Flora In Samples Research Articles

Distribution of metals in fauna, flora and sediments of wet detention ponds and natural shallow lakes

Fauna, flora, and sediment were collected from 9 wet detention ponds receiving stormwater runoff and 11 small natural shallow lakes. The fauna and flora samples were sorted into species or groups of species and, together with sediments, analyzed for aluminum, copper, iron, zinc, arsenic, cadmium, chromium, nickel, lead, and phosphorus. There was a trend toward the studied wet detention ponds being more polluted by metals than the lakes. For the fauna this trend was statistically significant for all metals, while it for the plants was statistically significant for most of the metals. For the sediments, however, this observed trend was not statistically significant for any of the metals. Comparing the different metals accumulated in the sediments, the fauna, and the flora, no correlation between any of these could be detected. Neither fauna nor flora metal concentrations did correlate with sediment metal concentrations, and fauna metal concentrations did not correlate with flora metal concentrations. Comparing the diversity of species in the wet detention ponds and the shallow lakes, molluscs were more abundant in the wet detention ponds. For other fauna and flora, no clear difference between the diversity of species was observed.

A New Triplex Real Time PCR which Distinguishes Between MRSA, MSSA, and mecA Coagulase Negative Strains by Means of Melting Point Analysis Using SYTO 9

A new screening method was developed for the detection and identification of methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) from sterile sites or mixed flora samples (inguinal or nose swabs). After rapid treatment of samples, the method consists of two steps, template DNA preparation by a simple and rapid boiling procedure and a multiplex real time PCR. The triplex PCR system simultaneously detects the following targets, (i) the integration site for the open reading frame X (orfX) of the staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec type I - V (SCCmec), (ii) the mecA gene which codes for the penicillin-binding protein PBP-2a, and (iii) an internal control (IC) which can be amplified with the SCCmec primer system. A new buffer system, which contains the fluorescent dye SYTO 9, allows a reproducible real time PCR for the discrimination of the above mentioned PCR products by means of a high resolution melting point analysis (HRM). This new PCR system distinguishes between MRSA, MSSA, and mecA positive but coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS) strains. An internal control confirms the integrity of the PCR run. The HRM shows three melting points specific for each amplification product. 78.75 degrees C for the mecA gene, 83.15 degrees C for the SCCmec/orfX fragment and 88.25 degrees C for the internal control. This new multilocus MRSA PCR system is a fast and inexpensive alternative to commercially available test systems and costs only five to six euros.

Identification of Plant Remains in Underwater Archaeological Areas by Morphological Analysis and DNA Barcoding

DNA barcode technique has only recently been applied to archaeobotanical studies. In fact, in association with morphological, scanning electron and optical microscopic analyses, these specific methods allow researcher to scientifically classify antique flora samples. Therefore, this project wants to improve, to encourage and spread further use of this protocol and to highlight the potentialities of the molecular biology and microscopy related to botanical fossils. In conclusion, ancient Olea europaea L. and Crataegus monogyna Jacq. seeds, a Pinus sp. pollen cone, a Quercus petraea (Mattuschka) Liebl. acorn, animal fibers and gymnosperm woody fragments, found in a 1st Century BC sunken Dressel 1B amphora, have clearly been identified, in order to enhance knowledge about Central Italy past human activity and environment. This research has also demonstrated the applicability of this scientific approach on specimens derived from underwater archaeological site.

SUSPECTED NEUROTOXICITY DUE TOCLOSTRIDIUM PERFRINGENSTYPE B IN A TIGER (PANTHERA TIGRIS)

A 4-yr-old tiger (Panthera tigris) was referred with acute onset of severe abnormal consciousness. Neurological evaluation showed normal palpebral and corneal reflexes, normal pupil diameter with normal direct and consensual papillary light reflex, and absent menace response bilaterally. Diffuse forebrain lesion or focal lesion affecting the ascending reticular activating system was suspected. Complete blood examination and cerebrospinal fluid analysis were normal. Magnetic resonance imaging of the brain showed an empty sella as the only result. Clostridium perfringens 10(4) to 10(7) colony-forming units/g were detected in fecal flora samples. Multiplex polymerase chain reaction assay identified serotype B counts with production of epsilon toxin. This toxin specifically accumulates in the central nervous system, where it causes acute neurological signs in humans, domestic animals, and wildlife. In this communication, the acute onset of neurological signs without evidence of trauma, vascular, metabolic, or inflammatory diseases may be caused by neurotoxicity due to C. perfringens.

