Animal Health Protection - Assessing Antimicrobial Activity of Veterinary Disinfectants and Antiseptics and Their Compliance with European Standards: A Narrative Review.

Disinfectants and antiseptics lead in reducing the number of microorganisms, including pathogenic ones, thus limiting the number of infections. In the veterinary field, disinfection prevents the transfer of pathogenic microorganisms from animals to humans and , as well as among animals. Several assays of disinfectant antimicrobial activity testing, often not standardized, without appropriate controls, and not validated, have been used and published.

Application of EN 16615 (4-Field Test) for the Evaluation of the Antimicrobial Activity of the Selected Commercial and Self-Made Disinfectant Wipes.

The purpose of disinfectants is to reduce microorganisms on a contaminated surface and to prevent the spread of microorganisms. The relatively new EN 16615 simulates disinfection by wiping and allows for assessing the recovery of microorganisms from the surface and, importantly, the degree of spread of microorganisms when the surface is disinfected by wiping. For the first time, using this standard, the tested products in the form of commercial disinfectant wipes were compared with self-made wipes soaked in respective disinfectant liquids.

Application of Array Comparative Genomic Hybridization in Newborns with Multiple Congenital Anomalies.

Major congenital anomalies are detectable in 2-3 % of the newborn population. Some of their genetic causes are attributable to copy number variations identified by array comparative genomic hybridization (aCGH). The value of aCGH screening as a first-tier test in children with multiple congenital anomalies has been studied and consensus adopted.

High-Resolution Array Comparative Genomic Hybridization Utility in Polish Newborns with Isolated Cleft Lip and Palate.

Cleft lip with or without cleft palate is one of the most common birth defects of unknown etiology. A fraction of its genetic causes is attributable to copy number variations detected by array comparative genomic hybridization. The value of array comparative genomic hybridization screening as a first-tier test in the newborn population with multiple congenital anomalies has now been accepted.

The usefulness of array comparative genomic hybridization in clinical diagnostics of intellectual disability in children.

Introduction: Intellectual disability (ID)/Developmental delay (DD), which occurs in 1-3% of the population, accounts for a large number of cases regularly seen in genetics clinics. Currently, Array Comparative Genomic Hybridization (array CGH) is recommended by the International Standards for Cytogenomic Arrays (ISCA) Consortium as a first line test in the diagnostics of ID/DD, replacing G-banded chromosome analysis.

The Aim: Application of array CGH in clinical diagnostics of developmental delay/ intellectual disability in children.

Evaluation of mycobactericidal activity of selected chemical disinfectants and antiseptics according to European standards.

Background: The history of the investigation of standardized mycobactericidal activity of disinfectants and antiseptics is not very long. There is growing interest among the manufacturers of disinfectants in carrying out research on the antimicrobial activities in accordance with European standards (EN). This research could facilitate the introduction of high-quality disinfectants to the market.

[Microbiological characteristics of selected liquid soaps for hands washing].

Introduction: According to common belief, supported by the authority of the World Health Organization - WHO, the common (social) hand washing is the simplest, cheapest and the most effective way of reduction the hospital-acquired infections. For this purpose products of"liquid soaps", present in a large number on the market, are most often applied. Microbiological status (microbiological purity and antimicrobial activity) of"liquid soaps" available on the Polish market is not known, because relevant routinely studies have not been performed.

Application of array comparative genomic hybridization in 256 patients with developmental delay or intellectual disability.

We used whole-genome exon-targeted oligonucleotide array comparative genomic hybridization (array CGH) in a cohort of 256 patients with developmental delay (DD)/intellectual disability (ID) with or without dysmorphic features, additional neurodevelopmental abnormalities, and/or congenital malformations. In 69 patients, we identified 84 non-polymorphic copy-number variants, among which 41 are known to be clinically relevant, including two recently described deletions, 4q21.21q21.

Reduction of the neutralisation time during antimicrobial activity testing of disinfectants according to European Standards.

Background: Evaluation of the biocidal activity of chemical disinfectants and antiseptics according to European Standards (EN) is based on determination of the reduction of the number of viable test microorganisms under defined conditions.

Objective: The objective of this study was to investigate whether reducing the neutralization time required following declared product contact times for the tested microorganisms yields method validations.

Material And Methods: This study was conducted on 14 products containing active substances from different chemical groups: alcohols, aldehydes, biguanides, quaternary ammonium compounds, phenols, amines derivatives, oxidizing agents.

Antibacterial activity of selected commercial products for mouth washing and disinfection, assessed in accordance with PN-EN 1040.

Background: Currently, there is a wide range of products for mouth washing on the Polish market. They have different qualitative and quantitative compositions, and they differ particularly in the concentration of active substances. In antisepsis and disinfection, the significant reduction in number of cells of microorganisms in a particular environment is very crucial.

[Moebius syndrome with facial-dental impairments - rare or rather seldom diagnosed syndrome?].

As publications on craniofacial anomalies, malocclusions and dental complications recognised in patients suffering from Moebius syndrome are scarce, the authors of this paper decided to discuss the above aspects in broader terms along with the possibilities offered by orthodontic treatment. The etiology of Moebius syndrome has not hitherto been discovered, however the opinion prevails that it is brought on by multiple factors and conditions. In the analysed case, Moebius syndrome was diagnosed only when the patient was 6 years old.

Assessment of the role of copy-number variants in 150 patients with congenital heart defects.

Background: Congenital heart defects are the most common group of major birth anomalies and one of the leading causes of infant deaths. Mendelian and chromosomal syndromes account for about 20% of congenital heart defects and in some cases are associated with other malformations, intellectual disability, and/or dysmorphic features. The remarkable conservation of genetic pathways regulating heart development in animals suggests that genetic factors can be responsible for a significantly higher percentage of cases.

