Pneumococcus meningitis varandossag soran.

Bacterial meningitis is a life-threatening disease. The incidence of meningitis is about 2.6-6 cases per 100.000 adults per year in developed countries. The most common causative microorganisms are Sreptococcus pneumoniae and Neisseria meningitidis. A 33-year-old multigravida, at 24 week of gestation was admitted to the hospital because of ear pain, haedache, fever and confusion. Lumbal puncture was performed and cerebrospinal fluid analysis showed signs of bacterial meningitis. Latex agglutination test was positive for S. pneumoniae, Gram-positive diplococci have seen under microscope and later cultivation verified S. pneumoniae as the causative agent. After ceftriaxon, dexamethasone administration and treatment in intensive care unit, left side mastoidectomy was performed since cranial computed tomography showed acut exacerbation of chronic mastoiditis on the left side. After extubation, mobilisation and 14 days antibiotic treatment the patient, who had residual hearing loss on the left side, was discharged from the hospital. During the treatment the foetal parameters were normal. The patient at 39 week of gestation gave birth to a healthy infant. Forty-eight case reports have been published in this topic around the world until April, 2012. The most common causative agents were S. pneumoniae and Listeria monocytogenes. Because of the little amount of data, it is hard to appreciate the actual incidence and prognosis of this life-threatening illness both for mother and infant. As far as we know this is the first published case report of meningitis during pregnancy in Hungary. By this article we would like to draw attention to the importance of teamwork, of prevention of brain abscess formation and of the removal of the infection's focus

Major role of nutrient supply in the control of picophytoplankton community structure.

abstractThe Margalef´s mandala (1978) is a simplified bottom-up control model that explains how mixing and nutrient concentration determine the composition of marine phytoplankton communities. Due to the difficulties of measuring turbulence in the field, previous attempts to verify this model have applied different proxies for nutrient supply, and very often used interchangeably the terms mixing and stratification. Moreover, because the mandala was conceived before the discovery of smaller phytoplankton groups (picoplankton <2 μm), it describes only the succession of vegetative phases of microplankton. In order to test the applicability of the classical mandala to picoplankton groups, we used a multidisciplinary approach including specifically designed field observations supported by remote sensing, database analyses, and modeling and laboratory chemostat experiments. Simultaneous estimates of nitrate diffusive fluxes, derived from microturbulence observations, and picoplankton abundance collected in more than 200 stations, spanning widely different hydrographic regimes, showed that the contribution of eukaryotes to picoautotrophic biomass increases with nutrient supply, whereas that of picocyanobacteria shows the opposite trend. These findings were supported by laboratory and modeling chemostat experiments that reproduced the competitive dynamics between picoeukaryote sand picocyanobacteria as a function of changing nutrient supply. Our results indicate that nutrient supply controls the distribution of picoplankton functional groups in the ocean, further supporting the model proposed by Margalef.RADIALES (IEO

Control of tHe structure of marine phytoplAnkton cOmmunities by turbulence and nutrient supply dynamicS (CHAOS)

extended abstract del posterIn order to investigate the role of turbulence mixing on structuring marine phytoplankton communities, the CHAOS project included a multidisciplinary approach involving specifically designed field observations supported by remote sensing, database analyses, and modeling and laboratory chemostat experiments. Field observations carried out in the outer part of Ría de Vigo in summer 2013 showed that, as a result of increased mixing levels, nitrate diffusive input into the euphotic layer was approximately 4-fold higher during spring tides. This nitrate supply could contribute to explain the continuous dominance of large-sized phytoplankton during the upwelling favorable season. Simultaneous estimates of nitrate diffusive fluxes, derived from microturbulence observations, and picoplankton abundance collected in more than 100 stations, spanning widely different hydrographic regimes, showed that the contribution of eukaryotes to picoautotrophic biomass increases with nutrient supply, whereas that of picocyanobacteria shows the opposite trend. These findings were supported by laboratory and modeling chemostat experiments that reproduced the competitive dynamics between picoeukaryote and picocyanobacteria as a function of changing nutrient supply. The results derived from this project confirm that turbulence and mixing control the availability of light and nutrients, which in turn determine the structure of marine phytoplankton communities.RADIALES-20 (IEO), CHAOS (CTM 2012-30680), Malaspina-2010(CSD2008-00077

Prebiotic and probiotic agents enhance antibody-based immune responses to Salmonella Typhimurium infection in pigs

Salmonellosis causes significant economic losses to the pig industry and contaminated pork products are an important source of Salmonella for humans. The EU ban on the use of antibiotic growth promoters in pig production, and the emergence of antibiotic resistance has meant there is a pressing need for alternative control strategies for pathogenic bacteria such as S. Typhimurium in pigs. Here, we determined the effects of prebiotic, probiotic and synbiotic diet regimes on antibody responses to oral Salmonella challenge of pigs. The data demonstrate that the inclusion of the probiotic Lactobacillus plantarum B2984 in the diet of piglets (∼1 × 1010 cfu/animal/day) enhanced serum IgM (P<0.001), IgG (P=0.001) and IgA (P=0.039) responses to S. Typhimurium infection including cross-reacting antibodies to S. Enteritidis. Similarly, inclusion of the prebiotic lactulose at 1% (w/w) of the feed on a daily basis in the diet enhanced serum IgM (P=0.010), IgG (P=0.004) and IgA (P=0.046) responses to S. Typhimurium infection and also cross-reacting antibodies to S. Enteritidis. Inclusion of both additives in the synbiotic diet also elicited an enhanced immune response with IgM (P=0.009) and IgG (P=0.046) levels being increased, however a significant interaction of the pre and probiotics was observed when considering the immune responses to S. Typhimurium (IgM P=0.004; IgG and IgA, P<0.001 for interaction). With respect to immune responses, the effects of pre or probiotic administration were the same or reduced in the synbiotic diet compared to when used in isolation. The data support the use of Lactobacillus plantarum B2984 or lactulose as strategies to contribute to the protection of weaned piglets from zoonotic bacterial pathogens, but caution must be taken when combining dietary supplements as combinations can interact

Climate Influence on Deep Sea Populations

Dynamics of biological processes on the deep-sea floor are traditionally thought to be controlled by vertical sinking of particles from the euphotic zone at a seasonal scale. However, little is known about the influence of lateral particle transport from continental margins to deep-sea ecosystems. To address this question, we report here how the formation of dense shelf waters and their subsequent downslope cascade, a climate induced phenomenon, affects the population of the deep-sea shrimp Aristeus antennatus. We found evidence that strong currents associated with intense cascading events correlates with the disappearance of this species from its fishing grounds, producing a temporary fishery collapse. Despite this initial negative effect, landings increase between 3 and 5 years after these major events, preceded by an increase of juveniles. The transport of particulate organic matter associated with cascading appears to enhance the recruitment of this deep-sea living resource, apparently mitigating the general trend of overexploitation. Because cascade of dense water from continental shelves is a global phenomenon, we anticipate that its influence on deep-sea ecosystems and fisheries worldwide should be larger than previously thought

Biogeochemical dynamics and the silicon cycle in the Atlantic sector of the Southern Ocean during austral spring 1992

High biogenic silica (BSi) concentrations (maximum: 11.7μmoll−1) were recorded during late November at the southern border of the Polar Frontal region (PFr). Position of the BSi maximum at depth suggested the occurrence of a sinking diatom population. By contrast, siliceous biomass was low (BSi <0.6 μmol l−1) in the Marginal Ice Zone (MIZ) despite a sea-ice retreat of 200 km during the study period. Diatoms released from the receding ice were not actively growing. The Permanently Open Ocean Zone also showed very low BSi biomass (<0.5μmol l−1) and appeared as an area where phytoplankton are not dominated by siliceous organisms, especially in its middle part where BSi/POC (particulate organic carbon) molar ratios ranged between 0.04 and 0.06 at 53°S, from surface to 200 m depth. At the southern border of the PFZ, the bloom coincided with an area of high lithogenic silica concentrations probably of aeolian origin. In addition, BSi/POC molar ratios measured in the PFZ were the highest ever recorded in the surface waters of the Southern Ocean (maximum: 1.75). This could be due to the presence of heavily silicified diatoms such as Fragilariopsis kerguelensis or also could reflect the more rapid recycling of POC as compared to BSi. Within the bloom area BSi concentrations were positively correlated to pyrophaeophytin pigments, possibly indicating the occurrence of a senescent diatom population. High concentrations of BSi (> 1.5 μmol Si 1−1) extended to 200 m between 49°S and 51°S. Numerous empty frustules also were observed, suggesting significant sedimentation of siliceous particles between 49°S and 51°S. Estimates of the BSi production of the Polar Frontal region are derived from 14C primary production and appropriate BSi/POC ratios, and implications for the total annual production of BSi for the Southern Ocean are discussed

Deep Sediment Transport induced by Storms and Dense Shelf Water Cascading in the Northwestern Mediterranean Sea.

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