaedora tepejilote and Lantana hispida are medicinal plants from Mexico and their hexanic extracts have shown antimycobacterial activity. Bioguided investigation of these extracts showed that the active compounds were ursolic acid (UA) and oleanolic acid (OA). Methods The activity of UA and OA against Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv, four monoresistant strains, and two drug-resistant clinical isolates were determined by MABA test. The intracellular activity of UA and OA against M. tuberculosis H37Rv and a MDR clinical isolate were evaluated in a macrophage cell line. Finally, the antitubercular activity of UA and OA was tested in BALB/c mice infected with M. tuberculosis H37Rv or a MDR strain, by determining pulmonary bacilli loads, tissue damage by automated histomorphometry, and expression of IFN-γ, TNF-α, and iNOS by quantitative RT-PCR. Results The in vitro assay showed that the UA/OA mixture has synergistic activity. The intracellular activity of these compounds against M. tuberculosis H37Rv and a MDR clinical isolate in a macrophage cell line showed that both compounds, alone and in combination, were active against intracellular mycobacteria even at low doses. Moreover, when both compounds were used to treat BALB/c mice with TB induced by H37Rv or MDR bacilli, a significant reduction of bacterial loads and pneumonia were observed compared to the control. Interestingly, animals treated with UA and OA showed a higher expression of IFN-γ and TNF-α in their lungs, than control animals. Conclusion UA and OA showed antimicrobial activity plus an immune-stimulatory effect that permitted the control of experimental pulmonary TB. PMID:24098949

Blytheville AFB, Arkansas. Water quality management survey. Final report 11-14 Apr 83

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

New, G.R.; Gibson, D.P. Jr.

1983-05-01

The USAF OEHL conducted an on site water quality management survey at Blytheville AFB. Main areas of interest were (1) the wastewater treatment plant effluent fecal coliform count, and residual chlorine content, and (2) the stream sampling protocol. The drinking water plant, landfill and industrial shops were also included in the survey. Results of the survey indicated that the low residual chlorine content caused high fecal coliform counts in the wastewater effluent. The chemical parameters sampled in the stream monitoring program did not coincide with the requirements of the State of Arkansas and required modification. Recommendations were made to increasemore » the residual chlorine content of the wastewater effluent and to increase the mixing of the chlorine contact chamber. A list of the chemical parameters was included in the report for stream monitoring.« less

Automatic detection of mycobacterium tuberculosis using artificial intelligence

PubMed Central

Xiong, Yan; Ba, Xiaojun; Hou, Ao; Zhang, Kaiwen; Chen, Longsen

2018-01-01

Background Tuberculosis (TB) is a global issue that seriously endangers public health. Pathology is one of the most important means for diagnosing TB in clinical practice. To confirm TB as the diagnosis, finding specially stained TB bacilli under a microscope is critical. Because of the very small size and number of bacilli, it is a time-consuming and strenuous work even for experienced pathologists, and this strenuosity often leads to low detection rate and false diagnoses. We investigated the clinical efficacy of an artificial intelligence (AI)-assisted detection method for acid-fast stained TB bacillus. Methods We built a convolutional neural networks (CNN) model, named tuberculosis AI (TB-AI), specifically to recognize TB bacillus. The training set contains 45 samples, including 30 positive cases and 15 negative cases, where bacilli are labeled by human pathologists. Upon training the neural network model, 201 samples (108 positive cases and 93 negative cases) were collected as test set and used to examine TB-AI. We compared the diagnosis of TB-AI to the ground truth result provided by human pathologists, analyzed inconsistencies between AI and human, and adjusted the protocol accordingly. Trained TB-AI were run on the test data twice. Results Examined against the double confirmed diagnosis by pathologists both via microscopes and digital slides, TB-AI achieved 97.94% sensitivity and 83.65% specificity. Conclusions TB-AI can be a promising support system to detect stained TB bacilli and help make clinical decisions. It holds the potential to relieve the heavy workload of pathologists and decrease chances of missed diagnosis. Samples labeled as positive by TB-AI must be confirmed by pathologists, and those labeled as negative should be reviewed to make sure that the digital slides are qualified. PMID:29707349

Long-term Survival and Virulence of Mycobacterium leprae in Amoebal Cysts

PubMed Central

Wheat, William H.; Casali, Amy L.; Thomas, Vincent; Spencer, John S.; Lahiri, Ramanuj; Williams, Diana L.; McDonnell, Gerald E.; Gonzalez-Juarrero, Mercedes; Brennan, Patrick J.; Jackson, Mary

2014-01-01

Leprosy is a curable neglected disease of humans caused by Mycobacterium leprae that affects the skin and peripheral nerves and manifests clinically in various forms ranging from self-resolving, tuberculoid leprosy to lepromatous leprosy having significant pathology with ensuing disfiguration disability and social stigma. Despite the global success of multi-drug therapy (MDT), incidences of clinical leprosy have been observed in individuals with no apparent exposure to other cases, suggestive of possible non-human sources of the bacteria. In this study we show that common free-living amoebae (FLA) can phagocytose M. leprae, and allow the bacillus to remain viable for up to 8 months within amoebic cysts. Viable bacilli were extracted from separate encysted cocultures comprising three common Acanthamoeba spp.: A. lenticulata, A. castellanii, and A. polyphaga and two strains of Hartmannella vermiformis. Trophozoites of these common FLA take up M. leprae by phagocytosis. M. leprae from infected trophozoites induced to encyst for long-term storage of the bacilli emerged viable by assessment of membrane integrity. The majority (80%) of mice that were injected with bacilli extracted from 35 day cocultures of encysted/excysted A. castellanii and A. polyphaga showed lesion development that was similar to mice challenged with fresh M. leprae from passage mice albeit at a slower initial rate. Mice challenged with coculture-extracted bacilli showed evidence of acid-fast bacteria and positive PCR signal for M. leprae. These data support the conclusion that M. leprae can remain viable long-term in environmentally ubiquitous FLA and retain virulence as assessed in the nu/nu mouse model. Additionally, this work supports the idea that M. leprae might be sustained in the environment between hosts in FLA and such residence in FLA may provide a macrophage-like niche contributing to the higher-than-expected rate of leprosy transmission despite a significant decrease in human reservoirs

Long-term survival and virulence of Mycobacterium leprae in amoebal cysts.

