Mol Genet Metab, 2005 Jan, 84(1), 90 - 9 Epub 2004 Dec 13. Rapid, species-specific detection of uropathogen 16S rDNA and rRNA at ambient temperature by dot-blot hybridization and an electrochemical sensor array; Sun CP et al.; Development of rapid molecular approaches for pathogen detection is key to improving treatment of infectious diseases . For this study, the kinetics and temperature-dependence of DNA probe hybridization to uropathogen species-specific sequences were examined . A set of oligonucleotide probes were designed based on variable regions of the 16S gene of the Escherichia coli, Proteus mirabilis, Klebsiella oxytoca, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa . A universal bacterial probe and probes-specific for gram-positive and gram-negative organisms were also included . The oligonucleotide probes discriminated among 16S genes derived from 11 different species of uropathogenic bacteria applied to nylon membranes in a dot-blot format . Significant binding of oligonucleotide probes to target DNA and removal of nonspecific binding by membrane washing could both be achieved rapidly, requiring as little as 10min . An oligonucleotide probe from the same species-specific region of the E . coli 16S gene was used as a capture probe in a novel electrochemical 16-sensor array based on microfabrication technology . Sequence-specific hybridization of target uropathogen 16S rDNA was detected through horseradish peroxidase acting as an electrochemical transducer via a second, detector probe . The sensor array demonstrated rapid, species-specific hybridization in a time course consistent with the rapid kinetics of the dot-blot hybridization studies . As in the dot-blot hybridization studies, species-specific detection of bacterial nucleic acids using the sensor array approach was demonstrated both at 65 degrees C and at room temperature . These results demonstrate that molecular hybridization approaches can be adapted to rapid, room temperature conditions ideal for an electrochemical sensor array platform. Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 2004 Nov-Dec, (6), 36 - 40 {Naso-subcutaneous application of the polycomponent vaccine VP-4 for the treatment of patients with bronchial asthma and chronic obstructive bronchitis}; Microbial resistance to antibiotics used to treat urinary tract infections in Mexican children; Instituto Nacional de Pediatria, SSA, Mexico, DF, MexicoUrinary tract infections are one of the most common bacterial infections in female children . This infection has a prevalence of 4.1 to 7.1% during infancy . The bacterial agents causing the urinary tract infection are Escherichia coil (80-90%), followed by other gram negative germs such as Klebsiella pneumoniae and Enterococcus species and gram positive such as Staphylococcus species . Typical treatment for this infection is ampicillin or the mixture of trimethoprim and sulfamethoxazole (TMT/SMX) among others . However, a high incidence of microbial resistance to these antibiotics has been observed recently . The purpose of this study was to assess the microbial resistance of the most frequent infectious agents in urinary tract of Mexican children from January to December 2000 . A total of 725 urinary cultures were collected during all year . Of these, 293 patients were positive of the most frequently reported bacteria including Escherichia coil (205 patients, 69.9%), Klebsiella pneumoniae (67 patients, 22.8%) and Proteus mirabilis (21 patients, 7.1%) . Infections produced by Escherichia coil were highly resistant to ampicillin (83.5%) and TMT/SMX (76.7%) . Results indicate a high incidence of microbial resistance to ampicillin and TMT/SMX in urinary tract infections in Mexican children and suggest caution before giving a treatment with antibiotic in this condition. Arch Pharm Res, 2004 Nov, 27(11), 1081 - 5 Synthesis and study of antibacterial and antifungal activities of novel 2-{{(benzoxazole/benzimidazole-2-yl)sulfanyl} acetylamino}thiazoles; Kaplancikli ZA et al.; Several 2-{{(benzoxazole/benzimidazole-2-yl)sulfanyl}acetylamino}thiazoles derivatives were synthesized by reacting 4-substituted-2-(chloroacetylamino)thiazoles with benzoxazole/benzimidazole-2-thioles in acetone and in the presence of K2CO3 . The chemical structures of the compounds were elucidated by IR, 1H-NMR, and FAB(+)-MS spectral data . Their antimicrobial activities against Micrococcus luteus (NRLL B-4375), Bacillus cereus (NRRL B-3711), Proteus vulgaris (NRRL B-123), Salmonella typhimurium (NRRL B-4420), Staphylococcus aureus (NRRL B-767), Escherichia coli (NRRL B-3704), Candida albicans and Candida globrata (isolates obtained from Osmangazi Uni . Fac.of Medicine) were investigated and in this investigation, a significant level of activity was illustrated. Theriogenology, 2005 Jan 1, 63(1), 102 - 17 Clinical evaluation of postpartum vaginal mucus reflects uterine bacterial infection and the immune response in cattle; Williams EJ et al.; Bacteria contaminate the uterus of most dairy cattle after parturition and endometritis causes infertility . An endometritis score can be ascribed based on the vaginal mucus character and odour but it is not clear if the clinical score reflects the number of uterine bacteria or the inflammatory response . The present study tested the hypothesis that clinical evaluation of endometritis reflects the number of bacteria present in the uterus, and the acute phase protein response . Swabs (n = 328) were collected from the uterine lumen of dairy cattle, 21 and 28 days postpartum, vaginal mucus was scored for character and odour, and blood samples collected for acute phase protein measurement . Bacteria were identified following aerobic and anaerobic culture, and the bacterial growth density was scored semi-quantitatively . When bacteria were categorised by their expected pathogenic potential in the uterus, purulent or fetid odour vaginal mucus was associated with the growth density of pathogenic bacteria but not opportunist contaminants . When bacteria were analysed independently, Arcanobacterium pyogenes, Proteus and Fusobacterium necrophorum growth densities were associated with mucopurulent or purulent vaginal mucus . The bacterial growth densities for A . pyogenes, Escherichia coli, non-hemolytic Streptococci, and Mannheimia haemolytica were associated with a fetid mucus odour . Peripheral plasma concentrations of alpha(1)-acid glycoprotein were higher if there was a fetid compared with a normal vaginal mucus odour (1.50 +/- 0.09mg/mL versus 1.05 +/- 0.02mg/mL, P < 0.001), but did not differ significantly between vaginal mucus character scores . The evaluation of the character and odour of vaginal mucus reflects the number of bacteria in the uterus, and the acute phase protein response. J Indian Soc Pedod Prev Dent, 2004 Sep, 22(3), 154 - 7 "Craniofacial and dental manifestations of a case of Proteus syndrome"; Batra P et al.; Proteus syndrome, which is a reference to the ancient Greek god Proteus, the Polymorphous, was called to the attention of pediatricians . Recognition of this syndrome has been difficult because of the variability of the syndrome's manifestations and because of its rarity . We describe a rare case of Proteus syndrome and we discuss its differential diagnosis . Our case presents with hemi facial hypertrophy, scrotal tongue, enamel hyperplasia as well as differential in the size of the dentition on both sides of the arch. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol, 2004 Nov, 25(11), 979 - 84 Cockroaches as potential vectors of nosocomial infections; Pai HH et al.; OBJECTIVE: To determine the possible role of cockroaches in the epidemiology of nosocomial infections . DESIGN: Epidemiologic investigation of bacteria and fungi in cockroaches and evaluation of the antibiotic resistance of the bacteria isolated from the insects . SETTING: Ninety hospitals in Kaohsiung City and Kaohsiung County in Taiwan . METHODS: Cockroaches were collected in clinical and nonclinical areas and microorganisms were isolated from their external surface and alimentary tract . The susceptibilities of Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus species, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Escherichia coli, Serratia marcescens, and Proteus species to 17 antibiotics were tested . RESULTS: Cockroach infestation was found in 46.7% of the hospitals studied . Two hundred three cockroaches were collected (139 Periplaneta americana and 64 Blattella germanica) . Periplaneta americana was found more often in nonclinical areas (64.5%) and B . germanica in clinical areas (78.1%) . There was no statistically significant difference between Periplaneta americana (98.6%) and B . germanica (96.9%) regarding overall isolation rate (P > .05) . However, 33 species of bacteria and 16 species of fungi were isolated from Periplaneta americana and only 23 and 12, respectively, from B . germanica . Resistance to ampicillin (13.7% to 100%), chloramphenicol (14.3% to 71.4%), tetracycline (14.3% to 73.3%), and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (14.3% to 57.1%) was found in two gram-positive and five gram-negative bacteria . CONCLUSION: Because cockroach infestation occurred in more than 40% of the hospitals and nearly all of the cockroaches harbored bacteria with multidrug resistance and fungi, cockroaches may play a potential role in the epidemiology of nosocomial infections in those hospitals. Environ Microbiol, 2004 Dec, 6(12), 1252 - 63 Phylogenetic characterization of Legionella-like endosymbiotic X-bacteria in Amoeba proteus: a proposal for 'Candidatus Legionella jeonii' sp . nov; Park M et al.; The X-bacteria which initiated organismic association with the D strain of Amoeba proteus in 1966 as parasites have changed to obligate endosymbionts on which the host depends for survival . Owing to the difficulty in cultivating the bacteria in vitro, the identity of X-bacteria has not been determined . As the life cycle of X-bacteria is similar to that of Legionella spp . in soil amoebae, we applied the polymerase chain reaction method with specific primers aimed at Legionella spp . for the detection and cloning of 16S rRNA gene . The identity and intracellular localization of the endosymbiont were confirmed by the application of a specific fluorescently labelled 16S rRNA-targeted probe . In addition we cloned RNA polymerase beta-subunit gene (rpoB) of X-bacteria by genomic library tagging . A phylogenetic analysis of the 16S rRNA gene placed the bacterium within a unique monophyletic group containing all other members of the genus Legionella . Phylogeny from rpoB and mip genes further confirmed the taxonomic context of X-bacteria to be a Legionella sp . In all three phylogenic analyses, X-bacterium was placed apart from Legionella-like amoebal pathogens present in soil amoebae . Thus, we propose the name 'Candidatus Legionella jeonii' sp . nov . for the endosymbiotic X-bacteria in Amoeba proteus. Neurocirugia (Astur), 2004 Oct, 15(5), 472 - 5 {Delayed brain abscess as a complication of a CSF shunt.}; Arrese I et al.; INTRODUCTION: Infection is a common complication of ventriculoperitoneal shunts, but the formation of a brain abscess related to shunt system is very rare . We present the case of a patient who developed a brain abscess around a ventricular catheter left in place after removing the valvular system . CASE REPORT: This 38 years old woman, underwent ventriculoperitoneal shunting for hydrocephalus secondary to an acoustic neurinoma . During a period of thirteen years she suffered two episodes of meningitis, and after the second one the CSF shunt was removed excepting for the ventricular catheter which appeared to be adherent to the choroid plexus . One year later, a brain abscess arised around that catheter, and both the abscess and the catheter were removed (Proteus mirabilis was the cultured germ) . DISCUSSION: In spite of the risks related to removal of a proximal catheter adherent to the choroid plexus, the risk linked to the removal of a ventricular catheter must be counterbalanced with the risk of infection. Infect Immun, 2004 Dec, 72(12), 7306 - 10 Use of translational fusion of the MrpH fimbrial adhesin-binding domain with the cholera toxin A2 domain, coexpressed with the cholera toxin B subunit, as an intranasal vaccine to prevent experimental urinary tract infection by Proteus mirabilis; Li X et al.; This is a follow-up to our previous study using an intranasal vaccine composed of MrpH, the tip adhesin of the MR/P fimbria, and cholera toxin to prevent urinary tract infection by Proteus mirabilis (X . Li, C . V . Lockatell, D . E . Johnson, M . C . Lane, J . W . Warren, and H . L . Mobley, Infect . Immun . 