added generic NER plans

BioNLP-ST-2016_BB-cat+ner/BB-cat+ner-21543877.txt

+Cloning, expression, purification, crystallization and X-ray crystallographic analysis of Rv3168 from Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv.
+Tuberculosis is a widespread and deadly infectious disease, with one third of the human population already being infected. Aminoglycoside antibiotics have become less effective in recent years owing to antibiotic resistance, which arises primarily through enzymatic modification of the antibiotics. The gene product Rv3168, a putative aminoglycoside phosphotransferase (APH), from Mycobacterium tuberculosis was crystallized using the sitting-drop vapour-diffusion method in the presence of 0.2 M calcium acetate, 0.1 M Tris-HCl pH 7.0 and 20% PEG 3000 at 295 K. X-ray diffraction data were collected to a maximum resolution of 1.67 Å on a synchrotron beamline. The crystal belonged to space group P2(1)2(1)2(1), with unit-cell parameters a = 56.74, b = 62.37, c = 103.61 Å. With one molecule per asymmetric unit, the crystal volume per unit protein weight (V(M)) is 2.91 Å(3) Da(-1). The structure was solved by the single-wavelength anomalous dispersion method and refinement of the selenomethionine structure is in progress.

BioNLP-ST-2016_BB-cat+ner/BB-cat+ner-21695078.txt

+Enhanced virulence of Chlamydia muridarum respiratory infections in the absence of TLR2 activation.
+Chlamydia trachomatis is a common sexually transmitted pathogen and is associated with infant pneumonia. Data from the female mouse model of genital tract chlamydia infection suggests a requirement for TLR2-dependent signaling in the induction of inflammation and oviduct pathology. We hypothesized that the role of TLR2 in moderating mucosal inflammation is site specific. In order to investigate this, we infected mice via the intranasal route with C. muridarum and observed that in the absence of TLR2 activation, mice had more severe disease, higher lung cytokine levels, and an exaggerated influx of neutrophils and T-cells into the lungs. This could not be explained by impaired bacterial clearance as TLR2-deficient mice cleared the infection similar to controls. These data suggest that TLR2 has an anti-inflammatory function in the lung during Chlamydia infection, and that the role of TLR2 in mucosal inflammation varies at different mucosal surfaces.

BioNLP-ST-2016_BB-cat+ner/BB-cat+ner-21894542.txt

+Iron transport in the genus Marinobacter.
+Marinobacter belong to the class of Gammaproteobacteria and these motile, halophilic or halotolerent bacteria are widely distributed throughout the world's oceans having been isolated from a wide variety of marine environments. They have also been identified as members of the bacterial flora associated with other marine organisms. Here, using a combination of natural products chemistry and genomic analysis, we assess the nature of the siderophores produced by this genus and their potential relationship to phylogeny and lifestyle/ecological niche of this diverse group of organisms. Our analysis shows a wide level of diversity in siderophore based iron uptake systems among this genus with three general strategies: (1) production and utilization of native siderophores in addition to utilization of a variety of exogenous ones, (2) production and utilization of native siderophores only, (3) lack of siderophore production but utilization of exogenous ones. They all share the presence of at least one siderophore-independent iron uptake ABC transport systems of the FbpABC iron metal type and lack the ability for direct transport of ferrous iron. Siderophore production and utilization can be correlated with phylogeny and thus it forms a type of chemotaxonomic marker for this genus.

BioNLP-ST-2016_BB-cat+ner/BB-cat+ner-21917915.txt

+Structural basis for hemoglobin capture by Staphylococcus aureus cell-surface protein, IsdH.
+Pathogens must steal iron from their hosts to establish infection. In mammals, hemoglobin (Hb) represents the largest reservoir of iron, and pathogens express Hb-binding proteins to access this source. Here, we show how one of the commonest and most significant human pathogens, Staphylococcus aureus, captures Hb as the first step of an iron-scavenging pathway. The x-ray crystal structure of Hb bound to a domain from the Isd (iron-regulated surface determinant) protein, IsdH, is the first structure of a Hb capture complex to be determined. Surface mutations in Hb that reduce binding to the Hb-receptor limit the capacity of S. aureus to utilize Hb as an iron source, suggesting that Hb sequence is a factor in host susceptibility to infection. The demonstration that pathogens make highly specific recognition complexes with Hb raises the possibility of developing inhibitors of Hb binding as antibacterial agents.

