Certification of a Reference Material with Enterococcus Faecalis (CIP 106877) at a Target Level of 1000 Colony Forming Units per Material Sphere, IRMM-355

This report describes the certification of a reference material (IRMM-355) of Enterococcus faecalis. Certified Reference Materials (CRMs) for microbiological analysis are indispensible tools for development and validation of detection methods and for the implementation and support of internal and external quality control in the area of microbiological analysis. The content of each vial of IRMM-355 is one material sphere containing Enterococcus faecalis. The homogeneity and stability (at -20 °C and -70 °C) of the batch was assessed by counting colony forming units (cfu) per material sphere on horse blood agar (BA) and Slanetz and Bartley agar (SB agar). The material is stable when stored at a maximum temperature of -20 °C for up to 18 months. The batch was characterised by six laboratories to establish a certified value of cfu per material sphere on BA and SB agar. The certified value for BA is 890 cfu with an expanded uncertainty of 135. The certified value for SB agar is 823 cfu with an expanded uncertainty of 126. In both cases, a coverage factor k = 2 is used, corresponding to a level of confidence of about 95 %. The identity of the bacteria was confirmed by DNA sequence analysis of the coding region for the Enterococcus faecalis endocarditis antigen (efaA).JRC.D.2-Reference material

Acceptance and well-being in adolescents and young adults with cystic fibrosis: a prospective study

Objective To prospectively investigate the role of acceptance in well-being in adolescents and young adults with cystic fibrosis (CF). Method A total of 40 adolescents and young adults with CF (ages 14-22 years) completed questionnaires assessing acceptance, anxiety and depressive symptoms, physical functioning, role functioning, emotional functioning, and social functioning. After 6 months, 28 of them completed the questionnaires on anxiety and depressive symptoms, physical functioning, role functioning, emotional functioning, and social functioning a second time. Results More acceptance (Time 1) was related to less depressive symptoms (Time 1 and 2), and to better role, emotional, and social functioning (Time 1). Conclusions Results indicate that accepting the limitations imposed by chronic disease and readjusting life goals may have a positive effect upon well-being in adolescents and young adults with CF. Further research is needed to clarify whether acceptance-based interventions are useful in promoting well-being in adolescents and young adults with CF

Certification of a Reference Material Consisting of Genomic DNA Inserts of Bacillus Subtilis DSM 5750 for PFGE, IRMM-312

This report describes the production and certification of IRMM-312, a reference material of genomic DNA (gDNA) of Bacillus subtilis DSM 5750 in agarose inserts. This CRM (IRMM-312) is intended to be used for the taxonomic identification of authorised probiotic feed additives by Pulsed Field Gel Electrophoresis (PFGE). The batch was found to be homogeneous and the material is stable at 4 °C. The batch was characterised by five laboratories determining the PFGE pattern of a SfiI restriction enzyme digest of IRMM-312. The pattern should be considered as a whole and restriction fragments in the size interval from 15 kb to 97 kb are certified for their fragment length.JRC.D.2-Reference material

Certification of a Reference Material with Eschericia Coli O157 (NCTC 12900) at a level of 4 Colony forming Unit per Material Sphere, IRMM-351

This report describes the certification of a reference material (IRMM-351) of Escherichia coli O157. Certified Reference Materials (CRMs) for microbiological analysis are indispensable tools for development and validation of detection methods and for the implementation and support of internal and external quality control in the area of microbiological analysis. Each vial contains one material sphere of E. coli O157. The homogeneity and stability (at 4 °C, -20 °C and -70 °C) of the batch was assessed by monitoring colony forming units (cfu) on nutrient agr (NA) and eterohemolysin agar (EhlyA) of selected vials by colony counting. The material is not stable at 4 °C but no instability was detected when stored at -20 °C for up to 12 months and at -70 °C for up to 54 months. The batch was characterised by six laboratories to determine a certified value of cfu per vial on NA and EhlyA. The certified value is 4 cfu on both agars with an expanded uncertainty of 2 using a coverage factor k = 2, corresponding to a level of confidence of about 95 %. DNA sequence analysis of the coding region for the fliC gene identified the material as E. coli O157.JRC.D.2-Reference material

Certification of a Reference Material with Salmonella Enteritidis (NCTC 12694) at a Level of 5 Colony Forming Units on Nutrient Agar and 4 Colony Forming Units on Xylose Lysine Deoxycholate Agar, IRMM-352

This report describes the certification of a reference material (IRMM-352) of Salmonella Enteritidis. Certified Reference Materials (CRMs) for microbiological analysis are indispensable tools for development and validation of detection methods and for the implementation and support of internal and external quality control in the area of microbiological analysis. Each vial contains one material sphere of S. enteritidis. The homogeneity and stability (at 4 °C, -20 °C and -70 °C) of the batch was assessed by monitoring colony forming units (cfu) on nutrient agar (NA) and xylose lysine deoxycholate (XLD) agar of selected vials by colony counting. The material is not stable at 4 °C byt no instability was detected when stored at -20 °C for up to 12 months and at -70 °C for up to 54 months. The batch was characterised by six laboratories to determine a certified value of cfu per vial on NA and XLD agar. A quite considerable performance difference of both agars was observed. The certified value is 5 cfu on NA with an expanded uncertainty of 2 and 4 cfy on XLD agar with an expanded incertainty of 2 using a coverage factor k = 2, corresponding to a level of confidence of about 95 %. DNA sequence analysis of the coding region for the sefA gene identified the material as S. enteritidis.JRC.D.2-Reference material