Personal hygiene habituation and related factors of high school students in Gaziantep -Turkey

Hand hygiene practice has become quite an important issue among hygiene practices. Improving personal hygiene practices leads to decrease in the occurrence of many infectious diseases. A total of 1370 students in 36 classes in 9 schools in Gaziantep were included in this study by “size proportional systematic sampling” and “basic randomized sampling” techniques. A data collection form termed as determining personal hygiene habituation was applied to all students. Total hygiene score was calculated according to the results of the “data collection form”. Thereafter, Hand flora samples of 350 students among classes who participated in data collection form application were inoculated against blood agar, eosin methylene blue and saboraud dextrose agar by application on all left hand fingers. Identification of microorganism was performed by conventional method.Staphylococcus aureus was mostly isolated from hand culture of male students andStreptococcus sp. and Enterobacter sp. were mostly isolated from female students. Both personal hygiene practice among high school students and also toilet hygiene condition of schools were inappropriate. In this regard, education about hygiene should be given priority and the necessary structural arrangements should be made in schools. Key words: Hygiene, Gaziantep, hand flora.

Microtubule-organizing center polarity and the immunological synapse: protein kinase C and beyond

Cytoskeletal polarization is crucial for many aspects of immune function, ranging from neutrophil migration to the sampling of gut flora by intestinal dendritic cells. It also plays a key role during lymphocyte cell–cell interactions, the most conspicuous of which is perhaps the immunological synapse (IS) formed between a T cell and an antigen-presenting cell (APC). IS formation is associated with the reorientation of the T cell’s microtubule-organizing center (MTOC) to a position just beneath the cell–cell interface. This cytoskeletal remodeling event aligns secretory organelles inside the T cell with the IS, enabling the directional release of cytokines and cytolytic factors toward the APC. MTOC polarization is therefore crucial for maintaining the specificity of a T cell’s secretory and cytotoxic responses. It has been known for some time that T cell receptor (TCR) stimulation activates the MTOC polarization response. It has been difficult, however, to identify the machinery that couples early TCR signaling to cytoskeletal remodeling. Over the past few years, considerable progress has been made in this area. This review will present an overview of recent advances, touching on both the mechanisms that drive MTOC polarization and the effector responses that require it. Particular attention will be paid to both novel and atypical members of the protein kinase C family, which are now known to play important roles in both the establishment and the maintenance of the polarized state.

A pilot study: microbiological conditions of the oral cavity in minipigs for peri-implantitis models

As peri-implantitis is an emerging problem, the development of validated animal models is mandatory. The aim of this pilot study was to provide a first step in describing the normal oral flora of minipigs. In five minipigs, samples of the oral flora were collected with sterile cotton swabs from the buccal gingiva of the lower jaw. Two swabs per animal were collected, followed by bacterial isolation under both aerobe and anaerobe conditions. Microbiological analyses included biochemical tests, matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry and 16S rDNA gene sequence analysis. A total of 61 taxa were detected, 14-21 different bacterial taxa from each minipig. Among the Gram-positive cocci, mainly staphylococcal and streptococcal species were identified. Different Actinomyces species were the most abundant taxa in the group of Gram-positive rods. Among the anaerobic bacteria, the Gram-negative genera Fusobacterium, Bacteroides and Prevotella were the most often observed taxa. This is the first study which begins to describe the normal oral flora in minipigs in cultures to allow for the detection of a broad spectrum. Several bacterial species identified are different from human ones. No specific species for peri-implantitis could be detected in that healthy sample.

