Resuscitation and quantification of stressed Escherichia coli K12 NCTC8797 in water samples

The aim of this study was to investigate the impact on numbers of using different media for the enumeration of Escherichia coli subjected to stress, and to evaluate the use of different resuscitation methods on bacterial numbers. E. coli was subjected to heat stress by exposure to 55 °C for 1 h or to light-induced oxidative stress by exposure to artificial light for up to 8 h in the presence of methylene blue. In both cases, the bacterial counts on selective media were below the limits of detection whereas on non-selective media colonies were still produced. After resuscitation in non-selective media, using a multi-well MPN resuscitation method or resuscitation on membrane filters, the bacterial counts on selective media matched those on non-selective media. Heat and light stress can affect the ability of E. coli to grow on selective media essential for the enumeration as indicator bacteria. A resuscitation method is essential for the recovery of these stressed bacteria in order to avoid underestimation of indicator bacteria numbers in water. There was no difference in resuscitation efficiency using the membrane filter and multi-well MPN methods. This study emphasises the need to use a resuscitation method if the numbers of indicator bacteria in water samples are not to be underestimated. False-negative results in the analysis of drinking water or natural bathing waters could have profound health effects

Turner syndrome and associated problems in turkish children: A multicenter study

Objective: Turner syndrome (TS) is a chromosomal disorder caused by complete or partial X chromosome monosomy that manifests various clinical features depending on the karyotype and on the genetic background of affected girls. This study aimed to systematically investigate the key clinical features of TS in relationship to karyotype in a large pediatric Turkish patient population. Methods: Our retrospective study included 842 karyotype-proven TS patients aged 0-18 years who were evaluated in 35 different centers in Turkey in the years 2013-2014. Results: The most common karyotype was 45,X (50.7%), followed by 45,X/46,XX (10.8%), 46,X,i(Xq) (10.1%) and 45,X/46,X,i(Xq) (9.5%). Mean age at diagnosis was 10.2±4.4 years. The most common presenting complaints were short stature and delayed puberty. Among patients diagnosed before age one year, the ratio of karyotype 45,X was significantly higher than that of other karyotype groups. Cardiac defects (bicuspid aortic valve, coarctation of the aorta and aortic stenosi) were the most common congenital anomalies, occurring in 25% of the TS cases. This was followed by urinary system anomalies (horseshoe kidney, double collector duct system and renal rotation) detected in 16.3%. Hashimoto’s thyroiditis was found in 11.1% of patients, gastrointestinal abnormalities in 8.9%, ear nose and throat problems in 22.6%, dermatologic problems in 21.8% and osteoporosis in 15.3%. Learning difficulties and/or psychosocial problems were encountered in 39.1%. Insulin resistance and impaired fasting glucose were detected in 3.4% and 2.2%, respectively. Dyslipidemia prevalence was 11.4%. Conclusion: This comprehensive study systematically evaluated the largest group of karyotype-proven TS girls to date. The karyotype distribution, congenital anomaly and comorbidity profile closely parallel that from other countries and support the need for close medical surveillance of these complex patients throughout their lifespan. © Journal of Clinical Research in Pediatric Endocrinology

Attenuated expression of tenascin-c in ovalbumin-challenged STAT4-/- mice

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Asthma leads to structural changes in the airways, including the modification of extracellular matrix proteins such as tenascin-C. The role of tenascin-C is unclear, but it might act as an early initiator of airway wall remodelling, as its expression is increased in the mouse and human airways during allergic inflammation. In this study, we examined whether Th1 or Th2 cells are important regulators of tenascin-C in experimental allergic asthma utilizing mice with impaired Th1 (STAT4-/-) or Th2 (STAT6-/-) immunity.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Balb/c wildtype (WT), STAT4-/- and STAT6-/- mice were sensitized with intraperitoneally injected ovalbumin (OVA) followed by OVA or PBS airway challenge. Airway hyperreactivity (AHR) was measured and samples were collected. Real time PCR and immunohistochemistry were used to study cytokines and differences in the expression of tenascin-C. Tenascin-C expression was measured in human fibroblasts after treatment with TNF-α and IFN-γ <it>in vitro</it>.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>OVA-challenged WT mice showed allergic inflammation and AHR in the airways along with increased expression of TNF-α, IFN-γ, IL-4 and tenascin-C in the lungs. OVA-challenged STAT4-/- mice exhibited elevated AHR and pulmonary eosinophilia. The mRNA expression of TNF-α and IFN-γ was low, but the expression of IL-4 was significantly elevated in these mice. OVA-challenged STAT6-/- mice had neither AHR nor pulmonary eosinophilia, but had increased expression of mRNA for TNF-α, IFN-γ and IL-4. The expression of tenascin-C in the lungs of OVA-challenged STAT4-/- mice was weaker than in those of OVA-challenged WT and STAT6-/- mice suggesting that TNF-α and IFN-γ may regulate tenascin-C expression <it>in vivo</it>. The stimulation of human fibroblasts with TNF-α and IFN-γ induced the expression of tenascin-C confirming our <it>in vivo </it>findings.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Expression of tenascin-C is significantly attenuated in the airways of STAT4-/- mice, which may be due to the impaired secretion of TNF-α and IFN-γ in these mice.</p

Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring and renal functions in children with a solitary kidney

The aim of this study is to investigate the blood pressure (BP) profile, microalbuminuria, renal functions, and relations with remaining normal kidney size in children with unilateral functioning solitary kidney (UFSK). Sixty-six children with UFSK were equally divided into three groups: unilateral renal agenesis (URA), unilateral atrophic kidney (UAK), and unilateral nephrectomy (UNP). Twenty-two age-, weight-, and height-matched healthy children were considered as a control group. The serum creatinine level and first-morning urine microalbumin and creatinine concentrations were determined by the standard methods. Also, the BP profile was determined by ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM). We found that the serum creatinine level was higher and creatinine clearance was lower in each patient groups compared to those of the control group (p < 0.05). Compared with the controls, each group of patients had mean office, 24-h, daytime, and night-time systolic and diastolic BP values similar to those of the controls (p > 0.05). An inverse correlation was found between the renal size standard deviation scores (SDS) of normal kidneys and 24-h systolic and diastolic BP load SDS in all of the patients (p < 0.05; r = −0.372, r = −0.295, respectively). The observed relationship between renal size SDS and 24-h mean arterial pressure (MAP), systolic and diastolic BP load SDS suggests that children with UFSK should be evaluated by using ABPM for the risk of hypertension

Alleviation of climatic stress of dairy goats in Mediterranean climate

The aim of this study was to improve the performance of dairy goats by minimizing the adverse effects of heat stress on hot summer days. Twenty-four German Fawn × Hair crossbred dairy goat genotypes were classified into two groups. The experimental group (EG) was sprayed and ventilated 1 h a day (from 12.00 to 13.00 h) while the control group (CG) was neither sprayed nor ventilated. The rectal temperature, skin temperature (from head, foot, udder and hip), pulse and respiration rate of each goat in both groups were recorded four times a day. The quantity of milk was also measured twice a day. Daily feed and water consumption were recorded once individually, each morning. At the end of this experiment, 21% more milk yield was obtained from EG than was from CG (p = 0.012). Physiological features of the two groups were observed to be significantly different from each other. © 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved

The effects of ventilation and showering on fattening performances and carcass traits of crossbred kids

Thirty-two crossbred (75% Alpine and 25% Hair Goat) male kids (4 months old) were allocated into four experimental groups including eight kids in each. The effects of ventilation and on fattening performance and carcass quality were tested in a factorial arrangement in a completely randomized design. The results showed that total feed intake was affected by ventilation and shower and their interaction effects (P &lt; 0.05); daily gain and final weight were affected by ventilation (P &lt; 0.05) and ventilation × shower interaction (P &lt; 0.01), as well. Feed intake increased with shower (58 vs. 63 kg/kid, P &lt; 0.05) and ventilation application (58 vs. 62 kg/kid, P &lt; 0.05), significantly. The kids which experienced cooling had higher dressing percentage, carcass weights (P &lt; 0.01), head, feet, blood, empty gut and kidney weights, muscle growth and fat deposits than the control ones (P &lt; 0.05). Longissimus dorsi muscles of the kids cooled by ventilation were higher than shower treatment kids' (8.66 vs. 9.34). The muscular protein content of the individuals cooled by ventilation was higher than the other groups. Shear force values were in the range of 4.32-5.54 kg/cm2 in groups which were cooled by shower or ventilation. The taste and the tenderness of boiled and fried meat samples taken from the kids cooled with showering (4.50 vs. 5.00) were better than those of ventilation treatment groups (P &lt; 0.05). The study shows that cooling with a ventilation provides better fattening and meat quality for kids kept under hot and humid climatic conditions and is easy to apply and more profitable. Economic analyses also supported the findings, and it was seen that an individual kept cool with ventilation increased the profit by almost 19 US dollars compared to an individual which was not kept cool. © 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.This study was supported by VHAG-2083 Project of TUBITAK. Authors’ thank Ahmet Koluman, Murat Gorgulu, Mehmet Mamger and Mary Lynn Varner for their valuable help

The advantages of goats for future adaptation to Climate Change: A conceptual overview

The economic importance of goat production has been increased during the last decades all over the world, predominantly in countries that are routinely exposed to harsh environment. Goats have numerous advantages that enable them to maintain their production under extreme climate conditions. Principally, goats have higher capacity than other farm raised ruminants to effectively convert some feed sources into milk and meat. In addition, goats emit less methane than other domestic ruminants. Based on these advantages, we came to the conclusion that goat breeding will play an important role in mitigating and adapting to Climate change (CC) in harsh environments. The impacts of CC on goat production can be analyzed by considering direct or indirect effects of CC. The direct effects take into account goat's physiology and their interaction with ambient conditions, as well as issues such as the optimal use of natural resource and waste management. Indirect effects consider limitations on goat production from political, social and economic considerations, which are mainly intended for decreasing the greenhouse gas emission effect. In this paper the advantages of goats for future adaptation to CC will be considered. © 2017 Elsevier B.V