Analysis of the protein profiles of the antibiotic-resistant Salmonella typhimurium definitive phage type (dt) 104

The emergent Salmonella typhimurium definitive phage type (DT) 104 is of particular global concern due to its frequent isolation and multiple antibiotic resistances. There is thus a need to know the kind of proteins expressed by S. typhimurium DT104 so as to provide a basis for developing an intervention. This study examined the protein profiles of a few isolates of S. typhimurium DT104 and a non-DT104 strain S. typhimurium L1388 (ST). Crude SDS-soluble whole cell and outer membrane protein (OMP) extracts revealed similar protein profiles for both phage types. A single major protein band (28.4 kDa) was observed in periplasmic fractions from both phage types. However, proteins released into growth medium was variable; one of the DT104 isolates had common proteins with the non-DT104 strain ST. Similar SDS-soluble whole cell protein profiles were observed for both phage types grown in a low-iron Medium A at 37oC; but a 38.5 kDa protein (observed in TSB-grown cells) was observed only in the temperature-tolerant DT104 isolate. The protein contents of cell-free ultracentrifuge supernatants of sonically disrupted cells of each of the DT104 isolates were significantly (P < 0.05) more than that from ST L1388, but the latter expressed a 51-kDa protein absent in the supernatants of all DT104 isolates. The higher protein content of DT104s provides possible indication of increased production of protein-like metabolites. Although the N-terminal sequence of the first twenty amino acids of the 51-kDa protein (Ala-Gln-Val-Ile-Asn-Thr-Asn-Ser-Leu-Ser-Leu-Leu-Thr-Gln-Trp-Ala-Ala-Ala-Ala-Ala) showed 14-amino acid overlap and resemblance with the flagillin, FLIC, only fourteen of its 104 trypsin digests were homologous with those of FLIC. Further work is being done to characterize this protein and to investigate its potential for use as vaccine target through antigenicity tests.African Journal of Biotechnology Vol. 4 (7), pp. 727-737, 200

The MAXI Mission on the ISS: Science and Instruments for Monitoring All Sky X-Ray Images

The MAXI (Monitor of All-sky X-ray Image) mission is the first astronomical payload to be installed on the Japanese Experiment Module-Exposed Facility (JEM-EF) on the ISS. It is scheduled for launch in the middle of 2009 to monitor all-sky X-ray objects on every ISS orbit. MAXI will be more powerful than any previous X-ray All Sky Monitor (ASM) payloads, being able to monitor hundreds of AGN. MAXI will provide all sky images of X-ray sources of about 20 mCrab in the energy band of 2-30 keV from observation on one ISS orbit (90 min), about 4.5 mCrab for one day, and about 1 mCrab for one month. A final detectability of MAXI could be 0.2 mCrab for 2 year observations.Comment: 12 pages, 11 figures, accepted for publication in Publications of the Astronomical Society of Japa

LDL-C/HDL-C Ratio Predicts Carotid Intima-Media Thickness Progression Better Than HDL-C or LDL-C Alone

High-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) are strong predictors of atherosclerosis. Statin-induced changes in the ratio of LDL-C to HDL-C (LDL-C/HDL-C) predicted atherosclerosis progression better than LDL-C or HDL-C alone. However, the best predictor of subclinical atherosclerosis remains unknown. Our objective was to investigate this issue by measuring changes in carotid intima-media thickness (IMT). A total of 1,920 subjects received health examinations in 1999, and were followed up in 2007. Changes in IMT (follow-up IMT/baseline IMT × 100) were measured by ultrasonography. Our results showed that changes in IMT after eight years were significantly related to HDL-C (inversely, P < 0.05) and to LDL-C/HDL-C ratio (P < 0.05). When the LDL-C/HDL-C ratios were divided into quartiles, analysis of covariance showed that increases in the ratio were related to IMT progression (P < 0.05). This prospective study demonstrated the LDL-C/HDL-C ratio is a better predictor of IMT progression than HDL-C or LDL-C alone

Multicenter, single-blind, randomized controlled study of the efficacy and safety of favipiravir and nafamostat mesilate in patients with COVID-19 pneumonia

Objectives: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of nafamostat combined with favipiravir for the treatment of COVID-19. Methods: We conducted a multicenter, randomized, single-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel assignment study in hospitalized patients with mild-to-moderate COVID-19 pneumonia. Patients were randomly assigned to receive favipiravir alone (n = 24) or nafamostat with favipiravir (n = 21). The outcomes included changes in the World Health Organization clinical progression scale score, time to improvement in body temperature, and improvement in oxygen saturation (SpO2). Results: There was no significant difference in the changes in the clinical progression scale between nafamostat with favipiravir and favipiravir alone groups (median, -0.444 vs -0.150, respectively; least-squares mean difference, -0.294; P = 0.364). The time to improvement in body temperature was significantly shorter in the combination group (5.0 days; 95% confidence interval, 4.0-7.0) than in the favipiravir group (9.0 days; 95% confidence interval, 7.0-18.0; P =0.009). The changes in SpO2 were greater in the combination group than in the favipiravir group (0.526% vs -1.304%, respectively; least-squares mean difference, 1.831; P = 0.022). No serious adverse events or deaths were reported, but phlebitis occurred in 57.1% of the patients in the combination group. Conclusion: Although our study showed no differences in clinical progression, earlier defervescence, and recovery of SpO2 were observed in the combination group