Active microbiota persist in dry permafrost and active layer from Elephant Head, Antarctica.

Dry permafrost is a challenging environment for microbial life due to cold, dry, and often oligotrophic conditions. In 2016, Elephant Head, Antarctica, was confirmed as the second site on Earth to contain dry permafrost. It is geographically distinct from the McMurdo Dry Valleys where dry permafrost has been studied previously. Here, we present the first study of the microbial activity, diversity, and functional potential of Elephant Head dry permafrost. Microbial activity was measured using radiorespiration assays with radiolabeled acetate as a carbon source at 5, 0, and -5°C. Low, but detectable, rates of microbial activity were measured in some samples at 0 and -5°C. This is distinct from previous studies of McMurdo Dry Valley dry permafrost which concluded that dry permafrost represents a cold-arid limit to life on the planet. The isolation of cold-adapted organisms from these soils, including one capable of subzero growth, further supports that the Elephant Head dry active layer and dry permafrost harbor viable microbial life, which may be active in situ. Metagenomic, 16S rRNA gene, and internal transcribed spacer and amplicon sequencing identified similar microbial communities to other Antarctic and cold environments. The Elephant Head microbial community appears to be adapted for survival in cold, dry, and oligotrophic conditions based on the presence of cold adaptation and stress response genes in the metagenomes. Together, our results show that dry permafrost environments do not exclude active microbial life at subzero temperatures, suggesting that the cold, dry soils of Mars may also not be as inhospitable as previously thought.

From conditioning shampoo to nanomechanics and haptics of human hair.

Shampoo treatment and hair conditioning have a direct impact on our wellbeing via properties like combability and haptic perception of hair. Therefore, systematic investigations leading to quality improvement of hair care products are of major interest. The aim of our work is a better understanding of complex testing and the correlation with quantitative parameters. The motivation for the development of physical testing methods for hair feel relates to the fact that an ingredient supplier like BASF can only find new, so far not yet toxicologically approved chemistries for hair cosmetics, if an in-vitro method exists.In this work, the effects of different shampoo treatments with conditioning polymers are investigated. The employed physical test method, dry friction measurements and AFM observe friction phenomena on a macroscopic as well as on a nanoscale directly on hair. They are an approach to complement sensoric evaluation with an objective in-vitro method.

Whitening effect and morphological evaluation of hydroxyapatite materials.

PURPOSE: To measure the efficacy of the whitening effect of non-oxidizing and non-acidic nano- and micro-hydroxyapatite materials on the enamel surface and to evaluate the surface changes after treatment. METHODS: Three hydroxyapatite suspensions and two hydroxyapatite mixtures in dissolvable polymer films were applied to a total of 30 extracted caries-free human premolars. After the last material application, a hydrodynamic shear force was generated and applied for 2 minutes to all teeth to simulate mechanical loading of the surface. The tooth color was measured with a dental spectrophotometer. The mean changes of the L*a*b* values between different measurements in each group were expressed as delta E and were analyzed with ANOVA and the Tukey's post-hoc test. RESULTS: The groups of the nano-hydroxyapatite, the hydroxyapatite-nanocrystals and the tricalcium-phosphate exhibited significant delta E values between baseline and after hydrodynamic shear force application (P<0.05). In conclusion, the materials used in the study are very promising alternatives to oxidizing bleaching agents.

Determination of rotundone, the pepper aroma impact compound, in grapes and wine.

Shiraz, also known as Syrah or Hermitage, is one of Australia's most popular red wine varieties both domestically and internationally. Black pepper aroma and flavor are important to some Australian Shiraz red wine styles. Recently, rotundone (a bicyclic sesquiterpene) was identified as the potent aroma compound responsible for pepper aromas in grapes, wine, herbs, and spices, including peppercorns. Here the development, optimization, and validation of the analytical method for the quantitative determination of rotundone in grapes and wine are described and discussed. The method is precise, accurate, robust, and sensitive with a subpart per trillion limit of quantitation. The method uses stable isotope dilution analysis with d(5)-rotundone as internal standard, solid-phase extraction and microextraction, and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.

From wine to pepper: rotundone, an obscure sesquiterpene, is a potent spicy aroma compound.

An obscure sesquiterpene, rotundone, has been identified as a hitherto unrecognized important aroma impact compound with a strong spicy, peppercorn aroma. Excellent correlations were observed between the concentration of rotundone and the mean 'black pepper' aroma intensity rated by sensory panels for both grape and wine samples, indicating that rotundone is a major contributor to peppery characters in Shiraz grapes and wine (and to a lesser extent in wine of other varieties). Approximately 80% of a sensory panel were very sensitive to the aroma of rotundone (aroma detection threshold levels of 16 ng/L in red wine and 8 ng/L in water). Above these concentrations, these panelists described the spiked samples as more 'peppery' and 'spicy'. However, approximately 20% of panelists could not detect this compound at the highest concentration tested (4000 ng/L), even in water. Thus, the sensory experiences of two consumers enjoying the same glass of Shiraz wine might be very different. Rotundone was found in much higher amounts in other common herbs and spices, especially black and white peppercorns, where it was present at approximately 10000 times the level found in very 'peppery' wine. Rotundone is the first compound found in black or white peppercorns that has a distinctive peppery aroma. Rotundone has an odor activity value in pepper on the order of 50000-250000 and is, on this criterion, by far the most powerful aroma compound yet found in that most important spice.

