Synergistic Antibacterial and Antibiofilm Activity of the MreB Inhibitor A22 Hydrochloride in Combination with Conventional Antibiotics against and Clinical Isolates.

In the era of antibiotic resistance, the bacterial cytoskeletal protein MreB is presented as a potential target for the development of novel antimicrobials. Combined treatments of clinical antibiotics with anti-MreB compounds may be promising candidates in combating the resistance crisis, but also in preserving the potency of many conventional drugs. This study aimed to evaluate the synergistic antibacterial and antibiofilm activities of the MreB inhibitor A22 hydrochloride in combination with various antibiotics.

In vitro and in vivo study on the effect of antifungal agents on hematopoietic cells in mice.

Liposomal amphotericin B, voriconazole, and caspofungin are currently used for systemic and severe fungal infections. Patients with malignant diseases are treated with granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) for the recovery of granulocytes after chemotherapy or hematopoietic cell (HC) transplantation. Since they have a high incidence of fungal infections, they inevitably receive antifungal drugs for treatment and prophylaxis.

Germinant generation from δ-endotoxin of Bacillus thuringiensis strain 1.1.

The novel finding of this study is that the δ-endotoxin present in the spore coat of Bacillus thuringiensis strain 1.1 (Bt1.1), plays a central role in spore germination by generation of germinant via its β-glucosidase activity and is based on the following: (i) the crystals of Bt1.

Microstructural characterization and comparative evaluation of physical, mechanical and biological properties of three ceramics for metal-ceramic restorations.

Objectives: A wide variety of dental ceramics compositions have been introduced in dental clinical practice in order to combine desired aesthetics with superior mechanical performance. The aim of the present study was to investigate the microstructural changes in three dental ceramics after their sintering according to manufacturers' instructions and to comparatively evaluate some of their physical, mechanical and biological properties.

Methods: The analysis of the phases present in each material before and after sintering was performed with scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD).

Attachment and proliferation of human periodontal ligament fibroblasts on bioactive glass modified ceramics.

In this study, six groups of modified ceramic specimens were constructed and were studied comparatively with dental porcelain (P:control) for their ability to support human periodontal ligament fibroblasts attachment and proliferation. The dental porcelain was initially coated with bioactive glass (PCB) or with a mixture of porcelain and bioactive glass (PCBP) and then calcium-phosphate rich (Ca-P) or hydroxy-carbonate apatite (HCAp) layers were bio-mimetically developed on both surfaces (PCB and PCBP) after immersion in simulated body fluid. The development and characterization of Ca-P and HCAp layers on PCBCa-P, PCBHCAp, PCBPCa-P, PCBPHCAp specimens' surfaces were evaluated by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and further confirmed by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR).

Beta-glucosidase enzymatic activity of crystal polypeptide of the Bacillus thuringiensis strain 1.1.

The crystals of Bacillus thuringiensis strain 1.1 consist of the 140 kDa delta-endotoxin, which exhibits beta-glucosidase enzymatic activity, based on the following data. (i) Purified crystals exhibit beta-glucosidase enzymatic activity.

A single amino acid substitution in the cytoplasmic tail of the glycoprotein B of herpes simplex virus 1 affects both syncytium formation and binding to intracellular heparan sulfate.

Herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) (S) is a spontaneous syncytial mutant derived from the prototype HSV-1(F) after extensive plaque purification, and produces large syncytial plaques on Vero cells. Marker transfer experiments and DNA sequence analysis mapped the syncytial phenotype to a T-C base substitution at codon 787 of the cytoplasmic domain of mature gB, that results in Leu to Pro substitution and consequently belongs to the syn 3 locus. Both the cytoplasmic and the extracellular domains of gB are active in the fusion event since the addition of anti-gB monoclonal antibodies that recognize the extracellular domain of gB prevent HSV-1(S) induced cell fusion.

Comparison of cell proliferation on modified dental ceramics.

The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of substrate characteristics such as chemical composition and surface morphology of dental ceramics to support cell attachment and proliferation. Thus, body (B) and shoulder (S) porcelain differing on their surface morphology and composition were treated with oxides CaO or CaO and P(2)O(5) and four modified ceramics BCa, BCaP, SCa, SCaP were constructed, respectively. The modified ceramics differ from their controls concerning their surface morphology as evaluated by Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), and their surface chemical composition (Na, KP and Ca) as evaluated by Energy Dispersing Spectroscopy (EDS).

