The importance of genus Candida in human samples

Microbiology is a rapidly changing field. As new researches and experiences broaden our knowledge, changes in the approach to diagnosis and therapy have become necessary and appropriate. Recommended dosage of drugs, method and duration of administration, as well as contraindications to use, evolve over time all drugs. Over the last 2 decades, Candida species have emerged as causes of substantial morbidity and mortality in hospitalized individuals. Isolation of Candida from blood or other sterile sites, excluding the urinary tract, defines invasive candidiasis. Candida species are currently the fourth most common cause of bloodstream infections (that is, candidemia) in U.S. hospitals and occur primarily in the intensive care unit (ICU), where candidemia is recognized in up to 1% of patients and where deep-seated Candida infections are recognized in an additional 1 to 2% of patients. Despite the introduction of newer anti-Candida agents, invasive candidiasis continues to have an attributable mortality rate of 40 to 49%; excess ICU and hospital stays of 12.7 days and 15.5 days, respectively, and increased care costs. Postmortem studies suggest that death rates related to invasive candidiasis might, in fact, be higher than those described because of undiagnosed and therefore untreated infection. The diagnosis of invasive candidiasis remains challenging for both clinicians and microbiologists. Reasons for missed diagnoses include nonspecific risk factors and clinical manifestations, low sensitivity of microbiological culture techniques, and unavailability of deep tissue cultures because of risks associated with the invasive procedures used to obtain them. Thus, a substantial proportion of invasive candidiasis in patients in the ICU is assumed to be undiagnosed and untreated. Yet even when invasive candidiasis is diagnosed, culture diagnosis delays treatment for 2 to 3 days, which contributes to mortality. Interventions that do not rely on a specific diagnosis and are implemented early in the course of Candida infection (that is, empirical therapy) or before Candida infection occurs (that is, prophylaxis) might improve patient survival and may be warranted. Selective and nonselective administration of anti-Candida prophylaxis is practiced in some ICUs. Several trials have tested this, but results were limited by low statistical power and choice of outcomes. Thus, the role of anti-Candida prophylaxis for patients in the ICU remains controversial. Initiating anti-Candida therapy for patients in the ICU who have suspected infection but have not responded to antibacterial therapy (empirical therapy) is practiced in some hospitals. This practice, however, remains a subject of considerable debate. These patients are perceived to be at higher risk from invasive candidiasis and therefore are likely to benefit from empirical therapy. Nonetheless, empirical anti-Candida therapies have not been evaluated in a randomized trial and would share shortcomings that are similar to those described for prophylactic strategies. Current treatment guidelines by the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) do not specify whether empirical anti-Candida therapy should be provided to immunocompetent patients. If such therapy is given, IDSA recommends that its use should be limited to patients with Candida colonization in multiple sites, patients with several other risk factors, and patients with no uncorrected causes of fever. Without data from clinical trials, determining an optimal anti-Candida strategy for patients in the ICU is challenging. Identifying such a strategy can help guide clinicians in choosing adequate therapy and may improve patient outcomes. In our study, we developed a decision analytic model to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of empirical anti-Candida therapy given to high-risk patients in the ICU, defined as those with altered temperature (fever or hypothermia) or unexplained hypotension despite 3 days of antibacterial therapy in the ICU

Preparation of composite material BCP/DLPLG with a different content of ceramic and polymer component

Using a new approach of synthesis, homogenisation of DLPLG polymer powder and BCP gel, BCP/DLPLG composite material has been obtained with morphological and structural characteristics making it potentially very suitable for practical application in certain fields of the reconstructive medicine. The composite material has been synthesised with different ratios of ceramics and polymer BCP/DLPLG; 65/35w/w, 10/90 w/w, 5/95 w/w and 2/98w/w. The samples were characterized by Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM).Physical chemistry 2006 : 8th international conference on fundamental and applied aspects of physical chemistry; Belgrade (Serbia); 26-29 September 200

The effect of baking temperature and buckwheat flour addition on the selected properties of wheat bread

Wholegrain buckwheat flour was used to substitute 15 %, 30 % and 40 % of wheat flour to make buckwheat enriched wheat bread. Proximate composition, sensory evaluation, total phenols content and antioxidant activity of buckwheat enriched wheat breads were analysed and compared with wheat bread. Wholegrain buckwheat flour contained higher total phenols than wheat flour. The incorporation of buckwheat flour from 15 % to 40 % in bread samples increased the total phenols content from 0.25 (mg GA/g d.m. sample) to 0.65 (mg GA/g d.m. sample), and antioxidant activity from 208.45 (µmol Fe2+/L extract) to 354.45 (µmol Fe2+/L extract). Total phenols content decreased during the baking process, while the antioxidant activity increased. Bread samples with 15 %, 30 % and 40 % of wholegrain buckwheat flour showed lower lightness (L) and whiteness index (WI) values of crust and crumb colour compared to the wheat bread. Addition of buckwheat flour increased redness (a) and yellowness (b) colour values for crumb. Sensory results indicating that three breads with buckwheat flour were moderately acceptable. No differences were found in overall sensory attributes between buckwheat flour enriched bread samples with 15 % and wheat bread (control sample)

