Role of the placenta in developmental programming: Observations from models using large animals

Developmental programming, which proposes that "insults" or "stressors" during intrauterine or postnatal development can have not only immediate but also long-term consequences for healthy and productivity, has emerged as a major biological principle, and based on studies in many animal species also seems to be a universal phenomenon. In eutherians, the placenta appears to be programmed during its development, which has consequences for fetal growth and development throughout pregnancy, and likewise has long-term consequences for postnatal development, leading to programming of organ function of the offspring even into adulthood. This review summarizes our current understanding of the placenta's role in developmental programming, the mechanisms involved, and the challenges remaining.

The MOBILISE study: utilisation of ambulatory pumps in the inpatient setting to administer continuous antibiotic infusions-a randomised controlled trial

In the inpatient setting, antibiotics are generally administered via bedside pumps with multiple daily dosing. Utilisation of a continuous antibiotic infusion (CAI) instead might have patient and nursing satisfaction, workflow efficiencies and infection control benefits. We aimed to study the utilisation of CAI in the inpatient setting for routine antibiotic administration. Patients receiving a peripherally inserted central venous catheter (PICC) for antibiotic administration were screened for the study. The patients were randomised to either (1) standard pump and intermittent antibiotic administration (IAA) or (2) CAI via an ambulatory pump. An accelerometer placed on the ankle was used to assess patient activity. Nursing and patient satisfaction surveys were also carried out. Forty patients met the study criteria for enrolment with 21 patients being enrolled in the CAI arm of the study. One hundred and five days of accelerometer recordings were available for analysis. The geometric mean activity was 45 min/day in the standard arm and 64 min/day in the CAI arm. This represented a 42% (95% CI: -14 to 133%, p = 0.16) difference in activity between the two groups. Nursing staff reported that they spent less time throughout their shift attending the antibiotic line or pump in patients who were in the CAI arm of the study (p < 0.001). In addition, patients in this arm of the study were more likely to recommend this method of administration of antibiotics to a family member (p =0.0001). The MOBILISE study showed nursing and patient satisfaction when CAI were utilised in the inpatient setting. A statistically non-significant difference in mobility was seen. The trial was registered (28/03/2018) with the Australia New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ACTRN12618000452291).

Activity of ceftolozane/tazobactam against a collection of Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates from bloodstream infections in Australia

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a common pathogen causing nosocomial infection. In particular, bloodstream infection (BSI) is associated with a high rate of morbidity and mortality. Ceftolozane/tazobactam is a new β-lactam/β-lactamase antimicrobial with activity against P. aeruginosa as well as multidrug resistant (MDR) Gram negative Enterobacteriaceae. Ceftolozane/tazobactam has frequently been used in salvage therapy for MDR P. aeruginosa infections. The aim of this study was to determine the activity of ceftolozane/tazobactam against P. aeruginosa isolates from BSIs collected from three clinical microbiology laboratories in Queensland, Australia, with a high proportion of isolates demonstrating β-lactam resistance. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed by broth microdilution using custom made sensititre plates sourced from ThermoFisher Scientific. In addition to ceftolozane/tazobactam, we also tested piperacillin/tazobactam, ceftazidime, cefepime, meropenem, doripenem, imipenem, aztreonam, ciprofloxacin, levofloxacin, gentamicin, amikacin, tobramycin and colistin. Overall, ceftolozane/tazobactam was the most active agent tested [(MIC_50/90 = 1/2 μg/mL, 96% susceptible (S)]. Against 44 isolates with resistance to at least one other β-lactam agent, 40 were susceptible to ceftolozane/tazobactam. Three ceftolozane/tazobactam resistant isolates were susceptible to colistin, with one of those isolates also susceptible to levofloxacin but not to any other antimicrobials tested. One ceftolozane/tazobactam resistant isolate was susceptible only to meropenem and doripenem but was non-susceptible to imipenem. An association was found between fluoroquinolone resistance and aminoglycoside resistance but not with β-lactam resistance. In summary, ceftolozane/tazobactam was active against most strains tested, including those resistant to other β-lactams. Laboratories should consider testing P. aeruginosa against ceftolozane/tazobactam in suspected MDR or extensively drug resistant (XDR) infections.

Community-acquired Pseudomonas aeruginosa bloodstream infection: a classification that should not falsely reassure the clinician

Pseudomonas aeruginosa bloodstream infection (BSI) is predominantly acquired in the hospital setting. Community-onset infection is less common. Differences in epidemiology, clinical features, microbiological factors and BSI outcomes led to the separation of bacterial community-onset BSI into the categories of healthcare-associated infection (HCAI) and community-acquired infection (CAI). Community-acquired P. aeruginosa BSI epidemiology is not well defined in the literature. In addition, it is also not clear if the same factors separate CAI and HCAI BSI caused by P. aeruginosa alone. A retrospective multicentre cohort study was performed looking at P. aeruginosa BSI from January 2008 to January 2011. Strict definitions for HCAI and CAI were applied. Extensive epidemiological, clinical and outcome data were obtained. Thirty-four CAI episodes and 156 HCAI episodes were analysed. The CAI group could be characterised into seven distinct categories based on comorbidities and clinically suspected source of infection. A pre-morbidly healthy group could not be identified. On multivariate analysis, the presence of a rheumatological or a gastrointestinal comorbidity were significantly associated with CAI. There was no significant difference in length of stay or rates of mortality between HCAI or CAI. The clinician should not be falsely reassured regarding outcome by the diagnosis of a community-acquired P. aeruginosa BSI.

