bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The relative importance of Staphylococcus saprophyticus as a urinary tract pathogen: distribution of bacteria among urinary samples analysed during 1 year at a major Swedish laboratory
Authors: Eriksson Andreas , Giske Christian G. , Ternhag Anders
Published: June 2012

To determine the distribution of urinary tract pathogens with focus on Staphylococcus saprophyticus and analyse the seasonality, antibiotic susceptibility, and gender and age distributions in a large Swedish cohort. S. saprophyticus is considered an important causative agent of urinary tract infection (UTI) in young women, and some earlier studies have reported up to approximately 40% of UTIs in this patient group being caused by S. saprophyticus. We hypothesized that this may be true only in very specific outpatient settings. During the year 2010, 113 720 urine samples were sent for culture to the Karolinska University Hospital, from both clinics in the hospital and from primary care units. Patient age, gender and month of sampling were analysed for S. saprophyticus, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Proteus mirabilis. Species data were obtained for 42 633 (37%) of the urine samples. The most common pathogens were E. coli (57.0%), Enterococcus faecalis (6.5%), K. pneumoniae (5.9%), group B streptococci (5.7%), P. mirabilis (3.0%) and S. saprophyticus (1.8%). The majority of subjects with S. saprophyticus were women 15–29 years of age (63.8%). In this age group, S. saprophyticus constituted 12.5% of all urinary tract pathogens. S. saprophyticus is a common urinary tract pathogen in young women, but its relative importance is low compared with E. coli even in this patient group. For women in other ages and for men, growth of S. saprophyticus is a quite uncommon finding.
The time course of the effects of constant‐angle and constant‐torque stretching on the muscle–tendon unit
Authors: Herda T. J. , Costa P. B. , Walter A. A. , Ryan E. D. , Cramer J. T.
Published: June 2012

The purpose of the present study was to examine the time course of passive range of motion (PROM), passive torque (PASTQ), and musculo‐tendinous stiffness (MTS) responses during constant‐angle (CA) and constant‐torque (CT) stretching of the leg flexors. Eleven healthy men [mean ± standard deviation (SD): age = 21.5 ± 2.3 years] performed 16 30‐s bouts of CA and CT stretching of the leg flexors. PROM, PASTQ, and MTS were measured during stretches 1, 2, 4, 8, and 16. For PROM and PASTQ, there were no differences between CA and CT stretching treatments (P > 0.05); however, there were stretch‐related differences (P < 0.001). PROM increased following one 30‐s bout of stretching (collapsed across CA and CT stretching) with additional increases up to 8 min of stretching. PASTQ decreased following one 30‐s bout of stretching (collapsed across CA and CT stretching) and continued to decrease up to 4 min of stretching. In contrast, only the CT stretching treatment resulted in changes to MTS (P < 0.001). MTS decreased after one 30‐s bout of CT stretching, with subsequent decreases in MTS up to 6 min of stretching. These results suggested that CT stretching may be more appropriate than a stretch held at a constant muscle length for decreasing MTS.
Politicians ‘on Board’: Do Political Connections Affect Banking Activities in Italy?
Authors: Carretta Alessandro , Farina Vincenzo , Gon Abhishek , Parisi Antonio
Published: June 2012

In this article, we provide an empirical analysis to investigate whether politicians serving on the board of directors for banks influence performance, lending, and risk taking behaviours. We refer our analysis to all politicians (almost 160,000) belonging to a political body in Italy. Overall, our dataset contains 1,808 board members referring to 123 cooperative banks. Our results suggest that politicians who hold executive roles on the board of directors seem to exert a negative impact on banking activity. Therefore, in the current debate on the reform of the statutes of the Italian cooperative banks, we argue that the problem is not having politicians on the board of directors for banks, but rather allowing politicians to hold executive positions.
The NF‐κB target genes ICAM‐1 and VCAM‐1 are differentially regulated during spontaneous differentiation of Caco‐2 cells
Authors: Astarci Erhan , Sade Asli , Çimen Ismail , Savaş Berna , Banerjee Sreeparna
Published: June 2012

Intestinal epithelial differentiation entails the formation of highly specialized cells with specific absorptive, secretory, digestive and immune functions. Cell–cell and cell–microenvironment interactions appear to be crucial in determining the outcome of the differentiation process. Using the Caco‐2 cell line, which undergoes spontaneous re‐differentiation when grown past confluency, we observed a loss of VCAM‐1 (vascular cell adhesion molecule 1) mRNA expression, while ICAM‐1 (intercellular cell adhesion molecule 1) mRNA expression was seen to increase over the course of differentiation. Protein kinase Cθ (PKCθ) acted downstream of protein kinase Cα (PKCα) to inactivate inhibitor of κB (IκB) and activate nuclear factor κB (NF‐κB) in undifferentiated cells, and this pathway was inhibited in the differentiated cells. The increase in ICAM‐1 mRNA expression in the differentiated cells was due to increased promoter recruitment of C/EBPβ, which transcriptionally up‐regulated ICAM‐1 mRNA. However, protein expression of ICAM‐1 was found to decrease over the course of differentiation due to degradation in the proteasome and lysosome. Immunohistochemistry using tumor samples from colon cancer patients indicated that non‐transformed matched normal cells (well‐differentiatied) showed no ICAM‐1 expression, but the poorly differentiated tumor cells showed higher expression. Functionally, a decrease in adhesion to human umbilical vein endothelial cells was observed in the differentiated Caco‐2 cells. Thus, regulation of ICAM‐1 and VCAM‐1, although both NF‐κB target genes, appears to be different over the course of epithelial differentiation in Caco‐2 cells.
APPLICATION OF THE GABOR FILTERS AND K‐MEANS METHOD FOR CHARACTERIZATION OF GEOMETRICAL PROPERTIES OF PARENCHYMA CELL WALLS
Authors: KURITA H. , MASUDA R.
Published: June 2012

