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Objectives To investigate the composition and drug resistance of pathogens causing the complicated urinary tract infections so as to provide guidance for reasonable use of antibiotics. Methods A retrospective analysis of clinical data and drug sensitivity test results of 108 patients with complicated urinary tract infections were made. Results 108 cases were detected in 325 urine samples of pathogens, including 218 strains of Gram–negative, coccus (67.08%), 62 strains of Gram–positive coccus (19.08%), 45 of the fungus(13.85%); Gram–negative strains of Escherichia coli accounted for 30.15%, followed by Pseudomonas aeruginosa (16.00%), Enterobacter cloacae (9.23%) and Klebsiella neumonia (7.69%).62 strains of Gram–positive coccus, staphylococcus aureus (7.08%), Enterococcus faecalis (5.54%) and urinary enterococci (4.92%) were commonly observed. The drug resistance rate of Gram–negative bacteria and positive bacteria to cephalosporins, penicillins, quinolones and gentamicin was as high as 50%, and the drug resistance rate of Gram–negative bacteria to meropenem and imipenem was less than 20%.The drug resistance rate of Gram–positive bacteria to vancomycin, teicoplanin and linezolid was less than 10%, and there was highly sensitive. Conclusions The complicated urinary tract infections bacterial spectrum and drug resistance have undergone significant changes, susceptibility testing should be carried out to select high sensitivity antibacterial drug clinically, it should not use a conventional cephalosporins and quinolones for empirical medication. Key words: Urinary Tract Infections; Drug Tolerance

O consumo de carne de frango contaminada com Salmonella é uma causa importante de salmonelose em todo o mundo. Essa doença transmitida por alimentos, é um problema de saúde pública e causa de perdas econômicas substanciais. O processo de irradiação é um método eficiente de conservação de alimentos por reduzir o número de microrganismos patogênicos e deteriorantes, sem que as características organolépticas e nutricionais do alimento sejam alteradas significativamente. Os objetivos desta pesquisa foram determinar o valor D10 de Salmonella Typhimurium ATCC 14028, inoculada em sobrecoxas de frango, e recomendar uma dose de radiação para ser aplicada a esse alimento a fim de torná-lo seguro do ponto de vista microbiológico. O valor D10 foi calculado a partir da curva de sobreviventes dessa bactéria em sobrecoxas de frango, após terem sido expostas às doses de 0kGy; 0,1kGy; 0,2kGy; 0,3kGy; 0,5kGy; 0,6kGy; 0,7kGy e 0,8kGy. O valor D10 variou de 0,241kGy a 0,480kGy. Considerando o maior valor D10 e o maior nível de contaminação de Salmonella spp encontrado em sobrecoxas de frango - 0,4NMP/g - adquiridas em feiras livres da cidade de São Paulo, a dose de radiação gama recomendada para garantir a segurança do produto em relação à presença de Salmonella spp é de 3,8kGy.

The landscape application of sweet osmanthus (Osmanthus fragrans) with flower fragrance and high ornamental value is severely limited by salinity stress. Gamma irradiation applied to seeds enhanced their tolerance to salinity stress as reported in other plants. In this study, O. fragrans ‘Huangchuang Jingui’ seeds were pretreated with different doses of gamma irradiation, and tolerance of the seedlings germinated from the irradiated seeds to salinity stress and the changes of reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and ROS scavenging systems induced by gamma irradiation were observed. The results showed that seed pretreatment with different doses of gamma irradiation enhanced the tolerance of sweet osmanthus seedlings to salinity stress, and the positive effect induced by gamma irradiation was more remarkable with the increase of radiation dose (50–150 Gy). The pretreatment with high-dose irradiation decreased O2− production under salinity stress and mitigated the oxidative damage marked by a lower malondialdehyde (MDA) level, which could be related to the significant increase of superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD) and catalase (CAT) activities in the seedlings germinated from the irradiated seeds compared to the corresponding control seedlings. In addition, the accumulation of proline in the irradiated seedlings may contribute to enhancing their tolerance to salt stress by the osmotic adjustment. The study demonstrated the importance of regulating plant ROS balance under salt stress and provided a potential approach to improve the tolerance of sweet osmanthus to salt stress.

A study has been made on the compatibility of recycled polyethylene terephthalate (R-PET) and low density polyethylene (LDPE) blend in the presence of ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) as a compatibilizing agent prepared by extrusion hot stretching process. EVA content in the blend as a compatibilizing agent was an enhancement effect on radiation crosslinking of R-PET/EVA/LDPE blends and the highest radiation crosslinking was obtained when the EVA content was reached at 10 % EVA when irradiated by gamma irradiation. Blends containing different (EVA) ratios were irradiated to different doses of gamma irradiation 25, 50 and 100 kGy. The effect of the compatibilizer and radiation on mechanical, thermal properties of R-PET together with LDPE and morphology has been investigated. It was found that gamma irradiation together with the presence of compatibilizing agent (EVA) has positive effect on the mechanical and thermal properties of R-PET/LDPE blend. The structural properties of R-PET/LDPE modified by gamma irradiation and EVA as compatibilizing agent was examined by SEM. Also, it was found that the optimum concentration of EVA and gamma irradiation dose was found to be 10 % EVA and 100 kGy, respectively.

