Impact of water content and temperature on the degradation of Cry1Ac protein in leaves and buds of Bt cotton in the soil.

Determining the influence of soil environmental factors on degradation of Cry1Ac protein from Bt cotton residues is vital for assessing the ecological risks of this commercialized transgenic crop. In this study, the degradation of Cry1Ac protein in leaves and in buds of Bt cotton in soil was evaluated under different soil water content and temperature settings in the laboratory. An exponential model and a shift-log model were used to fit the degradation dynamics of Cry1Ac protein and estimate the DT50 and DT90 values.

Analysis of clinical parameters and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging as predictors of outcome in pediatric myocarditis.

Myocarditis causes significant morbidity and mortality in pediatric patients, with potential adverse outcomes including heart failure, transplantation requirement, and/or death. The objective of this study was to determine predictors of early and late poor outcomes, defined as requirement for extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, ventricular assist device, transplantation, or death in pediatric myocarditis patients. A retrospective cohort study was conducted to evaluate pediatric myocarditis presenting over a 5-year period at a pediatric institution.

Central line-associated bloodstream infections in neonates with gastrointestinal conditions: developing a candidate definition for mucosal barrier injury bloodstream infections.

Objective: To develop a candidate definition for central line-associated bloodstream infection (CLABSI) in neonates with presumed mucosal barrier injury due to gastrointestinal (MBI-GI) conditions and to evaluate epidemiology and microbiology of MBI-GI CLABSI in infants.

Design: Multicenter retrospective cohort study.

Setting: Neonatal intensive care units from 14 US children's hospitals and pediatric facilities.

Application of a modified microbiologic criterion for identifying pediatric ventilator-associated pneumonia.

Background: Prevention of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) is a major patient safety goal, but accurate identification of VAP in pediatric patients remains challenging.

Methods: We performed a retrospective cohort study to demonstrate feasibility of endotracheal culture and Gram's stain to support VAP diagnosis. Pediatric intensive care unit and cardiac intensive care unit patients with ≥ 1 endotracheal specimen having growth of ≥ 1 organism in conjunction with moderate/many polymorphonuclear leukocytes (ie, the modified microbiologic criterion) were included.

[Gene expression profiling of three tissues of chicken after heat stress treatment by microarray technique].

In the present study, tissue samples were collected from the cerebrum, liver, and leg muscle of 8-day-old dwarf chicks that were exposed to a 3 h treatment of 28℃± 1℃ (control group) or 40℃± 1℃ (treatment group). Differentially expressed (DE) genes in these samples were detected using whole-genome microarray chips, and their functions were.

The ultrastructure of type I collagen at nanoscale: large or small D-spacing distribution?

D-Spacing is the most significant topographic feature of type I collagen fibril, and it is important for our understanding of the structure and function in collagens. Traditionally, the D-spacing of type I collagen fibril was shown to have a singular value of 67 nm, but recent works indicated that the D-spacing values have a large distribution of up to 10 nm when measured by atomic force microscopy. We found that this large distribution of D-spacing values mainly resulted from image drift during measurement.

Trichokonins from Trichoderma pseudokoningii SMF2 induce resistance against Gram-negative Pectobacterium carotovorum subsp. carotovorum in Chinese cabbage.

Peptaibols, mainly produced by Trichoderma, play a pivotal role in controlling plant disease caused by fungi, virus, and Gram-positive bacteria. In the current study, we evaluated the control effect of Trichokonins, antimicrobial peptaibols from Trichoderma pseudokoningii SMF2, on soft rot disease of Chinese cabbage caused by a Gram-negative bacterium Pectobacterium carotovorum subsp. carotovorum and analyzed the mechanism involved.

Particle-stabilizers modified from indica rice starches differing in amylose content.

Octenyl succinic anhydride (OSA) starches were prepared from four cultivars of native indica rice starches with amylose contents of 1.90%, 18.01%, 25.

Pelvic intravascular leiomyomatosis associated with benign pulmonary metastasizing leiomyoma: clinicopathologic, clonality, and copy number variance analysis.

