Valutazione comparativa di due metodi automatici per lo screening di Treponema pallidum

In the present study we evaluated the performance of two automated chemiluminescence immunoassay for detection of Treponema pallidum antibodies in a routine laboratory approach. One hundred fifty samples, obtained from patients admitted to hospital with no signs or clinical history of syphilis were studied.All samples were tested for Treponema pallidum antibodies by the qualitative method Syphilis TP Architect (Abbott) and with DIASORIN Treponema Screen (DiaSorin) and the reactive results were confirmed by VDRL and IgM ELISA. Western blot IgG and IgM (AID GmbH),VDRL (Abbott) and EIAgen TMPA IgM (Adaltis) were used to analyze discrepant results. One hundred forty four samples had concordant result (96%) whereas six samples showed discordant results (negative with Architect and positive with DiaSorin).Among discordant tests, 5 positive results obtained with DiaSorin were confirmed by Western blot IgG, while one remained indeterminate. More and extensive evaluations may be useful to define Architect sensibility loss, with homogeneous cohorts of patients including those with a syphilis diagnosis, high risk subjects and patients with potential confounding factors like autoimmune diseases

Proteome and Physiological Characterization of Halotolerant Nodule Endophytes: The Case of <i>Rahnella aquatilis</i> and <i>Serratia plymuthica</i>

Bacterial endophytes were isolated from nodules of pea and fava bean. The strains were identified and characterized for plant beneficial activities (phosphate solubilization, synthesis of indole acetic acid and siderophores) and salt tolerance. Based on these data, four strains of Rahnella aquatilis and three strains of Serratia plymuthica were selected. To shed light on the mechanisms underlying salt tolerance, the proteome of the two most performant strains (Ra4 and Sp2) grown in the presence or not of salt was characterized. The number of proteins expressed by the endophytes was higher in the presence of salt. The modulated proteome consisted of 302 (100 up-regulated, 202 down-regulated) and 323 (206 up-regulated, 117 down-regulated) proteins in Ra4 and Sp2, respectively. Overall, proteins involved in abiotic stress responses were up-regulated, while those involved in metabolism and flagellum structure were down-regulated. The main up-regulated proteins in Sp2 were thiol: disulfide interchange protein DsbA, required for the sulfur binding formation in periplasmic proteins, while in Ra4 corresponded to the soluble fraction of ABC transporters, having a role in compatible solute uptake. Our results demonstrated a conserved response to salt stress in the two taxonomically related species