BioNLP-ST-2016_BB-cat+ner/BB-cat+ner-21924022.txt

+[Value of protein array in the diagnosis of Helicobactor pylori infection in children].
+To study the value of multiple Helicobacter pylori (H.pylori) antibody detection by protein array in the diagnosis of H.pylori infection in children.
+Biopsy specimens obtained by gastroscopy from 120 children with digestive system symptoms were detected by rapid urease test (RUT) and modified Giemsa staining. Positivity in both RUT and Giemsa staining was the "gold criterion" of H.pylori infection. Serum samples of these patients were obtained and the antibodies against cytotoxin associated gene A protein (CagA), vacuolating toxin A (VacA), urease, heat shock protein 60 (Hsp60) and RdxA (nitroreductase) were detected by protein array technique.
+H.pylori infection was identified according to the "gold criterion" in 60 children. Compared with the "gold criterion", the goodness of fit and the coefficient of contingency in the diagnosis of H.pylori infection of the following four groups antibody detection were all statistically significant (P<0.001): anti-Ure antibody alone, anti-Ure antibody combined with anti-CagA antibody, anti-Ure antibody combined with anti-VacA antibody and anti-Ure antibody combined with anti-CagA and anti-VacA antibody. The sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of the detection of anti-Ure antibody combined with anti-CagA antibody for the diagnosis of H.pylori infection were 81.7%, 91.7% and 86.7%, respectively. The antibody detection showed a high positive predictive value (90.7%) and a high negative predictive value (83.3%).
+The antibody detection by protein array, especially the detection of anti-Ure antibody combined with anti-CagA antibody, is valuable in the diagnosis of H.pylori infection.

BioNLP-ST-2016_BB-cat+ner/BB-cat+ner-21989983.txt

+Insights into Acinetobacter baumannii pathogenicity.
+Acinetobacter spp. have justifiably received significant attention from the public, scientific, and medical communities. Over recent years, Acinetobacter, particularly Acinetobacter baumannii, has become a "red-alert" human pathogen, primarily because of its exceptional ability to develop resistance to all currently available antibiotics. This characteristic is compounded by its unique abilities to survive in a diverse range of environments, including those within healthcare institutions, leading to problematic outbreaks. Historically, the virulence of the organism has been questioned, but recent clinical reports suggest that Acinetobacter can cause serious, life-threatening infections. Furthermore, its metabolic adaptability gives it a selective advantage in harsh hospital environments. This review focuses on current understanding of A. baumannii pathogenesis and the model systems used to study this interesting organism.

BioNLP-ST-2016_BB-cat+ner/BB-cat+ner-22203552.txt

+Characterization and screening of plant probiotic traits of bacteria isolated from rice seeds cultivated in Argentina.
+Many seeds carry endophytes, which ensure good chances of seedling colonization. In this work, we have studied the seed-borne bacterial flora of rice varieties cultivated in the northeast of Argentina. Surface-sterilized husked seeds of the rice cultivars CT6919, El Paso 144, CAMBA, and IRGA 417 contained an average of 5×10(6) CFU/g of mesophilic and copiotrophic bacteria. Microbiological, physiological, and molecular characterization of a set of 39 fast-growing isolates from the CT6919 seeds revealed an important diversity of seed-borne mesophiles and potential plant probiotic activities, including diazotrophy and antagonism of fungal pathogens. In fact, the seed-borne bacterial flora protected the rice seedlings against Curvularia sp. infection. The root colonization pattern of 2 Pantoea isolates from the seeds was studied by fluorescence microscopy of the inoculated axenic rice seedlings. Both isolates strongly colonized the site of emergence of the lateral roots and lenticels, which may represent the entry sites for endophytic spreading. These findings suggest that rice plants allow grain colonization by bacterial species that may act as natural biofertilizers and bioprotectives early from seed germination.

