Microbiology, diseases, and epidemiology of Kingella kingae in young children: A short review

Kingella kingae is a Gram-negative coccobacilli and it is a member of the HACEK (Haemophilus species, Aggregatibacte actinomycetemcomitans, Cardiobacterium hominis, Eikenella corrodens, and  K. kingae). HACEK organisms are typically oropharyngeal commensals and have long been recognized as a cause of infective endocarditis in children and adults. K. kingae in difficult to be recovered from cultured pharyngeal samples due to its slow growth and the high presence of resident bacterial flora, however, the organism can be better detected using PCR tests. Based on our search in PubMed and other sources, we couldn't discover any study about K. kingae originated from any Arab country. Therefore, we wrote this review to draw the attention of our physicians and clinical microbiologists on the importance of this neglected group of organisms in clinical medicine.   However, this review article aims to cover the most important diseases of K. kingae in the pediatric population

EFFECT OF MINERAL NPK AND ORGANIC FERTILIZATION ON GROWTH, YIELD, ESSENTIAL OIL AND CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF CORIANDER PLANTS

A field trial was conducted at Esna, Luxor Governorate, Egypt during 2012/2013 and 2013/2014 seasons to study the effect of mineral NPK and organic fertilization on growth, yield, essential oil and herb N, P and K % of Coriandrum sativum, L. plants.  The obtained results revealed that all studied characters of growth, yield, essential oil and herb % of NPK were significantly augmented due to the use of both low and high NPK fertilization rates with the high one giving the highest values. Concerning organic fertilization, the different growth traits (plant height, stem diameter and herb dry weight), yield and yield component characters (number of umbels/plant and fruit yield per plant and per fed), essential oil parameters (percent and yield per plant and per fed) and NPK % in the herb were gradually increased parallel to the gradual increase in compost level. The combined treatment between the low NPK rate (50 g kristalon/10.8 m2 plot)and medium compost level (10 ton/fed) resulted in better fruit and essential oil yield than that obtained from the high NPK rate. So, the possibility of substituting one half of the mineral NPK dose by the medium compost level is justified

EFFECT OF COMPOST FERTILIZATION LEVELS ON GROWTH, YIELD AND CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF SANDY SOIL GROWN AMMI VISNAGA PLANTS

The present investigation was conducted at the nursery of Fac. of Agric., Minia Univ. during the two successive seasons of 2014/2015 and 2015/2016 to explore the most suitable level of compost for Ammi visnaga plants grown in sandy soil. All studied vegetative growth characters (plant height, branch number and herb dry weight/plant); yield parameters (number of umbels/plant and seed yield per plant and per fed); and chemical constituents (photosynthetic pigments and herb percent and content of N, P and K) were gradually increased parallel to the increase in compost level added to the soil. However, no clear difference was obtained, for all prementioned traits, between the medium compost level (12.5 ton/fed) and the high one (17.5 ton/ fed). In general, seed yield per fed, due to medium or high compost rate was increased by about 30%

High incidence of multidrug resistant Escherichia coli producing CTX-M-type ESBLs colonizing the intestine of Jordanian infants

Background. This prospective study investigated major characteristics of E.coli colonizing the intestine of out-patient and in-patient infants, especially their association with CTX-M-type  extended spectrum  β-Lactamases (ESBLs), integrons and  fluoroquinolone resistance genes (gyrAandparC) . Method. A total of 288 stool samples were collected from infants aged less than 1 year which were admitted at the pediatric department, Jordan University Hospital, Amman. The E.coli isolates were investigated using antimicrobial susceptibility tests and PCR for detection of CTX-M genes and integrons .   Results. A total of 170 (59%) infants were colonized with E.coli, including 73 (42.9%) females and 97 (57.1%) males.  A significant difference was observed between gender and age groups according to the presence or absence of E.coli (P= 0.001). Multidrug resistant (MDR) accounted for 52 (30.6%) of the isolates and all were ESBL producers. The detection rate of CTX-M genes among  MDR E.coli isolates was 49 (94.2%), CTX-M group 1 accounted for  41 (87.8%) of the  isolates and 30(73.2%) were CTX-M-15 producers.  Only Class I integron was detected in 20/52 (38.5%) of  MDR  E. coli isolates, and resistance to fluoroquinolones accounted for 45/52(86.5%) of these isolates . A total of 33/52 (63.5%) of MDR E.coli isolates were resistant to  potential Quinolone resistance genes (parC) and (gyrA) in association with CTX-M group. Conclusion. This study demonstrates that formula-fed infants, vaginal delivery and old age of infants were higher and significant associated with colonization of E .coli. High incidence of CTX-M  ESBL-producing E. coli was found in association with  fluoroquinolones-resistance and Class I integrons colonizing the intestine of Jordanian infant

