Paenibacillus melissococcoides sp. nov., isolated from a honey bee colony affected by European foulbrood disease.

A novel, facultatively anaerobic, Gram-stain-positive, motile, endospore-forming bacterium of the genus Paenibacillus, designated strain 2.1T, was isolated from a colony of Apis mellifera affected by European foulbrood disease in Switzerland. The rod-shaped cells of strain 2.1T were 2.2–6.5 μm long and 0.7–1.1 μm wide. Colonies of strain 2.1T were orange-pigmented under oxic growth conditions on solid basal medium at 35–37 °C. Strain 2.1T showed catalase and cytochrome c oxidase activity. Its polar lipid profile consisted of diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, aminophospholipid and phospholipid. The only respiratory quinone was menaquinone 7, and the major cellular fatty acids were anteiso-C15 : 0, anteiso-C17 : 0, iso-C15 : 0, iso-C17 : 0 and palmitic acid (C16 : 0), which is consistent with other members of the genus Paenibacillus. The G+C content of the genomic DNA of strain 2.1T was 53.3 mol%. Phylogenetic analyses based on the 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity showed that strain 2.1T was closely related to Paenibacillus dendritiformis LMG 21716T (99.7 % similarity) and Paenibacillus thiaminolyticus DSM 7262T (98.8 %). The whole-genome average nucleotide identity between strain 2.1T and the type strains of P. dendritiformis and P. thiaminolyticus was 92 and 91 %, respectively, and thus lower than the 95 % threshold value for delineation of genomic prokaryotic species. Based on the results of phylogenetic, genomic, phenotypic and chemotaxonomic analyses we propose the name Paenibacillus melissococcoides sp. nov. for this novel Paenibacillus species. The type strain is 2.1T (=CCOS 2000T=DSM 113619T=LMG 32539T)

Blueprint of a Molecular Spin Quantum Processor

The implementation of a universal quantum processor still poses fundamental issues related to error mitigation and correction, which demand to investigate also platforms and computing schemes alternative to the main stream. A possibility is offered by employing multi-level logical units (qudits), naturally provided by molecular spins. Here we present the blueprint of a Molecular Spin Quantum Processor consisting of single Molecular Nanomagnets, acting as qudits, placed within superconducting resonators adapted to the size and interactions of these molecules to achieve a strong single spin to photon coupling. We show how to implement a universal set of gates in such a platform and to readout the final qudit state. Single-qudit unitaries (potentially embedding multiple qubits) are implemented by fast classical drives, while a novel scheme is introduced to obtain two-qubit gates via resonant photon exchange. The latter is compared to the dispersive approach, finding in general a significant improvement. The performance of the platform is assessed by realistic numerical simulations of gate sequences, such as Deutsch-Josza and quantum simulation algorithms. The very good results demonstrate the feasibility of the molecular route towards a universal quantum processor.Comment: 16 pages, 11 figures. Accepted in Physical Review Applie

Asthma beliefs among mothers and children from different ethnic origins living in Amsterdam, the Netherlands

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Doctors and patients hold varying beliefs concerning illness and treatment. Patients' and families' explanatory models (EMs) vary according to personality and sociocultural factors. In a multi-ethnic society, it is becoming increasingly significant that doctors understand the different beliefs of their patients in order to improve patient/doctor communication as well as patient adherence to treatment.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Twelve focus groups were formed, consisting of 40 children diagnosed with asthma, as well as 28 mothers of these children. These groups included mothers and children of different ethnicities who were living in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. In order to understand the beliefs that both mothers and children hold regarding asthma and its treatment, the explanatory models were analysed and compared.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Study findings show that mothers and children, regardless of ethnicity and age, have their own EMs. Overall, there is a great deal of uncertainty related to the causes, consequences, problems, and symptoms of asthma and its treatment. It also seems that many concerns and feelings of discomfort are the result of lack of knowledge. For instance, the fact that asthma is not seen as a chronic disease requiring daily intake of an inhaled corticosteroid, but rather as an acute phenomenon triggered by various factors, may be very relevant for clinical practice. This particular belief might suggest an explanation for non-adherent behaviour.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>A thorough understanding of the mothers' and children's beliefs regarding the illness and its treatment is an important aspect in the management of asthma. Gaining an understanding of these beliefs will provide a foundation for a solid clinician-patient/family partnership in asthma care. Although ethnic differences were observed, the similarities between the mothers' and children's beliefs in this multi-ethnic population were striking. In particular, a common belief is that asthma is considered an acute rather than a chronic condition. In addition, there is a lack of knowledge about the course and the self-management of asthma. Health care providers should be aware of these commonly held beliefs, and this information could be shared in educational programs.</p

Obstetric intensive care unit admission: a 2-year nationwide population-based cohort study

