Bacteriological studies of two-man space cabin simulator
Bacteriological measurements in two-man spacecraft cabin simulator
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Bacteriological measurements in two-man spacecraft cabin simulator
Clean room bacteriology - ambient air and bench top microbial contamination levels, and degree of environmental control in production areas
Clean room bacteriology - heat resistance of spore formers, microorganism identifications, human contact contamination
Physiological, psychological, and bacteriological aspects of 20 days in full pressure suits, 20 days at 27.000 feet on 100 percent oxygen, and 34 days of confinement
Physiological, psychological, and bacteriological aspects of 20 days in full pressure suits in 100 percent oxygen environment
The study was designed to validate the 100% oxygen (258 mmHg) gaseous environment for 20 days with 7 days pre and post run evaluations. Studies include: renal and pulmonary function, retinal vascular changes, rather extensive blood work, nutrition, metabolic and water balance, bacteriological flora alterations, psychological manifestations, and full pressure suit and personal hygiene evaluations. While certain significant psychological alterations were observed, the physiological studies disclosed no significant variations from normal values. The atmosphere was well tolerated; however, 20 days constant full pressure suit wear posed some special problems.
We show very initial work on a specific bioelectrochemical system (BES), a bacteriologically driven 'fuel cell' (BFS), that is intended to process waste products, such as CO2 and brine. (1) Processing is the priority, not power generation (2) Really a Microbial Electrolysis Cell (MEC)
Microbial sampling in industrial clean rooms, hand contact contamination experiments, and evaluation of vertical laminar flow room
Space hardware sterlization studies including clean rooms, hand contact contamination experiments, and vertical laminar flow room evaluation
Bacterial population of vehicle and test pilots during 14-day simulated lunar flight
Procedures and immunofluorescent techniques for screening Apollo aquatic test animals for bacterial pathogens after lunar sample exposure
Abstract A significant challenge to bacteriology is the relatively large proportion of proteins that lack sufficient sequence similarity to support functional annotation (i.e. hypothetical proteins). The aim of this study was to apply protein structural homology to gain insights into a candidate protein of unknown function (CT398) within the medically important, obligate intracellular bacterium Chlamydia trachomatis . C. trachomatis is a major human pathogen responsible for numerous infections throughout the world that can lead to blindness and infertility. A 2.12 Å crystal structure of hypothetical protein CT398 was determined that was comprised of N‐terminal coiled‐coil and C‐terminal Zn‐ribbon domains. The structure of CT398 displayed a high degree of structural similarity to FlgZ ( Fl a g ellar‐associated z inc‐ribbon domain protein) from Helicobacter pylori . This observation directed analyses of candidate protein partners of CT398, revealing interactions with two paralogous type III secretion system (T3SS) ATPase‐regulators (CdsL and FliH) and the alternative sigma factor RpoN (σ 54 ). Furthermore, genetic introduction of a conditional expression, affinity‐tagged construct into C. trachomatis enabled the purification of a CT398‐RpoN‐holoenzyme complex, suggesting a potential role for CT398 in modulating transcriptional activity during infection. The interactions reported here, in tandem with previous FlgZ studies in H. pylori , indicate that CT398 functions as a regulator of several key areas of chlamydial biology throughout the developmental cycle. Accordingly, we propose that CT398 be named CdsZ ( C ontact‐ d ependent s ecretion‐associated z inc‐ribbon domain protein).