BioNLP-ST-2016_BB-cat+ner/BB-cat+ner-22537874.txt

+Mutational analysis of the N-terminal domain of UreR, the positive transcriptional regulator of urease gene expression.
+The Escherichia coli plasmid-encoded urease, a virulence factor in human and animal infections of the urinary and gastroduodenal tracts, is induced when the substrate urea is present in the growth medium. Urea-dependent urease expression is mediated at the transcriptional level by the AraC-like activator UreR. Previous work has shown that a peptide representing the N-terminal 194 amino-acid residues of UreR binds urea at a single site, full-length UreR forms an oligomer, and the oligomerization motif is thought to reside in the N-terminal portion of the molecule. The C-terminal domain of UreR contains two helix-turn-helix motifs presumed to be necessary for DNA binding. In this study, we exploited mutational analyses at the N-terminal domain of UreR to determine if this domain dimerizes similar to other AraC family members. UreR mutants were analyzed for the ability to activate transcription of lacZ from an ureDp-lacZ transcriptional fusion. A construct encoding the N-terminal 194 amino acids of UreR, eluted as an oligomer by gel filtration and had a dominant negative phenotype over the wild-type ureR allele. We hypothesize that this dominant negative phenotype results from the formation of inactive heterodimers between wild-type and truncated UreR. Dominant negative analysis and cross-linking assays demonstrated that E. coli UreR is active as a dimer and dimerization occurs within the first 180 residues.

BioNLP-ST-2016_BB-cat+ner/BB-cat+ner-22834551.txt

+The effect of Artemisia annua on broiler performance, on intestinal microbiota and on the course of a Clostridium perfringens infection applying a necrotic enteritis disease model.
+The aerial parts of the plant Artemisia annua contain essential oils having antimicrobial properties against Clostridium perfringens Type A, the causal agent for necrotic enteritis in broilers. In two experiments, the influence of increasing dietary concentrations of dried A. annua leaves (0, 5, 10 and 20 g/kg) and n-hexane extract from fresh A. annua leaves (0, 125, 250 and 500 mg/kg) on broiler performance was investigated. Dried plant material decreased feed intake and body weight in a dose-dependent manner, and 10 and 20 g/kg diet tended to improve the feed conversion ratio. The n-hexane extract also reduced feed intake, but broiler weight tended to decrease only at the highest dietary concentration. The feed conversion ratio tended to improve when birds received 250 and 500 mg/kg n-hexane extract. In a third experiment, a necrotic enteritis disease model was applied to investigate the effect of the dietary addition of dried A. annua leaves (10 g/kg on top) or n-hexane extract of A. annua (250 mg/kg) on the severity of the disease in broilers. The addition of n-hexane extract reduced the intestinal C. perfringens numbers and the severity of the disease-related small intestinal lesions. Over the infection period from day 17 to day 27, birds supplemented with the n-hexane extract gained more weight than both the challenged control birds and birds receiving dried plant material. The results indicate that n-hexane extracts derived from A. annua can modulate the course of necrotic enteritis and compensate to a certain extent for the disease-associated weight losses.

BioNLP-ST-2016_BB-cat+ner/BB-cat+ner-23645023.txt

+Taibaiella smilacinae gen. nov., sp. nov., an endophytic member of the family Chitinophagaceae isolated from the stem of Smilacina japonica, and emended description of Flavihumibacter petaseus.
+A light-yellow-coloured bacterium, designated strain PTJT-5(T), was isolated from the stem of Smilacina japonica A. Gray collected from Taibai Mountain in Shaanxi Province, north-west China, and was subjected to a taxonomic study by using a polyphasic approach. The novel isolate grew optimally at 25-28 °C and pH 6.0-7.0. Flexirubin-type pigments were produced. Cells were Gram-reaction-negative, strictly aerobic, rod-shaped and non-motile. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that strain PTJT-5(T) was a member of the phylum Bacteroidetes, exhibiting the highest sequence similarity to Lacibacter cauensis NJ-8(T) (87.7 %). The major cellular fatty acids were iso-C15 : 0, iso-C15 : 1 G, iso-C17 : 0 and iso-C17 : 0 3-OH. The only polyamine was homospermidine and the major polar lipid was phosphatidylethanolamine. The only respiratory quinone was MK-7 and the DNA G+C content was 40.3 mol%. Based on the phenotypic, phylogenetic and genotypic data, strain PTJT-5(T) is considered to represent a novel species of a new genus in the family Chitinophagaceae, for which the name Taibaiella smilacinae gen. nov., sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain of Taibaiella smilacinae is PTJT-5(T) ( = CCTCC AB 2013017(T) = KCTC 32316(T)). An emended description of Flavihumibacter petaseus is also proposed. 

