An efficient Pulsed-Field Gel Electrophoresis (PFGE) method for typing autolytic strains.

Species of lactic acid bacteria, due to their versatile metabolism, are commonly used in food and feed products, both as technological starters and as health- and welfare-promoting agents. Correct strain identification in microbe-containing products is vital, and the Pulsed-Field Gel Electrophoresis (PFGE) typing method is considered the 'gold standard' for this purpose. This typing technique is widely used in molecular epidemiology, especially for the early detection of emerging isolates with food-safety implications, for outbreak surveillance, and for infection control.

sp. nov. (formerly ''), an actinomycete isolated from soil which produces the polyether antibiotic lasalocid.

Strain ATCC 31180 was isolated from soil collected in Hyde Park, Massachusetts (USA), and found to produce the polyether antibiotic lasalocid. The name '' has been in common use since 1974, without a recognized taxonomic description. The most closely related type cultures determined by rRNA gene sequence similarity were DSM 41677 (100 %) and DSM 40089 (100 %).

Permanent work disability in patients ≤50 years old after percutaneous coronary intervention and coronary artery bypass grafting (the CRAGS study).

Background: The aim of this study was to investigate the incidence of permanent working disability (PWD) in young patients after percutaneous or surgical coronary revascularization.

Methods And Results: The study included 1035 consecutive patients ≤50 years old who underwent coronary revascularization [910 and 125 patients in percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) groups, respectively] between 2002 and 2012 at 4 Finnish hospitals. The median follow-up time was 41 months.

Predictors of permanent work disability among ≤50-year-old patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention.

Objectives: This study aimed to describe the incidence and periprocedural predictors of permanent work disability (PWD) pension among patients ≤50 years old who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).

Methods: Patient records of 910 consecutive patients undergoing PCI at four Finnish hospitals in 2002-2012 were reviewed for baseline and procedural data and late adverse events. Data on permanent work disability (PWD) pension allocation were acquired from the Finnish Centre for Pensions, which governs the statutory pension security in Finland.

Immediate outcome after sutureless versus transcatheter aortic valve replacement.

The aim of this study was to compare the immediate outcome of patients undergoing transcatheter (TAVI) versus surgical aortic valve replacement with the sutureless Perceval bioprosthesis (SU-AVR). This is a retrospective multicenter analysis of 773 patients who underwent either TAVI (394 patients, mean age, 80.8 ± 5.

Meta-analysis on the performance of the EuroSCORE II and the Society of Thoracic Surgeons Scores in patients undergoing aortic valve replacement.

Objective: To evaluate the performance of the EuroSCORE II (ESII) and the Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) scores in surgical (SAVR) or transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR).

Design: Systematic review of the literature and meta-analysis.

Setting: University hospitals.

Clinical significance and determinants of the universal definition of perioperative bleeding classification in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass surgery.

Objectives: We evaluated the clinical significance and identified the predictors of the universal definition of perioperative bleeding (UDPB) classes in patients undergoing isolated coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG).

Methods: Data on antithrombotic medication, perioperative bleeding, blood transfusion, and adverse events were available for 2764 patients who had undergone isolated CABG.

Results: The Papworth risk score correlated significantly with the UDPB classes (rate of UDPB class 3-4 and Papworth risk score of 0, 12.

Early and intermediate outcome after aortic valve replacement with a sutureless bioprosthesis: Results of a multicenter study.

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the outcome of aortic valve replacement with the sutureless Perceval S aortic valve bioprosthesis (Sorin Biomedica Cardio Srl, Saluggia, Italy).

Methods: This is a retrospective analysis of 314 patients (mean age, 77.9 ± 5.

Prognosis and disease progression in patients under 50 years old undergoing PCI: the CRAGS (Coronary aRtery diseAse in younG adultS) study.

Objective: Young patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) are generally considered at low procedural risk, but the potentially aggressive nature of coronary artery disease and long expectancy of life expose them to a high risk of recurrent coronary events. The extent and determinants of disease progression in this patient subset remain largely unknown. The aim of the present study was to evaluate general risk factors for late outcomes among patients ≤50 years old who underwent PCI.

Comparison of 30-day and 5-year outcomes of percutaneous coronary intervention versus coronary artery bypass grafting in patients aged≤50 years (the Coronary aRtery diseAse in younG adultS Study).

Data on the outcome of young patients after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) and percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) are scarce. Data on 2,209 consecutive patients aged≤50 years who underwent CABG or PCI were retrospectively collected from 15 European institutions. PCI and CABG had similar 30-day mortality rates (0.

First-time, isolated surgical aortic valve replacement after prior coronary artery bypass surgery: results from the RECORD multicenter registry.

Background: This multicenter study was undertaken to determine the immediate and long-term outcomes in patients undergoing a primary surgical aortic valve replacement (AVR) who had a previous coronary artery bypass graft surgery with patent grafts.

Methods: One hundred and thirteen consecutive patients (mean EuroSCORE II, 10.3 ± 7.

Determinants of outcome after isolated coronary artery bypass grafting in patients aged ≤50 years (from the Coronary aRtery diseAse in younG adultS study).

This study was planned to identify the determinants of outcome after coronary artery bypass (CABG) in young patients. Data on 592 patients aged ≤50 years who underwent CABG from 9 European institutions were collected retrospectively. Twenty-eight percent of patients received at least 2 arterial grafts.

Frequency of and determinants of stroke after surgical aortic valve replacement in patients with previous cardiac surgery (from the Multicenter RECORD Initiative).

