Evaluation of an MPN test for the rapid enumeration of Pseudomonas aeruginosa in hospital waters.

In this study, the performance of a new most probable number (MPN) test (Pseudalert®/Quanti-Tray®) for the enumeration of Pseudomonas aeruginosa from hospital waters was compared with both international and national membrane filtration-based culture methods for P. aeruginosa: ISO 16266:2006 and UK The Microbiology of Drinking Water – Part 8 (MoDW Part 8), which both use Pseudomonas CN agar. The comparison based on the calculation of mean relative differences between the two methods was conducted according to ISO 17994:2014. Using both routine hospital water samples (80 from six laboratories) and artificially contaminated samples (192 from five laboratories), paired counts from each sample and the enumeration method were analysed. For routine samples, there were insufficient data for a conclusive assessment, but the data do indicate at least equivalent performance of Pseudalert®/Quanti-Tray®. For the artificially contaminated samples, the data revealed higher counts of P. aeruginosa being recorded by Pseudalert®/Quanti-Tray®. The Pseudalert®/Quanti-Tray® method does not require confirmation testing for atypical strains of P. aeruginosa, saving up to 6 days of additional analysis, and has the added advantage of providing confirmed counts within 24–28 hours incubation compared to 40–48 hours or longer for the ISO 16266 and MoDW Part 8 methods

Neuron–astrocyte interactions in the medial nucleus of the trapezoid body

The calyx of Held (CoH) synapse serves as a model system to analyze basic mechanisms of synaptic transmission. Astrocyte processes are part of the synaptic structure and contact both pre- and postsynaptic membranes. In the medial nucleus of the trapezoid body (MNTB), midline stimulation evoked a current response that was not mediated by glutamate receptors or glutamate uptake, despite the fact that astrocytes express functional receptors and transporters. However, astrocytes showed spontaneous Ca2+ responses and neuronal slow inward currents (nSICs) were recorded in the postsynaptic principal neurons (PPNs) of the MNTB. These currents were correlated with astrocytic Ca2+ activity because dialysis of astrocytes with BAPTA abolished nSICs. Moreover, the frequency of these currents was increased when Ca2+ responses in astrocytes were elicited. NMDA antagonists selectively blocked nSICs while D-serine degradation significantly reduced NMDA-mediated currents. In contrast to previous studies in the hippocampus, these NMDA-mediated currents were rarely synchronized

Mineralogy and geochemistry of alluvium contaminated by metal mining in the Rio Tinto area, southwest Spain

The Rio Tinto in SW Spain drains Cu and pyrite mines which have been in operation since at least the Bronze Age. Extensive metal mining, especially from 1873 to 1954, has resulted in contamination of the Rio Tinto alluvium with As, Cu, Pb, Ag and Zn. X-ray diffraction (XRD), wavelength-dispersive X-ray mapping, scanning electron microscope petrography and X-ray energy-dispersive (EDX) analysis has revealed that 4 major groups of contaminant metal and As-bearing minerals, including sulphides, Fe-As oxides, Fe oxides/hydroxides/oxyhydroxides, and Fe oxyhydroxysulphates, occur in the alluvium. Sulphide minerals, including pyrite, chalcopyrite, arsenopyrite and sphalerite, occur in alluvium near the mining areas. Iron hydroxides and oxyhydroxides such as goethite and possibly ferrihydrite occur in cements in both the mining areas and alluvium downstream, and carry minor amounts of As, Cu and Zn. Iron oxyhydroxysulphates; including jarosite, plumbojarosite and possibly schwertmannite, are the most common minerals in alluvium downstream of the mining areas, and are major hosts of Cu, Pb, Zn and of As, next to the Fe-As minerals. This work, and other field observations, suggest that (1) the extreme acidity and elevated metal concentrations of the river water will probably be maintained for some time due to oxidation of pyrite and other sulphides in the alluvium and mine-waste tips, and from formation of secondary oxide and oxyhydroxysulphates; (2) soluble Fe oxyhydroxysulphates such as copiapite, which form on the alluvium, are a temporary store of contaminant metals, but are dissolved during periods Of high rainfall or flooding, releasing contaminants to the aqueous system; (3) relatively insoluble Fe oxyhydroxysulphates and hydroxides such as jarosite and goethite may be the major long-term store of alluvial contaminant metals; and (4) raising river pH will probably cause precipitation of Fe oxyhydroxides and oxides/hydroxides/oxyhydroxides and thus have a positive effect on water quality, but this action may destabilise some of these contaminant metal-bearing minerals, releasing metals back to the aqueous system

