Listeria monocytogenes: Overview and Targeting Advances

Listeria monocytogenes is a serious foodborne zoonotic pathogen capable of causing gastroenteritis and severe systemic infections such as septicemia, meningitis or abortion in the infected individuals what is called listeriosis. The bacterium is reported as the third leading cause of death among the foodborne pathogens preceded by nontyphoidal Salmonella spp. and Toxoplasma gondii. The power to tolerate a wide range of temperatures is considered the most prominent trait distinguishing it from the other foodborne pathogens. Within the infected host, the bacteria harbor inside macrophages and jump from cell to another without leaving the safeguarding milieu of the host's cells utilizing a set of genes including hly (listeriolysin O), plcA (phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase c), plcB (phosphatidylcholine-phospholipase C) and actA (actin-assembly inducing protein). In addition to the health concerns associated with antibiotics, treatment failure likely occurs among listeriosis-infected persons especially with the inability of most antibiotics to access intracellular replicative niches and achieve the optimum therapeutic concentrations within the infected cells. Recently, one novel choice, peptide nucleic acid (PNA), has been emerged to target this bacterium as a model of targeting intracellular pathogens with anti-sense agents. PNA is a one of the DNA analogues which works via specific inhibition of bacterial gene expression

Synthesis of New Coumarin Derivatives Used as Nitrification Inhibitors to Mitigation of Nitrous Oxide Emission from Agricultural Soil.

Nitrous oxide (N2O) is one of the major greenhouse gases "GHG” the main source of N2O emission is synthetic mineral nitrogen fertilizers. The conversion values according to the global warming potential for N2O are 298 times as CO2 per molecule. The main objective of this work is to mitigate GHG emission from N2O by create synthesis new nitrification inhibitors.  Coumarine derivatives were synthesized (1-4), and prove the structures by spectral data, the compounds (1) and (4) were applied as nitrification inhibitors to mitigation of nitrous oxide. The results indicated that, the presence of each of the two tested inhibitors (1, 4) reduced the N2O emission from urea-treated soils by 72% and 49%, respectively, in inhibiting nitrification during the 28-day incubation period. Key words: Nitrous oxide emissions, Mitigation, Agricultural soil, Nitrification, Coumarin derivatives

Biochemical and immunological characterization of haemolysin produced by Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1 isolated from burn wounds

Background: Infection of burn wounds by multidrug-resistant (MDR) Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality and remains one of the most challenging concerns for the burns unit. The aim of this study is purify and characterize the haemolysin produced by multidrug resistant P. aeruginosa PAO1 isolated from burn wounds. Methods: Isolation and identification of P. aeruginosa from burns was done by standard bacteriological methods. P. aeruginosa PAO1 was identified by PCR amplification and sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene. The haemolysin of P. aeruginosa PAO1 was purified by 70% ammonium sulphate precipitation followed by gel filtration on Sephadex G-100, and separation by SDS-Poly Acrylamide Gel Electrophoresis. In vivo toxicity of the purified haemolysin was determined by intraperitoneal injection of Swiss albino mice, and in vitro toxin-antitoxin neutralization test was performed as previously described. Results: The pure haemolysin had a molecular weight of 37 kDa, with maximum activity at 25°C for 30 minutes and stable within pH range of 4-9 (maximum activity at pH 7). The haemolysin was activated by Ca2+, Fe3+ and Cu2+. Intraperitoneal injection of mice with 0.5ml of haemolysin (128 HU/ml) caused 100% mortality while 0.5 and 0.1 ml of haemolytic titer (64 HU/ml) of the heated haemolysin (toxoid) caused 50% and 0% mortality respectively. In vitro toxin-antitoxin neutralization test revealed that anti-haemolysin antitoxin was present in the serum of the mice that were previously vaccinated with heated toxin. Conclusion: This study concluded that haemolysin can be a potential vaccine component for prevention of haemolysis caused by multidrug resistant P. aeruginosa in burn patients.Keywords: haemolysin, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, multidrug resistant organis

Hydrogen permeation through VPD and CVD tungsten films on palladium

Isobars and isotherms were measured for hydrogen permeation through porous tungsten films on palladium, activation energy values were calculated for various Pd-W systems. The analysis of the obtained data and its comparison with the ones for dense tungsten coatings are carried out.Представлено результати дослідження ізобар та ізотерм проникнення водню крізь пористі плівки вольфраму на паладії, визначені величини енергії активації водневої проникності у системах Pd-W. Проведено аналіз одержаних даних і порівняння з даними що до щільних вольфрамових покриттів.Представлены результаты исследований изобар и изотерм проникновения водорода через пористые пленки вольфрама на палладии, определены величины энергии активации водородопроницаемости в различных системах Pd-W. Проведен анализ полученных данных и сравнение с данными для плотных вольфрамовых покрытий

