Proteomic and lipidomic biomarkers in the diagnosis and progression of inflammatory bowel disease - a review.

PURPOSE: There is an increasing prevalence of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and to date, no effective treatment has been developed and the exact etiology of this disease remains unknown. Nevertheless, a growing number of proteomic and lipidomic studies have identified certain proteins and lipids which can be used successfully in patients to improve diagnoses and monitoring of treatment. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: We have focused on the applications of proteins and lipids for IBD diagnostics, including differentiation of Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC), treatment monitoring, monitoring of clinical state, likelihood of relapse, and their potential for novel targeted treatments. RESULTS: Analysis of protein and lipid profiles can: improve the availability and use of diagnostic markers; improve understanding of the pathomechanisms of IBD, for example, several studies have implicated platelet dysfunction (PF4), autoimmune responses (granzyme B, perforin), and abnormal metabolism (arachidonic acid pathways); aid in monitoring patient health; and improve therapeutics (experimental phosphatidylcholine therapy has been shown to result in an improvement in intestinal condition). CONCLUSIONS: Despite the enormous progress of proteomics and lipidomics in recent years and the development of new technologies, further research is needed to select some of the most sensitive and specific markers applicable in diagnosing and treating IBD.

PhageScore-based analysis of Acinetobacter baumannii infecting phages antibiotic interaction in liquid medium.

The growing interest in bacteriophages and antibiotics' combined use poses new challenges regarding this phenomenon's accurate description. This study aimed to apply the PhageScore methodology to assess the phage-antibiotic combination activity in liquid bacterial culture. For this purpose, previously described Acinetobacter infecting phages vB_AbaP_AGC01, Aba-1, and Aba-4 and antibiotics (gentamicin, ciprofloxacin, meropenem, norfloxacin, and fosfomycin) were used to obtain a lysis curve of bacteriophages under antibiotic pressure. The experimental data were analyzed using the Fractional Inhibitory Concentration Index (FICI) and PhageScore methodology. The results obtained by this method clearly show differences between phage lytic activity after antibiotic addition. Thus, we present the potential use of the PhageScore method as a tool for characterizing the phage antibiotic synergy in liquid culture. Further, the optimization of the PhageScore for this purpose can help compare antibiotics and their outcome on bacteriophage lytic activity.

Effects of Sterilization Methods on Different 3D Printable Materials for Templates of Physician-Modified Aortic Stent Grafts Used in Vascular Surgery-A Preliminary Study.

Three-dimensionally-printed aortic templates are increasingly being used to aid in the modification of stent grafts in the treatment of urgent, complex aortic disorders, often of an emergency nature. The direct contact between the aortic template and the stent graft implies the necessity of complete sterility. Currently, the efficacy of sterilizing aortic templates and the effect of sterilization on the geometry of tubular aortic models are unknown. A complex case of aortic arch dissection was selected to prepare a 3D-printed aortic arch template, which was then manufactured in six popular printing materials: polylactic acid (PLA), nylon, polypropylene (PP), polyethylene terephthalate glycol (PETG), and a rigid and flexible photopolymer resin using fused deposition modeling (FDM) and stereolithography (SLA). The 3D models were contaminated with Geobacillus stearothermophilus broth and Bacillus atrophaeus. The sterilization was performed using three different methods: heat (105 °C and 121 °C), hydrogen peroxide plasma, and ethylene oxide gas. Before and after sterilization, the aortic templates were scanned using computed tomography to detect any changes in their morphology by comparing the dimensions. All sterilization methods were effective in the elimination of microorganisms. Steam sterilization in an autoclave at 121 °C caused significant deformation of the aortic templates made of PLA, PETG, and PP. The other materials had stable geometries, and changes during mesh comparisons were found to be submillimeter. Similarly, plasma, gas, and heat at 105 °C did not change the shapes of aortic templates observed macroscopically and using mesh analysis. All mean geometry differences were smaller than 0.5 mm. All sterilization protocols tested in our study were equally effective in destroying microorganisms; however, differences occurred in the ability to induce 3D object deformation. Sterilization at high temperatures deformed aortic templates composed of PLA, PETG, and PP. This method was suitable for nylon, flexible, and rigid resin-based models. Importantly, plasma and gas sterilization were appropriate for all tested printing materials, including PLA, PETG, PP, nylon, flexible and rigid resins. Moreover, sterilization of all the printed models using our novel protocol for steam autoclaving at 105 °C was also 100% effective, which could represent a significant advantage for health centers, which can therefore use one of the most popular and cheap methods of medical equipment disinfection for the sterilization of 3D models as well.

Association of Aneurysm Tissue Neutrophil Mediator Levels with Intraluminal Thrombus Thickness in Patients with Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm.

