Molekularna serotipizacija sojeva bakterije Salmonella izoliranih iz pilećeg mesa za prodaju, na temelju in silico višestrukog PCR-a, određivanja ESBL-a i gena kolistin rezistencije mcr-1 do -5

Salmonella spp. are zoonotic pathogenic agents that cause important infections in humans and animals. They are the most common foodborne pathogens after Campylobacter spp. worldwide. The aim of this study was to determine the phenotypic and genotypic extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL) and colistin resistance of 67 Salmonella spp. isolated from retail chicken meats between May and December 2016, and stored in the culture collection of Ataturk University, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Microbiology. The isolates were serotyped using multiplex polymerase chain reaction (mPCR). The serovar distribution of strains was 74.6% S. Infantis, 16.4% S. Enteritidis, 3.0% S. Arizonae, 3.0% S. Dublin, 1.5% S. Gallinarum and 1.5% S. Indica. Of the 67 strains, 20 (29.9%) were ESBL- positive. The main types of β-lactamase identified were blaCTX-M-1, blaCTX-M-8-25, blaSHV and blaTEM. Four isolates were found to be phenotypically colistin-resistant. These isolates did not carry mobilised colistin resistance (mcr) genes 1 to 5. In this study, both genotypically ESBL-producing and phenotypically colistin-resistant Salmonella strains were found. We revealed that ESBL-producing Salmonella strains have dramatically increased over the years, especially when compared with previously reported chicken meat Salmonella strains in Turkey. The increase in Salmonella strains, particularly ESBL producers and the colistin resistant, is of great concern for selected antimicrobial therapy in human infections. Hence, epidemiological information and monitoring systems are extremely important in controlling Salmonella infections in public health services.Salmonella spp. zoonotski su patogeni koji uzrokuju infekcije u ljudi i životinja. Na globalnoj su razini najčešći patogeni koji se prenose hranom poslije bakterija Campylobacter spp. Cilj ovog istraživanja bio je fenotipski i genotipski odrediti β-laktamaze proširenog spektra (ESBL) i otpornost na kolistin 67 sojeva bakterija Salmonella spp. izoliranih iz pilećeg mesa za prodaju od svibnja do prosinca 2016. i pohranjenih u kulturama na Odsjeku za mikrobiologiju Fakulteta veterinarske medicine na Sveučilištu Ataturk. Izolati su serotipizirani primjenom višestruke lančane reakcije polimerazom (mPCR). Distribucija serovara bila je: 74,6 % za S. Infantis, 16,4 % za S. Enteritidis, 3,0 % za S. Arizonae, 3,0 % za S. Dublin, 1,5 % za S. Gallinarum i 1,5 % za S. Indica. Od 67 sojeva njih je 20 (29,9 %) bilo pozitivno na ESBL. Glavni identificirani tipovi β-laktamaza bili su: blaCTX-M-1, blaCTX-M-8-25, blaSHV i blaTEM. Četiri izolata bila su fenotipski otporna na kolistin. Ovi izolati nisu sadržavali aktivne gene rezistencije na kolistin (mcr) 1 do 5. U ovom su istraživanju nađeni i sojevi salmonele koji su genotipski proizvodili ESBL i sojevi fenotipski otporni na kolistin. Sojevi salmonele koji proizvode ESBL s godinama su se znatno povećali, posebno u usporedbi s prethodnim izvješćima o sojevima salmonele u mesu pilića u Turskoj. Porast sojeva salmonele, osobito onih koji proizvode ESBL i onih koji su otporni na kolistin, zabrinjava zbog antimikrobnog liječenja infekcija u ljudi. Zbog toga su u kontroli infekcija salmonelama u javnome zdravstvu iznimno važni epidemiološki podaci i sustavi praćenja

Gesturing with an Injured Brain: How Gesture Helps Children with Early Brain Injury Learn Linguistic Constructions

