PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

W Beer

Publications and source records attributed to W Beer.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2002

Brackiella oedipodis gen. nov., sp. nov., gram-negative, oxidase-positive rods that cause endocarditis of cotton-topped tamarin (Saguinus oedipus).

A gram-negative, oxidase-positive, rod-shaped bacterium isolated from the heart of a cotton-topped tamarin was characterized by 16S rDNA sequence analysis, SDS-PAGE of whole-cell proteins, fatty acid analysis and biochemical tests. Outer-membrane proteins, iron-regulated outer-membrane proteins, lipopolysaccharides and siderophore production were studied. On the basis of the results, the organism belongs to the beta-Proteobacteria where it forms a separate line of descent, for which a novel genus and species are proposed, Brackiella oedipodis (LMG 19451T = DSM 13743T = NCIMB 13739T). Nearest phylogenetic neighbours of the new genus are Taylorella, Pelistega, Bordetella, Alcaligenes and Achromobacter.

Animals↗
PubMed1999

Characterization of nosocomial Serratia marcescens isolates: comparison of Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy with pulsed-field gel electrophoresis of genomic DNA fragments and multilocus enzyme electrophoresis.

A total of 66 Serratia marcescens isolates from 46 patients was investigated by macrorestriction using XbaI followed by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis. 7 restriction fragment patterns attributable to more than one patient and 9 individual patterns were identified. The isolates were additionally characterized by multilocus enzyme electrophoresis and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy. The macrorestriction patterns and the multilocus enzyme electrophoresis patterns corresponded fairly well while the classifications derived from these methods were not completely congruent. The grouping achieved by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy on the basis of high (> 1000) and moderately high heterogeneity values (300) was consistent with the macrorestriction results. Grouping on a lower heterogeneity level did not contribute to further discrimination. In general, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy was less discriminatory than the two other methods, but easier to perform. Therefore, laboratories equipped with the necessary devices may use it to rapidly select bacterial isolates for macrorestriction or other well established characterization procedures.

Cross Infection↗
PubMed1997

Iron-regulated excretion of alpha-keto acids by Salmonella typhimurium.

Excretion of alpha-keto acids by clinical isolates and laboratory strains of Salmonella typhimurium was determined by high-performance liquid chromatography analysis of culture supernatants. The levels of excretion increased markedly with increasing iron stress imposed by the presence of alpha,alpha'-dipyridyl or conalbumin in the medium. The major product was pyruvic acid, but significant concentrations of alpha-ketoglutaric acid, alpha-ketoisovaleric acid, and alpha-ketoisocaproic acid were also observed. Maximal excretion occurred at iron stress levels that initially inhibited bacterial growth; the concentration of alpha,alpha'-dipyridyl at which this was observed differed between strains depending on their ability to secrete and utilize siderophores, suggesting that the intracellular iron status was important in determining alpha-keto acid excretion. However, prolonged incubation of the siderophore-deficient S. typhimurium strain enb-7 under conditions of high iron stress resulted in significant delayed bacterial growth, promoted by tonB-dependent uptake of iron complexed with the high accumulated levels of pyruvic acid and other alpha-keto acids. Strain RB181, a fur derivative of enb-7, excreted massive amounts of alpha-keto acids into the culture medium even in the absence of any iron chelators (the concentration of pyruvic acid, for example, was >25 mM). Moreover, RB181 was able to grow and excrete alpha-keto acids in the presence of alpha,alpha'-dipyridyl at concentrations threefold greater than that which inhibited the growth of enb-7.

2,2'-Dipyridyl↗
PubMed1995

Comparative classification of Acinetobacter baumannii strains using seven different typing methods.

A group of 49 Acinetobacter baumannii strains obtained from several hospital outbreaks and some sporadic cases were typed by biotyping, antimicrobial susceptibility testing, pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE), plasmid typing, multilocus enzyme electrophoresis, whole-cell protein profile, and Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy. All these methods have shown a high degree of reproducibility and are capable of recognising strains from the same epidemiological event. However, their power to discriminate between epidemiologically unrelated strains varies, with PFGE being superior to the other methods investigated. FT-IR spectroscopy, which has not yet been used for typing of Acinetobacter strains, proved to be a very rapid and highly reproducible method, but was somewhat limited in its discriminating power.

Acinetobacter↗
PubMed1995

Genomic and biochemical relatedness between Vibrio cholerae serovar O139 and serovar O1 eltor strains.

