The Effect Citrox BCL on Legionella pneumophila Mechanisms of Biofilm Formation, Oxidative Stress and Virulence

Publication history: Accepted - 1 November 2022; Published online - 4 November 2022Legionella pneumophila is responsible for causing Legionnaires’ disease and Pontiac fever, also known as legionellosis. The aim of this study was to investigate the mechanistic effect of a mixture of natural antimicrobials (Citrox BCL) in preventing L. pneumophila biofilm formation and reducing its in vitro virulence. The minimum inhibitory concentrations were detected at 0.06%, and the MBC was established at 0.125%. Based on the growth curve profile, the sub-inhibitory concentration of 0.02% was further used to study the mechanistic implications in the absence of a cytotoxic effect on A549 cells. At 24 h post-infection, Citrox BCL reduced (p = 0.005) the intracellular growth of L. pneumophila when the A549 cells or the bacteria were pre-treated with 0.02% Citrox BCL. This result was replicated when Citrox BCL was added during the 24 h infection assay leading to a reduction in intracellular growth (p = 0.003). Herein we show that at the sub-inhibitory concentration of 0.02%, Citrox CBL lowers the ROS levels in infected A549 cells and causes a 45% reduction in L. pneumophila EPS production, a reduction associated with the decline in biofilm formation. Overall, our results corroborate the low c-di-GMP production with the decrease in biofilm formation and low EPS levels. The low EPS levels seemed to be caused by the downregulation of the tatB and tatC gene expressions. Moreover, inhibition of pvcA and pvcB gene expressions, leading to lower siderophore levels, suggests that Citrox BCL reduces the ability of L. pneumophila to sequester iron and reduce biofilm formation through iron starvation.We acknowledge Environtech, Dublin, Ireland, for funding the Ph.D. of Eugenia Butucel. Grant number 49650

Molecularly defined circuitry reveals input-output segregation in deep layers of the medial entorhinal cortex

SummaryDeep layers of the medial entorhinal cortex are considered to relay signals from the hippocampus to other brain structures, but pathways for routing of signals to and from the deep layers are not well established. Delineating these pathways is important for a circuit level understanding of spatial cognition and memory. We find that neurons in layers 5a and 5b have distinct molecular identities, defined by the transcription factors Etv1 and Ctip2, and divergent targets, with extensive intratelencephalic projections originating in layer 5a, but not 5b. This segregation of outputs is mirrored by the organization of glutamatergic input from stellate cells in layer 2 and from the hippocampus, with both preferentially targeting layer 5b over 5a. Our results suggest a molecular and anatomical organization of input-output computations in deep layers of the MEC, reveal precise translaminar microcircuitry, and identify molecularly defined pathways for spatial signals to influence computation in deep layers

The role of dispersed phase concentration in the deformation and breakup of oil-in-water emulsions under flow

This thesis investigates the role of dispersed phase concentration on the drop deformation and breakup process of oil-in-water emulsions under flow. This work is motivated by two earlier studies: one by Mason & Bibette [4], on concentrated viscoelastic emulsions, which became monodisperse under the application of a simple shear flow, and a second, by Aronson [5], where a similar emulsion became monodisperse in a complex mixing flow. In the first part of the thesis, we study the effect of changing surfactant concentration, dispersed phase concentration and flow rate on the Aronson emulsion and two other oil-in-water emulsions. We find that emulsions in a mixing flow only become monodisperse around the close packing oil concentration of 70%. Increasing mixer speed and surfactant concentration decreases the polydispersity. Final mean drop sizes follow the same trend as the polydispersity. Qualitatively similar results are obtained by subjecting the emulsions to a simple shear flow. In the second part of the thesis, we directly visualize drop breakup in a concentrated emulsion. We used a model emulsion of castor oil in aqueous maltose in a simple shear flow, over an oil concentration range of 2--75%. Above 20% oil concentration, we observe qualitative changes in the deformation process. Instead of deforming into well-defined cylindrical threads, drops deform into convoluted shapes, with fluid accumulating unevenly along the drop length. The end-pinching instability is also suppressed with increasing concentration. The time to breakup for the drops becomes increasingly independent of initial drop size with increasing concentration until at around the close packing volume fraction, all the drops in the emulsion break together

Educational technologies regarding sports training of children with special educational needs

The concept of Special Educational Needs (SEN), introduced by UNESCO in the '90s, determined the development of a constant concern of the specialists in physical education and sport to specify the special educational needs that require to be respected when addressing children presenting peculiarities of growth and development. Peculiarities of people with special educational needs in physical exercise practice require additional measures to those in general education. Through sport, children with special educational needs have the opportunity to experiment unprecedented life situations, to acquire a high degree of autonomy and have access to new cultural activities that encourage social integration

Effects of Complex Rehabilitation Program on Reducing Pain and Disability in Patients with Lumbar Disc Protrusion—Is Early Intervention the Best Recommendation?

