[Cloning, Expression, and Characterization of Novel Laccase Enzyme from Native Bacillus subtilis Strain OH67]

Bacterial laccases are very stable at high temperature and high pH values, and have many biotechnological and industrial applications. Here we describe how we cloned, expressed and purified the laccase from Bacillus subtilis (B. subtilis). The enzyme molecular weight has been determined as 34 kDa in SDS-PAGE analysis. The activity of the recombinant enzyme has been proved by guaiacol oxidation. The KM and Vmax values of the enzyme were at 1.1077 mM and at 19.3 μmol/min/mg, respectively. The recombinant laccase was effective in the decolorization of Turquoise blue HF6, Remazol red 106, Remazol brilliant orange 3R, and Brilliant blue, thus, possessing the characteristics necessary for its possible application in textile and environmental industries.

Should we leave the paper currency? A microbiological examination

Objetives

Pathogens can be transmitted to banknotes due to the personal unhygienic habits. The aim of study was to find the possible pathogens on the banknotes circulating in the market and also to present their antibacterial resistance and their various virulence factors using genotypic and phenotypic methods.

Material and methods

A total of 150 samples of banknotes were randomly collected between August 2017 and March 2018. VITEK systems were used for identification and antimicrobial susceptibility testing respectively. Antimicrobial resistance genes (mecA, van, extended-spectrum β-lactamase [ESBL] and carbapenemases) and staphyloccoccal virulence genes (staphyloccoccal enterotoxins [SEs], pvl, and tsst-1) were determined using with real-time PCR.

Results

Staphylococcus aureus, coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS), Enterococcus spp., Gram-negative enteric bacteria, non-fermentative Gram-negative bacteria and Candida spp. were detected 48%, 54.7%, 56%, 21.3%, 18.7%, and 4%, respectively. Methicillin-resistant S. aureus, vancomycin-resistant enterococci and ESBL producing Gram-negative were found 46.8%, 1.3%, and 28.7%, respectively. Pvl, tsst-1, and SEs genes were found in a 2.8/4.9%, 1.4/1.2%, and 100/ 87.8% of the S. aureus/CoNS strains, respectively. The sea gene was found the most common enterotoxigenic gene. bla_TEM, bla_SHV, blaCTX-M-2, blaCTX-M-1, bla_KPC, and blaOXA-48 were found 55.8%, 46.5%, 41.2%, 18.6%, 18.6%, and 18.6%, respectively in Gram-negative strains.

Conclusion

These results is very important to highlight hygienic status of paper currencies. This can be considered as an indication that banknotes may contribute to the spread of pathogens and antimicrobial resistance. Therefore, we may need to start using alternative products instead of banknotes.

Occupational exposure to hepatitis infection among Turkish nurses: frequency of needle exposure, sharps injuries and vaccination

The aim of this study was to assess the demographic factors and pattern of injuries sustained by nurses, and to determine the occupational hazard of exposure to hepatitis B (HBV) and C (HCV) viruses among nurses. The study involved 906 hospital-based nurses working in three large hospitals. Between August 2002 and January 2003 a total of 595 practising nurses were accepted for inclusion. The results of questionnaires completed were collated and chi2 and ratios were used for analysis. Of the 595 nurses, 111 (18.7%) had evidence of previous or current HBV infection and 32 (5.4%) of HCV infection. We found that 11.2% of the nurses who had worked for a period of between 0 and 5 years and 37.1% of those who had worked for a period between 16 and 20 years had evidence of HBV or HCV infection. Of the nurses working in surgical clinics, 59.4% had evidence of previous HBV or HCV infection and those working in hospital clinics had an 18.2% infection rate. Of the nurses occupationally exposed to HBV and HCV infections, 22.4% had received sharps injuries from apparatus and 63.6% had suffered needlestick exposure. Findings also showed 2.7% HBsAg positivity and 5.4% anti-HCV positivity. Of the 452 (76%) nurses who faced the occupational hazard of exposure to hepatitis infections, 27.7% (125/452) had not been vaccinated against HBV. Nurses working in our health-care sector are frequently exposed to occupational exposure for HBV and HCV infections. In order to prevent the infection of nurses with hepatitis, we advocate precautions and protection from sharps injuries. A programme of education, vaccination and post-exposure prophylaxis must be implemented.

