The dynamics of vaginal and rectal Lactobacillus spp. flora in subsequent trimesters of pregnancy in healthy Polish women, assessed using the Sanger sequencing method

Background Lactobacilli play an important role in maintaining vaginal health and protection against bacterial infections in the genital tract. The aim of this study is to show the dynamics of changes of the vaginal and rectal Lactobacillus flora during pregnancy by using the Sanger sequencing method. Method The study included 31 healthy pregnant women without clinical signs of genitourinary infections. The material was taken in the three trimesters of pregnancy by vaginal and rectal swabs and grown on the MRS agar quantitatively to estimate the number of Lactobacillus spp. [CFU/ml]. Afterwards, 3 to 8 morphologically different lactobacilli colonies were taken for identification. Bacterial species identification was performed by 16 s rDNA sequence fragment analyses using the Sanger method. Results Among the patients tested, the most common species colonizing the vagina in the first trimester were: L. crispatus 29%, L. gasseri 19.4% and L. rhamnosus 16.1%, in the second trimester: L. crispatus 51.6%, L. gasseri 25.8%, L. rhamnosus 19.4% and L. amylovorus 16.1%, and in the third trimester the most common Lactobacillus species were: L. crispatus 25.8%, L. gasseri 25.8% and L. johnsonii 19.4%. In rectal species, the number decreased in the second and third trimesters in comparison to the first trimester (p = 0.003). An analysis of rectal dynamics showed that in the first trimester, the most common species were: L. johnsonii 19.4%, and L. plantarum 9.7%, in the second trimester: L. crispatus 9.7% and L. mucosae 6.5%, and in the third trimester: L. casei 9.7% and L. rhamnosus 9.7%. Individual dynamics of the Lactobacillus species composition showed variability, characterized by continuous, intermittent, or periodic colonization. The patients examined were mostly colonized by three Lactobacillus species in vagina (32.3%), whereas for the rectum, one Lactobacillus species during the whole pregnancy duration was common (32.3%). Conclusion This study showed that in the examined group of healthy, pregnant Polish women, the vaginal Lactobacillus flora, both qualitative and quantitative, was stable during the three subsequent trimesters. In contrast, the number of rectal Lactobacillus species dramatically decreased after the first trimester

The application of genetics methods to differentiation of three Lactobacillus species of human origin

In recent decades, the interest in probiotics as diet supplements or drugs has increased. In order to determine a specific bacterial isolate to be probiotic, it is necessary to describe precisely its probiotic characteristics and taxonomic properties, including the strain level. Most of the well-known genotyping methods were designed for the commonly-found pathogenic bacteria. The objective of this study is to undertake an attempt at standardization of FISH, RAPD and PFGE methods to genotype and identify the bacteria belonging to Lactobacillus fermentum, L. gasseri and L. plantarum species. The FISH probes have been designed and tested for Lactobacillus fermentum, L. gasseri and L. plantarum species and an endeavor has been made at standardization of RAPD and PFGE methods for these bacterial species. Moreover, the MLST method was applied to differentiate Lactobacillus plantarum strains. L. plantarum isolated from humans could not be genetically diversified with the use of RAPD, PFGE or MLST methods; only the strains originating from plants have displayed diversification among themselves and have been different from the strains of human origin

Modelling of methanol synthesis in a network of forced unsteady-state ring reactors by artificial neural networks for control purposes

A numerical model based on artificial neural networks (ANN) was developed to simulate the dynamic behaviour of a three reactors network (or ring reactor), with periodic change of the feed position, when low-pressure methanol synthesis is carried out. A multilayer, feedforward, fully connected ANN was designed and the history stack adaptation algorithm was implemented and tested with quite good results both in terms of model identification and learning rates. The influence of the ANN parameters was addressed, leading to simple guidelines for the selection of their values. A detailed model was used to generate the patterns adopted for the learning and testing phases. The simplified model was finalised to develop a model predictive control scheme in order to maximise methanol yield and to fulfil process constraints

