scholarly journals Rifaximin Modulates the Vaginal Microbiome and Metabolome in Women Affected by Bacterial Vaginosis

2014 ◽  
Vol 58 (6) ◽  
pp. 3411-3420 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luca Laghi ◽  
Gianfranco Picone ◽  
Federica Cruciani ◽  
Patrizia Brigidi ◽  
Fiorella Calanni ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Bacterial Vaginosis ◽  
Bacterial Communities ◽  
Principal Component ◽  
Short Chain Fatty Acids ◽  
Gardnerella Vaginalis ◽  
Multivariate Statistical ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Statistical Strategy ◽  
Acid Succinate ◽  
Set Up

ABSTRACTBacterial vaginosis (BV) is a common vaginal disorder characterized by the decrease of lactobacilli and overgrowth ofGardnerella vaginalisand resident anaerobic vaginal bacteria. In the present work, the effects of rifaximin vaginal tablets on vaginal microbiota and metabolome of women affected by BV were investigated by combining quantitative PCR and a metabolomic approach based on1H nuclear magnetic resonance. To highlight the general trends of the bacterial communities and metabolomic profiles in response to the antibiotic/placebo therapy, a multivariate statistical strategy was set up based on the trajectories traced by vaginal samples in a principal component analysis space. Our data demonstrated the efficacy of rifaximin in restoring a health-like condition in terms of both bacterial communities and metabolomic features. In particular, rifaximin treatment was significantly associated with an increase in the lactobacillus/BV-related bacteria ratio, as well as with an increase in lactic acid concentration and a decrease of a pool of metabolites typically produced by BV-related bacteria (acetic acid, succinate, short-chain fatty acids, and biogenic amines). Among the tested dosages of rifaximin (100 and 25 mg for 5 days and 100 mg for 2 days), 25 mg for 5 days was found to be the most effective.

Food safety practices in European TV cooking shows

2014 ◽  
Vol 116 (10) ◽  
pp. 1652-1666 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniela Borda ◽  
Miles R. Thomas ◽  
Solveig Langsrud ◽  
Kathrin Rychli ◽  
Kieran Jordan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Food Safety ◽  
Principal Component ◽  
Personal Hygiene ◽  
Food Handling ◽  
Multivariate Statistical ◽  
Safety Practices ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Cooking Practices ◽  
Cooking Shows ◽  
Good Hygiene

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to determine how well cooking shows promote safe food handling via TV and to suggest their use for providing good hygiene and good cooking practices examples for consumers. Design/methodology/approach – Principal component analysis was applied for the multivariate statistical analysis of the cooking shows, the components being: personal hygiene, cross-contamination, cooking and storing practices and risk communication. Data were collected via a questionnaire special designed for the purpose of the study. The positive attributes were converted into numbers using a nine-point Likert scale. This conversion enabled ranking of the cooking shows as a function of the total results obtained and considering the best show as the one with the maximum score attained. Findings – Evaluation of cooking practices by food safety professionals highlighted the most frequent safety errors and poor practices that are disseminated by the TV shows. Practical implications – While the repetition of good food handling and cooking practices risks antagonizing viewers, an increase in occasional emphasis of good hygiene would be of benefit to domestic viewers and potentially improve food safety practices among the public. Originality/value – This is the first study that gives an European perspective on presentation of safety practices during food handling and preparation in a range of TV cooking shows as it examines 19 such shows broadcasted in six European countries over three months. Adherence to food safety standards and introduction of a star rating system for safety practices in TV cooking shows is proposed.

scholarly journals Bacterial communities forming the vaginal micro-ecosystem in norm and in bacterial vaginosis

2017 ◽  
Vol 66 (6) ◽  
pp. 30-43
Author(s):  
Veronika V. Nazarova ◽  
Elena V. Shipitsyna ◽  
Kira V. Shalepo ◽  
Alevtina M. Savicheva
Keyword(s):  
Cluster Analysis ◽  
Bacterial Vaginosis ◽  
Bacterial Communities ◽  
Wide Spectrum ◽  
Reproductive Age ◽  
Gardnerella Vaginalis ◽  
Nugent Score ◽  
Facultative Anaerobes ◽  
Normal Microflora ◽  
Cluster 2

