Identification of bacteria on the surface of clinically infected and non-infected prosthetic hip joints removed during revision arthroplasties by 16S rRNA gene sequencing and by microbiological culture

It has been postulated that bacteria attached to the surface of prosthetic hip joints can cause localised inflammation, resulting in failure of the replacement joint. However, diagnosis of infection is difficult with traditional microbiological culture methods, and evidence exists that highly fastidious or non-cultivable organisms have a role in implant infections. The purpose of this study was to use culture and culture-independent methods to detect the bacteria present on the surface of prosthetic hip joints removed during revision arthroplasties. Ten consecutive revisions were performed by two surgeons, which were all clinically and radiologically loose. Five of the hip replacement revision surgeries were performed because of clinical infections and five because of aseptic loosening. Preoperative and perioperative specimens were obtained from each patient and subjected to routine microbiological culture. The prostheses removed from each patient were subjected to mild ultrasonication to dislodge adherent bacteria, followed by aerobic and anaerobic microbiological culture. Bacterial DNA was extracted from each sonicate and the 16S rRNA gene was amplified with the universal primer pair 27f/1387r. All 10 specimens were positive for the presence of bacteria by both culture and PCR. PCR products were then cloned, organised into groups by RFLP analysis and one clone from each group was sequenced. Bacteria were identified by comparison of the 16S rRNA gene sequences obtained with those deposited in public access sequence databases. A total of 512 clones were analysed by RFLP analysis, of which 118 were sequenced. Culture methods identified species from the genera Leifsonia (54.3%), Staphylococcus (21.7%), Proteus (8.7%), Brevundimonas (6.5%), Salibacillus (4.3%), Methylobacterium (2.2%) and Zimmermannella (2.2%). Molecular detection methods identified a more diverse microflora. The predominant genus detected was Lysobacter, representing 312 (60.9%) of 512 clones analysed. In all, 28 phylotypes were identified: Lysobacter enzymogenes was the most abundant phylotype (31.4%), followed by Lysobacter sp. C3 (28.3%), gamma proteobacterium N4-7 (6.6%), Methylobacterium SM4 (4.7%) and Staphylococcus epidermidis (4.7%); 36 clones (7.0%) represented uncultivable phylotypes. We conclude that a diverse range of bacterial species are found within biofilms on the surface of clinically infected and non-infected prosthetic hip joints removed during revision arthroplasties

After the Left–Right (Dis)continuum: Globalization and the Remaking of Europe’s Ideological Geography

This article examines the status of globalization as a causal factor in political mobilization and proposes a research agenda for diagnosing the impact of global socio-economic dynamics on ideological orientation in national polities. Focusing on Europe’s established democracies, the article outlines recent shifts in Europe’s ideological landscape and explores the mechanisms generating a new pattern of political conflict and electoral competition. It advances the hypothesis that the knowledge economy of open borders has brought about a political cleavage inti- mately linked to citizens’ perceptions of the social impact of global eco- nomic integration. In this context, the polarization of life chances is determined by institutionally mediated exposure to both the economic opportunities and the hazards of globalization. Fostered by the increas- ing relevance of the international for state-bound publics, new fault-lines of social conflict are emerging, giving shape to a new, ‘‘opportunity- risk,’’ axis of political competition. As the novel political cleavage challenges the conventional left–right divide, it is likely to radically alter Europe’s ideological geography

Evaluation of an artificial intelligence enhanced application for student wellbeing: pilot randomised trial of the mind tutor

There has been an increase in the number of UK university students disclosing mental health conditions in recent years. This paper describes the evaluation of the Mind Tutor app, an artificial intelligence based wellbeing app specifically designed for first year undergraduate students, which included a chatbot function that guided students to relevant wellbeing content. The content of the app was developed based on data about mental health and wellbeing issues reported by students and focussed on anxiety, low mood, academic study, transition to university and relationships. Two randomised controlled evaluation studies were conducted with N = 177 and N = 240 first year undergraduate students from two UK universities (the second due to delays in development work and difficulties with recruitment in the first trial). The Mind Tutor had no significant impact on student wellbeing. The study suffered from poor recruitment and retention rates. However, further research is warranted to understand factors that may increase engagement and acceptability of app based tools to increase student wellbeing

Identification of bacteria associated with feline chronic gingivostomatitis using culture-dependent and culture-independent methods

