Draft Genome Sequence of Petroleum Hydrocarbon-Degrading Pseudomonas aeruginosa Strain PK6, Isolated from the Saurashtra Region of Gujarat, India.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa strain PK6, a potential petroleum hydrocarbon-degrading soil bacterium, was isolated from a site contaminated by a petroleum hydrocarbon spill from an automobile service station in Junagadh, Gujarat, India. Here, we provide the 6.04-Mb draft genome sequence of strain PK6, which has genes encoding enzymes for potential and related metabolic pathways of the strain.

Draft Genome Sequence of Textile Azo Dye-Decolorizing and -Degrading Pseudomonas aeruginosa Strain PFK10, Isolated from the Common Effluent Treatment Plant of the Ankleshwar Industrial Area of Gujarat, India.

Here, we report the draft genome sequence of Pseudomonas aeruginosa strain PFK10, isolated from the common effluent treatment plant (CETP) of the Ankleshwar industrial area of Gujarat, India. The 6.04-Mb draft genome sequence of strain PFK10 provides information about the genes encoding enzymes that enable the strain to decolorize and degrade textile azo dye.

Genome Sequence of Salt-Tolerant Bacillus safensis Strain VK, Isolated from Saline Desert Area of Gujarat, India.

Bacillus safensis strain VK was isolated from the rhizosphere of a cumin plant growing in the saline desert of Radhanpar, Gujarat, India. Here, we provide the 3.68-Mb draft genome sequence of B. safensis VK, which might provide information about the salt tolerance and genes encoding enzymes for the strain's plant growth-promoting potential.

Myopericarditis secondary to embolization of fractured inferior vena cava filter limbs.

Vena cava filters are placed for the prevention of pulmonary embolism in the setting of venous thromboembolism, especially when there is a contraindication to anticoagulation or complication secondary to anticoagulation. Here we discuss a rare complication of vena cava filters. We present the first documented case of inferior vena cava filter limb fracture presenting as myopericarditis. Six other cases of embolization of vena cava filter limbs are reviewed and a mechanism for fracture and embolization is proposed.

Churg-Strauss syndrome and leukotriene antagonist use: a respiratory perspective.

BACKGROUND: Churg-Strauss syndrome (CSS) is a rare granulomatous small vessel vasculitis that occurs against a background of longstanding asthma. Leukotriene antagonists (LTAs) are used in the management of asthma and may facilitate a reduction in steroid dosage. Reports of the development of CSS in patients with asthma following the initiation of LTA therapy suggest either a causal association or an unmasking of latent CSS as steroid doses fall. We have undertaken a systematic review to establish whether evidence of a drug induced syndrome exists. METHODS: Systematic review searching Medline from database inception to August 2007 to identify cases with a possible association between LTAs and CSS. Hill's criteria of causation were used to assess strength of causality. RESULTS: 62 cases in which CSS developed after the introduction of LTA therapy were identified. Patients were divided into three groups: group 1 had received no previous steroid therapy; group 2 had been treated with oral and/or inhaled corticosteroids, but had no change in steroid therapy following LTA introduction; and group 3 had a clear reduction in steroid therapy following introduction of LTA therapy. The majority of patients from each group exhibited a clear temporal relationship between initiation of LTA and development of CSS, with no evidence of pre-existing disease. CONCLUSIONS: Currently available evidence suggests an association between LTA and CSS that may be causal.

In vitro and in vivo effects of salbutamol on neutrophil function in acute lung injury.

BACKGROUND: Intravenous salbutamol (albuterol) reduces lung water in patients with the acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Experimental data show that it also reduces pulmonary neutrophil accumulation or activation and inflammation in ARDS. AIM: To investigate the effects of salbutamol on neutrophil function. METHODS: The in vitro effects of salbutamol on neutrophil function were determined. Blood and bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid were collected from 35 patients with acute lung injury (ALI)/ARDS, 14 patients at risk from ARDS and 7 ventilated controls at baseline and after 4 days' treatment with placebo or salbutamol (ALI/ARDS group). Alveolar-capillary permeability was measured in vivo by thermodilution (PiCCO). Neutrophil activation, adhesion molecule expression and inflammatory cytokines were measured. RESULTS: In vitro, physiological concentrations of salbutamol had no effect on neutrophil chemotaxis, viability or apoptosis. Patients with ALI/ARDS showed increased neutrophil activation and adhesion molecule expression compared with at risk-patients and ventilated controls. There were associations between alveolar-capillary permeability and BAL myeloperoxidase (r = 0.4, p = 0.038) and BAL interleukin 8 (r = 0.38, p = 0.033). In patients with ALI/ARDS, salbutamol increased numbers of circulating neutrophils but had no effect on alveolar neutrophils. CONCLUSION: At the onset of ALI/ARDS, there is increased neutrophil recruitment and activation. Physiological concentrations of salbutamol did not alter neutrophil chemotaxis, viability or apoptosis in vitro. In vivo, salbutamol increased circulating neutrophils, but had no effect on alveolar neutrophils or on neutrophil activation. These data suggest that the beneficial effects of salbutamol in reducing lung water are unrelated to modulation of neutrophil-dependent inflammatory pathways.

Successful treatment of MRSA native valve endocarditis with oral linezolid therapy: a case report.

Staphylococcal endocarditis is potentially fatal and is now the most common cause of infective endocarditis with a mortality rate of 25-47% [Hecht SR, Berger M. Right-sided endocarditis in intravenous drug users: prognostic features in 102 episodes. Ann Intern Med 1992;117:560-6]. Its treatment requires maintenance of bactericidal level of antibiotics for prolonged periods to attain a culture-negative state. Although intravenous vancomycin is currently the drug of choice for methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) endocarditis, we present a case treated successfully with oral linezolid for 4 weeks due to a lack of venous access.