Clostridium difficile : Infection, diagnosis and treatment with antimicrobial drugs : A review article

Clostridium difï¬cile infection (CDI) is increasing problem in healthcare, associated with high incidence, mortality, and costs in hospitalized patients.  Dramatic increases in the incidence and severity of healthcare-associated C. difficile infection have occurred since the last decade, including elderly population, young adults, pregnant females, infants and children. C. difï¬cile infections are mainly linked to the prolonged use of wide-spectrum antibiotics that disrupt the intestinal microbiota equilibrium. Toxigenic strains of C. difï¬cile commonly produce two clostridial toxins, toxins A (TcdA) and B (TcdB), to which disease symptoms are attributed. Few strains of C. difï¬cile may also produce another more powerful binary toxin associated with high fatality. The clinical manifestations of infection with toxin-producing strains of C. difï¬cile range from symptomless carriage, to mild or moderate watery-bloody diarrhea, and few percentage developed fulminant and sometimes fatal pseudomembranous colitis. Complications that have been associated with CDI include dehydration, electrolyte disturbances, toxic megacolon, bowel perforation, hypotension, renal failure, systemic inflammatory response syndrome, sepsis, and death. The most important step in treating CDI is immediately discontinuing use of offending antimicrobial drug. Both metronidazole and vancomycin are equally effective for the treatment of mild CDI, but vancomycin is superior for treating patients with severe C. difï¬cile disease. Recently, fidaxomicin proved to be superior to other drugs in treatment of patients who are at high risk for CDI relapse.Â

7-O-methylpunctatin, a novel homoisoflavonoid, inhibits phenotypic switch of human arteriolar smooth muscle cells

Remodeling of arterioles is a pivotal event in the manifestation of many inflammation-based cardio-vasculopathologies, such as hypertension. During these remodeling events, vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) switch from a contractile to a synthetic phenotype. The latter is characterized by increased proliferation, migration, and invasion. Compounds with anti-inflammatory actions have been successful in attenuating this phenotypic switch. While the vast majority of studies investigating phenotypic modulation were undertaken in VSMCs isolated from large vessels, little is known about the effect of such compounds on phenotypic switch in VSMCs of microvessels (microVSMCs). We have recently characterized a novel homoisoflavonoid that we called 7-O-methylpunctatin (MP). In this study, we show that MP decreased FBS-induced cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and adhesion. MP also attenuated adhesion of THP-1 monocytes to microVSMCs, abolished FBS-induced expression of MMP-2, MMP-9, and NF-?B, as well as reduced activation of ERK1/2 and FAK. Furthermore, MP-treated VSMCs showed an increase in early (myocardin, SM-22?, SM-?) and mid-term (calponin and caldesmon) differentiation markers and a decrease in osteopontin, a protein highly expressed in synthetic VSMCs. MP also reduced transcription of cyclin D1, CDK4 but increased protein levels of p21 and p27. Taken together, these results corroborate an anti-inflammatory action of MP on human microVSMCs. Therefore, by inhibiting the synthetic phenotype of microVSMCs, MP may be a promising modulator for inflammation-induced arteriolar pathophysiology. - 2019 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.Funding: This work was supported by the American University of Beirut (Grant # MPP 320133 to A.E.), University of Petra (Grant #: 5/4/2019) to A.B., E.B., and A.E., and the National Council for Scientific Research (CNRS) to M.F.Scopu

Multiwavelength Observations of 1ES 1959+650, One Year After the Strong Outburst of 2002

In April-May 2003, the blazar 1ES 1959+650 showed an increased level of X-ray activity. This prompted a multiwavelength observation campaign with the Whipple 10 m gamma-ray telescope, the Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer, the Bordeaux Optical Observatory, and the University of Michigan Radio Astrophysical Observatory. We present the multiwavelength data taken from May 2, 2003 to June 7, 2003 and compare the source characteristics with those measured during observations taken during the years 2000 and 2002. The X-ray observations gave a data set with high signal-to-noise light curves and energy spectra; however, the gamma-ray observations did not reveal a major TeV gamma-ray flare. Furthermore, we find that the radio and optical fluxes do not show statistically significant deviations from those measured during the 2002 flaring periods. While the X-ray flux and X-ray photon index appear correlated during subsequent observations, the apparent correlation evolved significantly between the years 2000, 2002, and 2003. We discuss the implications of this finding for the mechanism that causes the flaring activity.Comment: 17 pages, 6 figures, 2 table