Feline chronic gingivostomatitis (FCGS) is a chronic inflammatory disease of the oral cavity that causes severe pain and distress. There are currently no specific treatment methods available and little is known regarding its aetiology, although bacteria are thought to play a major role. The purpose of this study was to identify the oral bacterial flora in normal and diseased cats. Oral swabs were obtained from the palatoglossal folds of eight cats (three normal and five FCGS) and were subjected to microbiological culture. Pasteurella pneumotropica and Pasteurella multocida subsp. multocida were the most prevalent species identified by culture methods in the normal and FCGS samples, respectively. Bacteria were also identified using culture-independent methods (bacterial 16S rRNA gene sequencing). For the normal samples, 158 clones were analysed and 85 clones were sequenced. Capnocytophaga canimorsus (10.8% of clones analysed) was the predominant species. Uncultured species accounted for 8.2% of clones analysed, and 43.7% of clones analysed represented potentially novel species. For the FCGS samples, 253 clones were analysed and 91 clones were sequenced. The predominant species was P. multocida subsp. multocida (51.8% of clones analysed). Uncultured species accounted for 8.7% of clones analysed, and 4.7% of clones analysed represented potentially novel species. It is concluded that the oral flora in cats with FCGS appears to be less diverse than that found in normal cats. However, P. multocida subsp. multocida is found to be significantly more prevalent in FCGS than in normal cats and consequently may be of aetiological significance in this disease. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserve

Hypersaline lakes harbor more active bacterial communities

ABSTRACT Extremophiles employ a diverse array of resistance strategies to thrive under harsh 18 environmental conditions but maintaining these adaptations comes at an energetic cost. If energy reserves to drop too low, extremophiles may enter a dormant state of reduced 20 metabolic activity to survive. Dormancy is frequently offered as a plausible explanation for the persistence of bacteria under suboptimal environmental conditions with the 22 prevalence of this mechanism only expected to rise as stressful conditions intensify. We estimated dormancy in ten hypersaline and freshwater lakes across the Western United 24 States. To our surprise, we found that extreme environmental conditions did not induce higher levels of bacterial dormancy. Based on our approach using rRNA:rDNA gene 26 ratios to estimate activity, halophilic and halotolerant bacteria were classified as inactive at a similar percentage as freshwater bacteria, and the proportion of the community 28 exhibiting dormancy was considerably lower (16%) in hypersaline than freshwater lakes across a range of cutoffs estimating activity. Of the multiple chemical characteristics we 30 evaluated, salinity and, to a lesser extent, total phosphorus concentrations influenced activity. But instead of dormancy being more common as stressful conditions intensified, 32 the percentage of the community residing in an inactive state decreased with increasing salinity in freshwater and hypersaline lakes, suggesting that salinity acts as a strong 34 environmental filter selecting for bacteria that persist and thrive under saltier conditions. Within the compositionally distinct and less diverse hypersaline communities, abundant 36 taxa were disproportionately active and localized in families Microbacteriacea

Oral pigmented lesions:a retrospective analysis from Brazil

Pigmented lesions are uncommon in the oral mucosa, and studies investigating the incidence and types of these lesions are desired to improve the diagnostic knowledge of clinicians. The aim of this study was to analyze the distribution of oral pigmented lesions in a Brazilian population. A retrospective descriptive cross-sectional study was performed. Oral pigmented lesions were retrieved from the files of two oral and maxillofacial pathology services from Brazil over a 45-year period (1974-2019). The clinical data and the diagnoses of each case were retrieved and included in a Microsoft Excel® database. From 77.074 lesions diagnosed in this period, 761 (0.99%) represented pigmented lesions of the oral mucosa, including 351 (46.1%) melanocytic and 410 (53.9%) non-melanocytic lesions, with a higher incidence in females (73.2%) between the fourth and seventh decades of life. Amalgam tattoo (53.6%) represented the most common lesion, followed by melanotic macule (18.3%) and racial pigmentation (10.8%). Other pigmented lesions included nevus (9.9%), post-inflammatory pigmentation (3%), melanoma (2.1%), melanoacanthoma (1.4%), smoker's melanosis (0.4%), drug-induced pigmentation (0.3%), and melanotic neuroectodermal tumor of infancy (0.1%). The buccal mucosa was the most commonly affected site (25.2%), followed by the alveolar ridge (14.5%), and gingiva (11.8%). The current findings were similar to previous studies with minor differences due methodology and characteristics of the services from where lesions were retrieved. The knowledge of these data may contribute to a better understanding of oral pigmented lesions and assist clinicians to better recognize and manage them

Organizational factors and depression management in community-based primary care settings