High-dose thiotepa, melphalan and carboplatin (TMCb) followed by autologous stem cell transplantation in patients with advanced breast cancer: a retrospective evaluation

This study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of high-dose thiotepa, melphalan and carboplatin (TMCb) regimen in 27 patients undergoing autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) for metastatic breast cancer. A total of 27 patients with stage IV breast cancer underwent ASCT following thiotepa (500 mg/m(2)), melphalan (100 mg/m(2)) and carboplatin (1200-1350 mg/m(2)). Of 27 patients, 17 had refractory relapse, eight had responding relapse, and two had no evidence of disease (NED) at the time of transplant. In all, 11 patients had only bone disease, nine had bone plus visceral disease, three had only visceral disease, and two had locoregional recurrent disease. The median time from diagnosis to transplant was 1081 days (range 180-2341). Staging for evaluation of response was performed 4-6 months after transplantation. Five patients were not evaluable (NE) for response because of NED at transplant (n=2) or early death due to transplant-related complications (n=3) (two of viral pneumonia and one of regimen-related toxicity) occurring at a median of 4 days (range 11-46) post-transplant. One of the two patients who was NED at the time of transplant is still NED on day 760 post-transplant. Seven of 15 refractory (47%) and 5/7 (71%) responsive patients with evaluable disease achieved a complete response of all measurable disease or all soft-tissue disease with at least improvement in bone lesions. Of 27 patients (37%),(10) are alive and progression-free, a median of 582 days (range 410-1380) after treatment, 6/17 (35%) with refractory disease and 4/10 (40%) with responsive disease. The probability of progression-free survival (PFS) for all patients was 0.50. The probabilities of PFS at 2 years for patients with refractory (n=17) and responsive (n=10) disease were 0.42 and 0.60, respectively. PFS at 2 years for the 14 patients who were NED or achieved CR/PR(*) following-HDC was 0.67. PFS at 2 years for patients who did not achieve CR/PR(*) following-DHC was 0.33. These preliminary data suggest that high-dose TMCb followed by autologous stem cell transplantation is an effective regimen for patients with advanced breast cancer and may be comparable to some previously used regimens.

A comparison of susceptibilities to infection of four species of Hyalomma ticks with Theileria annulata

In this comparative study unfed nymphs of four Hyalomma tick species (Hyalomma anatolicum anatolicum, Hyalomma anatolicum excavatum, Hyalomma detritum and Hyalomma marginatum marginatum) were allowed to engorge on calves experimentally infected with Theileria annulata. The infection prevalence in the salivary glands of the adult female and male ticks of each Hyalomma species used in the study were assessed. The infection prevalence with T. annulata was high and did not vary markedly in the four Hyalomma tick species. The mean number of infected acini per tick in female and male ticks was different with female ticks having higher numbers of infected acini than the male ticks. The sex difference was more significant between H.a. anatolicum and H.a. excavatum than between H. detritum and H.m. marginatum. This study clarifies the roles of four Hyalomma tick species, and their sex, in the development of T. annulata.

A randomized trial of assessment of efficacy of leukapheresis volumes, 8 liters vs 12 liters

