Search results for " MIC"

Assessment of the Antimicrobial Activity and the Entomocidal Potential of Bacillus thuringiensis Isolates from Algeria.

2017

This work represents the first initiative to analyze the distribution of B. thuringiensis in Algeria and to evaluate the biological potential of the isolates. A total of 157 isolates were recovered, with at least one isolate in 94.4% of the samples. The highest Bt index was found in samples from rhizospheric soil (0.48) and from the Mediterranean area (0.44). Most isolates showed antifungal activity (98.5%), in contrast to the few that had antibacterial activity (29.9%). A high genetic diversity was made evident by the finding of many different crystal shapes and various combinations of shapes within a single isolate (in 58.4% of the isolates). Also, over 50% of the isolates harbored cry1, …

Time-kill assays of amphotericin B plus anidulafungin against Candida tropicalis biofilms formed on two different biomaterials.

2017

Purpose: To determine the fungicidal activity by time-killing assays of amphotericin B (AMB) combined with anidulafungin (ANF) against biofilms of 2 clinical isolates of Candida tropicalis and the reference strain ATCC® 750, developed on polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) and titanium, using the CDC Biofilm Reactor (CBR) as an in vitro model. Methods: Biofilms were developed for 24 hours on the disk surfaces and then exposed to AMB (40 mg/L), ANF (8 mg/L), alone and combined. At predetermined time points after drug exposure, biofilms were removed from the disk surface by vortexing-sonication to quantify viable biofilm cells. Results: Drug activity was dependent on strain and time. After exposur…

Aspergilosis invasora en el paciente con enfermedad oncohematológica

2018

Invasive aspergillosis is the most common invasive fungal infection in patients with acute hematological malignancies or treated with hematopoietic stem cell transplantation due to the marked alteration of the physiological mechanisms of antifungal immunity that takes place in these situations. For this reason, antifungal prophylaxis has a relevant role in these patients. The introduction of new antifungal agents has motivated the updating of recommendations for prophylaxis and treatment in different guidelines. The objectives of this chapter are a brief review of the mechanisms of immunity against fungi, the definition of risk for developing an invasive fungal infection and an update of th…

Untargeted Antifungal Treatment in Nonneutropenic Critically Ill Patients: Should Further Studies Be Performed Based on Trial Sequential Analysis Res…

2018

Dying with or because of invasive fungal infection? The role of immunity exhaustion on patient outcome

2016

De Rosa et al. considered clinical scores, biomarkers and their combination as useful aids for an early antifungal treatment and advocated the adoption of de-escalation therapy in an antifungal stewardship approach as a possible key for a better management of these patients. Authors considered the high burden of invasive fungal infections in terms of patient outcomes and costs and focused on current strategies for their optimization.

Pleomorphic forms of Borrelia burgdorferi induce distinct immune responses.

2016

Borrelia burgdorferi is the causative agent of tick-borne Lyme disease. As a response to environmental stress B. burgdorferi can change its morphology to a round body form. The role of B. burgdorferi pleomorphic forms in Lyme disease pathogenesis has long been debated and unclear. Here, we demonstrated that round bodies were processed differently in differentiated macrophages, consequently inducing distinct immune responses compared to spirochetes in vitro. Colocalization analysis indicated that the F-actin participates in internalization of both forms. However, round bodies end up less in macrophage lysosomes than spirochetes suggesting that there are differences in processing of these for…

Analysis of the 3H8 antigen of Candida albicans reveals new aspects of the organization of fungal cell wall proteins.

2017

The walls of both, yeast and mycelial cells of Candida albicans possess a species-specific antigen that is recognized by a monoclonal antibody (MAb 3H8). This antigen can be extracted in the form of a very high Mr complex, close or over 106 Da, by treatment, with β-1,3-glucanase, β mercaptoethanol or dithothreitol, or mild alkali, but not by saturated hydrogen fluoride (HF) in pyridine, suggesting that the complex is bound to wall β-1,3 glucans, and to proteins by disulfide bonds, but not to β-1,6 glucans. Through its sensitivity to trypsin and different deglycosylation procedures, it was concluded that the epitope is associated to a glycoprotein containing N-glycosidic, but not O-glycosidi…

It is Time for Action in the Struggle against Antibiotic-Resistance, Let’s Start Reducing or Replacing Antibiotics in Agriculture

2016

Million people around the world are infected each year and thousands of them die from pathogens that are resistant to the treatment by any of known antibiotics [1]. The excessive use and abuse of antibiotics in clinical setting and in agriculture, added to the great ability of microorganisms to evolve, are the causes of the wide spread of isolates resistant to all major classes of current antibiotics. It is time for action in order to tackle antimicrobial-resistance (AMR), which can be considered a major threat to global health care and security. While we are waiting for new antimicrobial molecules and strategies, shorter-term approaches are needed to address the menace of AMR and preserve …

Can the microRNA expression profile help to identify novel targets for zoledronic acid in breast cancer?

2016

// Daniele Fanale 1, * , Valeria Amodeo 1, * , Viviana Bazan 1, * , Lavinia Insalaco 1 , Lorena Incorvaia 1 , Nadia Barraco 1 , Marta Castiglia 1 , Sergio Rizzo 1 , Daniele Santini 2 , Antonio Giordano 3 , Sergio Castorina 4, 5, # , Antonio Russo 1, # 1 Department of Surgical, Oncological and Oral Sciences, Section of Medical Oncology, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy 2 University Campus Bio-Medico, Department of Medical Oncology, Rome, Italy 3 Sbarro Institute for Cancer Research and Molecular Medicine, Center for Biotechnology, College of Science and Technology, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, USA 4 Fondazione Mediterranea “G.B. Morgagni”, Catania, Italy 5 Department of Biomedic…

Potential probiotic salami with dietary fiber modulates metabolism and gut microbiota in a human intervention study

2020

A human intervention in 24 healthy volunteers was performed to test the potential health benefits of a fermented salami with a probiotic Lactobacillus rhamnosus HN001 and added citrus fiber. Anthropometric measurements and blood biochemistry did not show any significant differences between pre- and post-intervention during 4 weeks with a daily intake of 30 g of salami, neither with regular salami (control group) nor with reformulated salami (intervention group). However, the inflammatory markers CRP and TNFα decreased significantly after intervention, suggesting a less inflammatory environment after reformulated salami consumption. Antioxidant plasmatic markers also improved within the inte…