Antimicrobial Photodynamic Therapy for Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Infection

Nowadays methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is one of the most common multidrug resistant bacteria both in hospitals and in the community. In the last two decades, there has been growing concern about the increasing resistance to MRSA of the most potent antibiotic glycopeptides. MRSA infection poses a serious problem for physicians and their patients. Photosensitizer-mediated antimicrobial photodynamic therapy (PDT) appears to be a promising and innovative approach for treating multidrug resistant infection. In spite of encouraging reports of the use of antimicrobial PDT to inactivate MRSA in large in vitro studies, there are only few in vivo studies. Therefore, applying PDT in the clinic for MRSA infection is still a long way off

Numerical calculation of transmission noise for the magnesium alloy cylinder head cover

Transmission noise of the magnesium alloy cylinder head cover was researched in this paper. Firstly, the numerical calculation mode of a cylinder head cover was compared with the experimental one. Results showed that the numerical calculation model had a relatively high accuracy, and it could be used in subsequent analysis. Secondly, sound pressure inside the cylinder head cover was extracted through the four-load method and taken as the sound source. Then, it was applied in a simulation model in order to simulate transmission noise of the actual situations. Afterwards, transmission noise of the magnesium alloy cylinder head cover was compared with the aluminum alloy one. It was shown that relatively low transmission noise was generated from the magnesium alloy cylinder head cover. Meanwhile, its mass was only 0.65 times of that of the aluminum alloy one. Therefore, the requirement for low noise and light weight was achieved by the magnesium alloy cylinder head cover. Then, dynamic stresses of cylinder head covers for two materials were compared. Results showed that dynamic stress of the magnesium alloy cylinder head cover was slightly smaller than that of the aluminum alloy one. The magnesium alloy cylinder head cover satisfied the requirement for strength and had a relatively prominent comprehensive performances. Finally, sound absorption coefficient of a porous material was calculated by using the numerical simulation technology. It was also laid inside the magnesium alloy cylinder head cover to constitute a composite cylinder head cover. Transmission noise of such composite cylinder head cover was much smaller than that of the original structure. This researches provided a method for low noise and light weight design of the cylinder head cover

The full repertoire of Drosophila gustatory receptors for detecting an aversive compound.

The ability to detect toxic compounds in foods is essential for animal survival. However, the minimal subunit composition of gustatory receptors required for sensing aversive chemicals in Drosophila is unknown. Here we report that three gustatory receptors, GR8a, GR66a and GR98b function together in the detection of L-canavanine, a plant-derived insecticide. Ectopic co-expression of Gr8a and Gr98b in Gr66a-expressing, bitter-sensing gustatory receptor neurons (GRNs) confers responsiveness to L-canavanine. Furthermore, misexpression of all three Grs enables salt- or sweet-sensing GRNs to respond to L-canavanine. Introduction of these Grs in sweet-sensing GRNs switches L-canavanine from an aversive to an attractive compound. Co-expression of GR8a, GR66a and GR98b in Drosophila S2 cells induces an L-canavanine-activated nonselective cation conductance. We conclude that three GRs collaborate to produce a functional L-canavanine receptor. Thus, our results clarify the full set of GRs underlying the detection of a toxic tastant that drives avoidance behaviour in an insect

Methyl 9H-carbazole-9-acetate

The title compound, C15H13NO2, was synthesized by N-alkyl­ation of methyl bromo­acetate with 9H-carbazole. The carbazole ring system is essentially planar (mean atomic deviation = 0.0346 Å) and makes a dihedral angle of 86.5 (7)° with the methyl acetate group. Weak inter­molecular C—H⋯O hydrogen bonding is present in the crystal structure

Temperature Effects on the Unsaturated Permeability of the Densely Compacted GMZ01 Bentonite under Confined Conditions

International audienceIn this study, temperature controlled soil-water retention tests and unsaturated hydraulic conductivity tests for densely compacted Gaomiaozi bentonite - GMZ01 (dry density of 1.70 Mg/m3) were performed under confined conditions. Relevant soil-water retention curves (SWRCs) and unsaturated hydraulic conductivities of GMZ01 at temperatures of 40°C and 60°C were obtained. Based on these results as well as the previously obtained results at 20°C, the influence of temperature on water-retention properties and unsaturated hydraulic conductivity of the densely compacted Gaomiaozi bentonite were investigated. It was observed that: (i) water retention capacity decreases as temperature increases, and the influence of temperature depends on suction; (ii) for all the temperatures tested, the unsaturated hydraulic conductivity decreases slightly in the initial stage of hydration; the value of the hydraulic conductivity becomes constant as hydration progresses and finally, the permeability increases rapidly with suction decreases as saturation is approached; (iii) under confined conditions, the hydraulic conductivity increases as temperature increases, at a decreasing rate with temperature rise. It was also observed that the influence of temperature on the hydraulic conductivity is quite suction-dependent. At high suctions (s > 60 MPa), the temperature effect is mainly due to its influence on water viscosity; by contrast, in the range of low suctions (s < 60 MPa), the temperature effect is related to both the water viscosity and the macro-pores closing phenomenon that is supposed to be temperature dependent

Effect of organic acids on the growth and lipid accumulation of oleaginous yeast Trichosporon fermentans

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Microbial lipids have drawn increasing attention in recent years as promising raw materials for biodiesel production, and the use of lignocellulosic hydrolysates as carbon sources seems to be a feasible strategy for cost-effective lipid fermentation with oleaginous microorganisms on a large scale. During the hydrolysis of lignocellulosic materials with dilute acid, however, various kinds of inhibitors, especially large amounts of organic acids, will be produced, which substantially decrease the fermentability of lignocellulosic hydrolysates. To overcome the inhibitory effects of organic acids, it is critical to understand their impact on the growth and lipid accumulation of oleaginous microorganisms.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>In our present work, we investigated for the first time the effect of ten representative organic acids in lignocellulosic hydrolysates on the growth and lipid accumulation of oleaginous yeast <it>Trichosporon fermentans </it>cells. In contrast to previous reports, we found that the toxicity of the organic acids to the cells was not directly related to their hydrophobicity. It is worth noting that most organic acids tested were less toxic than aldehydes to the cells, and some could even stimulate the growth and lipid accumulation at a low concentration. Unlike aldehydes, most binary combinations of organic acids exerted no synergistic inhibitory effects on lipid production. The presence of organic acids decelerated the consumption of glucose, whereas it influenced the utilization of xylose in a different and complicated way. In addition, all the organic acids tested, except furoic acid, inhibited the malic activity of <it>T. fermentans</it>. Furthermore, the inhibition of organic acids on cell growth was dependent more on inoculum size, temperature and initial pH than on lipid content.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>This work provides some meaningful information about the effect of organic acid in lignocellulosic hydrolysates on the lipid production of oleaginous yeast, which is helpful for optimization of biomass hydrolysis processes, detoxified pretreatment of hydrolysates and lipid production using lignocellulosic materials.</p