Antimicrobial activity of Manuka honey against antibiotic resistant strains of the cell wall free bacteria Ureaplasma parvum and Ureaplasma urealyticum

The susceptibility of the cell-wall free bacterial pathogens Ureaplasma spp. to Manuka honey was examined. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of Manuka honey for four Ureaplasma urealyticum and four Ureaplasma parvum isolates was determined. Sensitivity to honey was also compared to clinical isolates with resistance to tetracycline, macrolide and fluoroquinolone antibiotics. Finally step-wise resistance training was utilised in an attempt to induce increased tolerance to honey. The MIC was dependent on the initial bacterial load with 7.5% and 18.0% w/v honey required to inhibit U. urealyticum at 1 and 106 colour changing units (CCU), respectively, and 4.8% and 15.3% w/v required to inhibit U. parvum at 1 and 106 CCU, respectively. MIC values were consistently lower for U. parvum compared with U. urealyticum. Antimicrobial activity was seen against tetracycline resistant, erythromycin resistant and ciprofloxacin resistant isolates at 105 CCU. No resistance to honey was observed with fifty consecutive challenges at increasing concentrations of honey. This is the first report of the antimicrobial activity of Manuka honey against a cell-wall free bacterial pathogen. The antimicrobial activity was retained against antibiotic resistant strains and it was not possible to generate resistant mutants

Superior vena cava syndrome: anaesthesia for renal access

No Abstract

Autoethnography in the Indigenous Tourism Experience

I squatted down, knees and joints creaking, and felt the stone… My world started to spin as I was transported back, back, back and the misty rain of the day embraced me. We have been here for ever, the people of the stones whispered … Most of those who experience indigenous tourism are themselves non-indigenous, and may view their experience quite differently to the ways the community may expect, or even want. Often our experiences are deeply personal, even spiritual. How to understand these personal experiences is an ongoing issue and can only be met by using more controversial research approaches, such the story-telling style of evocative autoethnography. The truly powerful element of autoethnography is when the ‘subject’ reveals something deep and personal that cannot be told/uncovered by others, which is a challenge in itself, but in order to get to and understand the deeply personal tourist experience, particularly in the indigenous realm, autoethnography remains one of the most pertinent approaches

Minority Students’ Perspectives on Chemistry in an Alternative High School

Latinas/os form the largest minority group in the U.S. and they are growing more rapidly than any other ethnic group in this country. However, the number of Latinas/os in chemistry is not proportional to their population; they are noticeably absent from the physical science fields. Little research has explored the circumstances that Latino students encounter in high school chemistry. In this exploratory study, four Mexican American students and one Native American student were interviewed and observed in a physical science class at an alternative school that enrolled predominantly Latino students. Five underlying themes were found: negative perceptions of science, benefits and disadvantages of alternative school science, traditional teaching methods versus student-centered teaching, outreach possibilities, and changes in stereotypes of scientists. A further investigation and more in-depth contextual knowledge is needed in or der to determine more precisely what caused the students to have their opinions on physical science

Possible missed diagnosis of Ureaplasma spp infection in a case of fatal hyperammonemia after repeat renal transplantation

•Ureaplasma spp are associated with complications among renal transplant patients. •Ureaplasma spp may have been the cause of fatal hyperammonemia. •Specific culture conditions or molecular methods are required to detect Ureaplasma. •Appropriate antimicrobial therapy can resolve symptoms of hyperammonemi

Molecular mutations and polymorphisms associated with hereditary haemolytic anaemias in local populations

A dissertation submitted to the Faculty of Science, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in fulfilment of requirements for the degree of Master of Science. Johannesburg, 17 May 1994.Two black South African subjects presenting with hereditary elliptocytosis were investigated and the defect defined as Spol/74, a previously described spectrin variant leading to defective heterodimer self-association and instability of the erythrocyte membrane. [Abbreviated Abstract. Open document to view full version

Functional differences of class 1a PI 3'-kinase heterodimers

This thesis describes a study of the class 1a phosphoinositide (PI) 3-kinase enzymes. PI 3-kinases generate lipids which have been implicated in receptor-stimulated signalling in mammalian cells and in a signalling complex which mediates protein trafficking in yeast. Whilst phosphoinositide 3-phosphate (PtdIns(3)P) is constitutively present in eukaryotic cells, PtdIns (3,4)P2 and PtdIns(3,4,5)P3 are almost absent from resting cells, but rise sharply following cell stimulation. These lipids have been implicated in a diverse range of cellular processes, ranging from mitogenesis and oncogenic transformation to insulin triggered changes in glucose transport. Given the central role of PI 3-kinases in such a variety of events, a study was undertaken to investigate regulation of this enzyme. Class 1a PI 3-kinases are 110- 120 kDa proteins that associate with adapter subunits containing Src homology-2 (SH2) domains, thereby linking the lipid kinase activity of PI 3-kinase to tyrosine kinase signalling pathways. Various adapter gene products and splice variants have been identified in recent years, and there are at least three genes encoding the catalytic subunit of the class 1a enzyme, but surprisingly little evidence has accumulated for different cellular roles of these isoforms. The studies described here define clear differences in the intrinsic activity of two of the catalytic isoforms of PI 3-kinase, p110α and p110β, and show that other cellular proteins can influence catalytic activity by binding specific domains of the adapter subunit. It is widely assumed that all signalling functions of PI 3-kinases are mediated by their lipid kinase activity. However, they also have a limited protein kinase activity, and the role of this is discussed. In addition, evidence is presented that the catalytic subunit influences enzyme recruitment to signalling complexes following cell stimulation

P450 biochips : development of a protein microarray platform for investigating cytochrome P450 clinical drug metabolism

Includes bibliographical references (leaves 224-243).This thesis describes the development of a novel cytochrome P450 array format, the P450 Biochip that allows quantitative and truly high-throughput measurement of cytochrome P450-mediated turnover reactions in sub-nanolitre volumes

Not Quite Under the Tuscan Sun… the Potential of Film Tourism in Marche Region

The relationship between film and tourism is complex and at times often subtle – not all movies directly encourage tourism, but they can influence tourist images as well as provide additional aspects to the tourist experience. This conceptual paper considers the role that film can play to encourage and enhance tourism in the Marche Region of Italy. Based on theoretical knowledge developed to date, a process to develop film tourism product is proposed. Such a practical application of academic knowledge will also provide data with which to further develop theoretical models in the field.La relazione tra cinema e turismo è complessa e molto spesso sottile – non tutti i film incoraggiano direttamente il turismo, ma possono influenzare le impressioni dei turisti e aggiungere ulteriori elementi alla loro esperienza. Questo lavoro concettuale considera il ruolo che i film possono avere per incoraggiare e incrementare il turismo nella regione Marche, in Italia. Basandosi sulla conoscenza teorica sviluppata finora, viene proposto un processo per migliorare il prodotto cineturistico. L’applicazione pratica di conoscenza sviluppata in ambito accademico potrà fornire ulteriori dati per sviluppare ulteriori modelli teorici in questo campo di ricerca.