Highlights: • The one-year cure rate was significantly higher in sputum negative patients after 2-months intensive therapy. • Four potential biomarkers were found for evaluating the efficacy of 2-months intensive therapy in TB patients. • CO7 and ANGT could serve as potential biomarkers to evaluate the bacteriological condition of Mycobacterium tuberculosis after intensive therapy. This research aimed to discover potential biomarkers for evaluating the therapeutic efficacy of intensive therapy in pulmonary tuberculosis (TB). Protein profiles in 2-months intensively treated TB patients, untreated TB patients, and healthy controls were investigated with iTRAQ-2DLC-MS/MS technique. 71 differential proteins were identified in 2-months intensively treated TB patients. Significant differences in complement component C7 (CO7), apolipoprotein A-IV (APOA4), apolipoprotein C-II (APOC2), and angiotensinogen (ANGT) were found by ELISA validation. CO7 and ANGT were also found significantly different in sputum negative patients, compared with sputum positive patients after intensive treatment. Clinical analysis showed that after 2-months intensive treatment several indicators were significantly changed, and the one-year cure rate of sputum negative patients were significantly higher than sputum positive patients. Diagnostic models consisting of APOC2, CO7 and APOA4 were established to distinguish intensively treated TB patients from untreated TB patients and healthy controls with the AUC value of 0.910 and 0.935. Meanwhile, ANGT and CO7 were combined to identify sputum negative and sputum positive TB patients after intensive treatment with 89.36% sensitivity, 71.43% specificity, and the AUC value of 0.853. The results showed that APOC2, CO7, APOA4, and ANGT may be potential biomarkers for evaluating the efficacy of intensive anti-TB therapy.
The agar culture plate has played a crucial role in bacteriology since the origins of the discipline. However, plating, inoculating, and waiting for microbes to develop colonies that are visible is time-consuming. In this work, we explored if white-light interferometry (WLI) would be a practical tool for reducing the wait time required before colonies can be identified and counted. High resolution surface profile imaging was used for non-destructive characterization and counting of bacterial colonies on agar before they became visible to the naked eye. The three-dimensional (3D) morphology of Gram-negative ( Pseudomonas fluorescens ) and Gram-positive ( Bacillus thuringiensis ) bacterial species were visualized over time by collecting surface profiles of colonies on agar plates with high vertical resolution (3-5 nanometers) and large field of view (3-5 mm). This unique combination of sensitive vertical resolution at low magnification enabled simultaneous detection of hundreds of microcolonies. The colonies were accurately counted within the first few hours after plating with results comparing favorably to counts made by traditional methods. Since the imaging is non-destructive it was used to track single cells multiplying into small colonies and the volumetric changes in the colony were used to accurately measure colony growth rates over time. Based on the results herein, bioimaging with WLI was demonstrated as a powerful bacterial culture assay. Fast non-destructive counting of colony-forming units in a culture and simultaneous measurement of bacterial growth rates with this method suggest that it may lead to beneficial future applications in research, clinical, and other settings.
Using Sprague-Dawley rats (350–450 g; n = 61) and the recently updated Walker-Mason rat scald burn model, we demonstrated that Pseudomonas aeruginosa readily formed biofilms within full-thickness burn wounds. Following the burn, wounds were surface-inoculated with P. aeruginosa in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS), while sterile PBS was used for controls. On post-burn days 1, 3, 7, and 11, animals were euthanized and samples collected for quantitative bacteriology, bacterial gene expression, complete blood cell counts, histology, and myeloperoxidase activity. Robust biofilm infections developed in the full-thickness burn wounds inoculated with 1 × 10 4 CFU of P. aeruginosa . Both histology and scanning electron microscopy showed the pathogen throughout the histologic cross-sections of burned skin. Quantigene analysis revealed significant upregulation of alginate and pellicle biofilm matrix genes of P. aeruginosa within the burn eschar. Additionally, expression of P. aeruginosa proteases and siderophores increased significantly in the burn wound environment. Interestingly, the host’s neutrophil response to the pathogen was not elevated in either the eschar or circulating blood when compared to the control burn. This new full-thickness burn biofilm infection model will be used to test new anti-biofilm therapies that may be deployed with soldiers in combat for immediate use at the site of burn injury on the battlefield.
