Application of a metatranscriptomics technology, CSI-Dx, for the detection of pathogens associated with prosthetic joint infections.

Preoperative identification of causal organism(s) is crucial for effective prosthetic joint infection treatment. Herein, we explore the clinical application of a novel metatranscriptomic (MT) workflow, CSI-Dx, to detect pathogens associated with prosthetic joint infection. MT provides insight into transcriptionally active microbes, overcoming limitations of culture-based and available molecular methods.

Comparative meta-omics for identifying pathogens associated with prosthetic joint infection.

Prosthetic joint infections (PJI) are economically and personally costly, and their incidence has been increasing in the United States. Herein, we compared 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing (16S), shotgun metagenomics (MG) and metatranscriptomics (MT) in identifying pathogens causing PJI. Samples were collected from 30 patients, including 10 patients undergoing revision arthroplasty for infection, 10 patients receiving revision for aseptic failure, and 10 patients undergoing primary total joint arthroplasty.

A Metatranscriptomics Survey of Microbial Diversity on Surfaces Post-Intervention of cleanSURFACES® Technology in an Intensive Care Unit.

Hospital-acquired infections (HAIs) pose a serious threat to patients, and hospitals spend billions of dollars each year to reduce and treat these infections. Many HAIs are due to contamination from workers' hands and contact with high-touch surfaces. Therefore, we set out to test the efficacy of a new preventative technology, AIONX Antimicrobial Technologies, Inc's cleanSURFACES, which is designed to complement daily chemical cleaning events by continuously preventing re-colonization of surfaces.

Metal-Polymer Complexes of Gallium/Gallium-68 with Copolymers of N-Vinylpyrrolidonewith N-Vinylformamideand N-Vinyliminodiacetic Acid: A Hint for Radiolabeling of Water-Soluble Synthetic Flexible Chain Macromolecules.

Copolymer of N-vinylpyrrolidone (VP) with vinylformamide (VFA) and N-vinyliminodiacetic acid (VIDA) was synthesized; its metal-polymer complexes (MPCs) with gallium were obtained. The complexes were characterized by size exclusion chromatography, hydrodynamic and optical methods, scanning electron microscopy, and spectral methods (UV, IR, Н NMR spectroscopy). It was demonstrated that in going from polymer to complex, hydrodynamic parameters of macromolecules change only slightly, although the polymer contains intramolecular Ga(VIDA) fragments in its structure.

Arsenic disturbs the gut microbiome of individuals in a disadvantaged community in Nepal.

Arsenic is ubiquitous in nature, highly toxic, and is particularly abundant in Southern Asia. While many studies have focused on areas like Bangladesh and West Bengal, India, disadvantaged regions within Nepal have also suffered from arsenic contamination levels, with wells and other water sources possessing arsenic contamination over the recommended WHO and EPA limit of 10 μg/L, some wells reporting levels as high as 500 μg/L. Despite the region's pronounced arsenic concentrations within community water sources, few investigations have been conducted to understand the impact of arsenic contamination on host gut microbiota health.

Microbial Communities Associated With Passive Acidic Abandoned Coal Mine Remediation.

Acid mine drainage (AMD) is an environmental issue that can be characterized by either acidic or circumneutral pH and high dissolved metal content in contaminated waters. It is estimated to affect roughly 3000 miles of waterways within the state of Pennsylvania, with half being acidic and half being circumneutral. To negate the harmful effects of AMD, ∼300 passive remediation systems have been constructed within the state of Pennsylvania.

Integrated Meta-omics Reveals a Fungus-Associated Bacteriome and Distinct Functional Pathways in Clostridioides difficile Infection.

There has been no prior application of matched metagenomics and metatranscriptomics in infection (CDI) evaluating the role of fungi in CDI or identifying community functions that contribute to the development of this disease. We collected diarrheal stools from 49 inpatients (18 of whom tested positive for CDI) under stringent inclusion criteria. We utilized a tiered sequencing approach to identify enriched bacterial and fungal taxa, using 16S and internal transcribed spacer (ITS) rRNA gene amplicon sequencing, with matched metagenomics and metatranscriptomics performed on a subset of the population.

Bacterial Biomarkers of Marcellus Shale Activity in Pennsylvania.

Unconventional oil and gas (UOG) extraction, also known as hydraulic fracturing, is becoming more prevalent with the increasing use and demand for natural gas; however, the full extent of its environmental impacts is still unknown. Here we measured physicochemical properties and bacterial community composition of sediment samples taken from twenty-eight streams within the Marcellus shale formation in northeastern Pennsylvania differentially impacted by hydraulic fracturing activities. Fourteen of the streams were classified as UOG+, and thirteen were classified as UOG- based on the presence of UOG extraction in their respective watersheds.

The Microbial Ecosystem Distinguishes Chronically Diseased Tissue from Adjacent Tissue in the Sigmoid Colon of Chronic, Recurrent Diverticulitis Patients.

