Evaluation of the QIAstat-Dx Meningitis/Encephalitis Panel, a multiplex PCR platform for the detection of community-acquired meningoencephalitis.

Rapid identification of the causative pathogens of central nervous system infections is essential for providing appropriate management and improving patient outcomes. The performance of QIAstat-Dx Meningitis/Encephalitis (ME) Panel-a multiplex PCR testing platform-in detecting pathogens implicated in meningitis and/or encephalitis was evaluated using BioFire FilmArray ME Panel as a comparator method. This multicenter study analyzed 585 retrospective residual cerebrospinal fluid specimens and 367 contrived specimens.

Flagellin phase-dependent swimming on epithelial cell surfaces contributes to productive Salmonella gut colonisation.

The flagellum is a sophisticated nanomachine and an important virulence factor of many pathogenic bacteria. Flagellar motility enables directed movements towards host cells in a chemotactic process, and near-surface swimming on cell surfaces is crucial for selection of permissive entry sites. The long external flagellar filament is made of tens of thousands subunits of a single protein, flagellin, and many Salmonella serovars alternate expression of antigenically distinct flagellin proteins, FliC and FljB.

Brucella abortus Induces the Premature Death of Human Neutrophils through the Action of Its Lipopolysaccharide.

Most bacterial infections induce the activation of polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMNs), enhance their microbicidal function, and promote the survival of these leukocytes for protracted periods of time. Brucella abortus is a stealthy pathogen that evades innate immunity, barely activates PMNs, and resists the killing mechanisms of these phagocytes. Intriguing clinical signs observed during brucellosis are the low numbers of Brucella infected PMNs in the target organs and neutropenia in a proportion of the patients; features that deserve further attention.

In vitro evaluation of the antielastase activity of polycyclic β-lactams.

A series of bi- and tricyclic β-lactam compounds was synthesized and evaluated as inhibitors of cleavage of synthetic substrates in vitro by the serine proteases Human Leukocyte Elastase (HLE), Human Leukocyte Proteinase 3 (HLPR3) and Porcine Pancreatic Elastase (PPE). The obtained results have permitted us to describe a homobenzocarbacephem compound as HLE and HLPR3 inhibitor, to observe the positive effect that the styryl group exerts on the HLE inhibitory activity in polycyclic β-lactam compounds and to conclude that the hydroxyl function decreases the HLE inhibitory activity or rules it out completely.

Modeling the Arabidopsis seed shape by a cardioid: efficacy of the adjustment with a scale change with factor equal to the Golden Ratio and analysis of seed shape in ethylene mutants.

A new model for the description of Arabidopsis seed shape based on the comparison of the outline of its longitudinal section with a transformed cardioid is presented. The transformation consists of scaling the horizontal axis by a factor equal to the Golden Ratio. The elongated cardioid approximates the shape of the Arabidopsis seed with more accuracy than other figures.

A Toll-like receptor 2-integrin beta3 complex senses bacterial lipopeptides via vitronectin.

Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2) initiates inflammation in response to bacterial lipopeptide (BLP). However, the molecular mechanisms enabling the detection of BLP by TLR2 are unknown. Here we investigated the interaction of BLP with human serum proteins and identified vitronectin as a BLP-recognition molecule.

What is the role of Toll-like receptors in bacterial infections?

Innate immunity relies on signalling by Toll-like receptors (TLRs) to alert the immune system of the presence of invading bacteria. TLR activation leads to the release of cytokines that allow for effective innate and adaptive immune responses. However, the contribution of different TLRs depends on the site of the infection and the pathogen.

The prohibitin genes in Arabidopsis thaliana: expression in seeds, hormonal regulation and possible role in cell cycle control during seed germination.

A fragment encoding a partial sequence of a prohibitin (Phb) gene was isolated. The expression of Phb mRNA and protein in seeds of wild type and mutant Arabidopsis thaliana is presented. Phb mRNA is abundant in wild-type seeds; thus, it may have sequence or structural characteristics responsible for this stability.

cDNA-AFLP analysis of seed germination in Arabidopsis thaliana identifies transposons and new genomic sequences.

A cDNA-AFLP experiment was designed to identify and clone nucleotide sequences induced during seed germination in Arabidopsis thaliana. Sequences corresponding to known genes involved in processes important for germination, such as mitochondrial biogenesis, protein synthesis and cell cycle progression, were isolated. Other sequences correspond to Arabidopsis BAC clones in regions where genes have not been annotated.

Apoptotic vesicles crossprime CD8 T cells and protect against tuberculosis.

CD8 T lymphocytes are important effectors in protective immunity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis. We recently characterized the detour pathway of CD8 T cell activation in tuberculosis mediated by apoptotic vesicles from infected cells that transport mycobacterial antigens to dendritic cells (DCs). Here we demonstrate that apoptotic vesicles from mycobacteria-infected macrophages stimulate CD8 T cells in vivo.

Proinflammatory effects of bacterial recombinant human C-reactive protein are caused by contamination with bacterial products, not by C-reactive protein itself.

Intravenous administration to human volunteers of a commercial preparation of recombinant human C-reactive protein (CRP) produced in Escherichia coli was recently reported in this journal to induce an acute phase response of serum amyloid A protein (SAA) and of CRP itself, and to activate the coagulation system. The authors concluded that CRP is probably a mediator of atherothrombotic disease. Here we confirm that this recombinant CRP preparation was proinflammatory both for mouse macrophages in vitro and for mice in vivo, but show that pure natural human CRP had no such activity.