Frequency of helicobacter pylori hopQI, hopQII and sabA genes among Iranian patients with gastroduodenal diseases

Background: Helicobacter pylori has been recognized as the most common pathogen of human gastroduodenal tract and it has been suggested that adhesins, including HopQ and SabA, are associated with the organism’s virulence. Objectives: The current study aimed at determining the frequency of hopQI, hopQII, and sabA genes among H. pylori isolates from patients with gastroduodenal disorders in Shahrekord, Iran. Methods: Gastric corpus samples were obtained from 150 symptomatic patients admitted to the endoscopy unit at gastroenterology clinic. After DNA extraction from all corpus samples, H. pylori molecular confirmation and genotyping was performed by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR), using specific primers for glmM, 16SrRNA and hopQ, sabA genes, respectively. Results: The hopQI, hopQII, and sabA genes were found in 74 (49.3%), 59 (39.3%), and 43 (28.7%) cases, respectively. The hopQI gene was detected in 75% of patients with gastric cancer (GC), 42.4% with chronic gastritis (CG), and 57.4% with peptic ulcer disease (PUD). The hopQII among patients with GC, CG, and PUD was also detected in 50%, 38.8%, and 39.3%, respectively. Moreover, sabA was diagnosed in 50% of patients with GC, 29.4% with CG, and 26.2% with PUD. Conclusions: No significant association was observed between hopQI, hopQII, and sabA genes with clinical outcomes

New Algorithm to Determine True Colocalization in Combination with Image Restoration and Time-Lapse Confocal Microscopy to Map Kinases in Mitochondria

The subcellular localization and physiological functions of biomolecules are closely related and thus it is crucial to precisely determine the distribution of different molecules inside the intracellular structures. This is frequently accomplished by fluorescence microscopy with well-characterized markers and posterior evaluation of the signal colocalization. Rigorous study of colocalization requires statistical analysis of the data, albeit yet no single technique has been established as a standard method. Indeed, the few methods currently available are only accurate in images with particular characteristics. Here, we introduce a new algorithm to automatically obtain the true colocalization between images that is suitable for a wide variety of biological situations. To proceed, the algorithm contemplates the individual contribution of each pixel's fluorescence intensity in a pair of images to the overall Pearsońs correlation and Manders' overlap coefficients. The accuracy and reliability of the algorithm was validated on both simulated and real images that reflected the characteristics of a range of biological samples. We used this algorithm in combination with image restoration by deconvolution and time-lapse confocal microscopy to address the localization of MEK1 in the mitochondria of different cell lines. Appraising the previously described behavior of Akt1 corroborated the reliability of the combined use of these techniques. Together, the present work provides a novel statistical approach to accurately and reliably determine the colocalization in a variety of biological images

A consideration of antibacterial agent efficacies in the treatment and prevention of formation of Staphylococcus aureus biofilm

Staphylococcus aureus is a Gram-positive bacterium found frequently on a person’s skin and sometimes in their upper respiratory tract. Although regarded primarily as a commensal of the human microbiota S. aureus shows the ability to become an opportunistic pathogen. Hence, it is a common cause of skin and lung infections and of food poisoning. S. aureus forms biofilms, complex communities of bacteria inside an exopolysaccharide matrix, which adhere to different surfaces, including those associated with hospital-acquired infections such as catheters, shunts and other implanted medical devices. In this instance, the presence of proteins adsorbed to the surface of the biomaterial provides a nutrient source for bacterial growth. Due to antimicrobial resistance, use of longstanding antibiotics alone is increasingly an ineffective therapeutic intervention for biofilm-related infections. Therefore, a growing concern is the treatment of medical devices in order to prevent antibiotic resistance associated with routine handling of these items in a healthcare setting. Consequently, several different biotechnological approaches have targeted a practical solution to S. aureus biofilm formation. These include novel antibiotics administered alone or combined with other compounds, application of natural products like enzymes and antimicrobial peptides, and harnessing of nanoparticles and phage therapy. This brief article provides an overview of each of these cutting-edge methods aimed at inhibition of S. aureus biofilms. Development of an effective agent to prevent and treat biofilm formation would represent a significant step forward for infection control of methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) and other antibiotic-resistant strains that provides a major global public health challenge