Detection of Anaerobic Bacteria in High Numbers in Sputum from Patients with Cystic Fibrosis

Rationale: Pulmonary infection in cystic ?brosis (CF) is polymicrobial and it is possible that anaerobic bacteria, not detected by routine aerobic culture methods, reside within infected anaerobic airway
mucus.
Objectives: To determine whether anaerobic bacteria are present in the sputum of patients with CF.
Methods: Sputum samples were collected from clinically stable adults with CF and bronchoalveolar lavage ?uid (BALF) samples from children with CF. Induced sputum samples were collected from healthy volunteers who did not have CF. All samples were processed using anaerobic bacteriologic techniques and bacteria within the samples were quanti?ed and identi?ed.
Measurements and Main Results: Anaerobic species primarily within the genera Prevotella,Veillonella, Propionibacterium, andActinomyces were isolated in high numbers from 42 of 66 (64%) sputum samples from adult patients with CF. Colonization with Pseudomonas aeruginosa signi?cantly increased the likelihood that anaerobic bacteria would be present in the sputum. Similar anaerobic species were identi?ed in BALF from pediatric patients with CF. Although anaerobes were detected in induced sputum samples from 16 of 20 volunteers, they were present in much lower numbers and were
generally different species compared with those detected in CF sputum. Species-dependent differences in the susceptibility of the anaerobes to antibiotics with known activity against anaerobes were apparent with all isolates susceptible to meropenem.
Conclusions: A range of anaerobic species are present in large numbers in the lungs of patients with CF. If these anaerobic bacteria are contributing signi?cantly to infection and in?ammation in the CF
lung, informed alterations to antibiotic treatment to target anaerobes, in addition to the primary infecting pathogens, may improve management.

Stereoselective reductase-catalysed deoxygenation of sulfoxides in aerobic and anaerobic bacteria

Direct and indirect evidence, Of unexpected stereoselective reductase-catalysed deoxygenations of sulfoxides, was found. The deoxygenations proceeded simultaneously, with the expected dioxygenase-catalysed asymmetric sulfoxidation of sulfides, during some biotransformations with the aerobic bacterium Pseudomonas putida UV4. Stereoselective reductase-catalysed asymmetric deoxygenation of racemic alkylaryl, dialkyl and phenolic sulfoxides was observed, without evidence of the reverse sulfoxidation reaction, using anaerobic bacterial strains. A purified dimethyl sulfoxide reductase, obtained from the intact cells of the anaerobic bacterium Citrobacter braakii DMSO 11, yielded, from the corresponding racemates, enantiopure alkylaryl sulfoxide and thiosulfinate samples.

Industrial applications of ionic liquids

The potential to use Ionic Liquids (ILs) as novel solvents or fluids for a diverse range of applications has become increasingly rent as researchers in academia and try respond to challenges from atmospheric emissions and disposal of many common solvents by evaluating novel reaction media. The intrinsic non-volatile nature of ILs provides an opportunity to reduce, or even completely eliminate, hazardous and toxic emissions to the atmosphere, thus providing the promise for significant environmental benefits. In synthesis and catalysis, ILs have been used as solvents (or solvents and catalysts), with the greatest current effort on using the ILs as alternatives to VOCs. In contrast, electrochemical studies hove utills'ed the fact that ILs are liquid rather than solids to provide liquid electrolytes without needing to odd an additional solvent. is overview appraiso an appraisal of potential to use ILs in industrial applications, illustrating some areas where practical uses are being developed, and how, throuqh understanding ionic liquids in a conceptuo level, new opportunities ore continuing to evolve.

Towards more flexible Architecture Description Languages for industrial applications

Architecture Description Languages (ADLs) have emerged in recent years as a tool for providing high-level descriptions of software systems in terms of their architectural elements and the relationships among them. Most of the current ADLs exhibit limitations which prevent their widespread use in industrial applications. In this paper, we discuss these limitations and introduce ALI, an ADL that has been developed to address such limitations. The ALI language provides a rich and flexible syntax for describing component interfaces, architectural patterns, and meta-information. Multiple graphical architectural views can then be derived from ALI's textual notation.

Reduced Bacterial Colony Count of Anaerobic Bacteria Is Associated with a Worsening in Lung Clearance Index and Inflammation in Cystic Fibrosis

Anaerobic bacteria have been identified in abundance in the airways of cystic fibrosis (CF) subjects. The impact their presence and abundance has on lung function and inflammation is unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between the colony count of aerobic and anaerobic bacteria, lung clearance index (LCI), spirometry and C-Reactive Protein (CRP) in patients with CF. Sputum and blood were collected from CF patients at a single cross-sectional visit when clinically stable. Community composition and bacterial colony counts were analysed using extended aerobic and anaerobic culture. Patients completed spirometry and a multiple breath washout (MBW) test to obtain LCI. An inverse correlation between colony count of aerobic bacteria (n = 41, r = -0.35; p = 0.02), anaerobic bacteria (n = 41, r = -0.44, p = 0.004) and LCI was observed. There was an inverse correlation between colony count of anaerobic bacteria and CRP (n = 25, r = -0.44, p = 0.03) only. The results of this study demonstrate that a lower colony count of aerobic and anaerobic bacteria correlated with a worse LCI. A lower colony count of anaerobic bacteria also correlated with higher CRP levels. These results indicate that lower abundance of aerobic and anaerobic bacteria may reflect microbiota disruption and disease progression in the CF lung.

