Isolation and identification of Pantoea agglomerans from the inflated bag with dried hop pellets stored under a modified atmosphere.

AIMS: Isolation, characterization and identification of possible microbial contaminant(s) in the inflated foil bag containing hop pellets packed and stored in a modified atmosphere. METHODS AND RESULTS: Package gas of the inflated foil bag containing hop pellets was analysed by gas chromatography. Compared with the reference modified atmosphere, containing about 16 vol.% of CO2 , the inflated bag atmosphere contained 53 vol.% CO2 , suggesting possible microbial contamination. Therefore, several standard and mineral media, with added hop pellets or hop infusion, were used for cultivation at different temperatures under an anaerobic atmosphere. Cultivation in mineral medium with hop pellets yielded a bacterial isolate that was identified by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry and verified by partial 16S rRNA gene analysis as Pantoea agglomerans, a known plant epiphyte. CONCLUSIONS: A novel strain of P. agglomerans (designed as DBM 3696) was found to be suspicious of causing inflation of the foil bag containing dried hop pellets packed in modified atmosphere. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: This study suggests that P. agglomerans, probably hop epiphyte, could cause sporadic inflation of bags with hop pellets packed in modified atmosphere causing logistical problems during bags transport.

In vitro growth-inhibitory effect of ethanol GRAS plant and supercritical CO2 hop extracts on planktonic cultures of oral pathogenic microorganisms.

Conventional chemical antiseptics used for treatment of oral infections often produce side-effects, which restrict their long-term use. Plants are considered as perspective sources of novel natural antiseptics. However, little is still known about their inhibitory properties against oral pathogens. The objective of this study was to test in vitro antimicrobial activities of generally recognized as safe (GRAS) species against planktonic cultures of cariogenic, periodontal and candidal microorganisms and identify active compounds of the most active extracts. Growth-inhibitory effects of ethanol extracts from 109 GRAS plant species, six Humulus lupulus cultivars and two hop supercritical CO2 extracts were evaluated using broth microdilution method. The chemical analysis was done through high-performance liquid chromatography. Best results were obtained for supercritical CO2 and ethanol extracts of H. lupulus with minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) ≥8 µg/mL and ≥16 µg/mL, respectively. The chemical analysis of supercritical CO2H. lupulus extracts revealed that α- and ß-acids were their main constituents. Capsicum annuum and Capsicum frutescens showed antibacterial effect against Streptococcus sobrinus and Streptococcus salivarius (MIC=64-128 µg/mL). These strains were further inhibited by Zanthoxylum clava-herculis (MIC=64-128 µg/mL) and Myristica fragrans (both MIC≥128 µg/mL). The latter also exhibited antimicrobial activity against Fusobacterium nucleatum (MIC=64 µg/mL). Punica granatum possessed inhibitory effects against Candida albicans (MIC=128 µg/mL) and F. nucleatum (MIC=64 µg/mL). The results indicate that supercritical CO2H. lupulus extracts together with ethanol extracts of C. annuum, C. frutescens, M. fragrans, P. granatum and Z. clava-herculis are promising materials for further investigation on new antiseptic agents of oral care products.

Docetaxel as neoadjuvant therapy for radically treatable stage III non-small-cell lung cancer: a multinational randomised phase III study.

BACKGROUND: Docetaxel (Taxotere) is a potent anticancer agent, with proven efficacy as first-line therapy in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The aim of this large randomised multicentre phase III study was to evaluate docetaxel in the neoadjuvant (pre-operative) setting. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients with stage IIIA or locally treatable IIIB NSCLC were randomly assigned to receive neoadjuvant docetaxel (n = 134) or no chemotherapy (n = 140) before surgery/curative-intention radiotherapy. Patients received up to three 3-weekly cycles of docetaxel (100 mg/m(2)) as 1-h intravenous infusions. RESULTS: Median survival was 14.8 months in the docetaxel group and 12.6 months in the control group. Median times to disease progression were 9.0 months (docetaxel arm) and 7.6 months (control arm). There were three complete responses and 25 partial responses in patients treated with docetaxel who were evaluable for response (n = 101). Docetaxel was well-tolerated: 103 patients (77%) received all three planned cycles. The major toxicity was grade 4 neutropenia (69 patients, 55%) and neutropenic fever (eight patients, 6%). Radiotherapy was well-tolerated after docetaxel administration. CONCLUSIONS: Neoadjuvant docetaxel is generally well-tolerated and shows a promising trend towards longer survival in patients with NSCLC.

[Tuberculosis after kidney transplantation]. / Onemocnení tuberkulózou po transplantaci ledviny.

The authors deal with the problem of tuberculosis in patients after transplantation of the kidney. They give an account of eight cases of the disease in 647 patients where during the last 22 years transplantations where performed in the Institute for Clinical and Experimental Medicine. The lungs were affected in six patients, incl. three with miliary dissemination affecting also other organs incl. the graft. In one instance the patient's own kidney was affected and once the talar joint. The authors emphasize this atypical course of the disease and the necessity to search for BK in patients where the febrile condition does not recede after corresponding antibiotic treatment. In case of early antituberculotic treatment the prognosis is on the whole favourable.

[Miliary tuberculosis after kidney transplantation]. / Miliární tuberkulóza po transplantaci ledviny.

The authors describe a case of tuberculosis after kidney transplantation. They discuss diagnostic and therapeutical problems arising from the specific course of this disease which appears in patients with chronic renal insufficiency treated with immunosuppressives after kidney transplantation.