Effect of extrusion cooking on functional properties and in vitro starch digestibility of barley-based extrudates from fruit and vegetable by-products

Barley flour and barley flour-pomace (tomato, grape) blends were extruded through a co-rotating twin-screw extruder. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of die temperature, screw speed, and pomace level on water absorption index (WAI), water solubility index (WSI), degree of starch gelatinization, and in vitro starch digestibility using a response surface methodology. The selected extrudate samples were examined further using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and polarized light microscopy, respectively. The WAI of barley-pomace extrudates was affected by increasing pomace level. Temperature had significant effect on all types of extrudate but screw speed had significant linear effect only on barley and barley-grape pomace extrudates on degree of starch gelatinization. Although no gelatinization peak was detected, an endotherm was observed on all selected extrudates. In general, extrusion cooking significantly increased in vitro starch digestibility of extrudates. However, increasing level of both tomato and grape pomace led to reduction in starch digestibility.

Oil migration in chocolate-peanut butter paste confectionery as a function of chocolate formulation

Migration of oil from high oil content filling to the chocolate coating can result in undesirable quality changes in filled chocolate confectionery products. The objective of this study was to monitor and model peanut oil migration in a 2-layer chocolate-peanut butter paste model confectionery. Spatial and temporal oil content changes were evaluated using magnetic resonance imaging. Five formulations of chocolate, which varied in chocolate particle size, milk fat content, and emulsifier level, were assessed at 2 temperatures, 20 and 30 degrees C. The spatial and temporal experimental data were modeled using a Fickian-based diffusion model, fitting for the diffusion coefficient, D, over a time frame of 17 d. Values of the diffusion coefficient ranged from 1.82 to 3.23 x 10(-11) m2/s for the chocolate formulations stored at 30 degrees C. No significant mass transfer took place in the 20 degrees C samples over the experimental time frame. This study describes the dynamic nature of the interface between the chocolate and peanut butter paste layers, quantifies the mass transfer from the peanut butter paste to the chocolate, and reinforces the importance of temperature control.

Successful treatment of post-neurosurgical intracranial Mycoplasma hominis infection using gatifloxacin

We describe two cases of intracerebral infection with Mycoplasma hominis following neurosurgery, the first after removal of a colloid cyst, the other after a craniotomy following a motor vehicle accident (MVA). Both infections were successfully treated with parenteral gatifloxacin, with ongoing clindamycin or moxifloxacin for associated osteomyelitis.

Applications of magnetic resonance imaging to food research

Global food markets are changing in response to consumer demands for more processed foods and higher quality foods. Consumers find processed foods convenient, less prone to spoilage, more portable, nutritionally efficient, and more consistent in quality level than fresh foods. These demands have resulted in food producers working to develop new types of foods and reformulate standard types of foods. A typical type of reformulation would be a reduced-calorie food or an all-natural food product. The characterization of food processes and products is most often accomplished through the use of averaged measurements. An averaged measurement provides a characterization of the process or product with a single value of one variable measured at a specific time. For example, the average moisture content of a food during drying or the shear viscosity of an emulsion at one temperature and one shear rate. Averaged measurements are useful in characterizing a given process and are in many cases sufficient for process design or product development. However, these single point measurements do not provide significant information on the phenomena responsible for controlling product properties during processing or storage. More information on the physical and chemical processes controlling or influencing process performance and product quality should result in both improved production efficiency, improved product quality, and novel products. Magnetic resonance imaging provides new methods and approaches to investigate and quantify the attributes of products as they vary in time and location within the product. The attributes that can be quantified range from the composition of a material (moisture content, fat content), to physical structure and to derived characterizations like the shear-stress shear-rate relationship in fluids.

Dynamics of fluid/particulate mixtures in tube flow

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) techniques have been utilized to experimentally measure the velocity profile of fluid/particulate mixtures as a function of flow rate, particle loading, and particle size. The experimental velocity profiles in tube flow were described by a power law model; the power law parameter decreased as flow rate, particle loading, and particle size increase. This work is relevant to aseptic processing of particulate foods.

Turbulent pipe flow studied by time-averaged NMR imaging: measurements of velocity profile and turbulent intensity

A time-averaged method to obtain quantitative measurements in turbulent flow by phase flow encoding NMR imaging is introduced. With this method time-averaged velocity profiles and turbulence intensities can be determined. Time-averaged velocity profiles for pipe flow of water driven by a constant pressure gradient at Reynolds numbers from 1200 to 9400 were visualized. A precise correlation between the pixel intensity of the time-averaged NMR flow image and the local turbulence intensity of the flow is derived. The measured turbulence intensities are in agreement with published data obtained using other experimental methods.

