Image enhancement by region detection on CFA data images

The microbial community of the coelomic fluid of the sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus

Metabolic pathways in Microbispora sp. ATCC-PTA 5024, producer of NAI-107 lantibiotic

A "fat" Streptomycete strain overproduces antibiotics

Bioactive molecules from soil and marine bacteria: new potential applications

Characterization of the bacterial community isolated from a High Middle Age soil sample dated since 980 AD

From microbial proteomics to synthetic biology: Amycolatopsis balhimycina case

Actinomycetes, filamentous Gram-positive bacteria, are usually exploited as bio-farms naturally producing a wide range of small biologically active metabolites, such as antibiotics, extensively used in medicine, food-industry, chemistry and bio-remediation strategies. The development of high throughput technologies, like proteomics, allows functional genomic studies aimed at shedding light on molecular mechanisms controlling the production of useful compounds and macromolecules. Differential proteomic analyses, performed by using Two Dimensional PolyAcrylamide Gel Electrophoresis (2D-PAGE) coupled to mass spectrometry (MS) procedures, revealed novel links between balhimycin production (a va…

The impact of conversion on the risk of major complication following laparoscopic colonic surgery: an international, multicentre prospective audit.

BACKGROUND: Laparoscopy has now been implemented as a standard of care for elective colonic resection around the world. During the adoption period, studies showed that conversion may be detrimental to patients, with poorer outcomes than both laparoscopic completed or planned open surgery. The primary aim of this study was to determine whether laparoscopic conversion was associated with a higher major complication rate than planned open surgery in contemporary, international practice.METHODS: Combined analysis of the European Society of Coloproctology 2017 and 2015 audits. Patients were included if they underwent elective resection of a colonic segment from the caecum to the rectosigmoid jun…

SARS-CoV-2 vaccination modelling for safe surgery to save lives: data from an international prospective cohort study

Abstract Background Preoperative SARS-CoV-2 vaccination could support safer elective surgery. Vaccine numbers are limited so this study aimed to inform their prioritization by modelling. Methods The primary outcome was the number needed to vaccinate (NNV) to prevent one COVID-19-related death in 1 year. NNVs were based on postoperative SARS-CoV-2 rates and mortality in an international cohort study (surgical patients), and community SARS-CoV-2 incidence and case fatality data (general population). NNV estimates were stratified by age (18–49, 50–69, 70 or more years) and type of surgery. Best- and worst-case scenarios were used to describe uncertainty. Results NNVs were more favourable in su…

THE SMALL PROTEIN SCO2038 CONTROLS TRYPTOPHAN BIOSYNTHESIS AND DIFFERENTIATION IN STREPTOMYCES COELICOLOR

The cellular regulatory factors comprise regulatory proteins, small RNA and small proteins. It is known that the product of small orfs (smorfs) can regulate the translation of downstream elements and also can encode functional peptides involved in the regulation of specific pathways (Ladoukakis E. et al.,2011). In particular, in the model streptomycete Sfreptomyces coelicolor, smorfs (about 100-300 nucleotides) were identified in some amino acid biosynthetic gene clusters such as in the tryptophan trpCXBA locus (Limauro D. et al., I 990; Hu DS. et al., 1999). In S. coelicolor the molecular mechanisms that regulate tryptophan (Trp) biosynthesis are poorly understood and, unlike the trp opero…

Multi-omics of Pseudoalteromonas haloplanktis TAC125: a quest for antimicrobial metabolic pathways

Backgrounds The Antarctic strain Pseudoalteromonas haloplanktis TAC125 is one of the model organisms of cold-adapted bacteria and is currently exploited as a new alternative expression host for numerous biotechnological applications. Interestingly, this bacterium has been reported to be able to inhibit the growth of Burkholderia cepacia complex (Bcc) strains, opportunistic pathogens responsible for the infection of immune-compromised patients. Most likely, this occurs through the synthesis of several different compounds, including Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), whose nature and characteristics are currently mostly unknown. Objectives To obtain a complete picture of cellular processes di…

Effectiveness of Pulsed Radiofrequency with Multifunctional Epidural Electrode in Chronic Lumbosacral Radicular Pain with Neuropathic Features