Influence of porosity on erosion behavior and hydrogen permeability of tungsten films

The erosion characteristics of dense and porous W-films deposited on Pd substrates were measured under impact of mirror Penning discharge nitrogen plasma. It is shown that the erosion rate of high porous tungsten films (up to 45% porosity) is similar to that for dense (1 – 3% porosity) tungsten films. At the same time hydrogen permeation through porous tungsten films essentially higher than for dense W coatings and in some cases it approaches to values as for bare Pd. The activation energies of hydrogen permeability measured for two-layer Pd-W systems with high porosity are higher than for dense W-films on Pd (15.44 kJ/mol and 12.8 kJ/mol, accordingly), but these values much lower than the ones for bulk W under gas-driven permeation experiments. The possible reasons of such erosion and permeation behavior are discussed.Зміряні ерозійні характеристики щільних і пористих плівок вольфраму на паладії при дії азотної плазми відбивних розрядів Пеннінга. Показано, що швидкість ерозії високопористих плівок вольфраму (пористість близько 45%) практично не відрізняється від такої для щільних плівок W (пористість 1 – 3%). У теж час проникнення водню крізь високопористі плівки вольфраму багато вище, ніж крізь щільні покриття W і в деяких випадках величини проникності можуть бути близькі до такої для Pd без покриття. Енергії активації водневої проникності зміряні для двошарових систем Pd-W з високою пористістю W вище, ніж для щільних W-плівок на Pd (15,44 кДж/моль і 12,8 кДж/моль, відповідно), але в обох випадках ці величини багато нижче, ніж для масивного W в умовах пронuкновения з молекулярної фази. Обговорюються можливі причини такої поведінки ерозії і водневої проникності.Измерены эрозионные характеристики плотных и пористых пленок вольфрама на палладии при воздействии азотной плазмы отражательных разрядов Пеннинга. Показано, что скорость эрозии высокопористых пленок вольфрама (пористость около 45%) практически не отличается от таковой для плотных W пленок (пористость 1 – 3%). В тоже время проникновение водорода через высокопористые пленки вольфрама много выше, чем через плотные W покрытия и в некоторых случаях величины проницаемости могут быть близки к таковой для Pd без покрытия. Энергии активации водородопроницаемости измереннные для двухслойных Pd-W систем с высокой пористостью W выше, чем для плотных W-пленок на Pd (15,44 кДж/моль и 12,8 кДж/моль, соответственно), но в обоих случаях эти величины много ниже, чем для массивного W в условиях проникновения из молекулярной фазы. Обсуждаются возможные причины такого поведения эрозии и водородопроницаемости

Hydrogen saturation influence on erosion behavior of thin W-films under steady state nitrogen plasma impact

The erosion behavior of W-Pd bimetallic system was examined for both hydrogen saturated and non-saturated states under impact of steady state nitrogen plasma of a mirror Penning discharge. Possible physical mechanism is discussed to explain the essential decrease of erosion rate and damages of such systems (form change, macro-blistering and macro-flaking) caused by hydrogen saturation to high concentration.Досліджувалося ерозійне поводження W-Pd біметалічних систем у насиченому воднем стані і ненасиченому, при впливі стаціонарної азотної плазми відбивного розряду Пеннінга. Обговорюються можливі фізичні механізми, що пояснюють істотне зниження швидкості ерозії й ушкодження таких систем (зміна форми, макро- блістерінг і макро-флекінг), обумовлених насиченням воднем до високих концентрацій.Исследовалось эрозионное поведение W-Pd биметаллических систем в насыщенном водородом состоянии и ненасыщенном, при воздействии стационарной азотной плазмы отражательного разряда Пеннинга. Обсуждаются возможные физические механизмы, объясняющие существенное снижение скорости эрозии и повреждения таких систем (изменение формы, макро-блистеринг и макро-флэкинг), обусловленных насыщением водородом до высоких концентраций

