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Single Organism (single + organism)
Selected AbstractsConstruction of Recombinant Escherichia coli Catalysts which Simultaneously Express an (S)-Oxynitrilase and Different Nitrilase Variants for the Synthesis of (S)-Mandelic Acid and (S)-Mandelic Amide from Benzaldehyde and CyanideADVANCED SYNTHESIS & CATALYSIS (PREVIOUSLY: JOURNAL FUER PRAKTISCHE CHEMIE), Issue 10 2009Olga Sosedov Abstract Recombinant Escherichia coli strains were constructed which simultaneously expressed the genes encoding the (S)-oxynitrilase from cassava (Manihot esculenta) together with the wild-type or a mutant variant of the arylacetonitrilase from Pseudomonas fluorescens EBC191 in a single organism under the control of a rhamnose-inducible promoter. The whole cell catalysts obtained converted benzaldehyde and potassium cyanide in aqueous media at pH,5.2 mainly to (S)-mandelic acid and/or (S)-mandelic amide and synthesized only low amounts of the corresponding (R)-enantiomers. The conversion of benzaldehyde and potassium cyanide (KCN) by a whole-cell catalyst simultaneously expressing the (S)-oxynitrilase and the wild-type nitrilase resulted in a ratio of (S)-mandelic acid to (S)-mandelic amide of about 4:3. This could be explained by the strong nitrile hydratase activity of the wild-type nitrilase with (S)-mandelonitrile as substrate. The relative proportion of (S)-mandelic amide formed in this system was significantly increased by coexpressing the (S)-oxynitrilase with a carboxy-terminally truncated variant of the nitrilase. This whole-cell catalyst converted benzaldehyde and KCN to mandelic amide and mandelic acid in a ratio of about 9:1. The ee of the (S)-mandelic amide formed was calculated to be >95%. [source] Effects of the Prebiotics GroBiotic® -A and Inulin on the Intestinal Microbiota of Red Drum, Sciaenops ocellatusJOURNAL OF THE WORLD AQUACULTURE SOCIETY, Issue 4 2009Gary Burr Two separate feeding trials examined the effects of dietary supplementation of the prebiotics GroBiotic® -A and inulin on growth performance and gastrointestinal tract microbiota of the red drum, Sciaenops ocellatus. In the first feeding trial, fish meal-based diets without prebiotics or supplemented with either GroBiotic® -A or inulin at 1% of dry weight were fed to triplicate groups of juvenile red drum (initial weight of 2.6 g) in 110-L aquaria operated as a brackish water (7 ppt) recirculating system for 8 wk. In the second feeding trial, soybean meal/fish meal-based diets supplemented with either GroBiotic® -A or inulin at 1% of dry weight were fed to triplicate groups of red drum (initial weight of 15.8 g) in 110-L aquaria operated as either a common recirculating water system or closed system with individual biofilters (independent aquaria) for 6 wk. Supplementation of the prebiotics in either feeding trial did not alter weight gain, feed efficiency ratio, or protein efficiency ratio of red drum fed the various diets. In the second feeding trial, the culture system significantly affected weight gain, feed efficiency ratio, and protein efficiency ratio although there were no effects of dietary treatments on fish performance or whole-body protein, lipid, moisture, or ash. Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) analysis of the gastrointestinal tract microbial community showed no effect of the dietary prebiotics as the microbial community appeared to be dominated by a single organism with very low diversity when compared with other livestock and fish species. DGGE of the microbial community in the biofilters of the independent aquariums showed a diverse microbial community that was not affected by the dietary prebiotics. [source] The role of the gut flora in health and disease, and its modification as therapyALIMENTARY PHARMACOLOGY & THERAPEUTICS, Issue 8 2002A. L. Hart Summary The gut flora is a vast interior ecosystem whose nature is only beginning to be unravelled, due to the emergence of sophisticated molecular tools. Techniques such as 16S ribosomal RNA analysis, polymerase chain reaction amplification and the use of DNA microarrays now facilitate rapid identification and characterization of species resistant to conventional culture and possibly unknown species. Life-long cross-talk between the host and the gut flora determines whether health is maintained or disease intervenes. An understanding of these bacteria,bacteria and bacteria,host immune and epithelial cell interactions is likely to lead to a greater insight into disease pathogenesis. Studies of single organism,epithelial interactions have revealed the large range of metabolic processes that gut bacteria may influence. In inflammatory bowel