Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are one of the most common diseases by which humans seek medical help and are caused mainly by uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC). Studying the virulence and ...antibiotic resistance of UPEC with respect to various phylogenetic groups is of utmost importance in developing new therapeutic agents. Thus, in this study, we analysed the virulence factors, antibiotic resistance and phylogenetic groups among various UPEC isolates from children with UTIs. The phylogenetic analysis revealed that majority of the strains responsible for UTIs belonged to the phylogenetic groups B2 and D. Of the 58 E. coli isolates, 79·31% belonged to group B2, 15·51% to group D, 3·44% to group A and 1·72% to B1. Simultaneously, the number of virulence factors and antibiotic resistance exhibited were also significantly high in groups B2 and D compared to other groups. Among the isolates, 44·8% were multidrug resistant and of that 73% belonged to the phylogenetic group B2, indicating the compatibility of antibiotic resistance and certain strains carrying virulence factor genes. The antibiotic resistance profiling of UPEC strains elucidates that the antimicrobial agents such as chloramphenicol, cefoxitin, cefepime, ceftazidime might still be used in the therapy for treating UTIs. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: As the antibiotic resistance pattern of uropathogenic Escherichia coli varies depending on different geographical regions, the antibiotic resistance pattern from this study will help the physicians to effectively administer antibiotic therapy for urinary tract infections. In addition, the frequency of virulence factors and antibiotic resistance genes among various phylogenic groups could be effectively used to draw new targets for uropathogenic Escherichia coli antibiotic‐independent therapies. The study emphasizes need of public awareness on multidrug resistance and for more prudent use of antimicrobials.
•Ca2+/Ba2+ co−doping significantly increased the electrical conductivity through increased hole concentration.•Lattice thermal conductivity was reduced by Ca2+/Ba2+ co−doping due to grain refinement, ...increased porosity, and mass and strain field fluctuations.•ZT of Bi0.80Ca0.10Ba0.10CuSeO (0.60 at 600 °C) was two times larger than that of undoped BiCuSeO (0.30 at 600 °C).
In this work, we prepare Ca2+ and Ba2+ co−doped BiCuSeO using a solid−state reaction, followed by spark plasma sintering. Ca2+/Ba2+ co−doping significantly increases the electrical conductivity through the increased hole concentration. In addition to the increased power factor, Ca2+/Ba2+ co−doping reduces the phonon thermal conductivity through grain refinement, increased porosity, and mass and strain field fluctuations. The combination of the largest power factor and the low phonon thermal conductivity for Bi0.80Ca0.10Ba0.10CuSeO yields the largest dimensionless figure−of−merit (ZT). The ZT of Bi0.80Ca0.10Ba0.10CuSeO (0.60) at 600 °C is two times larger than that of the undoped BiCuSeO (0.30) at 600 °C. We systematically discuss the effect of the Ca2+/Ba2+ co−doping on the thermoelectric properties of BiCuSeO oxyselenide.
The current study attempted to evaluate the association between IL-10 promoter gene polymorphism and transplant outcomes including the occurrence of chronic graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) and its ...clinical course during systemic immunosuppressive treatment (IST) among 60 recipients of cytokine-mobilized peripheral blood stem cell (PBSC) from HLA-matched sibling donors.
We analyzed 3 single-nucleotide polymorphisms in proximal region of IL-10 promoter gene (-1082/-819/-592).
In the current study, only two haplotypes (1082*A/819*T/592*A ATA and 1082*A/819*C/592*C ACC) were found. An increased occurrence of chronic GVHD was noted dependent on the IL-10 haplotypes (43% vs. 68% vs. 96% in ACC/ACC vs. ATA/ACC vs. ATA/ATA haplotype, P=0.003). In a logistic regression based on multinomial model, ATA/ATA homozygote had 7-fold increasing risk of the development of chronic GVHD compared with ACC/ACC homozygote. The incidence of chronic GVHD at 1 year was 46%+/-20%, 64%+/-10%, and 82%+/-5% in ACC/ACC, ATA/ACC and ATA/ATA group, respectively (P=0.0266). Plus, the duration of systemic IST was significantly shorter in recipients without ATA-haplotype comparing with those with ATA haplotype (339 days vs. 1,146 days, P=0.0091).
