Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Detection Of Staphylococcal Cassette Chromosome Mec Associated Dna Segments In Multiresistant Mssa And Identification Of Staphylococcus Epidermidis Ccrab4, Celine Herra, Anna Shore, Brian O’Connell,, Angela Rossney,, Derek Sullivan, Hilary Humphreys, David Coleman

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Methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA) can arise from methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) following partial or complete excision of staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec (SCCmec). This study investigated whether multiresistant MSSA isolates from Irish hospitals, where MRSA has been endemic for decades, harbor SCCmec DNA. Twenty-five multiresistant MSSA isolates recovered between 2002 and 2006 were tested for SCCmec DNA by PCR and were genotyped by multilocus sequence typing and spa typing. All isolates lacked mecA. Three isolates (12%) harbored SCCmec DNA; two of these (genotype ST8 t190) harbored a 26-kb SCCmec IID (II.3.1.2) remnant that lacked part of mecI and all of mecR1, …

Helicobacter Pylori-Induced Inhibition Of Vascular Endothelial Cell Functions: A Role For Vaca-Dependent Nitric Oxide Reduction, Nicholas P. Toblin, Gary Henehan, Ronan P. Murphy, John P. Atherton, Anthony F. Guinan, Steven W. Kerrigan, Dermot Cox, Paul A. Cahill, Philip M. Cummins

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Epidemiological and clinical studies provide compelling support for a causal relationship between Helicobacter pylori infection and endothelial dysfunction, leading to vascular diseases. However, clear biochemical evidence for this association is limited. In the present study, we have conducted a comprehensive investigation of endothelial injury in bovine aortic endothelial cells (BAECs) induced by H. pylori-conditioned medium (HPCM) prepared from H. pylori 60190 [vacuolating cytotoxin A (Vac(+))]. BAECs were treated with either unconditioned media, HPCM (0-25% vol/vol), or Escherichia coli-conditioned media for 24 h, and cell functions were monitored. Vac(+) HPCM significantly decreased BAEC proliferation, tube formation, and migration (by up to …

Evaluation Of The Xpert Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (Mrsa) Assay Using The Genexpert Real-Time Pcr Platform For Rapid Detection Of Mrsa From Screening Specimens., Celine M. Herra

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The need for rapid methods to accurately detect methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is widely acknowledged, and a number of molecular assays are commercially available. This study evaluated the Xpert MRSA assay, which is run on the GeneXpert real-time PCR platform (Cepheid) for use in a clinical laboratory. The following parameters were investigated: (i) the limits of detection (LoDs) for four MRSA strains; (ii) the ability to detect isolates of MRSA from a collection representative of MRSA in Ireland since 1974 (n 114) and the ability to detect control strains with staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec types IVa (IV.1.1.1), IVb (IV.2.1.1), IVc …

Diagnostic Sensitivity/Specificity Of Preattentive Vision Tests In Glaucoma, James Loughman, Peter Davison, Daniel Ian Flitcroft

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Purpose. Damage to the nerve fiber layer or visual pathway might be expected to reduce the efficiency with which the visual system performs analysis of the ever-changing field of vision. The purpose of this article is to provide a further analysis of previously reported data (Loughman J, Davison P, Flitcroft I, Br J Ophthalmol 2007;91:1493-98.) to: (i) determine the sensitivity and specificity of a test of preattentive vision for glaucoma detection and (ii) provide a cutoff performance level that would serve to distinguish glaucoma in early cases. Methods. Three groups of observers (glaucoma, suspects, and normals) were examined, using computer-generated …

Diagnostic Sensitivity/Specificity Of Preattentive Vision Tests In Glaucoma, James Loughman, Peter Davison, Daniel Ian Flitcroft