It is logical to expect that large-volume leukapheresis may be able to collect adequate numbers of PBSC with fewer procedures. To date, there is no agreement on the optimal volume of leukapheresis. Therefore, in this study we compared 8 l volume with 12 l and assessed whether a 50% increase in the blood volume processed would decrease the number of leukaphereses each patient needed to collect > or =2.5 x 10(6) CD34(+) cells/kg in normal mobilizers. PBSC mobilization was done with cyclophosphamide etoposide followed by rhG-CSF in all patients. Forty patients were randomized to undergo 8 l leukaphereses (n = 20 patients) or 12 l leukaphereses (n = 20). The median numbers of leukaphereses required in order to collect > or =2.5 x 10(6) CD34(+) cells/kg in patients processed with 8 l and 12 l were 1 (range 1-5) and 1 (1-4), respectively (P = 0.50). The median number of total nucleated cells (TNC) collected per patient was greater for the 12 l group (7.47 x 10(8)/kg vs 3.90 x 10(8)/kg, P < 0.001), as was the median number of total mononuclear cells (TMNC) (4.26 x 10(8)/kg vs 2.16 x 10(8)/kg, P < 0.001), whereas there was no difference between the two groups for the median number of CD34(+)cells collected per patient (8.94 x 10(6)/kg vs 8.60 x 10(6)/kg, P = 0.85). The TNCs and TMNCs collected per leukapheresis were again greater for the 12 l group (3.64 x 10(8)/kg vs 1.91 x 10(8)/kg, P = 0.001 and 2.17 x 10(8)/kg vs 0.88 x 10(8)/kg, P < 0.001), whereas there was no difference between the two groups for the median number of CD34(+) cells collected per leukapheresis (3.98 x 10(6)/kg vs 3.26 x 10(6)/kg, P = 0.90). This study showed that there is no difference between 8 l and 12 l volumes in regard to collected CD34(+) cells/kg and also the use of a 12 l leukapheresis volume did not decrease the number of leukaphereses performed compared with a 8 l leukapheresis volume. In fact, the use of the larger leukapheresis volume had the disadvantage of adding 60 min to the time the patient was on the machine.

Mobilization of peripheral blood stem cells with chemotherapy and recombinant human granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (rhG-CSF): a randomized evaluation of different doses of rhG-CSF

To date, no randomized study has compared different doses of recombinant human granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (rhG-CSF) following submyeloablative mobilization chemotherapy. Therefore, we evaluated the effect of different doses of rhG-CSF following mobilization chemotherapy on yields of CD34+ peripheral blood stem cells (PBSC). Fifty patients were randomized to receive 8 (n = 25) versus 16 microg/kg/d (n = 25) of rhG-CSF following mobilization chemotherapy. The median number of CD34+ cells collected after 8 microg/kg/d of rhG-CSF was 2.36 x 10(6)/kg (range, 0.21-7.80), compared with 7.99 (2.76-14.89) after 16 microg/kg/d (P < 0.001). Twenty out of 25 (80%) patients in the low-dose and 23 out of 25 (92%) in the high-dose rhG-CSF arm underwent high-dose chemotherapy (HDC) and autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT). Median days to white blood cell engraftment in patients mobilized with 8 microg/kg and 16 microg/kg of rhG-CSF were 12 (10-20) and 9 (8-11) respectively (P < 0.001). There was no difference between the two groups regarding the other parameters of peritransplant morbidity: days to platelet engraftment (P = 0.10), number of red blood cell (P = 0.56) and platelet transfusions (P = 0.22), days of total parenteral nutrition requirement (P = 0.84), fever (P = 0.93) and antibiotics (P = 0.77), and number of different antibiotics used (P = 0.58). These data showed that higher doses of rhG-CSF following submyeloablative mobilization chemotherapy were associated with a clear dose-response effect based on the collected cell yields. Based on the parameters of peritransplant morbidity, 8 microg/kg/d was as effective as 16 microg/kg/d except for a rapid neutrophil engraftment in the high-dose arm. Therefore, in routine clinical practice, despite some advantage in the use of higher doses of rhG-CSF, lower doses may be used for PBSC collections following chemotherapy-based mobilization regimens in this cost-conscious era.

Coccidia (Protozoa: Eimeridae) of the herbivorous mole-rat, Spalax leucodon Nordmann

A survey of 96 herbivorous mole-rats, Spalax leucodon Nordmann, in Lalahan district of Ankara, Turkey, revealed the presence of 6 new species of coccidia. The species found, the shape and average length-width dimensions (in micrometers) of their oocysts, and the numbers of animals from which they were isolated were as follow: Eimeria lalahanensis sp. n., subspherical to ellipsoidal (20.3 X 12.5), from 10; Eimeria tuzdili sp. n., spherical to subspherical with radially striated oocyst wall, (20.5 X 16.5), from 3; Eimeria spalacis sp. n., ellipsoidal to cylindrical (16.3 X 9.8), from 90; Eimeria elliptica sp. n., ellipsoidal (14.3 X 10.1), from 8; Eimeria turkmenica sp. n., ellipsoidal (11.3 X 8.9), from 1; Isospora anatolicum sp. n., spherical (7.6 X 5.1), from 1 animal. The overall infection rate for 96 examined herbivorous mole-rats was 100%.