The role of bacterial size, shape and surface in macrophage engulfment of uropathogenic E. coli cells.

Uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC) can undergo extensive filamentation in the host during acute urinary tract infections (UTIs). It has been hypothesised that this morphological plasticity allows bacteria to avoid host immune responses such as macrophage engulfment. However, it is still unclear what properties of filaments are important in macrophage-bacteria interactions.

Multispecies bacterial invasion of human host cells.

Urinary tract infection (UTI), one of the most common bacterial infections worldwide, is a typical example of an infection that is often polymicrobial in nature. While the overall infection course is known on a macroscale, bacterial behavior is not fully understood at the cellular level and bacterial pathophysiology during multispecies infection is not well characterized. Here, using clinically relevant bacteria, human epithelial bladder cells and human urine, we establish co-infection models combined with high resolution imaging to compare single- and multi-species bladder cell invasion events in three common uropathogens: uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC), Klebsiella pneumoniae and Enterococcus faecalis.

Fluid handling by foam wound dressings: From engineering theory to advanced laboratory performance evaluations.

This article describes the contemporary bioengineering theory and practice of evaluating the fluid handling performance of foam-based dressings, with focus on the important and clinically relevant engineering structure-function relationships and on advanced laboratory testing methods for pre-clinical quantitative assessments of this common type of wound dressings. The effects of key wound dressing material-related and treatment-related physical factors on the absorbency and overall fluid handling of foam-based dressings are thoroughly and quantitively analysed. Discussions include exudate viscosity and temperature, action of mechanical forces and the dressing microstructure and associated interactions.

Patterns of host-parasite associations between marine meiofaunal flatworms (Platyhelminthes) and rhytidocystids (Apicomplexa).

Microturbellarians are abundant and ubiquitous members of marine meiofaunal communities around the world. Because of their small body size, these microscopic animals are rarely considered as hosts for parasitic organisms. Indeed, many protists, both free-living and parasitic ones, equal or surpass meiofaunal animals in size.

Application of nanotags and nanobodies for live cell single-molecule imaging of the Z-ring in Escherichia coli.

Understanding where proteins are localized in a bacterial cell is essential for understanding their function and regulation. This is particularly important for proteins that are involved in cell division, which localize at the division septum and assemble into highly regulated complexes. Current knowledge of these complexes has been greatly facilitated by super-resolution imaging using fluorescent protein fusions.

Rapid separation of bacteria from primary nasal samples using inertial microfluidics.

Microbial populations play a crucial role in human health and the development of many diseases. These diseases often arise from the explosive proliferation of opportunistic bacteria, such as those in the nasal cavity. Recently, there have been increases in the prevalence of these opportunistic pathogens displaying antibiotic resistance.

Urbanization causes biotic homogenization of woodland bird communities at multiple spatial scales.

Urbanization is a major contributor to biodiversity declines. However, studies assessing effects of urban landscapes per se (i.e.

Signal amplification of using a standardized translation initiation region.

is a genetic fragment that regulates the expression of the operon in bacteria, which is required for the metabolism of L-arabinose. It is widely used in bioengineering applications because it can drive regulatable and titratable expression of genes and genetic pathways in microbial cell factories. A notable limitation of is that it generates a low signal when induced with high concentrations of L-arabinose (the maximum ON state).

Assembly dynamics of FtsZ and DamX during infection-related filamentation and division in uropathogenic E. coli.

During infection of bladder epithelial cells, uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC) can stop dividing and grow into highly filamentous forms. Here, we find that some filaments of E. coli UTI89 released from infected cells grow very rapidly and by more than 100 μm before initiating division, whereas others do not survive, suggesting that infection-related filamentation (IRF) is a stress response that promotes bacterial dispersal.

Nanoscale dynamics of peptidoglycan assembly during the cell cycle of Streptococcus pneumoniae.

Dynamics of cell elongation and septation are key determinants of bacterial morphogenesis. These processes are intimately linked to peptidoglycan synthesis performed by macromolecular complexes called the elongasome and the divisome. In rod-shaped bacteria, cell elongation and septation, which are dissociated in time and space, have been well described.

Treadmilling FtsZ polymers drive the directional movement of sPG-synthesis enzymes via a Brownian ratchet mechanism.

The FtsZ protein is a central component of the bacterial cell division machinery. It polymerizes at mid-cell and recruits more than 30 proteins to assemble into a macromolecular complex to direct cell wall constriction. FtsZ polymers exhibit treadmilling dynamics, driving the processive movement of enzymes that synthesize septal peptidoglycan (sPG).

Client Experience with the Ontario Birth Center Demonstration Project.

Introduction: In 2014, 2 new freestanding midwifery-led birth centers opened in Ontario, Canada. As one part of a larger mixed-methods evaluation of the first year of operations of the centers, our primary objective was to compare the experiences of women receiving midwifery care who intended to give birth at the new birth centers with those intending to give birth at home or in hospital.

Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional survey of women cared for by midwives with admitting privileges at one of the 2 birth centers.

An OregonGreen488-labelled d-amino acid for visualizing peptidoglycan by super-resolution STED nanoscopy.

Fluorescent d-amino acids (FDAAs) are molecular probes that are widely used for labelling the peptidoglycan layer of bacteria. When added to growing cells they are incorporated into the stem peptide by a transpeptidase reaction, allowing the timing and localization of peptidoglycan synthesis to be determined by fluorescence microscopy. Herein we describe the chemical synthesis of an OregonGreen488-labelled FDAA (OGDA).

Spo0J and SMC are required for normal chromosome segregation in Staphylococcus aureus.

Bacterial chromosome segregation is an essential cellular process that is particularly elusive in spherical bacteria such as the opportunistic human pathogen Staphylococcus aureus. In this study, we examined the functional significance of a ParB homologue, Spo0J, in staphylococcal chromosome segregation and investigated the role of the structural maintenance of chromosomes (SMC) bacterial condensin in this process. We show that neither spo0J nor smc is essential in S.

Detecting Gold Biomineralization by Biofilms on a Quartz Crystal Microbalance.

The extensive use of gold in sensing, diagnostics, and electronics has led to major concerns in solid waste management since gold and other heavy metals are nonbiodegradable and can easily accumulate in the environment. Moreover, gold ions are extremely reactive and potentially harmful for humans. Thus, there is an urgent need to develop reliable methodologies to detect and possibly neutralize ionic gold in aqueous solutions and industrial wastes.

The Bacterial DNA Binding Protein MatP Involved in Linking the Nucleoid Terminal Domain to the Divisome at Midcell Interacts with Lipid Membranes.

Division ring formation at midcell is controlled by various mechanisms in , one of them being the linkage between the chromosomal Ter macrodomain and the Z-ring mediated by MatP, a DNA binding protein that organizes this macrodomain and contributes to the prevention of premature chromosome segregation. Here we show that, during cell division, just before splitting the daughter cells, MatP seems to localize close to the cytoplasmic membrane, suggesting that this protein might interact with lipids. To test this hypothesis, we investigated MatP interaction with lipids We found that, when encapsulated inside vesicles and microdroplets generated by microfluidics, MatP accumulates at phospholipid bilayers and monolayers matching the lipid composition in the inner membrane.

Cell shape-independent FtsZ dynamics in synthetically remodeled bacterial cells.

FtsZ is the main regulator of bacterial cell division. It has been implicated in acting as a scaffolding protein for other division proteins, a force generator during constriction, and more recently, as an active regulator of septal cell wall production. FtsZ assembles into a heterogeneous structure coined the Z-ring due to its resemblance to a ring confined by the midcell geometry.

and Impact Cell Envelope Biogenesis, the Biofilm Matrix, and Biofilm Biophysical Properties.

Proper envelope biogenesis of , a biofilm-forming and dental caries-causing oral pathogen, requires two paralogs ( and ) of the universally conserved YidC/Oxa1/Alb3 family of membrane integral chaperones and insertases. The deletion of either paralog attenuates virulence , but the mechanisms of disruption remain unclear. Here, we determined whether the deletion of affects cell surface properties, extracellular glucan production, and/or the structural organization of the exopolysaccharide (EPS) matrix and biophysical properties of biofilm.

Outcomes for the First Year of Ontario's Birth Center Demonstration Project.

Introduction: In 2014, Ontario opened 2 stand-alone midwifery-led birth centers. Using mixed methods, we evaluated the first year of operations for quality and safety, client experience, and integration into the maternity care community. This article reports on our study of safety and quality of care.

The Integration of Ontario Birth Centers into Existing Maternal-Newborn Services: Health Care Provider Experiences.

Introduction: In 2014, 2 freestanding, midwifery-led birth centers opened in Ontario, Canada. The purpose of this study was to qualitatively investigate the integration of the birth centers into the local, preexisting intrapartum systems from the perspective of health care providers and managerial staff.

Methods: Focus groups or interviews were conducted with health care providers (paramedics, midwives, nurses, physicians) and managerial staff who had experienced urgent and/or nonurgent maternal or newborn transports from a birth center to one of 4 hospitals in Ottawa or Toronto.

Nanoplasmonics for Real-Time and Label-Free Monitoring of Microbial Biofilm Formation.

Microbial biofilms possess intrinsic resistance against conventional antibiotics and cleaning procedures; thus, a better understanding of their complex biological structures is crucial in both medical and industrial applications. Existing laboratory methodologies have focused on macroscopic and mostly indirect characterization of mechanical and microbiological properties of biofilms adhered on a given substrate. However, the kinetics underlying the biofilm formation is not well understood, while such information is critical to understanding how drugs and chemicals influence the biofilm formation.