The burden of healthcare-associated infection in Australian hospitals: A systematic review of the literature.

INTRODUCTION: Central to all efforts to control and prevent healthcare associated infections (HAIs) is the inherent need to measure the burden of infection and disease, classically referred to as surveillance. Australia does not have a national HAI surveillance system making it very difficult to systematically assess and report on the burden of hospital-acquired HAIs. This systematic review reports the incidence burden of HAIs in Australian hospitals as reported in the peer-reviewed literature from 2010 to 2016. METHODS: Systematic review of the peer-reviewed literature reporting the incidence of HAIs in Australian hospitals between from 2010 to 2016 was identified using MEDLINE and CINAHL databases. The study protocol is registered with PROSPERO (registration number: CRD42016052997). RESULTS: Of the 844 articles identified in the search, 24 articles were included in this review. Overall, these data suggest 83,096 HAIs per year in Australia, comprising 71,186 urinary tract infections, 4902 Clostridium difficile infections, 3946 surgical site infections, 1962 respiratory infections in acute stroke patients and 1100 hospital-onset Staphylococcus aureus bacteraemia. This is very large underestimate given the lack of or incomplete data on common infections such as pneumonia, gastroenterological and bloodstream infection, thus potentially missing up to 50%-60% of infections. If that is the case, the incidence of HAIs in Australia may be closer to 165,000 per year. CONCLUSION: There is a dearth of peer-reviewed literature reporting the incidence of HAIs in Australian hospitals, making it very difficult to an accurate burden of infection. On the eve of a global 'post antibiotic era', the need for national consensus on definitions, surveillance methodology and reporting is paramount.

A descriptive analysis of an integrative medicine clinic.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate and describe an integrative medicine clinic including its patients; their presenting problems, medical objectives, treatment recommendations; whether recommendations were recalled and adhered to; and patients' self-reported health outcomes. DESIGN: A prospective cohort study of 160 new clinic patients were treated using a wide range of integrative medicine therapies. Patients were interviewed at intervals of 1, 3, and 6 months after their initial visit. SETTING: The study was conducted at the Institute for Health and Healing clinic, at California Pacific Medical Center located in San Francisco, CA. SUBJECTS: The subjects were new clinic patients seeking care for a variety of symptoms and diagnoses. INTERVENTION: Patients presented with an average of 4.0 symptoms and 2.9 diagnoses; physicians recommended 9.5 "treatments" per patient. RESULTS: At 6-month follow-up, symptom intensity decreased from 6.5 to 4.2 (on a 10-point scale; p < 0.005); and 57% of the patients had made "substantial" progress or had completely achieved their health objectives (p < 0.005). The Short Form 12 (SF-12) measure of mental and physical functioning improved significantly from baseline to one month (p = 0.05; p = 0.001, respectively) and maintained this improvement at 3 (p = 0.01; p = 0.01) and 6 months (p = 0.001; p = .001). At 1-month follow-up, patients recalled 57% of the actionable statements from the physician without a prompt and they followed 55% of all recommendations well (90% or above). Over the follow-up period, patients increasingly attributed the reductions in symptoms (p = 0.01) and achieving their health objectives (p = 0.01) to the treatment plan. Self-reported measures of days ill and days missed at work/school did not differ significantly from the year before coming to the clinic. CONCLUSION: The results indicate that patients can recall and follow a complex treatment regimen. Subjective and objective measures of patients' health status improved after one month and this effect was sustained or improved further at 6 months follow-up. Further study is needed to determine whether patients' improvement was the result of the treatment regimen.

A novel AFM based method for force measurements between individual hair strands.

Interactions between hairs and other natural fibers are of broad interest for both applications and fundamental understanding of biological interfaces. We present a novel method, that allows force measurements between individual hair strands. Hair fragments can be laser-cut without altering their surface chemistry. Subsequently, they are glued onto Atomic force microscopy (AFM) cantilevers. This allows carrying out measurements between the hair fragment and surface immobilized hair in a well-defined crossed-cylinder geometry. Both force-distance and friction measurements are feasible. Measurements in air with controlled humidity and in aqueous environment show clear differences which can be explained by the dominating role of capillary interactions in air. Friction is found to be anisotropic, reflecting the fine structure of hair cuticula. While the investigations are focused on the particular example of human hair, we expect that the approach can be extended to other animal/plant fibers and thus offers perspectives for broad spectrum systems.

An integrative medicine clinic in a community hospital.

We report on the creation of an integrative medicine clinic within the setting of a medical research and tertiary care hospital. The clinical audit used a prospective case series of 160 new patients who were followed by telephone interviews over a 6-month period. Patients' demographic characteristics, presenting symptoms and diagnoses, physician treatment recommendations, extent of understanding and adherence to treatment recommendations, changes in symptom intensity, and progress toward achieving health objectives were recorded. Patients at the clinic showed significant reductions in the severity of symptoms and made significant progress toward achieving their health objectives at the 6-month follow-up. Thus far, the clinic's experience suggests that an integrative medicine clinic can face current health care financial challenges and thrive in a conventional medical center.