The interest in the development of edible and biodegradable films has increased because it is every day more evident that non-degradable materials are doing much damage to the environment. Blends based on different ratios of plasticized poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA), carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) and Tannin compound were prepared by solution casting in the form of thin films. Then the blend films were exposed to different doses of gamma radiation. First, the effect of gamma irradiation and the Tannin compound, as an antimicrobial agent, on the thermal and mechanical properties was investigated. As an application in the field of the prolongation of food preservation lifetime, banana fruits were coated with solutions of gamma irradiated PVA/CMC blends in the presence of Tannin. The results showed that the gamma irradiation improved the thermal properties, which provides suitable materials based on natural biodegradable polymers for food preservation withstanding the temperature and stresses.

The effect of gamma irradiation on the synthesis, microbiological sterility, and improvement of properties of PMMA-Al2O3 composite used in dental prosthesis manufacturing

Changes in contents and in vitro digestibility of laying-hens excreta used as feedstuffs due to drying and gamma irradiation

Objective To investigate the distribution and drug resistance of bacterial pathogens isolated from orthopedic wounds. Methods Data of bacterial strains isolated from orthopedic wounds in the Third Hospital of Hebei Medical University from January 2008 to December 2012 were retrospectively analyzed. Strains were identified by using French bioMerieux Vitek32 identification system, and the drug susceptibility was tested by Kirby-Bauer method. Chi-square test for linear trend was performed to reveal the changes of distribution and drug resistance of the strains. Results A total of 2 456 bacterial strains were isolated, with 1 652 (67.26%) gram-negative bacilli, 777 (31.64%) gram-positive cocci, 26 (1.06%) fungi, and 1 (0.04%) gram-positive bacillus. The top five pathogens were Staphylococcus aureus (666 strains, 27.12%), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (606 strains, 24.67%), Acinetobacter baumannii (355 strains, 14.45%), Escherichia coli (188 strains, 7.65%) and Enterobacter cloacae (187 strains, 7.61%). The positive rate of Acinetobacter baumannii was on the rise during 2008 and 2012 (χ2=35.266, P<0.01). The rates of pan-drug resistant strains in Acinetobacter baumannii and Pseudomonas aeruginosa were 6.20% (22/355) and 0.17% (1/606), respectively. The rates of extended-spectrum β-lactamases positive strains in Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae were 39.89% (75/188) and 29.23% (19/65), respectively. The rates of methicillin-resistant strains in Staphylococcus aureus and coagulase-negative Staphylococcus were 40.69% (271/666) and 52.38% (22/42), respectively. The rate of vancomycin-intermediate strains in Enterococci was 3.70% (2/54). The positive rate of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus was on the rise during 2008 and 2012 (χ2=18.317, P<0.01). Staphylococcus aureus were sensitive to teicoplanin, vancomycin and linezolid; Resistance rates to rifampicin and amikacin were 11.29%-33.33%; Resistance rates to penicillins and erythromycin were 76.80%-100.00%; Resistance rates to cefazolin, cefuroxime, cefoxitin, amikacin and levofloxacin were on the rise (P<0.05); And resistance rates to sulfamethoxazole (28.11%-48.35%) were on the decline in the same period (P<0.01). Resistance rates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa to imipenem, meropenem and sulfamethoxazole were on the rise (P<0.05); Resistance rates to ciprofloxacin, levofloxacin, amikacin, gentamicin and piperacillin/tazobactam were on the decline (P<0.05); Resistance rates to cefoperazone/sulbactam were the lowest (9.15%-20.51%). Resistance rates of Acinetobacter baumannii to imipenem, meropenem, levofloxacin, piperacillin/tazobactam, sulfamethoxazole were on the rise (P<0.01); Resistance rates to cefoperazone/sulbactam were the lowest (11.86%-19.70%). Escherichia coli and Enterobacter cloacae were sensitive to imipenem and meropenem, and the resistance rates to cefoperazone/sulbactam and piperacillin/tazobactam were low (0-14.29%); Resistance rates of Escherichia coli to piperacillin, cefepime, amikacin, levofloxacin, cefoperazone/sulbactam were on the decline (P<0.05); Resistance rates of Enterobacter cloacae to cefoxitin were on the rise (P<0.01), while the resistance rates to piperacillin, ceftazidime, cefoperazone, ceftriaxone, levofloxacin were on the decline (P<0.05). Conclusion During 2008 and 2012, the predominant bacterial pathogens of orthopedic wound in patients of the Third Hospital of Hebei Medical University are Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Acinetobacter baumannii, Escherichia coli and Enterobacter cloacae, and most strains are multiple drug resistant. Key words: Hospital, orthopedic; Wound infection; Pathogen; Drug resistance

Irradiated vacuum-packed lamb meat stored under refrigeration: Microbiology, physicochemical stability and sensory acceptance

Effect of high doses of gamma radiation on the functional characteristics of amniotic membrane