PubMed

Wheat, William H; Casali, Amy L; Thomas, Vincent; Spencer, John S; Lahiri, Ramanuj; Williams, Diana L; McDonnell, Gerald E; Gonzalez-Juarrero, Mercedes; Brennan, Patrick J; Jackson, Mary

2014-12-01

Leprosy is a curable neglected disease of humans caused by Mycobacterium leprae that affects the skin and peripheral nerves and manifests clinically in various forms ranging from self-resolving, tuberculoid leprosy to lepromatous leprosy having significant pathology with ensuing disfiguration disability and social stigma. Despite the global success of multi-drug therapy (MDT), incidences of clinical leprosy have been observed in individuals with no apparent exposure to other cases, suggestive of possible non-human sources of the bacteria. In this study we show that common free-living amoebae (FLA) can phagocytose M. leprae, and allow the bacillus to remain viable for up to 8 months within amoebic cysts. Viable bacilli were extracted from separate encysted cocultures comprising three common Acanthamoeba spp.: A. lenticulata, A. castellanii, and A. polyphaga and two strains of Hartmannella vermiformis. Trophozoites of these common FLA take up M. leprae by phagocytosis. M. leprae from infected trophozoites induced to encyst for long-term storage of the bacilli emerged viable by assessment of membrane integrity. The majority (80%) of mice that were injected with bacilli extracted from 35 day cocultures of encysted/excysted A. castellanii and A. polyphaga showed lesion development that was similar to mice challenged with fresh M. leprae from passage mice albeit at a slower initial rate. Mice challenged with coculture-extracted bacilli showed evidence of acid-fast bacteria and positive PCR signal for M. leprae. These data support the conclusion that M. leprae can remain viable long-term in environmentally ubiquitous FLA and retain virulence as assessed in the nu/nu mouse model. Additionally, this work supports the idea that M. leprae might be sustained in the environment between hosts in FLA and such residence in FLA may provide a macrophage-like niche contributing to the higher-than-expected rate of leprosy transmission despite a significant decrease in human reservoirs

Automatic detection of mycobacterium tuberculosis using artificial intelligence.

PubMed

Xiong, Yan; Ba, Xiaojun; Hou, Ao; Zhang, Kaiwen; Chen, Longsen; Li, Ting

2018-03-01

Tuberculosis (TB) is a global issue that seriously endangers public health. Pathology is one of the most important means for diagnosing TB in clinical practice. To confirm TB as the diagnosis, finding specially stained TB bacilli under a microscope is critical. Because of the very small size and number of bacilli, it is a time-consuming and strenuous work even for experienced pathologists, and this strenuosity often leads to low detection rate and false diagnoses. We investigated the clinical efficacy of an artificial intelligence (AI)-assisted detection method for acid-fast stained TB bacillus. We built a convolutional neural networks (CNN) model, named tuberculosis AI (TB-AI), specifically to recognize TB bacillus. The training set contains 45 samples, including 30 positive cases and 15 negative cases, where bacilli are labeled by human pathologists. Upon training the neural network model, 201 samples (108 positive cases and 93 negative cases) were collected as test set and used to examine TB-AI. We compared the diagnosis of TB-AI to the ground truth result provided by human pathologists, analyzed inconsistencies between AI and human, and adjusted the protocol accordingly. Trained TB-AI were run on the test data twice. Examined against the double confirmed diagnosis by pathologists both via microscopes and digital slides, TB-AI achieved 97.94% sensitivity and 83.65% specificity. TB-AI can be a promising support system to detect stained TB bacilli and help make clinical decisions. It holds the potential to relieve the heavy workload of pathologists and decrease chances of missed diagnosis. Samples labeled as positive by TB-AI must be confirmed by pathologists, and those labeled as negative should be reviewed to make sure that the digital slides are qualified.

Dover AFB Characterization/Hazardous Waste Management Survey, Dover AFB, Delaware.

DTIC Science & Technology

1986-07-01

chromium ion (chromate, chromic acid) needs to be reduced to the insoluble trivalent ion ( chromium oxide, chromic hydroxide) to facilitate effective...precipitation. The good removal efficiency seen in the Jar tests indicates the chromium may already be in the trivalent oxidation state, possibly reduced...fails the EP toxicity test for chromium alone, the waste may be excluded from being a hazardous waste, if the chromium is primarily in the trivalent

THE EFFECT OF IRRADIATION OF THE BODY ON THE VIRULENCE OF TYPHOID FEVER BACILLI (in Russian)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chekatilo, G.A.

1958-03-01

The study was carried out on the pathogenic properties of typhoid fever bacilli from the organism of irradiated (by 100, 200, and 300 r) and non- irradiated (control) guinea pigs. The animals were infected intracutaneously, after irradiation. The pathogenic properties of the microbes, isolated from the cutaneous foci, were examined by intraperitoneal inoculation of white mice with the dose of 15 and 30 million microbes. The total of 156 strains were examined and 762 mice were infected. lt was established that the mortality of mice infected with the bacterial cultures isolated from irradiated guinea pigs was higher than in micemore » infected with cultures isolated from non-irradiated mice (54.5% in the experimental group, as against 38% in the control group). Besides, it was revealed that the longer the microbes remained in the tissues of the macroorganism the greater became their virulence. This property was more pronounced in irradiated animals. Therefore, increase of the microbe virulence in the irradiated orgaaism is connected with the effect of irradiation which acts upon the microbes through the organism. (tr-auth)« less

Evaluation of the β-CARBA™ test, a colorimetric test for the rapid detection of carbapenemase activity in Gram-negative bacilli.

PubMed

Bernabeu, Sandrine; Dortet, Laurent; Naas, Thierry

2017-06-01

There is an urgent need for accurate and fast diagnostic tests to identify carbapenemase-producing bacteria. Here, we have evaluated a novel colorimetric test (the β-CARBA™ test; Bio-Rad) to detect carbapenemase-producing Gram-negative bacilli from cultured colonies. The performance of the β-CARBA™ test was compared with that of the Carba NP test (or the CarbAcineto NP test) and RAPIDEC ® CARBA NP (bioMérieux) using a collection of 290 isolates with characterized β-lactamase content. This collection included 199 carbapenemase producers (121 Enterobacteriaceae, 36 Pseudomonas and 42 Acinetobacter baumannii ) and 91 non-carbapenemase producers (55 Enterobacteriaceae, 20 Pseudomonas and 16 A. baumannii ). The β-CARBA™ test correctly detected 84.9% of the carbapenemase producers, including all KPC and IMP, 96.4% of VIM, 85.3% of NDM, 80.5% of OXA-48-like and 91.2% of A. baumannii -related OXA carbapenemases (OXA-23, OXA-40, OXA-58, OXA-143 and overexpressed OXA-51). All rare metallo-β-lactamases (SPM, AIM, GIM, DIM and SIM) were detected. Importantly, all non-KPC Ambler class A carbapenemases were not detected, including GES variants with carbapenemase activity ( n  = 6), IMI ( n  = 3), NMC-A ( n  = 1), SME ( n  = 2), FRI-1 ( n  = 1) and BIC-1 ( n  = 1). All non-carbapenemase producers gave a negative result except with OXA-163-, OXA-405- and one TEM-3-producing Citrobacter freundii . The overall sensitivity and specificity of the β-CARBA™ test were 84.9% and 95.6%, respectively. This test is easy to perform and to interpret by non-specialized staff members. Despite lack of specificity towards non-KPC Ambler class A and OXA-48-like carbapenemases, the β-CARBA™ test could complete the existing panel of tests available for the confirmation of carbapenemases in Gram-negatives. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy. All rights reserved. For

Fast food: unfriendly and unhealthy.