Lumbosacral radicular pain is a common clinical finding with a statistical prevalence ranging from 9.9% to 25% in the general population.To investigate the effectiveness of dorsal root ganglion pulsed radiofrequency (PRF) in patients with chronic lumbosacral radicular pain and neuropathic features.Prospective case series clinical outcome study.We evaluated 34 patients with lumbosacral neuropathic pain who underwent PRF at the corresponding level of radicular symptoms distribution (ranging from L3 to S1). Each patient suffered a single leg-radiating pain with probable neuropathic features (assessed with clinical grading) lasting for6 months and unresponsive to previous treatments. A multifun…

Characterization of the microbiota from coelomic fluid of the sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus

The study of the microbiota is a subject of considerable and growing interest since it is drawing new important perspectives in the life sciences concerning the functional relationships between metazoans and microbial cells. In fact, it has already shown that the endogenous microbial community affects various physiological activities of multicellular organisms. The coelomic cavity of echinoderms contains a fluid in which coelomocytes are reported to exert immune functions like phagocytosis, opsonization and production of antimicrobial agents against marine bacteria [1, 2]. However, up to day nothing is known about the endogenous bacterial population of coelomic fluid. We focused on this iss…

PCL/PEG based membranes for bacterial cells immobilization stimulate actinorhodin antibiotic production in S. coelicolor

The actinomycetes, Gram-positive filamentous bacteria, are the most prolific source of natural antibiotics. At industrial level, antibiotics from actinomycetes are usually produced at low levels by mean of fermentative processes in submerged cultivations, where one of the major factors negatively affecting bioproductivity is the phenomenon of a pellet-shaped biomass growth. The strategies based on cell-immobilization, which were already proven improving bacterial bioprocess productivity, could stimulate antibiotic production in actinomycetes.

Actinorhodin production intensification by nanofibrous membranes in Streptomyces coelicolor cultures

In this work, electrospun polycaprolactone (PCL) and polylactic acid (PLA) membranes, subjected or not to O2-plasma treatment, werwe used as support for cell-immobilization in S. coelicolor immobilized-cells created a compact biofilm on both kinds of membranes.

Enhancement of antibiotic productions by plasma modified PLA electrospun membranes in Streptomyces coelicolor immobilized-cell cultivations

This study, encouraging the use of PLA membranes for actinomycetes cultivations, could unveil functional insights associated with antibiotic production and S. coelicolor cellimmobilization

Improvement of actinorhodin production yield in Streptomyces coelicolor by immobilized-cell cultivations by using PCL- and PLA-based films

Actinomycetes are Gram-positive bacteria producing most of naturally occurring antibiotics (Donadio et al., 2010). At industrial level, antibiotics are produced by submerged fermentations where the actinomycete filamentous morphology negatively affects bioproductivity (van Dissel et al., 2014). Microporous membranes for bacterial cell-immobilization were already proven increasing bioproductivity in Streptomyces coelicolor, that is a model actinomycete producing the blue pigmented actinorhodin (ACT) antibiotic (Scaffaro et al., 2016). To develop an immobilized-cell bioreactor system, different kinds of polycaprolactone (PCL) and polylactic acid (PLA) films were produced by an electrospinning…

Genetic manipulation of spiramycin-producing strain Streptomyces ambofaciens ATCC 23877 by φC31 Att/Int system-based vectors results in a significant reduction of antibiotic production

The genus Streptomyces produces about two-thirds of naturally occurring antibiotics and many other biologically active secondary metabolites. The genetic manipulation of Streptomycetes is often labor and time intensive due to their large genome and complex development. Much progress has been made to develop gene transfer methods useful to construct antibiotic-producing strains with improved properties. The φC31 Att/Int system is an integration system that has been widely used to produce stable recombinants in Actinomycetes and its integration site is an attB site located in a pirin-like gene (pirA) of the bacterial chromosome. In this study we demonstrate that the integration of φC31 DNA in…

The small protein SCO2038 controls Streptomyces coelicolor differentiation by modulating tryptophan biosynthesis

Background In Streptomyces coelicolor amino acid metabolism is an important clue of the morphological and physiological differentiation program and, differently from other bacteria, the expression of amino acid biosynthetic genes is not subjected to endproduct negative regulation. In some amino acid biosynthetic gene clusters, such as tryptophan, histidine and proline, small orfs (about 100-300 nucleotides) were identified. These small orfs, such as sco2038, encode proteins whose cellular role have to be elucidated to highlight possible novel and crucial molecular mechanisms controlling amino acid synthesis and, thus, differentiation program. Objectives The aims of this work are: 1. the und…

Early outcomes and complications following cardiac surgery in patients testing positive for coronavirus disease 2019: An international cohort study

The outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndromecoronavirus-2, the cause of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in December 2019 represented a global emergency accounting for more than 2.5 million deaths worldwide.1 It has had an unprecedented influence on cardiac surgery internationally, resulting in cautious delivery of surgery and restructuring of services.2 Understanding the influence of COVID-19 on patients after cardiac surgery is based on assumptions from other surgical specialties and single-center studies. The COVIDSurg Collaborative conducted a multicenter cohort study, including 1128 patients, across 235 hospitals, from 24 countries demonstrating perioperative COVID-19 infection…

Endophytes from medicinal plants’ seeds: exploring new reservoirs of bioactive molecules

Plant-associated microorganisms have recently gained more attention for their influence on plant health and biotechnological relevance. Bioactive molecules have been already isolated from plant-associated bacteria. Seed-borne bacterial endophytes have not been much explored though. Such endophytes are particularly important, since they can influence germination and be transmitted from generation to generation. Interestingly, seed endophytes from medicinal plants could influence the production of molecules with therapeutic properties. Bacterial endophytic strains were extracted from surface-sterilized seeds of the medicinal plant Echinacea purpurea and their 16S rRNA genes were sequenced. Th…

Effect of Streptomyces coelicolor M145 cell immobilization on actinorhodin production

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Surgeons' fear of getting infected by COVID19: A global survey

During the last three months, COVID- 19 pandemic had led to a serious backlog of operations globally, and plans for restarting operation are imperative. Recommendations for surgical activities were studied, aiming to protect the surgical staff from being infected. In the meantime, it is also important to give attention to the surgeon’s personal feeling during work. We conducted a survey to investigate global surgi- cal practices during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the surgeon’s personal feeling was also investigated in the sur- vey. In this special letter, we performed multivariate analysis to explore factors that associated with surgeon’s fear of getting infected by COVID-19.

trpX: a small orf involved in S. coelicolor tryptophan metabolism

An international multicentre prospective audit of elective rectal cancer surgery; operative approach versus outcome, including transanal total mesorectal excision (TaTME)

Introduction: Transanal total mesorectal excision (TaTME) has rapidly emerged as a novel approach for rectal cancer surgery. Safety profiles are still emerging and more comparative data is urgently needed. This study aimed to compare indications and short-term outcomes of TaTME, open, laparoscopic, and robotic TME internationally. Methods: A pre-planned analysis of the European Society of Coloproctology (ESCP) 2017 audit was performed. Patients undergoing elective total mesorectal excision (TME) for malignancy between 1 January 2017 and 15 March 2017 by any operative approach were included. The primary outcome measure was anastomotic leak. Results: Of 2579 included patients, 76.2% (1966/257…

The seed endophytic microbiota of Citrus limon L. Burm. F

Background Plant seeds possess a complex microbiota which may play a crucial rolein a plethora of mechanisms, such as preservation, germination, seedling development, plant growth and health. In particular, seed endophytic microbiota is gaining more and more consideration due to the fact that it may be vertically transmitted to ensure individual competitive advantages. The Citrusspecies, including C.limon,areone of the most economically important evergreen fruit crops in the world. Objectives i)Identification and characterization ofmicrobial isolates from Citrus limon L. Burm. F. seed endosphere. ii) Structure of Citrus limon L. Burm. F. seed endosphytic microbiota. Methods -Surface-sterili…

A Survey of Digital Mosaic Techniques

THE SMALL PROTEIN TRPM MODULATES MORPHO-PHYSIOLOGICAL DIFFERENTIATION IN THE MODEL ACTINOMYCETE STREPTOMYCES COELICOLOR A3(2)

BACKGROUNDS TrpM, a small protein of 63 amino acids, modulates tryptophan (Trp) metabolism and morpho-physiological differentiation in the filamentous bacterium Streptomyces coelicolor A3(2), a model organism for antibiotic production and cell differentiation. Indeed, the trpM knock-out mutant strain is characterized by a delayed growth on minimal medium, smaller aerial hyphae, and reduction of both spore and antibiotic actinorhodin production in comparison with the wild-type strain. These observations were in agreement with proteomic analyses which highlighted a role for TrpM in controlling i) Trp production through Trp precursor availability and, thus ii) bacterial growth and morpho-physi…

A status report of the multipurpose superconducting electron cyclotron resonance ion source