Abstract Background Evidence-based quality improvement models for depression have not been fully implemented in routine primary care settings. To date, few studies have examined the organizational factors associated with depression management in real-world primary care practice. To successfully implement quality improvement models for depression, there must be a better understanding of the relevant organizational structure and processes of the primary care setting. The objective of this study is to describe these organizational features of routine primary care practice, and the organization of depression care, using survey questions derived from an evidence-based framework. Methods We used this framework to implement a survey of 27 practices comprised of 49 unique offices within a large primary care practice network in western Pennsylvania. Survey questions addressed practice structure (e.g., human resources, leadership, information technology (IT) infrastructure, and external incentives) and process features (e.g., staff performance, degree of integrated depression care, and IT performance). Results The results of our survey demonstrated substantial variation across the practice network of organizational factors pertinent to implementation of evidence-based depression management. Notably, quality improvement capability and IT infrastructure were widespread, but specific application to depression care differed between practices, as did coordination and communication tasks surrounding depression treatment. Conclusions The primary care practices in the network that we surveyed are at differing stages in their organization and implementation of evidence-based depression management. Practical surveys such as this may serve to better direct implementation of these quality improvement strategies for depression by improving understanding of the organizational barriers and facilitators that exist within both practices and practice networks. In addition, survey information can inform efforts of individual primary care practices in customizing intervention strategies to improve depression management.http://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/78269/1/1748-5908-4-84.xmlhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/78269/2/1748-5908-4-84-S1.PDFhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/78269/3/1748-5908-4-84.pdfPeer Reviewe

Genetic identification of unique immunological responses in mice infected with virulent and attenuated Francisella tularensis

Francisella tularensis is a category A select agent based on its infectivity and virulence but disease mechanisms in infection remain poorly understood. Murine pulmonary models of infection were therefore employed to assess and compare dissemination and pathology and to elucidate the host immune response to infection with the highly virulent Type A F. tularensis strain Schu4 versus the less virulent Type B live vaccine strain (LVS). We found that dissemination and pathology in the spleen was significantly greater in mice infected with F. tularensis Schu4 compared to mice infected with F. tularensis LVS. Using gene expression rofiling to compare the response to infection with the two F. tularensis strains, we found that there were significant differences in the expression of genes involved in the apoptosis pathway, antigen processing and presentation pathways, and inflammatory response pathways in mice infected with Schu4 when compared to LVS. These transcriptional differences coincided with marked differences in dissemination and severity of organ lesions in mice infected with the Schu4 and LVS strains. Therefore, these findings indicate that altered apoptosis, antigen presentation and production of inflammatory mediators explain the differences in pathogenicity of F. tularensis Schu4 and LVS

Do público e do privado: uma perspectiva de género sobre uma dicotomia moderna

Neste texto propomos uma interpretação crítica da dicotomia histórica entre público e privado como dinâmica fundamental da modernidade. A partir de uma perspectiva de género, discutimos as fronteiras construídas entre espaço coletivo de cidadania e de sociabilidade e espaço individual de intimidade e desigualdade. Argumentamos a favor de uma relação de cumplicidade, ainda que tensa, entre as duas esferas, observando que a vida privada foi, em grande medida, moldada pelas mudanças operadas na vida pública. Recorrendo a diferentes definições de "público", notamos que, à medida que as sociabilidades tradicionais, essencialmente masculinas, estudadas entre outros por Ariès ou Sennett, sofriam uma erosão, crescia o sentimento de intimidade, aumentando igualmente a inclusão do privado no público através do alargamento da cidadania, em consequência das lutas travadas na esfera pública por vários movimentos de emancipação, como o operário ou o feminista. À medida que a pessoa era retirada da comunidade, do clã, do grupo de parentesco, em que eram "naturais" as desigualdades, no sentido aristotélico do termo, ia-se reencontrando progressivamente como indivíduo portador de cidadania. Se o espaço privado se tornou central na definição de uma identidade, ele é também crescentemente atravessado por mecanismos públicos de regulação. Nesse sentido, o movimento de ascensão do privado, que nas últimas décadas tem ocupado espaço de debate, deve ser cuidadosamente reinterpretado

Aquaporin water channels in the nervous system.

The aquaporins (AQPs) are plasma membrane water-transporting proteins. AQP4 is the principal member of this protein family in the CNS, where it is expressed in astrocytes and is involved in water movement, cell migration and neuroexcitation. AQP1 is expressed in the choroid plexus, where it facilitates cerebrospinal fluid secretion, and in dorsal root ganglion neurons, where it tunes pain perception. The AQPs are potential drug targets for several neurological conditions. Astrocytoma cells strongly express AQP4, which may facilitate their infiltration into the brain, and the neuroinflammatory disease neuromyelitis optica is caused by AQP4-specific autoantibodies that produce complement-mediated astrocytic damage