72:66-75, 2004) . Here, we have expressed a cholera toxin-like chimera in which the MrpH adhesin-binding domain (residues 23 to 157) replaces the cholera toxin A1 ADP-ribosyltransferase domain . This chimera, when administered intranasally without additional adjuvant, is sufficient to induce protective immunity in mice. J Craniomaxillofac Surg, 2004 Dec, 32(6), 391 - 4 Craniofacial hyperostoses in Proteus syndrome -- a case report; Adolphs N et al.; OBJECTIVE: Description of a patient with a rare syndrome leading to the partial overgrowth of craniofacial bones . CASE REPORT: In a 17-year-old female patient with severe hyperostoses of the craniofacial bones asymmetric overgrowth of the right upper and left lower limbs, linear hyperpigmentation of the right arm and a history of regional lipomatosis were found . These manifestations were suggestive of Proteus syndrome . The management of the craniofacial involvement is described and a literature overview presented . CONCLUSION: Proteus syndrome is a rare overgrowth syndrome probably related to a somatic mutation that involves craniofacial structures in about 30% of patients . Early diagnosis is required for adequate interdisciplinary treatment. An Med Interna, 2004 Nov, 21(11), 533 - 9 {Infectious spondylodiscitis in a health area of Galicia (Spain) from 1983-2003}; Gomez Rodriguez N et al.; OBJECTIVE: To study the clinical-epidemiological characteristics of infectious spondylodiscitis (IS) in adults of our health area in the late 20 years . MATERIAL AND METHODS: We performed a retrospective analysis of the medical records of adult patients with a diagnosis of both, tuberculous (TS) and non tuberculous spondylodiscitis (NTS), between January 1983 and December 2003 . The diagnosis was made when compatible clinical-radiological picture were present in association with at least two positive blood cultures and/or micro-organism recovery from vertebral samples . Additionally, TS was diagnosed when biopsy showed typical caseating granulomas from vertebral or extra-vertebral lesions . RESULTS: 17 TS and 22 NTS were identified . The mean age was lower in patients with TS than in NTS (43.5 +/- 24.6 vs 52.0 +/- 15.2 years; mean +/- SD) . Patients were predominantly males in both, TS (57%) and NTS (82%; p < 0001) . The time between the onset of symptoms and diagnosis was longer in TS (16.4 +/- 15.2 weeks) than in NTS (3.9 +/- 3.2 weeks), p= 0.005 . Seven (41%) of the 17 patients with TS had active extra-vertebral tuberculosis . A source of infection was presumed in 20 NTS (90%), mainly surgical spinal procedures (9/22.41%) . In three TS and four NTS one o more predisposing factors were observed . The patients with NTS presented a higher prevalence of fever (41 vs 24%; p= 0.0003) and leucocytosis (41 vs 12%; p < 0.001), but less neurological impairment (9 vs 21% p= 0,01) . None patient with NTS presented mixed infection and Staphylococcus aureus was the main pathogen (14/22.64%) follows by Streptococcus sp (6/22.27%) . Klebsiella pneumoniae and Proteus mirabilis were the remain causative agents . Spinal cord decompression and surgical drainage of abscess were performed in five patients (24%) with TS and four patients with NTS (18%), p= 0.0027) . Neurological sequels were more common in the patients with TS (24 vs 14%, p= 0.008) . The global incidence of IS was 2.2 cases/105 inhabitants/year, which 1.73 cases are NTS . CONCLUSIONS: The IS are a unusual disease what occurs predominantly in male patients . In the last 10 years, a increasing prevalence of NTS was observed, with high contribution (41%) of post-surgical cases . Diagnostic delay is greater in patients with TS and this condition was associated with more neurological sequels. J Trop Pediatr, 2004 Dec, 50(6), 323 - 7 Bacterial isolates in the sick young infant in Ile-Ife, Nigeria; Adejuyigbe EA et al.; This prospective study was carried out to determine the bacterial pathogens and their antibiotic sensitivity profile in the sick young infant . All consecutive young infants with features suggestive of infection seen over 5 months at a Comprehensive Health Centre in Ile-Ife, were screened for septicaemia and local bacterial infections . Of the 121 sick young infants screened for infection, 94 (77.7 per cent) had confirmed bacterial infection and 54 (57.4 per cent) of the 94 had confirmed septicaemia . Gram-positive organisms were the commonest bacterial isolates accounting for 204 (81.6 per cent) of the 250 isolates in this study . Staphylococcus aureus was the most frequent organism accounting for 61.2 per cent of all isolates . Gram-negative organisms accounted for 46 (18.4 per cent) of all isolates with Salmonella spp . and Proteus vulgaris predominating . All the bacterial isolates in this study were sensitive to ofloxacin and most were sensitive to the antibiotics commonly employed in the treatment of infections caused by these organisms . However, many of both Grampositive and Gram-negative isolates in this study were resistant to cotrimoxazole . The study highlights the high prevalence of bacterial infections (localized or systemic) among young infants . It also shows that Gram-positive organisms, the principal aetiologic agents, were sensitive to commonly used antibiotics . It is recommended that genticin and cloxacillin or erythromycin should be used as the first-line antibiotics in the treatment of young infants with bacterial infections in Ile-Ife, Nigeria. J Eukaryot Microbiol, 2004 Sep-Oct, 51(5), 502 - 8 Genetic and physiological interactions in the amoeba-bacteria symbiosis; Jeon KW; Amoebae of the xD strain of Amoeba proteus that arose from the D strain by spontaneous infection of Legionella-like X-bacteria are now dependent on their symbionts for survival . Each xD amoeba contains about 42,000 symbionts within symbiosomes, and established xD amoebae die if their symbionts are removed . Thus, harmful infective bacteria changed into necessary cell components . As a result of harboring X-bacteria . xD amoebae exhibit various physiological and genetic characteristics that are different from those of symbiont-free D amoebae . One of the recent findings is that bacterial symbionts control the expression of a host's house-keeping gene . Thus, the expression of the normal amoeba sams gene (sams1) encoding one form of S-adenosylmethionine synthetase is switched to that of sams2 by endosymbiotic X-bacteria . Possible mechanisms for the switching of sams genes brought about by endosymbionts and its significance are discussed. Am J Ophthalmol, 2004 Nov, 138(5), 799 - 802 Endophthalmitis after pars plana vitrectomy: Incidence, causative organisms, and visual acuity outcomes; Eifrig CW et al.; PURPOSE: To investigate the incidence, causative organisms, and visual acuity outcomes associated with endophthalmitis after pars plana vitrectomy . DESIGN: Retrospective, noncomparative, consecutive case series . METHODS: The medical records were reviewed of all patients who developed acute-onset postoperative endophthalmitis (within 6 weeks of surgery) after pars plana vitrectomy at Bascom Palmer Eye Institute between January 1, 1984 and December 31, 2003 . RESULTS: During the 20-year study interval, the overall incidence rate of postvitrectomy endophthalmitis was 0.039% (6/15,326) . Cultured organisms were Staphylococcus aureus (n = 3), Proteus mirabilus (n = 1), and Staphylococcus epidermidis/Pseudomonas aeruginosa (n = 1); one case was culture-negative . Visual acuity after treatment for endophthalmitis ranged from 2/200 to no light perception, with a final vision of light perception or no light perception in four of six (67%) eyes . CONCLUSION: The incidence of endophthalmitis after pars plana vitrectomy is low but the visual acuity outcomes after treatment are generally poor. Niger J Med, 2004 Oct-Dec, 13(4), 359 - 65 The bacteriology of open fractures in Ile-Ife, Nigeria; Ikem IC et al.; BACKGROUND: The objective of this study is to determine the pattern of bacterial isolates and antibiotic sensitivity profile in open fractures . Fifty-nine patients with open fractures of the lower limb long bones were studied . The majority of the cases were Gustilo and Anderson types II 21(35.6%), and IIIA 16(27.1%) . METHOD: The patients were assessed by history taking, physical examination, and plain radiographs . Wound swabs were taken for bacteriological studies . Other necessary investigations were also done . During wound debridement open fractures were classified into Grades I, II and III using the Gustilo-Anderson method of classification . RESULTS: The infection rate was 45.8% . Gram-positive cocci and Gram-negative rods were isolated . On the whole Staphylococcus aureus 13(25%), and Coagulase-negative staphylococci (CONS) 14(26.9%), were the commonest organisms isolated . The commonest Gram-negative rods that were isolated from the wounds were Proteus mirabilis 9(17.3%), and Pseudomonas aeruginosa 8(15.4%) . Multiple organisms were commonly isolated from the wounds . While all the organisms isolated showed very good sensitivity to gentamicin, cloxacillin and ofloxacin, most of the organisms were resistant to penicillin, ampicillin and tetracycline . The sensitivity ranged from 62.5% to 100% . Coagulase-negative Staphylococci (CONS) showed sensitivity to the widest range of antibiotics which included penicillin, ampicillin, chloramphenicol, gentamicin, cloxacillin and ofloxacin . The sensitivity ranged from 35.7% to 100% . There was statistically significant difference between the open tibial and femoral fracture cases with respect to the interval between injury and debridement time (p = 0.008); the rate of wound infection (p = 0.021); and the occurrence of osteomyelitis (p = 0.023) . The commonest complications observed were wound infection 27(45.8%), and delayed fracture union 26(44.1%), which were commoner in the open tibial fractures . CONCLUSION: This study shows that Staphylococcus aureus and coagulase-negative staphylococci (CONS) were the commonest organisms associated with open fracture of the lower limbs in our centre and that delay in the initial wound debridement was a major predisposing factor to wound infection. Biochemistry (Mosc), 2004 Sep, 69(9), 1034 - 43 New structures of the O-specific polysaccharides of proteus . 4 . Polysaccharides containing unusual acidic N-acyl derivatives of 4-amino-4,6-dideoxy-D-glucose; Kondakova AN et al.; The structures of the O-polysaccharides of the lipopolysaccharides of Proteus mirabilis O7 and O49 were determined by chemical methods, mass spectrometry, including MS/MS, and NMR spectroscopy, including experiments run in an H2O/D2O mixture to reveal correlations for NH protons . The O-polysaccharides were found to contain N-carboxyacetyl (malonyl) and N-(3-carboxypropanoyl) (succinyl) derivatives of 4-amino-4,6-dideoxyglucose (4-amino-4-deoxyquinovose, Qui4N), respectively . The behavior of Qui4N derivatives with the dicarboxylic acids under conditions of acid hydrolysis and methanolysis was studied using GLC-MS. Med Sci Monit, 2004 Nov, 10(11), CR598 - 602 Epub 2004 Oct 26. Plasmid-mediated multiple antibiotic resistance in Proteus mirabilis isolated from patients with urinary tract infection; Khan AU et al.; BACKGROUND: Worldwide surveillance of antimicrobial resistance among urinary tract pathogens is useful to determine important trends and geographical variation for common Gram negative and positive species . We initiated this study to learn the drug resistance pattern and its location (genomic or plasmid-borne) among the strains of Proteus mirabilis, one of the most common causative agents of urinary tract infection (UTI) . MATERIAL/METHODS: A total of 200 urine samples were collected from UTI patients, followed by isolation and identification of Proteus milabilis strains . Antibiotic sensitivity and resistance analysis was performed by the disc diffusion method, employing multiple antibiotic discs . The sensitivity was monitored by visualizing the zone of inhibition around the disc . Plasmid isolation was performed by the method of Kado and Liu . Transfer of the R-Plasmid to recipient E.coli C600 cells was achieved using the method of Lederberg and Cohen . RESULTS: Clinical study revealed that this infection is more common in young pregnant women . Various strains of Proteus mirabilis isolated during the course of the study were found to show multiple antibiotic resistance, which was further characterized as plasmid-borne drug resistance . CONCLUSIONS: Proteus mirabilis is one of the important causative agents of urinary tract infection in young women especially during the state of pregnancy . Multiple antibiotic resistance markers of Proteus strains were identified as plasmid mediated. J Ethnopharmacol, 2004 Dec, 95(2-3), 287 - 96 Traditional medicine in Sakarya province (Turkey) and antimicrobial activities of selected species; Uzun E et al.; Traditional medicine in North-West of Turkey (Sakarya province) were studied during a 2 months field study by interviewing local informants from several villages . Plant species used to treat infections were tested for antimicrobial activity . Information was collected for 46 plant species from 30 families and for 5 animal species . Twenty four of the plant species were cultivated . Most used families were Asteraceae, Cucurbitaceae, Lamiaceae and Rosaceae and the most used plants were Artemisia absinthium, Equisetum telmateia, Lavandula stoechas, Melissa officinalis, Tussilago farfara and Urtica dioica . A total of 139 medicinal uses were obtained . Plants are used mainly for infectious diseases (18%), for neurological and psychological disorders (13.7%), cardiovascular disorders (13%), skin disorders (12.2%) and respiratory disorders (10.1%) . Extracts were tested in vitro for antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 65538, Staphylococcus epidermidis ATCC 12228, Escherichia coli ATCC 8739, Klebsiella pneumonia ATCC 4352, Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 1539, Salmonella typhi, Shigella flexneri, Proteus mirabilis and Candida albicans ATCC 10231, using microbroth dilution technique according to National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards (NCCLS) . This research showed that Arum maculatum, Datura stramonium, Geranium asphodeloides and Equisetum telmateia petroleum ether extracts had MIC values of 39.1 microg/ml, 78.1 microg/ml, 78.1 microg/ml and 39.1 microg/ml, respectively against Staphylococcus epidermidis . Datura stramonium petroleum ether extract had a MIC value of 39.1 microg/ml against Escherichia coli and Trachystemon orientalis ethanol extract had a MIC value of 39.1 microg/ml against Escherichia coli . The antimicrobial activity of Arum maculatum, Equisetum telmateia, Geranium asphodeloides, Plantago intermedia, Senecio vulgaris and Trachystemon orientalis has been reported here for the first time. Nephron Physiol, 2004, 98(2), p48 - 54 Microorganisms and calcium oxalate stone disease; Goldfarb DS; Microorganisms may have a role in the pathogenesis and prevention of kidney stones . The subjects of this review include nanobacteria, Oxalobacter formigenes, and lactic acid bacteria . Not reviewed here is the well-described role of infections