Children with pre/perinatal unilateral brain lesions (PL) show remarkable plasticity for language development. Is this plasticity characterized by the same developmental trajectory that characterizes typically developing (TD) children, with gesture leading the way into speech ? We explored this question, comparing eleven children with PL – matched to thirty TD children on expressive vocabulary – in the second year of life. Children with PL showed similarities to TD children for simple but not complex sentence types. Children with PL produced simple sentences across gesture and speech several months before producing them entirely in speech, exhibiting parallel delays in both gesture+speech and speech-alone. However, unlike TD children, children with PL produced complex sentence types first in speech-alone. Overall, the gesture–speech system appears to be a robust feature of language learning for simple – but not complex – sentence constructions, acting as a harbinger of change in language development even when that language is developing in an injured brain

Firm-Specific Assets, Multinationality, and Financial Performance: A Meta-Analytic Review and Theoretical Integration

Through a meta-analysis of 120 independent samples reported in 111 studies, we test the predictions of internalization theory in the context of the multinationality-performance relationship. Findings indicate that multinationality provides an efficient organizational form that enables firms to transfer their firm-specific assets to generate higher returns in international markets. In addition, the results delineate the conditions under which firm-specific assets have the strongest impact on the multinationality-performance relationship. Meta-analytic evidence also suggests that multinationality has intrinsic value above and beyond the intangible assets that firms possess, given analyses controlling for firms\u27 international experience, age, size, and product diversification

Water recovery with combined membrane system in textile industry, treatment and management of concentrates by hybrid advanced oxidation/membrane filtration

In this study, in addition to textile wastewater treatment by UF/NFtight/TO membrane combination of which efficiency is known, management has been performed for membrane concentrates generated with advanced oxidation combined process (Fenton and photo-Fenton (UVA-365-UVC-254))/submerged UF system of membrane concentrates generated within 75-80% water recovery ratio by oxidizing them in optimum operating conditions which were determined before. Ultimately in the studies, the conclusion has been reached that concentrate flows, generated as a result of the treatment with UF/NFtight/TO membrane configuration, were the highest performance innovative process by decreasing the sequential operated photo-Fenton (UVC-254)/UH050 hybrid process in ratios of 9.88 H2O2/TOK and 7.27 H2O2/Fe2+, in the filtration flux of 44 L/m(2). h, COD value to 167 mg/L with 86% COD removal, and TOK value to 104 mg/L with 74.2% TOC removal, after the oxidation with Fenton, photo-Fenton (UVA-365) and (UVC-254)/submerged UF system processes. When hazardous characteristics, removal/recovery methods and reuse alternatives of the concentrate remained after the oxidation of membrane concentrates generated were evaluated, it has been seen that all other concentrates of textile industry wastewater, except the concentrate generated by the treatment with photo-Fenton (UVA-365), had characteristics of hazardousness When removal/recovery methods were evaluated in detail, the conclusion has been reached that these concentrates could be removed with alternative options such as regular storage, burning and canalizing to central wastewater treatment system as long as necessary arrangements (moisture content, dehydration, suitable flow and/or mixture ratios) are made

Combined metabolic activators improve cognitive functions in Alzheimer’s disease patients: a randomised, double-blinded, placebo-controlled phase-II trial

Background: Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is associated with metabolic abnormalities linked to critical elements of neurodegeneration. We recently administered\ua0combined metabolic activators (CMA) to the AD rat model and observed that CMA improves the AD-associated histological parameters in the animals. CMA promotes mitochondrial fatty acid uptake from the cytosol, facilitates fatty acid oxidation in the mitochondria, and alleviates oxidative stress. Methods: Here, we designed a randomised, double-blinded, placebo-controlled phase-II clinical trial and studied the effect of CMA administration on the global metabolism of AD patients. One-dose CMA included 12.35\ua0g L-serine (61.75%), 1\ua0g nicotinamide riboside (5%), 2.55\ua0g\ua0N-acetyl-L-cysteine (12.75%), and 3.73\ua0g L-carnitine tartrate (18.65%). AD patients received one dose of CMA or placebo daily during the first 28\ua0days and twice daily between day 28 and day 84. The primary endpoint was the difference in the cognitive function and daily living activity scores between the placebo and the treatment arms. The secondary aim of this study was to evaluate the safety and tolerability of CMA. A comprehensive plasma metabolome and proteome analysis was also performed to evaluate the efficacy of the CMA in AD patients. Results: We showed a significant decrease of AD Assessment Scale-cognitive subscale (ADAS-Cog) score on day 84 vs day 0 (P = 0.00001, 29% improvement) in the CMA group. Moreover, there was a significant decline (P = 0.0073) in ADAS-Cog scores (improvement of cognitive functions) in the\ua0CMA compared to the placebo group in patients with higher ADAS-Cog scores. Improved cognitive functions in AD patients were supported by the relevant alterations in the hippocampal volumes and cortical thickness based on imaging analysis. Moreover, the plasma levels of proteins and metabolites associated with NAD + and glutathione metabolism were significantly improved after CMA treatment. Conclusion: Our results indicate that treatment of AD patients with CMA can lead to enhanced cognitive functions and improved clinical parameters associated with phenomics, metabolomics, proteomics and imaging analysis. Trial registration\ua0ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04044131 Registered 17 July 2019, https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04044131

