Expanding the family of genetically encoded voltage indicators with a candidate Heliorhodopsin exhibiting near-infrared fluorescence.

Genetically encoded voltage indicators, particularly those based on microbial rhodopsins, are gaining traction in neuroscience as fluorescent sensors for imaging voltage dynamics with high-spatiotemporal precision. Here we establish a novel genetically encoded voltage indicator candidate based on the recently discovered subfamily of the microbial rhodopsin clade, termed heliorhodopsins. We discovered that upon excitation at 530 to 560 nm, wildtype heliorhodopsin exhibits near-infrared fluorescence, which is sensitive to membrane voltage.

Tumor-associated macrophages respond to chemotherapy by detrimental transcriptional reprogramming and suppressing stabilin-1 mediated clearance of EGF.

Introduction: Tumor resistance to chemotherapy and metastatic relapse account for more than 90% of cancer specific mortality. Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) can process chemotherapeutic agents and impair their action. Little is known about the direct effects of chemotherapy on TAMs.

Autologous Lipofilling Improves Clinical Outcome in Patients With Symptomatic Dermal Scars Through Induction of a Pro-Regenerative Immune Response.

Background: Autologous lipofilling is an emerging procedure to treat and possibly reverse dermal scars and to reduce scar-related pain, but its efficacy and mechanisms are poorly understood.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that repeated lipografts reverse dermal scars by reinitiation of wound healing.

Methods: In a prospective, non-placebo-controlled clinical study, 27 adult patients with symptomatic scars were given 2 lipofilling treatments at 3-month intervals.

Epigenetic Regulation of S100A9 and S100A12 Expression in Monocyte-Macrophage System in Hyperglycemic Conditions.

The number of diabetic patients in Europe and world-wide is growing. Diabetes confers a 2-fold higher risk for vascular disease. Lack of insulin production (Type 1 diabetes, T1D) or lack of insulin responsiveness (Type 2 diabetes, T2D) causes systemic metabolic changes such as hyperglycemia (HG) which contribute to the pathology of diabetes.

SI-CLP inhibits the growth of mouse mammary adenocarcinoma by preventing recruitment of tumor-associated macrophages.

Chitinase-like proteins (CLP) are chitin-binding proteins that lack chitin hydrolyzing activity, but possess cytokine-like and growth factor-like properties, and play crucial role in intercellular crosstalk. Both human and mice express two members of CLP family: YKL-40 and stabilin-1 interacting chitinase-like protein (SI-CLP). Despite numerous reports indicating the role of YKL-40 in the support of angiogenesis, tumor cell proliferation, invasion and metastasis, the role of its structurally related protein SI-CLP in cancer was not reported.

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) in macrophage activation and function in diabetes.

In a diabetic milieu high levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) are induced. This contributes to the vascular complications of diabetes. Recent studies have shown that ROS formation is exacerbated in diabetic monocytes and macrophages due to a glycolytic metabolic shift.

Elaboration of microbiological guidelines as an element of codes of hygienic practices for small and/or less developed businesses to verify compliance with hazard analysis critical control point.

Effective assurance of microbiological food safety practices in small and/or less developed businesses is not yet resolved. Although a start has been made by drafting hygiene codes, feasible methods for verifying manufacturing processes that rely on strict and meaningful criteria to be applied to process points are still lacking. This investigation is a model study with various types of ready-to-eat foods aimed at verifying adequate processing for safety and subsequent meticulous hygienic handling and safe storage of foods in small and/or less developed businesses by the use of quantitative methods for selected indicator organisms, as standardized by the International Organization for Standardization.

Assessment of the microbial integrity, sensu G.S. Wilson, of piped and bottled drinking water in the condition as ingested.

The second half of the 20th century witnessed substantial progress in the assurance and verification of microbiological integrity, i.e., safety and sensory quality, of drinking water.

Advances in the bacteriology of the coliform group: their suitability as markers of microbial water safety.

Advances in the elaboration of novel genomic types of beta-galactosidase-positive Enterobacteriaceae and comprehensive studies of their habitats have resulted in an innovative approach to the assessment of the merits and shortcomings of the thermotrophic and fecal species Escherichia coli and all other coliforms as markers of the microbiological safety of water. As one of the consequences, it is recommended to abolish the "technical" designation fecal coliforms because their current method of detection will result in the isolation of thermotrophic organisms that have been demonstrated, beyond a doubt, to be of environmental, rather than uniquely enteric origin. Additional population studies have demonstrated that none of the coliforms can function as reliable markers for all enteric pathogens (index organisms sensu Ingram), nor be of use in validating adequate processing for safety of raw water, which represents the indicator function of markers, as defined by Ingram.