The Effects of Interferon-α2b on Intestinal Flora in Peritoneal Fibrosis

Peritonitis is an important cause of the mortality and morbidity of peritoneal dialysis patients. The present study aims to investigate the effects of ýnterferon (IFN)-α2b on intestinal flora in peritoneal fibrosis. Twenty-four Wistar albino rats were divided into three groups. The control group received 0.9% saline (3 ml/d) intraperitoneally; the Chlorhexidine gluconate (CH) group received 3 ml daily injections of 0.1% CH intraperitoneally; the CH+IFN group received 3 ml daily injections of 0.1% CH intraperitoneally and pegylated IFN-α2b 1.5 μg/kg per week subcutaneously on days 0, 7, 14. On the twenty-first day rats were sacrificed and visseral peritoneum samples were obtained from the liver. Blood samples were obtained from the abdominal aorta and intestinal flora samples were obtained from distal small intestine and transverse colon. Histopathologic control of CH, CH+IFN groups peritoneal thickness were 6.04±2.32, 135.4±22.24, and 42.56±11.6 um, respectively. The decrease in thickness of parietal peritoneum in the CH+IFN group was statistically significant when compared to the CH group. Escherechia coli (E. Coli) had grown in cultures of the small intestine and colon samples of all the rats in the control group, whereas Proteus species (spp) had grown in one and Enterobacter spp. in seven cultures of the CH group. E. Coli had grown in four cultures, Proteus spp in three culture and Enterobacter spp. in one culture obtained from small intestine and transverse colon of the control group. The intestinal flora changed as the peritoneal thickness increased. The intestinal flora in the CH group completely changed compared with the control group (p<0.001). There was no correlation between visceral peritoneal thickness and intestinal flora change in the IFN group (p>0.05). IFN-α2b recovers the intestinal flora and the intestinal motility, thus reducing the experimental peritoneal fibrosis.

Biota uptake of pesticides by selected plant species; the case study of Kilombero sugarcane plantations in Morogoro Region, Tanzania

This paper reports on biota uptake of pesticides by selected plant species from soil in which they are grown. The study was conducted at Kilombero sugarcane plantations and environs, Morogoro Region, Tanzania. Three species of the plant materials were collected namely sugarcane ( Saccharum officinarum), guinea grass ( Panicum maximum) and mango leaves ( Mangifera indica). The sugarcane and guinea grass were used to reveal the plant uptake in the plantations whereas mango leaves were used to represent the environs. GPC cleaned sample extracts were analysed by GC–ECD and GC–NPD and the results confirmed using GC–MS. A total of 16 different pesticide residues were detected in soil samples and only 11 pesticide residues were detected in flora samples. o, p′-DDT had the highest concentration of all detected pesticides in soil samples with a mean concentration of 21.04 μg/kg d.w. whereas the highest concentrations of 17.16 μg/kg d.w. was recorded for p, p′-DDD in flora samples. The other DDT metabolites detected in soil samples were p, p′-DDT, p, p′-DDE, o, p′-DDE, p, p′-DDD and o, p′-DDD with concentration ranging from 2.00 to 18.30 μg/kg d.w. whereas the other pesticides detected in flora samples were p, p′-DDT α-endosulfan and γ-HCH with a mean concentration range of 3.21 to 13.54 μg/kg d.w. The paired sample t-test showed no significant difference between the concentrations of pesticides in flora and those found in soil.

A dissolving CO2 headspace combined with organic acids prolongs the shelf-life of fresh pork

The aim of this paper was to evaluate the effect of a novel CO(2) packaging method in combination with organic acids on the microbial growth in fresh pork meat. Fresh pork fillet was packed with a small amount of 100% CO(2) (initial gas/product ratio 0.2/1.0) and a brine solution containing citric acid (3% w/w, pH 5), acetic acid (1% w/w, pH 5) or a combination of both. Microbial counts and composition in the product were determined. CO(2), citric acid and acetic acid each reduced total growth after four weeks of storage and delayed the onset of microbial growth. Combinations of treatments increased the effects and microbial growth in samples packed with a combination of CO(2) and both acids was negligible even after 35days. However, the addition of citric acid to the packages led to significant precipitation in the brine. Analysis of the bacterial flora showed that lactic-acid bacteria dominated the flora in samples packed with CO(2) while vacuum-packed samples contained high numbers of Pseudomonas sp. and yeast. As all CO(2) dissolved in the product within hours after packaging, the outer appearance of the package was that of a vacuum-package. As a result, this novel packaging method combined the advantages of modified atmosphere packaging (antimicrobial effect of CO(2)) and vacuum packaging (low space requirement).