Diverticular disease is commonly associated with the older population in the United States. As individual's age, diverticulae, or herniation of the mucosa through the colonic wall, develop. In 10-25% of individuals, the diverticulae become inflamed, resulting in diverticulitis.

Draft Genome Sequence of Type Strain Fl-0169.

We report here the draft genome sequence of the type strain Fl-0169, a member of the complex (MAC). Fl-0169 was isolated from a patient in Italy and is highly similar to strains of isolated in Ireland, although Fl-0169 possesses unique virulence genes.

Microencapsulation of liquid and solid substances by reactive polymers.

This study is devoted to the development of techniques for the formation of polymeric microcapsules (MC) with either liquid or solid core and with the polymer shell containing diverse functional groups on the basis of new reactive functional copolymers (FC). Two approaches to the formation of MC containing FC shell that included the stages of "oil-in-water" or "water-in-oil" dispersion preparation followed by slow extraction of solvents from dispersed phase by dispersive media were examined. FC with the same structure was successfully applied for both "oil-in-water" and "water-in-oil" systems.

Single molecule experiments visualizing adsorbed polyelectrolyte molecules in the full range of mono- and divalent counterion concentrations.

This work provides direct experimental verification (on the level of single molecules) for the behavior of hydrophobic polyelectrolyte chains adsorbed at a solid-liquid interface in the full range of possible salt concentrations: (a) in a dilute salt solution, PE chains possess an extended coil conformation visualized as adsorbed 2D-equilibrated coils; (b) in a moderate salt concentration range, the polymer coil shrinks and approaches the dimensions of a polymer coil under θ-conditions and the chains are visualized as adsorbed 3D-projected coils; (c) at high salt concentrations, the polymer coils reexpand and the molecules are visualized as 2D-equilibrated extended coils; however, (d) reexpansion is limited in the presence of multivalent counterions, presumably due to the bridging of the polymer coils by the counterions.

[Early diagnosis and surgical tactics at acute destructive pancreatitis].

Based on retrospective analysis of 292 case histories of patients with acute pancreatitis the computed model permitted to differentiate destructive and hydropic pancreatitis and to predict clinical course of pancreonecrosis has been constructed. Algorithm of treatment tactics depending on this analysis has been developed. Use of laparoscopy in early period with results of computed prognosis permitted to decrease the rate of diagnostic mistakes at pancreonecrosis from 59.

Design of a new invertible polymer coating on a solid surface and its effect on dispersion colloidal stability.

This article presents a new approach to building up self-adjustable invertible polymer coatings at solid surfaces. The approach is based on a two-step process. In the first step, the surface of dispersed TiO2 or silicon wafers was functionalized with the aid of a reactive copolymer, viz.

Invertible architectures from amphiphilic polyesters.

We synthesized and characterized novel amphiphilic polyesters with both hydrophilic and hydrophobic functionalities. The polyesters are soluble in organic and aqueous media and reveal the formation of inverse architectures whose behavior could be correlated to their chemical structure. We foresee that the amphiphilic properties of the polyesters reported here are obviously the basis of new architectures both in solution and on the solid surfaces, which could be used in a broad range of applications.

Graft polymerization from a silica surface initiated by adsorbed peroxide macroinitiators. I. Adsorption and structure of the adsorbed layer of peroxide macroinitiators on a silica surface.

The adsorption features of two peroxide macroinitiators (PMIs) with various functionalities from their semi-dilute solutions on the silica surface were thoroughly investigated in the present work. These investigations include the study of the adsorption kinetics of PMI in diverse solvents and a detailed examination of the adsorbed layer structure with the aid of ellipsometry, scanning force microscopy (SFM), and contact angle measurements. Rearrangements of PMI macromolecules at the solid surface are supposed to be the main reason for the appearance of extremes on the kinetic curves and, besides, have a more pronounceable effect on adsorption rate than their diffusion rate to the surface even at the initial stage of the process.

[The prognosis of the outcome and the correction of the treatment in bacterial meningitis by using immunological monitoring].

The clinico-etiological characteristics of bacterial meningitides and cellular immunity were studied over time. Measurements were made of the phagocytic index, the phagocytic number, phagocytosis completeness, E-RFC, complementary activity of blood serum (CABS), circulating immune complexes (CIC) and IgA, IgM and IgG. The low phagocytic activity of neutrophils, phagocytosis incompleteness, the high level of CIC, a considerable reduction on CABS were associated with a grave clinical course of bacterial meningitides.

Possible mechanism for laser-induced two-dimensional periodic structures by analogy with the Bénard effect.

An explanation is presented for the formation of periodic structures on solid surfaces under powerful laser irradiation through an analogy to the Bénard effect.

Training of aerospace medicine physicians in the Soviet Union and the United States of America.

The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and the United States of America operate major aerospace medicine programs; each country has taken specific measures to assure the development of an adequate number of trained aerospace medicine physicians. This jointly prepared paper emphasizes the training of aerospace medicine physicians related to civil aerospace activities. Those working in the field of aerospace medicine will find of interest the aerospace medical approaches taken by the U.