BioNLP-ST-2016_BB-cat+ner/BB-cat+ner-23702192.txt

+Clinical factors associated with development of severe-complicated Clostridium difficile infection.
+Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) can cause life-threatening complications. Severe-complicated CDI is characterized by hypotension, shock, sepsis, ileus, megacolon, and colon perforation. We created a model to identify clinical factors associated with severe-complicated CDI.
+We analyzed data from 1446 inpatient cases of CDI (48.6% female; median age, 62.5 years; range, 0.1-103.7 years) at the Mayo Clinic from June 28, 2007, to June 25, 2010. Patients with severe-complicated CDI (n = 487) were identified as those who required admission to the intensive care unit or colectomy, or died, within 30 days of CDI diagnosis. Logistic regression models were used to identify variables that were independently associated with the occurrence of severe-complicated CDI in 2 cohorts. One cohort comprised all hospitalized patients; the other comprised a subset of these inpatients who were residents of Olmsted County, Minnesota to assess the association of comorbid conditions with the development of severe-complicated infection in a population-based cohort. The linear combinations of variables identified by using logistic regression models provided scores to predict the risk of developing severe-complicated CDI.
+In a multivariable model that included all inpatients, increasing age, leukocyte count >15 × 10(9)/L, increase in serum level of creatinine >1.5-fold from baseline, and use of proton pump inhibitors or narcotic medications were independently associated with severe-complicated CDI. In the secondary analysis, which included only patients from Olmsted County, comorbid conditions were not significantly associated with severe-complicated CDI.
+Older age, high numbers of leukocytes in blood samples, an increased serum level of creatinine, gastric acid suppression, and use of narcotic medications were independently associated with development of severe-complicated CDI in hospitalized patients. Early aggressive monitoring and intervention could improve outcomes.

BioNLP-ST-2016_BB-cat+ner/BB-cat+ner-23704121.txt

+Is fidaxomicin worth the cost? An economic analysis.
+In May 2011, the Food and Drug Administration approved fidaxomicin for the treatment of Clostridium difficile infection (CDI). It has been found to be noninferior to vancomycin; however, its cost-effectiveness for the treatment of CDI remains undetermined.
+We developed a decision analytic simulation model to determine the economic value of fidaxomicin for CDI treatment from the third-party payer perspective. We looked at CDI treatment in these 3 cases: (1) no fidaxomicin, (2) only fidaxomicin, and (3) fidaxomicin based on strain typing results.
+The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio for fidaxomicin based on screening given current conditions was >$43.7 million per quality-adjusted life-year and using only fidaxomicin was dominated (ie, more costly and less effective) by the other 2 treatment strategies explored. The fidaxomicin strategy tended to remain dominated, even at lower costs. With approximately 50% of CDI due to the NAP1/BI/027 strain, a course of fidaxomicin would need to cost ≤$150 to be cost-effective in the treatment of all CDI cases and between $160 and $400 to be cost-effective for those with a non-NAP1/BI/027 strain (ie, treatment based on strain typing).
+Given the current cost and NAP1/BI/027 accounting for approximately 50% of isolates, using fidaxomicin as a first-line treatment for CDI is not cost-effective. However, typing and treatment with fidaxomicin based on strain may be more promising depending on the costs of fidaxomicin.