It is important to analyze the geometrical features of cell wall arrangements to gain further insight into the mechanical properties of plant parenchyma. To extract such features, we conduct a Gabor filter analysis. A two‐dimensional Gabor filter can detect local textual features because of its selective sensitivity to stimuli of specified directionality and interval. This study first discusses the extraction of cell wall arrangement from cross‐sectional images of carrot parenchyma using a Gabor filter. Second, using the k‐means method, we investigate the distribution of those cell walls found to have a particular orientation and interval in the first analysis. We propose a new method to extract the mesoscopic geometrical properties of cell walls such as orientation and interval, distribution and, in some cases, shape. This method is applied to some exemplar images, and the result is demonstrated in images and spectral graphs.

PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS

It is important to research the relation between the mechanical and geometrical properties of cell walls in terms of the appropriate handling and storage of crops, assessing crop quality, proper soil conditioning for root crops and improving food texture or forage. The method presented in this article is useful for extracting geometrical properties from irregularly textured images and will be helpful in studying the relation between the two types of properties.
INFLUENCE OF GREEN GRAM FLOUR (PHASEOLUS AUREUS) ON THE RHEOLOGY, MICROSTRUCTURE AND QUALITY OF COOKIES
Authors: RAJIV JYOTSNA , LOBO SWETHA , JYOTHI LAKSHMI A. , VENKATESWARA RAO G.
Published: June 2012

Green gram flour (GGF) was used to substitute wheat flour at 10, 20, 30, 40 and 50% levels to enrich nutritional quality of cookies. The farinograph water absorption increased while peak viscosity, dough elasticity and extensibility decreased with the increasing level of GGF. The spread ratio of the cookies made with 10–50% GGF ranged from 8.80 to 7.40. Cookies with 50% GGF had hard texture and were unacceptable. 40% GGF was optimum in cookies. The protein matrix was disrupted in the microstructure of cookies when GGF was used. Emulsifier sodium stearoyl‐2‐lactylate (SSL) brought about a significant improvement in the overall quality of cookies made with 40% GGF. The in vitro protein digestibility of cookies with 40% GGF and SSL was 60%. Incorporation of GGF to cookies at 40% level increased protein content by 1.25 times, iron by 1.6 times, calcium and zinc by 2 times and total dietary fiber by 2.3 times than the control.

PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS

Legumes are added to bakery products to improve the nutritional quality. Legumes are rich in proteins, dietary fiber, complex carbohydrates, resistant starch, vitamins and minerals. This practice also improves the amino acid balance and increases the protein content of the bakery products made from the blended flours. This research article discusses the effect of replacement of wheat flour with different levels of green gram flour (GGF) and its influence on the dough rheological properties and the use of additives to improve the quality of cookies made using GGF. This information will be useful to the bakery industry for production of the cookies with improved nutritional quality.
RHEOLOGICAL CHARACTERIZATION AND MODELING OF RICE FLOUR DOUGH: EFFECT OF PARBOILING TIME, MOISTURE CONTENT AND GUM ARABIC
Authors: BHATTACHARYA SILA
Published: June 2012

Small‐deformation compression and stress relaxation studies in addition to nonoral sensory assessments were performed on rice flour doughs, obtained by parboiling at different times (0–60 min), moisture (48–60%) and gum Arabic contents (0–0.5%). The response functions were the rheological (firmness and compression energy, initial and equilibrium moduli and relaxation time) and nonoral sensory attributes (ease of extrusion, cohesiveness and stickiness) of dough. Compression energy increased with parboiling time but decreased with moisture content. Relaxation time varied from 0.15 to 20.2 s, meaning a wide variation in the behavior of dough is possible to achieve. The viscoamylographic studies indicated that parboiled rice pastes exhibited more stable status toward retrogradation and showed lesser shear‐thinning phenomenon compared with their counterpart raw rice samples. The stress decay curves could be modeled by three‐element spring‐dashpot Maxwell–Voigt model (r ≥ 0.81, P ≤ 0.01). The optimum condition for obtaining a dough with minimum stickiness and maximum ease of extrusion was computed.

PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS

Rice is extensively used in various forms of food as whole grain as much as flour. Because of nonglutinous properties, rice dough from raw flour cannot be easily flattened or shaped, whereas thermal treatment like parboiling and the use of gum Arabic can make the dough suitable for formulating different products. The addition of gum during dough preparation can retain more water and modify its rheological properties, improving the dough handling characteristics and textural attributes of the finished products. The specific applications of reported findings lie in the development of rice‐based products such as ready‐to‐eat and ready‐to‐fry/bake snacks, baby foods and breakfast cereals.
GELATION OF MIXTURES OF SOYMILK AND RECONSTITUTED SKIM MILK SUBJECTED TO COMBINED ACID AND RENNET
Authors: LIN CHUNGUO , HILL ART , CORREDIG MILENA
Published: June 2012

The present work investigated the formation of a mixed gel containing soymilk and reconstituted milk. The mixtures contained 1.4 and 2% (w/v) milk and soymilk protein, respectively. When gelation was induced by addition of glucono‐delta‐lactone, the mixtures showed a gelation point well above the isoelectric point of the milk proteins, suggesting that soy proteins play a major role in the formation of the network. When rennet was added in combination with acidification, the gels showed an earlier onset of aggregation and a higher storage modulus than the gels prepared only with acid. Confocal microscopy showed networks with mixed acid–rennet gels having more branches and compact structures with denser clusters than acid‐induced gels. These results demonstrated that by fine‐tuning the gelation of mixed soymilk and reconstituted milk, it is possible to obtain gels with unique microstructure and texture, where both proteins are contributing to the network structure.

PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS

Mixed protein gels are increasingly employed to develop novel high‐protein products. This work illustrates the potential to employ a mixed gelation to induce the formation of protein matrices containing aggregates of soy and milk proteins. At the ratio used in this work (2% soy protein and 1.4% milk protein), soymilk proteins determined the gelation behavior of the mixtures. The gels showed an onset of gelation at pH around 6, and in the presence of rennet the skim milk proteins also participated in the network.
Effect on the breech and tail characteristics of Merino lambs of varying the duration of application of occlusive plastic clips as an alternative to mulesing
Authors: Evans IB , Lawton PW , Sergeant E , Lloyd JB
Published: June 2012

Objective

The objective of the study was to determine the minimum duration of clip application required to increase the size of the perineal and tail bare areas and reduce breech wrinkle, dag or urine stain scores of Merino lambs.

Method

The study was conducted on a single farm in western New South Wales using 491 unmulesed lambs of a plain body type (9–14 weeks of age; mean (±SD) bodyweight 26.9 ± 5.0 kg; 82% wrinkle score 1 or 2) randomly allocated into 10 groups. Groups 1–9 included 39–46 lambs treated with the clips, which were removed at 1–7, 10 or 14 days, respectively, after application. Group 10 comprised 53 lambs that were unclipped, unmulesed controls. Visual scores, bare area measurements and bodyweights were assessed before and at 28 and 60 days following clip application.

Results

Clips increased the size of the perineal and tail bare areas if left on the lambs for a minimum of 4–6 days. The increases in the size of the perineal and tail bare areas were similar to the results of previous studies. This indicates that the clips performed as expected, despite the current study being conducted on lambs with a plain body type.

Conclusion

When used as an alternative to mulesing, clips should remain on lambs for a minimum of 4–6 days to effectively increase the size of the perineal and tail bare areas. Further research is required to determine the degree of protection against flystrike provided by the clip method.
High Salt Intake and Stroke: Meta‐analysis of the Epidemiologic Evidence
Authors: Li Xiu‐Yang , Cai Xian‐Lei , Bian Ping‐Da , Hu Liu‐Ru
Published: June 2012

Research on the potential impact of high salt intake on health has grown rapidly over the last decades. Recent studies have suggested that high salt intake could also be associated with adverse effects on cardiovascular system. The review evaluated the current level of epidemiologic evidence on the association between the level of habitual salt intake and stroke outcome. We also suggest further research direction. There were 21 independent samples from 12 studies, with 225,693 participants (follow‐up, 3–19 years) and 8135 stroke events. High salt intake was associated with risk of stroke event (pooled odd ratio [OR], 1.34; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.19–1.51), stroke death (1.40; 1.21–1.63) and stroke onset (1.11; 1.00–1.24), ischemic stroke death (2.15; 1.57–2.95), not associated with risk of ischemic stroke onset (1.07, 0.95–1.2), with no significant evidence of publication bias. High salt intake is associated with significantly increased risk of stroke event. Further research should be directed toward clarifying and quantifying these possible effects and generating testable hypotheses on plausible biologic mechanisms.
The Earnings of Tradespersons over the Business Cycle
Authors: Corliss Michael Craig , Lewis Philip E.T.
Published: June 2012

The article examines the changes in earnings and earnings dispersion of tradespersons over the business cycle since 1991 and the returns to investment into apprenticeship training. The main findings are that some tradespersons earn significantly more than the median earnings, but many do not, in particular food and agricultural tradespersons. For most trades the net present value suggests investment in apprenticeship training is worthwhile. However, this is not the case for all the trades, namely automotive, food and agricultural trades. Among tradespersons there is a very high degree of dispersion in earnings and this has increased over time. Further, there is evidence of significant gender difference in earnings. Finally, while the premium paid to qualified tradespersons relative to unqualified tradespersons has increased markedly over time, for older qualified tradespersons, younger tradespersons the premium paid to qualified tradespersons compared with unqualified tradespersons has declined considerably.
On Stresses in Pipeline Expansion Bellows
Authors: Singh A. V.
Published: June 2012

An analytical procedure employing the general theory of shells of revolution and finite element method is presented to examine the stress patterns along the convolution of the pipeline expansion bellows under axial compression. A simple three-node axisymmetric shell element is used to compute axial and circumferential stress components. Three example problems which include two corrugated-pipe-type and one U-type bellows, have been analyzed. Comparison of the present numerical results with the experimentally procured data from the open literature illustrates the reliability, accuracy, elaborateness and versatility of this approach.
Mining the Biodiversity of Plants: A Revolution in the Making
Authors: De Luca Vincenzo , Salim Vonny , Atsumi Sayaka Masada , Yu Fang
Published: June 2012

Only a small fraction of the immense diversity of plant metabolism has been explored for the production of new medicines and other products important to human well-being. The availability of inexpensive high-throughput sequencing is rapidly expanding the number of species that can be investigated for the speedy discovery of previously unknown enzymes and pathways. Exploitation of these resources is being carried out through interdisciplinary synthetic and chemical biology to engineer pathways in plant and microbial systems for improving the production of existing medicines and to create libraries of biologically active products that can be screened for new drug applications.
Photonic Crystal Light Collectors in Fish Retina Improve Vision in Turbid Water
Authors: Kreysing Moritz , Pusch Roland , Haverkate Dorothee , Landsberger Meik , Engelmann Jacob , Ruiter Janina , Mora-Ferrer Carlos , Ulbricht Elke , Grosche Jens , Franze Kristian , Streif Stefan , Schumacher Sarah , Makarov Felix , Kacza Johannes , Guck Jochen , Wolburg Hartwig , Bowmaker James K. , von der Emde Gerhard , Schuster Stefan , Wagner Hans-Joachim , Reichenbach Andreas , Francke Mike
Published: June 2012

Seeing in the Dark

Elephantnose fish are known to use electrosensing to navigate their murky freshwater environment. However, unlike some other animals from dark environments, they have retained their eyes and some dependence on vision. While most vertebrate vision optimizes either photon catch (for increased light capture) or visual acuity,

Kreysing
et al.

