Molecular epidemiological typing of isolates identifies a novel association between genogroup G10557 (G7072) and decreased susceptibility to cefixime, Germany, 2014 to 2017.

BackgroundEmerging antimicrobial resistance (AMR) challenges gonorrhoea treatment and requires surveillance.AimThis observational study describes the genetic diversity of isolates in Germany from 2014 to 2017 and identifies multi-antigen sequence typing (NG-MAST) genogroups associated with AMR or some patient demographics.Methods1,220 gonococcal isolates underwent AMR testing and NG-MAST.

External quality assessment (EQA) of Neisseria gonorrhoeae antimicrobial susceptibility testing in primary laboratories in Germany.

Background: Worldwide, an increase in antimicrobial resistance (AMR) of Neisseria gonorrhoeae has been observed. Until now, no protocol for an external quality assessment (EQA) has been available for Germany. The German gonococcal resistance network (GORENET) performed an EQA of primary laboratories in Germany in order to assess quality of antibiotic susceptibility testing, to gain information about laboratory procedures and to assess the impact of these procedures on test results.

Removal of bacterial fecal indicators, coliphages and enteric adenoviruses from waters with high fecal pollution by slow sand filtration.

The aim of the present study was to estimate the performance of slow sand filtration (SSF) facilities, including the time needed for reaching stabilization (maturation), operated with surface water bearing high fecal contamination, representing realistic conditions of rivers in many emerging countries. Surface water spiked with wastewater was infiltrated at different pore water velocities (PWV) and samples were collected at different migration distances. The samples were analyzed for phages and to a lesser extent for fecal bacteria and enteric adenoviruses.

Spongiispira norvegica gen. nov., sp. nov., a marine bacterium isolated from the boreal sponge Isops phlegraei.

The bacterial strain Gp_4_7.1T, isolated from the marine sponge Isops phlegraei collected at the Sula Ridge off the Norwegian coast, was characterized. The isolate was a motile spirillum that was monopolarly and monotrichously flagellated.

Spongiibacter marinus gen. nov., sp. nov., a halophilic marine bacterium isolated from the boreal sponge Haliclona sp. 1.

Strain HAL40b(T) was isolated from the marine sponge Haliclona sp. 1 collected at the Sula Ridge off the Norwegian coast and characterized by physiological, biochemical and phylogenetic analyses. The isolate was a small rod with a polar flagellum.

Bacillus plakortidis sp. nov. and Bacillus murimartini sp. nov., novel alkalitolerant members of rRNA group 6.

The Gram-positive, alkali- and salt-tolerant marine bacterium strain P203(T) is described together with its closest phylogenetic neighbour, terrestrial isolate LMG 21005(T). Strain P203(T) was isolated from material from the sponge Plakortis simplex that was obtained from the Sula-Ridge, Norwegian Sea. Strain LMG 21005(T) was an undescribed strain that was isolated from a church wall mural in Germany.

A marine Mesorhizobium sp. produces structurally novel long-chain N-acyl-L-homoserine lactones.

Our study focused on a Mesorhizobium sp. that is phylogenetically affiliated by 16S rRNA gene sequence to other marine and saline bacteria of this genus. Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry investigations of the extract obtained from solid-phase extraction of cultures of this bacterium indicated the presence of several N-acyl homoserine lactones (AHLs), with chain lengths of C(10) to C(16).

Quantitative detection of enteroviruses in activated sludge by cell culture and real-time RT-PCR using paramagnetic capturing.

We have compared in extracts of activated sludge the number of enteroviruses detectable with buffalo green monkey (BGM) cell-cultures versus the number of enteroviral genomes determined by reverse-transcription quantitative real-time PCR (RT-qPCR). In order to find conditions adequate for quantifying enteroviral RNA isolated from (waste)water we have investigated affinity capture of RNA with polystyrene beads (Dynabeads). The capture efficiency strongly depended on the genomic region chosen for the affinity binding.

Rapid screening and dereplication of bacterial isolates from marine sponges of the sula ridge by intact-cell-MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry (ICM-MS).

Rapid grouping of bacterial isolates is critical in comprehensive microbial studies of environmental samples or screening programmes e.g. in unknown marine environments where large numbers of strains have to be isolated on different growth media.

Combined intratumor cisplatinum injection and Nd:YAG laser therapy.

Objectives/hypothesis: Interstitial laser therapy (ILT) has become useful for tumor palliation in patients with advanced head and neck cancer. Cisplatinum chemotherapy also is a frequent adjuvant treatment for recurrent tumors, but systemic toxicity limits application. Intratumor cisplatinum injection combined with ILT may improve therapy of these recurrent tumors with reduced toxicity.

Persistence of heterologous nucleic acids after uptake by mammalian cells.