of the urinary tract with Proteus species and other urease-producing organisms associated with struvite stone formation . Nanobacteria have been proposed to be very small (0.08-0.5 nm), ubiquitous organisms that could play a role in stone formation . The theory is that nanobacteria can nucleate carbonate apatite on their surfaces and thereby provide the nidus for stone formation . However, their existence remains uncertain and many investigators are openly skeptical . Recent investigations suggest that they are artifacts, and not actually living organisms, but their proponents continue to study them . O . formigenes is an obligate anaerobe which may be important in the prevention of stone formation . Its sole substrate for generation of ATP is oxalate . It may thereby metabolize its human host's dietary oxalate and diminish intestinal absorption and subsequent urinary excretion of oxalate . There is evidence that the organism's absence, perhaps sometimes due to courses of antibiotics, may be a cause of hyperoxaluria and stone formation . In early investigations, patients not colonized with the organism can be recolonized . Urinary oxalate can be diminished by accompanying an oxalate-containing meal with the organism . One study demonstrated that a preparation of lactic acid bacteria successfully reduced urinary oxalate excretion in 6 patients with calcium oxalate stones and hyperoxaluria . The mechanism of this effect is uncertain since these bacteria lacked the gene possessed by O . formigenes which codes for that organism's oxalate uptake mechanism . The author is currently completing a small randomized controlled clinical trial with this preparation in calcium stone-forming patients with idiopathic hyperoxaluria . Copyright (c) 2004 S . Karger AG, Basel. Biosens Bioelectron, 2004 Oct 15, 20(3), 524 - 32 MICREDOX--development of a ferricyanide-mediated rapid biochemical oxygen demand method using an immobilised Proteus vulgaris biocomponent; Pasco N et al.; Biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) is an international regulatory environmental index for monitoring organic pollutants in wastewater and the current legislated standard test for BOD monitoring requires 5 days to complete (BOD5 test) . We are developing a rapid microbial technique, MICREDOX, for measuring BOD by eliminating oxygen and, instead, quantifying an equivalent biochemical co-substrate demand, the co-substrate being a redox mediator . Elevated concentrations of Proteus vulgaris, either as free cells or immobilised in Lentikat disks, were incubated with an excess of redox mediator (potassium hexacyanoferrate(III)) and organic substrate for 1h at 37 degrees C without oxygen . The addition of substrate increased the catabolic activity of the microorganisms and the accumulation of reduced mediator, which was subsequently re-oxidised at a working electrode generating a current quantifiable by a coulometric transducer . The recorded currents were converted to their BOD5 equivalent with the only assumption being a fixed conversion of substrate and known stoichiometry . Measurements are reported both for the BOD5 calibration standard solution (150 mg l(-1) glucose, 150 mg l(-1) glutamic acid) and for filtered effluent sampled from a wastewater treatment plant . The inclusion of a highly soluble mediator in place of oxygen facilitated a high ferricyanide concentration in the incubation, which in turn permitted increased concentrations of microorganisms to be used . This substantially reduced the incubation time, from 5 days to 1h, for the biological oxidation of substrates equivalent to those observed using the standard BOD5 test . Stoichiometric conversion efficiencies for the oxidation of the standard substrate by P . vulgaris were typically 60% for free cells and 35-50% for immobilised cells. Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 2004 Jul-Aug, (4), 71 - 2 {Antibodies to Yersinia enterocolitica and Proteus mirabilis in blood sera of rheumatoid arthritis patients}; Species-dependent premature degradation of absorbable suture materials caused by infection--impact on the choice of thread in vascular surgery; Chirurgische Klinik und Poliklinik, Universitatsklinik Wurzburg, Germany . Larena_a@chirurgie.uni-wuerzburg.de BACKGROUND: In case of infection after vascular reconstruction, preference is often given to absorbable suture material with the aim of preventing persistence of infection . We have investigated the functional deficit of absorbable sutures on incubation with various different bacteria . MATERIAL AND METHODS: Four suture materials Dexon bicolor, Vicryl, Maxon and PDS II--were placed in contact with reference bacterial cultures (Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeroginosa, E . coli, coagulase-negative staphylococci and Proteus mirabilis) . The bacteria were incubated for 7 days at 37 degrees C, together with the suture material . A logarithmic phase (Group A) and a static phase (Group B) were simulated . The linear tensile strength (LTS) of the suture material was measured (Instron Tensiometer) . RESULTS: In the case of Staphylococcus aureus, a significant decrease in LTS was established for Dexon bicolor (group A: 31%, group B: 22%), and Vicryl (53% and 43%), but not for the monofilament threads . With regard to the other bacteria, a considerably more dramatic effect was observed: in both groups the braided sutures had completely disintegrated after 7 days . The monofilament sutures also revealed a significant loss of function (Maxon: 88%, PDS II 66%) . CONCLUSIONS: The absorbable sutures revealed a premature, species-dependent loss of function due to the presence of the bacteria . On the basis of our results, the use of absorbable threads for vessel sutures in case of infection cannot be recommended, with the exception of monofilament material in a monocultural Staphylococcus aureus infection. Antibiot Khimioter, 2004, 49(4), 21 - 4 {Antimicrobial activity of new original 2-aryliden-6-furfuryliden cyclohexanones and hexahydroindazoles on their basis} {Bacterial colonization and home mechanical ventilation: prevalence and risk factors} Rodriguez Gonzalez-Moro JM, Andrade Vivero G, de Miguel Diez J, Lopez Martin S, Sanchez C, Izquierdo Alonso JL, de Lucas Ramos P. Seccion de Soporte Ventilatorio y Trastornos del Sueno, Servicio de Neumologia, Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Maranon, Madrid, SpainOBJECTIVE: To investigate the prevalence of bacterial contamination of ventilators and colonization of patients, the bacteria implicated, and predisposing factors in noninvasive home ventilation . MATERIAL AND METHODS: Forty patients on a home noninvasive ventilation program (mean {SD} age: 63.1 {12} years; time on ventilation: 30.7 {25} months; daily use: 8.1 {2} hours) were enrolled in this descriptive cross-sectional study . Microbiological samples for semiquantitative cultures were swabbed from the ventilator (mask and tubing) and the nostrils . A questionnaire was completed on the underlying disease, time on the ventilation program, type of ventilator, presence of a humidifier, and attention to ventilator cleanliness and maintenance . We defined "colonization" as the presence of microorganisms in the nostrils without evidence of a host immune response, and "contamination" as the presence of surface microorganisms (on tubing or the nasal mask) . RESULTS: Potentially pathogenic bacteria were isolated from 6 ventilators (15%) and the nasal swabs of 10 patients (25%) . Staphylococcus aureus was the most frequently isolated one (in 5 ventilators and 6 patients--contamination coinciding with colonization in 3 cases) . Other potentially pathogenic bacteria isolated were Proteus species (from the nostrils of 2 patients) and an unidentified gram-negative bacillus from the ventilator . On analysis by underlying disease, 60% of the patients with obesity had been colonized . No other findings of note were obtained for other diseases . Contamination and colonization correlated with attention to cleanliness and maintenance of the ventilator but not with type of ventilator, time on the ventilation program, or use of a humidifier . CONCLUSIONS: Home mechanical ventilators are a potential source of nasal colonization . The most frequently encountered microorganism was S . aureus . The degree of ventilator cleaning and disinfection seems to affect contamination; thus it is necessary to impress on patients the need for adequate maintenance of their ventilators. Saudi Med J, 2004 Sep, 25(9), 1199 - 203 Otitis externa infection in Jordan . Clinical and microbiological features; Battikhi MN et al.; OBJECTIVE: Aims of this study were to investigate the clinical findings and to identify causative microorganisms and their susceptibility to antibiotics in otitis externa infection . METHODS: The symptoms and signs, as well as the bacterial and fungal flora from the auditory canal of one hundred and eighty patients (100 males and 80 females), age range from 6 month to 19-years old suffering from acute otitis externa were studied from January 2001 to December 2002 . One way ANOVA and Least Significant Difference (LSD) were carried out for statistical analysis . RESULTS: Pain was the most common symptom (97.2%) while, itching and difficulty in hearing were the least common (11.7 %) . Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P.aeruginosa) was isolated from (41.7%) which showed the best susceptibility to ciprofloxacin (93.4%), aspergillus species from (19.4%), candida albicans from (10.6%), staphylococcus aureus from (16.1%) which showed the best susceptibility to amikacin and ciprofloxacin (96.5%), proteus mirabilis from (2.8%) which showed the best susceptibility (100%) to amikacin, ciprofloxacin, imipenem and ofloxacin, anaerobic bacteria from (2.2%); and no bacteria growth was observed in (7.2%) . There was a significant variation relating signs, symptoms and sex in favor of males (P=0.03) . Significant seasonal variation in otitis externa infection was observed (P <0.05) . CONCLUSION: Pseudomonas aeruginosa was the most frequently isolated pathogenic microorganism, which showed the best susceptibility to ciprofloxacin . Pain was the most common symptom. Tunis Med, 2004 Mar, 82(3), 299 - 305 {Profile of antimicrobial resistance of agents causing urinary tract infections in children}; Ghedira Besbes L et al.; OBJECTIVE: The management of urinary tract infection in children faces the problem of the emergence of resistant strains to antibiotics . The aim of this study is to precise the frequency of the different germs and their susceptibility to antibiotics . METHODS: We report a retrospective study concerning 200 cases of urinary tract infection hospitalised in the paediatric department of Monastir between January 1995 and December 2000 . There were 58 boys and 142 girls aged between two months and 14 years with a mean age of 5 years . The frequency of urinary tract infection is 1.85% . RESULTS: The most common causative agent is Escherichia coli in 75.5% of cases, followed by Proteus mirabilis (10%) then by Klebsiella pneumoniae (6%) . Escherichia coli is predominant in girls, whereas Proteus mirabilis and Klebsiella pneumoniae are likely encountred in boys . Of all the strains, 96% are resistant to ampicillin, amoxicillin and cefalotin, 67% to amoxicillin + clavulanic acid and 34% to cotrimoxazole . A resistance to ampicillin, amoxicillin and cefalotin is noted in 96% of the germs . The resistance is of 67% for amoxicillin + clavulanic-acid and of 34% for cotrimoxazole . However, third generation cephalosporins and aminoglycosides remain usually active on the majority of strains incriminated in these infections a part from Pseudomonas. Arch Esp Urol, 2004 Jul-Aug, 57(6), 595 - 600 {Xanthogranulomatous pyelonephritis: clinical, radiological and pathologic characteristics}; Saavedra Jo S et al.; OBJECTIVES: Xanthogranulomatous pyelonephritis is an atypical chronic infection which simulates a malignant renal neoplasia, definitive diagnosis of which is obtained by pathologic study after surgical removal . In this paper we analyze our experience and compare it to that reported on the literature . METHODS: We performed a retrospective study of cases of xanthogranulomatous pyelonephritis diagnosed in the period from January 1945 to December 2000 at the Institute of Neoplastic Diseases, analyzing clinical, radiological, and surgical features documented in the medical records . RESULTS: There were 11 cases, 82% of them were females . The presence of signs and symptoms such as pain and abdominal mass appeared in 73%, accompanied by hematuria and fever . Most radiological tests showed destruction of the renal parenchyma with abnormalities in the collecting system and obstruction by lithiasis . 