BioNLP-ST-2016_BB-cat+ner/BB-cat+ner-23855904.txt

+Widespread acquisition of antimicrobial resistance among Campylobacter isolates from UK retail poultry and evidence for clonal expansion of resistant lineages.
+Antimicrobial resistance is increasing among clinical Campylobacter cases and is common among isolates from other sources, specifically retail poultry - a major source of human infection. In this study the antimicrobial susceptibility of isolates from a UK-wide survey of Campylobacter in retail poultry in 2001 and 2004-5 was investigated. The occurrence of phenotypes resistant to tetracycline, quinolones (ciprofloxacin and naladixic acid), erythromycin, chloramphenicol and aminoglycosides was quantified. This was compared with a phylogeny for these isolates based upon Multi Locus Sequence Typing (MLST) to investigate the pattern of antimicrobial resistance acquisition.
+Antimicrobial resistance was present in all lineage clusters, but statistical testing showed a non-random distribution. Erythromycin resistance was associated with Campylobacter coli. For all antimicrobials tested, resistant isolates were distributed among relatively distant lineages indicative of widespread acquisition. There was also evidence of clustering of resistance phenotypes within lineages; indicative of local expansion of resistant strains.
+These results are consistent with the widespread acquisition of antimicrobial resistance among chicken associated Campylobacter isolates, either through mutation or horizontal gene transfer, and the expansion of these lineages as a proportion of the population. As Campylobacter are not known to multiply outside of the host and long-term carriage in humans is extremely infrequent in industrialized countries, the most likely location for the proliferation of resistant lineages is in farmed chickens.

BioNLP-ST-2016_BB-cat+ner/BB-cat+ner-23902156.txt

+Isolation, expression and characterization of a minor allergen from Penicillium crustosum.
+A ribosomal P1 protein, Pen b 26 from Penicillium brevicompactum, was previously identified as a major allergen. A homolog protein was isolated and characterized from Penicillium crustosum which is not known to be allergenic mold. A cDNA library of P. crustosum was constructed and screened using a probe based on the DNA sequence of Pen b 26. A positive clone was isolated, expressed in Escherichia coli, purified and characterized by comparing its immunological and physical properties to Pen b 26. It was designated as Pen cr 26 and had a 321 nt ORF corresponding to 107 amino acids with a MW of 11 kDa. Pen cr 26 had strong sequence homology to Pen b 26 (92% for nucleotides and 86% for amino acids) and its physical and predicted structural properties were similar to the latter. The level of expression of Pen cr 26 was much lower than that of Pen b 26 in the same expression vector. Both proteins were recognized equally well by the IgG class specific antibodies, but Pen cr 26 was poorly recognized by Penicillium-sensitive atopic sera (IgE), suggesting striking antigenic difference in IgE epitopes, i.e., 87% were positive for Pen b 26 while only 23% were positive for Pen cr 26. The allergenicity of Pen cr 26 seems to be minor in nature and it could be a hypoallergenic variant of Pen b 26. 

BioNLP-ST-2016_BB-cat+ner/BB-cat+ner-23908036.txt

+Preliminary X-ray crystallographic analysis of β-carbonic anhydrase psCA3 from Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
+Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a Gram-negative bacterium that causes life-threatening infections in susceptible individuals and is resistant to most clinically available antimicrobials. Genomic and proteomic studies have identified three genes, pa0102, pa2053 and pa4676, in P. aeruginosa PAO1 encoding three functional β-carbonic anhydrases (β-CAs): psCA1, psCA2 and psCA3, respectively. These β-CAs could serve as novel antimicrobial drug targets for this pathogen. X-ray crystallographic structural studies have been initiated to characterize the structure and function of these proteins. This communication describes the production of two crystal forms (A and B) of β-CA psCA3. Form A diffracted to a resolution of 2.9 Å; it belonged to space group P212121, with unit-cell parameters a = 81.9, b = 84.9, c = 124.2 Å, and had a calculated Matthews coefficient of 2.23 ų Da⁻¹ assuming four molecules in the crystallographic asymmetric unit. Form B diffracted to a resolution of 3.0 Å; it belonged to space group P21212, with unit-cell parameters a = 69.9, b = 77.7, c = 88.5 Å, and had a calculated Matthews coefficient of 2.48 ų Da⁻¹ assuming two molecules in the crystallographic asymmetric unit. Preliminary molecular-replacement solutions have been determined with the PHENIX AutoMR wizard and refinement of both crystal forms is currently in progress.