Correlation of the insecticidal activity of the Bacillus thuringiensis A4 strain against Bactrocera oleae (Diptera) with the 140-kDa crystal polypeptide.

The crystals of the soil-isolated Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) strain A4 consist of two polypeptides with molecular mass of 140 kDa and 32 kDa that exhibit insecticidal activity against adult flies of Bactrocera oleae (Diptera). Plasmid curing applied to this strain resulted in the isolation of several subclones exhibiting alterations in their crystal polypeptides as well as two acrystalliferous subclones. The crystals of subclone 1.

Antiviral properties of isoborneol, a potent inhibitor of herpes simplex virus type 1.

Isoborneol, a monoterpene and a component of several plant essential oils, showed dual viricidal activity against herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1). First, it inactivated HSV-1 by almost 4 log10 values within 30 min of exposure, and second, isoborneol at a concentration of 0.06% completely inhibited viral replication, without affecting viral adsorption.

Insecticidal activity of strains of Bacillus thuringiensis on larvae and adults of Bactrocera oleae Gmelin (Dipt. Tephritidae).

The olive fly, Bactrocera oleae, is the key pest on olives in the Mediterranean area. The pest can destroy, in some cases, up to 70% of the olive production. Its control relies mainly on chemical treatments, sometimes applied by aircraft over vast areas, with their subsequent ecological and toxicological side effects.

Plasmid patterns of Bacillus thuringiensis strains and isolates.

Bacillus thuringiensis produces crystal proteins which are toxic to several orders of economically important insects and other invertebrates. The genes encoding these toxins reside mainly on plasmids. This report consists of a comparative analysis of the plasmid content of a number of B.

Transformed cells producing the glycoprotein D of HSV-1 are resistant to infection with clinical strains of HSV.

The generality of the resistance exhibited by gD producing cells to HSV-1 infection was tested. We tested three different cell lines producing various amounts of gD for resistance against three HSV-1 strains. The strains used were the prototype laboratory F strain and two recently isolated low passage local clinical strains, VG and VD.

Application of a transformed cell line constitutively expressing HSV-1 polypeptides for the detection of HSV antibodies in human sera by an enzyme immunoassay.

We have previously reported the construction of a cell line BA4, constitutively producing the glycoproteins gD, gG, and alpha 4, the major regulatory protein of HSV-1. These cells have been selected in stepwise increasing concentrations of methotrexate and shown to produce much higher amounts of gD than non-selected cells. Extracts of the selected cells were used in an enzyme linked immunosorbent assay to detect HSV antibodies in human sera obtained from Greek blood donors.

Regulation of glycoprotein D synthesis of herpes simplex virus 1 by alpha 4 protein, the major regulatory protein of the virus, in stably transformed cell lines: effect of the relative gene copy numbers.

Earlier studies concerning gamma 1 gene regulation by the alpha 4 protein, the major regulatory protein of herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1), in stably transformed cell lines, reported conflicting results, i.e., alpha 4 protein positively regulated the gamma 1 gB gene in alpha 4/gB cells, while it negatively regulated the gamma 1 gD gene in alpha 4/BJ cells.

Mapping of the functional domains of the alpha 4 protein of herpes simplex virus 1.

Truncated alpha 4 genes were introduced into BHK tk- cells along with the neomycin phosphotransferase gene, that confers resistance to the eukaryotic antibiotic G418, driven by the HSV-1 beta tk promoter (beta tk- neor). Stably transformed cell lines were obtained and studied for the ability of the resident truncated alpha 4 genes to regulate the expression of the beta tk- neor, and for the ability of the truncated alpha 4 polypeptides to localize to the nuclei of transformed cells. The results indicated that the domain(s) for beta gene induction and for nuclear localization of the alpha 4 protein are located within the N-terminal 288 amino acids of the protein.

Isolation of herpes simplex virus-1 by intracellular membranes of BHK tk- cells.

Baby hamster kidney (BHK tk-) cells infected with herpes simplex virus-1 (HSV-1) showed a large number of virus particles isolated in vesicles characterized by the presence or the absence of ribosomes or inside cisternae of the rough endoplasmic reticulum or the nuclear envelope. The isolation of the virions by intracellular membranes appeared shortly after infection of the cells by HSV-1. These structures persisted for longer periods where no morphological alterations in the infected cells were noted as well as at periods where expression of the late viral genes and the presence of empty capsids or DNA-containing new capsids in the nucleoplasm of BHK tk- cells were detected.