Multiwavelength Observations of the Blazar Mrk 421 in December 2002 and January 2003

We report on a multiwavelength campaign on the TeV gamma-ray blazar Markarian (Mrk) 421 performed during December 2002 and January 2003. These target of opportunity observations were initiated by the detection of X-ray and TeV gamma-ray flares with the All Sky Monitor (ASM) on board the Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer (RXTE) and the 10 m Whipple gamma-ray telescope.The campaign included observational coverage in the radio (University of Michigan Radio Astronomy Observatory), optical (Boltwood, La Palma KVA 0.6m, WIYN 0.9m), X-ray (RXTE pointed telescopes), and TeV gamma-ray (Whipple and HEGRA) bands. At TeV energies, the observations revealed several flares at intermediate flux levels, peaking between 1 and 1.5 times the flux from the Crab Nebula. While the time averaged spectrum can be fitted with a single power law of photon index Gamma =2.8, we find some evidence for spectral variability. Confirming earlier results, the campaign reveals a rather loose correlation between the X-ray and TeV gamma-ray fluxes. In one case, a very strong X-ray flare is not accompanied by a comparable TeV gamma-ray flare. Although the source flux was variable in the optical and radio bands, the sparse sampling of the optical and radio light curves does not allow us to study the correlation properties in detail. We present a simple analysis of the data with a synchrotron-self Compton model, emphasizing that models with very high Doppler factors and low magnetic fields can describe the data.Comment: Accepted for publication in the Astrophysical Journa

Detection of the BL Lac Object H1426+428 at TeV Gamma Ray Energies

A very high energy (VHE) gamma-ray signal has been detected at the 5.4 sigma level from H1426+428, an x-ray selected BL Lacertae object at a redshift of 0.129. The object was monitored from 1995 - 1998 with the Whipple 10m imaging atmospheric Cherenkov telescope as part of a general blazar survey; the results of these observations, although not statistically significant, were consistently positive. X-ray observations of H1426+428 during 1999 with the BeppoSAX instrument revealed that the peak of its synchrotron spectrum occurs at > 100 keV, leading to the prediction of observable TeV emission from this object. H1426+428 was monitored extensively at the Whipple Observatory during the 1999, 2000, and 2001 observing seasons. The strongest TeV signals were detected in 2000 and 2001. During 2001, an integral flux of 2.04 +/- 0.35 x10e-11 cm-2 s-1 above 280 GeV was recorded from H1426+428. The detection of H1426+428 supports the idea that, as also seen in Markarian 501 and 1ES2344+514, BL Lacertae objects with extremely high synchrotron peak frequencies produce gamma rays in the TeV range.Comment: 35 pages, 7 figures, accepted by ApJ Two upper limits in Table 3 (upper limits for 1995 and 1997) are different from the ApJ versio

Proactive familial cancer risk assessment: A UK primary care study.

BACKGROUND: Family-history assessment can identify individuals above population-risk for cancer to enable targeted Screening, Prevention and Early Detection (SPED). Family History Questionnaire Service (FHQS) is a resource-efficient patient-facing online tool to facilitate this. In the UK, cancer-risk assessment is usually only offered to concerned individuals pro-actively self-presenting to their general practitioner, leading to inequity in accessing SPED in the community. AIM: To improve access to community cancer genetic risk assessment and explore barriers to uptake. DESIGN AND SETTING: Service development project of a digital pathway using the FHQS for cancer-risk assessment across four general practices within the clinical remit of the South West Thames Centre for Genomics (SWTCG) METHODS: 3100 individuals aged 38-50 years were invited to complete the FHQS through either text message or email. A random selection of 100 non-responders were contacted to determine barriers to uptake. RESULTS: 304/3100 (9.8%) registered for the FHQS. Responders were more likely to be British (63% vs 47%, P<0.001), speak English as their main language (92% vs 76%, P<0.001) and not require an interpreter (99.6% vs 94.9%, P=0.001). Of 304 responders, 158 (52%) were automatically identified as at population-risk without full family-history review. Of the remaining 146 responders, 52 (36%) required either additional screening referral (N=23), genetics referral (N=15), and/or advice to relatives (N=18). Of 100 non-responders contacted, eight had incorrect contact details and 53 were contactable. Reasons for not responding included not receiving invitation details (N=26), losing the invitation (N=5), or forgetting (N=4). CONCLUSION: The FHQS can be used as part of a low-resource primary care pathway to identify individuals in the community above population-risk for cancer requiring action. This study highlights barriers to uptake requiring consideration to maximise impact and minimise inequity