BioNLP-ST-2016_BB-cat+ner/BB-cat+ner-24198224.txt

+A large outbreak of Salmonella Paratyphi A infection among israeli travelers to Nepal.
+In Asia, Salmonella Paratyphi A is an emerging infection, and travelers are increasingly at risk. During October 2009-November 2009, an outbreak in S. Paratyphi A infection was noted in Israeli travelers returning from Nepal.
+An outbreak investigation included a standardized exposure questionnaire admitted to all patients and medical chart abstraction. Isolates were tested for antimicrobial susceptibility and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE).
+During 1 October 2009-30 November 2009, 37 Israeli travelers returning from Nepal were diagnosed with S. Paratyphi A bacteremia. All 37 case isolates had an identical pattern on PFGE, and all were nalidixic acid resistant. Only 1 food venue was frequented by all the outbreak cases, with the largest number of exposures occurring around the Jewish New Year. All patients recovered without complications. Time to defervescence in 17 patients treated with ceftriaxone and azithromycin combination was 3.2 days (± 1.7), whereas in 13 cases treated with ceftriaxone monotherapy, the time to defervescence was 6.6 days (± 1.8; P < .001).
+A point-source, "Paratyphoid Mary"-like outbreak was identified among Israeli travelers to Nepal. Combination Ceftriaxone-Azithromycin therapy may provide a therapeutic advantage over monotherapy, and merits further clinical trials.

BioNLP-ST-2016_BB-cat+ner/BB-cat+ner-24251551.txt

+Structure of MurNAc 6-phosphate hydrolase (MurQ) from Haemophilus influenzae with a bound inhibitor.
+The breakdown and recycling of peptidoglycan, an essential polymeric cell structure, occur in a number of bacterial species. A key enzyme in the recycling pathway of one of the components of the peptidoglycan layer, N-acetylmuramic acid (MurNAc), is MurNAc 6-phosphate hydrolase (MurQ). This enzyme catalyzes the cofactor-independent cleavage of a relatively nonlabile ether bond and presents an interesting target for mechanistic studies. Open chain product and substrate analogues were synthesized and tested as competitive inhibitors (K(is) values of 1.1 ± 0.3 and 0.23 ± 0.02 mM, respectively) of the MurNAc 6P hydrolase from Escherichia coli (MurQ-EC). To identify the roles of active site residues that are important for catalysis, the substrate analogue was cocrystallized with the MurNAc 6P hydrolase from Haemophilus influenzae (MurQ-HI) that was amenable to crystallographic studies. The cocrystal structure of MurQ-HI with the substrate analogue showed that Glu89 was located in the proximity of both the C2 atom and the oxygen at the C3 position of the bound inhibitor and that no other potential acid/base residue that could act as an active site acid/base was located in the vicinity. The conserved residues Glu120 and Lys239 were found within hydrogen bonding distance of the C5 hydroxyl group and C6 phosphate group, suggesting that they play a role in substrate binding and ring opening. Combining these results with previous biochemical data, we propose a one-base mechanism of action in which Glu89 functions to both deprotonate at the C2 position and assist in the departure of the lactyl ether at the C3 position. This same residue would serve to deprotonate the incoming water and reprotonate the enolate in the second half of the catalytic cycle.