Surgical aortic valve replacement (S-AVR) after previous cardiac surgery is expected to be associated with a high rate of adverse events. The aim of this study was to estimate the rate and identify the determinants of postoperative stroke in these patients. This is a multicenter study including 741 patients who underwent S-AVR after previous cardiac surgery.

Validation of EuroSCORE II in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass surgery.

Background: The European System for Cardiac Operative Risk Evaluation II (EuroSCORE II) has been recently developed to improve the performance of the original EuroSCORE. Herein we evaluated its discriminatory ability in predicting the immediate and late outcome after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG).

Methods: Complete data on 1,027 patients who underwent isolated CABG were available for validation of EuroSCORE II and to compare its discriminatory ability with the original EuroSCORE and its Finnish modified version.

Individual surgeon's impact on the risk of re-exploration for excessive bleeding after coronary artery bypass surgery.

Objective: Excessive bleeding requiring re-exploration is a severe complication that may affect the outcome after coronary artery bypass grafting. The authors hypothesized that surgeon performance may contribute significantly to such a complication.

Design: Retrospective.

Impact of ascending aortic wall thickness and atherosclerosis on the intermediate survival after coronary artery bypass surgery.

Objectives: We investigated the prognostic impact of atherosclerosis and wall thickness of the ascending aorta in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG).

Methods: A series of 781 patients who underwent CABG and in whom epiaortic ultrasound was performed to assess the status of the ascending aorta and to measure the thickness of its anterior and lateral walls were the subjects of the present analysis.

Results: At multivariate analysis, thickness of the ascending aortic wall, but not atherosclerosis, was an independent predictor of all-cause intermediate mortality [relative risk (RR): 1.

Use of blood products and risk of stroke after coronary artery bypass surgery.

Background: The impact of blood transfusion on the development of post-operative stroke after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) is not well established. We, therefore, investigated this issue.

Materials And Methods: Complete data on peri-operative blood transfusion were available for 2,226 patients who underwent CABG in three Finnish hospitals.

Timing of preoperative aspirin discontinuation and outcome after elective coronary artery bypass graft surgery.

Objective: Whether aspirin should be discontinued before coronary artery bypass grafting is controversial. The potential benefits and harms associated with late use of aspirin (no discontinuation or discontinuation <3 days before surgery) were investigated in this retrospective, multicenter study.

Design: Retrospective, multicenter study.

Off-pump versus on-pump coronary artery bypass surgery in patients aged 80 years and older: institutional results and meta-analysis.

Patients aged ≥80 years are at high risk of adverse events after coronary artery bypass grafting. This study was performed to evaluate whether off-pump coronary artery bypass surgery (OPCAB) is superior to conventional surgery (CCAB) in these high-risk patients. The outcome of 185 patients aged ≥80 years who underwent OPCAB or CCAB at our institution was reviewed and a meta-analysis on this issue was performed.

Estimating the risk of complications related to re-exploration for bleeding after adult cardiac surgery: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of re-exploration for bleeding after cardiac surgery on the immediate postoperative outcome.

Methods: Systematic review of the literature and meta-analysis of data on re-exploration for bleeding after adult cardiac surgery were performed.

Results: The literature search yielded eight observational studies reporting on 557,923 patients and were included in the present analysis.

Concentrations of bovine lactoferrin and citrate in milk during experimental endotoxin mastitis in early- versus late-lactating dairy cows.

Lactoferrin (Lf) is a molecule naturally present in bovine milk that affects the availability and transport systems of iron. Lf also binds endotoxin (lipopolysaccharide, LPS) of Gram-negative bacteria and modulates the immunological response. In the present study, concentrations of bovine Lf (bLf) and citrate in milk were determined in early (EL) and late (LL) lactating dairy cows, using an experimentally induced endotoxin mastitis model and a crossover design.

Poor late survival after surgical treatment of pleural empyema.

Background: We have evaluated the outcome of patients who underwent surgical treatment of parapneumonic pleural empyema.

Methods: This study included 143 consecutive patients older than 18 years who were operated on for parapneumonic pleural empyema.

Results: The overall survival at 30 days, 3 months, 5 years, and 10 years was 97.

Transfer of plasmid-mediated resistance to tetracycline in pathogenic bacteria from fish and aquaculture environments.

The transferability of a large plasmid that harbors a tetracycline resistance gene tet(S), to fish and human pathogens was assessed using electrotransformation and conjugation. The plasmid, originally isolated from fish intestinal Lactococcus lactis ssp. lactis KYA-7, has potent antagonistic activity against the selected recipients (Lactococcus garvieae and Listeria monocytogenes), preventing conjugation.

Immediate and intermediate outcome after off-pump and on-pump coronary artery bypass surgery in patients with unstable angina pectoris.

Background: We have evaluated the immediate and intermediate outcome after off-pump (OPCAB) and conventional on-pump coronary artery bypass surgery (CCAB) in patients with unstable angina pectoris requiring nitrates infusion until arrival in the operating room.

Methods: A consecutive series of 153 and 161 patients with unrelenting angina pectoris underwent CCAB and OPCAB, respectively. Conversion from OPCAB to beating heart surgery with perfusion occurred in 4 patients.

The use of statins and fate of small abdominal aortic aneurysms.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the value of statins in reducing abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) growth rate and improving freedom from aneurysm repair or rupture. One hundred and twenty-one patients with AAA undergoing ultrasonographic surveillance for at least one year were included in this retrospective study. Patients treated with statins had a decreased linear aneurysm growth rate than those not receiving statins (1.