(1) Background: Due to its frequency and possible complications, low back pain (LBP) has a high social impact, it is a common problem of the active population and the second reason for visiting a physician. In patients with lumbar disc protrusion (LDP), one of the most common causes of LBP, the nucleus pulposus bulges against the disc and then protrudes into the spinal cord, but the annulus fibrosus remains intact; (2) Objectives: The primary objective of this study was to determine the efficacy of a rehabilitation treatment (RT) comprising electrotherapy (ET), hydrotherapy (HT) and individualized physical therapy (PT) versus ET alone in patients with LDP. The second objective was to investigate whether there is a correlation between early RT and the symptomatology of patients with LDP; (3) Methods: The research was conducted between July 2021 and January 2022 at the Ceres Hotel Treatment Centre from Baile 1 Mai, Romania, and all the study subjects signed an informed consent form. For this study, the block randomization method was used to randomize subjects into groups that resulted in equal sample size, in order to maintain a reasonably good balance among groups. Therefore, the two groups had the same number of subjects (30 subjects) and the randomization was made taking into account the patient’s motivation or the subject’s willingness to receive not only electrotherapy treatment, but also the physical exercises and hydrotherapy. The eligibility criteria were: low back pain for more than three months, an MRI confirmed diagnosis of LDP (without dural compression), and ability to perform a PT program. The control group received only a classical ET program. In addition, the patients in the experimental group received a complex individualized PT program associated with HT and ET. To achieve these objectives, the study subjects were monitored for spinal mobility (lateral lumbar flexion—LLF, index fingers-ground—IFG, lumbar Schober tests for flexion—LS, Inverted Schober test for extension—ILS), trunk flexor and extensor muscle strength (LF strength, LE strength), level of pain (Short Form McGill Pain Questionnaire—SF-MPQ, Visual Analogue Scale—VAS), and the degree of limitation in activities of daily living (Oswestry Disability Index—ODI); (4) Results: Comparing the evolution of the subjects, using the One-Way ANOVA between groups, we observed a significant improvement in all variables [SF-MPQ (95% CI, 7.996/11.671), VAS (95% CI, 1.965/3.169), mobility FTF (95% CI, −7.687/−3.940), LS (95% CI, 2.272/2.963), LE strength (95% CI, −5.676/−3.324), LF strength (95% CI, −5.970/−3.630), disability (95% CI, 8.026/10.441) after six months of treatment for the experimental group subjects. A clear correlation was found, using the Bravis–Pearson test, between the earliest possible initiation of RT and improvement of patients’ symptoms; (5) Conclusion: The current study proves the importance of combining ET with HT and PT. The earlier the RT is implemented, the lower the pain perception and level of disability associated with the lumbar disease

Slaughter Performance and Carcass Characteristics of the Hybrids Obtained by Crossbreeding between European Mouflon (Ovis ammon musimon Pal.) and Sheep Breed Tigaie

The aim of this work was to determine differences between slaughter performances and carcass characteristics of first generation hybrids (F1) obtained by crossbreeding between European Mouflon (Ovis ammon musimon Pal.) and the Romanian sheep breed Tigaie. To assess the yield at slaughter and the participation percentage of the cut parts from the whole carcass structure, crossbreeding were made between females of sheep breed Tigaie and males of mouflon (FT x MM) respectively between mouflon females and males of sheep breed Tigaie (FMxMT). At the age of 60 days 14 lambs were sacrificed (7 hybrids FTxMM and 7 hybrids FMxMT). Slaughter yield calculated on hot and chilled carcasses had higher values at FMxMT (P<0.05). The participation percentage of the cut parts from the whole carcass structure had the highest values at FMxMT hybrids compared to FTxMM hybrids. Results from this study showed that genotype significantly influenced the studied characteristics and have revealed the superiority of FMxMT hybrids as against FTxMM hybrids lambs