Molecularly imprinted polymers for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances enrichment and detection.

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are highly toxic pollutants of significant concern as they are being detected in water, air, fish and soil. They are extremely persistent and accumulate in plant and animal tissues. Traditional methods of detection and removal of these substances use specialised instrumentation and require a trained technical resource for operation.

Highly selective recovery of Ni(II) in neutral and acidic media using a novel Ni(II)-ion imprinted polymer.

In this work, an original ion-imprinted polymer (IIP) was synthetized for the highly selective removal of Ni(II) ions in neutral and acidic media. First a novel functional monomer (AMP-MMA) was synthetized through the amidation of 2-(aminomethyl)pyridine (AMP) with methacryloylchloride. Following Ni(II)/AMP-MMA complex formation study, the Ni(II)-IIP was produced via inverse suspension polymerization (DMSO in mineral oil) and characterized with solid state C CPMAS NMR, FT-IR, SEM and nitrogen adsorption/desorption experiments.

Modified 3D-printed device for mercury determination in waters.

3D printing technology is increasingly used in flow analysis, to develop low cost and tailor-made devices. The possibility of grafting specific molecules onto 3D printed parts offers new perspectives for the development of flow systems. In this study, a MPFS system including a dicarboxylate 1,5-diphenyl-3-thiocarbazone grafted 3D-printed device has been developed for mercury determination.

Specialization of small non-conjugative plasmids in according to their family types.

We undertook a comprehensive comparative analysis of a collection of 30 small (<25 kb) non-conjugative plasmids previously classified by the gene sharing approach into 10 families, as well as plasmids found in the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) nucleotide database sharing similar genomic sequences. In total, 302 mobilizable (belonging to 2 MOB and 5 MOB families) and 106 non-transferable/relaxase-negative (belonging to three ReL families) plasmids were explored. The most striking feature was the specialization of the plasmid family types that was not related to their transmission mode and replication system.

Advantage of the F2:A1:B- IncF Pandemic Plasmid over IncC Plasmids in Acquisition and Evolution of Gene-Bearing Plasmids in Escherichia coli.

Despite a fitness cost imposed on bacterial hosts, large conjugative plasmids play a key role in the diffusion of resistance determinants, such as CTX-M extended-spectrum β-lactamases. Among the large conjugative plasmids, IncF plasmids are the most predominant group, and an F2:A1:B- IncF-type plasmid encoding a CTX-M-15 variant was recently described as being strongly associated with the emerging worldwide sequence type 131 (ST131)-O25b:H4 30Rx/C2 sublineage. In this context, we investigated the fitness cost of narrow-range F-type plasmids, including the F2:A1:B- IncF-type CTX-M-15 plasmid, and of broad-range C-type plasmids in the K-12-like J53-2 strain.

Identifying the Stoichiometry of Metal/Ligand Complex by Coupling Spectroscopy and Modelling: a Comprehensive Study on Two Fluorescent Molecules Specific to Lead.

Two new chemosensors for lead (II) were synthesized based on 5-((anthracen-9-ylmethylene) amino)quinolin-10-ol (ANQ). ANQ was modified in the para position of the imine group via a methoxy link either with methylmethacrylate (ANQ-MMA) or styrene (ANQ-ST). Complexation of those molecules with Pb was studied at room temperature using UV-Visible absorption and fluorescence spectroscopies.

The Arginine Deiminase Operon Is Responsible for a Fitness Trade-Off in Extended-Spectrum-β-Lactamase-Producing Strains of Escherichia coli.

We previously identified an operon involved in an arginine deiminase (ADI) pathway ( operon) on a CTX-M-producing plasmid from an O102-ST405 strain of As the ADI pathway was shown to be involved in the virulence of various Gram-positive bacteria, we tested whether the ADI pathway could be involved in the epidemiological success of extended-spectrum-β-lactamase (ESBL)-producing strains. We studied two collections of human isolated in France ( = 493) and England ( = 1,509) and show that the prevalence of the operon (i) is higher in ESBL-producing strains (12.1%) than in nonproducers (2.

Risk Factors for Infant Colonization by Hypervirulent CC17 Group B Streptococcus: Toward the Understanding of Late-onset Disease.