Application of custom-designed oligonucleotide array CGH in 145 patients with autistic spectrum disorders.

Autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) are a heterogeneous group of neurodevelopmental disorders, including childhood autism, atypical autism, and Asperger syndrome, with an estimated prevalence of 1.0-2.5% in the general population.

Application of array comparative genomic hybridization in 102 patients with epilepsy and additional neurodevelopmental disorders.

Copy-number variants (CNVs) collectively represent an important cause of neurodevelopmental disorders such as developmental delay (DD)/intellectual disability (ID), autism, and epilepsy. In contrast to DD/ID, for which the application of microarray techniques enables detection of pathogenic CNVs in -10-20% of patients, there are only few studies of the role of CNVs in epilepsy and genetic etiology in the vast majority of cases remains unknown. We have applied whole-genome exon-targeted oligonucleotide array comparative genomic hybridization (array CGH) to a cohort of 102 patients with various types of epilepsy with or without additional neurodevelopmental abnormalities.

[Usefulness of MLPA technique for rapid prenatal detection of aneuploidy. Results of 409 diagnostic studies].

Objectives: The study was aimed to determine diagnostic application of MLPA for rapid prenatal identification of chromosome 13, 18, 21 and X and Y aneuploidies.

Material And Methods: 409 amniotic fluid samples from amniocentesis for fetal karyotyping were studied. DNA was isolated using the QIAmp DNA Blood Midi Kit (348 samples) or through proteinase K treatment (61 samples).

Clinical improvement of the aggressive neurobehavioral phenotype in a patient with a deletion of PITX3 and the absence of L-DOPA in the cerebrospinal fluid.

The development of midbrain dopamine (DA) neurons is regulated by several transcription factors, including Nurr1, Wnt1, Lmx1a/1b, En1, En2, Foxa1, Foxa2, and Pitx3. PITX3 is an upstream co-activator of the TH (tyrosine hydroxylase) promoter. Pitx3(-/-) mice have a selective loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra and ventral tegmental area, leading to the significantly reduced DA levels in the nigrostriatal pathway and in the dorsal striatum and manifest anomalous striatum-dependent cognitive impairment and neurobehavioral activity.

Activity of ozonated water and ozone against Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilms.

Background: The known bactericidal properties of ozone have not been checked in relation to its action on bacterial biofilms. This is especially true of ozonated fluids. The aim of this study was to investigate the bactericidal activity of ozonated water and that of a mixture of ozone and oxygen against biofilms.

Characterization of a 8q21.11 microdeletion syndrome associated with intellectual disability and a recognizable phenotype.

We report eight unrelated individuals with intellectual disability and overlapping submicroscopic deletions of 8q21.11 (0.66-13.

Early-onset seizures due to mosaic exonic deletions of CDKL5 in a male and two females.

Purpose: Mutations in the CDKL5 gene have been associated with an X-linked dominant early infantile epileptic encephalopathy-2. The clinical presentation is usually of severe encephalopathy with refractory seizures and Rett syndrome (RTT)-like phenotype. We attempted to assess the role of mosaic intragenic copy number variation in CDKL5.

[Alpha-thalassemia/mental retardation syndrome (ATR-X) in two brothers - clinical characteristics, diagnostics and genetic counselling issues].

Alpha-thalassemia/mental retardation syndrome (ATR-X) is a neurodevelopmental disorder with characteristic clinical picture as well as presence of pathognomonic haemoglobin H inclusions (HbH) on peripheral blood examination. Typical features of this condition are: severe intellectual impairment, muscular hypotonia, delay of growth, genitourinary/skeletal abnormalities and characteristic facial dysmorphism. Molecular basis of the syndrome constitute mutations in ATR-X gene located on the long arm of X chromosome (Xq13).

Recurrent distal 7q11.23 deletion including HIP1 and YWHAG identified in patients with intellectual disabilities, epilepsy, and neurobehavioral problems.

We report 26 individuals from ten unrelated families who exhibit variable expression and/or incomplete penetrance of epilepsy, learning difficulties, intellectual disabilities, and/or neurobehavioral abnormalities as a result of a heterozygous microdeletion distally adjacent to the Williams-Beuren syndrome region on chromosome 7q11.23. In six families with a common recurrent ∼1.

Severe mental retardation, seizures, and hypotonia due to deletions of MEF2C.

We present four patients, in whom we identified overlapping deletions in 5q14.3 involving MEF2C using a clinical oligonucleotide array comparative genomic hybridization (CGH) chromosomal microarray analysis (CMA). In case 1, CMA revealed an approximately 140 kb deletion encompassing the first three exons of MEF2C in a 3-year-old patient with severe psychomotor retardation, periodic tremor, and an abnormal motor pattern with mirror movement of the upper limbs observed during infancy, hypotonia, abnormal EEG, epilepsy, absence of speech, autistic behavior, bruxism, and mild dysmorphic features.

[Balanced chromosomal rearrangements resulting in intellectual disability. An analysis of 22 cases with application of CGH and FISH methods].

Introduction: In approximately 6% of balanced chromosomal rearrangements carriers, intellectual disability, dysmorphic features and congenital anomalies can be found. The abnormal phenotype might be the result of genomic imbalance or aberrant expression caused by direct breakage of a dosage sensitive gene.

The Aim Of This Study: To estimate the frequency and implication of the submicroscopic chromosomal aberrations on the abnormal phenotypes present in patients with balanced chromosomal rearrangements.