Moisture Uptake Behavior,Antibacterial Property,and Heat of Sorption of Nano Silver-Loaded Calcium Alginate Films

This work describes preparation, characterization, and a moisture uptake study of silver nanoparticle-loaded calcium alginate films. The equilibrium uptake data was interpreted by various isotherm models. In the lower moisture content range of 0.02 to 0.06, the enthalpy of sorption (ΔH) and differential entropy (ΔS) were 25.25 to 4.82 kJ/mol and 0.07521 to 0.01371 kJ/mol/K, respectively. There was fair correlation between ΔH and ΔS values. Finally, the higher value of isokinetic temperature, T_B (i.e., 336.77), as compared to the harmonic mean temperature, T_m (i.e., 302.05), indicated that moisture uptake mechanism was enthalpy driven.     

Escherichia coli contamination of the river Thames in different seasons and weather conditions

Contamination of public water ways with sewage represents a serious environmental and health risk. We monitored pollution of the river Thames by enumerating the indicator organism Escherichia coli. Samples were taken from a site in central London near Waterloo Bridge in different seasons. E. coli were quantified using a membrane filtration method, and correlated with the tidal variations of the river and meteorological data on rainfall and temperature. More frequent and severe incidents of pollution occurred in the autumn. Heavy rainfall resulted in sharp peaks of E. coli contamination that implies a potential increase of numbers of pathogenic micro‐organisms. Sixty percent of all samples were found to be in excess of the accepted upper limit of pollution set by European Union (EU) legislation for bathing water. This study demonstrated that frequent sewage pollution of the Thames results in high numbers of E. coli and incidents of detectable levels of pathogenic bacteria demonstrating the need for regular monitoring of bacterial pollution.     

猕猴桃汁的紫外线杀菌效果研究

研究了猕猴桃果汁膜厚度、辐射距离、时间和温度4个因素对紫外线杀灭接种在猕猴桃清汁中的大肠杆菌的影响。并通过正交试验得出各因素的最佳组合。结果表明:处理时间和果汁厚度对紫外线的杀菌效果影响最为显著。当果汁厚度为0.5mm,辐射时间为5min,辐射距离为100mm,杀菌温度为30℃时,杀菌率可达99.97%。     

Combined permeable pavement and photocatalytic titanium dioxide oxidation system for urban run‐off treatment and disinfection

Permeable pavement systems (PPS) are frequently associated with high removal efficiencies for water quality parameters. Their effluent can, therefore, be recycled, for example, for sprinkling onto gardens. Nevertheless, some stakeholders fear that potentially pathogenic organisms within the treated run‐off could be too high, and therefore they request disinfection before recycling. The aim of this paper is, therefore, to assess the efficiency of a batch flow combined titanium dioxide (TiO₂) and ultraviolet (UV) light photocatalytic reactor in removing water‐borne microbial contaminants from the effluent of PPS. Combined TiO₂ and UV photocatalytic reaction times between 80 and 100 min were required for the complete removal of Escherichia coli, total coliforms and faecal Streptococci, which had mean initial counts of 1.5 × 10⁷, 4.4 × 10⁶ and 6.9 × 10⁵ colony‐forming units (CFU) per 100 mL, respectively. In comparison, UV disinfection alone resulted in insignificant microbial removal. Suspended TiO₂ powder was more effective than small immobilised TiO₂ crystals.     

Detection of pathogenic Escherichia coli strains in groundwater in the Yaoundé region (Cameroon,Central Africa)

This study was aimed at assessing the prevalence of pathogenic Escherichia coli strains, relative to the total count of E. coli, faecal coliforms and other heterotrophic mesophilic aerobic bacteria (HMAB) isolated in groundwater in the equatorial region of Cameroon (Central Africa). Bacteria were isolated using standard methods. Pathogenic E. coli strains were then identified using haemagglutination and antisera tests. The maximum abundance of HMAB, faecal coliforms and E. coli strains were 4.9 × 10⁶, 5.6 × 10³ and 1 × 10³ colony‐forming units (CFU)/100 mL, respectively. The count of pathogenic E. coli strains reached 3 CFU/100 mL. The counts of commensal and pathogenic E. coli strains underwent temporal and spatial fluctuations. In 21% of sampling sites, the abundance of faecal coliforms was significantly correlated to that of E. coli (P < 0.05). However, the isolated bacterial count was not significantly correlated to that of the pathogenic E. coli strains (P > 0.05). The bacteria abundance dynamics may be impacted by many interacting factors.     

纯培养条件下细菌需氯量和存活性的试验研究

以埃希氏大肠杆菌和粪肠球菌作为研究对象,在纯培养条件下考察了自由氯、氯胺和二氧化氯的投加量以及细菌初始浓度对需氯量的影响.结果表明:灭活率达到99.9％时,两种细菌的需氯量均随初始菌浓度和消毒剂投加量的提高而增大,粪肠球菌的需氯量大于埃希氏大肠杆菌;投加自由氯时两种细菌的需氯量差别最大,其次是二氧化氯,氯胺的差别最小.     