diseases, bacteria drive the inflammatory process, and genetic predisposition to disease identified to date, such as the recently described NOD2/CARD15 gene variants, may relate to altered bacterial recognition. Extra-intestinal disorders, such as atopy and arthritis, may also have an altered gut milieu as their basis. Clinical evidence is emerging that the modification of this internal environment, using either antibiotics or probiotic bacteria, is beneficial in preventing and treating disease. This natural and apparently safe approach holds great appeal. [source] PGPR and entomopathogenic fungus bioformulation for the synchronous management of leaffolder pest and sheath blight disease of ricePEST MANAGEMENT SCIENCE (FORMERLY: PESTICIDE SCIENCE), Issue 5 2010Loganathan Karthiba Abstract BACKGROUND: The biological control of plant pests and diseases using a single organism has been reported to give inconsistent and poor performance. To improve the efficacy, bioformulations were developed possessing mixtures of bioagents. RESULTS: Bioformulations combining Pseudomonas fluorescens Migula strains Pf1 and AH1 and Beauveria bassiana (Balsamo) Vuill. isolate B2 were developed and tested for their efficacy against leaffolder pest and sheath blight disease on rice under glasshouse and field conditions. The combination of Pf1, AH1 and B2 effectively reduced the incidence of leaffolder insect and sheath blight disease on rice compared with other treatments. An in vitro assay of leaffolder preference to rice leaf tissues treated with Pf1 + AH1 + B2 biformulation showed variation from normal growth and development of leaffolder larvae. Plants treated with the Pf1 + AH1 + B2 combination showed a greater accumulation of enzymes, lipoxygenase and chitinase activity against leaffolder insect compared with other treatments. Similarly, the plants showed a higher accumulation of defence enzymes, peroxidase and polyphenol oxidase activity against sheath blight pathogen in Pf1 + AH1 + B2 treatment compared with the untreated control. The bioformulation mixture attracted the natural enemy population of leaffolder under field conditions. In addition, a significant increase in rice grain yield was observed in Pf1 + AH1 + B2 treatment compared with the untreated control. CONCLUSION: The combination of P. fluorescens strains and B. bassiana isolate effectively reduced the incidence of leaffolder insect and sheath blight disease on rice plants and showed the possibility of controlling both pest and disease using a single bioformulation. Copyright © 2010 Society of Chemical Industry [source] Benchmarks and control charts for surgical site infectionsBRITISH JOURNAL OF SURGERY (NOW INCLUDES EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF SURGERY), Issue 7 2000T. L. Gustafson Background Although benchmarks and control charts are basic quality improvement tools, few surgeons use them to monitor surgical site infection (SSI). Obstacles to widespread acceptance include: (1) small denominators, (2) complexities of adjusting for patient risk and (3) scepticism about their true purpose (cost cutting, surgical privilege determination or improving outcomes). Methods The application of benchmark charts (using US national SSI rates as limits) and control charts (using facility rates as limits) was studied in 51 hospitals submitting data to the AICE National Database Initiative. SSI rates were risk adjusted by calculating a new statistic, the standardized infection ratio (SIR), based on the risk index suggested by the Centers for Disease Control National Nosocomial Infection Surveillance Study. Fourteen different types of control chart were examined and 115 suspiciously high or low monthly rates were flagged. Participating hospital epidemiologists investigated and classified each flag as ,a real problem' (potentially preventable) or ,not a problem' (beyond the control of personnel at this facility). Results None of the standard, widely recommended, control charts studied showed practical value for identifying either preventable rate increases or outbreaks (clusters due to a single organism). On the other hand, several types of risk-adjusted control chart based on the SIR correctly identified most true opportunities for improvement. Sensitivity, specificity and receiver,operator characteristic (ROC) analysis revealed that the XmR chart of monthly SIRs would be useful in hospitals with smaller surgical volumes (ROC area = 0·732, P = 0·001). For larger hospitals, the most sensitive and robust SIR chart for real-time monitoring of surgical infections was the mXmR chart (ROC area = 0·753, P = 0·0005). © 2000 British Journal of Surgery Society Ltd [source] | |||||||||||||