Bi-National Allegory: Israel–Palestine and the Art of Larry Abramson

Bi-National Allegory: Israel–Palestine and the Art of Larry Abramson W. J. T. Mitchell (bio) W. J. T. Mitchell University of Chicago W. J. T. Mitchell W. J. T. Mitchell is Professor of English and Art History at the University of Chicago, and editor in chief of Critical Inquiry. His recent books include Cloning Terror: The War of Images, 9-11 to the Present, Critical Terms for Media Studies (with Mark Hansen), and What Do Pictures Want?, which won the Lowell Prize of the Modern Language Association in 2007. He is finishing a new book Teachable Moments in Race and Media, under contract to Harvard UP. Footnotes 1. I have learned, however, that this blemish is a Duchampian accident, perhaps a flaw in the photographic reproduction in the catalogue in which I re-viewed this painting. However, Abramson tells me chat Malevich’s original is now developing cracks, just like the old masters, and that his current returns to the black square are consequently exploring the issue of cracks and flaws. Sometimes chance leads the way to design. 2. The artist, as quoted in Daniella Talmor, “Eventus Nocturnus,” Larry Abramson: Eventus Nocturnus, trans. Hanita Rosenbluth (Haifa Museum of Art, 2001) 100. See also Gannit Ankori, “Bodies of Knowledge: The Art of Larry Abramson,” Larry Abramson: Eventus Nocturnus (Haifa Museum of Art, 2001). 3. Elyakim Chalakim is a name invented by the Israeli licensees of The Garbage Pail Kids, an American series of trading cards released in 1985 by the Topps Company, depicting grossly deformed kids and designed to parody the Cabbage Patch Kids dolls. In the English original the character dubbed Elyakim Chalakim was called Second Hand Rose, or Trashed Tracy. As chance had it, the name Elyakim (literally, in Hebrew, meaning “God will raise up, resurrect”) Chalakim (in Hebrew “parts, pieces”) could be read: God will resurrect the pieces. Even though the Israeli translator was probably only looking for a first name to rhyme with Chalakim, the resultant Elyakim Chalakim brings to mind the Kabbalist notion of “tikkun,” the mending of the shattered vessels that contained the divine light. In 1990 Abramson allegorically proclaimed Elyakim Chalakim “the great artist of the future,” by virtue of his will to “raise himself out of the surrounding wilderness of refuse and rehabilitate himself as a new axis of vertical meaning,” as quoted in Gideon Ofrat, “The Death of Elyakim,” Larry Abramson: Eventus Nocturnus, trans. Peretz Hidron (Haifa Museum of Art, 2001) 102. 4. From e-mail correspondence with the artist, February 22, 2010. 5. I have many reasons for using the phrase “Israel-Palestine” (or “Palestine-Israel”) to designate a hyphenated country that, from one point of view, only exists in the utopian image of a bi-national state, but from another point of view actually exists, and has existed for over half a century as a single administrative, governmental entity in which a population resides in a condition of radical inequality. But this would require an essay in itself. 6. See Mark Twain, Innocents Abroad: or The New Pilgrim’s Progress, 1869. 7. Despite the large body of commentary on Abramson’s work by Israeli critics and art historians, there has been little attention to the centrality of the political in his “abstract” and symbolic works. The political meaning of the crescent, which has been part of his work for the last twenty five years, has “never been seriously regarded,” according to the artist. E-mail correspondence, February 6, 2010. 8. Fredric Jameson, “Third World Literature in the Era of Multinational Capitalism,” Social Text 15 (Autumn 1986); 65–88. 9. Abramson’s work tsooba, made in 1993–1994 and exhibited in 1995 at the Kibbutz Art Gallery in Tel Aviv, was a groundbreaking critical dialogue with the role of abstract painting in the erasure of Palestinian memory from the landscape and its representations, tsooba included 38 25 × 25 cm oil on canvas landscape paintings after a photograph of the site of a deserted Palestinian village, 38 impressions of the wet landscape paintings on newspaper, and 13 still life paintings after samples of flora taken from the site. 10. When Golda Meir notoriously claimed that “there is no such thing...