Here, this volume contains the edition of the International Code of Nomenclature of Prokaryotes that was presented in draft form and available for comment at the Plenary Session of the Fourteenth International Congress of Bacteriology and Applied Microbiology (BAM), Montréal, 2014, together with updated lists of conserved and rejected bacterial names and of Opinions issued by the Judicial Commission. As in the past it brings together those changes accepted, published and documented by the ICSP and the Judicial Commission since the last revision was published. Several new appendices have been added to this edition. Appendix 11 addresses the appropriate application of the Candidatus concept, Appendix 12 contains the history of the van Niel Prize, and Appendix 13 contains the summaries of Congresses.
Abstract The blacklegged tick ( Ixodes scapularis ( Journal of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia , 1821, 2 , 59)) is a vector of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto ( s.s .) ( International Journal of Systematic Bacteriology , 1984, 34 , 496), the causative bacterial agent of Lyme disease, part of a slow‐moving epidemic of Lyme borreliosis spreading across the northern hemisphere. Well‐known geographical differences in the vectorial capacity of these ticks are associated with genetic variation. Despite the need for detailed genetic information in this disease system, previous phylogeographical studies of these ticks have been restricted to relatively few populations or few genetic loci. Here we present the most comprehensive phylogeographical study of genome‐wide markers in I. scapularis , conducted by using 3RAD (triple‐enzyme restriction‐site associated sequencing) and surveying 353 ticks from 33 counties throughout the species' range. We found limited genetic variation among populations from the Northeast and Upper Midwest, where Lyme disease is most common, and higher genetic variation among populations from the South. We identify five spatially associated genetic clusters of I. scapularis . In regions where Lyme disease is increasing in frequency, the I. scapularis populations genetically group with ticks from historically highly Lyme‐endemic regions. Finally, we identify 10 variable DNA sites that contribute the most to population differentiation. These variable sites cluster on one of the chromosome‐scale scaffolds for I. scapularis and are within identified genes. Our findings illuminate the need for additional research to identify loci causing variation in the vectorial capacity of I. scapularis and where additional tick sampling would be most valuable to further understand disease trends caused by pathogens transmitted by I. scapularis .
ABSTRACT Tattooing and use of permanent makeup (PMU) have dramatically increased over the last decade, with a concomitant increase in ink-related infections. Studies have shown evidence that commercial tattoo and PMU inks are frequently contaminated with pathogenic microorganisms. Considering that tattoo inks are placed into the dermal layer of the skin where anaerobic bacteria can thrive and cause infections in low-oxygen environments, the prevalence of anaerobic and aerobic bacteria should be assessed in tattoo and PMU inks. In this study, we tested 75 tattoo and PMU inks using the analytical methods described in the FDA Bacteriological Analytical Manual Chapter 23 for the detection of both aerobic and anaerobic bacterial contamination, followed by 16S rRNA gene sequencing for microbial identification. Of 75 ink samples, we found 26 contaminated samples with 34 bacterial isolates taxonomically classified into 14 genera and 22 species. Among the 34 bacterial isolates, 19 were identified as possibly pathogenic bacterial strains. Two species, namelyCutibacterium acnes(four strains) andStaphylococcus epidermidis(two strains) were isolated under anaerobic conditions. Two possibly pathogenic bacterial strains,Staphylococcus saprophyticusandC. acnes, were isolated together from the same ink samples (n= 2), indicating that tattoo and PMU inks can contain both aerobic (S. saprophyticus) and anaerobic bacteria (C. acnes). No significant association was found between sterility claims on the ink label and the absence of bacterial contamination. The results indicate that tattoo and PMU inks can also contain anaerobic bacteria. IMPORTANCE The rising popularity of tattooing and permanent makeup (PMU) has led to increased reports of ink-related infections. This study is the first to investigate the presence of both aerobic and anaerobic bacteria in commercial tattoo and PMU inks under aerobic and anaerobic conditions. Our findings reveal that unopened and sealed tattoo inks can harbor anaerobic bacteria, known to thrive in low-oxygen environments, such as the dermal layer of the skin, alongside aerobic bacteria. This suggests that contaminated tattoo inks could be a source of infection from both types of bacteria. The results emphasize the importance of monitoring these products for both aerobic and anaerobic bacteria, including possibly pathogenic microorganisms.