Salmonella clinical isolates from Brazilian pig herds: genetic relationship and antibiotic resistance profiling.

Abstract In Brazil, since 2011 clinical cases of salmonellosis has been increasing substantially. Nevertheless, few information is available about the antimicrobial profile, distribution, serotypes and genetic relationship among the strains. The objectives of this study were: to identify the Salmonella serotypes, to characterize the in vitro antimicrobial resistance profiles and to determine the genetic relationship of clinical isolates in Brazil. During 2016, clinical isolates of Salmonella (111) from nine States were sent to Embrapa Swine and Poultry for complementary analysis. First, isolates were serotyped by Kauffmann White Scheme. In parallel, the strains were tested against fifteen antimicrobials by disk diffusion method and genotyping was performed by Pulsed Field Gel Electrophoresis (PFGE) using the XbaI restriction enzyme. As expected, the main serovars found were Typhimurium and Choleraesuis. Four strains showed resistance to only one antimicrobial and 76.5% (85/111) were considered multiresistant. The highest level of resistance was found against to tetracycline. More than 80% of the strains were susceptible to fosfomycin, lincomycin/spectinomycin and norfloxacin. It was possible to identify one major Choleraesuis clonal group present in different Brazilian States. Further, several small clonal groups were obtained for Typhimurium. In conclusion, clinical salmonellosis caused by Typhimurium and Choleraesuis is endemic in pig production areas and the majority of the strains are multi-resistantSafePork 2017

An Investigation of Diffuse Interstellar Gas toward a Large, Low Extinction Window into the Inner Galaxy

Halpha and Hbeta spectroscopy with the Wisconsin H-Alpha Mapper (WHAM) reveals a strong concentration of high velocity emission in a ~ 5 by 5 deg area centered near (l.b) = (27,-3), known as the Scutum Cloud. The high velocities imply that we are detecting optical emission from near the plane of the Galaxy out to the tangent point at heliocentric distances of D \gtrsim 6 kpc, assuming the gas participates in circular Galactic rotation. The ratio of the Halpha to Hbeta emission as a function of velocity suggests that dust along these lines of sight produces a total visual extinction of A_v ~ 3 at D ~ 6 kpc. This makes it possible to use optical emission lines to explore the physical conditions of ionized gas in the inner Galaxy. At a Galactocentric distance R_G ~ 4 kpc, for example, we find that the H^+ has an rms midplane density of ~ 1 cm^-3 with a vertical scale height of ~ 300 pc. We also find evidence for an increase in the flux of Lyman continuum photons and an increase in the ratio of ionized to neutral hydrogen toward the inner Galaxy. We have extended the measurements of E(B-V) in this direction to distances far beyond what has been accessible through stellar photometry and find E(B-V)/N_H to be near the local mean of 1.7 x 10^-22 cm^2 mag, with evidence for an increase in this ratio at R_G ~ 4 kpc. Finally, our observations of [NII] 6583, [SII] 6716, and [OIII] 5007 toward the window reveal that in the inner Galaxy the temperature of the gas and the ionization state of oxygen increase with increasing height from the midplane.Comment: ApJ, accepted. 28 pages, 13 figures, 1 tabl

Comparing Galaxy Morphology at Ultraviolet and Optical Wavelengths

We have undertaken an imaging survey of 34 nearby galaxies in far-ultraviolet (FUV, ~1500A) and optical (UBVRI) passbands to characterize galaxy morphology as a function of wavelength. This sample, which includes a range of classical Hubble types from elliptical to irregular with emphasis on spirals at low inclination angle, provides a valuable database for comparison with images of high-z galaxies whose FUV light is redshifted into the optical and near- infrared bands. Ultraviolet data are from the UIT Astro-2 mission. We present images and surface brightness profiles for each galaxy, and we discuss the wavelength-dependence of morphology for different Hubble types in the context of understanding high-z objects. In general, the dominance of young stars in the FUV produces the patchy appearance of a morphological type later than that inferred from optical images. Prominent rings and circumnuclear star formation regions are clearly evident in FUV images of spirals, while bulges, bars, and old, red stellar disks are faint to invisible at these short wavelengths. However, the magnitude of the change in apparent morphology ranges from dramatic in early--type spirals with prominent optical bulges to slight in late-type spirals and irregulars, in which young stars dominate both the UV and optical emission. Starburst galaxies with centrally concentrated, symmetric bursts display an apparent ``E/S0'' structure in the FUV, while starbursts associated with rings or mergers produce a peculiar morphology. We briefly discuss the inadequacy of the optically-defined Hubble sequence to describe FUV galaxy images and estimate morphological k-corrections, and we suggest some directions for future research with this dataset.Comment: Accepted for publication in the ApJS. 15 pages, 17 JPEG figures, 10 GIF figures. Paper and full resolution figures available at http://nedwww.ipac.caltech.edu/level5/Kuchinski/frames.htm