Kinetics of hydrogen permeation through W-Pd bimetallic systems

The experimental investigations had been carried out of the kinetics of hydrogen permeation through W-Pd bimetallic systems. The possible mechanisms had been suggested and analyzed to explain the observed anomalies in the hydrogen permeation behavior of such systems, on the assumption of measured isotherms and isobars of hydrogen permeability, energy state of hydrogen in W-Pd system, and theory of hydrogen diffusion in the systems, which contains large number of closed and interconnecting poresПроведено експериментальні дослідження кінетики проникнення водню через W-Pd біметалічні системи. Запропоновано можливі механізми для пояснення виявлених аномалій у поводженні воднепроникнення таких систем, виходячи з обмірюваних ізотерм і ізобар проникнення водню, енергетичного стану водню в системі W-Pd і теорії дифузії в системах з великою кількістю замкнутих і сполучених пор.Проведены экспериментальные исследования кинетики проникновения водорода через W-Pd биметаллические системы. Предложены возможные механизмы для объяснения обнаруженных аномалий в поведении водородопроницаемости таких систем, исходя из измеренных изотерм и изобар водородопроницаемости, энергетического состояния водорода в системе W-Pd и теории диффузии в системах с большим количеством замкнутых и сообщающихся пор

Tracking development assistance for health and for COVID-19 : a review of development assistance, government, out-of-pocket, and other private spending on health for 204 countries and territories, 1990-2050

Background The rapid spread of COVID-19 renewed the focus on how health systems across the globe are financed, especially during public health emergencies. Development assistance is an important source of health financing in many low-income countries, yet little is known about how much of this funding was disbursed for COVID-19. We aimed to put development assistance for health for COVID-19 in the context of broader trends in global health financing, and to estimate total health spending from 1995 to 2050 and development assistance for COVID-19 in 2020. Methods We estimated domestic health spending and development assistance for health to generate total health-sector spending estimates for 204 countries and territories. We leveraged data from the WHO Global Health Expenditure Database to produce estimates of domestic health spending. To generate estimates for development assistance for health, we relied on project-level disbursement data from the major international development agencies' online databases and annual financial statements and reports for information on income sources. To adjust our estimates for 2020 to include disbursements related to COVID-19, we extracted project data on commitments and disbursements from a broader set of databases (because not all of the data sources used to estimate the historical series extend to 2020), including the UN Office of Humanitarian Assistance Financial Tracking Service and the International Aid Transparency Initiative. We reported all the historic and future spending estimates in inflation-adjusted 2020 US$, 2020 US$ per capita, purchasing-power parity-adjusted US$per capita, and as a proportion of gross domestic product. We used various models to generate future health spending to 2050. Findings In 2019, health spending globally reached$8. 8 trillion (95% uncertainty interval [UI] 8.7-8.8) or $1132 (1119-1143) per person. Spending on health varied within and across income groups and geographical regions. Of this total,$40.4 billion (0.5%, 95% UI 0.5-0.5) was development assistance for health provided to low-income and middle-income countries, which made up 24.6% (UI 24.0-25.1) of total spending in low-income countries. We estimate that $54.8 billion in development assistance for health was disbursed in 2020. Of this,$13.7 billion was targeted toward the COVID-19 health response. $12.3 billion was newly committed and$1.4 billion was repurposed from existing health projects. $3.1 billion (22.4$2.4 billion (17.9%) was for supply chain and logistics. Only $714.4 million (7.7$1519 (1448-1591) per person in 2050, although spending across countries is expected to remain varied. Interpretation Global health spending is expected to continue to grow, but remain unequally distributed between countries. We estimate that development organisations substantially increased the amount of development assistance for health provided in 2020. Continued efforts are needed to raise sufficient resources to mitigate the pandemic for the most vulnerable, and to help curtail the pandemic for all. Copyright (C) 2021 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.Peer reviewe

Synthesis and antibacterial activity of some new 4-anilino-5-phenyl-4H-1,2,4-triazole-3-thiol derivatives

4-Anilino-5-phenyl-4H-1,2,4-triazole-3-thiol (1) reacted with formaldehyde and different amines to give Mannich bases 2a–i. Treatment of compound 1 with formaldehyde afforded the corresponding 2-hydroxymethyl derivative 3, which upon its reaction with thionyl chloride yielded the corresponding chloromethyl derivative 4. Treatment of compound 4 with some thiols gave the corresponding sulfides 5a–f. The ring closure reaction of chloromethyl derivative 4 with hydrazine hydrate, phenyl hydrazine, hydroxylamine, urea and thiourea afforded triazolo-, oxadiazolo- and triazinotriazoles 6–10, respectively