Molecular epidemiology and nitrofurantoin resistance determinants of nitrofurantoin-non-susceptible Escherichia coli isolated from urinary tract infections

Objectives: The worldwide emergence of multidrug-resistant uropathogens has resulted in the revival of old antibiotics such as nitrofurantoin (NIT) for the treatment of uncomplicated urinary tract infections (UTIs). This study aimed to identify determinants of NIT resistance and to investigate the genetic diversity of NIT-resistant (NIT-R) Escherichia coli isolates. Methods: Six NIT-R and three NIT-susceptible clinical E. coli isolates from patients with UTI were studied. The susceptibility of the isolates to various classes of antibiotics was evaluated by disk diffusion. The presence of plasmid-encoded efflux pump genes (oqxA and oqxB) was investigated by PCR. Nucleotide sequences of the nfsA, nfsB and ribE genes were determined. The genetic relatedness of the NIT-R isolates was evaluated by multilocus sequence typing (MLST). Results: All six NIT-R isolates were characterised with high-level NIT resistance (MIC � 512 mg/L) and they belonged to five distinct STs including ST131 (n = 2), ST73, ST405, ST10 and ST354 (n = 1 each). Amikacin, carbapenems, minocycline, tigecycline and fosfomycin were the most active agents against the studied uropathogens. The oqxA and oqxB genes were not detected in any isolate. All NIT-R isolates harboured inactivating genetic alterations in nfsA and nfsB NfsA H11Y, S33N, S38Y, W212R substitutions, �g638 (frameshift), �a64-g73 (frameshift) and NfsB F84S, P45S, W94Stop, E197Stop substitutions, �nfsB locus. The ribE gene of most isolates was unaffected, except for one isolate co-harbouring a deleterious RibE G85C substitution and NfsA/B alterations. Conclusion: NIT resistance in the studied E. coli isolates was mainly mediated by nfsA and nfsB alterations. © 201

The Sanandaj–Sirjan Zone in the Neo-Tethyan suture, western Iran: Zircon U–Pb evidence of late Palaeozoic rifting of northern Gondwana and mid-Jurassic orogenesis

The Zagros Orogen, marking the closure of the Neo-Tethyan Ocean, formed by continental collision beginning in the late Eocene to early Miocene. Collision was preceded by a complicated tectonic history involving Pan-African orogenesis, Late Palaeozoic rifting forming Neo-Tethys, followed by Mesozoic convergence on the ocean\u27s northern margin and ophiolite obduction on its southern margin. The Sanandaj-Sirjan Zone is a metamorphic belt in the Zagros Orogen of Gondwanan provenance. Zircon ages have established Pan-African basement igneous and metamorphic complexes in addition to uncommon late Palaeozoic plutons and abundant Jurassic plutonic rocks. We have determined zircon ages from units in the northwestern Sanandaj-Sirjan Zone (Golpaygan region). A sample of quartzite from the June Complex has detrital zircons with U-Pb ages mainly in 800-1050 Ma with a maximum depositional age of 547 ± 32 Ma (latest Neoproterozoic¿earliest Cambrian). A SHRIMP U-Pb zircon age of 336 ± 9 Ma from gabbro in the June Complex indicates a Carboniferous plutonic event that is also recorded in the far northwestern Sanandaj-Sirjan Zone. Together with the Permian Hasanrobat Granite near Golpaygan, they all are considered related to rifting marking formation of Neo-Tethys. Scarce detrital zircons from an extensive package of metasedimentary rocks (Hamadan Phyllite) have ages consistent with the Triassic to Early Jurassic age previously determined from fossils. These ages confirm that an orogenic episode affected the Sanandaj-Sirjan Zone in the Early to Middle Jurassic (Cimmerian Orogeny). Although the Cimmerian Orogeny in northern Iran reflects late Triassic to Jurassic collision of the Turan platform (southern Eurasia) and the Cimmerian microcontinent, we consider that in the Sanandaj-Sirjan Zone a tectonothermal event coeval with the Cimmerian Orogeny resulted from initiation of subduction and closure of rift basins along the northern margin of Neo-Tethys