The diagnostic value of liver biopsy

BACKGROUND: Since the introduction of molecular diagnostic tools such as markers for hepatitis C and different autoimmune diseases, liver biopsy is thought to be useful mainly for staging but not for diagnostic purposes. The aim was to review the liver biopsies for 5 years after introduction of testing for hepatitis C, in order to evaluate what diagnostic insights – if any – remain after serologic testing. METHODS: Retrospective review of all liver biopsies performed between 1.1.1995 and 31.12.1999 at an academic outpatient hepatology department. The diagnoses suspected in the biopsy note were compared with the final diagnosis arrived at during a joint meeting with the responsible clinicians and a hepatopathologist. RESULTS: In 365 patients, 411 diagnoses were carried out before biopsy. 84.4 % were confirmed by biopsy but in 8.8 %, 6.8 % and 10.5 % the diagnosis was specified, changed or a diagnosis added, respectively. Additional diagnoses of clinical relevance were unrecognized biliary obstruction and additional alcoholic liver disease in patients with chronic hepatitis C. Liver biopsy led to change in management for 12.1 % of patients. CONCLUSION: Even in the era of advanced virological, immunological and molecular genetic testing, liver biopsy remains a useful diagnostic tool. The yield is particularly high in marker negative patients but also in patients with a clear-cut prebiopsy diagnosis, liver biopsy can lead to changes in patient management

Chandra X-ray Observations of the Spiral Galaxy M81

A Chandra X-Ray Observatory ACIS-S imaging observation is used to study the population of X-ray sources in the nearby Sab galaxy M81 (NGC 3031). A total of 177 sources are detected with 124 located within the D25 isophote to a limiting X-ray luminosity of 3e36 ergs/cm2/s. Source positions, count rates, luminosities in the 0.3-8.0 keV band, limiting optical magnitudes, and potential counterpart identifications are tabulated. Spectral and timing analysis of the 36 brightest sources are reported including the low-luminosity active galactic nucleus, SN 1993J, and the Einstein-discovered ultra-luminous X-ray source X6.Comment: 27 pages, 17 figures, 2 tables, submitted to Ap

The trispecific DARPin ensovibep inhibits diverse SARS-CoV-2 variants

The emergence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) variants with potential resistance to existing drugs emphasizes the need for new therapeutic modalities with broad variant activity. Here we show that ensovibep, a trispecific DARPin (designed ankyrin repeat protein) clinical candidate, can engage the three units of the spike protein trimer of SARS-CoV-2 and inhibit ACE2 binding with high potency, as revealed by cryo-electron microscopy analysis. The cooperative binding together with the complementarity of the three DARPin modules enable ensovibep to inhibit frequent SARS-CoV-2 variants, including Omicron sublineages BA.1 and BA.2. In Roborovski dwarf hamsters infected with SARS-CoV-2, ensovibep reduced fatality similarly to a standard-of-care monoclonal antibody (mAb) cocktail. When used as a single agent in viral passaging experiments in vitro, ensovibep reduced the emergence of escape mutations in a similar fashion to the same mAb cocktail. These results support further clinical evaluation of ensovibep as a broad variant alternative to existing targeted therapies for Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)

Quantitative liver function in patients with rheumatoid arthritis treated with low-dose methotrexate: a longitudinal study.

The objectives were to determine quantitative liver function prospectively in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) treated with low-dose methotrexate (MTX), to search for risk factors for a loss of quantitative liver function and to assess the relationship between quantitative liver function and histological staging. A total of 117 patients with RA (ACR criteria, 85 women, mean age 59 yr) had measurements of galactose elimination capacity (GEC), aminopyrine breath test (ABT) and liver enzymes [aspartate amino transferase (AST), alanine amino transferase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (AP), 7-glutamyl transferase (GGT), bile acids, bilirubin, albumin] before treatment with weekly i.m. MTX injections and every year thereafter. In 16 patients, liver biopsies were performed. Before the introduction of MTX, mean GEC was 6.6 mg/min/kg [5th to 95th percentile (5-95 PC) 5.1-8.5; reference range 6.0-9.1] and mean ABT was 0.80% kg/mmol (5-95 PC 0.42-1.30: reference range 0.6-1.0). During treatment with MTX [mean weekly dose 11.8 mg (5-95 PC 5.4-20.2), mean observation period 3.8 yr (5-95 PC 0.4-6.9)], significant declines of GEC (-0.12 mg/min/kg per year. t = 3.30, P 30 g/week became evident. Two patients with Roenigk grade III had impaired quantitative liver function, while 14 patients with Roenigk grades I and II exhibited a high variability of GEC and ABT from normal to abnormal values. The continuous declines in GEC and ABT observed deserve attention in patients with prolonged treatment. Patients with a low GEC or ABT at baseline seem not to be at increased risk for a further loss of quantitative liver function. An impaired GEC or ABT does not necessarily concur with hepatic fibrosis on histological examination