Synergistic action between Caryocar coriaceum Wittm. fixed oil with aminoglycosides in vitro

The oil obtained from the Caryocar coriaceum Wittm. (pequi) fruit pulp (C. coriaceum fixed oil – CCFO), rich in fatty acids, has been secularly employed by traditional medicine in the treatment of respiratory affections, skin inflammation, and wounds. These observations encouraged us to investigate the antimicrobial activity of CCFO and to investigate its effect in combination with aminoglycosides. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of CCFO alone and associated with aminoglycosides against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus strains were determined using microdilution assay. CCFO alone had a MIC of 512 µg/mL against E. coli and S. aureus resistant strains. Combining the CCFO with aminoglycosides reduced the MIC of aminoglycosides against the resistant strains of E. coli and S. aureus. The results obtained indicate that CCFO displays a significant synergistic antibiotic effect when combined with aminoglycosides, demonstrating that the oil constituents (fatty acids) may act as potentiators of the antibiotic activity of aminoglycosides. These properties make CCFO oil an interesting alternative as a remedy or nutraceutical against multiresistant bacteria, preventing the development of resistance by these microorganisms. Practical applications: This article demonstrates the capacity of the C. coriaceum oil to enhance the antibiotic activity of aminoglycosides. This activity could represent a new way to combat the growing bacterial resistance to antibiotics, an important problem of public health.     

抗肿瘤坏死因子-α单链抗体在大肠杆菌中的表达及表达条件的优化

目的构建抗肿瘤坏死因子-α(Tumor necrosis factor-α,TNF-α)单链抗体(Single chain fragment variable,scFv)的原核高效表达体系,并优化表达条件。方法在引物中添加编码6×His的核苷酸片段,使目的蛋白C-末端带有6×His标签。从质粒pCANTAB 5E-scFv中PCR扩增scFv基因,连接至pBV220载体,连接产物分别转化至E.coli BL21(DE3)和DH5α中,42℃诱导表达,并对诱导时间、培养基pH值和类型进行优化,Western blot分析表达产物的反应原性。结果 PCR扩增出的scFv基因片段长度约770 bp,且序列正确;重组表达质粒pBV220-scFv经酶切鉴定证明构建正确;在E.coli BL21(DE3)中可获得表达,在E.coli DH5α中不表达;表达的重组scFv相对分子质量约为28 000,以包涵体形式存在于胞浆中,表达量约占菌体总蛋白的15%,且可与抗His-Tag抗体发生特异性反应;工程菌的最佳诱导表达条件为:以E.coli BL21(DE3)为宿主菌,在pH 7.4的LB培养基中,42℃诱导5 h。结论将scFv的表达载体更换为pBV220,可提高scFv的表达量,在优化表达条件下,scFv的表达水平进一步提高。     

3种肠杆菌科细菌的耐药性变迁

目的研究大肠埃希菌、肺炎克雷伯菌、阴沟肠杆菌的耐药性变迁。方法对2007～2009年临床分离的大肠埃希菌(645株)、肺炎克雷伯菌(260株)和阴沟肠杆菌(150株),采用纸片扩散法进行体外药敏测定,并依据美国临床实验室标准化协会(Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute,CLSI)规定的标准,分析3种肠杆菌科细菌的耐药性变迁。结果大肠埃希菌、肺炎克雷伯菌、阴沟肠杆菌对氨苄西林的耐药率均较高;对头孢他啶的耐药率低于头孢噻肟;与2007年比较,2008年和2009年对头孢吡肟的耐药率明显增长;未发现对亚胺培南耐药菌株的产生。结论细菌耐药性不断增强已成为临床治疗面临的重要难题,应从耐药监测、医院感染控制、合理使用抗生素等多方面努力,减少细菌耐药性的产生。     

Effects of temperature,storage time and pH on survival of Escherichia coli in source‐separated yellowwater

Laboratory‐scale experiments on the survival of Escherichia coli in raw, undiluted, freshly collected, source‐separated yellowwater were performed. Concentrations of E. coli and its survival at different temperature regimes and storage times were measured in yellowwater originally cross‐contaminated with faeces and yellowwater purposely contaminated (deliberately spiked) with faecal material. The temperature regimes of cold (4°C), mild (10°C) and warm (22°C) were the limited factors, whereas the storage time of the contaminated yellowwater was unlimited and lasted until the E. coli concentrations reached the limit of detection of < 1 Most Probable Number (MPN)/100 mL. Temperature and pH played the main role in the inactivation and longevity of E. coli in source‐separated yellowwater. The mild storage conditions were the most favourable for the persistence of E. coli, which reached 40 days with a concentration of 2.0 E+03 MPN in 100 mL of undiluted yellowwater.