Relative Contribution of P5 and Hap Surface Proteins to Nontypable <i>Haemophilus influenzae</i> Interplay with the Host Upper and Lower Airways

Nontypable Haemophilus influenzae (NTHi) is a major cause of opportunistic respiratory tract disease, and initiates infection by colonizing the nasopharynx. Bacterial surface proteins play determining roles in the NTHi-airways interplay, but their specific and relative contribution to colonization and infection of the respiratory tract has not been addressed comprehensively. In this study, we focused on the ompP5 and hap genes, present in all H. influenzae genome sequenced isolates, and encoding the P5 and Hap surface proteins, respectively. We employed isogenic single and double mutants of the ompP5 and hap genes generated in the pathogenic strain NTHi375 to evaluate P5 and Hap contribution to biofilm growth under continuous flow, to NTHi adhesion, and invasion/phagocytosis on nasal, pharyngeal, bronchial, alveolar cultured epithelial cells and alveolar macrophages, and to NTHi murine pulmonary infection. We show that P5 is not required for bacterial biofilm growth, but it is involved in NTHi interplay with respiratory cells and in mouse lung infection. Mechanistically, P5NTHi375 is not a ligand for CEACAM1 or α5 integrin receptors. Hap involvement in NTHi375-host interaction was shown to be limited, despite promoting bacterial cell adhesion when expressed in H. influenzae RdKW20. We also show that Hap does not contribute to bacterial biofilm growth, and that its absence partially restores the deficiency in lung infection observed for the ΔompP5 mutant. Altogether, this work frames the relative importance of the P5 and Hap surface proteins in NTHi virulence.</p

FORMER FOSTER YOUTH AND THE UTILIZATION OF MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES IN POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION

The current research indicates that former foster youth entering post-secondary education do not have the same outcomes as the general population when it comes to the completion of educational goals (AA degree, Bachelor’s degree and Master’s degree). This research study used an exploratory design which focused on finding the role that utilization of mental health services and treatments play on academic outcomes for this population. Through qualitative interviews, respondents served as experts in this area and they provided their unique experience regarding this topic. The goal of this study was to reduce uncertainty in the literature, identify past barriers, limitations, define past outcomes, quality of services, and determine appropriateness of mental health services. The findings of this study reflected themes relevant to this population, in regard to mental health utilization. There were similarities with current research, but also new areas that have not been explored in current literature. This research identified changes that must be implemented to influence change in social work practices and improve the overall educational outcomes for former foster youth. Recommendations are to use these findings to implement programs that establish healthy relationship building, mentorship, and mental health

Projecte de disseny i desenvolupament d’un suport per a plaques solars, orientatiu segons la radiació rebuda

Aquest treball presenta el procés de disseny d’un suport per a panells solars el qual s’orienta automàticament segons la radiació rebuda del sol. L’objectiu principal ´es aconseguir augmentar l’eficiència energ`etica d’un dels productes del sector més usats en els ´ultims anys. Per això, mitjan¸cant un proc´es iteratiu i de comparaci´o entre productes, idees, dissenys, etc. s’arriba a una proposta final usant tant elements i components ja existents en el mercat com nous conceptes aplicats. Amb uns estudis per veure la seva viabilitat, el projecte acaba amb la possibilitat de millora de futur. This work presents the process of designing a support for solar panels, which is automatically oriented according to the radiation received from the sun. The main objective is to increase the energy efficiency of one of the most used products in the sector in recent years. Therefore, through an iterative process and comparison between products, ideas, designs, etc., a final proposal is reached using both elements and components already existing in the market and new applied concepts. With studies to see its viability, the project ends with the possibility of future improvemen

Span 80: estudios de extracción y caracterización

El trabajo realizado aborda un tema de gran interés en el campo de la formulación de niosomas, como es la obtención de niosomas estables utilizando bajas concentraciones de tensioactivos biodegradables, de bajo coste y no tóxicos, evaluando su potencial uso como agentes de extracción del ácido láctico y la simultánea separación y concentración mediante tecnologías de membranas, consideradas tecnologías limpias. Los resultados de este estudio pueden ser de gran utilidad en la optimización de formulaciones de aplicación en procesos de extracción o en diferentes campos, incluidos la preparación de fármacos, cosméticos y alimentos enriquecidos o funcionales. El trabajo experimental ha sido publicado en revistas científicas internacionales de alto impacto, especializadas en el campo de la Ingeniería Química y la Intensificación de los Procesos

Separation of sodium lactate from Span 80 and SDS surfactants by ultrafiltration

The ultrafiltration process for separation of sodium lactate from sorbitan monooleate (Span 80) and sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) surfactants using ZrO2 flat-disc ultrafiltration membranes was studied in this work. The study is focused on the influence of the nominal molecular weight limit of the membrane (NMWL), the transmembrane pressure (TMP), and initial lactic acid concentration (CA) on the permeate flux (Jp) and rejections observed to ion lactate (RA) and SDS (RS) using a full central composite experimental design and response surface methodology. Experiments were conducted in four stages: a first stage of lactic acid extraction with niosomes formulated with Span 80 (20 mol/m3) and SDS (4 mol/m3), a second back-extraction stage conducted by NaOH addition until pH > 12 for niosomes breaking and sodium lactate releasing, and a third and fourth ultrafiltration stages at 25 C to separate the lactate ions from the mixed surfactants. Membrane NMWL, TMP and their interactions presented statistically significant influence on the permeate flux. Rejections to lactate ion and SDS were lower than 4.5% and higher than 86%, respectively, whereas Span 80 rejection was 100% in all range of experimental conditions tested. The optimal conditions were established for maximum values of permeate flux, and they were obtained for a 2 bar TMP and 15 kDa NMWL membrane. Under these conditions, the rejections of SDS surfactant and lactate ion were 87.3% and 4.31%, respectively, with a permeate flux of 42.63 L/m2 h. The antagonistic effect between permeate flux and SDS rejection is also proved.Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (MINECO, Spain) through project CTQ2011-25239, and from Junta de Castilla y León through project BU055U16 cofinanced by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDFFEDER) is gratefully acknowledge