Background: In infants, the mode of acquisition of CC17 group B Streptococcus (GBS), the hypervirulent clone responsible for late-onset disease (LOD), remains elusive.

Methods: In a prospective multicenter study in France, we evaluated GBS colonization in mother-baby pairs with 2 months of follow-up between 2012 and 2015. Criteria included positivity for GBS colonization at antenatal screening or at delivery.

Identity, relationship quality, and subjective burden in caregivers of persons with dementia.

The aim of the current study was to examine the associations between informal caregivers' perception of identity change in their care-partner, the quality of the caregiver/care-recipient relationship, and caregiver burden in a sample of 56 informal caregivers of persons with dementia. Most (96.4%) of the caregivers of persons who received a dementia diagnosis reported a perceived change in the identity of their care-partner.

PlaScope: a targeted approach to assess the plasmidome from genome assemblies at the species level.

Plasmid prediction may be of great interest when studying bacteria of medical importance such as Enterobacteriaceae as well as Staphylococcus aureus or Enterococcus. Indeed, many resistance and virulence genes are located on such replicons with major impact in terms of pathogenicity and spreading capacities. Beyond strain outbreak, plasmid outbreaks have been reported in particular for some extended-spectrum beta-lactamase- or carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae.

Oropharyngeal Bacterial Colonization after Chlorhexidine Mouthwash in Mechanically Ventilated Critically Ill Patients.

What We Already Know About This Topic: WHAT THIS ARTICLE TELLS US THAT IS NEW: BACKGROUND:: Oropharyngeal care with chlorhexidine to prevent ventilator-associated pneumonia is currently questioned, and exhaustive microbiologic data assessing its efficacy are lacking. The authors therefore aimed to study the effect of chlorhexidine mouthwash on oropharyngeal bacterial growth, to determine chlorhexidine susceptibility of these bacteria, and to measure chlorhexidine salivary concentration after an oropharyngeal care.

Methods: This observational, prospective, single-center study enrolled 30 critically ill patients under mechanical ventilation for over 48 h.

Extended-spectrum β-lactamase-encoding genes are spreading on a wide range of Escherichia coli plasmids existing prior to the use of third-generation cephalosporins.

To understand the evolutionary dynamics of extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL)-encoding genes in Escherichia coli, we undertook a comparative genomic analysis of 116 whole plasmid sequences of human or animal origin isolated over a period spanning before and after the use of third-generation cephalosporins (3GCs) using a gene-sharing network approach. The plasmids included 82 conjugative, 22 mobilizable and 9 non-transferable plasmids and 3 P-like bacteriophages. ESBL-encoding genes were found on 64 conjugative, 6 mobilizable, 2 non-transferable plasmids and 2 P1-like bacteriophages, indicating that these last three types of mobile elements also play a role, albeit modest, in the diffusion of the ESBLs.

Protocol for a meta-integration: investigating positive aspects of caregiving in dementia.

Introduction: The current work describes the protocol for a meta-integration investigating the positive aspects of providing care to someone living with dementia. We aim to understand the position of positive aspects in the caregiver experience as well as identify how positive aspects are commonly conceptualised, investigated and measured in literature.

Methods And Analyses: Meta-integration is a method of investigation that synthesises findings from meta-analysis or systematic review of quantitative studies and meta-synthesis of qualitative studies, to provide a coherent and holistic account of a phenomenon.

Detection of Bisphenol A in aqueous medium by screen printed carbon electrodes incorporating electrochemical molecularly imprinted polymers.

Electrochemical molecularly imprinted polymers (e-MIPs) were for the first time introduced in screen-printed carbon electrodes (SPCE) as the sensing element for the detection of an organic pollutant. To play this sensing role, a redox tracer was incorporated inside the binding cavities of a cross-linked MIP, as a functional monomer during the synthesis step. Ferrocenylmethyl methacrylate was used for this purpose.

3D-printed lab-on-valve for fluorescent determination of cadmium and lead in water.

In recent years, the development of 3D printing in flow analysis has allowed the creation of new systems with various applications. Up to now, 3D printing was mainly used for the manufacture of small units such as flow detection cells, preconcentration units or mixing systems. In the present study, a new 3D printed lab-on-valve system was developed to selectively quantify lead and cadmium in water.