Impact on human health of Salmonella spp. on pork in The Netherlands and the anticipated effects of some currently proposed control strategies.

The impact on human health of Salmonella spp. on pork in The Netherlands is described. Subsequently, the effects of some currently proposed control strategies in the Dutch pork production chain are evaluated and quantified with the aid of a simple mathematical model.

Salmonella spp. on pork at cutting plants and at the retail level and the influence of particular risk factors.

This article describes the contamination of pork with Salmonella spp. in cutting plants and butchers' shops in The Netherlands and quantifies the influence of several risk factors. When contaminated carcasses are being processed, the main risk factors regarding cross contamination are inapt cleaning and disinfection (OR 12.

Duplex (thermotroph-psychrotroph) quadrant plates: convenient, error-avoiding tools for monitoring of HACCP-contained food lines and for epidemiological investigations under conditions of military or other constraints.

A set of two "two-tier" (thermotroph-psychrotroph) single quadrant plates (QPs) was developed previously to allow convenient enumeration of numbers of colony-forming units of most pertinent pathogenic bacteria or marker bacteria in foods. These include Listeria monocytogenes, Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus, thermotrophic and psychrotrophic Enterobacteriaceae, Clostridium spp., and Enterococcus spp.

The survival and growth of acid-adapted mesophilic pathogens that contaminate meat after lactic acid decontamination.

Lactic acid decontamination (LAD) may adapt pathogens to lactic acid. Such organisms may have an increased resistance to acid and can contaminate meat after LAD. The survival and growth of acid adapted Campylobacter jejuni, Salmonella typhimurium.

Identification, assessment and management of food-related microbiological hazards: historical, fundamental and psycho-social essentials.

Microbiological risk assessment aimed at devising measures of hazard management, should take into account all perceived hazards, including those not empirically identified. It should also recognise that safety cannot be "inspected into" a food. Rather hazard management should be the product of intervention strategies in accordance with the approach made mandatory in the EU Directive 93/43 and the USDA FSIS Pathogen Reduction HACCP system; Final Rule.

Identification, assessment and management of food-related microbiological hazards: historical, fundamental and psycho-social essentials.

Microbiological risk assessment aimed at devising measures of hazard management, should take into account all perceived hazards, including those not empirically identified. It should also recognise that safety cannot be "inspected into" a food. Rather hazard management should be the product of intervention strategies in accordance with the approach made mandatory in the EU Directive 93/43 and the USDA FSIS Pathogen Reduction HACCP system; Final Rule.

Antimicrobial activity among Pseudomonas and related strains of mineral water origin.

Siderophore production in 382 Pseudomonas and related strains of mineral water origin were screened and the antimicrobial activities of 158 of these tested against nine target organisms of health significance. Presence of siderophores could be detected in 54.4% and the majority of strains tested (91.

Fate of low temperature and acid-adapted Yersinia enterocolitica and Listeria monocytogenes that contaminate lactic acid decontaminated meat during chill storage.

Pathogens found in the environment of abattoirs may become adapted to lactic acid used to decontaminate meat. Such organisms are more acid tolerant than non-adapted parents and can contaminate meat after lactic acid decontamination (LAD). The fate of acid-adapted Yersinia enterocolitica and Listeria monocytogenes, inoculated on skin surface of pork bellies 2 h after LAD, was examined during chilled storage.

Identification and quantification of risk factors regarding Salmonella spp. on pork carcasses.

The main elements of a descriptive epidemiological model for Salmonella spp. in Dutch pig slaughterlines, and the subsequent quantification of risk factors regarding the contamination of carcasses, are described. There is a strong correlation between the number of live animals that carry Salmonella spp.

Modified methods for the enumeration of spores of mesophilic Clostridium species in dried foods.

Clostridia constitute markers of limited though definite importance for the microbiological integrity of particular foods processed for safety, provided their application and the results obtained are meticulously considered and guided by proper ecological awareness. Their selective diagnostic enumeration in food specimens relies on their ability to reduce sulphite in agar media, visualised by the presence of ferrous cations leading to the production of black colonies. The composition of the medium used substantially affects the productivity of the procedure.