Efficacy of Biofeedback Therapy in Clinical Practice for the Management of Chronic Constipation and Fecal Incontinence.

Background: Chronic constipation (CC) and fecal incontinence (FI) are often secondary to pelvic floor neuromuscular sensory or motor dysfunction. Biofeedback therapy (BFT) uses visual and verbal feedback to improve anorectal coordination, strength and sensation. In clinical trials, BFT demonstrated response rates between 70% and 80%.

Metabolic Alterations Contribute to Enhanced Inflammatory Cytokine Production in Irgm1-deficient Macrophages.

The immunity-related GTPases (IRGs) are a family of proteins that are induced by interferon (IFN)-γ and play pivotal roles in immune and inflammatory responses. IRGs ostensibly function as dynamin-like proteins that bind to intracellular membranes and promote remodeling and trafficking of those membranes. Prior studies have shown that loss of Irgm1 in mice leads to increased lethality to bacterial infections as well as enhanced inflammation to non-infectious stimuli; however, the mechanisms underlying these phenotypes are unclear.

The Natural Surfactant Glycerol Monolaurate Significantly Reduces Development of Staphylococcus aureus and Enterococcus faecalis Biofilms.

Background: Bacterial biofilms are involved in a large proportion of clinical infections, including device-related infections. Unfortunately, biofilm-associated bacteria are typically less susceptible to antibiotics, and infected devices must often be removed. On the basis of a recent observation that lipid-rich biofilm matrix material is present in early biofilm formation and may protect a population of bacteria from interacting with ordinarily diffusible small molecules, we hypothesized that surfactants may be useful in preventing biofilm development.

Is there a clinical benefit with a smooth compensator design compared with a plunged compensator design for passive scattered protons?

In proton therapy, passive scattered proton plans use compensators to conform the dose to the distal surface of the planning volume. These devices are custom made from acrylic or wax for each treatment field using either a plunge-drilled or smooth-milled compensator design. The purpose of this study was to investigate if there is a clinical benefit of generating passive scattered proton radiation treatment plans with the smooth compensator design.

The Digital Ageing Atlas: integrating the diversity of age-related changes into a unified resource.

Multiple studies characterizing the human ageing phenotype have been conducted for decades. However, there is no centralized resource in which data on multiple age-related changes are collated. Currently, researchers must consult several sources, including primary publications, in order to obtain age-related data at various levels.

Antibacterial synergy of glycerol monolaurate and aminoglycosides in Staphylococcus aureus biofilms.

Glycerol monolaurate (GML) is a natural surfactant with antimicrobial properties. At ∼0.3 mM, both GML and its component lauric acid were bactericidal for antibiotic-resistant Staphylococcus aureus biofilms.

Palmitoylation of the immunity related GTPase, Irgm1: impact on membrane localization and ability to promote mitochondrial fission.

The Immunity-Related GTPases (IRG) are a family of large GTPases that mediate innate immune responses. Irgm1 is particularly critical for immunity to bacteria and protozoa, and for inflammatory homeostasis in the intestine. Although precise functions for Irgm1 have not been identified, prior studies have suggested roles in autophagy/mitophagy, phagosome remodeling, cell motility, and regulating the activity of other IRG proteins.

Aminoglycoside inhibition of Staphylococcus aureus biofilm formation is nutrient dependent.

Biofilms represent microbial communities, encased in a self-produced matrix or extracellular polymeric substance. Microbial biofilms are likely responsible for a large proportion of clinically significant infections and the multicellular nature of biofilm existence has been repeatedly associated with antibiotic resistance. Classical in vitro antibiotic-susceptibility testing utilizes artificial growth media and planktonic microbes, but this method may not account for the variability inherent in environments subject to biofilm growth in vivo.

Irgm1-deficient mice exhibit Paneth cell abnormalities and increased susceptibility to acute intestinal inflammation.