PubMed

Stender, S; Dyerberg, J; Astrup, A

2007-06-01

Although nutrition experts might be able to navigate the menus of fast-food restaurant chains, and based on the nutritional information, compose apparently 'healthy' meals, there are still many reasons why frequent fast-food consumption at most chains is unhealthy and contributes to weight gain, obesity, type 2 diabetes and coronary artery disease. Fast food generally has a high-energy density, which, together with large portion sizes, induces over consumption of calories. In addition, we have found it to be a myth that the typical fast-food meal is the same worldwide. Chemical analyses of 74 samples of fast-food menus consisting of French fries and fried chicken (nuggets/hot wings) bought in McDonalds and KFC outlets in 35 countries in 2005-2006 showed that the total fat content of the same menu varies from 41 to 65 g at McDonalds and from 42 to 74 g at KFC. In addition, fast food from major chains in most countries still contains unacceptably high levels of industrially produced trans-fatty acids (IP-TFA). IP-TFA have powerful biological effects and may contribute to increased weight gain, abdominal obesity, type 2 diabetes and coronary artery disease. The food quality and portion size need to be improved before it is safe to eat frequently at most fast-food chains.

Fasting in king penguin. II. Hormonal and metabolic changes during molt.

PubMed

Cherel, Y; Leloup, J; Le Maho, Y

1988-02-01

The coincidence of fast and molt in penguins is an interesting condition for investigating the factors controlling protein metabolism; avian molt involves the utilization of amino acids for synthesis of new feathers, whereas a major factor for adaptation to fasting in birds, as for mammals, is reduction in net protein breakdown. Hormonal and biochemical changes were studied in seven molting king penguins. Their initial body mass was 18 kg. It decreased by 58% over 41 days of fasting. Feather synthesis lasted for the first 3 wk of the fast. It was marked by plasma concentrations of alanine and uric acid 1.5 to 2 times those for nonmolting fast, and plasma thyroxine was increased five times. At the completion of molt all these values returned to levels comparable to those in nonmolting fast. As indicated by high plasma levels of beta-hydroxybutyrate, lipid stores were mobilized readily during molting. The fast ended by a phase of enhancement in protein utilization that was characterized by a fivefold increase in uricacidemia and coincided with an 80% drop in plasma beta-hydroxybutyrate and a fourfold increase in plasma corticosterone. These data suggest that two different hormones control the two successive periods marked by an increased protein mobilization during the molting fast, i.e., thyroxine during feather growth and corticosterone toward the end of the fast, when the molt is completed.

Dynamics of bacterial class Bacilli in the deepest valley lake of Kashmir-the Manasbal Lake.

PubMed

Shafi, Sana; Kamili, Azra N; Shah, Manzoor A; Bandh, Suhaib A; Dar, Rubiya

2017-03-01

In recognition of the importance of bacteria as ecological indicators of the aquatic systems a comprehensive and systematic analysis was carried out on Manasbal Lake, the deepest spring fed valley lake of Kashmir. The main objective envisaged was to analyze bacterial community composition (BCC) and for this purpose systematic and regular sampling of waters from ten different sampling stations, predetermined in the Lake according to differences in degree of human interference and also as zones of special ecological interests were selected. The isolated species were identified according to Bergey's Manual specification by examining their micro and macro morphological characteristics and biochemical characteristics on different culture media. Further confirmation was done by sequencing the 16s rRNA gene by using universal bacterial primers 27F and 1429R. From all the sampling stations the class Bacilli showed a maximum relative abundance with a contribution of 16 bacterial species. The whole process resulted in the identification of Bacillus aerius, Bacillus altitudinis, Bacillus anthracis, Bacillus cereus, Bacillus ginsengisoli, Bacillus pumilus, Bacillus safensis, Bacillus stratosphericus, Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus tequilensis, Bacillus thermocopriae, Bacillus thuringiensis, Brevibacillus agri strain, Lysinibacillus boronitolerans, Lysinibacillus pakistanensis and Lysinibacillus sphaericus. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Inhibition of tubercle bacilli in cultured human macrophages by chloroquine used alone and in combination with streptomycin, isoniazid, pyrazinamide, and two metabolites of vitamin D3.

PubMed Central

Crowle, A J; May, M H

1990-01-01

Intracellular tubercle bacilli (TB) reside in vacuoles in infected human macrophages (MPs). The relative impotency of streptomycin against TB in MPs and the contrary greatly increased potency of pyrazinamide (PZA) have been attributed to the fact that these vacuoles are phagolysosomes and, therefore, acidic. Chloroquine (CQ) is a lysomotropic base which can be used to raise phagolysosomal pH. Consequently, it was tested for its ability to increase the anti-TB effectiveness of streptomycin and decrease that of PZA in cultured human MPs. MPs infected with virulent Erdman strain TB were incubated in medium with various combinations of the drugs. Samples were taken at 0, 4, and 7 days and lysed for CFU counts of viable TB on nutrient agar. As expected, CQ increased the effectiveness of SM, but unexpectedly, it did not decrease that of PZA. CQ alone was found to be able to inhibit intracellular TB. Because of this, it was also tested with isoniazid, 1,25(OH)2-vitamin D3, and 25-OH-vitamin D3. It significantly enhanced the anti-TB protectiveness of both isoniazid and 25-OH-vitamin D3. Some combinations of CQ and the various drugs tested were able to kill intracellular TB. These results suggest that CQ may be useful in the treatment of tuberculosis. PMID:2127346

Differential Sensitivities of Fast- and Slow-Cycling Cancer Cells to Inosine Monophosphate Dehydrogenase 2 Inhibition by Mycophenolic Acid

PubMed Central

Chen, Kan; Cao, Wanlu; Li, Juan; Sprengers, Dave; Hernanda, Pratika Y; Kong, Xiangdong; van der Laan, Luc JW; Man, Kwan; Kwekkeboom, Jaap; Metselaar, Herold J; Peppelenbosch, Maikel P; Pan, Qiuwei

2015-01-01

As uncontrolled cell proliferation requires nucleotide biosynthesis, inhibiting enzymes that mediate nucleotide biosynthesis constitutes a rational approach to the management of oncological diseases. In practice, however, results of this strategy are mixed and thus elucidation of the mechanisms by which cancer cells evade the effect of nucleotide biosynthesis restriction is urgently needed. Here we explored the notion that intrinsic differences in cancer cell cycle velocity are important in the resistance toward inhibition of inosine monophosphate dehydrogenase (IMPDH) by mycophenolic acid (MPA). In short-term experiments, MPA treatment of fast-growing cancer cells effectively elicited G0/G1 arrest and provoked apoptosis, thus inhibiting cell proliferation and colony formation. Forced expression of a mutated IMPDH2, lacking a binding site for MPA but retaining enzymatic activity, resulted in complete resistance of cancer cells to MPA. In nude mice subcutaneously engrafted with HeLa cells, MPA moderately delayed tumor formation by inhibiting cell proliferation and inducing apoptosis. Importantly, we developed a lentiviral vector–based Tet-on label-retaining system that enables to identify, isolate and functionally characterize slow-cycling or so-called label-retaining cells (LRCs) in vitro and in vivo. We surprisingly found the presence of LRCs in fast-growing tumors. LRCs were superior in colony formation, tumor initiation and resistance to MPA as compared with fast-cycling cells. Thus, the slow-cycling compartment of cancer seems predominantly responsible for resistance to MPA. PMID:26467706

Blytheville AFB, Arkansas, Revised Uniform Summary of Surface Weather Observations (RUSSWO). Parts A-F.

