Detection and characterization of a bacteriocin,putadicin T01, produced by Pseudomonas putida isolated from hot spring water

Pseudomonas strains isolated from hot spring water were tested for bacteriocin‐like substance (BLS) production using a target panel of closely related microorganisms and other Gram‐positive and Gram‐negative bacteria. Molecular identification was carried out through specific PCR and 16S RNA sequence analysis. Isolates were identified as Brevundimonas diminuta and Pseudomonas putida, the latter exhibited antimicrobial activity. Pseudomonas putida strains produce an inhibitory substance against other Pseudomonas strains and other species including food‐borne pathogens. The BLS was sensitive to the proteolytic action of proteinase K, pronase E and trypsin but resistant to α‐amylase, RNase and lipase C, reflecting its proteinaceous nature. The BLS was stable at 100 °C and also after thermal treatment at 121 °C for 15 min. Additionally, it was stable within a wide range of pH (2–10). The substance from P. putida T01 strain was bactericidal to Escherichia coli. SDS‐PAGE analysis of the partial purified supernatant of strain T01 revealed a BLS with an approximate molecular mass of 8 kDa. Therefore, the results of this study show that P. putida strain T01 produces a BLS with a higher activity spectrum, which may find application in human medicine and in minimally processed food preservation.     

Rheumatic complications of long term treatment with hemodialysis

Patients undergoing hemodialysis therapy develop serious osteoarticular diseases. The treatment is based on prevention. The aim of our study is to determine the frequency and the associated factors to the rheumatic manifestations in hemodialysis patients. A cross-sectional study was conducted, including all hemodialysed patients in our dialysis unit. Information was obtained from patients’ symptoms, examination findings, and biological and radiological signs. The frequency of symptoms was 70% in our patients. It was proportional to the duration of hemodialysis and number of hemodialysis sessions per week. Early transplantation is of course a plausible solution, but other therapies such as improved dialysis must be considered.     

MitraClip therapy in daily clinical practice: initial results from the German transcatheter mitral valve interventions (TRAMI) registry

AIMS: A substantial percentage of patients with mitral regurgitation (MR) in need of mitral valve repair are currently considered not suitable for conventional surgery. In Germany, the largest cohort of patients studied to date has been treated using a percutaneous, catheter-based approach. We report the acute outcomes of patients enrolled in the investigator-initiated German transcatheter mitral valve interventions (TRAMI) registry. METHODS AND RESULTS: Between January 2009 and August 2011, 486 patients [median age 75 (interquartile range 70-80) years; 200 women (41%)] were enrolled in the registry (309 retrospectively and 177 prospectively), with 481 patients (99%) having undergone percutaneous edge-to-edge therapy for MR using the MitraClip. At baseline, 93% of patients were in New York Heart Association (NYHA) functional class III or IV and 71% of patients had a left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) ≤50%. Two-thirds of patients presented with functional MR. Procedural success was achieved in 94% of patients, with grade III present in 93% of patients at baseline yet only 6% post-intervention. Retrospective patients were followed for a median of 183 days, prospective patients for a median of 44 days. The periprocedural complication rate was low, with only minor bleedings as the most significant event. In-hospital and post-discharge mortality was 2.5% and 12.5%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Data from the German TRAMI registry suggest that MitraClip therapy is a viable treatment option in daily clinical routine for high surgical risk patients with significant MR.     

Prevalence of metabolic syndrome in patients with rheumatoid arthritis in Morocco: a cross-sectional study of 179 cases

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is associated with an increased risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD). The prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MetS)—a major contributor to CVD—in RA seems to be increased, suggesting that systemic inflammation and antirheumatic therapy may contribute to its presence. We aimed to determine the prevalence of MetS in RA, to identify the potential factors associated with its presence, and to evaluate the influence of antirheumatic drugs on the occurrence of MetS in a cohort of Moroccan patients with RA. The prevalence of MetS was assessed cross-sectionally in 179 patients with RA over a period of 17 months (July 2011–December 2012). Three definitions of MetS were used (National Cholesterol Education Program/Adult Treatment Panel III 2005, International Diabetes Federation 2005, and American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists 2003). All statistical analyses were done using the SPSS software version 18.0. Multivariate logistic regression model was constructed to identify independent predictors of MetS in patients with RA. The prevalence of MetS in RA varied from 24.6 to 30.7 % according to the definitions used. In a multivariate logistic regression model, the severity of RA and less methotrexate use were identified as significant independent predictors of the presence of MetS in RA patients. Our study suggests that MetS is common among Moroccan patients with severe RA. Methotrexate therapy was identified as an independent factor associated with a reduced risk of having MetS in these patients, suggesting a drug-specific mechanism and making methotrexate a first-line disease-modifying antirheumatic drug in RA patients who are at high risk of developing MetS.     

INS‐1 cell glucose‐stimulated insulin secretion is reduced by the downregulation of the 67 kDa laminin receptor

Understanding β cell–extracellular matrix (ECM) interactions can advance our knowledge of the mechanisms that control glucose homeostasis and improve culture methods used in islet transplantation for the treatment of diabetes. Laminin is the main constituent of the basement membrane and is involved in pancreatic β cell survival and function, even enhancing glucose‐stimulated insulin secretion. Most of the studies on cell responses towards laminin have focused on integrin‐mediated interactions, while much less attention has been paid on non‐integrin receptors, such as the 67 kDa laminin receptor (67LR). The specificity of the receptor‐ligand interaction through the adhesion of INS‐1 cells (a rat insulinoma cell line) to CDPGYIGSR‐, GRGDSPC‐ or CDPGYIGSR + GRGDSPC‐covered surfaces was evaluated. Also, the effects of the 67LR knocking down over glucose‐stimulated insulin secretion were investigated. Culture of the INS‐1 cells on the bioactive surfaces was improved compared to the low‐fouling carboxymethyl dextran (CMD) surfaces, while downregulation of the 67LR resulted in reduced cell adhesion to surfaces bearing the CDPGYIGSR peptide. Glucose‐stimulated insulin secretion was hindered by downregulation of the 67LR, regardless of the biological motif available on the biomimetic surfaces on which the cells were cultured. This finding illustrates the importance of the 67LR in glucose‐stimulated insulin secretion and points to a possible role of the 67LR in the mechanisms of insulin secretion. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.