Transcriptome Analysis of the Brucella abortus BvrR/BvrS Two-Component Regulatory System

International audienceBackgroundThe two-component BvrR/BvrS system is essential for Brucella abortus virulence. It was shown previously that its dysfunction alters the expression of some major outer membrane proteins and the pattern of lipid A acylation. To determine the genes regulated by BvrR/BvrS, we performed a whole-genome microarray analysis using B. abortus RNA obtained from wild type and bvrR mutant cells grown in the same conditions.Methodology/Principal FindingsA total of 127 differentially expressed genes were found: 83 were over expressed and 44 were less expressed in the bvrR mutant. Two operons, the phosphotransferase system and the maltose transport system, were down-regulated. Several genes involved in cell envelope or outer membrane biogenesis were differentially expressed: genes for outer membrane proteins (omp25a, omp25d), lipoproteins, LPS and fatty acid biosynthesis, stress response proteins, chaperones, flagellar genes, and twelve genes encoding ABC transport systems. Ten genes related with carbon metabolism (pckA and fumB among others) were up-regulated in the bvrR mutant, and denitrification genes (nirK, norC and nosZ) were also regulated. Notably, seven transcriptional regulators were affected, including VjbR, ExoR and OmpR that were less expressed in the bvrR mutant. Finally, the expression of eleven genes which have been previously related with Brucella virulence was also altered.Conclusions/SignificanceAll these data corroborate the impact of BvrR/BvrS on cell envelope modulation, confirm that this system controls the carbon and nitrogen metabolism, and suggest a cross-talk among some regulators to adjust the Brucella physiology to the shift expected to occur during the transit from the extracellular to the intracellular niche

Relationship between azithromycin susceptibility and administration efficacy for nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae respiratory infection

Nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae (NTHI) is an opportunistic pathogen that is an important cause of acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD). COPD is an inflammatory disease of the airways, and exacerbations are acute inflammatory events superimposed on this background of chronic inflammation. Azithromycin (AZM) is a macrolide antibiotic with antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties and a clinically proven potential for AECOPD prevention and management. Relationships between AZM efficacy and resistance by NTHI and between bactericidal and immunomodulatory effects on NTHI respiratory infection have not been addressed. In this study, we employed two pathogenic NTHI strains with different AZM sus- ceptibilities (NTHI 375 [AZM susceptible] and NTHI 353 [AZM resistant]) to evaluate the prophylactic and therapeutic effects of AZM on the NTHI-host interplay. At the cellular level, AZM was bactericidal toward intracellular NTHI inside alveolar and bronchial epithelia and alveolar macrophages, and it enhanced NTHI phagocytosis by the latter cell type. These effects correlated with the strain MIC of AZM and the antibiotic dose. Additionally, the effect of AZM on NTHI infection was assessed in a mouse model of pulmonary infection. AZM showed both preventive and therapeutic efficacies by lowering NTHI 375 bacterial counts in lungs and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and by reducing histopathological inflammatory lesions in the upper and lower airways of mice. Conversely, AZM did not reduce bacterial loads in animals infected with NTHI 353, in which case a milder anti- inflammatory effect was also observed. Together, the results of this work link the bactericidal and anti-inflammatory effects of AZM and frame the efficacy of this antibiotic against NTHI respiratory infection

Evaluation of the effects of erythritol on gene expression in Brucella abortus

Bacteria of the genus Brucella have the unusual capability to catabolize erythritol and this property has been associated with their virulence mainly because of the presence of erythritol in bovine foetal tissues and because the attenuated S19 vaccine strain is the only Brucella strain unable to oxydize erythritol. In this work we have analyzed the transcriptional changes produced in Brucella by erythritol by means of two high throughput approaches: RNA hybridization against a microarray containing most of Brucella ORF's constructed from the Brucella ORFeome and next generation sequencing of Brucella mRNA in an Illumina GAIIx platform. The results obtained showed the overexpression of a group of genes, many of them in a single cluster around the ery operon, able to co-ordinately mediate the transport and degradation of erythritol into three carbon atoms intermediates that will be then converted into fructose-6P (F6P) by gluconeogenesis. Other induced genes participating in the nonoxidative branch of the pentose phosphate shunt and the TCA may collaborate with the ery genes to conform an efficient degradation of sugars by this route. On the other hand, several routes of amino acid and nucleotide biosynthesis are up-regulated whilst amino acid transport and catabolism genes are down-regulated. These results corroborate previous descriptions indicating that in the presence of erythritol, this sugar was used preferentially over other compounds and provides a neat explanation of the the reported stimulation of growth induced by erythritol