A magnetic nanoparticle-based microfluidic device fabricated using a 3D-printed mould for separation of Escherichia coli from blood.

Herein, A microfluidic device is described, produced with a 3D-printed master mould that rapidly separates and concentrates Escherichia coli directly from whole blood samples, enabling a reduction in the turnaround time of bloodstream infections (BSIs) diagnosis. Moreover, it promotes the cleansing of the blood samples whose complexity frequently hampers bacterial detection. The device comprises a serpentine mixing channel with two inlets, one for blood samples (spiked with bacteria) and the other for magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) functionalized with a (bacterio)phage receptor-binding protein (RBP) with high specificity for E.

Potential of bacteriophage proteins as recognition molecules for pathogen detection.

Bacterial pathogens are leading causes of infections with high mortality worldwide having a great impact on healthcare systems and the food industry. Gold standard methods for bacterial detection mainly rely on culture-based technologies and biochemical tests which are laborious and time-consuming. Regardless of several developments in existing methods, the goal of achieving high sensitivity and specificity, as well as a low detection limit, remains unaccomplished.

Burden of bacterial bloodstream infections and recent advances for diagnosis.

Bloodstream infections (BSIs) and subsequent organ dysfunction (sepsis and septic shock) are conditions that rank among the top reasons for human mortality and have a great impact on healthcare systems. Their treatment mainly relies on the administration of broad-spectrum antimicrobials since the standard blood culture-based diagnostic methods remain time-consuming for the pathogen's identification. Consequently, the routine use of these antibiotics may lead to downstream antimicrobial resistance and failure in treatment outcomes.

A Phage Receptor-Binding Protein as a Promising Tool for the Detection of in Human Specimens.

is a problematic pathogen that causes life-threatening diseases, being a frequent causative agent of several nosocomial infections such as urinary tract and bloodstream infections. Proper and rapid bacterial identification is critical for allowing prompt and targeted antimicrobial therapy. (Bacterio)phage receptor-binding proteins (RBPs) display high specificity for bacterial surface epitopes and, therefore, are particularly attractive as biorecognition elements, potentially conferring high sensitivity and specificity in bacterial detection.

Suggestion for a new bacteriophage genus for the Klebsiella pneumoniae phage vB_KpnS-Carvaje.

This work describes the newly isolated Klebsiella pneumoniae phage vB_KpnS-Carvaje that presents unique features in relation to other phages reported to date. These findings provide new insights into the diversity and evolutionary pathways of Klebsiella phages. The genome characterization of the Carvaje phage revealed that its genome length is approximately 57 kb with 99 open reading frames (ORFs), 33 of which have assigned functions while 66 are unknown.

Faecal Diagnostic Biomarkers for Colorectal Cancer.

Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a major cause of cancer-related death worldwide. Cancer progression, including invasion and metastasis, is a major cause of death among CRC patients. Current methods for CRC screening commonly consist of a combination of faecal immunochemical test (FIT) for stool occult blood detection and invasive procedures such as colonoscopy.

Exploitation of a Bacteriophage Receptor-Binding Protein as a Superior Biorecognition Molecule.

is a Gram-negative bacterium that has become one of the leading causes of life-threatening healthcare-associated infections (HAIs), including pneumonia and sepsis. Moreover, due to its increasingly antibiotic resistance, has been declared a global top priority concern. The problem of infections is due, in part, to the inability to detect this pathogen rapidly and accurately and thus to treat patients within the early stages of infections.

Rapid and multiplex detection of nosocomial pathogens on a phage-based magnetoresistive lab-on-chip platform.

Nosocomial or hospital-acquired infections (HAIs) have a major impact on mortality worldwide. Enterococcus and Staphylococcus are among the leading causes of HAIs and thus are important pathogens to control mainly due to their increased antibiotic resistance. The gold-standard diagnostic methods for HAIs are time-consuming, which hinders timely and adequate treatment.

Bacteriophage-receptor binding proteins for multiplex detection of Staphylococcus and Enterococcus in blood.