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Purpose. Damage to the nerve fiber layer or visual pathway might be expected to reduce the efficiency with which the visual system performs analysis of the ever-changing field of vision. The purpose of this article is to provide a further analysis of previously reported data (Loughman J, Davison P, Flitcroft I, Br J Ophthalmol 2007;91:1493–98.) to: (i) determine the sensitivity and specificity of a test of preattentive vision for glaucoma detection and (ii) provide a cutoff performance level that would serve to distinguish glaucoma in early cases. Methods. Three groups of observers (glaucoma, suspects, and normals) were examined, using computer-generated …

Working Report On The Status Quo Of Nanomaterials Impact On Health And Environment, Harald Krug, Margarita Apostolova, Marite Arija Bake, Gordon Chambers, Horia Chiriac, Eva Herzog, Victoria Hand, Jürgen Höck, Peter Hoet, Nicoleta Lupu, Declan Mccormack, Maja Remskar, George Robillard, Jamila Smisterova, Jan Stetkiewicz, Speranta Tanasescu, Aris Tsatsakis, David Vaughn, Peter Wick, Jörg Wörle-Knirsch

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Nanotechnology is regarded as one of the key technologies of the future and associated with high expectations by politics, science and economy. Artificially produced nanosized particles and nanoscale system components have new properties which are of importance for the development of new products and applications. Such new properties of materials and substances result from the special properties of surfaces and interfaces and in part, from the geometric shape of the material. In theory nanoparticles (NPs) can be produced from nearly any chemical; however, most NPs that are currently in use today have been made from transition metals, silicon, carbon (single-walled …

The Development Of A Qualitative Real-Time Rt-Pcr Assay For The Detection Of Hepatitis C Virus, Celine Herra, A. Clancy, B. Crowley, H. Niesters

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Real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) represents a favourable option for the detection of hepatitis C virus (HCV). A real-time reverse transcriptase PCR (RTPCR) assay was developed as a qualitative diagnostic screening method for the detection of HCV using the ABI PRISM 7500 Sequence Detection System. The primers and probe were designed to target the 5′ untranslated region of the hepatitis C viral genome. A second heterologous probe assay was developed for the detection of the haemagglutinin gene of phocine distemper virus (PDV) and was used as an internal control. A semi-automated HCV extraction method was also implemented using the ABI …

Treg Depletion Inhibits Efficacy Of Cancer Immunotherapy: Implications For Clinical Trials., James Curtin, Marianela Candolfi, Tamer Fakhouri, Chunyan Liu, Anderson Alden, Matthew Edwards, Pedro Lowenstein, Maria Castro

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BACKGROUND: Regulatory T lymphocytes (Treg) infiltrate human glioblastoma (GBM); are involved in tumor progression and correlate with tumor grade. Transient elimination of Tregs using CD25 depleting antibodies (PC61) has been found to mediate GBM regression in preclinical models of brain tumors. Clinical trials that combine Treg depletion with tumor vaccination are underway to determine whether transient Treg depletion can enhance anti-tumor immune responses and improve long term survival in cancer patients. FINDINGS: Using a syngeneic intracrabial glioblastoma (GBM) mouse model we show that systemic depletion of Tregs 15 days after tumor implantation using PC61 resulted in a decrease in Tregs …

Effect Of Uva Fluence Rate On Indicators Of Oxidative Stress In Human Dermal Fibroblasts, James D. Hoerter, Christopher S. Ward, Kyle D. Bale, Admasu N. Gizachew, Rachelle Graham Rachelle Graham, Jaclyn Reynolds, Melanie E. Ward Melanie E. Ward, Chesca Choi, Jean-Leonard Kagabo, Michael Sauer, Tara Kuipers, Timothy Hotchkiss Timothy Hotchkiss, Nate Banner, Renee A. Chellson, Theresa Ohaeri, Langston Gant, Leah Vanderhill