Nitrogen isotopic patterns of vegetation as affected by breeding activity of Black-tailed Gull (Larus crassiostris): A coupled analysis of feces, inorganic soil nitrogen and flora

Two currently breeding colonies (Matsushima Bay and Rishiri island; northern Japan) of predominant Black-tailed Gull (Larus crassiostris) were studied for N isotopic patterns of flora, which is affected by increased supply of inorganic soil N derived from the microbial transformation of feces. Coupled samples of feces, topsoil and flora were collected in early to mid July (2008), when input of fecal N onto soils was at its maximum. As bird migration and breeding continued, native Japanese red-pine (Pinus densiflora), junipers (Juniperus chinensis and Juniperus rigita; Matsushima Bay colony) and Sasa senanensis (Rishiri colony) declined, while ornithocoprophilus exotic plants succeeded. Among tree species on the islands, P. densiflora with ectomycorrizal colonization appears highly susceptible to elevated concentrations of NH4–N in the topsoil. A mechanism for best explaining the plant succession associated with the breeding activity of Black-tailed Gull was evidenced by two parameters: first, concomitant elevation of N content in the flora and second, inorganic soil N content, along with changes in N isotopic composition (δ15N). Earlier isotopic data on the foliar N affected by breeding activity were compiled and reviewed. Emphasis was put on isotopic information for inorganic N in soils that controls plant succession.

Assessment of the Use of Urine Samples to Detect Colonization With Fluoroquinolone-Susceptible and Fluoroquinolone-ResistantEscherichia coli

Efforts to elucidate the epidemiology of antimicrobial resistance among gram-negative bacteria have increasingly focused on the role of gastrointestinal (GI) tract colonization [1]. Sampling of GI flora (usually employing a peri-rectal swab approach) is increasingly common both for infection control initiatives and as a component of epidemiologic studies [2, 3] with considerable time and effort dedicated to optimizing methodology to identify patients colonized with the organism of interest. The relationship between colonization in the GI tract and colonization in the urinary tract remains understudied [4, 5]. In populations such as long term care facility (LTCF) residents, in which bacteriuria is common [6], sampling the urine in addition to the stool may potentially provide added information regarding colonization. However, no study has to date investigated whether there is added benefit to sampling both urine and stool to detect colonization with gram-negative bacteria. Focusing specifically on identifying colonization with fluoroquinolone-susceptible E. coli (FQSEC) and/or fluoroquinolone-resistant E. coli (FQREC), the purpose of this study was to assess the added benefit of sampling urine in additional to fecal specimens.

An evaluation of the hand and nasal flora of Turkish nursing students after clinical practice

The purpose of this study was to evaluate and compare the hand and nasal flora of nursing students before and after the clinical practice. Hospitals are places where infective agents abound. Healthcare workers, relatives of patients and students practising in the hospital medium are often exposed to these infective agents. Although the role of the hand and nasal flora of healthcare workers in the development of nosocomial infections has been emphasised by earlier studies, there are a limited number of studies which investigate the hand and nasal flora of nursing students. Descriptive. This descriptive study involved 66 volunteer nursing students. Two samples of flora from both hands and nose of each student were obtained. The inoculated samples were then evaluated through routine bacteriological study methods. Chi-square and percentage calculations were used in comparisons. None of the students had methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus or methicillin-resistant coagulase-negative Staphylococcus colonisation in the hand samples before clinical practice, 6.1% of the students had methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and 4.5% had methicillin-resistant coagulase-negative Staphylococcus colonisation after the practice. Although the differences between the rates of contamination with pathogen micro-organisms in the hand and nasal flora of the student nurses before and after clinical practice were not significant, the rate of colonisation after clinical practice was higher. In this study, the rate of colonisation after clinical practice was higher. These findings indicate that students might have been contaminated with bacteria during clinical practice. The results of this study have practical importance in clinical practice. The role of the hand and nasal flora of nursing students in the development of nosocomial infections is significant. For this reason, some precautions, such as using gloves and handwashing with special solutions when needed, should be taken to prevent nosocomial infections and protect students against associated risks.

