Sensitive Microplate Assay for Detection of Bactericidal Antibodies to Vibrio cholerae O139

A microplate assay for the detection of bactericidal antibodies to Vibrio cholerae O139 is described. The assay is sensitive, highly reproducible, specific, and convenient to perform. It has been used to demonstrate the induction of serum bactericidal antibodies in Vietnamese recipients of an oral, inactivated, bivalent O1/O139 vaccine, as well as in Bangladeshi patients with O139 disease. In both study groups there was a significant inverse correlation between the preexposure level of antibodies in serum and the magnitude of the subsequent bactericidal response. Although infection generated stronger responses than vaccination, the proportion of responders was similar among individuals with low background titers.     

UV-Cured PDMS for Oil Removal from Wastewater

The removal of oil from water is a worldwide challenge that must be faced to avoid irreversible marine habitat destruction. A novel fast and simple technique to obtain polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) membranes is developed using the photopolymerization technique. The high reactivity of the acrylated PDMS formulation toward photo-induced free radical polymerization is assessed via the differential scanning photo-calorimetry (photo-DSC) technique. Two different membranes dense or porous are developed and investigated. Porous membranes, having 100–200 µm as pore size, are obtained using a low-cost environmentally friendly sodium chloride template. Thanks to the hydrophobic/oleophilic intrinsic characteristic of PDMS, the UV-cured membranes can selectively remove dodecane, selected as the target oil, from water. The dodecane sorption capability of both membranes is investigated and compared. Moreover, the membranes can be easily reused since the adsorbed oil can be recovered by simply compressing the membrane. Those PDMS sorbents show high mechanical stability after five adsorption/desorption cycles.     

Association of Pre-S/S and Polymerase Mutations with Acute and Chronic Hepatitis B Virus Infections in Patients from Rio de Janeiro,Brazil

Several hepatitis B virus (HBV)-related factors, including the viral load, genotype, and genomic mutations, have been linked to the development of liver diseases. Therefore, in this study we aimed to investigate the influence of HBV genetic variability during acute and chronic infection phases. A real-time nested PCR was used to detect HBV DNA in all samples (acute, n = 22; chronic, n = 49). All samples were sequenced for phylogenetic and mutation analyses. Genotype A, sub-genotype A1, was the most common genotype in the study population. A total of 190 mutations were found in the pre-S/S gene area and the acute profile revealed a greater number of nucleotide mutations (p < 0.05). However, both profiles contained nucleotide mutations linked to immune escape and an increased risk of hepatocellular carcinomas (acute, A7T; chronic, A7Q). Furthermore, 17 amino acid substitutions were identified in the viral polymerase region, including the drug resistance mutations lamivudine and entecavir (rtL180M), with statistically significant differences between the mutant and wild type strains. Owing to the natural occurrence of these mutations, it is important to screen for resistance mutations before beginning therapy.     

Coaxial Drainage versus Standard Chest Tube after Pulmonary Lobectomy: A Randomized Controlled Study

Chest tubes are routinely inserted after thoracic surgery procedures in different sizes and numbers. The aim of this study is to assess the efficacy of Smart Drain Coaxial drainage compared with two standard chest tubes in patients undergoing thoracotomy for pulmonary lobectomy. Ninety-eight patients (57 males and 41 females, mean age 68.3 ± 7.4 years) with lung cancer undergoing open pulmonary lobectomy were randomized in two groups: 50 received one upper 28-Fr and one lower 32-Fr standard chest tube (ST group) and 48 received one 28-Fr Smart Drain Coaxial tube (SDC group). Hospitalization, quantity of fluid output, air leaks, radiograph findings, pain control and costs were assessed. SDC group showed shorter hospitalization (7.3 vs. 6.1 days, p = 0.02), lower pain in postoperative day-1 (p = 0.02) and a lower use of analgesic drugs (p = 0.04). Pleural effusion drainage was lower in SDC group in the first postoperative day (median 400.0 ± 200.0 mL vs. 450.0 ± 193.8 mL, p = 0.04) and as a mean of first three PODs (median 325.0 ± 137.5 mL vs. 362.5 ± 96.7 mL, p = 0.01). No difference in terms of fluid retention, residual pleural space, subcutaneous emphysema and complications after chest tubes removal was found. In conclusion, Smart Drain Coaxial chest tube seems a feasible option after thoracotomy for pulmonary lobectomy. The SDC group showed a shorter hospitalization and decreased analgesic drugs use and, thus, a reduction of costs.