Gamma irradiation is an effective and widely used method in the agricultural sector to alter the traits of plants especially for commercialization purposes and as a mitigation measure to ensure food security in the future. Vigna radiata (mung bean) is one of the most important legume crops in Asian countries that is not fully exploited. Therefore, this research aimed to determine the effects of gamma irradiation on the cytology and growth of mung beans. The mung bean seeds were exposed to different doses of gamma radiation; 0, 200, 400, 600, 800, and 1000 Gy. The increasing dose of gamma irradiation caused an insignificant decrease (p&gt;0.05) in the mitotic index of V. radiata meristematic cells. However, a significant increase at p&lt;0.05 in the percentage of clastogenic chromosomal aberration was observed in the meristematic cells of plants irradiated at 800 and 1000 Gy. The survival percentage, plant height, and root length were inversely proportional to the percentage of chromosomal aberration and clastogenic abnormalities when the irradiation dose exceeded the LD50 (752.50 Gy). In conclusion, gamma rays greatly induced clastogenic abnormalities which have varying impacts on the cytology and growth of V. radiata plants.

The present study was aimed to develop mutant sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum L. var. Isd. 39) using gamma radiation followed by regeneration of those mutants through in vitro technique. Five different doses of gamma radiation (10, 20, 30, 40 and 50 Gy) were applied to the sugarcane setts and among these doses 10 Gy irradiated mutant sugarcane showed the best agronomical traits. In addition, 10 Gy irradiated mutant sugarcane also contained higher sugar concentrations (14.25%) compared to control (14.23%). On the other hand, shoot tip and young folded leaf segments from the 10 Gy irradiated plants (M1 generation) were used as explants in in vitro culture. It was evident from the experiment that direct shoot regeneration was better than indirect regeneration. Young leaf segments produced the highest percentage (84%) of shoots when cultured on MS+1.0 mg/l Kin + 0.2 mg/l NAA. The mean number of shoots was recorded as 35 ± 1.12 in the same medium. Moreover, addition of 4% sucrose and 10% coconut water (CW) in the same medium increased the number of shoot up to 45 per culture. Best rooting was obtained from shoots cultured on half-strength of MS fortified with 1.0mg/l NAA and 0.5mg/l IBA. Well-rooted plantlets were transferred to poly bag containing soil and compost (2:1) for hardening. During hardening 70% plantlets survived, which were subsequently transferred to the experimental field.Jahangirnagar University J. Biol. Sci. 5(1): 1-9, 2016 (June)

The nopal cactus, a plant from the Cactaceae family, holds significant economic and nutritional value for Mexico. This study aimed to enhance the genetic diversity and morphological traits of Opuntia velutina, a species cultivated as a vegetable nopal. A total of 1050 in vitro O. velutina explants were exposed to 15 different doses of gamma radiation from 60Co gamma, ranging from 5 to 125 Gy. The lethal dose was above 50 Gy, with an LD50 of 22.8 Gy for stimulating in vitro shoot growth. Shoots derived from doses between 5 and 50 Gy were subjected to in vitro shoot proliferation across four consecutive generations to stabilize morphological traits. Cluster analysis categorized the 178 irradiated shoots into 13 distinct morphological groups (CG1–CG13). Twenty-seven shoots exhibiting significant morphological improvements, such as a 50–100% increase in cladode length, up to a six-fold increase in shoot number, and up to a seven-fold increase in root number, were selected for molecular analysis of genetic diversity. Six primers were used with the Inter Simple Sequence Repeat (ISSR) molecular markers to examine genetic uniformity, yielding 54.5% polymorphic bands, indicating a high level of genetic variation. Both a UPGMA dendrogram and STRUCTURE-based Bayesian analysis confirmed the genetic divergence among the selected mutant lines. Overall, gamma irradiation effectively enhanced both phenotypic and genotypic diversity in O. velutina. This study corroborates that in vitro mutagenesis through gamma radiation is a viable strategy for generating novel genotypes with breeding potential within the Opuntia genus.

Gamma radiation and heat treatments are considered promising techniques for disinfestation treatments against stored product pests. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of thermal treatment with 40, 50, 70 and 90°C and different doses of gamma radiation from 40 to 350 Gy on Sitotroga cerealella stages. The result demonstrated that the LD50 of gamma-irradiation was 57.7, 61.9 and 74.0 Gy in irradiated eggs, pupae, and larvae, respectively. Concomitantly, the complete mortality (100 %) of heat treatment was recorded at 40°C, while the 90°C caused 100 % mortality to larva and egg stages. The results indicated that the egg stage is highly sensitive to irradiation doses than larvae and pupal stages, while the pupal stage is highly sensitive to the heat treatments than eggs and larval stages. Consequently, treatment with low doses 80 Gy and low heat condition 40°C was more effective than the other combination treatments. The results suggested that 80 Gy & 40°C was an effective treatment to prevent the reproduction of S. cerealella and could use for managing this pest with was the environment.

Vincristine increases the genomic instability in irradiated cultured human peripheral blood lymphocytes