Healthcare-associated infections (HCAIs) affect hundreds of millions of patients, representing a significant burden for public health. They are usually associated to multidrug resistant bacteria, which increases their incidence and severity. Bloodstream infections are among the most frequent and life-threatening HCAIs, with Enterococcus and Staphylococcus among the most common isolated pathogens.

A novel flow cytometry assay based on bacteriophage-derived proteins for Staphylococcus detection in blood.

Bloodstream infections (BSIs) are considered a major cause of death worldwide. Staphylococcus spp. are one of the most BSIs prevalent bacteria, classified as high priority due to the increasing multidrug resistant strains.

National trends in burn and inhalation injury in burn patients: results of analysis of the nationwide inpatient sample database.

The aim of this study was describe national trends in prevalence, demographics, hospital length of stay (LOS), hospital charges, and mortality for burn patients with and without inhalational injury and to compare to the National Burn Repository. Burns and inhalation injury cause considerable mortality and morbidity in the United States. There remains insufficient reporting of the demographics and outcomes surrounding such injuries.

Effect of dexamethasone on development of in vitro-produced bovine embryos.

Studies in somatic cells have shown that glucocorticoids such as dexamethasone (DEX) may trigger or prevent apoptosis depending on the cell type in culture. Because the dysregulation of apoptosis may lower in vitro embryo production efficiency, we sought to investigate the effects of supplementing IVC medium with DEX (0.1 μg/mL) on embryo morphology, development kinetics, and apoptosis rates of in vitro-produced bovine preimplantation embryos.

A suggested classification for two groups of Campylobacter myoviruses.

Most Campylobacter bacteriophages isolated to date have long contractile tails and belong to the family Myoviridae. Based on their morphology, genome size and endonuclease restriction profile, Campylobacter phages were originally divided into three groups. The recent genome sequencing of seven virulent campylophages reveal further details of the relationships between these phages at the genome organization level.

meso-Tetraphenylbenzoporphyrin-2(2),2(3)-dicarboxylic anhydride: a platform to benzoporphyrin derivatives.

A method to synthesize meso-tetraphenylbenzoporphyrin-2(2),2(3)-dicarboxylic anhydride is reported. This compound reacts with alkylamines and arylamines to afford the corresponding "phthalimides" in moderate to excellent yields. The reaction of the title compound with benzene-1,4-diamine or with benzene-1,3-diamine yields the corresponding N,N'-(phenylene)bisphthalimides, whereas with benzene-1,2-diamine or naphthalene-1,8-diamine it affords heterocyclic-fused porphyrins.

Tetrabenzoporphyrins: synthetic developments and applications.

Tetrabenzoporphyrins have attracted considerable worldwide attention over the last few decades. Since the discovery of these pigments, chemists, biologists, medical professionals and material scientists have devoted pronounced efforts in order to develop synthetic methods and discover useful applications for these compounds. Nowadays, tetrabenzoporphyrins occupy a prominent position in porphyrin chemistry, and this review is intended to cover the main synthetic methods and applications of these compounds.

The genome and proteome of a Campylobacter coli bacteriophage vB_CcoM-IBB_35 reveal unusual features.

Background: Campylobacter is the leading cause of foodborne diseases worldwide. Bacteriophages (phages) are naturally occurring predators of bacteria, ubiquitous in the environment, with high host specificity and thus considered an appealing option to control bacterial pathogens. Nevertheless for an effective use of phages as antimicrobial agents, it is important to understand phage biology which renders crucial the analysis of phage genomes and proteomes.

Genomic and proteomic characterization of the broad-host-range Salmonella phage PVP-SE1: creation of a new phage genus.

(Bacterio)phage PVP-SE1, isolated from a German wastewater plant, presents a high potential value as a biocontrol agent and as a diagnostic tool, even compared to the well-studied typing phage Felix 01, due to its broad lytic spectrum against different Salmonella strains. Sequence analysis of its genome (145,964 bp) shows it to be terminally redundant and circularly permuted. Its G+C content, 45.

Mechanisms of photodynamic inactivation of a gram-negative recombinant bioluminescent bacterium by cationic porphyrins.

