BackgroundThe purpose of this study was to evaluate the virulence profiles of Pseudomonas aeruginosa clinical strains recently isolated from patients hospitalized for chronic leg ulcers in the Dermatology Department of Central Military Emergency University Hospital “Carol Davila”, Bucharest, Romania.MethodsThe phenotypic screening evaluated eight soluble virulence factors (haemolysins, lecithinase, lipase, caseinase, gelatinase, amylase, DNase, aesculin hydrolysis), as well as adherence ability (Cravioto adapted method) and invasion capacity on HeLa cells (gentamicin protection assay). Seven virulence genes encoding for protease IV, 3 exoenzymes (exoS, exoT, exoU), two phospholipases plcH- haemolytic phospholipase C and plcN- non-haemolytic phospholipase C) and alginate were investigated by PCR.ResultsThe pore forming toxins and enzymes were expressed in variable proportions, the majority of the tested strains producing beta haemolysin (92.3 %), lipase (76.9 %) and lecithinase (61.5 %). The most frequent virulence genes detected in the analyzed strains were the ExoT (100 %) and AlgD (92.3 %) genes, genes codifying for phospholipases (84.6 % each of them) and for protease IV (61.5 %).ConclusionsThis study reveals that correlating virulence profiles and infection clinical outcome is very useful for setting up efficient preventive and therapeutic procedures for hospitalized patients with chronic leg ulcers and positive P. aeruginosa cultures.

BackgroundJuniperus communis L. represents a multi-purpose crop used in the pharmaceutical, food, and cosmetic industry. Several studies present the possible medicinal properties of different Juniperus taxa native to specific geographical area. The present study aims to evaluate the genoprotective, antioxidant, antifungal and anti-inflammatory potential of hydroalcoholic extract of wild-growing Juniperus communis L. (Cupressaceae) native to Romanian southern sub-Carpathian hills.MethodsThe prepared hydroethanolic extract of Juniperus communis L. was characterized by GC-MS, HPLC, UV-Vis spectrometry and phytochemical assays. The antioxidant potential was evaluated using the DPPH assay, the antifungal effect was studied on Aspergillus niger ATCC 15475 and Penicillium hirsutum ATCC 52323, while the genoprotective effect was evaluated using the Allium cepa assay. The anti-inflammatory effect was evaluated in two inflammation experimental models (dextran and kaolin) by plethysmometry. Male Wistar rats were treated by gavage with distilled water (negative control), the microemulsion (positive control), diclofenac sodium aqueous solution (reference) and microemulsions containing juniper extract (experimental group). The initial paw volume and the paw volumes at 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 24 h were measured.ResultsTotal terpenoids, phenolics and flavonoids were estimated to be 13.44 ± 0.14 mg linalool equivalent, 19.23 ± 1.32 mg gallic acid equivalent, and 5109.6 ± 21.47 mg rutin equivalent per 100 g of extract, respectively. GC-MS characterization of the juniper extract identified 57 volatile compounds in the sample, while the HPLC analysis revealed the presence of the selected compounds (α-pinene, chlorogenic acid, rutin, apigenin, quercitin). The antioxidant potential of the crude extract was found to be 81.63 ± 0.38% (measured by the DPPH method). The results of the antifungal activity assay (for Aspergillus niger and Penicillium hirsutum) were 21.6 mm, respectively 17.2 mm as inhibition zone. Test results demonstrated the genoprotective potential of J. communis undiluted extract, inhibiting the mitodepressive effect of ethanol. The anti-inflammatory action of the juniper extract, administered as microemulsion in acute-dextran model was increased when compared to kaolin subacute inflammation induced model.ConclusionThe hydroalcoholic extract obtained from wild-growing Juniperus communis native to Romanian southern sub-Carpathian hills has genoprotective, antioxidant, antifungal and anti-inflammatory properties.

The transmembrane proteoglycan Syndecan contributes to cell surface signaling of diverse ligands in mammals, yet in Drosophila, genetic evidence links Syndecan only to the Slit receptor Roundabout and to the receptor tyrosine phosphatase LAR. Here we characterize the requirement for syndecan in the determination and morphogenesis of the Drosophila heart, and reveal two phases of activity, indicating that Syndecan is a co-factor in at least two signaling events in this tissue. There is a stochastic failure to determine heart cell progenitors in a subset of abdominal hemisegments in embryos mutant for syndecan, and subsequent to Syndecan depletion by RNA interference. This phenotype is sensitive to gene dosage in the FGF receptor (Heartless), its ligand, Pyramus, as well as BMP-ligand Decapentaplegic (Dpp) and co-factor Sara. Syndecan is also required for lumen formation during assembly of the heart vessel, a phenotype shared with mutations in the Slit and Integrin signaling pathways. Phenotypic interactions of syndecan with slit and Integrin mutants suggest intersecting function, consistent with Syndecan acting as a co-receptor for Slit in the Drosophila heart.

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Nigella sativa (black cumin) is known for its antibacterial activity. However, available literature does not sufficiently explore the possible interactions with the natural wild microflora in complex food matrices. This study is using as model food matrix, a traditionally manufactured cheese, without additives, without starter cultures and without pathogen culture, to study the antimicrobial effect of Nigella sativa seed oil (NSSO), as well as the physicochemical properties of this food matrix during the study. The experiment included three batches of food matrix: control batch without NSSO, 0.1% and 0.2% w/w NSSO enriched batch. Natural occurring E.coli, coliforms and Staphylococcus spp. were significantly inhibited by NSSO. Total bacterial count (APC) registered significant improvement during the experiment. The antimicrobial activity of NSSO proved selective, as no significant effect was seen on the beneficial LAB. NSSO significantly improved the sensory qualities of the food matrix samples. NSSO kept significant selective antimicrobial effect when used with a complex food matrix, without altering the physicochemical properties of this food matrix, suggesting that NSSO could be a natural antibiotic candidate that could be used as food dietary supplement. RezumatNigella sativa (chimenul negru) este cunoscut pentru activitatea antimicrobiană. Cu toate acestea, literatura științifică disponibilă până în prezent, nu aprofundează interacțiunile cu flora microbiană naturală a substraturilor alimentare complexe. Studiul de față utilizează ca model de substrat alimentar, un sortiment de brânză tradițională, obținută fără aditivi, fără culturi starter și neadiționată experimental cu germeni patogeni, pentru a studia efectul antimicrobian al uleiului semințelor de Nigella sativa (NSSO), precum și proprietățile fizico-chimice ale substratului alimentar pe parcursul studiului. Experimentul a constat în utilizarea a trei loturi de substrat alimentar experimental: lotul de control, fără NSSO, și loturile îmbogățite cu 0,1% și respectiv, 0,2% m/m NSSO. Tulpinile sălbatice de E. coli, coliformi și Staphylococcus spp. au fost semnificativ inhibate pe durata experimentului. Numărul total de germeni a înregistrat îmbunătățire semnificativă sub influența NSSO pe durata experimentului. Activitatea antimicrobiană a NSSO a fost selectivă, întrucât tulpinile de bacterii acido-lactice benefice nu au fost inhibate. NSSO a îmbunătățit calitățile organoleptice ale substratului alimentar utilizat. NSSO a menținut efectul antimicrobian la utilizarea împreună cu un substrat alimentar, fără a altera proprietățile fizico-chimice ale acestuia, sugerând faptul că NSSO ar putea fi un candidat antibiotic natural, care poate fi utilizat ca supliment alimentar.