IL-10 promoter gene polymorphism was found to be apparently associated with chronic GVHD after allogeneic peripheral blood stem cell transplantation from HLA-matched sibling donors.
The release of the anti-inflammatory agent dexamethasone (DEX) from nanoparticles of poly(lactic-
co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) embedded in alginate hydrogel (HG) matrices was investigated. DEX-loaded ...PLGA nanoparticles were prepared using a solvent evaporation technique and were characterized for size, drug loading, and in-vitro release. The crosslinking density of the HG was studied and correlated with drug release kinetics. The amount of DEX loaded in the nanoparticles was estimated as ∼13
wt%. The typical particle size ranged from 400 to 600
nm. The in-vitro release of DEX from NPs entrapped in the HG showed that 90% of the drug was released over 2 weeks. The impedance of the NP-loaded HG coatings on microfabricated neural probes was measured and found to be similar to the unmodified and uncoated probes. The in-vivo impedance of chronically implanted electrodes loaded with DEX was maintained at its initial level, while that of the control electrode increased by 3 times after about 2 weeks after implantation until it stabilized at approximately 3
MΩ. This improvement in performance is presumably due to the reduced amount of glial inflammation in the immediate vicinity of the DEX-modified neural probe.
Controlled release of an anti‐inflammatory drug from PEDOT nanotubes using electrical stimulation is demonstrated (see Figure and Inside Cover). The fabrication process includes electrospinning of a ...biodegradable polymer into which the drug has been incorporated, followed by electrochemical deposition of the conducting polymer around the drug‐loaded electrospun nanoscale fibers.
Recent studies have revealed that the substitution of Ga3+ for Al3+ in garnet–type aluminate phosphors moves emission wavelength towards a short wavelength due to a decrease in crystal field ...strength. However, so far there has been no report on the empirical equations between emission wavelength (λ) and lattice distortion factor (d) in garnet–type aluminate phosphors. In this work, for the first time, to extract the correlation between λ and d in Lu2.94(Al1–xGax)5O12:0.06Ce3+ (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.5) phosphors, its emission wavelengths are measured using emission spectra, and its lattice distortion factors are calculated using crystallographic data. The empirical equation between λ and d is extracted as λ (nm) = 3365.42d – 3000.47. This empirical equation shows a good fit to the measured emission wavelengths. We believe that the empirical equation offers an effective and practical reference to design the chemical composition and to predict the emission wavelength in Lu3(Al1–xGax)5O12:Ce3+ phosphors.
•Lattice distortion factors are calculated from XRD Rietveld refinement data.•Empirical equation between lattice distortions and emission wavelengths is developed.•The empirical equation can be used to design compositions and emission wavelengths.
This research investigated the removal of carbamazepine (CBZ) and diclofenac (DCF) in water using ultrasonic (US) treatment in the absence or presence of graphene oxides (GOs). Three frequencies and ...three pH conditions were tested (28, 580, and 1000 kHz and 3.5, 7, and 9.5, respectively). Regarding the effects of US frequency and pH, 580 kHz and pH 3.5 were more effective at removing CBZ and DCF (>86% for CBZ and >92% for DCF) than 1000/28 kHz and pH 7/9.5 within 60 min. However, sonocatalytic removal was enhanced in the presence of GOs; more than 99% CBZ and DCF removal was achieved at 580 kHz and pH 3.5 within 40 min. The sonicated GOs were more stable at 28 kHz than at higher frequencies of 580 and 10,00 kHz. The adsorption of CBZ and DCF has increased when GOs were sonicated at 28 kHz (44% and 61%, respectively) compared with 580 kHz (34% and 52%, respectively) and 1000 kHz (18% and 39%, respectively). The negative charges of GOs increased at 28 kHz (−105.1 mV), however, it decreased at higher frequencies such as 580 kHz (−71.5 mV) and 1000 kHz (−58.6 mV), which led to increased electrostatic repulsion that increased the stability of the GO particles in water. The overall enhancement in CBZ and DCF removal was due to an increase in cavitational bubbles, which in turn led to increased production of OH• and enhanced adsorption due to dispersion (resulting from US irradiation), which caused an increase in active adsorption sites of the GOs.