Background. Bacterial vaginosis (BV) is disturbance of the vaginal microbiota, characterized by displacement of lactobacilli with anaerobic bacteria and capable of adversely affecting women’s reproductive health. In the development of BV, a wide spectrum of bacteria substantially differing in their properties is involved. Grouping vaginal bacterial communities into clusters, or types of microbiocenosis, might contribute to understanding of pathogenic mechanisms and elaboration of effective tools for diagnostics and therapy of the disease. Aim. Determination and comparative analysis of clusters of vaginal bacterial communities in norm and in BV. Materials and methods. Women of reproductive age were enrolled in the study. For the diagnosis of BV, the Nugent score was used. Vaginal swab samples from all women were analyzed with the test Femoflor-16, intended for evaluation of the vaginal microbiocenosis using multiplex quantitative real-time PCR. Two-step cluster analysis was applied for grouping bacterial communities. Differences between the clusters were evaluated using pairwise comparisons. Results. Of 280 women enrolled in the study, 172 had normal microflora, 27 – intermediate microflora, 81 – BV. In cluster analysis, 270 samples valid in PCR testing were included. All the vaginal bacterial communities were grouped into 4 clusters. Cluster 1 (n = 171) included cases when the vaginal microflora consisted mostly of lactobacilli. Cluster 2 (n = 11) encompassed cases of domination of aerobic microflora: Enterobacteriaceae, Streptococcus and Staphylococcus. Clusters 3 (n = 57) and 4 (n = 31) were connected with BV and included cases of prevailing of facultative anaerobes (Gardnerella vaginalis, Atopobium vaginae) and obligate anaerobes (Sneathia/Leptotrichia/Fusobacterium, Megasphaera/Veillonella/Dialister, Lachnobacterium/Clostridium), respectively. Nearly all cases of cluster 1 belonged to the category of normal microflora of the Nugent score. The majority of bacterial communities of cluster 2 matched intermediate microflora, cluster 3 – BV category with a score of 7 or 8, cluster 4 – BV category with a score of 9 or 10. The clusters differed significantly in vaginal рН, with the highest values observed for cluster 4. Conclusions. Vaginal bacterial communities are grouped into 4 main clusters, characterized by domination of lactobacilli, aerobes, facultative anaerobes or obligate anaerobes. The clusters belong to different categories of the Nugent score and differ significantly in vaginal pH.

scholarly journals Gemini Cationic Amphiphiles Control Biofilm Formation by Bacterial Vaginosis Pathogens

2017 ◽  
Vol 61 (12) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ammar Algburi ◽  
Yingyue Zhang ◽  
Richard Weeks ◽  
Nicole Comito ◽  
Saskia Zehm ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Bacterial Vaginosis ◽  
Biofilm Formation ◽  
Normal Growth ◽  
Gardnerella Vaginalis ◽  
Planktonic Cells ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Cationic Amphiphiles ◽  
Promising Strategy ◽  
Head Groups ◽  
Conventional Antibiotics

ABSTRACT Antibiotic resistance and recurrence of bacterial vaginosis (BV), a polymicrobial infection, justify the need for novel antimicrobials to counteract microbial resistance to conventional antibiotics. Previously, two series of cationic amphiphiles (CAms) which self-assemble into supramolecular nanostructures with membrane-lytic properties were designed with hydrophilic head groups and nonpolar domains. The combination of CAms and commonly prescribed antibiotics is suggested as a promising strategy for targeting microorganisms that are resistant to conventional antibiotics. Activities of the CAms against Gardnerella vaginalis ATCC 14018, a representative BV pathogen, ranged from 1.1 to 24.4 μM. Interestingly, the tested healthy Lactobacillus species, especially Lactobacillus plantarum ATCC 39268, were significantly more tolerant of CAms than the selected pathogens. In addition, CAms prevented biofilm formation at concentrations which did not influence the normal growth ability of G. vaginalis ATCC 14018. Furthermore, the biofilm minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC-Bs) of CAms against G. vaginalis ATCC 14018 ranged from 58.8 to 425.6 μM, while much higher concentrations (≥850 μM) were required to produce ≥3-log reductions in the number of biofilm-associated lactobacilli. The conventional antibiotic metronidazole synergized strongly with all tested CAms against planktonic cells and biofilms of G. vaginalis ATCC 14018. The synergism between CAms and the tested conventional antibiotic may be considered a new, effective, and beneficial method of controlling biofilm-associated bacterial vaginosis.