91% of the cases had positive urine cultures, being Escherichia coli, Proteus Mirabilis and Klebsiella the most frequent germs . Simple nephrectomy was the surgical treatment, and complications were minimal . CONCLUSIONS: Xanthogranulomatous pyelonephritis should be considered in the differential diagnosis of renal cancer because of its clinical features. Microbes Infect, 2004 Jul, 6(9), 853 - 60 Mucosal vaccination of mice with recombinant Proteus mirabilis structural fimbrial proteins; Scavone P et al.; Proteus mirabilis, a common cause of urinary tract infection (UTI), expresses several types of fimbria including mannose-resistant/Proteus-like fimbriae (MRP), uroepithelial cell adhesin (UCA), renamed non-agglutinating fimbriae (NAF) by some authors, and P . mirabilis fimbriae (PMF), which are potentially involved in adhesion to the uroepithelium . In this study, we immunised different groups of mice with recombinant structural subunits of these fimbriae (MrpA, UcaA and PmfA) using two mucosal routes (nasal and transurethral) and we transurethrally challenged the animals with a P . mirabilis uropathogenic isolate . Induction of specific serum and urine IgG and IgA was measured to assess the potential role of the humoral immune response in protection against experimental ascending P . mirabilis UTI . Intranasally MrpA- and UcaA-immunised mice were protected against P . mirabilis ascending UTI, since recovery of bacteria from kidneys and bladders was significantly lower than in PBS-treated mice, and both fimbrial subunits significantly induced specific serum and urine antibodies . Only MrpA and PmfA transurethrally immunised animals were protected only at the kidney level, and in this case only MrpA-immunised mice exhibited significant serum IgG induction . Correlation analysis did not show a significant relationship between serum and urine specific antibody response and protection observed against infection . Our results suggest that an immunisation strategy based on structural fimbrial proteins may be useful to prevent P . mirabilis UTI . Further studies are being carried out to characterise the immune and inflammatory response induced by P . mirabilis recombinant fimbrial subunits. Prog Urol, 2004 Jun, 14(3), 376 - 9 {Urinary stones in Tunisian infants, based on a series of 64 cases}; Jellouli M et al.; OBJECTIVE: To define the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of urinary stones in infants, to study the role of stone chemical analysis in the aetiological assessment of urinary stones and to define the various treatment modalities adapted to this age-group . PATIENTS AND METHODS: Between 1984 and 2002, 64 infants (age: 5-24 months) were hospitalised for urinary stones . Urine culture was performed in all patients and metabolic assessment was performed in 24 patients . Physicochemical stone analysis was performed by infrared spectrophotometry in 37 patients . RESULTS: Upper tract and lower tract stones were equally prevalent . Urine culture was positive in 48 cases . The micro-organism most frequently isolated was Proteus mirabilis (19 cases) . The metabolic assessment was normal in 15 patients and pathological in 9 patients . Infrared spectrophotometry showed that 17 stones were pure . 60 patients were treated surgically, 2 were treated by endoscopy associated with intracorporeal lithotripsy . One patient was treated medically and another patient passed the stone spontaneously while in hospital . No intraoperative or postoperative complication was observed . No recurrence was observed in this series . The mean follow-up is 16 months (range: 6 months to 94 months) . CONCLUSION: The epidemiological profile of urinary stones in infants in Tunisia is situated between that observed in developed countries and that observed in developing countries . In our study, the incidence of metabolic abnormalities appears to be low despite a high rate of consanguinity in Tunisia . This can be largely explained by the absence of an aetiological survey and/or an inadequate survey when it is performed. Am J Med Genet, 2004 Oct 1, 130A(2), 111 - 22 Reassessment of the Proteus syndrome literature: application of diagnostic criteria to published cases; Turner JT et al.; The medical care of patients affected by rare disorders depends heavily on experiences garnered from prior cases, including those patients evaluated by the treating physician and those published in the medical literature . The utility of published cases is wholly dependent upon accurate diagnosis of those patients . In our experience, the rate of misdiagnosis in Proteus syndrome (PS) is high . Diagnostic criteria have been published, but these criteria have not been applied consistently and were published after many case reports appeared in the literature . We reviewed 205 cases of individuals reported to have PS in the literature and three of us independently applied the diagnostic criteria to these case reports . Our initial diagnostic congruence was 97.1% (199/205); the discrepancies in six cases were easily resolved . Only 97 (47.3%) of reported cases met the diagnostic criteria for PS; 80 cases (39%) clearly did not meet the criteria; and although 28 cases (13.7%) had features suggestive of PS, there were insufficient clinical data to make a diagnosis . Reported cases that met the PS criteria had a higher incidence of premature death, and other complications (scoliosis, megaspondyly, central nervous system abnormalities, tumors, otolaryngologic complications, pulmonary cystic malformations, dental and ophthalmogic complications) compared to those in the non-Proteus group . The cases that met the criteria were more often male, which has implications for hypotheses regarding the etiology and pathophysiology of PS . We also studied the attributes that led authors to conclude the reported patients had PS when we concluded they did not . We found that two of the diagnostic criteria (disproportionate overgrowth and connective tissue nevi) were often misinterpreted . In PS, the abnormal growth is asymmetric, distorting, relentless, and occurred at a faster rate compared to the rest of the body . Furthermore, PS was associated with irregular and disorganized bone, including hyperostoses, hyperproliferation of osteoid with variable calcification, calcified connective tissue, and elongation of long bones with abnormal thinning . In contrast, non-Proteus cases displayed overgrowth that was asymmetric but grew at a rate similar to the growth found in unaffected areas of the body . Also, the overgrowth in non-Proteus cases was associated with normal or enlarged bones together with ballooning of the overlying soft tissues . Taken together, these data show that (1) PS diagnostic criteria sort individuals with asymmetric overgrowth into distinct groups; (2) individuals with PS were more likely to have serious complications; (3) PS affects more males than females; and 4) the published diagnostic criteria are useful for clinical care and research . This article contains supplementary material, which may be viewed at the American Journal of Medical Genetics website at http://www.interscience.wiley.com/jpages/0148-7299/suppmat/index.html. Am J Med Genet, 2004 Oct 1, 130A(2), 123 - 7 Mutation analysis of the tumor suppressor PTEN and the glypican 3 (GPC3) gene in patients diagnosed with Proteus syndrome; Thiffault I et al.; Proteus syndrome is a complex hamartomatous disorder characterized by asymmetrical gigantism, epidermal nevi, vascular malformations, hamartomas, lipomas, and hyperostosis . Since the syndrome was first described, many hypotheses have been proposed to explain its occurrence . The most plausible is Happle's somatic mosaic hypothesis, but no somatic mutations in candidate genes have been reported to be clearly involved in Proteus syndrome . However, germ-line PTEN mutations have been reported in patients with Proteus and in "Proteus-like disorders." Other studies of patients with Proteus syndrome have not supported these findings . In this study, affected and unaffected tissue from six patients diagnosed with Proteus syndrome were screened by direct sequencing of genomic DNA to determine if there might be an association between germ-line or somatic mutations in PTEN or GPC3 and the development of Proteus syndrome . No intra-exonic mutations were identified, indicating that neither PTEN nor GPC3 are likely to have major roles in the etiology of Proteus syndrome in our series of patients. Int J Antimicrob Agents, 2004 Sep, 24 Suppl 1, S53 - 6 The role of unusual pathogens in prostatitis syndrome; Skerk V et al.; A total of 1442 patients with symptoms of chronic prostatitis were examined over a 4-year period at the Outpatient Department for Urogenital Infections, University Hospital for Infectious Diseases "Dr . Fran Mihaljevic", Zagreb, Croatia . An infectious aetiology was determined in 1070 (74.2%) patients . In 561 of 1070 (52.4%) patients the inflammatory finding (>10 WBC/hpf) was found in expressed prostatic secretions (EPS) or voided bladder urine (VB(3)) . Normal, <10 WBCs/hpf was found in 362 of 536 (67.5%) patients with symptoms of chronic prostatitis in whom Chlamydia trachomatis was detected in EPS or VB(3), in 51 of 151 (33.8%) patients with isolated Trichomonas vaginalis and in 40 of 72 (55.6%) patients with isolated Ureaplasma urealyticum . Escherichia coli was the causative pathogen in 95, Enterococcus in 68, Proteus mirabilis in 37, Klebsiella pneumoniae in 16, Streptococcus agalactiae in 19, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa in 3 patients with chronic prostatitis . Other patients had a mixed infection . In patients with chronic bacterial prostatitis (CBP) caused by E . coli, P . mirabilis, K . pneumoniae, E . or S . agalactiae, an inflammatory finding was regularly found in EPS or VB(3). Int J Antimicrob Agents, 2004 Sep, 24 Suppl 1, S32 - 4 Urinary tract infections in African infants; Adjei O et al.; Urinary tract infection (UTI) causes significant illness in the first 2 years of life . The diagnosis in most developing countries is often overlooked due to the tedious nature of obtaining urine from these young ones who would not void voluntarily . Misdiagnosis very often lead to avoidable ill health and long-term renal damage . There is a need to diagnose UTI in febrile infants to alert clinicians . A prospective study of febrile infants aged up to 12 months on admission was undertaken in a 6-months period . Urine specimen was obtained by supra pubic aspiration and investigated . Out of 150 urine samples screened for UTI, 45 (30%) had positive bacterial growth . Escherichia coli (32%) and Proteus sp . (22%) formed more than 50% of the total isolates . The Gram positive bacteria isolated was Staphylococcus aureus representing 11% . All isolates were susceptible to cefuroxime and resistant to ampicillin . Susceptibility to amoxicillin/clavulanic acid was 77.8% and to nitrofurantoin was 67% . Only 11.1% of isolates were susceptible to cotrimoxazole . These results indicate that UTI is a common cause of pyrexia in infants requiring admission . These infants when clinically diagnosed as having UTI are treated with ampicillin and cotrimoxazole . They do not have the benefit of further investigation for renal abnormalities and subsequent antibiotic prophylactics to prevent recurrent infection, which could result in renal scarring and its associated problems later. Braz J Infect Dis, 2004 Apr, 8(2), 118 - 25 Epub 2004 Sep 08. Surgical infections: a microbiological study; Saini S et al.; Surgical infections are mostly polymicrobial, involving both aerobes and anaerobes . One hundred seventeen cases comprised of abscesses (n=51), secondary peritonitis (n=25), necrotizing fascitis (n=22) and wounds with devitalized tissues (n=19) were studied . The number of microorganisms isolated per lesion was highest in secondary peritonitis (2.32) . The aerobe/ anaerobe ratio was 0.81 in secondary peritonitis and 1.8 in necrotizing fascitis . Most secondary peritonitis (80%), necrotizing fascitis (75%) and wounds with devitalized tissues (66.7%) were polymicrobial . Common microorganisms isolated in our study were E . coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella spp., Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Bacteroides fragilis and Peptostreptococcus spp . The most effective antibiotics for S . aureus were clindamycin (79.1%) and cefuroxime (70.8%) . For Gram-negatives (Klebsiella spp., E . coli and Proteus spp.), the most effective antibiotics were cefotaxime, ceftizoxime, amikacin and ciprofloxacin . Pseudomonas aeruginosa was maximally sensitive to amikacin (35.2%) and ciprofloxacin (35.2%) . The greatest degree of multidrug resistance to all the drugs was found in P . aeruginosa (52.9%), followed by Klebsiella spp . (33.3%), Proteus spp . (33.3%), E . coli (22.2%), and S . aureus (12.5%) . All the anaerobes that we isolated were 100% sensitive to metronidazole and chloramphenicol, followed by clindamycin (95% to 100%) . Apart from antibiotic therapy, non-antimicrobial methods, such as hyperbaric oxygen therapy and debridement also play an important role in the treatment of surgical infections. Biomacromolecules, 2004 Sep-Oct, 5(5), 2034 - 41 Poly(vinyl chloride)-coated sol-gels for studying the effects of nitric oxide release on bacterial adhesion; Nablo BJ et al.; Nitric oxide (NO) releasing sol-gel materials coated with poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) films exhibit increased stability at ambient and physiological temperatures . The polymer overcoat, however, reduces the NO fluxes by 5-35% over the initial week of release . The variation in NO fluxes between unmodified and PVC-coated sol-gels is negligible after 7 days . The PVC polymeric layer provides controlled surface chemistry for systematic studies of the effects of NO release on bacterial adhesion . As an example, the adhesion of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Proteus mirabilis at PVC-coated NO-releasing sol-gels is investigated . A direct NO dependence on the reduction of P . aeruginosa adhesion is observed for NO fluxes up to 20 pmol cm(-2) s(-1) . Although decreased by 50% in the presence of NO release, P . mirabilis adhesion does not appear to correlate to the flux of NO release . PVC-coated NO-releasing sol-gels may prove useful for studying the effects of localized NO release on other biological and chemical systems. Microbiology, 2004 Sep, 150(Pt 9), 2857 - 63 Transcription of Proteus mirabilis flaAB; Manos J et al.; Proteus mirabilis, a Gram-negative urinary tract pathogen, has two highly homologous, tandemly arranged flagellin-encoding genes, flaA and flaB . flaA is transcribed from a sigma(28) promoter, while flaB is a silent allele . Previous studies have demonstrated the presence of a family of hybrid flagellin genes, referred to as flaAB . These genes are composed of the 5' end of flaA and the 3' end of flaB, and are produced through excision of the intervening DNA between the two genes . Although the existence of flaAB DNA has been documented, it was not known if transcription of flaAB occurs in wild-type P . mirabilis . In this study, proof of flaAB transcription was obtained from a combination of RNA dot-blots and RT-PCR assays using specific primers and probes for flaAB and flaA . The RNA data were further supported by the demonstration of phenotypic switching of the locus using a FlaAB-detector strain . The results show that flaAB mRNA is transcribed and is 1/64 as abundant as flaA in the population of wild-type cells, suggesting that flaAB constitutes 1.0-1.5 % of the total flagellin message . Nucleotide sequence analysis of flaAB products produced by RT-PCR from the wild-type confirms previous reports of a variable fusion site between flaA and flaB resulting in a hybrid flagellin transcript . These data support the hypothesis that the production of FlaAB is integral to the physiology of P . mirabilis. Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 2004 May-Jun, (3), 39 - 43 {Use of therapeutic polycomponent vaccine "Immunovac VP-4" for the treatment of chronic bacterial prostatitis}; Bondarenko VM et al.; A complex of clinical and laboratory examinations of patients with bacterial chronic prostatitis was carried out . The patients were divided into two groups: 55 patients treated by the method of immunotherapy and 20 patients (controls) undergoing basic therapy . Immunotherapy was carried out with the use of polycomponent vaccine VP-4 containing Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Proteus vulgaris and Escherichia coli antigens . Vaccinal therapy was indicated in cases with infection focus associated with opportunistic bacteria, a prolonged torpid course of prostatitis and when different schemes of etiotropic therapy proved to be ineffective . The vaccine was introduced in 4 or 5 subcutaneous injections at an interval of 5-7 days . The study revealed that in cases of chronic prostatitis accompanied by microecological and immune disturbances the use of complex therapy allowed to achieve good clinical and laboratory results in 91% of the patients . In the patients undergoing immunotherapy the elimination of opportunistic bacteria from the urogenital tract and the restoration of affected microflora occurred. Bacteriol Virusol Parazitol Epidemiol, 2003 Apr-Sep, 48(2-3), 123 - 9 {Incidence and sensitivity to antibiotics of germs isolated from surgical wound infections}; Berceanu Vaduva D et al.; We studied 119 bacterial strains isolated from postoperative infected wounds . All these strains were considered to be strains that derived from the same number of nosocomial infections, all the postoperative infections of the wounds being nosocomial infections . Regarding their frequency, we isolated the following strains: E . coli--68 strains (57%), S . aureus--37 strains (31%), Pseudomonas spp.--9 strains (8%) and Proteus spp.--5 strains (4%) . We performed the bacteriological study of these strains and some correlations between them and the surgical diagnosis . In order to help the surgical therapy of the overinfected wounds, we tested the drug sensitivity of all these strains . The results regarding the drug sensitivity show that these strains have different types of resistance to antibiotics, the Pseudomonas strains being the most resistant . We noticed a continuous decrease of the sensitivity of the isolated strains to certain antimicrobial drugs, and this focuses the attention on the necessity of monitoring the antibiotic prescriptions in hospitals . Taking into account the results obtained after this study, we should reconsider the concept of nosocomial infections control through prevention activities, in order to reduce the incidence and to identify the potential causes that can lead to nosocomial infections. Akush Ginekol (Sofiia), 2004, 43(3), 17 - 20 {Causes of urinary tract infection in pregnant women}; Shopova E et al.; Data of etiology characteristics of uroinfections with pregnant women are presented treated at University Hospital of Obstetrics and Gynecology "Maichin dom" in three periods . Gram negative species of microorganisms (E . coli, proteus, Klebsiella) are the agens of uroinfections in 95.4% of cases in the period 1988/89 . After 10-year period gram (-) are the uroinfection in 66.1% of the cases . The growing etiologycal importance of Gram positive species of microorganisms (S . aureus, Enterococcus, GBS) is 33,9% in the period 1997/98 and it is preserved in june 2001/may 2003 too . In cases of long lasting hospitalization or after repeated treatment with antibiotics the probability grows that the agents of uroinfections be polyresistant strains . In the period june 2001/may 2003 in 7% of the cases polyresistant E . coli are isolated, in 2.6% MRSaureus, in 7.6% Ampicillin - R Enterococcus spp . That suggest exact identification of the agen and therapy according to sensitivity to antibiotics. Biol Pharm Bull, 2004 Sep, 27(9), 1462 - 4 Effects of trifluoromethyl ketones on the motility of Proteus vulgaris; Wolfart K et al.; In the present study, we showed the inhibition of motility by trifluoromethyl ketone (TF) derivatives (1-8) in Proteus vulgaris (P . vulgaris) cultures . Among them, 1-(2-benzoxazoyl)-3,3,3-trifluoro-2-propanone (1) showed a much stronger inhibitory effect on the motility of P . vulgaris than other TF compounds at 10% MIC . Our results suggest the possibility of an inhibitory action of TF compounds on the proton motive forces by affecting the action of biological motor and proton efflux in the membranes, resulting in a reduction of the ratio of running and the increased number of tumbling and non-motile cells. Zoolog Sci, 2004 Aug, 21(8), 823 - 8 Defense function of pigment granules in the ciliate Blepharisma japonicum against two predatory protists, Amoeba proteus (Rhizopodea) and Climacostomum virens (Ciliata); Terazima MN et al.; The defense function of pigment granules in the red ciliate Blepharisma japonicum against two predatory protists, Amoeba proteus and Climacostomum virens, was investigated by (1) comparing normally-pigmented and albino mutant cells of B . japonicum as the prey of these predators and (2) comparing resistance of the predators to blepharismin, the toxic pigment contained in the pigment granules of B . japonicum . Normally pigmented cells which contained more blepharismin than albino cells were less vulnerable to A . proteus than albino cells, but not to C . virens . C . virens was more resistant than A . proteus to the lethal effect of blepharismin . The results indicate that pigment granules of B . japonicum function as defense organelles against A . proteus but not against C . virens and suggest that successful defense against a predator depends on the susceptibility of the predator to blepharismin. East Mediterr Health J, 2001 Jul-Sep, 7(4-5), 763 - 70 Urinary calculi: bacteriological and chemical association; Naas T et al.; We investigated the bacteriology of urinary calculi in relation to urinary tract infection, stone formation, chemical composition and antibiotic sensitivity . Fifty-two patients (37 males, 15 females) with urolithiasis were studied . Urine, serum and urinary calculi specimens were taken and serum biochemical tests to detect uric acid, calcium and phosphorus were performed . Urine analysis and culture were also performed . Of the 52 patients, 19 (37%) had associated urinary tract infection, with Escherichia coli and Proteus mirabilis being the most common causative microorganisms . The bacterial isolates from urine and those from calculi differed in their susceptibility to antimicrobial agents . We conclude that in over 50% of patients with urolithiasis, urine culture can detect the infecting organisms associated with stone formation and the organisms within urinary calculi. Infect Immun, 2004 Sep, 72(9), 5159 - 67 Proteus mirabilis ZapA metalloprotease degrades a broad spectrum of substrates, including antimicrobial peptides; Belas R et al.; The 54-kDa extracellular metalloprotease ZapA is an important virulence factor of uropathogenic Proteus mirabilis . While ZapA has the ability to degrade host immunoglobulins (Igs), the dramatic attenuation of virulence in ZapA mutants suggests that this enzyme may have a broader spectrum of activity . This hypothesis was tested by in vitro assays with purified ZapA and an array of purified protein or peptide substrates . The data reveal that many proteins found in the urinary tract are substrates of ZapA proteolysis, including complement (C1q and C3), cell matrix (collagen, fibronectin, and laminin), and cytoskeletal proteins (actin and tubulin) . Proteolysis of IgA and IgG was significantly enhanced by conditions that denatured the Igs . It was discovered that the antimicrobial peptides human beta-defensin 1 (hBD1) and LL-37 are readily cleaved by the enzyme . To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of a bacterial protease capable of cleaving hBD1, a component of the human renal tubule innate immune response . Proteolysis of hBD1 resulted in ca . six peptides, while proteolysis of LL-37 resulted in at least nine products . Matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry analysis of the molecular masses of the reaction products indicated that ZapA preferred no distinct peptide bond . The antimicrobial activity of hBD1 and LL-37 was significantly reduced following ZapA treatment, suggesting that proteolysis results in inactivation of these peptides . The data suggest that a function of ZapA during urinary tract infections is the proteolysis of antimicrobial peptides associated with the innate immune response. FEMS Microbiol Lett, 2004 Aug 15, 237(2), 179 - 86 S-adenosylmethionine and Pneumocystis; Merali S et al.; Pneumocystis is a parasitic fungus causing pneumonia in immunosuppressed mammals and S-adenosylmethionine a key intermediary metabolite for all cells . Other than a species of Rickettsia bacteria and an aberrant strain of the protozoan Amoeba proteus, Pneumocystis is the only cell known unable to synthesize AdoMet; it must extract this key compound from its host . This was discovered using a culture system and confirmed by observing depletion of AdoMet in the plasma of infected animals . Depletion also occurs in patients with Pneumocystis pneumonia (PcP), a phenomenon suggested as a basis for a method for diagnosis and evaluation of response to therapy . Preliminary data indicate that deliberate reduction of host lung AdoMet by nicotine treatment is therapeutic in the rat model of Pneumocystis pneumonia. Biochem J, 2005 Jan 1, 385(Pt 1), 37 - 43 Contribution of the two conserved tryptophan residues to the catalytic and structural properties of Proteus mirabilis glutathione S-transferase B1-1; Allocati N et al.; PmGSTB1-1 (Proteus mirabilis glutathione S-transferase B1-1) has two tryptophan residues at positions 97 and 164 in each monomer . Structural data for this bacterial enzyme indicated that Trp97 is positioned in the helix a4, whereas Trp164 is located at the bottom of the helix a6 in the xenobiotic-binding site . To elucidate the role of the two tryptophan residues they were replaced by site-directed mutagenesis . Trp97 and Trp164 were mutated to either phenylalanine or alanine . A double mutant was also constructed . The effects of the replacement on the activity, structural properties and antibiotic-binding capacity of the enzymes were examined . On the basis of the results obtained, Trp97 does not seem to be involved in the enzyme active site and structural stabilization . In contrast, different results were achieved for Trp164 mutants . Conservative substitution of the Trp164 with phenylalanine enhanced enzyme activity 10-fold, whereas replacement with alanine enhanced enzyme activity 17-fold . Moreover, the catalytic efficiency for both GSH and 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene substrates improved . In particular, the catalytic efficiency for 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene improved for both W164F (Trp164-->Phe) and W164A by factors of 7- and 22-fold respectively . These results are supported by molecular graphic analysis . In fact, W164A presented a more extensive substrate-binding pocket that could allow the substrates to be better accommodated . Furthermore, both Trp164 mutants were significantly more thermolabile than wild-type, suggesting that the substitution of this residue affects the overall stability of the enzyme . Taken together, these results indicate that Trp164 is an important residue of PmGSTB1-1 in the catalytic process as well as for protein stability. Arch Dermatol, 2004 Aug, 140(8), 947 - 53 Cutaneous manifestations of proteus syndrome: correlations with general clinical severity; Nguyen D et al.; BACKGROUND: Proteus syndrome is a rare congenital disorder with progressive asymetric overgrowth of multiple tissues . OBJECTIVES: To determine the range of cutaneous findings in Proteus syndrome and to correlate cutaneous findings with overall disease severity . DESIGN: A prospective cohort study was performed at the National Institutes of Health, a tertiary referral center . PATIENTS: Twenty-four consecutive children and adults with Proteus syndrome meeting recent diagnostic criteria . INTERVENTIONS: Physical examination, including complete skin examination, and review of medical records . MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Frequency of skin findings; correlation of skin findings with extracutaneous findings; cluster analysis of findings . RESULTS: The 24 patients had skin abnormalities: 22 (92%) had lipomas, 21 (88%) had vascular malformations, 20 (83%) had cerebriform connective tissue nevi on the soles of the feet, 16 (67%) had epidermal nevi, 9 (38%) had partial lipohypoplasia, and 5 (21%) had patchy dermal hypoplasia . Some patients had localized alterations in skin pigmentation and hair or nail growth . Patients with a greater number of skin abnormalities tended to have a greater number of extracutaneous abnormalities . The number of abnormalities tended to increase with age up to 8 years . CONCLUSIONS: Patients with Proteus syndrome exhibit a variable but defined assortment of cutaneous findings . The correlation between numbers of cutaneous and extracutaneous is consistent with the postulated mosaic basis for this syndrome. Otolaryngol Pol, 2004, 58(3), 497 - 504 {Bacterial infections in chronic otitis media--usefulness of molecular diagnostics based on PCR method}; Kuczkowski J et al.; Infections in chronic otitis media (COM) are common, and identification of their pathogen is difficult, what is proven by high rate of negative results of bacteriological examinations . This fact may be explained by two factors: it is difficult to obtain a reliable material for culture and classic methods of bacteriological cultures may be of low sensitivity . Amplification of bacterial DNA in PCR is an examination, that leads to a higher effectiveness and sensitivity of bacteriological tests . The authors present material of 53 patients with COM, previously untreated, in which bacteriological examinations by classic and molecular PCR method were performed . The results of both methods were compared . In classic method the presence of pathogens was observed in 46 of 53 cases (86.8%) . The most often isolated bacteria were Pseudomonas aeruginosa (52.8% of the cases), Staphylococcus aureus (15.1%), Peptostreptococcus sp . and Fusobacterium sp . (11.3% of the cases each) and Proteus mirabilis (7.5%) . In 7 cases (13.2%) bacteriological results were negative . Using molecular diagnostic of PCR, the presence of Pseudomonas aeruginosa was observed in 42 cases (79.2%) . Isolated strains of P . aeruginosa were epidemiologically unrelated (93.7% of isolates), what was proven in PCR-finger-printing technique . The authors stated that predominant aerobes pathogens in COM are P . aeruginosa and S . aureus and the PCR technique for identification of bacterial DNA presence is very sensitive and allows to precipitate diagnostics of patients with COM . Combination of classical bacteriological tests with PCR technique may be very helpful in estimation bacteriological condition of patients with COM. Acta Crystallogr D Biol Crystallogr, 1996 Jan, 52(Pt 1), 189 - 91 Crystallization and preliminary X-ray analysis of a bacterial glutathione transferase; Feil SC; Crystals of a bacterial glutathione S-transferase from Proteus mirabilis have been grown from polyethylene glycol by the hanging-drop vapour-diffusion method . Successful crystallization required the presence of the substrate glutathione . The crystals belong to the tetragonal space group P4 with cell dimensions a = b = 90.9 and c = 117.3 A . They contain between three and six monomers in the asymmetric unit and diffract to beyond 2.3 A resolution. Semin Cutan Med Surg, 2004 Jun, 23(2), 145 - 57 Epidermal nevus syndromes; Sugarman JL; The term "epidermal nevus syndrome" (ENS) has been used to describe the association of epidermal hamartomas and extra-cutaneous abnormalities . Epidermal nevi follow the lines of Blaschko . The majority of the extra-cutaneous manifestations involve the brain, eye, and skeletal systems . Several subsets with characteristic features have been delineated including the nevus sebaceous syndrome, Proteus syndrome, CHILD syndrome, Becker nevus syndrome, nevus comedonicus syndrome, and phakomatosis pigmentokeratotica . Epidermal nevi have been associated with benign and malignant neoplasms . Advances in molecular biology have revealed that the manifestations of ENS are due to genomic mosaicism . It is likely that the varied clinical manifestations of ENS are due in great part to the functional effects of specific genetic defects . Optimal management of the patient with ENS involves an interdisciplinary approach . Amelioration of the cutaneous features of ENS has been difficult but there have been advances, especially in the use of lasers. Paediatr Anaesth, 2004 Aug, 14(8), 689 - 92 Anesthesia for proteus syndrome; Cekmen N et al.; Proteus syndrome is a complex disorder comprising malformations and overgrowth of multiple tissues . The disorder is highly variable affecting tissues in a mosaic pattern . A 2-year-old boy with Proteus syndrome, with epidermal verrucal naevus, hyperplastic lesions of connective tissue, hyperostosis, overgrowth of tubular bones, bilateral inguinal hernia, and juvenile intestinal polyposis was scheduled for vertebral magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for further evaluation of malignancies . In addition to the pathological findings of this syndrome, potential complications such as difficult intubation, pulmonary hypertension, and pulmonary thromboembolism necessitate a careful preoperative and anesthetic preparation . MRI was performed under general anesthesia . There were no anesthetic complications . There are few previous reports on anesthesia in a patient with Proteus syndrome. Pediatr Dermatol, 2004 Jul-Aug, 21(4), 432 - 9 Epidermal nevus syndromes: clinical findings in 35 patients; Vidaurri-de la Cruz H et al.; Of the patients with epidermal nevi, 10-18% may have disorders of the eye, nervous, and musculoskeletal systems . A predisposition to malignant neoplasms in ectodermal and mesodermal structures may also be found . There are six different epidermal nevus syndromes described so far: Proteus, congenital hemidysplasia with ichthyosiform nevus and limb defect syndrome, phakomatosis pigmentokeratotica, sebaceous nevus, Becker nevus, and nevus comedonicus . Thirty-five patients with epidermal nevus syndrome seen at the National Institute of Pediatrics in Mexico City during a 31-year period are described . This syndrome represented 7.9% of 443 patients with epidermal nevi; its relative frequency was 1 case per 11,928 pediatric patients and 1 case per 1080 dermatologic patients . Nine epidermal nevus syndrome patients (26%) had Proteus syndrome . Sebaceous nevus syndrome was found in six patients (17%), while the nevus comedonicus syndrome was found in three (8%) . Two patients were diagnosed with phakomatosis pigmentokeratotica and one patient with congenital hemidysplasia with ichthyosiform nevus and limb defect syndrome . This is the first report of phakomatosis pigmentokeratotica and congenital hemidysplasia with ichthyosiform nevus and limb defect syndrome in Mexican patients . One patient had an inflammatory linear verrucous epidermal nevus with systemic involvement . Thirteen patients (37%) had keratinocytic nevi with systemic involvement . We propose the keratinocytic nevus syndrome to be defined as the association of a keratinocytic nevus with neuronal migration and/or musculoskeletal disorders in addition to a higher risk for mesodermal neoplasms. Carbohydr Res, 2004 Aug 23, 339(12), 2145 - 9 Structure of the O-polysaccharide of Proteus serogroup O34 containing 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-alpha-D-galactosyl phosphate; Perepelov AV et al.; On mild acid degradation of the lipopolysaccharide of Proteus vulgaris O34, strain CCUG 4669, the O-polysaccharide was cleaved at a glycosyl-phosphate linkage that is present in the main chain . The resultant phosphorylated oligosaccharides and an alkali-treated lipopolysaccharide were studied by sugar and methylation analyses along with 1H and 13C NMR spectroscopy, and the following structure of the branched tetrasaccharide phosphate repeating unit of the O-polysaccharide was established: {carbohydrate structure: see text}The O-polysaccharide of Proteus mirabilis strain TG 276 was found to have the same structure and, based on the structural and serological data, this strain was proposed to be classified into the same Proteus serogroup O34. Acta Paediatr Taiwan, 2004 Jan-Feb, 45(1), 45 - 7 Diffuse xanthogranulomatous pyelonephritis and staghorn calculus: report of one case; Chen TY et al.; Xanthogranulomatous pyelonephritis and staghorn calculus are rare in children . In this report, we describe a Chinese boy without history of urinary tract infection who developed insidious onset of left flank pain . Urine culture showed Proteus mirabilis infection . Sonography and computed tomography of the abdomen showed typical picture of xanthogranulomatous pyelonephritis and staghorn calculus . Photomicrography showed characteristic lipid-laden macrophage aggregates . After nephrectomy, he was symptom-free . In conclusion, xanthogranulomatous pyelonephritis should be considered in afebrile children with flank pain and staghorn calculus. Radiographics, 2004 Jul-Aug, 24(4), 1051 - 68 Radiologic manifestations of Proteus syndrome; Jamis-Dow CA et al.; Proteus syndrome is a sporadic disorder named for its highly variable manifestations . The disease causes tissue overgrowth in a mosaic pattern and may affect tissues derived from any germinal layer . The disease process is not usually apparent at birth but develops rapidly in childhood . Common manifestations include macrodactyly, vertebral abnormalities, asymmetric limb overgrowth and length discrepancy, hyperostosis, abnormal and asymmetric fat distribution, asymmetric muscle development, connective-tissue nevi, and vascular malformations . The features of Proteus syndrome indicate that the condition may be caused by a somatic alteration in a gene, but no specific genetic mutation has yet been identified . Therefore, the diagnosis and management of the disease depend heavily on clinical evaluation and imaging . Although the manifestations of Proteus syndrome are highly variable, accurate diagnosis is possible if standard diagnostic criteria are followed and if disease features are assessed in comparison with those found in similar syndromes . Copyright RSNA, 2004 Ann Vasc Surg, 2004 Mar, 18(2), 243 - 5 Lemierre's syndrome associated with septic pulmonary embolism: a case report; Gormus N et al.; An 18-year-old female patient suffering from a painful right-sided neck mass was admitted to our emergency service . Computed tomography of the neck revealed thrombosis of the right internal jugular vein . Computed tomography of the chest indicated septic pulmonary emboli in both lungs . Blood and oropharyngeal cultures showed proteus that was sensitive to cefepime and amicasin . Chemotherapy was administered for 12 days, however, her complaints continued with fulminant progression . An urgent decompression and excessive debridement were performed . Although Lemierre syndrome is a well-known cause of internal jugular vein thrombosis, association with proteus culture is very rare. FEMS Microbiol Lett, 2004 Jul 15, 236(2), 283 - 90 Gene cloning, expression and characterization of novel phytase from Obesumbacterium proteus; Zinin NV et al.; The gene phyA encoding phytase was isolated from Obesumbacterium proteus genomic library and sequenced . The cleavage site of the PhyA signal peptide was predicted and experimentally proved . The PhyA protein shows maximum identity of 53% and 47% to phosphoanhydride phosphorylase from Yersinia pestis and phytase AppA from Escherichia coli, respectively . Based on protein sequence similarity of PhyA and its homologs, the phytases form a novel subclass of the histidine acid phosphatase family . To characterize properties of the PhyA protein, we expressed the phyA gene in E . coli . The specific activity of the purified recombinant PhyA was 310 U mg(-1) of protein . Recombinant PhyA showed activity at pH values from 1.5 through 6.5 with the optimum at 4.9 . The temperature optimum was 40-45 degrees C at pH 4.9 . The Km value for sodium phytate was 0.34 mM with a Vmax of 435 U mg(-1). Indian J Exp Biol, 2003 Aug, 41(8), 837 - 45 Bacterial dynamics associated with algal antibacterial substances during post harvest desiccation process of Sargassum stolonifolium Phang et Yoshida; Vairappan CS; Brown algae of genus Sargassum are known to produce relatively higher amount of alginic acid . Optimal extraction of this algalcolloid for local consumption requires in-depth studies on post-harvest treatment of the algal fronds . Present investigation endeavors to establish the dynamics and inter-relationship of moisture content and bacteria found on the surface of the alga and alginic acid content during post-harvest desiccation of Sargassum stolonifolium Phang et Yoshida . Harvested fronds were subjected to desiccation for 31 days and bacterial dynamics were monitored with relation to moisture content and water activity index (a(w)) . There was 85% decrease in moisture content, however, a(w) showed a more gradual decrease . Total bacterial count increased during the first week and attained maximal value on day 7 . Thereafter, a drastic decrease was seen until day 14, followed by a gradual decline . Six species of bacteria were isolated and identified, i.e . Azomonas punctata, Azomonas sp., Escherichia coli, Micrococcus sp., Proteus vulgaris and Vibrio alginolyticus . Calculated ratios for increase in alginic acid content and decrease in moisture content were almost the same throughout the desiccation process, implying that extracellular alginase-producing bacteria did not use the alginic acid produced by the algae as its carbon source . It became apparent that drastic decrease in bacterial count after day 7 could not be attributed to salinity, moisture content, a(w) or lack of carbon source for the bacteria . The possible exposure of these bacteria to algal cell sap which is formed due to the rupture of algal cells was seen as the most likely reason for the drop in bacterial population . Scanning electron microscope (SEM) micrograph taken on day 10 of desiccation showed the presence of cracks and localities where bacteria were exposed to algal cell sap . In vitro antibacterial tests were carried out to verify the effect of algal extracts . Separation and purification of crude algal extracts via bioassay guided separation methodology revealed the identity of active compounds (i.e . gylcolipids and free fatty acids) involved in this inherently available antibacterial defense mechanism during algal desiccation. Arch Immunol Ther Exp (Warsz), 