Vibrio cholerae O139 (Bengal) the new pandemic cholera strain emerging on the Indian subcontinent has revealed considerable homology to Vibrio cholerae O1 EL Tor (strain of the seventh pandemic cholera) in terms of genetic and biochemical properties. Apart from capsule and O139 LPS formation, all strains of V. cholerae O139 were found to be identical to V. cholerae O1 EL Tor strains with respect to genomic restriction fragment length polymorphism, genomic distribution of the pathogenic island, pattern of OMP and multilocus enzymes. However, the analysis of a nonpathogenic V. cholerae O139 isolate from Sri Lanka with a totally different pattern of genetic properties underline that horizontal gene transfer of a piece of DNA encoding biosynthesis of the Vibrio cholerae O139-specific LPS and capsule formation to an O1 El Tor precursor strains must have occurred giving rise to a kind of hybrid V. cholerae O1 El Tor encoding the new serovar-specific O139 antigens.

Genome, Bacterial↗
PubMed1995

Iron supply of staphylococci and of micrococci by alpha-ketoacids.

Most of 232 strains of coagulase-negative staphylococci (CNS) belonging to 16 species, and nine strains of micrococci belonging to four species, could be distinguished by their growth on an iron-poor nutrient medium. alpha-Keto-/alpha-hydroxyacids, as primary metabolites, facilitated iron supply to CNS and micrococci under various iron-limited conditions, as detected by different bioassay methods. Twelve selected CNS strains and two micrococcal strains produced significant amounts of alpha-ketoacids in iron-poor liquid nutrient media. In particular, strains of Staphylococcus cohnii, S. xylosus and S. lentus unable to grow on iron-poor media, produced high amounts of pyruvic acid and alpha-ketoglutaric acid. In bioassays, the selected CNS strains being siderophore indicator strains were fed with alpha-ketoacids at different levels of iron limitation. Strains able to grow under iron deprivation appeared to produce additional siderophores such as staphyloferrins under iron stress. alpha-Keto-/alpha-hydroxyacids may be additionally active in the iron supply of CNS and micrococci.

Biological Assay↗
PubMed1994

Application of physico-chemical typing methods for the epidemiological analysis of Salmonella enteritidis strains of phage type 25/17.

Eighty-nine Salmonella enteritidis phage type 25/17 strains isolated from a localized outbreak in the German state Nordrhein-Westfalen (outbreak NWI) could not be further differentiated by biochemotyping and plasmid pattern analysis. They were submitted to a complex typing system consisting of modern physico-chemical analytical procedures. In lipopolysaccharide pattern analysis the strains proved to be homogeneous. In multilocus enzyme electrophoresis, outer membrane and whole cell protein pattern (WCPP) analysis, and Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy (increasing extent of differentiation in the given order) strains deviating from each basal pattern were found. The extent of correspondence in these deviations was satisfactory. Forty-six strains of the same sero- and phage type, however, obtained from different outbreaks, were additionally typed. The results obtained with them indicate that the data of the first group were not restricted to strains from outbreak NWI, but of general validity. It was found that both WCPP and FT-IR represent valuable methods for the sub-grouping of bacteria.

Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins↗
PubMed1990

Nutritional support of pulmonary patients: a multidisciplinary approach.

Pulmonary disease affects and is affected by the nutritional status of the patient. The relationships between nutrition, medications, complications, and the course of pulmonary disease itself are multifaceted and are the focus of concern for the nutritional support team. Nutritional support of patients with pulmonary disease demands the expertise of a multidisciplinary team in monitoring the nutritional status of patients, appropriately selecting feeding solutions and routines, selecting and administering medications, and planning and implementing nursing interventions. Recognition of the importance of the nutritional component of care for patients with pulmonary disease is the focus of this article.

Adult↗
PubMed1987

Nourseothricin (streptothricin) inactivated by a plasmid pIE636 encoded acetyl transferase: nature of the inactivated nourseothricin.

Nourseothricin, a mixture of several streptothricins, is inactivated by an acetyl transferase produced by Escherichia coli containing the plasmid pIE636. Nourseothricin inactivated in the presence of 14C-acetate was purified and submitted to partial hydrolysis. In the hydrolysate besides others a radioactive and ninhydrin-reactive substance moving only slightly towards the cathode was found. It proved to be [14C]-acetyl beta-lysine.

Acetylation↗
PubMed1986

Monosaccharide composition of lipopolysaccharides from Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli.