(p.
1700
) show that the unique structures of the grouped retinae found in the eyes of this species matches rod and cone sensitivity, which allows for the simultaneous use of both types of photoreceptors over a large range of dim light intensities.
The Paleozoic Origin of Enzymatic Lignin Decomposition Reconstructed from 31 Fungal Genomes
Authors: Floudas Dimitrios , Binder Manfred , Riley Robert , Barry Kerrie , Blanchette Robert A. , Henrissat Bernard , Martínez Angel T. , Otillar Robert , Spatafora Joseph W. , Yadav Jagjit S. , Aerts Andrea , Benoit Isabelle , Boyd Alex , Carlson Alexis , Copeland Alex , Coutinho Pedro M. , de Vries Ronald P. , Ferreira Patricia , Findley Keisha , Foster Brian , Gaskell Jill , Glotzer Dylan , Górecki Paweł , Heitman Joseph , Hesse Cedar , Hori Chiaki , Igarashi Kiyohiko , Jurgens Joel A. , Kallen Nathan , Kersten Phil , Kohler Annegret , Kües Ursula , Kumar T. K. Arun , Kuo Alan , LaButti Kurt , Larrondo Luis F. , Lindquist Erika , Ling Albee , Lombard Vincent , Lucas Susan , Lundell Taina , Martin Rachael , McLaughlin David J. , Morgenstern Ingo , Morin Emanuelle , Murat Claude , Nagy Laszlo G. , Nolan Matt , Ohm Robin A. , Patyshakuliyeva Aleksandrina , Rokas Antonis , Ruiz-Dueñas Francisco J. , Sabat Grzegorz , Salamov Asaf , Samejima Masahiro , Schmutz Jeremy , Slot Jason C. , St. John Franz , Stenlid Jan , Sun Hui , Sun Sheng , Syed Khajamohiddin , Tsang Adrian , Wiebenga Ad , Young Darcy , Pisabarro Antonio , Eastwood Daniel C. , Martin Francis , Cullen Dan , Grigoriev Igor V. , Hibbett David S.
Published: June 2012

Dating Wood Rot

Specific lineages within the basidiomycete fungi, white rot species, have evolved the ability to break up a major structural component of woody plants, lignin, relative to their non–lignin-decaying brown rot relatives. Through the deep phylogenetic sampling of fungal genomes,

Floudas
et al.

(p.
1715
; see the Perspective by

Hittinger

) mapped the detailed evolution of wood-degrading enzymes. A key peroxidase and other enzymes involved in lignin decay were present in the common ancestor of the Agaricomycetes. These genes then expanded through gene duplications in parallel, giving rise to white rot lineages.
Uniform ripening
Encodes a
Golden 2-like
Transcription Factor Regulating Tomato Fruit Chloroplast Development
Authors: Powell Ann L. T. , Nguyen Cuong V. , Hill Theresa , Cheng KaLai Lam , Figueroa-Balderas Rosa , Aktas Hakan , Ashrafi Hamid , Pons Clara , Fernández-Muñoz Rafael , Vicente Ariel , Lopez-Baltazar Javier , Barry Cornelius S. , Liu Yongsheng , Chetelat Roger , Granell Antonio , Van Deynze Allen , Giovannoni James J. , Bennett Alan B.
Published: June 2012

Pretty or Sweet

The grocery-store tomato that looks beautiful but tastes like tart cardboard arises from selection processes favoring phenotypes that make commercial production more reliable. Significant in that selection process was a mutation that reduced the mottled color variations of unripe green tomatoes, leaving them a uniform, pale, green.

Powell
et al.

(p.
1711
) analyzed the molecular biology of the mutation. The
uniform ripening
mutation turns out to disable a transcription factor called
Golden 2-like
(
GLK2
).
GLK2
expression increases the fruit's photosynthetic capacity, resulting in higher sugar content.
Effects of subminimal inhibitory concentrations of Erythromycin, Clindamycin, and Pristinamycin on the penicillinase production of Staphlyococcus aureus
Authors: Michel J , Stessman P , Stessman J
Published: June 2012

The influence of subminimal inhibitory concentrations of erythromycin, clindamycin, and pristinamycin on the penicillinase production of Staphylococcus aureus was tested in 12 strains. Of the 36 experiments performed, 16 (44%) showed a lack of influence, 10 (28%) displayed an increase, and 10 revealed a decrease in penicillinase activity. The maximal effect produced was generally induced by concentrations ranging from 1/4 to 1/32 the minimal inhibitory concentration, irrespective of the susceptibility of the strain to the drug. In spite of the fact that the drugs are closely related, they sometimes produced opposite effects on the same strain.
Comparison of cefamandole, cephalothin, ampicillin, and chloramphenicol in experimental Escherichia coli meningitis
Authors: Beam T R , Allen J C
Published: June 2012