DTIC Science & Technology

1987-10-01

A USAFETAC Air Weather Service (MAC) 3SSTAe’ REVISED UNIFORM SUMMARY OF SURFACE WEATHER OBSERVATIONS BLYTHEVILLE AFB AR MSC 1723408 IC N 35 58 W...I IE C It I 1-3 4-b I-Il It 1 7-2 1 2 - 4- UC 4 1-4 7 4F - U S5 1(IA " SAN I9 I 1. . 217 2.0 .i D I .lF I .2 1.? .7 1 .1 1 .2 .2- 0.1I 7 I AIR4 3tf...o o o , . . .. . . .o ..oo.o.. 17-, -7 5C.-. 1-7 ’-, F t tt 71*1. Li I I L C1.2 4 t 7 1L 1 4 uC I* I. A .o o.....oo. oo ~ oo o ooo ...... ...... .o. o

Adjuvant effect in aquaculture fish of cell-wall glycolipids isolated from acid-fast bacteria.

PubMed

Matsumoto, Megumi; Araki, Kyosuke; Nishimura, Sayaka; Kuriyama, Hideki; Nakanishi, Teruyuki; Shiozaki, Kazuhiro; Takeuchi, Yutaka; Yamamoto, Atsushi

2018-08-01

Mycobacteriosis and nocardiosis in cultured fish caused by infections with acid-fast bacteria, are responsible for large economic losses globally. In this study, we suggest a novel adjuvant using glycolipids that activates host immune systems. The immune response to glycolipids stimulation was investigated using ginbuna crucian carp. Ginbuna vaccinated with FKC (formalin-killed cells) + glycolipids isolated from Mycobacterium sp., upregulated inflammatory- and Th1-related cytokines, and a DTH (delayed-type hypersensitivity) response was confirmed only in ginbuna vaccinated with FKC + glycolipids. These observations suggest that glycolipids activated host innate and cell-mediated immunity. Subsequently, we evaluated the adjuvant effect of glycolipids against amberjack nocardiosis. In a challenge test, a higher survival rate was observed in amberjack vaccinated with FKC + glycolipids emulsified with conventional oil adjuvant than in fish vaccinated with FKC + oil adjuvant without glycolipids. Therefore, glycolipids potentially could be used as a practical, economical and safe adjuvant for aquaculture fish. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Fast simultaneous analysis of caffeine, trigonelline, nicotinic acid and sucrose in coffee by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Perrone, Daniel; Donangelo, Carmen Marino; Farah, Adriana

2008-10-15

A rapid liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry method for the simultaneous quantification of caffeine, trigonelline, nicotinic acid and sucrose in coffee was developed and validated. The method involved extraction with hot water, clarification with basic lead acetate and membrane filtration, followed by chromatographic separation using a Spherisorb(®) S5 ODS2, 5μm chromatographic column and gradient elution with 0.3% aqueous formic acid/methanol at a flow rate of 0.2mL/min. The electrospray ionization source was operated in the negative mode to generate sucrose ions and in the positive mode to generate caffeine, trigonelline and nicotinic acid ions. Ionization suppression of all analytes was found due to matrix effect. Calibrations curves prepared in green and roasted coffee extracts were linear with r(2)>0.999. Roasted coffee was spiked and recoveries ranged from 93.0% to 105.1% for caffeine, from 85.2% to 116.2% for trigonelline, from 89.6% to 113.5% for nicotinic acid and from 94.1% to 109.7% for sucrose. Good repeatibilities (RSD<5%) were found for all analytes in the matrix. The limit of detection (LOD), calculated on the basis of signal-to-noise ratios of 3:1, was 11.9, 36.4, 18.5 and 5.0ng/mL for caffeine, trigonelline, nicotinic acid and sucrose, respectively. Analysis of 11 coffee samples (regular or decaffeinated green, ground roasted and instant) gave results in agreement with the literature. The method showed to be suitable for different types of coffee available in the market thus appearing as a fast and reliable alternative method to be used for routine coffee analysis. Copyright © 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A Populus TIR1 gene family survey reveals differential expression patterns and responses to 1-naphthaleneacetic acid and stress treatments

PubMed Central

Shu, Wenbo; Liu, Yingli; Guo, Yinghua; Zhou, Houjun; Zhang, Jin; Zhao, Shutang; Lu, Mengzhu

2015-01-01

The plant hormone auxin is a central regulator of plant growth. TRANSPORT INHIBITOR RESPONSE 1/AUXIN SIGNALING F-BOX (TIR1/AFB) is a component of the E3 ubiquitin ligase complex SCFTIR1/AFB and acts as an auxin co-receptor for nuclear auxin signaling. The SCFTIR1/AFB-proteasome machinery plays a central regulatory role in development-related gene transcription. Populus trichocarpa, as a model tree, has a unique fast-growth trait to which auxin signaling may contribute. However, no systematic analyses of the genome organization, gene structure, and expression of TIR1-like genes have been undertaken in this woody model plant. In this study, we identified a total of eight TIR1 genes in the Populus genome that are phylogenetically clustered into four subgroups, PtrFBL1/PtrFBL2, PtrFBL3/PtrFBL4, PtrFBL5/PtrFBL6, and PtrFBL7/PtrFBL8, representing four paralogous pairs. In addition, the gene structure and motif composition were relatively conserved in each paralogous pair and all of the PtrFBL members were localized in the nucleus. Different sets of PtrFBLs were strongly expressed in the leaves, stems, roots, cambial zones, and immature xylem of Populus. Interestingly, PtrFBL1 and 7 were expressed mainly in vascular and cambial tissues, respectively, indicating their potential but different roles in wood formation. Furthermore, Populus FBLs responded differentially upon exposure to various stresses. Finally, over-expression studies indicated a role of FBL1 in poplar stem growth and response to drought stress. Collectively, these observations lay the foundation for further investigations into the potential roles of PtrFBL genes in tree growth and development. PMID:26442033

