Diversity of Antibiotic-Active Bacteria Associated with the Brown Alga Laminaria saccharina from the Baltic Sea

Bacteria associated with the marine macroalga Laminaria saccharina, collected from the Kiel Fjord (Baltic Sea, Germany), were isolated and tested for antimicrobial activity. From a total of 210 isolates, 103 strains inhibited the growth of at least one microorganism from the test panel including Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria as well as a yeast. Most common profiles were the inhibition of Bacillus subtilis only (30%), B. subtilis and Staphylococcus lentus (25%), and B. subtilis, S. lentus, and Candida albicans (11%). In summary, the antibiotic-active isolates covered 15 different activity patterns suggesting various modes of action. On the basis of 16S rRNA gene sequence similarities >99%, 45 phylotypes were defined, which were classified into 21 genera belonging to Alphaproteobacteria, Betaproteobacteria, Gammaproteobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes, and Actinobacteria. Phylogenetic analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that four isolates possibly represent novel species or even genera. In conclusion, L. saccharina represents a promising source for the isolation of new bacterial taxa and antimicrobially active bacteria

Interfacial behaviour of substituted dibenzothiophenes for their extraction in biphasic dodecane-ionic liquid systems

Deep desulfurization of fuels by using ionic liquids (ILs) has gained notable attention and has been a subject of concern. This study aims at the extraction tendencies of two alkylated derivatives of an aromatic sulfur compound, 4-Methyldibenzothiophene (MDBT) and 4,6-Dimethyldibenzothiophene (DMDBT) from oil using four ILs namely, Ethylmethylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate [EMIM] [TFB1, Butylmethylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate [BMIM] [TFB], Ethylmethylimidazolium thiocyanate [EMIM] [SCN], Butylmethylimidazolium thiocyanate [BMIM] [SCN] via molecular dynamics simulation. A interfacial phenomena of extraction pathway of MDBT and DMDBT in biphasic system of dodecane and ILs was studied at molecular level. The transfer of sulfur compounds during the extraction processes, were observed to be controlled by type of IL as well as sulfur compound and interfacial resistance. This study will also help in selecting an appropriate IL as an extractant and improving the process conditions

Simultaneous pancreas--kidney transplantation: to anticoagulate or not? Is that a question?

Pancreas graft loss due to venous thrombosis is the leading non-immunological cause for graft failure following kidney-pancreas transplantation. Thromboelastography (TEG)-directed anticoagulation protocol has shown that approximately one-third of the patients undergoing pancreas transplantation require therapeutic anticoagulation to prevent the occurrence of graft thrombosis. This article presents the argument for individualised anticoagulation in these patients based on their TEG tracings and suggests the use of TEG in patients undergoing pancreas transplantation