Directing Attentional Resources Toward the Appropriate Information Processing System: A Test of the Effects of Processing Preference and Information Presentation Mode

Many studies have been interested in how people process information and follow instruction. The current study was developed to add to the existing knowledge about working memory through having participants receive instructions in different presentation mediums. It was further theorized that two processing preferences, need for cognition and need for affect, may moderate the relationship between instructions and performance. These processing constructs represent an individual\u27s motivation to experience cognitive-based earning or emotion. Both the processing preferences and presentation types have been linked to hemispheric specialization. It was also hypothesized that an individual\u27s level of creativity may influence their performance on a task. Two models were developed for each performance outcome (time and error). A multiple regression for categorical and continuous variables was used to determine whether presentation types, and processing preference can predict the performance based time and error scores. It was found that only presentation type predicted performance. The results of the study along with specific relationships that were found, have major implications for future research on training and working memory

A role of hydrogen peroxide producing commensal bacteria present in colon of adolescents with inflammatory bowel disease in perpetuation of the inflammatory process

Bacteria in the gut play a central role in the initiation and progress of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). This study was prepared to elucidate the role in the inflammatory process of the bacterial species which are able to produce hydrogen peroxide, present in samples taken from colon lesions in adolescents with inflammatory bowel disease. Fifty eight adolescents were enrolled into the study from January 2004 to October 2006 in Cracow, Poland. Biopsies and stool samples were collected. Bacteriological examinations and measurements of hydrogen peroxide production by enterococci, streptococci and lactobacilli were performed. For the first time it has been shown here that HP producing bacteria may contribute to increased amounts of hydrogen peroxide in the inflamed mucosa of Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis patients. Moreover, we have been able to demonstrate an increase of total populations of aerobic bacteria but not anaerobes in the studied samples of mucosa of adolescents with inflammatory bowel disease which is an indirect evidence of higher oxygen tension present in inflamed tissues in IBD. We have also been able to demonstrate the direct relationship between presence of blood in stools of IBD adolescents and increased populations of Enterobacteriaceae but not streptococci in samples of colon mucosa. It is, therefore, possible that different products of Enterobacteriaceae and especially their lipopolysaccharides may also contribute to perpetuation of the chronic colon inflammation

The application of wavelets vector quantization of Polish speech

The paper presents a concept of vector quantization of words uttered in the Polish language. Columns or rows of the matrix obtained as a result of time-frequency analysis of chosen words are vectors used for the further analysis. As a tool in the process of vector quantization was used the Wavelet Packet Transform (WPT) in which the signal decomposition scale is similar to the mel frequency scale (see method - Mel Frequency Cepstral Coefficients – MFCC). Such analysis allowed us to choose the best useful properties for the word recognition. Both column (in time) and row (in frequency) analysis are formulated in the form of computer procedures and compared. We hope such studies will be a starting point for further work on the system Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR)

Possible role of Escherichia coli in propagation and perpetuation of chronic inflammation in ulcerative colitis

BACKGROUND: This study investigated a possible role of Escherichia coli in propagation and perpetuation of the chronic inflammation in ulcerative colitis (UC). The lesions of UC are located superficially on the rectal and/or colonic mucosa. It is suggested that the commensal bacteria of the digestive tract may play a role in the pathogenesis of UC. Several studies have demonstrated proliferation of E. coli in the gut of UC patients. An increase in the number of E. coli in the inflamed tissue is most probably related to the abundance of iron ions produced by the bacteria. METHODS: Colon mucosal biopsies were collected from 30 patients with acute-phase UC, both from tissues with inflammatory changes (n = 30) and unchanged tissue with no inflammatory changes (n = 30) from the same patient. Biopsies were also taken from 16 patients with irritable bowel syndrome diarrhea who comprised the control group. Quantitative and qualitative analysis of the biopsy specimens was performed using culture methods and real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Genotyping of the E. coli isolates was done using pulsed-field gel electrophoresis. Multiplex PCR was used to compare the E. coli strains for the presence of genes responsible for synthesis of iron acquisition proteins: iroN, iutA, iha, ireA, chuA, and hlyA. RESULTS: We demonstrated that there was a significant increase in the number of E. coli at the sites of inflammation in patients with UC compared to the control group (P = 0.031). Comparative analysis of the restriction patterns of E. coli isolated from inflammatory and unchanged tissues showed that the local inflammatory changes did not promote specific E. coli strains. There was a significant difference in the frequency of the iroN gene in E. coli isolated from patients with UC as compared to the control group. CONCLUSIONS: The increase in the numbers of E. coli in the inflammatory tissues is related to the presence of chuA and iutA genes, which facilitate iron acquisition during chronic intestinal inflammatory processes