Intense heavy ion beam production with electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) ion sources is a common requirement for many of the accelerators under construction in Europe and elsewhere. An average increase of about one order of magnitude per decade in the performance of ECR ion sources was obtained up to now since the time of pioneering experiment of R. Geller at CEA, Grenoble, and this trend is not deemed to get the saturation at least in the next decade, according to the increased availability of powerful magnets and microwave generators. Electron density above 1013 cm(-3) and very high current of multiply charged ions are expected with the use of 28 GHz microwave heating and of an adequate …

L'esame baropodometrico nel paziente affetto da disfunzione gnatoposturale

IMPROVED PRODUCTION OF THE ANTIBIOTIC ACTINORHODIN IN STREPTOMYCES COELICOLOR IMMOBILIZED-MYCELIAL CELL CULTIVATIONS

Objectives i) Evaluation of ACT production in Streptomyces coelicolor M145 mycelial cells immobilized on polycaprolactone (PCL) and polylactic acid (PLA) nanofiber membranes, modified or not by an O2- plasma treatment. ii) Identification of gene products associated with the improvement of ACT production.

The small protein TrpM modulates morpho-physiological differentiation in Streptomyces coelicolor

TrpM, a small protein of 63 amino acids, is encoded by a gene of the trpCMBA locus involved in tryptophan biosynthesis in the model actinomycete Streptomyces coelicolor. Indeed, the trpM knock-out mutant strain is characterized by a delayed growth on minimal medium, smaller aerial hyphae, and reduction of both spore and antibiotic actinorhodin production in comparison with the wild-type strain. These observations are in agreement with proteomic analyses which highlighted a role for TrpM in controlling i) tryptophan production through precursor availability and, thus ii) bacterial growth and morpho-physiological differentiation. To further elucidate the role of TrpM, a S. coelicolor trpM kno…

A novel technique for opus vermiculatum mosaic rendering

In this paper we present a method to generate a digital mosaic starting from a raster input image. Mosaics generation of artistic quality is challenging. The basic elements, the tiles, typically small polygons, must be packed tightly, emphasizing orientations chosen by the artist. An adhoc boundaries detection have to be performed according to the directional guidelines. Different mosaic styles can be automatically rendered, depending on artistic techniques considered (“opus musivum”, “opus vermiculatum”, etc.). The proposed method is able to reproduce the colors of the original image emphasizing relevant boundaries by placing tiles along their direction. The boundaries detection is based o…

Omics approaches to elucidate the molecular physiology of lantibiotc NAI-107 production in Microbispora ATCC-PTA-5024

The small protein SCO2038 modulates tryptophan biosynthesis and morpho-physiological differentiation in Streptomyces coelicolor

In Streptomyces coelicolor small open reading frames were identified in several amino acids biosynthetic gene clusters, like SCO2038 (trpX) in the tryptophan trpCXBA locus. Here, the role of SCO2038, encoding a 63 amino acid protein, was investigated by both phenotypic and molecular analyses. A SCO2038 knockout mutant strain showed a delayed growth on minimal medium (MM), compromised actinorhodin biosynthesis and poor sporulation. The capability of this mutant to grow on MM was restored by tryptophan’s and its precursors’ supplementation. Pulldown and bacterial two hybrid assays revealed SCO2038 interaction with PepA, which is putatively involved in the metabolism of serine, glycine and cys…

Impact of asymptomatic COVID-19 patients in global surgical practice during the COVID-19 pandemic

The rapid spread of COVID-19 has changed the global surgical care. Patients infected with COVID-19 may present without typical symptoms, and such asymptomatic patients may potentially trigger in-hospital outbreaks by transmitting the disease to health care providers and other hospitalized patients. Further, asymptomatic COVID-19 patients have worse postop- erative outcomes with an unexpectedly high morbidity and mortality, reaching 20⋅5 per cent deaths. However, we do not have objective global data on this issue. In an attempt to clarify the current global surgical practice under the COVID-19 pandemic particularly focusing on the preoperative screening of asymptomatic COVID-19 patients, we …

Machine learning risk prediction of mortality for patients undergoing surgery with perioperative SARS-CoV-2: the COVIDSurg mortality score

The British journal of surgery 108(11), 1274-1292 (2021). doi:10.1093/bjs/znab183

Ramses: A visual steganographic system

Biological activities of AgNPs-EPS on breast cancer cells in vitro

Platelet count does not predict bleeding in cirrhotic patients: Results from the PRO-LIVER Study

