Rapidly Self-Sterilizing PPE Capable of Destroying 100% of Microbes in 30-60 Seconds.
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ABSTRACT:
SUBMITTER: Zinn AA
PROVIDER: S-EPMC8715083 | biostudies-literature |
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
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Project description:Approximately 100 million tons of anhydrosugars, such as levoglucosan and cellobiosan, are produced through biomass burning every year. These sugars are also produced through fast pyrolysis, the controlled thermal depolymerization of biomass. While the microbial pathways associated with levoglucosan utilization have been characterized, there is little known about cellobiosan utilization. Here we describe the isolation and characterization of six cellobiosan-utilizing microbes from soil samples. Each of these organisms is capable of using both cellobiosan and levoglucosan as sole carbon source, though both minimal and rich media cellobiosan supported significantly higher biomass production than levoglucosan. Ribosomal sequencing was used to identify the closest reported match for these organisms: Sphingobacterium multivorum, Acinetobacter oleivorans JC3-1, Enterobacter sp SJZ-6, and Microbacterium sps FXJ8.207 and 203 and a fungal species Cryptococcus sp. The commercially-acquired Enterobacter cloacae DSM 16657 showed growth on levoglucosan and cellobiosan, supporting our isolate identification. Analysis of an existing database of 16S rRNA amplicons from Iowa soil samples confirmed the representation of our five bacterial isolates and four previously-reported levoglucosan-utilizing bacterial isolates in other soil samples and provided insight into their population distributions. Phylogenetic analysis of the 16S rRNA and 18S rRNA of strains previously reported to utilize levoglucosan and our newfound isolates showed that the organisms isolated in this study are distinct from previously described anhydrosugar-utilizing microbial species.
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Project description:Background: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is the most common chronic, non-traumatic, neurologic disease in young adults. While approximate values of the disease burden of MS are known, individual drivers are unknown. Objective: To estimate the age-, sex-, and disease severity-specific contributions to the disease burden of MS. Methods: We estimated the disease burden of MS using disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) following the Global Burden of Disease study (GBD) methodology. The data sources consisted of the Swiss MS Registry, a recent prevalence estimation, and the Swiss mortality registry. Results: The disease burden of MS in Switzerland in 2016 was 6,938 DALYs (95%-interval: 6,018-7,955), which corresponds to 97 DALYs per 100,000 adult inhabitants. Morbidity contributed 59% of the disease burden. While persons in an asymptomatic (EDSS-proxy 0) and mild (EDSS-proxy >0-3.5) disease stage represent 68.4% of the population, they make up 39.8% of the MS-specific morbidity. The remaining 60.2% of the MS-specific morbidity stems from the 31.6% of persons in a moderate (EDSS-proxy 4-6.5) or severe (EDSS-proxy ?7) disease stage. Conclusions: Morbidity has a larger influence on the disease burden of MS than mortality and is shared in a ratio of 2:3 between persons in an asymptomatic/mild and moderate/severe disease stage in Switzerland. Interventions to reduce severity worsening in combination with tailored, symptomatic treatments are important future paths to lower the disease burden of MS.