Bacterial flora-typing with targeted, chip-based Pyrosequencing

BackgroundThe metagenomic analysis of microbial communities holds the potential to improve our understanding of the role of microbes in clinical conditions. Recent, dramatic improvements in DNA sequencing throughput and cost will enable such analyses on individuals. However, such advances in throughput generally come at the cost of shorter read-lengths, limiting the discriminatory power of each read. In particular, classifying the microbial content of samples by sequencing the < 1,600 bp 16S rRNA gene will be affected by such limitations.ResultsWe describe a method for identifying the phylogenetic content of bacterial samples using high-throughput Pyrosequencing targeted at the 16S rRNA gene. Our analysis is adapted to the shorter read-lengths of such technology and uses a database of 16S rDNA to determine the most specific phylogenetic classification for reads, resulting in a weighted phylogenetic tree characterizing the content of the sample. We present results for six samples obtained from the human vagina during pregnancy that corroborates previous studies using conventional techniques.Next, we analyze the power of our method to classify reads at each level of the phylogeny using simulation experiments. We assess the impacts of read-length and database completeness on our method, and predict how we do as technology improves and more bacteria are sequenced. Finally, we study the utility of targeting specific 16S variable regions and show that such an approach considerably improves results for certain types of microbial samples. Using simulation, our method can be used to determine the most informative variable region.ConclusionThis study provides positive validation of the effectiveness of targeting 16S metagenomes using short-read sequencing technology. Our methodology allows us to infer the most specific assignment of the sequence reads within the phylogeny, and to identify the most discriminative variable region to target. The analysis of high-throughput Pyrosequencing on human flora samples will accelerate the study of the relationship between the microbial world and ourselves.

Geographic flora elements in the Ecuadorian superpáramo

The superpáramo is an island-like ecosystem located on the highest mountain-tops in the equatorial Andes and its flora is composed of genera that are distributed in both tropical and temperate areas. We were interested in studying: (1) whether the proportions of tropical and temperate genera change along the altitudinal gradient of the superpáramo and (2) whether the proportions of tropical and temperate genera correlate to ecological conditions (dry vs. humid) of the superpáramo. We studied the generic composition in 18 isolated superpáramo sites of Ecuador and analyzed the proportions of eight geographic flora elements in: (1) the entire superpáramo flora, (2) eight altitudinal superpáramo flora samples between 4100 and 4800 m, and (3) the superpáramo flora samples divided into three humidity types, i.e., dry, humid, and very humid superpáramos. Of the total of 144 genera encountered, more than a half are predominantly distributed in temperate regions whereas about 2 5 are predominantly distributed in tropical regions and only 2% are endemic to the páramo. When distinguishing only tropical and temperate genera their numbers along the altitudinal gradient do not depart from the expected values based on the entire superpáramo flora. But when breaking the temperate and tropical genera down into their constituent geographic flora elements, significant departure from the expected values is found above 4500 m altitude, which corresponds to a transition zone between the lower and upper superpáramo. Genera from the Wide temperate, Holarctic, and Andean alpine elements significantly increase along the altitudinal gradient whereas Neotropical montane, Austral-Antarctic, Páramo endemic, and Cosmopolitan elements significantly decline with altitude, and the proportion of genera from the Wide tropical element do not show correlation to altitude. Tropical genera are better represented in humid superpáramo types and temperate genera are more common in dry superpáramo type. Although the proportion of elements differs among dry, humid, and very humid superpáramo sites, their composition does not depart significantly from that in the entire superpáramo flora. We conclude that ecological predispositions of genera from their implied areas of origin predict their distribution within and among equatorial superpáramo.

Assessment of Nasal Swab Samples, Environmental Microbiological Analyses and Respiratory Function Tests of Bakery Workers Working Under Modern Conditions: A Brief Report