scholarly journals Comparison of the Levels of Bacterial Diversity in Freshwater, Intertidal Wetland, and Marine Sediments by Using Millions of Illumina Tags

2012 ◽  
Vol 78 (23) ◽  
pp. 8264-8271 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yu Wang ◽  
Hua-Fang Sheng ◽  
Yan He ◽  
Jin-Ya Wu ◽  
Yun-Xia Jiang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Marine Sediments ◽  
Marine Sediment ◽  
Bacterial Communities ◽  
Principal Component ◽  
Freshwater Sediment ◽  
Intertidal Sediment ◽  
Taxon Richness ◽  
Natural Sediment ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Intertidal Wetland

ABSTRACTSediment, a special realm in aquatic environments, has high microbial diversity. While there are numerous reports about the microbial community in marine sediment, freshwater and intertidal sediment communities have been overlooked. The present study determined millions of Illumina reads for a comparison of bacterial communities in freshwater, intertidal wetland, and marine sediments along Pearl River, China, using a technically consistent approach. Our results show that both taxon richness and evenness were the highest in freshwater sediment, medium in intertidal sediment, and lowest in marine sediment. The high number of sequences allowed the determination of a wide variety of bacterial lineages in all sediments for reliable statistical analyses. Principal component analysis showed that the three types of communities could be well separated from phylum to operational taxonomy unit (OTU) levels, and the OTUs from abundant to rare showed satisfactory resolutions. Statistical analysis (LEfSe) demonstrated that the freshwater sediment was enriched withAcidobacteria,Nitrospira,Verrucomicrobia,Alphaproteobacteria, andBetaproteobacteria. The intertidal sediment had a unique community with diverse primary producers (such asChloroflexi,Bacillariophyta,Gammaproteobacteria, andEpsilonproteobacteria) as well as saprophytic microbes (such asActinomycetales,Bacteroidetes, andFirmicutes). The marine sediment had a higher abundance ofGammaproteobacteriaandDeltaproteobacteria, which were mainly involved in sulfate reduction in anaerobic conditions. These results are helpful for a systematic understanding of bacterial communities in natural sediment environments.

scholarly journals Application of Principal Component Analysis and Response Surface Methodology in the Process of Steel Wire Tempering

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 9
Author(s):  
Cristie Diego Pimenta ◽  
Messias Borges Silva ◽  
Rose Lima de Morais Campos ◽  
Fabrício Maciel Gomes
Keyword(s):  
Response Surface Methodology ◽  
Response Surface ◽  
Steel Wire ◽  
Polymer Concentration ◽  
Principal Component ◽  
Multivariate Statistical ◽  
Liquid Polymer ◽  
Strength Limit ◽  
Input Variables ◽  
Set Up

The purpose of this work was the creation of a statistical modeling capable of replacing the process used to set up of the ovens of the quenching and tempering who is traditionally accomplished through adjustments made based on the results of mechanical properties tested in laboratory and required in customer specifications. This study seeks to understand the influence of input variables (factors) on the tensile strength limit, in SAE 9254 draw steel wires, with diameters 2.00 mm and 6.50 mm, used in the manufacture of valve springs and clutch springs for automobiles. The process input variables were investigated: steel wire diameter, processing speed, temper temperature and liquid polymer concentration (which is the tempering medium). Methodologies were used where design of experiments, multiple regression and quadratic regression, principal components analysis (multivariate statistical) and response surface methodology. Results revealed which variables are significant in the process. Also models obtained were validated using appropriate statistical methods. If this study is used, it can provide the automation of this process. It’s important to point out that it could impact the increase in productivity and quality of product.