Crohn's disease (CD) is a chronic, immune-mediated, inflammatory disorder of the intestine that has been linked to numerous susceptibility genes, including the immunity-related GTPase (IRG) M (IRGM). IRGs comprise a family of proteins known to confer resistance to intracellular infections through various mechanisms, including regulation of phagosome processing, cell motility, and autophagy. However, despite its association with CD, the role of IRGM and other IRGs in regulating intestinal inflammation is unclear.

IRG and GBP host resistance factors target aberrant, "non-self" vacuoles characterized by the missing of "self" IRGM proteins.

Interferon-inducible GTPases of the Immunity Related GTPase (IRG) and Guanylate Binding Protein (GBP) families provide resistance to intracellular pathogenic microbes. IRGs and GBPs stably associate with pathogen-containing vacuoles (PVs) and elicit immune pathways directed at the targeted vacuoles. Targeting of Interferon-inducible GTPases to PVs requires the formation of higher-order protein oligomers, a process negatively regulated by a subclass of IRG proteins called IRGMs.

Anoxia inhibits biofilm development and modulates antibiotic activity.

Background: Many infections involve bacterial biofilms that are notoriously antibiotic resistant. Unfortunately, the mechanism for this resistance is unclear. We tested the effect of oxygen concentration on development of Staphylococcus aureus biofilms, and on the ability of gentamicin and vancomycin to inhibit biofilm development.

Ultrastructure of a novel bacterial form located in Staphylococcus aureus in vitro and in vivo catheter-associated biofilms.

Bacterial biofilms are ubiquitous in nature, industry, and medicine, and understanding their development and cellular structure is critical in controlling the unwanted consequences of biofilm growth. Here, we report the ultrastructure of a novel bacterial form observed by scanning electron microscopy in the luminal vegetations of catheters from patients with active Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia. This novel structure had the general appearance of a normal staphylococcal cell but up to 10 to 15 times as large.

Interplay of antibiotics and bacterial inoculum on suture-associated biofilms.

Background: Biofilms are often antibiotic resistant, and it is unclear if prophylactic antibiotics can effectively prevent biofilm formation. Experiments were designed to test the ability of high (bactericidal) concentrations of ampicillin (AMP), vancomycin (VAN), and oxacillin (OXA) to prevent formation of suture-associated biofilms initiated with low (10(4)) and high (10(7)) numbers of Staphylococcus aureus.

Materials And Methods: S.

Relation between antibiotic susceptibility and ultrastructure of Staphylococcus aureus biofilms on surgical suture.

Background: Infectious biofilms are recalcitrant to antimicrobial therapy, but the mechanism(s) responsible for the greater resistance are unclear. Experiments were designed to clarify the association between antibiotic resistance and biofilm ultrastructure.

Methods: Staphylococcus aureus was cultivated for 24 h on silk suture, where robust biofilms formed.

Gentamicin promotes Staphylococcus aureus biofilms on silk suture.

Background: Communities of bacteria, termed biofilms, develop on biotic and abiotic surfaces, including medical devices and surgical suture. Biofilm-associated bacteria are typically recalcitrant to antibiotic therapy, and the effects of antibiotics on microbial biofilms are not clearly understood. There is emerging evidence that under specific conditions, aminoglycosides may actually promote biofilm development.

Immunity-related GTPase M (IRGM) proteins influence the localization of guanylate-binding protein 2 (GBP2) by modulating macroautophagy.

The immunity-related GTPases (IRGs) are a family of proteins induced by interferon-γ that play a crucial role in innate resistance to intracellular pathogens. The M subfamily of IRG proteins (IRGM) plays a profound role in this context, in part because of the ability of its members to regulate the localization and expression of other IRG proteins. We present here evidence that IRGM proteins affect the localization of the guanylate-binding proteins (GBPs), a second family of interferon-induced GTP-binding proteins that also function in innate immunity.

Role of Staphylococcus aureus protein A in adherence to silastic catheters.