2004 May-Jun, 52(3), 188 - 96 Structure of the O-polysaccharide of Proteus mirabilis O19 and reclassification of certain Proteus strains that were formerly classified in serogroup O19; Perepelov AV et al.; INTRODUCTION: Bacteria of the genus Proteus are a common cause of urinary tract infections . The O-polysaccharide chain of their LPS (O-antigen) defines the serological specificity of these bacteria . Based on the immunospecificity of the O-antigens, two species, P . mirabilis and P . vulgaris, were classified into 49 O-serogroups, and more O-serogroups for strains of these species and P . penneri have been subsequently proposed . MATERIAL AND METHODS: The lipopolysaccharide of P.mirabilis CCUG 19011 from serogroup O19 was degraded under mildly acidic and mildly alkaline conditions . Polysaccharides thus obtained were studied by chemical methods, including O -deacetylation, sugar and methylation analyses, and 1H- and 13C-NMR spectroscopy . Antisera were obtained by immunization of New Zealand white rabbits with heat-killed bacteria . In serological studies, enzyme immunosorbent assay, passive hemolysis test, and inhibition of passive hemolysis were used . RESULTS: The following structure of the O-polysaccharide repeating unit was established:-->3)- beta-D-GlcrhoNAc-(1-->3)- alpha-D-GalrhoNAc4,6(R-Pyr)-(1-->4)- a-D-GalrhoA-(1-->3) alpha-L-Rhap2Ac-(1-->where R-Pyr is (R)-1-carboxyethylidene (an acetal-linked pyruvic acid) . This structure is significantly different from the O-polysaccharide structures of P . vulgaris, P.hauseri and P . penneri strains from the same Proteus serogroup O19 . CONCLUSIONS: Based on immunochemical studies of the lipopolysaccharides, it is suggested 1) to keep P . vulgaris CCUG 4654 and P . penneri 31 in serogroup O19 as two subgroups, 2) to reclassify P . mirabilis CCUG 19011 into a new Proteus serogroup, O51, and 3) to classify serologically related strains, including P . vulgaris ATCC 49990, P . hauseri> 1732-80 and 1086-80, P . penneri 15, and some other P . penneri strains, in yet another Proteus serogroup, O52. J Orthop Surg (Hong Kong), 2004 Jun, 12(1), 10 - 3 Changing epidemiology of neonatal septic arthritis; Deshpande SS et al.; PURPOSE: To study the changing epidemiological pattern of micro-organisms as an aetiology of septic arthritis, and to correlate the pattern with the outcome of neonatal septic arthritis, in terms of joint function and morphology . METHODS: 15 consecutive cases of neonatal septic arthritis of hip admitted between 1999 and 2002 were studied . Diagnosis of septic arthritis was made on the basis of Morrey's criteria . All patients were treated by arthrotomy after aspiration of purulent fluid from the joint . Patients were followed up for a mean period of 2.4 years . Clinical and radiological examinations were performed at follow-up . RESULTS: The mean age of the 15 patients was 20.35 days . 13 (87%) patients had primary septic arthritis, while only 2 (13%) had associated osteomyelitis . Culture reports revealed that the spectrum consisted of 33% gram-negative organisms, 7% fungal, and only 20% gram-positive organisms-Staphylococcus aureus in 3 patients, Klebsiella in 2 patients, one each of Proteus, Candida, Escherichia coli, and Enterobactor . Six patients were pus-cell positive with negative culture . No organism was found in 6 (40%) cases . Investigations showed leukocytosis, raised C-reactive protein and erythrocyte sedimentation rate in all 15 patients . 12 patients had normal clinical and radiological parameters at follow-up . Three patients had delayed surgical drainage of more than 72 hours due to late presentation, and showed various radiological sequelae with terminal restriction of joint movements . CONCLUSION: There are more cases of primary septic arthritis than secondary septic arthritis . Clinicians should be alert of the aetiology shift to gram-negative organisms, in addition to fungal and gram-positive ones . Arthrotomy to drain pus from the joint should not be delayed . Better long-term results can be achieved by early surgical drainage and immediate antibiotic coverage. J Coll Physicians Surg Pak, 2004 Mar, 14(3), 146 - 9 Sensitivity and spectrum of bacterial isolates in infectious otitis externa; Arshad M et al.; OBJECTIVE: To determine the spectrum and antibiotic sensitivity pattern of organisms from aural swabs taken from cases of infectious otitis externa . DESIGN: Descriptive study . PLACE AND DURATION OF STUDY: Department of ENT, Combined Military Hospital, Peshawar, from May 2002 to April 2003 . SUBJECTS AND METHODS: One hundred and twenty-four patients, diagnosed clinically as infectious otitis externa without concomitant suppurative otitis media, perforated tympanic membrane or otomycosis, were selected for the study . Samples of pus from external auditory canal were taken on sterile cotton swabs and were cultured on blood agar and MacConkey Agar for 24 to 48 hours . Sensitivity was tested and interpreted by Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion method of grading zones of inhibition . RESULTS: One hundred and twenty four subjects were cultured . Sixteen samples showed no growth . One hundred and eight specimens yielded growth of bacteria . No specimen revealed multiple organisms . Staphylococcus aureus was found in 38%, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa was found in other 38% . Others included Proteus, Enterococci, Klebsiella, and E . coli . Majority of organisms were resistant to co-trimoxazole, amoxicillin and erythromycin, while 100% were sensitive to imipenem . Sensitivity to enoxacin was 96%, Ninety-two percent were sensitive to ciprofloxacin and ofloxacin . CONCLUSION: Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus were the most common bacterial isolates . Both were sensitive to fluoroquinolones . The latter can be used empirically for treatment of acute infectious otitis externa. Eur J Pharm Biopharm, 2004 Jul, 58(1), 91 - 7 Degradation of raw or film-incorporated beta-cyclodextrin by enzymes and colonic bacteria; Fetzner A et al.; beta-cyclodextrin (beta-CD) is a suitable excipient for peroral use, which improves the solubility of lipophilic drugs, as well as for colon-specific drug release when it is mixed with coating polymers . The first aim of this work was to examine the suitability of various enzymes as a simple in vitro model for the glycolytic activity in the human colon . alpha-Amylase (source Aspergillus oryzae) and taka diastase (source A . oryzae) showed remarkable degradation capacity of free beta-CD, whereas other alpha-amylases (sources Bacillus subtilis or Hog pancreas) were found to be unsuitable . The next aim was to find out if film-incorporated beta-CD is also degraded by these enzymes . Therefore, diffusion studies of 5-aminosalicylic acid (5-ASA) through Eudragit RS or Eudragit NE films containing beta-CD were performed with taka diastase present in the buffer medium . Pronounced diffusion of the drug through the Eudragit RS film was found only when swelling excipients like crosslinked sodium carboxymethylcellulose (CMC-CL sodium) or polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP 25) were present in the film, indicating enhanced accessibility of beta-CD by the enzyme . Films containing CMC-CL without beta-CD showed even higher permeability, which also points to enzymatic degradation of CMC-CL . Permeabilization by taka diastase of Eudragit NE films without swelling agents correlated with the beta-CD content, whereas control films containing talcum remained impermeable upon enzyme action . Furthermore, the beta-CD degradation capacity of colonic bacteria like Escherichia fergusonii, Serratia odorifera or Proteus mirabilis was examined with beta-CD coatings on tablets, which contained bisoprolol as a model drug . Tablets with beta-CD-containing Eudragit RS coatings showed the highest drug release upon incubation with P . mirabilis . The moderate drug release by E . fergusonii could be increased almost to the same level when the bacteria were pre-incubated for 24 h in medium containing 2.5 mg/ml beta-CD, indicating the induction of glycolytic enzymes by beta-CD in this colonic bacteria strain . Panminerva Med, 2003 Dec, 45(4), 267 - 71 Proteus syndrome and somatic mosaicism of the chromosome 16; Cardoso MT et al.; The authors describe clinical pathologic findings in a patient with a structural chromosome 16 anomaly in mosaic distribution with the phenotypic characteristics of the Proteus syndrome . This is the 1st report showing that the Proteus syndrome may be associated with a chromosome 16 anomaly; while previous findings suggested that this syndrome was associated with a modification of chromosome 1 . As the pathologic hypothesis of this syndrome possibly involves lethal genes in somatic mosaicism, responsible for control of cellular proliferation and/or alteration in the mechanism of action of some growth factors, chromosomal alterations found in the patient described in this work may suggest the location of the genes involved in this syndrome. Urologe A, 2004 Jul, 43(7), 843 - 4 {Total infarction of the penis caused by entrapment in a plastic bottle}; Maruschke M et al.; Penile strangulation injuries are rare emergency situations, but need a fast urological emergency management for decompression of the penis and for removing of the foreign bodies.Strangulation objects can be metallic or non-metallic objects and are usually used for erotic or autoerotic purposes, for masturbation or increasing erection.We report a case of a 62-year old male with a total infected gangrene of the penis caused by a strangulation of a plastic bottle neck which continued 14 days . A total amputation of the penis was necessary . A perineal urethrostomy was performed as definitive urine diversion.Bacteriologic examination has identified Proteus mirabilis . Thus, a systemic antibiotic therapy was perioperatively applicated . The further course was uneventful with a secondary healing wound. J Enzyme Inhib Med Chem, 2004 Feb, 19(1), 79 - 84 Metalloantibiotics: synthesis and antibacterial activity of cobalt(II), copper(II), nickel(II) and zinc(II) complexes of kefzol; Chohan ZH et al.; Kefzol (kzl), a beta-lactam antibiotic, possesses various donor sites for interaction with transition metal(II) ions {Co(II), Cu(II), Ni(II) and Zn(II)} to form complexes of the type {M(kzl)2}Cl2 and {M(kzl)Cl}, with molar ratio of metal: ligand (M:L) of 1:2 and 1:1 respectively . These complexes were prepared and characterized by physicochemical and spectroscopic methods . Their IR and NMR spectra suggest that kefzol potentially acts as a bidentate, tridentate as well as monoanionic tetradentate ligand . The complexes have been screened for antibacterial activity and results were compared with the activity of the uncomplexed antibiotic against Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli and Proteus mirabilis . The metal complexes were found to be more potent against one or more bacterial species than the uncomplexed kefzol. Comb Chem High Throughput Screen, 2004 Jun, 7(4), 327 - 36 Artificial neural networks for prediction of antibacterial activity in series of imidazole derivatives; Bucinski A et al.; Artificial neural networks (ANNs) have been applied for the quantitative structure-activity relationships (QSAR) studies of antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli, Serratia marcescens, Proteus vulgaris, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Pseudomonas aeruginosa of a large series of new imidazole derivatives . Antibacterial activity against individual bacteria, expressed as logarithm of reciprocal of the minimal inhibitory concentrations, log 1/MIC, has been related to a number of physicochemical and structural parameters of the imidazole derivatives investigated . Molecular descriptors of agents were obtained by quantum-chemical calculations combined with molecular modelling and from respective structure fragment reference data (e.g., log P) . A high correlation resulted between the predicted from ANN model antibacterial activity, log 1/MIC(ANN), and that from biological experiments, log 1/MIC(exp), both for the data used in learning and in the testing sets of imidazoles . Correlation coefficient, R, depending on the type of bacteria and structural subset of analysed imidazole compounds, varies from 0.875 to 0.969 . The applicability of ANNs has been demonstrated for the prediction of pharmacological potency of new imidazole derivatives based on their structural descriptors generated exclusively by calculation chemistry. Am J Vet Res, 2004 Jun, 65(6), 847 - 53 Evaluation of the tensile strengths of four monofilament absorbable suture materials after immersion in canine urine with or without bacteria; Greenberg CB et al.; OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the tensile strength, elongation, and degradation of 4 monofilament absorbable suture materials that undergo degradation by hydrolysis in specimens of canine urine with various physical characteristics . SAMPLE POPULATION: 4 monofilament absorbable sutures (polydioxanone, poliglecaprone 25, polyglyconate, and glycomer 631) . PROCEDURE: Voided urine was collected from 6 healthy dogs, pooled, filter-sterilized, and prepared to provide 5 media: sterile neutral (pH, 7.0), sterile acidic (pH, 6.2), sterile basic (pH, 8.8), Escherichia coli-inoculated, and Proteus mirabilis-inoculated urine . Ten strands of each suture material were immersed in each of the media for 0 to 28 days . Tensile strength and elongation of each suture material were evaluated by use of a texture analyzer on days 0, 1, 3, 7, 10, 14, 21, and 28 . RESULTS: Reduction in tensile strength was detected for all materials in all urine specimens over time . Polyglyconate and polydioxanone had superior tensile strengths in sterile neutral and E . coli-inoculated urine, and polydioxanone retained the greatest tensile strength throughout the study period . All suture