Lodestar DX, an evaluation: loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) for the diagnosis of urinary tract infection in symptomatic adult females.

Background: Over 404.6 million people are affected worldwide each year by urinary tract infections (UTIs), with ∼237 000 associated deaths globally in 2019. Much more common in women than men, acute UTI occurs in up to 50% of the female population.

Ultra-low content physio-chemically crosslinked gelatin hydrogel improves encapsulated 3D cell culture.

Gelatin-based hydrogels are extensively used for 3D cell culture, bioprinting, and tissue engineering due to their cell-adhesive nature and tunable physio-chemical properties. Gelatin hydrogels for 3D cell culture are often developed using high-gelatin content (frequently 10-15 % w/v) to ensure fast gelation and improved stability. While highly stable, such matrices restrict the growth of encapsulated cells due to creating a dense, restrictive environment around the encapsulated cells.

Evaluation of the Delivery of a Live Attenuated Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome Virus as a Unit Solid Dose Injectable Vaccine.

Solid dose vaccine formulation and delivery systems offer potential advantages over traditional liquid vaccine formulations. In addition to enhanced thermostability, needle-free delivery of unit solid dose injectable (USDI) vaccines offers safe, rapid, and error-free administration, with applicability to both human and animal health. Solid dose formulation technologies can be adapted for delivery of different vaccine formats including live attenuated vaccines, which remain the 'gold standard' for many disease targets.

Fate of antibiotic resistant E. coli and antibiotic resistance genes during full scale conventional and advanced anaerobic digestion of sewage sludge.

Antibiotic resistant bacteria (ARB) and their genes (ARGs) have become recognised as significant emerging environmental pollutants. ARB and ARGs in sewage sludge can be transmitted back to humans via the food chain when sludge is recycled to agricultural land, making sludge treatment key to control the release of ARB and ARGs to the environment. This study investigated the fate of antibiotic resistant Escherichia coli and a large set of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) during full scale anaerobic digestion (AD) of sewage sludge at two U.

Mobile phones as fomites for potential pathogens in hospitals: microbiome analysis reveals hidden contaminants.

Background: Smartphones used in clinical settings harbour potentially pathogenic bacteria, and this may pose an infection risk. Previous studies have relied on culture-based methods.

Aim: To characterize the quantity and diversity of microbial contamination of hospital staff smartphones using culture-dependent and culture-independent methods; to determine the prevalence of antibiotic-resistant potential pathogens; to compare microbial communities of hospital staff and control group phones.

Pathogens manipulate the preference of vectors, slowing disease spread in a multi-host system.

The spread of vector-borne pathogens depends on a complex set of interactions among pathogen, vector, and host. In single-host systems, pathogens can induce changes in vector preferences for infected vs. healthy hosts.

Bacterial Cell Enlargement Requires Control of Cell Wall Stiffness Mediated by Peptidoglycan Hydrolases.

Unlabelled: Most bacterial cells are enclosed in a single macromolecule of the cell wall polymer, peptidoglycan, which is required for shape determination and maintenance of viability, while peptidoglycan biosynthesis is an important antibiotic target. It is hypothesized that cellular enlargement requires regional expansion of the cell wall through coordinated insertion and hydrolysis of peptidoglycan. Here, a group of (apparent glucosaminidase) peptidoglycan hydrolases are identified that are together required for cell enlargement and correct cellular morphology of Staphylococcus aureus, demonstrating the overall importance of this enzyme activity.

Immobilizing live bacteria for AFM imaging of cellular processes.

Coccoid cells of the bacterial species Staphylococcus aureus have been mechanically trapped in lithographically patterned substrates and imaged under growth media using atomic force microscopy (AFM) in order to follow cellular processes. The cells are not perturbed as there is no chemical linkage to the surface. Confinement effects are minimized compared to trapping the cells in porous membranes or soft gels.

Cell wall peptidoglycan architecture in Bacillus subtilis.

The bacterial cell wall is essential for viability and shape determination. Cell wall structural dynamics allowing growth and division, while maintaining integrity is a basic problem governing the life of bacteria. The polymer peptidoglycan is the main structural component for most bacteria and is made up of glycan strands that are cross-linked by peptide side chains.

Characterization of IsaA and SceD, two putative lytic transglycosylases of Staphylococcus aureus.

Bacterial cell wall peptidoglycan is a dynamic structure requiring hydrolysis to allow cell wall growth and division. Staphylococcus aureus has many known and putative peptidoglycan hydrolases, including two likely lytic transglycosylases. These two proteins, IsaA and SceD, were both found to have autolytic activity.

Peptidoglycan N-acetylglucosamine deacetylases from Bacillus cereus, highly conserved proteins in Bacillus anthracis.

The genomes of Bacillus cereus and its closest relative Bacillus anthracis contain 10 polysaccharide deacetylase homologues. Six of these homologues have been proposed to be peptidoglycan N-acetylglucosamine deacetylases. Two of these genes, namely bc1960 and bc3618, have been cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli, and the recombinant enzymes have been purified to homogeneity and further characterized.

Role of a cysteine synthase in Staphylococcus aureus.

The gram-positive human pathogen Staphylococcus aureus is often isolated with media containing potassium tellurite, to which it has a higher level of resistance than Escherichia coli. The S. aureus cysM gene was isolated in a screen for genes that would increase the level of tellurite resistance of E.

Ductal carcinoma in situ of the breast: results of treatment by conservative surgery and definitive irradiation.

Purpose: To determine local control, survivorship, and cosmesis in women with ductal carcinoma in situ treated by conservative surgery and radiation therapy.

Methods And Materials: We retrospectively analyzed the results of treatment in 56 women with in situ carcinoma of the breast, treated between 1976 and 1990 by conservative surgery and irradiation. Two women had bilateral tumors, for a total of 58 breasts at risk.

Morbidity associated with prolonged use of polyvinyl feeding tubes.

In two newborn infants, morbidity was associated with long-term use of polyvinyl chloride feeding tubes. In one case, a hard, sharp catheter was thought to be responsible for peritonitis. In other, the polyvinyl tube hardened into a coil that could only be extricated by introduction of an intraluminal guide wire and prolonged manipulation under fluoroscopic control.