Testing the adhesion and colonization ability of Lactobacillus plantarum strain S1 to the mice intestinal epithelium

Intestinal diseases are often the consequence of a myriad factors which disturb the complex ecosystem of the gastrointestinal system. For that reason, great attention is dedicated to the use of lactic acid bacteria as probiotics. When choosing the strains for probiotic use, one of the important criteria is the ability of adhesion and binding to the intestinal epithelium. Therefore, the aim of this study was to examine the possibility of adhesion and colonization of Lactobacillus plantarum strain S1 to gastrointestinal system of mice. At the same time the influence of L. plantarum S1 on composition of intestinal microflora of mice was examined. To test the in vitro adhesion properties, bacteria were added to freshly prepared tissue of the BALB/c mice small intestine. Mice were fed with L. plantarum strain S1 for 5 consecutive days. The result showed that L. plantarum strain S1 have good adhesion ability, in vitro and in vivo. The examined strain of L. plantarum successfully colonize the gastrointestinal system of mice and it showed a positive effect on the intestinal microflora, reducing the number of enterobacteria and clostridia. In conclusion, L. plantarum strain S1 shows good properties of adhesion and colonization of the gastrointestinal system of mice and for that reasons could be used as a probiotic strain

Testing the adhesion and colonization ability of Lactobacillus plantarum strain S1 to the mice intestinal epithelium

Intestinal diseases are often the consequence of a myriad factors which disturb the complex ecosystem of the gastrointestinal system. For that reason, great attention is dedicated to the use of lactic acid bacteria as probiotics. When choosing the strains for probiotic use, one of the important criteria is the ability of adhesion and binding to the intestinal epithelium. Therefore, the aim of this study was to examine the possibility of adhesion and colonization of Lactobacillus plantarum strain S1 to gastrointestinal system of mice. At the same time the influence of L. plantarum S1 on composition of intestinal microflora of mice was examined. To test the in vitro adhesion properties, bacteria were added to freshly prepared tissue of the BALB/c mice small intestine. Mice were fed with L. plantarum strain S1 for 5 consecutive days. The result showed that L. plantarum strain S1 have good adhesion ability, in vitro and in vivo. The examined strain of L. plantarum successfully colonize the gastrointestinal system of mice and it showed a positive effect on the intestinal microflora, reducing the number of enterobacteria and clostridia. In conclusion, L. plantarum strain S1 shows good properties of adhesion and colonization of the gastrointestinal system of mice and for that reasons could be used as a probiotic strain

Ružička days : International conference 16th Ružička Days “Today Science – Tomorrow Industry” : Proceedings

Proceedings contains articles presented at Conference divided into sections: open lecture (1), chemical analysis and synthesis (3), chemical and biochemical engineering (8), food technology and biotechnology (8), medical chemistry and pharmacy (3), environmental protection (11) and meeting of young chemists (2)

SARS-CoV-2 Spike and Nucleocapsid Antibody Response in Vaccinated Croatian Healthcare Workers and Infected Hospitalized Patients: A Single Center Cohort Study

Studies assessing the dynamics and duration of antibody responses following SARS-CoV-2 infection or vaccination are an invaluable tool for vaccination schedule planning, assessment of risk groups and management of pandemics. In this study, we developed and employed ELISA assays to analyze the humoral responses to Nucleocapsid and Spike proteins in vaccinated health-care workers (HCW) and critically ill COVID-19 patients. Sera of more than 1000 HCWs and critically ill patients from the Clinical Hospital Center Rijeka were tested across a one-year period, encompassing the spread of major SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern (VOCs). We observed 97% of seroconversion in HCW cohort as well as sustained anti-Spike antibody response in vaccinees for more than 6 months. In contrast, the infection-induced anti-Nucleocapsid response was waning significantly in a six-month period. Furthermore, a substantial decrease in vaccinees’ anti-Spike antibodies binding to Spike protein of Omicron VOC was also observed. Critically ill COVID-19 patients had higher levels of anti-Spike and anti-Nucleocapsid antibodies compared to HCWs. No significant differences in anti-Spike and anti-Nucleocapsid antibody levels between the critically ill COVID-19 patients that were on non-invasive oxygen supplementation and those on invasive ventilation support were observed. However, stronger anti-Spike, but not anti-Nucleocapsid, antibody response correlated with a better disease outcome in the cohort of patients on invasive ventilation support. Altogether, our results contribute to the growing pool of data on humoral responses to SARS-CoV-2 infection and vaccination

Ružička days : International conference 18th Ružička Days “Today Science – Tomorrow Industry” : Proceedings

Proceedings contains articles presented at Conference divided into sections: chemical analysis and synthesis, chemical and biochemical engineering, food technology and biotechnology, medical chemistry and pharmacy, environmental protection and meeting of young chemists

Effects of hospital facilities on patient outcomes after cancer surgery: an international, prospective, observational study

© 2022 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an Open Access article under the CC BY 4.0 licenseBackground: Early death after cancer surgery is higher in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs) compared with in high-income countries, yet the impact of facility characteristics on early postoperative outcomes is unknown. The aim of this study was to examine the association between hospital infrastructure, resource availability, and processes on early outcomes after cancer surgery worldwide. Methods: A multimethods analysis was performed as part of the GlobalSurg 3 study—a multicentre, international, prospective cohort study of patients who had surgery for breast, colorectal, or gastric cancer. The primary outcomes were 30-day mortality and 30-day major complication rates. Potentially beneficial hospital facilities were identified by variable selection to select those associated with 30-day mortality. Adjusted outcomes were determined using generalised estimating equations to account for patient characteristics and country-income group, with population stratification by hospital. Findings: Between April 1, 2018, and April 23, 2019, facility-level data were collected for 9685 patients across 238 hospitals in 66 countries (91 hospitals in 20 high-income countries; 57 hospitals in 19 upper-middle-income countries; and 90 hospitals in 27 low-income to lower-middle-income countries). The availability of five hospital facilities was inversely associated with mortality: ultrasound, CT scanner, critical care unit, opioid analgesia, and oncologist. After adjustment for case-mix and country income group, hospitals with three or fewer of these facilities (62 hospitals, 1294 patients) had higher mortality compared with those with four or five (adjusted odds ratio [OR] 3·85 [95% CI 2·58–5·75]; p<0·0001), with excess mortality predominantly explained by a limited capacity to rescue following the development of major complications (63·0% vs 82·7%; OR 0·35 [0·23–0·53]; p<0·0001). Across LMICs, improvements in hospital facilities would prevent one to three deaths for every 100 patients undergoing surgery for cancer. Interpretation: Hospitals with higher levels of infrastructure and resources have better outcomes after cancer surgery, independent of country income. Without urgent strengthening of hospital infrastructure and resources, the reductions in cancer-associated mortality associated with improved access will not be realised. Funding: National Institute for Health and Care Research