The role of citizens and transformation of energy, water, and waste infrastructure for an intelligent, sustainable environment in cities

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Margarida Rodrigues ◽  
Mário Franco
Keyword(s):  
Empirical Evidence ◽  
Environmental Sustainability ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Principal Component ◽  
Scientific Quality ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Multivariate Statistical ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Environmental Consequences ◽  
The Individual

PurposeThis study aims to list indicators to allow construction of a ranking for environmental sustainability in towns and cities, in relation to energy and water consumption and the prevention, production and management of waste. A systematization of theoretical and empirical indices was elaborated, focused on this dimension.Design/methodology/approachThe results allow presentation of a ranking supported by multivariate statistical techniques – Exploratory Factor Analysis and Principal Component Analysis – confirming its scientific quality and robustness, with this being the main contribution of the study.FindingsThe analysis of the ranking revealed the great heterogeneity of towns and cities in Portugal, with the city of Lisbon and the town of Sardoal in the Top 20, suggesting that the achievement of the goal of environmental sustainability is proactively associated with the ability to articulate resources with infrastructure and the strategic and political will applied, being essential the appeal to the individual awareness of each citizen, even if the design of green infrastructures does not depend on citizens’ behavior. This means that redesigned green infrastructures may exist, but their success depends. In addition, cities are increasingly moving toward a circular economy articulated holistically with open and participatory governance.Practical implicationsThe empirical evidence obtained in the Portuguese context provides some implications for practice, by showing it is possible to counteract the negative effects of rapid urban growth and its environmental consequences in urban and non-urban areas.Originality/valueThe main contribution and innovation of this study lie in the presentation of empirical evidence that the population density of a city or town does not have a cause–effect relationship with its level of environmental sustainability.

scholarly journals Microbial Composition Predicts Genital Tract Inflammation and Persistent Bacterial Vaginosis in South African Adolescent Females

2017 ◽  
Vol 86 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Katie Lennard ◽  
Smritee Dabee ◽  
Shaun L. Barnabas ◽  
Enock Havyarimana ◽  
Anna Blakney ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Bacterial Vaginosis ◽  
South African ◽  
Adolescent Females ◽  
Gardnerella Vaginalis ◽  
Rrna Gene ◽  
Vaginal Microbiome ◽  
Microbial Composition ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Specificity And Sensitivity ◽  
Increased Risk

ABSTRACTYoung African females are at an increased risk of HIV acquisition, and genital inflammation or the vaginal microbiome may contribute to this risk. We studied these factors in 168 HIV-negative South African adolescent females aged 16 to 22 years. Unsupervised clustering of 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed three clusters (subtypes), one of which was strongly associated with genital inflammation. In a multivariate model, the microbiome compositional subtype and hormonal contraception were significantly associated with genital inflammation. We identified 40 taxa significantly associated with inflammation, including those reported previously (Prevotella,Sneathia,Aerococcus,Fusobacterium, andGemella) as well as several novel taxa (including increased frequencies of bacterial vaginosis-associated bacterium 1 [BVAB1], BVAB2, BVAB3,Prevotella amnii,Prevotella pallens,Parvimonas micra,Megasphaera,Gardnerella vaginalis, andAtopobium vaginaeand decreased frequencies ofLactobacillus reuteri,Lactobacillus crispatus,Lactobacillus jensenii, andLactobacillus iners). Women with inflammation-associated microbiomes had significantly higher body mass indices and lower levels of endogenous estradiol and luteinizing hormone. Community functional profiling revealed three distinct vaginal microbiome subtypes, one of which was characterized by extreme genital inflammation and persistent bacterial vaginosis (BV); this subtype could be predicted with high specificity and sensitivity based on the Nugent score (≥9) or BVAB1 abundance. We propose that women with this BVAB1-dominated subtype may have chronic genital inflammation due to persistent BV, which may place them at a particularly high risk for HIV infection.

scholarly journals In VitroActivity of Nifuratel on Vaginal Bacteria: Could It Be a Good Candidate for the Treatment of Bacterial Vaginosis?

2011 ◽  
Vol 55 (5) ◽  
pp. 2490-2492 ◽  
Author(s):  
Giuseppe Togni ◽  
Valeria Battini ◽  
Anna Bulgheroni ◽  
Federico Mailland ◽  
Maurizio Caserini ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Antimicrobial Activity ◽  
Bacterial Vaginosis ◽  
Gardnerella Vaginalis ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Highly Active ◽  
Atopobium Vaginae

