Publications by authors named "K Blanke"

Three water isolates were previously identified as promising antibiotic producers from freshwater sources in Wisconsin, United States. Each isolate produced effective antibiotics against three or more bacterial relatives of antibiotic resistant pathogens. The isolates were identified as , , and through 16S rRNA sequencing and further characterized with biochemical tests to verify the genus and species of each isolate.

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Antibiotics are produced by microorganisms as defense mechanisms against bacteria and have treated bacterial infections for decades. Most of the current antibiotics are extracted from soil bacteria, and no new antibiotic class has been found in nearly 40 years. However, antibiotic-producing bacteria were discovered on tree bark, emphasizing that other environments should be explored for these bacteria.

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Soil is a common source for identifying antibiotic-producing bacteria; however, other ecosystems in nature may contain novel bacteria capable of producing antibiotics. Bark from seven tree species was collected as a new source to culture bacterial isolates that were screened against nine tester bacteria related to antibiotic resistant pathogens. Five of the seven tree species contained isolates that showed antibiotic production against at least one of the tester bacteria.

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Background: The current two-stage study focused on work integration and quality of life of patients in an acute psychiatric day care unit. There is evidence that a longer absence from work due to illness negatively affects job retention, life satisfaction and clinical prognosis. Furthermore, there are individual supportive methods that proved to be effective in work integration.

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Objective: The purpose of this study was to identify risk factors for distal adding on (AO) or distal junctional kyphosis (DJK) in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) treated by posterior spinal fusion (PSF) to L3 with a minimum 2-year follow-up.

Methods: AIS patients undergoing PSF to L3 by two senior surgeons from 2000-2010 were analyzed. Distal AO and DJK were deemed poor radiographic results and defined as >3 cm of deviation from L3 to the center sacral vertical line (CSVL), or >10° angle at L3-4 on the posterior anterior- or lateral X-ray at ultimate follow-up.

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