Photodynamic therapy is a very promising approach to inactivate pathogenic microorganisms. The photodamage of cells involves reactive oxygen species (ROS) which are generated in situ by two main mechanisms (type I and/or type II). The mechanism responsible for the photoinactivation (PI) of a bioluminescent recombinant Escherichia coli, induced by three different cationic porphyrins, was identified in this work using a rapid method based on the monitoring of the metabolic activity of this bacterium.

1,3-Dioxopyrrolo[3,4-b]porphyrins: synthesis and chemistry.

A novel 1,3-dioxopyrrolo[3,4-b]porphyrin (2) has been synthesized in 70% yield following a [4 + 2] cycloaddition reaction of pyrrolo[3,4-b]porphyrin 1 with (1)O(2). The new imide was used as a template to other 1,3-dioxopyrrolo[3,4-b]porphyrins and to the corresponding open counterparts. The UV/vis absorption spectra of the new compounds show significant red-shifts when compared with those of the nonsubstituted analogues.

Functional cationic nanomagnet-porphyrin hybrids for the photoinactivation of microorganisms.

Cationic nanomagnet-porphyrin hybrids were synthesized and their photodynamic therapy capabilities were investigated against the Gram (-) Escherichia coli bacteria, the Gram (+) Enterococcus faecalis bacteria and T4-like phage. The synthesis, structural characterization, photophysical properties, and antimicrobial activity of these new materials are discussed. The results show that these new multicharged nanomagnet-porphyrin hybrids are very stable in water and highly effective in the photoinactivation of bacteria and phages.

The in vivo efficacy of two administration routes of a phage cocktail to reduce numbers of Campylobacter coli and Campylobacter jejuni in chickens.

Background: Poultry meat is one of the most important sources of human campylobacteriosis, an acute bacterial enteritis which is a major problem worldwide. Campylobacter coli and Campylobacter jejuni are the most common Campylobacter species associated with this disease. These pathogens live in the intestinal tract of most avian species and under commercial conditions they spread rapidly to infect a high proportion of the flock, which makes their treatment and prevention very difficult.

Sewage bacteriophage inactivation by cationic porphyrins: influence of light parameters.

Photodynamic therapy has been used to inactivate microorganisms through the use of targeted photosensitizers. Although the photoinactivation of microorganisms has already been studied under different conditions, a systematic evaluation of irradiation characteristics is still limited. The goal of this study was to test how the light dose, fluence rate and irradiation source affect the viral photoinactivation of a T4-like sewage bacteriophage.

Antimicrobial photodynamic therapy: study of bacterial recovery viability and potential development of resistance after treatment.

Antimicrobial photodynamic therapy (aPDT) has emerged in the clinical field as a potential alternative to antibiotics to treat microbial infections. No cases of microbial viability recovery or any resistance mechanisms against it are yet known. 5,10,15-tris(1-Methylpyridinium-4-yl)-20-(pentafluorophenyl)-porphyrin triiodide (Tri-Py(+)-Me-PF) was used as photosensitizer.

The use of antibiotics to improve phage detection and enumeration by the double-layer agar technique.

Background: The Double-Layer Agar (DLA) technique is extensively used in phage research to enumerate and identify phages and to isolate mutants and new phages. Many phages form large and well-defined plaques that are easily observed so that they can be enumerated when plated by the DLA technique. However, some give rise to small and turbid plaques that are very difficult to detect and count.

Charge effect on the photoinactivation of Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria by cationic meso-substituted porphyrins.

Background: In recent times photodynamic antimicrobial therapy has been used to efficiently destroy Gram (+) and Gram (-) bacteria using cationic porphyrins as photosensitizers. There is an increasing interest in this approach, namely in the search of photosensitizers with adequate structural features for an efficient photoinactivation process. In this study we propose to compare the efficiency of seven cationic porphyrins differing in meso-substituent groups, charge number and charge distribution, on the photodynamic inactivation of a Gram (+) bacterium (Enterococcus faecalis) and of a Gram (-) bacterium (Escherichia coli).