An intraluminal thrombus (ILT), which accumulates large numbers of neutrophils, plays a key role in abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) pathogenesis. This study aimed to compare levels of selected neutrophil inflammatory mediators in thick and thin ILT, plus adjacent AAA walls, to determine whether levels depend on ILT thickness. Neutrophil mediator levels were analysed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays in thick and thin segments of ILT, plus adjacent aneurysm wall sections, taken from one aneurysm sac each from 36 AAA patients. In aneurysmal walls covered by thick ILT, neutrophil elastase and TNF-a levels were significantly higher, as were concentrations of IL-6, in thick ILT compared to thin layers. Positive correlations of NGAL, MPO, and neutrophil elastase were observed between thick ILT and the adjacent wall and thin ILT and the adjacent wall, suggesting that these mediators probably infiltrate thick AAA compartments as well as thin. These observations might support the idea that neutrophil mediators and inflammatory cytokines differentially accumulate in AAA tissues according to ILT thickness. The increased levels of neutrophil mediators within thicker AAA segments might suggest the existence of an intensified proinflammatory state that in turn presumably might preferentially weaken the AAA wall at that region.

Genotypic characterisation and antimicrobial resistance of Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains isolated from patients of different hospitals and medical centres in Poland.

BACKGROUND: Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a Gram-negative bacteria responsible for infections in immunocompromised patients and is one of the most common causes of nosocomial infections particularly in intensive care and burn units. We aimed to investigate the population structure of P. aeruginosa strains isolated from patients at different hospital wards. METHODS: We analysed the possible presence of P. aeruginosa epidemic or endemic strains in hospitals of the selected region. A genotyping analysis was performed for P. aeruginosa isolates (n = 202) collected from patients of eleven hospitals in north-western Poland. Collections of P. aeruginosa were genotyped using pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE). Phenotypic screening for antibiotic susceptibility was performed for the common antimicrobial agents. RESULTS: Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates were distributed among 116 different pulsotype groups. We identified 30 groups of clonally related strains, each containing from 2 to 17 isolates and typed the obtained 13 unique patterns, designated as A, D, E, J, K, M, N, Ó, P, T, X, AC, AD, and AH. The two largest clusters, D and E, contained 17 and 13 isolates, respectively. Strains of these groups were continuously isolated from patients at intensive care units and burn units, indicating transmission of these strains. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, we demonstrate the clonal relatedness of P. aeruginosa strains and their constant exchange in hospitals over a period of 15 months. The obtained results indicate a predominantly non-clonal structure of P. aeruginosa.

Influence of Environmental Factors and Relationships between Vanadium, Chromium, and Calcium in Human Bone.

The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of environmental factors on the concentrations of vanadium (V), chromium (Cr), and calcium (Ca) and to examine the synergistic or antagonistic relationships between these metals, in cartilage (C), cortical bone (CB), and spongy bone (SB) samples obtained following hip joint surgery on patients with osteoarthritis in NW Poland. We found significantly higher concentrations of V and Cr in spongy bone in patients who consumed game meat and also those with prosthetic implants. Chromium levels were significantly lower in patients with kidney diseases. The greatest positive correlations were found between spongy bone V and (i) the amount of consumed beer and (ii) seafood diet. Correlation analysis also showed a significant correlation between Cr levels and seafood diet. To a certain extent these results indicate that the concentrations of V, Cr, and Ca in the human hip joint tissues are connected with occupational exposure, kidney diseases, diet containing game meat, sea food, beer, and the presence of implants. Furthermore, we noted new types of interactions in specific parts of the femoral head. Vanadium may contribute to the lower bone Ca levels, especially in the external parts (cartilage and cortical bone).

[Analysis of screening tests for Streptococcus agalactiae in pregnant women from the West Pomeranian region]. / Analiza badan przesiewowych w kierunku Streptococcus agalactiae u kobiet w ciazy z regionu Pomorza Zachodniego.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to determine the degree of colonization Streptococcus agalactiae (GBS--Group B Streptococcus) in women at 35.-37. weeks of pregnancy and to evaluate drug susceptibility of the isolated strains. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We analyzed the results of 1111 tests for GBS colonization performed between 2010-2013 in pregnant women (aged 16-40) from the West Pomeranian region. Swabs were taken from the vagina and the anus of the study subjects at 35.-37. weeks of pregnancy Materials were cultured on Granada Agar and in selective Todd-Hewitt broth, which was next cultured on Granada Agar The degree of GBS colonization was determined by the semi-quantitative method on solid media. The strains were tested for susceptibility to penicillin, erythromycin and clindamycin by disc diffusion method according to the EUCAST standards. RESULTS: Positive cultures for S. agalactiae were found in 22.5% of the pregnant women. The highest (25.4%) and the lowest (15.9%) rates of GBS colonization were observed in the age groups of 31-35 and 16-20 years, respectively Massive GBS colonization was detected in 68.4% of pregnant subjects, with the highest and the lowest rates in the age groups of 31-35 and 16-20 years, (75.3% and 50.0%, respectively). All isolated GBS strains were sensitive to penicillin. Macrolide, lincosamide and streptogramin B resistance (MLSB) was found in 28% of the isolates, resistance only to erythromycin (phenotype M) in 2% of the strains. There were no significant differences in the degree of GBS colonization and drug sensitivity of GBS strains versus the year of our examination. CONCLUSIONS: Monitoring for GBS colonization in the last weeks of pregnancy seems to be necessary for effective prevention of S. agalactiae infections.