Acceptance, well-being, and goals in adolescents with chronic illness : a daily process analysis

Objective: The main aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between acceptance and well-being in adolescents with chronic illness from a daily process perspective. Furthermore, we explored the role of daily experienced interference and facilitation of life goals by treatment goals as mediating mechanisms. Methods: Thirty-eight adolescents with cystic fibrosis (CF) or diabetes completed questionnaires assessing acceptance, negative life events and goal-related self-efficacy. Furthermore, an online diary assessing daily mood, daily experienced interference and facilitation of life goals by treatment goals was completed during three consecutive weeks. Results: Acceptance of illness was positively related to daily well-being, but unrelated to daily goal interference and facilitation. Furthermore, daily goal interference and facilitation were unrelated to same-day and next-day well-being. Conclusion: This study suggests that acceptance of illness plays an important role in the daily mood of adolescents with CF and diabetes. This relationship, however, was not mediated by daily experienced interference and facilitation of life goals by treatment goals. Further research is needed to determine whether interventions promoting acceptance are beneficial for adolescents with CF and diabetes

The role of anxiety and depression in shaping the sleep–pain connection in patients with nonspecific chronic spinal pain and comorbid insomnia : a cross-sectional analysis

(1) Background: This exploratory study aims to explore the relationship between nonspecific chronic spinal pain (nCSP) and insomnia symptoms, by examining the interconnections, strengths, and directional dependence of the symptoms. In addition, we aim to identify the key symptoms of the nCSP–insomnia relationship and shed light on the bidirectional nature of this relationship. (2) Methods: This study is a secondary analysis of the baseline data (cross-sectional) from a randomized controlled trial, which examined the added value of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I) combined with cognition-targeted exercise therapy, conducted in collaboration with the Universiteit Gent and Vrije Universiteit Brussel (Belgium). One hundred and twenty-three nCSP patients with comorbid insomnia were recruited through the participating hospitals, advertisements, announcements in local newspapers, pharmacies, publications from support groups, and primary care. To explore the interconnections and directionality between symptoms and the strengths of the relationships, we estimated a regularized Gaussian graphical model and a directed acyclic graph. (3) Results: We found only one direct, but weak, link between sleep and pain, namely, between average pain and difficulties maintaining sleep. (4) Conclusions: Despite the lack of strong direct links between sleep and pain, pain and sleep seem to be indirectly linked via anxiety and depression symptoms, acting as presumable mediators in the network of nCSP and comorbid insomnia. Furthermore, feeling slowed down and fatigue emerged as terminal nodes, implying their role as consequences of the network

Lifestyle and Chronic Pain in the Pelvis: State of the Art and Future Directions

During their lifespan, many women are exposed to pain in the pelvis in relation to menstruation and pregnancy. Such pelvic pain is often considered normal and inherently linked to being a woman, which in turn leads to insufficiently offered treatment for treatable aspects related to their pain experience. Nonetheless, severe dysmenorrhea (pain during menstruation) as seen in endometriosis and pregnancy-related pelvic girdle pain, have a high impact on daily activities, school attendance and work ability. In the context of any type of chronic pain, accumulating evidence shows that an unhealthy lifestyle is associated with pain development and pain severity. Furthermore, unhealthy lifestyle habits are a suggested perpetuating factor of chronic pain. This is of specific relevance during lifespan, since a low physical activity level, poor sleep, or periods of (di)stress are all common in challenging periods of women’s lives (e.g., during menstruation, during pregnancy, in the postpartum period). This state-of-the-art paper aims to review the role of lifestyle factors on pain in the pelvis, and the added value of a lifestyle intervention on pain in women with pelvic pain. Based on the current evidence, the benefits of physical activity and exercise for women with pain in the pelvis are supported to some extent. The available evidence on lifestyle factors such as sleep, (di)stress, diet, and tobacco/alcohol use is, however, inconclusive. Very few studies are available, and the studies which are available are of general low quality. Since the role of lifestyle on the development and maintenance of pain in the pelvis, and the value of lifestyle interventions for women with pain in the pelvis are currently poorly studied, a research agenda is presented. There are a number of rationales to study the effect of promoting a healthy lifestyle (early) in a woman’s life with regard to the prevention and management of pain in the pelvis. Indeed, lifestyle interventions might have, amongst others, anti-inflammatory, stress-reducing and/or sleep-improving effects, which might positively affect the experience of pain. Research to disentangle the relationship between lifestyle factors, such as physical activity level, sleep, diet, smoking, and psychological distress, and the experience of pain in the pelvis is, therefore, needed. Studies which address the development of management strategies for adapting lifestyles that are specifically tailored to women with pain in the pelvis, and as such take hormonal status, life events and context, into account, are required. Towards clinicians, we suggest making use of the window of opportunity to prevent a potential transition from localized or periodic pain in the pelvis (e.g., dysmenorrhea or pain during pregnancy and after delivery) towards persistent chronic pain, by promoting a healthy lifestyle and applying appropriate pain management