Minutes of the HUSKY PUP Prefielding Instrumentation Meeting Held on 28- 29 April 1975 at Kirtland AFB, New Mexico

DTIC Science & Technology

1976-02-26

D£? E ;-:: E NUCLEAR ( y AGENCY „ v—TECHNICAL LIBRARY GU^ 28-29 APRIL 1975 DEFENSE NUCLEAR AGENCY TEST DIRECTORATE KIRTLAND AFB, NEW...HENRY J. THAYER ’^LTC, USA CHIEF, ENGINEERING BRANCH Q\\W\\0N ^ e .-igi«3 /^A i,nmiiJiiJMii y M MU«umwjm$iBKv^^ ■■. DISTRIBUTION: Director, Defense...ATTN: Mr. E . Sumner, Mr. T. Maguire, Mr. F. Moyer, Dept. 85-85, Bldg. 10?, P.O. Box 50^, Sunnyvale, CA 9^088 Lockheed Missiles and Space Company, ATTN

Added value of molecular assay Xpert MTB/RIF compared to sputum smear microscopy to assess the risk of tuberculosis transmission in a low-prevalence country.

PubMed

Opota, O; Senn, L; Prod'hom, G; Mazza-Stalder, J; Tissot, F; Greub, G; Jaton, K

2016-07-01

Airborne precautions are required at hospital admission for patients with suspected pulmonary tuberculosis. The isolation is maintained until 3 serially collected sputum smears are acid-fast bacilli negative, a time- and labor-intensive method with limited sensitivity and specificity, which has a great impact on patient flow management. We evaluated the possibility of replacing the result of microscopy by the semiquantitative result of the molecular point-of-care test Xpert MTB/RIF to assess patients' transmission risk to quickly guide airborne isolation decisions in low-endemic countries. The performance of the Xpert MTB/RIF, used as a first-line test, was compared to the results of microscopy for specimens (n=242) collected from May 2010 to December 2014 in Lausanne, Switzerland. The sensitivity and specificity of Xpert MTB/RIF were 91.5% (65/71) and 99.6% (170/171), respectively, vs. 64.8% (46/71) and 94.2% (161/171) for microscopy. Samples with negative Xpert MTB/RIF were all smear negative for Mycobacterium tuberculosis (negative predictive value, 100%). The semiquantitative results of Xpert MTB/RIF-high, medium, low or very low-were found to correlate with acid-fast bacilli detection: positive predictive value of 100% (6/6), 96.5% (27/28), 52.2% (12/23) and 11.1% (1/9) respectively. Finally, when including clinical criteria, we identified 11 smear-negative but Xpert MTB/RIF-positive patients with a significant transmission potential. In conclusion, our data support the introduction of an Xpert MTB/RIF-based strategy as a replacement of smear microscopy for a faster and more accurate management of tuberculosis patients' transmission risk in a low-prevalence country. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

The Fast Spiral-SelMQC Technique for In Vivo MR Spectroscopic Imaging of Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids (PUFA) in Human Breast Tissue‡

PubMed Central

Zhu, He; Rubin, Denis; He, Qiuhong

2011-01-01

The Selective Multiple-Quantum Coherence Transfer (Sel-MQC) method has been applied to image polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) distributions in human breast tissues in vivo for cancer detection, with complete suppression of the unwanted lipid and water signals in a single scan. The Cartesian k-space mapping of PUFA in vivo using the Sel-MQC CSI technique, however, requires excessive MR scan time. In this article, we report a fast Spiral-SelMQC sequence employing a rapid spiral k-space sampling scheme. The Spiral-SelMQC images of PUFA distribution in human breast were acquired using two-interleaved spirals on a 3T GE Signa MRI scanner. Approximately 160-fold reduction of acquisition time was observed as compared to the corresponding Sel-MQC CSI method with an equivalent number of scans, permitting acquisition of high-resolution PUFA images in minutes. The reconstructed Spiral-SelMQC PUFA images of human breast tissues achieved a sub-millimeter resolution of 0.54×0.54 or 0.63×0.63mm2/pixel for FOV = 14 or 16cm, respectively. The Spiral-SelMQC parameters for PUFA detection were optimized in 2D Sel-MQC experiments to suppress monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) and other lipid signals. The fast in vivo Spiral-SelMQC imaging method will be applied to study human breast cancer and other human diseases in extracranial organs. PMID:22028250

Metabolic adaptation to intermittent fasting is independent of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha.

PubMed

Li, Guolin; Brocker, Chad N; Yan, Tingting; Xie, Cen; Krausz, Kristopher W; Xiang, Rong; Gonzalez, Frank J

2018-01-01

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPARA) is a major regulator of fatty acid oxidation and severe hepatic steatosis occurs during acute fasting in Ppara-null mice. Thus, PPARA is considered an important mediator of the fasting response; however, its role in other fasting regiments such as every-other-day fasting (EODF) has not been investigated. Mice were pre-conditioned using either a diet containing the potent PPARA agonist Wy-14643 or an EODF regimen prior to acute fasting. Ppara-null mice were used to assess the contribution of PPARA activation during the metabolic response to EODF. Livers were collected for histological, biochemical, qRT-PCR, and Western blot analysis. Acute fasting activated PPARA and led to steatosis, whereas EODF protected against fasting-induced hepatic steatosis without affecting PPARA signaling. In contrast, pretreatment with Wy-14,643 did activate PPARA signaling but did not ameliorate acute fasting-induced steatosis and unexpectedly promoted liver injury. Ppara ablation exacerbated acute fasting-induced hypoglycemia, hepatic steatosis, and liver injury in mice, whereas these detrimental effects were absent in response to EODF, which promoted PPARA-independent fatty acid metabolism and normalized serum lipids. These findings indicate that PPARA activation prior to acute fasting cannot ameliorate fasting-induced hepatic steatosis, whereas EODF induced metabolic adaptations to protect against fasting-induced steatosis without altering PPARA signaling. Therefore, PPARA activation does not mediate the metabolic adaptation to fasting, at least in preventing acute fasting-induced steatosis. Published by Elsevier GmbH.

Alteration of fatty acid profile and nucleotide-related substances in post-mortem breast meat of α-lipoic acid-fed broiler chickens.

PubMed

Hamano, Y

2016-08-01

The present study was conducted to determine the effects of α-lipoic acid supplementation on post-mortem changes in the fatty acid profile and concentrations of nucleotide-related substances, especially those of a taste-active compound, inosine 5'-monophosphate, in chicken meat. Mixed-sex broiler chicks aged 14 d were divided into three groups of 16 birds each and were fed on diets supplemented with α-lipoic acid at levels of 0, 100 or 200 mg/kg for 4 weeks. Blood and breast muscle samples were taken at 42 d of age under the fed condition and then after fasting for 18 h. The breast muscle obtained from fasted chickens was subsequently refrigerated at 2°C for one and 3 d. α-Lipoic acid supplementation did not affect any plasma metabolite concentration independently of feeding condition, while a slight increase in plasma glucose concentration was shown with both administration levels of α-lipoic acid. In early post-mortem breast muscle under the fed condition, α-lipoic acid had no effect on concentrations of fatty acids or nucleotides of ATP, ADP, and AMP. In post-mortem breast tissues obtained from fasted chickens, total fatty acid concentrations were markedly increased by α-lipoic acid feeding at 200 mg/kg irrespective of length of refrigeration. This effect was dependent on stearic acid, oleic acid, linoleic acid and linolenic acid. However, among fatty acids, the only predominantly increased unsaturated fatty acid was oleic acid. Dietary supplementation with α-lipoic acid at 200 mg/kg increased the inosine 5'-monophosphate concentration in breast meat and, in contrast, reduced the subsequent catabolites, inosine and xanthine, regardless of the length of refrigeration. Therefore, the present study suggests that α-lipoic acid administration altered the fatty acid profile and improved meat quality by increasing taste-active substances in the post-mortem meat obtained from fasted chickens.

Effect of Nitrite and Nitrate Concentrations on the Performance of AFB-MFC Enriched with High-Strength Synthetic Wastewater.

PubMed

Huang, Jian-Sheng; Yang, Ping; Li, Chong-Ming; Guo, Yong; Lai, Bo; Wang, Ye; Feng, Li; Zhang, Yun

2015-01-01

In order to study the effect of nitrite and nitrate on the performance of microbial fuel cell, a system combining an anaerobic fluidized bed (AFB) and a microbial fuel cell (MFC) was employed for high-strength nitrogen-containing synthetic wastewater treatment. Before this study, the AFB-MFC had been used to treat high-strength organic wastewater for about one year in a continuous flow mode. The results showed that when the concentrations of nitrite nitrogen and nitrate nitrogen were increased from 1700 mg/L to 4045 mg/L and 545 mg/L to 1427 mg/L, respectively, the nitrite nitrogen and nitrate nitrogen removal efficiencies were both above 99%; the COD removal efficiency went up from 60.00% to 88.95%; the voltage was about 375 ± 15 mV while the power density was at 70 ± 5 mW/m(2). However, when the concentrations of nitrite nitrogen and nitrate nitrogen were above 4045 mg/L and 1427 mg/L, respectively, the removal of nitrite nitrogen, nitrate nitrogen, COD, voltage, and power density were decreased to be 86%, 88%, 77%, 180 mV, and 17 mW/m(2) when nitrite nitrogen and nitrate nitrogen were increased to 4265 mg/L and 1661 mg/L. In addition, the composition of biogas generated in the anode chamber was analyzed by a gas chromatograph. Nitrogen gas, methane, and carbon dioxide were obtained. The results indicated that denitrification happened in anode chamber.

The impact of reduced gastric acid secretion on dissolution of salts of weak bases in the fasted upper gastrointestinal lumen: Data in biorelevant media and in human aspirates.

PubMed

Litou, Chara; Vertzoni, Maria; Xu, Wei; Kesisoglou, Filippos; Reppas, Christos

2017-06-01

To propose media for simulating the intragastric environment under reduced gastric acid secretion in the fasted state at three levels of simulation of the gastric environment and evaluate their usefulness in evaluating the intragastric dissolution of salts of weak bases. To evaluate the importance of bicarbonate buffer in biorelevant in vitro dissolution testing when using Level II biorelevant media simulating the environment in the fasted upper small intestine, regardless of gastric acid secretions. Media for simulating the hypochlorhydric and achlorhydric conditions in stomach were proposed using phosphates, maleates and bicarbonates buffers. The impact of bicarbonates in Level II biorelevant media simulating the environment in upper small intestine was evaluated so that pH and bulk buffer capacity were maintained. Dissolution data were collected using two model compounds, pioglitazone hydrochloride and semifumarate cocrystal of Compound B, and the mini-paddle dissolution apparatus in biorelevant media and in human aspirates. Simulated gastric fluids proposed in this study were in line with pH, buffer capacity, pepsin content, total bile salt/lecithin content and osmolality of the fasted stomach under partial and under complete inhibition of gastric acid secretion. Fluids simulating the conditions under partial inhibition of acid secretion were useful in simulating concentrations of both model compounds in gastric aspirates. Bicarbonates in Level III biorelevant gastric media and in Level II biorelevant media simulating the composition in the upper intestinal lumen did not improve simulation of concentrations in human aspirates. Level III biorelevant media for simulating the intragastric environment under hypochlorhydric conditions were proposed and their usefulness in the evaluation of concentrations of two model salts of weak bases in gastric aspirates was shown. Level II biorelevant media for simulating the environment in upper intestinal lumen led to

Non-tuberculous Mycobacteriosis with T-cell Lymphoma in a Red Panda (Ailurus fulgens).

PubMed

Fuke, N; Hirai, T; Makimura, N; Goto, Y; Habibi, W A; Ito, S; Trang, N T; Koshino, K; Takeda, M; Yamaguchi, R

2016-01-01

A 9-year-old male red panda (Ailurus fulgens) became emaciated and died. Necropsy examination revealed systemic lymphadenomegaly. The liver, lungs and left kidney contained multifocal yellow nodules. Microscopical examination revealed granulomatous inflammation in the liver, lungs, kidney, spleen and lymph nodes, with numerous acid-fast bacilli. Sequencing of genetic material isolated from the tissues classified the pathogen as Mycobacterium gastri. Lymphoma was found in the liver, lungs, kidney and lymph nodes. The neoplastic cells were strongly labelled for expression of CD3, Ki67 and proliferating cell nuclear antigen by immunohistochemistry. This is the first report of M. gastri infection with T-cell lymphoma in a red panda. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

An outbreak of tuberculosis in Lleyn sheep in the UK associated with clinical signs.

PubMed

van der Burgt, G M; Drummond, F; Crawshaw, T; Morris, S

2013-01-19

This case report describes an outbreak of Mycobacterium bovis infection a Lleyn sheep flock associated with clinical signs of illthrift. There was no known direct contact with tuberculous cattle although bovine tuberculosis (bTB) is endemic in the area. The spoligotype isolated from the diseased sheep was the local spoligotype. The repeated use of the comparative intradermal tuberculin test, and the subsequent removal of reactor animals, resulted in apparent elimination of bTB from the flock. Lesions caused by M bovis in sheep may contain very few acid-fast bacilli, and gross lesions may resemble those found in cases of Caseous Lymphadenitis. Routine meat inspection may, therefore, not always easily detect this notifiable disease.

Fast internal dynamics in alcohol dehydrogenase

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Monkenbusch, M.; Stadler, A., E-mail: a.stadler@fz-juelich.de; Biehl, R.

