The Human Digestive Tract Is Capable of Degrading Gluten from Birth.

The human gastrointestinal system has the capacity to metabolize dietary gluten. The capacity to degrade gliadin-derived peptide is present in humans from birth and increases during the first stages of life (up to 6-12 months of age). Fecal samples from 151 new-born and adult non-celiac disease (NCD) volunteers were collected, and glutenase and glianidase activities were evaluated.

Evaluation of bacterial adhesion in exposed orbital implants using electron microscopy and microbiological culture.

Three cases are presented of anophthalmic patients with exposed orbital implants. Although only one patient showed evident clinical signs of infection, all three implants were studied to determine the presence of microorganisms adhered to their surface using a scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and microbiological culture. The SEM allowed the visualisation of microorganisms adhered to the three implants, although only one of them showed growth in the microbiological cultures.

Conjunctival flora in anophthalmic patients: microbiological spectrum and antibiotic sensitivity.

Aim: To identify the spectrum and susceptibility pattern of isolated microorganisms from conjunctival flora of anophthalmic patients.

Methods: A cross-sectional clinical study including 60 patients with unilateral anophthalmia. Patients with use of antibiotic drops in their socket during the last month were also included.

The role of RcsA in the adaptation and survival of Escherichia coli K92.

The Rcs phosphorelay is a two-component signal transduction system that senses stressful environmental signals such as desiccation or low temperatures, which serve as natural inducers in bacteria. RcsA is an important coregulator in this system involved in some functions regulated by the Rcs system, including biofilm formation and capsule synthesis. In this sense, we previously showed that RcsA is necessary for colanic acid synthesis in Escherichia coli K92.

adherence of conjunctival bacteria to different oculoplastic materials.

Aim: To investigate the resistance to bacterial adhesion of materials used in oculoplastic surgery, particularly materials used in the manufacture of orbital implants.

Methods: Seven organisms of conjunctival flora (two strains of and one strain each of , , , , and ) were selected. A lactic acid bacterium () was also included as positive control because of its well-known adhesion ability.