The monosaccharide composition of the LPS from 5 Campylobacter jejuni strains and 7 Campylobacter coli strains has been studied. All LPS's contained KDO, heptose, glucosamine, glucose, and (with one exception) galactose. All C. jejuni and 3 C. coli LPS's contained greater than 1% galactosamine. 3-Amino-3.6-dideoxyglucose was present in all but one C. coli LPS and in only one C. jejuni LPS.

Campylobacter↗
PubMed1985

[Cell wall proteins of Escherichia coli: a substance resembling the thermolabile enterotoxin (LT)].

In ultrasonic extracts of all 19 investigated non-enterotoxigenic E. coli strains a substance (LTLS) could be detected reacting positively in all tests which are commonly used to detect specifically E. coli thermolabile enterotoxin (LT). Culture supernatants of these strains in general did not contain LTLS in detectable amounts. LTLS can be found in the whole cell, however, the membrane fraction contains the highest quantities. Released LTLS appears mainly aggregated with components of the cell wall, especially with lipopolysaccharides. This fact in combination with the very low quantities produced by the bacteria renders very difficult purification of LTLS.

Animals↗
PubMed1978

Pruritus and dermographism due to intrahepatic cholestasis of infancy.

A case report of intrahepatic cholestasis of infancy presenting with chronic severe pruritus is described. This presentation is compared with similar cases attending this unit. Intrahepatic cholestasis of infancy and the pathogenesis of puritus associated with cholestasis are briefly discussed.

Cholestasis↗
PubMed1977

[Structure of shigella antigens. Heterogeneity of specific polysaccharides of 2 Shigella flexneri strains and 2 Sh. flexneri/Escherichia coli hybrids].

The S-specific polysaccharide from 2 Sh. flexneri wild strains (with serological var. X- and var. Y-specificity, respectively) and 2 Sh. flexneri E. coli hybrids (with the same specificities) can be separated by means of gel chromatography on Sephadex G-200 and G-50 into altogether 6 fractions per strain. Fraction G-200/1 (molecular weight greater than 10(6)D) represents a polymer consisting nearly exclusively of glucose and is present mainly in the two Y-type strains, much less in the two X-type strains. Fractions G-200/2 and G-200/3 (molecular weight approximately 10(5)D and approximately 2 - 10(4)D, respectively) seem to consist mainly of the S-specific side chains while fraction G-50/2 (molecular weight approximately 2000 D) presumably contains an SR-polysaccharide (core with one repeating unit.) Fraction G-50/3 (molecular weight approximately 100 D) contains the core polysaccharide and fraction G-50/4 splitting products (mainly KDO). No significant differences in chromatographical behaviour and quantitative composition could be found between the polysaccharides of the wild strains and the hybrid strains. Because of the well-known stability of the glucosaminyl linkages the sugar analysis was not only performed after acidic hydrolysis. In some cases the acid hydrolysate was reacted with HNO2 to cleave the glucosaminyl linkages. In most cases the values obtaines now were higher than those obtained directly.

Antigens, Heterophile↗
PubMed1977

[Chemical and immunogenic properties of the capsular antigen of Staphylococcus aureus. I. purification and chemical characteristics of the capsular antigen].

Crude capsular material isolated from S. aureus strain 1193/74 was characterized chemically and subjected to purification by 4 different methods. The best results were obtained by the method including deproteinization of the material with a mixture of chloroform and butanol, fractional precipitation with ethanol and separation on SE-Sephadex. Galactose, uronic acids, and a small amount of protein served as components characteristic of the purified capsular material. Galacturonic and glucuronic acids were identified amoung the uronic acids. Besides, there were revealed other acids with a carbohydrate base, whose nature is still obscure.

Antigens, Bacterial↗
PubMed1976

[Chemical composition of the capsule material of Staphylococcus aureus strain 1193/74].

The capsule material of Staphylococcus aureus strain 1193/74 could be separated by precipitation with trichloroacetic acid and ethanol as well as by chromatography on DEAE-cellulose into 13 fractions. All fractions contained saccharides and uronic acids as well as amino acids and appeared in their qualitative composition rather similar. However, in quantitative composition and in chromatographic behaviour a rather high degree of heterogeneity could be observed. No clear cut separation of protein and polysaccharide material could be achieved in any fraction. It is supposed, therefore, that the capsule material does not represent merely an acidic polysaccharide, but contains certain amounts of amino acids or peptides varying in a rather wide range.

Amino Acids↗