2015-08-21

Large-scale domain motions in alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) have been observed previously by neutron spin-echo spectroscopy (NSE). We have extended the investigation on the dynamics of ADH in solution by using high-resolution neutron time-of-flight (TOF) and neutron backscattering (BS) spectroscopy in the incoherent scattering range. The observed hydrogen dynamics were interpreted in terms of three mobility classes, which allowed a simultaneous description of the measured TOF and BS spectra. In addition to the slow global protein diffusion and domain motions observed by NSE, a fast internal process could be identified. Around one third of the protons in ADH participate in themore » fast localized diffusive motion. The diffusion coefficient of the fast internal motions is around two third of the value of the surrounding D{sub 2}O solvent. It is tempting to associate the fast internal process with solvent exposed amino acid residues with dangling side chains.« less

The influence of feeding and fasting on plasma metabolites in the dogfish shark (Squalus acanthias).

PubMed

Wood, Chris M; Walsh, Patrick J; Kajimura, Makiko; McClelland, Grant B; Chew, Shit F

2010-04-01

Dogfish sharks are opportunistic predators, eating large meals at irregular intervals. Here we present a synthesis of data from several previous studies on responses in plasma metabolites after natural feeding and during prolonged fasting (up to 56days), together with new data on changes in plasma concentrations of amino acids and non-esterified fatty acids. Post-prandial and long-term fasting responses were compared to control sharks fasted for 7days, a typical inter-meal interval. A feeding frenzy was created in which dogfish were allowed to feed naturally on dead teleosts at two consumed ration levels, 2.6% and 5.5% of body weight. Most responses were more pronounced at the higher ration level. These included increases in urea and TMAO concentrations at 20h, followed by stability through to 56days of fasting. Ammonia levels were low and exhibited little short-term response to feeding, but declined to very low values during the extended fast. Glucose and beta-hydroxybutyrate both fell after feeding, the latter to a greater and more prolonged extent (up to 60h), whereas acetoacetate did not change. During prolonged fasting, glucose concentrations were well regulated, but beta-hydroxybutyrate increased to 2-3-fold control levels. Total plasma amino acid concentrations increased in a biphasic fashion, with peaks at 6-20h, and 48-60h after the meal, followed by homeostasis during the extended fast. Essential and non-essential amino acids generally followed this same pattern, though some exhibited different trends after feeding: taurine, beta-alanine, and glycine (decreases or stability), alanine and glutamine (modest prolonged increases), and threonine, serine, asparagine, and valine (much larger short-term increases). Plasma non-esterified fatty acid concentrations declined markedly through 48h after the 2.6% meal. These data are interpreted in light of companion studies showing elevations in aerobic metabolic rate, urea production, rectal gland function, metabolic

The molecular distribution of fine particulate organic matter emitted from Western-style fast food cooking

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Yunliang; Hu, Min; Slanina, Sjaak; Zhang, Yuanhang

The emissions from food cooking could be a significant contributor to atmospheric particulate organic matter (POM) and its chemical composition would vary with different cooking styles. In this study, the chemical composition of POM emitted from Western-style fast food cooking was investigated. A total of six PM 2.5 samples was collected from a commercial restaurant and determined by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). It is found that the total amount of quantified compounds of per mg POM in Western-style fast food cooking is much higher than that in Chinese cooking. The predominant homologue is fatty acids, accounting for 78% of total quantified POM, with the predominant one being palmitic acid. Dicarboxylic acids display the second highest concentration in the quantified homologues with hexanedioic acid being predominant, followed by nonanedioic acid. Cmax of n-alkanes occurs at C25, but they still appear relative higher concentrations at C29 and C31. In addition, both levoglucosan and cholesterol are quantified. The relationship of concentrations of unsaturated fatty acids (C16 and C18) with a double bond at C9 position and C9 acids indicates the reduction of the unsaturated fatty acids in the emissions could form the C9 acids. Moreover, the nonlinear fit indicates that other C9 species or other compounds are also produced, except for the C9 acids. The potential candidates of tracers for the emissions from Western-fast food cooking could be: tetradecanoic acid, hexadecanoic acid, octadecanoic acid, 9-octadecenoic acid, nonanal, lactones, levoglucosan, hexanedioic acid and nonanedioic acid.

[Performance of LED fluorescence microscopy for the detection of acid-fast bacilli from respiratory samples in peripheral laboratories in Argentina].

PubMed

Imaz, María; Allassia, Sonia; Aranibar, Mónica; Gunia, Alba; Poggi, Susana; Togneri, Ana; Wolff, Lidia; Of Fluorescence, Group Of Implementation

2017-06-01

Light-emitting diode fluorescence microscopy (LED-FM) has been endorsed by the World Health Organization (WHO) for tuberculosis diagnosis, but its accuracy in HIV-infected patients remains controversial, and only some few studies have explored procedural factors that may affect its performance. To evaluate the performance of LED-FM for tuberculosis diagnosis in patients with and without HIV infection using a newer, less expensive LED lamp. We compared the performance of LED-FM and Ziehl-Neelsen (ZN) microscopy on respiratory specimen smears from tuberculosis (TB) suspects and patients on treatment examined by different technicians blinded for HIV-status and for the result of the comparative test. We analyzed the effect of concentrating specimens prior to microscopy using different examination schemes and user-appraisal of the LED device. Of the 6,968 diagnostic specimens collected, 869 (12.5%) had positive Mycobacterium tuberculosis cultures. LED-FM was 11.4% more sensitive than ZN (p;0.01). Among HIV-positive TB patients, sensitivity differences between LED-FM and ZN (20.6%) doubled the figure obtained in HIVnegative patients or in those with unknown HIV status (9.3%). After stratifying by direct and concentrated slides, the superiority of LED-FM remained. High specificity values were obtained both with LED-FM(99.9%) and ZN (99.9%).The second reading of a sample of slides showed a significantly higher positive detection yield using 200x magnification (49.4 %) than 400x magnification (33.8%) (p;0.05). The LEDdevice had a very good acceptance among the technicians. LED-FM better performance compared with ZN in HIV-infected patients and user-appraisal support the rapid roll-out of LED-FM. Screening at 200x magnification was essential to achieve LEDFM increased sensitivity.

Kinetic modeling of sporulation and product formation in stationary phase by Bacillus coagulans RK-02 vis-à-vis other Bacilli.