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Project description:Using the specific satellite line of sight geometry and station location with respect to the source, Thomas et al. [Scientific Reports, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-018-30476-9] developed a method to infer the detection altitude of co-seismic ionospheric perturbations observed in Global Positioning System (GPS) - Total Electron Content (TEC) measurements during the Mw 7.4 March 9, 2011 Sanriku-Oki earthquake, a foreshock of the Mw 9.0, March 11, 2011 Tohoku-Oki earthquake. Therefore, in addition to the spatio-temporal evolution, the altitude information of the seismically induced ionospheric signatures can also be derived now using GPS-TEC technique. However, this method considered a point source, in terms of a small rupture area (~90?km) during the Tohoku foreshock, for the generation of seismo-acoustic waves in 3D space and time. In this article, we explore further efficacy of GPS-TEC technique during co-seismic ionospheric sounding for an extended seismic source varying simultaneously in space and time akin to the rupture of Mw 9.0 Tohoku-Oki mainshock and the limitations to be aware of in such context. With the successful execution of the method by Thomas et al. during the Tohoku-Oki mainshock, we not only estimate the detection altitude of GPS-TEC derived co-seismic ionospheric signatures but also delineate, for the first time, distinct ground seismic sources responsible for the generation of these perturbations, which evolved during the initial 60?seconds of the rupture. Simulated tsunami water excitation over the fault region, to envisage the evolution of crustal deformation in space and time along the rupture, formed the base for our model analysis. Further, the simulated water displacement assists our proposed novel approach to delineate the ground seismic sources entirely based on the ensuing ionospheric perturbations which were otherwise not well reproduced by the ground rupture process within this stipulated time. Despite providing the novel information on the segmentation of the Tohoku-Oki seismic source based on the co-seismic ionospheric response to the initial 60?seconds of the event, our model could not reproduce precise rupture kinematics over this period. This shortcoming is also credited to the specific GPS satellite-station viewing geometries.
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Project description:About a 100 nm thick multilayer film of nanoparticle monolayers and polymer layers is shown to behave like cellular-foam with a modulus below 100 KPa. The 1.25 cm radius film adhered to a rigid surface can be compressed reversibly to 60% strain. The more than 4 orders of magnitude lower modulus compared to its constituents is explained by considering local bending in the (nano)cellular structure, similar to cork and wings of beetles. As the rigidity of the polymer backbone is increased in just four monolayers, the modulus of the composite increases by over 70%. Electro-optical map of the strain distribution over the area of compression and increase in modulus with thickness indicates the films have zero Poisson's ratio.
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Project description:Cellular responses to signalling pathways are often highly dynamic, however most analyses of developmental signalling pathways focus on a single endpoint. We have analyzed the temporal changes in transcription following a short Notch activation treatment and related these to the recruitment of the Notch pathway transcription factor, CSL [Suppressor of Hairless, Su(H), in Drosophila], and to the state of RNA Polymerase II (Pol II) binding. A total of 154 genes showed significant differential expression over time and their expression profiles stratified into 14 clusters based on temporal and quantitative differences in their responses. These differences were partially reflected in the profiles of Pol II and Su(H) binding. However, neither could fully account for the different response profiles. Furthermore, the timing of the different responses was unaffected by more prolonged Notch activation. Instead our data suggest that regulatory relationships between genes that segregate into different response clusters can partially account for the stratification. Thus, feed-forward repression, where products of early responding Enhancer of split bHLH genes (E(spl)bHLH) inhibit expression of endogenous repressors, is one mechanism that explains the profile of genes that exhibit delayed up-regulation. E(spl)bHLH genes may therefore be responsible for co-ordinating the Notch response of a wide spectrum of other targets, explaining their critical functions in many developmental and disease contexts.
2012-12-31 | GSE35719 | GEO
Project description:Parasitic helminths infect over 1 billion people worldwide, while current treatments rely on a limited arsenal of drugs. To expedite drug discovery, we screened a small-molecule library of compounds with histories of use in human clinical trials for anthelmintic activity against the soil nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. From this screen, we found that the neuromodulatory drugs sertraline, paroxetine, and chlorpromazine kill C. elegans at multiple life stages including embryos, developing larvae and gravid adults. These drugs act rapidly to inhibit C. elegans feeding within minutes of exposure. Sertraline, paroxetine, and chlorpromazine also decrease motility of adult Trichuris muris whipworms, prevent hatching and development of Ancylostoma caninum hookworms and kill Schistosoma mansoni flatworms, three widely divergent parasitic helminth species. C. elegans mutants with resistance to known anthelmintic drugs such as ivermectin are equally or more susceptible to these three drugs, suggesting that they may act on novel targets to kill worms. Sertraline, paroxetine, and chlorpromazine have long histories of use clinically as antidepressant or antipsychotic medicines. They may represent new classes of anthelmintic drug that could be used in combination with existing front-line drugs to boost effectiveness of anti-parasite treatment as well as offset the development of parasite drug resistance.