Benign metastasizing leiomyoma and intravascular leiomyomatosis are both rare smooth-muscle proliferations that of special interest due to their quasi-malignant behaviors. To elucidate the pathogenesis of these lesions, we checked the surgical samples from a 43-year-old female presenting multiple pulmonary and tricuspid valve lesions after a history of hysterectomy. Histopathological studies confirmed pelvic intravascular leiomyomatosis in the hysterectomy sections and the pulmonary nodules were proved to be benign metastasizing leiomyoma with strong positivity of estrogen as well as progesterone receptors.

Characteristics of selective fluoride adsorption by biocarbon-Mg/Al layered double hydroxides composites from protein solutions: kinetics and equilibrium isotherms study.

In the study, two novel applied biocarbon-Mg/Al layered double hydroxides composites (CPLDH and CPLDH-Ca) were successfully prepared and characterized by TEM, ICP-AES, XFS, EDS, FTIR, XRD, BET and pHpzc. The fluoride removal efficiency (RF) and protein recovery ratio (RP) of the adsorbents were studied in protein systems of lysozyme (LSZ) and bovine serum albumin (BSA). The results showed that the CPLDH-Ca presented remarkable performance for selective fluoride removal from protein solution.

Comparative genomics provide insights into evolution of trichoderma nutrition style.

Saprotrophy on plant biomass is a recently developed nutrition strategy for Trichoderma. However, the physiology and evolution of this new nutrition strategy is still elusive. We report the deep sequencing and analysis of the genome of Trichoderma longibrachiatum, an efficient cellulase producer.

Development of a genetic system for the deep-sea psychrophilic bacterium Pseudoalteromonas sp. SM9913.

Background: Pseudoalteromonas species are a group of marine gammaproteobacteria frequently found in deep-sea sediments, which may play important roles in deep-sea sediment ecosystem. Although genome sequence analysis of Pseudoalteromonas has revealed some specific features associated with adaptation to the extreme deep-sea environment, it is still difficult to study how Pseudoalteromonas adapt to the deep-sea environment due to the lack of a genetic manipulation system. The aim of this study is to develop a genetic system in the deep-sea sedimentary bacterium Pseudoalteromonas sp.

Characterization of a novel subtilisin-like protease myroicolsin from deep sea bacterium Myroides profundi D25 and molecular insight into its collagenolytic mechanism.

Collagen is an insoluble protein that widely distributes in the extracellular matrix of marine animals. Collagen degradation is an important step in the marine nitrogen cycle. However, the mechanism of marine collagen degradation is still largely unknown.

Oceanisphaera profunda sp. nov., a marine bacterium isolated from deep-sea sediment, and emended description of the genus Oceanisphaera.

A Gram-stain-negative, aerobic, oxidase- and catalase-positive, flagellated, rod-shaped bacterial strain, designated SM1222(T), was isolated from the deep-sea sediment of the South China Sea. The strain grew at 4-35 °C and with 0.5-8 % NaCl (w/v).

Catheter dwell time and CLABSIs in neonates with PICCs: a multicenter cohort study.

Objective: To determine whether the daily risk of central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs) increases over the dwell time of peripherally inserted central catheters (PICCs) in high-risk neonates.

Methods: Multicenter retrospective cohort including NICU patients with a PICC inserted between January 2005 and June 2010. We calculated incidence rates and used Poisson regression models to assess the risk of developing CLABSI as a function of PICC dwell time.

Incidence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infection in a children's hospital in the Washington metropolitan area of the United States, 2003 - 2010.

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) has emerged as a major public health threat. In this retrospective cohort study, we included patients with laboratory-confirmed MRSA infections treated at Children's National Medical Center in Washington, District of Columbia between July 2003 and December 2010. The secular trends in the incidence rates of skin/soft tissue and invasive MRSA infections were assessed.

A C-type lectin (AiCTL-3) from bay scallop Argopecten irradians with mannose/galactose binding ability to bind various bacteria.