The activities of cefamandole, cephalothin, ampicillin, and chloramphenicol were compared in fulminant and temperate Escherichia coli meningitis in rabbits. Intensive dosing schedules were employed to achieve maximal therapeutic benefits with short-term treatment. In an 8-h schedule chloramphenicol was significantly more effective in sterilizing the cerebrospinal fluid and curing both fulminant and temperate infections than cefamandole or ampicillin. Cephalothin was without effect in fulminant meningitis. Cefamandole and ampicillin were equivalent in activity in this and longer (12- and 24-hr) treatment schedules. The therapeutic benefits of chloramphenicol were purchased via use of doses above those generally regarded as safe for human use. The mean serum, cerebrospinal fluid, and brain concentrations of chloramphenicol, cefamandole, and ampicillin were significantly greater in rabbits with fulminant meningitis than in those with temperate meningitis. The difference was of such magnitude as to support the need to monitor drug concentrations.
In vitro and in vivo antibacterial activity of KW1070, a new aminoglycoside antibiotic
Authors: Ohashi Y , Kawabe H , Sato K , Nakamura N , Kurashige S , Mitsuhashi S
Published: June 2012

KW1070, a new aminoglycoside antibiotic with the novel aminocyclitol, fortamine, has a broad spectrum of activity in vitro and in vivo against gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. The minimum inhibitory concentrations of KW1070 are similar to those of kanamycin against aminoglycoside-susceptible strains, slightly less than those of gentamicin or 3',4'-dideoxykanamycin B. Minimal bactericidal concentrations were found to be near minimal inhibitory concentrations. KW1070 was active in vitro against many aminoglycoside-resistant bacterial strains that possess aminoglycoside-inactivating enzymes, particularly AAC(6'), AAC(2'), AAD(2''), and APH(3'). The activities of KW1070 in mice infected with Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Proteus sp., and Serratia marcescens compared favorably with the activities of amikacin and kanamycin; KW1070 was also singificantly active in mice infected with resistant strains bearing the aminoglycoside-inactivating enzymes listed above.
Pharmacokinetics of ceforanide in patients with end stage renal disease on hemodialysis
Authors: Hess J R , Berman S J , Boughton W H , Sugihara J G , Musgrave J E , Wong E G , Siemsen A M
Published: June 2012

The pharmacokinetics of ceforanide were evaluated in 11 patients with end stage renal disease (creatinine clearance less than 5 ml/min). A single intravenous dose of 750 mg/m2 produced peak plasma concentrations of 123 +/- 29 microgram/ml. The plasma half-life (T 1/2) of the drug was 19.1 +/- 2.5 h. A 5.5 h hemodialysis session removed 53% of the drug and reduced the T 1/2 to 5 +/- 0.7 h. Plasma concentrations greater than 10 microgram/m2 were maintained without adverse effects with a 1.5-g/m2 dose administered three times a week for 2 weeks.
Treatment of cellulitis with ceforanide
Authors: Musher D M , Fainstein V , Young E J
Published: June 2012

Thirty-five patients with cellulitis were treated with ceforanide, 1 g every 12 h, intramuscularly. A good clinical response was observed in 33 cases. Drug failure in the remaining two patients was thought to be due to the lack of surgical debridement. Drug concentrations well in excess of inhibitory levels for Streptococcus pyogenes were generally present throughout the treatment period; although this was not true of ceforanide concentrations relative to inhibitory levels for Staphylococcus aureus, the clinical response in patients with staphylococcal infection still appeared to be entirely satisfactory. Killing of S. pyogenes by 5, 50, and 500X the minimum inhibitory concentration of ceforanide proceeded at the same rate in vitro as did killing by 5, 50, and 500X the minimum inhibitory concentration of penicillin.
Comparative Activities of the Oxa-β-Lactam LY127935, Cefotaxime, Cefoperazone, Cefamandole, and Ticarcillin Against Multiply Resistant Gram-Negative Bacilli
Authors: Hall Wendell H. , Opfer Bonnie J. , Gerding Dale N.
Published: June 2012

A total of 91 multiply resistant bacterial strains, including
Klebsiella pneumoniae
(32 strains),
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
(16 strains), and
Serratia marcescens
(43 strains), were collected during hospital epidemics of nosocomial infection from 1975 to 1979. These strains were resistant to gentamicin, tobramycin, cephalothin, chloramphenicol, and ampicillin. Their susceptibility to three new broad-spectrum β-lactams, LY127935 (a 1-oxa-β-lactam), cefotaxime (HR 756), and cefoperazone (T 1551), was compared with the susceptibility of random strains of nine species of aerobic gram-negative bacilli collected in the same hospital in 1979. Susceptibility to cefamandole and ticarcillin was also determined. Strains of staphylococci and streptococci from that hospital and two nearby city-county hospitals were also compared for the three new cephalosporins and other effective antibiotics. The agar dilution method was used to measure the minimum inhibitory concentration for each antibiotic. The multiply resistant strains (minimum inhibitory concentration for gentamicin ≥ 8 μg/ml) usually were as susceptible to the three new broad-spectrum β-lactams as were non-multiply resistant strains. Both
Klebsiella pneumoniae
and
Serratia marcescens
, including multiply resistant and non-multiply resistant strains, were most susceptible to the 1-oxa-β-lactam LY127935 and cefotaxime.
P. aeruginosa
(both multiply resistant and non-multiply resistant strains) were most susceptible to cefoperazone. All three new β-lactams were active against non-multiply resistant strains of
Escherichia coli, Enterobacter
spp.,
Proteus
spp., and
Citrobacter
spp.
Providencia stuartii
were most susceptible to cefotaxime and the 1-oxa-β-lactam LY127935. The three new β-lactams were all less active against staphylococci (especially methicillin-resistant
Staphylococcus aureus
) than cephalothin.
Streptococcus pyogenes
and
S. pneumoniae
were very susceptible to cefotaxime and cefoperazone, though less susceptible to LY127935. None of the three new β-lactams was active against
S. faecalis
. All were very active against both penicillinase-positive and -negative strains of
Neisseria gonorrhoeae
.
Relationship between R and FP plasmids in Pseudomonas aeruginosa
Authors: Royle P L , Holloway B W
Published: June 2012

The plasmid FP110 possessing chromosome mobilizing ability for Pseudomonas aeruginosa but carrying no determinants for antibiotic resistance, is found to be related by incompatibility, entry exclusion, and other criteria to the independently isolated R plasmids R18-1 and R56Be which carry resistance determinants for carbenicillin. The frequency of FP plasmid appearance in clinical isolates of P. aeruginosa suggests the possibility that they may be a source of R plasmids in this bacterium.
Bactericidal synergy between penicillin or ampicillin and aminoglycosides against antibiotic-tolerant lactobacilli
Authors: Bayer A S , Chow A W , Morrison J O , Guze L B
Published: June 2012

The bactericidal activities of penicillin G and ampicillin alone were compared with those of their combinations with streptomycin or gentamicin against 17 strains of lactobacilli classified as tolerant to various beta-lactam antibiotics. The penicillin G combinations with streptomycin and gentamicin were synergistic against 17 and 16 of these strains, respectively, whereas the corresponding ampicillin-aminoglycoside combinations were synergistic against 12 and 15 strains, respectively. Importantly, synergy was manifested at concentrations of these antibiotics that are attained in serum after their administration in conventional dose regimens. In no instances were combinations antagonistic. These in vitro observations provide a partial explanation for the favorable results obtained in preliminary clinical evaluations of the benefits of combination regimens in the treatment of lactobacillus infections refractory to single-drug therapy.
Potentially synergistic antimicrobial combinations with metronidazole against Bacteroides fragilis
Authors: Ralph E D , Amatnieks Y E
Published: June 2012

Synergy studies were performed with metronidazole in combination with clindamycin, rifampin, nalidixic acid, ticarcillin, erythromycin, and spectinomycin against Bacteroides fragilis strains. An agar dilution technique was used with two inoculum sizes (10(6) to 10(7) or 10(3) to 10(4) colony-forming units per ml). None of the drugs showed synergy with metronidazole against greater than 50% of the strains, and the synergistic effect was generally less at the larger inoculum. Of the six drugs tested, nalidixic acid, clindamycin, and rifampin showed the most synergy with metronidazole. A partially synergistic or additive effect was the usual interaction occurring between metronidazole and each of the other drugs and no antagonism was seen.
Effect of inoculum size and beta-lactamase production on in vitro activity of new cephalosporins against Haemophilus species
Authors: Bulger R R , Washington J A
Published: June 2012

Sixty-three strains of Haemophilus species, 38 of which were beta-lactamase producers (37 H. influenzae type b, 1 H. parainfluenzae) and 25 of which were beta-lactamase negative (20 H. influenzae, 5 H. parainfluenzae), were tested for susceptibility to cefoxitin, moxalactam (LY127935) (Lilly), cefsulodin (CGP 7174 E, Ciba), and cefoperazone (T 1551, Pfizer). Cefsulodin was relatively inactive at both low and high inocula. LY127935 and cefoperazone displayed inoculum-dependent bactericidal activity. Cefoxitin displayed little inoculum effect against beta-lactamase-producing strains: 8 and 16 microgram/ml killed at least 90% of those tested at 10(4) and 10(6) colony-forming units per ml, respectively.
In vitro evaluation of cefoperazone
Authors: Hinkle A M , LeBlanc B M , Bodey G P
Published: June 2012

The activity of cefoperazone, a new broad-spectrum cephalosporin, was tested in vitro against 670 clinical isolates of gram-negative bacilli and gram-positive cocci. With the exception of Enterobacter spp., it inhibited the majority of all organisms tested at a concentration of 6.25 microgram/ml. Of particular interest is its good activity against Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates which are usually very resistant to cephalosporins. When compared with other antibiotics, it was more active than any available cephalosporin against the Enterobacteriaceae, and its activity was comparable to the investigational drugs tested. Except against Pseudomonas, cefoperazone was less active than moxalactam (LY127935). No significant decrease in activity was noted in medium and pH variation studies. A considerable decrease in activity resulted when the size of the inoculum was incrased from 10(5) to 10(7) cells/ml. The minimal bactericidal concentrations were within one or two dilution values of the minimal inhibitory concentrations against the majority of isolates tested, except Staphylococcus aureus.
Penicillin-binding proteins of multiply antibiotic-resistant South African strains of Streptococcus pneumoniae
Authors: Zighelboim S , Tomasz A
Published: June 2012

Multiply drug-resistant South African pneumococci (with penicillin minimal inhibitory concentrations ranging from 0.2 to 12.5 microgram/ml) showed several types of major alterations in their penicillin-binding protein (PBP) pattern compared with that of a penicillin-susceptible laboratory strain of Streptococcus pneumoniae (R6; penicillin minimal inhibitory concentration = 0.006 microgram/ml). Genetic transformants were obtained by using South African pneumococcus (strain 8249) deoxyribonucleic acid as donor and the competent cells of strain R6 as recipient; seven classes of transformants with progressively higher penicillin resistance were isolated, and their PBPs were tested. The PBP patterns exhibited a gradual shift from a pattern similar to that of the recipient to a pattern resembling that of the donor strain as the level of penicillin resistance increased.
Site of action of isoniazid on the electron transport chain and its relationship to nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide regulation in Mycobacterium phlei
Authors: Herman R P , Weber M M
Published: June 2012