•Sonocatalytic degradation of carbamazepine and diclofenac under different pH and frequency conditions was studied.•Enhancement in the sonodegradation of carbamazepine and diclofenac was achieved in the presence of graphene oxides.•The stability and adsorption of graphene oxides at different frequency conditions were evaluated.
Total knee arthroplasty offers substantial improvements for patients as measured by functional status and quality of life; however, 8% to 34% of patients experience chronic postsurgical pain ...following surgery (CPSP). In addition to disruption in daily activities of life caused by the pain itself, CPSP has been associated with an overall reduction in quality of life following surgery. Risk factors for CPSP can be broadly defined as potentially modifiable or unlikely modifiable. Unlikely modifiable risks include gender, age, medical comorbidities, and socioeconomic status. Potentially modifiable risks include perioperative pain, physical function, psychological state, surgical factors, and possibly genomics. Understanding risks and the magnitude of their effect on outcomes such as CPSP is desirable because interventions designed to affect these factors may be able to dramatically improve outcomes.
Across many modern industries, as technologies have matured, the use of more complex processes involving multiphase materials has increased. In the food industry, multiphase fluids are now relatively ...wide-spread, in particular, because of the desire to have faster throughput for large-scale food production. In many cases involving transport, such materials consist of a fluidized binder material with embedded particles. As one increases the volume fraction of particles, a corresponding increase in effective overall viscosity occurs. Often, during the process, the material must be heated, for example, to ensure food safety, induce pasteurization, sterilization, etc. For real-time control, this requires rapidly computable models to guide thermal processing, for example by applied electrical induction. In the present analysis, models are developed for the required heating field (electrically induced) and pressure gradient needed in a pipe to heat a multiphase material to a target temperature and to transport the material with a prescribed flow rate.
•We developed a rapidly computable model to guide the thermal processing of food.•The operation parameters could be optimized for desirable food processing.•The neural network can learn and predict the patterns of the differential equations.•Machine learning could accelerate numerical simulation with desirable accuracy.
A retrospective analysis of clinical results in a relatively large series of peroneal nerve lesion is presented. Historically, such lesions have been difficult to manage successfully.
Between 1967 ...and 1991, 302 patients with either injury or tumor of the peroneal nerve at the knee were evaluated at Louisiana State University Medical Center. Mechanisms of injury included stretch injury with or without fracture, "sharp" or "blunt" laceration, gunshot wound, compression, entrapment, and iatrogenic injury. Surgery was performed on 183 of 276 patients (66%). If spontaneous recovery had not occurred 4 to 6 months after injury, patients were operated on and lesions in continuity were usually evaluated using nerve action potential recordings.
Eighty-six patients required interfascicular grafts. Graft lengths varied from 4 to 20 cm (average, 10 cm). Grafts measured < 5.5 cm in some patients with blunt laceration, gunshot wound, or iatrogenic injury. Eighteen of 24 of those patients (75%) recovered peroneal function to Grade 3 or better, and a kickup foot brace was no longer needed to walk with a reasonable gait. Fourteen of 40 patients (35%) with graft lengths of 6 to 12 cm and only 3 of 22 patients (14%) with graft lengths of 13 to 20 cm recovered function to Grade 3 or better. Seventeen patients received end-to-end suture repair, and 14 (82%) recovered to Grade 3 or better by 24 months. After neurolysis, 71 of 80 patients (89%) with transmittable nerve action potentials across lesions in continuity recovered useful function despite severe preoperative functional loss in most cases. In addition, 24 tumors intrinsic to the peroneal nerve and two lesions caused by hypertrophic neuropathy were resected.
Neural repair is the first priority in selected patients with peroneal nerve palsy. As with other nerve lesions, a timely operation and thorough intraoperative evaluation are necessary for optimal results.
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