Laser-driven x-ray and neutron source development for industrial applications of plasma accelerators

Pulsed beams of energetic x-rays and neutrons from intense laser interactions with solid foils are promising for applications where bright, small emission area sources, capable of multi-modal delivery are ideal. Possible end users of laser-driven multi-modal sources are those requiring advanced non-destructive inspection techniques in industry sectors of high value commerce such as aerospace, nuclear and advanced manufacturing. We report on experimental work that demonstrates multi-modal operation of high power laser-solid interactions for neutron and x-ray beam generation. Measurements and Monte Carlo radiation transport simulations show that neutron yield is increased by a factor ∼2 when a 1 mm copper foil is placed behind a 2 mm lithium foil, compared to using a 2 cm block of lithium only. We explore x-ray generation with a 10 picosecond drive pulse in order to tailor the spectral content for radiography with medium density alloy metals. The impact of using >1 ps pulse duration on laser-accelerated electron beam generation and transport is discussed alongside the optimisation of subsequent bremsstrahlung emission in thin, high atomic number target foils. X-ray spectra are deconvolved from spectrometer measurements and simulation data generated using the GEANT4 Monte Carlo code. We also demonstrate the unique capability of laser-driven x-rays in being able to deliver single pulse high spatial resolution projection imaging of thick metallic objects. Active detector radiographic imaging of industrially relevant sample objects with a 10 ps drive pulse is presented for the first time, demonstrating that features of 200 μm size are resolved when projected at high magnification.

Bio-removal of toxic metals by metal resistant anaerobic bacteria: molecular characterization and performance studies

Tese de dout., Ciências Biotecnológicas (Biotecnologia Ambiental), Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Univ. do Algarve, 2010

Study of novel energy metabolism pathways in anaerobic bacteria

Energy conservation in chemotrophic anaerobic bacteria is achieved by two possible processes, substrate level phosphorylation (SLP) and electron transfer phosphorylation (ETP). This second mechanism, also known as respiration, involves chemiosmotic coupling. However, a third mechanism for energy coupling was recently proposed: the flavin-based electron bifurcation (FBEB). (...)

Slicing of soft, flexible solids with industrial applications

Thin slices of soft flexible solids have negligible bending resistance and hence store negligible elastic strain energy; furthermore such offcuts are rarely permanently deformed after slicing. Cutting forces thus depend only on work of separation (toughness work) and friction. These simplifying assumptions are not as restrictive as it might seem, and the mechanics are found to apply to a wide variety of foodstuffs and biological materials. The fracture toughness of such materials may be determined from cutting experiments: the use of scissors instrumented for load and displacement is a popular method where toughness is obtained from the work areas beneath load–displacement plots. Surprisingly, there is no analysis for the variation of forces with scissor blade opening and this paper provides the theory. Comparison is made with experimental results in cutting with scissors. The analysis is generalised to cutting with blades of variable curvature and applied to a commercial food cutting device having a rotating spiral plan form blade. The strong influence of the ‘slice/push ratio’ (blade tangential speed to blade edge normal speed) on the cutting forces is revealed. Small cutting forces are important in food cutting machinery as damage to slices is minimised. How high slice/push ratios may be achieved by choice of blade profile is discussed.

Advanced methods in adaptive control for industrial applications

This volume is based on a seminar concerned with advanced methods in adaptive control for industrial applications which was held in Prague in May 1990 and which brought together experts in the UK and Czechoslovakia in order to suggest solutions to specific current and anticipated problems faced by industry.

Draft genome sequence of pseudomonas corrugata, a phytopathogenic bacterium with potential industrial applications

Pseudomonas corrugata was first described as the causal agent of a tomato disease called 'pith necrosis' yet it is considered as a biological resource in various fields such as biocontrol of plant diseases and production of industrially promising microbial biopolymers (mcl-PHA). Here we report the first draft genome sequence of this species.

Volatile profile of Spanish Cistus plants as sources of antimicrobials for industrial applications

Cistus is a plant genus traditionally used in folk medicine as remedy for several microbial disorders and infections. The abundance of Cistus spp. in the Iberian Peninsula together with their ability to renew after wildfire contribute to their profitability as suppliers of functional ingredients. The aim of this study was to provide a comprehensive characterization of the volatile profile of different Cistus plants grown in Spain:Cistus ladanifer L., Cistus albidus L., Cistus salviifolius L., and Cistus clusii Dunal (the latter has not been studied before). A system combining headspace solid-phase microextraction and gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (HS-SPME-GC–MS) was implemented; thereby, the volatile compounds were extracted and analyzed in a fast, reliable and environment-friendly way. A total of 111 volatile compounds were identified, 28 of which were reported in Cistus for the first time. The most abundant components of the samples (mono and sesquiterpenes) have been previously reported as potent antimicrobial agents. Therefore, this work reveals the potential use of the Cistus spp. studied as natural sources of antimicrobial compounds for industrial production of cosmeceuticals, among other applications.