Expression and bioactivity analysis of staphylococcal enterotoxin G and staphylococcal enterotoxin I

Context: The filtrate of Staphylococcus aureus culture, named staphylococcal enterotoxin C injection, has been used for 10 years in China. SEC2 has been claimed to be the only staphylococcal enterotoxins (SEs) without certifiable evidence.

Objectives: To present an efficient procedure for the expression and purification of recombinant proteins SEG and SEI, from S. aureus.

Materials and methods: In present work, we extracted total DNA from S. aureus (FRI 1230) and the recombinant proteins of SEG and SEI were then cloned, expressed and purified using E. coli. Splenic lymphocytes were used as effector cells and K562 and B16 cells were used as target cells to evaluate the inhibitory and stimulatory abilities of purified rSEG and rSEI on in vitro proliferation.

Results: The size of amplified products of SEG and SEI genes were found to be about 400 and 467?bp, respectively. pGEX-SEG and pGEX-SEI were constructed successfully. SEG and SEI were demonstrated to be active stimulators of T-cell proliferation; moreover, they inhibited the proliferation of K562 cells and B16 cells.

Discussion: The current findings suggest that SEC2 might not be the only active component of staphylococcal enterotoxin C injection and may involve other essential proteins like SEG and SEI in its clinical efficacy.

Conclusion: This efficient procedure for the expression and purification of SEG and SEI and may be useful for mass production of therapeutically important proteins. In the future, proteins acting as active stimulators of T-cell proliferation may help in developing effective cancer therapy.     

Linezolid resistant Staphylococcus haemolyticus: First case report from India

Linezolid is being increasingly used in the treatment of infections with gram-positive organisms especially methicillin resistant Staphylococcal isolates. Though resistance to this antimicrobial is emerging but it is extremely rare. Here we document first case of linezolid resistant Staphylococcus haemolyticus (S.haemolyticus) from India. This organism was isolated from pus oozing from a postsurgical site in 61 year old male hailing from an adjoining state of Haryana.     

Meningococcal serotype Y myopericarditis

Involvement of the pericardium in meningococcal disease is a well-recognized but rare complication. Isolated meningococcal pericarditis is defined as purulent pericarditis without clinical evidence of meningococcemia. Neisseria meningitidis serotypes C, B, and W135 have been previously described to cause pericarditis. This is the 1st case report of isolated meningococcal myopericarditis due to N. meningitidis serotype Y.     

Predictors of acute cervicouterine angulation in patients scheduled for gynaecological or infertility intrauterine office procedures

The purpose behind this observational study was to find whether age, parity, ethnicity, uterine position or the mode of presentation (infertility or gynaecological) could be used to predict acute cervicouterine angulation (ACUA) before intrauterine office surgical procedures. Uterine version, flexion and ACUA were recorded after transvaginal scanning in 914 patients and during subsequent examinations in a subgroup of 422 patients. ACUA was tested against presentation, age, parity, ethnicity and uterine position using chi-square and logistic regression. A two-tailed p value <0.05 was considered significant. One hundred and forty-two of 667 nulliparous (21.30%) and 23 of 247 (9.3%) parous women showed ACUA (p < 0.001), which persisted during repeated examinations. More patients with anteflexed (153/767, 19.9%) than retroflexed uteri (12/147, 8.2%) had ACUA p < 0.001. It was more common in Afro-Caribbean (39/179, 21.8%) and Middle East women (37/129, 28.7%) than Caucasians (89/606, 14.7%; p = 0.001). Age and presentation were not significant. Accordingly, ACUA should be considered before office intrauterine surgical procedures in nulliparous patients, especially those with anteflexed uteri. We debate the clinical implications of ethnicity.     

Is unilateral laparoscopic TEP inguinal hernia repair a job half done? The case for bilateral repair

Introduction  

Bilateral laparoscopic totally extraperitoneal (TEP) repair of unilateral hernia is conspicuous in published literature by its absence. There are no studies or data on the feasibility, advantages or disadvantages of bilateral repair in all cases or in any subset of patients with unilateral primary inguinal hernia. The objective of this study is to investigate the feasibility of bilateral laparoscopic exploration for all unilateral cases followed by laparoscopic TEP in all cases and to compare complications, recurrence rates, postoperative pain, patient satisfaction, and return to work retrospectively with a similar number of age-matched retrospective controls.