Isoniazid (INH) interacts with nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) in the regulation of reduced NAD (NADH) oxidation in electron transport particles from Mycobacterium phlei. the interaction was shown to be at the level of the NADH dehydrogenase by the use of menadione as an artificial electron acceptor. Binding studies indicated that INH and NAD+ did not compete for a common regulatory site. Unlabeled INH was unable to displace [14C]NAD+ from electron transport particles, and unlabeled NAD+ could not remove [3H]INH from particles. Preincubation of electron transport particles with unlabeled INH did not prevent the subsequent binding of [14C]NAD+, and unlabeled NAD+ did not block the binding of [3H]INH. [14C]NAD+ binding to electron transport particles was specific and reversible. Unlabeled NAD+ could both displace and prevent the binding of labeled nucleotide. Binding of [14C]NAD+ to electron transport particles was proportional to the incubation concentration of label, and NAD+ stimulation of NADH oxidase activity was related to the amount of NAD+ bound to electron transport particles. [3H]INH was irreversibly bound to electron transport particles. INH and NAD+, although operating at the same level of the electron transport chain, did not appear to compete for the same regulatory site.
In vitro susceptibility of 104 clinical isolates of Haemophilus influenzae to moxalactam (LY127935), ampicillin, chloramphenicol, and ticarcillin
Authors: Mason E O , Kaplan S L , Anderson D C , Hinds D B , Feigin R D
Published: June 2012

A total of 104 strains of Haemophilus influenzae isolated from pediatric patients over a 1-year period were tested for susceptibility to moxalactam (LY127935), ampicillin, chloramphenicol, and ticarcillin. Of these strains, 30 produced beta-lactamase. LY127935 inhibited 99% of the strains at a concentration of 0.125 microgram/ml; the remaining strain was inhibited by this antibiotic at 0.25 microgram/ml. beta-Lactamase-producing strains were inhibited by ampicillin at greater than or equal to 2 microgram/ml. beta-Lactamase-negative strains were all inhibited by ampicillin at less than or equal to 1 microgram/ml, except for one nontypable strain which required 2 microgram of ampicillin per ml for inhibition. All strains were susceptible to chloramphenicol at less than or equal to 4 microgram/ml. beta-Lactamase-producing strains were less susceptible (geometric mean = 4.702 microgram/ml) to ticarcillin than were strains which did not produce beta-lactamase (geometric mean = 0.331 microgram/ml). LY127935 susceptibility was not influenced by increasing inoculum size, as ws ampicillin susceptibility. Combinations of LY127935 and chloramphenicol or ampicillin were not antagonistic in vitro.
Radioimmunoassay of gentamicin in Micromonospora medium extracts
Authors: Rosner A , Aviv H
Published: June 2012

Medium extracts of Micromonospora adversely affected a radioimmunoassay which was used for the measurement of gentamicin in the medium. An overestmation or an underestimation resulted, as judged by the addition of extracts to a gentamicin standard sample.
Cefoxitin penetration into cerebrospinal fluid in patients with purulent meningitis
Authors: Galvao P A , Lomar A V , Francisco W , de Godoy C V , Norrby R
Published: June 2012

The penetration of cefoxitin into cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) was studied in 25 patients with purulent meningitis treated with antibiotics other than cefoxitin. Each patient received three 2-g doses of cefoxitin at 6-h intervals. Blood and CSF samples were obtained before and at 2, 4, or 6 h after the first and third doses. CSF cefoxitin concentrations were found in all patients and varied between 1.2 and 22.0 microgram/ml, with a majority of the concentrations falling within a range from 1.2 to 6.2 microgram/ml. The concentrations tended to be higher in CSF samples drawn after the third cefoxitin dose than in those drawn after the first cefoxitin dose, indicating an accumulation of cefoxitin in CSF with repeated doses. Peak cefoxitin concentrations in CSF seemed to occur between 2 and 6 h after intravenous administration of the drug since the highest concentrations were found in patients from whom CSF samples were taken 4 h after the doses. In patients with bacterial meningitis, it should be possible to achieve therapeutic cefoxitin levels in CSF by using nontoxic doses of the antibiotic.
Inhibition of growth and purine-metabolizing enzymes of trypanosomid flagellates by N6-methyladenine
Authors: Nolan L L , Kidder G W
Published: June 2012

N6-methyladenine (6-methylaminopurine [6-MA]), a plant growth regulator and a normal constituent of nucleic acids, has been found to inhibit the growth of Trypanosoma cruzi, Leishmania braziliensis, L. donovani, L. tarentolae, L. mexicana, and Crithidia fasciculata. The extent of growth inhibition in these organisms is related to the sensitivity of guanine deaminase (guanine aminohydrolase, EC 3.5.4.3), adenine deaminase (adenine aminohydrolase, EC 3.5.4.2), and adenosine hydrolase and phosphorylase. 6-MA was not an inhibitor of the purine phosphoribosyltransferases. Of the trypanosomid flagellates tested. Trypanosoma cruzi was most susceptible to 6-MA. Neither adenine deaminase (as found in the leishmaniae and C. fasciculata) nor adenosine deaminase (as found in mammalian cells) could be demonstrated in T. cruzi. Guanine deaminase, which is strikingly inhibited by 6-MA in T. cruzi, appears to play a major role in the purine salvage pathway of this organism, as judged from growth experiments and enzyme inhibition studies. Enzyme sensitivities to 6-MA vary greatly depending upon the organism. Rabbit liver guanine deaminase was shown to be insensitive to 6-MA at the concentrations used in this study.
Treatment of experimental staphylococcal osteomyelitis with rifampin and trimethoprim, alone and in combination
Authors: Norden C W , Keleti E
Published: June 2012