Temperature responsive hydrogels based on ethylene glycol propylene glycol "block" units with VPTT close to human body temperature

New hydrogels based on different oligo(alkylene glycol) methacrylate (OAGMA) with inverse thermo-response and volume phase transition temperature (VPTT) close to human body temperature were investigated in this work. Synthesis was performed from monomer-solvent mixture by gamma radiation; four different OAGMA (EG6MA, EG6PG3MA, EG3PG6MA and PG5MA) were used. The main focus was made on hydrogels based on EGxPGy pendant chains with different number of ethylene glycol and propylene glycol units in “block” backbone since in the case of POPGMA and POEGMA homopolimers (e.g. hydrogels with pure PG and EG pedant chains) the VPTTs were observed far below and far above the human body temperature, respectively. Characterisation of the hydrogels was performed by swelling, UV-Vis, FTIR, SEM, DSC and in vitro biocompatibility investigations. Due to the possibility to combined VPTT close to human body temperature with good biocompatibility, new hydrogels based on EGPG “block” pedant chains show great potential for biomedical applications

The effect of baking temperature and buckwheat flour addition on the selected properties of wheat bread

Wholegrain buckwheat flour was used to substitute 15 %, 30 % and 40 % of wheat flour to make buckwheat enriched wheat bread. Proximate composition, sensory evaluation, total phenols content and antioxidant activity of buckwheat enriched wheat breads were analysed and compared with wheat bread. Wholegrain buckwheat flour contained higher total phenols than wheat flour. The incorporation of buckwheat flour from 15 % to 40 % in bread samples increased the total phenols content from 0.25 (mg GA/g d.m. sample) to 0.65 (mg GA/g d.m. sample), and antioxidant activity from 208.45 (µmol Fe2+/L extract) to 354.45 (µmol Fe2+/L extract). Total phenols content decreased during the baking process, while the antioxidant activity increased. Bread samples with 15 %, 30 % and 40 % of wholegrain buckwheat flour showed lower lightness (L) and whiteness index (WI) values of crust and crumb colour compared to the wheat bread. Addition of buckwheat flour increased redness (a) and yellowness (b) colour values for crumb. Sensory results indicating that three breads with buckwheat flour were moderately acceptable. No differences were found in overall sensory attributes between buckwheat flour enriched bread samples with 15 % and wheat bread (control sample)

Kontaminacija zrna pšenice, kukuruza, soje i graška vrstama Fusariuma u Hrvatskoj

From 2002 to 2008, 203 samples of wheat, maize, soybean, and pea were analysed for the presence of Fusarium species. Contamination with Fusarium spp., expressed as the percentage of seeds with Fusarium colonies, ranged from 5 % to 69 % for wheat, from 25 % to 100 % for maize, from 4 % to 17 % for soybean, and from 3 % to 17 % for pea. 187 isolates were collected and the following 19 species determined: F. graminearum, F. poae, F. avenaceum, F. verticillioides, F. sporotrichioides, F. heterosporum, F. crookwellense, F. tricinctum, F. semitectum, F. oxysporum, F. proliferatum, F. solani, F. equiseti, F. pseudograminearum, F. chlamydosporum, F. sambucinum, F. compactum, F. scirpi, and F. culmorum. Dominant species were F. graminearum on wheat (27 % of isolates), F. verticillioides on maize (83 % of isolates), F. sporotrichioides on soybean (34 % of isolates), and F. proliferatum on pea (29 % of isolates). Among species identifi ed, F. heterosporum, F. crookwellense, F. pseudograminearum, F. sambucinum, and F. compactum have been reported for the fi rst time in Croatia.U periodu od 2002. do 2008. g. analizirana je prisutnost vrsta Fusariuma na 208 uzoraka zrna pšenice, kukuruza, soje i graška. Kontaminacija vrstama Fusariuma, izražena kao postotak sjemenki s kolonijama Fusarium spp., kretala se od 5 % do 69 % na pšenici, od 25 % do 100 % na kukuruzu, od 4 % do 17 % na soji te od 3 % do 17 % na grašku. Prosječna kontaminacija vrstama Fusariuma u različitim godinama varirala je od 10 % do 46 % na pšenici, od 50 % do 91 % na kukuruzu, od 5 % do 9 % na soji te od 7 % do 10 % na grašku. Vrste Fusariuma koje se javljaju na zrnu izolirane su i determinirane s odabranih uzoraka pšenice, kukuruza, soje i graška. Skupljeno je 187 izolata, a utvrđeno je 19 vrsta: F. graminearum, F. poae, F. avenaceum, F. verticillioides, F. sporotrichioides, F. heterosporum, F. crookwellense, F. tricinctum, F. semitectum, F. oxysporum, F. proliferatum, F. solani, F. equiseti, F. pseudograminearum, F. chlamydosporum, F. sambucinum, F. compactum, F. scirpi i F. culmorum. Dominantne vrste bile su F. graminearum na pšenici (27 % izolata), F. verticillioides na kukuruzu (83 % izolata), F. sporotrichioides na soji (34 % izolata) te F. proliferatum na grašku (29 % izolata). U Hrvatskoj su prvi put utvrđene vrste F. heterosporum, F. crookwellense, F. pseudograminearum, F. sambucinum i F. compactum