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During the course of a day human skin is exposed to solar UV radiation that fluctuates in fluence rate within the UVA (290-315 nm) and UVB (315-400 nm) spectrum. Variables affecting the fluence rate reaching skin cells include differences in UVA and UVB penetrating ability, presence or absence of sunscreens, atmospheric conditions, and season and geographical location where the exposure occurs. Our study determined the effect of UVA fluence rate in solar-simulated (SSR) and tanning-bed radiation (TBR) on four indicators of oxidative stress---protein oxidation, glutathione, heme oxygenase-1, and reactive oxygen species--in human dermal fibroblasts after receiving equivalent UVA and UVB …

Effects Of Cold Weather On Mortality: Results From 15 European Cities Within The Phewe Project, Antonis Analitis, Klea Katsouyanni, Annibale Biggeri, Michela Baccini, Bertil Forsberg Bertil Forsberg, Luigi Bisanti, Ursula Kirchmayer, Ferran Ballester, Ennio Cadum, Patrick J. Goodman, Ana Hojs, J. Sunyer, Pekka Tiittanen, Paola Michelozzi

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Weather-related health effects have attracted renewed interest because of the observed and predicted climate change. The authors studied the short-term effects of cold weather on mortality in 15 European cities. The effects of minimum apparent temperature on cause- and age-specific daily mortality were assessed for the cold season (October-March) by using data from 1990-2000. For city-specific analysis, the authors used Poisson regression and distributed lag models, controlling for potential confounders. Meta-regression models summarized the results and explored heterogeneity. A 1 degrees C decrease in temperature was associated with a 1.35% (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.16, 1.53) increase in the daily …

Editorial: Nutrition Research Reviews, Katherine Younger

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With world attention now focusing on the Olympics, the question as to the extent to which nutrient intakes can affect athletic performance is highly topical; in this context, the article

Session 1: Public Health Nutrition Breast-Feeding Practices In Ireland, Roslyn Tarrant, John Kearney

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Breast-feeding is the superior infant feeding method from birth, with research consistently demonstrating its numerous short- and long-term health benefits for both mother and infant. As a global recommendation the WHO advises that mothers should exclusively breast-feed for the first 6-months of life, thus delaying the introduction of solids during this time. Historically, Irish breast-feeding initiation rates have remained strikingly low in comparison with international data and there has been little improvement in breast-feeding duration rates. There is wide geographical variation in terms of breast-feeding initiation both internationally and in Ireland. Some of these differences in breast-feeding rates may be …

Novel Functions Of Acyl-Coa Thioesterases And Acyltransferases As Auxiliary Enzymes In Peroxisomal Lipid Metabolism., Mary Hunt, Stefan Alexson

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Peroxisomes are single membrane bound organelles present in almost all eukaryotic cells, and to date have been shown to contain approximately 60 identified enzymes involved in various metabolic pathways, including the oxidation of a variety of lipids. These lipids include very long-chain fatty acids, methyl branched fatty acids, prostaglandins, bile acid precursors, and xenobiotics that are either β-oxidized or α-oxidized in peroxisomes. The recent identification of several acyl-CoA thioesterases and acyltransferases in peroxisomes has revealed their various functions in acting as auxiliary enzymes in α- and β-oxidation in this organelle. To date, 9 functional acyl-CoA thioesterases and acyltransferases have been …

The Use Of Cellomics To Study Enterocyte Cytoskeletal Proteins In Coeliac Disease Patients, Bashir M. Mohamed, Conleth Feighery, Yvonne Williams, Anthony Davies, Dermot Kelleher, Yuri Volkov, Jacinta Kelly, Mohamed Abuzakouk

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Coeliac disease is characterised by inflammation of small intestinal mucosa accompanied by abnormal villous architecture. It is now accepted that some patients with positive coeliac serology tests may have minor mucosal lesions that may not be apparent on routine histopathological analysis. The aim of the study was to perform detailed examination of enterocyte morphology and cytoskeletal structures using a high content analysis technology. Duodenal biopsies from 14 untreated and 10 treated coeliac patients and from 20 non-coeliac controls were examined. Tissue sections from six patients (study group subjects) before and after the development of gluten-sensitive enteropathy were also investigated. Immunohistochemical …

Object Detection And Classification With Applications To Skin Cancer Screening, Jonathan Blackledge, Dmitryi Dubovitskiy

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This paper discusses a new approach to the processes of object detection, recognition and classification in a digital image. The classification method is based on the application of a set of features which include fractal parameters such as the Lacunarity and Fractal Dimension. Thus, the approach used, incorporates the characterisation of an object in terms of its texture.