Consciousness of Nature 2009

-Einstellung zur Natur und zur Umwelt. Biologische Vielfalt. Verhältnis von Mensch und Natur. Naturerfahrung. Nutzung und Schutz der Natur. Themen: 1. Teil: Mündliche Befragung: Assoziationen zum Thema Natur in Form von Substantiven, Eigenschaftswörtern und bildhaften Vorstellungen; Einstellungen zur Natur und zum Naturerleben (Skala); Bedeutung von Naturschutz (Skala); Häufigkeit des Aufenthalts in freier Natur und dabei präferierte Gegenden wie Wald, Park, Flüsse, Seen, Meer, Berge und Garten; Motive für den Aufenthalt in der Natur; Assoziationen zum Begriff: biologische Vielfalt; vermutete Abnahme der biologischen Vielfalt auf der Erde; Erhaltung der biologischen Vielfalt als gesellschaftliche Aufgabe; persönlicher Beitrag zum Schutz der biologischen Vielfalt durch Änderung des Konsumverhaltens und durch politische Partizipation (Skala); persönlich empfundene Verantwortung für den Erhalt der biologischen Vielfalt (Skala); persönlich empfundene Betroffenheit durch den Verlust von biologischer Vielfalt. Demographie: Religiosität; Urbanisierungsgrad; Kinderzahl und Anzahl der Kinder unter 18 Jahren im Haushalt. 2. Teil: Schriftliche Befragung: Einstellung zum Verhältnis zwischen Mensch und Natur (Skala: technologischer Fortschritt macht von der Natur unabhängig, Recht des Menschen, die Natur zu nutzen, Natur und wirtschaftliche Entwicklung, der Mensch ist der Natur ausgeliefert, die Natur hilft sich selbst, Naturschutz als Pflicht des Menschen, Mensch ist ein Teil der Natur, der Mensch darf sich nicht über die Natur stellen); Einstellung zur Nutzung der Natur (Skala: in der Natur stecken ungeahnte Möglichkeiten, Nutzung der Natur unter Rücksicht auf Pflanzen und Tiere, Schutz der Natur wenn man darin unterwegs ist, geschützte Natur ist für Urlauber attraktiv, Ausbeutung der Natur auf Kosten der Menschen in ärmeren Ländern, Reduzierung des Naturschutzes in wirtschaftlichen Krisenzeiten, ausreichender Naturschutz in Deutschland, Nutzung der Natur nur bei Beibehalten der Schönheit der Landschaft und zum Erhalt für kommende Generationen); wichtigste Gründe für Naturschutz; Naturschutz als Forderung an jeden Einzelnen sowie an die Wirtschaft und den Staat; Naturschutz als Aufgabe, die von den Naturschutzverbänden zu leisten ist; Wunsch nach stärkerem Engagement der Bürger im Naturschutz; Beurteilung der Wichtigkeit von Maßnahmen zum Naturschutz: Einrichtung von Wildnislandschaften und Nationalparks sowie Unterschutzstellung von Kulturlandschaften; Forderung nach vermehrter staatlicher Förderung des Naturschutzes; Entschädigung für Eingriffe in die Natur nach dem Verursacherprinzip; Kontrolle der Einfuhr seltener Tier- und Pflanzenarten; wirksamere Gesetze zum Schutz der Natur; Wunsch nach vermehrter Information für den Einzelnen zum Thema Naturschutz; Ausweitung der ökologischen Landwirtschaft; Wunsch nach ökologischer Bewirtschaftung der Wälder; Ausweitung der Umweltbildung an Schulen; Verhindern der Überfischung der Meere; Verbot von gentechnisch veränderten Organismen in der Landwirtschaft. Demographie: Geschlecht; Staatsangehörigkeit; Alter (Geburtsmonat und Geburtsjahr); Familienstand; Zusammenleben mit einem Partner; Beschäftigungsstatus; Schulbildung; abgeschlossene Lehre; Konfession; Befragter ist Haushaltsvorstand; berufliche Position und Beruf des Haushaltsvorstands; Haushaltsgröße; Personen im Haushalt im Alter von 14 bis 17 Jahren und darüber; Anzahl der Einkommensbezieher im Haushalt; Einkommen; Telefonanschluss im Haushalt; Urbanisierungsgrad; Ortsgröße; Bundesland