Consequences of gestational diabetes mellitus on neonatal cardiovascular health: MySweetHeart Cohort study

Hyperglycaemic disorders of pregnancy are associated with offspring cardiovascular alterations. MySweetHeart cohort study aimed to assess the effect of maternal gestational diabetes (GDM) on offsprings' cardiovascular health. Newborns underwent clinical and echocardiographic examinations between 2016 and 2020. Compared to mothers without GDM (n = 141), mothers with GDM (n = 123) were more likely to have had GDM in previous pregnancies and had higher weight, BMI, blood glucose, and HbA1c. Newborns of both groups showed similar clinical characteristics. Echocardiography was performed on the 3rd (interquartile range, IQR, 2nd-4th) day of life in 101 offsprings of mothers without and 116 offsprings of mothers with GDM. Left ventricular (LV) mass was similar. Children born to mothers with GDM had a thicker posterior LV wall (z-score +0.15, IQR -0.38/0.62, versus +0.47, IQR -0.11/+1.1, p = 0.004), a smaller end-systolic (1.3 mL, IQR 1.0-1.5 mL, versus 1.4 mL, IQR 1.2-1.8 mL, p = 0.044) but a similar end-diastolic LV volume. They also had shorter tricuspid valve flow duration and aortic valve ejection time, lower tricuspid E-wave and pulmonary valve velocities. Newborns of mothers with or without GDM had similar clinical characteristics and LV mass. However, some echocardiographic differences were detected, suggesting an altered myocardial physiology among infants of mothers with GDM. ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT02872974). Hyperglycaemic disorders of pregnancy are known to be associated with offspring cardiovascular alterations. Clinical characteristics and estimated left ventricular (LV) mass were similar in children issued from mothers with and without gestational diabetes (GDM). Children born to mothers with GDM had a thicker posterior LV wall and a smaller end-systolic LV volume. Although LV mass is not different, myocardial physiology may be altered in these infants. Further studies should investigate the endothelial function of this population and the cardiovascular evolution of these children over time

Reducing the environmental impact of surgery on a global scale: systematic review and co-prioritization with healthcare workers in 132 countries

Abstract Background Healthcare cannot achieve net-zero carbon without addressing operating theatres. The aim of this study was to prioritize feasible interventions to reduce the environmental impact of operating theatres. Methods This study adopted a four-phase Delphi consensus co-prioritization methodology. In phase 1, a systematic review of published interventions and global consultation of perioperative healthcare professionals were used to longlist interventions. In phase 2, iterative thematic analysis consolidated comparable interventions into a shortlist. In phase 3, the shortlist was co-prioritized based on patient and clinician views on acceptability, feasibility, and safety. In phase 4, ranked lists of interventions were presented by their relevance to high-income countries and low–middle-income countries. Results In phase 1, 43 interventions were identified, which had low uptake in practice according to 3042 professionals globally. In phase 2, a shortlist of 15 intervention domains was generated. In phase 3, interventions were deemed acceptable for more than 90 per cent of patients except for reducing general anaesthesia (84 per cent) and re-sterilization of ‘single-use’ consumables (86 per cent). In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for high-income countries were: introducing recycling; reducing use of anaesthetic gases; and appropriate clinical waste processing. In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for low–middle-income countries were: introducing reusable surgical devices; reducing use of consumables; and reducing the use of general anaesthesia. Conclusion This is a step toward environmentally sustainable operating environments with actionable interventions applicable to both high– and low–middle–income countries