Recurrent meningitis caused by Salmonella enterica Paratyphi B var. Java in a 3-month-old infant complicated by dilation of subarachnoid spaces, subdural effusion and right-sided hemiparesis.

A 3-month-old female infant with meningo-encephalitis caused by Salmonella enterica Paratyphi B var. Java is described. The aetiological agent was confirmed in six CSF samples; however, none of the blood or faecal samples was positive for the same pathogen. The presence of the bacteria was confirmed in the CSF by culture, serology and Multiplex PCR assay. The infant developed dilated subarachnoid spaces and right-sided hemiparesis associated with the persistent bacterial meningo-encephalitis. She was re-admitted 2 weeks after recovery and initial discharge from hospital owing to recurrence of S. enterica Paratyphi B bacteria in the CSF and the development of large bilateral subdural effusions in the brain. Computed tomography and the clinical course confirmed dynamically progressive meningo-encephalitis. Following further parenteral antibiotics and symptomatic treatment, the child's condition improved. After a total of 24 days in the PICU, she was sufficiently improved to be discharged with a residual right-sided hemiparesis. However, sadly she died a week after discharge.Abbreviation: ALT: alanine aminotransferase; API: analytical profile index 20 E-test; AST: aspartate aminotransferase; CRP: C-reactive protein; CSF: cerebrospinal fluid; CT: computed tomography; EUCAST: European Committee on Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing; MDCT: multi-detector computed tomography; PCR: polymerase chain reaction; PICU: paediatric intensive care unit; RBC: red blood cells; VITEK: automated instrument for identification/antimicrobial susceptibility testing; WBC: white blood cells.

[Our experience with cedax (ceftibuten) in the obstetrical and gynecological practice]. / Nashiiat opit s cedax (ceftibuten) v akushero-ginekologichnata praktika.

Cedax is an oral third generation cephalosporin for use with a wide spectrum of antibacterial activity. It has been made a comparative study between Cedax and other third generation cephalosporins in 40 pregnant women with asymptomatic bacteriuria. The authors made a conclusion Cedax is a preferred antibacterial drug for treatment of similar infections of pregnancy because of his easy application way and the absence of side effects.

[Gynecological interventions and cesarean section without suturing of the peritoneum (visceral and parietal)]. / Ginekologichni interventsii i tsezarovi secheniia bez zashivane na peritoneuma (vistseralen i parietalen).

The authors reveal advantages of sewing off technics of parietal and visceral peritoneum in gynaecologic operations and Caesarean sections compared with common routine technics of sewing up. This study is prospective, controlled and includes two years period. 170 cases of gynaecologic operations and 45 Caesarean sections are investigated. It is confirmed the role of preoperative microbiologic investigations of cervical secret and vaginal secret. On the base of results similar to world experience in this field authors recommend described technics to gynaecologists and obstetricians.

Characterization of tomato PHYB1 and identification of molecular defects in four mutant alleles.

The structure of the gene encoding the apoprotein of phytochrome B (PHYB1) in tomato has been determined from genomic and cDNA sequences. In contrast to PHYA, PHYB1 lacks an intron upstream of the first ATG. A single transcription start site was found by 5' RACE at -116. Tomato PHYB1 spans 7 kb starting from the first ATG. The coding region is organized into four exons as for other angiosperm PHY. The deduced apoprotein consists of 1131 amino acids, with a molecular mass of 125.4 kDa. Tomato phytochrome B1 shares 78% and 74% identity with Arabidopsis phytochromes B and D, respectively. Along with the normally spliced full-length transcripts, sequences of reverse transcriptase-PCR clones revealed five types of alternative transcripts. Each type of alternative transcript was missing a considerable part of the coding region, including the chromophore-binding site. The four putative PHYB1 mutants in tomato, which are temporarily red-light insensitive (tri), were each confirmed to have a mutation in PHYB1. Each mutation arose from a different, single-base substitution. Allele tri1 is presumably a null because the mutation introduces a stop at codon 92. In tri3, val-238 is replaced by Phe. The importance of this valine residue is evidenced by the fact that the tri3 phenotype is as strong as that of tri1. Alleles tri2 and tri4 encode proteins truncated at their C-termini. The former lacks either 170 or 438 amino acids, depending upon which of two types of splicing occurs during transcript maturation, while the latter lacks 225.