The principal issues associated with object recognition are presented which includes two novel fast segmentation algorithms for which C++ code is provided. The self-learning procedure for designing a decision making engine using fuzzy logic and membership function theory is also presented and …

A Surface Inspection Machine Vision System That Includes Fractal Texture Analysis, Jonathan Blackledge, Dmitry Dubovitskiy

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The detection, recognition and classification of features in a digital image is an important component of quality control systems in production and process engineering and industrial systems monitoring, in general. In this paper, a new pattern recognition system is presented that has been designed for the specific task of monitoring the quality of sheet-steel production in a rolling mill. The system is based on using both the Euclidean and Fractal geometric properties of an imaged object to develop training data that is used in conjunction with a supervised learning procedure based on the application of a fuzzy inference engine. Thus, …

Evaluation Of In Vitro Virulence Characteristics Of The Genus Pandoraea In Lung Epithelial Cells, Emma M. Caraher, Jonathan Collins, Jonathan Collins,, Gillian Herbert, Philip G. Murphy Philip G. Murphy, Charles G. Gallagher, Mary J. Crowe, Máire Callaghan, Siobhan Mcclean

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Pandoraea species are emerging opportunistic pathogens capable of causing chronic lung infections in cystic fibrosis patients. This study examined the interactions of 17 Pandoraea isolates from the five identified species (Pandoraea apista, Pandoraea norimbergensis, Pandoraea pulmonicula, Pandoraea sputorum and Pandoraea pnomenusa) plus two Pandoraea genomospecies isolates with lung epithelial cells and their ability to form biofilms in vitro. Only three isolates showed an ability to invade A549 lung epithelial cells, and only one isolate was able to form biofilms. In contrast, all isolates triggered a pronounced pro-inflammatory response, with elevation of both interleukin (IL)-6 (two- to 19-fold) and IL-8 (10- …

Book Review J. Mann & A. S. Truswell (Editors). Essentials Of Human Nutrition., Daniel Mccartney

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Essentials of Human Nutrition is the third edition of this excellent text originally published in 1998. This comprehensively updated version contains many chapters that have been completely rewritten since the last volume in 2002, while the others have been meticulously revised. The content is presented in a readily accessible manner and addresses the issues of greatest pertinence to contemporary nutritional science and therapeutics, with sections covering foods, macro- and micronutrients, nutrition-related disorders, public health nutrition and clinical nutrition. Eminent researchers and teachers from around the world have been commissioned to write these specialist chapters, with the judicious editorial style permitting …

Planning In The Irish Healthcare System; Legislative Strategy Or Administrative Control?, Vivienne Byers

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Although strategic planning in healthcare has been in evidence in many OECD countries since the 1970s, it did not emerge in Ireland until the advent of legislatively mandated service planning in the 1990s. This occurred in the context of significant managerial, organisational and environmental change. One of the central mechanisms of the Strategic Management Initiative is the devolution of accountability and responsibility from the centre to the periphery. Service planning in the health sector in Ireland is seen as part of this strategic planning ethos. This paper reports on part of a wider study that examined both the intent and …

Editorial: Nutrition Research Reviews, Katherine Younger

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We are all familiar with the dietary guideline exhorting us to eat so many portions of oily fish per week in order to boost our intakes of n-3 long-chain PUFA, but it is perhaps not so widely realised that the fish must themselves be provided with dietary n-3 long-chain PUFA or, possibly, their precursors (though, as in humans, the ability of carnivorous fish to elongate and desaturate n-3 PUFA appears to be limited).