Jurassic to cenozoic tectonics of the zagros orogen in northwestern Iran

The Zagros Mountains of Iran formed by continental collision from closure of the Neo-Tethyan Ocean. The Zagros Orogen underlying the mountain range reflects a much longer history with the Pan-African basement and Phanerozoic successions. New mapping, radiometric ages, and stratigraphic analyses have enabled advances in our understanding of the Jurassic to Cenozoic tectonic history. The northwestern Zagros Orogen consists of three belts: (1) the Zagros Fold and Thrust Belt, divided into the outer Zagros Simply Folded Belt and the inner High Zagros Belt; (2) the Zagros Suture Zone including radiolarite, ophiolite, and Bisotun limestone thrust sheets; and (3) the Sanandaj-Sirjan Zone, which contains abundant metamorphic rocks. Late Cretaceous ophiolites of the Kermanshah region are part of the outer ophiolite belt of the Zagros Orogen and have formed in passive margin and supra-subduction zone settings. Major events include early Mesozoic rifting, Jurassic subduction followed by a more cryptic interval of subduction in the Cretaceous, multiple ophiolite emplacement on the Arabian margin in the Late Cretaceous to Eocene, and collision of central Iran and the Arabian margin in the Oligocene with final closure of the shallow Tethyan seaway in the mid-Miocene. A Middle to Late Jurassic plutonic belt, the Qorveh-Aligodarz Plutonic Belt, formed a magmatic arc with subdued topography related to a moderately NE-dipping subduction zone under the Sanandaj-Sirjan Zone. An Early Cretaceous unconformity reflects limited uplift followed by widespread marine deposition with intercalated volcanic rocks in the Sanandaj region. Subduction continued with a low-lying arc that underwent trenchward advance. In the Late Cretaceous to Oligocene interval, the Neo-Tethyan Ocean closed with ophiolite obduction over the Arabian Peninsula margin and major shortening affected the Sanandaj-Sirjan Zone with uplift and plutonism. Much of the forearc of the Jurassic to Cretaceous arc system has been lost by tectonic erosion along a low-angle Eocene subduction zone prior to collision. Flattening of the subducting slab in the Late Cretaceous and Palaeogene explains the inland retreat of the arc to central Iran. Continental collision initiated in the Oligocene but the Tethyan seaway remained open until the mid-Miocene

Peridotites from the Khoy Ophiolitic Complex, NW Iran : evidence of mantle dynamics in a supra-subduction-zone context

The Khoy Ophiolitic Complex as a part of the Tethyan ophiolites is exposed in the northwestern part of the Iranian-Azerbaijan province, extending to the Anatolian ophiolites in southeastern Turkey. Petrography, geochemistry and microstructural studies of the residual mantle sequence in the Khoy Ophiolitic Complex provide important information about the degree of partial melting and deformation in the oceanic mantle lithosphere. Ultramafic tectonites dominantly composed of lherzolite and clinopyroxene-bearing harzburgite (TiO₂ = 0.012-0.024 wt.%; Al₂O₃ = 1.36-1.81 wt.%). Chondrite-normalized rare-earth-element patterns are characteristically U-shaped. These peridotites can be divided into two types: (1) type 1 peridotites with Al-rich spinels (Cr number of 0.16-0.26, and Mg number of 0.64-0.76), resembling the fertile abyssal peridotites, supposed to have originated as the residue from 20% partial melting, followed by segregation of basaltic magmas. Microstructural fabrics of olivine grains in peridotites highlight a sequence of dislocation creep on the (0 1 0) [1 0 0] slip system, plus subsidiary slip along the (0 0 1) [1 0 0] slip system. These systems, as well as coarse and fine-grained porphyroclastic textures, indicate deformation at high temperatures of ~1000–1250 ℃. The observed subsidiary (0 0 1) [1 0 0] slip system is considered to have been triggered by elevated H₂O activity, and that deformation phases took place in a wet subduction-related environment. The geochemical and microstructural data suggest that the mantle sequence of the Khoy Ophiolitic Complex is consistent with a supra-subduction-zone environment in relation to a slow-spreading back-arc basin.16 page(s

The U-Pb age, geochemistry and tectonic significance of granitoids in the Soursat Complex, Northwest Iran