Studies have shown that bakery workers may develop asthma and rhinitis as a result of their occupation and approximately 30% of bakery workers and wheat farmers will become sensitised. This ratio can change depending on the exposure time and a history of atopy. The present study has looked at the relationship between nasal and environmental flora and pulmonary function in such workers to see if it can explain the occurrence of asthma and rhinitis. Workers from three of the largest bakery companies in Istanbul were recruited, a total of 372 people; 223 bakery workers and 149 administrative employees of the same companies as a control group. Face to face interviews were conducted to determine asthma status and all were given physical examinations with nasal flora samples collected by sterile swabs. Aerial samples were taken from administrative and product departments for microscopic examination. Compared to administrative staff, bakery workers had insignificantly more asthma symptoms (p&gt; 0.05). C. albicanswas isolated from four (1.9%) nasal samples from bakery workers and one (0.7%) from the control group (p&gt; 0.05). A statistically significant level of wheeze (X2= 4.65, p= 0.03, OR= 2.32 95% CI (1.06–5.07)), suggesting bronchial obstruction, was detected in 28 (13.1%) bakery workers and in nine people (6.1%) from the control group. Looking at smoking and non-smoking groups, a significant decrease was observed for PEF (%) in the smokers and FEV1/FVC (%) in the non-smokers. These results suggest that pulmonary function of bakery workers is slightly impaired even with modern engineering controls.

Development of intestinal M cells

Intestinal epithelium contains several specialized cell types including M cells, which can be found in the follicle-associated epithelium (FAE) or occasionally on the villi. M cells are critical for sampling of intestinal flora and for transferring pathogens across the epithelial barrier for recognition by the immune system. Development of M cells on the villi (M(v)) is independent of the presence of lymphocytes, while development of the FAE and M cells within the FAE (M(f)) is dependent on B lymphocytes. Here, the concept is discussed that B cells are not required for induction of M(f) differentiation but are required for transition to and maintenance of the mature M(f) phenotype. Signaling pathways possibly involved in the B-cell-independent stages of M-cell development are also discussed.

An ex‐vivo multiplexed antibacterial test on oral microflora

Characterized clinical strains of oral bacteria are utilized to examine the antimicrobial efficacy of oral care formulations. A demonstration of antimicrobial effects of formulations on microbial samples obtained from the human mouth offers advantages, i.e. incorporates the considerable microbial diversity of this environment with bacteria harvested from naturally occurring biofilms to form the focus of this investigation. Samples of oral flora from each adult subject were briefly treated (2 min) with test and control formulations and plated on appropriate agar for multiplexed antimicrobial effects on functional groups of oral bacteria associated with specific conditions. Ex-vivo treatments of oral samples with the triclosan/copolymer dentifrice demonstrated significant dose-dependent antimicrobial effects compared with a control formulation on anaerobic and facultative oral bacteria from a group of 16 volunteers (P < 0.05) with reproducible effects observed in three separate trials (P < 0.05). Similarly, significant dose-dependent effects were noted with chlorhexidine mouthrinses (P < 0.05). A simultaneous assessment of the effects of these formulations on several functional classes of oral bacteria associated with specific oral conditions such as dental caries and oral malodor demonstrated multiplexed antimicrobial activity (P < 0.05). A rapid procedure using small volumes of human oral samples and well-known formulations demonstrates ex-vivo multiplexed antimicrobial effects on functional groups of bacteria with both dentifrices and mouthrinses. Modifications of this approach may include antibacterial effects over time with formulations at clinically relevant concentrations, effects of novel agents or samples from subjects stratified on the basis of their clinical status.

Effects of abiotic factors on species richness and cover in Central European weed communities

Plant species richness and cover of 698 samples of weed flora, recorded in standard plots in the Czech Republic from 1955 to 2000, were related to altitudinal floristic regions, soil types, cultivated crops, climate, altitude and year of the record. Stepwise backward elimination of explanatory variables was used to analyse the data, taking into account their interactive nature, until the general linear model contained only significant terms. Net effects of particular variables on weed species number and cover, independent of covariance with other variables, were determined. Weed species number and cover were significantly affected by altitudinal floristic region and its interaction with the year of sampling. Both weed species number and cover decreased over time, more so in the moderate-to-cold than in the warm altitudinal floristic region, due to the increase in agricultural intensification being more profound at higher than lower altitudes. There was no direct effect of soil type on weed species number, whereas the decrease of weed cover with increasing crop cover was more pronounced on nutrient-poor than nutrient-rich soils. Maize fields contained the lowest number of weed species, while root crops and fodder plants were most species rich. Within the group of other cereals than maize, spring barley and oats harboured more weed species than winter wheat and, in particular, than rye. The differences in weed flora were largely attributable to management and partly related to crop-specific agricultural practices as well as general changes in the management of arable fields over the last decades.