ABSTRACTBacterial vaginosis is characterized by a shift of the physiological flora to a diverse spectrum of bacteria, whereGardnerella vaginalisandAtopobium vaginaeare the most important markers. In this study, the antimicrobial activity of nifuratel againstG. vaginalis,A. vaginae, and lactobacilli was compared with that of the two currently used antibiotics metronidazole and clindamycin. Results suggest that nifuratel has a better spectrum of activity, being highly active againstG. vaginalisandA. vaginaewithout affecting lactobacilli.

scholarly journals Metatranscriptome Analysis of the Vaginal Microbiota Reveals Potential Mechanisms for Protection against Metronidazole in Bacterial Vaginosis

mSphere ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 3 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhi-Luo Deng ◽  
Cornelia Gottschick ◽  
Sabin Bhuju ◽  
Clarissa Masur ◽  
Christoph Abels ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Antibiotic Therapy ◽  
Bacterial Vaginosis ◽  
Bactericidal Effect ◽  
Vaginal Microbiota ◽  
Gardnerella Vaginalis ◽  
Vaginal Fluid ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Production Of Hydrogen ◽  
Cas Genes

ABSTRACT Bacterial vaginosis (BV) is a prevalent multifactorial disease of women in their reproductive years characterized by a shift from the Lactobacillus species-dominated microbial community toward a taxonomically diverse anaerobic community. For unknown reasons, some women do not respond to therapy. In our recent clinical study, among 37 women diagnosed with BV, 31 were successfully treated with metronidazole, while 6 still had BV after treatment. To discover possible reasons for the lack of response in those patients, we performed a metatranscriptome analysis of their vaginal microbiota, comparing them to the patients who responded. Seven of 8 clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat (CRISPR)-associated (Cas) genes of Gardnerella vaginalis were highly upregulated in nonresponding patients. Cas genes, in addition to protecting against phages, might be involved in DNA repair, thus mitigating the bactericidal effect of DNA-damaging agents such as metronidazole. In the second part of our study, we analyzed the vaginal metatranscriptomes of four patients over 3 months and showed high in vivo expression of genes for pore-forming toxins in L. iners and of genes encoding enzymes for the production of hydrogen peroxide and d-lactate in L. crispatus. IMPORTANCE Bacterial vaginosis is a serious issue for women in their reproductive years. Although it can usually be cured by antibiotics, the recurrence rate is very high, and some women do not respond to antibiotic therapy. The reasons for that are not known. Therefore, we undertook a study to detect the activity of the complete microbiota in the vaginal fluid of women who responded to antibiotic therapy and compared it to the activity of the microbiota in women who did not respond. We found that one of the most important pathogens in bacterial vaginosis, Gardnerella vaginalis, has activated genes that can repair the DNA damage caused by the antibiotic in those women that do not respond to therapy. Suppressing these genes might be a possibility to improve the antibiotic therapy of bacterial vaginosis.

A typology of emerging farmers in three rural provinces of South Africa: what are the implications for the land redistribution policy?

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Siphe Zantsi ◽  
Louw Petrus Pienaar ◽  
Jan C. Greyling
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Land Reform ◽  
Principal Component ◽  
Willingness To Participate ◽  
Eastern Cape ◽  
Multivariate Statistical ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Land Redistribution ◽  
Farm Production ◽  
Redistribution Policy

PurposeUnderstanding diversity amongst potential beneficiaries of land redistribution is of critical importance for both design and planning of successful land reform interventions. This study seeks to add to the existing literature on farming types, with specific emphasis on understanding diversity within a sub-group of commercially oriented or emerging smallholders.Design/methodology/approachUsing a multivariate statistical analysis – principal component and cluster analyses applied to a sample of 442 commercially-oriented smallholders – five distinct clusters of emerging farmers are identified, using variables related to farmers' characteristics, income and expenditure and farm production indicators and willingness to participate in land redistribution. The five clusters are discussed in light of a predefined selection criteria that is based on the current policies and scholarly thinking.FindingsThe results suggest that there are distinct differences in farming types, and each identified cluster of farmers requires tailored support for the effective implementation of land reform. The identified homogenous sub-groups of smallholders, allows us to understand which farmers could be a better target for a successful land redistribution policy.Originality/valueMost of the existing typology studies in South Africa tend to focus on general smallholders and in the Eastern Cape province; this study extends the literature by focussing on specific prime beneficiaries of land reform in three provinces. This study uses a more detailed dataset than the Statistics general and agricultural household surveys.

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