PubMed

Das, Subhasish; Sen, Ramkrishna

2011-10-01

A logistic kinetic model was derived and validated to characterize the dynamics of a sporogenous bacterium in stationary phase with respect to sporulation and product formation. The kinetic constants as determined using this model are particularly important for describing intrinsic properties of a sporogenous bacterial culture in stationary phase. Non-linear curve fitting of the experimental data into the mathematical model showed very good correlation with the predicted values for sporulation and lipase production by Bacillus coagulans RK-02 culture in minimal media. Model fitting of literature data of sporulation and product (protease and amylase) formation in the stationary phase by some other Bacilli and comparison of the results of model fitting with those of Bacillus coagulans helped validate the significance and robustness of the developed kinetic model. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Fast Response and Spontaneous Alignment in Liquid Crystals Doped with 12-Hydroxystearic Acid Gelators

PubMed Central

Lin, Hui-Chi; Wang, Chih-Hung; Wang, Jyun-Kai; Tsai, Sheng-Feng

2018-01-01

The spontaneous vertical alignment of liquid crystals (LCs) in gelator (12-hydroxystearic acid)-doped LC cells was studied. Gelator-induced alignment can be used in both positive and negative LC cells. The electro-optical characteristics of the gelator-doped negative LC cell were similar to those of an LC cell that contained a vertically aligned (VA) host. The rise time of the gelator-doped LC cell was two orders of magnitude shorter than that of the VA host LC cell. The experimental results indicate that the gelator-induced vertical alignment of LC molecules occurred not only on the surface of the indium tin oxide (ITO) but also on the homogeneous alignment layer. Various LC alignments (planar, hybrid, multistable hybrid, and vertical alignments) were achieved by modulating the doped gelator concentrations. The multistable characteristic of LCs doped with the gelator is also presented. The alignment by doping with a gelator reduces the manufacturing costs and provides a means of fabricating fast-responding, flexible LC displays using a low-temperature process. PMID:29735937

Fast Response and Spontaneous Alignment in Liquid Crystals Doped with 12-Hydroxystearic Acid Gelators.

PubMed

Lin, Hui-Chi; Wang, Chih-Hung; Wang, Jyun-Kai; Tsai, Sheng-Feng

2018-05-07

The spontaneous vertical alignment of liquid crystals (LCs) in gelator (12-hydroxystearic acid)-doped LC cells was studied. Gelator-induced alignment can be used in both positive and negative LC cells. The electro-optical characteristics of the gelator-doped negative LC cell were similar to those of an LC cell that contained a vertically aligned (VA) host. The rise time of the gelator-doped LC cell was two orders of magnitude shorter than that of the VA host LC cell. The experimental results indicate that the gelator-induced vertical alignment of LC molecules occurred not only on the surface of the indium tin oxide (ITO) but also on the homogeneous alignment layer. Various LC alignments (planar, hybrid, multistable hybrid, and vertical alignments) were achieved by modulating the doped gelator concentrations. The multistable characteristic of LCs doped with the gelator is also presented. The alignment by doping with a gelator reduces the manufacturing costs and provides a means of fabricating fast-responding, flexible LC displays using a low-temperature process.

Simultaneous determination of four aflatoxins and ochratoxin A in ginger after inoculation with fungi by ultra-fast liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Yang, Ying; Wen, Jing; Kong, Weijun; Liu, Qiutao; Luo, Hongli; Wang, Jian; Yang, Meihua

2016-09-01

Aflatoxins (AFs) and ochratoxin A (OTA) have been detected frequently in food, agricultural products and traditional Chinese medicines, and their presence poses serious health and economic problems worldwide. Ginger can easily be polluted with mycotoxins. In this study, ginger samples were cultivated for 15 days after inoculation with fungi and were prepared based on ultrasound-assisted solid-liquid extraction using methanol/water followed by immunoaffinity column clean-up and analysed by ultra-fast liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UFLC-MS/MS) for AFs and OTA. The limits of detection and quantification of AFs and OTA were 0.04-0.30 µg mL(-1) and 0.125-1.0 µg mL(-1) , respectively. The recoveries were 82.0-100.2%. After 15 days' cultivation, no macroscopic mildew was found in ginger. But, the content of AFB1 expressed an increasing trend in ginger, peel [less than the limit of quantification (LOQ)] to the innermost layer (51.86 µ mL(-1) ), AFB2 was only detected in the innermost layer at the level of 0.87 µ mL(-1) . A small amount (

Calcium, nutrient and food intake of Greek Orthodox Christian monks during a fasting and non-fasting week.

PubMed

Papadaki, Angeliki; Vardavas, Constantine; Hatzis, Christos; Kafatos, Anthony

2008-10-01

To assess the Ca, nutrient and food intake of Greek Orthodox Christian monks during a vegetarian-type fasting week, compared with their normal diet. Dietary data collection (using 7 d weighed food records), anthropometric and blood pressure measurements, as well as serum glucose and lipid analyses, were performed during Palm Sunday week (fasting) and the week following Pentecost Sunday (non-fasting). Mean daily nutrient and food (g/d) intakes were calculated from the food records. The study took place in two monasteries in the Municipality of Heraklion, Crete. The study involved ten healthy monks aged 25-65 years, with BMI > 30 kg/m2, who had been performing fasts for the last 24.4 (SD 10.4) years and lived in monasteries in Crete during April-June 2005. Nutrient and food intake profiles were more favourable during the fasting week, when participants had lower intakes of total and saturated fat and trans-fatty acids, and higher intakes of dietary fibre, Fe, folate, legumes and fish/seafood. Ca intake was lower when participants fasted, whereas consumption of dairy products, meat and eggs increased significantly in the non-fasting week. Systolic blood pressure was significantly higher, whereas blood lipid levels were more favourable during the fasting week. The periodic vegetarianism recommended by the Greek Orthodox Church contributes to the favourable profiles of several biomarkers of health among this sample of monks. The fasting rituals described are an important component of the traditional diet of Crete and should be emphasised in nutrition education programmes promoting this Mediterranean eating pattern.

Fast and Facile Synthesis of 4-Nitrophenyl 2-Azidoethylcarbamate Derivatives from N-Fmoc-Protected α-Amino Acids as Activated Building Blocks for Urea Moiety-Containing Compound Library.

PubMed

Chen, Ying-Ying; Chang, Li-Te; Chen, Hung-Wei; Yang, Chia-Ying; Hsin, Ling-Wei

2017-03-13

A fast and facile synthesis of a series of 4-nitrophenyl 2-azidoethylcarbamate derivatives as activated urea building blocks was developed. The N-Fmoc-protected 2-aminoethyl mesylates derived from various commercially available N-Fmoc-protected α-amino acids, including those having functionalized side chains with acid-labile protective groups, were directly transformed into 4-nitrophenyl 2-azidoethylcarbamate derivatives in 1 h via a one-pot two-step reaction. These urea building blocks were utilized for the preparation of a series of urea moiety-containing mitoxantrone-amino acid conjugates in 75-92% yields and parallel solution-phase synthesis of a urea compound library consisted of 30 members in 38-70% total yields.

Circulating linoleic acid and alpha-linolenic acid and glucose metabolism: the Hoorn Study.

PubMed

Cabout, Mieke; Alssema, Marjan; Nijpels, Giel; Stehouwer, Coen D A; Zock, Peter L; Brouwer, Ingeborg A; Elshorbagy, Amany K; Refsum, Helga; Dekker, Jacqueline M