Background: Communities of bacteria, termed biofilms, frequently develop on central venous catheters, and bacterial contamination of central venous catheters is the most common cause of nosocomial bloodstream infections. Little is known about the initial events in bacterial adherence to the catheter surface, and experiments were designed to clarify the role of staphylococcal protein A, serum, and immunoglobulin in adherence of Staphylococcus aureus to silastic catheters. We hypothesized that S.

Acceleration of Enterococcus faecalis biofilm formation by aggregation substance expression in an ex vivo model of cardiac valve colonization.

Infectious endocarditis involves formation of a microbial biofilm in vivo. Enterococcus faecalis Aggregation Substance (Asc10) protein enhances the severity of experimental endocarditis, where it has been implicated in formation of large vegetations and in microbial persistence during infection. In the current study, we developed an ex vivo porcine heart valve adherence model to study the initial interactions between Asc10(+) and Asc10(-)E.

Bacterial contamination of surgical suture resembles a biofilm.

Background: Although much attention is currently directed to studying microbial biofilms on a variety of surfaces, few studies are designed to study bacterial growth on surgical suture. The purpose of this study was to compare the kinetic development of Staphylococcus aureus and Enterococcus faecalis on five surgical suture materials and to clarify factors that might influence this growth.

Methods: Pure cultures of S.

Selected factors affecting Staphylococcus aureus within silastic catheters.

Background: Catheter-related infections are frequent complications in hospitalized patients, and Staphylococcus aureus is a frequent etiologic agent. Little is known about factors that contribute to the growth and viability of S. aureus within contaminated catheters.

Regulation of macrophage motility by Irgm1.

IRG are a family of IFN-regulated proteins that are critical for resistance to infection. Mouse IRG proteins are divided into GMS and GKS subfamilies, based on a sequence within the G1 GTP-binding motif. The GMS proteins have a particularly profound impact on immunity, as typified by Irgm1, of which absence leads to a complete loss of resistance to a variety of intracellular bacteria and protozoa.

Escherichia coli and TNF-alpha modulate macrophage phagocytosis of Candida glabrata.

Background: The incidence of systemic nonalbicans Candida (especially C. glabrata) infections is increasing dramatically in intensive care units, but relatively little is known about the pathogenesis or host defenses associated with these life threatening infections.

Materials And Methods: The course of systemic C.

Balance of Irgm protein activities determines IFN-gamma-induced host defense.

The immunity-related GTPases (IRG), also known as p47 GTPases, are a family of proteins that are tightly regulated by IFNs at the transcriptional level and serve as key mediators of IFN-regulated resistance to intracellular bacteria and protozoa. Among the IRG proteins, loss of Irgm1 has the most profound impact on IFN-gamma-induced host resistance at the physiological level. Surprisingly, the losses of host resistance seen in the absence of Irgm1 are sometimes more striking than those seen in the absence of IFN-gamma.

Polyethylene glycol influences microbial interactions with intestinal epithelium.

There is emerging evidence that polyethylene glycol (PEG), widely used as a bowel preparation before surgery, may protect the intestinal epithelium from microbial invasion. Experiments were designed to study the effects of both low-molecular-weight (LMW; 3.35 kd) and high-molecular-weight (HMW; 15-20 kd) PEG on interactions of Escherichia coli, Candida albicans, and Candida glabrata with intestinal epithelium (these three intestinal microbes are frequently involved in systemic infection in shock and trauma patients.

Behavioral characterization of P311 knockout mice.

P311 is an 8-kDa protein that is expressed in many brain regions, particularly the hippocampus, cerebellum and olfactory lobes, and is under stringent regulation by developmental, mitogenic and other physiological stimuli. P311 is thought to be involved in the transformation and motility of neural cells; however, its role in normal brain physiology is undefined. To address this point, P311-deficient mice were developed through gene targeting and their behaviors were characterized.