materials disintegrated before day 7 in P . mirabilis-inoculated urine . CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Polydioxanone, polyglyconate, and glycomer 631 may be acceptable for urinary bladder closure in the presence of sterile neutral and E . coli-contaminated urine . Tensile strength of poliglecaprone 25 in urine may be unacceptable by the critical healing time for bladder tissue (14 to 21 days) . During bladder surgery, exposure of suture material that degrades via hydrolysis to urine containing Proteus spp should be minimized. Int J Impot Res, 2004 Jun, 16(3), 231 - 4 Prosthesis culture 6 months after implantation and the effect of haematogenous seeding in a rat model; Culha M et al.; The aim of this study was to investigate the role of haematogenous seeding in late prosthesis infection . In all, 45 male Wistar albino rats were divided into three equal groups . A small piece of silicone prosthesis was implanted into the scrotum of all rats under sterile condition and antibiotic prophylaxis . In the first group, all silicones were removed after 6 months without any complication and were cultured for bacterial growth . In the second group, a disc, which was saturated with Staphylococcus epidermidis, was inoculated subcutaneously in the legs of the rats in the 6th month, revealing a nodule formation 4-5 days after the inoculation and treated with an appropriate antibiotic after the nodule formation . In the third group, the same disc was inoculated, but all rats were treated immediately from the inoculation time onwards . The silicones of the second and third group were also removed at the end of the 6th month and were cultured to observe the bacterial growth . There was no evidence of prosthesis infection in any of the three groups . In the first group, three cultures were positive and revealed approximately 10 000 colonies of S . epidermidis in two and Proteus mirabilis in the remaining . Three and four cultures were positive in the second and third group, respectively . Low colonies of four different organisms (Escherichia coli, S . aureus, S . epidermidis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa) were identified in these cultures . There was no statistical significance of positive cultures in the three groups . Based on our results, there does not appear to be a true significance of haematogenous seeding on late prosthesis infection. Arch Immunol Ther Exp (Warsz), 2004 Mar-Apr, 52(2), 121 - 8 Characterization and serological classification of a collection of Proteus penneri clinical strains; Drzewiecka D et al.; INTRODUCTION: Bacteria of the genus Proteus, which are a common cause of urinary tract infections, are divided into four species: P . mirabilis, P . vulgaris, P . penneri, and P . hauseri, and three unnamed genomospecies, Proteus 4, 5, and 6 (single-strain species P . myxofaciens was isolated from the gypsy moth) . Establishing the serological classification of these species would aid in completing the classification scheme of the whole genus Proteus and in applying serological methods in diagnostic procedures and epidemiological investigations for these opportunistic pathogens . The aim of this research was a serological characterization and classification of 57 Proteus penneri clinical strains, isolated from patients from different countries all over the world, into Proteus O serogroups . MATERIAL/METHODS: Purified lipopolysaccharides (LPSs) extracted from 57 P . penneri strains were used as antigens in enzyme immunosorbent assay (EIA), SDS/PAGE, and Western blot techniques, and alkali treated LPSs in passive immunohemolysis test (PIH), inhibition of PIH, and absorption of rabbit polyclonal O-antisera . RESULTS: That result confirms the serological distinction of this species within the genus Proteus, and may have diagnostic significance . CONCLUSIONS: As a result of serological studies of LPSs extracted from the P . penneri strains, one new Proteus serogroup, represented by the P . penneri 97 strain, was established . Three further strains were classified into the Proteus serogroup O8, which had not contained any P . penneri strains before . All the remaining strains were classified into 11 already existing Proteus O serogroups . It is important to emphasize that 72% of studied strains were classified into serogroups that contain P . penneri strains only. Bioorg Med Chem Lett, 2004 Jul 5, 14(13), 3571 - 4 Synthesis, absolute stereochemistry and molecular design of the new antifungal and antibacterial antibiotic produced by Streptomyces sp.201; Boruwa J et al.; The absolute stereochemistry of the new antifungal and antibacterial antibiotic produced by Streptomyces sp.201 has been established by achieving the total synthesis of the product . A series of analogues have also been synthesized by changing the side chain and their bioactivity assessed against different microbial strains . Among them, 1e (R = C8H17) was found to be the most potent with MIC of 8 microg/mL against Mycobacterium tuberculosis, 12 microg/mL against Escherichia coli and 16 microg/mL against Bacillus subtilis 6 microg/mL against Proteus vulgaris . This was followed by 1b (R = C5H11) with MIC of 10-20 microg/mL range and 1d (R = C7H15) with MIC of 14-24 g/mL, whereas 1a (R = C4H9) and 1f (R = C18H35) were found to be completely inactive . Besides, 1c (R = C6H13) showed certain extent of antibacterial activity in the range of 24-50 microg/mL . Mycobacterium tuberculosis was very sensitive to 1e (R = C8H17) with MIC of 8 microg/mL . Antifungal activity of analogues 1d (R = C7H15) and 1e, (R = C8H17) against Fusarium oxysporum and Rhizoctonia solani were found promising with MFCs in the 15-18 microg/mL range. Vet Rec, 2004 May 8, 154(19), 596 - 8 Myocardial necrosis in a captive binturong (Arctictis binturong); Hollamby S et al.; An adult male binturong, Arctictis binturong, which had been anorexic and lethargic for seven days became acutely dyspnoeic and died under anaesthesia . A postmortem examination revealed left ventricular hypertrophy with a thrombus occluding the left ventricular chamber . Histological findings included moderate to severe multifocal, vasculocentric myocardial degeneration and necrosis with fibrosis replacing myocardiocytes . Escherichia coli and Proteus mirabilis were grown on cultures . The animal's serum vitamin E and selenium levels were considered adequate . The aetiology of the chronic myocardial changes could not be determined. Medicina (B Aires), 1965 Nov-Dec, 25(6), 348 - 52 {Comparison between the bacterial flora airways and of the lung tissue}; Budzko DB et al.; In 44 patients tracheotomized and under mechanical ventilation bacteriological studies were carried out, inmediately after death, in bronchial secretions and in a small piece of lung obtained by thoracotomy . The more frequently found bacterium in bronchial secretions or the lung was the Pseudomona aeruginosa (Table 1) . In order of decreasing frequency: Klebsiella, Staphylococcus, Proteus, etc . were found in the lung while in bronchial secretions the order was inverse by predominance of Proteus . Total bacteriological coincidence was found in 14 cases while it was partial in 8 more patients where another bacterium was added in bronchial secretions . Bacteria were different in 6 cases (Table 2) in 4 of them: staphylococcus was obtained in the lung while Pseudomonae, Proteus and Klebsiellae were present in bronchial secretions (Table 3) . In 16 cases cultures of the piece of lung taken were negative . Not taking into account these last ones, it is possible to conclude that from the therapeutic stand point culture of bronchial secretions was useful in antibiotic selection in 22 out of 28 cases. Am J Med Genet, 2004 Jun 15, 127A(3), 298 - 301 Unusual features in a patient with neurofibromatosis type 1: multiple subcutaneous lipomas, a juvenile polyp in ascending colon, congenital intrahepatic portosystemic venous shunt, and horseshoe kidney; Oktenli C et al.; We report a case that draws attention to a hitherto undescribed association of neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) with juvenile polyp, congenital intrahepatic portosystemic venous shunt, multiple subcutaneous lipomas, and horseshoe kidney . Our patient has fulfilled the National Institutes of Health consensus conference criteria for NF1 by having neurofibromas, axillary freckling, Lisch nodules, and cafe-au-lait spots . There is no family history of NF1 and his 7-year-old son has no stigmata of NF1 . On the other hand, the patient's family had a presumably dominant inheritance of horseshoe kidney: the father, proband, sister, and son of the other sister had a horseshoe kidney . The patient was investigated for mutations in the NF1 gene and PTEN, but no germline mutations were detected . The differential diagnosis for such a collection of hamartomatous, cutaneous, and vascular disorders includes the Proteus, Bannayan-Riley-Ruvalcaba, and Cowden syndromes . None of these diagnoses was convincingly confirmed in this patient . FEMS Immunol Med Microbiol, 2004 Jun 1, 41(2), 133 - 9 Structure of the O-polysaccharide and serological cross-reactivity of the Providencia stuartii O33 lipopolysaccharide containing 4-(N-acetyl-D-aspart-4-yl)amino-4,6-dideoxy-D-glucose; Torzewska A et al.; The O-polysaccharide of Providencia stuartii O33 was obtained by mild acid degradation of the lipopolysaccharide and the following structure of the tetrasaccharide repeating unit was established: -->6)-alpha-D-GlcpNAc-(1-->4)-alpha-D-GalpA-(1-->3)-alpha-D-GlcpNAc-(1-->3)-beta-D-Quip4N(Ac-D-Asp)-(1-->, where d-Qui4N(Ac-D-Asp) is 4-(N-acetyl-D-aspart-4-yl)amino-4,6-dideoxy-D-glucose . Structural studies were performed using sugar and methylation analyses and NMR spectroscopy, including conventional 2D 1H, 1H COSY, TOCSY, NOESY and 1H, 13C HSQC experiments as well as COSY and NOESY experiments in an H2O-D2O mixture to reveal correlations for NH protons . The O-polysaccharide of P . stuartii O33 shares an alpha-D-GlcpNAc-(1-->3)-beta-D-Quip4N(Ac-D-Asp) epitope with that of Proteus mirabilis O38, which seems to be responsible for a marked serological cross-reactivity of anti-P . stuartii O33 serum with the lipopolysaccharide of the latter bacterium . P . stuartii O33 is serologically related also to P . stuartii O4, whose O-polysaccharide contains a lateral beta-D-Qui4N(Ac-L-Asp) residue. Microbiology, 2004 May, 150(Pt 5), 1291 - 9 Enhanced motility of a Proteus mirabilis strain expressing hybrid FlaAB flagella; Manos J et al.; Proteus mirabilis has two tandemly arranged flagellin-encoding genes, flaA and flaB . flaA is transcribed from a sigma(28) promoter, while flaB is silent . flaA and flaB can undergo reversible rearrangement to produce a set of hybrid genes referred to as flaAB . Flagellins composed of FlaAB protein have a different amino acid sequence and are antigenically distinct from flagellin composed of FlaA, implicating flagellin gene conversion as a putative virulence mechanism for P . mirabilis . The change in amino acid sequence is also hypothesized to alter the filament helix and, hence, affect the motility of FlaAB-expressing strains . To test this hypothesis, the motility of wild-type P . mirabilis was compared with that of a strain, DF1003, locked into the FlaAB(+) hybrid phase, under conditions of altered ionic strength, pH and viscosity . Cell motion tracking analysis showed that DF1003 has wild-type swimming velocity at physiological conditions, but moves significantly faster and travels further compared to the wild-type at NaCl concentrations greater than 170 mM . DF1003 is also significantly faster than the wild-type at pH 5.2, 5.8 and 8.2, and at 5 and 10 % polyvinylpyrrolidone . Measurements of amplitude and wavelength for isolated flagella subjected to pH 5.8 or 425 mM NaCl showed a loss of helical structure in FlaA flagella compared to FlaAB filaments, a feature that could significantly affect motility under these conditions . These results support a hypothesis that FlaAB flagellin imparts a motile advantage to P . mirabilis in conditions that otherwise may impede bacterial movement . In a broader context, flagellar antigenic variation, commonly thought to serve as means to avoid host defences, may also enhance motility in other bacterial species, thus aiding in the adaptation and survival of the cells. Biotechnol Lett, 2004 Mar, 26(6), 493 - 8 Design of novel analogues with potent antibiotic activity based on the antimicrobial peptide, HP(2-9)-ME(1-12); Park Y et al.; To develop novel antibiotic peptides useful as therapeutic drugs, a number of analogues were designed to increase the hydrophobic helix region either by Trp-substitution or net positive charge increase by Lys-substitution, from HP(2-9)-ME(1-12) . The antibiotic activities of these peptides were evaluated using bacterial (Salmonella tryphimurium, Proteus vulgaris, Bacillus subtilis and Staphylococcus aureus), fungi (Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Trichosporon beigelii and Candida albicans), tumor and human erythrocyte cells . The substitution of Lys for Thr at position 18 and 19 of HP(2-9)-ME(1-12) (HM5) increased activity against Proteus vulgaris and fungal strains without hemolysis . In contrast, substitution of Trp for Lys and Thr at positions 2, 15 and 19 of HP(2-9)-ME(1-12), respectively (HM3 and HM4), decreased activity but increased hemolysis against human erythrocytes . This suggests that an increase in positive charge increases antimicrobial activity whereas an increase in hydrophobicity by introducing Trp residues at C-terminus of HP(2-9)-ME(1-12) causes a hemolytic effect . Circular dichroism spectra suggested that the alpha-helical structure of these peptides plays an important role in their antibiotic effect but that the alpha-helical property is not connected with the enhanced antibiotic activity. Clin Exp Dermatol, 2004 May, 29(3), 222 - 30 Vascular anomalies in Proteus syndrome; Hoeger PH e