Deformation Mechanisms in Metastable Austenitic TRIP/TWIP Steels under Compressive Load Studied by in situ Synchrotron Radiation Diffraction

The stress–strain behavior of austenitic steels showing the TRIP/TWIP effectcan be adjusted in a broad range by the addition of suitable alloyingelements. Although the underlying deformation mechanisms are reasonablyunderstood, the existing models often fail, in particular when the density ofmicrostructure defects is high and when individual microstructure defectsand features start to interact. For a micromechanical description of thematerial behavior involving possible interactions between different microstructuredefects in austenite (dislocations, stacking faults) and newlydeveloped phases, a detailed in situ microstructure characterization of thematerial under load is needed. In this study, the in situ experiments areperformed using synchrotron diffraction during uniaxial compression. Thematerials under study are Cr–Mn–Ni steels with different Ni contents (3, 6,and 9 wt%) and thus different stacking fault energies (7.5, 16.7, and24.3 mJm2). The in situ measurements reveal information about themartensitic phase transformations and about the development of the defectstructure of austenite. The latter is concluded from the broadening and shiftof diffraction lines and interpreted in terms of the squared microstrain, whichis proportional to the dislocation density, and the stacking fault probability.The changes in the phase composition and defect structure are correlatedwith the residual elastic lattice strain

In-situ synchrotron radiation studies of the deformation mechanisms in metastable austenitic TRIP/TWIP steels

. Many deformation mechanisms in metastable austenitic steels are governed by the stacking fault energy. In this study, microstructure changes in Cr-Mn-Ni steels with different Ni contents (3, 6 and 9 wt.%) and thus with different stacking fault energies (SFE = 7.5, 16.7 and 24.3 mJ/m²) are investigated using in-situ synchrotron X-ray diffraction under uniaxial compression. The martensitic phase transformation is tracked by the evolution of the phase composition. The changes in the defect densities (microstrain due to dislocations, stacking fault probabilities) are monitored and correlated with the lattice strain in austenite. The onset of epsilon-martensite formation was found to be coupled to an abundant stacking fault formation and to their dense arrangement. The alpha´-martensite forms mainly in the steels with low SFE; it was not found in the steel with SFE > 20 mJ/m². Increasing SFE reduces the stacking fault probability and shifts the onset of the stacking fault formation to higher deformations. Concurrently, higher SFE enhances the formation of dislocations and their slip activity. The interplay of the microstructure features and defects and their effect on the stress-strain curve are discussed

Ti plasmid vector for the introduction of DNA into plant cells without alteration of their normal regeneration capacity

A Ti plasmid mutant was constructed in which all the on-cogenic functions of the T-DNA have been deleted and replaced by pBR322. This Ti plasmid, pGV3850, still mediates efficient transfer and stabilization of its truncated T-DNA into infected plant cells. Moreover, integration and expression of this minimal T-DNA in plant cells does not interfere with normal plant cell differentiation. A DNA fragment cloned in a pBR vector can be inserted in the pGV3850 T-region upon a single recombination event through the pBR322 region of pGV3850 producing a co-integrate useful for the transformation of plant cells. Based upon these properties, pGV3850 is proposed as an extremely versatile vector for the introduction of any DNA of interest into plant cells