Intrapartum group B Streptococcus screening in the labor ward by Xpert® GBS real-time PCR.

Group B Streptococcus (GBS) is the leading cause of neonatal infections in industrialized countries. Intrapartum antibiotic prophylaxis (IAP) given to colonized parturients is a key step for the prevention of neonatal early-onset infection. We compared the performances of Xpert® GBS polymerase chain reaction (PCR) (Cepheid, Sunnyvale, CA, USA) as a point-of-care system in labor wards to standard culture for intrapartum GBS detection.

Variance in caregiver burden predicted by patient behaviors versus neuropsychological profile.

Informal caregivers provide the majority of care to persons with dementia; efforts to support caregivers' well-being are increasingly important in the context of limited formal healthcare supports. Informal caregiving is commonly associated with caregiver burden and burden may depend upon patient characteristics including neuropsychological profile, dementia severity, and dementia etiology. This study investigated predictors of caregiver burden in a sample of 213 Memory Clinic patients diagnosed with dementia and whose caregivers provided collateral information.

3D-printed flow system for determination of lead in natural waters.

The development of 3D printing in recent years opens up a vast array of possibilities in the field of flow analysis. In the present study, a new 3D-printed flow system has been developed for the selective spectrophotometric determination of lead in natural waters. This system was composed of three 3D-printed units (sample treatment, mixing coil and detection) that might have been assembled without any tubing to form a complete flow system.

Structural Alteration of OmpR as a Source of Ertapenem Resistance in a CTX-M-15-Producing Escherichia coli O25b:H4 Sequence Type 131 Clinical Isolate.

In this study, an ertapenem-nonsusceptible isolate was investigated to determine the genetic basis for its carbapenem resistance phenotype. This clinical strain was recovered from a patient that received, 1 year previously, ertapenem to treat a cholangitis due to a carbapenem-susceptible extended-spectrum-β-lactamase (ESBL)-producing isolate. Whole-genome sequencing of these strains was performed using Illumina and single-molecule real-time sequencing technologies.

Phylogenetic, virulence and antibiotic resistance characteristics of commensal strain populations of Escherichia coli from community subjects in the Paris area in 2010 and evolution over 30 years.

It is important to study commensal populations of Escherichia coli because they appear to be the reservoir of both extra-intestinal pathogenic E. coli and antibiotic resistant strains of E. coli.

An innovative approach to prepare hypericin molecularly imprinted pearls using a "phyto-template".

In this paper, an innovative method that uses hypericin "phyto-template" molecules is being applied herein for the first time to produce molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) pearls able to selectively retain hypericin from Hypericum Perforatum L primary extracts. For this purpose, the wet phase inversion method was preferred for preparing the hypericin-MIP pearls for several reasons referring to economical benefits but also due to the fact that hypericin "phyto-template" molecules can be generated along with the phase inversion of the copolymer. Practically, the precursor poly(acrylonitrile-co-methacrylic acid) solution was mixed with a purified and concentrated naphtodianthrone phyto-extract (consisting only of hypericin and pseudo-hypericin).

Five-year trends for ventilator-associated pneumonia: Correlation between microbiological findings and antimicrobial drug consumption.

The epidemiology of multidrug-resistant bacteria (MDRB) has changed significantly in European healthcare settings, with a decrease in frequency of meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and an increase in extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Enterobacteriaceae. Little is known about the effects of these changes on ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP). A retrospective 5-year trend analysis of ICU antibiotic consumption and resistance in bacteria causing VAP was undertaken.

Effects of Proanthocyanidins on Adhesion, Growth, and Virulence of Highly Virulent Extraintestinal Pathogenic Escherichia coli Argue for Its Use to Treat Oropharyngeal Colonization and Prevent Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia.

Objective: In the context of increasing microbial resistance and limited new antimicrobials, we aimed to study the antimicrobial effects of cranberry proanthocyanidin extracts on Escherichia coli growth, adhesion to epithelial cells, and lung infection.

Design: Experimental in vitro and in vivo investigation.

Setting: University research laboratory.