BioNLP-ST-2016_BB-cat+ner/BB-cat+ner-24361838.txt

+Evaluation of a lytic bacteriophage, Φ st1, for biocontrol of Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium in chickens.
+In this study, a Salmonella Typhimurium lytic bacteriophage, Φ st1, which was isolated from chicken faecal material, was evaluated as a candidate for biocontrol of Salmonella in chickens. The morphology of Φ st1 showed strong resemblance to members of the Siphoviridae family. Φ st1 was observed to be a DNA phage with an estimated genome size of 121 kbp. It was found to be able to infect S. Typhimurium and S. Hadar, with a stronger lytic activity against the former. Subsequent characterisation of Φ st1 against S. Typhimurium showed that Φ st1 has a latent period of 40 min with an average burst size of 22 particles per infective centre. Approximately 86.1% of the phage adsorbed to the host cells within the initial 5 min of infection. At the optimum multiplicity of infection (MOI) (0.1), the highest reduction rate of S. Typhimurium (6.6 log₁₀ CFU/ml) and increment in phage titre (3.8 log₁₀ PFU/ml) was observed. Φ st1 produced adsorption rates of 88.4-92.2% at pH7-9 and demonstrated the highest bacteria reduction (6.6 log₁₀ CFU/ml) at pH9. Φ st1 also showed an insignificant different (P>0.05) reduction rate of host cells at 37 °C (6.4 log₁₀ CFU/ml) and 42 °C (6.0 log₁₀ CFU/ml). The in vivo study using Φ st1 showed that intracloacal inoculation of ~10¹² PFU/ml of the phage in the chickens challenged with ~10¹⁰ CFU/ml of S. Typhimurium was able to reduce (P<0.05) the S. Typhimurium more rapidly than the untreated group. The Salmonella count reduced to 2.9 log₁₀ CFU/ml within 6h of post-challenge and S. Typhimurium was not detected at and after 24h of post-challenge. Reduction of Salmonella count in visceral organs was also observed at 6h post-challenge. Approximately 1.6 log₁₀ FU/ml Φ st1 was found to persist in the caecal wall of the chicks at 72 h of post-challenge. The present study indicated that Φ st1 may serve as a potential biocontrol agent to reduce the Salmonella count in caecal content of chickens.

BioNLP-ST-2016_BB-cat+ner/BB-cat+ner-24389148.txt

+Molecular determinants for a cardiovascular collapse in anthrax.
+Bacillus anthracis releases two bipartite proteins, lethal toxin and edema factor, that contribute significantly to the progression of anthrax-associated shock. As blocking the anthrax toxins prevents disease, the toxins are considered the main virulence factors of the bacterium. The anthrax bacterium and the anthrax toxins trigger multi-organ failure associated with enhanced vascular permeability, hemorrhage and cardiac dysfunction in animal challenge models. A recent study using mice that either lacked the anthrax toxin receptor in specific cells and corresponding mice expressing the receptor in specific cell types demonstrated that cardiovascular cells are critical for disease mediated by anthrax lethal toxin. These studies are consistent with involvement of the cardiovascular system, and with an increase of cardiac failure markers observed in human anthrax and in animal models using B. anthracis and anthrax toxins. This review discusses the current state of knowledge regarding the pathophysiology of anthrax and tries to provide a mechanistic model and molecular determinants for the circulatory shock in anthrax. 

BioNLP-ST-2016_BB-cat+ner/BB-cat+ner-24584903.txt

+On destabilization of the Fenna-Matthews-Olson complex of Chlorobaculum tepidum.
+The Fenna-Matthews-Olson (FMO) complex from the green sulfur bacterium Chlorobaculum tepidum was studied with respect to its stability. We provide a critical assessment of published and recently measured optical spectra. FMO complexes were found to destabilize over time producing spectral shifts, with destabilized samples having significantly higher hole-burning efficiencies; indicating a remodeled protein energy landscape. Observed correlated peak shifts near 825 and 815 nm suggest possible correlated (protein) fluctuations. It is proposed that the value of 35 cm(-1) widely used for reorganization energy (E λ ), which has important implications for the contributions to the coherence rate (Kreisbeck and Kramer 3:2828-2833, 2012), in various modeling studies of two-dimensional electronic spectra is overestimated. We demonstrate that the value of E λ is most likely about 15-22 cm(-1) and suggest that spectra reported in the literature (often measured on different FMO samples) exhibit varied peak positions due to different purification/isolation procedures or destabilization effects.