The σ^E regulon has been shown to perform a novel function that causes dead-cell lysis specific to the early stationary phase [Nitta et al., 2000] in addition to its well-known role in the extracytoplasmic stress response in Escherichia coli. Here, the effect of σ^S as a general stress-responsive sigma factor on σ^E-directed cell lysis was investigated. The lysis phenomena were observed in both rpoS mutant and parental strains constitutively expressing active σ^E, but the former lysis occurred at a relatively early stage compared to the latter. Based on these results and experiments with hydrogen peroxide, we propose that some stresses generate living but non-culturable cells, which are subject to σ^E-directed cell lysis.

BackgroundCancer burden among children and adolescents is largely unknown in Bangladesh. This study aims to provide a comprehensive overview on childhood and adolescent cancers and to contribute to the future strategies to deal with these diseases in Bangladesh.MethodsData on malignant neoplasms in patients aged less than 20 years diagnosed between 2001 and 2014 (N = 3143) in Bangladesh was collected by the National Institute of Cancer Research and Hospital and ASHIC Foundation. The age pattern and distribution of cancer types were analysed and the incidence rates were calculated.ResultsThe age-standardised incidence rate was 7.8 per million person-years for children (0–14 years) in the last time period (2011–2014). Retinoblastoma (25 %) and leukaemia (18 %) were the most common childhood cancers. For adolescents (15–19 years), the age-specific incidence rate was 2.1 per million person-years in the same time period. Most common adolescent cancers were malignant bone tumours (38 %), germ cell and gonadal tumours (17 %), and epithelial tumours (16 %). There were more boys affected (M: F ratio 2.0 in children and 1.4 in adolescents) than girls.ConclusionCancer incidences were lower than expected most likely due to a low level of awareness about cancer among clinicians and the population, inadequate access to health care, lack of diagnostic equipment and incomplete recording of cases. Improvements on different levels should be made to get a better epidemiologic insight and to detect cancer earlier resulting in a better outcome for affected children and adolescents.

Microbiological quality assessment is one of the most important investigations to determine the pollution of indoor and outdoor air. To evaluate the microbial load in air, samples were collected from 3 different outdoor and 3 different indoor sites within Jahangirnagar University campus. In outdoor air, bacterial and fungal counts varied from 117 -7284 CFU/m 3 and 88 -5287 CFU/m 3 , respectively. On the other hand, in indoor air bacterial and fungal counts varied from 440 -6226 CFU/m 3 and 88 -5874 CFU/m 3 , respectively. Furthermore, to reveal the antibiotic resistance profile, Staphylococcus aureus isolates were subjected to antibiogram study against 14 antibiotics. Among the isolates, 87.5% exhibited resistance to ceftazidime; 50% to penicillin G; 31.25 % to cefotaxime; 25 % to ceftriaxone, cefuroxime, cloxacillin; and 18.75% to amoxicillin. None of the isolates showed resistance to amikacin, ciprofloxacin, erythromycin, gentamicin, imipenem, nitrofurantoin and vancomycin. The presence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in air may cause serious health hazard to the people living in this area.

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Lactoperoxidase-catalyzed radioiodination with Na125I was performed both on intact Salmonella typhimurium 1195 and on ghost membrane isolated from the same bacterial strain. Ghost membrane was also prepared from radioiodinated whole bacteria. The labelled proteins from both these ghost membrane preparations were compared by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulfate to identify the cell surface proteinmfrom the results obtained it was concluded that one major protein with an apparent molecular weight of 1200-1300 was exposed on the exterior surface of the ghost membrane.