Rifampin and Triclosan but not Silver is Effective in Preventing Bacterial Infection of Vascular Dacron Graft Material

AbstractObjectives. To evaluate the efficacy of silver- or Triclosan-coated prosthetic material compared to Rifampin bonded Dacron concerning their resistance to infection following subcutaneous implantation and contamination with Staphylococcus aureus.Design. Animal experimental study in mice.Material and methods. Thirty-six C3H/HcN mice (Charles River Lab., Sulzfeld, Germany) with a weight between 24 and 27 g were randomised into six groups counting six animals each. Group I: control, gel-sealed dacron graft, group II: gel-sealed dacron graft and local contamination, group III: Intergard®-Silver-prosthesis and contamination, group IV: silver/gel-sealed dacron prosthesis (test graft) and contamination, group V: Rifampin-bonded gel-sealed graft and contamination, group VI: Triclosan/collagen-coated dacron graft and contamination. Dacron graft material 0.8×1 cm was subcutaneously implanted in mice. Local contamination with 2×107/0.2 ml S. aureus ATCC 25923 was carried out in groups II to VI. On day 14 the animals were killed and the grafts were explanted. The microscopic, histologic and microbiological evaluation of the graft material and the perigraft tissue was performed.Results. In control group I no case of infection was detected. In group II, 6 of 6 animals showed infection. In group III (Intergard®-Silver) and group IV (silver/gel-test graft) were 6 of 6, in group V (Rifampin) only 1 of 6 grafts and in group VI (Triclosan) 4 of 6 grafts were infected. The difference between the low rate of infection in group V (Rifampin) in comparison to the completely infected groups III and IV (Silver) as well as the control group II was significant. Treatment of grafts with Triclosan could prevent infection only in 1/3 of the cases in group IV.Conclusion. Silver coating failed to prevent graft infection material. A potential antimicrobial property was evident for Triclosan whereas Rifampin-bonded grafts exhibit a significantly reduced infection rate. Thus, silver-coated vascular grafts cannot ensure protection from vascular graft infection

Разработка программно-аппаратного обеспечения управления мобильным роботом

В данной работе было разработано программно-аппаратное обеспечение для управления мобильной робототехнической платформой Kuka YouBot. Разработка программно-аппаратного обеспечения включала в себя разработку структурной и функциональной схем, выбор программных и аппаратных компонентов, а также построение системы приема-передачи данных. Также была выведена математическая модель рассматриваемой платформы и разработан алгоритм снятия параметров математической модели, который был реализован с помощью средств Matlab Simulink.In this work was developed software and hardware for controlling the Kuka YouBot mobile platform. The development of hardware and software included the development of structural and functional scheme, the selection of software and hardware components, as well as the design of a data transferring system. A mathematical model of the mobile platform and an algorithm for removing the parameters of the mathematical model was developed. The algoritm was implemented using the Matlab Simulink tools

Charophytes (Characeae, Charophyta) of peatland habitats in the vicinity of Drawsko and Mialy (Notec Forest, NW Poland)

This paper presents recent localities of charophytes in the peatland complex of the northern part of Noteć Forest (Wielkopolska, Poland). In alkaline or calcareous fens and shallow waters, seven species of charophytes were found: Chara globularis, C. intermedia, C. virgata, C. vulgaris, Nitella capillaris, N. mucronata and N. syncarpa. Some of the charophytes, which were observed in this area, are regarded as endangered and vulnerable in Poland, especially, C. intermedia, N. capillaris and N. syncarpa. The preliminary research results on the studied charophyte distribution and ecology are presented

Characeae- and dystrophic waters - identification features in the light of Natura 2000 Program and some cases from the Pilskie Forests

Na podstawie badań własnych przeprowadzonych w latach 2000-2007 na terenie Lasów Pilskich (RDLP Piła) i danych literaturowych przedyskutowano problemy identyfikacji siedlisk Natura 2000 – zbiorników ramienicowych (3140) i dystroficznych (3160). Zwrócono uwagę na szeroki aspekt występowania ramienic oraz kryterium florystyczne, będące podstawą identyfikacji siedlisk 3140. W przypadku zbiorników dystroficznych (3160) stwierdzono, że podstawą identyfikacji winno być kryterium hydrochemiczne i stwierdzenie zachodzenia procesu dystrofizacji, jako warunku ich funkcjonowania. Kryterium florystyczne w dla identyfikacji zbiorników dystroficznych powinno mieć charakter jedynie wstępnej diagnozy. Na przykładach z Lasów Pilskich zaprezentowano klasyczne postaci omawianych siedlisk oraz trudniejsze do identyfikacji, podlegające alloiotrofizacji, jeziora ramienicowe otoczone torfowiskami mszarnymi. Zwrócono uwagę na rzadki przykład jeziora źródliskowego z przylegającymi mszarami. Podkreślono, że omawiane siedliska są ostojami cennych roślin Natura 2000 (jak Aldrovanda vesiculosa, Elisma natans, Liparis loeselii i Najas flexilis) oraz innych rzadkich w Polsce i regionie Lasów Pilskich.Diagnostic features of European Union habitats – waters with benthic vegetation of Characeae (3140) and dystrophic waters (3160) were discussed based on original studies and literature review. Floristic features should be applied for identification of habitat 3140, but in case of habitat 3160 the most important seem to be hydrochemical properties of water and the process of dystrophication

A new locality of endangered bog bulrush Schoenoplectiella mucronata (Cyperaceae) in the Eastern Poland

A new locality of Schoenoplectiella mucronata – an endangered and warm-temperature wetland species was found in Western Polesie (Eastern Poland). The new station is situated far away to the north-east from all known Polish sites and belongs to the easternmost one within European range of the species. The mesotrophic Lake Kleszczów in which we have found a new population of S. mucronata was characterised by a good ecological state as well as high diversity of aquatic plants dominated by a charophyte meadow. The studied species occurred in a phytocoenosis which is similar to a not known in Poland plant community Typho angustifoliae-Schoenoplectetum mucronati described from Hungary