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Project description:Objective:To describe haematocrit at birth in preterm infants who received ?60?s of delayed cord clamping (DCC). Design:Retrospective observational study. Setting:A California public hospital with an American Academy of Pediatrics level 4 neonatal intensive care unit, with 3500-4000 deliveries annually. Participants:467 preterm infants born at <35 weeks' gestational age (GA) between January 2013 and December 2018. Primary and secondary outcome measures:Haematocrit reference ranges for 0-4?hours after birth and paired haematocrit differences between 0-4 and 4-24?hours. Methods:Haematocrits were obtained when clinically indicated and collected from arterial, venous and capillary sources. Haematocrits obtained after packed red blood cell transfusions were excluded. We summarised the first available haematocrit between 0 and 4?hours by GA strata. We used mixed-effects linear regression to describe the associations between haematocrit and predictor variables including GA, male sex and hours after an infant's birth. We also compared paired haematocrits at 0-4 and 4-24?hours after birth. Results:The median GA of the 467 included infants was 33.3 weeks, birth weight was 1910 g and DCC duration was 60?s. The mean (95% CI) first haematocrit at 0-4?hours was 46.6 (45.0% to 48.1%), 51.2 (49.6% to 52.8%), 50.6 (49.1% to 52.1%), 54.3 (52.8% to 55.8%) and 55.6 (54.6% to 56.6%) for infants 23-29, 30-31, 32, 33 and 34 weeks' GA strata, respectively. The subanalysis of 174 infants with paired haematocrits at 0-4 and 4-24?hours showed that for each additional hour after birth, the mean (95%?CI) haematocrit increased by 0.2 (0.1% to 0.3%), 0.2 (0.1% to 0.4%) and 0.1 (0.0% to 0.2%) for infants in 23-29, 30-31 and 32 weeks' GA strata, respectively. The subanalysis showed no change between the paired haematocrits in the 33 and 34?weeks' GA strata. Conclusions:Our study describes haematocrit in preterm infants who received ?60?s DCC as standard of care. Haematocrit during the first 0-4?hours in our study is higher than the previously described reference ranges prior to DCC becoming routine clinical practice. The paired second haematocrit at 4-24?hours is higher than haematocrit at 0-4?hours.
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Project description:Little is known about the importance and/or mechanisms of biological mineral oxidation in sediments, partially due to the difficulties associated with culturing mineral-oxidizing microbes. We demonstrate that electrochemical enrichment is a feasible approach for isolation of microbes capable of gaining electrons from insoluble minerals. To this end we constructed sediment microcosms and incubated electrodes at various controlled redox potentials. Negative current production was observed in incubations and increased as redox potential decreased (tested -50 to -400 mV vs. Ag/AgCl). Electrode-associated biomass responded to the addition of nitrate and ferric iron as terminal electron acceptors in secondary sediment-free enrichments. Elemental sulfur, elemental iron and amorphous iron sulfide enrichments derived from electrode biomass demonstrated products indicative of sulfur or iron oxidation. The microbes isolated from these enrichments belong to the genera Halomonas, Idiomarina, Marinobacter, and Pseudomonas of the Gammaproteobacteria, and Thalassospira and Thioclava from the Alphaproteobacteria. Chronoamperometry data demonstrates sustained electrode oxidation from these isolates in the absence of alternate electron sources. Cyclic voltammetry demonstrated the variability in dominant electron transfer modes or interactions with electrodes (i.e., biofilm, planktonic or mediator facilitated) and the wide range of midpoint potentials observed for each microbe (from 8 to -295 mV vs. Ag/AgCl). The diversity of extracellular electron transfer mechanisms observed in one sediment and one redox condition, illustrates the potential importance and abundance of these interactions. This approach has promise for increasing our understanding the extent and diversity of microbe mineral interactions, as well as increasing the repository of microbes available for electrochemical applications.
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