Genetic toxicology of acrylic acid

Acrylic acid was tested for gene mutations in the in vitro CHO/HGPRT assay, for chromosome aberrations in CHO cells in culture, and for potential to induce unscheduled DNA synthesis in rat hepatocytes in culture. In vivo assays performed included the Drosophila sex-linked recessive lethal assay by both the feeding and injection routes, the in vivo cytogenetic assay in rat bone marrow cells after both a 1-day and 5-day oral dosing regimen, and a dominant lethal assay in mice by both an acute and 5-day dosing regimen. All results were negative (non-mutagenic) except for the in vitro chromosome aberration assay. This latter result is consistent with the previously reported possible clastogenic activity suggested by the results of the mouse lymphoma L5178Y TK locus assay in which a predominance of small-colony mutants was observed (Moore et al., Environmental and Molecular Mutagenesis 1988, 11, 49-63). The rapid clearance of acrylic acid in animals and the weight of evidence of genetic toxicity testing, including negative in vivo data in both somatic and germ cells, indicate a lack of genetic toxicity of acrylic acid in vivo.

Phase volume measurements using magnetic resonance imaging

The phase distribution of components in both model and actual food systems has been quantified using Magnetic Resonance Imaging. We present measurements of effective moisture diffusivities, vertical mass distributions in foams, and crystallization of water and lipid components. The interpretation of this information allows one to quantify the interactions of various components and structural features within a sample. These measurements are made noninvasively and nondestructively and can be repeated over time to obtain information on the dynamics of the system.

Parametric approaches to the analysis of in vivo cytogenetics studies

A number of parametric models are evaluated for the analysis of data arising from in vivo cytogenetics studies. Parallels between the structure of data arising from these studies and teratology studies are discussed. Evaluation of historical control data demonstrates the importance of recognizing non-independence of responses among cells within an animal. Models investigated that take into account this non-independence of responses include the beta-binomial, negative binomial, and correlated binomial models. Results indicate that the beta-binomial model performs best in terms of its ability to fit available control data. Suggestions for the incorporation of historical control data, based upon the two-stage structure of the candidate models, are made.

A survey of genetic toxicology testing in industry, contract laboratories and government

Genetic Toxicology Association members from governmental, contract and industrial laboratories were surveyed to determine the status of 28 recognized genetic toxicology assays in their laboratories. Compiled results of the 1982 questionnaire indicate that the Ames test, in vitro cytogenetics, in vitro sister chromatid exchange, unscheduled DNA synthesis, mutation in Chinese hamster ovary cells at the HGPRT locus, and in vivo bone marrow assays were the most frequently performed routine tests by the majority of laboratory affiliations. Investigation of the number of transformation assays performed indicated a high routine use. However, their use was largely confined to contract laboratories. Volume analysis of chemicals tested for 1982 indicated: (i) contract laboratories studied the largest number of compounds over the broadest spectrum of assays; (ii) industrial laboratories processed more compounds in the Ames test than any other laboratory group; and (iii) governmental laboratories ranked lowest in numbers of compounds evaluated both in-house and/or subcontracted .

The genetic toxicology of Kathon biocide, a mixture of 5-chloro-2-methyl-4-isothiazolin-3-one and 2-methyl-4-isothiazolin-3-one

Kathon biocide, an aqueous solution containing a mixture of 5-chloro-2-methyl-4-isothiazolin-3-one and 2-methyl-4-isothiazolin-3-one in an approximate ratio of 3:1, was tested for mutagenic activity in Salmonella typhimurium, L5178Y mouse lymphoma cells in culture and Drosophila melanogaster. Tests also were conducted for chromosome aberrations in vivo on mouse bone marrow cells, for DNA damage/repair in primary rat hepatocytes in culture, and for morphological transformation in C3H 10T1/2 cells in culture. Kathon biocide produced point mutations in the absence of a rat-liver metabolizing system in bacteria (strain TA 100) and mammalian cells in culture. In the presence of rat-liver metabolizing system a 10-fold higher concentration was required to induce point mutations in mammalian cells in culture. No mutagenic activity was observed with the metabolizing system and S. typhimurium. Negative results were obtained in the sex-linked recessive lethal assay in Drosophila, the in vivo cytogenetic assay in mice, the unscheduled DNA synthesis assay in cultured rat hepatocytes, and the in vitro cell transformation assay.

Separation of glutathione S-transferase activities with epoxides from the mouse liver h-protein, a major polycyclic hydrocarbon-binding protein

The C3H mouse liver h-protein is a cytoplasmic protein to which metabolites of carcinogenic polycyclic hydrocarbons bind covalently following i.p. injection. It has a number of physical properties similar to those of the glutathione S-transferases (EC 2.5.1.18). These properties include molecular weight (40,000), number of subunits (2), basic isoelectric point around 8.0, sedimentation coefficient (3.5S), and subcellular localization. In this communication, we have shown that glutathione S-transferase activities with 1,2-epoxy(3-p-nitrophenoxy)propane and benz[a]anthracene 5,6-oxide as substrates were separated from the h-protein on carboxymethylcellulose and isoelectrofocusing columns. The purification of the mouse h-protein as a [3H]-7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene conjugate or as the free form is also described.