Genetic evidence that the tryptophan 2-mono-oxygenase gene of Pseudomonas savastonoi is functionally equivalent to one of the T-DNA genes involved in plant tumour formation by Agrobacterium tumefaciens

The combined activities of the Agrobacterium tumefaciens T-DNA genes 1 and 2 are sufficient to induce tumorous growth on several plants, by introducing a new auxin biosynthetic pathway in infected cells. We have isolated Nicotiana tabacum plants containing only gene 1 or gene 2. These plants, respectively called rG1 and rG2, grow and develop in a normal fashion, indicating that neither the gene 1 nor the gene 2 activity by itself interferes with the endogenous auxin metabolism in plants. Previous evidence indicated that the auxin biosynthetic pathway of Pseudomonas savastanoi and that proposed to be encoded by the T-DNA of Agrobacterium tumefaciens are similar. When rG2 plants were infected with non-oncogenic A. tumefaciens or Escherichia coli strains that harbour the P. savastanoi iaaM gene (responsible for indole-3-acetamide synthesis) root and callus formation at the infection site was readily observed. This shows that the product of iaaM, indole-3-acetamide, is an in vivo substrate for the gene 2 encoded enzyme and supports the proposal that the gene 1-encoded enzyme is involved in the synthesis of indole-3-acetamide in transformed plants. This result offers new insights in evolution of bacteria and plants involved in pathogenic and symbiotic interactions

Genetic analysis of the individual T-DNA genes of Agrobacterium tumefaciens: further evidence that two genes are involved in indole-3-acetic acid synthesis

The T-DNA genes of Ti plasmids of Agrobacterium tumefaciens can induce tumorous growth on a wide range of dicotyledonous plants. We subcloned the individual onc genes of the pTiC58 T-DNA and reintroduced them in the T-region of the Ti plasmid gene vector pGV3850 (from which the onc genes had been removed (Zambryski et al. 1983)). These experiments were designed to analyze the contribution of each onc gene to the development of a tumor and have fulfilled two purposes. First, it was found that only the strains carrying gene 4 produced tumors without the aid of other T-DNA genes; in cell culture these tumors sprout shoots. Second, the shoot-forming phenotype of tumors induced by agrobacteria carrying Ti plasmids defective in either gene 1 or gene 2 can be restored to wildtype phenotype by simple coinfection with Agrobacterium strains whose Ti plasmids contain respectively only gene 2, or only gene 1 in their T-region. A parallel experiment demonstrated that the combined action of genes 1 and 2 is sufficient to induce tumor formation on tobacco plantlets. The T-DNA genes of Ti plasmids of Agrobacterium tumefaciens can induce tumorous growth on a wide range of dicotyledonous plants. We subcloned the individual onc genes of the pTiC58 T-DNA and reintroduced them in the T-region of the Ti plasmid gene vector pGV3850 (from which the onc genes had been removed (Zambryski et al. 1983)). These experiments were designed to analyze the contribution of each onc gene to the development of a tumor and have fulfilled two purposes. First, it was found that only the strains carrying gene 4 produced tumors without the aid of other T-DNA genes; in cell culture these tumors sprout shoots. Second, the shoot-forming phenotype of tumors induced by agrobacteria carrying Ti plasmids defective in either gene 1 or gene 2 can be restored to wildtype phenotype by simple coinfection with Agrobacterium strains whose Ti plasmids contain respectively only gene 2, or only gene 1 in their T-region. A parallel experiment demonstrated that the combined action of genes 1 and 2 is sufficient to induce tumor formation on tobacco plantlets. The external addition of α-naphthalene acetic acid (NAA) restores to wild-type the phenotype of tumors induced by mutants in gene 1 or in gene 2. However, α-naphthalene acetamide can only restore to wild-type the phenotype of mutants in gene 1. These data indicate that the product of the T-DNA gene 2 participates in the conversion of α-naphthalene acetamide to a biologically active auxin, presumably NAA, and suggest that gene 1 codes for an enzyme involved in the synthesis of an indole-3-acetyl derivative