As part of a larger nationwide enquiry into severe maternal morbidity, our aim was to assess the incidence and possible risk factors of obstetric intensive care unit (ICU) admission in the Netherlands. In a 2-year nationwide prospective population-based cohort study, all ICU admissions during pregnancy, delivery and puerperium (up to 42 days postpartum) were prospectively collected. Incidence, case fatality rate and possible risk factors were assessed, with special attention to the ethnic background of women. All 98 Dutch maternity units participated in the study. There were 847 obstetric ICU admissions in 358,874 deliveries, the incidence being 2.4 per 1,000 deliveries. Twenty-nine maternal deaths occurred, resulting in a case fatality rate of 1 in 29 (3.5%). Incidence of ICU admission varied largely across the country. Thirty-three percent of all cases of severe maternal morbidity were admitted to an ICU. Most frequent reasons for ICU admission were major obstetric haemorrhage (48.6%), hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (29.3%) and sepsis (8.1%). Assisted ventilation was needed in 34.8%, inotropic support in 8.8%. In univariable analysis, non-Western immigrant women had a 1.4-fold (95% CI 1.2-1.7) increased risk of ICU admission as compared to Western women. Initial antenatal care by an obstetrician was associated with a higher risk and home delivery with a lower risk of ICU admission. Population-based incidence of obstetric ICU admission in the Netherlands was 2.4 per 1,000 deliveries. Obstetric ICU admission accounts for only one-third of all cases of severe maternal morbidity in the Netherlands.Public Health and primary carePrevention, Population and Disease management (PrePoD

ΔNp63α silences a microRNA program to aberrantly initiate a wound healing program that promotes TGFβ-induced metastasis.

Primary cancer cell dissemination is a key event during the metastatic cascade, but context-specific determinants of this process remain largely undefined. Multiple reports have suggested that the p53 (TP53) family member p63 (TP63) plays an anti-metastatic role through its minor epithelial isoform containing the N-terminal transactivation domain (TAp63). However, the role and contribution of the major p63 isoform lacking this domain, ΔNp63α, remain largely undefined. Here, we report a distinct and TAp63-independent mechanism by which ΔNp63α-expressing cells within a TGFβ-rich microenvironment become positively selected for metastatic dissemination. Orthotopic transplantation of ΔNp63α-expressing human osteosarcoma cells into athymic mice resulted in larger and more frequent lung metastases than transplantation of control cells. Mechanistic investigations revealed that ΔNp63α repressed miR-527 and miR-665, leading to the upregulation of two TGFβ effectors, SMAD4 and TβRII (TGFBR2). Furthermore, we provide evidence that this mechanism reflects a fundamental role for ΔNp63α in the normal wound healing response. We show that ΔNp63α-mediated repression of miR-527/665 controls a TGFβ-dependent signaling node that switches off anti-migratory miR-198 by suppressing the expression of the regulatory factor, KSRP (KHSRP). Collectively, these findings reveal that a novel microRNA network involved in the regulation of physiological wound healing responses is hijacked and suppressed by tumor cells to promote metastatic dissemination

Zoledronic acid in metastatic chondrosarcoma and advanced sacrum chordoma: two case reports

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Introduction</p> <p>Chondrosarcomas and chordomas are usually chemoresistant bone tumors and may have a poor prognosis when advanced. They are usually associated with worsening pain difficult to control.</p> <p>Patients and Methods</p> <p>Zoledronic acid was used in a 63-year-old man with metastatic chondrosarcoma and in a 66-year-old woman with a diagnosis of sacrum chordoma both reporting severe pain related to tumor.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>In the first case, zoledronic acid was able to maintain pain control despite disease progression following chemotherapy, in the other case, zoledronic acid only produced significant clinical benefit.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Control of pain associated with bone tumors such as chondrosarcoma and chondroma may significantly improve from use of zoledronic acid, independently from tumor response to other treatments. Evaluation on larger series are needed to confirm the clinical effect of this bisphosphonate on such tumors.</p

Imatinib Mesylate Exerts Anti-Proliferative Effects on Osteosarcoma Cells and Inhibits the Tumour Growth in Immunocompetent Murine Models

Osteosarcoma is the most common primary malignant bone tumour characterized by osteoid production and/or osteolytic lesions of bone. A lack of response to chemotherapeutic treatments shows the importance of exploring new therapeutic methods. Imatinib mesylate (Gleevec, Novartis Pharma), a tyrosine kinase inhibitor, was originally developed for the treatment of chronic myeloid leukemia. Several studies revealed that imatinib mesylate inhibits osteoclast differentiation through the M-CSFR pathway and activates osteoblast differentiation through PDGFR pathway, two key cells involved in the vicious cycle controlling the tumour development. The present study investigated the in vitro effects of imatinib mesylate on the proliferation, apoptosis, cell cycle, and migration ability of five osteosarcoma cell lines (human: MG-63, HOS; rat: OSRGA; mice: MOS-J, POS-1). Imatinib mesylate was also assessed as a curative and preventive treatment in two syngenic osteosarcoma models: MOS-J (mixed osteoblastic/osteolytic osteosarcoma) and POS-1 (undifferentiated osteosarcoma). Imatinib mesylate exhibited a dose-dependent anti-proliferative effect in all cell lines studied. The drug induced a G0/G1 cell cycle arrest in most cell lines, except for POS-1 and HOS cells that were blocked in the S phase. In addition, imatinib mesylate induced cell death and strongly inhibited osteosarcoma cell migration. In the MOS-J osteosarcoma model, oral administration of imatinib mesylate significantly inhibited the tumour development in both preventive and curative approaches. A phospho-receptor tyrosine kinase array kit revealed that PDGFRα, among 7 other receptors (PDFGFRβ, Axl, RYK, EGFR, EphA2 and 10, IGF1R), appears as one of the main molecular targets for imatinib mesylate. In the light of the present study and the literature, it would be particularly interesting to revisit therapeutic evaluation of imatinib mesylate in osteosarcoma according to the tyrosine-kinase receptor status of patients