C-type lectins are a family of Ca(2+)-dependent carbohydrate-binding proteins playing crucial roles in innate immunity of vertebrates and invertebrates. In the present study, the cDNA of a C-type lectin with one carbohydrate-recognition domain (CRD) of 127 amino acids was cloned from bay scallop Argopecten irradians (designated AiCTL-3) by rapid amplification of cDNA end (RACE) techniques based on expressed sequence tag (EST) analysis. The mRNA transcripts of AiCTL-3 could be detected in all the tested tissues including hepatopancreas, gonad, adductor muscle, heart, hemocytes, mantle and gill, with the highest expression level in hepatopancreas.

Improving hand hygiene compliance in health care workers: Strategies and impact on patient outcomes.

Background: We described a systematic process for improving hand hygiene (HH) compliance in health care providers and assessed the impact of HH on patient outcomes.

Methods: This retrospective cohort study was conducted between July 2008 and September 2011 in a children's hospital. We employed failure mode effectiveness analysis to identify barriers for complying with HH requirements and instituted improvement measures.

Albimonas pacifica sp. nov., isolated from seawater of the Pacific, and emended description of the genus Albimonas.

A Gram-stain-negative, aerobic, catalase- and oxidase-positive, non-flagellated, rod-shaped bacterium, designated strain P-50-3(T), was isolated from seawater of the Pacific. The strain grew at 10-40 °C (optimum at 30 °C) and with 0-12 % (w/v, optimum 2 %) NaCl. It reduced nitrate to nitrite but did not hydrolyse gelatin, starch or Tween 80.

Gene cloning, expression and characterization of a novel xylanase from the marine bacterium, Glaciecola mesophila KMM241.

Marine xylanases are rather less studied compared to terrestrial xylanases. In this study, a new xylanase gene, xynB, was cloned from the marine bacterium, Glaciecola mesophila KMM241, and expressed in Escherichia coli. xynB encodes a multi-domain xylanase XynB of glycoside hydrolase (GH) family 8.

A nanocrystalline Sm-Co compound for high-temperature permanent magnets.

The inherently high magnetic anisotropy and nanoscale grain size in a Sm5Co19 compound result in an intrinsic coercivity far higher than those of known Sm-Co compounds prior to orientation treatment. The combination of ultrahigh intrinsic coercivity, high Curie temperature and low coercivity temperature coefficient of nanocrystalline Sm5Co19 as a single phase material shows it to be a very promising compound to develop outstanding high-temperature permanent magnets.

A multicenter outcomes analysis of children with severe viral respiratory infection due to human metapneumovirus.

Objective: To investigate the impact of human metapneumovirus on morbidity and mortality outcomes in children with severe viral respiratory infection.

Design: Retrospective cohort study.

Setting: ICU, either PICU or cardiac ICU, at three urban academic tertiary care children's hospitals.

Daily chlorhexidine bathing to reduce bacteraemia in critically ill children: a multicentre, cluster-randomised, crossover trial.

Background: Bacteraemia is an important cause of morbidity and mortality in critically ill children. Our objective was to assess whether daily bathing in chlorhexidine gluconate (CHG) compared with standard bathing practices would reduce bacteraemia in critically ill children.

Methods: In an unmasked, cluster-randomised, two-period crossover trial, ten paediatric intensive-care units at five hospitals in the USA were randomly assigned a daily bathing routine for admitted patients older than 2 months, either standard bathing practices or using a cloth impregnated with 2% CHG, for a 6-month period.

Calpain, Atg5 and Bak play important roles in the crosstalk between apoptosis and autophagy induced by influx of extracellular calcium.

Calcium (Ca(2+)) signals are involved in important checkpoints in cell death pathways and promote both apoptosis and autophagy. However, the relationship between autophagy and apoptosis in response to Ca(2+) level elevation is poorly understood. Here, we provided evidence that the influx of extracellular Ca(2+) triggered by Trichokonin VI (TK VI), an antimicrobial peptide, induced calpain-dependent apoptosis and autophagy in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells.