Cytocompatibility of titanium and poly(etheretherketone) surfaces after O2 non-thermal plasma sterilization.

The sterilization of medical devices is paramount to achieve an acceptable level of sterility assurance and to prevent hospital-acquired infections. However, some medical devices cannot be sterilized by usual processes such as autoclave (AC) and gamma-ray irradiation (GI). A new non-thermal plasma (NTP) process using sealed bag that preserves the sterile state of the devices could be used as an alternative sterilization method.

Inactivation of Enveloped Bovine Viral Diarrhea Virus and Non-Enveloped Porcine Parvovirus Using Low-Pressure Non-Thermal Plasma.

As the worldwide population has been experiencing since 2020, viruses represent a serious threat to global well-being. To avoid viral transmission through surgery or medical examination, sterilization of medical material is needed. From emerging sterilization processes, the use of non-thermal plasma (NTP) arises as a promising technique to efficiently reduce microbial burden on medical devices, including new complex polymers as thermosensitive ones.

Innovative non-thermal plasma disinfection process inside sealed bags: Assessment of bactericidal and sporicidal effectiveness in regard to current sterilization norms.

In this work, we developed a device capable to generate a non-thermal plasma discharge inside a sealed bag. The aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness of the oxygen, nitrogen and argon plasma sterilization on Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus subtilis spores according to the NF EN 556 Norm. Moreover the bag integrity which is a critical key to maintain the sterile state of items after the end of the process was verified by Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) and X-ray Photoelectron Spectrometry (XPS) analyses.

AsrR is an oxidative stress sensing regulator modulating Enterococcus faecium opportunistic traits, antimicrobial resistance, and pathogenicity.

Oxidative stress serves as an important host/environmental signal that triggers a wide range of responses in microorganisms. Here, we identified an oxidative stress sensor and response regulator in the important multidrug-resistant nosocomial pathogen Enterococcus faecium belonging to the MarR family and called AsrR (antibiotic and stress response regulator). The AsrR regulator used cysteine oxidation to sense the hydrogen peroxide which results in its dissociation to promoter DNA.

Galleria mellonella as a model for studying Enterococcus faecium host persistence.

Enterococcus faecium is an opportunistic pathogen responsible for numerous outbreaks worldwide. The basis for the colonization capacities, host persistence and environmental stress response of the hospital-adapted clones emerging from E. faecium are poorly understood.

ßarrestin1-biased agonism at human δ-opioid receptor by peptidic and alkaloid ligands.

We have previously reported on the differential regulation of the human δ-opioid receptor (hDOR) by alkaloid (etorphine) and peptidic (DPDPE and deltorphin I) ligands, in terms of both receptor desensitization and post-endocytic sorting. Since ßarrestins are well known to regulate G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) signaling and trafficking, we therefore investigated the role of ßarrestin1 (the only isoform expressed in our cellular model) in the context of the hDOR. We established clonal cell lines of SK-N-BE cells over-expressing ßarrestin1, its dominant negative mutant (ßarrestin1(319-418)), and shRNA directed against endogenous ßarrestin1.