Molecular analysis of PHYA in wild-type and phytochrome A-deficient mutants of tomato.

Tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill., recently redesignated Solanum lycopersicum L.), an agronomically important crop plant, has been adopted as a model species complementary to Arabidopsis in which to characterize the phytochrome family. Here we describe the cloning and molecular characterization of the gene encoding the apoprotein of phytochrome A in wild-type tomato and in the far-red-light-insensitive (fri1 and fri2) tomato mutants. The physical organization of this gene is similar to that of other angiosperm phytochromes with the four exons of the coding region interrupted by three introns. The pool of transcripts is heterogeneous due to multiple transcription start sites and to three modes of alternative splicing of the 5' leader. The leader in each alternative transcript carries multiple upstream open reading frames of considerable length. At the genomic level, both fri mutants share an identical base substitution which changes a consensus AG/ to TG/ at the 3' end of the intron between exons 1 and 2. This mutation leads to aberrant processing of the resultant pre-mRNA. While most mature transcripts retain the mutated intron, both cryptic splicing and exon skipping were also detected. Cryptic splicing occurred both upstream and downstream from the wild-type splice site. These observations are consistent with the hypothesis that exon definition in splicing of plant pre-mRNAs plays a secondary role to that of intron definition. Analysis of the frequency with which potentially functional phytochrome A apoproteins might be produced indicates that both fri1 and fri2 have less than 1% of the wild-type phytochrome A level.

Protective effect of amphotericin B against lethal photodynamic treatment in yeast.

The effect of polyenic antibiotic amphotericin B on photodynamically induced cell damage was investigated using Kluyveromyces fragilis. The photosensitizers applied are known to act via cell membrane damage (rose bengal and toluidine blue) or via DNA modification causing genotoxic effects (8-methoxypsoralen). Methylene blue was shown to cause membrane damage comparable with the effect of rose bengal and toluidine blue. Under conditions of photodynamic damage a pronounced protective effect of the antibiotic was evident in increased cell survival with all of the photosensitizers tested. Mitochondrial activity indicated a tendency of the antibiotic to protect the cells. The protective role of amphotericin B is discussed in the light of possible implications for photodynamic therapy of microbial infections.

Effect of glutathione on rose bengal photosensitized yeast damage.

Photodynamic treatment of Candida albicans cells in the presence of the sensitizer rose bengal at low concentration (2.5 microM) did not influence cell survival (100% survival after 60 min illumination). Cell damage was observed when 0.16 mM glutathione was added together with the dye to the cell suspension. A 99% cell inactivation was achieved after 15 min illumination. No preincubation of the cells with the sensitizer was needed. The mechanism of the photodynamic damage exerted by the combined action of rose bengal and glutathione was investigated using specific quenchers. The results suggest an enhancement involving stimulation of the singlet oxygen generation. The short term yeast inactivation achieved by a low concentration of the dye and glutathione may find an application in the design of an efficient anticandidose treatment.

[The effect of acetic acid and furfural on yeast growth]. / Izsledvane vliianieto na otsetnata kiselina i furfurala vurkhu rastezha na drozhdi.

Acetic acid and furfural are normal components of the yeast hydrolysates. The influence of acetic acid in different concentrations (from 2 to 10 g/dm3) and furfural (from 0.2 to 0.8 g/dm3) on the growth of 8 yeast strains from the genus Candida under cultivation in synthetic nutrient media has been studied. It was established that some yeast strains absorb acetic acid better at pH 4.0-5.0, while others--only at pH 6.0 and at different concentrations of the acid in the nutrient media. Acetic acid in concentrations from 2 to 4 g/dm3 suppresses growth entirely in some strains, while in others growth was established. Acetic acid in concentrations over 8 g/dm3 inhibits growth in all 8 strains of the studied yeasts. Furforal in concentration to 0.4 g/dm3 in the synthetic nutrient media inhibits the growth in the 8 strains to a certain extent, while in concentration over 8 g/dm3 it stops the growth in all 8 yeast strains.

Evaluation of protein hydrolysates using the fermentation activity of immobilized yeast cells.

A rapid, easy, and reproducible method for evaluation of protein hydrolysates has been developed using the ethanol fermentation of immobilized yeast cells as a monitoring system. The method is sensitive to the origin, concentration, and degree of hydrolysis of the hydrolysates.