Plasmids containing the complete genome of poliovirus-1 are transcribed at random in transfected cells and give rise to infectious RNA molecules. These generate viruses which can be detected easily in a plaque assay. Using this system, we analyzed the persistence of the biologically active portion of transfected poliovirus cDNA by determining its infectious activity in mammalian cells.

Laser and cisplatinum for treatment of human squamous cell carcinoma.

Objective: Interstitial laser therapy (ILT) with the neodymium:yttrium-aluminum-garnet (Nd:YAG) (1064 nm) laser via fiberoptics is becoming a more precise, minimally invasive alternative for thermoablation of unresectable or recurrent head and neck neoplasms, but recurrence is often seen at the margin. Combining intratumor chemotherapy with interstitial laser should be most effective using drugs activated by thermal energy. The objective of the current study was to test intratumor cisplatinum (cis-diaminedichloroplatinum [CDDP]) injections given in conjunction with laser therapy as an experimental approach for improved treatment of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC).

Improved photochemotherapy of malignant cells with daunomycin and the KTP laser.

Laser photochemotherapy of malignancies may become an effective palliative treatment for advanced had and neck cancer using light-sensitive, chemotherapeutic drugs activated in tumors via interstitial laser fiberoptics. Previously, it was reported that cultured human P3 squamous cells incubated 2 hours with daunomycin (Dn) exhibited tenfold enhanced cytotoxicity after exposure to argon laser light at 514 nm. This short-term uptake leads to drug localization in cytoplasmic and membrane sites prior to nuclear accumulation and daunomycin topoisomerase inhibition.

Anthrapyrazoles and interstitial laser phototherapy for experimental treatment of squamous cell carcinoma.

Interstitial laser therapy (ILT) is an effective palliative treatment for advanced head and neck cancer, but recurrence often is seen at the margin. The objective of the current study was to test combined drug and laser therapy as an experimental approach for improved treatment of human squamous cell carcinoma (SCCA). Human SCCA tumor transplants were grown in nude mice and injected with the photosensitive anthrapyrazole CI-941 before ILT.

Laser chemotherapy of human carcinoma cells with three new anticancer drugs.

A new experimental therapy for squamous carcinoma was tested by sensitizing human tumor cells with light-sensitive anticancer drugs followed by laser illumination at visible or infrared wavelengths. The anthrapyrazole DUP-941 and the isoquinoline derivative DUP-840 were compared with the dianthraquinone hypericin. P3 human squamous carcinoma cells were incubated for 2 h with the drugs at escalating doses ranging from 5 to 100 micrograms/ml, then exposed to visible green 532-nm or infrared 1064-nm light at 300 J output from a KTP/Nd:YAG laser.

Cisplatinum and interstitial laser therapy for advanced head and neck cancer: a preclinical study.

Background And Objective: Direct intratumor injection of cisplatinum (CDDP) and laser therapy were tested for improved treatment of squamous cell carcinoma (SCCA).

Study Design/materials And Methods: Human SCCA tumors were grown as s.c.

Molecular marker analysis of Salmonella typhimurium from surface waters, humans, and animals.

Salmonella contamination of North Sea water was detected for the first time in 1988 in Germany during routine examinations of bathing areas. Since then, subsequent isolations along the coast have been reported regularly. To define the source of contamination, strains isolated from seawater and rivers were studied by molecular marker methods.

An in vitro embryotoxicity assay using the differentiation of embryonic mouse stem cells into haematopoietic cells.

The earliest identified state of a specific cell in mammalian embryonic development is the embryonic stem cell (ES cell). The murine ES cell line D3 was used to establish conditions that allow a reproducible differentiation of ES cells in culture. The development of haematopoietic cells in semi-solid medium parallels to some extent the onset of haematopoiesis in the developing embryo.

Helper activity for gene expression, a novel function of the SV40 enhancer.

In this investigation we demonstrate that the enhancer of SV40 possesses an additional function which is a 'helper activity' for a more efficient transfer of viral DNA from the cytoplasm into the nucleus. After DNA transfection into rat-2 cells, the rate of CAT gene expression linked to SV40 promoter/enhancer (pSV2CAT) was approximately 50 fold higher than linked to the tk promoter (pBLCAT2). After direct nuclear microinjection this difference was reduced to a factor of 10.

Homologous recombination of SV40 DNA in COS7 cells occurs with high frequency in a gene dose independent fashion.

Homologous recombination between microinjected SV40 DNA fragments and endogenous SV40 DNA in COS7 cells was analysed by immunofluorescence staining and DNA blotting. Time course experiments revealed that recombination between the transferred (trans) DNA and the chromosomal DNA occurred about 8 hours after microinjection with high efficiency in a gene dose independent fashion. Deletions of up to 1018 basepairs (bp) within the early or the late SV40 region were efficiently repaired after the transfer of linear but not of circular DNA molecules.