Rifampin and trimethoprim were used alone and in combination in the treatment of chronic osteomyelitis due to Staphylococcus aureus in rabbits. Rifampicin levels in infected bone were well above the minimum inhibitory concentration of the infecting strain of S. aureus for at least 4 h after injection. In contrast, trimethoprim levels in diseased bone were below the minimum inhibitory concentration as early as 1 h after injection. Trimethoprim or rifampin, administered alone for 14 days, were ineffective in sterilizing infected rabbit bones. The combination of rifampin plus trimethoprim was significantly more effective (P less than 0.005) than either agents given alone for a comparable duration of time. Staphylococci isolated from the bones of rabbits treated with rifampin alone or rifampin plus trimethoprim were uniformly resistant to rifampin, but retained their susceptibility to trimethoprim.
Comparative study of piperacillin, ticarcillin, and carbenicillin pharmacokinetics
Authors: Meyers B R , Hirschman S Z , Strougo L , Srulevitch E
Published: June 2012

Piperacillin, ticarcillin, and carbenicillin were administered intravenously to 10 healthy volunteers in a three-way, crossover study. The pharmacokinetics of the three drugs were in general quite similar. The peak serum concentration of piperacillin achieved at the end of a 30-min intravenous infusion was 63.5 +/- 27.6 microgram/ml. During the first 8 h, 67.5% of the dose of piperacillin was excreted in the urine, and the urinary concentration was extremely high. All three penicillins had high volumes of distribution. The serum half-life of the beta elimination phase of carbenicillin was lower than that of either piperacillin or ticarcillin. The volunteers experienced no adverse reactions from the administration of the drugs.
CP-45,899 in combination with penicillin or ampicillin against penicillin-resistant Staphylococcus, Haemophilus influenzae, and Bacteroides
Authors: Retsema J A , English A R , Girard A E
Published: June 2012

CP-45,899 is a new, semisynthetic beta-lactamase inhibitor. When tested alone, CP-45,899 displayed only weak antibacterial activity, with the notable exception of its potent action against penicillin-susceptible and -resistant Neisseria gonorrhoeae. A combination of 3.12 microgram of CP-45,899 per ml with 3.12 microgram of ampicillin per ml, tested in broth cultures, inhibited ca. 90% of resistant Staphylococcus and Haemophilus influenzae strains; similar data were obtained in a variety of media. The same combination of CP-45,899 with ampicillin or penicillin G inhibited 90% of Bacteroides fragilis as interpreted from agar dilution minimal inhibitory concentrations. Inhibitory concentrations of CP-45,899-ampicillin were bactericidal against H. influenzae strains and were as bactericidal as nafcillin or cephalothin against S. aureus. Ampicillin-resistant S. aureus, H. influenzae, and B. fragilis strains did not develop resistance to CP-45,899-ampicillin when transferred as many as six passages in the presence of a sublethal concentration of the combination.
Susceptibility testing of clinically isolated anaerobic bacteria by an agar dilution technique
Authors: Brown W J , Waatti P E
Published: June 2012

Agar dilution minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of penicillin, tetracycline, chloramphenicol, and clindamycin were determined using Wilkens-Chalgren agar for 1,266 clinical isolates of anaerobic bacteria. In addition, a reference strain of Bacteroides fragilis was repeatedly tested and demonstrated the precision of the technique. Fifty-six percent of our Bacteroides melaninogenicus strains were resistant (MIC greater than or equal to 4.0 microgram/ml) to penicillin. Resistance to this antibiotic was also seen among other anaerobes, but the results are more in accord with previous reports. Resistance to tetracycline (MIC greater than or equal to 4.0 microgram/ml) was found in 60% of our isolates. Chloramphenicol proved to be the most effective agent in vitro with only 2.0% of strains resistant (MIC less than or equal to 16 microgram/ml). Only 5% of strains were resistant to clindamycin (MIC greater than or equal to 8.0 microgram/ml), and this included 10 isolates of B. fragilis and 4 of B. melaninogenicus. The incidence of resistance of anaerobic bacteria to these frequently used antibiotics is greater than previous reports and indicates the need for reliable susceptibility testing of anaerobic bacteria.
Structures and antimicrobial activity of peniophorin A and B, two polyacetylenic antibiotics from Peniophora affinis Burt
Authors: Gerber N N , Shaw S A , Lechevalier H A
Published: June 2012

Two polyacetylenic antibiotics, peniophorin A and B, have been isolated from a strain of Peniophora affinis. Both have antibacterial and antifungal activity, but B is 3 to 20 times more active than A. Gram-positive cocci and a strain of Proteus vulgaris were especially susceptible to these two antibiotics. Both peniophorins contained an aromatic ring; B was an acid, and A was neutral. Peniophorin B was shown to be 2-(1-oxo-2,4-pentadiynl)phenyl acetic acid. The structure of A was only partially elucidated; it is suspected to be 6-[2-(1-oxo-2,4-pentadiynl)phenyl]5-methoxy-3-oxo-4-hexene-1-ol.
Variation in susceptibility patterns of species within the Bacteroides fragilis group
Authors: Hansen S L
Published: June 2012

Minimal inhibitory concentrations of eight antibiotics were determined for 159 clinical isolates of members of the Bacteroides fragilis group using the National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards proposed agar dilution reference method. Isolates were identified by standard techniques with deoxyribonucleic acid homolog confirmation. These closely related species demonstrated differences in susceptibility to commonly used drugs.
Ticarcillin concentrations in serum, muscle, and fat after a single intravenous injection
Authors: Daschner F D , Thoma G , Langmaack H , Dalhoff A
Published: June 2012

Ticarcillin concentrations in serum, muscle, and fat were determined simultaneously in 23 patients after the intravenous injection of a single dose of 5 g. The mean concentrations of ticarcillin in serum, muscle, and fat were, respectively, 185 microgram/ml, 18 microgram/g, and 32 microgram/g at 1.0 to 1.5 h after the injections, declining to levels of 11 microgram/ml, 2 microgram/g at 6 to 7 h after the injections. There was no significant difference between the serum tissue ratios at these time periods.