Gram-negative and -positive bacteria differentiation in blood culture samples by headspace volatile compound analysis

BACKGROUND: Identification of microorganisms in positive blood cultures still relies on standard techniques such as Gram staining followed by culturing with definite microorganism identification. Alternatively, matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry or the analysis of headspace volatile compound (VC) composition produced by cultures can help to differentiate between microorganisms under experimental conditions. This study assessed the efficacy of volatile compound based microorganism differentiation into Gram-negatives and -positives in unselected positive blood culture samples from patients. METHODS: Headspace gas samples of positive blood culture samples were transferred to sterilized, sealed, and evacuated 20 ml glass vials and stored at −30 °C until batch analysis. Headspace gas VC content analysis was carried out via an auto sampler connected to an ion–molecule reaction mass spectrometer (IMR-MS). Measurements covered a mass range from 16 to 135 u including CO(2), H(2), N(2), and O(2). Prediction rules for microorganism identification based on VC composition were derived using a training data set and evaluated using a validation data set within a random split validation procedure. RESULTS: One-hundred-fifty-two aerobic samples growing 27 Gram-negatives, 106 Gram-positives, and 19 fungi and 130 anaerobic samples growing 37 Gram-negatives, 91 Gram-positives, and two fungi were analysed. In anaerobic samples, ten discriminators were identified by the random forest method allowing for bacteria differentiation into Gram-negative and -positive (error rate: 16.7 % in validation data set). For aerobic samples the error rate was not better than random. CONCLUSIONS: In anaerobic blood culture samples of patients IMR-MS based headspace VC composition analysis facilitates bacteria differentiation into Gram-negative and -positive. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s40709-016-0040-0) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users

Entropy Projection Curved Gabor with Random Forest and SVM for Face Recognition

In this work, we propose a workflow for face recognition under occlusion using the entropy projection from the curved Gabor filter, and create a representative and compact features vector that describes a face. Despite the reduced vector obtained by the entropy projection, it still presents opportunity for further dimensionality reduction. Therefore, we use a Random Forest classifier as an attribute selector, providing a 97% reduction of the original vector while keeping suitable accuracy. A set of experiments using three public image databases: AR Face, Extended Yale B with occlusion and FERET illustrates the proposed methodology, evaluated using the SVM classifier. The results obtained in the experiments show promising results when compared to the available approaches in the literature, obtaining 98.05% accuracy for the complete AR Face, 97.26% for FERET and 81.66% with Yale with 50% occlusion

Investition zur Verminderung von Umweltbelastung. Abwasserreinigung und -recycling einschliesslich Waermerueckgewinnung in einem textilherstellenden Betrieb Abschlussbericht

The textile mill Schiesser Sachsen AG, Niederfrohna, installed a process for the purification and re-use of wastewater, which is suited for the treatment of 2.500 m"3/d. The components of the process are: - Waste water treatment (heat recovery, equalizing basin, active coke supported biology, fluidized bed adsorption, precipitation/flocculation, filtration); - Treatment of the recycled water (sterilization, partial desalination, circular tour of sodium chloride solution); - Sludge treatment (dehydration, drying, thermal regeneration). This processing technique allows: - to change 60% of the resulting colored effluent into recycled water, which is re-used in textile finishing processes; - to diminish the consumption of sodium chloride about 30%; - to reduce the requirement of new adsorption material to 70% by thermal regeneration of the used adsorption material and to reduce to 99,5% the space of the dumping ground required for sludge deposition. According to the statement of Schiesser Sachsen AG the savings of power, processing water and waste water fees lead to a depreciation of the installed waste water purifying and re-use process within 8 years, if this device works under full charge. (orig.)SIGLEAvailable from TIB Hannover: RO 2148(8024) / FIZ - Fachinformationszzentrum Karlsruhe / TIB - Technische InformationsbibliothekBundesministerium fuer Umwelt, Naturschutz und Reaktorsicherheit, Bonn (Germany)DEGerman

The DET1-COP1-HY5 Pathway Constitutes a Multipurpose Signaling Module Regulating Plant Photomorphogenesis and Thermomorphogenesis

SummaryDevelopmental plasticity enables plants to respond to elevated ambient temperatures by adapting their shoot architecture. On the cellular level, the basic-helix-loop-helix (bHLH) transcription factor PHYTOCHROME INTERACTING FACTOR 4 (PIF4) coordinates this response by activating hormonal modules that in turn regulate growth. In addition to an unknown temperature-sensing mechanism, it is currently not understood how temperature regulates PIF4 activity. Using a forward genetic approach in Arabidopsis thaliana, we present extensive genetic evidence demonstrating that the DE-ETIOLATED 1 (DET1)-CONSTITUTIVE PHOTOMORPHOGENIC 1 (COP1)-ELONGATED HYPOCOTYL 5 (HY5)-dependent photomorphogenesis pathway transcriptionally regulates PIF4 to coordinate seedling growth in response to elevated temperature. Our findings demonstrate that two of the most prevalent environmental cues, light and temperature, share a much larger set of signaling components than previously assumed. Similar to the toolbox concept in animal embryonic patterning, multipurpose signaling modules might have evolved in plants to translate various environmental stimuli into adaptational growth processes

Lung volumes predict survival in patients with chronic lung allograft dysfunction.

Identification of disease phenotypes might improve the understanding of patients with chronic lung allograft dysfunction (CLAD). The aim of the study was to assess the impact of pulmonary restriction and air trapping by lung volume measurements at the onset of CLAD.A total of 396 bilateral lung transplant recipients were analysed. At onset, CLAD was further categorised based on plethysmography. A restrictive CLAD (R-CLAD) was defined as a loss of total lung capacity from baseline. CLAD with air trapping (AT-CLAD) was defined as an increased ratio of residual volume to total lung capacity. Outcome was survival after CLAD onset. Patients with insufficient clinical information were excluded (n=95).Of 301 lung transplant recipients, 94 (31.2%) developed CLAD. Patients with R-CLAD (n=20) and AT-CLAD (n=21), respectively, had a significantly worse survival (p<0.001) than patients with non-R/AT-CLAD. Both R-CLAD and AT-CLAD were associated with increased mortality when controlling for multiple confounding variables (hazard ratio (HR) 3.57, 95% CI 1.39-9.18; p=0.008; and HR 2.65, 95% CI 1.05-6.68; p=0.039). Furthermore, measurement of lung volumes was useful to identify patients with combined phenotypes.Measurement of lung volumes in the long-term follow-up of lung transplant recipients allows the identification of patients who are at risk for worse outcome and warrant special consideration