Error and Threat Detection: A Review and Evaluation of Current Literature

The present project provides a comprehensive review of the literature related to threat and error detection. Although there are current models for understanding the concepts of error and threat, little is known about how individuals detect errors and threats when they occur. Awareness of error and threat is crucial for advancement of safety in the aviation domain. Four areas were discussed related to error and threat detection. First, the general error and threat detection literature was reviewed. Second, the physiological foundations for error and threat detection were discussed. Third, the paper examined cognitive aspects of error and threat detection. Last, the paper elaborated on the role emotion may play in threat detection. The review concludes with suggestions for error and threat management and courses of action that can be taken within the aviation domain to train individuals in error and threat detection

Frequency domain identification of the active 3D mechanical structure for the vibration control system

Nowadays structures are light and compliance therefore such structures are opened to the influence of external and internal excitations which in results lead to the structure vibrations and cause a loss of the energy which is used in the process realized by the structure. For example: arms, antennas, satellite solar batteries or slender skyscrapers are such plants. To damp the vibrations and save loss energy we develop design the active vibration control systems. To design such control system we should realized very important stages beginning from analytical investigations through process identification of the dynamical system. The 3D bar structure with sticked parallel piezo-stacks into chosen bars is considered in the paper. Piezo-elements play a role of piezo-actuators, while two eddy-current sensors located in free plane the structure are used to measurement displacement in directions X and Y. Such control plane will be considered as a two input and two output (TITO) system. As a result of analytical and numerical investigations such system was divided to two single input single output (SISO) subsystems. Such the coupled system was used in the process of the full model identification. The chirp signal was applied in identification process. The structure was excited according to single input single output controlling force while outputs signals were measured in perpendicular direction X and Y. In such way we have confirmed that for control purposes the plant can be decupled

The efficacy of rotational control designs in promoting torsional stability of hip fracture fixation

Abstract Objectives: Proximal fractures of the femur are a common problem, and a number of orthopaedic devices are available for the treatment of such fractures. The objective of this study was to assess the rotational stability, a common failure predictor, of three different rotational control design philosophies, a screw, helical blade and a deployable crucifix. Methods: Devices were compared in terms of the mechanical work (W) required to rotate the implant by 6° in a bone substitute material. The substitute material used was Sawbones polyurethane foam of three different densities (0.08 g/cm3, 0.16 g/cm3 and 0.24 g/cm3). Each torsion test comprised a steady ramp of 1°/minute up to an angular displacement of 10°. Results: The deployable crucifix design (the X-Bolt), was more torsionally stable, compared to both the screw (DHS, p = 0.008) and helical blade (DHS Blade, p= 0.008) designs in osteoporotic bone substitute material (0.16 g/cm3 polyurethane foam). In 0.08 g/cm3 density substrate, the crucifix design (the X-Bolt) had a higher resistance to torsion than the screw (DHS, p = 0.008). There were no significant differences (p = 0.101) between the implants in 0.24 g/cm3 density bone substitute. Conclusions: Our findings indicate that the clinical standard proximal fracture fixator design, the screw (DHS), was the least effective at resisting torsional load, and a novel crucifix design (X-Bolt), was the most effective design in resisting torsional load in osteoporotic bone substitute material. At other densities the torsional stability was also higher for the bolt, although not always statistically significant.<br/