OBJECTIVES: Thrombocytopenia is a hallmark for patients with cirrhosis and it is perceived as a risk factor for bleeding events. However, the relationship between platelet count and bleeding is still unclear. METHODS: We investigated the relationship between platelet count and major or clinical relevant nonmajor bleedings during a follow-up of ∼4 years. RESULTS: A total of 280 cirrhotic patients with different degrees of liver disease (67% males; age 64±37 years; 47% Child–Pugh B and C) were followed up for a median of 1,129 (interquartile range: 800–1,498) days yielding 953.12 patient-year of observation. The annual rate of any significant bleeding was 5.45%/year (3.57%/year and 1.8…

Cyclodextrin-based nano-devices for improved antibiotic activity

Purification and characterization of an intracellular family 3 β-glucosidase from Lactobacillus sanfranciscensis CB1

Lactobacillus sanfranciscensis CB1 uses cellobiose and other β-glucosides (methyl-β-glucoside, arbutin, amygdalin and salicin) as carbon sources. A hexameric ca. 288 kDa β-glucosidase was purified to homogeneity from Lact. sanfranciscensis CB1 by four chromatographic steps. The enzyme was optimally active at pH 7.5 and 40°C. It had a pI of ca. 4.38 and a D55°C value of ca. 27 sec. Almost total inhibition was found with sulfhydryl-modifying agents and divalent cations such as Cu2+, Co2+, Hg2+, Ni2+ and Fe2+ at a concentration of 2 mM. The enzyme was active towards β-(1→4) substrates such as p-nitrophenyl-β-D-glucoside, -D-galactoside and -L-rhamnoside, and cellobiose. The sequencing of four …

Mosaici Artificiali

Proteomics to elucidate the molecular physiology of Microbispora sp. ATCC-PTA-5024, the producer of NAI-107, a very promising lantibiotic

The filamentous actinobacterium Microbispora sp. ATCC-PTA-5024 produces the lantibiotic NAI-107 (Maffioli et al., 2014), which is effective against multidrug-resistant Gram-positive pathogens (Jabés et al., 2011). In actinomycetes, the biosynthesis of antibiotics is generally elicited as a physiological response controlled by a complex regulatory network involving global regulators, playing pleiotropic roles, and pathway-specific regulators, which activate the biosynthesis of biologically active molecules (Bibb, 2005)

CYTOTOXIC EFFECTS OF SILVER NANOPARTICLES (AgNPs) BIOSYNTHESIZED FROM KLEBSIELLA OXYTOCA DSM29614 AGAINST BREAST CANCER CELLS

Klebsiella oxytoca DSM 29614 (KO) is a strain that produces, under anaerobic conditions, bacterial exopolysaccharides (EPSs), made of four rhamnose (Rha), two glucuronic acids (GlcA) and one galactose (Gal) bound by α and β glycosidic bonds1,2, showing metal-binding properties3. In particular, KO in the presence of AgNO3 is able to synthesize silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) incorporated within the EPS (AgNPs-EPS). The AgNPs-EPS, may contain Ag+1 when KO growing in the presence of oxygen and Ag° under anaerobic conditions, giving a different biological activity4. In the present study were evaluated the cytotoxic effects of AgNPs-EPS, produced under aerobic and anaerobic conditions, on breast ca…

Delayed Coloanal Anastomosis for rectovaginal fistula after colorectal resection for deep endometriosis

The deep infiltrating endometriosis, defined as a subperitoneal infiltration of endometrial implants of ≥ 5 mm involving not only the colorectal tract but also rectovaginal septum, vagina and bladder often requires a challenging surgery. Endometriosis nodes of the rectovaginal septum, if symptomatic, need a resection of the involved colorectal tract with colorectal or coloanal anastomosis. Unfortunately in these cases is not uncommon the possibility of a postoperative rectovaginal fistula (RVF), caused by the weakness of the septum that must be skeletonized to completely remove the endometriosis nodes. Here we present a case of anastomotic leakage with high RVF after colorectal resection an…

CCDC 644638: Experimental Crystal Structure Determination

Related Article: D.Raffa, B.Maggio, S.Cascioferro, M.V.Raimondi, D.Schillaci, G.Gallo, G.Daidone, S.Plescia, F.Meneghetti, G.Bombieri, A.Di Cristina, R.M.Pipitone, S.Grimaudo, M.Tolomeo|2009|Eur.J.Med.Chem.|44|165|doi:10.1016/j.ejmech.2008.03.023