The Soursat Complex in northwestern of Iran is part of the Sanandaj-Sirjan metamorphic belt. Three granitoid suites are present: Type I- syenogranite and deformed syenogranite; Type II- Turkeh Dare and Pichagchi plutons; and Type III- quartz porphyry. The granites can be assigned to a medium-K calc-alkaline to high-K calc-alkaline series. The Type I granitoids are weakly to strongly peraluminous and belong to a S-type suite, whereas Type II plutons are metaluminous to weakly peraluminous with I-type character. Type III granitoids are weakly peraluminous and can be labelled as a highly fractionated I-type suite. U/Pb zircon dating of the syenogranite and deformed syenogranite from Type I and Type II granitoids by laser inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) yielded 238U/206Pb emplacement ages of ~540 Ma (543±6 Ma and 537±8 Ma) and 59.0±2.7 Ma, respectively. Rare Earth Elements in the Type I granitoids are strongly fractionated with (La/Lu)N= 32 to 52 and negative Eu anomalies (Eu/Eu*= 0.09-0.72), typical for plagioclase fractionation; the primitive mantle-normalized element patterns are homogeneous with marked negative Ba, Nb, Ta, Sr and Eu anomalies. Based on geochemical data, Type I granitoids are formed in a continent-continent collision, which could be related to Cadomian collision along the northern margin of Gondwana after its final amalgamation. Types II and III granitoids have I-type affinities and show homogeneous and moderately fractionated REE patterns with (La/Lu)N= 17-34. Primitive mantle-normalized element patterns are homogeneous with marked negative Nb, Ta, Sm and Ti anomalies. The Soursat Complex is shown to contain early- to syn-collisional granitoid magmatism of Ediacaran-Cambrian age and a subsequent group of Palaeocene I-type granitoids that are syn- to post-collisional with respect to the Arabia-Eurasia collision and are interpreted to represent roll-back during the closure of Neotethys, pre-dating the Arabia-Eurasia collision.Mahboobeh Jamshidi Badr, Alan S. Collins, Fariborz Masoudi, Grant Cox, Mohammad Mohajjelhttp://mistug.tubitak.gov.tr/bdyim/abs.php?dergi=yer&rak=1001-3

Post-Neogene right-lateral strike–slip tectonics at the north-western edge of the Lut Block (Kuh-e–Sarhangi Fault), Central Iran

Late Cenozoic strike-slip tectonics and active faulting in Central Iran have been extensively described in the last decades. This study presents results of integrated structural and geomorphological analyses along the Kuh-e-Sarhangi Fault, a major NE-SW striking brittle deformation zone that cuts across the basement and Neogene-Quaternary cover successions at the north-western edge of the Lut Block. Structural investigations document post-Neogene NE-SW dextral transpressive tectonics and geomorphic evidence support a Late Quaternary age for the faulted alluvial fan deposits along the bedrock range fronts. Northward, the nearly parallel Great Kavir (Doruneh) Fault is known to have active left-lateral strike-slip kinematics, and its easternmost segment was considered as the northern margin of the Lut Block. The new findings impose reconsideration of the current regional kinematic models, with implications on the seismogenic fault networks of Central Iran

Browser selectivity alters post-fire competition between Erica arborea and E. trimera in the sub-alpine heathlands of Ethiopia

Mammalian herbivores have the potential to alter the competitive relations of woody species, if consumption is unevenly distributed between species. At elevations above 3500 m in the southern Ethiopian highlands, vegetation is dominated by Erica arborea and Erica trimera. Both species can potentially grow into short trees, but are burnt on a rotation of 6 to 10 years, and regenerate by re-sprouting from belowground lignotubers. The regenerating scrub is heavily browsed by cattle. We set up browsing exclosures at three burnt sites to quantify the impact of browsing over a three-year period. When protected from browsing, E. trimera had similar or better height growth than Erica arborea, but in browsed vegetation, Erica arborea instead grew taller. Browsing was more intense on E. trimera in the first years after fire, indicating a difference in palatability between the species. We checked if browse quality differed, by analysing shoot contents of acid detergent fibre, protein, phenolics and tannins. Contrary to expectations the preferred E. trimera contained more acid detergent fibre, less protein and had a higher tannin activity than E. arborea. Although the vegetative growth of E. arborea is favoured relative to E. trimera under high browsing pressure, rapid change in abundance would not be expected, since short-interval fire will repeatedly eradicate any gains in vegetative growth. However, within the typical fire return interval of less than 10 years, E. trimera barely reach a reproductive state, whereas E. arborea flower profusely. Under the current regime of fire and browsing this may in the long run be more important than differences in height growth, leading to a gradual increase in the proportion of E. arborea